Pennod 3 Cwpwrdd Dillad

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-Interesting stories lurk behind

-wardrobe doors in every house.

-You could almost say clothes reveal

-a person's life story.

-Tonight, we'll meet

-three different contributors...

-..with three different wardrobes.

-Gwenfudd James has an astonishing

-collection of clothes.

-We will then

-peek inside the wardrobe...

-..of a successful financial advisor.

-First, the charity shop clothes...

-..in the wardrobe of singer

-and dancer, Gwenno Saunders.

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-I could talk about clothes

-all day long.

-I get almost as excited

-about clothes as I do about music.

-I get a real buzz

-when I find something.

-It's amazing.

-A gig makes me cry

-but clothes don't.

-A real find

-makes me feel great, though.

-Gwenno is not only a singer

-but she danced in Riverdance.

-She recently danced with

-Michael Flatley's troupe...

-..in Lord of the Dance.

-Irish Dancing

-has a huge influence on me.

-The dresses are very intricate.

-I wear amazing dresses on stage

-and curl my hair for performances.

-If I hadn't been a dancer, I'd have

-turned out very differently.

-This is my wardrobe.

-This is truly a walk-in wardrobe!

-Clothes have taken over the room!

-The hats, scarves and bags

-hanging on the wall are striking.

-I wouldn't be able to find them

-unless I hung them up.

-They look good and they inspire me

-to choose an outfit...

-..when I walk in the room.

-This is one of the tops

-I made myself.

-I wear this with jeans.

-It wraps around, like that.

-At first glance, it just looks like

-a strip of material.

-I don't know where I got the idea.

-I clip it up, at the back.

-I love the colour.

-The back is just simple.

-It looks great.

-It makes jeans a bit dressier.

-Yes, exactly.

-This is my dreaded top.

-You can see it.

-I wore this

-when I went to a comedy club.

-I got very drunk, fell downstairs

-and smashed my teeth.

-I haven't worn it since then

-but I really like it.

-I can't wear it.

-I can't wear it.

-

-Because you had an accident in it.

-I don't wear

-the clothes I make any more.

-I used to make tops which showed off

-my boobs, my stomach and my back.

-I don't make them, any more.

-The aim was to create

-the smallest possible top.

-I bought these

-in the PDSA shop for 2.

-Wow!

-They're genuine, 1970s shoes.

-They're not copies.

-Isn't it a bit weird

-to wear someone else's shoes?

-I don't think I'd like it.

-I don't think I'd like it.

-

-I used to feel like that.

-Do you give them a good scrub,

-before you wear them?

-No, but I don't wear them barefoot.

-I wear these with tights.

-If you shop for vintage clothes,

-you can't be sniffy about things.

-They're second hand -

-that's the whole point.

-The dress my grandmother made

-is my favourite.

-She made it, in the 1940s.

-She gave it to my mother

-and I thought it looked rubbish.

-I tried it on

-and it's really flattering.

-It fits beautifully.

-Even if you're having a fat day,

-you feel good in it.

-The important thing

-is I'm comfortable with my body.

-I know what suits me.

-Anything tailored, flattering

-and girly.

-This is so dramatic!

-This is so dramatic!

-

-Yes, this is a great dress.

-It's a showgirl costume

-and I bought it in Pwllheli.

-I wear it over jeans,

-when I'm doing an acoustic gig.

-The great thing about vintage

-is it takes you back in time.

-An item of vintage clothing

-also sets the mood for the day.

-I don't have a normal day,

-when I wear this dress.

-I imagine myself running through

-long grass - a real '70s thing.

-That's also part of it, for me.

-The fantasy of what you'll become

-when you wear a certain outfit.

-I've found the look I want

-and it's like finding your voice.

-My clothes

-definitely represent who I am.

-I only buy clothes at sale price.

-I never, ever pay full price

-for clothes, in any shop.

-There's a huge profit margin

-on clothes.

-If you see something this month...

-..wait two months

-and you'll get it in the sale.

-People pay two or three times more

-for something than is necessary...

-..and I think that's crazy.

-This successful businessman from

-Aberdare believes quality counts.

-It shocks me,

-every time I tidy my wardrobe.

-I like to think

-I don't have a lot of clothes...

-..but the truth is,

-I have far too many clothes.

-I divide my time

-between Cardiff and London...

-..so I have a wonderful excuse

-to buy a second wardrobe.

-I have almost exactly the same

-wardrobe in Cardiff and London.

