My Secret Life: Katie Grand

Stylish and editor, 37

(Phil Poynter)

The home I grew up in ... was a small, boxy three-bedroom semi-detached house, which backed onto my junior school in Selly Oak in Birmingham.

When I was a child I wanted to be ... a jewellery designer first, then a fashion designer.

My greatest inspiration ... is Miuccia Prada. She's one of the most secure and confident women I've ever met, and has exceptional taste.

The moment that changed me for ever ... was being bought 'The Face' magazine in 1984. It was really cool and interesting and at that point I decided I wanted to go into the world of magazines.

My real-life villain ... I couldn't say, I'm not that kind of person.

I drive ... I generally walk everywhere but I own a black Audi. I've had two really bad car crashes so I can't drive on motorways any more without having panic attacks.

If I could change one thing about myself ... I would have more chiselled knees.

At night I dream of ... weird things. I had one recently where I was at a party in Los Angeles and Beth Ditto turned up and she had got really, really thin.

What I see when I look in the mirror ... is exhaustion.

My style icon ... was Izzy Blow, she was amazing. I loved the way she wore things without caring what anyone thought.

The shop I can't walk past ... is Azzedine Alaia. Fortunately, it's in Paris, so it's quite easy to avoid.

A book that changed me ... was 'A to Biba' by Barbara Hulanicki. I read it when I was about 14. It explained that if you want to be a fashion designer, you could just go and do it.

The last album I bought ... was Lily Allen's new album and I got sent the last one by the Pet Shop Boys too.

The person who really makes me laugh ... I have a really childish sense of humour. The things that make me laugh are the Fraggles and the Muppets, but most of all, sheep. They're hysterical. And Marc Jacobs.

It's not fashionable but I like ... Speedos. They would be my swimwear of choice if I were a man.

My favourite item of clothing ... At the moment it is a pair of Alaia boots which lace up at the front. They're very sexy. I wear them on a daily basis, I'm not a save-it-for-night-time kind of person.

You wouldn't know it but I'm good at ... running and swimming. I go regularly to the gym, and run up at Hampstead Heath.

You may not know it but I'm no good at ... drawing, which is something I'd really like to be good at.

All my money goes on ... clothes, magazines, books, shoes, bags and the gym.

If I have time to myself ... I enjoy long lunches at J Sheekey, in Covent Garden, with friends. We call it the Saturday lunch club. We always talk about rubbish and just relax.

My house is ... At the moment it's falling down. I've got builders coming in to take the side of it off, which I'm dreading. It's a big Edwardian house, big enough to fit all my clothes.

My most valuable possession is ... my blonde, lop-eared rabbit, Clara. Steve [Grand's partner] called today and said she's chewed a massive hole in our sofa. She's really bad, but very sweet.

My favourite building ... is the Vatican. I like that you are allowed to touch everything inside it. Usually people are really careful about that sort of thing in public buildings.

My favourite work of art ... is anything by [the painter of erotica] John Currin.

Movie heaven ... is anything with Sean Penn or Philip Seymour Hoffman in it. I'll make an effort to see anything with either of them without knowing much about it.

The best invention ever ... Aeroplanes are the best and the worst.

I wish I'd never worn ... a pair of tight red jeans when I was 10. I looked hideous.

In 10 years' time, I hope to be ... still alive.

My greatest regret ... is not going to Japan when I first met Steve. He asked me to meet him there while he was on tour with Pulp. But I was grumpy and worried that we'd only just met. It would have been good fun.

My life in six words ... Busy, sleep-deprived, exciting, inspiring, challenging, jolly.

A life in brief

Katie Grand was born in Leeds in April 1971. A stylist and fashion consultant, she is a friend of Madonna and Agyness Deyn, and famously convinced Elizabeth Hurley to pose naked on the cover of 'Pop' magazine. Grand is editor-in-chief of the recently launched, bi-annual style magazine 'LOVE', and lives in Tufnell Park, north London, with her partner, the Pulp bassist, Steve Mackey