Although fashion had always been part of her life, Kashante’s path to design was not entirely linear. “I wanted to be a designer since I was about five,” she says. But when she arrived at college, she briefly tried a different route, studying law and criminology before quickly realising it wasn’t for her. “I remember sitting in class thinking, ‘I’m too creative to be here.’ That was the moment I knew I had to pursue design.”
Having studied tailoring at 16, Kashante had already developed a strong interest in garment construction. When it came to choosing a university, Westminster’s technical approach to fashion education became the deciding factor. “What stood out about Westminster was the technical side,” she explains. “They really focus on pattern cutting and tailoring, which was exactly what I wanted to develop.”
The people she met during the course became just as important as the technical training. “The people you meet are a huge part of it,” she says, noting that many of the friendships she formed during her degree continue to shape her work today. “Even now, some of my friends from the course help me with things related to my brand.”
Like many fashion students, Kashante found the course both demanding and transformative. The intensity of the workload, particularly in the second year, pushed her to develop both resilience and confidence while also defining her creative identity. “Second year was definitely the toughest because you’re still figuring out who you are as a designer, but the expectations increase.”
It was during this time that the direction of her work began to take shape. Experimenting with materials helped her refine her design language, and she soon found herself drawn to specific fabrics. “That’s when I realised how much I loved working with wool and fur,” she says. “It helped me understand the direction I wanted my designs to take.”
Studying in London also played a key role in shaping her confidence and creative outlook. The city’s pace and energy forced her to become more self-assured, both personally and creatively. “London is incredibly fast-paced and raw,” she says. “If you want to collaborate or build connections here, you can’t really be shy.” That energy continues to influence the visual language of her work today.
For her graduate collection, Kashante drew inspiration from a deeply personal experience of living with Crohn's disease. The collection explored themes of survival and resilience, reflecting how individuals adapt to challenges in their lives. She looked to the Inuit tribe for inspiration, particularly the way communities constantly rebuild their environments in order to survive. “That idea of survival really reflected my own experience,” she explains.
The resulting collection combined structured tailoring with streetwear silhouettes – a balance that continues to define her design approach. “I’d describe my aesthetic as high fashion meeting streetwear,” she says. “There’s a lot of tailoring in my work, but I also want the pieces to feel raw and wearable.”
Even before graduating, Kashante had already begun thinking about the next stage of her career. Rather than following a more traditional path into internships or freelance work, she began developing plans for her own label. “In my final year, I was already planning my brand and thinking about what I wanted to build after university,” she says.
Since graduating, she has focused on turning that vision into reality. Launching a brand has brought both creative freedom and new challenges. “Starting a brand can feel quite lonely,” she admits. While many of her peers have gone on to freelance or work for other designers, she has taken a different path.
At the same time, the independence has been empowering. “For the first time, I feel completely free creatively,” she says. “At university, you’re working on briefs, but now I can create whatever I want.”
One of the biggest adjustments has been learning the business side of fashion — something many designers only encounter once they begin building their own brand. “When you start a brand, you realise how much there is beyond the creative side,” she says. “You have to understand business, finance and strategy as well.”
Looking ahead, Kashante has a clear vision for where she wants her career to go. “In five years, I want to be running my own brand, with a small studio and a strong community around it. I want to be creating products people genuinely connect with.”
For students beginning the BA Fashion Design course, her advice is simple: embrace the learning process. “Make mistakes,” she says. “It’s easy to be hard on yourself at university, but that’s actually how you find your creative voice.” She also emphasises the importance of balance, noting that the intensity of fashion school can easily take over your life if you let it.
As Kashante begins the next chapter of her career, her focus remains on staying true to her creative vision. “The most important thing for me is building something that truly reflects who I am as a designer,” she says — a philosophy that continues to guide the early stages of her brand.
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