GRADUATION SPEECH
“While I now have a qualification in Fashion Marketing, I still feel slightly underqualified to call myself an inspirational speaker!”
May 2026
"Eliya, would you like to do a speech?" For me, that's a bit like saying "walkies" to a dog. So when I was asked if I'd like to speak at the Collarts Class of 2025 graduation ceremony, I was already thinking about what I'd like to say. I started researching how to inspire a crowd - which really just meant watching Taylor Swift's Class of 2022 graduation speech more times than I care to admit.
After a high school gap year that inevitably became a gap two years, I applied for the Fashion Marketing degree at Collarts in Melbourne. From the moment I stepped on campus, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be - there also happened to be doughnuts in the kitchen that day! My gut was right. Over the last two years, I've met so many incredible people, had amazing opportunities, and become part of such an inspiring creative community.
As I write this, it's only been 22 hours since I stepped off a plane from London, where I now live (yes, that still feels surreal to say). At the risk of sounding cliché, my time in Paris really was life-changing, and I'm incredibly grateful for the path it set me on. Being able to casually say, "Yeah, I studied Fashion Business in Paris," still blows my mind and it's an opportunity that Collarts made possible.
Collarts also introduced me to Melbourne's vibrant creative community. It wasn't just the classes, it was volunteering at fashion events, attending runway shows, being part of photoshoots, and contributing to George magazine. Looking back now, I realise those experiences were just as valuable as the degree itself. They gave me confidence, connections, and a genuine sense of belonging.
The lecturers were equally influential. They were generous with their knowledge, encouraging us to think critically about the future of fashion while constantly reminding us to believe in our own ideas. That kind of support is something I'll always be grateful for.
I was fortunate enough to be diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of eight, thank you to my mum, Angela, for advocating for me. I'm proud to be dyslexic, and I'm proud to have ADHD. Completing further study was always something I'd dreamed about, but I'd be lying if I said there weren't moments in high school when I doubted whether I was capable.
Looking back now, I'm incredibly proud to say: I did it. Not only did I graduate, but I genuinely loved every minute of it.
I'm currently living in London, searching for what I've been calling "my big girl job." (So, on the off chance anyone reading this has a friend, cousin, or neighbour working in fashion over here... my inbox is open!)
I can't wait to see what comes next, but if these last two years have taught me anything, it's that, in many ways, the sky really is the limit. More importantly, they've taught me that it's okay to dream big.
Mum and I found the dress tucked away in the wardrobe of a home our friends were buying in England's Lake District. The previous owner, Cynthia, is now 100 years old and had lived there her entire life. Walking through her home felt like stepping into the 1960s. It was full of treasures, and when I tried on the dress, it fit perfectly.
Later, I discovered Cynthia had sewn it herself, along with most of the clothes she owned.
When she made that dress decades ago, she never could have imagined that one day a 22-year-old girl from Melbourne would wear it while addressing a graduating class on the other side of the world. I keep thinking about that.
You never know who will discover your work or how long it will take to reach them. In a world that often tells us to create for algorithms, engagement, or commercial success, Cynthia reminded me that sometimes the most meaningful reason to create is simply because you want to. Art has an extraordinary way of outliving us, quietly connecting people across generations in ways we could never predict.
At the end of my speech, I admitted that while I now have a qualification in Fashion Marketing, I still feel slightly underqualified to call myself an inspirational speaker.
But there is one thing I wholeheartedly believe, is that especially in today's creative industries, back yourself. Back your skills. Back your ideas. Back the perspective that only you can bring.
Your passion, your creativity, and your curiosity are worth more than you know.
Because without art, the world is just a floating rock.
So create. Create. Create.
If you’d like to watch my graduation speech, you can view it here from the 1hr 36min mark: Click here