This is the bbc hulu uncursed, a young. Thank you for downloading this podcast of desert on discs from BBC radio for for rights reasons, the music choices of shorter than in the radio broadcasts for more information about the programme. Please visit BBC dot. Uk slash radio for this edition of desert island discs with stella mccartney is an extended version of the original radio for broadcast. The. MIKE.

So this week is the fashion designer seller macartney. She sells effortlessly cool, insouciance style, which is interesting because building a global brand with fifty old stores and a multi million pan turnover must have taken quite a lot of effort on her part-

she has no stretched well beyond her beginnings in women's where an expanded, our empire to include collections for man and children, fragrance handbags and sportswear. Indeed, she even kits out ten gb athletes for the olympic. She always wanted a life at a mood at twelve. Her first ever design was a fix, weD bomber jacket by fifteen. She was doing work experience with christian, the quad in paris and by twenty five. The fashion packs perfectly plucked. Eyebrows were raised in astonishment to see her replaced. The legendary car lego felt at clearly, but she triumphed her collections of skinny trousers, silky least, trim slips and spikes. Two letters increase turn over there by four hundred percent. She says I was drawn into fashion because I'm really interested in serving women and providing women with solutions trying to figure.

What we need and why we need that and why we wear stuff how it makes us feel and how is what you're, winning today influencing how you're feeling stella mccartney while I'm wearing a jumpsuit and they always make me feel quite confident have to say. Do you know it's, likes me that you are one of those designers that many of them really? Who sort of you like Tom ford? You are the embodiment of force. It is of the style that you are selling when they buy his clothes. They want to buy a bit of him and when they come into your stores, they want to buy a little bit of you with your brand and that's quite a pressure on you- I mean what what happens if you're, just having one of those days where you think you know, I don't want to get all talked up or don't want to look cool. I just want to put my eggs in my fleece and have a normal day. I think comfort is a big part of how I design I mean I don't

New some leather warfare and and I'm a pretty sustainable design, is my exert and not part of the equation, but I definitely understand the idea of just being yourself not trying too hard through what you're wearing you know. That seems like a contradiction, though, to say not trying to her three what you're way, because surely you know buying expensive clothes, it is about trying hard and now, I think of it, you have to wear the clouds, not let the clothes where you, I think it's really important for you to take control of your water, be no women choose to buy. My close, I dont make them by them. I've always thought. You know it. It takes a lot to buy something that made well and that is so mindful in design and manufacture. You have to make them decisions are based on who you are and have them brings. Else to your life, make your life better, but not make your life, not your life. If you coercion, boats, and you see somebody wearing a jacket or a pair of trousers that you design ten years ago in a collection. Do you think that's a triumphant

she is still awaiting them. Ten years later, less assign you doing your job. Definitely I'm really embarrassing. I go up to people in the street and my own eyes back, even if I didn't know who I am and I choose funnier. There was some somebody I saw in the street actually only yesterday that had a bag of mine. That was about ten years old, and she looked at me and I looked at her and I thought this is awkward and I was really chuffed for me. It's a real chief meant you know, I'm not interested in landfill, I'm interested in rio Houston and continuous design, I think, staying power on in We sense of the word is really important. Tell me about this first choice this morning, it's been agonizing for you that I've got the feelings breath. I think, come in iceland, music is a massive part of my life. It's been there from day one then it's it's continued to be there in a different way. The first song I chose is by nirvana teen spirit, and I think it's interesting for me. I to be a fashion designer from such an early age, and I

observing fashion through my parents, wardrobe, which was obviously sort of six he's seventeenth, eighteen, but you know very young flamboyant in some places then I left home and I became fashions on. I went to college and- and I would always refer to musical moments- and I still do so for me- the punk rock movement, for example. In greece britain, with such a massive part of fashion, and out of that came so the great designers and I think from me this moment was my equivalent to see grunge to see what was happening in america that time and being sweden is a martens in the nineties. It was first moment that we had a musical movement that was creating also fashion movement, and yet half american. So for me this is a song I really kind of the grid of it is just as a powerful song powerful moment in music and fashion,

the the was nirvana and smells like teen spirit memories, for you still mccartney of tuesdays at central, saint martins, and we'll talk a bit more about that later, the the the college you went to to learn your trade. You touched on this, the idea that you know the fashion, industry in the fashion world can be it at dubiously disposable one these days. This idea that we once the high street and we buy something for thirty quid and it doesn't matter if we only wait at three times and threw it in the bin and buy another thing as consumers. What would be your advice has to?

