A life in the day of ...

Citation

Rowe, H.D. (2010), "A life in the day of ...", Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 14 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/jfmm.2010.28414caa.001

A life in the day of ...

Article Type: Viewpoint From: Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Volume 14, Issue 3

I do not often get invitations to Buckingham Palace, but one day in February, I did.

The gilt edged invitation stating that the Queen had “commanded” The Master of the Household to invite Helen Rowe from Manchester Metropolitan University to a Reception for the British Clothing Industry, was sitting in my in-tray amongst invoices and expenses submissions waiting to be signed. To say that my heart did not give a little leap would be a lie – but it was short-lived. My extremely efficient secretary had placed a sticky notelet across it on which she had written “You will be in Hong Kong on this date, Helen – do you want me to send your apologies? ” As she had already left for the evening I hardly slept trusting that she had not already emailed Her Majesty with the unfortunate news. In the event I was able to change my Hong Kong flight and prepare for the occasion.

But what to wear? This clearly was not just a problem for me. One key royal female admitted to me that the Buckingham Palace corridors had been teeming with ladies and gentlemen-in-waiting asking exactly the same question. I was pleased that a Reception on behalf of such an important British industry had caused so much consternation.

I do not know who had been responsible for collating the list of invitees but they had obviously taken good advice. The party was not overrun with haute couture designers and fashion journalists but real stalwarts of the clothing trade. Yes, there were plenty of high street designer names present, some iconic Sixties models and a smattering of fashion photographers but in much higher numbers were colleagues from industry, retail, educational institutions, industry bodies and chartered professions. I really felt at home. Her Majesty spoke to every one of us, in turn; she was offered several pieces of fabric to handle – which just happened to be in the pockets of fabric producers! She spoke to Tweed manufacturers, machinists, award-winning students, product developers, fashion logistics experts and those involved in niche clothing areas. I got into conversation with another royal lady about a famous British value retailer. She knew enough to almost persuade me she really must shop there.

This again was comforting. Despite the fact that much of the fashion product retailed in the UK is manufactured overseas – the British clothing industry has adapted and is flourishing. It is still an important sector for the British economy and it was good to see the Royal Family celebrating and acknowledging this success.

Graduates from my own Department go on to forge successful careers in fashion marketing, design, manufacture and fashion management. The research papers presented in this journal provide exactly the sort of information to enable them to understand the marketing and management issues facing the world’s fashion supply chain. The reviews of trends pertaining to consumption, trade and employment are invaluable to those embarking on lifelong careers within the fashion business. Articles on best practice in fashion marketing and management from across the international arena help those who may be facing difficulties in making informed decisions.

I hope you enjoy reading the papers included in this edition. I know my students will be eagerly awaiting the issue. Last month I felt honoured to be a guest at Buckingham Palace, but every day I feel lucky to be part of such an exciting and diverse industry, and privileged to have been given the opportunity to lead one of its most successful academic departments.

Helen D. RoweDepartment of Clothing Design and Technology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK