There are so many amazing women who have influenced my life – family members and feminist icons alike – but as it’s Small Business Saturday today, I wanted to name someone who has done so much for small, independent businesses in the UK and continues to empower women in the workplace: Mary Portas.

Not only does she have amazing fashion sense and always looks fabulous thanks to her truly distinctive style, she also uses her fashion for good in promoting independent brands and businesses, many of which are also run by women. She is also a fellow bob haircut aficionado, so I feel an even stronger level of admiration for her…

Mary has made an indelible mark on British retail and I truly feel that she’s had a huge impact on the redefined power of female business owners and entrepreneurs – across all different types of industries. It’s icons like Mary that inspire women to be better, happier and more productive in the working environment - she’s literally created an unstoppable feminine force for change in the business and retail worlds!

As a previous small business owner, I also respect how closely she has worked with a multitude of businesses to ensure they exceed performance and give shoppers amazing service. 

I had my business for three years and although there were many highs, running an independent clothing line was extremely challenging. It taught me a lot about the importance of supporting small business - particularly around the festive season, so make sure you shop small this weekend.

philosophy are the official partner of Stylist’s Remarkable Women Awards 2018 and, for every day in December, Stylist is asking a remarkable woman to tell us who her feminist icon is, and why. You can see more inspiring and remarkable women here.

Dawn O’Porter is an American Express Shop Small Ambassador, encouraging everyone to support small, independent businesses in the lead-up to Christmas. For further information, visit amexshopsmall.co.uk

Images: Getty