Looking back to my time at Roedean, I realise that the influences of 1969, when I joined the Junior House, are still with me. That was the year of Woodstock, and our Dormy Decs took the theme of “Groovy London” (do they still have such a thing? These were dormitory decorations, run by the girls every Michaelmas Term, and very competitivel).

As the only London-based pupil in our dorm, I entreated my mother to visit Carnaby Street and purchase everything with a “summer of love” theme, which she gamely did. She had been a model in the fifties and took fashion and style very seriously – my birthday presents that year had included a red wet-look plastic raincoat, a long gold chain belt and a pair of embellished yellow clogs – all happily worn together! History does not reveal whether we won Dormy Decs that year, though my optimistic memory tells me we surely did.

So perhaps it isn’t surprising to find myself involved in the vintage clothing business now. After several decades organising the private lives of the great and the good, and then a switch to working alongside primary school children with special educational needs, I stepped away to do something completely different.

For many years my daughter Lydia and I were collecting and wearing vintage clothing, long before the push for a sustainable lifestyle became the norm. From this seed we developed Viva Soul London, responding to the call from friends to share the ethos and style of a bygone age. Viva Soul London prides itself on having something for everyone, no matter your age, size, gender or era preference. It’s lovely to see how clients put their own spin on our treasured finds.

Even during the lockdowns of the past 2 years we were able to spread the word, filming a segment for The Repair Shop – where they gloriously repaired my mother’s wedding tiara, just in time for Lydia’s marriage to the wonderful Nico which finally took place last year.

I often feel that the opportunity to embrace 1960s and 1970s fashion whilst at Roedean, parading around Brighton and Rottingdean at the weekends wearing maxi skirts, fringed jackets and Mary Quant’ plum coloured eyeshadow, were a great foundation for the business we’re in now! It’s also a delight to know that many of the wonderful friends I made at school are still part of my life, supporting Viva Soul London in person as well as online, and often lending their own memories of those vintage years.

Published in The Roedeanian