-I'm not a huge fan of shopping,

-so I'll buy two of the same thing.

-If you buy things

-at a half price sale...

-..you get two for the price of one!

-You're a very neat person.

-That's clear, from your wardrobe.

-I made an effort to have a tidy-up.

-Let's start with the shirts.

-This is an Ozwald Boateng shirt.

-It was expensive,

-but the quality is superb.

-Did you buy it in the sales?

-Did you buy it in the sales?

-

-Yes, for a third of the full price.

-Ozwald Boateng often have a sale.

-Next to that shirt is this one,

-by George of Asda!

-This cost 4.99 and this one cost

-something like 120, full price.

-I'm lucky. Everything is organised

-because other people help me.

-It makes the practicalities

-so much easier.

-I get back to London

-and the cleaning lady has been.

-She washes and irons my clothes...

-..so I have clean clothes for work,

-or for social gatherings.

-Let's take a look at your suits.

-Do you buy some expensive suits

-and some cheaper ones?

-Yes, that's probably true.

-I bought every one of these suits

-in sales, over the years.

-Versace.

-I bought this in Australia.

-We stayed at Palazzo Versace hotel,

-in Queensland.

-A Versace suit

-for the Versace Hotel!

-What a great excuse!

-What a great excuse!

-

-This was at sale price, too.

-This was at sale price, too.

-I bought it three years ago

-and it's lasted well.

-I enjoy wearing it.

-What's this one?

-This is Armani.

-I bought it on Bond Street.

-Have you always

-been conscious of your image?

-I first became acutely aware of it

-when I started my business.

-I noticed how people dressed and

-the image created by their clothes.

-Clothes speak volumes.

-Some people wore cheap suits

-that looked cheap.

-Some wore overly expensive suits

-that looked flash.

-The secret is to aim for something

-between those two.

-Good quality suits

-that look professional.

-One suit

-really brings back some memories.

-It once belonged to Cliff Richard.

-I attended a charity event

-in Bristol a few years ago...

-..and they held an auction.

-I woke up the next morning,

-in a hotel in Bristol...

-..and I looked at

-the brown wardrobe in my room.

-I woke up and I thought, "Oh, no!

-Did I really do that, last night?"

-I opened the door and I saw the suit

-hanging there.

-I paid far too much money

-for that suit!

-What about this leather jacket?

-This is probably

-my favourite item of clothing.

-I bought it in the Armani shop,

-on Bond Street.

-I paid something like a third

-of the full price, in the sale.

-I wore it for a week...

-..and I loved it so much, I went

-back to the shop to buy another one.

-I wanted one for Cardiff

-and one for London.

-The sale had finished by then...

-..and they didn't want to sell it

-to me for the reduced price.

-I persuaded the manager to sell it

-to me for the same price.

-I now have one in Cardiff

-and one in London.

-It's a lovely jacket

-and I enjoy wearing it.

-As we get older, I think we become

-more content with our image.

-I'm certainly content,

-where clothes are concerned.

-I don't follow fashion.

-I simply want to look smart,

-without making any fashion blunders.

-I'm not trendy, so I stand a better

-chance of keeping out of trouble.

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-They don't stand there,

-doing nothing.

-They can be little persons.

-You can talk to them.

-They don't answer you...

-..but you can say things like,

-"You look nice today," to them.

-Gwenfudd James started

-collecting clothes, as a hobby.

-Her collection has grown and grown,

-over the years.

-Do you have a favourite item?

-Ooh! That's a tricky question.

-I have several favourites.

-I can't single one out.

-It would be unfair on the clothes

-to choose a favourite.

-No, I must refuse

-to give you an answer.

-I think it was always there.

-No - I

-know

-it was always there.

-There was a drawer

-in my mother's wardrobe...

-..that contained

-dressing-up clothes.

-My mother had kept

-my grandmother's clothes...

-..that were passed down, to me.

-That's what sparked my interest.

-I'm due to pick up some more clothes

-from the Drefach area.

-Where will you put them, Gwenfudd?

-Where will you put them, Gwenfudd?

-

-Well, with the other clothes!

-There's plenty of room.

-Don't you think so?

-I can't believe my eyes!

-This is incredible.

-I've never seen anything

-quite like this in my life.

-Suits, dresses and hats.

-It really is amazing.

-She's passionate about clothes

-but not about storage methods.

-More bags.

-Dear me, Gwenfudd!

