Inspirational woman, Jess Jeetly is to receive an MBE for her services to entrepreneurship, as announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Jeetly, formerly an optician, is a fashion entrepreneur and founder and managing director of JEETLY; a petite clothing brand for professional women.
On receiving the news, Jeetly said, “I am truly delighted, humbled and shocked to have been appointed an MBE for Entrepreneurship. It’s a huge honour that brings with it the responsibility to empower more women and girls in the UK to step up and be the change they want to see.”
“This recognition gives me the strength to grow the petite fashion sector and make the UK Fashion Industry the leader in this business.”
JEETLY is the first clothing brand for women 5”3 and under that puts customers in control of what gets made, in an effort to give petite women a say in fashion. Petite customers send in design ideas. JEETLY creates samples and showcases them on the website. Petite women then vote in or out of the next collection the designs worldwide. Women submit comments on changes that could be made to the design, be it colour, cut or style. The individual with the winning suggestion that is put into production not only gets the finished garment for free when it’s retailed, but the garment is also named after them.
Jeetly is just one of a number of women honoured in the Queens Birthday List. As previously reported by WeAreTheCity, the 2016 list has recognised a number of individuals campaigning and working towards women’s and LGBT equality.
Amongst the women honoured were veteran entertainer Dame Vera Lynn who becomes a Companion of Honour; Paralympian Martine Wiltshire, who lost both legs in the 7/7 bombings, was made an MBE, and journalist Janet Street Porter is made a CBE.
Read Jess’s Inspirational Woman interview here.
