Red room to boardroom - Barry’s Executive Chairman Joey Gonzalez on global ambition, building community, and why the brand’s heartbeat still lives in the studio

With plans to double its global footprint in the next four years, Barry’s—the original boutique fitness brand—is showing no signs of slowing down. From cult favourite to global phenomenon, the brand now boasts 92 studios across 16 countries and four continents. As Barry’s enters its next era, Ned’s Club caught up with Executive Chairman Joey Gonzalez to talk red rooms, risk-taking, and the unexpected power of community.

Joey Gonzalez

You joined Barry’s 21 years ago. Back then, it was still in its early days?

At the time, I was transitioning out of an acting career. I’d been performing since I was 13—musicals, TV, film, mostly in Chicago. Then I moved to LA to study at UCLA and figure out what was next. I’d just discovered fitness in my own life when I found Barry’s. From the first few classes, I was hooked. There was something electric about it—the energy, the community, the results. Six months in, Barry (the founder) asked me to teach. It felt like a perfect fit. There’s a real performance aspect to being an instructor—musicality, presence, connection. It clicked immediately. Within a week of teaching, I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

And from that moment in the studio, you eventually led the company to global scale. Was that part of the original vision?

Not at all. I’ve never been title-driven—I was just really committed to the brand and its mission. Barry and the founding team had created something special, but they hadn’t imagined it growing beyond LA. I kept asking, can we open more?, but there was a fear it wouldn’t translate outside of that local community. Barry’s was the very first boutique fitness studio. There was no blueprint.

In 2009, you took a leap—investing your own money to open in San Diego. Then, New York?

Yes, and New York was a much bigger risk. The capital expenditure was four to five times higher than anything we’d done before. I used every dollar I’d saved from acting, leveraged my house, and moved across the country. No one in New York had heard of Barry’s. We were starting from scratch. But we opened in Chelsea, and the first weekend was sold out with waitlists. It was immediate. That was the moment we knew: this could be something bigger.

Was that the beginning of the Barry’s blueprint?

Exactly. Behind the scenes, I was working on systems, manuals, and eventually the franchise company. When we had our first private equity investment in 2015, I became CEO. Most recently, I’ve stepped into the Executive Chairman role, which allows me to be even more connected to the people and the experience that started it all.

For those who haven’t experienced it, Barry’s is unlike anything else—equal parts bootcamp, nightclub, and endorphin-fuelled therapy session. What makes it so unique?

It’s definitely a vibe! I’ve heard it called everything—from a cult to a party. For me, it’s fun. It’s energising. It’s a place where like-minded people come together. There’s this powerful mix of intensity and connection. That’s what makes it feel so alive.

92 locations, 14 countries—what’s at the core of Barry’s, no matter where you are in the world?

We’re deeply mission- and values-driven. Our mission is to transform lives worldwide. That’s the through line in everything we do. Whether it’s Los Angeles or Riyadh, we build community. That word gets thrown around a lot, but for us, it’s always been authentic. We didn’t bolt on a strategy to “build community”—we started with it. From day one, it was about the people. We just figured out how to scale what already existed organically.

Any surprises along the way?

Plenty. I always believed in the brand, but I couldn’t have predicted how powerfully it would resonate in places that felt so culturally different to the U.S.—like the Middle East. That’s been the most rewarding surprise: seeing how inclusivity, connection, and community can translate globally.

Do you book into a Barry’s class when you land somewhere new?

I try to! It’s the best way to reset your circadian rhythm and get your energy aligned in a new time zone. A red room sweat session will do that.

Kim Kardashian, David Beckham, Harry Styles
 Barry’s has a long list of famous fans. How much has celebrity helped fuel the buzz?

We’ve been incredibly lucky. Until five or six years ago, we weren’t even courting celebrities—it was all organic. We’ve never paid for endorsements. Even now, our influencer programme is trade-based. We’ll gift a pack of classes and in return, they’ll share their experience. That authenticity really matters.

Rumour has it Barry’s is also a pretty great place to meet someone


Let’s just say, we’ve had no shortage of Barry’s weddings over the years! As for a dating app—I’m not sure we need one.

What about a documentary?

We’ve had plenty of offers, just not the right one.

The pandemic was a turning point for so many brands. How did Barry’s adapt?

We took the opportunity to reinvent. We launched two dozen outdoor studios globally and built our online platform, Barry’s X. It was all about maintaining connection. Clients were telling us, we need Barry’s now more than ever. That reaffirmed the power of what we’d built. We didn’t wait for it to pass—we leaned in.

What keeps you motivated after two decades?

The people. Always. I recently taught a class in the Hamptons and afterwards, a young woman shared her story with me. She burst into tears. And that’s not uncommon. It could be someone navigating divorce, grief, chronic illness—or someone who never imagined they’d lose 50 pounds. That one hour gives them hope, relief, joy. I had that experience, too. Barry’s changed my life. And when your work feels like it has purpose—when it genuinely helps people—it’s very easy to stay inspired.

How do you stay ahead of fitness trends without compromising what Barry’s stands for?

Trends come and go. But what’s always worked is the efficacy of our workout. Barry’s is 50% strength, 50% cardio. It’s results-driven. We might tweak the curriculum every few years, but that core balance remains. It works. That’s why people keep coming back.

Finally, with 92 studios and counting—what’s next?

We’re aiming to double our global footprint in the next four years—adding 60 more studios in the U.S. and 20 globally. But this next chapter is deeply personal for me. I want to spend more time back in the field—listening, learning, staying connected to the real heartbeat of Barry’s: our clients and our studio teams. I’ll still partner with leadership on vision and strategy, but nothing replaces the red room. That’s where I started, and that’s where the magic still happens.

Barry’s is opening soon in Navy Yard, Washington D.C. and New York’s Financial District.
For more, visit barrys.com
Follow Joey at @joeygonzalez

 

Known for his role as Maksim in The Wheel of Time, actor Taylor Napier on a (non) typical day of walking, working out and writing in the city


Home is?

That’s a hard one. Right now, it’s sunny London, and has been for two months, but I am on the road a lot.  So home is living out of a suitcase. Originally, I am from a small town in East Tennessee called Morristown
.which no one has ever heard of
.but it’s right next to the town where Dolly Parton is from if that helps.

The Wheel of Time actor Taylor Napier

How do you cope with being on the road all the time?

For me it’s the hardest part of being an actor. It’s hard to commit to stuff and it makes me a bad friend sometimes.  I’m not in control of where I am based a lot of the time. Having a routine helps. It provides a reality and stops you getting lost in the waiting for schedules to be finalised, and I guess going slightly insane. I go to very bed early, and I get up early. I start my day by going out for a walk, I get a coffee, try to seek out some sun. 
.then I try to write in the mornings for around 2-3 hours. Then maybe meet a friend for lunch. Routine is good.

A typical day looks like?

There is no typical day.  I’ve just got back from Cannes, which was fun, I was there supporting a friend so for it wasn’t stressful for me
.we wound up on a few yachts, as one does.

You play Maskim in Prime Video’s fantasy series The Wheel of Time, tell us a little about the series.

We’re an ensemble character drama wrapped in a sci-fi/fantasy package. We hit those high fantasy beats, but everything is rooted in character. With a diverse cast, there’s someone for everyone to love—or love to hate.

What is your character like to play?

Maksim is a joy to play because he wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s unapologetically himself — not out of defiance, but out of honesty. He doesn’t care what others think and refuses to live by anyone’s rules but his own, which naturally creates some tension given his position. But this isn’t the anger of a rebel without a cause. Maksim’s authenticity comes with immense kindness. He’s grounded, open-hearted, and deeply human — and that’s what makes him so compelling.

The series has been praised for its groundbreaking portrayal of polyamory and bisexuality, and your character for normalizing non-traditional love, what has the reaction been and how important was that for you?    

 

It’s been really positive. When I came on board, I was genuinely excited because I hadn’t seen this kind of relationship portrayed in fantasy before—not in such a direct, unapologetic way. This was back in 2019, and while there had been subtle nods or subtext in other stories, it was rare to see something this explicit, intentional, and central to the narrative.


With 3 Seasons and six years under your belt, does the cast start to feel a little bit like family?

It feels exactly like a family. From the pandemic to the strikes, with this cast in particular, we’ve been through a lot. My last day of shooting the second season was the day the war in Ukraine broke out. We were shooting in Prague and some of the crew were Ukrainian and literally had to drive back that night.  These real life things bring you together and creates a real bond. Over the past six years I have spent more time with the people on set than I have with my friends and family. And I’d like to think the closeness enriches the performance. I have just visited Priyanka Bose in Indian, she has a house on an Island in Carola, and she’s come to London to visit me. We all try to stay in contact and support each other.

What inspired you to pursue a career in acting?

I tried everything else and was just really bad at it. I actually studied acting at a conservatory and was encouraged to explore other avenues. So, at one point I wanted to be a war correspondent. I find it so fascinating. But then I read a lot of biographies
 and a lot of them ended up dying. So, I settled on acting.

Any roles you’d love to take on?

Any Tennessee Williams character as I’m from Tennessee. I’d really love to play Brick from Cat on a Hot Tin roof. But it’s hard to follow someone like Paul Newman and think you could do something different or better than that
. However, as with all of Tennessee Williams work there’s a sexuality and sensualness to the role that I find really interesting, and it’s not necessarily overtly sexual. It’s about exploring unfulfilled sexual desires and the secrets and the inner hope that people keep, that eventually drives them crazy.

Dream director to work with?

The inner 18-year-old film geek in me, who grew up and watched Requiem for a Dream (and it changed my life) always wants to say Darren Aronofsky. His films are so intense and emotional, it would be a dream to work with him.

What’s next?

I would love to do something different. I’ve done the fighting and the battle fields, and it was great for my inner 10-year-old. Now I’d love to do something that’s a bit more grounded. Some independent cinema or theatre and I’d love to explore a family character or a drama. In a project that’s more actor driven, where there aren’t explosions every 10 minutes, there’s so much more that an actor can bring to the performance. Obviously, the writing is important, but ultimately, it’s all about the performance. It lives or dies with you.

What advice would you give your younger self, and other aspiring actors?

