Isabella Hervey's difficult life

by LINA DAS, Evening Standard

Lady Isabella Hervey is getting confused. "You want to interview me? I was told I was just doing pictures," she says in her clipped tones, before promptly getting on the phone to her agent. "But I'm only going to talk about the jewellery, right?

The jewellery in question is the latest range from Coleman Douglas Pearls that 21-year-old Isabella is modelling in a catwalk show next week.

"She is a huge fan," chimes the PR, Lucy, although Isabella herself doesn't look hugely fanatical or, indeed, very interested, surveying everyone around her in the room with more than a hint of mistrust.

"The secret," says Lucy, dragging me aside, "is to get Isabella to trust you. You just need to make friends with her."

This is easier said than done. When she eventually does break off for a chat, warmed up sufficiently by the appreciative comments flowing around her as she poses, she concedes that she can be quite guarded.

"In a big crowd, people might think I'm really stand-offish, but I'm not - I just don't open up too easily and I find it really hard to trust people, especially in the modelling business. I come across a lot of people who I've only met once - they give me the biggest hug and kiss and act as if I'm their best friend because of who I am," she shrugs. "But I've got good instincts, so I can usually suss them out."

Her guardedness is probably entirely understandable, given that her family is rarely out of the gossip columns.

Her halfbrother, John, squandered the family's £17 million fortune and died a drug addict.

Her 26-year-old sister, Lady Victoria, is frequently criticised for being the ultimate Twit Girl, given to somewhat brattish behaviour.

"I don't think I suffer from it because I'm my own person, and people soon realise that," Isabella says. "Do people really think that about my sister? I didn't know that."

Reports, however, suggest that Isabella is all too aware of her sister's reputation. The two of them fell out last year when Victoria apparently became jealous of her younger sister's increasing popularity.

Victoria was eventually banned from the family's Belgravia home, where Isabella lives with her mother, Yvonne, Marchioness of Bristol, after a series of bitter arguments.

"All sisters have their ups and downs," sniffs Isabella, "and Victoria and I get on like any other sisters do. That kind of thing is normal, but we're fine." And when was the last time they spoke to each other?

"Actually, I went home last week and she was there," says Isabella, not really answering the question.

"She came to my 21st birthday party recently, too." And what present did Victoria give her? "She's ordered something. I don't know what it is. It hasn't arrived yet."

Slim and pretty rather than a raving beauty, "having a title does differentiate me and gives me an advantage over a lot of models, but it's more challenging when I'm hired because of the way I look.

"I don't have my surname on my modelling card and I get a lot of jobs off my own bat. I do find that a lot of people approach me, wanting to manage me, but I'm too together to let them take advantage.

"I lost my father very young [she was just three when her father, the 6th Marquess of Bristol, died] so I've had to fend for myself and grow up quicker. I enjoy modelling and I work very hard at it."

Her first show was for Christian Dior, three years ago, and she has modelled for Chanel, although a proposed move to become the face of MG cars doesn't appear to be working out. "It was a bit of a fiasco," says Isabella, "and I don't really want to say anything about it. All I will say is it was so traumatic, I had to take three weeks off afterwards because I was an emotional wreck."

Money is a topic that features quite heavily in Isabella's conversations and she is miffed that everyone assumes that, like her older sister, she has a trust fund. She doesn't - her father died before he could set one up for her and her older brother, Frederick. "My mother always explained to me that as soon as I turned 18, I had to support myself." She certainly hates to miss out on a freebie.

When Lucy the PR informs her that she is an honorary member of the Renaissance Club, an upmarket online members club which gives her a 20 per cent discount at certain shops, Isabella wastes little time in asking Lucy to send the membership card to her agency.

And when trying on the various necklaces, seemingly imbued with holistic powers, Isabella sharply grabs the pink necklace, symbolising love, and enquires: "Which one is for money?" A gift of a turquoise necklace given to Isabella by Lucy is returned, albeit politely. "Can I choose a different one?" she asks.

Still, if you can get away with it, then why not? She likes a party (but only if "it's good for me and I make work contacts - I won't go to the opening of an envelope") and isn't lacking ambition. "I want to act eventually, but modelling enables me to be seen and pays the bills."

Even Victoria's ill-fated forays into business - her boutique Akademi went bankrupt - hasn't put Isabella off.

"I would consider going into business at some stage - I've got pretty good instincts about things." So would she class herself alongside her sister as an It Girl?

Isabella wrinkles her nose in some disgust. "I don't think It Girls exist any more and in any case, It Girls don't work and I do - very hard."

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