Bath in Fashion 2014: Meet Topshop Managing Director Mary Homer

Set in the beautiful Octagon of Milsom place, TGtB joined Topshop's Mary Homer to hear what it's like working for one of Britain's most loved fashion brands.

Managing Director to one of the most influential trend-setting brands of the 20th century, Mary Homer gave an inspiring talk at the Octagon of Milson Place. Mary gave us an insight into her inspirations, motivations and hands on experience managing the high street giant Topshop.

Mary has worked for the Arcadia group for over two decades and knows a thing or two about working in the fashion industry. Seeing Topshop through their huge New York launch, their debut as the first and only high street brand to showcase at Fashion Week, Mary Homer was full of inspirational advice on how to make it in the business of fashion.

“People employ people, but most importantly they employ people they like” was the key aspect of Mary’s talk. As Bath boasts an impressive school of fashion and design, this was some great advice for the undergraduates in attendance. Mary was keen to share her experiences and the importance of interning, networking and making connections to succeed in the unforgiving world of fashion.

Mary started off working in merchandising and worked her way up to Managing Director; she now has her feet firmly in the fashion world and is a valued member of the British Fashion Council.

No stranger to hard work and starting at the bottom, Mary is keen to offer words of wisdom to those starting on their own career paths. For Mary, getting yourself out there and involved was her best advice - as well as being polite and likeable.

Topshop pride themselves on supporting young designers, and this is something Mary clearly feels passionately about. They work closely with and sponsor NEWGEN, a project launched by the British Fashion Council in 1993 which is now one of the world’s most internationally recognisable talent identification organisations. Mary was keen to announce there are no plans for this support to discontinue. They are planning to work with NEWGEN for “at least another 10 years, if not more”. NEWGEN has supported some of the UK’s best designers including Christopher Kane and J W Anderson.

Mary Homer’s talk was an incredible insight into what it’s like working in the business side of fashion. Mary was very down to earth and gave the audience some really valuable advice on how she got to where she is today. What more could you want from the women who has “the best job in the world”.