Poundland’s PEP&CO gives students clothing industry insight through Fashion Retail Academy

Poundland's PEP&CO, one of the UK’s fastest growing clothing brands, has begun offering groups of fashion students a tailored insight into the industry through work placements, in collaboration with the Fashion Retail Academy.

Three students studying for their Buying & Merchandising degree at the Fashion Retail Academy (FRA) in London recently completed a three week placement at PEP&CO’s head office in Watford.

The students saw first-hand how the team of more than 60 design, source and merchandise the full range of PEP&CO clothing now sold in over 400 Poundland stores in the UK and Ireland.

PEP&CO, which last year became a top-20 clothing brand in the UK by volume, will continue its relationship with the FRA on future placements, which are designed to give students an insight into the business and particularly the role of buying and how it fits into the organisation.

Maria Epaminondas, PEP&CO’s Head of Buying and Design said: “We worked closely with the FRA to support the great work they do in training students to join our industry and we hope these placements will help the next generation of buyers with their career plans.”

PEP&CO started life as a standalone store in Kettering in July 2015 and its growth was turbocharged when it joined the Poundland family and the introduction of PEP&CO shop-in-shops at Poundland stores.