User:MrMistralThree/sandbox
Peter Simon (born August 1949)[1] is a British entrepreneur. He is the founder and owner of fashion retailer Monsoon Accessorize. He is also the founder of The Monsoon Trust, a registered charity in support of women and children in Asia. He is a noted collector of post-war and contemporary art.[2]
Peter Michael Simon | |
---|---|
Born | 1949 (age 74–75) |
Nationality | Irish |
Education | St Gerard's School, Bray |
Occupation(s) | Fashion retailer, philanthropist |
Known for | Monsoon Accesorize
The Monsoon Trust The Electric Cinema |
Board member of | Tate Foundation (Trustee) |
Spouse |
Kate Simon
(m. 1977; div. 2000) |
Early life
Simon was born in Sri Lanka but grew up in Dalkey and Killiney, Ireland. His mother was from Kilmallock; his father was head of Shell's Irish operations.[3][4][5]
Simon was educated in St Gerard's School in Bray and at an English boarding school. He left education prior to taking A-levels. He applied to join the British Army before taking a job as an encyclopedia salesman in the East End of London, followed by a sales job with Bird's Eye.[6]
He spent the summer of 1969 living in a nudist colony in the Pityusic Island of Formentera.[7] Returning to London, Simon noticed a fashion trend for shaggy Afghan coats, after the style of clothing worn by The Beatles on the cover of Sgt. Pepper. Simon imported a similar-looking garment made from the wool of a "shoat", a goat crossed with a sheep, found on the Maltese island of Gozo.[8] He sold the coats through Harrods and other outlets in addition to his market stall in Portobello Market, London.[9][10][11] He also drew commerical inspiration on a road trip from London to Rajasthan, India via Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan, where he noticed hand-block-printed clothing worn by locals.[12]
Career
In 1973 Simon opened Monsoon's first physical outlet in Beauchamp Place, in London's Knightsbridge district.[13] It was at his first shop that he met the model, actress and Jane Seymour, who had just finished filming a role in the James Bond movie Live and Let Die. Beginning a romantic relationship, Simon invited Seymour to Jaipur in India, where Seymour modelled for a Monsoon ad campaign that Simon would later credit as the trigger for Monsoon's expansion.[7]
Positioned as an ethnic-inspired mainstream female fashion brand, the firm grew rapidly from the late 1970s onwards.[14] In 1984, Simon opened the first branch of accessories retailer Accessorize.
In 1998 Simon floated the combined company, netting him £85 million.[15][14] In 2007, Simon bought back all shares in the company held by external investors to become 100 percent owner, having previously tried to acquire these shares in 2003 and 2004.[16][17] The Sunday Times estimates his current net worth at £480m.[18]
In 2014, Simon invested in homewear brand Loaf.[19] Other investments have included stakes in the Moscow department store GUM and the Russian gold producer Highland Gold. He has also invested in film production and commercial property.[20][21]
Philanthropy
See also: The Monsoon Trust
Monsoon Accessorize operates a foundation to help under-privileged women and children in Asia. Its partners include the Indian charity Seva Mandir, which works to keep girls in education and to provide access to antenatal care and inoculations. The Monsoon Trust also works with Sadhna, a charity that gives needle-workers access to bank accounts so that their cash wages are not wrongfully appropriated.[22][13]
In 2017 the Trust received donations and legacies of £332k, with public and private donations totalling £102k.[23]
In the 1990s Simon bought and restored the previously derelict Electric Cinema on Portobello Road,[24] adding a private club and restaurant. The building is now operated by Soho House.[20] Simon returns to Portobello market once a year to sell clothing from a stall, on behalf of the Monson Trust.[20]
Art collection
Simon began collecting art in the mid 1990s, in consultation with the art dealer Ivor Braka. In 2000, Simon founded the Monsoon Art Collection in consultation with the curators Thomas Dane and Nicholas Serota.[25][26][27] The Monsoon collection's first piece was Kimsooja's Bottari Truck. The collection is known for its international art, but also includes pieces by Bacon, Doig, Koons, Warhol, Milhazes, Boetti, Degas and Bomberg.[28] Selected pieces are on display at Monsoon's West London headquarters. The collection is funded privately by the Simon family.[29]
In 2005 a portrait of Simon by the photographer Steve Poole was donated by Poole to The National Portrait Gallery.[30]
Simon is a trustee of the Tate Gallery.[2][31][32]
Personal life
He was formerly married to Kate Simon; the couple divorced in 2000.[33][34] He is father to six children. In 2017 his son George was killed in a car crash.[9]
Simon's associates include the financier Jim Mellon.[35] In 2013 Simon co-signed a letter from 500 UK business leaders supporting David Cameron's attempt to remain in the EU under renegotiated membership.[36]
Simon has homes in Ibiza, New York, Switzerland and London.[37][38]
References
- ^ "Peter SIMON - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ a b "No sharks, please, we're British". The Economist. 2001-12-06. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ "Evening Herald (Dublin) - Wednesday 06 September 1995". Retrieved 2019-03-19 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Sunday Tribune - Sunday 03 September 1995". Retrieved 2019-03-19 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "PM backs Gandys' Sri Lanka mission". Metro. 2013-11-16. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- ^ King, Ian (13 June 1996). "Shoats, coats and floats". Guardian.co.uk.