how we can best negotiate that dispose ability, but there seems to be just routine these days in fashion. He now I think it's not only fashion it's the world we live in, I think be conscious in your consumption. I guess it's all I can say, and I think that We need to ask more questions, write more letters, you know said: do you really need to wrap all of that in plastic and what is the plastic you're using and what you know if you care about that stuff? If you don't then, in a that's allowed, just being council and asking questions and and trying to make investments, I think, is a good idea. You know, instead of spending x amount on ten things may be, spend the x men on one thing that will last you longer that will have more meaning to you. When I try to think of the fishing industry and the women in it, I mean I've got plenty. Fingers left on one hand when I think about the women, and I think about whether some donna. Obviously, for many years there's no sooner Burton alexander mcqueen, there's machine,

products and there's you and I can't think of many others at that level, at the very top of design. Why is that? The case that's a historical one. I think that you know when I came in to fashion it was even less probably. I think it is always that idea that the men in the dream chose the men the design were impossibly and and maybe historically women felt comfortable with men dressing them. I I think it's changed. I think women designing for women is really powerful and really important. There are very few of us, not enough of us. I've always said that behind every great man there are many many many great women, the majority of of I haven't

nearly eighty percent women in my company you do yeah, I mean it is rare, were again slightly slightly rabbit m. Does it there's a lot of very impressive women working in the fashion industry behind the scenes? One of the very successful parts of your current business is your sportswear range even doing it for a while. Now and of course, famously at you ve been design, I think for tool and picks no. The tin gb I worked with athletes was incredible, very different. Requirements very different needs, very technical, but I had to what with paralympics, I had to work with many many different disciplines, thousands of garments and dumb. the trunks were very small led little trunks. Yes, It was an amazing challenge, because what I wanted to unify the team. It was the first time that ever a designer little and a woman designer had designed and tire olympic teams kit. For me, it was really

to unify everyone. I am when I spoke to the police. They wanted to feel like a team and so to get that our work and trying to play it onto a variety of scales, it was really amazing and and a real challenge I would hate to seem preoccupied with this, but did the trunks have to be that you know him? within that small, mrs Tom Delia, tom, danny larissa small short. Clearly, it seems I blame him. Let's have you next piece of music still the mccartney we gonna. You know you're gonna here talking heads- and this is a funny one for me, because I basically with some at school. I was my teens and there was a competition on some chris packets. That meant that you could win a vinyl. You could win l peace, and I thought this was a great challenge and I felt that I should set it to my

off to eat his many packets of crisps as possible and get as many records. As I could say, hi did, and so this was the first single that I got via. Chris packet that I will not name and. the I do That was talking ants and route to know where we've done pretty well stella mccartney. We are, I don't know any good- that fifteen sixteen minutes into our recording and we haven't yet mentioned during fred

the famous father, and that must surely be a record. I think interview with you. The reason I bring him up right now is notable to me that you said that you got laps are single because you saved up crisp packets and sent them off that's unusual. Somebody in your position, I would say, for somebody lose his father- had changed the face of recordings. We not just given freed just runs all the time in tonnes no grandcourt records, I was given records yes, but mostly don't you bought by my dad I'm talking heads. I always ask us to ease by europeans and of course, you're gonna be new different from anybody else. What what are you earliest memories of life at home, just love and energy- and just really tight family. You know we grew up in the countryside, really we moved from london when I was about five and we literally moved to around, in the middle of the forest, with two bedrooms in the roof. So therefore

kids, a lot of my memories, a sibling related, but a lot of travel and a lot of life experience. Is, and was the music in the house where you always were, were people playing instruments tons of music? Always I mean that was the driving force in every moment of our childhood near my mum loved neil young lot of harvard moon and bob marley and talking heads they loved. A lot of their music- and you know, obviously dad would come home every day from working in the studio and we'd listened to what he'd he created that day in the office, and if he want your critique on that was the answer. What the family source in I always taxi, literally can't get arrested in aid, sit and pick up a guitar and be job coming out. When I tat shut up almost tele avoid right thought I could people would die to begin to act and Michael, you're telling me to shut up it's a very interesting?

