UKFT has learned that Gail Sackloff OBE died on New Year’s Day. A passionate advocate for British fashion, Gail dedicated her life to promoting UK brands internationally through her work with Saks Fifth Avenue, Cunard’s Transatlantic British Fashion Week, and supporting emerging designers.

Gail was born in Dublin, Ireland, into a fashion and costume maker family. She moved to London in 1970 and became fashion consultant for Nigel French Enterprises. The company was later bought out by the US May Department Store, and Gail remained on with the group and began her long and passionate association promoting British merchandise for export. In 1978 Gail was approached by the Gimbel-Saks USA store group and ultimately Target for Saks Fifth Avenue to act as a buyer and talent scout in the in the British market. During this time, Gail was responsible for the majority of all British collections sold to Saks in the US, selecting and supporting UK brands such as Jimmy Choo, Stephen Jones, Philip Treacy and Burberry in the US market.

In 2003 Gail became the one and only recipient of UKFT’s “Buyer of the Year”, presented by HRH The Princess Royal, President.

After 28 years with Saks Fifth Avenue, Gail eventually retired from their buying office in the UK but continued to be an active supporter of the industry through her continued work with the UK Fashion and Textile Association and the British Fashion Council and consulted on a project led by the Duke of Wales, now His Majesty, on a project to obtain an agreement from the US FDA to sell organic Duchy Originals products to the US.

Gail was awarded an OBE for services to UK fashion exports, presented to her by HRH The Princess Royal.

Post “retirement” Gail was a regular Cunard cruiser, organising and curating Cunard’s Transatlantic British Fashion Week featuring collections supported by high profile British designers including Dame Zandra Rhodes and recent graduates of the Royal College of Art.

David Sassoon, her lifelong friend famously said of Gail some years ago: “Gail is a loyal and true professional, passionate about her job, always looking for new designers for her buyers. She has a great sense of humour but knows how to be tough when it comes to getting her own way”.

Paul Alger of UKFT said: “It has been my very great privilege to know Gail for over 30 years and to meet her many industry and celebrity friends. Gail had a unique talent for getting things done and she used that skill to encourage Saks and the other US stores she represented to invest in British brands, some of which were new at the time. I shall miss her generous friendship and good company as well as her energetic and passionate drive and, of course, that laugh.”