Alexis Barrell got into fashion by ''accident''.

The South African-born designer, who is set to unveil her debut spring/summer 2013 collection, admits she didn't initially plan to be a part of the industry but soon realised she loves having the freedom to explore all types of ''beauty'' through clothing.

She said: ''I really just discovered it by accident. I was surprised by how much I could enjoy doing something. Before that I had spent most of my time coming up with very creative ways of doing nothing at all.

''I have been trying to figure [my general aesthetic] out recently. I read somewhere some very good advice ... that your aesthetic is just about what you like. You should put a whole lot of things you like together and that's it! I like the words natural, free, unstudied.

''I like mess, without it I am lost. I like the idea of doing something a bit wrong, exploring the ugly, the cheesy, the dated or the dreaded 'happy'. I like beauty; I can't deny it, but never perfection. I can't stand perfection or the strife for it.''

Alexis, 27, drew on her roots for inspiration when designing her new line and describes the process as ''going home''.

She added to telegraph.co.uk: ''SS13 was more about going home for me. I took a long road trip through South Africa, through a large stretch of semi-desert that I had not yet explored.

''I wanted to really look at that clash between the Dutch aesthetic which dominated the area, the wildness and the untamed beauty of the African landscape. It was about my personal experience of being a South African, rather than a traditionally 'African' collection.''