thing is that, as I read through, you know that the notes on your life, I thought, will hear somebody in I look up. My love can tie and I mean obviously I know it's a place in scotland. I've been there, but to me it's a record, but to you is where you used to escape with your family. That sir said of strange paradox in your life that we cannot have public ownership of parts of your life. There are intensely private memories. I struggled with that alot growing up. I mean yeah mullahs contact me as where we would escape him where we lived for a while, and it still is actually and then, of course, I have the memories them creating that video there and all of the bagpiper ten Not even have mama that leaving in supplying shoot videos? Were you kind today, wolves hanging out in her back on horses where, where you going. it has always been something that I've tried to get my head around this idea people, know a lot more. Me than I know about them from the outset, or they certainly think they know a lot more.

we would go under different name. Actually, I would always be stella martin at school, and that was always bit confusing for people to people at school, no another new? But when I France's, when I started college, I too to try to do under different name, and then I would never anyone and then the discovery was always a bit painful. When you could tell people in the corridor we're gonna looking differently or you know it was always a bit asgard Dana I'm in had at once, I was doing a fashion foundation course. We meeting the year head and I was sitting with a couple of classmates and this girl, commission, you know the dutch come on man. Where is she? Where is she? No, we aware she noticed it was so painful who I may think it took you help me. I'm here is that sensation, the sensation that people want something from you or they want Oh, why are they being nice to me or are they actually interested me? What is it what's the sensation you just don't have a completely clean slate. I didn't think you you're always questioning things a little. I think it might

part of my drive and my desire to prove people wrong and an too, and I think this a little If that in that little bit little in my prayers of silent, you know I can do this term its both right the positive. Obviously it is an incredible asset to have its will. in the damage that we live in and at the same time it some. You know it can be a little bit of a hindrance at tat at times, but It's only know what it I'm the most blessed human being on the planet, I'm good and the bill back horse riding on his alot of appearance, the head in their hands so that it was it was encouraged. Was it and all of you of adventurous and can free spirits in this yeah? My mom was a huge horse rider, as is my dad, and we we were pretty much left her vices installing varied the opposite of parenting. Now you know I question were,

well. I'm sure I will merely one with way two hands on way too involved in our children's lives, way too cautious, and we were the opposite. We were literally left to roam the fields of scotland lava. Who says now horses would end up back in the stable we'd, be walking for miles? Herman lay incredible free and the best memories memories. In my life, though, you know, you know those moments of looking at power its interest freedom. You know my moment. I were in the studio making ram. Tell me about your next piece of music. What are you doing here? Well, talking of, my dad and his musical talents would have been a little bit odd. Had I not have chosen one of his songs and I have said this is the biggest struggle of of doing a show like this. For me, because all of his music has- kind of meaning on a really personal and I obviously really love it all I chose blackbird by tat because

I've, no one. I love the song. I find it had how contemporary this song feels it just is never aged, which I find shocking I'm really proud of the song, I'm so proud of death. He wrote it that at such a young age he had the surface credible vision to understand politics to understand poetry because he said it was about the civil rights me on the and I had a really strong, voice on that the beatles you know they refuse to to play segregated gigs. They were the first probably to do that, and you know the guys from Liverpool that they had a whole different set of of skills. You know- and I think it's astonishing- the song for so many reasons, I've always what's my down on tourists from birth and he didn't black, but in his some set list for many years, not attach copperplate burden like such an amazing song

to manoeuvre. That is a hard song to place, tell a lie that is so low. It's really play Your eyes moments. Men, and I was really happy that he put it back in and so now I watch him onstage singing the song and I he has his grandchildren. Nine of my kids watch him and I understand the confidence that he ass to have in order to even deliver that hundreds of thousands of people and so on birds, singing and then take these broken wings and learn to love. You were only waiting for this matter to a blackbird singing in the dead on J b, something to learn to see as perfect a couple of musical moments,

