A young Wilmslow entrepreneur is setting out on a mission to bring fashion to the teens of Cheshire with the launch of a brand new business. Rachel Murray of Park Road, Wilmslow is the co-founder of Neon Prospects, who are putting on an exciting new series of holiday workshops called Style Factory, aimed at giving teenagers an insight into a career in the fashion industry.
The courses will bring youths aged 13- 17 in contact with fashion and media professionals for a week of hands on interactive activities at Blakemere Craft Centre, Sandiway. Style Factory will focus on all different aspects of the fashion industry through different workshops. Subjects covered include, Trends: Catwalk to High Street, Sketching Masterclass and Sewing Techniques. The week will end with a Design Your Own Bag project which will see all participants produce their own completed piece to take home.
Thirty chosen Style Factory participants will also get the chance to take part in an extra week long ‘Create Your Own Fashion House’ course at the end of August. This will see the teens use their new skills and work in teams to produce a clothing range from recycled clothes. The groups will then take part in a grand finale fashion show.
Rachel, 25, has worked as a broadcast journalist and events manager and set up the company Neon Prospects in March, with her ex-colleagues Amy Brown and Caz Moss after they were all made redundant. The company has been selected to receive the support of the Princes Trust Enterprise programme.
“After years of working for other people I decided I wanted to set up my own company and do something worthwhile and enjoyable. I love fashion and I realised that young people are really interested in to it too but don’t always believe they can actually choose it as a worthwhile career option,” explains Rachel.
“You don’t have to be Stella McCartney to work in the industry. There are loads of different jobs involved in the whole fashion process, from design and marketing to production, so there’s something for everyone. I just hope the courses will inspire people and help them see just how achievable working in the media and fashion industry can be."
For further information visit the Neon Prospects website.
Photo: from left to right Amy Brown, Caz Moss and Rachel Murray.
