Designer Savannah Miller sounds off on money, teamwork and her latest beauty venture

Savannah Miller is one busy woman. After graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2004, she worked with the likes of Alexander McQueen and Matthew Williamson before launching a fashion label with her sister – and well-known actress – Sienna.

For six years, the pair worked on the Twenty8Twelve label until Savannah felt it was time to branch out alone. Since then, she has designed almost everything there is from lingerie to wedding dresses, collaborating with Debenhams on a sell-out range and more.

Savannah’s latest project is a slight step away from the fashion world. Teaming up with beauty brand bagsy, she has designed a capsule collection full of shimmering powders and a one-of-a-kind red lipstick that suits blondes, brunettes and redheads alike.

We spoke to Savannah about venturing into a different realm and the importance of working hard as well as finding out if there’s anything else she can’t wait to get her hands on.

The bagsy partnership was so meant to be. I never go to charity lunches but I was invited to one by a friend who said, “You’ve got to hear this woman talk.” The woman was Lynsey Addario (a photojournalist) and she was speaking on behalf of Women for Women International about the conflict in Afghanistan. She told us about how intense it is for women over there and I found it very inspiring.

I was so moved and wanted to get involved and do something to help. Literally as soon as I left the lunch, I got an email from bagsy saying they wanted to work with me and if I’d ever thought about creating my own make-up line. It felt so serendipitous. And it’s wonderful because it means I get to do something I’ve always wanted to do and work with a company that wants to make women feel good and give them confidence.

Beauty is an integral part of who I am. I wear make-up everyday but I don’t have half an hour to do a full face. I just want to whack it on and get the hell out the door. And so designing products that weren’t complicated and were compact enough for touching up on the go was high up on the list of important things.

My tips for handling my busy life? God knows. I’m just one minute to the next. I’ve got three children and I don’t live in London even though I work here. It’s a constant juggle. But you know what? It’s fun being busy and we’re lucky to be busy. You just have to make it work to the best of your ability.

I’m a real red lipstick fan. And I think I’ve created the perfect red. The colour’s just enough to be elegant but fun at the same time. It gives this lovely moisturising feeling but dries matte and lasts for ages. It’s incredible. We tried it on loads of different skin types and hair colours – from very dark skin to pale redheads – and it looked great on everyone. Even the CEO of bagsy, who is a redhead and has never worn red lipstick, loves it.

I love working with people. I find it exciting when you’re trying to create something as a team and everyone’s got an opinion. Obviously, I know what I like and I do always come back to that because I can’t put my name on something that I don’t believe in. But generally, getting other points of view is great when you’re trying to please 100 million people across the world.

Success is just about hard work. I literally don’t stop working. The people that went to college with me and went on to become successful in the fashion industry were the ones who were there every morning, waiting for the doors to open. If you want something bad enough, you’ve got to work for it. You can’t assume it’s going to be handed to you on a plate. I spent hours – weeks even – making tea and photocopying and I was grateful for it. Because I was looking at images that an extremely successful designer had been inspired by and getting an insight into his mind. Remember that everything is a learning opportunity.

Since I had kids, money has become a really big deal. Having three children isn’t cheap. I can’t go into a designer boutique and say I quite fancy that £200 t-shirt. That’s just unfathomable to me because I know I can dress my child for six months for the same price in a high street store. It’s lovely to buy expensive things but I think it’s really cool to be able to help everyone feel glamorous and the best version of themselves for a price point that isn’t a joke.

Jewellery is next on my hit list. And childrenswear. I love what Stella McCartney does for kids. Again, it’s the same thing of who is going to spend £400 on a child’s jumper that they’re going to throw away in a few months.

If you fall down, just get back up again. There’s a real attitude in this country of, “Oh, I’ve failed. Well, that’s it then.” No. You learn when you fail. It’s a gift. Get up and try again.

Savannah Miller x bagsy is proud to support Women for Women International. For every Bronzed Brilliance sold, 15% of the retail price will be donated to the charity.

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