Today I'm going on a style journey with British jewelry
designer, founder of both Links of London and Anushka, the
creative director and entrepreneur Anushka Dukas Mve.
Hello and welcome Anushka OH. Thank you, so lovely to be here.
Oh, it's lovely to have you here.
And I've always been fascinated by the mystique of diamonds, as
English women are. Probably men are too.
And I would love to ask you as a as a jewelry designer this
controversy between man made, lab made and the real thing.
Well, I'm a real, maybe bit old fashioned, but I am a real
believer in the real thing. And The thing is there are so
many diamonds in the world, if we never mine another diamonds,
we'll still have diamonds in the world.
So I can't understand why we need to fabricate diamonds.
I don't understand it. And also so many people rely on
on that, on income from the diamond industry and all the all
the things that go with it. So for me it's it's there's no
choice. It's it's, you know, it's
something from nature. So you know when you create a
diamond in the lab, it's going to be the same every single
time. Whereas I think what's
absolutely so fascinating about stones is that each stone has
its own characteristics. It's all you know one is
slightly different from the other and that's the joy of
jewelry for for me as having not trained as a gemologist.
So I don't look at it with the with the that kind of eye.
Now that you mentioned one thing that that I'm also fascinated
by. There are so many stones in the
world 'cause you hear, you hear rumours of mountains of diamonds
in Russia and Romania. What?
What's the story there? Is that the the market trying to
control prices? I do, you know, I don't know.
I mean I think, I think they genuinely are discovering as
technology gets better and I think they are discovering new
new deposits all the time. But what's really for me it's
much more exciting is all the semi precious stones and new
stones that no one's ever heard of, can't even pronounce.
So quite often when you know one of the guys that comes in and
sees me in to to sell me stones, he comes looking at the builder
with this kind of tool kit and stuff and he'll say we've got to
have a look at this and it might be something I've literally
never heard of, just fascinating colors and different color
variations. And you know it's just so
interesting to learn from somebody who will go straight to
the mines to understand where they've come from and also to
really get a feel for who mind them.
So increasingly I really try to buy stones of where I know
they've come from. You can't always do that.
Jewelry industry is notoriously muddy.
I'd say yes, but you know, I try as as I as best I can to know
where they've come from. So you buy diamonds that have
been through the Kimberley Process, yes, which is totally
ethical. Totally ethical.
And so we we know where they've come from.
We know they haven't been dug up by children, et cetera, et
cetera. And where I possibly can, I
really like to buy diamonds that have come out of something else
or have some. It's come from melted down
jewelry or you know, but the way that you buy diamonds is they
come in a packet, I'm sure you know this, but they come in a
packet. And so you you can't absolutely
identify that the whole packet has come because they're graded
in size, has come from melted down jewelry or etcetera.
So it'll be a real mix which is kind of slightly why I'm going
back to, I don't see the reason to be using lab grain diamonds
because that's part of the the joy is that you kind of you that
they've been used before. Because I always think of you as
doing these beautiful colored stones and clever settings and
the charms and and all of that. Are there particular areas in
the world that are really good for these colored semi precious
stones? I think there are a lot.
There are so many areas in the world.
I mean, you know, Sri Lanka, Brazil.
I mean, I, you know, I go to not recently actually, but you know,
Ethiopia's got amazing, interesting deposits, whether
they are opals or they found emeralds there now and there
are, there are so many places, you know, the Philippines.
I'm so lucky 'cause I choose to go on holiday where I think
there might be interesting stones.
That's. That's really interesting.
Have you? I know you're an inveterate
traveller. Have you ever visited any of the
mines? I haven't.
I have in Ethiopia and then in the Philippines.
I went to. I went to the the Pearl farm,
which is kind of fascinating. I knew nothing about.
I knew nothing about pearls actually and this amazing.
Well, I just got a call from a Filipino lady a few years ago
said I'd like to come and show you golden pearls.
And I said really that interested in pearls.
But why the very fact that she was a Filipino.
I was like, OK, well come and see me.
And the reason for that is because I everything we made at
links of London was made in the Philippines.
So I felt very, I feel very grateful to that country.
Anyway, she came to see me and she said she explained to me
that pearls are normally sold in by the bucket load at auction.
Bucket. Buckets.
Giant buckets.
And all graded and the same size or are you buying?
I think you you'll buy a grade but then you got to sort it from
the bucket. Wow.
