In this final episode of Season 5 of my Style DNA podcast I go on a style journey withPrince’s Trust Women for Women Ambassador and transgender fashion designer Serenity Mason. Serenity started her fashion business in 2018 - Vault of Serenity, a stall in Tunstall Market, Stoke, after completing The Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme. The programme had offered her practical advice about tax, business planning and pricing her items, as well as the support of a business mentor.  

I met Serenity at a Prince’s Trust fund raising dinner and I was so struck by her and her story that I felt the best way for me to help shine a light on the incredible, life changing (and, at times) even life-saving work that the Prince’s Trust is doing was to use my Style DNA platform. It’s a fascinating and optimistic conversation and I have to thank Serenity for sharing her story so openly…to be so frank about her gender identity and her struggles.  I really hope that this is heard by many and reaches the ears of some who may find it helpful…

In this episode of Style DNA I go on a Style journey with the award winning BBC broadcaster, TV personality and DJ, bowel cancer survivor and Marathon record holder, the remarkable Adele Roberts.
Adele is a wonderfully open and vulnerable guest talking about how she never felt feminine growing up ...gravitating towards the menswear section because she didn’t feel like she fit in and feeling like she would be judged...heartbreaking actually. She is trying to be more vocal about this now to help other kids who perhaps don’t feel like they fit in. Her life partner of 20 years, Kate Holderness, is clearly helping her to understand that clothing is a form of expression and self-love, gently navigating Adele's style journey with her... 
She says that it wasn’t until she had cancer, and then a stoma, that she learned to love her body ...we talk about dressing around the stoma (which she has affectionately called Audrey...there is a story behind that) and the joy she is now finding in fashion...even wearing a bikini on a recent holiday with her stoma showing with pride.
She has written a book about her life and her cancer journey... Personal Best - From Rock Bottom to Top of the World which is a beacon of hope...she has clearly done a lot of soul searching especially when she was preparing for her record breaking Marathon run... in her opinion she was holding onto too much toxicity which was possibly the cause of her cancer...it is an inspiring read.
I hope you enjoy this sincere and soulful episode...thank you @adeleroberts for being so beautifully honest and open... I loved our conversation x

In the final episode of Season 4 Style DNA I go on a Style journey with the inimitable, iconic, Dame Prue Leith, currently best known for being a judge on The Great British Bake Off as well as her Saturday morning ITVX show, Prue Leith's Cotswold Kitchen. 
Prue is now in her 9th decade and appears to be speeding up rather than slowing down... she says she is still discovering her style with the help of her 2nd husband John who used to be in the fashion industry and loves nothing more than shopping for her. She credits him with suggesting her more youthful haircut which now sees her hair swept off her "lined forehead that was being hidden by her fringe" into a wonderful choppy crop that has honestly taken 20 years off her look...
We discuss the lasting impact of the vibrant colours that she grew up surrounded by in South Africa  - and how she loves the fact that "many women write to me and say that they never wore colour until I saw you did it" ... and with 323K followers on Instagram alone, she is a veritable Influencer... 
We talk about her love of wearing trainers and how our choice of footwear can be so transformative...either making us look older or cooler...not to mention, the power of good posture.
She talks about the joy of a super organised kitchen which translates into a super organised wardrobe...all colour coded for ease...  
We talk about the challenges of dressing for the Red Carpet ...and, in fact, her love of all things red...the red Lanvin dress she chose to wear to her pre-wedding dinner to John, her favourite red coat and a colourist once telling her never to wear red as it is an aggressive colour ...(I must admit I think fashion "colourists" have a lot to answer for) ... 
And we giggle about her dislike of Botox ... at which point I try to move my forehead...(ahem, with difficulty)... and the fact that she has never worn sexy lingerie but thinks she may still give it a go...
I so enjoyed this conversation with Prue Leith... thank you for sharing your thoughts with such warmth and humour.

In the penultimate episode of Season 4 Style DNA, I go on a style journey with the Broadcaster, Journalist and Radio Presenter …the gorgeous Kirsty Gallacher. Kirsty spent her childhood in Surrey watching her golfing legend father, Bernard Gallacher, wear “a lot of Lyle & Scott”…. She is a keen sportswoman herself and I asked her whether her fit, athletic body affects her style choices... We talk about her using clothes to help her navigate her role as a young female sports presenter for Sky, and working with a stylist especially for the thoroughly intimidating experience of dressing for the Red Carpet…and the counter to that…not having to “dress up” for her presenting role on Smooth Radio… we both agree that if you feel good in what you are wearing you will do your best job. Kirsty has always been passionate about fashion, an early job meant that she learned from the master himself, Joseph Ettedgui in Joseph on Sloane Street, but she is now a self-proclaimed capsule wardrobe fan …and how at 48 she finally feels more at ease in her skin as well as her style choices … I hope you enjoy this episode.

In this episode of Style DNA I go on a style journey with the British jewellery designer, the founder of both Links of London and Annoushka, the Creative Director and Entrepreneur, Annoushka Ducas MBE.

 

I couldn’t resist asking Annoushka her views on the difference between lab grown versus mined diamonds and how the jewellery industry is notoriously opaque…she talks about her passion for re-using existing stones from vintage jewellery and how all of her newly sourced diamonds are certified by the Kimberley Process (established in 2003 to prevent conflict diamonds entering the mainstream market) …but perhaps more importantly, the joy she still feels discovering new varieties of semi-precious stones …and how the experience of travelling to a pearl farm in the Philippines and learning about the whole process of cultivation of  golden pearls and the attention to detail and sheer hard labour that goes into pearl cultivation shone a whole new light on their beauty…

 

We laugh about the “trauma” of her mother’s appearance at the school gates …this seems to be a recurring theme with my guests!  However, in time, some of her most precious pieces in her wardrobe are pieces that once belonged to her mother…

 

She talks about her first job, being a PA to her godfather Mark Birley (the supremely stylish founder of Annabels, Harry’s Bar and Mark’s Club) and how he took her to the then newly opened Manolo Blahnik on Old Church Street and treated her to 3 pairs of shoes to elevate her appearance…and we agree that by wearing just one really special piece (whatever that may be, jewellery, shoes or a jacket) can be transformative, and can totally up your game sartorially. 

 

I ask her about the competition from the mega jewellery brands … she says that when she created Annoushka jewellery she purposefully positioned it between Links of London (silver) and the high jewellery brands like Cartier …  she knew she wanted to appeal to women to buy for themselves and she wanted her jewellery to have a very personal appeal with her clients… and there is nothing more personal than her My Life in Seven Charms collection…inspired by her love of Desert Island Discs…she refers to it as an 18ct gold autobiography of someone’s life…just gorgeous.

