Daphne Guinness is not one to blend into the background. Possessing one of the world’s most impressive haute couture archives, she is frequently seen about town in envy-inspiring—and often awe-inducing—garb. (We waited with baited breath to see which Alexander McQueen design she would don for this year’s Met gala).
But though her clothes tell elaborate tales, the woman beneath them remains an ever-intriguing enigma.
To celebrate Ms. Guinness’s collaboration with Barneys on the new spring windows of the Madison Avenue flagship store, Barneys Fashion Director Amanda Brooks stole a moment with her to discuss romantic rebellion, Shakespeare, and the all-important influence of imagination.
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Amanda Brooks: Where does your passion for clothes come from?
Daphne Guinness: I became interested in clothes when I was a child in Cadaqués, Spain, and saw the diversity of the traditional Catalan costumes. The village had been home to Dali and so many artists, and they came in search of the freedom that art represented to them. Growing up in London in the early seventies, I lived next to Biba, and the bohemian lifestyle was the norm to me. In hindsight, the combination of those two places was pretty potent.
AB: How have your diverse life experiences influenced your style over time?
DG: I’ve had huge swings between romantic rebellion against the established order and trying to render myself invisible via camouflage. The result was quite the reverse. My style comes from a mysterious place that feeds my imagination. My love of books (Shakespeare in particular) and the idea of cross-gender dressing is hugely fascinating. I like the idea that one is able to transform oneself, and then there is just joy at being human.
AB: You’ve influenced others, but who has influenced you?
DG: The influences are too numerous to list. Old movies are hugely influential and, again, reading. The process of the imagination is a world unto itself.
AB: To what can we attribute the evolution of your signature hair?
DG: My hair was a series of mistakes and experimentation. I never decided to do it—it just gradually became like this.
AB: You seem like such an extraordinary person. Do you ever dabble in the mundane?
DG: I am very ordinary. I am not tremendously keen on television, as I find it difficult to use a remote control. I like doing gymnastics. I am not particularly good at fashion. I don’t read magazines much. I don’t have guilty pleasures, as I find guilt very unpleasant. But I love beautiful things—so maybe that is my guilty pleasure? I don’t know.
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