Walpole: What does your role entail, and how long have you been doing it?
Maryam Roohipour: In October 2023, I had the privilege of becoming Peter Reed's first Marketing Executive since the company's founding in 1861. Each day offers something new: I might be at our headquarters at Butterworth Mill in Lancashire, an event in London or visiting one of our stockists.
I manage all aspects of Peter Reed's marketing from insights and ideation to production and execution; I also planning future initiatives. During especially busy times, you might find me in the mill folding linen orders for our customers. With just 12 people in our company, everyone pitches in.
What’s your career background and what makes you passionate about what you do?
My career started as a Sales Assistant for shoe retailer Barratts while I earned my BTEC and foundation qualifications in Art & Design. I then pursued a degree in Advertising Design. I worked at Coca-Cola and Kellogg’s, managing their packaging and point of sale for France, Benelux, and the Middle East. Later, I worked for an online fashion retailer, overseeing all ladieswear content for digital and print.
I have always been passionate about retail advertising: how a brand tells its story and promotes its products and services through innovation and creativity. While driving sales is the ultimate goal, for me, it's also about achieving the perfect harmony of art, design, and marketing.
Can you tell us about a woman who you look up to regarding your work?
The majority of Peter Reed’s workforce consists of women. They are a remarkable group, each with fantastic stories about the company's history.
Growing up, I always admired the work of Mary Portas, especially during her time as Creative Director of Harvey Nichols. She transformed the brand, designing window displays that became part of guided tours of London and was appointed by then-Prime Minister David Cameron to lead a review into the future of Britain's high streets.
More recently, Grace Andrews, Marketing Director of The Diary of a CEO, has extensive knowledge and advice in the digital media landscape and has been a great source of inspiration to me.
Lastly, I look up to so many of my friends and family. I feel incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by women who are artists, musicians, writers, teachers, doctors, dentists and successful business owners all over the world.
What’s a significant obstacle for women in your industry or the wider luxury sector that you feel isn’t talked about enough - and why is it important to highlight?
Luxury outside of London often goes unnoticed. As a northerner – born in Belfast and living in Lancashire for the past 16 years, I naturally pay more attention to what luxury brands are doing in the rest of the UK and Ireland.
A recent highlight was Chanel's 2023/2024 Métiers d’Art show, which was held in Manchester. When I first saw 'Chanel' and 'Northern Quarter' in the same sentence, I thought it was a joke. But the brand came, and we were all captivated. The show was poetic – not just because of the fashion, but also because of the rain, which is so typically northern.
For me, there’s a significant divide between luxury in London and luxury in the rest of the UK. In the north, as manufacturers we are employers of local people, ensuring our skills and crafts are passed on to the next generation. The luxury sector in Lancashire, surrounded by hills and sheep, may be different to London's scene, but it’s thriving.
What advice would you have to other women following your career path that would have helped you when starting out?
Leave your hometown. I developed most of my skills and found the greatest opportunities when I explored the big city on my own.
Dedicate time each week to research, listen to podcasts, read articles, and books, explore every part of the industry.
Engage with everyone that may cross your path – you never know what opportunities might arise.
What does success look like to you?
It's a journey, not a destination. It's about enjoying the highs, learning from the lows and everything else in-between.