But the point being is that the Pearl farmer, the original Pearl
farmer, will get nought point nought nought percent of the
bucket load. So I went back to the
Philippines and it so these golden pearls where I went to
look at come from a little island called the Ilu Ilu and
and they'd had a terrible typhoon or hurricane and so
they'd wiped out all the kind of all the infrastructure for the
Pearl farmers. But you know, going there was so
fascinating because I literally didn't know that a golden Pearl
is grown. It takes between three and four
years in the oyster. It they they put the oyster down
and they have to take it up every month to scrub every
single oyster to stop contamination.
So when you learn that and you meet the farmer who's scrubbing
it, you know that's suddenly just it's a, it's a it's a whole
eye opener. And so for me, the kind of
result of that was, OK, so the problem is that most people
exactly as you said, want to buy pearls in a perfect row.
They've got to be graded, graduated, and that could take
years and years. But for the Pearl farmer, you
know, he might only have, I don't know, 50% of what they,
what they call AAA pearls and but so he can't sell the others.
So why I the way I approach Jury is I will buy all the pearls
that I can but I'll design the the setting so that I'm able to
use all the different shapes so it's much more forgiving on the
Pearl, if that makes sense and though so yeah it's a it's a
fascinating and B it means I can use pieces, you know stones or
or stones that other people might not.
And a golden Pearl is it golden? Yes.
Only question, but. And I tell you what's so
interesting, It's not a silly question, because the way you
can tell the color of a Pearl is if you just prize the oyster
open just slightly, the rim of the oyster will dictate what the
color of the Pearl is. God, how beautiful.
But I mean, actually would make a lovely documentary, wouldn't
it? I did a little film.
Did you did a film? It's on my website.
Now you are a woman designing for women.
Are you conscious of the fact that a lot of your customers are
women buying for themselves? Gosh, you know I never expected
this, but 8085% of my clients are women buying for themselves.
That's lovely, it's. But you didn't expect that when
you founded Anushka? I wanted it to be the vast
majority, but I didn't expect it to be quite that high.
I'm absolutely thrilled by it, I think absolutely fantastic.
Because I the thing I love about Anushka is that, yes, it's very
luxury, but there's also, I think you're very clever and
mindful of the end cost. So I think you you know, it's
like you use 14 karat gold. Did you say rather than?
Those those chains that you've got on they they they are 14
karat but that's that's that's about price but also
predominantly about whether how hard wearing it may be etcetera.
But I think it's different. If you're a woman design, it
sounds so obvious, but if you're a woman designing for women
wearing jewelry, it's a bit like you, you know, you understand
how clothes should fall, how they feel, how they make you
feel, etcetera. But I think not everybody
understands, you know. For example, I only pierced my
ears like 7 years ago or. Something I find that
extraordinary? The jewelry designer who's late
to the ear piercing process. But despite the fact I've done
that, you know, I am super conscious I think as a result of
not having had pierced is of the weight of an earring of the fact
that it needs to move. It needs to, you know, it needs
to be playful because actually one if you think about it, once
you've got an earring on, you've forgotten what you've got on
your ears unlike rings, bracelets.
So it's really important, it's super comfortable.
You're not constantly thinking, God, I can't wait to get this
off, you know, so, so those are some of the some of the
considerations, I think. So would you say you you design
First off with yourself in mind? What would I really love to
wear? Yeah, always.
Sadly. Well, not sadly actually,
because I yeah, that is how I designed.
And also, if I wouldn't wear it, I won't make it.
Yeah, then it shouldn't be in the collection, shouldn't be in
the collection. I I've always said that now you
are self-taught and you're in an industry full of gemologists.
Yeah, Any imposter syndrome ever because of that.
'Cause I so, so I often get asked this question and yes,
yes, total imposter syndrome on one level.
So if you'd asked me five years ago, no, maybe seven years ago,
and I'd never met you before what I did, I would.
My answer probably would have been I have a jewelry business.
I wouldn't have said I'm a jewelry designer.
And I think that despite the fact that I, I absolutely
design, you know, with with my tiny little team, I design all
the pieces. But I think that came from not
not having trained. I can't draw.
If you could see my sketches, they are worse than shopping.
And I think it was just that. I think it's literally just that
that therefore I I can't call myself a designer because I
can't actually physically kind of draw it.
So I think there's imposter syndrome on that from from that
perspective. Well, you've done very well on
that. And sort of moving forward, any
really exciting projects up your sleeve that you can share?
Not that I can share. Got lots of very exciting
projects for next year, but I'm not quite ready to share yet.
