Chester’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year has set her sights on turning the fashion label she started in her bedroom during lockdown into an international brand within five years.
Collette Beckett, founder of Jetblack Clothing, wants to grow the brand’s overseas customer base, move into its own warehouse unit and build a team around her as the business expands.
The 29-year-old was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the Chester Business Club Young Business Person Awards in July, five years after launching Jetblack.
Colette, who lives in Chester, Cheshire, said: “In five years, I’d love Jetblack to be a much more recognised name in independent fashion, not just in the UK but internationally too.
“One of my biggest ambitions is to really expand our international customer base and establish Jetblack as a go-to destination for occasionwear. I want us to be the brand that girls automatically think of when they’ve got something exciting coming up, whether that’s a holiday, festival, birthday, wedding or just a night out. Somewhere they know they can find something different that they won’t see everyone else wearing.
“On a more practical level, I’d absolutely love to outgrow our current stockroom and reach a point where we need our own warehouse unit. I think that would be such an exciting milestone and a real reflection of how far the business has come from its beginnings in my bedroom.”
Collette still handles almost every part of the business herself, from design and creative direction to marketing and customer service, and said building a team would be a major next step.
“Having spent so many years doing absolutely everything myself, the idea of bringing other people into the business is both exciting and a little daunting,” she said.
“But I think there’s only so far you can take something entirely on your own, and I’d love to have other creative minds involved who can bring fresh perspectives, new ideas and skills that I might not have myself.”
She added: “For me, growth isn’t just about increasing sales. It’s about building a brand that people recognise, connect with and genuinely want to be part of.”
Known for bold colour, unusual prints and embellishment, Jetblack deliberately produces its collections in small runs rather than chasing volume.
“We produce our collections in smaller quantities rather than mass-producing, which makes our pieces feel that little bit more exclusive,” Collette said. “Once a style sells out, there’s no guarantee it’ll be coming back anytime soon. You might have to wait until the following summer or get lucky and find one second-hand on Vinted.
“I think that creates a real excitement around our collections.”
She said the approach was also a conscious decision on sustainability.
“The fashion industry has a huge environmental impact, and I don’t want to contribute to unnecessary overproduction by creating large quantities of clothing that could end up sitting unsold,” she said.
“I’d much rather have a collection that sells out than a stockroom full of clothing nobody wants.”
The business grew out of the first Covid lockdown in 2020, when Collette was in the final year of a degree in Special Effects Makeup Artistry and had taught herself pattern making from YouTube tutorials.
With her nan living with the family while recovering from bowel cancer surgery, the household self-isolated for three months, and she began making and selling her own designs to earn money while unable to leave the house.
“I still remember my friend, who worked at the Post Office at the time, coming to collect orders from my doorstep so he could post them for me during his shift, because I couldn’t leave the house myself,” she said.
Jetblack Clothing officially launched on New Year’s Day 2021.
For years Collette made every garment by hand, but a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease towards the end of 2024 left her questioning whether the business could survive.
“I’d spent years building something I absolutely loved, and suddenly I was faced with the possibility that I might have to give it all up, not because I wanted to, but because my body simply couldn’t keep up anymore,” she said.
A loan from her mum funded the move into manufacturing her own designs in 2025.
“I genuinely couldn’t be more grateful to her for that lifeline. It wasn’t just financial support; it gave me the opportunity to continue doing something I love at a time when I was seriously considering whether I had any other choice but to stop,” she said.
“Without making that transition, I’m not sure I would have been physically able to keep the business going in the way I had been.”
Her condition is now much better controlled with treatment, though she said fatigue and other symptoms can still affect everyday life.
“I’ve had to learn to listen to my body, recognise when I need to slow down and prioritise what’s most important on the harder days,” she said.
“Crohn’s is something I’ll always have to navigate, but I’ve learned that it doesn’t have to stop me from building the future I want for myself or my business.”
This year has been Collette’s first full year without sewing the clothing herself, freeing her to focus on planning collections, content and marketing.
“The biggest difference now is that I’m no longer spending 12 hours a day behind a sewing machine, followed by another two hours of admin before finally going to bed!” she said.
“I’m so much more organised than I was this time last year, and I’ve been able to plan collections properly, work further ahead and make sure we’re launching at the right time for each season.”
Collette’s work to date was recognised in style earlier this year when she was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the Chester Business Club’s Young Business Person Awards.
She described winning the award as a huge shock.
“There were so many incredible applicants, including people who had been involved in previous years, that I genuinely didn’t think for a minute that I would win,” she said.
“To have that hard work recognised, particularly in my home city of Chester, meant so much to me. It was a really special moment, and I think for the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to feel genuinely proud of what I’ve achieved and everything I’ve overcome along the way.”