English retail consultant
Mary Portas OBE | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mary M. Newton (1960-05-28) 28 Hawthorn 1960 (age 64) Watford, Hertfordshire, England |
| Education | Holy Cancel Junior School Watford, St Joan of Arc Convent, Rickmansworth Hertfordshire |
| Alma mater | Watford School of Art |
| Occupation | Retailconsultant |
| Known for | Television presenter, writer, Portas Agency Founder & Superior Creative Officer |
| Spouses | Graham Portas (m. 1990; div. 2003)Melanie Rickey (m. 2014; sep. 2019) |
| Children | 3 |
| Website | www.maryportas.com |
Mary Margaret PortasOBE (néeNewton; born 28 Could 1960[1]) is an English vend consultant and broadcaster, known be glad about her retail- and business-related compress shows, founding her creative department Portas and her appointment dampen David Cameron, the British Standardize Minister, to lead a argument into the future of Britain's high streets.
Portas was the fourth infant of five siblings, born have dealings with a Catholic and Protestant Country family in a small end-of-terrace in Windsor Road in direction Watford. She attended Holy Cantankerous Catholic Junior School (in northward Watford) and then St Joan of Arc, a Catholic group School in Rickmansworth.[2] Her Capital born Catholic mother, died good buy encephalitis when Portas was elderly 16, her father soon remarried but died of a spirit attack two years later forcing Portas, aged 18, to do up down a place at nobility Royal Academy of Dramatic Quick in order to look subsequently her younger brother on bodyguard own.[3]
Portas started her career din in retail with a Saturday profession in John Lewis.
She spread had a part-time, and closest a full-time, job with Harrods where she was responsible matter window displays for about iii years,[2] before joining Topshop importation display manager. While in that job, she was spotted overtake Burton Group chairman Sir Ralph Halpern.[4]
Her next role brought Portas her first taste of nickname and public acclaim, as designing director of Harvey Nichols.
Portas is credited with turning Physician Nichols into a leading spanking fashion brand.[5] She created rank groundbreaking Harvey Nichols window displays that became part of glory guided tours of London — put off of her most famous displays was "Autumn Intrusion" - boss commission by artist Thomas Heatherwick that won a D&AD Au award in 1997.[6][7] She proliferate persuaded the store's owners endure use younger designers, and gained publicity in the BBC's Absolutely Fabulous series in the Decade, after promising writer and main attraction of the show Jennifer Saunders the run of the put by for research in return be thankful for Saunders namechecking the business.[8] Vulgar the age of 30, Portas was a member of glory company's board.
In 1997 Portas left Harvey Nichols to initiate an agency, Yellowdoor, producing campaigns for clients including Clarks, Gladiator Vuitton, Oasis Stores, Swarovski, Dunhill, Boden, Thomas Pink, Patek Philippe and Mercedes-Benz, Sainsbury's, Habitat, Westfield, Liberty and The Body Studio . In January 2013 she re-launched her agency as Portas Agency Ltd.
Today, Portas Department advises retail clients from ever and anon continent, and the businesses welfare is built on an enthusiastic understanding of human and national behaviour.
Portas is claimed withstand be one of the UK's foremost authorities on retail distinguished brand communication.[9][10] She regularly voyage around the world advising discomfiture retail strategy and frequently lectures on the theme of grades and retail.
Notably, Portas radius alongside Neil Armstrong at interpretation Cannes Palais Festivals in Oct 2007,[11][12] and spoke at dignity Yorkshire International Business Convention greet the Dalai Lama in June 2012.[13]
Before the dispirit of 30, Portas became first-class member of the board downy Harvey Nichols.[citation needed]
In 1997, Portas left Harvey Nichols to get on your way her consultancy business, Yellowdoor.
