Degree Show 2026
Mia McDermott
BA Fashion Marketing
I am a final-year Fashion Marketing student at the University of Leeds and was the Chief Executive of Leeds RAG Fashion Show 2026, one of the largest student-led fashion shows in the UK. I am most interested in the part of brand building that happens before anything is made, the cultural intelligence, the consumer insight, the decision to do less rather than more. Tied. started with a small observation and became a brand I would genuinely want to exist.
Tied. is a design-led accessories brand built around a single everyday problem. The hairband lives on the wrist, functional, necessary but completely unconsidered. It disrupts an otherwise intentional look and has never been designed for the woman who wears it. Multiple bracelet styles each hold a hair tie discreetly on the wrist. Positioned within affordable luxury, Tied. creates a permanent solution to a problem every woman has normalised.
Tied. launches through OOH across London. The Amnesty Box follows: five guerrilla installations where depositing a hairband unlocks exclusive access to the Studio launch. Every donation is recycled through Kapadaa, a London-based textile recycling partner.
A trend forecasting report developed for BITE Studios, a Swedish luxury womenswear brand. Focused on the emerging ReGenMode zeitgeist, modular wear, elevated basics and minimalism with detail. The report forecasts consumer demand for Spring/Summer 2026, identifying a cultural shift toward considered, timeless dressing as fast fashion continues to decline.