Full Circle: From Law Student to Creative Entrepreneur – Speaking at UNSW Fashion & Beauty Society

I recently had the pleasure of returning to UNSW—not as a student this time, but as a guest speaker for the Fashion & Beauty Society’s panel on Careers in Fashion. It felt surreal walking back onto campus, this time to share my story rather than sit in a lecture hall taking notes.

For those who don’t know, I actually studied law at UNSW. I spent six years working as a lawyer before taking a huge leap into the unknown and building my own creative business from scratch. I now run Soy Street, where I focus on live fashion illustration, luxury brand activations, and personalised art experiences.

Speaking at this panel brought up so many memories of being a student, unsure of what the future would hold, and quietly curious about whether a more creative path might be possible. I remember how hard it felt to reconcile those two sides—structure and creativity, logic and art—and how long it took to give myself permission to pursue what I really loved.

The theme of the panel was all about the different ways you can carve out a career in fashion, and I spoke about entrepreneurship, embracing creativity (especially when it doesn’t come with a clear roadmap), and the importance of building something that feels true to you.

One of the highlights of the session was chatting with students after the talk—so many thoughtful questions about pivoting careers, managing uncertainty, and finding your own style in an oversaturated market. If I could leave them with one thing, it’s this: your degree is just the beginning. There’s no one right way to build a meaningful career. You’re allowed to change direction. You’re allowed to build something that doesn’t exist yet.

Huge thanks to the UNSW Fashion & Beauty Society for having me. It meant a lot to come back to where it all began—and hopefully offer some reassurance that creativity and career stability can co-exist (even if the road is a little wiggly along the way).

— Cai