When I was young, I had this maroon dress that I wore it until it came apart. I'd put on necklace or a bracelet, then wear boots or sandals. It carried me through college and much of my twenties.
Emma Peel, played by Diana Rigg in the 1960s show The Avengers, was the embodiment of cool for me growing up. She always needed to be ready to fight or get away on a motorbike, I loved the black boots and I'd use her name as my alias when I didn’t want to share my real name!
I care about what I wear because it's on my body. I want the material that kisses my skin to feel good. Extreme Cashmere or The Row, in particular are my ideals and aspirations.
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As I’ve gotten older, I've gravitated towards black clothing. An artist friend once said to me, 'Don't try too hard.' What she meant was that your everyday style is very close to your best style. I tend to pull out my Uma Wang slacks and I also have a thick black hoodie by Rick Owens.
I remember someone telling me that they loved my book because it was a book which they knew had been recommended to high school students, people who were incarcerated, college professors, graduate students, mothers – generally people from all walks of life – and it connected with many people. I felt extremely proud of the fact that I’d created something that everyone had access to.
I love a Dries Van Noten overcoat. I have a yellow one that I wear religiously. Come springtime, a Dries floral print is great. If somebody says, 'You must be at this thing in 10 minutes' the coat does all the hard work. His designs remind me of listening to a Lizzo song – you instantly feel upbeat once it’s on.
The fashion industry is one of the most polluting in the world, which is startling. I try to instil in my daughter a sense of longevity when purchasing clothing.
Sometimes my daughter's friends come home from college with her, and I love how they put things together – there is an unabashed freedom to their dressing, with no particular rhyme or reason.
This article was originally published in the July issue of ELLE.
