Sarah Curran: My-Wardrobe

Sarah Curran, 35
Company: My-Wardrobe
Web: www.my-wardrobe.com

Former Times sub-editor Sarah Curran and husband Andrew have turned a North London fashion store into a thriving online retail website in under two years. The site made its name with designer womenswear, offering second line brands, such as Farhi from Nicole Farhi, and Vivienne Westwood Anglomania, which position it between the exclusive Net-a-Porter and the high-street appeal of ASOS. The firm has received over £2m in angel investment and turnover should reach £3.5m this year, helped by a redesign that introduces a TV channel that will communicate trends, new designers and help build a community feel. It also has plans for a dual-branded homepage to support an extensive menswear offering.

2012 update:

Now the premier global online destination for everyday luxury designer fashion, my-wardrobe.com offers a unique curated edit of over 200 of the world’s leading contemporary designer brands, attracting over 1.6m visitors every month. With 112 employees and offices in the UK, Australia, Middle East and Scandinavia, international sales have seen triple digit growth.

2016 update: 

After overseeing the company to global success, Curran stepped down from her role at My-wardrobe in 2013 to focus on new projects, not long after she was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to British fashion. Curran has continued working in the fashion sector, as well as getting involved in consultancy work, TV and radio appearances and philanthropy. In February 2015 she took up the position of managing director of a new e-commerce platform created by the owners of Very.co.uk. Very Exclusive allows users to buy ‘aspirational’ items and spread the cost over three months. The company sells items from more than 940 brands and claims to deliver 48 million products to its four million customers every year.