Jane Shepherdson
Encyclopedia
Jane Shepherdson is the chief executive of UK
clothing brand, Whistles
and was previously the brand director for high-street women's wear store TopShop
.
She was born in Bristol
where her father was head of the mathematics department at the university, and her mother was a biochemist. She was educated at Clifton High School, where she began customising her clothes. She studied Business Studies at the University of North London
, joining the Burton Group (now the Arcadia Group
), after being inspired by her mother's story of a fashion buyer friend.
Shepherdson started as a warehouse picker sending stock to stores, and was then promoted to become a buyer in the jersey department. She ordered a shipment of tank tops, of which 500,000 were sold in a week. Her initiatives at TopShop have included:
She is credited with being the leading British proponent of "fast fashion" in the mid noughties, a trend demonstrated by TopShop's reaction to demand for "boho chic" in 2004-5.
A week after TopShop owner Philip Green
announced that supermodel
Kate Moss
had signed a deal to design clothes to be launched in 2007, Shepherdson resigned from Topshop. Since resigning from the brand, she is now producing a fashion chain for Oxfam
, aimed at "ethically conscious shoppers". She is receiving no pay for this work and has hit out at "cheap, cheap" clothes (possibly referring to Kate Moss's range) that exploit workers in developing countries.
As of January 2008, Shepherdson bought a 20 per cent share in Whistles
and was appointed chief executive.
Shepherdson is married to a criminal defence lawyer, and cycles from their flat in South London to work. She lists her hobbies as running, horse riding, skiing and shopping.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
clothing brand, Whistles
Whistles
Whistles is a clothing brand with 40 stores across Britain. It was founded in the early 1980s by Lucille and Richard Lewin.In January 2008, Jane Shepherdson, former Topshop director, signed a deal to purchase a 20 per cent stake in Whistles and was appointed the job of chief executive.-Style:In the...
and was previously the brand director for high-street women's wear store TopShop
Topshop
Topshop is a British clothes retailer with shops in over 20 countries and online operations in a number of its markets. Its sales come primarily from women's clothing and fashion accessories...
.
She was born in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
where her father was head of the mathematics department at the university, and her mother was a biochemist. She was educated at Clifton High School, where she began customising her clothes. She studied Business Studies at the University of North London
University of North London
The University of North London was a university in the United Kingdom from 1992 to 2002. On 1 August 2002, it merged with London Guildhall University to form London Metropolitan University. The former University of North London premises now form the new university's north campus, situated on...
, joining the Burton Group (now the Arcadia Group
Arcadia Group
The Arcadia Group Limited a British company that owns the high street clothing retailers Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Miss Selfridge, Topman, Topshop, Wallis and BHS, and the out of town chain Outfit, which sells lines from the other group chains...
), after being inspired by her mother's story of a fashion buyer friend.
Shepherdson started as a warehouse picker sending stock to stores, and was then promoted to become a buyer in the jersey department. She ordered a shipment of tank tops, of which 500,000 were sold in a week. Her initiatives at TopShop have included:
- TopShop Freshers' Week party - with annual discount evenings and free alcohol to tempt teenagers to spend their student loans
- TopShop To Go - 100 select items are delivered by MercedesMercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
to home - TopShop Express - a fleet of VespaVespaVespa is an Italian brand of scooter manufactured by Piaggio. The name means wasp in Italian.The Vespa has evolved from a single model motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co. S.p.A...
s deliver up to five items within three hours of the online order
She is credited with being the leading British proponent of "fast fashion" in the mid noughties, a trend demonstrated by TopShop's reaction to demand for "boho chic" in 2004-5.
A week after TopShop owner Philip Green
Philip Green
Sir Philip Green is a British businessman. Green was born into a Jewish family in 1952, beginning as a businessman at the age of 15. The first and last quoted company Green took lead of was "Amber Day", from which he stepped down as CEO and Chairman in 1992...
announced that supermodel
Supermodel
The term supermodel refers to a highly-paid fashion model who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in haute couture and commercial modeling. The term became prominent in the popular culture of the 1980s. Supermodels usually work for top fashion designers and labels...
Kate Moss
Kate Moss
Kate Moss is an English model. Moss is known for her waifish figure and popularising the heroin chic look in the 1990s. She is also known for her controversial private life, high profile relationships, party lifestyle, and drug use. Moss changed the look of modelling and started a global debate on...
had signed a deal to design clothes to be launched in 2007, Shepherdson resigned from Topshop. Since resigning from the brand, she is now producing a fashion chain for Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
, aimed at "ethically conscious shoppers". She is receiving no pay for this work and has hit out at "cheap, cheap" clothes (possibly referring to Kate Moss's range) that exploit workers in developing countries.
As of January 2008, Shepherdson bought a 20 per cent share in Whistles
Whistles
Whistles is a clothing brand with 40 stores across Britain. It was founded in the early 1980s by Lucille and Richard Lewin.In January 2008, Jane Shepherdson, former Topshop director, signed a deal to purchase a 20 per cent stake in Whistles and was appointed the job of chief executive.-Style:In the...
and was appointed chief executive.
Shepherdson is married to a criminal defence lawyer, and cycles from their flat in South London to work. She lists her hobbies as running, horse riding, skiing and shopping.