1 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,280 Over the past few years, I've found that intermittent fasting 2 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,600 has been a great tool for keeping in shape, and I'm often 3 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:12,400 asked how I do it. That's why I'm thrilled to 4 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:16,280 introduce you to this season's sponsor, the Simple Life app. 5 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:19,920 They are a clinically proven weight loss tool that has helped 6 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,080 millions of users lose millions of pounds. 7 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:25,880 Their method doesn't involve restrictive dieting. 8 00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:29,360 You simply take the test and simple will create a 9 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:33,080 personalized fasting and nutrition plan for you to hit 10 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,080 your health goals. To take the test, go to simple 11 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:41,040 dot life forward slash Amanda. That's simple dot life forward 12 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:44,080 slash Amanda and as an added bonus, you can use the code 13 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:48,400 Amanda at check out for an amazing 70% off your plan. 14 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:55,720 Today I'm going on a style journey with British luxury 15 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,240 footwear designer, the wonderful Penelope Silvers. 16 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:03,200 Hello and welcome, Penelope. It's hello, Amanda. 17 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:05,239 It's. Lovely to have you here. 18 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:06,880 And thank you for having me. Oh. 19 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:11,600 That's such a pleasure. Congratulations on your new 20 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,440 Cotswolds store. It's your first country store 21 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:19,920 and I'm curious to know why you decided you settled on Store in 22 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,840 the World. Well, store in the world is 23 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:30,160 quite close to home and it's a very pretty historic town and 24 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:33,080 I've always wanted to have a country store. 25 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:37,680 So it's it just it was serendipity that the right store 26 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:40,600 came up at the right time. But actually I've wanted to have 27 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,800 a country store long before I had a London store. 28 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:49,280 It was always my dream to have the the concept of a country 29 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:51,560 store on the way to somewhere beautiful. 30 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:57,160 And back in back 22 years ago when I first started, people 31 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:02,320 asked me what what my dream kind of shop would be. 32 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,680 And I always said it would be on the side of the motorway on the 33 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:09,520 way out of the city to escape for the city to go somewhere 34 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,120 absolutely beautiful and bucolic. 35 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:16,920 And you know, I used to look at those wimpy bars and that 36 00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:21,640 eventually became M&S and, and think about them as perfect 37 00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:25,640 locations. But anyway, I ended up opening 38 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:30,520 three stores in London lot before I managed to convince my 39 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:32,840 team that I really wanted to be in the country as well. 40 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,960 Oh brilliant because the I always think of the collection 41 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:43,640 as being quite country inspired. If if that's a fair. 42 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:48,520 It is definitely yes, even though it sounds rather unsexy, 43 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:53,840 you know, country, country clothing has has got a certain 44 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,440 ring to it, which I don't necessarily feel totally 45 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,600 encapsulates what I do. But when I'm designing and 46 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:06,400 thinking, thinking about what we stand for and how I want people 47 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:11,440 to wear our our shoes and boots, it's always in a beautiful 48 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:15,000 landscape, one with nature feeling free. 49 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:17,280 Yeah, that, that's really beautiful. 50 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:22,560 And I do actually feel that the country and the Cotswolds in 51 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:26,960 particular, is having a massive, massive moment. 52 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:32,600 I mean, you know, with everything from Daylesford to 53 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:36,960 Soho Farmhouse to, you know, Maison, Estelle or Estelle. 54 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:38,440 Farm Manor. Manor. 55 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:45,560 That's it And and everyone sort of who you would expect to be 56 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:52,800 quite towny, people are now going out and enjoying the 57 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:56,160 splendor of the British countryside and so it must be 58 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:59,080 actually really brilliant for a brand like yours. 59 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:04,320 Yeah, I think post COVID, there's certainly been that, 60 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:11,520 that direction that people have wanted to go in out of the city 61 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,200 and and, you know, so many people actually left the city 62 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:21,839 for for the time of lockdown, but it's also badly needed. 63 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:27,160 I think. I hope I can justify to some of 64 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,080 the older generation living out in the country who say to me, 65 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,680 oh, you know, don't bring sophistication, let's just keep 66 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:37,720 it how it is. But I have taken on a very old 67 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:41,600 store in a market town where there's always been commerce, 68 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,440 the history of commerce, you know, thousands of years back. 69 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,800 And I feel like the custodian of a beautiful old place that needs 70 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:55,880 restoration, revival and energy. Possibly one of your most iconic 71 00:04:55,880 --> 00:05:02,080 styles is your gorgeous long tassel boot, particularly loved 72 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:06,080 and worn for many years by our beautiful Princess of Wales. 73 00:05:07,280 --> 00:05:12,960 Do you know how she came to own a pair of your boots in the 1st 74 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:14,840 place? Were you aware that she did or 75 00:05:14,840 --> 00:05:18,200 was the first you saw when you saw a fabulous picture of her 76 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,600 looking great in country clothing? 77 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:26,400 I think that the first time I met Kate and her mother was at 78 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:31,920 Spirit of Christmas where she bought a pair of boots and she 79 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:35,320 obviously liked them a lot and wore them again and again. 80 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:39,400 But it was that moment when there was an image that went 81 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:45,160 viral of her wearing the boots the day that they got engaged. 