A University of Chester graduate and guest lecturer has won an international award celebrating inspirational women and recognising her runaway success in the fashion world.
Jennifer Hodgson has been presented with the Agency of the Year accolade in the coveted Women of the City, New Faces Awards.
The Awards are dedicated to the myriad of achievements from everyday women, while highlighting their positive contributions to the community. They are also a celebration of female leadership, honouring inspirational women with an established track record of organisational and personal success.
Jennifer is the founder and director of MODA PR (Public Relations) which has offices in Chester and London.
The win comes after she was featured in The Power Issue of Women of the City magazine, earlier this year, which celebrated 120 female powerhouses and pioneers, reshaping their industries, one step at a time. She appeared in the issue with names such as Jacinda Ardern and Vera Wang.
The idea for MODA PR was formulated while Jennifer was studying a degree in Fashion Marketing and Communication at the University of Chester. She had returned to education, after two previous attempts in her early twenties, and completed her University degree at the age of 28, graduating with first-class honours.
Jennifer has worked for notable publications and PR agencies and launched MODA PR in early 2020. Specialising in fashion and beauty, the boutique PR company offers clients public relations, representation and brand management. Within the first three weeks of its launch, MODA PR had already acquired three long-term clients – and the company has seen substantial growth despite the challenges of the pandemic.
While running the company, the 31-year-old also makes time to guest lecture in Fashion Marketing and Communication at the University of Chester, as a member of the Pay It Forward network. Jennifer will also be one of the industry mentors on the new Fashion Communication Marketing (Social Media) BA (Hons) course, starting in September 2022.
Jennifer said: “I am absolutely over the moon that MODA PR has been awarded Agency of the Year – for well over a year, I have lived and breathed building this company. We have achieved some incredible things since we launched and to think we’re only just getting started is mind-blowing.
“At MODA, we really do pride ourselves on always going above and beyond for our clients which really has become our USP (Unique Selling Point). Huge thanks to our clients, friends and family for all the support they’ve shown us over the last year – it hasn’t gone unnoticed and we can’t wait to enter 2022 with a bang.”
Tracey Hall, Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Fashion Marketing and Communication added: “We are all so proud of Jennifer and her achievements. She is a credit to the course and the University of Chester.”
The New Faces Award was presented at a ceremony in London on December 8 after Jennifer was chosen from four nominees.
On the night, 16 inspirational women and a very special Man of the Year were honoured, including Trish Halpin, former Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire and Lorraine Candy, former Editor-in-Chief of Elle, who were awarded the Achievement Award by Sue Douglas, who launched Vogue.com and Glamour UK, BBC Africa’s new Senior Reporter Joice Etutu, who won the Rising Star of the Year and Daps who took home Man of the Year, and who has produced incredible music and videos for artists such as Naira Marley, Davido, Jay Z, Drake, Chris Brown, T Pain and Ms Banks to name a few. His award was presented by Tim Campbell MBE, the new co-host of the BBC’s Apprentice, who gave a moving speech about how men could be part of very needed change.
Women of the City magazine is described as “the number one women’s magazine on enterprise; cheerleading girl bosses, momagers and professional women worldwide”.
For more information on the Women of the City, New Faces Awards, please visit: https://www.newfacesawards.com.