In this episode of Style DNA I turn the tables and discuss all things style with fellow Podcaster Sophie Habboo. Sophie spent most of her 20’s in the reality TV show Made In Chelsea. She met her husband Jamie Laing while making the show and the couple created the podcast NearlyWeds which became NewlyWeds after their wedding in 2023. She talks openly about trying to dress the part of a “Rah” Chelsea girl whilst on the show and not feeling like it was her, and she is frank about feeling a little lost when she came out of the show …after 6 years of toxicity and adrenaline (her words). Their 2023 wedding was much publicised and she talks animatedly about the journey and the many hilarious moments…she had not 1, but 3 wedding dresses, although a zip malfunction left her trapped in wedding dress number 1 for the first night! She talks about being inspired by her mother’s style even though at times she didn’t appreciate it as a kid at the school gates…and her mother once being invited to a wedding where the dress code for ladies was, wait for it – Amanda Wakeley… I had never heard that story and I needless to say I would LOVE to see the photos!

This week's Style DNA guest is the English singer, songwriter, actress and radio personality…the undoubted Queen of British Soul…the extraordinarily talented Beverley Knight MBE.
Beverley is fabulously open about her style journey ...it's ups and downs ..and how her body confidence (and at times lack of) affected her choices, and how her gay best friend had been instrumental in helping her find her fashion mojo.
We talk about how she has got braver as she has got older (a recurring theme currently) and more comfortable in her own skin. She threw a gig to celebrate her 50th birthday and wanted to make a statement by wearing a body skimming unitard.
I was fascinated to understand how her first trip to Jamaica (her parent's birthplace) hugely impacted her sense of style especially during her visit ...
Of course we talk about her stage costumes and some of the extraordinary events she has performed at...from Princes's post Oscars party to the closing ceremony of the London Paralympics, and the planning behind the looks...not to mention the floor length latex look she wore to collect her Olivier Award...

This week I go on a style journey with the American Television Journalist Deborah Roberts. I first met Deborah when she came to the UK to cover the Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan and she kindly chose me to guest on her ABC coverage in the lead up to, as well as on the actual day, at Windsor.

 

Apart from being an award-winning ABC News senior national affairs correspondent for Nightline, Good Morning America and World News Tonight with David Muir, in September 2023, she was named co-anchor of 20/20. A media veteran, Roberts has travelled the world for her reporting and has been awarded multiple Emmy® Awards for her national and international coverage of world events, including the AIDS crisis in Africa and maternal mortality in Bangladesh.

 

Despite some of the gritty subjects she covers, Roberts has a passion for fashion (and is very knowledgeable about brands and designers), yet she is also aware of the messages that clothes can convey. We discuss how we make a statement through our choice of clothes and the importance of dressing for the occasion … even how the Civil Rights campaigners would dress up to go on a protest.

 

She talks about growing up in the Deep South and going to a segregated school (yes, just a few decades ago) and how when she was in the 4th grade, at 9 years old,  the school became integrated mid-term… it’s hard to imagine the importance (to her) of what she chose to wear on that first day of integration …how she would potentially be judged by her peers that she had never met before…it’s hard to put oneself in her shoes at that time, not to mention horrifying that this actually happened as recently as it did…however, she speaks about it with her brilliant, eloquent journalistic grace and not an ounce of victimisation.

 

She is a beacon of positivity and generously shares her personal insights.

In this Style DNA episode I go on a style journey with the serial entrepreneur Marcia Kilgore, who founded a string of game-changing companies in the worlds of beauty and wellness…she is recognized globally as an industry leader, a business visionary, a beauty expert and an inspiration for female entrepreneurs everywhere.
In 1997, Time Magazine chose a 29-year-old Kilgore as their cover star, pegging her as one of the new generation of entrepreneurs – whose hard work, ingenuity and fearlessness trumped the networking, business school bigshots. In May 2011, when Oprah Winfrey’s final show aired, Oprah referred to her former facialist - Kilgore - as one of the most inspiring people she’d ever met. In 2022, The Sunday Times said her new digitally native business had  ‘forever changed the way we shop for cosmetics’.  In between, Kilgore had sold one business (to LVMH), another (to Alliance Boots Walgreens) and started three others. Recognised by Vogue (UK) as one of most powerful women of 2023 in their power list.
I have to admit I have followed Marcia's career in awe as she built and sold Bliss Spas …followed by building and selling the upbeat, tongue in cheek Soap and Glory …and not content with those two juggernaut successes she founded the biomechanics-meets-fashion-footwear brand FitFlop (only sold over 65 million pairs of sandals, sneakers and boots worldwide to date)…and if that wasn’t enough in 2016 she created my slight obsession …the fabulous buyer’s club skincare and makeup brand – Beauty Pie bringing luxury beauty to a wider audience...if you don’t know about it please check it out (and NO this is not an AD)  I just really believe in shining a light on things I love, especially when they are created by brilliant women.
In full disclosure, Marcia is a great friend and we share a crazy passion for ski touring (walking up hill with specialist skis on) however, we use this form of exercise as a great excuse to chat about everything from beauty to fashion to LIFE! As you will hopefully see and/or hear, Marcia is one of the most brilliant raconteurs ...she shares her astute observations with wit and warmth whether it is her love/hate relationship with fashion, dressing through her body building years (yes, you heard that right), the power of a great haircut, to her best shopping tip...
I hope you enjoy this episode.

I am very excited to introduce you to Season 4 of my Style DNA podcast … launching today with none other than the Supermodel who is known (for good reason) as The Body…the exquisite, effortlessly chic and serene Elle Macpherson. Elle is not only a Supermodel, she is a Mother, Businesswoman, Television Host and an Actress.

 

I loved our conversation …we discuss her personal style journey,  growing up in Australia and not really being into fashion as she spent most of her time outside in nature. By her own admission she took a leap of faith into modelling as a way of making some pocket money while at University.  The universe clearly had a different plan for her and before she knew it she was modelling New York, working with all the top fashion photographers and gracing the covers of all the major magazines. In 1989 Time magazine coined her nickname “The Body” after she had appeared on 3 successive Sports Illustrated covers…(with 2 more to come). At the tender age of 21 she married the famous French photographer Giles Bensimon (20 years her senior) in a glorious and avant guard Azzedine Alaia couture gown. She is open about how it felt to effectively grow up in front of the lens whilst being styled to be endless different women… and working out her own personal style when she was not in front of the lens… 

 

She tells me about the 180 degree shift in perception…when she first started in the modelling world,  the more distanced you were from your audience, the more iconic you were and the more successful you were… and how today,  the closer you are to your community, the more accessible you are, the more successful you are…and navigating those changes. Not to mention being on the covers of magazines still at 60…

 

We chat about the challenge of staying stylish as the years creep by and how staying true to your essence is one of the most powerful style statements we can make… her thoughts are considered, eloquent and thought provoking.

