One of my earliest memories is when a crazy Italian sculptress friend of my mother’s threw me into the sea in Positano, believing she was teaching me how to swim. Surprisingly, I survived the ordeal and developed a strong connection with the sea ever since. During my childhood, I used to collect shells and stick them on wooden boxes to sell to my mother’s friends. Even now, I continue to collect shells, drawing inspiration for my designs.
“The very first cufflinks I ever designed were shaped like a fish and they marked the beginning of my first business, Links of London (more on that later).”
Around 30 years ago, my husband John and I couldn’t resist the allure of the sea, prompting us to move from London to West Sussex, where we now live very close to the shoreline. Boats and the beach have become integral parts of my life and there’s nothing better than strolling with my two Frenchies, Stanley and Lennie, around the East Head peninsula. The sea has a captivating effect on us, instilling a sense of tranquillity.
“Another special place of mine is Skiathos in Greece, where as a family we have spent three joyful weeks every summer for the past 17 years. Endless blue seas, sand between my toes, delicious Greek salads and a passion for all things Mamma Mia – heaven!”
My mother ran a business supplying the finest London restaurants with fresh fish, operating between Rye and London. My godfather and my mother’s best friend was Mark Birley, who owned Annabel’s and became her first customer. There’s a rumour that she once marched into Annabel’s with a fresh turbot in a bucket, placing it on the bar and requesting it be cooked for Mr Birley.
Years later, shortly before her untimely death, she asked me to design fish cufflinks as Christmas presents for her male chefs of that era. And that’s how my first venture, Links of London, began. The fish cufflinks were just the start; I went on to design many more, including turtles, seahorses and other marine-inspired pieces.
