Picture a woman in a white lace dress, a wide brimmed hat, big sunglasses and wedges. Now imagine where she’s going: A cocktail bar in Greece? A lunch with friends in France? A radiotherapy appointment?
That third suggestion was probably the last thing on your mind. But that’s where Nevo Burrell, a Starling business customer, was going when she stepped out of her London house on a midsummer’s day in her show stopping outfit.
“The items on their own were ordinary but the combination was quite spectacular - I could have been on the French Riviera,” says Nevo. “People looked at me when I passed, not because I was ill but because I was well dressed, and when I got to the appointment, my oncologist and other team members complimented me on my appearance.”
The reason she’d chosen that outfit was to protect herself from the sun, something her oncologist had told her to do ahead of her radiotherapy treatment. The unintended outcome was that she fully recognised how important dressing well could be, especially for breast cancer patients. Eleven years on, helping fellow survivors find the colours, shapes and styles that suit them best has become a crucial part of her styling and image consultancy, Nevo Concept.
She also helps women to reconnect with their bodies, not only following cancer treatment but following any life change: divorce, childbirth, menopause, moving into a new decade or career, any shift that may knock their confidence and therefore their choices on how to style themselves.
“I believe that dressing well is a form of self care and is crucial for overall well-being,” says Nevo, 56. She registered Nevo Concept as a business in 2017 after years of taking on clients here and there following recommendations from friends or family.