Get dressed with Harley Viera-Newton
As a DJ and the designer behind cult label HVN, who better than Harley Viera-Newton to create the perfect party playlist for NET-A-PORTER? Here, the queen of vintage-inspired cool shares her top tips for party season and reveals the secrets behind her signature style
Step out of your sartorial comfort zone
I’m a sucker for anything that shines – rhinestones, chainmail, glitter, metallics – so party season is definitely my season, and it was so much fun working on the disco playlist for NET-A-PORTER. The songs are the perfect soundtrack for those sparkles – just find your closest disco ball! When it comes to dressing up, accessories are a really fun way to experiment for parties. If you have a shoe with a little shimmer and a fun bag, your outfit can be quite pared down but still hit that festive note. My new HVN bags are definitely part of my December look. You can wear them with any outfit, whether you want to ease into party dressing or go all-out with it. You can do a more-is-more look with a sequin dress, or you can wear them with denim jeans and a turtleneck to add that touch of shine to your outfit. You can even wear them with a little black dress and they’ll have an impact.
Click here to listen to Harley’s party playlist*
Fall in love with vintage
Vintage has always been very important to me and a big part of how I express myself. I moved from London to Los Angeles when I was 10 and LA has an incredible vintage scene. As a teen, I was lucky enough to thrift all around the city and fall even more in love with fashion. I’m especially drawn to ’40s and ’50s silhouettes.
Elevate your look with accessories
When it comes to jewelry, more is more – I never feel fully dressed without a fun earring. When I’m in LA, during the day, I’ll wear denim and a T-shirt when I’m running around, but I’ll always throw on a pair of earrings. It’s a quick, easy way to dress up an outfit or add a little twist – and it always gives me a mood boost.
Invest in timeless pieces
I look for pieces with timeless silhouettes; I see them as investment pieces that I can wear in all different ways throughout the year. When I’m designing, I try to avoid trends. The goal is to design pieces that are timeless and classic. I hope that they’re pieces that will live in your closet forever.
A vacation is the perfect time to play with your style
You’re a little bit more daring when you’re traveling. I get a rush of excitement about experimenting with my closet in new places and definitely pull out bolder pieces that haven’t had a chance to shine yet. I try to map out outfits that I want to wear so I don’t overpack, but HVN folds up very small – you can fit 30 dresses in hand luggage. I actually once packed an entire pre-collection in just a carry-on! Shoes and bags are always the killer because they take up all the space, so I pack accessories that go with several outfits. I wanted to create pieces that would go with multiple looks and this inspired me when creating my new collection of bags. Everyone has pieces in their closet that are reserved for a special occasion, and they end up being your most memorable fashion moments.
The people featured in this story are not associated with NET-A-PORTER and do not endorse it or the products shown
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