Vitamin Daily

Mother, model, designer and author, India Hicks lives an inspiring life with her four children and partner on the island of Bahamas. Hot off the heels of her third marathon, Hicks whizzed into Toronto for the 2010 Canadian Fragrance Awards. Here, she shares anecdotes from London, the Bahamas and one monumental royal wedding:

You have a speedboat named 'Spider Lily' after your Crabtree & Evelyn fragrance. What other floral scents do you love?
Tea Rose. Princess Diana wore it on her wedding day and she gave all her bridesmaids a small glass vase of it.

Do you remember the first scent you ever bought?
I had rather avoided fragrance growing up. However, my happy but perfume-less existence was interrupted by the arrival of Crabtree & Evelyn, whose name alone stimulated memories of an English heritage capturing home comforts and remedies. Apparently my Caribbean island sensibility and simple aesthetic had caught their eye. We have since had a happy marriage.

You have modeled for Gap, J. Crew and Ralph Lauren, among many others – what other designers do you wear?
I love Day Birger et Mikkelsen, a Danish brand that designs very wearable clothes. I sell a lot of the collection in my shop The Sugar Mill, which I own with my Canadian partner Linda, who shares my sartorial taste.

Whether it’s fashion or interior design – how would you describe your style credo?
Modern classic, but not too modern. I love to look at modern rooms and trendy clothes, but I don't want to live in them or wear them.

You were bridesmaid to Princess Diana in 1981 and wore a very frothy dress. Can you share a funny moment from that day?
Ever since that day I have had an aversion to frills.  However, I am enormously proud to have played a part in that historical event. There were so many moments chronicled before millions and millions of people but there were also many tender private moments, such as Diana dressed in jeans wearing a diamond tiara on her head, waiting to climb into her wedding dress, or the tin cans Prince Andrew and Prince Edward tied behind the carriage that Charles and Diana rode away in with the Queen, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret running behind joyfully. It's not often we see our Majesty run.

What do you look forward to most as you touch down at Heathrow?
The seasons ...leaves falling, snow on the ground, fog in the air, or the smell of summer grass wet from the rain. The Caribbean does not experience seasons and our smells are entirely different.

What do you always bring back to the Bahamas after a trip to England?
English marmalade, marmite and licorice Allsorts.