Whistles CEO backs Cable on all-women shortlists for boards However, last week, Lord Davies, the Government’s boardroom diversity champion, said such a move would be a “mistake”. Last year, Lord Davies’ report set a target of 25pc female board representation in the FTSE 100 by 2015 but stopped short of suggesting compulsory measures. Plans for all-women shortlists for FTSE 100 boardroom positions is gaining government support. Mr Cable has asked the Equalities and Human Rights Commission to create guidance for headhunters on when and how women-only shortlists could be used. Mrs Shepherdson said she has personally encountered sexism in the workplace. Mrs Shepherdson left her job as brand director of Topshop in 2007 and took part in a buy-out of Whistles with Icelandic retail investor Baugur. Whistles now has 50 UK stores, plus concessions in Harrods, House of Fraser, Harvey Nichols and John Lewis and employs 615 staff. Whistles is looking to expand overseas, where it currently has no stand-alone stores.
How Whistles Reemerged as One of the Most Exciting Contemporary Brands in Fashion 2008 was not an easy year for many in the fashion industry -- least of all, perhaps, for Jane Shepherdson. The former Topshop brand director, once described as "the most powerful woman on the high street," had just become chief executive of (and a substantial investor in) a fading British brand called Whistles. Days before the brand was scheduled to unveil its relaunch, Lehman Brothers collapsed. "It was terrible," Shepherdson recalls. "The whole year was just really, really stressful -- I lost about a stone." It's clear that things are not so terrible for Shepherdson now. To say that it's a busy time at Whistles is an understatement. We asked Shepherdson about how Whistles survived -- and reinvented itself -- during those tough early years, its plans for international expansion and its hopes for a show at New York Fashion Week. You started at Whistles seemingly at the worst possible time -- right before the Lehman collapse. Yes, it was terrible. What was the turning point? No, it isn't.
Whistles Comes To The US - Interview With CEO Jane Shepherdson Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Photo: Whistles Here's a scenario that plays out frequently between fashion editors: "Ooh I love that skirt [or shirt or dress]. "It's from Whistles." "Damn." The former may feel a bit smug, the latter disappointed. See, UK brand Whistles, which you may have first heard about (as I did) after Kate Middleton wore a Whistles blouse for her official engagement photos, has undergone a transformation since former Topshop brand director Jane Shepherdson took over as CEO in 2008. Whistles now has its first brick-and-mortar stateside presence as a shop-in-shop at Bloomingdales on 59th St. Related: #ELLEloves: Cynthia Rowley's Flounce Blouse Whistles Though it might seem like it's taken Whistles a while to make it to the U.S., it's been in the works for quite some time. Which is not to say that Shepherdson couldn't recover from one. Related: Jason Wu Had Better Barbies Than You Related: Fab 5: The Pearls You Need Now
Jane Shepherdson at Whistles: peep-peep show BY Sally Williams | 13 September 2008 The fashion chain Whistles seemed to have run out of puff, but with Jane Shepherdson - the woman who breathed fresh life into Topshop as its brand director - it is dancing to a lively new tune, says Sally Williams. Fashion by Clare Richardson Last time I met Jane Shepherdson , 45, she was the queen bee of Topshop, sitting in an enormous office surrounded by assistants of daunting youth and beauty. Three years on, she is running the women's fashion chain Whistles, and we meet in a shabby building behind a scuffed and numberless door. Shepherdson's departure caused widespread speculation. What next? Set up by Lucille Lewin in 1976, Whistles was venerated in the 1980s for its stylish own-label collection, not to mention the next-big-fashion-things that it stocked (Lewin practically discovered Dries Van Noten). Topshop has 227 outlets in the Britain alone and is feted by fashionistas.
Inside The Industry with Jane Shepherdson, Chief Executive of Whistles Professor Frances Corner OBE, Head of London College of Fashion, welcomed Jane Shepherdson, Chief Executive of Whistles to John Prince’s Street last night for an Inside The Industry conversation about transforming brands, global economics and venturing into menswear. Jane has been dubbed the ‘fairy godmother of the high street’ after transforming Topshop throughout the nineties, and Whistles after taking the helm in 2008. Frances began the evening by welcoming Jane onto the RHS stage before talking about the current Whistles campaign, and reflecting on the brand’s image in 2007. The pair discussed how Jane began her life in fashion following a degree in economics and marketing from University College London. Jane landed her first job as assistant buyer at Topshop aged 22, she explained that her yearly salary was £5k at the time, and she needed to take on a bar job just to pay her rent in London. But she was determined to stay in fashion, and made her way up the Topshop ladder.
Jane Shepherdson's trend tips 09 July 2010 Ella Alexander JANE SHEPHERDSON, retail Queen and ceo of Whistles, has revealed her key tips and trends for autumn/winter 2010-11 - peg and harem style trousers, sheepskin fabrics and skater skirts. The store is set to launch its first ever capsule range of occasion wear this season. "Trousers are key for autumn/winter," she told us. "We have created our popular peg style in beautiful easy to wear silks but also a new wider, longer shape which is perfect for day to evening and incredibly flattering. Team it with a simple yet luxurious blouse - we've done them in a super sexy fit, making them feel effortless, a word that sums up Whistles." Its new collection delivers an array of gorgeous trousers in silks and leather - both peg and harem style. "There is a mood for autumn/winter 2010 that is new and refreshing - it's what we're all feeling at Whistles HQ and it's what we feel our customers are investing in," she said.
