We are privileged to have a team filled with incredible women, so an occasion to celebrate other leading ladies is something we are passionately behind! Today is the perfect time to showcase some of the most inspirational women to us, highlighting their achievements and insight to becoming pinnacles of the industry…
Helen Brocklebank - CEO Walpole
Before I became Walpole’s Chief Executive in 2017, I built my career in publishing, working on many of the UK’s best luxury titles, not least Harper’s Bazaar and Esquire. I left publishing to run my own business and as Walpole’s Chief Exec, I’m here to protect, promote and develop the business of British luxury, worth £48b to the UK economy, as well as to speak on behalf of our 250+member brands, and lead a team of twelve amazing people.
Kate Halfpenny - Founder & Creative Director Halfpenny London
I’m the designer and founder of Halfpenny London. Having spent many years with an exciting career as a celebrity stylist and costume designer working with the likes of Kate Moss, Rihanna, Cate Blanchett and others. I was asked to design a wedding dress for my friend Emilia Fox and went on to design two of the three dresses she wore on her big day. Soon after that I was featured in Vogue and threw together a website (this was pre-social media). The rest is history!
Lucy Vail - Florist Lucy Vail Floristry
I am the founder of Lucy Vail Floristry and specialise in transforming client spaces into floral wonderlands through high-impact installations, colour and texture. My mum and I went into collaboration in 2019 to build the Florist on Flower farm - and we are proud to say they now produce 75% of our flowers March through to October.
Why do we need more women in leadership? – Helen Brocklebank
Only when everyone is represented at the table can businesses and brands truly flourish so I think it’s in the interests of all leaders to do all they can to encourage diversity throughout an organisation. When I was at an earlier stage in my career, there were very few women in the luxury c-suite and I found the lack of role models at the top rather dispiriting. Thankfully things have changed quite significantly, and it was important to me that Walpole enshrined representation in its 2020 British Luxury Sustainability Manifesto, asking all brands to work towards gender parity in senior leadership.
How do you empower yourself and other women around you? - Kate Halfpenny
I never quite felt like I fitted in when I was growing up and my clothes gave me such power and confidence. They were conversation starters, comfort blankets, and occasional armour as I faced the world and navigated coming of age. Finding my own style was pivotal to my happiness and I want to give that gift to all women, especially on their wedding day, empowering every one of my brides to be the very best version of themselves.
Why do you think it is important to celebrate International Women’s Day? - Lucy Vail
I am so proud to be an all-female team who work tirelessly every day to deliver the best there is to offer. I want to celebrate all women in business who face challenges every day and work to overcome them.
Do you see an equal split between men and women within the luxury sector? If not, why do you think this is/what roles is this evident? - Helen Brocklebank
As a sector, luxury has a better track record on female representation than many other categories, and I think we need to always remember to keep doubling down on this strength and remember how female the customer base is. When I look across all British luxury brands, it still skews male at the senior level – which is one of the reasons why Walpole has its very successful Women in the Luxury programme – but I’ve seen a huge shift towards gender parity, even in the six years I’ve been in the role, and I find that hugely encouraging.
How have women's wedding trends changed over the years? Do brides now desire a different look from the classical bride? - Kate Halfpenny
Bridal wear used to be fairly limited and traditional and the option to express your own sense of style by experimenting with shapes, fabrics and embellishments or by simply adding a cool jacket or cape was unheard of, yet always made complete sense to me. The women who have come to Halfpenny London have always been interested in something different. I think women are now so much more adamant that they want to feel like themselves in whatever outfit they choose to wear, and now they have the tools to do that, be it a more classic bridal look, or something completely different.
What advice would you give to another woman looking to start their own successful business? - Lucy Vail
Get ready for the best rollercoaster of your life. There will never be two days that are the same and you will be challenged every day. It is these challenges that will mean you never have a boring day, are constantly inspired, always learning and are reminded on a daily basis that you created a business for a reason so enjoy every second!
What will be the biggest challenge for the generation of women behind you? - Helen Brocklebank
I’m very buoyed up by the way representation, inclusion and diversity are such a key conversation around the boardroom table, and the flexibility brought in on the back of the pandemic should also be life-changing for everyone in their careers, particularly at life-stages when that flexibility is most helpful. So, I don’t see challenges, only opportunities – keep that foot on the gas pedal and let’s make sure we achieve that c-suite gender parity in record time.
Which women inspire you and why? - Lucy Vail
My mum inspires me every day. She has been with me through thick and thin and if it wasn't for her, I would never have set up my business in the first place. She is a huge inspiration with what she has created and now works hard to deliver over a 1,000 stems per week during peak season.
What women’s fashion trends inspire you and why? - Kate Halfpenny
Inspiration is all around us and I’m more inspired by nature and architecture, and the juxtaposition between the two. There are so many wonderful designers creating incredible beauty, and what does inspire me, specifically from the fashion world, is the constant evolution of craft and the innovation in materials. One trend I can absolutely get behind, however, is the movement towards body positivity and acceptance. So-called “beauty standards” are constantly shifting and near impossible to live up to for the majority of women so I’m thrilled to see more and more women rejecting those “ideals” and being wholly, authentically themselves, in all their astounding glory.
To Summerise:
We are so honoured to be working alongside these wonderful women and witnessing all of their amazing achievements. It is also so great to be working within such a diverse and welcoming industry in which women thrive and feel empowered to create astonishing careers.
