DESIGNER clobber for canines is the latest offering from Colchester’s iconic Fenwick store as it gives budding entrepreneurs a chance to showcase their brands.

The High Street store has been working with Colchester Business Enterprise Agency to give small start-up companies the chance to win temporary space on the shop floor.

Five lucky winners were chosen and each have a week or more to showcase their business.

These range from nautical-themed artwork to a children’s author and treats for cats and dogs.

Woofs and Meows Treats, set up by Jacquelyn Hayward, is on show this week.

Her firm sells exclusive designer fashion for dogs through the Canine Chic collection.

Woofs and Meows also provides luxury gourmet dog and cat treats which are made using natural, gluten free ingredients.

Ms Hayward, 56, who runs the business from her Rowhedge home, said: “I was a veterinary nurse and animal rescuer but had an accident, a knee injury, and I couldn’t work for six months.

“The Rowhedge Regatta was coming up and I wasn’t getting any better and I couldn’t do my job.

“One of my friends said I knew all about nutrition so why didn’t I make some dog treats. That was last June.”

Ms Hayward’s first sales were at the regatta last year and her business has expanded from there.

The former New York fashion designer started to make biker jackets for dogs which has developed into shirts, bandanas and she even custom makes coats to match the pets’ human families.

Her pop-up shop will be in store until Friday.

Another business to showcase at Fenwick is children’s author Josie Dom who will be selling her books and cuddly toys in the children’s department from Friday.

Also to exhibit will be Phillipa Kettlewell’s As If Living, which sells artwork.

Then will be Navistitch, which specialises in hand-stitched nautical artwork on original navigation charts as well as greetings cards and colourful sea creatures.

Last week was the turn of Kate Cox Garden Design and Consultation. Advice was available on all things garden and appointments were made for garden tuition or design consultations.

Fenwick store director Nancy Foster said: “Fenwick is, and has always been, proud to support the community and businesses within it.

“Each of the competition winners will be bringing something unique to Fenwick Colchester and we look forward to hosting them all in store and watching their businesses develop.”

To enter, businesses had to complete Colbea’s In The Market for Success course then submit a pitch to work with Fenwick.

This was followed by a presentation and grilling by judges.