Carrie Hare's designs from her capsule collection of autumn and winter apparel.

Hare began to test the waters, first by submitting work for the Hong Kong Trade Development Council's New Collection competition, which she eventually won in the casual wear and technology application categories.

Game on for designers

Fired up by clay

She was also awarded a full scholarship to pursue a master's degree in fashion design at the University of Westminster.

"I never seriously considered making a real career move until I received a scholarship," Hare notes.

She found the thriving London design scene a fertile hothouse for honing her talent.

Working first at Alexander McQueen and then Boudicca, she saw firsthand what it took to run a successful business.

"At McQueen, I learned the importance of research to keep ideas fresh. I also learned how to transform raw materials, which are often unrelated to fashion into something that can be applied," Hare says.

"At Boudicca I was involved in every part of the brand, including design, fabric research, production and exhibiting collections in our Paris showroom.

"I learned about budgets, schedules and networking, and how to turn raw ideas into silhouettes. Fabric choices can often enhance the concepts. I also was exposed to international standards of styling for people like La Roux, James Lavelle's Unkle and British pianist Rosey Chan."

Hare's strength is her ability to translate patterns into flattering fits for the human body. Through her stint at Boudicca, she realized that it would be simpler to concentrate on designing one item when she launched her first collection. That item was legwear.