Mary Portas
Encyclopedia
Mary Portas is an English retail
adviser, journalist
and television presenter.
, Hertfordshire
, in a family of five children. Educated at St Joan of Arc Catholic School, Rickmansworth
, she looked after her youngest brother following the death of her mother when she was 16. Her father, who died two years later, was sales director of Brooke Bond
, the tea
manufacturer.
Portas discovered a passion and talent for drama at an early age: she was awarded a place at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
, but the sudden death of her father prevented her from taking it up.
. She then had a part-time, and later a full-time, job with Harrods
where she was responsible for window displays for about three years, before joining TopShop
as display manager. While in this job, she was spotted by Burton Group chairman Sir Ralph Halpern.
Portas is credited with turning Harvey Nichols
into a leading modern fashion
brand. She created the Harvey Nichols show windows that became part of the guided tours of London — one of her most famous displays was of mocked-up pop bands, including Gary Glitter
. She then persuaded the store's owners to use younger designers, and gained publicity
in the BBC
’s Absolutely Fabulous
series in the 1990s, after promising writer and star of the show Jennifer Saunders
the run of the store for research in return for Saunders namechecking the business. By the age of 30, Portas was a member of the company's board.
Portas left Harvey Nichols to launch Yellowdoor, a communications agency that she now runs with Peter Cross. Yellowdoor advises clients in fashion
, retail, and beauty
brands on PR
, Communications Strategy and marketing
.
Portas is claimed to be one of the UK's foremost authorities on retail
and brand communication. She regularly travels around the world advising on retail strategy and frequently lectures on the theme of brands and retail.
On 19 June 2009, in a ceremony at Galashiels
, Heriot-Watt University
awarded Portas a Doctorate of Letters
in recognition of her career and her contribution to the advancement of marketing and brand communications within the retail sector.
documentary and accompanying book.
, BBC 2 began airing Mary Queen of Shops
in June 2007. The first series comprised four episodes in which Portas visited a number of failing shops, aiming to help the owners revitalise their businesses. The BBC published a tie-in book, entitled How to Shop with Mary Queen of Shops
. The second, six-part, series was aired from June 2008, and the three-part Mary Queen of Charity Shops
in June 2009. A third series of Mary Queen of Shops began in June 2010 and dealt with independent shops including a bakery
, a local village shop and a grocer
. In 2011 Portas joined Channel 4
, and created a new series Mary Portas: Secret Shopper that saw her using different disguies and secret filming to reveal bad customer service in UK shops. Her latest series for the channel, Mary Queen of Frocks was a departure from the produced shows that Mary had presented previously, and instead was an observational documentary that followed Mary as she tried to launch her own shop aimed at 40+ women with UK retailer House of Fraser.
documentary Mary Queen of Frocks that aired in October 2011.
executive Graham Portas for 14 years and they have a son and a daughter. Portas now lives with her civil partner, Grazia
magazine fashion features editor Melanie Rickey, in Maida Vale
with her children, after an amicable divorce from her husband.
She spends her money on art, wine, theatre and chocolate, and enjoys gardening
.
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
adviser, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and television presenter.
Early life and education
Portas was born and brought up in RickmansworthRickmansworth
Rickmansworth is a town in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire, England, 4¼ miles west of Watford.The town has a population of around 15,000 people and lies on the Grand Union Canal and the River Colne, at the northern end of the Colne Valley regional park.Rickmansworth is a small town in...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, in a family of five children. Educated at St Joan of Arc Catholic School, Rickmansworth
St Joan of Arc Catholic School, Rickmansworth
Saint Joan of Arc Roman Catholic School is a Catholic school in Rickmansworth. It is larger than average, mixed, voluntary-aided, comprehensive school taking students aged 11, Year 7, through to 18, Year 13. The catchment area for the school spreads over South West Hertfordshire, parts of...
