Gok Wan calls for respect to retail workers

TV stylist Gok Wan has backed retail workers in the latest edition of Skillsmart Retail's magazine calling for a greater appreciation for those who work on the shopfloor.

Gok Wan, the presenter of the show How to Look Good Naked, spoke about the issue in an interview with Retail Therapy magazine.

Gok Wan said: "Unfortunately, there is still a taboo in this country about working in a shop," he says. "We need to start respecting the industry more than we do now."

He added: "It's changing though. We have a slightly more American set-up now with glamorous, high-profile fashion roles such as buyers and merchandisers. When you're buying for a high-street retailer you have a lot of creative control, because you're deciding whose brands to stock. More and more people are aware of what it is to be a buyer or a merchandiser; the prestige gives people another reason to get involved."