Introducing The Outsiders Perspective, our latest partner organisation

Walpole: What is your personal background in the luxury sector?

Jamie Gill: I'm a strategic advisor and consultant in the luxury, fashion and retail industries and an Executive Board Member of the British Fashion Council, where I focus on representation in the fashion industry. Before founding The Outsiders Perspective, I was CEO of luxury womenswear brand ROKSANDA.

I studied for a bachelor’s degree in architecture at Nottingham University and relocated to London in the thick of the financial recession. At the time, architecture and the design industry were fighting to survive, and I decided to take a career turn into finance at Deloitte London. I worked in consulting for five years whilst studying his Chartered Accountancy, with a broad client portfolio including my real passion, luxury goods. After Deloitte, I joined an investment fund that focused on British luxury fashion, and it was here that I joined the board of ROKSANDA, before being made CEO in March 2018. During my tenure, I restructured the business, delivering several improved business metrics, as well as launching global collaborations with Lululemon, Barbour and Fila.

Why did you set up The Outsiders Perspective?

I founded The Outsiders Perspective as an immediate call to action to increase representation within operational roles in luxury, fashion and beauty. In September 2020, I joined the Executive Board of the BFC to support the fight against prejudice and discrimination in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. It was during this time that I considered my own career journey, which became the inspiration for The Outsiders Perspective.

Reflecting on my career, I realised it was my skills developed outside of luxury fashion that propelled my career within the industry. The Outsiders Perspective is focused on enabling skilled professionals to transition, bringing fresh perspectives and innovation.

What does your organisation do? What is your area of expertise and how can luxury brands benefit from working with you?

The mission of The Outsiders Perspective is to revolutionise the fashion, luxury and beauty industries by providing unparalleled access to a diverse pool of highly-skilled professionals. We achieve this through a talent accelerator programme that enables high-performing and passionate candidates with transferable skills. Our brand partners are actively hiring skilled, diverse candidates from the programme who are bringing fresh perspectives, challenging the status quo to drive profitability in a time of industry need.

What luxury brands has The Outsiders Perspective worked with?

Our organisation accelerates change with partnerships that drive representation in fashion, beauty and luxury. The growing community of exceptional businesses who are serious about this initiative Walpole members such as include Alexander McQueen, the British Fashion Council, Burberry, Chanel, dunhill and Mulberry.

What has been your proudest achievement so far with the organisation?

Supporting more than 135 candidates through the accelerator programme has been a real highlight – and seeing those candidates thrive in industry then come back to speak at the networking event to inspire new talent. Also, expanding our network to include more leading brands who are reaping the benefits of a more diverse and inclusive team, as well as launching the first-ever UK Fashion DEI Report to enable transparent and actionable change. 

Why was it important for your organisation to be involved with Walpole?

Walpole brings its community together to develop powerful networks, strengthen individual brands and bolster the British luxury ecosystem. At The Outsiders Perspective, we are excited to pursue a collaboration that puts inclusion and profitability at the forefront of leading luxury brands and support the sector growth. 

Learn more about The Outsiders Perspective on the organisation's Walpole partner page