Eleanor O'Neill

Eleanor’s knitwear degree saw her complete several work placements in the fashion industry including a spell at Hugo Boss and time in both Switzerland and New York. Upon graduating, Eleanor accepted a job in Venice as a junior knitwear designer where she began to experience all aspects of the trade.

It was during this time that Eleanor faced some tough realisations about her dream career. She became disillusioned after witnessing first-hand the wasteful nature of the work and found the job repetitive with no time for true creativity. Disheartened, Eleanor left and returned to the UK with the hope of carving out her own, more meaningful path in the industry.

Using her time out of work to reassess her skills and experience, Eleanor spent time researching how to get the job she really wanted. Although she had an idea, she was unsure how to move forward. The turning point came when she found The Prince’s Trust online and enrolled on to our Enterprise programme.

Eager and excited to get started, Eleanor was coupled with a business mentor who provided her with advice on everything from marketing to business planning.

Eleanor says:

It was fantastic to be part of that community, to share experiences with other young entrepreneurs and meet like-minded people who wanted to transform their business ideas into a reality.

Comforted by the fact that she had a safety net in The Prince’s Trust, Eleanor’s business soon took shape and Study 34 was born. The knitwear design company focuses on responsible fashion using sustainable materials. With support from The Trust, Eleanor’s ambition of producing functional yet innovative design had been realised and she was putting British knitwear firmly back on the map.

I always had the ambition to achieve but The Trust helped me harness it. It was reassuring to be reminded that they were with me every step of the way.

Harbouring a desire to give back, Eleanor also became a Young Ambassador for The Trust, volunteering her time to inspire other young people in similar positions.

The Trust gave me so many opportunities and really boosted my confidence so it felt great to be able to give them something back in return.

Eleanor continues to work on her collection and develop her brand. Always striving for the next big thing, soon she will travel to Peru to understand more about alpaca materials. Passionate about British manufacturing, her long term dream is to set up her own factory.