Enterprise partnership proposal
London Talent Sourcing · Prepared exclusively for Dolce & Gabbana
What's inside
01For PaolaCover letter 02Self-expression is your greatest assetPhilosophy 03Why Dolce & GabbanaAlignment 04What is brokenCurrent vs Able 05How Able worksTwo scenarios 06The gigfolio & video bioThe product 07Store Ready™Certification 08Enterprise pricingThe numbers 09Talent pipelineTen channels 10Working with AbleGuarantees 11Backing & ethicsCredentials 12Next stepsFrom hereFor Paola
Paola,
Thank you for our conversations. We both agree about what is broken about the way this industry sources talent — because you have lived it from the inside, every day.
What follows is a proposal for you and Dolce & Gabbana. I have written it for your leadership team, but I have built it around everything you told me: the calibre problem, the store approval chaos, the markup that makes no commercial sense, and the simple fact that temporary workers representing D&G deserve to arrive prepared, confident, and aligned with the house.
You see the gap before other people and I am delighted to be discussing working with you and supporting your colleagues.
This proposal is yours to champion. I have designed it to speak for itself in any room, with or without us present. The numbers are compelling, but the philosophy is what makes this different from anything D&G will have seen before.
I look forward to the next step,
Warmly,
Alexandra Wright
Founder & CEO, Able AI Agent Limited
[email protected]
Self-expression is your greatest asset
Technology unlocks previously invisible assets. Airbnb made your property work for you. Uber made your car work for you. YouTube made your creativity visible to the world.
Able makes your skills work for you.
The hiring market is broken; still operating as it did thirty years ago, un-evolving despite the nature and demands of work changing monumentally.
Processes not fit for purposes: Traditional recruitment being applied to hire for a single shift.
A static CV document; absent of face, voice or personality, being applied across industries. The most important transaction in a person's working life — reduced to a monochrome boring piece of paper.
The creator economy proves something fundamental: humans connect with humans. A face and a voice carry more trust, more warmth, and more truth than any written description. Every brand now knows this. Every sector has adapted to it. And yet at work people still present themselves as a static document.
Able changes all that.
We have built a platform with heart-centred design and ethical AI-enhanced infrastructure, that connects workers to opportunities faster than any other, and at a fraction of the price.
Businesses hire people and skills; Able perfectly provides that in an unconventional and innovative way.
With Able you search for what you need — "a person with Italian language skills, that understands stock management and is a strong communicator" — and you are presented with a curated list of available, vetted candidates.
Able is a values-based business and doesn't extract value from people's hard work.
What makes Able unique
Able has no star ratings. Every other platform reduces a person to a number. Able replaces ratings with structured feedback — focused on growth, development, and readiness for the next opportunity. Workers improve with every shift, guided by insight rather than punished by score.
This philosophy extends into our long-term vision: AI-augmented wearable technology that supports workers during their working day. Training and development no longer happens in a separate room on a separate schedule — it becomes part of the rhythm of work itself. Smart eyewear that provides real-time guidance, product knowledge prompts, and coaching cues. The barriers between learning and doing dissolve entirely.
Why Dolce & Gabbana
The alignment between Able and D&G is structural.
Dolce & Gabbana was born from a collision of two aesthetics. Domenico Dolce from Polizzi Generosa in Sicily — the son of a tailor, steeped in linearity and craft. Stefano Gabbana from Milan, Venetian roots — energy, colour, the city. Two completely different relationships to beauty and the body, held together in productive tension, with an unrelenting commitment to craftsmanship.
"The DNA of D&G is the union of multiple elements — the harmony of opposites, femininity and masculinity, sensuality and austerity, the sacred and the profane."
Able is built on the same structural principle. The human and the technological. The ancient act of skilled labour and the cutting-edge infrastructure that carries it. The worker's presence and the intelligence that finds it a home.
Like D&G, Able is fiercely unique and unconventional amongst its peers.
For a house whose entire philosophy says the person's self-expression matters as much as the garment, this is the most coherent talent platform that has ever been offered to you.
You are sending someone to represent your brand on the shop floor. Able ensures you see them — fully, humanly — before they walk through the door.
The provenance parallel
D&G uses the Digital Product Passport to prove the provenance of a bag — where the leather came from, who crafted it, every stage of its journey from raw material to shop floor.
Able uses the gigfolio to prove the provenance of a person — what they can do, where they've worked, how they present, what certifications they hold, how their colleagues rate them.
D&G's NFC tag says: "This bag is authentic. Here is the proof."
Able's Store Ready™ badge says: "This person is prepared. Here is the proof."
The same principle. The same commitment to transparency. Applied to the workforce.
What is broken
D&G's London stores have worked through three temporary staffing providers. Each has failed in the same ways: unreliable candidates, inflated costs, platform instability, and a persistent inability to deliver workers who arrive prepared for the demands of a luxury environment.
