Fashion rental services are on the rise and although I still have a few qualms about them (all that dry-cleaning!), I think they could have a huge impact on our previous desire for ownership and acquisition. As well as being a potential aid in waste-reduction.
So when Wardrobe HQ announced it had hired Jane Shepherdson as CEO, I was, as they say, psyched. The return of the former (legendary) Topshop buyer and creative director, who went onto run Whistles, is obviously a boon for that business. But it’s also a win for everyone who wants the fashion industry to take sustainability seriously.
Shepherdson is an influencer – not in the Kim Kardashian way, obvs, but in the sense that people in fashion and retail see what she does, take note and follow. And that’s largely because she’s always been willing to put herself out there, to talk to the media and the wider public (with the podcast, Out of Fashion).
There are many brilliant senior women behind the scenes at brands, but some of them are not willing to come forward and speak to the press. That’s a loss for their brands and for the fashion industry in general at a time when we need to hear about the positive changes being made – even if they haven’t happened yet.
While not every fashion business can secure a Jane, let’s encourage the brains behind our brands to come forward and Be More Jane.