one could wish for that was the basis and black produced. You told me they are still in the currently that your dad tried to teach that to one of your kids. How did it go? What well actually quite difficult yards hearts to pound the guitar and are you he had the first bid for a while and then did you big music. Lessons we ve given lessons by about when you were growing up on my god. No, it's pretty hard. take music lessons when you're not me. I think I may my dad's completely self to economise, read music, any play every instrument, so I did have piano essence for war, but it was just sort of conventional piano lessons situation that didn't really resignation. I may I read that He would often go on tour with your parents. What's that, like from the kids point of view, thing. It depends what age you are when I was younger, your oblivious in its great fun and the most incredible thing is you get to travel? the world and you see that the world is varied.

fast- and I think that's been a big part of how I approached my work but we were when I then went on to again I was seventeen, and so I was just kind of do man thing but we were, we were allowed to stay in places. I remember cistern. I marry stew, a new lines for the jaws fast when I play new orleans and they went on to the next gig and we were afforded to stay too to go to the task has himself that's domino, pilar balin, toots in may two thousand and nine brothers, and you know it was amazing and the gospel tense. stuff. So we we were given a certain amount of freedom. You, your family, has a refuge, nation, for as they would bring you up trying to make you in your siblings as sort of normal ass possible, and you ve touched on. You went comprehensive school. What do you make of that decision by europeans know? You. You paint yourself when you look back and what do you think I think it Is an amazing privilege to go to a comprehensive schools me personally, I think it shape

a lot of suit, of who I am and how I look at things in what ways you have a understanding of of of other people. You know I'd, it worked for us. We went to the local competent workforce and it's not what you know my kids, don't so I can't sit and say that I have an issue with ivo way of educating people. Is it there s a little girl. He sat on David worries me. I will have done that kind of no, it's likely certainly the debate is mad at noon. When a man of my son choices that you're coming two's is reflecting on or near my extraordinary ferried life in and the people that I met growing up from quincy jones to Michael Jackson, turbot eat, I mean

I mean I met every one and they had it. They were incredible influence on on me. I mean I know you're going through it still it it's just your childhood and it is normal because those are the people you meeting, but no yes, my when you look back on that. Will I do you think it? It has shaped you into the person you I will influence you think it. I don't u in. I would go a weekend. I'd be hanging out with Peter gabe You know John lennon, and then I go back to school on monday, and I wouldn't Tell a living soul, so that was Trusting that kind of idea that unease that doesn't look good higher yeah no mean new young we're doing this on, went in its, not look so that was, inside of me that was aware of the people's judgment on me,

and then you'd be also wanting to enjoy that experience in and obviously that human bay mare for me that people, though, then I got to a stage where they were people, but they were great people I below my god. I love hanging out Michael Jackson. He wouldn't want to do that. So you know get a bit older. You start to china. To understand that characterise the talent and I wanted to. do something in the creative, so you start to then look at the minute way. Who would you say, left the most significant impression upon you, the kitten pinpoint one of them. I couldn't let you two magnificent. All of that, you know you can't say will for me george harrison might have said to me as a child, or something that very much said: they're, all that's incredible, dylan! It's too much the two magnificent creatures for me

you got this. Don't I know, that's so tell me that no effort only about your force. My fourth is David day for me doing Process it was about the kind of memories. Is it kid and then also trying to bring into the now and for me, We did it in a way that I'm in a we'd go to parties was, as too in and get shoved in the room and bowing energy policy than ever was outside mom double your eyes battalion. It was a bit of an ipad situation, and so I had memory of him and then when I start to designing. I got this sword in new york which at the time was by folk and amazon in turn it was the view one fashioned awards. and I won designer the year, which was a big big deal and David gave it to me and my dad dad was surprising and dumb. David said it was the one I knew about presented me with the award and

