How do you describe your own style?
I describe my own style as interesting, intelligent, creative and simple. But I can get dramatic when I want to.
What fashion item could you not be without?
My jeans, t-shirts and my glasses. I also love hats, if you wear them well, they give a message. I think they’re a very important fashion item.
Roughly how many wardrobes do you have and clothing, shoes etc…?
I have a decent wardrobe and it’s not super extravagant. When it comes to my personal wardrobe, I do own a lot of coats, I enjoy coats. I have more shoes than most people, about 100 pairs. My clothing, it all sits in the closet, a walk- in closet, it’s not grand, it’s a walk in and turn around and walk out. I tend to keep my clothing, I’m not very fickle about my clothing. When I find what I like I tend to wear it and wear it. I’ve had the trousers that I’m wearing now for four years I love them.
Where do you shop for fashion?
I have a few favourite haunts in New York City. There is a really wonderful vintage shop store who specialises in 90’s designer vintage. There is another great consignment boutique. She is a great friend of mine and owns four stores in the city. As a matter of fact for this campaign I brought 10-12 pieces from Ina’s store.
How can you tone down this summer’s bright colours so they are appropriate for autumn/winter?
Wear them as accents only, against autumn/winter colours that you’re comfortable with.
What is the best item of transitional clothing you can buy?
Jeans. They have no season, and you wear them all the time. Transitional clothing is defined as clothing that anticipates the coming season, but is in the weight and fabric of the current season, that’s transitional. It’s still warm in September but you still feel like you’re in autumn, but it’s too hot to wear heavy wool. So you deepen the colour but the fabric could still be cotton.
Who is your fashion icon?
Cleopatra. She’s daring, bright and mysterious. And we still consider her a style icon, two thousand years later!
Where is the best place to go for Vintage shopping?
Florida, definitely. You can fly London to Miami – you should go there now! People go there to retire and have heavy coats and sweaters that they don’t need in the Florida sunshine. In NYC, I like the shop, ‘Screaming Mimi’s.’ You can’t beat a bit of Portobello Road though.
Whose look do you love now?
Well I like Victoria Beckham because she has a signature look. You know it, you see it, you identify with it, and she owns it. It’s original, it’s hers.
You have had a long and varied career in fashion, what time or job has been your favourite?
One of my favourite jobs is one that not many people would know about. It was shot in Las Vegas in the late 80’s. It was about how the mafia created Las Vegas. It was mafia and FBI doing the French chase! It was so much fun to be in Vegas and I had so much fun with it. I still look at it today and think it looks good, but yet not as well known as which I also enjoyed a lot, both of them.
What keeps you interested in fashion?
Fashion for me is an artistic expression, it’s a creative experience. From the creative point of view I stay interested in fashion. I don’t read much about fashion but creating a look is the way I express myself. It’s creative satisfaction that keeps me in fashion. But it’s not my exclusive interest, it’s one of them.
What are your other interests?
I like creative sides of things. Anything that has to do with design I enjoy. It doesn’t mean I have to design a ‘thing’. I could design a photo shoot for example. Anything that’s creative I’m drawn to and I excel at. I stay within those boundaries. I would love to be creative scientifically, but I haven’t conquered that yet. Science can be creative, every endeavour can be automatic or it can be creative it’s just how you approach it.
What’s been your most fabulous fashion moment?
The experience was a big part of my life. I worked on the series and films. In total I worked with the girls for [8 years]. I like challenges. I worked hard in my early 20’s and partied afterwards!
What have you got left that you want to achieve?
I would love to make my own movie.