Aamira Khan

Garment Technology MA

Aamira was working in the fashion industry when she realised garment technology was where her interests lay. She embarked on a master’s course at BCU and found herself equipped with the skills and knowledge to become a garment technician and be recognised as one to watch in the fashion industry .

“I always wanted to continue my education and study in the UK at postgraduate level, but after I completed my undergraduate degree in Fashion Design in India, I immediately started working for a fashion manufacturing company as a product developer.

In my role, I found myself asking lots of questions about the technical aspects of garment production and learning more about it really fascinated me. I realised that my passion sat more with the technical side of garment production than the creative side, so I began to look into ways I could improve my knowledge in this area.

I hadn’t even heard of the term ‘garment technology’ before I started researching postgraduate courses, so a course that would allow me to prepare for the role in industry was hugely important. The Garment Technology MA at BCU allowed me to understand what the role is, what the industry standards are and what the role looks like in the working world.

The staff at BCU are outstanding because they’re all experts from the industry, they could tell me in detail what I would need to learn to get the role of garment technician and how the role fits into the fashion industry.

I particularly enjoyed the freedom and individuality that you’re given on the course. It’s very different to the education system in India and it was the first time that I had been given freedom to express myself and focus on what I wanted to learn and create.

After graduation, I knew I wanted to stay and work in the UK, so I applied for the Global Talent VISA. My portfolio and experience from BCU prepared me for the application process. During my Master’s, I had prepared my work for a graduate show, so this meant I had a portfolio ready for me to use to apply for the VISA and showcase my talents. Plus, through BCU and my lecturers, I had met so many highly regarded experts from the industry who could write me a reference. I was named an ‘Exceptional Promise’ in the field of fashion design, which means that I’ve been labelled as someone who has the potential to be a future leader in my industry! This award means so much to me and BCU is one of the reasons for my success.

I currently work as a Junior Garment Technician for Urban Outfitters Europe. I use the technical skills I learned in my master’s every single day. I’m grateful for the opportunity at BCU to work with different people, from professionals already in the industry to people on my course from different countries. I work in an international company and communicate with people of all nationalities, so the diversity and professionalism of the people at BCU helped me prepare for that.

I’m proud to call myself a BCU graduate. ‘I am BCU’ means representing the university and the skills it taught me in my everyday life and career.”