fashion - whattowear

WHO,

It’s time to get dressed,
but where to start?
Sarah Ann O’Hegarty
talks to three fashion
insiders to get the deal
on how to buy, build
and wear the perfect
wardrobe.

46 IRISH TATLER MARCH 2016

GUCCI

MARCH 2016 IRISH TATLER 47

The ShoeGuru of heels, with something like that you LOEWE
Natalia Barbieri is the don’t really need to do much else. I tend
co-founder of Bionda Castana, to wear tailored trousers or, on a casual The Designer
day, I’ll wear loose eighties-cut boyfriend
the luxury shoe label loved by Levi’s, denim – cut off at the bottom and David Koma is the artistic
Alexa Chung, Kate Bosworth frayed. director of Mugler and
founder of eponymous label,
and Taylor Swift. When I wake up in the morning I plan
my outfit around my shoes. ‘What have David Koma.
I completely I got on my feet and how am I going to
believe shoes make this work?’ It goes shoes, and then When you get
have the power top, and then bottom, and then coat. dressed in the
to transform you. Until someone asks you, you don’t realise morning the most
Heels naturally you do it, but I do it. I do my top first for important thing is
change your sure – because we have more tops than that you feel good
posture and your bottoms don’t we? On my bottom half about yourself
mood, I find it’s a case of deciding whether it’s a skirt and feel confident
personally. When day, a pant day, a denim day or a leather no matter what
you wake up and you decide what shoe day. you wear – your
you’re going to wear, you decide what self belief will be reflected in your overall
kind of day you’re going to have. For me I think every woman should have a look. I think it’s important to look for
it has always been about shoes and I think statement black pointed stiletto, that’s some sort of comfort from your wardrobe,
it’s not difficult to explain why, because your go to. Even if you have nothing else it’s more important nowadays then it used
every woman feels the same way: shoes that’s what you need. And if all else fails, to be. But at the same time every woman
always fit, you can never have too many. I vouch for a red lip. If anything, don’t wants to look unique and beautiful.
I started my younger years as a trained leave the house without a red lip. Women, regardless of decade, will want to
dancer, therefore I was always in a mid- feel special and different.
heel and costumes and always being quite Most women look for, without I don’t have any live-or-die rules when
creative. Ever since I can remember, I’ve sounding too clichéd, the whole ‘less it comes to fashion. It really depends on
spent my life wearing heels so it was a no- is more’ thing. Everyone does look to
brainer for me to spend my life designing the greats: to Audrey Hepburn, or that
such wonderful things. When I left my seventies, Jane Birkin style that is well
career working on the Foreign Exchange put together, well thought out, not too
trading floor at Deutsche Bank and complicated, not much make up, just
Jennifer [Portman, Bionda Castana’s co- Parisian chic, in my opinion.
founder] and I decided to start the brand,
there was a real niche for shoes that Your wardrobe must follow the 70-30
weren’t eccentric. There was a time when rule. That is 70 per cent muted and 30
in order for something to be different per cent fun, that would be the best way
it had to be really over the top, so we
felt that we could embrace that classic “WHEN YOU DECIDE
silhouette with a very worked upper, in WHAT SHOE YOU’RE
a beautiful fabric that was still wearable,
and there was a demand for it. GOING TO WEAR,
I do have elements of tailoring which I YOU DECIDE WHAT
guess is a common thread between my old KIND OF DAY YOU’RE
and new careers. I like to wear a good suit GOING TO HAVE”
but I can be far more versatile now that
I work in fashion and I can be more fun, to describe it. Out of that 30 per cent
especially with bright colours. My days fun, you can mix it with the not so
in the City were just a black skirt with an fun. One parting piece of advice: Invest
ill-fitting jacket and shirt. Now, I feel I’m more, buy less – it goes back to that.
more refined which is also to do with age Invest in your key pieces and buy fewer
and taste – I’m now in my mid-thirties, so things just for the sake of it.
things are quite different.
My perfect wardrobe has shoes as the I think we all can feel like we have
talking point. I love Victoria Beckham and nothing to wear at times – we all feel
Céline. Those kinds of black, grey, white, like we need a bit of a revival because
blue muted tones work well because I’ll it’s always nice to have that new
wear really bright shoes. In order for it purchase. But I’ve got to be honest, I
not to conflict, I’d rather look polished don’t buy for the sake of it. I’m very
and make it all about my accessories, than much a considered shopper, I’m quite
have loud everything – bigger earrings, strategic. I have a plan of attack and I
clip-on earrings that are quite eighties, or a don’t veer away from that. I think that
statement bag are for me. My current love would be my advice. If you don’t love
is a long Preen overcoat with a big massive it, don’t buy it.
orange stripe worn with a beautiful pair
Bionda Castana’s high street
collaboration with LK Bennett will
be available from 10 February, online
and in LK Bennett stores in Dundrum
and Brown Thomas; lkbennett.com

