Christie Brinkley on her HSN clothing collection, health scares and more: 'Get it done'
Christie Brinkley is one of the most famous models of all time, and now her fashion know-how has been put to great use in her clothing collaboration with HSN called TWRHLL.
Currently in the midst of a whirlwind year that started with her 70th birthday, followed by surgery to remove skin cancer and, more recently, celebrating the 60th anniversary of Sports Illustrated, Brinkley has been on-the-go for months but maintains a fresh, positive attitude and the ever-chic look to match.
She took the time to chat with "GMA" about the now-live collection -- keep reading for more insight on how she determined the feel of the clothes, as well as the inspiration behind this new venture and her advice for staying motivated.
How the clothing collection came about
Brinkley said it all started with an idea she had after noticing a pattern that came about every time she was photographed in swimwear.
"The second I put on a bathing suit in Turks & Caicos, it gets picked up. Then they run a picture of models in similar bathing suits with the ads of where to get them," she said.
"I started sending those to my agent saying, 'These should be my own bathing suits, and in fact my daughters should be in the bathing suits and the three of us should be taking pictures together!'" she laughed, adding, "It's the same thing with lots of outfits as well, so that really set the ball rolling."
While swimsuits aren't yet a part of the collection, Brinkley said to expect them in "next year."
What does the name TWRLL mean?
Borrowing the name from her stunning Long Island estate, Tower Hill, Brinkley said she wanted the clothes to reflect the love she has for the home and all the wonderful times she's spent there.
"I have never lived anywhere as long as I've lived at Tower Hill," Brinkley explained. "It's my real home, my kids have grown up there and, as a result, every item has a story. The gardens are filled with flowers and vegetables, there are chickens running around everywhere…It's like a whole little world on our property. I love it so much, and I love all the memories we've created there."
Who did Brinkley and HSN have in mind while designing the clothes?
Naturally, having such a special home means makes hosting guests all the more fun for Brinkley and her family.
"I love having people over," she said, emphasizing her preference for a relaxed, casual feel to her gatherings -- something the collection captures beautifully.
"I love casual clothes that say both 'I dressed because I knew you were coming' but I can wear it barefoot and look good. That's the kind of party I like: when you feel like you can take your shoes off and be barefoot and hang out by the bonfire," she added.
Tower Hill's location in the Hamptons means the clothes inherently take on the coastal lifestyle of the area. For Brinkley, that means an outfit can look great when you're wearing it to the farmer's market or an antique show, but you can easily dress it up by adding a kitten heel or some hoop earrings -- as she said, "Then you look perfect for dinner as well!"
'Follow through on the steps'
The collection is filled with pieces that are comfortable, casual and versatile, but they're also always chic and put-together -- much like Brinkley's approach to handling life's challenges.
When asked how she was able to handle her skin cancer diagnosis in treatment in such unencumbered stride, she emphasized looking head-on at your challenges rather than avoiding them or brushing them off.
"Follow through on the steps, face whatever it is, get it done -- whatever it is you're facing, get it done. Make it be like, 'Now, that's in my past and I'm healing."
Part of her own healing journey includes slathering herself in sunscreen every day, as well as swearing to wear hats every time she's in her garden -- one of which you'll see below.
She's also committed to "very regular" checkups and added, "The thing about health scares is it's hard to prioritize, to say 'let me put this in its place' but health is really at the top of the list. However, continuing to focus on all your many blessings like your children -- that always helps me."
To capture the essence of Brinkley and the Hamptons for yourself, continue scrolling to shop the TWRHLL collection.
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