By Kathy Hull
On Tuesday, November 8, the Beacon Hill Women’s Forum (BHWF) welcomes Sara Campbell, founder and creative spirit behind the retail boutiques which bear her name. An avid sewing-machine whiz by age seven, Ms. Campbell went on to study Design at UCDavis, Art Education at Lesley College, and Textile Arts at Mass College of Art. Her first business was a mail-order catalogue of women’s art.
In 1985 Sara offered her first clothing line—manufactured in Boston factories—and eventually her creations were sold to national retailers such as Nordstrom, Talbots, L.L. Bean, and Laura Ashley, under her label. After a stint at Harvard Business School, Sara and her business partner shifted the business from wholesale to retail. Sara Campbell LTD is now embodied in eighteen brick-and-mortar stores located in eight states, including her 10,000 square-foot headquarters in the South End.
Most unusual, her company regularly offers fundraising events for local charities via trunk shows and fashion shows, in which part of the proceeds go to causes identified by her customers. Recipients have included The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the Ellie Fund, and Pine Street Inn. This reflects Sara’s longstanding commitment to giving back to the community.
The event takes place at Hampshire House, 84 Beacon Street. Doors open at 6 pm for beverages and appetizers; the speaker will commence promptly at 6:45. For information about membership and future events, go to www.beaconhillwomensforum.com. Founded in 2013 to bring together women living in Beacon Hill and surrounding neighborhoods, BHWF welcomes new members on an ongoing basis.