 

Elle’s beauty is undeniable but it is far more than skin deep … she has been on a wellness journey, inspired by turning 50 and “hitting a wall” and not being able to rely on genetics any longer…she says she didn’t recognise herself anymore.  Her personal journey led her to the creation of her highly acclaimed WelleCo brand of “clean, plant-based elixirs & boosters backed by science, driven by nature”. She is the embodiment of beauty coming from within… and it was a great privilege that she shared so much with me in this episode.

For my ultimate episode of the season I go on a style journey with British luxury accessories designer Sophia Webster who is known for her fun, playful and feminine touches, not to mention her iconic butterflies. She has built a global brand in just over a decade brilliantly harnessing the power of social media to assist her on the journey.. her joyful creations have graced everyone from Beyonce and Madonna to Grayson Perry...  There really is a transformative magic in shoes and bags that Sophia understands so well.

 

The weekend before we met I did my research by immersing myself in her wonderful new book  “Oh My Gosh I Love Your Shoes!” … BTW how often have you said exactly that? The book is a beautiful, self-illustrated visual diary of her journey.

 

We discuss the sexiest heel height… her love of butterflies (actually hard-wired into her DNA)…buying her first pair of Buffalo boots (beloved by the Spice Girls at the time) and thinking that she “had made it now”… and hysterical stories of lost wedding dresses and then lost wedding shoes… not to mention unfortunate “Anthea Turner haircuts” …as she said, great on a grown woman but not quite as good on a child.

 

Like most women I know, I am a veritable shoe (and boot) lover so I hope you enjoy this conversation with one of the most talented young designers I have met…

In this episode I go on a Style Journey with the iconic hairstylist Sam McKnight MBE. Sam’s unparalleled portfolio of work reads like a who’s-who of high-fashion and A-list celebrity: he is credited with the creation of Princess Diana's iconic slicked-back hairstyle for her 1990 Vogue magazine shoot, and was her personal hair stylist for seven years. He has worked extensively with the supermodels Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Kate Moss & Naomi Campbell  from the 80’s to today. Sam’s work has included over 200 Vogue covers; campaigns for Chanel, Tom Ford, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Dior and Armani …the list goes on and season-after-season he influences the evolution of hair at runways shows from Chanel to Vivienne Westwood… 

 

We talk about his time being Diana’s personal hair stylist …how “slavishly following fashion trends is terribly unfashionable” (I could not agree more)… reminiscing about wearing platforms in the 70’s (but having to take a pair of slippers to his driving lessons) and most importantly how good clothes can make you feel good (why I designed so passionately for 30+ years). Of course we talk about his friendship with Kate Moss who he has collaborated with for many years and has always said “Sam has the magic touch”.

 

I hope you enjoy the episode…thank you Sam for being such a wonderful guest.

In this episode of Style DNA I go on a Style journey with Actress, TV presenter, Philanthropist and Entrepreneur  … the gorgeous Geordie girl Donna Air. 

 

Donna rose to early fame aged 10 as an actress in the children’s television series Byker Grove, a popular show set in the Newcastle area. She went on to form the pop duo Crush which found some success in the late 1990’s. Her career has spanned presenting MTV, to the Big Breakfast as well as appearing in numerous films and TV dramas.

 

Donna is currently performing in the award winning ghost story 2:22 at the Gielgud Theatre alongside James Buckley, Stacey Dooley and Joe McFadden…The play, written by Danny Robins is a supernatural thriller that has received critical acclaim for its intense and gripping narrative with the story revolving around a couple who hear strange noises in the new house and begin to suspect it might be haunted… I for one, can’t wait to see Donna’s performance.

 

Success came early in life for Donna and we chat about her teenage years in Newcastle “geared around her Saturday night outfits”…in time this passion transferred to her pop video or performing clothes. She reminisces about her youthful inability to control her clothing spending, particularly whilst touring in America.

 

We discuss her love of strong female characters and how inspiring they are…not to mention the fact that slowly there are more female roles for women post their 30’s…finally!

 

Donna clearly loves beautiful clothes, whilst not being remotely materialistic, but she laughs about how in the past these beautiful things have slipped through her fingers …how she would give away her clothes and accessories to friends and how her daughter Freya, now 19, keeps asking her where pieces are that she is wearing in old photographs that she would love to wear now…all since long gone!

 

Thank you @donnaair for sharing your stories and your insights so generously.

In this episode I go on a Style journey with Singer, Songwriter and Musician Corinne Bailey Rae… and what a joy it was.

Corinne shot to stardom with her self-titled, Corinne Bailey Rae debut album in 2006, featuring the global hits 'Put Your Records On' and 'Like A Star'.

Corinne is one of those people who paints beautiful pictures with their words… I felt like every word that she spoke was purposefully chosen….she is wonderfully eloquent.  I was fascinated to hear about the inspirational journey she went on having discovered the Stoney Island Arts Bank in Chicago and how this fuelled so much material for her newly released and globally acclaimed album Black Rainbows. We discuss how she chooses the designers she wears for her stage looks and the album imagery she created in collaboration with the photographer Koto Bolofo. She speaks nostalgically about her mother’s proud sense of style as she was bringing up her and her two sisters and how she evolved her own style through the 90’s.  We talked about her becoming a widow at 29… and how she cocooned herself in her late husband’s clothes as part of her grieving process. During her metamorphosis she found love again and she describes her second wedding dress, flowers and hair with such detail that it is impossible not to be swept into the love and sheer joy of their Winter Feast of a wedding.  

Corinne shares her style journey so far, so beautifully… I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did having it. Thank you Corinne for being such an insightful and articulate guest...  

This week’s episode is with the eponymous founder of Karen Millen, Karen herself. Her story is an interesting one…she founded her brand with her husband Kevin Stanford in 1981. Using a £100 loan they purchased 100 metres of white cotton which she whipped up into stylish shirts and they sold party-style to friends. From this they gradually grew a retail empire founded on their commitment to affordable luxury and making investment pieces accessible. In 2004 they sold Karen Millen to Mosaic Fashions under an SPA for £100m. The terms of the SPA prevented Karen Millen from using her name in connection with any similar businesses or competition in the future…challenging for any eponymous founder and she later challenged this in court but lost. Unfortunately she also lost millions in the collapse of Kaupthing Bank…but in true Power Woman style she swivelled and followed her love of interiors culminating in creating an online interiors business called Homemonger.com.  

