The Last Bohemians

Zandra Rhodes: Studio 54, punk and the power of fuchsia with the British style icon


Listen Later

Zandra Rhodes OBE has spent 50 years at the forefront of British fashion, having dressed everyone from Freddie Mercury to Princess Diana in her signature printed chiffons. Her work was adopted by the Studio 54 crowd in the 1970s, her gold lamé dresses modelled by the likes of Donna Summer and Pat Cleveland. Then she lacerated her chiffons with safety pins and was dubbed the Princess of Punk, a name that matched her trademark fuchsia bobbed hair. To this day she remains independent, having never sold out her brand to a big fashion house. At 79, she is as DIY as ever.



The Last Bohemians caught Zandra at an interesting – and stressful – time as she was celebrating her career's five-decade run at the same time as getting to grips with the death of her long-term partner. Themes of life, loss, grief and relevancy weave throughout this episode, as do ruminations on creativity, routine and restlessness and stories about Studio 54, her eccentric friendship circle, her take on the royal family and more. Her work ethic is infamous – but has the death of a loved one shifted her priorities?



We meet the style icon in her multi-hued apartment on two separate occasions to find out how she manages to do it all...

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelastbohemians.substack.com/subscribe
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Last BohemiansBy House of Hutch

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

71 ratings


More shows like The Last Bohemians

View all
Woman's Hour by BBC Radio 4

Woman's Hour

401 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,047 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

521 Listeners

Talk Art by Russell Tovey and Robert Diament

Talk Art

500 Listeners

The Guilty Feminist by Deborah Frances-White

The Guilty Feminist

1,549 Listeners

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day by Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

1,284 Listeners

Sentimental Garbage by Justice for Dumb Women

Sentimental Garbage

472 Listeners

Bookshelfie: Women’s Prize Podcast by Women’s Prize Podcast/ Bird Lime Media

Bookshelfie: Women’s Prize Podcast

45 Listeners

Grounded with Louis Theroux by BBC Radio 4

Grounded with Louis Theroux

415 Listeners

The Shift with Sam Baker by sam baker

The Shift with Sam Baker

88 Listeners

As the Season Turns by Ffern

As the Season Turns

223 Listeners

Comfort Eating with Grace Dent by The Guardian

Comfort Eating with Grace Dent

214 Listeners

The Louis Theroux Podcast by Spotify Studios

The Louis Theroux Podcast

582 Listeners

Young Again by BBC Radio 4

Young Again

48 Listeners

Off Air with Jane & Fi by The Times

Off Air with Jane & Fi

177 Listeners