Bournemouth-based designer secures second grant from SWEF

Max Onn, a young Bournemouth-based designer, has secured two grants under the South West Enterprise Fund (SWEF) that are helping him to establish his business. The backing was supplied by the private foundation, which caters to young people facing financial difficulties and other disadvantages.

Onn had previously garnered attention through posting YouTube videos showing how he taught himself how to design clothing. He now operates his own brand, Maco, from his studio at the Garm Depot creative hub in the city’s shopping centre, The Arcade.

The young designer applied to SWEF in a bid to benefit from its mission to support people aged 18 to 30 in developing their business. The initiative offers grants of up to 2,000 pounds to help in establishing companies or 500 pounds for start-ups to fund training costs, product development or stock.

Onn told the Dorset Community Foundation in a release that while his savings had helped his business get off the ground, he needed more funding in order to expand his range. The designer thus spent his first 500 pound grant on stock and equipment, with the second, totalling 700 pounds, to go towards more stock, an e-commerce site and a camera to help promote his brand.

In the release, Onn stated: “My goal is to be able to live off the online sales and just have a nice studio space. The grant has really helped my business and having the right equipment and being able to buy stock has helped make me much better at producing clothes. I really love doing it and I get a buzz seeing someone wear something I’ve made.”