I have quite a busy life, but I think I’d go bonkers if I didn’t work

British textile and fashion designer Celia Birtwell created some of the most iconic prints of the 1960s and 1970s. She had a successful collaboration with her ex-husband, Ossie Clark, and went on to design ranges for Topshop and John Lewis, to name but a few. She was awarded a CBE in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her services to the fashion industry.

So, as you can imagine, we couldn’t wait to chat to her!

What has been the highlight of your career?

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Working with Ossie Clark was amazing, and being at the shows of his collections was quite spine-chilling and exciting. Topshop was a very big part of my later career because it brought me to a new audience.

Getting a CBE at the palace was quite a moment – it was quite an unexpected honour that I was very proud to receive. I suppose posing for David Hockney was quite a big one, just because I never thought I was someone that somebody would like to draw.

You’re so busy… Do you find you need a break sometimes?

I've got six grandchildren, who are very delightful and ever-changing, and I'm very connected to them. I do have quite a busy life, but I think I’d go bonkers if I didn’t work, really. It keeps your mind active – you want to get the best out of yourself.

How do you manage to balance your work life with personal life?

I live with a very nice man, so that’s very helpful. And now I've got this cottage – it’s what I’ve wanted for a long time because I love gardening a lot. I get fractured if I try and do too much. I don’t like going out as much as I used to.

I love parties when I get there, but I’m always apprehensive to go. I don’t like to be too stretched – I love to have days where I can just do my own work. As you grow older, you don’t have the energy you used to have. Those days of charging around are over, and you’re happy to accept that.

What advice would you give women who want to get into fashion or start their own business?

Starting your own business now is really frightening. I feel sorry for young people – you’ve got to have something very original to say that catches publicity, because you can’t survive without that, which means you have to have PR behind you. Every so often people break out of the mould and get spotted. Otherwise, it’s a hard slog. It’s finding the right people to believe in you. It’s a lot of perseverance – you have to believe in what you do.

We loved your badges for Macmillan – is it a charity close to your heart?

Well my mother had cancer, and I’ve had several friends I was very fond of die of cancer, so I think it's something we all have to be aware of. I like looking for charities I believe in.

What lies ahead for you?

I’m doing a project of a little drawing of something in London that is going to be auctioned at the Shard in November. I always do charity things if I think they’re worthwhile – that’s the way I say thank you for what I can do. I’ve got a few things in the pipeline. I can’t talk about them yet, but exciting things are happening!

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