The Daily Telegraph Monday 26 June 2017 *** 21 INTERVIEW Good Lord: Michelle Mone watches the Queen’s Speech while clutching her £17,000 Hermès Kelly ‘I’m not afraid to get my cleavage out in business’ THE and was made redundant by the brewing company she worked for at CELIA 24, and yet on Mone ploughed, determined to nd a niche and set up WALDEN her own business. She achieved both INTERVIEW with the invention of a silicone- padded push-up bra that didn’t leave ARNSTEIN SVEN you writhing in agony at the end of a Full of surprises: Michelle Mone – now Baroness Mone of Mayfair – has overcome bereavement, poverty and personal drama, and is now launching a global interiors business night out. It spawned an empire – and helped her amass an estimated That she should tone things down a there will be words they use in the losses. I wouldn’t be scared to take any has to do too. She is a modern £50 million fortune. “Remember that bit? “Just the rst few weeks. And my Lords that I don’t understand, and I’ll of them on, but I discovered that being Margaret Thatcher and, although Despite taking a lm Joy with Jennifer Lawrence?” she wardrobe has changed quite a bit.” have to get my iPhone out and look in politics is a no-win situation. Just this will surprise people, I was really says, referring to the story of Joy It’s clear that the Lords intimidate them up. But I’m learning more every look at what has happened to Theresa inspired by Thatcher.” That is seat in the House of Mangano, the American Miracle Mop Mone more than the boardroom ever day and I’m passionate about a lot of May.” surprising. Then again, I suspect the millionairess. “Well, her story is mild did. “Board meetings never worried issues.” What would she do in the Prime only predictable thing about fearless, compared to mine.” me: I would always get a blow-dry and That passion earned her a lot of Minister’s place? “I think she should fabulous Mone is that she’ll keep on Lords, Michelle It also lacks the insane level of put on some high heels. I’m not cyber bile when it came to her views tough it out. But as I said to Cameron surprising us for years to come. personal drama Mone has had to deal frightened to get my cleavage out in on the Scottish referendum. “I got in Downing Street before the Mone won’t tone with. At her professional peak, the the business world because it makes several death threats,” she tells me. referendum: ‘You have got to connect For more information about Michelle businesswoman found out that me feel feminine and that makes me “But I’m passionate about Scotland with wee Mary from Govan, because Mone Interiors, visit everything down Michael, her husband of 20 years and feel powerful. I don’t believe you have and the Union. And if anything good once you do, you’ll have everyone’ michellemoneinteriors.com business associate, had been having an to cover up your femininity to be a top came out of this election it’s the SNP – and he laughed. But that’s what May aroness Mone of aair with Samantha Bunn, one of her businesswoman.” Mayfair is telling top Ultimo bra designers. After their I’m dying to hear more of Mone’s me about the very public divorce in 2011, Mone professional dos and don’ts. Flip-¦ops nightclub she came close to a breakdown and in the oce? “If it’s a tech company or built in her temporarily left Ultimo, before buying a ¦ip-¦op manufacturer, ne. But Glasgow town him out, selling the company in 2014 would I take on a lawyer who turned house. “I’m and giving up on all men except David up to meet me in ¦ip-¦ops? No.” Short going to get into Cameron, who had appointed her his skirts? “In a nightclub or a pub, ne trouble for Business Tsar. – but in an accountancy rm or in the saying this,” she murmurs with a What a dierence two years makes. House of Lords,” she winks, “it’s sidelong glance at her PR manager, Today, Mone is in love (with fellow inappropriate.” Flirting in the oce? B“because it’s not something a Glaswegian billionaire businessman “I have banter with people day in, day Baroness should say, but…” Douglas Barrowman) and about to out. Whether that’s called ¦irting, I And in a rush of deance it all launch a new global business venture: don’t know. But life is short and you comes out: “I love karaoke. Love it. Michelle Mone Interiors. can’t be serious all the time. We’re all And when no one else will do it with With oces in place in Monaco and human beings so there’s nothing me…” She sings her heart out alone Dubai, in Old Park Lane, Chelsea, and wrong with a bit of ¦irting in the in her own private nightclub? “Yes.” on the Isle of Man – where she and workplace. But if it becomes Now that it’s out there, the Barrowman now live on his chateau- something else and colleagues turn 45-year-old businesswoman is all like estate – Michelle Mone Interiors into sex pests then I’d give them a urgency: gym-honed body inclined Glasgow kiss and that would sort towards me, professionally made-up them out.” eyes as sweet and wide as a ‘Why give someone a Throughout Mone’s ascent it hasn’t teenager’s. “My favourite is Whitney seat on the board, been over-attentive male co-workers Houston’s The Greatest Love of All: I that have been the problem – but can hit all the high notes. It’s not just because they’re jealous women. “I’ve always had this necessarily pleasant to the ear, but if sniping. There’s so much jealousy out I’ve had a tough day at the oce I’ll wearing a bra?’ there and I don’t understand it. Instead blast that out.” We’re still reeling of being in such competition with one when the mother-of-three drops a will be “a high-end and very personal another, women should be helping second bombshell. service that balances luxurious each other out in the workplace. We “Oh, and I have another talent: I elegance with intelligent design” and should be sticking together, because if can do the splits both ways. I’m really promises to turn clients’ homes and we did, it would be amazing what we proud of that. I’m the wild Baroness, businesses “into places that inspire could achieve.” right?” them”. Does she believe in quotas, I ask? What a cracking title that would “I don’t need to start this business,” “I see the point – especially in FTSE have been for Mone’s autobiography. shrugs Mone, who already has a 100 companies, because it can be But when, in 2015, the former Ultimo bestselling jewellery range on QVC tough to break through, but for me it’s lingerie boss did publish the story of and is a shareholder with the online not about gender, it’s about what skill her ascent from penniless Glasgow- retail start-up Social Superstore. “But set that person has. And why give born schoolgirl to multi-millionaire I’m passionate about design. Plus I them a seat on the board just because entrepreneur and Tory peer, she really feel like I’m at the highest point they’re wearing a bra? They’ve got to chose instead to call it My Fight to the in my life.” really deserve to ll that seat.” Top. And it’s equally tting when you This you can tell just by looking at Mone is dedicated about her House consider what Mone has overcome: her. She’s kept o the reported eight of Lords attendance, but when I ask the loss of a baby brother from spina ‘‘unhappy marriage’’ stone she lost whether she would ever indulge the bida when she was just 10 and her after the divorce and today looks as many Twitter followers who want her factory worker father’s cancer and close to demure as a woman with a to consider a career in politics, she subsequent paralysis, which forced gure like hers can, in a high-necked admits the idea scares her. her to leave school at 15 without a black top and well-cut trousers, ready “There’s still that fear in me that I’m qualication to her name. She had to be sworn back in at the House of not academic like them, and that I her rst child when still a teenager Lords. “I’ve been told a few times…” would fall on my backside. 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