As a young actor I was always looking for that one key piece of advice that would change everything and make all my insecurities as a young actor go away. The harsh reality is that it simply doesn’t exist. That’s the piece or advice I would give.  You have to stop seeking acceptance and admiration from outside sources. It has to come from within.  It takes time, and quite honestly a little bit of success. Because once you start getting roles, and you start getting reviewed (and some will say you’re the best thing since sliced bread and some will say that you can’t act your way out of a paper bag – everyone gets both) that’s when it comes. So, you just have to believe what you are doing is good and that what you’re saying with your heart is worth being said. And if you don’t, then you shouldn’t do it. And that’s not going to come from someone else
not from a teacher, not from critics or a director. It has to come from you.

We get to see more than a fair share of your abs in The Wheel of Time, so it’s pretty safe to assume that gruelling gym routines are a big part of your life, what is your fitness/diet regime?

It goes back to routines and actors not always having control of their day-to-day lives. I use the gym, and what I eat, as a way to feel like I am in control of some elements and it also helps to structure my day. The simple answer is that I lift weights 5 days a week and do cardio 3 or 4 days a week. Whether that’s running outside or running on a treadmill. It’s nothing fancy. I don’t do anything crazy. You just have to do the work. You do it, you stick to it, and it works.

You write, and have produced a short film, how is that side of your career evolving?

We have just sold a 15-minute short to a distributer. I like to call it a kind of psycho-sexual-travel drama. It’s based on an idea that I had on a trip once. There’s something very unique about travelling, especially solo travel, and the film explores the idea that when you alone you can reinvent yourself. It’s like going to uni for the first time. You can be whoever you want to be. When you meet new people, it’s not about lying necessarily, but it gives you the opportunity to write your own script. It’s like a blank canvas. And some people use that blank canvas for good
and some people use it for bad, or evil
 or for other purposes. Essentially, it’s about hidden secrets that people have and using what you have to get what you want, but in a different setting and bringing out different sides of yourself.

It’s a really fun 15 minutes, but I’m not giving away any more
 Potentially there’s a series there. Watch this space.

Costume designer Alex Bovaird on the most shoppable White Lotus season yet

Starting out on a low simmer, and bubbling over by episode 4, Ned’s club caught up with costume designer Alex Bovaird to find out how she created season three’s loud luxury look

Alex Bouvaird

You were the stylist on the first two series, picking up Emmy’s on the way, what’s it like being back for round three?

It has been so much fun, a labour of love and a true honour to be caught up in the cultural zeitgeist . We actually only got nominated for Seasons 1 and 2 - give us the Emmy for S3 dammit ;)

Transporting the series to Thailand, how did approach this season?

I had been in Thailand in the 90s so what I had in mind was that it was going to be incredibly hot, and that on the islands there was going to be limited access to shopping and resources. Mike White had set the bar high and forecast a bigger, better and splashier show, so I knew I’d have to work hard to bring a huge cargo of clothing and accessories with me! I shopped, borrowed, custom made and sourced high and low to make sure the cast had vast closets for their fittings.

There’s a lot of talk about loud luxury this season, and everything seems very elevated, what was the rationale behind that?

The White Lotus is chaotic, unpredictable, dazzling and brilliant – I did my best to echo that sartorially and serve the story and characters. The show is contemporary, but everyone is dressing the part, projecting the holiday of their dreams, so it’s an opportunity to go a bit over the top, to have fun and put forward colourful and eye-catching ideas. Mike White has a lot to say, and the dialogue is so clever and thought provoking, but he also wants you to enjoy the show, to treat your imagination and to be entertained - the costume department aim to support his lush and dreamy vision.

With series like White Lotus dictating trends and starting a fashion dialogue, what designers did you collaborate with on the styling?

I have built up a knowledge of resort brands from around the world and have always enjoyed getting off the beaten path to discover new ones. I have bought things from Annie’s Ibiza and Lunaflo London, JW Anderson and Juan De Dios from the beginning in Season 1 because they seem to fit into the world so beautifully. This season I continued a relationship with Valentino because their ESCAPE collection was the most divine match for us, and I also worked closely with Jacquemus to custom make some outfits for the character Chloe. There are many things that didn’t make the series, having to make edits but keeping options open - a two-piece set made from vintage towels is waiting in the wings!

From custom Jacquemus to vintage Chanel the White Lotus guest don’t exactly pack light, where did you source the costumes?

Everywhere! Rental houses, flea markets, showrooms, retail, online, local bazaars - Instagram has always been incredibly useful for real life inspiration and to find smaller, unique designers.

How did you infuse a sense of local style and authenticity into this season?

We bought fabrics, custom made all the uniforms, utilized my Thai team for the traditional dance costumes, found local jewellery and market finds - we always imagine the guests get a few pieces from the gift shops and we weave the colours and prints of Thailand into the looks.

Your White Lotus inspired resort wear collab for H&M sold out within days, how did that project come about?

That was a dream come true, to collaborate on a retail collection based on the costume design of the show. We used all my inspiration for the show and my experience in Thailand and distilled it into a wearable and packable capsule for the White Lotus Fashion Fans who are dreaming of their own tropical adventure.

Tell us about the vintage chiffon Chanel kaftan that Jaclyn’s wearing by the pool on her first day in Thailand Jaclyn.

My husband found that in LA ! He and I have worked together for ten years, and we both love the hunt at the beginning – that Chanel truly is a PIECE ! Michelle who plays Jaclyn loved to glide along to the pool in it and it and wanted to feel like a butterfly, so that one was a win.

How do you use labels to convey the financial status and social standing of the guests?

We are big on the accessories. A bag and some jewellery and some fierce eyewear are the right investments to convey status. Jaclyn’s Hermes watch, Victoria’s Gucci purse or Kate’s Cartier Love Bracelets are gorgeous and expensive classics.

For obvious, eye watering, reasons there was a lot of excitement around the Che Studios swim shorts sighting on Patrick Schwarzenegger in episode 1, any favourite fashion moments for you?

 I love those swim trunks ! The BALLER shorts! I love Sritala’s Gary Graham custom made cape that she wears to performs in Episode 2! Some party dresses upcoming in Episode 7, and Chloe’s Jacquemus on the yacht. But the real overlooked fashion star is Fabian, if you ask me.  I wonder when fashion editors will catch on to how Indo-Western chic
.?

 What’s next for you project wise?

I WANT TO DO JAMES BOND!

Candy Kittens founders Jamie Laing & Ed Williams on the sweet success of challenging the confectionary industry

Jamie and Ed on founding Candy Kittens, the fastest growing confectionary brand in the UK

Candy Kittens founders Ed Williams and Jamie Lang

Candy Kittens founders Ed Williams & Jamie Lang

Candy Kittens, the gourmet cat-shaped confectionary brand founded by Radio 1 DJ, podcast host and business owner star Jamie Laing and entrepreneurial marketeer Ed Williams, has enjoyed runway success over the past 10 years. Here Jamie and Ed share their story.

Why sweets?

Jamie: Growing up the candy jar was stored high up on a shelf where I couldn’t get to it. I was allowed one sweet on a Sunday - which felt like a religious occasion.  I was hyper as a child, so my parents wouldn’t allow me any more for fear of me bouncing off the walls
.

I was also quite an anxious child, so at night my older brother Alexander used to tell me stories about Jamie’s sweet world. Aged 8, when I went to boarding school, I used to dream about this incredible sweet world and this fascination with sweets grew. Years later  young, naive and with no idea of what I wanted to do, I decided to start a sweet company.

So, Jamie had the idea, and Ed had the plan. Did you really come up with the concept for Candy Kittens in the pub? 

Ed: Yes, and no. About 14 years ago, Jamie gave a very, very loose kind of elevator pitch about it when we were passing in the hallway of my house. He said he was thinking about starting a company called Candy Kittens and that we should talk about it. Once I had about 3 days to mull it over, I started thinking, yes, sweets that’s actually quite interesting.  They aren’t very cool - why aren’t they cool (?) - We can make them cool. That was the super basic thought process. Then we chatted about it over a beer in the pub. That was the start of realising we both brought two very different things to it, and that’s how it would work.

Jamie Lang and Ed Williams

Jamie, asides from the fact that you’re like an excited kid in a candy store every day and Ed is the very definition of calm, what’s so unique about your working relationship?

Jamie: Well, I tend to go, here’s an idea
and then Ed executes it, that’s the way that we’ve always worked. I will open the door to something that probably people haven’t seen or haven’t noticed, like ‘let’s make sweets cool’ and Ed will take that idea and think, how are we doing to do that? That’s how it’s always worked, in a brilliant way.

From that conversation in the pub, to seeing Candy Kittens in Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Waitrose, Tesco
 what goes into that.

Ed: A lot of hard work. We are both super impatient. And that’s probably why we start stuff, we can’t see it so we think, sod it we’ll do it ourselves.  But it takes a long, long time. We were fortunate that Jamie was on Made In Chelsea, and that gave us an extra platform to get going. But the reality is that the retailers don’t really, really care about that. They want to see that the product is right, that the numbers add up and that it performs well. So, yes Harvey Nichols and Selfridges came relatively quickly, but then it was really about nailing the supermarkets for us. You need to sell an awful lot of sweets before you’ve got a business. Otherwise, it’s really just a hobby. And we started from day 1 saying let’s kill Haribo, and that’s’ the mission we are still on. So, we got Waitrose, then once we’d got them, we slowly persuade Sainsburys
 then once you’ve got them, we slowly persuaded Tesco and so on and so on. We’ve still got a long way to go.

Jamie: With brands most of the time, if you’re suddenly starting to see it in lots of places, I can guarantee they’ve probably been going for 6-10 years. That’s the sweet spot and when suddenly everyone starts saying, ‘your brands doing really well’ when did you start that?

Any plans for a bricks & mortar store?

Jamie: The Sweet Factory is effectively our sweet shop. This is where we have our creation. For us, we are always looking to the future and at how we be different?  We did a pop-up shop that was interesting and amazing because we could close it down and move it to Leeds
Manchester, wherever we wanted it to go around the country. And that for us feels exciting. We’ve always wanted everyone to experience Candy Kittens but  if you have a stand-alone store in one place people have to come to you. It just doesn’t feel as exciting. You’re very static. For us, we always wanted to be able to move
across Europe, to America. We haven’t ruled out having a store, but for us retail is in an interesting space; is it an old school thing when we are always looking to the future.

In many ways you created the brand, before you created the product - how would you describe your marketing strategy?

