A new television series, set to screen this spring will uncover all the tricks of the trade to make sure we get the most out of our next shopping experience... well, that's me in! Mary Queen of Shops (don't you just love the title?) centres around Mary Portas, former Creative Director of Harvey Nichols, as she sets about helping independent stores "fight back against the all-consuming high street Goliaths." Not my words, it's in the press release! The four-part series for BBC Two sees Mary help turn around independent boutiques as they struggle against the high street chains.
Never heard of Mary Portas before? Well, she's actually the lady who helped turn around Harvey Nichols to the slick glossafied place that it is today. In her new crusade, Mary visits suffering stores while the owners are away to get a real sense of what's lacking. Then using her years of wisdom, she decides how best to tackle their problems whether it be crap clothes, crap staff or just all round crapiness in an aim to help put the stores back on track.
Other highlights of the show include Mary taking the shop owners to attend London Fashion Week to sit in the front rows (humph!) and interviews with key industry fashion-types. With clients such as Oasis, Miss Selfridge and Louis Vuitton, Mary hopes to impart her knowledge on the store owners. It's like a home makeover show for fashion boutiques.
To coincide with the series, the BBC will also release a book, How To Shop With Mary Queen Of Shops available for order via Amazon.co.uk
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