PATRICIA NICOLAS & VANITY FAIR
THE INTERVIEW
A few days ago I was interviewed for Vanity Fair for fashion show expertise and London Fashion Week gossip. Yesterday they posted the interview online, but in Spanish. Here is the translation, enjoy!
Patricia Nicolas: "The most approachable celebrity I've encountered at a fashion show, is Olivia Palermo. The least approachable is..."
How to behave, what to wear, and where to go. The designer reveals her secrets to London Fashion Week. For many of us Patricia Nicolas is the Spanish Kate Moss. Daughter of the Spanish jewellers
Nicol’s, her vocation and talent for design clearly runs in the family. Launching her company in London 2006 after finishing her studies at
London's Central Saint Martins, her pieces are colourful and pop art inspired. The pieces range from mouth necklaces, Frida Kahlo earrings, tomatoes, shrimps, and eyes. Sold in places such as
Harrods or
Harvey Nichols, the products have been seen on celebrities like
Dree Hemingway,
Alexa Chung and
Florence Welch. So, who better to shed some light on London Fashion Week and British fashion than Patricia herself?
1. What are the essentials to bring to a fashion show? A camera, hydrating cream, make up, lip balm, ipad, tickets for the show (I tend to forget…), sunglasses, red lipstick, rouge, water bottle and iphone.
2. Should you wear the designers clothes to their fashion shows? It’s not a must, but it’s great if you can.
3. How do you politely tell someone they're in your front row seat? Uff… it can be very problematic. You have to be very diplomatic, or simply sit in the second row. What's the worst that could happen?
4. Is it socially acceptable to talk to the celebrities sitting next to you, even though you don't know them? In principle, no. When I go to fashion shows I do it for work. I have to be attentive to the styles and colours as a designer. I'm there for inspiration! It's a very busy time of year for me, with many things to do, and very little time.
5. What do you do if someone wants to photograph you for street-style, can you say no? The best thing is just to pose and smile, unless you're in a hurry. ;)
6. In your experience, who are the most and least approachable celebrities at fashion week? I would say
Olivia Palermo is the most approachable celebrity. I had the opportunity to meet her at the
Burberry Prorsum show in London - I never miss the show! She was super open and down to earth. We took pictures and posted them on my instagram. I would say that the least approachable celebrity is model,
Rosie Huntington (
Victoria's Secret, Burberry). Although when I saw her she must've had a really bad day, she didn't want to be photographed and was very distant. Nevertheless she is very pretty!
7. Who is the hottest designer right now? My favourite designs are from
Topshop Unique, they're so cool and colorful and the show is always crazy and fun ! I love
Burberry Prorsum, it's always modern and elegant. In recent years Burberry has done their shows at
Hyde Park in a tent, it's spectacular. One year the fashion show began with the sound of running water, everyone instantly fell silent. When the pouring stopped, a silent few seconds were followed by
Tom Odell playing the piano!
8. Where should you eat in London during Fashion Week? The Italian restaurant
Cecconi's in Mayfair (
5A Burlington Gardens)! It's very calm, the food is great and it's central. If I'm in the mood for Japanese cuisine I go to
Nobu (
15 Berkeley Street). Also, the renowned restaurant
Sketch (
9 Conduit Street) it's amazing for dinner, there's a piano bar and the atmosphere is wonderful.
9. What club has "it" status, at the moment? Chiltern Firehouse (
1 Chiltern Street, Marleybone) without a doubt. It's filled with the biggest fashionistas of London, and the entrance is exclusive to A-listers. I went there with
Cara Delevingne for the
YSL Beauty event a few weeks ago. It's quite the show!