Mylena Silveira Vidal Matos is taking steps towards a career in fashion.

The 17-year-old has been selected as one of the 19 finalists for the 2015 Fashion Futures Final.

Mylena, from Plaistow, said it felt “very surreal” to have made the final.

She said: “I was not expecting myself to go that far and I’m really proud to be one of the FAD finalists.

“To be honest I never knew I had the talent of creating and designing things by myself.”

The finalists undertook ten weeks of practical workshops with FAD before presenting their finished portfolios to a panel of industry experts.

“The workshops were really great,” Mylena said. “I really enjoyed working on my own design and seeing everything from the very beginning becoming an actual outfit.”

“I’m actually quite nervous for the final as it’s going to be my first time joining at London Fashion Week,” she added.

The finalists’ designs will be judged by a panel of industry experts to decide a winner and three runners up.

“I would say that London made me interested in fashion,” Mylena said.

“We have so many cultures located in one single country, and that is such a good way to find inspiration.”

Keep up to date with Mylena’s progress here.