Secondhand stylist Amy Bannerman loves encouraging others to ditch fast fashion and instead discover preloved treasure online – from fashion to furniture.
Amy currently lives in Hastings with her four-year-old son. And whether she’s whizzing up to London to host a media event, styling the next batch of Love Island contestants or nipping up the coast for an impromptu road trip, everything is usually bundled up into her black MINI Countryman.
But recently, she got to switch to the new MINI Aceman. A five-door, all-electric crossover SUV, it has heaps of character and unique features including a large, round touchscreen display and even a voice-activated Intelligent Personal Assistant. Here’s how the car proved to be the perfect crossover fit for Bannerman, as she juggles work and family in a typically action-packed 24 hours.
I have a human alarm clock ... in the shape of my son, who usually wakes us both about 7am. We have breakfast – cereal or pancakes for my little boy, while I’m currently obsessed with buckwheat porridge. Next, we head out the door to his nursery. Sustainability is at the core of everything I do, which is why I’m immediately excited about switching to an all-electric car. We booted up the MINI voice assistant – choosing the little bulldog mascot, Spike – and asked him what the weather was going to be like. Living by the seaside, it can be really changeable, so it’s good to check if we need jackets for later.
My love of fashion began ... when my older brother, Nick, went to university. He got really into charity shops and used to buy suits and then dye his hair to match the colour. That started my own obsession with preloved clothes. My first job was as a personal shopper in Topshop. Then, when I was 24, I started out working as a fashion assistant at Elle magazine. A week into my job, I was flown out to LA to assist the fashion director for a cover shoot in the Chateau Marmont hotel. I got to stay in the penthouse and it just felt so incredible, such an adventure. Even now, I still love my job. I never get the Sunday blues – every week is different, every week is exciting.
I rarely have a typical day ... but it’s always busy. After I drop off my son, I drive down to my beach hut on the shore. The acceleration on the Aceman is faster and more fun than my current car, and I love the giant sunroof: the sun is shining and it puts me in a really cheerful mood. We’ve had the beach hut for about a year, and there’s a group of women called the 9:10ers (9:10 being the time school run is over), so after they drop off their kids, they all go and meet for a swim, which I’ve done a few times.
Then, I head back home to get started on my working day ... upstairs in my sunny attic. I became eBay’s preloved style director in 2023. I first worked with them in 2022, when they headhunted me to launch the Love Island eBay preloved partnership. Through my role, I work with journalists, host events and do personal styling sessions, as well as creating the eBay preloved archive with hundreds of pieces that we loan out to journalists and stylists. I’m also about to launch my own preloved brand called Francine – selling vintage leather jackets that have been hand-painted by artists.
While up in my office ... I’m usually arranging shoots, pulling together moodboards for projects, or editing. A lot of my time is spent hunting online for a certain item, which can be time-consuming, but I love it – even when friends ask me to find them a certain item. It’s like Challenge Amy!
For lunch ... I head straight to my air frier. I make the same thing every day: air-fried chickpeas with jalapenos, tuna and roasted vegetables. I’ve just had a new kitchen put in my house and I love making recipes from cookbooks like 26 Grains and Georgina Hayden’s Greekish.
In the afternoon I’m back on the move ... I have a lock-up a couple of miles away on an industrial estate where I have lots of furniture stored that I’m selling – a bath, chairs, lots of random items. I use the MINI app to see if I can make my regular journey more efficient, and it suggests a route I’ve not thought of before, which gets me there slightly quicker.
The Aceman’s capacious boot easily holds items from the lock-up, while the MINI app suggests the best route
While I’m at the lock-up, I pick up some items for a shoot – a leopard-print faux-fur 1980s coat and a Francine vintage leather jacket – put them in the boot of the Aceman and head off. My next stop is the Post Office, as I’m always selling things on eBay that need to be sent out. I’m usually rummaging around in my giant bag looking for my keys so it’s a relief to be able to open the car door just using my phone. I also stop by two vintage stores called The Goose Finds and The Wardrobe Clothes Agency to see if I can find anything currently on my wishlist.
I think the hardest part of my life to navigate ... is being a single mum. I’ve found my way with that, but it’s definitely a lot about logistics. Next week, for example, I have to be on set in Surrey at 8am, and another evening I have a work dinner, so it is a lot to juggle. I drive everywhere, especially when going in to work in London, so my car has to be reliable. I notice the Aceman app carries real-time traffic data, which would be a godsend for busy shoot days in the city, and for working out the best time of day to travel.
I used to have a bigger car in London ... but I chose something smaller and nippier for Hastings, something that would always be easy to park, even in tight spaces. The Aceman has 12-camera park assist, which is really helpful, and it feels zippy and nimble when I’m behind the wheel – perfect for city and countryside driving.
The large touchscreen and its Experiences feature are a hit with Bannerman and her son
Once my working day is over ... I love to have a “date night” with my little boy. So I stick his scooter in the back of the Aceman and head down to the beach. Afterwards, usually, we’ll go to one of our favourite places, the Crown pub or a restaurant called La Delizia which is run by a man called Franco, who’s made good friends with my son. For dessert, we love going to the Italian ice-cream shop on the seafront a called Di Pola’s – our favourite flavours are bubblegum (him) and cappuccino (me). As we drive back home, we have a play around with the voice assistant Experiences feature, where we can make the car’s screen into an old-fashioned watch, or a go-kart, which we both loved. The Aceman feels really roomy and comfortable – both for me to drive and for my son in the back.
I de-stress with ... either a dip in the sea, or an outdoor shower in my garden. But we’re always planning little road trips – we love going to Rye, Camber Sands, Bexhill and Battle – there are so many lovely little towns around here.
My day ends ... after my little one has gone to bed. I might send a couple of last-minute work emails and then start to wind down – maybe having a bath and reading a book – and I’m usually asleep by 11pm.
Find out more about the all-electric MINI Aceman
