7 years after moving to Colne from Manchester, Colleen and David are certainly not looking back. Attracted to the town after one simple drive down the high street, they have now taken over their very own shop on the high street, Colleen G Lea (previously known as Chosen by Jessica.) Bringing with them a wealth of experience, with Colleen having her own YouTube channel, they are keen to work for and with the community around them.

A hybrid approach with both fashion retail and repurposed goods twinned with a Caribbean inspired bistro of food to eat in or to go. This husband-and-wife duo are eager to use their knowledge to expand their offerings. Starting with little events and branching out into bigger ones are part of the plans. With help from Colne BID, Colleen G Lea are ready to partner with the community events throughout the year including the Super Soapbox Challenge and the Food and Drink festival.

With a passion for expanding the fashion side incorporating shoes and jewellery, Colleen, who was once voted in the Top 5 contemporary designers in the country, wants to enhance the recycling and reusable side of fashion and bring a large collection of sustainable clothing to Colne. These include those clothes made from natural fibres. These are hard to source but Colleen is determined to bring this to the community and share her ideas on how to produce environmentally friendly clothing.

Although new to the high street, they are already making a splash, through Colne BID, Colleen has been introduced to Nelson and Colne College and has been asked to be on their Creative Arts and Media industry board. With ambitions to connect with young people and give them a chance to experience the industry and showcase their talents through special exhibitions, this is really the beginning of a very important pillar in the community.