She's Got Pink Hair & Has Dressed Everyone From Princess Diana to Diana Ross to Freddie Mercury

A few weeks back, an invitation landed in my inbox that intrigued me.

The British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes was being honored at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York.

The icon with the pink bob?

Dame Zandra Rhodes?

The designer who hobnobs with the Queen?

I got to thinking... how is it possible we’ve never met?

So, I set out to learn more about the woman who’s known the world over for her colorful printed dresses.

And, yes, her pink hair.

ALINA CHO: How did you fall in love with fashion?

ZANDRA RHODES: Oh, it happened totally by accident.

I was studying at the Royal College of Art, studying printed textiles, in the very early '60s. At that time, furnishing fabrics and wallpapers were all the rage. And suddenly, Pucci was bringing out those very dramatic garments. And I fell in love with the idea, thinking, "I'm going to make dramatic clothes that go around the body and do all sorts of lovely things."

ALINA CHO: So, how did you start your own line?

ZANDRA RHODES: I met two mad Ukrainians models who were modeling my clothes and saying, "Zandra, your things are amazing. Take them to America, they'll understand." So, I put a collection together of chiffon kaftans with big prints, and I took them to America and showed them to Diana Vreeland [then editor in chief of Vogue] and she raved about them, photographed them on Natalie Wood.

ALINA CHO: 1969, you start your collection. 1970, Natalie Wood is in Vogue wearing your yellow coat.

ZANDRA RHODES: That's it.

ALINA CHO: What happened after that?

ZANDRA RHODES: She introduced me to Henri Bendel, and they ordered the clothes. Then the next season, I did another collection. It really just went on from there after that.

ALINA CHO: I did not realize that you made a safety pin dress years before Versace ever did.

ZANDRA RHODES: 10 or 12 years before.

ALINA CHO: Versace is largely credited with creating the safety pin dress.

ZANDRA RHODES: I know, because that one was photographed on Elizabeth Hurley.

ALINA CHO: What was your idea behind your safety pin dress? Because it had not been done before.

ZANDRA RHODES: In England at the time, streetwise, the punk movement was going on.

And at that time, I had a very chic shop in London, off Bond Street, where we produced my lovely chiffon dresses. But on the street, things were going on with the tears and the safety pins. And I thought, well, maybe inspiration will happen from reverse, you know, we'll make tears beautiful, and we'll put beaded safety pins on the dresses.

ALINA CHO: Did it sell?

ZANDRA RHODES: No, it didn't sell. So, after a month, we were back with the chiffon dresses again. Now, [the safety pin dresses are] collectors’ items.

ALINA CHO: You've dressed so many extraordinary people.

ZANDRA RHODES: Freddie Mercury.

ALINA CHO: Freddie Mercury in your white cape is one of your favorites.

ALINA CHO: Did you know who he was?

ZANDRA RHODES: No. I had to ask the people who work for me. People think if you've got pink hair, you are trendy. Not quite.

ALINA CHO: So, what happened?

ZANDRA RHODES: I got a lovely bridal top and I said to Freddie, “Move around the room, see how you feel in it.” So, that's what happened.

ALINA CHO: What was it like to see him wearing your clothes on stage?

ZANDRA RHODES: It was fabulous to see it being worn. Then, we remade it for the film, Bohemian Rhapsody.

ALINA CHO: You remade it for Rami Malek?

ZANDRA RHODES: Oh, yes, we remade that for Rami.

ALINA CHO: How did you start working with Princess Diana?

ZANDRA RHODES: She came to my shop, and she tried on a lovely off-shoulder dress, and then commissioned it to be made in pale pink.

And then I drove to Kensington Palace, and I would curtsy, and then I fitted her with that dress. She wore it when she announced she was pregnant.

ALINA CHO: You worked with her quite a bit over the years.

ZANDRA RHODES: I made about five dresses for her.

ALINA CHO: What was she like?

ZANDRA RHODES: She was very, very shy.

ALINA CHO: Shy Di.

ZANDRA RHODES: Really shy.

ALINA CHO: I know Diana Ross is someone you dressed as well.

ZANDRA RHODES: Oh, she was wonderful. She came into my shop, and she bought this wonderful red pleated jacket with a gorgeous red turban. And she invited me to her reception after [her concert] and it was absolutely fabulous.

ALINA CHO: Wow.

ZANDRA RHODES: And then, I was in Beverly Hills about maybe two months later. And we're driving, and my girlfriend who was driving said, "Zandra, that’s Diana Ross. Get out and say hello.” So, I just went for it.

ALINA CHO: Did you?

ZANDRA RHODES: I got out to say hello. And I just took two steps up her pathway and a very cold voice said, “If you come one step nearer, I will close this garage door on top of you.” Now, I must tell you, I had green hair at that time. With feathers stuck on the end.

ALINA CHO: Oh, boy.

ZANDRA RHODES: And high white boots and a beautiful white silk dress. And it crossed my mind after this happened, Diana Ross met me when I had a white turban on.

ALINA CHO: So, she didn’t recognize you.

ZANDRA RHODES: At that time, Diana Ross was doing a record with Barbra Streisand, and she must have said to Barbra Streisand, “This weird girl came out to talk to me.” Anyway, she rings my friend at 3 o’clock the next morning and then came around for breakfast.

ALINA CHO: I just have one more question. What color is your hair right now?

ZANDRA RHODES: Oh, it's pink. I think it's going to be pink 'til I drop dead.

ALINA CHO: I noticed that you did dye your hair brown for a very short period of time.

ZANDRA RHODES: Oh, God, it was so embarrassing. I had a very conservative boyfriend, and I thought, “Maybe I should try dyeing my hair brown,” and I think it lasted for three weeks.

ALINA CHO: No one knew who you were?

ZANDRA RHODES: That's it. I felt boring, too.

ALINA CHO: Well, there you have it.

ZANDRA RHODES: Yes, that's it. I didn't like to feel boring. When my hair is pink, no one notices all the rest of it. If I'm not looking alright, they don't notice.