Start-up Been London names marketing head

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
June 27, 2023

Eco-focused premium bags brand Been London has made a number of key hires recently with its latest being a new Head of Marketing & Communications.

Rachel Haworth has joined the firm with over 13 years in high street fashion marketing, at established brands such as Uniqlo, COS and Gap.

The company said she “wanted to apply the strategic approach she's learnt over the years to a brand that is impact and mission driven. Her roles over the years have always been brand marketing roles, focusing on the storytelling of a brand and reaching engaged audiences. She's excited to build the Been London brand, be part of a growing and talented team, and highlight to the fashion industry that change is possible”. 

The five-year-old UK company makes products from materials “otherwise deemed as waste”, such as off-cut leather, discarded clothes, and apple skins and says its bags have an 87% lower carbon footprint compared to high street equivalents. 

Founder Genia Mineeva said: “What we are seeing over the last year or so is an increasing number of really high calibre talent from the world's biggest brands applying for jobs in companies like ours — smaller and purpose-driven. We get over 400 applications per role including top management from top fashion houses and retailers such as Burberry, John Lewis, Aesop among many others. 

“This is obviously a great thing for us and in fact, for the whole industry — seeing more really brilliant people aligning their skill sets with their values and making a real difference to how fashion is designed and made. I pinch myself every morning feeling incredibly lucky to be working with a team that brings so much industry experience to the table!”

She wasn’t only speaking about her new marketing chief as late last year saw two other key hires.
 
Brittany James joined as Production & Impact Manager having previously worked mainly on product development and production for brands such as The White Company and Erdem. She’s now responsible for creating Been’s sustainability strategy, as well as reviewing current processes and monitoring their impact “to ensure they're always improving in areas of environmental and social importance”. 

And Cosima Hornak joined as Head of Design with a background as an accessory designer predominantly in luxury, working both in-house for brands, and as a consultant to small independents and larger luxury owned brands within Kering and LVMH. 

She headed up women’s handbags and accessories at Kenzo in Paris, then returned to London “and turned her focus to sustainability, working with smaller brands and start-ups and re-educating herself in materials, circularity, innovation and new approaches to design”.