You moved to London from the US with your husband to start a family. What was it about London that you wanted for your children?
West London is a fantastic place to raise a family. The beautiful parks complete with adventure playgrounds, palaces and even peacocks are amazing and I love the open sky. We can walk just about everywhere and it is wonderful to have the old worldliness of Portobello and Golborne Markets on my doorstep. But, truly the best thing about living in west London is that there really is a sense of community.
As a child you moved around quite a bit living in places from Hawaii to California. Was this an exciting time for you?
It was exciting as these places have completely different cultures so I had to adapt – whether it was going to school in muu muus and bare feet – as we did in Hawaii or dodging tumbleweeds walking to school in the Mojave Desert. Of course, there are downsides but it has made me unafraid to try new things, meet new people or move to new places. I have lived in London longer than I have lived anywhere else (11 years and still going strong.)
You previously worked in New York for ABC News and NFL. Do you miss the New York lifestyle?
Manhattan was fabulous for that period of my life – young and single and then newly married with no children. New York in the ’90s… To be honest, I don’t miss it, it was time to move on and it is a bit of a culture shock going back nowadays.
What accessory could you not live without?
My Lanvin flats are invaluable for changing into after a day’s work in heels.
You have worked for Comic Relief and (RED) charities. What was your most rewarding moment during this time?
I truly loved working for Comic Relief and (RED). Knowing what you were doing was making a difference in others’ lives is hugely motivating. I was lucky enough to be able to visit the HIV/AIDS programmes that (RED) funded in Swaziland. As much of a cliché as it sounds, it completely changed my outlook on life. It brought home that what we moan about is silly compared with what people in the third world deal with on a daily basis. We are so incredibly lucky and I am thankful every day. It is in our business plan for LUCZA to develop a social enterprise/charitable foundation as it grows. All in good time…
What inspired you to create your new loungewear clothing line LUCZA?
It really was born out of frustration – I could not find anything casually elegant and relaxed to put on after I got home from work or at the weekends. I felt that what was available didn’t meet my expectations in terms of style, fit and quality. I wanted pieces that I could throw on and look and feel instantly chic; pieces I could dress up or down dependent on whether having dinner with the family or if friends were coming over, whether I wanted to pop to the shops or even wear them to bed. All of my pieces work with each other in terms of styling and tone – created to suit your mood and any occasion.
Who is your style icon?
Grace Kelly, Marella Agnelli, Carolyn Bessette – all classic, elegant women who were confidently feminine.
You use a lot of silk in your clothes – is this your favourite material?
I hadn’t planned on using it very much but the silk itself was so luxurious we ended up with more than we had originally anticipated. I do love silk and it has done very well indeed but we will also expand the ultrasoft micromodal jersey range and will be adding in cashmere blends for A/W.
How do you relax?
Sneaky weekends away with my husband to a lovely spa hotel in the English countryside.
What’s in your fridge at the moment?
Lucky for us, my husband loves to cook, so it is well stocked with fresh vegetable and all the usual staples.
Where is your favourite place to eat out in West London?
This is a tricky one as there are so many great restaurants in the area. We love Crazy Homies as much as The Ledbury.
What is your life philosophy?
No regrets. I never want to look back at any point in my life and say ‘I should have …’
What are your plans for this year?
I will continue to develop the LUCZA collection into the go-to brand for wardrobe essentials and luxury loungewear for the discerning woman. Also to invent a new word for ‘loungewear’.
