stylist's own: cafe nero

Here's how my friendship with Estelle began: we were in the car near home (South Ken) and I jumped out, introduced myself & did a quick shoot (BCBG with a twist) - back when I was still shooting in film, no less - and we've been friends ever since.






As she's French - it's also her mother tongue - I assumed her style was French, too. But it's very much her own (her father's Italian, for example) and what I really love about her individual style, which is so casual and fun, is that she spends like NO money on her clothes.

Case in point, when we met last week - on a rainy day - at the local Cafe Nero. Showed up all in black and charcoal grey and silver, looking like a million bucks. I asked where she got that amazing long cardigan and she shrugged and said 'Alsace'. I asked a few times so just assumed she meant a region of France. Turns out she meant ALL SAINTS, and at £100 it probably cost more than everything else combined.





Whenever I ask where she got things, it's either a shrug ('Morrocco', 'dunno') or a smile, as she proudly tells me it's H&M, or Primark.

I know it's Labour Day Weekend in the States - Hurricane Earl has kindly decided, amazingly, to simply GO AWAY and my family can all convene at my parents' summer place. (I'm with them in spirit) and the sun's out here, too, so I'm going out soon as I post this. I can really relate to what Sabine (psynopsis) said about beaching the summer shots for now: I still have many I want to share with you guys, but I'll sprinkle it in from time to time, maybe on grey days when we need the most sunny pick me ups.

For now, tho, I can get psyched about going back to black, and charcoal grey, and layers, if it looks this good. I just think we need a new word for black. Noir? Currently, I like Nero: my London home away from home.




By the way, Estelle, who did some modelling back in Paris when she was a teen, is looking to work as a stylist, which I think she'd be brilliant at. Any ideas? I suggested she offer to intern with a stylist whose work she admires. Anyone have any good names she should contact?

Estelle is wearing: cardigan: All Saints, boots: New Look (£20, she said proudly), rings: somewhere in Morrocco, bag: Primark, white fox-tail as handbag embellishment: eBay, chains: (shrug) 'everywhere', top: boyfriend's, Rick Owens. hat: 'dunno'

(p.s. This is wild: I forgot when I did this post today, that Estelle had told me she'd started a blog: Serendipity2307. When I see her - cause I want to do a series on her style - I've got to ask her why she chose that name. For me, for starters, everything is about serendipity - but also, my magic numbers are 23, and 7.)

Have a GLORIOUS weekend all! May the sun shine down up on you wherever you are!