So David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has appointed Tamara Mellon OBE (founder and CEO of Jimmy Choo) and Anya Hindmarch OBE (handbag revolutionary and entrepreneur) as business ambassadors and global trade envoys for the country. Their role is to promote UK trade abroad, which will include making speeches and liaising with foreign governments as well as advising smaller business in Britain how to make headway abroad. This is the first time that female business people have been appointed to these unpaid roles — and he has made first stop FASHION.
So what can our South African govenment learn from this? Well, first that business comes in all shapes and sizes and that just because it is a creative industry, does not limit its ability to attract and promote investment.
We can also learn that some of the most desirable and attractive business in the world is from the supposed-superfifical world of fashion. Founded and run by women. And that women in fashion can make a huge difference both at grassroots level (one woman in a fashion job feeds an extended family) and at international trade level. I would love to see the ruling party put people like Lucilla Booysen and Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe into a working group to advise government.
Who would you suggest for involvement?