Ed. We really were a sweets company without any sweets for at least two years. In a normal world if you had an idea, you’d work on it quietly behind the scenes and then when it was perfect and ready, and had the bow on top, you’d take it out there and launch it. We had the advantage/or disadvantage that Jamie had already mentioned this thing on TV. Millions of people had already heard of the brand. We had kind of created this ghost, and people were asking what the hell is Candy Kittens, and we were getting social media mentions and google searches
and we were like ‘OK cool, we should probably do something’. We knew we couldn’t make sweets yet, because quite frankly we didn’t know how, but we knew how to print T-shirts, and prints pens and merchandise, so we that. We did what we could to get the name out there. It probably sounds quite smart, and in hindsight I could make it sound smart, but the reality is we did what we could do to keep the brand alive and build the hype.

Truly a social first business, Candy Kittens is the perfect example of a brand built on community. How much has understanding this, and utilising it, contributed to your success?

Massively. Effectively we had our audience, we had all these people that were loyal, engaged Candy Kittens customers wearing the branded hoodies and the  pjs
then when we launched the sweets it was a no brainer that they would be queuing up to buy them.

How did you grow that audience?

Ed. It was all about social media for us. We were one of the first brands to have Twitter and recently they did a case study about Candy Kittens launching as a brand through Twitter. We were right at the forefront of that, and digital has been the backbone of everything we do. And I think it’s much easier when you’re a digital first company to have that engagement. Rather than brands who are suddenly now trying to be cool on TikTok. You have to work really hard at that. However, we have always lived in that space.

It’s the ultimate business model, what makes it so hard for other brands to replicate what you have achieved?

Ed. Because it was totally organic for us. How could Haribo do that now? They could pay a lot to an agency and try, but it wouldn’t be authentic. The story telling that Jamie brings to it, people want to be part of that journey.

Jamie: Another important element is in that space, we never cut corners. We were always 100% honest and always wore our brand on our sleeve. If you do that with your consumer they trust you. We never really swayed from who we were. A prime example of that is when we were a struggling start up Primark approached us to stock our sweets. Which is an amazing opportunity for any start up  brand, but it didn’t quite fit with what we were trying to do. For us, it was all about aligning with our values, and what the brand was.

Ed. We have a banner in the office that says, ‘better is possible’, and that’s the idea we apply to everything. The flavour, the packaging, the logo, ingredients. We believe everything is possible and we don’t stop.

On a more personal level, what is it that gives you both the edge and has allowed you to succeed in business.

Ed: I think there’s an element of determination, and that comes from deep inside both of us, for different reasons. I want to prove that I can do it. For Candy Kittens, with me, personally I have this thing that people automatically assume that its successful because Jamie was on Made In Chelsea and he had loads of money in his trust fund. So, I have a personal thing of no, f@@k that we are successful because we are actually good. Jamie’s is different, but it’s the determination that drives both of us.

Is it about taking risks? Pure hard graft? An inner confidence?

Jamie: I think for any entrepreneur there’s a validation thing. Why would anyone go and start a business? It’s insanely hard, the hours are horrible. But Ed and I are not scared to fail, and that’s the truth of it. It would be annoying if we failed, or course, but we’d just do it again. If you have that blind confidence, it  means you take risks. Also, we work really pretty hard, and we love what we do. I say to everyone, if you’re thinking about starting a business, love it. My god you have to love it. If you don’t there is no chance of success.

Ed: I think we are lucky that we both naturally like working hard and taking on a lot of stress. 

Candy Kittens founder Ed Williams

Ed Williams

How do you move on from mistakes?

Ed. We are both quick at recognising them and we are not afraid to point them out to each other. It’s tough for our team, because Jamie and I are the ones constantly pointing out mistakes. It’s a clichĂ© but all mistakes are good.

Jamie: An example of a good and bad mistake is when we executed a marketing stunt where I sent out an email, that had been made to look like it had been sent by accident. We mailed it to our entire database with a code in it. It was amazing, everyone thought I had genuinely made a mistake, and they tried to use the code BUT there we so many orders we couldn’t really fulfil them. What we learned was fundamental. You have to be prepared for every outcome.

Is positive work culture part of the secret behind the brand’s latest success?

Ed: Yes, I think it’s at the heart of what we are about. I think particularly in this kind of world where people are working from home and feeling quite disconnected. We really believe people need to be with people and connect face-to-face, and to really live and breathe the products they’re working on. And as Jamie said, it’s hard work. We are the David V Goliath story where we are really trying to do something that lots of people would say is impossible. If we are going to demand that kind of ambition from our team, the least you can do is give them a great working environment. We are a team; a family and we’re in it together.

The Sweet Factory is home to a diverse portfolio of ventures including Jamie’s podcast group Jampot Productions and investment firm Tuckshop, how important is it to have everything under one roof?

Jamie: It all happens here, with Ed and I across if all. It’s a great location
Radio 1 is just around the corner
but it’s about so much more than that. I think it’s so important to push yourself outside your means. That’s when you start to really grow and experience stuff. For us, yes, it’s a great space in Marylebone, right next to Chiltern Fire House, in a prime location, but if we push that there that means we all, as team, have to keep pushing. So, we set the bar inspirationally high so that we are always thinking bigger.

Radio 1, podcasts, business
Jamie, how do manage it all? Is the same Jamie we see everywhere, or do you wear different hats?

I would say I am exactly the same Jamie and that’s why I can do it. When you start to play a character or a role it’s gets confusing, and you start to get really tired. The way my brain works is like Whac-A-Mole, I have to be whacking down different things in order for it to work in lots of ways. I am blessed in that space and also having a great business partner. I think Ed understands me more than my own parents, the ins and outs, the good, the bad. The way that I work, he knows it and understands it. So, if I am doing something wrong or need to be persuaded, he knows how to do that. I had an ADHD test recently, and it’s through the roof. I need this to survive, it feeds me.

Ed: I’d say our strength is finding a natural rhythm of making it work.

What would you say are each other’s key strengths?

Jamie:  I would say Ed’s are leadership. He’s a great leader. His calmness, when you are in storm you need that calm, and that happens at lot.  And his attention to detail.

Ed: I would say Jamie’s energy, it’s unmatched. His people skills are fantastic. He can make everyone feel valued and listened to. And of course,  the creativity, there are a million ideas a day
.and one or two of them are good (!)

What’s next for Candy Kittens?

Jamie: Candy Kittens we are going to continue to build, we believe it’s going to be one of the biggest brands in the world. But also, it’s about Candy Kittens being a brand that creates other things. Whether that be chocolate, or whether it’s about helping other people to build their own brands. Ed and I love building things. To help other individuals in this space, and to help other entrepreneurs build what they want as their dream brands, I think for us, that’s out next move.

Model, influencer and author Ruth Crilly on her Sunday Times bestseller "How Not to be a Supermodel"

Bridget Jones meets the Devil Wears Prada, How Not to be a Supermodel is a hilarious roller coaster ride through a decade of the improbable scenarios and shocking events experienced by Ruth as she started her modelling career in the noughties

A delve into your journey through one of the world's most fascinating industries, you offer a glimpse into the high glamour (?) juddering reality of a by-gone era.

The juddering reality part, yes. It was an era rife with unattainable beauty standards, horrendous body image issues and deeply rooted misogynistic viewpoints. It was a life without smart phones and filters. The book focuses on what really went on behind the glitz and glamour, if indeed there was any.

 Set in the noughties. What was so different about then?

Well for a starters, it was pre smart phone and email, an age of innocence really. You just couldn’t access the vast amounts of information we can now. The world felt smaller and as a model you weren’t a public facing figure. I guess the book takes you straight back to that time, and it’s nostalgic really. It was a time when you could be incognito and remain private. For good or bad, 95% off that time has been allowed to be forgotten.

So, you were going to be a lawyer


Yes, the book opens with me dropping out of law school, entering a modelling competition and embarking on my journey to ‘supermodeldom’.  But if you take the modelling part out of it you could say it’s a love letter to myself.

It’s been described as Bridgit Jones meets Devil Wears Prada, which do you most identity with?

I am a catastrophe magnet. Disaster will always find me
or do I find it? There’s an element of Bridgit running though me – in a Devil Wears Prada setting.

A catalogue of clanging errors, it’s the opposite of an instruction manual – your book is essentially a lesson in how not to reach the top.

You can safely say, no-one knows more than me about how not to become a supermodel. Even when good things happened, like being gifted a ruinously expensive red shearling coat as payment for walking in the Ghost show. I mean how incredible, until it wasn’t ( I would subsequently learn that the dye hadn’t been fixed properly).  Off I went to a casting in Paris, one of those big, life changing amount of money type castings that really matter. It was one of those balmy, rainy Paris days. And I was hot. So, I ran into Gallery Lafayette for a quick make-up check on route only to discover that everything from my face down was red. Really red. My cream jumper, trousers, boots, arms, even my hands
 And the story should end there really. But it didn’t. I went to my friend’s apartment (who didn’t want his mum to know I was going there) and managed to dye her bathroom red
and on route to the casting, having been forced to ditch my now red boots, I lost a flip flop. Is it worth adding that I didn’t get the job? Things like that would happen to me all the time.

How did you come up with the idea for the book?

In 2008 I went back to uni and studied literature and creative writing. I was always writing stuff. When I was a model, I toyed with writing a model handbook, you know, on how to make it big. Two decades of chaos later and I looked at again, through very different eyes, and thought what was I thinking? I hadn’t exactly proven to be an authority on making it big. So, I decided to write about my disasters, and here we are.

 But you were very successful as a model.

Yes, I was, for a time, and I made a lot of money. I worked with best photographers, I was meeting great people and travelling the world.  But life is never one thing or the other. I was travelling alone. Sometimes too dangerous places. It could be lonely. There’s always a flip side.

You describe this as ‘a book for anyone who dreams big and aims high but never quite reaches their goal’ - When you were modelling what was the goal?

I thought I was going to be the next Kate Moss. I had no insight into what a jobbing model’s life was actually like. I just went into it thinking everybody that does this job becomes that. A supermodel.

How different do you think your modelling career would have been if you were starting out now?

Totally different. I mean that day in Paris. I would have booked a hotel room near the casting. Spent two hours getting ready and then pre-booked a taxi to the casting. That job would have been mine. Ruth the businesswomen would have invested in her career and treated it is a business. At the time it felt like a passive job. 21-year-old me with my 43-year-old brain would have made that work.

How has social media changed the modelling industry?

In some ways it’s made it tougher. In the noughties the criticism was coming from the people booking you, now it’s coming from the millions of people following you online. But social media does allow you to present people with a more rounded view of who you are. Albeit at a cost to your privacy.

