Coventry University graduate nominated for Entrepreneur of the Year for her inspiring streetwear brand 

Naomi Maria wearing a purple dress at the Multicultural Business and Community Champion Awards

Naomi Maria

Alumni news

Wednesday 22 January 2025

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press.mac@coventry.ac.uk


A Coventry University graduate has been acknowledged as an Entrepreneur of the Year finalist in only the first year of launching her inspiring streetwear brand.

Naomi Maria mingled with the likes of Alison Hammond and Levi Roots at the Multicultural Business & Community Champion Awards after being nominated for DETERMINED Streetwear - a brand born out of a passion to inspire people to achieve their goals and to aim high in life.

The name DETERMINED stands for Determination Equals Trying Endlessly, Regardless (of) Mountains, Individuals & Nonsense Every Day.

Everyone has setbacks and things that they want to overcome. I’ve been through hard times myself and even creating this brand and getting to where I am has had its difficulties. I love helping people though, in everyday life – giving advice or lending someone something they need – but if I can do it in a bigger way and help people to stay determined, reminding them not to give up and making them feel good in the process then it’s really rewarding.

People have told me that my brand inspires them to achieve their goals and that they buy and wear my brand as motivation for themselves; so just to know that my brand makes a difference to them, whether to their mental health or other battles they’re going through in their life, is more than I could ever imagine.

I’d always hoped to get to this point and be nominated for awards, but I didn’t think it would happen so quick as the brand only launched in 2023.

Naomi Maria

Naomi has always loved designing which is why she chose to study Graphic Design at Coventry University. She graduated with a 2:1 and is now using what she learned in her degree to make designs for her brand. She also loves wearing streetwear brands, so creating her own is something that has always been in her mind.

Being at Coventry University taught me what is required to create my own designs and the process of refining ideas. DETERMINED Streetwear is like an extension of my university projects and one that I’m over the moon about and proud of!

Naomi Maria

Naomi expresses the values of DETERMINED in her commitment to the development of her brand, working hard in evenings and weekends alongside her full-time job in the finance sector.

I want DETERMINED Streetwear to make people who feel hopeless feel hopeful, people who feel useless feel useful, and people who feel powerless to feel powerful.

Naomi has also been announced as a finalist for Emerging Talent of the Year 2025 for the We Are Creative Awards.

Find out more about Coventry University’s School of the Arts and Creative Industries.