The menswear-inspired brand – from a former Vogue editor

Philippa Durell spent almost a decade as an editor for leading luxury fashion titles, before venturing out into the unknown as the owner of London-made shirt brand With Nothing Underneath (or WNU). Now, she counts the Duchess of Sussex as a customer. We discuss early days as an assistant, the journey to entrepreneurship, and start-up life.

Written by Sakaynah Hunter
Photography by James Harvey Kelly, Annabel Snoxall and Kristina Varaksina

E: What were you up to before launching With Nothing Underneath?

P: I was at British Vogue and then Tatler as Jewellery and Watches Editor. [I spent] an amazing eight years at Condé Nast, which taught me a huge amount; I found it to be such an encouraging environment. You are expected to work very hard (there’s no room for slackers), but working under the likes of Lucinda Chambers and Sarah Harris really showed me that kindness in an industry comes from the top down. I was really lucky to be an assistant under them.

E: Out of all the shoots that you worked on while at Condé Nast, what’s been your favourite and what has it taught you?

P: It’s hard to pick – being an assistant at Vogue with photographers such as Testino and Demarchelier coming into the office was really unbelievable. It was an amazing time to be working up from the bottom and learning along the way. One thing I learnt was organisation is key – it’s a huge production every time you do a shoot and for it to be a success it needs to be prepped properly.

E: When did the idea for WNU come about and how did you know you were the right person to bring it to the market?

P: It was when I was working for magazines and I needed to be put together every day. A shirt is such a practical and chic daily outfit, but I was struggling to find good ones that were cut well and in my price bracket. That’s when I thought there was space for something new.

E: How did you find leaving full-time work as a Jewellery and Watches Editor at Condé Nast to venture out on your own?

P: Really hard! I’m naturally a very sociable creature so the loneliness was real! At magazines, it’s super collaborative with everyone’s bouncing ideas off each other, so working solo was new and unappealing to me. I soon realised I needed to work in a shared space, and now I have the wonderful WNU team to see every day.

“At magazines, it’s super collaborative with everyone bouncing ideas off each other, so working solo was new and unappealing to me”

E: You borrow from menswear tailoring. Is this influenced by your own style?

P: Yes, totally. I have a pretty androgynous look myself – I’ve never been one for anything too feminine, so a shirt really is my staple.

E: How would you describe the WNU customer?

P: That’s easy – she’s every woman, really. WNU is for anyone, and that’s what I love the most about the democracy of a shirt.

E: What’s the best and hardest thing about running your own brand?

P: Where to start? As someone who has no official business training, I find the technical aspects hard, but I’m learning. The best thing is seeing someone in WNU or getting a message saying how much they love their new shirt – it never gets old.

E: Are your shirts designed to be worn around the clock?

P: Absolutely. I quite literally wear mine in bed, at work, on the beach. ‘A shirt to live a life in’ is our motto.

E: Do you remember who your first customer was?

P: I have no idea. Probably my mum.

E: What’s been a highlight of yours since launching WNU?

P: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has worn WNU on a few occasions which has been huge for us. She is a very beautiful and elegant woman with a huge presence, so of course it was a big moment for us as a brand.

“I quite literally wear mine in bed, at work, on the beach. ‘A shirt to live a life in’ is our motto”

E: What are your top three pieces from the collection?

P: A Boyfriend shirt in the weave is probably my most worn – it’s so easy [to wear], both casual and smart. The new Cabana shirt style is my summer go-to, and then the towel styles; we did the cutest shorts, which are a beach essential.

E: Do you think you’ll branch out into other categories and design other styles?

P: We’ll definitely bring out more shirts, but we will stick to shirting and do it the best it can be done.

E: If you weren’t running WNU, what would you be doing?

P: I would love to make furniture. I adore making things!

E: What’s the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?

P: My mother has always told me ‘You can but ask’. They can always say no.

E: How do you switch off and unwind?

P: Walking my dog, Pilates and running.

E: What do you usually wear for a day at work?

P: A WNU shirt, of course! Usually a poplin [style] in stripes – it’s so easy to look polished with minimal effort.

“I’m in the office at around 9am – not that early for an entrepreneur”

E: Run me through a day in your shoes…

P: 7am: Get up, have a cup of English breakfast tea, a shower, and I wash my hair every day. No hairdryer, SPF and minimal makeup. Usually, [I put on] a shirt and jeans.

8am: Pilates twice a week, but every other day I walk the dog via my favourite café, Il Molino, for an oat flat white.

9am: I’m in the office at around 9am – not that early for an entrepreneur, I know! I get most of my work done in the evening when everyone has gone home. The day will mostly consist of calls, Zoom and internal meetings – there is always a lot to review and approve. It’s hard to breakdown a usual day as no one is the same, but I try and split days as a ‘business day’ or a ‘creative day’, as opposed to mixing them. I guess that’s just how my brain works.