Tamara Mellon

'It girl' Tamara didn't have a difficult start in life. The daughter of an ex-Chanel model and Vidal Sassoon co-founder had a jet-set education in Beverley Hills and Switzerland. But since then, this entrepreneur has cleverly spotted gaps in the market and lunged at golden opportunities.

After working as accessories editor for Vogue, Mellon spied a gap in the market for luxury shoes. She knocked on Hackney-based cobbler Jimmy Choo's door with her idea to bring his designs to posh boutiques, and give Manolo Blahnik a run for his money. She opened the first shop in London in 1997 and is now worth a seven-figure sum.