Nicole Richie graces the cover of Philadelphia Style Spring14 magazine.
Nicole Richie was interviewed by model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
ROSIE HUNTINGTON-WHITELEY: Let’s talk about something we both love: fashion. Describe your style for me.
NICOLE RICHIE: I’ve always been someone who’s extremely relaxed in my everyday life. I’m not the girl who can wear awful seven-inch heels all night. I keep it simple—I consider myself to be a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl who just accessorizes a lot. But I try to focus less on the actual items and more on the way they make me feel. I like color around my face because it does something to me emotionally. I don’t like to wear black because it brings me down.
NICOLE RICHIE: I’ve always been someone who’s extremely relaxed in my everyday life. I’m not the girl who can wear awful seven-inch heels all night. I keep it simple—I consider myself to be a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl who just accessorizes a lot. But I try to focus less on the actual items and more on the way they make me feel. I like color around my face because it does something to me emotionally. I don’t like to wear black because it brings me down.
RHW: You have such an amazing innate style. Vogue even said that you exemplify the LA vintage/SoCal look. Who did you get your sense of style from?
NR: My mom. She had this huge bathtub, and I’d sit in it and watch her get her hair and makeup done. There were just shelves of Chanel bags and vintage Azzedine Alaïa skirts and the craziest outfits, because she was going out with my dad every night. And I’d just watch her and I’d think to myself, That’s what I want to look like when I’m older.
NR: My mom. She had this huge bathtub, and I’d sit in it and watch her get her hair and makeup done. There were just shelves of Chanel bags and vintage Azzedine Alaïa skirts and the craziest outfits, because she was going out with my dad every night. And I’d just watch her and I’d think to myself, That’s what I want to look like when I’m older.
Nicole wears Alexander Wang and HOH1960 necklace.
RHW: How did you initially get into fashion?
NR: Back in the ’80s, my dad had a costume designer named Edna, and she would make me matching tour outfits out of his excess fabric. We’re talking jewels and sequins, very flashy. She’d let me come to work with her in downtown LA, and she showed me how she makes all these costumes. When I started competitively figure skating when I was 9, she and I designed all of my costumes together, and I just knew that it was something I wanted to do.
NR: Back in the ’80s, my dad had a costume designer named Edna, and she would make me matching tour outfits out of his excess fabric. We’re talking jewels and sequins, very flashy. She’d let me come to work with her in downtown LA, and she showed me how she makes all these costumes. When I started competitively figure skating when I was 9, she and I designed all of my costumes together, and I just knew that it was something I wanted to do.
RHW: Having children has changed your life in many ways, but has it changed how you dress?
NR: I’m still wearing the same stuff, the same jeans, the peasant tops. I’ve always been someone who’s extremely relaxed in my everyday life, and then when I go out, I like dressing up.
NR: I’m still wearing the same stuff, the same jeans, the peasant tops. I’ve always been someone who’s extremely relaxed in my everyday life, and then when I go out, I like dressing up.
RHW: That’s good; I’m glad to hear that. I’m always wondering if it’s going to change and if I’m going to end up looking really mumsy.
NR: Um, no, you’re never going to look really mumsy! You could be bald and you’d still be the most gorgeous mother ever.
NR: Um, no, you’re never going to look really mumsy! You could be bald and you’d still be the most gorgeous mother ever.
Nicole wears Dilek Hanif with Christian Louboutin heels.
RHW: What about your daughter, Harlow? Is she into fashion?
NR: She’s more of an artist. She’s into playing with makeup; she loves doing her hair and putting outfits together. She’s just so feminine—and way more girlie than me.
NR: She’s more of an artist. She’s into playing with makeup; she loves doing her hair and putting outfits together. She’s just so feminine—and way more girlie than me.
RHW: What else inspires you?
NR: I’m hugely inspired by the ’60s and the ’70s. I just love the music of that time and the overall freedom of that era. I love that the idea of clashing didn’t really exist. You could mix prints on prints, you could mix fabrics and colors—and it was more about the way you felt than about the label and trends. That’s something that I’ve always gravitated toward, and that’s something I’ve always tried to bring to House of Harlow and my QVC line.