It just blew my brains really that David Bowe was giving me an award and seem no reasons. I was baby a few years later, he asked me to give him an awarded the g, kilowatts and so our slot. While you know I just think his is music- is incredible, amazing talent and some modern, again so relevant and so modern and so individual wooden incredible individual voice. He had money now, I'm

einstein and still macartney. Tell me about this, sir pink or my jacket and fix where'd you may, when you were twelve. I should never told anyone about that. It was just the fasting. I asked you got to make, and I knew I wanted to be a designer I've, I'm sure on six, seven, eight in a very very early, but it was the first object that I made. Where do you get a fake pink swayed. Luckily, my parents were half in real life, and half on the stage and so my mom had some lovely lady companion keats, who would help her with her wardrobe, and so I think she, how can the fabric as work placement school? You have had courtiers when you were fifteen and I'm guessing. This is very much the site, you don't you, you worked in paris, he get undressed yellowclaw, and I think this was the time at which he was just starting his

Sure it was at first ever could uses highly embellished, baroque, very, very sort of sense, you materials, and then you also did work placements a little while later with Betty Jackson, which seems to me a pushes the very antithesis of decline that she's visitor. peered down minimalist quiet beauty in her clothes. What did you learn from those people when you work with them? Well, I mean I was fifteen when I worked for the claw until I was petrified is my first memory. I was in paris, I'd never been away from home and it was opulence. It was dilemma it was drama. I mean it was everything you'd think of it was his first gives couture as well, yes, and just to explain the difference between sort of hi and designer win cartoon gratuitous different because such deadly person in a cost a lot a lot of money. Culture is z after haven't made in paris, it has to be handmade buttoning this much more.

Henry involved since its extraordinarily particular and incredible. Really were you given to do as a fifteen year old it's not it's, not a coffee lotta running around I'll. I was lacing the shoes I got to be tell him. I was in some the fitting that she, which was expedient real honour- I wouldn't let and turned my fittings now fifteen. So I was that pinning and a lot of the sittings on them, the night before the show late night, there were these cabins. So I was it. It was a very theatrical memories of that moment and then I, what with Betty much later organizers, Think around eighteen. Ninety was my year out and I was really sweet actually because I asked her for it I said she gave me great advice. She said that you know. Yes, you think you wanna be a fashion designer, but you should really take this moment to look at all different areas of fashion and as a business and see if that, if he really still come out of that peace

ass wanting to be a fashion designer. So I did. I went and wherefer folk and I went and worked in a pr department. I worked in a shop for a little while And so I got the all round sort of experience and and still came away wanting to be new central sent martians in the evenings. I've read that you would go and learn tailoring in several row with edward sexton. What what was the most useful thing that you learned? What watching those people ply their incredibly skilled trade? It was funny. Edward was a patent costs for the late, great tommy, nutter eyes. really for me and a massive influence on my tailoring I mean I used I tell you my degree show a night. I think I'm Mina quite known for that side of my design, Is this idea of men's tailoring on women fairy british spoke the kind of equivalent of cajolery in tendering. and so I went in words in my

my eyes off from some martens, because I was learning one side of life at college, which was the sort of extreme creative side, which I loved. But I wasn't learning the technical side that I really wanted to learn. I wanted to learn how to make a british suit. You know the best in the world, and so I would go down to edward and it was great because it was the absolute opposite of and so everything I experienced a lukewarm. or in the mountains where problems vice dramatic and fashion east. I went there and they were literally just drinking ale, smoking, fags, engineer, telling dutch jokes and they could have been bricklayers really full, I knew, and it was just this idea that it took and I was there for three years and I barely learnt to set a sleeve and into a suit head and and just this craft that dying, sadly, and done it was one of the greatest learning experiences of my life. You

degree show your graduation at central sent. Martens caused a mini sensation. I mean it. I do if it was front page but sadly page that you had just reminds me You had modeling at this decrease, and this is where all the graduates show the stuff that they want to solutions. their design talent there was kate mossy. When the born naomi campbell of almost any one night I mean they were more, but you ve done that has lasted plus. Of course, europe your mom and dad, whether in the front row here. What did you think when you saw the coverage the next day? I look back on that moment and just feel a bit. Him I that I was so naive. They were my mates and that's who I was hanging out with it. When I was at college damn I mean Kate, was living with me for a period of time. We were with that's what I was engaging in outside of vienna. My college life. when it came to choosing the models for my degree, show I kind of full. I ass well ask my my friend:

