Get dressed with Sonia Sieff
French photographer and all-round cool girl SONIA SIEFF is a street-style favorite, thanks to her particularly covetable combination of tomboy edge and old-school glamour. She shares her fashion rules
Accessorize liberally
“I never feel fully dressed without my jewelry. I wear big rings and earrings because I’m tall and I can carry them off; it’s all a question of proportion. I have a lot of statement pieces from designers like Charlotte Chesnais and Aurélie Bidermann. They might seem like an unlikely mix, but what I love about them is that they all have a really distinct style.”
Shift with the seasons
“My fall-back outfit right now is a great coat – often a flea market find from Chez Sarah in Saint-Ouen – a big scarf I’ve picked up on my travels, simple blue jeans made from Japanese denim and my Berluti brogues. They’re my favorite shoes and I wear them almost every day. I love that masculine style. However, in summertime, my look becomes much more feminine. I mostly wear vintage dresses from the ’40s and accessorize them with big flowers.”
Own one incredible dress
“I’m very lucky to have a stunning vintage Yves Saint Laurent dress, which the designer originally gave to my mother, hanging in my closet. It’s floor-length with long sleeves and made from sensational black lace. It’s definitely the most precious piece in my wardrobe so I only wear it on special occasions, but to me that can mean anything from a fancy event to dinner with a really dear friend.”
Spot – and invest in – talent
“Natacha Ramsay-Levi’s take on the Chloé girl is exactly what I want to wear right now. Normally a designer’s debut at a new house is a bit clunky, but in one collection she’s managed to create an amazing aesthetic that is feminine but also powerful and strong. And Simon Porte Jacquemus is an amazing story-teller: in my opinion, he’s going to be one of the most important designers of our time.”
Shape is everything
“Parisian style is elegant and effortless. It’s all about the silhouette: French women might not be very adventurous when it comes to color, but we have a great sense of proportion. Personally, I don’t like the all-black look; I love wearing color. I think sticking to black is playing it safe – it takes more skill to put together a great colorful outfit.”
The people featured in this story are not associated with NET-A-PORTER and do not endorse it or the products shown.