Bridget Bimha, a third-year BA Fashion Design student at Plymouth College of Art, has undertaken an internship at British Alpaca Fashion in Devon, with support from the Drapers’ x UKFT Bursary programme.

The British Alpaca Fashion Company is a family-owned business run by founder and CEO Anila Preston. This unique company pioneers the production of alpaca fibre in the UK and processing of fibre to create commercial quality textiles and knitwear, many of which are her own designs.

It is located high up in the hills of the Exmoor National Park, 1,000 feet above sea level – home to a herd of alpaca and guanaco which provide fibre for the company’s UK grown and UK-made high quality alpaca textiles and clothing.

Bridget said of her experience: “Anila and her team are amazing, teaching me so much and sharing information without any limits.”

British Alpaca Fashion has its own knitwear and textile design studio on its farm in Somerset. The company offers students, designers and shops a bespoke design service, as well as smaller quantities of garments and accessories for the more specialist fashion boutiques.

Bridget is a mature student, undertaking a fashion degree after a traumatic event led her to completely change career. She explained: “Words fail me to express my gratitude for the bursary and for the very huge difference it has made for me and my family.

“Since being assaulted by a mental health patient during a night shift I was working in July 2019, I have never gone back to work and that same year my indefinite leave to remain came through in August. I decided to fulfil my dream as the first graduate in my family and also fulfil my passion for fashion by taking up a fashion design degree.

“I am enjoying my placement so much, it has brought me healing from my childhood trauma of growing on a farm, I feel so refreshed being there and am learning a lot.”

“I am grateful that I am still welcome to visit the studio even after my placement as I have always desired to work with wool and incorporate it into my collections, focused around recycling, upcycling and sustainability.”

UKFT and The Drapers’ Company are working together to support fashion and textile students across the UK to achieve good quality internships through the scheme.

Financial support from the Drapers’ Company is available to ten students annually to take up internship opportunities they may otherwise struggle to afford.

UKFT is providing mentoring, guidance, and networking opportunities to each student to ensure their internships are safe, enjoyable and valuable.

The scheme is part of UKFT’s work to increase the industry knowledge and experience of graduates, as well as opening up new routes into the sector.

Find out more about the bursary scheme here.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT UKFT’S WORK WITH UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES