As they lounge on a crumpled doona, eating choc-chip cookies, Kathy Lette chats with her friend, pop princess Kylie Minogue, about home, hearth and her latest venture.
Kylie Minogue loves to turn the other chic — she is constantly reinventing herself. The woman is style personified.
I first met Kylie 12 years ago at a dinner at the home of the late Michael Hutchence and Paula Yates. We've been friends ever since, despite our differences — if life were linen, Kylie would be a king-size satin top sheet and I'd be a single flanelette countour bottom. Kylie and her sister, Dannii, regularly descend on me for riotous dinner parties. In exchange, they teach me dance moves and update my prehistoric music collection.
Today, as we lounge on my crumpled doona, devouring choc-chip cookies baked by my daughter, Kylie's mission is to revamp my decrepit boudoir with her new range of luscious bedlinen, Kylie At Home.
Until I saw your scrumptious collection, my only criteria re sheets is that they be flame-retardant. Not any more — I want them all! What inspired you?
Travels and vintage finds, mainly. I was totally hands-on with the design. I invited the design team to my home and literally walked and talked them through the design and furnishing elements of my place. There’s a gorgeous eiderdown from the 1930s that I found a couple of years ago on eBay, vintage fabrics I’ve owned for years, a hand-painted book of Japanese kimono designs I bought 10 years ago in Melbourne, delicate linens and silk bedspreads from Buenos Aires, and the silk and crystal-studded, panelled wall of my bedroom.
I collated a lot of photo references of all kinds of things, including a lot of fashion.
Your gran is pretty crafty (and I don’t mean a card-sharp). Can you trace your passion for fashion back to her?
Absolutely. My grandmother, Nain, taught me how to cut patterns and sew from the age of about 13. I’d go to the market and haul back all sorts of fabrics and trims, and make my own clothes. She was and is so inspiring and she will be so happy to know of this collection. When I have a seamstress fitting clothes or costumes, I’m so picky and it’s because of Nain! I know what they need to do and so am pretty demanding. I know how to drive a sewing machine and when Nain finally got an overlocker, we both loved it! To this day, I adore fabrics, trims, the way they catch the light and work together ... So, this really is a thrill to see this history of mine and my love of fashion coming together.
Everyone thinks of you as a workhorse, but are you secretly one of those people who like to get up at the crack of noon?
Yeah, I did so many early mornings making TV. Now, when I’m on tour, I do the reverse. I tend not to go to sleep until about 3 or 4am, but don’t wake until lunchtime.
To read the rest of In bed with Kylie pick up a copy of our April issue — out now!
Your Say: What do you think of Kylie's new venture into homewares? Tell us your thoughts below...
Home