The journey from Trent College to the fashion industry has been anything but predictable for Sapira Rakotomalala.

When she left Trent in 2023, she knew she wanted to pursue a creative career and had secured a place at the Jimmy Choo Academy (JCA) in London to study Fashion Design, Branding, and Entrepreneurship. Three years later, she has graduated, showcased her own collection at London Fashion Week and begun a Master's in Fashion Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of the Arts London.

Sapira, Year 13, Trent College Art Dept

Along the way, her ambitions have evolved, her confidence has grown and her understanding of the fashion industry has changed. What has remained constant is her desire to create.

“The goal to be an entrepreneur will never change, though.”

Discovering her place in fashion

Sapira describes her journey so far as “hard, and a rollercoaster”, admitting that self-doubt and uncertainty have been part of the experience, but so worth it.

Starting at JCA, she initially felt she was behind others in her knowledge of garment construction. University also brought a new level of independence, with much more self-directed learning than she had experienced at school.

But those challenges became important lessons.

Sapira discovered that success was not simply about attending lectures and completing assignments. It meant putting in additional hours, asking questions, finding answers independently and making the most of every opportunity available.

She also credits her decision to study in London with helping her to step outside her comfort zone, preparing her to embrace new journeys and even walk away from past experiences or intentions.

“The name and location of the university has given me so many opportunities that I am thankful for, and it has taught me the importance of putting yourself out there, networking, and being curious about anything new that you learn.”

That willingness to explore has become an important part of Sapira's approach to her future.

A collection with a personal story

One of the defining moments of Sapira’s degree came when she was given the opportunity to showcase her graduate collection at London Fashion Week this September.

The invitation came just two weeks before the show, leaving Sapira with an intense period of preparation and an enormous amount of pressure.

“Because of how much pressure was on me, I genuinely could not feel or breathe until it was all finished.”

The experience, however, proved hugely rewarding. It was Sapira’s first opportunity to see her work presented on a runway: “It turned out amazingly! It was my first experience showcasing my work on a runway. It felt amazing because it built a stronger connection between me and my collection.”

With a family heritage rooted in Madagascar, Sapira has always wanted to find ways to represent the country through her creativity. Raised in Malaysia until the age of 10, before moving to the UK, she grew up with influences from both her Asian and African heritage, while also being physically distant from Madagascar and its culture.

That distance shaped her relationship with her Malagasy identity. Sapira describes having sometimes felt that she was “not Malagasy enough”, or that she did not fully identify with a culture she had grown up away from. Her graduate collection, Nosy Malalako, gave her an opportunity to explore those feelings and reconnect with her heritage through fashion.

“It is colourful, cultural, textural, and so personal to me.”

The inspiration for that exploration can be traced back to her A Levels at Trent, where her Art and Photography projects included research into African representation in art and adornment. At JCA, she was able to take this research further, translating those ideas into garments using Malagasy textiles and materials.

Traditional Malagasy lamba features throughout the collection, while raffia and beads are incorporated into the garments as fastenings, ribbons and alternatives to buttons: “I collaborated with an amazing company called Art Land, from Madagascar, where they sent me some beautiful raffia bags and hats to match with my 6 looks on the runway.”

For Sapira, Nosy Malalako became much more than a graduate collection. It gave her a way to explore the complexities of her identity and bring together the different cultural influences that have shaped her. Through her creativity, she has found a way to make something personal from the experience of growing up between cultures, and to place her Malagasy heritage at the heart of her work. It was a huge achievement for her when her own models, and attendees at the show - and other university events – acknowledged their appreciation: "They completely caught on to my brand’s narratives and told me how they could resonate and empathise with my story. "

From creative director to entrepreneur

Sapira's ambitions have changed since she first spoke about wanting to become a creative director.

Having researched the role more closely during her degree, she realised that it was not quite the future she had imagined. Instead, her original ambition to become an entrepreneur has become even stronger.

She wants to establish her own brand, combining her creativity with values and ideas that she believes deserve greater attention.

“I think more pressing matters and moral issues in this world should come to light, so I want my own brand where my values and creativity come with my name.”

It is an ambition that she is now exploring through her Master's in Fashion Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of the Arts London.

Acknowledging that she’s always lacked self-confidence, despite knowing her own capability, and has often allowed fear to cloud her self-esteem, this course immediately appealed to Sapira because it promised to challenge her and push her beyond what was comfortable. The programme's emphasis on independence, pace and unconventional thinking particularly caught her attention: “During my video interview, the program leader repeated that ‘she will not hold my hand for this course’. I kept wondering what that meant!”

Now that she has started the course, Sapira feels it is exactly the challenge she was looking for.

“This course was meant for me to build faith in myself and constantly challenge my brand’s initial values or missions, to elevate it further. Creatively, entrepreneurially, and wisely, I am taught to always take a different and unconventional approach.”

For Sapira, the Master's is not simply about developing her knowledge of fashion. It is also about developing the confidence and leadership skills she will need to turn her ideas into something of her own; leading by example, building confidence and self-esteem along the way.

“I think what I am taking the most out of this postgraduate course, is how to be an inspirational leader and take on responsibility, then further applying that to my fashion and entrepreneurial career.”

Finding independence at Trent

Looking back, Sapira can identify many elements of her time at Trent that helped prepare her for the independence required at university and beyond.

