A fashionista who launched a clothing brand from her bedroom which is now loved by celebrities has revealed grand plans for the future.
Aurelia Shirazu moved to Norwich from Ghana with her family when she was four years old and grew up in the city.
She attended Chapelfield Primary School and Ormiston Victory Academy before going to university in London.
Now the 25-year-old has built a fashion brand, called Soho Wardrobe, and she is earning the personal approval of some well-known faces.
"Like many people, I had always wanted to build something," she said.
"So when the pandemic hit in 2020 I had time to reflect and start my dream of building a clothing brand."
Aurelia joins a number of industry professionals who practice "slow fashion", that puts sustainability, environmentalism and human rights above turning a quick profit using exploitative methods.
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Paired with a media-centric marketing ethos, Aurelia's clothes have garnered celebrity attention and have featured prominently in social media showcases.
Love Island finalist turned influencer, Tasha Ghouri, requested one of Aurelia's dresses to wear to a Chelsea Flower Show charity event.
Dancer and model Abbie Quinnen and Celtic player Chloe Craig are among other high-profile names to wear the Norwich-born label.
"Being a consumer myself, I could see that social media influencers were the way forward in terms of marketing," Aurelia said.
All of Soho Wardrobe's pieces are hand-designed by Aurelia and manufactured either in London or China, depending on the complexity of the design.
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She added: "I would love to set up a pop-up in Norwich and if it does well then elsewhere in the UK and further beyond.
"I believe it's important for people to try clothes on in person to see how they feel in the flesh.
"But for now e-commerce is the way to keep overheads low and stay viable as a small, independently-run business."
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