The Arts Institute at Bournemouth (recently awarded the title of University College in recognition of its excellent academic achievements and as of the 1st July will be changing its name to the Arts University College at Bournemouth to reflect this progression) have awarded two great contracts to Fashion Enter to help support the Institute and Bournemouth's desire to build its burgeoning fashion industry.

Matt Desmier, Head of Enterprise at the Arts Institute and Manager of the Enterprise Pavilion said "We produce a wealth of talented graduates every year from our fashion and textiles related courses and we're very keen to support them after they leave. We've recognised the inherent skills and professional knowledge that Jenny and her team at Fashion Enter have and we want to bring that whole package to Bournemouth!"

The two contracts include a consultancy project to map the fashion industry in the Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole region - its existing capabilities and the relevant supply chain - as well as an ongoing mentoring and training programme to help support and launch five hand-picked young graduate designers.

Matt explained "We're in a position to offer five talented and very fortunate young designers small bursaries to help them launch their fashion businesses and an element of those bursaries will secure the help of Fashion Enter."

The Enterprise Pavilion is the Art Institute at Bournemouth's very successful specialist creative industry start-up business centre but until now it hasn't been equipped to support fashion designers. "We have the requisite skills to help launch businesses - as proven by our success. However we realise that the fashion industry requires certain expertise that our team doesn't have and Jenny's team has bucketfuls of. It's a marriage made in heaven as far as we're concerned!"

by Matt Desmier