University News Last updated 29 July
Luke-Matthew Iveson, who graduated from our Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC) in 2012, has been crowned the winner of The Great British Sewing Bee 2024.
Now in its 10th year, the series invites 12 talented amateur sewers to compete across 10 episodes, with the final three coming head-to-head to be named Britain’s best amateur sewer.
Luke studied BMus (Hons) Composition and still talks highly of their time at RBC, calling it “an amazing experience” that helped develop their creativity.
While music isn’t their sole focus, they said: “I think it’s something that will never leave me and that I’d love to get back into it a little more.”
They currently work as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) consultant, where they champion inclusive practices that enrich employee experiences and organisational culture.
In their spare time they perform as a drag artist.
We sat down with Luke to talk about their time on the show and how they felt about winning the competition.
What got you into sewing to begin with?
“My grandma. When I was about eight, she would make the most amazing costumes for me and my sister. She would let me help here and there. I owe my creativity very much to her. I sewed a lot with her but stopped in my early teens because I didn’t think it was cool! It wasn’t until college I fell back in love with sewing and got into more creative, stage costume type work.”
What inspired you to apply for The Great British Sewing Bee?
“I’ve loved the show and the fact that sewing is in the mainstream media. I thought I’d try it and see what happened. I didn’t really have much confidence, so it was a massive shock to get through. I knew I wanted to stray true to what sewing meant to me, how it can be so expressive of who we are, so being able to represent the queer community on a show like this was an honour.”
How does it feel to have won?
“I still can’t quite believe it. This year's contestants were all so talented, it could have been anyone. It feels so special to be the winner and means the world to me. I’ve never been one to call out my own achievements, but the show and my fellow bees taught me how important it is to do so.”
What are your plans for the future?
“Hopefully, lots of different things, I’d love to get back into more stage and performance costumes, work with some drag performers, and try some new things. That was my favourite part of the show, being faced with stuff I’ve never done before and just trying it out.”
You can find Luke-Matthew on Instagram, on their sewing page @SewLukeIvo and their drag page @SelmaSkreams.