MY MONEY ROGER SAUL
THE MULBERRY FASHION FOUNDER-TURNED-ORGANIC FARMER FEELS FORTUNATE THE RISKS HAVE BEEN WORTH IT
ROGER SAUL, 70, founder of major British fashion label Mulberry, sold the brand in 2003 and now owns Kilver Court Designer Village outlet shopping centre, as well as Sharpham Park estate organic farm, both in Somerset. The farm produces 1,000 tonnes of organic spelt a year, sold in stores including Waitrose and Planet Organic. The grain is enjoying a surge in popularity as locked-down families bake their own bread.
What was your first job?
A management trainee for John Michael Ingram, the 1970s Carnaby Street fashion guru. I was studying for a Higher National Diploma in Business at Westminster College. I started off by making the coffee and clearing out the stationery cupboard, then he gave me a job buying accessories for his Guys And Dolls boutiques. I bought leather belts from hippies and made huge margins and thought: ‘I could make these better than this!’ That was the beginning of my Mulberry odyssey.
How much were you paid per hour, week or month?
No idea. Not much – but I had a job with the best.
How did you persuade John to give you a job?
I went to his head office in Savile Row, having sent him a letter, but unbeknown to me, my father called him and said: ‘My son wants to come and work for you, can you give him good career support?’ I think John was firstly flabbergasted anyone would want to be a management trainee with him — and staggered or intrigued when my father rang him! He followed my career and was always supersupportive, a really amazing man.
What would you buy, money no object?
I have been so lucky in my life to have been able, from time to time, to invest in or buy my dream object – be it a historic racing car, or to build my own greenhouse. Equally, in tough times I’ve had to sell or do without those things, so now I’m very grateful for the tiny things life throws my way.
What luxury wouldn’t you give up?
What is luxury today? To me it is time with family or friends; these are treasured moments. If Covid-19 has taught us anything, it must be this. Beyond that, having created an organic farm and vegetable garden, eating and drinking our own organic produce must be the ultimate luxury in today’s weird world.
What has been your biggest financial regret?
None really… what you don’t try will never happen. You can lose on a big scale, but perhaps it opens the door to new opportunities that would never have happened. A financial crisis forced me to sell Mulberry, but then look what I gained with Sharpham Park in terms of quality and direction of life.
So, what brought on the financial crisis that led to you selling Mulberry?
Thus far I have refrained from publicly sharing the full story of what happened – but it’s Mulberry’s 50th anniversary this year, so maybe this will be the year. Watch this space.
Has the way you work changed over time?
Not really. I still get an absolute adrenaline rush from that last-minute moment of clarity that means we have to tweak our course, but that keeps my entire team on their toes.
Spender or saver?
Both. I know how to have a mad splurge, but I also know how to put the brakes on. With Brexit/Covid-19, there is huge danger and opportunity. At Kilver Court Designer Village we’re guarding every penny as we’re currently closed, but at Sharpham Park we’re investing heavily in spelt grain and our team, to cope with the massive demand and uptake for healthy organic products that we are seeing as a result of Covid.
What has been your best investment?
Using the £500 my parents gave me for my 21st birthday to start Mulberry, in 1971.
Are you savvy with your personal finances?
I’d like to think so but to me, ‘personal’ and ‘business’ finances are often one and the same. Reward doesn’t come without risk. I have been fortunate that most of the risks I have taken have paid off and enabled me to live life to the fullest. And the ones that haven’t, well they have been just as valuable, but in a different way.
Tell us, what was your last impulse buy?
My new tractor for the farm. It’s small, totally versatile and perfectly formed.
Cash or card?
Card. Cash seems to be a thing of the past since Covid.
What was the first thing you spent a lot of money on?
My first racing car. I have loved speed throughout my life and racing against Stirling Moss as both a friend and fierce competitor in his later years was magical.
What advice would you give someone who has no income because they’ve lost their job but has a great business idea to launch in lockdown?
First, you need to make sure you really know your customer. It’s your business and it’s great to have ideas, but unless you really know who you intend to sell to, you will be a bit stuck. Then, just be brave, totally focused and involve true friends and family to help and support you along the way.
What are the best ways to avoid being ripped off as a consumer?
Do your research, shop around and make sure you buy the best quality you can afford.
Do you own a home?
Yes, I bought a semi-detached manor house back in 1977. When I came out of Mulberry in 2003, the farm surrounding it came up for sale for the first time in 100 years, so I used my Mulberry shares to buy it and created a new brand, Sharpham Park, now the largest producer of organic spelt in Britain.
■ The team at Sharpham Park has launched a series of videos with easyto-follow instructions on how to make the perfect spelt sourdough, using its heritage flour. For details on this and other recent recipes, visit the spelt recipes section of sharphampark.com
ENGLAND will not lodge an official complaint with World Rugby about the performance of referee Pascal Gauzere in their defeat to Wales.
The French official awarded Wayne Pivac’s Grand Slam hopefuls two highly dubious tries in the opening 30 minutes of the Six Nations encounter at the Principality Stadium, the first of which was particularly controversial.
Former England captain Martin Johnson labelled Gauzere’s decision to allow Josh Adams’ 17th-minute effort as ‘appalling refereeing’, while exWales skipper Sam Warburton admitted the visitors were right to be ‘livid’.
However, England coach Eddie Jones will not make a formal complaint to the governing body even though there
was also debate over whether Liam Williams’ 30th-minute try was legitimate, as Louis Rees-Zammit seemed to knock the ball onto his own leg.
Adams’ score was the most contentious. After awarding Wales a kickable penalty, Gauzere told England captain Owen Farrell to talk to his team about their indiscipline, only to then restart play without warning the defending
team, with no cover in place when Dan Biggar hoisted the ball to the wing for Adams to score.
Despite the controversy, Wales deserved Saturday’s 40-24 win, with England’s indiscipline costing them.
Maro Itoje conceded five penalties alone, and Jones admitted one of England’s most effective players must make some adjustments. ‘Maro is one of the best players in the world and plays the game on the edge,’ he said. ‘I can remember the same sort of discussion about George Smith (the former Australia captain). Sometimes referees tend to over-referee a player like him.
‘At the same time, there are areas he needs to tidy up and he knows that. He’s a good boy, a good player. There are just a few things he needs to tidy up.’