The current provider charges approximately £25 per hour for workers paid £15 — a markup of 66%. Of those workers, roughly 75% fall below the standard required. D&G has paid for store approvals at Harrods and Selfridges and still received unapproved candidates. This is an expensive, broken process.
| Current Agency Model | Able | |
|---|---|---|
| Candidate quality | ~25% meet the standard | Pre-vetted, video-screened, Store Ready™ certified |
| Search process | Search a long, often out-of-date list | Smart semantic search — available candidates that meet your requirements |
| Time to fill | Days to weeks | Minutes. Search, watch, book. |
| Store approvals | Paid for but often missing | Verified on profile before offer |
| Cost to venue | £25/hr (£15 worker + 66% markup) | £16.20/hr (8%) or lower at enterprise |
| Brand alignment | Agency makes no assessment | AI coaching + bespoke D&G training module |
| Candidate visibility | Name and CV | Crafted video bio, skills, qualifications, availability, badges |
| Feedback loop | None (or star ratings) | No star ratings — structured development-focused feedback that improves matching |
| Permanent placement | 10–20% of salary | Trial-to-Hire™: Flat fee £500–£1,500 |
How Able works
Scenario one: urgent shift cover
Saturday morning. A D&G sales associate at Harrods calls in sick. The concession needs cover by midday.
Scenario Two: Trial-to-Hire™
The Sloane Street boutique needs a permanent Italian-speaking sales associate. Traditional recruitment would cost £2,700–£5,400 in agency fees and take weeks.
| Role Level | Able Flat Fee | Industry Standard (10–20%) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level Sales Associate | £500 | £2,700 – £4,200 |
| Skilled Associate / Specialist | £750 | £3,200 – £4,800 |
| Supervisor / Team Lead | £1,000 | £3,800 – £5,400 |
| Store Manager / Department Head | £1,500 | £5,000 – £8,400 |
The video bio
Sixty seconds of personal, human, crafted content. Every worker on the platform records a short, guided self-presentation — articulating their skills, experience, and the quality of presence they bring to a room. The result is a living profile that carries everything a CV flattens: warmth, confidence, cultural fluency, the way someone holds themselves.
For luxury retail, where every customer interaction is a brand experience, this evolves the hiring process.
The Gigfolio
Every Able worker builds a gigfolio — a rich, living professional profile that replaces the static CV. Here is what a D&G store manager would see:
Store Ready™ certification
The video bio reveals the person. Store Ready ensures they are prepared.
Every worker placed in a D&G location through Able completes the D&G training programme before they set foot on the shop floor. This programme interfaces with D&G's existing onboarding content — brand values, product knowledge, customer engagement protocols — and adds a layer of store-specific preparation on top.
D&G brand module
Workers complete D&G's existing training content — brand heritage, product lines, customer approach, dress code. Able hosts and delivers the module; D&G retains full control of the material.
Store-specific module
Harrods and Selfridges each operate their own screening processes. Able's Store Ready™ programme includes a dedicated module for each department store's approval requirements.
Verification
Completion is verified and displayed as a badge on the worker's gigfolio. A store manager sees "D&G Store Ready" and "Harrods Approved" at a glance — before making an offer.
Continuous updates
Certifications refresh as collections change, store layouts evolve, or new protocols are introduced. Your temporary workforce stays current.
Key distinction: D&G has previously paid for agency workers' store approvals and still received unapproved candidates. Able's Store Ready™ programme verifies completion on the worker's profile before they are offered.
Enterprise pricing
Able replaces the opaque, inflated agency model with transparent, predictable pricing. The Elite Enterprise subscription is modelled on D&G's London operational landscape.
Able provides skilled workers across all operational functions — shop floor sales, visual merchandising, stock management, logistics, back-office administration, and events support.
D&G London: Five Locations
| Location | Format | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Sloane Street | Standalone boutique | Knightsbridge |
| Old Bond Street | Six-storey flagship + beauty corner | Mayfair |
| Harrods | Six concessions across five floors + beauty | Brompton Road |
| Selfridges | Menswear concession + wholesale | Oxford Street |
| Covent Garden | Beauty & accessories boutique | Covent Garden |
Current Estimated Spend
Assumptions stated clearly: Based on conversations with Paola regarding current staffing patterns and industry benchmarks. Final figures confirmed during discovery.
| Average temp workers across all locations per day | 1–2 |
| Average shift length | 7.5 hours |
| Working days per year (incl. seasonal peaks) | ~280 |
| Agency bill rate (worker £15/hr + 66% markup) | £25/hr |
| Estimated annual temp staffing cost (5 locations) | £157,500 – £262,500+ |
Able's Tiered Pricing
| Tier | Name | Monthly | Booking Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pay-as-you-go | None | 8% |
| 2 | Venue Essential | ~£99 | 5% |
| 3 | Venue Pro | ~£299 | 3–4% |
| 4 | Elite | Custom | 1–2% |
Total Annual Cost: Side-by-Side
| Current Agency | Able Elite | |
|---|---|---|
| Worker pay | £94,500 – £157,500 | £94,500 – £157,500 (same) |
| Platform / markup cost | £63,000 – £105,000+ | ~£28,300 – £29,550 |
| Total annual cost | £157,500 – £262,500+ | ~£123,000 – £187,000 |
| Estimated annual saving | £34,500 – £75,500+ |
In platform fees alone, D&G's cost drops from an estimated £63,000–£105,000+ in agency markups to approximately £29,000 through Able. The savings fund themselves from month one.
