A LEOMINSTER designer who launched her business in a small workshop is celebrating after opening her own gallery this month.

Sarah Williams, 29, is the owner of Williams British Handmade, a business which pitches itself as a producer of the "highest quality" and most "unique of leather goods using traditional craftsmanship to fit the modern world".

Ms Williams studied for a degree in design craft at Hereford College of Arts before completing a Masters in fashion artefact at London College of Fashion.

And two years after launching the business she opened the doors to her new gallery this month in the centre of the town where she grew up.

Ms Williams, a former Minster College student, said: "I finished university about six years ago and got a job working for a different company as a sample maker and designer while doing my own business on the side.

"It was about two years ago I properly started doing my own business full-time.

"I had a big order and there wouldn't have been enough time to do it on the side so that was the push to do my own thing."

She started making products in a workshop in Bransford, near Worcester, but as the orders increased she realised it was time for something bigger.

It was then that she set about moving her workshop to a new venue, in the Lion Yard in Leominster, and decided to open part of it as a gallery.

She said: "It wasn't really something that I had planned but, because the new workshop was so much bigger, I had the luxury of this extra space so more room to show my bags.

"I go to a lot of craft fairs and make friends with lots of other craft people so I have got their work on display here too."

Williams Handmade has gained accolades including Accessories Collection of the Year Award at ITS#NINE, The Accessory Award from Absolut Vodka and was chosen by Fashion East to show at London Fashion Week in addition to the “Power of Craft” exhibition at the V&A.

The ethos behind the business is to produce pieces which raise the appreciation of hand craftsmanship by using surreal and unusual forms and shapes.

Having already achieved so much, Ms Williams' plan is to simply keep growing.

"I'm doing London Fashion Week next month and hope to grow the trade side of the business," she said.

"At the moment lots of what I do is made to order and one-off pieces so hopefully I can get more stockists in London. "