The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission.
The Body Shop closing is like I’m saying goodbye to my friend Anita all over again
This week’s news that the iconic beauty shop was shutting was met with a wave of nostalgia, but for those like Lynne Franks who knew the founder well, it really hit home. Here, she explains what Anita Roddick meant to her – and what she would have thought about the chain’s collapse
Anita Roddick’s husband, Gordon, always used to say that no one could ever get a word in when Anita and I were in a room together. It always made me laugh and was probably quite true. Back then, we were both mouthy brunettes, passionate about the things we believed in and in a hurry to change the world.
We looked quite like each other too, with similar tastes in clothes – although she had her trademark wild Italian curls which added to her look.
We first bumped into each other on the same women’s conference circuit in the late Eighties, encouraging other women to start businesses based on feminine values. By then, she had watched the shop she first opened in 1976 turn into an enormous global business.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments