Looking back on my Diploma in Professional Studies year, I realised that the most valuable outcome was not only gaining work experience but developing a clearer understanding of myself as a designer. Through placements across print textile, couture fashion, and interior textile rug design, I experienced industries directly rather than relying on assumptions. Each environment challenged me in different ways and helped shape my understanding of what kind of practice I want to pursue.
At Bay and Brown, I strengthened my drawing flexibility and became more aware of how archives, visual research, and commercial considerations influence textile design. This experience helped me understand how creativity can exist within industry constraints while remaining visually expressive. My experience at Miss Sohee introduced a very different working environment. Observing couture processes gave me deeper insight into luxury craftsmanship, conceptual development, and the level of labour and attention required to produce highly refined work. It also encouraged me to reflect more critically on questions around sustainability, pace, and the realities of fashion production. At Jaipur Rugs, many of these previous experiences came together. Working within interior textile and rug design expanded my understanding of materiality, spatial relationships, client communication, and ethical approaches to making. I became increasingly interested in how textile design can exist within lived environments and how craftsmanship, cultural narratives, and functionality can be integrated.
Reflecting across all three placements helped me identify interior textiles, particularly rug design, as the direction that aligns most closely with my creative interests and future goals. Through DPS, I also developed stronger professional communication and a more industry focused portfolio that presents process, adaptability, and final outcomes more clearly. Experiencing different working environments strengthened my confidence and critical reflection, allowing me to make career decisions based on experience rather than assumptions. DPS also changed how I understand design and professional success, showing me the importance of balancing creativity with ethics, sustainability, and long term development. As I move into my final year at UAL, I hope to combine lessons from each placement while continuing to explore Korean traditional craft within contemporary interior textile practice. Overall, DPS gave me greater clarity, confidence, and a stronger sense of direction as a designer.