-Patterns, books and magazines

-about clothes and fashion.

-There can't possibly be more clothes

-in here.

-Look at that!

-Where on earth would you start?

-I'm shocked!

-Look!

-You can't open the door!

-I'd love to roll up my sleeves

-and tidy it all up.

-Hang everything

-and group them by their colours.

-I'd like to store them neatly,

-for her.

-There are

-some fantastic things here...

-..but you can't see them.

-It's a struggle

-to open some of the doors.

-You can't move

-because you have so many clothes.

-Yes, I know.

-I have tried.

-I do tackle it, every now and then,

-and store them neatly.

-But then, someone comes

-and something goes out.

-They bring them back and I can't

-get everything organised...

-..until I have another tidy-up.

-Where are we?

-Where are we?

-

-We're in the emporium.

-We're in the emporium.

-The emporium? It sounds really posh!

-Yes, it

-is

-posh.

-Everything

-was stored in the emporium.

-Did you store in the emporium and

-took some things to the house...

-..or is this

-the overflow from the house?

-Well, I'm not sure.

-This place is slightly

-more organised than the house.

-Yes. There are rows of rails here.

-It's organised.

-It's organised.

-

-Yes. Thank you.

-Thanks, Nia.

-I was a wardrobe mistress

-at Theatr Felinfach.

-I learned about all sorts of things,

-through my work there.

-I still hire out some costumes.

-Not as much as I used to.

-One of my regular customers

-designs book covers.

-They're novels.

-He takes pictures of the costumes.

-He uses models who look right

-in the clothes...

-..and right for the book cover.

-When I go into book shops...

-..and tell people the costumes on

-the covers of the books are mine...

-..they think I'm mad.

-It's true.

-Do you make a good living

-from hiring out the costumes?

-No, not at all.

-It's hopeless!

-People don't want to pay for it.

-They don't like the fact

-I charge for hiring the costumes.

-It costs almost as much to have them

-cleaned as I charge the customers.

-You're not unwilling

-for other people to wear them?

-It doesn't worry you?

-No, not at all,

-as long as they take care of them.

-That's important.

-If I see some damage to the clothes,

-I lose my sense of humour!

-That's especially true...

-..when they bring them back

-in bin bags.

-Oh!

-They're not rubbish -

-they're nice clothes.

-People return the clothes

-in bin bags.

-Oh, that makes me really angry.

-This is a riding outfit

-and it has a matching waistcoat.

-People wear it

-as a Victorian costume.

-It's a skirt,

-for riding side-saddle.

-Very majestic.

-This comes from the 1920s.

-Do you see the tassels?

-They characterise the 1920s.

-Was velvet popular in the 1920s?

-Yes. This is pretty

-but it's also simple.

-It's a straight dress.

-This border makes a huge difference.

-I'm fond of the 1940s.

-I was a child in that era.

-I saw my sister wear the fashion

-that came in during that decade.

-Something about the 1940s dresses

-appealed to me.

-This dress came from the Salem area.

-The lady who owned it

-was going it throw it away.

-I said, "No, please don't!"

-It's a 1940s wedding dress.

-The 1940s details

-are so prominent in this dress.

-It's lovely.

-The bride would have carried

-a huge bouquet of flowers.

-This is the matching headband.

-There's a lot of detail

-on the waist of these 1940s dresses.

-Yes, that's very true.

-These tiny details

-were very important.

-This is wonderful.

-The material is lovely.

-Yes, this material

-came from Liberty, in London.

-The lady who gave this to me

-lived in Llandovery.

-She'd worn this dress

-to an Edward VIII garden party.

-He was really miserable that day.

-He was really miserable that day.

-

-Edward?

-He was really miserable that day.

-

-Edward?

-

-Yes.

-He was really miserable...

-..and she felt he'd ruined her day.

-Clothes don't necessarily

-bring back fond memories.

-Mrs Simpson wore this type of dress.

-Has your collection

-become too much for you?

-Your house is stuffed with clothes,

-Gwenfudd.

-Sioned and Haf, my daughters,

-think it has become too much for me.

-I disagree.

-I refuse to listen to people

-who suggest that.

-It goes in through one ear

-and out of the other.

-I don't want people to say it.

-I really don't.

-I can't imagine life without them.

-I'd be lost.

-That would be it.

-Life wouldn't be worth living.

-I think the world of my costumes.

-I really do.

-S4C subtitles by

-Eirlys A Jones