Whistles Enters China and Hong Kong - Jane Shepherdson Interview 27 June 2013 Ella Alexander WHISTLES has launched in China and Hong Kong for the first time. The move was prompted by an increased demand in online sales from the region and also from Chinese and Hong Kong customers shopping in its Harrods and Printemps concessions. "We realised that the brand appeals to the Chinese aesthetic, in that it is feminine, but with a clean, modern feel," Whistles chief executive Jane Shepherdson told us. The expansion marks a new chapter of growth for the label, which already has a presence in Paris, Berlin, Munich and Moscow. "The response to our show last season was incredible, both in terms of global coverage, and also interest from key stores around the world," Shepherdson said. Since joining Whistles in 2008, Shepherdson has redefined the handwriting of the brand - which she now describes as "effortless British style with a clean, sporty edge" - helping it to defy many of the challenges faced by Britain's ailing high street. Related Show
#Grazia10: Watch Jane Shepherdson On The Future Of High-Street Fashion | Fashion | Industry - Grazia #Grazia10: Watch Jane Shepherdson On Future Of The High-Street Can you believe we’re ten years old? To celebrate our big birthday we've just opened our doors to a two week #Grazia10 exhibition and series of TENTalks at London's esteemed Getty Images Gallery. Our exhibition is a celebration of a decade, giving guests (ie you!) the chance to walk through an interactive timeline of the last 10 years, as if you are walking through the very pages of Grazia itself. And that's not all. Press play below to hear Jane Shepherdson, CBE, CEO of Whistles on the future of high-street fashion Jane Shepherdson is the chief executive of Whistles. See the list of Tentalks and ticket links below. Feminism: Now, Then & Tomorrow How To Eat Right For Now Meet The Newsmakers Predict Your Career Future The Changing Faces Of Celebrity Technology - Friend Or Foe?
Jane Shepherdson: from Topshop to Oxfam BY Cat Callender | 11 May 2008 Fashion mogul Jane Shepherdson Photo: REX Jane Shepherdson has been dubbed the most important woman in fashion and the most influential person on the British high street. The former brand director of Topshop, Shepherdson has been credited with democratising style and changing the way we buy and wear fashion. She's the least corporate executive you're likely to meet. Still, we're not here to talk wardrobes, Whistles or even Topshop. She has chosen the interview location: her Georgian townhouse in Islington, north London. Shepherdson was instantly receptive to Oxfam's appeal for help. In addition to a brand-new, sustainable shop-fit, the stores will stock a host of sustainable fashion labels and rebrand their second-hand clothes as recycled fashion. Bubbling beneath Shepherdson's blonde chuckles and fashion chatter is an undercurrent of confidence and quiet self-belief. Born in Bristol, Shepherdson comes from a family of academics.
Meet the Woman Behind Whistles’ Cult Following -- The Cut This week, when Whistles arrives in New York, it will be the cult London brand’s first physical presence in the U.S. Whistles is the non-designer label that hangs out with designer fashion. In February, it broke through onto London Fashion Week’s fiercely guarded official schedule despite technically being a mid-market, high-street store. In London, it would be hard to find a fashion editor who doesn’t have Whistles in her wardrobe. In the U.S, where the brand has until now only had an online presence, it already has high-profile fans including Olivia Palermo and Gwen Stefani. Shepherdson is something of a legend in British retail — one of only a handful of behind-the-scenes names known outside the fashion industry. Six years on, Whistles is set to become a global brand, in its own understated way. When we meet at her north London office, she’s wearing a Whistles denim shirt with white Acne jeans and studded Valentino flats. How would you describe Whistles to a new American customer?
Janes Diary: August 2015 Reading list: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara I felt I had to read this following all the hype. A Little Life starts out as a tale of four friends in New York but rapidly darkens as we learn about the childhood of one of the characters. I'm finding it totally compelling and can't put it down.Reading is such a luxury for me and I read as widely and as much as I can, especially on holiday. Dinner at Oldroyds The chef director from Polpo has started his own venture in the most unlikely spot in Islington, between a kebab shop and a nail bar. Oldroyds, 344 Upper Street, London, N1 0PD.
Explore the new season with Jane's five favourite pieces Explore the new season with Jane's five favourite pieces Adding a few things to your wardrobe gives it new life each season. Here are chief executive Jane Shepherdson's picks for an instant update. For AW15, we have combined all that is wonderful about the winter season, inspired by the beautiful Shetland landscape. See the drama of the irresistibly fuzzy faux fur coats, pops of citrus to brighten classic trousers or knitted ribbed co-ords and tabards that have a very modern take on day-to-night style. 1. The knits this season are light, fluffy and with enough stretch to make them snug and wearable all day long. Shop Jane's pick 2. The Brandt Soft Saddle Bag in black has already found its way into my wardrobe as my go-to bag. Shop Jane's pick 3. These trousers are gorgeous, and so completely new, but with a little hint of 60’s playfulness with the kick flare. 4. Shop Jane's pick 5. Shop Jane's pick Watch: How to Stop Worrying & Learn to Whistle(s) Watch film