I Shop, Therefore I Am is the new memoir by retail industry titan, Mary Portas. You might have heard of her due to her TV show: Mary, Queen of Shops and the public profile she has built since but this book focuses on an earlier chapter in her life, when she was heading up the creative, press and communications for British luxury department store, Harvey Nichols in the 1990s.
Opening sentence: Retail is more than just a business – it is a stage where personalities, ambitions and human connections play out in a way that is both exhilarating and unpredictable.
Let’s go to Harvey Nicks, Pats
Yes, say Harvey Nichols to someone and the first thing that springs to mind is probably the 10/10 TV show, Absolutely Fabulous where lead characters Edina and Patsy gave the store its affectionate nickname, Harvey Nicks. But did you know that it is was actually Mary Portas’ idea to get Harvey Nichols in the show – offering it up as a place to film?
This is just one of the brilliant anecdotes that makes I Shop, Therefore I Am such a interesting read.
From Princess Diana’s stylist telling her what key pieces to add to her wardrobe, to taking us behind the scenes on the growth of iconic brands like MAC (including the exact shade of lipstick Madonna wore on her Blonde Ambition tour – Russian Red, if you’re wondering), to getting up close and personal with the designers of the day like Donna Karan and Dolce & Gabbana, Mary’s stories are so good.
My one note on I Shop, Therefore I Am: I really wish there were pics of the windows Mary describes! I’ve had a google but can’t see pics of some of the ones that caught my attention, such as the Barbie one with 250 dolls on the wall or the live Linda Evangelista shot by Nick Knight moment, or her final windows in collaboration with Thomas Heatherwick with 3D sculptures coming out of the walls.
Alongside her career, Mary also gives an overview of her childhood and personal life. I didn’t realise how much she went through, finding herself an orphan and homeless at 19. She speaks fondly of her siblings and children, it’s nice to see this other side of her.
The importance of being creative
Why is it, I ask myself, that so often the role of creativity is diminished? In every corner of the corporate world that I have worked in, creative people – designers, writers, strategists, visionaries – must eventually present their work to someone in finance, legal or operations.
I love how I Shop, Therefore I Am celebrates the power and importance of creative within the retail industry. Often overlooked and most definitely a department that everyone thinks they can have an opinion on. As Mary says, if businesses don’t innovative and embrace their creative side, they will fail. Alongside that, there was the general misogyny she dealt with as a woman on the board of directors too. She had many layers to break through and tells an inspiring story.
A brilliant memoir, highly recommend!
