John Lewis boss honoured by Queen

Andy Street, managing director of department store John Lewis, is among the recipients in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours, which recognises the achievements of a wide range of “extraordinary people” across the UK.

Street has been awarded a CBE for his services to economic growth and for chairing the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, while Dr Lena Wilson, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, the promotional body Scottish Textiles is part of, was also awarded a CBE for her services to economic development in Scotland.

Additional fashion names who were honoured include Jennifer Griffiths, chief executive officer of Snap Fashion, the app where you can find and buy your perfect outfit from uploading a picture, who was awarded an MBE for services to digital innovation in the fashion industry.

Deidre MacDonald, co-founder and chief executive officer of ACID (Anti Copying In Design), which protects designers’ intellectual property rights, received an OBE for her services to the design industry, while hand-knitting designer Debbie Bliss received an MBE for services to hand knitting and the craft industry.

There were also MBE honours for Christine Wilkinson, a former lecturer in textile technology at Huddersfield Polytechnic, for services to the textiles industry, and historian of Norwich shawls, Helen Hoyte, for services to textile heritage.

There are 1,163 people in this year’s honours, with more than 70 percent being people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity.