Made in Chelsea's Mark-Francis Vandelli: 'I have a watch for Shoreditch and one for Mykonos'
If Imelda Marcos and Nicky Haslam had ever reproduced, Mark-Francis Vandelli would be the result.
The Italo-Russian socialite has for the past eight series stolen the show in Made in Chelsea, the scripted reality show following London’s Sloanes.
“It’s great! It’s about criticising other people. I love being able to vent.”
His life is a whirlwind of fashion parties in Paris and London, weekends in Cannes and afternoons splurging on Sloane Street. He has some 350,000 Twitter followers, 250,000 fans on Instagram and a publishing deal.
“It’s just a book full of beautiful things and some witty remarks,” he says.
He’s just moved into a “cosy” secondhome apartment, a stone’s throw from the Kensington townhouse his grandmother gifted him “years ago”.
Made in Chelsea season 10 launch party
Inside, there are a pair of antique elephant tusks on the mantlepiece and his wardrobe is packed with Tom Ford-era Gucci, endless cashmere, more than 50 pairs of sunglasses and 20 fur coats.
Vandelli’s fabulous existence is matched by his watch collection. He owns 16 timepieces, including some beautiful dress watches.
“I like to buy a watch a year, because by the time you’re 50 you’ve got around 40 watches. It shows the way your taste and your budget evolves.”
He adds: “The next watch is going to be a complication watch, something really beautiful and subtle. Maybe a Patek Philippe.”
Mark-Francis Vandelli's watch wardrobe
