Growing up as a Third Culture Kid — belonging everywhere and nowhere — I found comfort in the pages of Vogue. Each edition told a different story: Vogue Italia felt abstract, Vogue Deutsch leaned into expressionism, Vogue Paris brought the va-va-voom, and American Vogue was big and bold. As a 10-year-old, this was my first glimpse into the magic of fashion marketing — and I was hooked. The diverse imagery and cultural interpretations drew me in, and I knew I wanted to be part of that world.

Fast forward past a string of summer internships, and in 2013, I launched Modern Melange, a blog dedicated to fashion criticism and commentary. Thanks to a loyal readership, I was soon invited to cover fashion weeks and contribute to platforms like ShowStudio, Achtung Magazine, and AustrianFashion.net. Through these experiences, I witnessed both the remarkable creativity and camaraderie within the fashion industry — and its challenges, from excessive waste to the pressures placed on young talent. I was particularly struck by how rapidly technology was reshaping the industry — changing the way collections were presented, front-row seats were filled, and trends were consumed.

These shifts inspired me to pursue a PhD in Marketing at the University of Exeter, where I explored how digital disruption was transforming fashion’s value-creation processes. I pivoted from journalist to ethnographer — observing and interviewing industry leaders to better understand cultural shifts and evolving dynamics within fashion.

After completing my PhD in 2020, eager to apply my research in practice, I founded and led RETURE — then celebrated as the world’s first fashion upcycling platform. Launched during the height of the pandemic, RETURE aimed to reduce garment waste and create growth opportunities for emerging creatives passionate about sustainability. From pop-ups at Selfridges London and Westfield Stratford to features in British Vogue and ELLE, I’m proud to have played a small role in advancing conversations around circular fashion.

Today, I serve as Course Leader for the MA Strategic Fashion Marketing program at London College of Fashion, where I have the privilege of guiding passionate students from across the globe. Alongside this, I’m pursuing my own creative journey as the founder of Ida & Ink — an arts and crafts studio dedicated to sparking joy through illustration and storytelling.

All this to say — my journey in fashion has been anything but linear. Did I know at 18 that this would be my path? Absolutely not. Did I expect to become a PhD, entrepreneur, or lecturer? Not at all.

But what I’ve learned is this: the only real failure is not trying.

This is the message I hope my students — and anyone reading this — will carry with them as they forge their own paths.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I wish you fulfillment, creativity, and courage on your own journey!