L IVINGtatler.com October 2019would land a huge deal if they
agreed to let her return to Paris with
him. ‘But when I got to the hotel
room, I realised he expected me to
share a bed with him,’ she says. ‘At
that point I didn’t know what to do.
I was in Paris with this extremely
powerful man from one of the top
agencies. I had a panic attack and
said in my broken English, “This
was never going to happen.” He
said, “Fine.”’
Gabriela didn’t get a new contract
and instead she was consigned to a
small agency and accommodated in a
dirty basement apartment on her
own. From there, she worked her way
up through the modelling ranks, on a
path that eventually led her to happi-
ness in London.
And that modelling executive?
‘I’m sure I saw him again,’ she says
with a shrug. ‘But I’m much stronger
now. Back then, I was a baby and I
was terrified.’
Despite the tough times, Gabriela
is measured about her career decisions
as a whole: ‘I got a great opportunity.
The girls that I went to school with
are still working in the village where
we grew up. I’ve been incredibly
lucky. Life has put me through some
challenges and they have made me
the person I am.’
For now, Gabriela is planning
her next milestone: turning 40.
She’ll celebrate with a fabulous
three-day retro-Riviera themed
party at the couple’s house in St
Tropez (they also rent a place in the
Cotswolds). With 150 guests and
counting, it will be a veritable list
of West London society darlings –
no doubt the Princesses of York
will be there, as will Gabriela’s new
neighbour in the South of France,
Dame Joan Collins.
The best thing about a Gabriela
Peacock party? She knows exactly
what to prescribe to prevent any
guests from getting a hangover. ‘I
get everyone’s livers in shape with
vitamins and supplements before
a big party. I like to have a glass of
wine and I know that they do too- so we’ll be prepared,’ she laughs.
‘I think this is going to be more
fun than my wedding.’(
gpnutrition.com
00HAIR & MAKE-UP: CHARLOTTE COWEN. PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT: CHRIS BROMLEY. PRODUCTION: MUFFIE SPROAT
Shirt, POA, by POLO
RALPH LAUREN. Skirt,
POA,by SKIIM. Diamond
and gold pendant, POA;
rose-gold and platinum
necklace, £2,800;
diamond, white-gold
and gold bracelet,
£11,000, all by JESSICA
McCORMACK. Shoes and
jewellery, Gabriela’s ownJOIN THE CLUB
Gabriela in her
dramatic dining-
room-cum-nightclub,
with the neon sign
she commissioned
for her husband
David’s birthday10-19BYST-GabriellaPeacock.indd 85 09/08/2019 13:0385