Fashion names recognised in Queen’s New Year Honours

Savile Row tailor Richard James and Nicholas Wheeler, founder of Charles Tyrwhitt shirts are among the fashion names recognised on Queen Elizabeth II’s annual New Year Honours list.

Both are set to be awarded an Order of the British Empire, or OBE, James for his services to men’s fashion, while Wheeler for his contribution to retail.

Wheeler’s wife, Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company was also recognised in the New Year Honours with an OBE for her services to retail.

Other fashion names to be honoured includes former British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, who stepped down from her role earlier this year, she will receive a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, or CBE, for her services to fashion journalism, and she expressed her delight on Instagram by saying she “couldn’t be more pleased”.

This isn’t Shulman’s first royal honour, she received an OBE in 2005 for her services to the magazine industry.

There was also an OBE for legendary fashion PR Lynne Franks, who was recognised for her services to business, fashion and women’s empowerment. Franks, who inspired Ab Fab, made her name in the 1970s and 80s representing clients including Katharine Hamnett, Jasper Conran and Harvey Nichols.

Commenting on Twitter, Franks said: “Really thrilled to receive OBE for work with women and social change. 2018 - The Year of the Woman!!”

For services to higher education, Professor Hilary Joyce Grainger from the London College of Fashion also received an OBE.