Young talent wants to put Tees Valley on the fashion map

Jun 29 2005

By Evening Gazette

The Tees Valley has its share of ambitious young people who want to see the area thrive. Will Sutton speaks to two fashion students who already have big designs on the future. Two fashion students are already making their mark in the fashion industry and are hoping their work will one day put the Tees Valley on the map. Amy Readman, 19, and Steven Gunn, 23, have launched their own fashion label in Middlesbrough and called it Sugar Funk. The students, from Cleveland College of Art & Design, have managed to get their range into Toast, one of the trendy stores on Middlesbrough's Linthorpe Road. The pair are focused on careers in the fashion industry and want to raise the profile of the Tees Valley at the same time. Story continues ADVERTISEMENT Steven, from Acklam, says: "I think there is potential for more in this area. "The development of Linthorpe Road and Psyche are changing the way people view Teesside. "If Middlesbrough becomes a city then it might start to bring more people here." The pair are currently doing degrees in Fashion Enterprise and describe the Sugar Funk designs as shaky "left hand drawings". They have produced a range of T-shirts and jumpers that they are selling while studying. Amy, from Normanby, says: "We want to continue getting our label sold in Middlesbrough but we want to look further afield as well. "We'd like to see our clothes in places like Leeds and Manchester and really get the brand out there. "The people in Teesside should get more recognition for the work being done here. "It would be great to see the area having more input into the fashion industry. "I'd like it to be one of the places that comes into people's minds when they think about fashion." The pair started their clothing label last year when their class tutors asked them to come up with a product that could make money. And since then they have turned a classroom project into the start of a business. Amy says: "We have found that there are loads of people wanting to help and I think up-and- coming businesses are valued in the area." The pair got in touch with Middlesbrough firm Dimension Printing who produce their T-shirts and jumpers. Steven says: "We have a good relationship with Toast and Dimension Printing and that should help us expand if we want to. "I think Teesside is still developing as a place and there could be more growth. "I would like to see more boutiques and shops with individuality." Both Amy and Steven would also like to see the Tees Valley get more cultural venues to match the likes of Newcastle's Baltic gallery and the Gateshead Sage. Steven says: "There needs to be more recognised buildings like the Baltic and our area should compete with other places." The pair hope that projects such as the Middlehaven development and the Mima will bring more to the Tees Valley and put it on that "cultural" map. But for now the first year students are concentrating on passing their degree course. Amy says: "Friends and family have been a great support and our tutors have prepared us for the future."

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