Hilary Alexander awarded an OBE for her services to Fashion Journalism.
New Zealand born Hilary started her career at the age of 16 in her birth town as a trainee reporter at the Manawatu Evening Standard. Later going on to be the Fashion director at UK paper The Telegraph for 26 years. Hilary retired in 2011 from The Telegraph but was signed up by Marks and Spencer’s to consult on it’s Per Una line and continues to help put together fashion shows.
I worked with Hilary about 8 years ago! Writing that sounds insane- I was a pre university fashionista getting my foot in the door of the industry and worked as a backstage dresser at The Clothes Show in Birmingham’s NEC which Hilary was presenting alongside my informal ‘aunty’ Lesley Goring who is a very close family friend and fashion show curator among many other things.
I feel it’s important to note that a contribution to fashion can be so worthwhile to the world that the Queen will honour it and it’s very exciting to see Hilary’s hard work of many years celebrated.
When I was about 10 years old I also helped Hilary find an outfit to wear on GMTV by buying her a fur trimmed polo neck from The Clothes Show which she had seen me buy- and fell in love with. So I basically started my styling career there at the age of 10! I should see if I can find any image somewhere one day!
For the OBE occasion she wore a black, long-sleeved silk dress printed with red poppies from Whistles, her favourite necklace and a black hat with a devoré leopard print by Freddie Fox.
The Unisex Mode 