2 minute read
SIAN GABBIDON
from Business Mag
by EXPO1
THE 2018 WINNER OF THE BBC SHOW THE APPRENTICE, WINNING A £250,000 INVESTMENT AND BACKING FROM LORD SUGAR IN THE SHOW’S 14TH SERIES
Daughter to hardworking nurse Amanda & factory worker Steven - Leeds born Sian Marie begin her journey from very humble beginnings. Moving around council estates as mum and dad dedicated their time to providing a better life for their only child, Sian spent lots of time at her grandparents... and it was here that her creative flare grew as she would spend her time with nanna drawing, painting, learning how to knit/sew and much more.
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After getting her first sewing machine at the age of 16 - Sian begin working up her favourite designs. This passion grew into reality as she went on to study Fashion Design with Marketing and Production at Huddersfield University. After being told by a tutor ‘you must be in London to succeed in fashion’ but proud of her Leeds roots Sian decided to defy the rules and prove them wrong. After receiving her first class honours degree, Sian begin working in marketing and set up an Instagram page to showcase some of her fashion designs on the side - which were mainly focussed on swimwear as Sian felt this area completely lacked in the market with repetitive styles and basic shapes. This is where things were about to take off. Her designs were a hit, and Sian was getting messages from stylists / boutiques / influencers asking for products as they loved her designs.
In 2016 Sian designed an array of bikini’s for TV star Kate Wright who was very popular at the time. Kate went on to wear her designs on holiday in Dubai which received a huge amount of press - and the business took off. Sian self-taught the fundamentals of setting up a business to keep her costs low - how to build a website / how to effectively use social media & marketing ...& in 2017 www.sianmarie.com was born. An online label focussing on making women feel amazing and allowing them to make their outfits ‘their own’ through reversible & multiway styles.
She was ready to take this business to the next level, and in 2018 Sian successfully applied to become a candidate on primetime BBC television show The Apprentice UK to be in with a chance to become billionaire Lord Sugars next business partner and receive a £250,000 investment in her company. Another challenge Sian was eager to succeed at. In December 2018 Sian took the crown and won the investment receiving a huge amount of awareness for her label taking it from strength to strength. Now stocked in a variety of retail giants both UK & Internationally, in-store and online - Sian continues to build her brand, bringing the best quality, most unique styles & hand drawn prints to the market to make women feel good!
