Hello! Fashion Monthly – September 2019

Armchair,

£995, Habitat

Channel Alex’s

eclectic, vintage-

inspired home

SHOP HER

STYLE

she made knitwear pieces for. “It was quite

eerie, I thought. A dark circus. I think that’s

where my love of circuses came from. And

I was so inspired by him [Lee McQueen].”

The love is real and the circus aesthetic is

a distinctive theme running throughout her

vibrant house. “It just happened, it’s not like

I planned it. I make cushions. I love buying

vintage fabrics and trims and putting them

together. It’s really fun and very freeing

actually,” she says, of her eclectic interior.

She tells us how they didn’t need to

change much about the

colourful nine-bedroom

property when they

moved in. “We loved it

just as it was when we

bought it. We did have

to redecorate when we

needed to rewire the

property, but that was the

only reason. We didn’t do

the whole house at once.”

Her favourite room

is what they call “the

star room” because it

is covered in star-print

wallpaper produced by

friend Barneby Gates.

“It’s kind of the guest

bedroom, but I just love

it. It has got a lovely,

what looks like a

four-poster bed, but

it’s tiny. It’s Spanish and

an extraordinary piece

of furniture that I

bought from antiques

dealer Josephine Ryan.

“I love finding

bargains, I don’t like

things to be too

formulaic and certainly

not all one brand. It’s a

bit of this and a bit of

that and we’ve collected

things over the years.”

They also have artwork

on the walls, including

pieces by the late David

Spiller. “He did cartoons

with lyrics from Beatles

songs. He was very lovely

and would write cards

and do sketches for us.

“Then, recently, we

discovered someone called Huw Griffiths

and what he does is so up my street.

Beautiful collages with vintage pieces of

textiles and little brush strokes – they’re

a little bit circus-y as well, so that’s our

new find.” Also hung on the wall is a piece

of art by her grandfather.

“My grandfather was a really big influence

and support to me, he was actually a vicar. I

was looking through some stuff after he’d

died and found artwork he’d made that was

almost identical to something that I’d done

at Saint Martins. When he lived in Egypt

he’d collect tops of toothpaste and any tube

you could possibly imagine, labelling them

like an archaeologist would in a box with a

frame and I’d done something so similar.”

Another favoured room is her home

studio, the old dining room. “It’s lovely and

has original features like the old wooden

floors and fireplace, so it’s really cosy. It’s

interesting when you have two children at

home and your working day is about a

third of what it should be.

But I wouldn’t change it.

“It does mean juggling

and working every hour

that I’m not with them. So

when they’ve gone to bed

I work on things I’ve saved

up that I find easier to do

late at night, like hand

sewing and beading. Or

I’ll finish off samples, that

is all done late at night

when I can’t think any

more, but I can sew.”

She tells us that the family

are – albeit unintentionally

• developing a “mini farm”
  in the grounds and her
  daughter isn’t interested
  in fashion. “She does her
  own thing and is totally
  independent, which I love,
  she’s creative, but in a
  different way to me. She
  wants to be a vet and is
  animal obsessed, which
  is why we have so many
  pets – she loves taking
  care of them and anything
  surgical,” she laughs.
  The family also grow their
  own produce. “We do, in a
  very small way. The children
  have their own beds that they
  grow carrots, strawberries
  and sunflowers in, but we
  battle with the rabbits, the
  garden is filled with them.”
  Growing up in leafy
  Barnes, south-west London
  in the 80s, Alex was actually
  not that interested in
  fashion. “I was always
  obsessed with making
  things. I wanted to be a textile fine artist,
  but it was only when I started my degree
  that the penny dropped and I thought,
  I could make things and wear them. It was
  at that moment it all came together.
  “Before that I had quite a few fashion
  disasters, like borrowing my mum’s Laura
  Ashley dresses, which was not so good. And
  I had a Sergio Tacchini tracksuit, in peach.
  I thought I was killing it, but it was awful.”
  We’re not sure it sounds all that bad. Q

Chandelier,

£125, Next

COTSWOLDS

FAVOURITES

Alex’s stylish list of the best

places to eat, shop and relax

Pub

“The Wild Rabbit in Kingham

has a great restaurant and the

bar is cosy. You can eat fish

goujons by the fire. And you

can stay overnight, too.”

Restaurant

“The Bower House in Shipston-

on-Stour does a lovely roast.”

Shop

“Cutter Brooks in Stow-on-the

Wold is a treasure trove filled

with exquisite things and is

great for gifts.”

Wa l k

“Pick up a map at the till in

Daylesford farm shop – they’ve

lovely hour or half-hour routes.”

Spa

“Bamford Haybarn Spa is just

amazing – you’ll get a massage

there like you’re in Thailand.”

Park

“Port Meadow in Oxford. In

the spring and summer there

are wild ponies grazing

and they come up to you.”

Spot

“Sit with an ice-cream on the

bridge over the river at Bourton-

on-the-Water. It’s pretty special.”

