Fashion Design BA (Hons) graduate from Leeds Arts University, Lewis Bailey, has experience across fashion design, fashion marketing, social media, and content creation. Through internships in both fashion design and fashion marketing alongside professional experience in social media content creation, Bailey has developed a well-rounded understanding of the fashion industry and the relationship between design, branding, and audience engagement. Their creative practice explores themes of transformation, identity, and the discovery of hidden beauty within unexpected places. His graduate collection drew inspiration from beetles, using their intricate structures, iridescent colours, and organic forms to inform silhouette, shape, and material development. Constructed entirely from leather, the collection explored hidden beauty and transformation, celebrating details often overlooked yet possessing an extraordinary visual impact. These themes also informed Bailey’s dissertation, Subculture to Runway: Drag Performers & Their Influence on Contemporary Fashion. Inspired by the drag performers who have played an important role in Bailey’s life, the research examined how drag challenges conventional ideas of beauty, identity, and self-expression while influencing contemporary fashion. The project also celebrated the creativity, artistry, and cultural impact of drag performers, recognising their lasting contribution to the fashion industry. Across both their design and research, Lewis Bailey is interested in how fashion can act as a tool for transformation, storytelling, and self-expression. Their work seeks to reveal hidden beauty, challenge perspectives, and celebrate diverse identities through thoughtful and concept-driven design. Passionate about creative innovation, sustainability, and pushing the boundaries of design, they are seeking opportunities in fashion design, accessories, creative marketing, social media, and content creation, where they can continue to develop their practice while contributing to meaningful and forward-thinking creative work.