Where did you grow up?

I was born in Northampton and grew up in Northampton then came to boarding school in London, Westminster, from the age of 16-18. This is the sports pavilion of Westminster School which is why they very kindly lent it to me. Isn't it a fabulous building? it's listed.

I did a BA in Classics and an MA in classic art history in New York, but I didn't spend any time in college because I spent the whole time doing work experience for Marc Jacobs.

What was that like?

It was amazing. It was exactly the same time that LVMH were pursuing him and the buzz was absolutely amazing. He was effectively going from a really small fashion house into something really huge and those transitional periods are always thrilling aren't they?

How did you get the internship?

I worked for a milliner called Patricia Underwood, - she's British and someone introduced us cos they thought we might get on and we did. So I did work experience with her while doing my degree at NYU. As a kind of thank you present at the end she said 'I design hats for a lot of designers: Bliss Blass, Michael Kors Isaac Mizrahi, Marc Jacobs, you take your pick and I will introduce you to one to take you on as an intern'.

Why did you choose Marc?

Do I have to answer! He's a real anglophile.. He also really likes people that have a lot of interest and education outside of fashion. It was amazing. The other thing compared to London internships is that in America they give you really big responsibility. By the end of my time there as an intern, I was choosing colours for like - admittedly it was only the scarf range - but I was helping to choose colours and being like a fashion assistant - passing him the pins when he was doing fittings on Kate Moss and the like, it was amazing. It was amazing.

Then I went to Antwerp to study fashion.

So you'd done a BA and an MA and then you did what?

A BA in fashion design. It was four years but I only did two of them.

That's a lot of studying and you also had worked hard in internships. What happened next?

I was a bit worried I do have to admit that here was I 30 wanting to do fashion and I hadn't got any actual jobs behind me only internships so I thought I either have to go and slog away doing something that perhaps I'm not going to love that much or I've got to get the balls to do my own company. I thought the less scary option was to start my own company.

What did you need to set the Vedette up?

I basically needed a nice bank manager. And as soon as I got the licences from Arsenal and Chelsea the bank were incredibly nice. The bank have come here tonight.

So what are the prices?

From about £50-£600.

What do you get for £50?

A T-shirt and it's £600 for a cashmere jumper. The cashmere scarves are £500.