Actual volumes will be confirmed with Paola during the discovery phase. These projections are deliberately conservative.
Talent pipeline
A platform is only as strong as its people. Able will build and maintain a dedicated luxury retail, beauty, and operational talent pool for D&G through ten channels.
Colleagues and Leavers' Networks
Current D&G employees who want additional flexible work, and former employees who would return for part-time or seasonal shifts. Brand knowledge already embedded.
Paola's Luxury Retail Network
An immediate warm pipeline of experienced luxury retail professionals. The fastest route to qualified, store-ready talent.
London Fashion, Beauty and Retail Schools
London College of Fashion (UAL), Central Saint Martins, Fashion Retail Academy, London College of Style, and beauty academies. Ambitious, brand-literate graduates.
AIESEC UK / University partnerships
Able's existing partnership provides access to internationally mobile, multilingual graduates — ideal for a house that values cultural fluency.
Italian Diaspora Networks
Over 220,000 registered Italians in London. Casa Italiana, Il Circolo, the Italian Cultural Institute, Business Club Italia, St Peter's Italian Church. The most natural brand ambassadors imaginable.
South American and Lusophone Networks
450,000+ Latin Americans in London. CLAUK, Latin American House, Canning House, university societies. Many speak Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian. D&G's aesthetic draws from the interplay between Italian and Latin cultures.
Co-Branded Able × D&G Advertising
Targeted campaigns positioned as "D&G is looking for extraordinary people." Worker-first framing. D&G's brand carries the campaign; Able delivers the infrastructure.
Targeted Digital Advertising
Precision targeting reaching people whose interests signal affinity with luxury fashion — high-fashion content consumers, beauty creators, fashion film enthusiasts.
Luxury Retail Events
Retail Trust events, British Fashion Council networking, London Fashion Week volunteer programmes. Where the best talent already gathers.
Continuous AI Matching
As workers join and build profiles, the matching engine continuously identifies candidates whose skills align with D&G's requirements. The pipeline grows without manual effort.
Retention and Favourites
D&G store managers can add workers to a Favourites list for easy rebooking — creating continuity and consistency that is impossible with traditional agency models.
Working with Able
Service level commitments
Matching within 30 minutes during operating hours. Dedicated account manager for all D&G locations. Emergency staffing response within 2 hours. Platform uptime SLA of 99.5%. Support response within 4 hours during business hours, 12 hours outside.
Data protection
Able's architecture is privacy-by-design. All matching is pseudonymised — the algorithm never sees names, photographs, or demographic data. Worker data is stored on Google Cloud Platform within the UK. Able is fully GDPR compliant: lawful basis for processing, data minimisation, right to access, right to deletion, and clear retention policies. Workers own their data and their gigfolio travels with them. D&G receives only the information necessary to make an informed hiring decision.
Quality and no-show guarantee
If a confirmed worker does not arrive, Able activates an emergency replacement from the Store Ready™ pool at no additional cost. If a placed worker falls below the required standard, Able provides a replacement for the next available shift and the original placement is credited. Quality is protected by the Store Ready™ certification and the structured feedback loop — issues are identified and addressed, shift by shift.
Flexibility
The Elite subscription operates on a rolling quarterly basis with 30 days' notice. D&G can scale up or down as seasonal demands shift. There is no lock-in beyond the current quarter. Able's value is proven by performance, not enforced by contract length.
Insurance and liability
Workers placed through Able carry their own professional indemnity cover. Able holds employer's liability insurance and public liability insurance appropriate to its operations. Full details are provided during the commercial terms phase.
Government backing and ethical architecture
Able is backed by the UK government and built on ethical principles that align directly with Dolce & Gabbana's Code of Ethics.
Backing & Recognition
Values: Be Good, Be Fair, Be Kind
Baked into the architecture, the operations, the process, the policy, the practice and the culture. D&G's Code of Ethics commits to equal opportunities, respect for human rights, and the enhancement of professional skills. Able delivers on each through its architecture.
Good On You currently rates D&G "Not Good Enough" on people — citing insufficient living wage assurance. A partnership with Able provides a credible, auditable response within the contingent workforce.
About Able
Able was built from a conviction: that the way people find work and the way businesses find talent is fundamentally broken, and that heart-centred design, values-based operations and ethical AI can fix it.
This is a mission-based business built from the heart. It is a creative endeavour at its core. It is a genuine honour to submit this proposal for work with one of the most creative houses in the world.
Founded by Alexandra Wright
Former Vice President at BlackRock — corporate strategy and Aladdin implementation for the fixed income business. Management consultant at Deloitte — HR transformation for Fortune 500 clients including Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and DuPont. King's College London alumna. Speaker at the House of Commons symposium on the future of employment.
Joe Fennell
Head of AI Ethics
Implementation & next steps
Target: first bookings in September 2026.
Next steps
We would welcome the opportunity to present this proposal in person.
Alexandra Wright
Founder & CEO, Able AI Agent Limited
[email protected]
Able AI Agent Limited · able.global
This document is confidential and intended solely for the use of Dolce & Gabbana.