Charmed, by George!

talks to the inspiration at the helm of M&S.

What a charmer. If ever there was a ladies' man, George Davies is it. From the gentlemanly kiss on the hand to the attentive ear and wide smile during conversations, this is a man who knows women.

And a man who has made it his business to know them very well indeed.

Anyone demanding any extra proof of his female-friendly credentials should just take a look at his CV - for someone in the cutthroat world of high-street fashion it makes impressive reading.

Not only did he revamp Next, he also established George at Asda and then went on to revamp the fortunes of Marks & Spencer.

The plaudits these days for the revival of the retail chain may all be for Twiggy, but George was there first.

The introduction of his Per Una label five years ago was pivotal to the initial comeback for the Marks brand. At the time it was in dire straits, with people viewing 'St Michael' as a has-been to be relegated to the back of the wardrobe.

Shoppers were desperate for Per Una sections to open in their own local stores, with Shropshire branches significantly behind those in cities across Britain. A star had been born.

They gathered again yesterday to welcome its creator George to Shrewsbury and he genuinely looked delighted to be in the county town - by his own admission he is an emotional man and a candid speaker.

It's why his career path has been highly successful - albeit not without its rocky patches. He fell out bitterly with Next and almost broke his ties with Marks & Spencer until chief executive Stuart Rose convinced him to stay.

Yesterday he looked like he had few regrets though.

Glitz

After all, the greeting was warm, with Martin Wood the town crier announcing his arrival and Shropshire singer Lucy Hayley adding some real glitz to the red carpet.

What was surprising was how many in the crowd knew who they were waiting for. There was the odd "didn't he play for Bolton Wanderers?", but on the whole people could pinpoint the source of the notoriety of the guest of honour.

Quite a claim to fame for a high-street designer.

"I do love women and I love designing for women," said the 65-year-old as he toured the Shrewsbury store, admitting that men don't want their 60-something wife to look like a grandmother either.

"Per Una has always had its own personality, an individual flair which appeals to women of all ages. I get my inspiration from all kinds of places and people, although mainly by getting out there and talking to women about what they like."

Mr Davies now has plenty of inspiration, with a wife and five daughters to keep happy (he also has two sons with his third wife), but he has also developed his own method for finding out what makes women tick - at least when it comes to clothing them.

"I do believe you need to have a passion for fashion. I love Italy because it has a high porportion of independent boutiques and things are still made there to sell - not just to cause controversy, but to sell.

"When I was first designing I would go into independent shops and tell them I was looking for something for my wife and ask them to show me their hottest item. Now I ask for help looking for something for my daughters.

"I can see what women are buying and what they like. But Italy is my main inspiration - I adore the way that fashion works there."

It helps that Mr Davies has realised that women do have a weakness for luxury and indulgence, seen only too evidently in his long skirts.

Popular

"I use so much more fabric in my long skirts and that is why they are so popular. People think they can make a cheaper version but they can't because the fabric is not used and it doesn't fit as beautifully. The Per Una skirt is really wonderful."

And George has also had the seal of approval from the woman who has taken over when it comes to giving Marks & Spencer a boost in the right direction. He is a avid supporter of the 'Twiggy Factor'.

"There is no doubt that she has the right look and the right kind of personality to appeal to all women," said George.

"She is wonderful. She came over to my house and left with various items from my store. She was then in New York for work and wore one of my coats. She rang to tell me people had been stopping her in the street to find out where they could buy it. She is a lovely lady and I do adore her."

And I doubt she's the only one - George Davies does seem to adore women, and they love him for it in return.