Collaborations. Yes, collaboration and actually
one we, I did a collaboration a few years ago with the Vampire's
wife with Susie Cave and so we are going to extend that.
So we're going to make that into a really lovely collection of
earrings. Oh, how fantastic but.
It's not done yet. And did that come about because
you were friends? Yeah.
Friends and Susie lives in Brighton and we live, you know,
just along the coast. So yes, it came about from that.
It was a fun project. We literally did it at the
kitchen table and you know, it it it was just a really fun
thing to do. But I often think those those
lovely sort of. I don't want to call them
effortless ideas because no idea is comes without sort of a lot
of inspiration. But but I think when?
When creativity moves in a fluid way, you come up with some
magic. It's you're it's you're so
right. It's also really interesting
kind of it's a it's a interesting thing to do because
you're quite aware of the other person and their, you know,
their approach. So you know you always do it
this way and then suddenly somebody comes from the other
side from fashion perhaps and Suzie's case where she doesn't
understand that that whatever the the complications are and I
don't understand this, it's just a really fascinating.
Because jewelry is by its very nature, it's, it's so hard.
There's nothing that flows other than chains, I suppose, but
nothing flows around the body like a dress does.
It's really, it's a very different dynamic, very
different. So today we're going on a style
journey. I'm going to kick off by saying
how did you decide what you were wearing here today?
Oh God today. How do I?
Well I love colour. I really love colours so I you
you know I love that in my jewelry and I love that in in
clothes. I Green's one of my favorite
colours and I think the jewelry looks good on.
Green. Is it because you've got green
eyes, do you think? No, I do.
I just love green. But gold does look beautiful.
Yes, in green on it. Yeah, but weirdly, I don't wear
a lot of green jewellery. Weirdly, but I love green
clothes. As a foil.
Yeah, you wear a lot of green. Don't.
You I I love. I'm a khaki girl.
Yeah, you. Yeah.
I think it's a blonde thing, isn't?
It. But maybe it is.
I don't know. I know I love.
I love green. And I increasingly I don't wear
black too close to my skin. You look great.
I figure I'm wearing a lot. Of Yeah.
Yeah. No, I.
Get a lot of blonde, yeah, but so green.
Roll neck jacket by. Jacket by.
Testing you there, no. I'll tell you in a minute.
I've got to remember. Look it up.
I'll have to look it up. Can't remember but cheap and
cheerful. But how?
How do you put your look together in the morning?
Well, I like it to be a simple, I mean in in a perfect world I
like to wear a dress or a jumpsuit every day because then
there are no decisions. So I do like that, but I but
actually I wear lots, lots of trousers and very, very simple.
And I I've learnt recently very as I say, I love colour and I
used to really gravitate to pattern, but that doesn't do
much with my jewelry, so I so I've had to kind of reign that
back a bit. The most important thing is I
want to feel totally comfortable but very pulled together.
I think it's so much about confidence and how you feel.
Yeah. Would you say you were exposed
to fashion at a young age? Oh gosh, my mother had a kind of
interesting fashion sense. Because was she Russian?
Yes, she was Russian. Yeah, she was Russian.
You know when you're growing up you're you're you're fiercely
conscious of what all your friends think and.
Because you're an only. Is that right?
Yes. Child, yeah.
And my mother used to be. She's to come to school.
I mean in the most outrageous gear.
And everybody else was wearing in a twin set in pearls and
tweed. A mum would arrive with pink
dyed hair, A kind of poncho with feathers all over.
I mean, you just wanted to die. Are we talking 70s?
And we're talking late 70s, Yeah.
Yes. Yeah.
Anyway, it was really bad and you could see people in the
corridor going, I can see that woman.
Knows and Did your mother allow you to make your own style
choices, or were you encouraged to have pink hair and a poncho?
No, no, she she no, she didn't make me have pink hair and a
poncho. But she did get me in some
really shocking outfits. I mean, Laura Ashley, but I
mean, I've frilly collar. You're all probably good now,
but. It was the era.
I know, but I felt like I was a real tomboy.
So, so that's my next question is what was your earliest
sartorial memory, your style memory that you realized the
impact of clothes either in a good way or a bad way.
I figure it might might be a bad way.
Well that was the 1st way I was this apricot frilly shirt that.
Anyway, that was a really bad way.
So very. That your mother had chosen.
For you, Yeah, we went to Dore, Ashley together and she said, oh
darn, you got to wear this, you know?
