Who runs the (business) world?

Supporting women, challenging gender stereotypes and fighting for equality will be in the spotlight again for International Women’s Day on 8 March. But we champion women every day of the year.  That’s why John Lewis is proud to stock brands that are run by women who are leading the way in their industries.

As a visionary leader in global beauty, Michelle has grown some of the world’s leading brands and cult products, including Crème de la Mer and MAC. After a stint as CEO of St Tropez she founded Floral Street, an independent, British fine fragrance brand, powered by flowers.

Michelle is leading the way with planet-positive perfumes and ethical home scents crafted with sustainably sourced ingredients and her reusable, recyclable and biodegradable pulp fragrance box gives new life to waste. As part of the ‘slow beauty’ movement, Floral Street only releases new perfumes once a year, rather than churning out scent after scent.

In 1981, long before ‘clean beauty’ was even a thing, Romy Fraser opened a small natural health and beauty shop in London’s Covent Garden. Her aim with Neal’s Yard Remedies was to raise funds to set up a school where she could grow food and make parents and staff aware of the connection between their own wellbeing and the health of the environment.

With Neal’s Yard now stocked across five continents, Romy has an OBE for services to the health and beauty industry, in recognition of establishing and growing a brand with environmental and social responsibility at its core. After selling the company in 2005 she started Trill Farm with the ambition of defining a natural, progressive approach to education.

Over 14 years, Romy created a sustainable co-operative of like-minded businesses, united by a love of the land. From developing educational programmes and running festivals to organic farming and handmaking hundreds of products. She sold Trill Farm in 2020, keeping a wild patch of 30 acres of woodland, scrub and meadow which is now Trill on the Hill.

Video game designer Aya Kyogoku has blazed a trail in a traditionally male-centric industry. At Nintendo she was a scriptwriter on the wildly successful Legend of Zelda franchise and was also director and producer on several Animal Crossing editions.

An immersive world where adorable characters craft, fish and sell items to one another, 41 million copies of the latest version – Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which Aya directed – have been sold, with many female players joining their real-life friends there to socialise and unwind.

Bringing restaurant-quality pizzas to the masses’ back gardens (which magically cook in just 60 seconds) is what Scottish-born Darina Garland has achieved with Ooni, the world’s leading pizza oven company.

Launched with her husband through a crowdfunding campaign, Darina is the company’s chief experience officer responsible for creating a people-centric culture from the brand HQ in Edinburgh.

Ooni’s portable ovens have revolutionised the market and are used by families and pop-up restaurants alike. Still need convincing? Read our unbiased review here.

In the world of contemporary furniture and product design, the genius of late greats such as Charlotte Perriand and Zaha Hadid has left a lasting legacy, but there’s certainly room for more. Nazanin Kamali is one such talent making her mark.

The Royal College of Art graduate is a founding designer of Case furniture, a British company whose mission is to create products at affordable prices using modern manufacturing techniques. Characterised by clean lines, Nazanin’s designs are inspired by the precision and attention to detail found in Japanese art.

We’re supporting the #ChangeAGirlsLife campaign by donating £5 from every online sale of a John Lewis dress before 8 March 2023 to The Prince’s Trust. Funds raised will go to helping vulnerable young women build a brighter future.

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