Four students at Oxford & Cherwell Valley College have their eyes on catwalk careers after making a big impression at the city’s first fashion week.

Fashion students Alex Burchell, Stacey Hurst, Hayley Owen and Rosie Dennington, all 17, got their first glimpses of the industry during sold-out shows at Oxford Fashion Week.

The quartet, who are all studying fashion at the college’s Oxpens campus, got to work as stylists and designers behind the scenes during the six-day event.

Miss Dennington unveiled her first collection at the event’s fashion concept show.

The teenager’s creations included a denim wedding dress complete with red petticoat netting and a matching denim umbrella, an above-the-knee shift dress made from 200 silk flowers and a pink-and-gold embossed asymmetric dress with black lace and netting.

Miss Dennington, who made the dresses at her parent’s house in Newland Street, Eynsham, said: “I got so much from the experience, it’s something money can’t buy.

“I felt that the organisers and members of the public really liked my designs.

“I was able to start establishing myself and my name and after months of hard work it felt like everything I’d put into it had been worth it.”

Her denim wedding dress was modelled at the event by fellow student Miss Hurst.

Miss Hurst, from Carterton, said: “The experience was absolutely amazing. I discovered that I really enjoyed the management side of fashion more than I realised.”

Miss Owen, from Didcot, who also modelled at the concept show in Jericho, said: “I’ve realised that I definitely want to be in the fashion industry.

“It’s just inspired me to go for what I want to be,” she added.

Miss Burchell, from Burford, said: “The experience was just incredible, I got a real insight into the fashion industry and I got to meet people who are part of it, I loved every second of it.”

The college’s course leader in fashion, Maria Skoyles, said: “I think it’s absolutely fantastic that first these students wanted to be involved in Oxford Fashion Week and that they had the guts to get stuck in to work alongside people who are far more experienced than them.

“I think they all have a promising career in fashion ahead of them.

“Rosie’s a particularly promising student. She’s definitely got the ability to design clothes and we’re looking at extending her pattern cutting and sewing skills so she could work with a haute couture designer.”