82 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:49,080 Gorgeous. And that went viral all over the 83 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,640 world, and she'd had the boots for quite a long time by then. 84 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:57,160 And did your website crash? Did you sell hundreds of pairs 85 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:57,960 overnight? I'm. 86 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,000 Not sure if I even had a website then. 87 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:02,560 I didn't have a shopping website. 88 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,720 It was very early on, but I had a wholesale website. 89 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:09,080 And did the phones ring off the hook? 90 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,200 Yes, they did. And she continues to wear them 91 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:15,240 to this day. Yeah, and I have to say, I have 92 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:17,280 a pair. They are fantastic. 93 00:06:17,280 --> 00:06:19,000 They last forever. They last forever. 94 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,000 They look great. There's something, I mean, I 95 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,360 love a good pair of wellies, but there's something about that 96 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:28,200 long tassel boot that just looks a bit chicer, a bit more 97 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,400 feminine than than a good old pair of wellies. 98 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,040 I it was the first boot I ever made. 99 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:38,440 It was when I was living in Barcelona and I used to go 100 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:42,560 riding in my lunch break in Koicerola, which is a park above 101 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:47,360 the city and. That sounds so glamorous. 102 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:49,880 Sorry. I used to go riding in my my 103 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,360 lunch break. That's just fantastic. 104 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:55,120 So. So you decided that you needed a 105 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:57,560 boot. Well, I went to a horse fair and 106 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:02,720 met an artisan and got chatting. I, I was already working with 107 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:05,880 artisans and craftspeople in Spain. 108 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:07,720 That was what I did when I lived in Barcelona. 109 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,880 And so I got talking to him and I'm fascinated in design and we 110 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:16,400 designed the classic Spanish riding boot to my own 111 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,920 measurements and design where I tweaked the ankle. 112 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:24,080 It used to be more of a unisex style, but I made it very 113 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:28,120 feminine and slightly longer. And that was the first pair of 114 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:31,080 boots I I ever made. I wasn't, I didn't have a 115 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:33,000 business then. I was doing something else. 116 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:37,680 I was designing other things. And at that stage, did they have 117 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:41,000 the chunky sole or were they a leather sole? 118 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:45,560 More of a riding boot sole. I put on the chunky cell, yeah. 119 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:50,480 Fantastic, fantastic. I mean, I think we have a mutual 120 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:55,760 love of timeless design, which I, I guess from a business 121 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:59,960 perspective has its challenges because your design, you've 122 00:07:59,960 --> 00:08:02,920 designed pieces that last for a very long time. 123 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,840 How do you overcome that in terms of driving the business 124 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:12,520 forward? There are plenty of people out 125 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,040 there and everybody needs footwear. 126 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,520 So I'm not worried about my product lasting for a very long 127 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:20,120 time. In fact, I'm very proud of it 128 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,640 and I really believe in making things for longevity. 129 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:31,080 And I think I also believe in teaching our customers how to 130 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,360 care for their boots. I mean, today I'm wearing a pair 131 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,280 of boots that are three years old that I've had resold already 132 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:44,520 and I love to Polish them and it's part of our DNA. 133 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,080 There is something lovely about the patterner of time, isn't it? 134 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:52,080 And the artisans that make our boots, particularly our 135 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:57,400 equestrian boots, are experts in making footwear to last for a 136 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,320 very long time. It's what they've always done 137 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:01,800 and they've taught me really my trade so. 138 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:05,520 And so with do you have two collections a year? 139 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:09,920 How does how does it work or or do you drip feed new product in 140 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:12,480 throughout the year? Yes, we've started doing that. 141 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,440 So it's it's an evolution rather than a revolution. 142 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:19,480 Yes, Yeah. Nicely put. 143 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:23,640 Yeah. I love that I I always feel that 144 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,760 clothes and accessories should be an evolution rather than a 145 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:30,880 revolution. We, you know, we get through too 146 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:35,080 much stuff and we should be buying less, buying better, 147 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:37,920 cherishing it, which I think is. Yes, and also the design 148 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:40,080 process. You know, I do start a year in 149 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:45,680 advance to think about what people will be needing in in a 150 00:09:45,680 --> 00:09:49,200 year's time. And I like to try and make kind 151 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:51,840 of the essential wardrobe for a woman. 152 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:54,640 So I try to keep it as lean as possible always. 153 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:58,800 And sometimes I miss things at the time, but I work with 154 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:01,640 factories in Spain, so they're all close to home. 155 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:04,920 So we're still quite agile. And if I think about something 156 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:09,000 that we've forgotten, I'm able normally to turn it around quite 157 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,800 quickly. Now talking about a capsule 158 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:17,640 wardrobe, if if I said to you, what would be in your capsule 159 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:23,520 wardrobe of shoes and boots at an absolute minimum, what would 160 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:25,520 those pieces be? Well, there would be an ankle 161 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,480 boot, probably on a crepe sole that you can run around in. 162 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:32,720 There would be a trainer or a walking boot that you could walk 163 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:37,800 on, walk in and get exercise, you know, wherever you go, 164 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:43,320 walking to work or just going for a quick Sprint. 165 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:47,560 I, I, I walk twice a day and I don't normally put on special 166 00:10:47,560 --> 00:10:49,440 trainers. I wear my own boots or shoes, 167 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:55,680 whatever's comfortable. A party shoe, probably flat and 168 00:10:55,680 --> 00:10:56,320 high. Yeah. 169 00:10:57,560 --> 00:11:00,800 I wear a pair of clogs because we have very cold floors in the 170 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:02,320 country and I love to wear those. 