The most shocking thing that happened?

I’m not giving away any more spoilers. But it was all normal then. Smoking, dieting, Britney Spears shaving off her hair and attacking photographers with her umbrella. It was The News of The World era. We breathed in scandal. And it was the era of fast fashion, and all about keeping up. Fashion was all about buy, buy buy. The magazine industry was thriving on the premise that people would buy what they told them too. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 What would Ruth the writer tell Ruth the model?

I wouldn’t have listened. One big regret is that I travelled a lot but didn’t really travel. I could have made much more of it and seem so much more. I was on my own and just saw it as down time, and most of the time all I wanted to do was get back home.

The glamour of a by-gone era... is that why you gave up modelling?

It just tailed out really. I was doing well. I was making good money. But then I got married in 2008 and need to refresh things. I felt like I had gone as far as I could as a model. I was 28 and I wanted a baby, and deep down I just wanted to write. Thankfully my husband was on hand to remind me that I needed a job. So, I started the blog, A Model Recommends which was the perfect outlet for me, at exactly the right time. And that started me off on a whole new career.

 Let’s talk about weight, an issue that you talk about very frankly in your book.

I was scrutinised for how much I weighed. Everyone had to be thin, it was black and white back them. The industry was tough on girls. Some nutrional advice would have been really, really helpful. But there simply wasn’t any. I did however establish quite early on that I can’t be hungry. So, I had to work out pretty quickly how to stay on top of my weight, without becoming obsessed.

 Has Bridgit been laid to rest?

Well, I can see when it’s happening now, and I try to push through. But I don’t like to be beaten. So, the other day when I couldn’t decide if my, visibly too small, vintage Bulgari ring would fit on my middle finger
what did I do?  Yes, ice and olive oil were involved.

 

And just like that BIG bags are back

OK so let’s talk about size - because when it comes to handbags it really does matter. After years of cramming our day-to-day essentials into tiny cross body bags, we’ve been thrown a lifeline.

Big, supersized, ludicrously capacious bags are back in fashion, and once you’ve made the transition, you’re going to wonder why we ever let them slip away.

Bella Hadid carrying Dune London’s Deliberate bag

Flat shoes for the subway? No problem. Your lunch pail? Just chuck it all in, and don’t forget the crisps. This season’s XL totes are so spacious, you’ll never have to leave the house without all your worldly possessions again.

So, who do we have to thank? Looking to the runway, with made-for-real-life dressing dominated the autumn ready-to-wear collections, The Row, Loewe and Victoria Beckham all showcased practical and convenient  bags that you could squeeze half the house into.

Dune London’s Instagram

On the celeb front Katie Holmes was recently spotted with Dune London’s Deliberate XL tote, which has already sold out twice. Harpers Bazaar and Glamour magazine are both calling it the high street’s most ‘in-demand’ and ‘perfect’ bag.

 

How to get ‘The Perfect Couple’ old money look – by the show’s costume designer Signe Sejlund

In case you haven’t seen it yet, The Perfect Couple is an Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery starring Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Meghann Fahy, Dakota Fanning, and Eve Hewson. The limited series follows the dramatic lives and dark misdeeds of the ultra-wealthy Winbury family as they convene at their family home in Nantucket for the wedding of their second son, Benji Winbury, played by Billy Howle, to Amelia Sacks, portrayed by Eve Hewson.

The plot?  Well, the drama really kicks in when the bride’s maid of honour, Merritt (who just  happens to be the family patriarch’s secret and pregnant girlfriend) drowns under suspicious circumstances on the eve of the ceremony.  While the Nantucket police attempt to solve the crime, the show hops back and forth between the post-drowning present and the rehearsal dinner the night before.

And then there are the clothes, skilfully put together by Danish costume designer Signe Sejlund. A master stroke of old money style meets Upper East side chic, the clothes, the perfume, the salons they go to
all play a part in enriching this stylish must-see drama and creating a look that’s exactly the right kind of expensive.

How did you get inside each character and define Nantucket, old money style?

Class dressing is a subtle art. With each character you have to get into their back story to understand how they want to present themselves. This is very much a collaborative process with the director and each individual actor. I have done wealth before in a few shows, but this particular area I didn’t know anything about. My assistant on The Undoing connected me to people who live on the Island, who helped guide my research. Nantucket really does have its own spin on style. Interestingly, the men are the peacocks in their lush vibrant colours and pocket squares. The women are more reserved. It’s very unique.

Nicole Kidman plays Greer Winbury

Let’s talk about Greer Winbury, the family’s matriarch, played by Nicole Kidman

She’s managing the whole thing and as we learn is having to work very hard to keep up appearances. I dressed her in lots of blues to match the sea, as well as creams and whites to exhibit her status. Wearing light colours shows you don’t care about whether you get spots on your clothes; she might pretend that she’s cleaning the kitchen, but she’s not really. There’s housekeepers and gardeners and pool boys taking care of the whole thing. Ralph Lauren is kind of a big thing on this show because it is that world. I also dressed her in a mix of vintage YSL, Victoria Beckham, Sezanne, Max Mara, Prada, Safiyaa and Roland Mouret.

Dakota Fannying, wife of Greer’s eldest son, how did you land on her look?

Well, she doesn’t come from money. Essentially, she wants to be Greer, she’s desperate to be loved by her. She’s annoyingly perfect and wears all the right things, uses the right creams and the must-have hair products. I dressed her in a lot of florals and added soft feminine ruffles. Her and Tom look the most Nantucket because they are so desperate to blend in.

Eve Hewson plays Amelia - Meghann Fahy plays Merrit

Influencer, best friend, secret love interest; Merritt, played by Meghann Fahy, how did you unpick all her layers?

She’s a free-spirited influencer with a back story. She’s been abused by grown-ups, clearly has a trouble past and has adopted by Amelia and her family. Their friendship is so strong because they need each other.  For the rehearsal dinner I dressed her in Missoni, and of course she’s snubbed for how revealing it is. Dakota Fanning’s character smirks “That is not a dress, she’s wearing a bathing suit.” Merritt simply isn’t one of them. The them, of course being old money. In two of the flash back scenes, I dressed her in a yellow ribbed one shoulder cover up and a black buckle detail dress both by ultra ultra-cool Cult Gaia.

Amelia, played by Eve Hewson, how did you approach her character?

I wasn’t sure what to do with her. Who is she? We tried all sorts of things to see what would work. And in the end, we landed on comparatively boring costumes because she doesn’t really care about clothes — they’re not her thing. She’s interested in people. She’s real. And because Eve is so naturally sexy, she doesn’t have to, and refuses, to try. And that really annoys Greer and creates a tension between them.

Liv Schreiber Plays Tag Winbury

And let’s discuss Tag Winbury, played by Live Schreiber, and that dressing gown

Ah yes, well if you’re real old money you don’t have to try.  Tag is the authentic version of Nantucket style., which is the antithesis to tailored, boardroom New York style. So yes, he’s more than comfortable in an old (expensive) bathrobe. He’s also happy in a pair of linen plimsoles and a wrinkled shirt. His clothes are all really good quality  but he’s dishevelled and thrown together and there’s something very sexy about that.  

At what point did you know you’d nailed it?

When we finally saw all the characters together on set at the rehearsal dinner. Before that all the fittings had taken place all over the world. It’s a big puzzle that finally comes together. It was exactly what we had dreamt of, it all blended in.

And finally, the opening dance sequence has gone viral, how did it come about?

It was the director Susanne Bier’s idea. We had started filming, and there was a lot of energy on the set, and she just came up with it one morning. I was sceptical at first and said, ‘well you can always leave it out’. It was so much fun. A real Bollywood ending, and everyone clearly loves it.

Spencer Matthews on running 30 marathons in 30 days

Having run 786 miles on sand and raised more than £500,000 for Global’s Make Some Noise, I caught up with Spencer Matthews to find out more about his incredible record-breaking feat.

30 marathons in 30 days, and setting a new Guinness World Record in the process, how do you feel?

I feel very humbled and proud of what we have just achieved. This was and always will be one of the most interesting and best memories of my life.

I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my incredible team; my emergency doctor, physio
running coach and being surrounded by people who know their craft far better than me.

And of course, hats off to Vogue for looking after our three kids (Theodore, Gigi and Otto) while I was away. The whole experience has been quite overwhelming. There has been so much interest in it, more than I ever would have imagined. It’s been more than I ever could have hoped for.

 Have you always been into fitness and kept yourself in good shape? 

 No, not always. I had a turbulent relationship with alcohol for quite a lot of my adult life. Aged16-30 I ran the occasional marathon but that was more about telling myself I was able to do that. In reality, I had a fairly substantial sized demon sat on my back. Towards the end it was problematic. I had lost control of my drinking, I was drinking early in the day, I was hiding it from people that I loved. It was beginning to have a detrimental effect on people in my life and it was becoming impossible for me to fulfil any kind of potential. I was really quite ashamed about who I was becoming.

How did you get yourself out of that space?

A long period of abstinence. I was teetotal for four years and I have a very different relationship with alcohol now. I was told it wasn’t possible for me to drink anymore, but I think that made me all the more determined to make it possible.

During that time, I built CleanCo and discovered that living without alcohol made running, training and being healthy so much easier. I signed up for the Marathon Des Sables in 2021, I didn’t fully prepare for it properly but came 69th in what was the hottest year on record. Then I signed up for the Amazon Ultra and came third. So, I began to feel like, oh god, I could belong in this challenging space, I get quite a kick out of it.

How did you come up with this incredibly ambitious challenge?

Towards the end of last year I was trying to figure out a new challenge. I was greatly inspired by Russ Cook @harestgeezer who rang the length of Africa. I didn’t know that many marathon distances where possible. I hadn’t thought about a marathon every day for a period of time, but I thought it was really interesting. So, I took the marathon dessert set up and thought what would be an interesting number?  A marathon a month had an interesting ring to it. So that’s how it started.

I surrounded myself with a good team. It was probably the first time in my life that there was a lot riding on something.

How did it feel going into the challenge?

There was a lot of pressure going into this. Breaking an ankle in Marathon 1 and going home was simply not an option. I went into doubt for the first time. A lot of people I spoke to where quite taken aback by the idea of it. I started to think maybe this hasn’t been done for a reason.

How did you come to work with Global’s Make Some Noise?

Global supports a number of small charities that don’t have access to regular funding. 

