SimVenture, a learning solutions and business simulation software used for both education and workplace purposes, has included two small businesses run University of Westminster alumni in their 2021 Christmas Gift Guide.
This year, SimVenture collaborated with its University partners, including Westminster, to put together a Christmas gift guide to help gift buyers support small businesses throughout the festive season. The guide showcases a collection of small business start-ups who offer unique products which make ideal gifts for Christmas while supporting many talented entrepreneurs from across the UK.
‘Illoustration’ is one of the small business in the gift guide, which is run by Illustration and Visual Communication BA Honours graduate Loulou Elliot, who sells bespoke art. Illoustration creates small and affordable bespoke goucache paintings and Gilcée art prints which focus on evocative colours and shapes. Through her art, Loulou aims to bridge the gap between fine art and illustration, and all of her completed work centres around the commissioner’s memories, such as their home, a special place or a memorable holiday.
‘The Lost Artist’, a small business created by Illustration and Visual Communication BA Honours graduate Amelia Potter, was also featured in the guide this year. Amelia is a professional freelance illustrator and designer, and her captivating and wide range art includes skateboard designs, movie prints, comics, surreal photography, recycled fashion, screen prints and personalised portraits. Highlights from her shop include artistic portraits from Peaky Blinders, Fight Club and IT.
Amelia started her freelance journey after graduating from the University of Westminster in 2020, and she credits her journey at Westminster as an “incredible experience”.
Both graduates participated in the WUTOPIA Westminster pop up store in 2019, an alternative festive shopping destination created by the Westminster Enterprise Network (WeNetwork) in Covent Garden. Both students also had stalls at the UWSU Winter Wonderland Christmas fair on Regent Campus on Friday 3 December, which also featured a make your own bauble station and Christmas grotto.
Talking about the SimVenture Christmas Gift Guide, Rumen Rachev, Community and Operations Officer from Westminster’s WeNetwork, said: “It’s exciting to be part of this project. Buying presents is so hard and this guide is a great way for people to find unique gifts and support creative businesses run by recent graduates.”
Loulou Elliot added: “It’s great to be involved in the SimVenture Christmas Gift Guide, along with a bunch of other skilled creatives and graduates. With such a variety of unique gift ideas and different small businesses, it really drums up interest for us all, and I’m happy to have been invited to take part.”
Find out more about the small businesses in the SimVenture 2021 Christmas Gift Guide.
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