£995,Habitat

Rug, £1,355,

The Rug Company

Decorative star,

£39, Rockett st

George

Decorative

hare, £20,

Sainsbury’s Home

Floor lamp,

£199, made.com

Armchair,

£995Hbitt

ChannelAlex’s

eclectic,vintage-

inspiredhome

SHOP HER

STYLE

she made knitwear pieces for. “It was quite
eerie, I thought. A dark circus. I think that’s
where my love of circuses came from. And
I was so inspired by him [Lee McQueen].”
The love is real and the circus aesthetic is
a distinctive theme running throughout her
vibrant house. “It just happened, it’s not like
I planned it. I make cushions.I lovebuying
vintage fabrics and trims andputtingthem
together. It’s really fun andveryfreeing
actually,” she says, of her eclecticinterior.
She tells us how they didn’tneedto
change much about the
colourful nine-bedroom
property when they
moved in. “We loved it
just as it was when we
bought it. We did have
to redecorate when we
needed to rewire the
property, but that was the
only reason. We didn’t do
the whole house at once.”
Her favourite room
is what they call “the
star room” because it
is covered in star-print
wallpaper produced by
friend Barneby Gates.
“It’s kind of the guest
bedroom, but I just love
it. It has got a lovely,
what looks like a
four-poster bed, but
it’s tiny. It’s Spanish and
an extraordinary piece
of furniture that I
bought from antiques
dealer Josephine Ryan.
“I love finding
bargains, I don’t like
things to be too
formulaic and certainly
not all one brand. It’s a
bit of this and a bit of
that and we’ve collected
things over the years.”
They also have artwork
on the walls, including
pieces by the late David
Spiller. “He did cartoons
with lyrics from Beatles
songs. He was very lovely
and would write cards
and do sketches for us.
“Then, recently, we
discovered someone called Huw Griffiths
and what he does is so up my street.
Beautiful collages with vintage pieces of
textiles and little brush strokes – they’re
a little bit circus-y as well, so that’s our
new find.” Also hung on the wall is a piece
of art by her grandfather.
“My grandfather was a really big influence
and support to me, he was actually a vicar. I
was looking through some stuff after he’d
died and found artwork he’d made that was

almost identical to something that I’d done

at Saint Martins. When he lived in Egypt

he’d collect tops of toothpaste and any tube

you could possibly imagine, labelling them

like an archaeologist would in a box with a

frame and I’d done something so similar.”

Another favoured room is her home

studio,theolddiningroom.“It’slovelyand

hasoriginalfeaturesliketheoldwooden

floorsandfireplace,soit’sreallycosy.It’s

interestingwhenyouhavetwochildrenat

homeandyourworkingdayis abouta

thirdofwhatit shouldbe.

ButI wouldn’tchangeit.

“Itdoesmeanjuggling

andworkingeveryhour

thatI’mnotwiththem.So

whenthey’vegonetobed

I workonthingsI’vesaved

upthatI findeasiertodo

lateatnight,likehand

sewingandbeading.Or

I’llfinishoffsamples,that

is alldonelateatnight

whenI can’tthinkany

more,butI cansew.”

Shetellsusthatthefamily

are– albeitunintentionally

• developinga “minifarm”
  inthegroundsandher
  daughterisn’tinterested
  infashion.“Shedoesher
  ownthingandis totally
  independent,whichI love,
  she’screative,butina
  differentwaytome.She
  wantstobea vetandis
  animalobsessed,which
  is whywehavesomany
  pets– shelovestaking
  careofthemandanything
  surgical,”shelaughs.
  Thefamilyalsogrowtheir
  ownproduce.“Wedo,ina
  verysmallway.Thechildren
  havetheirownbedsthatthey
  growcarrots,strawberries
  andsunflowersin,butwe
  battlewiththerabbits,the
  gardenis filledwiththem.”
  Growingupinleafy
  Barnes,south-westLondon
  inthe80s,Alexwasactually
  notthatinterestedin
  fashion.“Iwasalways
  obsessed with making
  things. I wanted to be a textile fine artist,
  but it was only when I started my degree
  that the penny dropped and I thought,
  I could make things and wear them. It was
  at that moment it all came together.
  “Before that I had quite a few fashion
  disasters, like borrowing my mum’s Laura
  Ashley dresses, which was not so good. And
  I had a Sergio Tacchini tracksuit, in peach.
  I thought I was killing it, but it was awful.”
  We’re not sure it sounds all that bad. Q

Chandelier,

£125, Next

COTSWOLDS

FAVOURITES

Alex’s stylish list of the best

places to eat, shop and relax

Pub

“The Wild Rabbit in Kingham

has a great restaurant and the

bar is cosy. You can eat fish

goujons by the fire. And you

can stay overnight, too.”

Restaurant

“The Bower House in Shipston-

on-Stour does a lovely roast.”

Shop

“Cutter Brooks in Stow-on-the

Wold is a treasure trove filled

with exquisite things and is

great for gifts.”

Wa l k

“Pick up a map at the till in

Daylesford farm shop – they’ve

lovely hour or half-hour routes.”

Spa

“Bamford Haybarn Spa is just

amazing – you’ll get a massage

there like you’re in Thailand.”

Park

“Port Meadow in Oxford. In

the spring and summer there

are wild ponies grazing

and they come up to you.”

Spot

“Sit with an ice-cream on the

bridge over the river at Bourton-

on-the-Water. It’s pretty special.”

£995,Habitat

Rug, £1,355,

The Rug Company

Decorative star,

£39, Rockett st

George

Decorative

hare, £20,

Sainsbury’s Home

Floor lamp,

£199, made.com