2014 Review

The final look of 2014

JCI Diretors Pin! 

First magazine I was in! 

JCI UK win

JCI Yorkshire win

The label is born!

Malta

Metting Betty Jackson! 

Neon Tetra 

Seeing Pam Ann in Manchester

Gems for a dress

LEAP Graduation! 

First Meadowhall Blog! 

Hello! 

Well 2014 is over tonight and I always like to have a moment on New Years Eve to think about what this year has been to me, the highs the lows and what I would like to see in the following year. This year has been amazing. Full of highs and full of lows. A cocktail of emotions.

 This year I have travelled more than i have ever before. This is definitely a major high for me. I love being able to see new places, experience new cultures and see the world we live in. In April I travelled to Portugal which was a great experience and a great time. Then in June I got the chance to travel to Malta for Junior Chamber International (JCI) European Conference 2014. This was without a doubt the best week of my year. Malta it's self is a stunning country. An amazing place with beauty all the way around it. What made this experience better was being able to develop personally and professionally during my time there. I got to meet new faces, make new friends and learn loads of new skills. As some of you may know I love the environment, the sea's especially so when I got the chance to help clean up one of the beaches in Malta it was something I will never forget. In pairs we donned our snorkels and swam around picking up bits of litter we found on the sea floor. It was great to be able to see all of the wild fish in their habitat and being able to help make it better for them. Amazing. I can't wait for JCI European Conference 2015 in Istanbul, Turkey! Booked my ticket last night!

Another high this year comes from starting up my brand 'Ryan Pilkington'. As a student in my 3rd year at university I wanted to be able to follow in the footsteps of Coco Chanel and learn by doing, by making mistakes and learning from them. Thanks to the support of friends, family and JCI I built enough confidence to promote the Facebook page, share the designs I had done and thanks to all of the support I've had garments worn in Canary Wharf, London and Leipzig, Germany this year! I can definitely say that my skills as a designer are growing. My illustration style is becoming clear and my style of design direction is showing it's self and developing. My garment manufacture is growing along with CAD skills too. I do feel that I am learning more doing this by myself than I would've if I had done a placement as an assistant at a company.

This year I also became more involved with the blog too. I've really grown to love the blogger world more and more this year. I've become an official fashion blogger for Meadowhall which for those who don't know is a shopping centre in Sheffield. I have loved this shopping centre for as long as I can remember so to be a blogger for them is amazing. Which in turn also got me the chance to write articles for blogs such as Aspire and REGlam along with magazines like The Chase and a new feature that will be running in a magazine starting in January (tomorrow!) with more details on that to follow! This is all thanks to my connections at JCI! I can not thank JCI enough for everything they have given me.

Speaking of JCI I was overwhelmed to have won Most Outstanding JCI Member for JCI Yorkshire and then following on winning Most Outstanding JCI Member in the UK. I also took on a role on JCI Sheffield's Council Team for 2015 as the Communications Director. Thanks to this role I have learnt loads of new skills and tools on CAD! Along with social media skills and tools that I can also use for my business! I also took part in LEAP this year also where I learnt about being a leader and about my personality. A great experience where I got to make so many new friends which I have seen since at various other JCI events.

This year hasn't been without it's hard times. This year has had it's difficult times and I hope that they get better in 2015. 

This year my style has seen a change. Especially in the last few months. My style has changed to being more simple and more about the actual pieces and how they fit instead of being about the accessories or the print. I've turned my style in a slightly smarter. With the new additions from the boxing day sales too this has grown stronger. A new satchel bag, pocket square and fitted shirt help to keep the look smart. I feel this is a good move since I am now moving into a more mature environment and things around me be it my business or JCI i feel I do need to mature to aid progression. 

I've been able to grow new parts of my personality too this year. At heart I am a self confessed nerd. I love and I am obsessed with space and astronomy along with an obsession with the sea and aquatic life. This year I have looked into it further and learnt loads. They have become a small hobby. Be it simply reading about new adventures that NASA are looking into or a species of fish that has just been discovered. I love it. 

All in all, through the good times and the bad, this year has really put me through my paces. It's been difficult and a hell of a ride. There are times I wish i could change but things happen for a reason. I can't wait to see what 2015 will bring my way! 

All I have left to say is thank you, happy new year and remember to "Always Be Classic"! 

Bring it on 2015!