My INCREDIBLE WOMAN

With the imminent release of PORTER magazine, the rumours of the first cover star are circling into a near fashion tornado.  Net-a-Porter have always been about the girl power, founded by Natalie Massenet in 2000, the site has gone from the kitchen table to a serious game changer in 10 years.  So it's right that they celebrate women, their achievements and their independence and really how they have become THE INCREDIBLE WOMAN. 

So, it got me thinking about who my incredible woman is in my life because everyone has one...and if you don't, I would advise you to find one!  

Mine is my mum (I know, predictable/cheesy) - delete as appropriate.

From a small town in the South of Thailand, she has now become this INCREDIBLE women; businesswoman, philanthropist and mother.

But this is very far from what she had set off to do when leaving her job as a nurse in Bangkok and arriving in London (not speaking a word of English) ready to start a scholarship at Leeds University.  Being from a very old and traditional family, they weren't best pleased when she fell pregnant out of wedlock and disappointed the family thus reducing all communication and financial support.  This may seem extreme but 25 years ago, this was unacceptable.  From then on, mum worked, days in an off license and nights as a housekeeper until the day she was in labour.  Even once running after a guy who had shoplifted a 25p chocolate bar!  

After years of living in London, she noticed a gap in the market.  And decided to take yet another job, by cooking Thai food in a market stall every Sunday.  Thai food at this point was scarce or just totally unknown.  After a year she found a builder's cafe in Chiswick that she could rent in the evenings: greasy spoon by day and Thai cuisine by night!   A couple of years after that... she was able to buy the entire place!! Well, then there was really no stopping her! Year after year she has expanded her restaurants across London, making a total of 12…and then there was the beauty salon and 2 hotels in Thailand, in 20 years. 

She has grown an entire empire, not short of a few knocks and bumps along the way but has always stayed true to her heritage.  Her work continues outside the kitchen, through her work fighting the stigma and cruelty against Thai women that are “brought” into the UK as well as supporting the Buddhist community across the country. 

So if I had to chose my cover star for the INCREDIBLE WOMAN – this is who I would choose. Hands down. 

Taken on her first days in London