Susan
Kistner

Susan Kistner is a textile artist and fashion designer based in Lincolnshire, working under the name Bright Hopes Art. Her practice sits at the intersection of fine art, sustainable design, and handcraft — producing clothing and textile pieces that are considered in every detail, from the sourcing of materials to the finishing of seams.

Susan holds a BA in Textiles from London Metropolitan University (2016) and an MA in Textiles from Chelsea College of Arts, UAL (2019). Her academic background informs everything she makes: a deep understanding of fabric behaviour, an instinct for pattern and repetition, and a commitment to processes that respect both the maker and the material. She also holds training in therapeutic arts, and believes that what we wear has the capacity to affect how we feel in ways that most fashion simply ignores.

The Bright Hopes Art approach is deliberately small. No bulk orders. No fast-fashion timelines. Each collection is produced in limited runs using organic and recycled materials wherever possible, with zero-waste pattern-cutting and circular design principles built in from the start. The result is clothing that lasts — in construction, in style, and in the way it makes you feel to wear it.