UP-AND-COMING fashion designers from Newport’s university were recognised for their business skills at a recent awards ceremony.

Eleven groups of second year fashion design students spent eleven weeks developing businesses around their designs before pitching their ideas to figures from the worlds of fashion and business.

The Bright Ideas Awards recognised three of the groups for their skills promoting their brand, their entrepreneurship and their design.

Viz Vires, founded by Faye Mann, Bethan Landon, Alexandra Morgan, Rachel George and Caitlin Evans, won the best promotion of brand category award after spotting a gap in the market for affordable stage wear, aimed at performers and entertainers.

Their gothic style, using striking bright colours to advertise and promoted their brand impressed the judges. Bea Boutique, which offered high-end luxury designs at affordable prices, run by Beth Jones and Bethan Thomas picked up the entrepreneurship award, while Khadijah Eniafe and Rachel Williams for their firm RK Fusion, were honoured for their range of formal evening wear.

The project was part of the business module of the fashion design course and is a key part of the University’s new ethos of bringing arts and business together in the new campus.