A DESIGN graduate from York is making sure men are suited and booted in the best of British after landing a key role with a top UK menswear company.

Laura Sturdy, 23, from Clifton Moor and a former Canon Lee School pupil, has landed a job as the new assistant buyer for BMB Menswear Ltd.

BMB is part of the Baird Group, the leading wholesaler and retailer of branded menswear in the UK and Europe, which makes clothes for Jeff Banks London and Racing Green, as well as buying and manufacturing for Harvey Nichols, Debenhams, Selfridges, House of Fraser and Burtons.

Laura landed the job after studying at Cleveland College of Art & Design (CCAD) as a textile and surface design student.

She took an internship with Scottish fashion house Jonathan Saunders which saw her involved in designing a line for Debenhams.

She said: “Jonathan Saunders is known for his work with prints and use of traditional silk screening techniques.

“At the time I was focusing on screen print so jumped at the chance to get involved in the collection designing a T-shirt, blouse and skirt.

“Seeing my designs hanging up in department stores in Oxford Street in London gave me a massive sense of achievement, but I was still hankering after being involved in buying.”

A second internship with the suppliers and manufacturers for Arcadia, buying on behalf of Topshop and Miss Selfridge, helped Laura make up her mind to move into the business side of the industry.

“I had a great grounding for the job initially working as a cloth administrator at BMB before being offered the role of assistant buyer,” said Laura.

“Being an assistant buyer involves developing a product all the way from choosing the cloth to the manufacturing process, looking after between 20 and 30 of the most recognised menswear brands in the country. Having that background of textile construction helps me deal with mills and factories across the globe on a daily basis.

“Working in the fashion industry can be tough, but the sense of creativity and value in my own abilities and ideas that CCAD gave me during my time there really helped give me the push I needed to get to where I am now.”