I entered the fashion industry late in life. I was 35 when I went back to school to study my life-long passion. I was in London and all around me were the cool kids. All my fellow students were 19 or 20 years old and on their parents' dime. I have never felt quite so old and I assumed that I would be at a massive disadvantage coming into the fashion job market so 'old' — how would I be credible?
And then I started my work experience and I very quickly realised that the combination of my older sensibility, my many years of experience in corporate marketing and my understanding of 'real' women would be so much more of an advantage than youth ever would. And it has worked out really well for me — obviously also because I work super-hard and am a bit good at it. Not just the age thing. But some.
Now this personal theory has been validated even further. Both Red Magazine and Stella ran articles recently on the most powerful and influential women in the fashion industry in the UK. 80% of them are 40 years of age or over. Incredible women like Jane Shepherdson (ex-TopShop and now CEO of Whistles), Emma Hill of Mulberry, Tamara Mellon of Jimmy Choo, Caren Downie of ASOS, Natalie Massenet of Net-a-Porter, Anya Hindmarch, Phoebe Philo of Celine and Jo Malone are ALL over 40 and that's not even starting on the fashion editors and editors of the fashion mags.
It is a good age to be making my mark in the industry, and a lesson to us all that you are never too old to follow your dreams.
PS: Kate and Vicky are knocking on the door of 40 — not long to go now!