By Abbie, BA(Hons) Fashion Textiles student.
Our student, Abbie, shares how setting up a business during lockdown has led to her winning the Venture Ready Award, a collaboration between UWE Bristol’s Student Ventures and Santander. She tells us what she’s gained from the award and how she’s planning on growing her business after graduation. Keep reading to find out more about Abbie’s story.
Abbie’s story
My name’s Abbie and I’m a final year Fashion Textiles student. When I finished my A Levels, I took a gap year to work out what I wanted to do after sixth form. This time enabled me to discover a love for reworking clothes and working with materials in a hands-on way.
This inspired me to set up my own business during lockdown. Even from a young age, my friends and family noticed my entrepreneurial flair, from selling handmade bracelets to reselling clothes from car boot sales on Depop. After some success, I explored studying fashion at university.
I was drawn to UWE Bristol’s Fashion Textiles degree for its broad scope and promise of creative freedom. Having never studied fashion before, the course allowed me to dip my toes into many different areas and find out what I enjoyed most.
On my course, I’ve exclusively used upcycled materials for my projects and focused my dissertation on sustainability in fashion and how it can be made more accessible. The research I carried out for this has made its way into my approach towards my business – AKN Jeans.
My venture – AKN Jeans
As a fashion student, I’ve become increasingly aware of the harsh reality of the fashion and textiles industry and its effects on the environment. This has encouraged me to educate myself on sustainability, which is now something I’m passionate about and channel through everything I do.
Through this passion, I created AKN JEANS, which offers custom-altered jeans that fit perfectly, while educating consumers about alternative, more ethical solutions to buying new. Reworking and resizing old pairs of jeans reduces the amount we need to consume and keeps garments out of landfill for longer.
I’ve always known I’d like to work for myself as I enjoy being involved and aware of every stage of the process. Running my own business has certainly been very character shaping and has boosted my confidence massively.
“AKN Jeans aims to reduce the amount we consume, prolong the lifecycle of garments, offer an accessible, personal altering service and create jeans that actually fit.”
Achieving a Venture Ready Award
Through my work on AKN Jeans, I became involved with Student Ventures after attending their Enterprise Bootcamp last year. They encouraged me to apply for their Venture Ready Award – a prestigious award run in collaboration with Santander. The award recognises enterprise, innovation and sustainability, while celebrating the forward-thinking mindset of future entrepreneurs.
The Venture Ready Award was judged by a panel of industry experts, including Bristol-based potter Emmie Runciman, last year’s winner Mose-Issie, and Remy Foucher from Santander. I was thrilled to win this award – it reignited the excitement I felt in the early days of setting up AKN jeans. The prize also included £5,000 to support my venture, alongside mentoring from Emmie.
After winning the Venture Ready Award, my course lecturers nominated me for the Graduate Fashion Week New Business Award. This meant travelling to London for another pitch and round of interviews with industry professionals, which was a really great experience.
“To have people believe in the brand and show interest has given me the boost I needed to just go for it.”
What I’ve gained from the award
The mentoring from Emmie has been amazing. From the moment I first met her at my pitch, she encouraged me and made me feel so comfortable. Since winning the prize, we’ve had multiple Zoom meetings to discuss my business in more detail and set out goals for the future.
I’m planning to invest most of the prize money in my own industrial sewing machines, which will involve finding a new home for my business. I’m also hoping to put some of the money towards improving my branding, building a website and sourcing more stock.
My plans for after graduation
Immediately after graduation, I’m starting an intern role for YMC in London. After that, I’ll be taking some time out for myself – travelling to all the classic graduate destinations before returning in December, ready to hit the ground running.
I’m incredibly fortunate that I have a great circle of people who have offered support and advice in setting up my own business. I’m really excited to properly devote my time and undivided attention to AKN Jeans next year.
Find out more about studying Fashion Textiles at UWE Bristol.