 

However her passion for fashion was reigniting …In 2019 the Boohoo Group bought the Karen Millen brand and in 2022, in a full circle moment, and in an attempt to inject some of the original DNA back into the brand, Karen was invited to create The Founder Collection, a capsule collection of 30 signature pieces. The huge popularity of the first collection saw her invited to create a second collection which launches this week…

I loved chatting to a fellow fashion brand founder about what had driven her designs, how she has dressed through the decades including as she says a moment when she had become “rich” and how that impacted her style…not necessarily what you would expect…but amusing and insightful!

I hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did creating it… thank you Karen.

In this episode I go on a style journey with Melissa Odabash MBE. After entering the swimwear industry as a model Melissa launched her eponymous label in 1999. She is credited with ‘introducing high fashion into resortwear’ with her swimwear being quickly described by Vogue as ‘The Ferraris of the bikini world.' 

Her first collection was curated with chic solid coloured bikinis, however this soon expanded into beachwear,  often inspired by her Mother’s 1970’s crochet pieces,  before developing and growing the collections to what we know today. Her collections are sold in 65 countries, available in over 500 stores.

Throughout her success as a designer, Melissa continues to support her philanthropic ventures including: Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, Prince’s Trust, Kidsco, CHIVA  and  has partnered with Elton John’s Aids Foundation. In 2015 Melissa launched her debut mastectomy line with the Future Dreams Breast Cancer Charity and she continues to support, partner and champion their cause whenever she can.

This week’s Style DNA style journey is with actor, writer, photographer and artist Lisa Hogan AKA The Tall Irish.

Lisa is Co-Founder of the now infamous Diddly Squat Farm Shop on Clarkson’s Farm…she is not only Jeremy Clarkson’s girlfriend, she is his hilarious accomplice and harshest critic with her fast wit and dry sense of humour. Her ability to laugh at herself recounting her sartorial stories of different chapters in her life is infectious. These chapters have included modelling, working in the city, acting, being a mother, a lot of travel and, this latest chapter obviously includes her approach to “Farm Fashion” … from wellies and overalls to the inevitable pig sh*t…

 

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed chatting to my old friend… thank you Lisa.

This week I go on a style journey with TV and Radio Presenter, Model, Author, Menopause campaigner, Podcast host AND Celebrity Master Chef Winner, the gorgeous Lisa Snowdon. Lisa and I worked out that the first time we met was when we were both London Fashion Week virgins…the first show she walked in was the first show I put on…Fashion has reconnected us over the years and it was lovely to sit down and chat about her journey both professionally and personally, from having a body that didn’t conform to industry expectations at the time, to walking the red carpet with George Clooney, to the major looks that were created for her to present Britain’s Next Top Model (and laughing about sometimes going a little too far)… as well as dressing as our bodies change…and the catharsis of a complete wardrobe turnout

 

Earlier this year Lisa published a book Just Getting Started – Lessons In Life, Love and Menopause… we discuss the inspiration behind it … Lisa’s mission to prove that getting older just means getting better … Lisa is fantastically frank and open and I hope you enjoy this warm and collaborative chat.

Season 3 launches with none other than the supermodel that is David Gandy as my guest… I know, it was a tough job interviewing the most famous male supermodel in the world but someone’s got to do it and fortunately for me, and hopefully you, he chose to chat all things Style with me. David shot to global recognition wearing a pair of tiny white swimming trunks for the iconic Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue fragrance campaign. The image saw him on a 50 ft billboard in Times Square NY over 20 years ago…we laugh about the value of those tiny white trunks now. I loved hearing about the inspiration behind his brand David Gandy Wellwear which he created during lockdown, which combines his passion for style and well-being with responsibly sourced garments … did you know that fabrics can now be infused with anti-bacterial, anti-odour or moisturising qualities? He openly discusses the challenges of the fashion industry in this post-pandemic, post-Brexit, cost-of-living-crisis-world that we are inhabiting. We talk about male body image, grooming, style icons and so much more … I sincerely hope you enjoy this next season as much as I have creating it.

This week I go on a sartorial journey with Canadian film maker David Furnish. David is CEO of Rocket Entertainment Group and Chairman of the Elton John AIDS Foundation which has raised a staggering $600 million to dateto support programs in 55 countries around the globe through prevention and education, elimination of prejudice and discrimination, and providing services to people living with the disease.

 

Of course we talk about shopping …and how he and Elton sometimes use the process as a reward for hard work, not to mention the benefit of how beautiful things are mood altering and make you feel good about yourself. We chat about how cathartic it is to have a good clear-out in the spirit of both circularity and fund raising for a great cause…in the process giving someone else the opportunity to enjoy those pieces – bravo to that – I have been doing the same myself and it is so rewarding to see something gorgeous head off to a new home to make new memories and be valued all over again.

 

David is wonderfully generous about sharing insights into the glamorous life he shares with his husband Elton… His “Pretty Woman” moment in Paris…dressing up for legendary parties from Elton’s 50th to White Tie and Tiaras and so much more… He clearly loves fashion and appreciates the passion and creativity that his designer friends put into their work … he is undoubtedly a super stylish man.

In this episode I go on a sartorial journey with the Fashion Designer, Business Woman and mother of five the brilliant Anya Hindmarch CBE.

Anya founded her eponymous company as a teenager in 1987 and has since grown it into an award-winning global brand known for its craftsmanship, creativity and sense of humour.  She launched the hugely successful 'I'm Not a Plastic Bag' campaign in 2007 which saw thousands of people queuing to purchase the tote from Sainsburys …a staggering 80,000 were sold on launch day. The bag garnered huge press coverage globally, igniting the debate around the use of plastic bags and contributed to the eventual decision to charge for plastic bags in the UK. Her achievements, creativity and marketing savvy know no bounds… 

We talk about how we convey who we are and roles that we play through what we wear… IT bags, and why they are priced how they are.  Anya talks in an informed and passionate way about what sustainable leather and sourcing actually means (no greenwashing here)  …We chat about the power of dressing in comfortable clothes and her approach to planning her wardrobe (fascinating and helpful) as well as the history of heels!  Anya shares a fountain of insightful information on all things style related… 

This week I go on a Style journey with Philanthropist, Designer and mother of 5, the wonderful India Hicks. India is the daughter of the celebrated interior designer David Hicks and Lady Pamela Mountbatten, a lady in waiting to the late Queen.  She is a god daughter of the King, was a bridesmaid to Lady Diana Spencer and resides in Harbour Island, the Bahamas with her husband David Flint Wood and their 5 children…

 

We chat about being a Royal bridesmaid (obviously), what it meant to grow up in the creative world of David Hicks, being inspired by her grandmother Edwina Mountbatten (Countess of Mountbatten of Burma) and the process of choosing a dress for getting married for the first time in her 50s and so much more…  

 

I first met India in the early 90s when the young aristocratic model walked in one of my early shows.

