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LOVELY (THAT SKIN!). Personable (that
charm!). And stylish (that wardrobe!).
On a recent sunny afternoon, Olivia Palermo
welcomed Gotham into her Tribeca apartment, a
bright and cheery jewel box of a place, for a little
sit-down on style. A quick look around
makes one thing abundantly clear: Palermo
cares deeply about fashion, as evidenced by the
enormous zebra-carpeted walk-in closet that
houses a collection of casual but chic separates,
a smattering of vintage hats and jewelry, and
dresses for all occasions.
In space-starved Manhattan, most people
would have turned that area into an office, a
dining alcove, or even a guest room—but not
Palermo, who had a definitive idea of what she
wanted her dream storage space to be. “I’m a
very visual person, and I like to be able to see
everything,” she says. “I love it! I wanted it to be
youthful, but with a little sophistication to it.”
And if, God forbid, the apartment caught fire,
what would she grab? “The entire closet!” she says.
GOTHAM: I’ve read that you love vintage,
but that you’re also thrifty. Vintage and thrift
don’t always go hand-in hand...
OLIVIA PALERMO: It’s not about the price tag;
it’s about the clothes. You should be able to mix
and match—a person who really knows fashion
knows that’s what it’s about.
G: Are there places in NYC where you’ve
discovered amazing things?
OP: I haven’t really found too many in the city. I
find a lot outside the city—in little towns, or further
up in Connecticut, or West Palm Beach. It’s when
you’re least expecting it that you find great things.
G: You do a lot of traveling here and abroad.
Has that shaped your style?
OP: I absorb the culture, whether it’s London,
Paris, or Italy—and I entwine it into my own.
Whenever I feel like I’m in a little fashion slump,
which is every once in a while, I fly over to Paris
and [when I come back] I feel like a different
person. You need your inspiration. It’s just like
with an author writing a book—they need to be on
the move; they can’t be just sitting in the same
spot because they’ll get writer’s block. It’s the
same thing with fashion.
G: Do you come from a pretty fashionable
family?
OP: I do, I’m lucky…. It hasn’t been pushed upon
me; as I’ve gotten older, it’s for my own interest.
I just love clothes and fashion. It’s fun to play with.
G: What’s your signature accessory?
OP: My Birkin. I never leave home without it.
That was my 21st birthday present to myself. So I
definitely cherish that bag.
G: Is there a go-to, can’t-fail look you always
fall back on?
OP: Yes, it’s simple—skinny jeans with a blazer
and black tank top. And if you want to put some
vintage Art Deco clips on it to jazz it up, go for it. I usually wear ankle boots or some sort of stilettos with it.
G: Where do you like to shop?
OP: For everyday wear, I find that some of
Rebecca Taylor’s chiffon shirts are really great. I
love Ports 1961—I could literally wear everything.
Tia [Cibani, creative director of Ports 1961] is
incredible. Their accessories are insane. And
Earnest Sewn for jeans, every day.
G: Do you welcome the opportunity to
dress up?
OP: I just like to be pulled together. It’s not for
anyone but myself. Whether I’m going to the drugstore
or the grocery store, I will be dressed.
G: On your dresser there are two lamps
with shades made of Hermès bags. Tell me
about those.
OP: [The shades] were given to me by my mother
for Christmas a few years ago and I’ve held on to
them, since this is my first real apartment. And
the lamps—when my grandmother passed away,
they were given to me. They have a little bit of
sentimental value.
G: And the bureau itself is quite stunning.
OP: [Laughs] That’s a story in itself. My mother
and I were at ABC Carpet & Home, and we were
looking for a dresser and found this one. There
were two left, and Donna Summer wanted them
as well. And apparently, with ABC Carpet &
Home, you have to buy it right there on the spot—
even if you hold it, it’s not 100 percent guaranteed.
So we called the next morning to say that we
were getting it, and Donna Summer had bought
them. [Laughs] So my mother was frantic… but
there was a nice gentleman there who found one
in the back. And the ironic part of the entire thing
is that we were in the car on the way to pay and a
Donna Summer song came on the radio.
G: You have a well-edited collection of hats—
what’s the story there?
OP: Even though I’m so young, whenever I’ve
been down in Florida, since I was 12, my aunt
would say, “Oh, Olivia, you can have a little bit of
color, but always wear a hat in the sun.” And she’s
totally right. [G]
| The complete article appears on page 50 in the July/August 2008 issue of Gotham. SUBSCRIBE NOW and get Gotham delivered direct. |
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