as the 64th richest woman in Britain. In 2013, she stated that her eponymous luxury shoe brand would not buy from companies that had no female executives. Business difficulties Mellon's shoe and apparel brand filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code in December 2015. The filing stated that the company had assets of between $1 million and $10 million, and also had between 100 and 199 creditors who were owed between $1 million and $10 million. Pursuant to the bankruptcy reorganisation plan, the American private equity firm NEA made a $10 million cash injection into Mellon's business. In January 2016, Mellon's former backers filed an objection to the restructuring plans under American bankruptcy protection laws, stating that the scheme would allow her, her fiancé, and a fund to gain control of the new company, leaving former financiers with no repayment. The objection contained accusations of mismanagement and abuse of the company, including a life coach on the payroll and an expenditure of $100,000 for tickets to The Met Gala in New York. The US Department of Justice also filed a formal objection. The judge hearing the matter denied all objections, and the recapitalization plan was consummated in early 2016. In September 2016, it was revealed that Mellon was suing Jimmy Choo Ltd, alleging that the company had blocked her from using luxury shoemakers in Florence, Italy, to produce her own line. Public and political activities Mellon is a member of the New Enterprise Council, a group of entrepreneurs that advises the Conservative Party on policies related to business needs. On 9 November 2010, she was named as a "global trade envoy for Britain" by the British government, intended to have a "roving brief" to promote the country's fashion industry overseas. Mellon has served on the Board of Directors for Revlon since 2008. She is also a patron of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Honours and awards In the 2010 Birthday Honours, Mellon was appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the fashion industry. In 2014, Tamara Mellon received the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Pioneer Award in recognition for her achievements in fashion. Personal life Mellon married Mathew Mellon in 2000. Together, the two had a daughter, Araminta. In 2005, the couple divorced. Regarding her approach to her wardrobe, Mellon told Vogue magazine in 2004, "I never wear [clothing] from