Local designer Carla-Faye Hardtman was inspired by military dress. Still, you won’t see any camouflage in this collection.

The bold prints and bright colours, while soldierly in style, represent a side of herself that she has kept out of the spotlight.

“My brand is the inner me,” she said. “[It] represents confidence and creativity. It’s who I aspire to be — bold and confident. It’s colourful, it’s sexy.”

The 31-year-old started studying fashion as a teenager, but said it took years to build up the confidence to showcase her work.

Her label, Artistic Swag, got its first showing at the Bermuda Society of Arts fashion show last year. She had been thinking about entering the Bermuda Fashion Festival since it started in 2010.

“In the past, I just wasn’t ready, but this year felt like time,” she said.

“[The BSoA show] was really good. It’s always nerve-racking for me because you never know how people are going to receive your clothing, but I got some good responses.”

She will unveil 12 new looks next week, motivated by an impromptu visit to the National Museum of Bermuda in June.

“I saw the Defence Heritage exhibition — the clothing and everything there inspired me,” said Ms Hardtman who resigned her job as assistant gallery director at the BSoA this year.

“I probably went to the museum once when I was in primary school and I didn’t remember much about it. It was a day of exploration. I came across it and it gave me an idea.”

Her palette runs the spectrum of green, blue and electric pink.

“I chose my print first and then I picked all the colours to match,” she explained.

“You’ll see some military-inspired clothing but with an Artistic Swag twist. I avoided the typical military theme, so you’re not going to see any camouflage.”

Prints allow the designer to tap into her other passion — graphic design.

She received a scholarship from the National Training Board to attend Samuel Jackman Prescott Polytechnic in Barbados.

Courses at the Art Institute in New York led to an associate’s degree in occupational studies with a specialisation in fashion.

She then studied visual communications at the American Intercontinental University in London and remained in England for four years to find work in the industry.

“When I was about 12 or 13, I was in a group called Style and Fashion where they taught young ladies etiquette and about modelling and different things in the fashion industry,” she said.

“I started out modelling but as I learnt more about the fashion industry I found out I really wanted to get into design.

“I had stopped fashion for a while. People don’t understand how much work goes into it. It can be really stressful work. I asked myself, ‘Is this something I really want to do?’ But it’s always been a part of me.

“I couldn’t fight it. I jumped back into it last year. I said, ‘I’m going to go full steam ahead. This is my passion. I can’t run from it any longer.’”

She said she was “very nervous” about showing her work, but her mentor Danielle Prescod, of BET.com has helped her find courage.

“She’s been really great,” said Ms Hardtman. “She’s really knowledgeable about the industry and she’s great at giving feedback and suggestions. She has a such a beautiful, bubbly personality; she’s easy to talk to. I’ve really had a good experience with Danielle.”

Marketing has forced her to share more of herself online and she now dreams of opening her own store and designing her own prints for ladies, menswear and children.

Her biggest lesson thus far is “to just go for your dreams”.

“You never know where life can take you,” she said.

• Catch Artistic Swag in the Local Designer Show on Friday at 6.30pm, Number 1 Car Park, Hamilton. For more information visit bermudafashionfestival.com or Instagram: @artisticswagbda