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Laia

"Being at Goldsmiths gave me the physical and mental space I required to find out who I really was."

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What was your experience of being at Goldsmiths? What did you enjoy most? 
I loved the lectures; I couldn’t get enough of them! I didn’t really get into student life that much although I made some of my best friends to date, but I really thrived on the learning. I loved sitting in the library and losing myself in books and having access to so many academics to ask questions to. I also loved the college atmosphere, it was fun to feel part of it.

Are there any particular experiences or events that characterised your time here?
Being at Goldsmiths gave me the physical and mental space I required to find out who I really was. It was a time of great personal discovery, identity and soul searching. I loved meeting new people too, from all over the world with very different experiences to the ones I’d had. It was very enriching to spend time with them. It was also great to have fun, dance and laugh.

How did your time at Goldsmiths help you in your future career/affect what you’ve gone on to do since? 
Going to university gave me the foundation required to launch myself into the world. Like a passport, a degree opened many doors and I had learned discipline and commitment - two key attributes when job hunting. I also gained a lot of confidence, having been exposed to so much information though my BA Anthropology and Communication Studies (now Anthropology and Media). Studying journalism was key in my future career path as it opened my mind to it. I didn’t get into it straight away, but over time I gravitated towards it and have the groundwork in place to take it on.

What inspired you to get into journalism and the fashion/beauty industry? 
I began working as a Fashion Stylist and gradually took on writing assignments. My first one was reviewing London Fashion Week for Metro newspaper and it just grew from there. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was juggling both styling and writing commissions. I love working, I think as a freelancer it’s important to love what you do otherwise there are far too many distractions that can prevent you from working! From the minute I wake up I am always thinking of ideas for shoots or articles I’d like to write and people I’d like to meet or interview.

You previously mentioned that you would never have been able to write The Little Book of Prada (Laia's 2012 book) had you not attended Goldsmiths – how so? 
I don’t think I would’ve had the confidence to take on the project had I not had some form of formal training.

What do you think has been your greatest achievement so far? 
That’s a difficult question to answer. In a work context, possibly writing The Little Book of Prada but there are so many other projects that have challenged me in other ways…

What’s the one thing you know now that you wished you’d known as a student? 
That there is plenty of time ahead to get things done and that things have a way of working themselves out. Also to keep the focus and you’re half way there - knowing what you want is sometimes the hard part!

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