As a member of the JCI business team, I had the great pleasure and opportunity to invite Polly McMaster from The Fold to JCI for a unique event. It was an evening all about business fashion!

Polly has a diverse background working in various roles in the “City” before going on to do a MBA where she co-founded The Fold which specialises in business fashion for women. It was a great opportunity to listen to Polly’s story of starting her own business and the challenges she faced with no experience in the fashion industry and how she got to where she is today.

We had a very interactive session with lots of questions from the group around Polly’s experiences. I was particularly positive about the honest and frank responses from Polly  on her motivation to start a fashion business to the challenges she faced. We all left the session with lots of practical tips and suggestions on what to look out for when opening your own business (not just in the world of fashion).

Polly went on to provide some very interesting insights into the importance of dressing for work and how this can have a direct impact on how your managers and colleagues perceive you at work and ultimately how it can impact your future career.

The fun (especially for the ladies) started after this informative session. Everybody had the unique opportunity to browse and try on the latest collection of The Fold in a very relaxed atmosphere and maybe even negotiate a bargain. Something you won’t get in regular shops!

All in all it was a great insightful evening for all, even for the few men in the room. Some fantastic gift ideas for partners and friends as well!   

For more information on The Fold – www.thefoldlondon.com