171 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:04,680 But I also love I've. I find them incredibly 172 00:11:04,680 --> 00:11:07,200 comfortable at the end of a day as well, when you've been 173 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:12,840 wearing something different. A pair of velvet slippers for 174 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:14,520 the evening. I find those incredibly 175 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:17,000 comfortable and beautiful and timeless. 176 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:19,960 I don't think I can think of much else. 177 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:24,080 But do you know what I I think that covers pretty much 178 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:26,040 everything. I mean, just talking velvet 179 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:30,720 slippers for a moment, these exquisite ones that that you 180 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:34,400 bought today, Talk to me about those. 181 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:42,440 So that was a collaboration with a group of of safari camps in 182 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:47,520 Rajasthan owned by Anjali and Jaisal Singh and they're called 183 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:51,720 Sujan, the group, and they all offer something entirely 184 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:56,600 different, but they are all conservation projects that I 185 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,640 found. I went, I went there to find out 186 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:01,960 what they were about. And it was the most impressive 187 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:10,960 effort to conserving the local landscape and wildlife that I've 188 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:13,520 ever seen. Absolutely extraordinary. 189 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:17,800 And these, these slippers were dedicated to the conservation of 190 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:20,800 the tiger, which is in dangerous extinction. 191 00:12:21,560 --> 00:12:27,920 And we dedicate 10% of every pair of slippers that we make to 192 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,680 the conservation project. That's Suzanne. 193 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:35,280 And can you just talk me through the design process because 194 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:39,560 you've got the most extraordinary looking tiger on 195 00:12:39,560 --> 00:12:43,560 these embroidered absolutely beautifully on this deep, deep 196 00:12:43,680 --> 00:12:48,240 green velvet. But just just talk to me about 197 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:53,160 did did you draw that tiger and then get it embroidered? 198 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:55,400 How? We drew it together, Angele and 199 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:59,800 I Yeah, she already draws her and her, the tigers that she 200 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,720 knows, they, she knows quite a few of the local tigers that 201 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:07,120 that move around the camp and they see them sometimes at 202 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:09,800 night. And it's within the Ranthambore 203 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,840 Forest. So the dark green velvet is 204 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:16,240 represents the Ranthambore forest. 205 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,720 And the tiger. I had to adapt to the shape of 206 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:22,960 the upper of the slipper, the pattern. 207 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:28,440 And Anjali was very particular. She said no, no, that those gels 208 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:30,000 need to come out a little bit more. 209 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:36,280 It's looking like a Chinese tiger and the the the ears need 210 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:42,000 to be a certain shape and the markings need to be in certain 211 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:44,800 places. So it took quite a long time and 212 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:50,800 it's all in, in gold, metallic thread, in three tones and the 213 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:54,240 negative is the velvet. Absolutely exquisite. 214 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:58,960 Now talking India, you did a collaboration with India Hicks, 215 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:00,200 didn't you? Yes. 216 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:02,840 Yeah. Can you know what brought that 217 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:07,240 about, that collaboration about? South India is one of our PC 218 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:10,920 pioneers, which is a name that we give to all the women that 219 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:18,800 inspire me as a designer but also the brand to to embrace the 220 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:22,720 women that we admire and. I love that. 221 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,440 By the way, I was looking at on your website as I was sort of 222 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:30,760 pulling together my, my research and you've got such a lovely 223 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:35,640 cross section and, and some surprising women on there, which 224 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:37,960 I think surprising is always inspiring. 225 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,840 Well, she very kindly asked me to do the footwear for her 226 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:44,800 collection. And then we're also bringing 227 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:48,320 back something that I think our customers are going to be really 228 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:51,920 excited by, which is the first cowboy boot that I ever did with 229 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:55,400 her that you're wearing today. Which I love, by the way, and I 230 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:59,240 love a cowboy boot with a skirt and so yes. 231 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,360 It's got a particularly long shaft which is incredibly 232 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:06,440 elegant, designed especially for India who's got very long legs. 233 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:09,480 So today we're going on a style journey. 234 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:14,280 I want to know how you decided what you were putting on this 235 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:15,600 morning. I'm wearing. 236 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:18,480 I will start with the footwear. I was going to ask you that, Do 237 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:21,480 you always start with your footwear and then work work on 238 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:24,440 up? And maybe not if I'm at home not 239 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:27,520 wearing anything, but if I'm going to be, yes, if I'm going 240 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:31,600 to work, yeah, I do. And today I'm wearing a pair of 241 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:36,240 pull on brown boots and a vegetable dyed leather and they 242 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:38,200 were the second pair of boots I ever made. 243 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:44,120 So after the long tassel boot, I made these and I haven't had 244 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:46,360 them for a long time. I mean, I've had my own which 245 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:49,800 are 20 years old and I've had versions of them, but I haven't 246 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:51,440 had them in the collection for a long time. 247 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:57,880 But I wanted to go back to it and offer something bespoke for 248 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:00,720 the new store in Stowe, because it's in the middle of horse 249 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:06,520 country, English horse country. I wanted to to provide a new 250 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:11,000 equestrian boot, not to just be worn on horseback, but also to 251 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,120 be worn with skirts like I'm wearing today. 