My personal style signifier is my distinctive footwear. My shoe cupboard is like a Tardis; I have no idea how many pairs I have. Recently one of the racks actually collapsed. I’m having some leopard-print loafers made at the moment by Belgian Shoes in New York – they’re bespoke; you can bring your own material – and I am obsessing about them arriving. Price on request; belgianshoes.com

The last thing I bought and loved was a 1920s double-sided screen, with a French version of chinoiserie on one side and beautiful orange and grey flowers on the other. I found it at Jubilee Hall Antiques & Interiors, in the Cotswolds. Oak Street, Lechlade, Gloucestershire GL7 3AY (01367-253 777; jubileehall.co.uk)

Rosenius’s Homme Plissé Issey Miyake kimono coat, from £995
Rosenius’s Homme Plissé Issey Miyake kimono coat, from £995 © Kate Martin

And the thing I’m eyeing next is a set of 19th-century Chinese rice-paper paintings from Durham House Antiques to add to my collection. I love the detail, and it fascinates me that the colours are still so vibrant centuries later. 48 Sheep Street, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire GL54 1AA (01451-870 404; durhamhouseantiques.co.uk)

The last item of clothing I added to my wardrobe was an Issey Miyake kimono coat based on a print by the artist Katsushika Hokusai. In March, I was in Tokyo having lunch with a friend who used to work for Miyake. We went to the store, I saw this coat and I thought, “Well, this is completely impractical.” But I put it on and had to have it – I blame my friend. From £995; isseymiyake.com

The island of Nantucket, off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts
The island of Nantucket, off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts © Alamy

An unforgettable place I’ve travelled to in the past year is Nantucket. We went for the Daffodil Festival in April. Everyone dresses in yellow for the parade and the whole island is covered with flowers. It’s beautiful. We stayed at Jared Coffin House – it’s a small, traditional hotel and almost like being in someone’s home. The interior is very classic, with a 19th-century feel. 29 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA 02554 (+1508-228 2400; jaredcoffinhouse.com)

And the best souvenir I’ve brought home is a Meissen teapot I found at the factory shop near Dresden. It is decorated in the “blue onion” pattern and is a most extraordinary bulbous shape. meissen.com

A recent “find” is Aquavit in London. The interior references midcentury Swedish design, with high ceilings that make it feel incredibly spacious. I ate smoked eel with root vegetables, beef Rydberg and rosehip soup for dessert. St James’s Market, 1 Carlton Street, London SW1 (020-7024 9848; aquavitrestaurants.com)

Gravlax with mustard and dill sauce, served at Aquavit
Gravlax with mustard and dill sauce, served at Aquavit

If I didn’t live in London, the city I would live in is Stockholm. It is spread across 14 islands, so lends itself to walking. I like to eat breakfast at Sturekatten, where the interiors haven’t changed since the 1920s, and stroll past the Royal Palace; it’s very imposing and has more than 600 rooms. I buy shoes at Sneakersnstuff, which has a huge selection, and visit Svenskt Tenn for the most fabulous furniture and fabrics by Josef Frank. For summer drinks, I go to Mälarpaviljongen, a café/bar with a view of the most amazing gardens created by my friend Kristina Björk. And for dining on winter evenings, it has to be The Flying Elk, a gastropub run by Michelin-starred chef Björn Frantzén. The Flying Elk, Mälartorget 15 (theflyingelk.se). Mälarpaviljongen, Norr Mälarstrand 64 (malarpaviljongen.se). Sneakersnstuff, Åsögatan 124 (sneakersnstuff.com). Sturekatten, Riddargatan 4 (sturekatten.se). Svenskt Tenn, Strandvägen 5 (svenskttenn.se)

The people I rely on for personal grooming are Joelene at The Refinery for manicures and pedicures, because she spends just enough time on my nails, and Ciaran at Stannard & Slingsby who cuts my hair once a month – he knows how to maintain my style and keeps the conversation light. The Refinery, 18 Grosvenor Street, London W1 (020-7409 2001; the-refinery.com). Stannard & Slingsby, 211‑213 Kensington High Street, London W8 (020-7937 0333; stannardandslingsby.com)

Steve McQueen filming The Great Escape, 1963
Steve McQueen filming The Great Escape, 1963 © Getty Images

My favourite websites include Bukowskis.com for its Modern Art + Design auctions, where I find interesting pieces of Swedish and Finnish glass. Dukes-auctions.com is a recent find – I’ve yet to buy something but always see interesting porcelain and furniture.

My style icon is Steve McQueen. He lived differently to other actors; he didn’t just stay in Hollywood – he travelled and raced motorcycles, and that came across in the way he dressed. Obviously there is a strong masculine feel to his style, but he looked just as good in jeans and a T-shirt as he did in a suit.

My favourite room in my house is the informal sitting room. It has an enormous green sofa designed by David Hicks, where I sit and watch Wes Anderson films in great comfort. 

