Designer Dame Zandra Rhodes reveals she sleeps in her make-up and never leaves the house without it


Designer Dame Zandra Rhodes reveals she sleeps in her make-up and never leaves the house without it – and admits she doesn’t have eyebrows after she ‘plucked them all out’ in the Sixties

  • Fashion designer reveals how she maintains striking image during lockdown
  • Tells Susannah Constantine on podcast that she sleeps in make-up every night
  • Reveals she dyes her own bright pink hair and has been touching up her greys 
  • Says hairdresser will ‘have a heart attack’ when she sees her DIY trimmed fringe 

She is as famous for her shocking pink bob and rainbow make-up as she is for dressing Princess Diana and a host of celebrities from Shirley Bassey to Nicole Richie.

Now Dame Zandra Rhodes, 79, from Kent, has revealed how she is maintaining her striking image during lockdown.

The fashion and textile designer, who is currently appearing in BBC1’s The Real Marigold Hotel, said she never goes out out without a full face of make-up – and even keeps on when she goes to bed at night.

She told Susannah Constantine in the latest video episode of My Wardrobe Malfunction: ‘I never ever go out without make-up.

Dame Zandra Rhodes, 79, from Kent, has revealed how she is maintaining her striking image during lockdown

‘I sleep with my make up on, I wash it in the morning, and then I make myself up again in the morning.’

Speaking about her current look, she added: ‘At the moment, I just have demure brown eyebrows,’ while lifting up her fringe. 

‘I don’t have eyebrows because in the 1960s I plucked them all out.

‘I first of all had little glitter dots, then when it was punk I had long and short eyebrows. I’ve done lines all round my eyes, eyelashes.

‘It’s been a bit too long like this but I have to think it out or wait until I do another wonderful picture with someone and then I’ll rework it.’

The fashion and textile designer, pictured in November in London, who is currently appearing in BBC1's The Real Marigold Hotel, said she never goes out out without a full face of make-up - and even keeps on when she goes to bed at night

The fashion and textile designer, pictured in November in London, who is currently appearing in BBC1’s The Real Marigold Hotel, said she never goes out out without a full face of make-up – and even keeps on when she goes to bed at night

With salons shut across the UK, Zandra has also been maintaining her bright pink hair herself while on lockdown.

She said: ‘I dye it myself. It’s bleached and then I dye it myself and, when it looks like I’ve got too much grey, I touch it up, because I haven’t got a hairdresser to do that bit.

‘She would have a heart attack because it really does need a neat trim. She has a heart attack when she sees how I’ve trimmed my fringe.

‘I have a stash of Pinkissimo dye and I think I use cyclamen and Pinkissimo mixed together.

With salons shut across the UK, Zandra (pictured) told Susannah she has also been maintaining her bright pink hair herself while on lockdown

With salons shut across the UK, Zandra told Susannah (pictured) she has also been maintaining her bright pink hair herself while on lockdown

With salons shut across the UK, Zandra (left) told Susannah (right) she has also been maintaining her bright pink hair herself while on lockdown

‘I sleep in a very ugly plastic hat and pull it off in the morning. If the grey shows, I dab it on and hope it looks all right.’ 

The designer, whose partner Salah Hassanein died last year, also revealed that even she has the occasional wardrobe malfunction.

‘I had a really serious malfunction,’ she laughed. ‘I lived part of the time in San Diego when my partner, who had been the President of Warner Bros worldwide, decided to retire.

‘I went to this very grand ball. It was when I was doing very exotic crinolines and the top was all woven in ribbons and there was a big crinoline skirt.

Zandra is famous for dressing Princess Diana (pictured together in June 1997) and a host of celebrities from Shirley Bassey to Nicole Richie

Zandra is famous for dressing Princess Diana (pictured together in June 1997) and a host of celebrities from Shirley Bassey to Nicole Richie

‘No sooner had I nearly got up to dance, than the whole of the zip went all the way down the back. Luckily I had a magical shawl.

‘But I then had to say, “We’re going to have to leave this very early and walk out backwards,” because there was no way I could even hold the bodice.

‘It was already flapping at the front. I just had to say, “Walk out very closely behind me and we’ll go out the side of the room”.’