Navigating Social Class and Personal Connections

Nicky Haslam is an English interior designer. He is the founder of the interior design company Nicky Haslam Studio and has created homes for society figures, billionaires, and pop stars with exquisite taste including Bryan Ferry. He was born into an aristocratic family and after his recovery from polio as a child, he was educated at Eton, where he dyed his hair blonde and had his school uniform tailcoat customised with a red lining, which caused a scandal. Nicky Haslam has an unerring eye for recognising style: he introduced Diana Vreeland, the legendary editor of American Vogue, to Yves Saint Laurent. He commissioned Diane Arbus to photograph Mae West. He is a society figure, at home in every milieu as long as the clothes and conversation are of the highest order. He is the author of the most sought after cult tea towel, issued every year at Christmas and inscribed with his dictum of ‘How Common’. Mostly things we all are, do, or love - like scented candles or loving your parents.

In this episode Nicky Haslam talks to Bella Freud about dying his pubes; inventing the 60’s with David Bailey; and meeting Marilyn Monroe.

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