NR: I’m hugely inspired by the ’60s and the ’70s. I just love the music of that time and the overall freedom of that era. I love that the idea of clashing didn’t really exist. You could mix prints on prints, you could mix fabrics and colors—and it was more about the way you felt than about the label and trends. That’s something that I’ve always gravitated toward, and that’s something I’ve always tried to bring to House of Harlow and my QVC line.
RHW: That’s so fab. Speaking of your fashion lines, let’s get into how you got your start as a designer.
NR: Once I really started understanding my own style, I realized how much I loved costume jewelry. I’m talking the Gucci and YSLs from the ’70s, pieces I relate to and love wearing. So I met with my now-partner Pasquale, and in 2009 we started House of Harlow 1960. He really let me have the freedom to take the reigns with the jewelry, which came naturally to me. Since I obviously didn’t go to design school, I wanted to start small and get to know the business before I expanded it. I then found my other partner, launched a ready-to-wear footwear line, and expanded again. I’ve been going very slowly.
NR: Once I really started understanding my own style, I realized how much I loved costume jewelry. I’m talking the Gucci and YSLs from the ’70s, pieces I relate to and love wearing. So I met with my now-partner Pasquale, and in 2009 we started House of Harlow 1960. He really let me have the freedom to take the reigns with the jewelry, which came naturally to me. Since I obviously didn’t go to design school, I wanted to start small and get to know the business before I expanded it. I then found my other partner, launched a ready-to-wear footwear line, and expanded again. I’ve been going very slowly.
Nicole wears Christian Dior dress.
RHW: But now you’re taking a pretty big leap with the upcoming House of Harlow apparel launch.
NR: Doing apparel under the House of Harlow brand is something I’ve wanted to do forever. I’m just really excited about this collection. It’s easy to wear, it’s feminine, it’s free-spirited, and it’s all under $300. The launch is in the spring, and it’ll be online in March on houseofharlow1960.com and shopbop.com.
NR: Doing apparel under the House of Harlow brand is something I’ve wanted to do forever. I’m just really excited about this collection. It’s easy to wear, it’s feminine, it’s free-spirited, and it’s all under $300. The launch is in the spring, and it’ll be online in March on houseofharlow1960.com and shopbop.com.
RHW: What about your collection with QVC?
NR: QVC is nuts. It’s so big that every time I go to the headquarters in West Chester, I think it’s like Jurassic Park, only without the dinosaurs. QVC is just so in tune with its customers, and it’s something totally different than House of Harlow in that respect. When you go in there as a designer, you have to focus on who their customer is. Things like what their needs are, what fabrics they’re drawn to, their likes and dislikes, down to what’s their climate. It’s just a totally different world for me.
NR: QVC is nuts. It’s so big that every time I go to the headquarters in West Chester, I think it’s like Jurassic Park, only without the dinosaurs. QVC is just so in tune with its customers, and it’s something totally different than House of Harlow in that respect. When you go in there as a designer, you have to focus on who their customer is. Things like what their needs are, what fabrics they’re drawn to, their likes and dislikes, down to what’s their climate. It’s just a totally different world for me.
RHW: As you know, I do my own little line in the UK with Marks & Spencer. It’s a great way to learn about what real women want, isn’t it?
NR: It’s also great to work with people who study women. When I’m doing my own House of Harlow collection, it’s really up to me to get to know my customers. So we’re talking about a completely new introduction, and then it takes a while to figure out who that person is. When you’re partnering with QVC, they know, and they continue to study. It’s really informative, whether you’re a designer or not, because you can understand where different women around the country are coming from.
NR: It’s also great to work with people who study women. When I’m doing my own House of Harlow collection, it’s really up to me to get to know my customers. So we’re talking about a completely new introduction, and then it takes a while to figure out who that person is. When you’re partnering with QVC, they know, and they continue to study. It’s really informative, whether you’re a designer or not, because you can understand where different women around the country are coming from.
Nicole wears Zimmermann top and trousers with nude Louboutin heels.
Behind the scenes video with Nicole Richie & photographer Andrew McPherson on the shoot for Philadelphia Style magazine:
xoxo
Img source-phillystylemag.com
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