These charities work with young people suffering with bereavement who don’t have the comfort of a loving family to provide them with the emotional support system they need. They also work with young kids fighting cancer, kids who are homeless, young people who are struggling with mental health issues
the stuff that just feels drastically unfair. No child is deserving of any of this hardship.

Could your old self have ever foreseen you doing this?

My former self wouldn’t believe it, I feel like I’ve personally come a long way.    

From reality TV star to World Record Holder, on a personal level how has this changed you?

Before the challenge Vogue joked on the podcast that if I pulled this off, I would be unbearable. But actually, it’s gone a little bit the other way. It’s just been really humbling.

For me it’s the start of a fresh chapter of my life. This feels incredibly different to me. Everything about it, returning to London
the way I’ve been received. On a personal level I have proven to my former self that things that would have seemed out of reach are possible if you work and turn your attention to them. Aside from becoming an astronaut (which I suspect takes rather a lot of specialist training) I feel like anything is possible.  

What next?

I still haven’t found that physical boundary that has broken me. I am not going to dive immediately into new challenges. I’d like to raise more money for more fantastic causes and help more children with hardship in their life.

What surprised you most, what was the hardest part?Camp. It was a part of the challenge that I didn’t really think about. I’d prepared myself physically but not mentally. We slept rough every night until the end. For the penultimate marathon we had a bed and air conditioning as Vogue and the kids came to see me. But camp was incredibly rough at times. 45 degrees during the day, no shade, shower, toilet or even access to cold water most of the time. That’s a challenge itself. On the final day Chris Tailor (my running coach and friend ) and I joked that if we had the choice of running the entire marathon again living in comfort - or doing 30 days of camp again, with no marathons, we would both choose to run the marathon. Camp was arguably the most difficult.

Would you describe yourself as a competitive person?Yes, I am. But I also like to think I am humble in defeat. I like winning but have learned that there are lot of lessons to be learned from failure.

What do you think it is, deep down inside you, that allowed you to succeed in this challenge?Well, I guess the fact that we always managed to find lots of pleasure in the pain. I think it’s a skill of mine, to be able to find good in bad situations. To be able to make fun of horrific situations, brush things off and make fun of them because ultimately there is nothing you can do to change them.  If you are whinging and complaining and dreaming of cheeseburgers and pizzas
it’s not going to get you anywhere.  

Lowest point on the challenge?

One night we were served a sheep’s head on a bed of rice for dinner. I thought it was a joke. But it wasn’t.  It was also the worst camp. But we played The Red Hot Chili Peppers and did everything in our power to avoid thinking about that fact we wear in a sh@t hole.

What impact has this had on you on a personal level?

It's been the coolest thing that I could imagine. I am so proud of it. Going from feeling ashamed of myself not too long ago, to feeling proud of myself today is a feeling I hope everybody feels at some stage of their lives. You win Bake off and you feel proud of yourself, but it’s not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. This feels like I have done something really special, and no one can ever take it away.

Spencer is continuing to raise money -  those wishing to donate are able to do so by using the link in his Instagram bio below.

 @spencermatthews

Skinny jeans are back, and we’ve got Kate Moss to thank, or blame, you decide

Despite numerous attempts to cancel them (some blame Gen Z - others the pandemic) skinny jeans are back. For some of us, they were never out.

Hannah Jackson writing for vogue.com on Kate Moss and skinny jeans

To trace the origin of the skinny jean I take you back to the 50s. James Dean and Marlon Brando were lighting up the silver screen, literally, thanks to their Marlboro cigarettes and some eye watering denim. Rock’n’roll had arrived and Elvis Presley was crowned kind of the scandalous new jean trend.

Fast forward to the 60s and skinny jeans, thanks to the likes of Doris Day, entered their golden age. This, followed by a brief resurgence in the 80s, leads us on to the early 2000s when supermodel Kate Moss cemented their status in fashion history.

No other woman has done more for skinny jean sales than Kate Moss. Teamed with her favourite Repetto flats the queen of cool was rarely seen in anything other than a pair of second skin denims. And where she led, we all followed. 

Sadly, after nearly two strong solid decades of allegiance to this trend, the skinny jean was declared ‘over’. Dead in fact. Along with the low-rise waistlines we adored. Mom jeans, dad jeans, baggy jeans, flared jeans ensued. None of them resonated with me.

So, it’s with some smugness that I can report skinny jeans are not only back
and according to Vogue’s Hannah Jackson, we have none other than Kate Moss to thank. Photographed ‘out and about’ by Joan Wakeham today the 50-year-old was photographed wearing a pair of pale denim skinny jeans, stripy top and ballet flats. Needless to say, it’s feeling a lot like Christmas in my house.

With the likes of Bella Haid and Emily Ratajkowski in on the action, I think it’s safe to bust out the old Rag & Bones. With a little bit of luck and some positive thinking I’m confident I can still get into them.

'Queen of Skincare' Caroline Hirons on building a successful beauty empire

Trained aesthetician, brand consultant, skin blogger and best-selling author Caroline Hiron’s doesn’t promote unrealistic beauty ideals. This no-nonsense approach has helped her amass an army of loyal and trusted followers. “If you don’t need it, don’t spend the money if your skin isn’t going to benefit from it.”

Entirely self-funded, in 2022 she launched her Skin Rocks app and skincare line, both within the space of six months. The Skin Rocks Rich Cream is quite simply something every woman should own.

The idea behind her Skin Rocks app was to create a basic catalogue of products that would allow people to look something up and know immediately what was in it, whether it was suitable for their skin type — “you know, all the questions I get asked all the time”.

Caroline Hirons at the launch of her flagship Skin Rocks beauty counter in Liberty London

What’s your advice to anyone looking to start their own business?

Be tough and prepared to work. It's hard work, but you know, it's not worth doing if it is not hard work, right?

Never spend your VAT. Someone told me that at the very beginning and I am so glad they did because you think you have 20% more money than you do. Put it to one side. HMRC don’t wait.

Never expect your team to work as hard as you do. You will have people that do
but ultimately, it’s all yours. You can’t expect the same from other people. Equally, there isn’t a bin the building I won’t empty or a dish washer I won’t load


No one raised their eyebrows when you launched your own skin care line, but how did it all come about?

I found notes that I had made on my phone in 2014 about what my skin care line would look like. I had my exfoliator on my list and that was 11 years ago. So, I have always known it was going to be there. But I think I just got to the point that I was ready. Everything happens for a reason, doesn’t it?

I started on the beauty counter in 1997and began a beauty therapy course in 2000 but I kept having kids
and they were like, ‘you’re pregnant
 again
are you going to finish this course?’  After that worked for Chantecaille before becoming a brand consultant.  I started blogging in 2010.  When the financial crash happened in 2008 a lot of US brands that launched here were struggling.  Space NK said do you mind if we put in touch with some of our brands and they asked me to look after them while all this is going on. That kick started me as a consultant.

But then as the blog got bigger the odd brand I consulted for would expect me to cover it as part of our deal. But I’ve always kept them completely separate. Obviously if they wanted to give me an exclusive to talk about something new that was fine, but I wasn’t just going to give them a promo because it was year end and they needed to make money.

I’ve always joked with the Freaks (Caroline’s 145,000 strong Facebook group) that if I ever do a face wipe add you know I need to pay the mortgage so just buy it! But the crunch point came. I knew I would have to drop the consulting, and that was terrifying. I had to turn down a regular income and concentrate on the blog. And that was scary because I was the bread winner. It was me, my husband, and our kids.

When you are ready I think the universe aligns. I got the book deal. I got a slot on This Morning. It all slotted into place. It would have been easy to just keep blogging, having opinions about everyone else's product. It was about time to put myself on my own turf.

 Your success is based hugely on the trust of your followers, how do you retain your integrity?

You very rarely get a second chance at trust. I have never written about a product I wouldn’t back. Very early on in the blog I turned down double digits from places like Clarisonic. I told them, ‘If I say I love this now my followers are going to think I have lost my mind. Because I have said all along you don’t need it - shouldn’t use it - and it will bring you out in spots. And they said ‘well we don’t mind’ so I had to say, ‘well I mind!’. The money I have turned down is excessive but there was never any doubt. If I had done even one paid job I wouldn’t have been as successful as I am, because I wouldn’t have been as trusted. You have to be honest with people. All the beauty counters in Liberty love us, because I am always taking people over to them saying, ‘I love this eye cream, we haven’t got one yet, but even when we do I’ll still love this.’

What are you wearing for your launch?

Everyone thought I would wear something else but I chose my uniform. I am shop floor through and through. If you cut me in half I bleed a till!. I’m one of the team.

Your biggest lessons?

Patience. And don’t expect everyone else to work as hard as you. Patience has been a lesson — and not letting myself get frustrated by other people’s failures. I mean, when people disappoint you, there’s always a lesson in that.

Most surprising thing about starting your own business?

I know this industry inside out, so they weren’t really surprises. But other people’s bad behaviour. I consider myself to be quite ethical so when other people are openly lying, stealing, not crediting you
 it’s not even surprising, it’s just disappointing. As long as you accept that people will never care as much about your business as you do.

What keeps you in the game, what do you still love about the beauty industry?

When people say you really helped me with my skin. They will say things like, ‘I was utterly miserable and you have really helped me.’ That is why we do it.

Was Liberty always the dream?

Yes, because I worked here 30 years ago. I did the store induction. I was the Saturday/Sunday temp and worked all over the store. I ended up in the haberdashery. It was quite entertaining. The kept me up there because I have long arms and I can measure a metre of material without a stick
Then Liberty had a concession in Harrods so I moved there as I was pregnant with my second son and it was closer to home. I’ve pretty much worked in every department in Liberty.

What was more difficult, raising four children or launching a new arm of the business in such a short time?

The children. The business isn’t hard — you just have to be good at handling stress and be ready to pivot quickly. But with the kids
 raising four children with not a lot of money was infinitely harder. My husband and I didn’t have a pot to piss in — excuse the phrase — but we were living month to month. I’ve never had a handout in my life, everything I’ve got I’ve worked for. I might never be able to retire but that’s fine. I’ll just cross that bridge when I come to it.

www.carolinehirons.com


Sian Miller, makeup and hair designer on Saltburn, on the most talked about film of the moment

Saltburn, a fabulously dark and perverse fairytale of manic infatuation, tells the story of a student at Oxford who becomes enthralled by a wealthier classmate. Since its release in November the movie has dominated social media with the infamous bathtub and grave scenes continuing to fuel dinner party conversations. A masterpiece of cinematography, gothic beauty and noughties styling, make-up artist Sian Miller (after her double MUAH Guild Awards win in LA) on how she created the film’s complex characters.