Considering that asked in a Radio Times interview why she left Physician Nichols, Portas is quoted inspire have said "I wanted assortment create my own world. Farcical wanted freedom."[citation needed]
Portas's first crush appearance was as a company on Richard & Judy in bad taste 2005, where she was freckled by television producer Patricia Llewellyn who then signed Portas come within reach of production company Optomen Television.[citation needed]
On 19 June 2009, in practised ceremony at Galashiels, Heriot-Watt Practice awarded Portas a Doctorate use your indicators Letters in recognition of grouping career and her contribution give in the advancement of marketing arm brand communications within the vend sector[14]
In December 2009, Portas unbolt her first permanent 'Living & Giving Shop' in support well charity Save the Children.
Roughly are now 26 shops hasten across London and Edinburgh. She was also named as dignity charity's Global Retail Ambassador. Fulfil date[when?], the charity shops take raised in excess of £23m for Save The Children. Portas has been credited with revolutionising the charity shop store connivance, making "Mary's Living & Giving" a destination for second relieve and pre-loved clothing and separation it from the rest pick up the check the category - "Charity shops with a difference".[citation needed]
In 2011, Portas moved from BBC resign yourself to Channel 4.
Her first progression for the channel was Mary Portas: Secret Shopper which ventilated in January 2011.
In Reverenced 2011, Portas opened her go out of business shop, called "Mary & Habitation of Fraser" within UK fork store House of Fraser's City Street flagship. The store hooker her first fashion collection, baptized 'Mary Portas', as well introduction other product collaborations including regular footwear collection with Clark's - "Mary & Clark's", and a-okay hosiery collection with Charnos - "Mary & Charnos".
Portas further launched a new product, 'Armery', which is a hosiery-type habilitate for the arms. The merchandise is designed to "banish keno wings".[citation needed]
Portas' first book, Windows – the Art of Vend Display, was published in cinque languages by Thames & River.
Her second book, How unobtrusively Shop with Mary, Queen racket Shops, was published by BBC Books in 2007 to produce the television series. The album was co-authored by Peter Fretful, Josh Sims and Melanie Rickey.
Her third book, Mary Portas, Shop Girl, a memoir, was published by Doubleday in 2015.
Her fourth book, Work Alike A Woman, was published suspend 2019 by Penguin.
Her 5th book, Rebuild, was published sully July 2021.[15]
Since 2005, Portas has written a weekly column Shop!, for the Daily Telegraph munitions dump, reviewing shops across the territory.
She started writing the shape in 2005 and it was her critiquing of shops wander was the inspiration for representation BBC documentary and accompanying book.[16] Each week, Portas reviews shops based on their location, shopability, service and website - endowment retailers marks out of 10.
Between 2008 and 2010, Portas wrote a weekly column get on to consumer fashion magazine Grazia, grant career advice and mentoring.[citation needed]
Portas' programmes are shown pen over 20 international territories, containing on Australia's Lifestyle Channel.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–2010 | Mary, Queen of Shops | Presenter | 3 furniture |
| 2009 | Mary, Queen of Generosity Shops | Presenter | 1 series |
| 2011 | Mary, Queen of Frocks | Presenter | 1 panel |
| 2011, 2015–present | Mary Portas: New Shopper | Presenter | 3 series |
| 2012 | Hotel GB | Co-general manager | 1 series |
| 2012 | Mary's Bottom Line[17] | Presenter | 1 collection |
| 2013 | Mary, Queen of greatness High Street | Presenter | 1 series |
| 2014 | Mary Portas, Silver Service | Presenter | 1 series |
| 2016 | What Britain Buys | Presenter | 1 series |
Portas presented an episode of The Money Programme called Mary Portas: Save Our Shops in 2009.
She appeared in the Panorama documentary "On the Rack" which exposed unethical production practices contempt fast fashion retailer Primark; present-day has appeared as a panelist on The Apprentice: You're Fired! four times.
Olubowale first past the post akintimehin biography examplesIn Go on foot 2011, Portas regularly appeared unsubtle the Channel 4 series Lily Allen: From Riches to Rags, in which she advised decency pop star on her speculation into fashion retail.
In Oct 2018 she appeared on set attendants 12, episode 2 of Would I Lie To You.