Her peripatetic lifestyle is beautifully, and articulately, documented on her Instagram feed @indiahicksstyle.

This week I go on a style journey with my gorgeous friend Yasmin Le Bon.

Yasmin walked in my inaugural London Fashion Week show back in the early 90’s…it was my first exposure to a super model (which I had assumed would be pretty intimidating) but she was kind, encouraging and incredibly down to earth…oh, and totally breathtakingly beautiful. Despite her global fame and the fact she has been married to the rockstar Simon Le Bon, front man of the legendary band Duran Duran, for nearly 40 years, she remains wonderfully grounded, inciteful and funny…and still breathtakingly beautiful.

She has appeared on over 300 magazine covers across the world including the first issues of both British and American Elle. Her modelling career spans 5 decades and she and her oldest daughter Amber are the mother and daughter faces of Boodles jewellery. Yasmin has an informed passion for fashion, she is honestly one of the most effortlessly stylish women I know, and I loved hearing her thoughts and insights on the complex world of modelling, ageing, as well as her own approach to style.

 

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did having it…

In this episode of Style DNA I go on a style journey with the English singer, songwriter and TV personality Wes Nelson… His most recent claim to fame being his incredibly catchy and hugely successful collaboration with Craig David and the hit Abracadabra but during our conversation I saw Wes in a whole new light and I found his self-deprecating sense of humour, his honesty (and his chuckle) both infectious and charming…

 

He trained as a nuclear systems design engineer thinking he would follow his father into the motor industry but it seems that this self-proclaimed “Bloke from Stoke” has a different destiny. Passionate about music and performing from a young age, he was discovered partly through social media, and then a spell on Love Island led to his viral collaboration with Craig David (his childhood idol)… the rest is rapidly becoming history as he evolves his songwriting and music, as well as his personal style.

 

We laugh about how he spent WAY too much in his early days …dressing in the “expected” Rapper style for his rap performances replete with the diamond encrusted gold watch and strongly logo’ d designer pieces like his Nigo X Vuitton double denim. He clearly loves his fashion and is on a journey with it, evolving his style as his music evolves… I for one cannot wait to see what this next chapter holds stylistically and musically.

 

We discuss the symbolism behind his different tattoos including a can of Sunny D to remind him of his grandfather… and his love of Rimowa luggage…why? Because apparently he rides it through the airport…probably not how or why it was designed, but I couldn’t help laughing at the image of him riding his Rimowa down a ramp in Gatwick airport.

 

I hope you enjoy this episode… I found Wes a breath of fresh air and came away from our conversation with a light-hearted feeling and a knowing smile on my face… clothes, after all, should bring us joy… they certainly do Wes.

 

Thank you @wesnelson for bringing such a great conversation to the table…will you come back next year and update me on the style evolution that you are planning?

In this episode I go on a style journey with Broadcaster and Amnesty Ambassador … the human ray of sunshine that is Vick Hope. Vick is one of the most joyful and positive women I have met in a long time. Chatting to her I wished that my 21 year old self could have been a fly on the wall for the conversation and taken on board some of her wisdom. Her sense of self and acceptance of who she is is inspiring …(not hard, I hear you say, when you look like she does), but like every woman I know, we all feel we could be better at this, or life would be easier if we looked like that…yet Vick has reached a place of loving life, and all its imperfections, and her joy is simply, and beautifully, infectious. We talk about how she didn’t feel like she fitted in growing up, then felt like a fish out of water when she went to Cambridge University, and how she had been “a bit unkind to herself”, before finding herself when she moved to London. She clearly loves fashion and shares anecdotes of being inspired by her mother, clothes swaps at Uni and dressing for her different broadcasting roles which to date have been many and varied included presenting Crufts, the Paralympics, and boxing, to co-hosting the Baftas and the Brits…she is about to be a guest presenter on Pointless and currently hosts the Drive Time Show on Radio 1 with Jordan North…and so much more…her life is clearly a happy whirlwind, and she is joyfully embracing every moment…in a word…inspirational.

My podcast guest this week is the designer, entrepreneur and podcaster Ollie Proudlock. Ollie grew up surrounded by creativity, his mother was a knitwear designer and he remembers Ralph Lauren’s visits to their family home where Ralph would select designs from his mother’s Fair Isle collection, often modelled by him, his friends and his siblings.  After attending Art College Ollie starred in 10 seasons of Made in Chelsea and cleverly leveraged his own image and love of fashion and style to create his brand Serge DeNimes in 2011. Starting with seasonal collections of clothing and accessories before swivelling to take advantage of a gap in the market for high quality fashion jewellery for men.  We talk about men wearing pearls… how his first collection was inspired by photographs that his mother took when visiting the Rio Carnival in the 70’s,  all the way through to the influence of music on fashion…

This week on the podcast I go on a style journey with the funny and self-deprecating former You Magazine Editor and now CEO of Children with Cancer Charity, Jo Elvin.

I first met Jo in the late 90’s when she was editor of New Woman (we both admitted to being slightly intimidated by the other)…she went on to become editor in chief of Conde Nast’s Glamour magazine, a position she held for 17 years before being lured away to edit You Magazine which she led brilliantly for 4 years before turning her hand to leading a major UK Charity.

We talk about how she found her fashion mojo and dressing for the “gladiators arena” of the fashion world…to the politics of the Front Row and on to her now famous Week on the Wall wardrobe planning that she shares on Instagram … to getting her first tattoo… all told with warmth and humour.

