Hilary how would you describe your style?

Romantic and old fashioned. I always loved dressing up when I was child because there was always plenty of clothes to dress up in at home. I still wear most of them now!

And what’s your style Osi?

I’ve been Huckleberry Finn as a boy, running wild in the hills to a grammar school boy with his tie, to a teddy boy all practically overnight because Elvis came out when I was about 11 or 12. But I think I’m a mixture of elegant thug and bohemian. An interesting mix!

Are clothes a way for you to connect with your past and family Hilary?

Yes, it feels like getting a hug. My grandfather travelled a lot as a diplomat in South America and Mexico and obviously loved to buy clothes – I still have a lot of them now and often wear them.

You wear a lot of colourful clothes Osi; do you feel happy when you wear them?

In this country we have to wear colourful clothes because our lives and country is so grey. When you wear colour you feel elevated like the colours create a feeling or a sensation in your mind. I’m very fond of red and I use a lot of pigment when I paint, so red gives me and elevated feeling.

This is a fantastic top Hilary, where did it come from?

This came from Mexico and it’s very popular in the hot areas there. The embroidery on it is amazing, and when I was a hippy this was perfect.

You have an amazing collection of beads Hilary, do you wear them often?

I always wear beads. I usually make them myself, but the beads come from all over the world because I always ask my friends to bring me some back if they go away to somewhere exotic. These red ones came from Sudan but I have beads from everywhere and they all mean something to me.

Osi: I think that Hilary loves her beads so much because it’s like another smile around your neck. Therefore it doesn’t matter how you feel, you always have that extra smile around your neck.

Hilary you have an amazing collection of shoes.

I like nice shoes and I have a collection of old shoes. I have one pair that were my grandmother’s that came from Cuba. They are too small to wear but they are very beautiful and made out of crocodile skin. I also have a lot of colourful espadrilles; because I wear a lot of black it’s nice to wear colourful shoes to match my beads.

Do you feel different when you wear red shoes?

Yes. I think every girl feels different in red shoes. Everyone loves red shoes don’t they, even little girls. But I think big girls like them even more!

This looks like a warm jumper Osi.

I like this jumper. It’s a Danish jumper and I got it at an exhibition in Denmark. It reminds me of Wales’ landscape and gives me great comfort when I wear it. For some reason when I wear this jumper I become creative, I feel like going out with my sketchbook and water colours to look at the landscape.

Hilary: He needs to be warm when he goes out to paint, and so if I see him wearing this I know he’s going to create something. I like to share the experience with Osi and look at and see the same things that he does at the same time.

Are clothes practical or a luxury to you?

Hilary: Usually they are a luxury but of course you need practical clothes as well. But I have to admit that I’m not the best when it comes to practical clothes but we do have specific outfits for gardening in the rain. We bought them when we were in the rain in Marrakech, and they are long waterproof capes with a hood that we wear in the garden to keep us nice and dry.

All your suits are dark coloured Osi, but your shirts are colourful.

Contrast. I like to wear a suit but I don’t like a collar and tie – the white shirt look that people who work in banks, businesses and colleges wear so I wear a colourful shirt. This is a very special suit that I got in the sale; it was reduced from £600 to £30 which is unbelievable. The tailoring is fantastic and the wool is so light I can wear it in the summer. It’s off the peg, but fits me like a glove.

Are you sentimental about your clothes?

Hilary: Yes. They are like old friends to me. That’s how I feel about them. I’m always glad to see them and glad to wear them.

Osi: If I feel comfortable in something then I don’t care what other people think. If I feel good in something then I’ll want to wear it forever and so it becomes part of my life.