Insaaf Hartley
Founder & Designer, Give Us Pockets
Bachelor of Communication Studies in Digital Media
There’s nothing quite as rewarding as working for yourself, says Insaaf Hartley who went from studying digital media to founding her own clothing business; Give Us Pockets.
“I so badly wished for pretty dresses with pockets, so Give Us Pockets is a dream I wanted to bring into the world. The dresses I design are handmade for practical people who love a bit of flair in their wardrobes. I run the ecommerce site, handle the social media, create marketing assets, make the clothes and do all the business admin. I feel like my work brings joy to the world and improves the lives of others. We all want to make a difference and have fulfilling work, and I think I’m very lucky to have both.”
She says being able to connect with people who love her designs and wear them proudly is the best thing she could have wished for.
“I just so happened to find a community of people who were also wishing for pretty dresses with pockets. I’m so proud of myself for persevering through all the challenges in the process of building this business and bringing to life an idea that had been bouncing around in my brain for so long.”
Set up for success
Having always been creative, Insaaf found herself drawn to AUT’s communication studies degree when she was exploring her university options.
“I had a lot of interests in various creative fields and wanted to have a hands-on learning experience, which is what drew me to AUT and its communication studies degree. Studying communications allowed me to try out graphic design, filmmaking, animation, broadcasting and so much more, which gave me the opportunity to figure out what niche I really wanted to pursue. It set me up for success in the digital media space after I graduated and moved into digital marketing and ecommerce.”
She still has fond memories of her time at AUT.
“I really enjoyed getting to use high-end equipment like cameras and editing software as well as spending time in the fully kitted out TV studio. It gave us a real-world perspective on what we were learning and how it all works once we move into jobs after graduation. Going through the different courses within communications also showed me that even if I think I’m out of my depth in a particular subject, I can always figure it out. I’m now doing exactly that while running my own business.”
Advice for other students
Insaaf – who graduated from AUT in 2019, with her studies supported by an AUT Vice-Chancellor’s Significant Student Scholarship – has some great advice for other students.
“Don’t let the fear of not knowing stop you from taking the first step.”
You’ll always figure it out in the end, she adds.
“I don’t think there ever comes a time when you feel like you know exactly what you’re doing, but I know that I can and will learn something, no matter what happens next. There are times where I’m not sure what I should be doing or what is the correct thing to do, but I always figure it out.”
