Francesca Cumani: Last News

30 Jul 2021 The Goodwood Festival took place behind closed doors last year, so racegoers for the 2021 event seemed especially eager to celebrate its return.Guests like ITV Racing host Francesca Cumani (above right) pulled out all the stops in looks by independent British designers, while Rosie Tapner went for pastels in Olivia Rubin. There were lots of boater hats, though millinery wasn't compulsory.

As I wrote last week, they exist to provide clarity and put people at ease. Nothing renders an event irrelevant faster than a dinosaur dress code.

Ladies’ Day at Goodwood last month, it drew the usual admiring comments from viewers who tune in as much for her sharp commentary and analysis as her striking outfits. But one Twitter user, John Faulkner, took the compliments a step further, sending Cumani a photograph of his wife wearing the very same dress, which she has owned for 55 years. Cumani calls it a ‘lovely moment of synergy’ which shows the added layer of meaning which her racing looks, which are mostly sourced from charity shops, vintage dealers or small independent labels, lend to her TV appearances. Since 2017, Cumani has been working with her stylist Sarah Kate Byrne who finds up to 90 looks per racing season from anywhere but the high street.

TV presenter Francesca Cumani sets the fashion standard at Ascot today, on a day that also brought out royals and even inspired a marriage proposal.

A post shared by Francesca Cumani (@francesca_cumani)Although Royal Ascot’s environmentally-conscious style guide is to be applauded, there are some labels for whom the prospect of high-spending attendees is a light at the end of a long dark tunnel of dramatically reduced order books. In 2014, it was estimated that the event can boost the British fashion industry by as much as £33 million each year. It’s an especially significant potential contribution after the disastrous effects of lockdown, which Oxford Economics has predicted could result in 240,000 direct job losses and a £10 billion drop in GDP contribution from the sector.

A bumper programme of 21 races headlined by the first Classic races of the Flat season are to be broadcast by ITV.