Your Personal Shopper Loves… Annabel Shares Her Must-Have Buys
Get to know the tastes and styling tips of NET-A-PORTER’s Personal Shoppers as they reveal what’s on their Wish List this season – and how they will be wearing their picks. Here, Annabel, who is based in London, divulges her most-wanted pieces and why she loves them. By GRACE COOK
“You will never bump into me wearing something very casual. When I was growing up, clothes had to be practical and warm above all else; we lived in a very small village in Austria, surrounded by high mountains; I stood out from the crowd very early on. This is where my interest in fashion was really born.
“One of the first books my mom gave me was about Coco Chanel, and I remember spending endless hours going through all the pictures. From an early age, I was cutting out photos from fashion magazines and plastering my room with campaign imagery. You could call it my very first mood board! I was also always dressing up in my mother’s clothing and accessories. She was obsessed with 1980s waist belts — I was very much influenced by this, and Princess Diana is one of my biggest inspirations. I’m drawn to 1980s style, mostly because I love its outspoken character and ‘dare to be seen’ mentality. Padded shoulders, statement blazers, waist belts and big gold earrings are my go-tos.
“I love wandering around vintage markets on the weekends. I could spend all day people-watching. In London, there is a very big street-style scene, especially around the buzzing streets of Soho. I’m also a huge foodie, and there is always a new restaurant to explore; it’s hard to get bored of this city. Before moving here, I lived in Munich and Florence, studying fashion. There was style inspiration on every street corner in Italy, too.
“I realized I loved styling after moving to London. I was originally an assistant at various glossy magazines; my first job at NET-A-PORTER was a six-month placement in the studio, and then I worked in the fashion cupboard at PORTER. Being on-set was great, but it made me realize I had a desire to help and give styling advice to individual women.
“It’s been three years since I became a Personal Shopper, and I absolutely love my job. It gives me a lot of joy when I see satisfied clients wearing their new clothes with confidence. I attend a lot of events with my clients, and sometimes we visit designers and brands together to get to know the products. I love how passionate designers are when they are talking about their brands. Earlier this year, I went to see the Simone Rocha show with my client. It was such a special moment for us both.
“I love how fashion enables you to express yourself, and how it encourages you to be whoever you want to be
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“Before every big event, I treat myself to a face mask from The Light Salon; my favorite is the Hydrogel Face Mask. I work it into my skin using a gua sha tool from Lanshin and, combined, this makes my skin feel refreshed after just 10 minutes. I also always add a highlighter from Westman Atelier to my bag; it’s perfect for a quick on-the-go touch-up to maintain my glow.
“I’ve learnt many valuable lessons from my clients over the years. One of the key ones that always stood out to me was about the value of time and how you spend your day. I try to work as efficiently as possible to ensure my clients receive their orders and style edits quickly; lots of them are busy businesswomen with children and an active social life. Their lives require a lot of time management, and that shapes how I work, too.
“Another thing I’ve learnt is the importance of fully understanding your style when it comes to building your wardrobe – you want to make sure you feel confident about it. A good starting point is to buy a couple of timeless pieces that you can easily combine. Every closet needs a good pair of jeans; I like Agolde. It also needs a blazer, from either Saint Laurent or Frankie Shop. When I build an outfit, I always start with the main piece – usually the blazer – and build my look around that. I’m not someone who follows trends. Instead, I wear what I like and what makes me feel most comfortable.
“I love how fashion enables you to express yourself, and how it encourages you to be whoever you want to be. The feeling of trying on a blazer that fits like a glove boosts my confidence and my mood instantly. For me, today, there’s nothing more pleasing than spotting someone fashionable, just beaming and really enjoying what they are wearing.”