English Rose
Amelia Windsor shows off her modelling chops in the boldest party dresses of the season—and talks to Tatler about the causes closest to her heart
Amelia Windsor models the boldest party dresses of the season
Tatler: Being the granddaugther of the Duke and Duchess of Kent and 39th in line to the throne, people must have a certain perception of you. But what do you want people to see?
Lady Amelia Windsor: I actually don’t take myself too seriously. By nature I’m a light-hearted person and I think kindness is the best policy, so I try to make sure that no matter what I’m doing, that’s the message I’m sending.
T: You’ve spoken openly about your love of fashion– where did it originate?
LAW: For as long as I can remember, I’ve always liked being creative. Art, drama and music were my favourite subjects in school and clothes in particular, I feel, can help transform you into a different character. It’s a form of self-expression. I think my dream job would involve using creativity to work with brands and follow their paths to becoming more sustainable.
T: Why is sustainability so important to you?
LAW: It’s something that should be important to everyone— fashion cannot carry on without it. I see it walking down the high street, seeing the vast quantity of clothes in shop windows and knowing they’ve all got to go somewhere. I can’t say I’m perfect—i like to buy clothes just like the next person—but it’d be so nice to find an equilibrium where people can still enjoy clothes without destroying the world at the same time. And I think [discussions about] sustainability have opened up many more windows and opportunities to be more creative than before.
T: Who do you admire most for making a positive impact in this field?
LAW: I really admire Livia Firth, co-founder of Ecoage and founder of the Green Carpet Challenge, who’s really shedding light on human rights and environmental issues within fashion. Mother of Pearl is another brand leading the charge in luxury sustainable fashion with its transparent supply chain, putting social responsibility, respect to animals and low environmental impact first. And also Carole Bamford’s brand, with its beautiful clothing and skincare and its commitment to responsible, organic farming.
T: Tell us a little more about your work with various charities, specifically with Penelope Chilvers and War Child.
LAW: I decided to put my creative energy into something while being able to donate to a very worthy cause. The opportunity came with designer Penelope Chilvers, who I’ve known nearly all my life, from wearing her clothes and doing shoots with her, so it felt like the perfect match to do something together. I designed a pair of pink cowboy boots for Penelope Chilvers as part of a collaboration that saw a percentage of the proceeds go to War Child, an NGO that supports children in war ridden areas who need help with rebuilding their mental health as well as their education when their schools have been destroyed. Of course they had to be pink because I just felt that it’s a warm, inviting hue. If I were a colour, I’d want to be pink.
T: Christmas is just around the corner–what tips do you have for gift giving?
LAW: I believe in gifting an experience, like tickets to see a concert or a play or exhibition, so you can have an epic memory with them that lasts forever. That way you can spend time with them, enjoy the gift yourself and save on wrapping paper, which is so wasteful. My mum would keep wrapping paper from five years ago. I just like to use newspaper nowadays. I think a train ride—some cool, overnight sleeper—would be a nice experience. I’d love to try the Orient Express.
“My dream job would involve using creativity to work with brands and follow their paths to becoming more sustainable”
HAIR: DANIEL DYER; MAKE-UP: MICHAEL GRAY; STYLIST’S ASSISTANT: MILAN RODRIGUEZ; MODEL AGENCY: STORM MANAGEMENT