This week I head on a sartorial journey with Broadcaster Miquita Oliver. Growing up in West London and the niece of Neneh Cherry, Miquita was surrounded by the music world …she was recruited at the tender age of 16 to present Channel 4’s cult Sunday morning pop culture show, Popworld, with Simon Amstell. In 2022 Miquita and her mother, TV chef and presenter Andi Oliver, featured in a BBC television series The Caribbean with Andi and Miquita. Starting out in Antigua, where they met members of their extended family, reconnected with their Antiguan heritage, and illuminated the island's history and culture…And most recently Andi and Miquita have appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox together.   What drew me to invite Miquita on as a guest is that she has had a lifelong passion for second-hand shopping which has crystallised in recent years into a commitment to buying almost exclusively second-hand … and her stories are both endearing and inspiring…she has an encyclopaedic knowledge of fashion.   I hope you will enjoy our chat as much as I did.

I am kicking off Series 2 by going on a sartorial journey with Actress, Singer, Producer, Radio Presenter…the star who is known as the First Lady of British Musical Theatre…the wonderful and brilliant Elaine Paige OBE. This petite pocket rocket is a force of nature… she has wowed audiences through the decades starring in everything from Cats to Sunset Boulevard to Evita to Piaff and so much more… she has performed around the world from The Great Wall of China to The White House… Amongst other things we talk about the importance of getting dressed for her auditions, how the process of applying her makeup herself helped her transform into her character for her performance, and her all-important “Act 3” look …all interspersed with her infectious, inimitable laugh and self-deprecating humour.

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Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.I have kept the hilarious Style DNA conversation I had with Singer Songwriter and Musician James Blunt until last in this first series… After leaving the military, James rose to fame in 2004 with the release of his debut album Back to Bedlam, achieving worldwide fame with the singles "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover", and selling over 11 million copies of the album. He is the winner of numerous awards including 2 Brits. James’s humour is self-mocking, cheeky and at times irreverent (just like his Twitter feed)… I can honestly say that he is one of the most quick witted and genuinely funny people I know and I am hugely grateful that he took the time to come and chat with me...

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

This week's guest is Paula Sutton – Digital Creator, columnist and author Paula Sutton. After starting off as a press officer for Elite Premier model agency in London, she worked in fashion PR and as a model agent before landing at Elle, where she was the bookings director (planning the sets and locations for the shoots). Paula moved from London to rural Norfolk 10 years ago where she re-defined her personal style evolving from cosmopolitan career woman to English country chic. Her photogenic posts about English country living have earned her a large and loyal following. On Instagram, where she posts as @hillhousevintage, she chronicles the pleasures of dressing, entertaining, decorating and gardening from her home in Norfolk, England.

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

This week's guest is Anita Rani – TV and Radio Presenter, Author. Anita’s career spans over 20 years and she is a true girl’s girl, happy to share her ups and her downs…the hard knocks of being a brown girl (her words) growing up in a very white Britain…Her recently published and self-narrated memoirs The Right Sort of Girl is painfully raw, honest but wonderfully upliftingly, humorous too. We discuss her passion for fashion, ignited by her father who was a tailor and her uncle who was “incredibly cool” … how being on Strictly Come Dancing took her way out of her comfort zone and of course that Saree moment when she was presenting for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.  

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

This week's guest is Lisa Armstrong OBE….Lisa is The Telegraph's Head of Fashion. She began her career in fashion at Vogue. She has written four novels, has an honorary doctorate from the University of Arts in London and was awarded an OBE in 2022 for services to fashion. After a childhood spent in rural Dorset Lisa shares stories of her fashion journey from starting out as a junior at Vogue through to attending the bi-annual Ready to Wear and Couture shows around the world and how the industry is now less about show critiques and more about fashion know how and how to - Lisa has an innate knack of fusing fashion intelligence with a woman’s perspective…helpful, stylish yet attainable advice… I have known Lisa my whole career as the fashion editor she is but this conversation allows me the opportunity to turn the tables and be the one asking the questions!

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

This week's guest is Liz Earle MBE …In this episode I go on a sartorial journey with Liz Earle MBE…Liz has been a trusted authority in the world of wellbeing for over 30 years. She has written over 35 books on many aspects of nutritional, hormonal and gut health, as well as being a regular wellness TV presenter and podcast host. She is passionate about improving the health of mid-life women and beyond, especially helping women from all backgrounds achieve a better ‘second half’. In 1995 she founded her eponymous skincare brand Liz Earle. I have known Liz for over 30 years and have always been in awe of her passion for making women FEEL great (something we share) …whether through the wonderful skincare range that she created or more recently through her advocation of health and wellbeing … she is a complete inspiration and has always been so generous when it comes to sharing her knowledge …which she does on an almost daily basis on her social media feeds.

In this episode I go on a style journey with the Creative Director Lucinda Chambers. Lucinda has worked in the fashion industry for more than three decades…as Fashion Director of British Vogue for 25 years she certainly shaped the face of fashion and inspired the wardrobes of millions of women. She has worked as a creative consultant and stylist across both high street and luxury brands from Prada and Marni to H&M, River Island and Warehouse. We reminisce about her early days as a fantastically creative stylist at Vogue, in the pre-internet days she used National Geographic for her location inspiration…taking her to Ladakh in northern India on her very first location shoot…with Cindy Crawford and the photographer Patrick Demarchelier…sleeping in tents and drawing sticks to get the last few seats on the plane out…so naively brave… She talks eloquently about creating the story which has inspired the images…how for her image making was all about the narrative and I use the opportunity to ask about one of my favourite images of Linda Evangelista wearing Wakeley… Her journey in fashion has been a long and fabulous one …starting at Vogue as the secretary to the petty cash lady but her talent and creative vision took her the whole way…she is a phenomenally optimistic creative, making the most of every situation stating that it’s never a crisis it’s an opportunity...whether that was all the clothes for a cover shoot with Emma Watson being stolen from the luggage compartment of the Eurostar, to arriving to shoot in Miami as a hurricane had just flattened it… but always improvising and coming back with the shots. Since her well-publicised departure from Vogue when the then new editor Edward Enninful ushered in a new era and a new team… she has flourished creating her revolutionary shopping platform Collagerie with her ex-Vogue colleague Serena Hood. Expertly curating the best in fashion, interiors, beauty and lifestyle, the brand celebrates shopping at every price point, bringing you an innovative way to discover inspiring, and at times unexpected, designs. Thank you @lucindachambers for being such an open and generous guest …it was lovely to reconnect x

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

This week's guest is Ella Vaday - I always knew that I wanted to include a Drag Artist in this first series. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to the brilliant and very modest Ella Vaday (say Hell Of A Day fast and you will understand the humour behind the name), AKA Nick Collier, the actor and dancer. Nick created his drag persona Ella Vaday during Lockdown and then went on to be a finalist on the third series Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK. We had a fascinating conversation about the transformative process Nick goes through, his attention to detail and his passion for getting the proportions right… think about it…if you have a huge wig and broad shoulders there is quite a skill in getting the proportions to balance. Nick kindly agreed to come as Ella and I was transfixed from the moment she walked through the door… I hope that comes across in our conversation.