252 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:16,360 And so we're offering it in three different calf 253 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:21,800 measurements and I think 6 different Leathers, and we're 254 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:23,560 embroidering people's initials on it. 255 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:28,720 How lovely and how long does the the process take from me coming 256 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:33,880 in and ordering mine with my initials and all of that to me 257 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,120 pulling them on? Six weeks. 258 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,160 God, that's quick. Yeah, that's incredible. 259 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:41,520 And so lots of different colours. 260 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,120 Yeah, well, just classic colours. 261 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:47,480 These are boots to be worn, you know, throughout the year. 262 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:52,640 So we've got our classic Conquer brown and black and an amazing 263 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:57,840 tan, natural tan and then different suede colours like 264 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:01,000 khaki and Navy and bitter chocolate. 265 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:04,119 Gorgeous, gorgeous. So you've got your riding boot 266 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:08,280 on with a denim skirt. Denim skirt that was made by a 267 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:12,160 friend of mine and a shirt that I bought on holiday in Spain. 268 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:14,960 It looks very Spanish. I'm not very good at my brands 269 00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:20,880 and and then my jacket that I was wearing earlier is Lagazel, 270 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:26,800 which is a brand that make jackets and coats and boleros 271 00:17:26,839 --> 00:17:32,040 out of vintage blankets. Oh gorgeous. 272 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:36,400 And we, we are representing them in still in the world. 273 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:39,760 We've got a little area in the shop that's a pop up for other 274 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:44,120 brands and I've specifically chosen small British brands that 275 00:17:44,120 --> 00:17:46,360 do really unusual things. Lovely. 276 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,200 I love vintage, so yeah. Yeah, I know. 277 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:53,000 I love the the whole feeling of upcycling. 278 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,040 Yes. Can you tell me a bit about your 279 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:59,000 necklaces because they are striking me as so beautiful. 280 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:04,920 Thank you. Well, this medallion was given 281 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:10,080 to me by by my factory after a pilgrimage that we walked on 282 00:18:11,120 --> 00:18:15,280 together. It's the Rothea and where I make 283 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:22,320 boots in Spain everybody pays homage to once a year and goes 284 00:18:22,360 --> 00:18:27,640 on a horseback ride to to Rothia, which is a place in 285 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:33,160 southern Spain and it was probably the most incredible 286 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:35,840 journey I've ever been on. How long does it take? 287 00:18:36,360 --> 00:18:39,720 2 days. Wow, and you were on. 288 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:43,160 I was actually on foot. On foot, Yeah, Wow. 289 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,520 But a lot of people are on horseback around you. 290 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:47,320 Yes. How magical, Yes? 291 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:51,120 Half are on foot and and the restaurant on horseback. 292 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:56,640 It's it's I found it very inspiring and wonderful. 293 00:18:57,160 --> 00:18:59,880 And I was christened on the pilgrimage to be at Rothiera as 294 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:03,080 well. And it's kind of feels like a 295 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:09,000 good luck, good luck token to to my business, really all the 296 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:12,040 first people who started making. And do you do you find yourself 297 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,680 wearing that every day? Most days, yes. 298 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,640 Do you ever reach for it when you think I just want a little 299 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:21,800 bit of extra confidence? Yes, I probably do. 300 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,000 Yeah. Now you grew up in England, were 301 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:27,920 you very aware of your mother's style growing up? 302 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:36,240 Yes, I think my mother was. Both my parents enjoyed clothes 303 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:40,240 and I think I think my mother was very stylish. 304 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:46,040 I do remember one of my earliest memories was spending hours in 305 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:51,800 her silk scarf drawer tidying and putting colors together and 306 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,600 folding them and looking at them. 307 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:57,000 I loved that moment and I can remember it and I used to. 308 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,840 It was a big treat to be able to go and tidy her silk silk scarf 309 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:03,360 drawer. How old were you, do you reckon, 310 00:20:03,360 --> 00:20:05,680 when you were doing that? I can't remember that, it's 311 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,120 probably the earliest memory. I must have been 6 or. 312 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:14,120 And and was it the feel or was it the colours or the patterns? 313 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:16,280 It was all of that. It was all of that. 314 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:22,040 I know you were very influenced by childhood holidays in Spain. 315 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:26,480 Can you tell me about what what were the particular influences 316 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:28,640 there? Yes, I feel like my creativity 317 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:31,240 awakened in Spain. It felt very exotic and 318 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:34,080 beautiful. We had we used to spend summer 319 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:37,920 holidays there and I remember there was a there was a family 320 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:40,800 who lived next door who only wore white. 321 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:44,200 I thought they looked so exotic. White and bare feet to go to the 322 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:45,840 square for a drink in the evening. 323 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,520 And they were probably gorgeously tanned to. 324 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:50,440 And were they, were they Spanish? 325 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:56,120 Yes, yes. And I also remember finding I, I 326 00:20:56,120 --> 00:21:00,000 remember my first, first shoes that I have, you know, my mother 327 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:01,280 gave me at the end of the holiday. 328 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:03,800 It was a treat to go shoe shopping at the end of a summer 329 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:08,840 holiday and I remember buying some moccasins in a beautiful 330 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:13,360 bullhide leather which I absolutely adored and my very 331 00:21:13,360 --> 00:21:18,000 first cowboy boots as well. And what colour were your 332 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:21,360 bullhide moccasins? They were a beautiful tan, the 333 00:21:21,360 --> 00:21:23,120 perfect tan. Lovely. 334 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:26,480 Now are are these the? Made by hand. 335 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:31,520 Al Hagatas. No no, but I I do make 336 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:34,400 alphargatas as well. So please can you tell me what 337 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,560 an alphargata is? Yes, it's an espadrille in 338 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:38,840 Catalan. Right. 