Anyway, I remember absolutely not wanting to wear that, but I
think what this is kind of a weird answer to your question.
But I think my very first real memory of of how important
clothes, shoes, etcetera is, I was taken, I worked for my
godfather was Mark Burley and very early on it was my first
job actually. I worked for him as his PA and
and he obviously didn't think much of my shoes or whatever
else I was wearing. So he said.
Darling, I'm going to take you to this funny new little shoe
shop that's just opened in old church St.
Manolo Blahnik. Lucky girl.
I didn't know that at the time. And they were.
And they bought ME3 pairs of Manolo Blahniks.
Good godfather. Yeah, good godfather.
But I don't think I'd appreciate it.
At the time I just thought, these are just bloody
uncomfortable because at the time I haven't got the most
beautiful feet. But anyway, he insisted I had to
wear these to work every day and it would make me feel, you know,
So that was my that was my, my most vivid memory.
And did those Manolos make you feel grown up and empowered?
Yes, I think they definitely did.
Could you describe them to me? Yeah, I could just, I could
certainly describe. The same in different colours
or? No one was Navy blue.
Kind of. I don't know what you call that
kind of kitten. Manolo heel, I guess quite
pointed lizard strip in the middle and just to kind of
rather beautiful Manolo court shoe, but not a traditional
looking court shoe. The other one was tan, kind of
kind of dark tan. And it had kind of red, like a
red ribbon going through it. Same kind of heel.
He was very keen on the heel thing, which I think was, which
is why I think he didn't. That's why he took me, because I
think I've never been gravitated to heels where you can see I
don't gravitate to them. Now I know I can't remember what
the third one was actually. But did Mark?
Read I think it might have been red.
And did Mark have quite an input into which shoes he was going to
buy? Oh. 100%, he said.
I want to see that one, that one and that one.
Oh yeah, no, no, it wasn't. And also I was, I I guess I was
17/18/18. I must have been 18.
So I wasn't really going to argue.
I was like, yeah, whatever. And that, you know, style.
I mean, of all the people in the world talk about style, he was,
you know? Mark Burnley just had it, yeah,
exuding out of every pour, didn't he?
And actually on the shoe thing, so I I remember going into his
dressing room. I mean, you would love it.
It was just blue shirts, all in absolute, you know, descending
order, you know, different kind of white green, I mean, all
absolutely lined up, Immaculate. And he had this collection of
shoes that you just die for. And he was so vain.
He used to wear his shoes one size 2 small.
He did. Wow, that's painful, I thought
it thought it was only us girls suffered for heels.
Oh my goodness, did he have an impact on the rest of your style
choices, or was it particularly your shoes that he was?
I think he thought if he started with the shoes it would it would
kind of sort itself sort itself out.
So I don't remember him being particularly.
No, I don't. I no, I don't think so.
I think. I But I do think there's
something in this if you've got one beautiful thing on, whether
it's really beautiful jewelry or really great shoes or a
fantastic jacket, the rest, it does elevate the rest.
Yes, it absolutely does. Yeah.
Were you interested in jewelry from an early age?
No, and absolutely. I mean, actually that's not
true. My mother had a jewelry,
extraordinary jewelry box, not brimming with precious expensive
jewels because she, you know, oh, it's stuff she'd bought at a
market or things that she bought on her travels.
Really eclectic. Which might speak a bit to the
way I design, actually. So I used to really play with
that when I was little and try things on and things.
But I I don't remember. I I certainly never thought I
wanted to design jewelry as my career.
And when she died, you obviously inherited her jewelry.
Do you ever go back into her jewelry box and sort of look for
inspiration there? A lot, all the time.
How interesting. Yeah, I note it all the time.
And it's so interesting, isn't it, how you know, very few ideas
are truly original and you know, there might be something that
reworked originals. Yeah, reworked.
Or different interpretation or scale, different scale,
different. So yes, I I go to it a lot
actually and and it's interesting every time you go to
it you see something different you you have a different
perspective on on what's in there.
Yeah, how lovely. Do you keep it in its original?
Yes. Jewelry box?
Lovely. Being in the design world for so
many years, have you ever felt that that being stylish was a
burden? Was was sort of important an
important part of who you are? Yes, I think.
I think. I do think it's the important
part of who of who you are, how you present yourself and most
importantly about it's about the confidence thing.