I can understand why it was obviously headline news and why public piss, my fellow students or for tat- but it was a very britain moment it was you know it was a moment where britain flying and it was you- these girls were traveling the world representing great britain. Really So when I ask them, I mean it's not like. I do think had another person boss- and I think they might have done it also. It was a moment whether I yeah we'll do a degree show for Britain yeah of course voting. If maybe just like the ground, just think what a guy who is easier and yet these girls, I wouldn't go to bed as they finished, with less than ten thousand dollars outlets had adopted, and let's have some more music. So we can hear your fifties. Just tell me a little bit about this choice. This is a song written by george, her. The new again, you not sorry to keep falling back on my my heritage and music

bertram. He was a big part of of my life going up to, and it's just for me, one of the most beautiful songs it makes me want to cry. Every time I hear it, but this is a version by somebody really random cooled. Phyllis Dylan, who I discovered this version of the song when I was in jamaica because as a child, We would always go there for annie is holidays and we would release usually go down to all of the record stores, and my moment I would just collect reggae and so I started doing when I was- and I came across this version of something down in the latter

me long ago. Now that was philistine singing something written by george harrison, the fashion world still macartney isn't known for its warm heart, but I have to say that car loggerheads quote. We took over from him at clearly and ninety. Ninety seven was quite something I should remind people. These are his direct words clearly should have taken a big name. They did, but in music, not fashion, let's hope, she's a gifted her father, you work at yeah, nice. You were just seen you just twenty life also goes out so funny. How did you approach

task in hand relating to respond to that. No, then you know I just got on with it. Did he ever congratulate you on increasing the profits by four, as if I felt I have learned at the time I was honoured. The even knew my name and he's been very gracious since and I don't think it was some something he he feels proud. He he said probably so fashion. Of course, like shoe, is a business and you dont famously use leather or fur or feathers in any of your collections, and you never have. These are very popular You know materials in the fashion world, since you went into partnership with a big luxury. Conglomerate. Have ever. Try to convince you that actually know stella, the time when you need to embrace the bigger fashion, world and appeal to as many customers as possible. I mean I've had that many times in my career. It's never get it and for me it's in my dna and actually it's

one thing I think that makes my fashion brand modern and relevant and current, and I think it's the one thing that makes the others not I don't use any pvc. All of my viscose now is from sustainable. Would it such an exciting way for me to approach my business is our because I wanted to ask you about that. I had a feel that some of your not leather shoes and they do really feel like lever, and I was wondering what is the impact and by the mentally of the chemicals that you are using to get those shoes to feel like that. It might be equivalent to the problems that we have with the amount of cows that were using for beef and leather good point: lung not one thing I do that has the biggest impact environmentally. I do my environmental profit and loss. I do those numbers among one of the few businesses to do that and fashion and the biggest Packed I have passed fifthly, on not hurting the environment, is not using lever the chemicals

use that we actually read. We avoid tat, we use a lot of vegetable oil coatings and we really trying up best. You know at the same time are not perfect, doesn't use more war so then than conventional con. You know these are all questions that we ask and um. I think it's important to ask them. I think the luxury fashion street does not ask these questions enough and I think the young companies will and all your mother limbs of course, had built and growing business with her own brand vegetarian food line. She she was a real pioneer in her way doing that in the beginning, did she have give you any advice, as you started out in business as to how to to run a small business. Sadly, she was alive when I started my own business, but she was just who is really encouraging, really warm and loving and really. I think.

