Fashion brand pops up in Leeds with £36,000 boost
RAPIDLY expanding fashion brand Ushiwear clothing has landed a £36,000 grant from the RGF Textile Growth Programme as it sets its sights on further growth and creation of sustainable jobs in the fashion industry.
Ushiwear, established in 2008 by husband and wife Neil and Jilly Kapusi, will use the funding to open a pop-up store in Trinity Leeds Shopping Centre from between July 1 and 7.
It was granted the funding after it demonstrated a commitment to expansion and job creation within the fashion and textile industry, with plans to increase local and in-house manufacturing and to take on additional members of staff within a year.
The RGF Textile Growth Programme offers funding to promising businesses within the field with an end goal of creating 20,000 jobs in the UK by 2020.
Opening in conjunction with Appear Here, the 664 sq ft pop-up store in Trinity Leeds will stock a range of men’s, women’s and children’s clothes and accessories, along with exclusive prints and artwork created by the brand.
The company, based in Mirfield, has recently revealed its new menswear range and its first exploration into outer wear market with a reflective, showerproof cycling jacket.
Mr Kapusi said: “We were extremely grateful to have received the funding from the RGF Textile Growth Programme, the past year has been significant in Ushiwear’s growth and we have many plans for further expansion for the remainder of 2016 and beyond. The pop-up store in Leeds forming part of the expansion.
“Leeds is the biggest financial centre outside of London and being a Yorkshire city right on our doorsteps, it’s an extremely important market for us.
“We hope to see a return on investment from the pop-up store and plan to invest in permanent premises in Leeds in the coming years.”
Ushiwear’s pop-up store will be located on the first floor next to Phillip Stoner jewellery, opposite Café Nero
