Meeting Ruth Avanoma, you immediately sense her warmth, clarity, and the quiet confidence of someone who has lived many chapters within fashion. A graduate of the MA Fashion Business Management programme at the University of Westminster and now a Style Advisor at Hobbs London, her journey shows how passion and resilience can shape a career in one of the world’s most competitive fashion cities.
We sat down with Ruth to talk about her journey, what she learned at Westminster, and the advice she would give to students starting out in fashion today.
A Childhood Spark That Became a Lifelong Calling
Ruth’s love for fashion began long before she ever imagined studying it. Growing up in Africa, her home was often filled with relatives learning to sew, a necessity for those who couldn’t attend traditional school. Watching them work ignited something in her. Later, while studying for her first degree, she struggled to find tailors who could bring her ideas to life. So she taught herself.
“I bought a machine and started making clothes for myself,” she recalls. “That’s really how it all started.”
Despite her talent, societal expectations pushed her toward a “proper job” after university. She worked for a service company, got married, and moved to South Africa, where, once again, fashion found its way back into her life. With a young baby and no work permit, she returned to online classes, training, and sewing. By 2009, back in Nigeria, she launched her own womenswear business, which she ran successfully for 13 years.
But she wanted more.
“I wanted to expand. I wanted something internationally recognised. That’s how I brought myself to the UK, to the University of Westminster.”
Why London? Why Westminster? Why Fashion Business Management?
For Ruth, the decision was both personal and strategic. Her eldest son needed educational support, and the family decided to relocate to the UK. Instead of simply accompanying him, Ruth saw an opportunity to invest in her own future.
“I didn’t want just to sit down. I searched online and found Fashion Business Management. I didn’t even know a course like that existed.”
London’s status as a global fashion capital sealed the decision.
“When you think about fashion, you think about London. If you want to learn anything about fashion, this is the place.”
After extensive searching, Westminster’s balance of academic depth and industry connections made it the perfect fit.
Modules That Shaped Her Career
Ruth speaks about her course, Fashion Business Management, with genuine enthusiasm. Several modules stood out:
Sustainable Supply Chain Management
Where she first deeply understood sustainability, a topic rarely explored in depth in Nigeria.
Strategic Fashion Business Management & Planning and Trading for Retailing
Exactly the kind of strategic thinking and retail knowledge she came to London for.
Fashion Marketing and Brand Management
A challenge she embraced, especially after outsourcing marketing in her own business for years.
Entrepreneurship
Her favourite module, and the one she excelled in. Her project explored rental fashion for African clothing, a concept she still hopes to develop.
Finding a Job in London: Challenges, Reality, and Ruth’s Strategy
Like many international students, Ruth faced the classic barrier: “UK experience.” Despite 13+ years of running her own business, she had to start from scratch.
“I calmed down my high horse,” she says with a laugh. “This is London. You have to start from the beginning.”
Her approach was methodical:
- Researching job descriptions thoroughly
- Understanding what each role required
- Watching countless interview preparation videos
- Attending workshops
- Leveraging her years of experience dressing women
Within just one month, she secured her role as a Style Advisor at Hobbs London.
“The most important thing is kindness,” she says. “Clients must feel heard. If they feel you’re not listening and just want to sell, it doesn’t work.”
Her Advice to Current Fashion Students
Ruth’s guidance is grounded, practical, and refreshingly honest.
1. Stay open. “No job is too small. Even with years of experience, I started from the beginning.”
2. Be consistent and willing to grow. London is competitive; resilience matters.
3. Don’t get discouraged. Rejections are part of the process.
“Even getting an interview is a big opportunity. You learn from it.”
4. Don’t obsess over job titles. “Once the door opens, you’ll find yourself in many places.”
5. Maintain your relationships. She remains connected with classmates and lecturers.
“Don’t lose those connections. They will help you.”
Looking Ahead
Ruth’s long-term vision is bold. She wants to build a sustainable fashion brand that blends African prints with contemporary silhouettes, clothing that women can wear to work, to events, and in everyday life.
“There are many African garments in the market, but not a brand that stands out like Hobbs, with structured dresses, jackets and pieces made in African prints. I want to explore that.”
She also plans to pursue a PhD in sustainable supply chains within the fashion industry.
From teaching herself to sew in Nigeria to advising clients at one of London’s most respected womenswear brands, Ruth’s career has never followed the obvious path. That’s precisely what makes it worth paying attention to. If the next chapter is anything like the ones that came before, it won’t be predictable, but it will be worth watching.
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This article is part of the Westminster Fashion Alumni Profiles series, produced by the Westminster Fashion Agency. Explore more stories at westminster.fashion/stories.
Interview by Yardokht Haddadi, Westminster Fashion Agency.
