A PAIR of Colchester fashion students are celebrating being the toast of Graduate Fashion Week.

Kitty Keay and Ellen Devall were both shortlisted from hundreds of entrants from across the country in their categories.

They were then delighted to learn they had won when the winners were announced last week.

“We were both really pleased,” said Kitty, of Surrey Lane, Tiptree, who scooped the Mulberry Accessories Award for her collection of headbands and capes.

“It’s all about youth, so there’s frivolity and playing, and there are lots of fringing and sequins and some teddy bears, too,” added the 22-year-old.

She has won a one-month placement with a top fashion company and access to a career development panel for two years, along with £750 to help with her work.

“It basically could help me open doors to job opportunities I may otherwise not have had.”

Emma Hill, creative director of Mulberry, presented the award to her for what she called “a collection full of charm and wit”.

The awards were hosted by TV presenter and fashion expert Caryn Franklin and attended by a number of fashion celebrities, including supermodel Erin O’Connor, designer Zandra Rhodes, Nicola Roberts, of Girls Aloud, and Sugababe Amelle Berrabah.

Ellen, who lives in Frating, won her First Word Journalism Award for her magazine-style piece showing originality and style to a high journalistic standard.

Sarah Bailey, editor of Harper’s Bazaar, and fashion journalist Hilary Alexander chose the winner.

A total of 13 awards were given out.

Val Jacobs, course leader for fashion and textiles at Colchester Institute, said: ‘‘We’re very proud of both our students who won awards.

“It underlines the breadth of our course, considering it specialises in fashion textiles, yet we have students winning awards in accessories and journalism.’’ Their work will be showcased in a private viewing at the college on Friday from 6pm to 8pm and as part of the annual end-of-year fashion show at the Minories on Friday, June 25, again from 6pm to 8pm.

Both students are in their final year of degrees in fashion and textiles.