For 21 years, she sold designer clothes for a pittance in Amsterdam's Vondelpark during Queen's Day. Tomorrow, for the first time, she won't be selling but just, with her son Santo in the cart, going into the city. “Well, in full regalia, of course. I remain the fashion queen of the park.” Read about the weekend of Cara Schiffelers, fashion director of Grazia and the nicest woman in Vondelpark.

Already in the mood for King's Day?

“Absolutely. Santo's outfit is already ready and I bought a cart from the 1940s in my hometown. This one is fully customized for tomorrow. I was the queen for 21 years, for a day, but starting tomorrow I will pass it on to Santo and he will be the king.’

And your outfit, what does it look like?

“I have been wearing a vintage dress that I bought in a boutique in Antwerp for 21 years. “Nice for the flea market,’ I said to the Flemish seller, to which he replied; “Flea market? Is that free fucking or something?!” That dress has been with me for 21 years. Underneath, I wear collector's item sneakers from Kangaroos that were made on 2-2-2002 (the wedding day of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima). They are fully orange and fit perfectly with this day. I've been wearing those since 2002 as well. Underneath goes a pantyhose from Calzedonia Milano for the better fashion feel and over it a leather jacket from Rufo. And of course, that boa and crown with the text ‘queen for a day.’ That completes the look.”

Tell me, where should we go for the best fashion finds?

“Definitely in all the streets on the south side of Vondelpark. Beethovenstraat, Jan Luykenstraat, Apollolaan, Stadionweg. All the stylish ladies from Amsterdam-Zuid sell their goods there. Really, I have also sold the most beautiful designer pieces for 1 euro. 1 euro! I just returned from Paris where I worked for years at Yohji Yamamoto and sold all kinds of pieces from him on Queen's Day.”

Specific dishes that must be eaten on that day?

“In the past, when I was a market woman in Vondelpark, I brought so much food (croissants from the French baker and all kinds of treats) that I could eat from it for a week. Tomorrow I decided to take the essentials. Of course, everything for Santo, but otherwise, I just hop from Het Blauwe Theehuis to other stalls. Quite adventurous for me, you know.”

And Sunday?

“Nice brunching, listening to Chet Baker that Santo puts on for me, a bit of gardening. I enjoy my blooming garden but also being busy is healing. Nice to have my hands in the soil. Voltaire already said it; Il faut cultiver notre jardin. That is my motto du moment.”