We caught up with Aliza Reger, the daughter of the lingerie entrepreneur Janet Reger who changed the way women looked at underwear. Since her mother’s death in 2005, Aliza has run the company, taking it from strength to strength.
My choice of car
My dream car is the Baby Bentley for town and a Mercedes G Class for the country. My current car is an Audi which is being changed for a Mini Hybrid as it’s more environmental and we do very little mileage. My cars always have to be new, black, fully loaded and must have leather seats and interiors.
My favourite holiday destination
For winter I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be than Lech, I am mad about skiing, absolutely love the mountains and I would be there from early January until the end of March. In normal times I was blessed to be there for two to three weeks at a time and return year after year. I tend to avoid August for holidays, but from May onwards Mallorca never disappoints, it’s great for a quick break and is certainly a favourite spot in the Mediterranean. Marrakech is a favourite destination too and we have visited many times over the years. I love to travel to new places as well as returning to favourite haunts.
My gadget I can’t live without
If a phone can be considered a gadget, then definitely my iPhone – I certainly can’t survive without it and am never more than a few meters away from it. Otherwise, I would say my electric toothbrush, as I take dental hygiene very seriously. A professional hair dryer, especially during lockdown, and my Magimix which was a wedding present and is still going strong.
My go to fashion brand
I don’t spend a lot of time on shopping and have learnt over the years what I like and what suits me as I am quite small. I never go wrong with Dolce and Gabbana or Ralph Lauren for investment pieces, and I love Zara and Massimo Dutti for a quick shopping buzz and a fashion refresh. I also make many my own outerwear pieces which I design and them have sewn by a wonderful seamstress and I always wear beautiful matching Janet Reger lingerie.
My airline of choice
It’s been so long since I went anywhere I am finding it hard to remember what any plane journey was like. Over the years much of my air travel has been booked with British Airways as a matter of habit, convenience and probably because of the airmiles, companion vouchers and all long haul flights taken.
My favourite watch brand
My favourite watch would be a Patek Phillipe or an old Brequet. My husband bought me a beautiful Cartier Tank Francaise for a big birthday which I treasure and I treated myself some years ago to a Rolex Daytona as a reward for a really good business deal. The next one I hope to add to the collection is the platinum Rolex, either the Daytona or the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date, though on most days I wear my FitBit.
My favourite restaurant
My absolute favourite restaurant is La Petite Maison in Mayfair for any occasion, celebration, lunch or dinner. My favourite all time lunchtime place is Cecconis for a fabulous lunch with the ‘girls’ and I do have a very soft spot for Daphne’s and The Caprice as well. In the summer I can often be found in the Courtyard at Hush as it’s one of the few places you can sit outside, not be surrounded by traffic and still have a lovely lunch and a delicious glass or two of something. Annabel’s Garden is my favourite summertime treat.
My guilty pleasure
My low cost guilty pleasure is chocolate. I eat way too much of it and rarely go without it for more than a day or two. Lindt is always in the fridge and I bring back special bars you can only buy at Zurich airport when I return from Lech. Leonides is more of a treat and Maison du Chocolate are something I treat myself to when I am in Paris. Other guilty pleasures include adding to my handbag and shoe collection, though in the last year I have barely worn anything but trainers and hardly used a bag.
My favourite way to give back
My favourite way to give back is by driving greater diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the world. Everything I do is about creating a world where we all get an equal chance to succeed. In addition to starting DIAL Global to create more diverse workplaces, I’ve recently established and funded The McKenzie-Delis Charitable Foundation to support research and insight into how best to create real and measurable change in workplace diversity.
I also love to be able to help and connect people in the business world. I have been very fortunate and had a lot of people help me in my life and I believe a good way to repay this is by helping others with a beneficial contact or an introduction they need if I can make it happen. I strongly believe in spreading this gift down the line and especially love to be able to help someone on their career path or even just to make time for them and listen or give my advice if that is what they are looking for.
A new collection, called Janet Reger Rouge, has just launched on Ann Summers, Kaleidescope UK and Next.