48 IRISH TATLER MARCH 2016

EDUN

apply one colour to every The Marketing
woman or one particular style. Maven
As long as the proportion is
Dublin-born Rebecca Doherty
right for the body, the rest is brand marketing officer at
can be adapted in River Island’s London HQ,
different ways. working across the brand’s
In my experience seasonal shoots.

what’s most important One of my key
is the idea of what is responsibilities is
to pinpoint the
flattering. Of course, pieces that will
different women have generate the most
different shapes. Some interest for the
season ahead.
women tend to wear more Working for a
things that cinch the waist fast fashion brand
and some go for A-line like River Island gives you a great insight
or a crop top and skirt. months in advance as to what the star

Everyone needs to find their
best silhouette to make sure the
most beautiful part of your body is
framed correctly.

When it comes to fabrics invest
in wools, silks and all the classic
materials that will never go out of
style, but I am really into more
technical fabrics, modern yarns

mixed in with materials, a bit
of sports element in fabric too.
They’re new but are going to

stay with us for a long time,

YOUR CAPSULE WARDROBE

Spring-fresh pieces that work hard for you – 365 days, 52 weeks, 24/7.

3

CÉLINE

5

1 Azure coat (€595) @ LK Bennett 2 Cotton- 1 2 4
blend trousers (€575) by Dolce & Gabbana @
product, style or trend will be so you can
Net-a-porter.com 3 Scrunch neck dress (€99) pick and choose what you want to add
@ COS 4 Mule (€29.95) @ Zara 5 Gold-plated to your wardrobe to keep it fresh and on
earring (€350) by Charlotte Chesnais @ trend, without compromising on your
own personal style. Having that insider
Net-a-porter.com knowledge has become invaluable when
building my wardrobe arsenal.
the season, the mood – it varies. I never they’re almost becoming the new
say never to certain things. It’s impossible classics. My perfect spring capsule wardrobe
to be prescriptive and say what items a would include a selection of silk blouses,
woman should or should not have in her My style mantra is that no matter the perfect straight-leg jean, black culottes,
wardrobe. There are never any styles or how unique and modern it looks, a leather biker jacket, an oversized white
trend that I would call taboo because it should have a timeless quality. If tee and a Breton top, leather bucket bag,
different women can treat even things that someone could only invest in one piece black ankle boots, cashmere jumper
I don’t like in a very cool way. Everything this season, it should be an elegant dress and a slip dress.
is acceptable as long as it works. I am, with a touch of embroidery. I think
however, obsessed with the idea of the when the Mugler woman gets up in the I mix black and navy, and love seeing
little black dress, it’s the classic idea of morning she puts on a tailored suit, but others clash and combine colours in an
what every woman should have in their her wardrobe is a real mix of classic unexpected but really modern way. Julia
wardrobe. I completely agree with that. and adventurous pieces. When it comes Sarr-Jamois (Fashion Editor, i-D magazine)
to personal style I say: Be brave and feel always does the unexpected and she looks
When choosing investment pieces it’s happy about yourself no matter what incredible and so effortlessly cool.
important to consider your body type, you do.
height and what proportions fit you. MARCH 2016 IRISH TATLER 49
Once that is considered, the personality Mugler is new to the Designer Rooms
and background and character come at Brown Thomas, Dublin;
afterwards. I’ve found that you cannot brownthomas.com