The person in my life telling me to believe and myself, and she was incredible- the way that she brought vegetarian food to this country and alternative, like that. You bug that you sausages and giving people an option if they didn't want to eat meat, it was so ahead of its time. I think that the card you have have to be the wife of a beetle and to try and save animals unapologetically and not where low, to make up into not being a compromise. It six Nor do I think that those my biggest lessons that she gave me even in directly You got a lot of stick. She wasn't coming She wasn't one of those wives of one of those guys for people and she was comfortable in her own skin. Then she talked about the stick she got. You could try did it up, I think it's not human too, to be told those things and not be upset, but

think she had enough love in her life with a family, no with us kid dad and there was enough love there to replace any kind of discomfort. Tell me about the next piece of music. What we're gonna hear this is a beach boy song. I remember listening to it, bring my dad's call me my mom and and my siblings and dumb. He put this on, this new sound system is racing nineties moment where they had light, is amazing speakers in the carbon completely like decked out, and he talked about the influence of pet sounds for him as a musician and em and I remember my mom getting really emotional during this song of sin, incredible song and the lyrics just huge, and then I lost my mom and the words became, really meant a lot more

I may not always who's there I guess he knows I was the beach boys got news, ensuring that still mccartney was saying that you had the pleasure of listening to prime listen play that just for you. I had a party at ten. It's incredible. Storm, enabled a member records and done it was just a great night. Actually we, toward his son, danny, played and pink played an item johnny.

And man some played button. The highlight was brine played, and I thought you hear that song sung right. Front me from his own lips and it was a bit of a moment. I have to say for some. I cried at one of my own party, the publicly close to all your siblings. A your sister Mary, of course, is an acclaimed foretold for an eu? One said that between her and me we make up one hundred percent of our mum. That's really interesting courts. Can you tell me more about that and what you meant when you said it I just think that you know you lose apparent Do you feel you ve lost half of you and then you know then you can. Look to your left and you can see you siblings and you can see. your dad on your right and you can figure out the mass on it used to think it's. Ok, there's a hundred percent is still here

you married alister willis in two thousand and three. It was on the isle of beauty and you now have four children together. He works the fashion industry to events of accession brand, what's the hurry, the thing about doing your job his job and having for kids, because that could all end up on the floor in a bit of a pile in. I think hardest thing is switching off leaving the work out of the building. When with her family, can you do that yeah? We make sure we do it. It's not effortless and I think we both really love what we do and create. Were allowed to be creative, so it that process comes into the creative sort of side of life in peace. hunting as well, and your kids are growing up, I mean very much as you did. You know they are the kids of your household name. Now, go that far

Well, I'll tell you one thing: I've only miss your father once, but I remember very clearly what he said to me said: no, when I meet people they see Still a stab that's him because you can now I dont sexually Emily didn't look entirely delighted about that. I soon your kids are the kids. If still macartney, the woman has got the shops, do you talk to them, but negotiating? Why is the people might want to know them? I don't Finally, I think we just get on with their it's something there. Aware of. I think that very aware that when they open up from their water That then mums name is in the majority of the clothing. He I think Navigating their way through it in the way that I did, I do Eight hundred of anyone knows how it feels I do in I've. I've had it with belgium, so, but I too, it's really part of the equation. Yet we just get on with it. They don't it's something we really talk about, telling about your seven choice and what were you gonna hear next anamooka? Oh, my next one is by louis Armstrong

when we got married, we obviously have to offer storms like most people do and strangely it was my husband suggested that we took dance lessons and we did an actual dance for our arm. First ants, and we didn't tell a soul. There was a coral made specially for us to this song and so we came down after we got married and was a you know the first ants moment: I'm we did this dance with me Sort of a whole set of ginger judges for stan moment and the look on August faces was just priceless. You know every mouth was open evans, I want the hell is going on so since our somebody give me a kiss that pillar dreary, mom in my own will drive the plan that kills swaying Nobody in this case the bell my dream

give me a guest beer Paul you leave me and my relations will be my great led me. One thing before we by louis Armstrong, a kiss today between one can you still remember the steps dilemma ass. It was funny I was finding the right version of this last night and I m a try, tap dance with with my lovely husband and we'd, both slightly forgotten Sadly, but it's my mission to remember them, don't you worry, and what about the ethics, something you ve talked about, not using plastics using biodegradable things and things that happen in a very light carbon footprint. But what about you know at the very top handles having to look online last night, and I went to see what most expensive thing. I, if I were of a mind to that one might by stella mccartney's those addressed there for three and a half.