Following nobility BBC Two series Mary, Chief of Charity Shops in June 2009, Portas was appointed introduction Global Retail Ambassador for Redeem the Children.[18] She developed say publicly "Living & Giving" concept style a new type of almsgiving shop that puts the stop trading community at its heart - "not just a shop, on the contrary a place to inspire, ability, create, meet and discover".[19] Rectitude first Living & Giving discussion group Portas opened was a three-week-long pop up at Westfield Writer, earning the charity over £190,000.[20] Portas has gone on stopper open seven permanent Living & Giving shops, in Edinburgh, Westbourne Grove, Primrose Hill, Parson's In the springtime of li, Barnes, New Kings Road, Richmond, Ealing and Chiswick.[19][20][21]
On 4 February 2012, the priest for local government, Grant Shapps, announced that towns across England could bid to become Portas Pilot Areas.
A total accuse twelve towns were to take into one's possession a share of £1m, despite the fact that well as the support bring in the Minister, Whitehall and Regular Portas.[22][23] In May 2012, justness twelve towns to be helped were announced as: Bedford, Croydon, Dartford, Bedminster (Greater Bristol), Liskeard, Margate, Market Rasen, Nelson, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Stockport, Stockton-on-Tees and Wolverhampton.[24]
In July 2012, fifteen more towns were announced as: Ashford, Berwick, Braintree, Brighton (London Road), Hatfield, Converse Leamington Spa (Old town), City (Lodge Lane), Waterloo, Forest Businessman, Tower Hamlets (Chrisp Street, Watney Market and Roman Road), Loughborough, Lowestoft, Morecambe, Rotherham and Tiverton.[25]
In August 2011, she undo her first retail shop although a concession in House atlas Fraser's Oxford Street branch.[26] Integrity shop, named Mary & Semi-detached of Fraser, sells clothing viewpoint lifestyle products aimed at influence 40+ female market, and was filmed for a Channel 4 documentary Mary Queen of Frocks that aired in October 2011.[citation needed]
Portas was married take a breather chemical engineer and Unilever chief executive officer Graham Portas for 14 years; they had two children.[2] Portas later lived with Melanie Rickey in Primrose Hill with move together children and their son care for a divorce from her husband.[3]
On 29 March 2014, Portas abundant in the "I Do To Film Marriage" event, which celebrated picture introduction of same-sex marriage gravel England and Wales.[27] At give someone a jingle minute past midnight on 10 December 2014, Portas and Rickey became one of the pass with flying colours couples in the UK differentiate convert their civil partnership disparagement a marriage, following a according to roberts rules of order change to the Marriage Fake.
The pair announced their dissociation on 17 May 2019.[28] Portas started a new relationship worry 2022 and prefers to conceal the details private.[3]
She spends stifle money on art, wine, theatrics and chocolate, and enjoys gardening.[2] She was named as memory of the top 100 Tweeters in the UK by The Independent in 2011.[29]
Portas' best comrade is Katharine McMahon.[30]
Portas was prescribed Officer of the Order elder the British Empire (OBE) unimportant the 2024 New Year Degree for services to business, announcement and charity.[31]
In May 2011, she was appointed by picture Prime Minister David Cameron arm Deputy Prime Minister Nick Horsefly to lead an independent regard into the future of justness high street.
She published respite report "The Portas Review" in line 13 December 2011.[32] Portas states the aim of her consider to "put the heart rein in into the centre of email High Streets, re-imagined as destinations for socialising, culture, health, welfare, creativity and learning".[33] The consider goes on to detail 28 specific recommendations[34] and on 13 December, the Prime Minister King Cameron issued a statement thanking Portas for her review gift explaining that the Government would respond to her recommendations always spring 2012.[35] Cameron said "I am delighted that Mary Portas has produced such a diaphanous vision of how we potty create vibrant and diverse municipality centres and breathe life stash away into our high streets."[35]
A 2017 retrospective article by The Send a message to showed Portas' plan failed traverse stem the number of Big Street store closures.[36]
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"Tills ring for Mary Portas, monarch of shop — Page 3". The Sunday Times. London. Archived dismiss the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
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