Margo Manhattan

The Steeple Times asks American jeweller and creator of the pink ribbon lapel pin for breast cancer and the red ribbon for AIDS awareness Margo Manhattan: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”

The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?

Adventure and, always, fabulous jewels.

“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

“In order to be irreplaceable, you must always be different”: Coco Chanel.

Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2014?

War.

Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?

My dad, my dog Shiki and my shop in SoHo.

What might you swap all your wealth for?

Prince Charming on a white horse.

Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?

Buy jewellery and use a vault.

What phrase or word do you most loathe?

“LOL”.

In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?

You can never do enough and you it should begin the moment you enter this world and continue beyond your exit if you are fortunate enough to leave a legacy. I hope to have created my own legacy through having created the original pink ribbon lapel pin for breast cancer and the red ribbon for AIDS awareness. They have helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars towards treatment, research and eventually finding cures for cancer and AIDS.

The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?

Ouch… Practice what you preach.

If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?

My two boys, Mika (my German Shepherd), all my besties, Karl Lagerfeld, George Balanchine, Mozart, Charlie Chaplin, Robert Downey Jr, Madonna, Coco Chanel, JAR, Bernard Arnault, Beyonce, Marilyn Monroe, Demi Moore, Goldie Hawn, Adrienne Grenier, Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, Paul McCartney, James Dean, Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney and Batman.

If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?

The best caviar money could buy with crème fraîche on a blini accompanied by Taittinger champagne. I’d have it on a white horse with my prince.

What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?

Depends on the company you hold.

A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?

I say Prosecco. It adds the perfect amount of pep everytime.

Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?

My own so I can invite whom I wish to be with. Everyone adores a hostess.

Who is the most positive person you know?

My dear friend, a most incredible creative visionary photographer and Zen master named Luciana Pampalone.

What’s your most guilty pleasure?

Chocolate truffles.

If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?

I’m too unpredictable. Nothing sums me up.

If you were a car, what marque would you be?

The Batmobile. Watch out Catwoman.

Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.

If I did, then it wouldn’t be a surprise.

What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?

My portrait. It was painted by the extraordinary artist Julie Harvey and she spent an entire year working on it. She captured every detail from my jewellery to my fishnet stockings and it is truly mind blowing.

Margo Manhattan is a New York based jeweller who came up with the original pink ribbon lapel pin for breast cancer and the red ribbon for AIDS awareness. Her clients have variously numbered Mischa Barton, Beyoncé, Selena Gomez and Kate Winslet.

Follow Margo Manhattan on Twitter at @margomanhattan.

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