My Style: Silvia Bergomi
Photo: Courtesy of Silvia Bergomi
Are there any style combinations that you object to?
Down jackets and Louis Vuitton tail bags.
Please describe your style in three words.
Flying Burrito Brothers + Róisín Murphy + Santa Fe.
What is the biggest mistake one can make when getting dressed?
Trying too hard.
What are your favourite fabrics?
Cady, silk, jersey, cotton, denim, cashmere.
Which city has the best-dressed women?
Probably Rome, in the past, up until the 70s. Now, Paris.
What are the rules, if any, in the way you dress?
I actually don't try to match my shoes with the bag I am carrying, I don't pay much attention to matching colours either. For example I love red with pink, which is something they teach you not to do, at least my mum! In general, my only rule would be to avoid looking sloppy.
Would you say that you are conservative or bold?
I love hippie culture, so both.
Celebrities and style...
Is not always the best combo. But celebrities surely have money to spend, which makes everything easier (fashion-wise).
One garment/accessory that you can never have enough of?
Hats.
A woman should always look like...
Elegant, even if the look is casual or sporty. Elegance is something about the woman herself. It means charm, attraction, allurement.
Who taught you what you know about style?
Basically my mum. But many others as well, as I am a sponge and I get inspiration from popular culture and everything around me.
How do you select your clothing every morning?
It often depends on what I dreamt the night before, or something that goes with the weather.
Your biggest regret is...
Not travelling as much as I would like. Sooner or later I will spend a whole year around the world.
The three essential things a woman should know about style are...
Stand out, do not show off… and smell good, always.
Do you have any shopping rituals?
Not really. It' s all about my mood. It's rare for me to think "this skirt would be perfect with the polka dot trousers which I have in my closet." I am more like: this could be interesting, I'll take it.
We will never see you wearing...
Down jackets and flip-flops, or certain printed t-shirts with exaggerated logos or ugly images on them.
Which new designers do you follow and why?
Meadham Kirchhoff, Carven, Derek Lam, Band Of Outsiders, 3.1 Phillip Lim, House of Holland, Louise Gray, Giles Deacon, Jen Kao.
What is the first thing you notice on a woman?
Her attitude.
What are the most treasured items in your wardrobe?
Some unique pieces that I found while travelling. For example my favourite cowboy hat from New Mexico, some silver original jewels from Egypt, my vintage floral dresses from Los Angeles, music T-shirts from London.
The one image that defined your approach to style...
The cover image from the album "Betty Davis" by Betty Davis.
Which designer/fashion house never fails to impress you?
Prada, Dries Van Noten, Yves Saint Laurent, Martin Margiela, Max Mara.
One article of clothing that a woman needs to pay close attention to is...
Her shoes.
Is comfort an enemy of style?
A woman has style only if she feels at ease with herself and what she is wearing. To answer to the question, definitely not!
Who would you like to see next in My Style?
My friends Giulia Landini, Rita Liefhebber or Tamuna Gvaberidze.
The best word of advice you have ever heard?
Laughing lengthens life.
