LEE FRIEND

The founder of Fashot.TV on his latest venture...

How did you get started with your career?
I actually started off studying Film and TV at college, so I have a formal educational background in some of the key parts of the industry. Once I had finished studying, I later moved into advertising and making music videos. After spending some time in the music business, I eventually ended up being involved in a documentary on Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation - quite a U-turn! The documentary was incredibly successful though, and it was a really fantastic experience.

What gave you the idea to start Fashot.com?
In the 90s I bought a company called Packshot and turned it into the leading provider of ecommerce imagery. Out of Packshot came Fashot.com, focusing more on the fashion industry. Today the company is responsible for producing around 50 per cent of the imagery for British fashion labels on the net.

What were the biggest challenges you faced in setting up the company?
There were three main challenges:
- Leadership (being able to do it effectively)
- Logistics (figuring them out)
- Talent (finding talented people to work for me and with me)

Would you say that people have misconceptions about the fashion industry?
I would say misconceptions are inevitable so long as large portions of the industry and the media are obsessed with the luxury end of the market. The fact is that high-end fashion is really only a minor part of the industry. Someone who really understands this, alongside the importance of mainstream fashion from a business point of view, is Sir Phillip Green (the man behind Topshop).

What has been the most exciting shoot you have worked on?
The truth is most days are exciting and there is always a huge amount of buzz and excitement as models dash around attended by large production crews. It’s extremely rewarding to walk through the studios and see the energy and enthusiasm that goes into every shoot and it’s very hard to think of one single shoot that stands out.

You have been credited with coming up with the camouflage technique for the invisible Aston Martin in James Bond: Die Another Day – can you tell us some more about that?
The credit comes from other inventors who quote my Art in their patents and in an IP database search of my name you will see the same. For reasons outlined in the Official Secrets Act I cannot go into details as to why I was not able to profit from the exercise.

Keeping overheads as low as possible is key for any business – is it true that you became a helicopter pilot in order to cut down on business costs?
I’ve always been interested in aviation, starting with fixed wing aircraft before moving on to rotorcraft. I have over 12 studios not just here but in the Netherlands and in Germany. I either get my own boots in the dirt by using the helicopter to get around or I pay someone of my ability £100,000 per year - the helicopter is cheaper! In my eyes, flying the helicopter myself will always have the edge, so it’s a no-brainer really. I can do Portsmouth, Eindohoven, Peterborough and Birmingham in a day if I want to. Besides, the helicopter is part of an aviation business I own, so it’s not a personal toy.

Do you have any advice for anyone thinking of starting a business in the fashion industry?
Be inventive, be persistent, be tenacious and in the words of Churchill… "Never, never give up".

You have plans to launch an online fashion TV channel – can you tell us more?
Fashot.TV launched in India about a year ago and I’m told by my networks we have bigger audience already than the largest fashion shows on terrestrial or satellite TV here. We recently signed a partnership deal with YouTube to distribute our show globally, and those guys know what they are doing, so it’s a great endorsement.

What is the best thing about your job?
European expansion, dealing with intelligent, experienced clients who know what they want and trust in my skills and judgment to go and get it for them.

And the worst?
Sometimes it can be tough if you are dealing with someone who is inexperienced and not interested in listening to advice. It’s the old adage, never buy a dog and bark yourself!