About me

SEL_Designs is owned, run and created by myself, Sarah Leeves, a UK based illustrator.

After studying illustration at The University of Westminster I decided to explore another passion of mine by doing a PGCE at Roehampton University. Following this I did some teaching in the Early Years, some tutoring and some nannying before having my own children and taking the difficult decision to stop working and focus my time on my children.

Finding nice comfortable clothes for my son was a struggle on the high street, boys were expected to wear jeans or tracksuit bottoms at that point. I soon came across independent clothing shops on Instagram and started buying him comfortable, fun clothes.

The fabrics of these clothes make them, with my son (now 4) choosing which leggings or dungarees or sweatshirts he wears on what he's excited by on that particular day. By working alongside some of our favourite shops with my son (and now daughter also) brand repping for them, I discovered that these shops were struggling to find certain designs and It inspired me to get my paints back out and have a go myself.

Since starting out with a few clumsy seamless designs I now regularly sell fully exclusive designs on Instagram, as well as taking commissions for seamless designs, panels and designs for printing directly on to garments. My designs have been bought and used by a variety of small businesses making children's and adults clothing and interiors.

Exclusive designs available on Instagram

Non-exclusive designs available on Creative Market

Skills

Collage, mixed media, digitally able (Comfortable with the majority of the adobe suite, and some experience with the whole suite).

Sector Experience

Through to the final 6 in an re-branding competition for the BBC - 2011.

Awards

2:1 degree in BA(Hons) Illustration, graduated 2011.