, she looked after her youngest brother following the death of her mother when she was 16. Her father, who died two years later, was sales director of Brooke Bond
Brooke Bond
Brooke Bond is a brand-name of tea owned by Unilever, formerly an independent manufacturer in the United Kingdom, known for its PG Tips brand and its Brooke Bond tea cards.- History :...
, the tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
manufacturer.
Portas discovered a passion and talent for drama at an early age: she was awarded a place at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school located in London, United Kingdom. It is generally regarded as one of the most renowned drama schools in the world, and is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1904.RADA is an affiliate school of the...
, but the sudden death of her father prevented her from taking it up.
Career
Portas started her career in retail with a Saturday job in John LewisJohn Lewis (department store)
-Recent developments:In June 2004, John Lewis announced plans to open its first store in Northern Ireland at the Sprucefield Park development, the province's largest out of town shopping centre, located outside Lisburn and from Belfast. The application was approved in June 2005 and the opening of...
. She then had a part-time, and later a full-time, job with Harrods
Harrods
Harrods is an upmarket department store located in Brompton Road in Brompton, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. The Harrods brand also applies to other enterprises undertaken by the Harrods group of companies including Harrods Bank, Harrods Estates, Harrods Aviation and Air...
where she was responsible for window displays for about three years, before joining 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...
as display manager. While in this job, she was spotted by Burton Group chairman Sir Ralph Halpern.
Portas is credited with turning Harvey Nichols
Harvey Nichols
Harvey Nichols, founded in 1813, is an upmarket department store chain. Its original store is in London. Founded in 1813 as a linen shop, it sells many international brands of clothing for women and men, fashion accessories, beauty products, wine and food...
into a leading modern fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
brand. She created the Harvey Nichols show windows that became part of the guided tours of London — one of her most famous displays was of mocked-up pop bands, including Gary Glitter
Gary Glitter
Gary Glitter is an English former glam rock singer-songwriter and musician.Glitter first came to prominence in the glam rock era of the early 1970s...
. She then persuaded the store's owners to use younger designers, and gained publicity
Publicity
Publicity is the deliberate attempt to manage the public's perception of a subject. The subjects of publicity include people , goods and services, organizations of all kinds, and works of art or entertainment.From a marketing perspective, publicity is one component of promotion which is one...
in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
’s Absolutely Fabulous
Absolutely Fabulous
Absolutely Fabulous, also known as Ab Fab, is a British sitcom created by Jennifer Saunders, based on an original idea by her and Dawn French, and written by Saunders, who plays the leading character. It also stars Joanna Lumley and Julia Sawalha, along with June Whitfield and Jane Horrocks...
series in the 1990s, after promising writer and star of the show Jennifer Saunders
Jennifer Saunders
Jennifer Jane Saunders is an English comedienne, screenwriter, singer and actress. She has won two BAFTAs, an International Emmy Award, a British Comedy Award, a Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival Award, two Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards, and a Peoples Choice Award.She first came into...
the run of the store for research in return for Saunders namechecking the business. By the age of 30, Portas was a member of the company's board.
Portas left Harvey Nichols to launch Yellowdoor, a communications agency that she now runs with Peter Cross. Yellowdoor advises clients in fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
, retail, and beauty
Beauty
Beauty is a characteristic of a person, animal, place, object, or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure, meaning, or satisfaction. Beauty is studied as part of aesthetics, sociology, social psychology, and culture...
brands on PR
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
, Communications Strategy and marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
.
Portas is claimed to be one of the UK's foremost authorities on retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
and brand communication. She regularly travels around the world advising on retail strategy and frequently lectures on the theme of brands and retail.
On 19 June 2009, in a ceremony at Galashiels
Galashiels
Galashiels is a burgh in the Scottish Borders, on the Gala Water river. The name is often shortened to "Gala" .Galashiels is a major commercial centre for the Scottish Borders...
, Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University is a university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The name commemorates George Heriot, the 16th century financier to King James, and James Watt, the great 18th century inventor and engineer....
awarded Portas a Doctorate of Letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
in recognition of her career and her contribution to the advancement of marketing and brand communications within the retail sector.
