my personal style signifier has a clean, tailored silhouette. My desert island options are jeans and a jacket. I mean, listen, I love shirts and I have a big collection of sweaters, but I'm probably the only one in the free world who actually liked school blazers. What I love is the versatility of the jacket. You can dress up or be more relaxed. Saint Laurent achieves this in a style that I love: blazer-like, fitted, not too long, not too short. And my current favorites are his Re/Done, Saint Laurent, and Bottoga, which are high-waisted and straight-legged.
my first clothing memory This is the feel of my leotard and tights during ballet. Getting new ballet shoes and tights from Capezio was very expensive. Another brand I was really into as a kid was Gloria Vanderbilt's. The logo was a small black swan. (Also, Ralph Lauren sweaters with up-collar polo shirts were my favorite.) I remember an ad that featured jeans in a rainbow of colors. I still love looking at things from a merchandising standpoint. In multi-color. Actually, around that time, I saw Gloria Vanderbilt at a restaurant in New York called Serendipity 3, which is still there today. I was there, probably wearing purple jeans, with the swan, and her mother told me to go talk to her. She was like an angel, she was so warm and gave me such respect for the designer, which she still has to this day.
The last thing I bought and liked It was Massimo Vitali's photo of Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera. I am Italian in spirit. We've spent a lot of time in Sicily and love those super crowded beaches. That's what my husband thinks of as hell.
The best book I've read in the past year teeth Being mortal: medicine and what matters in the end Written by Atul Gawande, I have read it many times. The first time I read him was new yorker long ago. This is a great study on end-of-life care. Gawande is a surgeon who, when his father was diagnosed with a terminal illness, realized that death was not openly discussed in modern medicine. Doctors are not trained to tell people how to die. This is about what happens when it's impossible to keep someone alive, and what could be better. I discovered it when I was grieving. It was enlightening.
my style icon This is Lee Radziwill. Everyone always had their eyes on Jackie, but for me it was always Lee. I think she was a little less conservative. I like her clean and unadorned look. She has pictures of her and Jackie shopping in Capri or somewhere, and it's just a good look. A perfect silhouette that is simple yet detailed. You also get a sense that these works were in circulation. You know, they're being replaced. She seemed to love clothes.
The best present I've ever given It was a Heywood Hill subscription.This is a wonderful bookstore that consults with the recipient and sends them a surprise book every month for a year, tailored to their tastes.
And the best present I received recently This is an 80's Repossi cocktail ring given to me by my husband. Cabochon ruby and pavé diamond. He got the idea from his Instagram account for a jewelry collective that I follow. @thejewelgallery
Last downloaded music “A Tribe Called Quest” low end theory. I remember loving them in the 90's. My son, who was into music at the time, was playing something and I went on a time travel trip.
a place that means a lot to me Pantelleria is where we have been renting a summer home for the past 16 years. It may sound a bit new-age, but there's an energy to this island that I felt when I first visited. It's a pain to get there, but it's also fun.
I recently rediscovered yoga. I was doing yoga several times a week, but I was always distracted by looking at the clock. So I stopped. Then, about 8 months ago, I attended a friend's private session and the time flew by. I think it's Hatha with James De Maria and a little bit of Ashtanga. I do Zoom every week – he’s based in Ibiza.
have a collection Vintage zodiac pendants, mostly from the 1970s. When I first saw the Cartier watch worn by my husband's godmother at her family's party many years ago, I was completely smitten. The first one I found was for Van Cleef, my zodiac sign, Leo. It has to be my signature or someone in my family's signature. Van Cleef did them, and I found some of them. And Cartier. I wear it with a more modern chain.
It's always in my fridge Almond milk, probiotics and bottarga. Champagne – If the weather is nice, try Ruinart, or a great Blanc de Blancs. There are always lots of pickles, garlic, cucumbers, etc. My husband is a great cook and a huge supporter of fermentation. They also have homemade chili sauce and a great brand I just discovered in California called Rancho Gordo. And plenty of vegetables too.
my favorite website Eat Your Books indexes all your cookbooks in one place so you can find recipes for coronation chicken.
This is one thing I couldn't do without This is my Bialetti Mocha, for the induction stove. We have been using it for a long time, but sometimes the rubber needs to be redone.
My first fashion purchase It might have been a police band T-shirt from the camp. I don't remember where I bought it, but I still have it. So I guess it's vintage now, gold dust. There was also an agnès b. sweatshirt cardigan with snap button closure. That's why I saved up money for a babysitter.
My must-have beauty essentials I have been wearing Frédéric Malle's Carnal Flower fragrance for about 17 years. I'm pretty sure I could have been a nose in another life. 100ml EDP £275
Objects you never want to let go of Tom Ford for Saint Laurent emerald silk jacket. It belonged to my mother. She was very stylish and she loved fashion. And even though I was quite young, she remembered that jacket from the campaign, so I thought it was great that she actually had it.
A luxury that is never allowed Loretta Caponi nightgown. I don't do high neck or off shoulder styles. However, I like white cotton ones with lace. I've been wearing them all the time. I also love Charvet pajamas.
The last accessory I added to my wardrobe It was a chocolate brown leather tote from The Row. I think the name is Jasper. It's great for traveling because it's so big and the leather is great. It's large and soft, so even if you fill it full, it won't look like you're carrying around a refrigerator.
my makeup and skincare essentials Dr. Barbara Sturm's Enzyme Cleanser, Augustine Bader's The Cream, and Tata Harper's Eye Serum (in the gold packaging). I use her Macrene Actives High Performance Neck and Decollete Treatment, which is very effective on that area. Then the body cream is either Sturm or Bader. My favorite lip balm is from Sisley. For eyeliner, I love Sisley's Phyto Kohl Pencil, Terry's Crayon's Kohl Terrybury, or Hourglass. And Tom Ford mascara. For my hair, I like Oribe shampoo and conditioner, but I also really like Virtue. I love hair masks. Davines and Philip Kingsley are great.
my favorite building Geoffrey Bawa's former residence Lunuganga in Bentota. It is said that it was originally a rubber plantation. I remember the first time we went to Sri Lanka and saw there. It felt incredibly rich and tropical. Very well thought out in a beautiful and natural way. It's amazing.
The best souvenir I brought home Capers from Pantelleria. I have a salty tooth. It started with the Caper Festival in the Aeolian Islands. We now have a home obsession. I also bought a caper holder.
my first fashion memory I went to a store called Charivari in New York with my mother, who loved fashion. If I remember correctly, it was from the late 1960s to the late 90s. It was started by a family called the Weiser family and was considered incredibly avant-garde at the time. It's multi-brand, we brought Alaia, Armani, Dolce… all these European brands on board. There were also some Japanese brands, which was very interesting. When I visited, there were chic black balloons, so I think I unknowingly learned a bit about customer service there. Now it's not exactly eco-friendly, but my memory is of walking in and being handed one of these balloons. They knew their audience well. I knew I needed to keep my mom happy while she shopped.
podcasts i listen to is SmartLess, co-starring Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes. The premise is that they are not smart, but of course they are. Guests range from Dana Carvey to Joe Biden. The dynamic and banter between them is really funny.
some of my best ideas I often drive by Chiswick Mall. This will open up a little path.
In another life, I would have been like this Archaeologist. I majored in art history at Brown University, and I've always loved this idea of discovery and discovery. I spent a lot of time in ancient buildings and churches. I had become the person in the catacombs sticking my head out of the bars to see what was inside.
The best advice I've ever received It was to accept a compliment, because refusing a compliment is like returning a gift. When someone takes the time to say something nice to you, the best thing you can do is just say thank you.
