Alexandra Shulman says a string of unexplained household problems has felt to her like a physical reflection of recent personal turmoil, she wrote in a column for the Daily Mail.
Shulman, the former editor of British Vogue, described a period in which a partner’s hospital operation, the death of the family cat and health setbacks affecting her 98-year-old mother coincided with a cascade of domestic failures. Among the specific problems she listed were the remnants of a flea infestation, the appearance of a mouse in kitchen cupboards, a tumble dryer that broke when a large wash was needed, a malfunctioning Dyson vacuum, an oven temperature gauge that fell off, a leaking bath and a doorbell that stopped working.
Although Shulman wrote that she is not inclined toward psychics, astrology or religious belief in ghosts, she said she has a "predilection towards magical thinking" — the idea that thoughts and actions can influence outside events. She framed the household problems as part of that pattern. Shulman recounted a previous episode in 2016 when an under-counter rubbish bin supposedly spontaneously caught fire; the bin contained only a Diet Coke can and an empty cat food pouch, she said, and she interpreted the incident as mirroring a moment of professional pressure.
In the column Shulman described trying to "manifest" order and calm in her home. She noted manifesting as a technique used by some athletes and entrepreneurs and cited Natalie Massenet, founder of Net-a-Porter, as an example of someone who attributed part of her success to focused intention. Shulman said she would welcome nothing more than a clean, well-functioning household and an end to the immediate health concerns affecting family members.
The piece also contained several shorter cultural observations. Shulman reflected on the recent closure of Samantha Cameron’s fashion label Cefinn after eight years, recalling the brand’s early days and suggesting that economic pressures, changing post-pandemic tastes and limits on diversification had all played a role in its shutdown. She praised Cameron’s ambition and hard work while noting the challenges facing independent fashion businesses.
Shulman wrote about the pressures on frontline public-sector staff in the context of recent transport strikes, describing a conversation with an NHS nurse who had worked multiple long shifts and faced extended commutes because of Tube disruptions. The column contrasted that nurse’s experience with the demands made by striking transport workers seeking a shorter working week.
She also noted a cultural trend in which celebrities rely on long-standing relationships with hairdressers, citing examples such as presenter Cat Deeley travelling with her hairdresser and television host Davina McCall’s engagement to her stylist. Shulman traced the evolution of the hairdresser’s role from a 1970s stereotype to a modern profession often centred on emotional support and craft.
Near the column’s end, Shulman turned briefly to preparations at Windsor Castle for a forthcoming state visit by former U.S. President Donald Trump, commenting on the logistical minutiae she imagined organisers would consider.
Shulman’s column combined personal anecdote and broader cultural commentary, using episodes in her own home as a springboard for reflections on work, fashion and contemporary social life. The piece appeared in the opinion and lifestyle section of the Daily Mail.