Information on Loughborough

Creative graduates start up in business

Posted on 09/07/2009

Leicestershire Councty Council Community Services

7 July 2009

Creative graduates start up in business

Four graduates from De Montfort and Loughborough Universities have won £1000 each plus business support to start up new creative businesses in Leicestershire:

Emma Amies is setting up a new lingerie brand using fresh fabrics and styles from the 1950s. Emma previously worked as a Town Planner as well as designing wind farms for a green electricity company. She moved to Leicester to study on the Contour Fashion degree at De Montfort University and is working on a plan to ensure that the production of her lingerie is environmentally and ethically sound. See more at www.cupcakelingerie.co.uk. Emma will be looking at local production of her first range and would welcome contact from any local seamstresses with experience of making lingerie.

Rachael Smith is an illustrator who graduated from the Fine Art degree at De Montfort University. Rachael’s quirky Flimsy the Kitten character has won her a lot of followers already. Flimsy has her own blog and a huge following on Facebook. See more via www.rachaelsmith.org. Rachael was also the overall winner of the Business Venture Competition at DMU.

Chloe Hampson graduated from Loughborough University in 2008 and is setting up Barn Door Theatre Company running participatory projects with older people in care homes through to youth theatre workshops. Chloe also scooped the first prize of £1500 at Loughborough University’s student business plan competition.

The other winner from Loughborough University was Jonathan Fenton, a Design and Technology graduate, whose Biopod has already won prizes including the RSA Mark Wilkinson Designer’s Award 2008. The Biopod stores kitchen food waste ensuring it is sealed in and doesn’t need to be emptied on a daily basis. See more at www.jonathanfenton.co.uk

Clare Hudson, Creative Industries Manager at Creative Leicestershire, said ‘This is the first year we have run the awards and we’ve had great support from both Universities. There was huge competition and we were really impressed by the quality and range of ideas for new businesses.’

The funding and business support for these awards came from East Midlands Development Agency and the local authorities in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. For more information on Creative Leicestershire see www.creativeleicestershire.org.uk

ENDS

Main Contact:

Clare Hudson 0116 305 4117 mob: 07802 277566 e: chudson@leics.gov.uk

Award Winner contacts:

Emma Amies e: emma@cupcakelingerie.co.uk t: 0116 2893389

Rachael Smith e: Rachael@rachaelsmith.org t: 07805414978

Chloe Hampson e: chloehampson_@hotmail.com t: 07969 791338

Jonathan Fenton e: info@jonathanfenton.co.uk t: 07841922424