339 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:42,120 Yeah, OK. And I speak. 340 00:21:42,120 --> 00:21:46,520 Spanish and Catalan as well. I I can tell just by the way you 341 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:50,560 say Catalan. Why does it need to be in 342 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:55,400 Bullhide? Bullhide is a is a cut of of 343 00:21:55,400 --> 00:22:00,600 cowhide, but it's particularly thick and wrinkly and beautiful 344 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:04,040 textural. And does it have a certain flex 345 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:05,720 to? It, yes, you don't need, well, 346 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:07,520 you don't need to line it, which is lovely. 347 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:10,560 Yeah, those natural vegetable dyed Leathers that I use, 348 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:13,960 there's only one tannery really left that does it. 349 00:22:14,360 --> 00:22:17,160 In Spain. In Spain and I love their 350 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:21,240 Leathers, we make belts and wallets and. 351 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:24,360 And can you? Can you? 352 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:28,520 For those of us who don't might not know what veg tan means, can 353 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:31,680 you just explain that? So vegetable dye just means that 354 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:37,680 there are no chemicals used and our particular hides are oiled 355 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:42,320 in cabraccio, which is a kind of oil that comes from a tree and. 356 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:47,920 So it's all an incredibly natural process, because 357 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:52,560 otherwise the tanning process is pretty chemical, isn't it? 358 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:55,560 Yes it is. And now we've started using gold 359 00:22:55,560 --> 00:23:00,800 rated tanneries for any of our other Leathers just to make sure 360 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,400 that we we know what's being used. 361 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:07,120 What's your view on vegan leather? 362 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:11,880 I say vegan leather. I don't have much of A view on 363 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:15,200 it yet because I haven't started using it because I haven't found 364 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,560 one that works in the same way as natural Leathers. 365 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:23,000 If I could and it was biodegradable, which for me is 366 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:26,680 the most important thing. You know what I worry most about 367 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:31,040 being in production is waste and where it goes to. 368 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:35,800 And I can't bear the thought of any of our products sitting in 369 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:43,760 the ground and not biodegrading. So until a vegan leather is 370 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:46,840 created the way, it hasn't got any plastic in it. 371 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:52,840 I know you love an animal print, hence me wearing 1 today. 372 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:58,480 Is that just for show shoes or do you enjoy wearing animal 373 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:02,520 print on on your body? I love wearing animal print. 374 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:05,200 It's perfect neutral. And I think it's. 375 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:10,760 I love it, yeah. Have you ever been inspired to 376 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:13,960 venture into Ready to Wear because you've got this sort of 377 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:18,920 lovely brand, the timeless shoes and boots? 378 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:22,640 And I just wondered if you've ever thought, OK, well, I could 379 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:28,840 take that one step further. I would love to, I would 380 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:30,840 absolutely love to give me the brief. 381 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:37,000 Funny enough, a lot of people ask us, you know, when we're 382 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:40,440 styling our footwear, we always obviously need clothing and we 383 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:46,200 try really hard to style well. We it isn't, it isn't difficult, 384 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:49,120 it isn't trying hard. We really enjoy styling with 385 00:24:49,120 --> 00:24:55,320 vintage clothing and some of the vintage clothing that gets used 386 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:58,360 on our shoots. I hold onto with the thought 387 00:24:58,360 --> 00:25:01,520 that one day I'll have an archive to to design A 388 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:04,200 collection. Yeah, it is lovely actually, 389 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:08,680 just dipping into vintage to to be inspired. 390 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:14,240 Well, I love textiles and I love my clothes, so I would love to 391 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:17,920 one day. In this content hungry world, 392 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:22,200 the social media that we inhabit, how do you feel about 393 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:26,400 being the face of your brand? I just feel incredibly lucky 394 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:28,240 that I'm still relevant, you know? 395 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:35,000 Yeah, I feel just very lucky. I mean, I love to. 396 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:38,280 I've, I've really enjoyed creating a brand. 397 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:41,760 For me, it's been like a, you know, I was trained as an artist 398 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:45,920 and painter and went to art school and building a brand, 399 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:51,480 funny enough to me has been a little bit like a work of art in 400 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:56,640 its many layers. And it's, it's conceptual side 401 00:25:56,640 --> 00:26:02,000 as well as the design side. So I love to, to think about it 402 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:05,920 and talk about it and, and represent it because it's 403 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:12,400 everything I believe in. And but there's another side to 404 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:17,360 it that I also, I really enjoy spending time on my own and I 405 00:26:17,360 --> 00:26:22,280 need to be creative. So if it steals time for me 406 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:28,520 making things and being creative and thinking through the process 407 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:34,080 of of my work, then that that can be annoying or a hindrance. 408 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:39,400 I mean, you have two daughters. Who are they now both involved 409 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:40,880 in the business? Yes, they are. 410 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:46,120 Yes, yeah. Do do do you think having their 411 00:26:46,120 --> 00:26:51,240 generation within the business, has that affected your approach 412 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:54,040 to design in any way? Yes. 413 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:56,440 I mean, wherever evolving, you know, we're in a very different 414 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:00,960 place to when I started designing 22 years ago. 415 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:06,240 I mean, fashion has moved on. Everything that the fashion 416 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:08,160 world stands for has moved on as well. 417 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:10,440 We're, you know, so much so different. 418 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:14,280 But I find it incredibly inspiring working with them. 419 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:20,520 I feel very lucky to be surrounded by by family but also 420 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:24,520 the next generation. Because am I right in saying one 421 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:26,880 of your daughters works with you on the design side? 422 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:29,200 Yes. And the other one works in 423 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:31,920 marketing, but she's also our stylist, our in house stylist. 