KAIKAI

Over a 50-year career that began at 16, interior designer Kelly Hoppen has developed a distinctive signature style. The South African-born British designer’s East-meets-West aesthetic and covetable palette of neutrals has been applied to five-star hotels and celebrity houses worldwide, but has also filtered into normal British homes via her Marks & Spencer ranges.

But it turns out that the 66-year-old has also been applying savvy design principles to another element of life: the art of dressing. “We set our furniture out and we never move it, but if you shift things around, they can take on a whole new look,” she says. And the same goes for clothes.

“You can see an image of Kate Moss wearing something and think, I want that, but you have to try it on and find the version of it that works for you,” she continues. “I think fashion, like interiors, involves trial and error until it feels comfortable on you. One shape or texture can make it different.” Rather than trying a new rug or paint colour, the differentiating factor in fashion might be the jewellery you wear, or the red lip you try.

Hoppen, it is clear, has moved beyond the trial and error phase. She’s always been a snappy dresser, her signature Carrie Bradshaw curls and confidence standing out at glamorous events and parties. But in recent years she’s set about discerning what, exactly, suits her 5ft 5in frame, with the sage input of stylist Angela Radcliffe. Now, she favours very intentional silhouettes: “Soft yet structured” dresses, “big” trousers that sit low on the hips, and tops that show off her toned arms.

“Sometimes I look back and think: ‘Oh, what was I thinking?’” she says, noting how certain items – high heels and tight dresses that fall just below the knee – have been left in the past. “I’m better at dressing now than I ever was. I sort of wish I had been this confident when I was in my 20s. I’m more courageous now.”

Part of that courage comes from a robust knowledge of the brands that suit her best –Victoria Beckham dresses, Toteme racer-back tops, Khaite jeans and Max Mara trousers roll off the tongue, as do designer names like Celine, Alaïa and Loewe. But Hoppen also knows the value of a high street purchase, namely Zara T-shirts and M&S jeans. During our conversation, she’s wearing a striped M&S shirt that could easily pass for designer, elevated with a stack of glittering Jessica McCormack necklaces – another of her signatures.

Hoppen clearly also values the knowledge she has gained over the years. “I think it’s really important for women to find the clothing that suits them, then you feel like you can take on anything,” she says. “I think that a woman can own a room if she walks in feeling good in what she’s wearing. It’s important to take the time to get dressed in the morning, put on a bit of lipstick and mascara and feel good about yourself.”

As she’s quick to specify, this approach needn’t mean being overly glamorous. “I think sometimes women feel they have to overdress to impress people,” she says. “But actually, I’m more impressed by somebody who comes in looking more chilled. That’s why I like the brands that are more subdued in their stylishness.” And if she’s wearing something more distinctive – let’s say a Chanel jacket – it’s more often than not styled with jeans and trainers for a pared-back effect.

This might also be why Hoppen’s wardrobe, like her interior style, is dominated by neutral tones. Her grey, white, beige and khaki pieces are laid out in colour co-ordinated, “super organised” style in her beloved dressing room. She does experiment with colour sometimes, having long been a fan of leopard print and statement pieces like the gold dress she wore to the Serpentine Summer Party a few years ago (this, she says, remains among her most complimented looks).

But she’s ready to stray a little further outside her comfort zone. “Often I’ll get dressed thinking, right, I’m going to experiment with something, and then I’ll change at the last minute,” she says. “I need to get over that and go for it. I’ve got to be a bit more gung ho and walk out the house instead of reverting to something more familiar.” Just like any beautifully designed room, even the most finely tuned outfits can be refreshed and reinvented.

Five personal style rules

1. Keep in mind one rule when shopping

I have a rule, which is: do I really need it? I’ve learned that if you have less, it’s much easier to get dressed. It’s easy to just shop and shop, but then you end up with stuff you never wear.

2. The wardrobe space is sacred

The rule in my dressing room is that you can’t talk about football or anything other than just how fabulous the world is. It’s my little place.

3. Don’t pay too much attention to trends

I look at Vogue and the runways, but I tend to go for shapes that I know already. I might try a new colour combination or accent, but I’m more classic in the shapes that I go with.

4. Less is more

I prefer one item and a great bag and a great pair of shoes over a lot of things.

5. Know what suits you