| Petra Ecclestone | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 1988 (age 23) Westminster, London, UK |
| Occupation | Heiress, model, fashion designer, socialite |
| Height | 5'8" (173cm)[1] |
Petra Ecclestone (born December 1988)[2][3] is a British-Croatian heiress, model, fashion designer and socialite, the younger daughter of Croatian former Armani model Slavica and Formula One billionaire Bernie Ecclestone. She has an older sister, Tamara and an older paternal half-sister, Deborah. She speaks Croatian fluently and understands French and Italian.[4]
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Ecclestone was born in Westminster, London, and attended Trevor-Roberts School, then Francis Holland School, a girls' school, in London.[5] She reportedly won a place at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, but never took up the offer.[6]
She contracted viral meningitis at the age of 14, and told the media that it "changed her life forever."[7] She said "I no longer take my health for granted. ... I’m now a health freak and a hypochondriac. I’m obsessed with cleanliness, I eat healthily and take my vitamins."[7] She has since become an ambassador for the Meningitis Trust.[7]
Growing up, Ecclestone wanted to be a fashion designer.[8] She decided to make menswear because it is a "bigger niche" and because "womenswear was too saturated".[8]
At the age of 19, Eccelstone created the menswear label FORM, which was sold into retailers including Harrods from October 2008.[8] In April 2009 it was announced that Ecclestone had signed a contract with the Croatian clothing manufacturer Siscia.[9] After she reportedly grew "tired of the grind of having to oversee the range", Form collapsed into administration 14 months after start-up, before being liquidated.[10]
She proceeded to launch an accessories line called Stark in September 2011. She commented, "[My background] doesn’t change that I’m trying to be a successful designer... Obviously people are going to have preconceived ideas that it’s not me working, that I don’t come to the office, like I do - I don’t think you can ever change that". She added: "I'm a hard-working girl. I go to the office. I work a normal 9 to 5 job most days... I'm not spoilt. I'm privileged. And I think there's a big difference."[11]
Ecclestone has future plans for a footwear collection, and hopes to open her own store in Los Angeles.[12]
Ecclestone dated entrepreneur James Stunt for four years before they married on 27 August 2011 at Odescalchi Castle near Rome, at an event attended by royals, socialites and celebrities. The wedding reportedly cost £5 million and the bride's Vera Wang dress £80,000.[6][13]
Both Ecclestone and Stunt describe themselves as "virtually teetotal".[6]
In July 2011 Ecclestone purchased The Manor, in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, for $85 million, with $82.4 million borrowed from her mother.[14][15] It had been on the market for two years with an asking price of $150 million, making it the most expensive residential real estate listing in the US. The 57,000 square feet (5,300 m2) mansion was the former home of Aaron and Candy Spelling, and is the largest residence in Los Angeles County.[16]