Solent University students are showing off their incredible crafts and products at a pop-up shop in Westquay.
All the items for sale at the Retail Solent initiative, or Re:So, are hand made by students during their course or in their spare time, as well as graduates.
The shop - inside the Sook retail space - sells a range of clothes, jewellery, home accessories and art and the goal is to promote their permanent home in the Marlands Shopping Centre.
Graduate shop worker Shyanne Searley, 23, started making stickers alongside her studies in animation.
After graduating from her course last year, she found out about a graduate position at the shop and went for the job.
She said: “I’m loving the job and celebrating the huge range of products made by hard working students.
"It’s a great way for them to start a career in the retail industry and get their first products on shelves.
“It's really nice that a good chunk of the money we make here goes back to the artists themselves. It can be really encouraging to know that people will pay for your hard work.
“We have a massive rage of products from our graduate designers – some of them have been selling their products for years and some are just testing the retail waters.
“As a university course is a massive commitment, we take products from graduates that came through Solent five or even ten years ago.”
The pop-up shop in Westquay opened yesterday and will be running until October 30.
The shop is overseen by senior lecturer in fashion marketing Lesley Taylor.
Lesley said: “Creating and selling your own products is a competitive market, but Re:So gives our students a head-start by offering a space for them to sell their items and gain important experience that will aid them in their future careers.”
Solent University takes a cut of the shop profits to fund the shop and the remaining revenue goes straight to the creators and artists.
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