Relocating to the UK from Malaysia, with her family, at the age of 10, she initially joined The Elms and later became a weekly boarder at Trent before completing her GCSEs and A Levels, first joining Bates in Year 9 and moving to Martin House for Sixth Form. The experience gave her an opportunity to develop independence and responsibility while being part of a supportive community.

But it was not simply boarding that helped her develop those qualities.

Sapira particularly remembers studying French at A Level. As the only student in her class, she spent two years having lessons and conversations one-to-one with her teachers, Ms Lebat and Mr Winter.

“Having those lessons alone genuinely helped me with being independent and relying on myself to find the resources and answers.”

Her French studies also provided an opportunity to bring together her academic and creative interests. For her oral examination, Sapira chose to explore the history of fashion and France's role as a pioneer in the industry, allowing her to combine her interest in fashion with the art history she had explored through her other subjects.

Her experience at Trent had encouraged her to follow those interests. The Art Department, in particular, had recognised Sapira's creative potential and supported her as she developed her ideas.

This was something she had spoken about before leaving school, when she reflected on the teachers who had encouraged her artistic interests and created an environment where she felt able to explore them.

Now, she recognises how significant those relationships were.

“Every single staff member [at Trent] has always believed in me and always saw my potential before I ever did.”

The opportunity that changed everything

Sometimes, a career journey can begin with an unexpected conversation. For Sapira, one of those moments came during the annual International University Roadshow, held at Trent, organised by Head of Careers, Fiona Starbuck.

At the time, Sapira knew she wanted to pursue something creative but had not yet decided exactly what that meant. She had considered continuing with fine art and photography, exploring fashion business or perhaps moving into marketing, but felt that would not be fulfilling enough.

Then she discovered Polimoda, a fashion university in Italy. It was the first time she had encountered a university specifically offering fashion design, and the idea stayed with her.  Sapira began researching other courses and universities, eventually discovering the Jimmy Choo Academy: “Before meeting the representative for Polimoda, I was so lost on what to do.”

The experience, perfectly timed for Sapira, highlights the value of giving Trent pupils opportunities to encounter people, subjects and possibilities they may not otherwise have considered or even knew existed.

“There is actually one event I remember that heavily influenced me, when Trent held a University Fair where we could talk to different universities and explore courses. It was my first real exposure to university representatives, and it came right before I started applying to UCAS.”

Sapira had already developed her creative interests through Art and Photography, but the university fair helped her see how those interests could translate into a future career.  Her original plans changed, and that was perfectly okay!

Coming back to where it started

Sapira recently returned to Trent College, to represent the school as an Alumni Ambassador at a Whole School Open Morning where she spoke with prospective families and took the opportunity to revisit the Art Department.

The experience was a chance to see the school from a very different perspective.

Meeting her former Art teachers again was particularly special. Sapira remembers the department as a place where she felt encouraged and where teachers recognised potential in her that she did not always see in herself.

“I just felt incredibly nostalgic. I felt like Trent pupil Sapira again just being with them.”

As an Alumni Ambassador, she was able to share her own experience with families considering Trent College, particularly those whose children were showing an early interest in fashion.

Sapira recognised something familiar in those conversations. Her own career had not begun with a perfectly formed plan. It began with an interest, some encouragement and the willingness to explore where that interest might lead.

“Being a part of these families’ first impressions was a great responsibility, and I felt that my career path in particular was quite unusual in comparison to other Alumni, which is why I wanted to be a part of the Ambassadors”.

She wanted families to know that uncertainty is not necessarily something to fear. Choices change. Interests develop. New opportunities appear.

“I found it super important to let families know as well, that even through the doubts, the decision changes, and the uncertainty of any choices I made, Trent has always made the process easier for me.”

And, sometimes, the route you eventually take is one you could not have predicted when you started.

Sapira pictured (centre) with Alumni Ambassadors Bram Ottewell & Freya Lord (Trent College Open Morning Oct.26)

Looking ahead

Sapira is now at the beginning of another chapter.

The Master's is giving her the opportunity to develop as a leader, entrepreneur and creative thinker, while her experience at JCA has given her the practical knowledge and industry exposure to begin shaping her own vision.

There is still plenty that she does not know about where that vision will ultimately take her, and she is comfortable with that.

"The first few weeks of this new course has entailed immense amounts of research to develop my brand, Sapira Machia, and refining the entrepreneurial aspects I learned from my business lessons with Mr. King [Trent College], all the way to industry professionals in JCA and UAL."

For someone who once felt “so lost” about what to do next, Sapira has come a long way.

From a Trent pupil exploring Art, Photography and fashion, to a graduate presenting a collection inspired by her Malagasy heritage on the London Fashion Week runway, her journey demonstrates the value of curiosity, independence and the confidence to explore possibilities.

And perhaps most importantly, she is now beginning to create a future that is unmistakably her own.

It is a journey that began to take shape during her final years at Trent. In 2023, as a Year 13 pupil, Sapira spoke about discovering her passion for fashion, her ambitions to become a creative director and entrepreneur, and the teachers and experiences that had helped her find her direction.

Three years on, her ambitions may have evolved, but the creative curiosity and determination she showed then are still very much part of her story.

Read Sapira’s Year 13 story, written shortly before she left Trent, to discover where this journey began: CLICK HERE