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, began on 2 June 2009. The show returned for a fourth series on 7 June 2010, featuring various independent shops, rather than just fashion boutiques.
In each episode, Mary Portas troubleshoots her way around the UK on a mission to help turn around struggling fashion boutiques. Mary is a leading retail communications expert and is the founder and creative director of Yellowdoor.
Her aim is to turn the businesses around and put the glamour and sex appeal back into shopping.
First, she visits the boutiques while the owners are away. Then she revamps them, gets the shop owners right up-to-date and hopefully helps them to start making money again.
Mary Queen of Shops premiered in the United States on 14 August 2009 on BBC America
Personal life
Portas is bisexual. She was married to chemical engineer and Unilever executive Graham for 14 years and they have two children: son Mylo and daughter Verity.[2] Portas now lives with Grazia magazine fashion features editor Melanie Rickey in Maida Vale with her children, after an amicable divorce from her husband,[3] with a civil partnership imminent.[9]
She spends her money on art, wine, theatre and chocolate; enjoys gardening.
Career
Mary first started her career in retail by having a saturday job in John Lewis (department store). 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,[2] before joining TopShop as display manager where she was spotted by Burton Group chairman Sir Ralph Halpern.[4]
Portas is credited with turning Harvey Nichols into a leading modern fashion brand.[5] 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.[3] She then persuaded the store's owners to use younger designers; and got free 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 if she namechecked the business.[6] Portas joined the company board before the age of 30, after taking Harvey Nichols from being a dowager of retail to the favourite shop for fashionable women, including Diana, Princess of Wales.
Portas left Harvey Nichols to launch Yellowdoor, a communications agency that she now runs with Peter Cross. Portas is Creative Director and Cross is Managing Director. 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.[5] 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.
Welcome to MARY'S new online worldhttp://www.maryportas.com/
In each episode, Mary Portas troubleshoots her way around the UK on a mission to help turn around struggling fashion boutiques. Mary is a leading retail communications expert and is the founder and creative director of Yellowdoor.
Her aim is to turn the businesses around and put the glamour and sex appeal back into shopping.
First, she visits the boutiques while the owners are away. Then she revamps them, gets the shop owners right up-to-date and hopefully helps them to start making money again.
Mary Queen of Shops premiered in the United States on 14 August 2009 on BBC America
Personal life
Portas is bisexual. She was married to chemical engineer and Unilever executive Graham for 14 years and they have two children: son Mylo and daughter Verity.[2] Portas now lives with Grazia magazine fashion features editor Melanie Rickey in Maida Vale with her children, after an amicable divorce from her husband,[3] with a civil partnership imminent.[9]
She spends her money on art, wine, theatre and chocolate; enjoys gardening.
Career
Mary first started her career in retail by having a saturday job in John Lewis (department store). 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,[2] before joining TopShop as display manager where she was spotted by Burton Group chairman Sir Ralph Halpern.[4]
Portas is credited with turning Harvey Nichols into a leading modern fashion brand.[5] 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.[3] She then persuaded the store's owners to use younger designers; and got free 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 if she namechecked the business.[6] Portas joined the company board before the age of 30, after taking Harvey Nichols from being a dowager of retail to the favourite shop for fashionable women, including Diana, Princess of Wales.
Portas left Harvey Nichols to launch Yellowdoor, a communications agency that she now runs with Peter Cross. Portas is Creative Director and Cross is Managing Director. 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.[5] 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.
Welcome to MARY'S new online worldhttp://www.maryportas.com/
.xoxo.
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