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Alumni News
Naomi Isted Naomi Isted is not only a Former Pupil of the School but also a world-renowned Travel and Fashion Broadcaster and Influencer who is regularly featured in the media. After leaving the School, Naomi studied Broadcast Journalism at Abertay University before going on to study Fashion Journalism at the London School of Journalism.
Now living in southern England, Naomi has her own blog, Ultimate Lifestylist, which focuses on her love of fashion, travel and interiors. She has also featured three times in British Vogue and regularly in The Daily Mail, People Mag and Elle. Additionally, Naomi has appeared on daytime shows such as GMB and This Morning, as well as national radio. Naomi’s love of fashion went one step further when she was asked to step onto the catwalk to walk at London Fashion Week. She has also collaborated with brands such as Sony, British Airways and Land Rover on several exciting projects. In particular Naomi has worked with travel clients to showcase affordable, fun and family focused getaway destinations. Thank you very much Naomi for taking the time to answer some questions for us today. Let’s start by reminiscing on your time at HSD. What are some of your best memories you have of being at school? I adored History, English and Drama but I think some of my best memories would have definitely been in Drama. Were there any teachers who particularly inspired you? English, History, Drama and French were my all-time favourite subjects and I loved my teachers. I think the impact a great teacher can make on one’s learning experience is so crucial! Are you still in touch with any of your friends from school? Funnily enough my old bestie Helen Arbuckle and I were whatsapp’ing this past weekend reminiscing about school days, so yes there’s a few I keep in touch with for sure.
If you could describe your school-aged self in three words, what would they be? Positive, anxious and bubbly. That may seem an odd combination but us creatives can come across as outwardly confident but inwardly we can be a bit anxious and lacking in confidence. What skills do you think we should be focusing on in education today to help our young people for the future? I think moving with the times is the key to education. I think mindset is also important. As tech and digital expands so does the world of fashion, art and film along with many other industries. Schools need to adapt accordingly to societal changes as children may have great academic records but no life skills for the fast moving digital and tech age, which can create not just millionaires but billionaires! After finishing school, you stayed in Dundee a little while longer to study Broadcast Journalism at Abertay University. At what point did you realise that Fashion Journalism more specifically was the area you wished to pursue further? I think it was quite clear from a young age I never followed trends. Internships in regional news and sports were a great grounding, however my interests lay in the arts; fashion, art history, culture and linguistics not in politics and the news. So, I chose to follow my passion. I think through a good education teamed with passion is how we can create success and happiness, then you never feel like you are at work as every day is a journey of growth and development.