424 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:35,840 So she dresses the model for all our photo shoots and she dresses 425 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:38,760 me as well. That's that's absolutely lovely. 426 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:43,600 How would you want your daughters, let's say, to 427 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:46,760 describe your style DNA in three words? 428 00:27:48,360 --> 00:27:51,480 Well, colour, I think I'm very colourful, so they probably say 429 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:59,880 I was colourful, eclectic and interesting possibly. 430 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,160 Yeah, like that. I like that. 431 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:04,920 Would you say being stylish is important to you? 432 00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:08,960 I suppose just because I'm a great appreciator of beautiful 433 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:18,600 things, I think that dressing with care can, you know, can be, 434 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:24,360 it partakes a bit of joy and that doesn't it? 435 00:28:24,360 --> 00:28:28,320 And. I I often talk about clothes 436 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:33,200 being our armour and I wonder if you ever think like that. 437 00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:36,800 Sometimes, yes. I mean, not very. 438 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:40,680 I don't think of it very often, but I think one of the questions 439 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:45,320 you were going to ask me today was an extravagant moment in my 440 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:46,960 wardrobe when I bought something. 441 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:49,360 Can I talk about? That you can talk about that 442 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:51,960 right now. I was thinking of probably the 443 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:54,880 most expensive dress that I've bought recently. 444 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:58,880 When I was in New York and I was I was host, there was a party in 445 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:02,720 that was hosted in my name where I was going to give a talk and I 446 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:08,160 caught something on the plane and felt terrible and I caught 447 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:13,040 flu. And there was no way I could not 448 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:18,240 turn up for this, this party full of customers that that knew 449 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:21,760 the brand. And so I bought myself a dress. 450 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:25,120 I was on the North Shore in Massachusetts and I bought 451 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:30,000 myself a beautiful emerald green dress from Anne Mashburn in a 452 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:36,600 really thick raw silk and wore that to the party with a pair of 453 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:39,160 leopard skin velvet pumps that we make. 454 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:43,480 And it kind of felt like Armour that night because I was, you 455 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:46,800 know, topped up with paracetamol and feeling terrible. 456 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:49,840 But it was turned out to be the most incredible evening, 457 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:53,920 probably thanks to my dress. And out of interest, had you 458 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:59,320 you'd obviously packed something to wear that night and and then 459 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:04,000 arrived feeling horrible and knowing that you needed a bit 460 00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:06,560 but a bit of a boost. Absolutely. 461 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:13,160 Fantastic, So what is at home? Chill out, Penelope wearing. 462 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:19,640 Well, I love a shirt. I I wear a man's shirt or a man, 463 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:23,920 you know, I'm a masculine looking striped blue and white 464 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:28,560 shirt when I'm designing and jeans. 465 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:34,880 If I asked you, do you have a style hack for staying sort of 466 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:41,400 cooler and as the years creep by, what would that be? 467 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:47,720 A good neckline like a like a shirt like you're wearing today 468 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:54,400 is really always attractive. Lucky I reach for this, isn't 469 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:58,280 it? What's your approach to hair, 470 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:04,080 makeup and manicures? I don't do enough of it because 471 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:09,800 I always feel so nice when I do. And what what's your favorite in 472 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:14,400 terms of a treat? Probably the hairdressers a. 473 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:18,680 Good blow dry, yes. Yeah, nothing beats a good blow 474 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:22,200 dry, I think. Do you have a style icon? 475 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:24,600 Yes, I've, I've been thinking about this. 476 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:28,560 I have many style icons, but I thought I would mention Karen 477 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:37,920 Blixen out of Africa. That just wonderful look when 478 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:43,880 she was played by Meryl Streep. Yeah, the jod pas and I actually 479 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:48,280 once went to Nairobi and visited Karen, which is a district 480 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:52,680 outside Nairobi named after her. And her wardrobe just had three 481 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,280 pieces of clothing in it. It had a beautiful pair of brown 482 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:59,680 riding boots and then two pairs of Jod pas, beautiful wool jod 483 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:04,200 pas with leather patches down the inside leg and a shirt. 484 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:07,520 Talking about the, you know, living in the wild or being 485 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:12,080 wild, I, I love a free woman. You know, in my, in my mind's 486 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:16,520 eye, when I'm designing someone, I'm thinking of that freedom 487 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:19,340 that a pair of boots gives you. And I was thinking of penélope 488 00:32:19,340 --> 00:32:23,200 Cruz, but I'll say it in English. penélope Cruz or 489 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:27,880 penélope Cruz, who is the most incredible Spanish actress and 490 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:32,840 in Hammon Hammon, which is one of her early films. 491 00:32:32,840 --> 00:32:38,000 I just love her wildness and freedom and hair and her face in 492 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:39,840 the wind. I just, I love. 493 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:43,040 That lovely, I love that. Inspiring. 494 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:47,360 Oh, I love that you lead an incredibly busy life. 495 00:32:47,680 --> 00:32:50,520 You know you're designing, you're travelling, either on 496 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:55,600 production or promotion. Is your wardrobe phenomenally 497 00:32:55,600 --> 00:33:00,800 organised? No, I'm really untidy, 498 00:33:01,320 --> 00:33:06,840 disorganised and my wardrobe's a mess. 499 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:12,600 Would you say you're a mood dresser or do you plan your 500 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:13,800 looks at the beginning of the week? 501 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:17,920 I'm definitely a mood dresser. I find it very difficult to make 502 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:21,320 a decision until it's 10 minutes before I have to go. 503 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:25,640 When you're unsure of what you've put on, who do you most 504 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:30,240 trust for an honest opinion? My daughters. 