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The Women Running Brick and Mortar Retail
Although much of the world has been in lockdown for the best part of 18 months to 2 years and as we turn to digital , these women are still ruling brick and mortar retail, making
Whereas retail has always been about the experience, the environment and the emotional engagement.
Sophia Webster
Having only launched her namesake luxury shoe and accessory brand just under a decade ago, it didn’t take long for the fashion world to sit up and take notice of Sophia Webster and her femnie designs. With celebrities like Blake Lively and Diane Kruger as customers, her shoes have made frequent appearances on the red carpet. Webster has also introduced a children’s shoeline where.
In 2020, she donated 200 pairs of the Sophia Webster FlyBy trainers to NHS staff. In 2019, Webster, who always focused on being a shoe brand that offered diversity, introduced a new shoe size; US 15.5; UK 13; EU 46, in order to cater to more women, especially those who were usually sidelined. Part of the Sophia Webster brand, is her sustainable shoe collection Renata, entirely made from what would be shoe waste and materials from past seasons.
Dame Pat McGrath DBE
Known as the most influential makeup artist worldwide, Dame Pat McGrath DBE is the first and currently the only makeup artist to be made a British dame. Her makeup line Pat McGrath Labs, which she launched in 2015 was valued at $1 billion in 2018 and was considered Selfridges’ biggest selling beauty line. Upon its debut in 2015, a multipurpose gold pigment included in her product line called Gold 001, became the hero product and sold out its 1,000 available units in six minutes. McGrath had always envisioned creating makeup that would empower, remove fear and instead replace it with a boldness towards it.
Tory Burch
Fashion designer, businesswoman, and philanthropist Tory Burch is the Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of her namesake brand Tory Burch LLC which she founded in 2004. Just under two decades, she has become one of the world’s few self-made billionaires. In 2009, she launched her foundation which offers small business loans, mentoring, and entrepreneurial education as support for and to empower women economically.
Sales from select products from the Tory Burch brand go towards supporting her foundation. In collaboration with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses and Babson College, her foundation launched an entrepreneurial education program.
In 2014, through her foundation, she launched the Tory Burch Foundation Capital Program, formerly named Elizabeth Street Capital, an initiative with Bank of America, which provides female entrepreneurs with access to low-cost loans and mentoring support. By March 2019, the program had provided over $46 million in loans to over 2,5000 women, with Bank of America further pledging to add an additional $50 million to the total.
Donna Karan
Donna Karan is an American fashion designer and the creator of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY clothing labels. Beginning her career as the assistant designer to Anne Klein, she is renowned for her capsule wardrobes.
Her 'Essentials' line offered seven pieces centered around the bodysuit, which allowed fluidity for women to mix and match. Growing to become a lifestyle brand for both men and women, Karan added handbags, accessories and beauty products to its line up.
Anya Hindmarch
Fashion designer, Anya Hindmarch CBE, discovered her love for bags whilst away studying in Italy for a year. Inspired by Margaret Thatcher's entrepreneurial ideas, she decided to borrow money and import the bags she had found in Italy back to England. After sending a bag to the fashion magazine Harpers and Queen, she ended up selling 500 through the magazine alone. She started making handbags and by 1992, they were sold in luxury stores across London, New York, Japan, France and Italy. In 1993, she opened her very first store and by 2009, she owned 51 stores globally and estimated sales of £20 million. On May 17th Hindmarch launched the Anya Village. On Pont Street in London a little village of stores opened to house all the ideas she has had over the years.
Mariya Dykalo
Joining Aspinal of London 15 years ago, as an intern, and at a time where the brand was solely known for its stationery and leather accessories, Mariya Dykalo saw an opportunity for a new beginning - handbags.
She was proficient in pattern making and had the ability to design. The two qualities allowed her to create Aspinal’s very first handbag collection. The Mayfair bag; Aspinal’s iconic bestseller, was the third handbag Dykalo ever created.
She worked through the ranks; becoming a designer, then head of design, before landing her current role as Creative Director, which she was appointed to in 2013.
Conna Walker
Conna Walker had no plans of starting a business in her teenage years; however, 10 years later, at the age of just 27 years old she has built an international household name. Fellow London-born influencers Sarah Ashcroft and Patricia Bright, Beyoncé, Chrissy Tiegen and Kylie Jenner are on the never-ending list of influential women who have regularly sported her figure-accentuating dresses.
Hanushka Toni and Dina Ibrahimova
Dina Ibrahimova and Hanushka Toni are the mother and daughter duo who created Sellier Knightsbridge, one of the leading pre-loved platforms for luxury pieces and the most reputable reseller of authentic super brands in the UK. Their roster of mostly one-off pieces include an array of luxury houses such as Chanel, Alaïa and Hermès.