A Luxury Brand Owner Talks Fashion & Style Rules
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I’ve always loved fashion. My grandmother was the chicest woman I've ever known but her style was quite polished. Her hair was always in a perfect blonde bun, mine is not. It's always messy. She had her shirts buttoned-up with a nice broach, whereas I like mine unbuttoned and relaxed. My style is more easy going. I'm not very formal.
My own style runs through all the collections. I love classic shapes and details – I don't ever put a lot of embellishment on things, but I also like all the lines to be soft and relaxed. I like to take classic shapes and make them lightweight and slouchy.
Métier marries my love for functionality with good quality and timeless design. We're all busier than ever but what we're using to carry our belongings hasn’t evolved or caught up. Those bags that are more functional aren’t often luxurious or well made.
Metier
Fernando Jorge; Melissa Morris; Vicky Grout; Lauren Hutton/Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock
I love menswear for women. I feel confident and sexy in trousers. I'm just not a dress person. No matter how many beautiful dresses I think there are, and how great so many women look in them, I just don't feel comfortable. And if you’re not comfortable in what you’re wearing, that always shows through.
I wear a lot of black and a lot of basics. While my look is relaxed, I like a bit of elegance. I hope I still look put together and polished, but in a way that doesn't feel like I’ve tried too hard. I love jeans and trousers, and I don't wear heels, so I have a lot of flat boots. I wear shirts, but only with two – maximum three – buttons done up. I like to layer and feel comfortable. Right now, I'm wearing a semi sheer sweater that's sort of drapey and loose. It’s relaxed but I think the sheerness adds a kind of femininity that I really like.
The first designer bag I owned was a Fendi baguette. I was at university and my mum had been to Italy and brought me it back. It was in the days of Sex and The City and I just fell in love with it.
Now, I pick a bag based on what I’m doing that day. I design each Métier bag for a different journey. I will wear a Private Eye if I am carrying my laptop, or the Perriand Weekend when I'm going on an overnight trip. I wear the Roma when I'm going from a brunch to a museum and want enough space for a little umbrella or sunglasses or something like that. In the evening, I'll wear the Ease.
The Row
Bags are definitely worth investing in. If you apply the cost-per-wear formula, it’s definitely more efficient than a dress that you only wear a few times. I think the craftsmanship and level of skill is highly specialised. Each of our bags takes an average of 20 hours to make. There’s so much thought and process that goes into every fine detail. Then there is the functionality of a bag; it's a real workhorse so it needs to stand up to the elements.
I don't really pay attention to trends. A lot of my influences come from music, art, colour and texture. I know what works for my body, which tends to be more tailored pieces. I don't ever like anything that's too tight. I like a lot of texture, and sometimes transparency, but I keep it all pretty classic.
When I really want to treat myself, I buy tailoring from The Row. I find the attention to fit and fabric is really special. They're the sort of pieces that will last.
I wear a lot of loafers. I love Jane Birkin and that classic English-in-Paris sort of mood. I feel very excited that we’re seeing more of them this season because it gives me so many more options. I have a few pairs – some a little bit sleeker, one more classic, one more casual. Bally has some great ones this season.
There's a brand in Paris called Crista Seya which I love. Everything is beautifully made using amazing fabrics and the tailoring is fantastic. They’re classic pieces, but with a nuanced detail and a fun edge – a real designer's touch. I go every time I'm there. I recently stopped and treated myself to a couple of things. I got a pair of pleated corduroy trousers – they're super soft and wide leg – and a cropped cashmere sweater with the perfect slightly oversized cut. And I got this blanket coat that is reversible. It's black on one side, brown on the other, and has a contrast leather trim. Those were the three pieces I felt I could mix and match with everything and be happy, even on the dreariest of London days.
Fernando Jorge; Metier; The Row; Jane Birkin/Alan Messer/Dezo Hoffman/Shutterstock
Fernando Jorge is great for jewellery. He’s also a good friend. I think what I love about him is that he has such vision. The way he approaches design is all about the female body and sensuality. The way his pieces are designed to fall on the body is so special.
When it comes to luxury watches, I love Rolex. I especially love vintage Rolexes. I take a lot of inspiration from them.
Jane Birkin, Lauren Hutton and Sofia Coppola are all big style inspirations for me. I'd say Sofia Coppola is the epitome of a cool, chic, modern woman. She looks feminine but not girly. She looks sophisticated, elegant and timeless but not stuffy. She marries a lot of the juxtapositions of what being a woman means. She charts her own path, makes her own career, and has found a way to be taken seriously while still being feminine and soft. She also seems very comfortable in her skin.
My advice is to always be yourself. I think a lot of the time in your 20s or even early 30s, you're still trying to figure yourself out and experiment. I know what works for me now. I often see friends or people in the media that I think look great, but I know it wouldn't work for me.
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