505 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:33,160 Would you say you've had a worst fashion moment? 506 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:38,520 Yes, I'm sure I have. I remember when I was about 16 507 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:40,600 because I think it was a 16th birthday party. 508 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:43,120 I went. God, I can't imagine what I 509 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:45,800 looked like. I wore my father's red Viola 510 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:51,440 pyjamas to a party once. I'm tiny but I thought it looked 511 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:53,560 cool at the time. Was there a dress code or you 512 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:54,480 just thought it looked? Cool. 513 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:55,800 I just thought it looked really cool. 514 00:33:55,800 --> 00:33:57,080 What? Do you know what? 515 00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:59,800 I'm sure it did, and you probably felt really cool too. 516 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:02,640 But the must have been done by my knees. 517 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:04,520 I'd. Love to see a picture of that. 518 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:11,040 Let's talk about travel. What shoes do you travel in? 519 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:13,800 I like to travel in a crepe soled boot. 520 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:16,440 We've been making Safari boots for many, many times. 521 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:19,520 So many of our customers have bought them over the years and 522 00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:22,480 this season we've done a new version of that boot, which is 523 00:34:22,480 --> 00:34:26,840 called the Rambler boot. And talk to me about what that 524 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:28,679 looks like. It's crepe soled. 525 00:34:28,679 --> 00:34:32,760 It's a Billy construction, which means that the the outside edge 526 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:35,560 of the sole has been turned out and overstitched. 527 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:39,679 Oh, lovely. Crepe sole and we've got a lace 528 00:34:39,679 --> 00:34:44,719 up version in in in a tortoiseshell print which looks 529 00:34:44,719 --> 00:34:51,199 like a large version of leopard skin print and that's what I run 530 00:34:51,199 --> 00:34:52,800 around in when I'm on photo shoots. 531 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:55,400 Yeah, and. At the factory as well, when 532 00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:56,520 we're on our feet. All the time. 533 00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:59,600 I was going to say you spend quite a lot of time in Spain 534 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:02,520 visiting factories etcetera, suppliers. 535 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:08,960 Would you say your style is different in Spain to being in 536 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:11,280 the UK? Yes, it is actually. 537 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:13,600 That's a sort of interesting question, A. 538 00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:16,040 Little bit more Spanish do. You. 539 00:35:16,240 --> 00:35:18,600 Speak fluent Spanish anyhow. Don't you? 540 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:21,120 Yeah, yeah. I lived there for 10 years, but 541 00:35:21,120 --> 00:35:23,880 I spoke Spanish really before I went to live there. 542 00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:29,840 I think my style in Spain is probably a bit more feminine. 543 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:36,680 I think the Spanish Spanish women really know how to bring 544 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:39,600 out that they're very confident with their curves and their 545 00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:44,960 femininity. And I think I probably dress in 546 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:47,080 that way when I'm when I'm in Spain. 547 00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:50,240 The Spanish are quite formal in their dress, aren't they? 548 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:52,920 Yeah. And I'm out in the sticks. 549 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:55,560 My, my factories are not in in the city. 550 00:35:55,560 --> 00:36:01,480 So I don't mean that I am wearing formal urban style. 551 00:36:02,120 --> 00:36:07,680 It's just tidier. Maybe like I've made an effort. 552 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:08,800 It's important to make an effort. 553 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:15,560 In Spain, the men and women really respect people who make 554 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:18,480 an effort with their dress. I find I find it really charming 555 00:36:18,720 --> 00:36:20,360 actually. You a good Packer or a bad 556 00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:21,760 Packer? Good Packer. 557 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:26,440 Favorite luggage? My holdall that I just wear over 558 00:36:26,680 --> 00:36:30,000 my shoulder. Which brand would you say is 559 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:37,200 your guilty secret and why? I love Ola Johnson I because I 560 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:40,840 really respect the way she uses prints and the prints that she 561 00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:44,320 that they're just, it's an intelligent, intelligent 562 00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:47,520 approach. If you had all the money in the 563 00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:52,560 world and you had a money no object brand that you could 564 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:56,960 wear, what would that brand be? I've no idea. 565 00:36:56,960 --> 00:37:02,360 I I'm, I don't think. I like that, I like that. 566 00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:07,200 What, if anything, do you feel you've got an excessive amount 567 00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:10,440 of in your wardrobe? Probably too many shoes. 568 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:11,840 Do you of? Course. 569 00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:14,960 Do. You too many shoes and I never 570 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:17,280 quite dare throw them away because they might be a 571 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:20,400 reference for the next season. I was going to ask you, do you 572 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:24,040 archive one of every style you've ever created? 573 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:28,600 No, I don't. I did start doing that and I did 574 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:32,080 think it would be a wonderful idea and kind of in my dreams, I 575 00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:38,320 thought maybe we could do, you know, an exhibition of the 576 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:43,040 development that I've gone through my career, but it just 577 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:47,040 isn't practical. Because of space and. 578 00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:48,280 Space, I suppose. Yeah. 579 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:50,320 I mean we. I hate waste as well. 580 00:37:50,320 --> 00:37:52,520 I hate the thought of something just sitting there not being 581 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:55,160 used. Yeah, yeah, but I hate the 582 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:58,560 thought of some wonderful references that you no longer 583 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:00,960 have. So do I and I'm, I can't go to 584 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:03,920 my own sample sales because of it, because I see unfinished 585 00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:07,320 work or something that I think's really brilliant and I think, 586 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:10,720 gosh, why didn't it come into the collection? 587 00:38:10,720 --> 00:38:14,440 And there's only one pair of it. So I don't go any longer because 588 00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:19,640 it makes me feel very anxious. I can understand that I'm. 589 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:22,640 Delighted that it's all being, you know, we have lovely sample 590 00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:27,280 sales and people who who wait for the for the 2 sample sales 591 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:30,560 that we have a year so that they can buy them and that makes me 592 00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:33,040 feel happy as long as I don't see it. 593 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:37,960 Do you ever, when in buying an expensive piece, do you, do you 594 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:41,960 ever justify it at sort of pounds per wear that it's going 595 00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:44,600 to last you a long time? Yes, I do, yeah. 596 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:46,560 It's a good one, isn't? It, yes. 597 00:38:48,120 --> 00:38:51,120 And isn't it funny the things that you do wear again and again 598 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:52,400 and again? Absolutely. 