Natacha Ramsay-Levi knows what women want

“To understand a woman’s story is to discover her allure.” This was the opening refrain for Natacha Ramsay-Levi’s Fall Winter 2018 Chloé manifesto. What followed was an exploration of the codes of femininity and a study in how we build our own characters through personal style. For her exclusive NET-A-PORTER capsule collection, the French designer expands on this theme, creating a range of effortlessly elegant pieces – spanning ready-to-wear, handbags and jewelry – with a vintage vibe that befits the ever-shifting needs of modern women, and our desire to show off different shades of our personalities.

Within the capsule, this translates into a tightly edited line of hero pieces with a modern edge: horse-print pussy-bow blouses transport us back to another era, while a dramatic color-blocked black and gray coat feels ultra-modern; a floaty, ruffled red dress is super-feminine and perfect for nights when you want to wear something romantic, while a black mini dress with a plunging neckline is clean-lined and contemporary if you want something more structured. Under Ramsay-Levi’s artistic eye, the Chloé closet has come to be a masterclass in layering, with each piece seamlessly working together to create that elusive French-girl cool.

When it comes to the women who wear the clothes, the Chloé woman is multifaceted, drawn to the brand for the sense of inner strength it brings her as much as its desirable designs. Three such women, Holly Blakey, Emma Rosenzweig and Valentine Fillol-Cordier, modeled the pieces and afterwards shared their opinions on the brand’s inherent sense of spirit and the importance of self-belief. For Blakey, a choreographer and director, resilience comes from self-reliance: “I admire people who have a quiet strength about them,” she explains. “It’s never a negative to know yourself or be powerful, or to bring that energy into the world or unashamedly be who you are.”

Rosenzweig a film student and mother, also recognizes the softer side to female liberation: “Having strength means being vulnerable. Saying ‘this is me’, and allowing yourself to mess up – not having to be perfect from the beginning.” And Fillol-Cordier, a model, brand consultant and mother, extols the importance of self-love to achieve inner peace and confidence: “I love people but I don’t think I need them to make myself happy – you have to find happiness within yourself.” Inner self-belief and outer poise go hand-in-hand, and you can always rely on Chloé for a sartorial confidence boost.