- ^ a b Mills, Eleanor (2013-01-06). "Many hippie returns". The Sunday Times. ISSN 0956-1382. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ King, Ian (13 June 1996). "Shoats, coats and floats". Guardian.co.uk.
- ^ a b "Monsoon boss Peter Simon heartbroken by death of son". HELLO!. 2017-10-06. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ Finch, Julia (17 December 1997). "From Portobello Road to £90m flotation: Monsoon debut due". The Guardian. Infotrac Custom Newspapers. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
- ^ "Evening Herald (Dublin) - Wednesday 06 September 1995". Retrieved 2019-03-13 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Monsoon | Women & children's clothing". www.monsoonlondon.com. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ a b "History". www.monsoonjobs.com. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ a b "Subscribe to read". Financial Times. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
{{cite web}}
: Cite uses generic title (help) - ^ {{Cite web|url=https://login.ezproxy2.londonlibrary.co.uk/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/188044322?accountid=25070%7Ctitle=Monsoon. (1998, Feb 28) The The Sunday Times Rich List estimates his current net worth to be £480 million.<ref>"Login". login.thesundaytimes.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ "Founder wins control of Monsoon". This is Money. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ Kollewe, Julia (2007-09-28). "Monsoon founder wins fight to go private". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ Bellini, Luciana. "The 25 richest people in fashion". Tatler. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- ^ "Monsoon founder invests in Loaf". www.furniturenews.net. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ a b c "Monsoon man with the midas touch". The Sunday Times. 2005-03-06. ISSN 0956-1382. Retrieved 2019-03-19.
- ^ "Monsoon founder to build £30m HQ on land he owns". The Independent. 2006-04-21. Retrieved 2019-03-19.
- ^ "Yasmin Le Bon and Monsoon founder visit Seva Mandir | Friends of Seva Mandir UK". Retrieved 2019-03-14.
- ^ "Charity Commission Accounts" (PDF). Charitycommission.gov.uk. 2017.
- ^ "Monsoon founder to build £30m HQ on land he owns". The Independent. 2006-04-21. Retrieved 2019-03-19.
- ^ Gleadell, Colin (2001-04-01). "So you think this is just a truck?". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- ^ "A COLLECTION OF INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ART | ABOUT | MONSOON ART COLLECTION". monsoonartcollection.com. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ "Peter Simon -". ARTnews. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ Gleadell, Colin (2002-06-30). "Contemporary market: Saatchi sparks off flurries of excitement". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- ^ Goldfingle2012-06-08T00:00:00+01:00, Gemma. "Profile: Peter Simon, founder, Monsoon Accessorize". Retail Week. Retrieved 2019-03-19.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Peter Simon - National Portrait Gallery". www.npg.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-19.
- ^ "Peter Simon, founder and director, Monsoon and Accessorize". The New York Times. 2008-11-26. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-03-19.
- ^ "Membership of the Tate Board's Councils and Committees". Tate Foundation. 12 March 2018.
- ^ Helliker, Adam (2007-08-26). "A stormy time, Mr Monsoon". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ ""After the Monsoon; Peter and Kate Simon Created Monsoon and Accessorize. Now It's Their Daughters' Turn to Sparkle on the Silk Route, Says Tara Fischer" - The Evening Standard (London, England), November 4, 2005 | Online Research Library: Questia". www.questia.com. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ Dennys, Harriet; js, City Diary Editor 10:00PM BST 18 May 2013 Follow !function{var; fjs=d.getElementsByTagName;if){js=d.createElement;js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore;}}; (2013-05-18). "Dashwood: Big things at Chelsea". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
{{cite web}}
:|first2=
has generic name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Top business chiefs rally behind EU reform campaign". London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com. 2013-04-22. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- ^ Sawer, Patrick (2015-10-27). "Monsoon owner's mega-basement angers neighbours". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-02-13.
- ^ Gross, Michael (2014-03-11). House of Outrageous Fortune: Fifteen Central Park West, the World's Most Powerful Address. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781451666212.