Bior Elliott
Student spotlight details
The MSt in the History of Design programme allowed student Bior Elliott to pursue a critical and academic approach to the subject of design while still working in the creative industry.
'Before I enrolled on the MSt in the History of Design I had just graduated from the University of the Arts London (having completed a BA in design and art direction) and had started working as a designer for Love Magazine, a Condé Nast fashion publication.
'I was motivated to join the course because I had previously studied philosophy at another institution and I was keen to combine my previous interest in theory and history with my current design practice. The History of Design programme offered me a unique opportunity to pursue a critical and academic approach to the subject of design while still working in the creative industry.
'The most challenging part of the programme is balancing the course with making a living and creative side-projects. This wasn’t made any easier by a global pandemic, but I’ve found that all these different parts of my life end up informing and influencing each other. I realised that I didn’t enrol on this course for good grades or to say I went to an amazing university; I came to learn and grow. Growth is always challenging and learning is about receiving the unknown.
'The most enjoyable part of the course is engaging with the amazingly varied lecture content and learning unexpected things from my equally varied cohort. I never expected Oxford to be anywhere as stimulating as art school, but the large spectrum of age and background in the course is a multiplier of knowledge and perspectives. Being surrounded by herbalists, architects, scientists, business executives and curators has definitely widened my outlook and provided inspiration.
'I’m now currently working for an international fashion brand and my goal is to start my own clothing label, which I am currently working on launching as a research project.
'To someone who’s thinking about joining the course, I’d say they should make sure they are willing to invest the time and dig deep inside themselves to find the research topics they want to write about.'
You can view Bior's work over on Instagram.
