What do clothes mean to you?

I think clothes are essential in my life. I’m not that superficial a person, and it’s the person’s brain that’s the most important thing to me. Having said that, if you have intellect, humour and the right clothes on the outside, then I think that’s a very powerful combination and the sexiest thing you could ever have.

Everyone phones me and asks me questions about the weather and they all want to know whether it’s going to be alright to wear a certain outfit. One of the most tedious things is seeing someone dressed in an outfit that doesn’t suit the occasion and that doesn’t suit the weather. There’s nothing worse than being in blistering sunshine and wearing something wintery. I hate that.

Does your love of clothes run in the family?

I have a sister who lives in Paris and we phone each other two or three times a week. We talk about the rain in London and that I can’t wear my new leather jacket because of the rain. She’ll talk about the sunshine in Paris and how she can wear her new Jean Paul Gaultier top. It just proves it doesn’t it, our obsession for clothes and the weather!

Where does your sense of style come from?

I’m no fashion victim. I read Vogue and Harpers. I always remember when my friends were all reading Bunty and Jackie I always asked my mother to buy me Vogue. Even when I was 8 or 9, I remember looking at the pictures in Vogue and thinking they were splendid, and knowing about fashion. I’ve always known about designers, I’ve always known who’s who and this has stayed with me my whole life. I could go on Mastermind about fashion – that would be my specialist subject! For me, fashion means shoes too. I can’t think of clothes without thinking of shoes as well. I love high heels – the higher the better in my opinion. Most of my shoes have at least a three inch heel, and that’s very high. I love boots and I love shoes – it’s a bit of an obsession!

If you see a pair of shoes you love, do you feel you have to buy them?

It’s a bit like falling in love. To be fair, I don’t smoke, I don’t drink that much, I haven’t – and don’t intended to – do drugs, I drink a bit too much coffee and eat a bit too much chocolate but my real addiction is shoes. I get such a high when I see the perfect pair of shoes in Manolo Blahnik’s window, I can’t describe it. I could conquer the world and I have to, just have to, have that pair of shoes. It doesn’t matter what the pair costs, and you’re talking about hundreds with Manolo Blahnik, to me they’re worth every penny.

This is a wonderful dress.

This is one of my favourite dresses in the world, but it’s a nightmare to clean. Even now it’s not quite what it once was, these little pieces are leather, gold leather. When I bought the dress from Alice Temperley the leather was nice and smooth, but now it’s a little crinkly. It’s such a lovely, unusual dress. I got it in the sale, not just half price, but half half price because it was about £1,800 full price. I don’t think I would have paid that much. Even I have limits!

Are you practical when buying clothes?

Yes I am. I’m a big fan of things that don’t need to be ironed. I hate ironing. I hate two things, one is washing things like knives and forks and the other is ironing – it’s such a waste of time! I’ll pay people to do that or I’ll buy clothes with lots of lycra or man-made fabrics so I don’t have to do that.

This is a fabulous top.

There’s a shop in Llangollen, right on the bridge, and there’s loads of interesting things there. The buyer is exceptionally good and finds quite unusual things. This top has been all over the world. You can squeeze it into a little ball and put it in the suitcase and then unpack it and it’s perfect. And there’s a bit of ‘bling’ on it too!

The colour of this shirt is lovely.

Laura Ashley’s husband, Sir Bernard Ashley, has a new company called Elan Bach. This is a second as it happens, and I got it for something like £10 – it’s lovely and the colours are great.

What about your work clothes?

I tend to buy things such as Armani trouser suits because their shape is lovely and they work on the screen. Then I put different coloured little tops underneath them and dress them up with earrings, necklaces and so on.

What kind of relationship do you have with your clothes, how do you feel about them?

I think the relationship I have with my clothes is a little too incestuous! If there was a fire in my house I have to say I’d save my shoes. I’d rush in and save my golden boots, them I’d save my Alice Temperley dress I think. So I don’t know if it’s an entirely healthy relationship, but it’s one that will last!