Fashion MA

Nationality: UK

Since graduating from the RCA in 2017, Bianca Saunders has become one of the most talked about new designers in fashion. In 2021 she won the Andam Fashion Awards Grand Prize of 300,000 euros and a year’s coaching from Balenciaga chief executive officer Cédric Charbit. As well as regularly producing her own collections and films, she has also collaborated on projects with Wrangler and Gucci. In 2020 she was named on the Forbes 30 under 30 list of the top young entrepreneurs in the category for Arts and Culture and won the British Fashion Council’s NewGen Prize.

‘The main reason I started my brand was to have the autonomy to work with whoever on whatever I wanted and to bounce off people who are creatively different from me. Whilst I was at the RCA I became heavily inspired by the way we were taught. We were taught to create our world outside of fashion and work with people at the opposite end of creativity. This is how we expand and grow what fashion is and how far you can inspire people.

I had the best tutors who were all amazing. Listening to the Head of Programme, Zowie Broach speak, and how much she pushed us to think outside the box is something I am forever grateful for.

I also enjoyed having Brian Kirby as a menswear tutor. He cared a lot about my work and was really excited about each of his students. He understood where I needed to take my designing and my research.’

Nationality: Ireland

As the number one art college in the world it is hard to find a reason to not want to study at the Royal College of Art. The Fashion MA has an incredibly high reputation globally, and approaches the practice from a broad, ambitious and innovative perspective. From industry projects to introspective analysis and development, the framework for the course allows each student to realise their voice in this exciting and expanding arena. The RCA guarantees an extremely high level of talent, skill, focus and commitment. To be part of this innovative cohort of designers, artists, makers and thinkers was one of the main motivations for my application.

Prior to studying at the RCA I worked in commercial fashion for a year and a half, this ‘real world’ experience was interesting and challenging, but I yearned for more creative work. In between BA and MA, I also worked with a group of Irish film and furniture designers to produce video and installation work. This work set the foundations for my MA application, as it helped me realise that I still had my own creativity to burn.

The facilities and tuition at the RCA allow for the conception and creation of virtually any idea, artwork, product or prototype imaginable. The technology, machinery and technical help that the college provides has allowed me to produce work that is far superior to that of my previous portfolio. It is the balance between design-thinking and professional making that I love the most about the RCA. Both aspects are encouraged at extremely high levels of understanding, and I think this sets the RCA above any other art and design institution, particularly in the field of Fashion.

Coming from Ireland it is exciting to remember that London has over twice the population of every village, town and city in Ireland combined; studying here is definitely an enriching experience! The city is constantly buzzing with creative energy, from the excitement of London Fashion week to
London Design Festival and the Design Biennale; my calendar is constantly brimming with talks, events and exhibitions of interest. Living and studying alongside a diverse spectrum of cultures is central to the energy that makes both London and the RCA special.