Joan Hughes from Westport who graduated from the Manchester Metropolitan University with a first class honours degree in fashion design and technology is the new creative head of accessories at the Majorcan footwear company Camper. Hughes who was formerly designer of lifestyle products with Puma in London, is also co founder of the African Shirt Company with her friend Lindi Campbell Cause who studied art in NCAD; both of them share an interest in sustainability and conservation. The business took off after one of the kanga shirts (like the one shown here) which are handmade near Mombasa was featured in Grazia magazine. All proceeds from the sales now go to help training and local reforestation projects in Kenya. See theafricanshirtcompany.com

Deirdre McQuillan