Rosenius’s Serpente glass plate by Carlo Scarpa for Venini
Rosenius’s Serpente glass plate by Carlo Scarpa for Venini © Kate Martin

An object I would never part with is a Serpente glass plate by Carlo Scarpa for Venini in black, red and white. I’m the only one who likes it; everybody else thinks it’s really ugly, including my husband – I’ve had to put it in a cupboard to hide it from him. 

If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood in one city, I’d choose Östermalm in Stockholm. There is an amazing indoor food market, Östermalms Saluhall, for meat, vegetables and beautiful bread, and the main fishmonger has a wonderful restaurant attached to it. The clothes in Morris fit me perfectly and Jacksons has a great eye for 20th-century antiques and Scandinavian furniture. JP Willborg has a huge selection of antique carpets – it has a basement stacked with them and staff roll them out for you to look at. Jacksons, Sibyllegatan 53 (+468-665 3350; jacksons.se). JP Willborg, Sibyllegatan 41 (+468-783 0265; jpwillborg.com). Morris, Humlegårdsgatan 19 (+468-667 2010; morrisstockholm.com). Östermalms Saluhall, Östermalmstorg (ostermalmshallen.se)

1960s Flag Halyyard chair by Hand J Wegner, €20,000, from Jacksons in Stockholm
1960s Flag Halyyard chair by Hand J Wegner, €20,000, from Jacksons in Stockholm © jacksons.com

The last music I downloaded was a jazz album, “This One’s For Dinah”, by China Moses and Raphaël Lemonnier. The singer has a strong and interesting voice, and I discovered it just driving one day.

The last meal that truly impressed me was at Restaurante Somorrostro in Barcelona. It’s in the old workmen’s quarter – you see washing lines hanging above the street. I had deep-fried sea urchin in a crab broth with toasted garlic and a raw egg yolk: truly extraordinary. Carrer de Sant Carles 11, 08003 Barcelona (+3493-225 0010)

The best gift I’ve given recently was a dozen handkerchiefs and a dozen pairs of socks. When I was starting school, aged five, my grandmother gave me the same gift. She told me that you should never buy anybody a single handkerchief or pair of socks. I went to Jermyn Street and chose them from lots of shops and wrapped them individually for my husband – he was delighted.

Seafood at Restaurante Somorrostro in Barcelona
Seafood at Restaurante Somorrostro in Barcelona

And the best one I’ve received recently was a collection of old estate auction catalogues from Sotheby’s, including the collections of Bunny Mellon and Baron de Redé. They were from my husband for my birthday – there is always so much historical background to be found in them, and as a present it had a lot of thought and effort behind it. sothebys.com

The best thing I’ve read in the past year is Six by Six, a limited collection of photography books published in six sets of six titles, each by different photographers, all very well curated. I have been collecting books that focus on 20th-century photography, art, architecture, interior design and fashion for 30 years; I have 2,600 books in storage, but my current collection is in my study. I curate the book department at Asprey: customers ask us to find a specific book and then we rebind it and design the jacket – it’s very popular. Asprey, 167 New Bond Street, London W1 (020-7493 6767; asprey.com). Six by Six, $6,000 for one set; nazraeli.com

Hakan Rosenius at home in London
Hakan Rosenius at home in London © Kate Martin

The one artist whose work I would collect if I could is the American artist Ed Ruscha. His work is very graphic, very precise. He will paint a mountain landscape and then put some very random words across it that bear no reference to the image – it feels irreverent.

In my fridge you’ll always find berries and yoghurt, which I have for breakfast with seeds, all from Whole Foods; Moliterno black truffle pecorino, which I discovered at a market in Düsseldorf – friends bring it back for me; and a bottle of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. At the moment I have a fillet of beef marinating for five days, which is one of my mother’s recipes – it’s like a Swedish carpaccio. ruinart.com. wholefoodsmarket.com

Rosenius’ skincare products
Rosenius’ skincare products © Kate Martin

The grooming staples I’m never without are my fragrance, Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule; Carsons Apothecary Facial Hair Conditioner, because my beard gets wiry and dry without it; and Akademikliniken Pure Active Serum from a Swedish cosmeceutical skincare line, which is lightweight and absorbs really well into my skin. Akademikliniken Pure Active Serum, €95 for 50ml; ak-skincare.com. Carsons Apothecary Facial Hair Conditioner, £19.95 for 30ml. Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule, €115 for 50ml EDP; sergelutens.com

An indulgence I would never forgo is renting a house on Harbour Island in the Bahamas for New Year. I like it because there is absolutely nothing to do, although on New Year’s Day, the big Junkanoo parade provides the carnival atmosphere. 

If I weren’t doing what I do, I would be the owner of a shop selling antiques and unique objects, putting pieces from different centuries into a big cabinet of curiosities.

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