Salt Burn Make-up artist Sian Miller

What was it like working with Emerald Fennell?

She is the best kind of director to work with because she is a details person and has an all round in depth view of the whole, of every aspect in film making. She’s incredibly into the detail. From the outset, when we started discussing the characters we were very much on the same page - you could say it was a meeting of the minds. Often on film sets there can be a barrier to get to people, to collaborate, but there was none of that on Saltburn. Emerald is very accessible.  Her experience as an actor and writer, undeniably contributes to her great skills as a director.

How did you start creating the looks for each actor?

I start with the script and there are usually lots of signposts to where I should go. For me it’s about creating a character and that isn’t necessarily about creating perfection in terms of the look. It’s often the opposite. We create characters, and sometimes you have to do things clumsily and badly. I think contriving the uncontrived in my job is probably one of the hardest things. We’ve arrived at a period now, where looks tend to be overdone, and often the hair can appear almost like lego hair, with no strays or air in between. I’ve always hated that. I like to see the roughness around the edges. It grounds everything, it gives it a reality. It’s not editorial, we want to see these people to appear real.

For Venetia, she’s described as barefoot and gorgeous, but she’s cripplingly self-conscious – she’s probably got some kind of eating disorder and her sexuality is described by her mother as incontinent, and her image masks her issues, her boredom, and displays her need for attention. I looked back to a period of various kinds of icons like Kate Moss in 2006 and a slightly later era, Georgia May Jagger, where it was a time of blaringly obvious hair extensions, so we wanted that look with the bleach and the root shadow. Alison Oliver allowed me to bleach her hair, and to create the authentic brittle ends. When the early tests were first screened Margot Robbie came along to the and said, “Wow, look at the brittle ends, so good.”

The cast of Salt Burn

How did you convey the different between aristocracy and the nouveau riche?

It’s always something that I have been aware of growing upon Britain. There is a lot of shabbiness in true aristocracy , a casual kind of thrown-on moneyed, entitled elegance. The wealthier one is, the less dressed up one needs to be. That’s why the (expensive) cashmere is moth eaten
the Lalique bowl is full of cigarette ends.  Venetia is the perfect example. She’s a bored teenager that raids her mother’s fabulous vintage wardrobe.  There’s a grungy, Kate Moss era rockiness to her. For her make-up I took a back-to-basics approach; a sheer base, some corrector, grubby bronzer, a smudge of khohl and a mid- noughties frosted lip. And then of course the chipped dark grey nail polish.

 What was your inspiration for the troubled Venetia played by Alison Oliver?

A character can jump off the page. To research I delve into all sorts of areas for research, looking at popular culture here, in America and in Europe.  I look at music, street
high fashion. For Saltburn I plundered facebook because of course there was no Instagram or Tik Tok to revert back to. Who says what was the defining moment of an era actually is?  I spent a lot of time looking at youth and late teen culture and the resurgence in Y2k fashion. Creating characters is all about the context.

The fringe, the tattoos
how much work went into Poor Dear Pamela, played by Carey Muligan?

We put the look together, then I emailed everything to Carey. The lack of prep time worked because there was a lot of trust between Carey and Emerald, and in turn with me.  A central theme was that she should be uncomfortably dressed from breakfast through to bedtime. She’s almost corseted and can barely turn her neck in some costumes. She’s also very doll-like, slightly innocent, she has a Pierrot innocence, a mask of melancholy. For the overextended eyebrows I was inspired by the 30s. And her make-up colours are inspired by a Chanel 2007 campaign. For the tattoos I drew playing cards, dice and a horseshoe, because she’s so unlucky in love. I added the word ‘lucky’ inside the horseshoe, a nod to Lucky Chap, the production company behind the film. Pamela’s Damien Hirst Pharmacy-era capsule tattoo has ‘R.Ash’ written inside it for Richard Ashcroft from The Verve. Because the characters of Pamela and Elspeth came of age on the music scene dating rock stars.

What was it like meeting Margot Robbie, founder of production company Lucky Chap?

She’s such an incredibly capable and knowledgeable woman. She knows so much about the filming process, the technical stuff, cameras, lighting, frames – and she’s very down to earth. She made several visits to the set and was open and honest in an incredibly collaborative way. Of course, like all true film professionals, there was no sense of grandeur. Any movie is the sum of many parts, and the sense of openness and friendliness made everyone feel important. We knew we were making a special film.

 How collaborative was Jacob Elordi, who plays Felix?

He was great, very collaborative. His eyebrow piercing was made from a fake nose ring bought from Amazon, and it was held in place with a silicone adhesive. Emerald wanting a brow piercing, and she had to fight some producers for it, who couldn’t understand why we would do that to the incredible handsome Jacob. But at that age, in 2007, an eyebrow piercing was really alluring. Nothing is ‘done’ about Jacob. When your forming a character every tiny detail counts, down to the Carhartt boot cut jeans and the Carpe Diem tattoo.

Did the film’s success surprise you?

Not one bit. I think it’s one of those films that commands a few watches. It’s had over 1 billion views on Tik Tok. It’s been phenomenal. People are throwing Saltburn parties and there was a Saltburn club night in NY the other night. The film really tapped into the zeitgeist.

On Oliver Quicks, how did you settle on his look? 

Because Oliver carries so much of the film rather than wig him, which would have taken up huge amounts of time in the hair and make-up chair, I created this convertible hair-cut, taking him from the Zack Efron style side swept fringe, to his wannabee Felix look and finally  the Paul Newman and Cary Grant style, inspired by these 50s screen idols. That was the starting point in the film as a  rather urban, well-groomed handsome man, talking to camera. Then we flashback to the story. Finally, we reveal the truth, and of course he became wealthy and needed to have a clean-cut, groomed and grown-up look about him. Once his character progressed to his final, he looks tanned, and I adjusted his makeup to create this.

Do you have a favourite line from the film.?

There are so many. But Rosamund Pike’s line “I loved living in a bedsit in my twenties. It’s so freeing to live all in one room. And much less cleaning to do.” Sticks in my mind, as she lives in a stately home with 127 rooms!

 Tell us a little bit more about the infamous bath scene
blood everywhere.

The blood kept sinking away too fast, so I had to use a palette of wax-based make-up to hold the colour on his mouth and chin.  Emerald wanted the blood to dissipate but as he sunk beneath the water, it kept disappearing too fast and we lost the effect. You needed to see the blood around his mouth and it dissipating all at the same time. On set it’s about creating drama, not making a documentary so you have to improvise and do what makes the most impact.

And the grave scene?

It was a closed set, and aside from Emerald and her immediate key people like Linus Sandgren DOP, Cameras, 1st Ad etc, the wider crew had gone, leaving me and the art director. Everyone else has gone. It’s all about trust and consent and making sure an actor is happy with who’s on set for these scenes.  Barry is such an interesting and exciting actor. You don’t know what you are going to get and the success lies in the fact he felt he had the creative freedom to improvise like that
and
well you’ve seen the results.

Paris Fashion Week: Highlights from the AW24 Collections

Dominated by female talent, Paris Fashion Week AW24 wrapped this week. From Lila Moss on the runway at Stella McCartney, to Brad Pitt & PenĂ©lope Cruz on screens at Chanel and Victoria Beckham’s v family affair, here we take a closer look at the week’s biggest hitters.

 

Lila Moss on the runway at Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney

Continuing her sustainable manifesto the British designer’s ‘It’s About F@@king Time’ presentation was dedicated to Mother Earth. The pioneer of responsible luxury stayed true to her mission, which was read by actress Olivia Coleman and Helen Mirren. Feminine designs, with an emphasis on the female form and what women really want, highlights included statement knitwear made with looped roles in alpaca yarn and crystal embellished dresses.

Model on the AW24 Sacai runway

 Sacai

Chitose Abe has a loyal following of women who can’t get enough of her signature styles. Everyday clothes for discerning women, this season she continued to play with volume to add an extra element of surprise to her collection. Signature parkas, army sweaters and suit jackets were spliced with elements of traditionally considered part of the female wardrobe. Putting the’ up’ back into dressing, Sacai is all about seriously wearable clothes for seriously stylish women.

 

Penelope Cruz & Brad Pitt for Chanel

Chanel

Now under the gifted hand of Virginie Viard, Chanel’s creative director penned a ‘love letter to Deauville’ for AW24. These were clothes that would slip comfortably into any women’s wardrobe. Belted jumpers with matching cropped trousers, sheepskin jackets with a signature Chanel spin
The key to Viard’s styling? An abundance of accessories from Maison Michel berets in the form of berets, newsboy caps and wide brimmed sun hats. While models paraded down the runway screens played a short film starring Brad Pitt and PenĂ©lope Cruz, a tribute to the 1966 film A Man and a Woman by Claude Lelouch. No body does it like Chanel.

Model on the Miu Miu runway

 Miu Miu

With her finger firmly in the future when it comes to predicting what we want, Miuccia Prada showed a utilitarian collection with an androgynous edge titled ‘A vocabulary of clothing, from childhood to adult hood.’ Modelled by male and female models the fusion of genders resulted in a contemporary collection of future Tik Tok favourites. With a nod to work wear uniforms, get ready to add the Miu Miu loafers and boots to your wish lists next season. The shrunken proportions and the appearance of pyjamas under a pea coat reflected childhood, while the addition of gloves and handbags served as symbols to adulthood. Where Miuccia leads, we will follow.

Victoria Beckham AW24

 Victoria Beckham

Despite being on crutches, a jubilant Victoria Beckham showed an unusually experimental show during PFW. An ethereal mix of tailoring, dresses and outwear, a sleek sculptural theme emulated through the collection. With a subtle seventies influence key pieces included high waisted bell-bottom trousers, zip sheepskin jackets and sumptuous silk dresses. As always, Victoria had her family on the front row. Husband David sat next to Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and children Cruz and Harper were accompanied by Brooklyn and his wife Nicola. Victoria Beckham does good FROW.

Model on the Chloe AW24 runway

 Chloe

The first show under the house’s new creative director, Chemena Kamali is the only women to have been appointed as the creative head of a luxury fashion house in recent years. Kamail, who previously worked at Chloe under Phoebe Philo and Clare Waight Keller, has found her creative home. Chic, fluid and feminine highlights included a ruffled ivory mini dress, a cropped black poncho worn with square-toe flats and the banana handle bags and must-have Chloe logo script belts. A combination of the best of the past and clothes for the future, we will all want to be in Kamali’s Chloe gang come fall.

