Who is Ashleigh the designer?

Hat design showcasing my own design background

It is a very strange question to be asked 'who are you as a designer' and many people will sit around and wonder exactly how best to answer that. I am an 18 year old female of New Zealand European decent. Does this mean that my designs would be influenced by my European heritage? I admit I love Gaelic designs and find them very appealing and I have used them in designs before. But I feel no patriotism to my Anglo-Irish Scottish heritage and I view myself as a New Zealander.

I lived in Australia for some time and I love the aboriginal culture there. Their depictions of animals are as beautiful as they are unique and perhaps this will come into play during my life as a designer one day. I lived in Australia as my father was a member of the Royal New Zealand Air Force and he had been posted there. My mother too has served in the defence force although she was in the Army. So my background has been full of exposure to military lifestyles and inspired my love for aviation. Aviation and things to do with that will shape who I am as a designer as there is a lot to be gained from not just the sky and planes but from the emotions that they evoke in me.

Another strong influence that shapes who I am as a designer is my education so far. I spent 5 years studying Fashion Design at college. I learnt about how textures correspond to one another, about colours and about proportions and geometry of the human body. In my experiences of first year design here at Vic I have used some of the things I learnt and they have been to good use. So I find that applying this textile knowledge has given me something unique to put forward and showcase.