I had a country childhood – riding horses, playing in fields – it was idyllic. Just a normal childhood in the countryside – fashion was of no interest to me at all. There were a few glamorous friends but I was a country girl and not aware of fashion.
I started modelling at about 15 or 16 and had spent around six months learning the ropes when I was asked to go to Milan for an assignment. My agent was incredibly excited because it was a really big show for this legendary, silver-haired gentleman called Gianfranco Ferré. I went for my first fitting and there were people everywhere, I was really nervous.
Ferré arrived and I accidentally called him by the name of his nemesis – Karl Lagerfeld. All the stylists, the runners, everyone in the room, they all just looked at me. It was dreadful, a massive mistake.
I was 16 and had no idea what was going on. There's me saying "Hey Karl" and everyone staring. It was incredibly embarrassing.
For Ferré it was such a big insult – I never worked with him again. The look he gave me was enough to turn me to stone. He just did that thing that really important people can do, where they give you a terrible glare – he looked at me with these eyes and he didn't have to say anything, the look said it all.
There was nothing I could do, there was no digging me out of the hole I had just dug.
The lesson I learned was that I certainly had to do my homework in the future. I never went to another gig without knowing who it was I was working for, what we were trying to achieve, even who the hair and make-up people were. I still do that today because that mistake has stayed with me forever.
My job is to help promote and sell products, so I have to know what I'm talking about. Some products are obscure so I have to read up on the background and be knowledgeable on the subject. If I didn't it would be obvious and I'd end up making another mistake. Being in the public eye means these things are much more noticeable so you can't take any chances.
Recently I've just been at home enjoying being a mummy, but it's been nine months now and I'm slowly getting ready to return to work. I'll be doing my homework now I'll be working again, that's for sure.
Ferré never worked with me again, but I can at least say that I got the chance to work with him once – although he did put me in the worst possible outfit on the day.
Jodie Kidd is fronting new virtual store BagThat.com.