Amanda Wakeley: StyleDNA

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.

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.

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 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…