born in london, bennett is the daughter of a london-based fashion retail entrepreneur, and an icelandic sculptor mother. she grew up in north west london, and was educated at kingsbury green primary school, haberdashers' aske's school for girls in elstree and reading university, where she read land management. she then trained as a cordwainer at hackney's cordwainers college (now part of the london college of fashion), and then working for french designer robert clergerie, before working on the sales floor of retailers whistles and joseph.