Poppy Delbridge

I would describe my style as eclectic and maximalist. Probably over the top! I love one-off pieces, mixing and matching embellishment, textures, colours and styles. I’ve always been petite and that means I can get hold of a lot of sample and vintage clothes.

When I was young I was always going into vintage rather than high street shops. Along with the quirky stuff, I also buy tailored pieces. I usually invest in classic styles that will last and then I mix them up with new, weird and wonderful pieces!

What are two things you would save from your wardrobe in a fire and why?

I would save my Yves Saint Laurent original smoking jacket in velvet black that I was given by a Parisian lady who used to sell consignment and preloved clothes. I would sneak over to Paris and come back on the same day. I have really fond memories of that and I love the story behind the pieces I found.

The second thing I would save in a fire would be my Ashish black sequined dress with spikes on the shoulders which I wore to the British Fashion Awards this year. It’s an amazing dress and it’s never going to go out of style. It’s a great investment piece.

What is your favourite ever pre loved purchase and why?

This is hard! I would say my Jenny Packham runway dress which I wore to New Year’s Eve. It was one of the ones you have to squeeze yourself into. But I did it. You can just tell when pieces are made to last. It’s amazing. It makes me feel alive, feminine and a little bit femme fatale and like I can conquer the world!

What is the one thing you wish you could tell your 16 year old self?

I would tell my 16 year old self to keep wearing those suspenders! When I was in sixth form, me and my friends would be wearing lingerie, suspender belts, knee-high boots, skirts and jackets, even though everyone else was wearing baggy jeans and hoodies. I would tell my 16 year old self to keep doing that, because clothes and fashion are an expression of self. You shouldn’t deny that just because other people around you aren’t doing the same.

If you’re unapologetic in the way you express yourself with what you wear, and how you channel yourself through that, other parts of your life can accelerate, for example your career.

If you could spend the day with one person, who and where would it be?

Coco Chanel back in the days when she was dancing, doing cabaret and starting to design her rebellious pieces in Paris. I think she’s a strong role model of how to buck the trends and for creative rebellion. She is an example of how fashion has impacted cultural opinion, especially of gender, especially the liberation of gender, because what she did was anti establishment and I think we can always do with more of that.