Gentlewoman style: Max Mara archives



Max Mara archive

I have a soft spot for Max Mara. In my first job, I had a favourite Max Mara black coat that made me feel very grown up and stealth-chic (until it was swiped off the back of a chair from Costa coffee in Broadwick Street as I sat in a meeting across the road from my office at The National Magazine Company). It was the era of understated, 90s style and a Max Mara coat conferred a certain minimalist sophistication mixed with style anonymity.

“It’s about the logic of a man’s wardrobe, but for women,” (more…)



Don’t call it French girl style



Vanessa Seward The Gentlewoman's Guide

Thanks Keep it Chic for the heads-up on Vanessa Seward’s book.

The Gentlewoman’s Guide is Seward’s take on fashion and style from a shy girl’s perspective, which I totally relate to. Born in Argentina, educated In London and living in Paris, the designer and artist tells WWD, “I’m fascinated by all this kind of English, Anglo-Saxon culture, which actually French people sometimes don’t understand at all. It’s just like all the understatement thing or the self-deprecation. I do it all the time, because it’s a kind of twist. It’s also a good shy person’s armor.” (more…)



First look: Saint Laurent resort 2022



Saint Laurent resort 2022

Male gaze fashion is a bit of a snooze these days but I’m making an exception for Saint Laurent Resort 2022’s rigid denim tailored suit, because I really want these jeans. Maybe the micro bag as well. See it all here(more…)



R.I.P social media influencers, welcome back PR



Metier Sergeant all Day Cabas bag worn by Nicole Kidman in The Undoing

“There is a sense of growing ennui among influencers and brands. Celebrity is key to having those big moments that will live much longer than just an Instagram Story, as is working to place your brand in something that feels part of a cultural zeitgeist or nostalgia for millions. Beloved TV personalities from shows like ‘Dynasty,’ ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘Sex and The City’ inspire nostalgia in generations while capturing new ones, so this intergenerational and international reach is incredibly attractive.”
Communications consultant, Alexandra Carello, WWD

This is an interesting feature in WWD describing the apparent fatigue with polished Instagram content and highlighting the shift to ‘cultural pioneers’, professional experts and social activists. It also flags the success of product placement in recent style-setting shows like Emily In Paris, The Undoing (featuring the Métier bag*, above and below) and Gossip Girl. (more…)