Alexandra Shulman: ‘Which book am I ashamed not to have read? Literally the whole canon of classic English literature’

Born in London, Alexandra Shulman, 68, studied social anthropology at the University of Sussex. She was a secretary at Over 21 magazine and, in the early 80s, became a journalist at Tatler. In 1990, she was made editor of British GQ and, from 1992 to 2017, she was editor‑in‑chief of British Vogue. For her contribution to fashion journalism, she was awarded both an OBE and a CBE. Her books include novels and the bestselling memoir, Clothes … and Other Things That Matter. A collection of essays, Black Coffee and Red Lipstick: Notes on Living, is out now. She is married for the second time, has a son and lives in London.

When were you happiest?
Anytime that I’m lying in the sun next to a swimming pool with a good book.

Which living person do you most admire, and why?
The king, for the amount of work he’s doing while going through cancer treatment.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Impatience.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Insincerity.

Aside from property, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought?
A Roger Hilton gouache of a nude.

What is your most treasured possession?
Probably my laptop.

Describe yourself in three words
Stubborn, emotional, reliable.

What would your superpower be?
To teleport myself to places so I didn’t have to go on a plane.

What makes you unhappy?
Anxiety about the future.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?
My short legs.

If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you choose?
A human voice on the phone.

What is your most unappealing habit?
Not closing cupboards and drawers.

What scares you about getting older?
Becoming infirm.

Who is your celebrity crush?
I don’t have crushes.

Which book are you ashamed not to have read?
Literally the whole canon of classic English literature.

Would you choose fame or anonymity?
Fame.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Drinking a bottle of wine while binge‑watching something for hours.

What was the best kiss of your life?
A kiss on a traffic island in Paddington – I was 28.

If you could edit your past, what would you change?
I wish I’d been able to pick my son up more often from school. When I see parents at the school gates now it nearly makes me cry.

How often do you have sex?
It’s unpredictable.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Having a more sunny disposition.

Would you rather have more sex, money or fame?
Money.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
That, basically, if a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing any old how. Perfection is the enemy of achievement.