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

This week's guest is Michele Clapton, celebrated British costume designer. Michele was the costume designer for Game of Thrones for which she won 3 Emmy Awards. She created the iconic costumes in the first season of The Crown, as well as Kingsman and The Devil’s Whore (for which she won a BAFTA) and many more. Her passion for the creative process and crafting techniques is fascinating. She talks eloquently about the relationship between the costume designer and the Directors and Actors and the collaborative art of telling stories through clothes in television and film.

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

This week's guest is Dylan Jones OBE –the man who edited GQ for no fewer than 22 years, creator of the now iconic GQ Men of the Year awards. During his time as editor of GQ the magazine won an unprecedented number of awards and he garnered an almost unparalleled understanding of men’s style … Dylan has a unique perspicacity of the often impenetrable world of fashion and shares his style journey from his clubbing days of the 80s to the dizzy heights of Conde Nast and beyond with wit and a razor sharp insight.

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

This week's guest is Tasha Ghouri – Model, Ebay UK Preloved ambassador, Love Island finalist with 1.5m followers on Instagram and advocate for Deaf Kidz, Tasha was born deaf and makes a point of not hiding her cochlear hearing implant referring to it as her Superpower, although she has overcome significant challenges to reach this point …As well as being a smoking hot beauty and refreshingly low maintenance she is passionate about fashion and style.

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

This week's guest is Adjoa Andoh - HonFRSL The British Actor. On stage, she has played lead roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre and the Almeida Theatre. On television, she has appeared in Doctor Who, Casualty, and BBC's EastEnders. Andoh made her Hollywood debut in autumn 2009, starring as Nelson Mandela's Chief of Staff Brenda Mazibuko alongside Morgan Freeman as Mandela in Clint Eastwood's drama film Invictus. Since 2020, she portrays Lady Danbury in the Netflix Regency romance series Bridgerton. In July 2022, Andoh became an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Literature…Adjoa shares stories of her own personal style evolution, the challenges of dressing for the red carpet as well as the transformative power of costumes for the parts she plays…

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

This week's guest is Sophie Ellis Bextor – Multi Award Winning Singer, Songwriter, Mother, Author, Podcaster … Sophie warmly shares stories of her passion for vintage clothing, how she styles herself (often only hours before a performance), dressing for her different roles in life, she is the mother of 5 boys, as well as her legendary pop career … During Lockdown she performed live weekly "Kitchen Disco" concerts featuring herself (in full performance dress, hair and makeup) with her family, streamed from their kitchen on Instagram.  

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

This week's guest is Dr Ateh Jewel, beauty journalist, broadcaster, entrepreneur and diversity advocate…Ateh is also a regular beauty contributor on ITVs This Morning and her incredible energy and positivity is simply magnetic. She talks about the challenges of growing up in central London experiencing “both sides of the coin”, her teenage clubbing style …the power of a Chanel handbag and the micro aggressions she experienced during her time in the fashion industry with humour and a magnanimous attitude.

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

This week's guest is Grace Dent, broadcaster, author & columnist. Grace has written weekly columns for The Independent and The London Evening Standard until she took on the revered role of restaurant critic for The Guardian, for which she won the Guild of Food Writers' Food Writing Award 2019.In October 2020, HarperCollins published Grace's memoir Hungry, a book for people who love to eat and love to laugh.

On screen Grace is perhaps best known as a regular guest and critic on MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals. Grace has also recently co presented Best of Britain By the Sea with Ainsley Harriot which saw the dynamic duo travel the UK in search of our finest sea side holiday destinations and dish offerings. Grace also has a highly successful podcast of her own – Comfort Eating. She is one of the funniest women I have met…

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

This week's guest is Trinny Woodall, founder and CEO of Makeup and Beauty Brand Trinny London which she founded in her early 50s…The inimitable Trinny inspires and entertains her 1.2m Instagram followers with personal makeup tutorials and styling advice. Having made over over 5,000 women in her TV career co-presenting What Not To Wear with Susannah Constantine and then Trinny and Susannah Undress the Nation …she is a fountain of knowledge and perceptive, usually very personal, style advice. She has authored 11 books on fashion and style and always speaks from the heart.

Join Amanda Wakeley as she is joined by a different celebrity guest each week as she uncovers their very own Style DNA.

Guests including Trinny Woodall, James Blunt, Sophie Ellis-Bextor talk about their best and worst fashion moments as well as answering the question, 'What Do They Wear In Bed?'.

New episodes every Saturday.

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This week's Style DNA podcast episode is with the Irish chef, TV presenter, cookbook author and resident chef on This Morning - the wonderful Clodagh McKenna.
It was such a treat to open the door to a joyful Clodagh who arrived carrying a freshly baked carrot cake which she proceeded to ice herself before we started our recording ... I can honestly say her carrot cake is the best I have ever eaten and it took serious will power on my part not to dig in during our conversation!
Clodagh grew up in Cork and she paints a beautiful picture of her childhood family rituals including baking bread and prepping food at the weekend for the week ahead. 
Eating home cooked food around a lovingly laid table with fresh linen clearly influenced her appreciation of the importance of mealtime. Her mother would always tidy herself and apply lipstick before her husband came home from work which is a charming custom that Clodagh has adopted herself.
Her passion for baking was ignited when a young Clodagh went on a French exchange, and she returned to Ireland able to make a cracking Tarte Tartin but also with a flavour for Gallic style which still influences her dress sense to this day.
Clodagh is one of those individuals whose passion for everything she turns her hand to is infectious - she trained at the legendary Ballymalloe Cookery School. When she felt she had learned everything she could in Ireland she moved herself to Turin, Italy to immerse herself in Italian food and culture... before finally moving to London in her early 40s when she started opening up her kitchen to do dinners for guests ... a charming custom that she still does to this day. 
We talk about discovering her style DNA, which she feels didn't really happen until coming to London. Her formula, which clearly gives her confidence,  involves a lot of denim, white shirts and tailoring.  We laugh about last minute wardrobe changes on the set of This Morning when the all-male crew realised her top was just a little bit too revealing (let's just say totally see-through) for the viewers...and how being led by an overly enthusiastic stylist for a book launch shoot left her feeling totally lost...all good lessons learned and all stories told in a way that inimitable Irish way... 

