Entrepreneur dressed for success with fashion venture

A YORKSHIRE entrpreneur with a passion for fashion is hoping to inspire other young people to start their own business.

Rebecca Cockin from Huddersfield started her retail fashion business Recoco with just £100 last year and is already expanding her premises and looking to take on more employees.

The former Kirklees College student has big plans to start designing her own fashion label, expand into lingerie and jewellery and turn her clothing parties into a ‘home shopping’ empire.

Having joined the college’s Alumni, Ms Cockin is hoping to work with students and inspire them to follow in her footsteps to start their own business through the new Peter Jones Enterprise Academy.

“I didn’t have any money to set up a business but I decided to take a risk. I figured I didn’t have much to lose,” she said.

“My advice to other young people is if you want something, just go for it. There’s no point holding back.

“Although in the current climate I think it is important to find something different, that niche that no one else is doing like I did with the parties.”

She started by spending £100 on accessories such as scarves, gloves and headbands and took them round Huddersfield selling them in different workplaces. She soon sold the stock and invested that money in more products – doubling her money each time.

Then Ms Cockin came up with the idea of at home clothing parties. In December, she opened a shop in Westgate, Huddersfield – alongside fancy dress hire suppliers Revival. Once they move into premises next door, she is preparing to take on the rest of the building to expand her retail offer.

Ms Cockin says when she set up her business she wasn’t sure how to do it or where to get help. She said it was particularly hard to get funding as she already had a job.

Kirklees College is encouraging prospective entrepreneurs to join its new Peter Jones Enterprise Academy – backed by the famous Dragons Den businessman.

The full time BTEC courses in enterprise and entrepreneurship aim to nurture young people’s business ambitions.

Kirklees College is the only college offering the PJEA in West Yorkshire, and hopes to attract students from across the region to its brand new Huddersfield Centre.