Burberry boss to be a dame: American to be awarded honorary gong for her services to business
- Businesswoman Angela Ahrendts will receive honour from Vince Cable
- Business Secretary will pay tribute in 'low key' ceremony
- Credited with transforming brand into global powerhouse
Burberry's former high flying boss Angela Ahrendts will be made an honorary dame today for services for business
Burberry’s former high flying boss Angela Ahrendts will be made an honorary dame today for services for business.
But it is unlikely to be a glamorous affair for the woman credited with turning the British fashion house into one of the world’s most coveted luxury brands.
Instead of a trip to Buckingham Palace to receive her gong from the Queen, the 53 year old American will have to make her way to the non-descript headquarters of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills in Westminister.
The master of ceremonies at the event will be business secretary Vince Cable, not Her Majesty.
Sources said the ceremony will be ‘very low key’.
Non British citizens are not entitled to receive their honour from the Queen at Buckingham Palace and are instead presented with their awards by the relevant secretary of state.
Mrs Ahrendts will be allowed to use the letters DBE – Dame of the British Empire – after her name.
But she will not be entitled to use the title Dame.
Mr Cable will pay tribute to the mother of three, from Indiana, describing her as a ‘landmark figure in business’ and a ‘powerful role model to the next generation of young British talent.’
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He will say: ‘She has revitalised this iconic British brand with flair and cutting edge innovation, allied with sound commercial acumen.’
Angela Ahrendts hired a string of A-listers, to flaunt Burberry’s wares, including most recently supermodel Cara Delevingne
Mrs Ahrendts, who was the highest paid FTSE 100 chief executive last year with a £16.9million pay package, is credited with transforming Burberry into a global powerhouse since she took the helm in 2006.
Vince Cable will pay tribute to Mrs Ahrendts during the low key ceremony
She quit in October last October to head up Apple’s retail operations this month and was replaced by top Burberry designer Christopher Bailey.
In the noughties the distinctive beige Burberry check had become closely associated with so-called ‘chavs’, inlcuding minor celebrities, and was widely counterfeited.
But Mrs Ahrendts is credited with moving the brand upmarket, hiring a string of A-listers so flaunt Burberry’s wares, including most recently supermodel Cara Delevingne.
Sales during her tenure have tripled to more than £1.8billion, with the Kensinton Long Heritage trench coat coming with a hefty £1,195 price tag.
Mrs Ahrendts has come a long way since her childhood in the remote outpost of New Palestine, Indiana. One of six children, she sewed her clothes, and has described how her home was so cramped she created a ‘bedroom for herself under the stairs.’
Her success at Burberry has seen her appointed to be a member of the Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group. Since 2006 she has been named one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World by Forbes magazine five times.
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