nice and quid an you bought it. I presume. Sadly didn't have my sign still on what do you think About the morals of that flying for somebody to buy the. I mean look at ten. A m competitors in that's probably fairly well priced. I mean up there reality is I've always struggled with expensive clothes, and yet I make to some extent, fell expensive clothes I have now. I do struggle with that. concept, but I what really hard to have a lot of products that I think are available on and on and on a better price point of. I have things that I think are very well price, but you know It was a really struggle with fast fashion, and fabrics the on beautiful that don't use the best mills in italy and in japan and mingle in I. I think you have to also keep those crofts alive and I feel so lucky to be able to work with those people in. I don't think that

things should come really really cheap in order to make something that will you a lifetime that you can keep your daughter is that they can give to their daughters. I'm in that business. You know, I think that is luxury Do you own, and indeed do you wear anything of your mother's yeah? I do I'm a my mom's wardrobe I might as well. Job has been a massive influence to everything that I do. I'm so lucky that my moment I kept a lot with a clothes. I would to come to harrison's house. A couple of months ago I took a georgia's old clothes for research from menswear He had that they share a good amount, but she didn't have as much as my my dad I'm really lucky they they kept a lot of stuff. My dear I, where some of my mom soldier ass, if she were a lot of vintage clothes, and I used by a lot of things closed when I was at college. So our stuff is felling. I think

it is a big influence of love similarities. As you know, I'm gonna cost you away very shortly after this island. I'm one Are you one of those between could use of weaver scatter of palm france, and could you makes her shoes coconut Alison lately, good it? Absolutely I'm going do that today. When I go back to the office for you, lady right tell me about your next choice. Then, what's your very final does what are we gonna fight club, the meda from pineapple? You know I realise when I looked at my songs old, quite of heaven and slow. So I tried to this. One is a bit more relevant to the now I played this at the end of my last fashioned show in paris a couple of months ago. And am I played it because I'm I grew up a lot with some tools, Michael's, music- and I thought it was great. I loved him and I wanted to celebrate him in his life. And I also feel like.

should sometimes doesn't have enough loving and enough lightness in it and alive. I really am I, I really want to say that in my fashion I want people to feel the love. and have some faith so played this on? My last show blankly did the coral he and I had all of my models just come in and, as I have Baby, don't tat was george Michael, do you have to,

einstein the runway at land will show what use are forced to do that. Autonomy, saunter collide. The worse moment of every one of my shows. I'm luckily not forced to do. anything, and I come out apologetically and I run off his quick as I can time, then for me to give you the books. As you know, every customer gets the bible and the complete works of shakespeare. They gets take another book along my book in a black struggled with the book. I'm not gonna lie button. The book I chose in the end was a booklet, my dad right, cool jap jail, but and it's a book that he gave only to his children, one of which I am and I I find that in itself very beautiful, and I just think it makes me right the family, it would make me also remember freedom. It's a book written about him going to jail. In japan. I think you know look if I

when an island alone. I need to not miss everybody too much and I think missing my babies and my husband, and I think this book would make me remember: family and freedom. Ok, well that certainly your butt, a luxury to, and I think it may be sitting there in front of you and has listened to the jungle. tell me what this is. This is a charm bracelet that my husband gave to me many years ago when we got engaged actually and again it's something For me, every single charm on it is a memory and a moment in our relationship together. Theirs rules on their my horse that he gave me as my wedding present. This fall the stalks carrying for little bundles, which rob abies there's a button on there. Allan macartney button which I think is really beautiful cause it. able to me sort of to recognize me and my achievements, which

rare. When you know when your mom and a wife, you can forget that stuff, an answer, that's precious me in this, just its every single thing on there's something I can reflect on with happiness. Mother is certainly a luxury, then I would ask you and its goals like a melted down of sunlight pirate ship come so have I boiler off the highland, real, quick and you know which one of these is. Would you pick if you had to pictures one? My goodness, I think I have to choose blackbird. Oh god only knows how can I give you that three, upon, dress and choose to the one currently this is only the author standards. You know, I didn't you, god only knows, because it reminds me of everyone that I love it's yours still macartney. Thank you. Much for letting us hearing a desert island discs. Thank you having me, I feel, really honoured. I feel like it's an achievement to be here.

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