Designer Childrenswear

The company started from humble beginnings on Newcastle quayside - where Brenda and Kevin would spend their weekends selling children's dresses from a small market stall - before going on to open their first bricks and mortar store on Olive Street, Sunderland, in 1984.

Today, the company has expanded to boast a state-of-the-art store, office and warehousing facility on Olive Street, exporting its products to customers from as far as China and the UAE to the USA and Canada.

"We're delighted to have opened our new store and continuing to not only support the high street but also the local economy. We're creating more jobs and are helping bring more people into the city which has given us so much since we opened our first store here over 30 years ago.

"And it's not just jobs in store, either. We've also increased the headcount of our ecommerce team over the past couple of years, creating a number of highly-skilled jobs and as our online sales continue to grow, so will the team.

"Looking forward, we can't wait to see what the future holds as we continue growing and investing in the business."

Brenda Coade, co-founder and managing director at Designer Childrenswear