Journalism
Portas's first book, Windows — the Art of Retail Display, was published in five languages. She writes a weekly column, Shop!, for the Daily Telegraph magazine, reviewing shops across the country. She started writing the column in 2005 and it was her critiquing of shops that was the inspiration for the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
documentary and accompanying book.
Television career
After getting her TV break on Richard & JudyRichard & Judy
Richard & Judy was a British magazine/chat show which was presented by married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. It originally aired on Channel 4 from 2001 to 2008 but later moved to digital channel Watch in October 2008. It featured the world's most famous stars, along with their Book Club...
, BBC 2 began airing Mary Queen of Shops
Mary Queen of Shops
Mary Queen of Shops is a British television series presented by Mary Portas broadcast on BBC2. The series began with a four week run starting on 7 June 2007, and returned for a second series of six episodes beginning on 9 June 2008. A third three-part series, titled Mary Queen of Charity Shops,...
in June 2007. The first series comprised four episodes in which Portas visited a number of failing shops, aiming to help the owners revitalise their businesses. The BBC published a tie-in book, entitled How to Shop with Mary Queen of Shops
How to Shop with Mary Queen of Shops
How to Shop with Mary, Queen of Shops is a book dedicated to getting the most out of your shopping experience. The book was written by Mary Portas, star of BBC2's TV show Mary Queen of Shops. It features information about when to shop, how to deal with bad salespeople, and provides descriptions of...
. The second, six-part, series was aired from June 2008, and the three-part Mary Queen of Charity Shops
Charity shop
A charity shop, thrift shop, thrift store, hospice shop , resale shop or op shop is a retail establishment run by a charitable organization to raise money.Charity shops are a type of social enterprise...
in June 2009. A third series of Mary Queen of Shops began in June 2010 and dealt with independent shops including a bakery
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
, a local village shop and a grocer
Grocer
A grocer is a bulk seller of food. Beginning as early as the 14th century, a grocer was a dealer in comestible dry goods such as spices, pepper, sugar, and cocoa, tea and coffee...
. In 2011 Portas joined Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, and created a new series Mary Portas: Secret Shopper that saw her using different disguies and secret filming to reveal bad customer service in UK shops. Her latest series for the channel, Mary Queen of Frocks was a departure from the produced shows that Mary had presented previously, and instead was an observational documentary that followed Mary as she tried to launch her own shop aimed at 40+ women with UK retailer House of Fraser.
Retail venture
In August 2011 she opened her first retail shop as a concession in House of Frasers Oxford Street branch. The shop, named Mary & House of Fraser, sells clothing and lifestyle products aimed at the 40+ female market, and was filmed for a Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
documentary Mary Queen of Frocks that aired in October 2011.
Government appointment
In May 2011 she was appointed by the Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to lead an independent review into the future of the high street. She is due to publish her report in Autumn 2011.Personal life
Portas was married to chemical engineer and UnileverUnilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
executive Graham Portas for 14 years and they have a son and a daughter. Portas now lives with her civil partner, Grazia
Grazia
Grazia is an Italian weekly women's fashion and celebrity gossip magazine, with international editions printed in France, Serbia, Australia, United Kingdom, Greece, Portugal, Japan, the Netherlands, India, Bulgaria and Germany....
magazine fashion features editor Melanie Rickey, in Maida Vale
Maida Vale
Maida Vale is a residential district in West London between St John's Wood and Kilburn. It is part of the City of Westminster. The area is mostly residential, and mainly affluent, consisting of many large late Victorian and Edwardian blocks of mansion flats...
with her children, after an amicable divorce from her husband.
She spends her money on art, wine, theatre and chocolate, and enjoys gardening
Gardening
Gardening is the practice of growing and cultivating plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance; useful plants are grown for consumption , for their dyes, or for medicinal or cosmetic use...
.