Because until, I don't know if men feel like this, but I think
as a woman you don't really feel dressed until you've until you
feel like it's pulled together and then you're kind of ready to
face the day. And you asked me earlier about
what, you know, how I decide to get dressed in the morning.
Everything I own is very unfussy.
So I will never be wearing something that I've got to kind
of keep adjusting the bow or got to.
I don't know. I just want it to be on over and
not worry about it anymore. When do you feel you really
acquired your fashion mojo? God, I think I probably still
working on it. I think it's probably more
recent. Yeah, it's interesting how the
the more I talk to women about this, the later it can be.
But do you think that's because you kind of bit more confident
in yourself? Yes, I do.
And I think you, you turn inwards to a degree and you just
say what works for me. And I and I love that when when
people ask advice, I just say, OK, start with how you're
feeling and then picture yourself in this event or that
event or walking down the aisle. How do you want to feel when
you're walking down the aisle or walking into that boardroom and
and take it from there? Yeah.
Yeah, talk about boardrooms. You and your husband John Famous
famously created the jewellery brand Links of London in 1990,
same year as Amanda Wakeley. I remember coming to your very
first shop on the Fulham Rd. And then you sold it in 2006.
Do you think your style changed dramatically then?
Because you'd done a great deal? Bravo.
When you know you weren't flat working flat out anymore, you're
probably spending more time with the kids, school gates, all of
that. Do you remember consciously
changing your dress sense? No, I don't because I I've
always been kind of smart casual I guess in yeah, I I I in my
approach. So I don't, I think it's less
about that and more about, as we just said, you know, more about
feeling more confident about what my style is, what I'm
comfortable because I absolutely know if I try something on, it's
like, Oh yes, this feels at home.
And I and the other thing might really, if not feel like home
despite the fact it had a lot of hanger appeal.
Does that answer the? Question.
It does. It does.
Going on to to jewelry or you know you're a famous jewelry
designer, how, how do you feel about the mega brands now
muscling in on your your territory, I guess with monster
advertising budgets and even bigger price tags.
How does that how does that feel to you?
Yeah, I mean it it's it's a difficult one because in one
way, you know, when we started in 2009, there was very, the
landscape was very, very different as you quite rightly
say. You know, there was very little
between links of London Silva, Cartier and the high Jewelers
where you where you really needed to spend, you know,
probably 6 figures to do something to get something that
wasn't what I deem is corporate jewelry.
So there was very little in between.
My goodness, the landscapes changed.
But it's frustrating in one way, but in another way it's for
those for those women that don't want to wear identifiable
pieces, albeit they may be more affordable than some of the
higher pieces that those those brands do.
I think in a way it's given them permission to buy more of their
own jewelry, but quite a lot of those women don't want to, they
want to wear something that's much more personal that means
much more to them and is is kind of designed in, do you know it
could be one or it could be very small quantities, but so I think
you know we can't compete. I mean there's no question about
that. There's no, there's no
competition in terms of marketing spend etcetera,
etcetera. But you you created this
beautiful concept, I have to say, which I been lucky enough
to go on the journey of my life in Seven Charms, whereby you
make custom pieces for customers who are inspired by different
moment, moments or chapters in their life.
How? How did that idea come about?
Do you know the really honest answers are absolutely loved as
a tile and discs and I thought as I was listening to it, I was
thinking I could so do this in jewelry because music's one
thing but jewelry is something that will be here forever and
will, you know, I really feel that jewelry is all about the
moment, what it means to you, why you got it on that
particular for that particular you know date or whatever memory
it encompasses. So, so I was that's that's kind
of how it happened. I just thought I could make a
piece of jewelry for each stage in in people's lives and and it
will be here forever and you've probably seen that little
scrapbook that comes with. It which is beautiful.
And so, you know, for each Commission will make the
scrapbook and it's a true 18 karat gold autobiography of
somebody's life. And so for me, that's just
there's something really special about that which will last
forever. Talking about chapters in Your
Life, in 2013 you were awarded an MBE.
Congratulations. What did you wear to the palace?
I wore a Roxander dress. Describe it to me.
Green, funny enough. Funny that.
Yeah, green. Very.
Just completely plain. And I had a what I had.
I had a hat that was made by a friend of mine, Vivian Sheriff.
Oh, yes. And she made the hat, and I had
some fabulous earrings and off I went.
Fundamentally, who do you think you dressed for?
Yourself, Your husband? The event.
Myself, definitely myself. Because if I, you know, I keep
saying that. But if I if I don't feel
comfortable, I'm going to be miserable all day or all night.