This week’s Style DNA guest is the 90s British supermodel, turned entrepreneur, TV personality, author AND pub landlady … the awesome Jodie Kidd.

 

We first met in the 90s, it was Jodie’s first London show season at the tender age of 15. She had been encouraged to give modelling a go as a way to pay for the new horsebox she wanted as she was a competitive show jumper at the time. I remember my casting director being so excited to get Jodie in my show…but I also have a vague recollection of Jodie having to cram her feet into the shoes that I had designed for the show …at 6’2” with size 42.5 feet my show samples were a full size and a half too small… but she just did it, and as you will hear…she just carried on doing it with an incredible career trajectory walking for all the great houses doing the shows from New York to London to Milan to Paris and then on to the couture shows in between …until the pace of it all left her completely burned out, very underweight and crippled by anxiety. At which point she dramatically quit the modelling world…literally walking off a catwalk in Milan mid show.

 

Being a country girl at heart she found solace in nature and home grown food, and then returned to her first passion, horses. However, Jodie never does anything by halves, within no time at all she was playing polo for the country, and her need for speed then saw her set a track record on Top Gear which in turn got her noticed by Maserati, who she then went on to drive for professionally in Italy…

 

Jodie’s career has twisted and turned …she is a true force of nature…whatever she turns her attention to she throws herself into 150%. Perhaps, because of her varied careers she is wise beyond her years but she shares her experiences and insights very openly. Her views on the mad world of fashion are initially through the lens of a very young country girl who came into the industry almost accidentally. She has warmth and charisma in spades.  I hope you enjoy this episode.

In this episode, I go on a sartorial journey with designer, businessman, author, and TV presenter Patrick Grant. Perhaps best known for his role in the TV show “The Great British Sewing Bee,” Grant is a man who has a lot to say about clothes: how many we buy, how we value them, what they’re made from, and importantly, who made them and where. Patrick Grant has an engineering background and he has applied this knowledge to his fashion journey. I find myself going down a rabbit hole with Grant on the provenance of our clothes… on elastane and polymers and microplastics. We travel on with his journey of rebuilding the Savile Row tailor Norton & Sons and then on to 2015 when he bought the ailing Blackburn clothing manufacturer Cookson & Clegg, saving the factory from closure and the potential loss of all the skills of the team, not to mention their jobs. Grant has a passion for skilled British craftsmanship and in 2016 he created his campaigning clothes brand Community Clothing, which supports local clothing and textile manufacturers across the UK… just brilliant. As you can probably tell by now, Grant is a man on a mission. His recently launched book “Less: Stop Buying So Much Rubbish: How Having Fewer, Better Things Can Make Us Happier” makes for pretty sobering reading. As he says, “We used to care a lot about our clothes. We didn’t have many but those we had were important to us. We’d cherish them, repair them, and pass them on. And making them provided fulfilling work for millions of skilled people locally.” This is something we have totally lost sight of in our quest for more and cheaper… a fast fashion dopamine hit. He goes on to say, “Today the average person has nearly five times as many clothes as they did just 50 years ago. Last year, 100 billion garments were produced worldwide, most made from oil, 30% of which were not even sold, and the equivalent of one bin lorry full of clothing is dumped in landfill or burned every single second. Our wardrobes are full to bursting with clothes we never wear so why do we keep buying more?” On a lighter note, we touch on some of his worst fashion moments… probably in the 80s, living in San Francisco… but, he was wearing a sarong before David Beckham famously did! Patrick is a fabulously knowledgeable guest, and he really gets you thinking about the beauty and importance of just having LESS. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

In this episode I go on a style journey with British born international visual artist Sophie Tea. Sophie has recently come onto my radar…her work is defined by her vibrant use of colour, energetic drips and signature splats – it champions inclusivity, self-acceptance, accessibility and strives to make women feel just a little bit nicer about themselves… a resounding YES to that!

 

Sophie’s subject of choice is women…naked women. She is fresh off the back of her Send Nudes Live show at The London Palladium in which 50 naked women are painted for a live catwalk show, her 6th to date. She had a staggering 10,000 applications from women to walk in the show so she is clearly onto something. We talk about how when she was growing up she had never felt comfortable with her body shape, how the role models of her childhood were very stereotypical and how as a result of this she wants to celebrate the female form in all it’s wonderful variations.

 

Sophie’s mission is to make art more accessible… she is open about her commercial approach to this, using social media to reach her customers and offering payment instalments to her young audience who may be too intimidated to go into a gallery… she is brilliantly entrepreneurial and certainly breaking the traditional gallerist mould.

 

We discuss how as human beings we bond through our clothes, we sometimes connect with people simply by what we are wearing and being in a similar style tribe. We talk about how our clothes can often tell stories…Sophie undoubtedly has a passion for fashion, it’s definitely a hobby for her… be it thrifting (in “posh areas”), to buying full-on designer pieces, to the joy of choosing yet more cowboy boots at the mecca of cowboy boots that is Allens in Texas… not to mention something we are both guilty of… “milestone” shopping.

 

I hope you enjoy this episode…thank you @sophieteaart for being such a great guest …let’s go thrifting!

I’m thrilled to announce that Season 5 of my Style DNA podcast is launching with double Olympic champion, global inspirational and motivational speaker, TV presenter and Author …the simply AWESOME Honorary Colonel Dame Kelly Holmes MBE.   I loved our conversation in which we discussed the fact that Kelly spent the best part of the first 30 years of her life in one uniform or another (school, track and military)  and how she didn’t even really think about her personal style before then… Emerging from a life lived in a uniform she chose to wear clothes to fit in and be less visible until… she came out. She credits the turning point for her being her authentic self started on the morning of her mother’s funeral. She sat in her hairdresser’s chair and had the side of her head shaved …citing that she had a choice that her mother didn’t have any longer and knowing that her mother really wanted her to live her true life… this was clearly a catalytic moment for her.  Since coming out she has discovered her passion for style, colour and simply joyful dressing.   We talk about Imposter Syndrome …yes even someone with all of Kelly’s achievements can experience Imposter Syndrome (a lesson there?) …and how surprisingly, a run in panto helped her overcome this…   Kelly radiates health and happiness… her face is as warm and open as her heart is …she is a true beauty inside and out and I really appreciate her transparency and openness in sharing her lessons that have been learned (like the most important ones often are)…the hard way. Thank you @damekellyholmes for sharing your feelings, your stories and your insights so generously …you certainly are UNIQUE (and huge, well deserved congratulations on the success of your memoir…Unique)