 

London Fashion Week: Highlights from the AW24 Collections

Celebrating its 40th year, London’s best-known landmarks, including the London Eye and the Royal Opera House, were lit up in green to mark the start of LFW.

Launched in 1984, the bi-annual event was the brainchild of PR guru Lynne Franks (immortalised by Edina in Ab Fab). From Alexander McQueen's spectacles to Richard Quinn initiating Queen Elizabeth II into the FROW, there’s no disputing that London remains a hotbed of creative talent.

Throughout the decades, LFW has showcased established, and emerging, British talent - from supermodels Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, to iconic designers including Matthew Williamson, Stella McCartney and of course the late Alexander McQueen.

The anniversary edition hosted 67 designers across 46 catwalks and 36 events, here are some of the highlights.

Looks from Harris Reed’s AW24 presentation

Harris Reed's ‘Shadow Dance’

Harris Reed kick started LFW with a breath-taking collection hosted at Tate Britain. Reed showed a collection of 10 dresses inspired by the dolls fashioned from stacks of Vogues and National Geographics as a child. Repurposing and piecing together Fromental’s archive of silk wallpapers and using them as fabrics the Victoriana-inspired collection played with colour and print. No doubt Queen B and Harry Styles have already placed their orders.

Simone Rocha’s ‘The Wake’

Presented at St Bartholomew The Great Church Simone’s collection, marked the third of a triptych, which started with her 'Dress Rehearsal' collection last September and continued with her 'The Procession' couture collection that she made in collaboration with Jean Paul Gaultier last month. An exploration of the mourning dress of Queen Victoria, Simone fused Celtic mystery with French fashion. Combining nostalgic elements with contemporary details, highlights included taffeta capes and coats in midnight blue.

Tulo Choker

One of London’s most exciting talents, Toly Choker drew inspiration from Accra’s roadside vendors for her joyful and colourful collection. The British-Nigerian designer continued to celebrate community, culture and craft, with her vivid and vivacious ultra-feminine cuts and intricate denim patchworks demonstrating her notable prowess. An accomplished yet playful collection, Tolu collaborated with Virna Pasquinelli on a range of oversized bowlers, towering basket hats and baseball caps, reimagined with somewhat surprising UGG boots. Tulo is one to watch.

Molly Goddard’s AW24 LFW show

Molly Goddard’s Take on the Wild West

Molly Goddard’s clothes are all about making you feel undeniably feminine. Asking us to embrace our inner cowgirls (after all, why not?) the covetable collection blended her signature taffeta with colourful cowboy boots. Eclectic, directional, fun
. parts of it were inspired by her ebay wishlist. “Maybe this is only my frame of mind
but, to me, wearing taffeta is a bit like wearing a tracksuit, but just feeling a bit better,” she said. “I feel far sexier wearing something big and oversized and not body con. I know that's not how everyone feels, but I think there is a comfort to them. And they make you feel confident and quite strong. That's my take on femininity.” Molly, we love you for it.

Roksanda

The wonderful Roksanda. Embarking on a journey ‘where the connection between family and history, human and nature, past and present co-exist’ Roksanda presented a colour-filled collection inspired by the holiday home of Swiss French architect Le Corbusier. Inspired by windows, intricate wire zipped gowns tumbled in waves and appeared to froth as models walked down the runway. The highlight was a showstopping tapestry cape that took 200 hours to make. The Serbian born designer and red-carpet favourite remains one of London’s biggest draws.

Models at J W Anderson’s AW24 show

JW Anderson

Grey hair reigned supreme at JW Anderson where the Northern Irish designer sent models down the runway with super curly grey wigs. Promptly titled as ‘granny chic’ all over Instagram the collection focused on skimpy matching knitwear sets presenting a new take on underwear-as-outerwear. Commercial and experimental, expect wearable takes to trickle down to the main stream.

Burberry

Closing LFW Danielle Lee’s third collection for Burberry reinterpreted iconic symbols of the brand, fusing tradition with his innovative vision. Reinforcing the brands heritage and bringing it back to the forefront of the global stage, the runway show featured noughties names Agyness Dean and Edie Campbell walking to the soundtrack of Amy Winehouse. Phoebe Philo’s daughter Mia Wigram closed the show which was held in London’s Victoria Park. A seamless transition between the outdoors and the indoors prepare to invest in a timeless Burberry trench dress come fall.


Jenson Button on fatherhood, fragrance and working with Keanu Reeves

Britain’s 2009 F1 world champ Jenson Button is still putting pedal to the metal. The father of two may have driven his last grand prix in Monaco back in 2017 but the former World Champion is showing no signs of slowing down (no pun intended). From Super GT, DTM, the World Endurance Championship, Le Mans, NASCAR, and most recently racing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, the Formula 1 champion’s racing resume speaks for itself.

Jenson Button and Keanu Reeves on set

So, rumour has it a full-time position in the World Endurance Championship is on the cards for next year?

Nothing is confirmed yet, but endurance is the place I want to be. Multiclass racing throws something else into the mix with traffic. There’s always a lot more action because of it. The way IMSA is run, you don’t know who is going to win until after the last safety car, basically. Endurance racing is where it’s at.

You seem to be doing more driving than ever post F1, when will you enough is enough?

I will race as long as I can. It never leaves you as a racing driver, that want for competition. As long as I still want to race and am still healthy and fit and my reactions are still there, there’s no reason to stop racing. When I get to a point where I’ve lost my edge, I won’t be doing so much serious racing. But for now, wow! I feel like I’ve got a lot of years ahead. I still feel like a 20-year-old when it comes to racing.

Is it true that Tom Cruise in Days Of Thunder inspired you to get involved with NASCAR.

Growing up in the UK we had four channels on TV back in the late 80s. And we didn’t get any real sport outside of European sport. So, yes it was actually Days of Thunder that first brought me to NASCAR, because it was the first time I got to see any NASCAR.

I mean, it was a movie. So as an ten year old I thought it was insane, I thought it was amazing — worlds away from European motorsport. But that kind of got me in the door of liking NASCAR. And I used to watch it with my old man. It’s so different to what it used to.

You’ve talked about how the sport has a family-friendly vibe in a way that F1 perhaps doesn’t, talk to us a little bit about this.

I don’t want to be negative about F1, because it is an amazing sport, And I’m an F1 World Champ, so I spent most of my life there. But you’re so focused, and your family doesn’t come to the races, because your teams don’t really want them to be there, because they know that your focus is so important. What I love about all the different series in NASCAR is that the atmosphere is great, the family atmosphere really got me. My kids are playing with everyone else's kids, it's that part of it that really adds to the interest for me.

Hacket Fragrance Ambassador Jenson Button

You’re a style ambassador for Hacket clothing and fragrance, how important is looking and smelling good?

I have a great relationship with Jeremy Hackett. I took him for a spin in a Jaguar at Goodwood this year in a Jaguar C-type that once belonged to F1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio. That was a lot of fun. I’ve always like the brand for its classic aesthetic and British heritage. The days my style is more relaxed, I’m constantly on the move. A suit that fits perfectly gives you confidence. And wearing a fragrance you love does the same thing. We’ve just launched Absolute which is incredible. My wife and I went on date night recently and the perfume she wore took me back to our wedding day. Perfume evokes memories, special memories.

Any racing driving prowess in the Button junior camp? And would you encourage either of your kids to get into the sport?

We’ve got a boy that’s 4 and a girl that’s almost 3 and they both LOVE cars. My son knows every car on the road and he’s always pushing cars. It’s not the only thing he loves, he loves bugs as well. On reflection that direction might be cheaper than the car direction!  But actually, if either of my children are going to be racing drivers it’s my daughter. Lenny Button, she’s a bit crazy, in a positive way. She’s pushing the boundaries the whole time and will always find the most dangerous way to walk anywhere. She’s amazing
 and she’s sturdy as well. With my son Hendrik you think he’s going to fall over all the time but she’s like, I’ve got this!

Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story, produced and narrated by Keanu Reeves, documents the incredible story of the Brawn team (Ross Brawn famously bought Honda for a ÂŁ1 in 2008 before securing both championships in 2009) and of course your Formula 1 win. What was it like being involved in a project like that? 

It was a lot of fun. I spent three days with Keanu, on the couch for two of them and then the other one was up at Silverstone with the winning car. Keanu is such a nice guy and I really enjoyed working with him. The documentary is great, and we’ve come up with some ideas for the future, so watch this space.

A look back at 2023’s most memorable moments with Piers Morgan

Most of us didn’t expect to spend the beginning of 2023 reading about alternative uses for Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Cream
but here we are and what a year it’s been.

As we prepare to usher in a new year Piers Morgan reflects on this year’s highs and lows.

Piers Morgan

Congratulations on the awards for Piers Morgan Uncensored, who was your favourite interviewee?

I think my interrogation of Jeremy Corbyn which went viral after he refused 12 times to say Hamas are terrorists. Sometimes it's what a guest doesn't say that says it all, and he showed his true colours that night. 

Tell us about your Cristiano Ronaldo scoop 

Only me, him and his girlfriend knew we'd done it, which is pretty extraordinary given how massive it was and how much fallout it provoked. But Cristiano didn't want his team to know and then try to stop him doing it. I speak to him all the time, and he has no regrets about the interview. He's scored 50 goals in 2023, the most by any professional footballer in the world, and is the highest paid athlete on the planet. So I'd say it was definitely Manchester United's loss, not his. 

Piers Morgan interviews Cristiano Ronaldo

On your now infamous Jeremy Corbyn interview - was there ever a teeny tiny moment (in your 15 attempts) that you thought he might actually answer your question?

Haha.. no. Though he did answer it several days later when he realised his bad it looked that he hadn't. Could have saved himself a lot of pain if he'd done that the first time I asked him. 

You’re a huge Arsenal fan, but then nobody’s perfect, best sporting moment ever?

Arsenal becoming invincible in 2004 after we didn't lost a single Premier League game all season. First team ever to do it, and I doubt anyone will do it again given how tough the Leage has become. Ironically, I was fired as editor of the Daily Mirror the night before our final game against Leicester, so wasn't quite so invincible myself! 

Best Twitter, sorry X, moment?