Would you say you message through your clothes at all?
Probably, but subconsciously, I don't think I set out to do
that. I think I just set out to feel
really comfortable and kind of secure in my own clothes, if you
like. Does your weight or perception
of your body affect the choice of what you wear?
Definitely. 100% And we don't, we all go do our little
fattenest is my bum fattenest. Who do you, who do you really
trust their opinion in terms of what you're wearing?
So I have I I have a friend of mine who's a stylist actually,
who called Sarah Price. I'll.
I'll ask her. Sometimes she'll help me.
And does she go shopping with you or do you?
Sometimes, no. Sometimes she'll go shopping
with me and or she'll, or I mean more importantly, actually
she'll buy me or she'll pull things for me which I would look
at and go Sarah, I am never gonna wear that.
Yeah, but she's really clever. And what's been really
interesting about that particular journey has been
that, you know, I I don't, I don't, I mean, I I might say
once a year, something like that, but I look back at the
clothes that we've bought together and all of them are
relevant now. All of them.
That's that's a real tick in the box.
It's a real tick in the box. She does.
She'll just say you. The shapes change.
You've got to wear that with white trousers, not skinny
trousers or whatever. It's really interesting.
And would you say she ever takes you out of your comfort zone or
often and and in a positive? Way.
Yeah. I'll, I'll, I'll look at
something and I'll go, I'm just not going to wear that and
she'll go on try it on. And I'm like, yeah, actually.
And then you see her a month later and you're living in it.
Yeah, I'll send her a text going like, oh, this has just changed
my life. What would you say you reach for
when you want to feel empowered? Well, I think my jewelry, I
definitely do. I think, you know, whatever,
whatever you're wearing and a really good pair of earrings is
great, a really good, you know, one thing here, you know you've
got really simple clothes on, but that just, it just looks
great and that. Just it transforms, it doesn't.
It well, as you said it, it transforms or it just elevates,
or it just makes you feel good. Would you consider you have a
style icon? I knew you were going to ask me
this. And it is one of the regulars.
Absolutely. I I've really thought about it
and I think somebody like Talitha Getty.
Wow. So I think she's super elegant,
kind of pretty timeless, bit bohemian, and she doesn't have,
it's not a kind of, you know, because you want to say Audrey
Hepburn, but I wish, you know? Yes, but you're not Audrey
Hepburn. But you know, yeah, I think she
was just super stylish actually. And so yeah.
And had that Eclectus. Very eclectic.
And if you look at my wardrobe, it's pretty eclectic.
So yeah, I think Talitha Getty. Lovely, lovely.
If I were to ask someone to sum up your style in three words,
your style DNA, what 3 words would you want that person to
say Anoushka's style is? Well, I'd like to say style if
that'd be helpful, I'd like to say, I mean it depends how they
use the word eclectic because that could be, it could be like
that's that she's got absolutely no clue it all.
Works, but I would use that word eclectic for you and I think and
I think it's a very positive word.
OK, well that's that's OK. What?
What would you give me? The.
The? Question is to you, so I'm too
down. Actually too down.
One to go, I I don't know what the, I don't know what the
actual word is, but I think quite kind of structured as
well. And why do I say that?
It doesn't really matter if it's a floaty dress, it's still kind
of, it still can be structured. You know, what I'm wearing now
is still quite structured. So it feels like it's pulled,
quite pulled together. Yes, like that.
But actually, I'm really wanting you to tell me.
Afterwards. Afterwards.
Actually, I think, I think I wouldn't be 1,000,000 miles off
those 3. Do you have one item of clothing
that means the most to you? Can it be my engagement ring?
Because that's what really means most to me.
Yeah. That's really what I I I it was
the first piece of jewelry I ever designed.
I was going to say, did you design it yourself?
It was the first piece I designed.
And when I designed it, I I guess, I guess this is my
approach to designing jewelry. But I didn't realize that at the
time. I knew I wanted to wear it
absolutely. Every day.
Yeah, which I have done literally every day.
So therefore it was very practical.
You can see it's kind of very, very flat.
You know, there are no claws that things are going to get
stuck in. And I I have literally worn it
every day. Never thought I was going to
have a Ruby. I thought I was going to have an
emerald until I realized that once you put stones on your
skin, you kind of quite quickly see what works.
What doesn't work? Anyway, it's a rather dirty
looking Ruby today, but that's the thing I I wear every day.
I love that. And did you choose the Ruby
together? Yeah, tears it together.
