The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2022 - Issue 31

bitebags Following her grade A in GCSE Art, which strongly en- couraged her to progress into art and design, Liying stud- ied BTEC Diploma at Bury College in 2008, achieved a BA in Fashion Design at ULAN in 2012 and a MA in Fashion at UAL in 2019. “These learning experiences have laid a solid theoretical and practical foundation for my career in design.” In 2011, she started her first role as an assistant handbag designer in Manchester and, three years later, went freelance, working on various fashion product lines. Describing herself as a multi-disciplinary designer or fash- ion entrepreneur, Liying has designed several fashion ac- cessories, womenswear and sportswear, and bought fash- ion lifestyle products. She also finds great inspiration for her work in Art Nouveau and Art Deco. “They were both international movements of the Decorative Arts,” she ex- plained. “My BA Fashion Design graduate collection was inspired by [Russian-born French] Art Deco artist and designer Erté and Asian’s representative waterlily flower.” The collection showcased at Graduate Fashion Week in June 2012 had an assortment of silk evening gowns with ruching pleats, with each garment assembled with bold laser-cut Perspex body accessories. Liying continually uses design element development for her production pro- jects, including an Art Deco accordion leather bag collec- tion and handmade jewellery made of colourful Perspex. “Even today, I still love to use geometric shapes and colour combinations in my other design projects.” Being the boss of her business, she can design whatever she likes but appreciates having a label is a responsibility. “This is a fantasy for many of us. Gratefully, I am doing it with YLY Design Studio.” She recently co-founded End of More, a certified member of Social Enterprises in the UK that recognises the ongoing necessity to improve textile products. “We start from the root of the product’s design and think deeply about the relationship between humans, the product and Mother Earth.” The products are designed to have supreme durability and wearability and are 100% non-toxic and biodegrad- able at the end of their lifespan. End of More dedicates itself to applying collective creativity to build a positive