Seeing my pinned tweet of Cristiano Ronaldo praising my 'good abdominals' pass 50 million views. I now have the most famous abs in history. 

Best thing you watched on TV this year?

Yellowstone. Takes a few episodes to get into it, but once you do - wow, what a show! Brilliant characters, great writing, amazing scenery, and more action than a James Bond movie. 

It’s been the year of the self-authored, narrative-skewing celeb documentary, funniest moment?

Harry and Meghan incessantly whining about privacy during a 6-part Netflix series invading their own privacy and that of their family. Beyond parody. 

 HS2, Rwanda, X, Rishi’s ankle grazers, Harry’s Hair, there have been a few, dumbest decision?

The Rwanda policy is a ridiculous act of self-harm by the Tories. It will never work, and even if does only a few hundred people will be sent there at a cost of about ÂŁ10m each the way things are going. Utter madness. 

The award for most annoying celeb goes to?

Hugh Grant.. the man who never stops whining about making movies and blaming the media for his own actions. Ludicrous man, only rivalled by the ghastly Steve Coogan. 

Another turbulent year for the royals, best royal story?

King Charles losing his shit about a faulty pen. We've all done it, just now with the entire world watching. 

Best meme
?

That one of me and the pigeon lady from Home Alone still goes viral every Christmas, forcing me to deny it's me all over again. IT'S NOT BLOODY ME! 

Piers Morgan Home Alone meme

The words “I wish you well” have never been more haunting, best celeb quote of the year?

99.9% of women don't have penises' - Sir Keir Starmer. 

Aston Martin, the DB5 and Formula 1 with Dylan Jones

Best-selling author, journalist and award winning editor Dylan Jones OBE on his new role at Aston Martin, the DB5 and Formula 1

 Following on from his tenure as Editor at GQ magazine, Dylan Jones OBE is Editor In Chief of The Evening Standard and Consulting Editor of Aston Martin’s newly refreshed lifestyle magazine.

Best-selling author, journalist and award winning editor Dylan Jones OBE

 1. Tell us about your involvement with, and the direction of, Aston Martin’s new lifestyle magazine

 I’ve been consulting for them, helping turn the magazine into a genuine luxury title. It’s been enormous fun.

 2. â€˜Formula 1, Sports greatest soap opera’
.explain

It has everything - speed, tech, travel and Sex. You can’t beat that. 

 3. For the launch issue of V53 you interviewed Fernado Alonso and wrote, “Personality and cash will get you so far, as will driving ability and technological splash, but without the secret sauce you may as well be playing Hot Wheels or Scalextric.” Has he got the sauce?

He’s got a whole bottle. 

Fernando Alonso on the cover of Aston Martin’s V53 magazine

 4. Scalextric or match box cars? 

Hot Wheels. 

 5. Your favourite Aston Martin model and why?

DB5. Sex on wheels.

Aston Martin DB5

 6. 60 years old this year –  how has the BD5 retained it’s status as a symbol of British culture, design and innovation?

 Because it is one of the most beautiful cars ever designed.

 7. You describe the new DB12 as moving into the future while stepping into the past, how important is this balance of tradition and innovation?

 Crucial. And Aston Martin do it better than most. 

 8. Following an epic 21 year tenure as the Editor of GQ, many of which were the golden age of glossy magazines, what were the best times, and can you share a few of your worst?   

The best times would fill a book - which they probably will at some point, but the ambition was always the same, whether we were competing with magazines, newspapers or social media: we needed to make the proposition compelling. Completely compelling. The only downside was the occasional libel writ.

 9. Boris Johnson was your car columnist at GQ, worst decision ever?

Best decision ever. People never stop talking about it.

10. Worth the ÂŁ4,000 in parking tickets?

Yup. 

11. Your wife describes you as the most impatient, irascible, irritating driver it has ever been her misfortune to share a car with – your words BTW– who was yours?

 Tracey Emin. Can’t drive. 

  12. You are renowned for your sartorial style (and written a book on the subject). What are the worst fashion crimes you have seen committed by London men? 

Trying to look too young.

13. You’ve got 60 seconds to sell me a car. Which one?

You buy the one the suits you. I’ve driven a Range Rover for the last 20 years because it does’ everything I need it do.

 

Could Boots No7 latest skincare innovation be the final piece of the ageing puzzle?

As we get closer and closer to demystifying and understanding the science of ageing (FYI anti ageing is now considered a dirty word in the industry), could Boots No7 trailblazing Future Renew Serum have unlocked the final piece of the puzzle?

Boots No.7 Future Renew Damage Reversal

If you haven’t heard of it yet, the latest miracle serum that’s getting the beauty industry excited is Boots No.7 Future Renew Damage Reversal. It costs £35 (a mere snip compared to todays eye watering skincare prices) is the result of 15 years of innovation, and if the queues around the country yesterday are any measure of its potential success, it’s going to be HUGE.

So, what’s the excitement all about? Well, Future Renew contains a super peptide blend that renews your skin cells, and can trick your body into thinking it needs to repair itself. Tests saw the reversal of the appearance of signs of skin damage, including fine lines, wrinkles, lack of luminosity, dryness, uneven skin tone and loss of firmness - with visible results within four weeks.

The day before the official launch the virtual ‘in the know’ queue has 95,000 eager people waiting to get their hands on it.

Peptides are great for the skin anyway, but this new technology – which No7 hopes to get patented and has been 15 years in the making – can’t be found in any other product on the market. Studies have shown peptides aid the skin’s natural repair process and renew over 50 key proteins in skin cells.

‘Skin damage happens throughout our lives and is caused by multiple factors including sun exposure, environmental pollution, stress, sleep, temperature and nutrition,’ said No7’s head of science research Dr Mike Bell.

‘The new peptide blend effectively tricks the skin into thinking that it has been damaged which leads to renewal of key proteins such as collagen and fibrillin.

‘It therefore supports skin’s natural self-repair mechanisms, targeting signs of cumulative damage both on and under the surface.

Boots No.7 fans haven’t been this giddy since the infamous launch of Protect & Perfect in 2007. Featured on the BBC Horizon programme, the Boots website had completely sold out by the following day. Priced at £16.75, it was significantly cheaper than other creams on the market.

This combination of innovation at an attainable price point seem to be the magic formula for Boots, and their loyal customers. Personally, I am more than willing to give it a go.

The proof in the pudding of course is whether customers come back for more. Protect & Perfect remained a Boots best seller for years. For Future Renew?  Only time will tell.

 

Why we're all obsessed with Succession's understated 'quiet luxury'

Ironically, the most au courant TV show fashion-wise this year is Succession. The antithesis to And Just Like That and Emily in Paris where the clothes are ‘the thing’ the Roy’s clothing is anything but. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Roy’s are so sure of their success that while they need to look nice, they don’t need to try. Surely the ultimate measure of success is when you have reached the stage that are so wealthy you have no need to participate in self-promotion online or off. It’s the ultimate power move.

Meanwhile, back in the real world, it follows through that todays super rich don’t need logos to display status either. They don’t scan the pages of glossy magazines studying the latest ‘must-have’ buys. They are all about adopting a quiet, low-level style. No loud obvious labels, no red soled Louboutins
it’s all about the down playing of excess and focusing on what makes high end clothing worthwhile. According to the BOF, ‘Broadly speaking, quiet luxury refers to ways of dressing that subtly telegraph status via materials, cut and low-key signifers rather than loud design flourishes and obvious logos.’ To the untrained eye there’s nothing to suggest these clothes are eye wateringly expensive. For HNWIs desirability is a combination of understated minimalism, luxurious materials and sublime fit.

More akin to ‘old money style’ tailoring aficionados like Gabriela Hearst and Bottega Veneta, and niche brands like Brunello Cucinelli (sales soared 29.1% in 2022) and Loro Piana, embody what fashion looks like for the one per cent. This return to a cleaner, more 90s aesthetic has seen renewed excitement around designers like Jil Sander, The Row, Georgia Armani and Max Mara.

Even the Hollywood elite and British royalty are turning their backs on ostentacious, or obvious, displays of wealth. Recycling dresses on the red carpet was big at this years Oscars. Kate Blanchett being a case in point. The likes of Nicole Kidman, Katie Holmes and The Princess of Wales are also making considered and purposeful purchases, repurposing gowns and opting for understated luxury brands like Métier.

Proving that unostentatious luxury is always chic the London based brand specialise in timeless accessories, combining the finest materials and meticulous handcraftsmanship. Kate Middleton is a huge fan of Métier, and is often photographed with the Roma Mini Suede Shoulder bag.

For a masterclass in quiet luxury take a closer look at the outfits worn by the Roy’s in Succession; Savile Row suits, silk shirts, well-cut wool trousers. Luxurious fabrics, impeccable fit. Logos and embellishments are seldom present. Based on the brutal machinations of a Murdoch-like media dynasty the show uses clothing to witty and devastating effect.

Costume designer Michelle Matland explains, The Roys “have been brought up in a very European sensibility. They were trained in how to behave and also how to dress. I think there is a decorum about that.” The Roy family are above using logos to display status. In their private world, they have no-one to impress. The Moncler padded vests the family wear to blend in at a tech retreat being a case in point


When Cousin Greg’s date arrives at a family get together carrying a Burberry check tote he’s taken aside by Tom who fashion-shames his date. “So I hear you’ve made an enormous faux pas and everyone’s laughing up their sleeves about your date.”

To which Greg innocently replies “What, why?”

Tom: “Because she’s brought a ludicrously capacious bag. What’s even in there, huh? Flat shoes for the subway? Her lunch pail? I mean, Greg, it’s monstrous, it’s gargantuan. You could take it camping. You could slide it across the floor after a bank job.”

Another brilliant use of fashion is Kendall’s powering up wardrobe. As he strives to assert his position he ditches the Gucci and the Balenciaga in favour of a stealth wardrobe that minics his dads. Similarily, Shiv steps up her ambitions, and her look, by trading in her safe and conservative cardigans for gossamer thin polo necks, backless evening dresses and clinging silk shirts, which Matland describes as an early Carolyn Bessette look. Very simply, beautiful and lean. “It’s a look that tells you, ‘I’m here, I’m ready to fight you if I have to.’ It’s both cool and standoffish.

Meanwhile, husband Tom is ridiculed by the Roy siblings for his label defining wardrobe of off-the-peg suits. The reason we are all so obsessed with Successions’s ‘quiet luxury’ is that for most of us it’s simply not achievable. To truly understand it, you really do need to be on the inside.