"Quoi que vous fassiez, faites-le avec passion!" For French designer and creative director, Cordelia de Castellane this quote - 'Whatever you do, do it with passion!' extends to all aspects of her busy, beautiful life.

The mother of four is the artistic director of Dior Maison and Baby Dior who started her own childrenswear label CdeC when she was just 25 years old. Growing up between the bustle of Paris and the Swiss mountain air, Cordelia has an entrenched appreciation for the arts and nature. As she describes, "a childhood full of the contrast between Paris - a city of movement, Art & Culture and Switzerland - the closeness of nature and alpine life. Today I need that balance to feel well."

Cordelia's new book, Life in a French Country House, shares the beauty of her life in the countryside - embracing the seasons and living with passion - whether it's her dahlia obsession, creating tables for celebrations at home or inspiration for her designs at Dior, Cordelia's love of flowers, of entertaining, and for life, is infectious. 

Here we chat with Cordelia about her destiny to work in fashion, finding the balance between cultural stimulation and the retreat of nature, and her design career at Dior. And we play favourites...

Please tell us about your upbringing between France and Switzerland and your early aspirations -  what you loved and what you wanted to be...
It was a childhood full of the contrast between Paris  - a city of movement, Art & Culture and Switzerland - the closeness of nature and alpine life. Today I need that balance to feel well.
I always wanted to work in fashion, in a 'Big House', I always felt close to beauty, fabrics, and prints and growing up between Paris and the meadows of Switzerland provided lots of inspiration and I was lucky to have beauty around me. Nature is part of my world and DNA I guess. Finding beauty is key for me.

Before joining Dior, what jobs did you have? Were you always destined to be a designer? How did the family background inform your career choice?
Before joining Dior, I grew up with Emmanuel Ungaro and Karl Lagerfeld at Maison Chanel and at 25 years old I created my children's clothing brand 'CdeC'. It was my dream and maybe my destiny to be a designer. All my family was very aware of my career aspirations - they are all artists and are all very free in their choices.

When designing collections for Dior, what are you drawn to for inspiration? 
Designing for Dior means understanding and respecting the heritage of the House. My greatest inspiration comes from Christian Dior's past, there are a lot of archives that are a never-ending dream of nature, prints, and places...

Your book, Life in a French Country House - entertaining for all seasons, is enchanting. What is your favourite way to decorate tables at home? Do you have seasonal essentials or does it change entirely upon the occasion?
I don’t decorate my interiors or tables by thinking too much about it, I create them very naturally and seasonal flowers are the beginning of it all. I love to use flowers from my cutting gardens. I don't really have any other rules. I like to keep it natural.

As a leading ambassador of chic French living, could you share your top five essentials for bringing beauty into our homes?
Thank you for that! I have no idea if I have a chic eye, but I have tried to keep what I saw from my mother and grandmother. 
-  A lot of books
-  Lights are very important, the wrong lighting can change everything 
-  Love candles at night
-  Flowers for sure!
-  AND be happy in your house with someone that you love even if it’s your dog (maybe it’s even the best choice ;-) )

You divide your time between your country house in the north of France and your apartment in Paris - how did you approach the decoration of each? 
I treat them differently. For example, I would not bring the city contemporary look to my countryside home. Once again, the past of the place is key and my most important thing is to feel at home and not in a (highly) decorated place. 

We love your approach to mixing high and low in your interiors - from art to furniture, keep it interesting and unpretentious. Do you have any favourite places to shop for the mix? Apart from Dior Maison of course! 
Flea Markets; Zara Home... I hate pretentious and snobby interiors. I shop for what I like. Labels are not what I look for, I like unique things which make me feel good, and I hate total looks.

In your country house you’re an earnest gardener and grow impressively throughout the seasons - what are your favourite flowers to plant and see bloom?
I’m a beginner gardener, I still need a lot of advice and very often my landscaper tells me that it’s all wrong but it’s a passion that I’m learning with all my heart.
I have flowers for all around the year. I choose my tulips and dahlias very carefully and complete my collection every year, I’m obsessed. I love also Cosmos, Poppies, Daises and Japanese Anemones that bring very light movement to the garden. I love to see my flowers dancing...