And then you added a lot of diamonds.
I've added a bit. I've added more now because
that's the middle bit. Brilliant.
So the middle bit's the original bit.
And then I thought, you know, 33 years, four children later,
bigger is better. Bigger is better.
Anyway, so I thought I'd the. Ring that kept growing and now
on to planning and we've talked about having a stylist, which I
think is is really interesting. And as a designer, do you have a
a sort of design uniform, sort of clothes that you can
effortlessly put on every day so that you can focus on designing
jewelry? I think it's not very, it's not
very original, but I think a really good pair of jeans, I
think. Who'd you go to for a really
good pair of jeans? Well, it depends a bit.
I go to frame. Yeah.
I think mother sometimes. Yeah.
Those are the two I I. Think so Jeans and.
Jeans. Yeah, I'm afraid.
Great white shirt. Love it, But also in terms of
setting off jewelry, the understatement of a beautiful
white shirt and a pair of jeans and then great jewelry.
I mean that's it. You're set to go great kind of
cocktail ring or great pair of earrings and then you can go
anywhere really. That all sounds gorgeous, but
would you say you'd had a specific worst fashion moment?
Oh God, I've had lots of it. That Laura Ashley moment was not
a good one. I have.
To say that was as a child, as an adult.
Have I had a worse fashion moment?
I mean, I think that I can't think of one very specifically,
but I would think there have been lots and my children.
I mean, Chloe will say. What?
What are? You thinking of?
I just can't remember, but quite reasonably often I'd say.
And do you listen to their opinion?
Yeah, Chloe went for Chanel for quite a long time.
So I'm like, you listen, I listen.
Yeah, she's super stylish. I know you're a seasoned and
passionate traveller. Do you pay particular attention
to what your travel look will be?
Well, I I mean, and do I? Yes, I do.
I want to be comfortable and maybe I'm just really old
fashioned, but I I I want to be quite smart.
I normally wear a jacket. I normally wear a jacket with
lots of pockets because I've kind of got this thing.
Now I don't want to carry a bag very much.
So I'll have something which has got pockets which put the
passport and all of those things.
So I it's quite a practical approach, but I'd never go to
the airport in kind of, you know, leggings and I just, I
just wouldn't. I think that goes back to being
very fat, maybe. Oh.
Stop it. So not good Packer.
Bad Packer. Getting better Packer.
What luggage do you use? East Pack.
Brilliant, aren't they? Brilliant.
I discovered E Pack a couple of years ago.
And brilliant. I mean, I love my wheat on, but
East Pack get the Vote E pack. Light easy, yeah.
Do you plan your holiday? Looks very carefully.
Again, I'm getting better at it. So because I've lost my luggage
so many times since COVID that now I have to try and at least
get kind of. I've just been away recently and
luckily I had three days worth of things in my suitcase that I
could wear. So, and I think I'm trying
really trying to kind of dress more, more you know, so that all
everything works together. Lots of outfits for not too many
pieces. Sounds trying, trying, I hasten
to add. When you travel, do you find
yourself consciously seeking out local jewelry designers or
fashion designers? I much I I weirdly, I shop much
more when I'm traveling than than in London because I don't,
you know, otherwise It's so the whole thing's so insane, isn't
it? Wherever you go.
Have you had any sort of surprising destinations where
you've got to and thought, God, this is so rich?
Well, I mean, it depends what I'm looking for.
But I'm in Guatemala for color. Like, I thought I'd never see
color like I had in India. But Guatemala is on a whole
similar level. It's incredible.
So that's amazing. So I mean, there's so many
places, you know, Ethiopia, I mean, they're so beautiful, the
people and so elegant, just in white and just beautiful.
So there are lots of lots of different places for different.
Coming on to your wardrobe secrets, would you say you've
got a a guilty secret brand? Connolly.
Oh, how Sublime is. Connolly.
Yeah. Connolly.
Guilty secret. OK, then.
That's a very. Tense.
Guilty, yeah. It is.
I go and pretend to buy John for things and they were just have a
little look have. You have you ever justified
something on a pounds per Ware at Connolly?
Yeah, I think I do. I think I have to.
I have to, but actually it is quite good per wear.
It is. It is.
You're right. Coming on to values.
What's your approach to sustainable fashion?
So I I'm really, really trying to buy much less, less and
better. So I'm, I go to Zara
occasionally, but I no longer go to pop in for two or three
things just because you know jewelry obviously what I do find
jewelry is truly sustainable in that it will be here from now
till forever and I'm, you know, I'm a real, I don't like plated
jewelry at all. Because.
