Ted Baker and Lush founders awarded New Year honours

Ray Kelvin, founder of quirky clothing retailer Ted Baker, was awarded a CBE for services to the fashion industry.

Mark and Margaret Constantine, the founders of ethical cosmetics specialist Lush, received OBEs for services to the beauty industry.

The idiosyncratic Kelvin, who never allows his face to be fully photographed, founded Ted Baker as a menswear business and has since led its diversification into categories including womenswear and fragrances.

Kelvin said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be receiving this honour and am extremely proud of what has been achieved by the teams at Ted Baker over the years.

“I would like to recognise the input of the many hundreds of different people over these last 20 years and the way that help has aided my career, its development and the success of the brand. Ted Baker has been, along with my family, my enduring passion and commercial focus since 1988.

“I learnt so much from my parents about managing a fashion business from working in the family business as a youngster and would like to thank my beloved parents for their unswerving and generous support in the intervening years. My recently departed mum would have loved this occasion and I know they’re all looking down at me with real pride right now - this one’s not an ‘ology’ mum.

“Tomorrow I’ll be back to the shop floor concentrating on doing what we do best - making our customers happy.”

The Constantines, originally suppliers to Body Shop, opened their first store in Poole, Dorset, in 1994. There are now 700 Lush shops in 44 countries.