Jenny Packham: 'When I faced my fears' - YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Sign in Welcome!Log into your account Forgot your password? Password recovery Recover your password Search Sign in Welcome! Log into your account Forgot your password? Get help Password recovery Recover your password A password will be e-mailed to you. YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Home Celebrity Jenny Packham ‘ When I faced my fears’ By You Magazine - September 16, 2018 Jenny Packham, the bridal and evening wear designer loved by the Duchess of Cambridge, on the challenges set for her by her brother, Springwatch presenter Chris. Totte Imagery A holiday is always an adventure when your elder brother is a wildlife expert. This image was taken seven years ago when I joined Chris on one of the tours he hosts every year in The Gambia. He has lots of friends there and it’s a place he knows well. This, combined with the fact that he is the knowledgeable one on matters involving animals, meant I gamely posed for him next to this Nile crocodile. We were at the Kachikally Crocodile Pool in Bakau, a place that is believed to have healing powers. It’s popular with visitors – and giant crocodiles. They are intelligent creatures with extraordinary eyesight, and they laze around a lot. This particular crocodile happened to be very well-fed – according to Chris we were very safe as he was too full to want to eat us. In many ways this photo sums up our relationship: I will always do exactly what he asks, even at my own risk. Here I was feeling conflicted; on the one hand trusting him but also listening to my instincts, which were telling me, ‘Don’t do this!’ That happened so much growing up in Hampshire with Chris; he’s always putting me in these sorts of positions, where I come away feeling as though I’ve achieved something, that it’s a good story or it’s a good photo, but it can be psychologically painful to get to that point. Christopher Pledger I’ve always loved to travel and being in the great outdoors, absorbed in nature, can be a great antidote to the fashion world. Chris loves fashion himself, and even has his own outdoor clothing range, so though we exist in different worlds we have a lot in common. Albert Urso/Getty Images This year I’m celebrating 30 years in fashion and presenting my collections at London Fashion Week for the first time in eight years. Previously we’ve hosted big catwalk shows in New York, but I found social media has made everything into a bit of a circus there so I’m looking forward to a change of scene. I’m not sure what the next joint trip will be for Chris and me – he’s often somewhere far-flung and dangerous-sounding. Six weeks ago he rang me up on a Friday and said, ‘Do you want to come to Antarctica?’ and I said, ‘Oh yes, that sounds interesting. When?’ And he said, ‘This Monday.’ That time I had to say, ‘No, Chris!’ Jenny Packham marks her label’s 30th anniversary by showing her S/S 19 collection at London Fashion Week today; members of the public can see the collection at the Mayfair Townhouse in London tomorrow, from 10am to 7pm. As told to Amy E Williams. RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR 50 of the best celebrity Halloween costumes of all time Shirley Ballas ‘ Strictly gave me back my hope’ Davina McCall discusses how men can help women going through the menopause Popular in Celebrity TV chef Gino D Acampo on Sardinia Sophia Loren and scary salads May 25, 2017 The Evergreen Goddess Exercise guru Diana Moran on looking fit and July 10, 2017 More more Julianne Moore November 13, 2017 Author Jill Mansell on designer notebooks commissioning art and the family January 16, 2018 EMOTIONAL TIES Kelly Hoppen on vodka vintage finds and being a April 4, 2018 ‘ I have no regrets’ Millie Mackintosh on divorce debt and reuniting May 20, 2018 EMOTIONAL TIES TV presenter and tennis player Annabel Croft shares her July 1, 2018 Stella Parton ‘ Dolly and I have always been close’ August 12, 2018 Anna Friel on getting jeered in the street shared parenting with September 23, 2018 Queen of primetime Charlotte Riley on juggling rising stardom with pregnancy October 21, 2018 Popular CategoriesFood2704Life2496Fashion2240Beauty1738Celebrity1261Interiors684 Sign up for YOUMail Thanks for subscribing Please check your email to confirm (If you don't see the email, check the spam box) Fashion Beauty Celebrity Life Food Privacy & Cookies T&C Copyright 2022 - YOU Magazine. All Rights Reserved