Well, because if you've got something that's gold plated,
looks like gold, you know at the end of the day it will wear off
and quite often people don't realize cause because it doesn't
mean it's inexpensive. You know, you might buy a gold
plated beautiful necklace and it might cost you hundreds of
pounds, but I don't think people realize it's gold plate.
And then when you swam a few times and it sits next to your
skin, the gold will come off. And then effectively, unless
it's replated and most people don't do that, it's landfill.
You know, and why don't most people replate?
Because they don't. They're unaware that it can be
done. I think they are unaware that it
can be done. I mean, I I I had a girl who was
doing some work for me recently and she said, oh, I never wear
that anymore because it's kind of the colors all gone off it.
So I'm I'm like, we'll just get it replated.
Hadn't even occurred to her. She didn't.
She just didn't know. I was staggered that she didn't
know that it was gold plate. She'd spent a lot of money, and
yet it's gold plate anyway, so sustainability and jewelry is
something that's important. What do you do with your clothes
when you've had enough of them? I will give them to a charity
shop. Do you ever sell them?
No, I don't sell them. I don't sell them.
It's yeah, maybe I'm just lazy, but now I really, and I'm very
involved in the Prince's Trust. Yeah.
And I and some of those, I can't remember the name of the
charity, but you know where they will give give the clothes to
young people who are who are needing to know how to go to
their first interview. Smart.
Works exactly smart. Works.
Love that charity. Love that.
Just brilliant. Yeah.
So I I do that quite a lot. Yeah.
Would you ever consider renting? I haven't considered renting.
I suspect there's a whole load of admin involved in renting.
I think I think you're right and it sounds like you hold on to
your clothes. I love my clothes, yeah.
No. And I I, you know, I I mean, so
I wouldn't not consider renting on principle.
Yeah, it's not about that. It's just about just the admin.
And also I think you only get it for three or four days or
something. So what happens if it doesn't
fit, or it does it, or look dreadful in it?
And then I'm back to square one. What is the oldest piece in your
wardrobe that's. A really good question.
I've got, I've got lots, I've got lots of my mother's clothes.
You wouldn't have thought so from what I said earlier, but
actually. And clothes that you wear.
Yeah, clothes. No, no clothes I really wear.
I've got quite a lot of clothes in the dressing up cupboard that
belong to her too. Favorite favorite piece of hers
that you wear to her? I've got a rather beautiful EVE
Sauneron blazer blazer made of. It sounds absolutely ghastly,
but it's gorgeous. It's kind of lavender noire
silk, I think. Stiffer than silk.
And what sort of era would you say that's from?
Well. I think it's probably kind of
70s, yeah. Yeah.
Anyway, I I, I, I don't. I can't wear it very often, but
I absolutely love it and it really makes me think of her.
I was going to say, does it bring you closer to?
It it definitely does. How lovely, How lovely.
Well, on that happy note, let's turn some fire questions.
What fashion advice would you give your 20 year old self?
Keep it simple. Fashion or beauty trend you
would consign to room 101. Rah rah skirts.
Your last impulse buy. Oh, impulse buy.
Oh, it'll be a pair of shoes. Views on tattoos.
Ghastly. Beauty treatment you couldn't
give up. Not many blue beauty treatments
go here. Afraid I I could do.
Was taking some up, I think. High End or High Street?
Mix. Bling or bear?
Well, obviously bling. Minimalism or maximalism?
Minimalism. Couture or charity shop?
Nice to go to Couture, but do you know charity shop too?
Both. Crocs.
Cute or puke? Oh, puke.
Sneakers or stilettos? Sneakers.
Skinnies or boyfriends or wide legs?
Wide legs. Body con or boho?
Boho. Party wear or PJS?
PJS. Cashmere or cotton?
Both. Hoarder or editor?
Hoarder, charity shop or resale? Charity shop.
Shapewear or sexy lingerie? You know, sadly for John
Shapewear. Tights or stockings?
Stockings. Bikini on one piece.
One piece. Trilby or Tracy Trilby.
And finally, one last question. At the end of the day, what do
you or don't you wear in bed? I just wear my jewellery.
All of it. A bit like poco Chanel.
Just #5 love that Anushka. Thank you so much.
What fun to chat all things style and jewelry with you
today. Thank you.
I've got a lot of our questions
to ask you now.