LCF Student, Chamiah Dewey, wins the UAL Creative Enterprise Award in Social Enterprise

Chamiah Dewey, currently studying BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Development at London College of Fashion was this year’s winner of the Social Enterprise category of the Creative Enterprise Awards 2021. Chamiah Dewey Fashion is a trailblazing fashion initiative that is spearheading accessibility to fashion for women with dwarfism.  We caught up with Chamiah to hear more about her brand, her success and her plans for the future.

Hi Chamiah, congratulations on winning a UAL Creative Enterprise Award! Tell us more about Chamiah Dewey Fashion, what makes it unique?

Chamiah Dewey Fashion is the sustainable, adaptive womenswear brand for women with dwarfism. We offer stylish, timeless pieces, made in biodegradable fabrics, sourced and produced in the UK and finished with innovative adaptive fastenings.

Why did you choose to pursue this concept?

I met and worked with a young person with achondroplasia (the most common form of dwarfism), back in 2018, and it got me thinking... ‘how do little people find stylish clothing to fit them’; after lots of digging and extensive research, I found that there was a huge gap in the market that I now plan to fill!

What is the future vision for the business?

My long term goal is to offer clothing, accessories and lifestyle products for all little people and average-height disabled people. The opportunities in this sector are endless, so many things need to be considered and I can’t wait to explore them! I want my brand to always feel inclusive, with a strong community driven lead.

What does winning this award mean to you and your business?

I have looked up to what this award means ever since I began studying at LCF, I was overwhelmed to find out that I’d actually won! To receive the recognition for my business proposal idea and the hard work I’ve put into it so far was amazing. It also means that I am able to go on supporting little people and developing stylish clothes that empower them!

What support did you receive from the Graduate Futures Team throughout your time at LCF?

I have reached out to Graduate Futures a lot throughout my time at LCF, especially while studying on the EDIPS course. They have always been about to answer my queries, whether that is via email or a 1:1 session, I have always left our conversations feeling more confident and ready to tackle whatever is ahead of me.

What advice would you share with other emerging entrepreneurs when establish a fashion brand?

In this day and age, community is everything, though social media can be a scary place, it is such a good idea to get building a community on there as soon as you know who your consumer may be. Network is everything! I’d also say try out different ideas! My fashion template books were designed on a whim, they were a test that worked out successful, if I’d never tried I never would have known... get testing!

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