Inside Rosie's Red Collection

Love, passion, romance and a touch of danger: the colour red represents all the most exciting feelings, and for our Co-founder, Rosie Wolfenden MBE, the adoration behind this bold, bright hue feeds into many aspects of her life. 

From Miu Miu wedding shoes and favourite lipstick shades to an ever-growing collection of glossy red objects that inspired Life in Miniature’s very own Pepper Grinder Pendant, discover why cherry, crimson, and Ruby resonate with Rosie and take a peek into her scarlet stash.

Rosie, why are you so drawn to red?

I have always been drawn to red, from my red duffle coat when I was 5 to my red raincoat today, it’s always been my go-to colour. 

I must be inspired by film, music and art; there are so many references from the Red Shoes and The Wizard of Oz to Don’t Look Now, and from Little Red Corvette to Lady in Red, Ferris Bueller's car, Warhol’s Campbell Soup Can, I could go on and on.

I love how if you watch black and white 40’s movies, you always know when lips or a dress are red, it exudes so much more than the colour.

How does it make you feel?

It’s such a powerful and bold colour, I find it exciting, uplifting and fun. It gives me confidence and makes me happy.

How many items are in your assemblage of glossy red goodies?

I have no idea! Definitely 100’s. It’s all over my wardrobe, my desk, my kitchen, my house.

Which object was the start of this fascination?

When I left home to go to art school, my Mum (who had been a cook) gave me a red pepper grinder - that I still use today - and I’d started looking out for crockery in Red Domino by Midwinter. You couldn’t really buy contemporary red polka dots, until that was, Cath Kidston launched her Button spot print. I remember being taken to her first shop around 1994 and falling in love with all the vintage-inspired red. It was very exciting.

As Harriet and I have always been in and out of charity shops, junk shops and car boot sales, I’m always drawn to the red. The red melodica was found in a flea market in Berlin, the red enamel jug in Japan and the Campbell Soup money tin in New York. Now people often gift me items in red, and so the collection grows.

What is your most recent addition?

I snapped up a half-price pillar box red Uskee overshirt from the V&A recently and found some very shiny red bowls in a local charity shop last week.

If you were a shade of red, what would you be?

Probably Vermillion, or in lipstick shades, maybe Lady Danger or Feels So Grand.

Shop the jewellery inspired by Rosie’s collection here or head to our red edit to start collecting yourself. 

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