A World Built By Mavericks: CSM Graduate Juderic Braganza On Fashion, Identity, And Joy

Amid gusts of wind that bit through every layer of fabric, something quietly magical unfolded. A shoot, equal parts ethereal and empowered, came to life. At its centre stood Juderic Braganza, known in the creative corridors of Central Saint Martins (CSM) simply as Jude. 

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Styled not only by hand but by heart, this was more than a fashion moment. It was a culmination of a journey: bold, tender, and rooted in belief. “It has been a journey, but I have to say, I felt right at home,” Braganza begins, his voice measured but sure. “Coming into CSM, I wanted to expand my horizons. While the course encouraged experimentation and risk-taking, it also grounded me in something essential, asking why.”

That why became the foundation of Braganza’s practice. As the only brown student in his year to showcase at London Fashion Week, his perspective wasn’t just refreshing it was essential. His journey redefined what representation could look like in one of the world’s most celebrated fashion schools.

The Art of Starting from Scraps

Raised in an Indo-Portuguese household steeped in classic Western pop culture and financial constraint, his early education in aesthetics came from contrasts. What was considered ‘tacky’ and what was seen as ‘refined’ often coexisted and were, in many ways, inseparable. “There was always a contradiction,” he reflects. “And that contradiction raised me.” That tension lives on in his designs where baroque excess meets pared-back restraint, where scarcity fuels art. His practice is circular, not just in materials but in meaning.

“Where I come from, fashion begins and ends with organic fabrics,” he explains. “To subvert that, I’ve cultivated a circular approach of my own. Most of the materials I use are pre-loved patterns sourced from eBay, end-of-mill rolls, charity shop finds. With intricate hand-done crochet, I use zero-waste pattern cutting to preserve the work and avoid scrappage. Every scrap has a story.”

The approach is part protest, part poetry. And when Braganza was awarded the LVMH Scholarship, he finally had the space to breathe and to push. “It gave me the freedom to go deeper into the work. To experiment more radically.”

A Shoot, A Dream, A World Built by Many Hands

“This practice wasn’t done in isolation,” he adds. For his latest shoot, Braganza collaborated with what he calls his “chosen family” at CSM. Fashion journalist Tova Bach shaped the shoot’s conceptual arc. Vicky Chen, photographer and director, led with a whimsical visual language Juderic immediately connected to. Alex, from fashion history, offered crucial narrative context; Sleina, from fashion image, added texture to the final visual story. The result? “A dreamscape,” Juderic smiles.

“One that moves from innocence to a place of power and joy.” The day itself was bitterly cold. The wind howled, the air cut like glass. Yet Moco, the model, embodied Braganza’s vision with grace. “She braved the chill like it was woven into the garment; poise and power in motion,” he recalls.

On Misfits and Magic

Braganza doesn’t design for trends or your FYP page.  “Fashion is the most intimate form of art—it lives against the body,” he says. His inspirations are people, his friends, not just icons. People of the present and past. People who tell stories through how they dress, how they exist. I’ve always seen myself as a misfit,” he admits.

“And it’s misfits who got me into fashion; Chalayan, Westwood, McQueen… and the beautiful, radical world of drag queens.” His collections often orbit around emotional or political narratives—some humanise biblical stories, others respond to today’s world or unearth lost corners of urban memory. Identity isn’t a theme—it’s the thread running through it all. “I want to make clothes that reflect who we are, what we’ve survived.”

“I can’t go a single day without creating. I draw and I drape when I need to unwind. It brings me peace, and I want to share that joy. I want people to wear my work and feel like they’ve stepped into a secret world — my world.

The Future is Fluid, Ethereal, and Open to All

When asked what comes next, the designer doesn’t skip a beat. “The industry needs to be more inclusive,” he says. “And by my practice, I hope to design clothes that make people feel good, regardless of gender or size.” He wants his designs to feel like spells garments that transform the wearer not just aesthetically, but emotionally.

“The fashion I bring to the world is for everyone who wants to feel ethereal and powerful  no matter their background or identity.” And it’s not just about the clothes. It’s about the making. You know when Blair Waldorf said fashion is the most powerful movement, she wasn't lying”

Photographer: Vicky Chen