599 00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:54,440 And the things that you think you're going to and you don't. 600 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:57,520 Yeah, yeah. I mean I, I, I think. 601 00:38:57,520 --> 00:39:01,440 It's impossible to know. It it is, it is, but you've got 602 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:03,320 to fall in love with something and. 603 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:06,800 Got to fall in love with it and most most importantly, it's got 604 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:09,880 to be comfortable because so often you'll reach for something 605 00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:12,320 just because you know it feels good. 606 00:39:13,600 --> 00:39:15,880 What's your approach to sustainable fashion? 607 00:39:16,760 --> 00:39:20,600 Well, I like to buy vintage and I like to buy. 608 00:39:20,600 --> 00:39:22,600 I go to Portobello Rd. Because I've got that on my 609 00:39:22,600 --> 00:39:30,400 doorstep in Notting Hill Gate and I think that they're the the 610 00:39:30,400 --> 00:39:33,880 traders there are so talented, they've got such a great eye. 611 00:39:34,720 --> 00:39:36,320 And so. You always find it very 612 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:38,800 inspiring together. Are you going to the market? 613 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:41,880 Or I go to the market, yes. And the stores are great too, 614 00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:43,040 actually. Under the canopy. 615 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:45,760 Yeah, love that. Love that Friday morning. 616 00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:50,320 Friday morning, yeah. Now I used to buy clothing as a 617 00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:53,120 reference. Do you do the same thing with 618 00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:56,360 shoes? Because shoes evolve so much, 619 00:39:56,360 --> 00:40:00,800 have evolved so much through the decades, do you, do you ever buy 620 00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:03,920 shoes as as references? Yes, I do. 621 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:06,720 Yeah. Yeah, Sometimes if if it's just 622 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:10,920 it's not very often any longer because of photography, you 623 00:40:10,920 --> 00:40:12,840 know, because of social media as well. 624 00:40:12,840 --> 00:40:16,480 And you can find so much on Pinterest. 625 00:40:17,240 --> 00:40:19,920 But sometimes it's really important to buy something to 626 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:24,040 look at a detail that you can't see in a photograph, like like 627 00:40:24,040 --> 00:40:29,560 the the last, which is is the shape of the foot, the mould. 628 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:32,960 What do you do with your clothes when you've had enough of them? 629 00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:38,320 I give them to charity shops. What would you say is the oldest 630 00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:42,400 piece in your wardrobe? I've got a jersey and a kind of 631 00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:43,920 oatmeal. I don't know where it's from. 632 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:50,520 It's kind of oatmeal, chunky knit that I bought when I was 633 00:40:50,520 --> 00:40:54,720 about 18 with my father. He wanted to buy me a birthday 634 00:40:54,720 --> 00:40:57,960 present and we were shopping together, which is a very rare 635 00:40:57,960 --> 00:40:59,800 thing, which is probably where I can remember it. 636 00:41:01,040 --> 00:41:04,040 And I think we're supposed to be buying a dress for a party, a 637 00:41:04,040 --> 00:41:07,240 special occasion or something. Because I remember going home 638 00:41:07,240 --> 00:41:08,920 and my mother saying, is that all you bought? 639 00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:12,400 You know? But it was a lovely jersey and 640 00:41:12,400 --> 00:41:14,760 I'll never forget, you know, I, I still wear it. 641 00:41:15,160 --> 00:41:20,000 And do you wear it because it's a lovely jersey or because of 642 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:22,400 the memory of being with your father? 643 00:41:22,400 --> 00:41:24,800 I think it was very special because my father was really 644 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:29,400 pleased with himself for having found it with me and me being so 645 00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:31,320 happy with. It and do you know the yarn? 646 00:41:31,840 --> 00:41:35,520 I don't, but it's, it was a mohair mix and it had a lovely 647 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:37,600 high collar with buttons. Yeah. 648 00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:42,600 Lovely, now we are going. In a men's man shop, it was in a 649 00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:46,960 yeah, but it was yeah. And was it very oversized? 650 00:41:47,480 --> 00:41:51,760 Quite oversized, yes, Yeah. We're going to spin on to some 651 00:41:51,760 --> 00:41:54,320 quick fire questions. So quick answers. 652 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:57,840 What fashion advice would you give your 20 year old self? 653 00:41:57,840 --> 00:42:02,240 Buy carefully to last. Which fashion trend would you 654 00:42:02,240 --> 00:42:04,040 most like to see make a comeback? 655 00:42:04,600 --> 00:42:09,000 I love the 60s. What fashion or beauty trend 656 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:15,000 would you consign to Room 101 Crocs, your last impulse buy? 657 00:42:16,640 --> 00:42:21,400 My jacket from Lagosale. Views on tattoos. 658 00:42:23,200 --> 00:42:25,960 I don't have any tattoos and I don't like them very much. 659 00:42:27,360 --> 00:42:29,640 Beauty treatments. Because I like the natural skin. 660 00:42:30,160 --> 00:42:31,680 Beauty treatment you couldn't give up. 661 00:42:32,800 --> 00:42:34,800 I haven't really got an answer there because I don't do very 662 00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:37,320 many. I'll sometimes try something 663 00:42:37,320 --> 00:42:41,040 once and then not get into the routine of doing it again like 664 00:42:41,040 --> 00:42:45,440 the beautician tells you to do. High end or High Street? 665 00:42:46,840 --> 00:42:49,040 High end. Bling or bare? 666 00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:54,080 Bare. Minimalism or maximalism? 667 00:42:54,800 --> 00:42:58,360 Something in between. Couture or charity shop? 668 00:42:59,040 --> 00:43:02,680 Charity shop. Crocs cute or puke? 669 00:43:02,680 --> 00:43:05,600 Oh. I'm not, I'm not keen. 670 00:43:05,600 --> 00:43:08,600 Sneakers or stilettos? Sneakers. 671 00:43:09,800 --> 00:43:12,520 Skinnies, boyfriends or wide legs? 672 00:43:13,520 --> 00:43:16,240 I like them all. I've got a wide variety of 673 00:43:16,240 --> 00:43:18,680 jeans. Body corn or boho? 674 00:43:20,400 --> 00:43:23,360 Bo. Sports Lux or Rock chick? 675 00:43:25,640 --> 00:43:28,640 Rock Chick. Colour or monochrome? 676 00:43:29,240 --> 00:43:32,400 Colour. Experimental or uniform? 677 00:43:33,200 --> 00:43:35,600 Experimental. Cashmere or cotton? 678 00:43:36,520 --> 00:43:37,840 Cashmere or cotton? Both. 679 00:43:38,480 --> 00:43:42,840 Hoarder or editor? I'm not a hoarder, but I'm not 680 00:43:42,840 --> 00:43:44,600 good at editing either. Just messy. 681 00:43:46,440 --> 00:43:50,200 Charity shop or resale? Charity shop. 682 00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:56,080 Shapewear or sexy lingerie? Sexy lingerie, tights or 683 00:43:56,080 --> 00:43:58,040 stockings? Tights. 684 00:43:58,840 --> 00:44:05,480 Bikini or one piece bikini? And finally, at the end of the 685 00:44:05,480 --> 00:44:08,080 day, what do you or don't you wear in bed? 686 00:44:09,960 --> 00:44:13,720 Depends what I'm sleeping with. So is she the married woman? 687 00:44:14,840 --> 00:44:16,960 Yeah, with my husband, probably nothing. 688 00:44:16,960 --> 00:44:20,240 And with, you know, I often I end up bunking up with my 689 00:44:20,240 --> 00:44:24,680 daughters, particularly on photo shoots and and factory trips. 690 00:44:24,680 --> 00:44:28,960 And then we all wear pyjamas. Lovely, lovely Penny, Thank you 691 00:44:28,960 --> 00:44:33,840 so much for your time and coming here today and sharing your 692 00:44:33,840 --> 00:44:37,200 style journey with me. It's been a lovely conversation. 693 00:44:37,440 --> 00:44:39,520 It's been really fun, thank you so much.