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10 luxury fashion essentials

We all know that fashion is an expression of who we are and what we want to project to the world, and we all know that it can be expensive. But we also know that it’s not always possible to hop on to all the hottest fashion trends each season and nab the latest Prada bag. If you’re like me, and love the quality of hardworking fashion staples, you might want to invest in these ten luxury fashion essentials that will make you look like a million bucks without the hefty price tag.

10 luxury fashion essentials

10 fashion essentials that will make this season your best one yet.

  1. A timeless, leather bag
  2. A pair of hardworking shoes
  3. A well-cut dress for all occasions
  4. Jewelry that you never have to take off
  5. A designer scarf
  6. A statement hat
  7. A leather belt
  8. A structured jacket
  9. A Swiss made watch
  10. Designer sunglasses

Presentation is everything and in this day and age we are all constantly striving to look our best, it’s no surprise that fashion is a booming industry. There are a number of items that are a must have for a fashionable wardrobe, and they can be found in any price range. In the world of fashion, luxury is all about quality and exclusivity. Whether it’s a high-end designer, a vintage find, or a rare designer piece, these pieces are the perfect luxury fashion essentials.

Here are 10 luxury fashion essentials that are sure to have you looking your best.

1. A timeless bag 

A designer handbag: A woman can never have too many designer handbags. They’re a great way to accessorize any outfit and my personal favourites are structured classic ones such as the iconic Hermès Kelly Bag, Hermès Birkin Bag, the Classic Flap bag and the Louis Vuitton monogramed bag.

2. A pair of chic shoes

You can’t have a closet full of clothes without the perfect shoes to go with them. From the perfect pair of heels for a fancy event to the perfect sandal for a day at the beach; there’s no such thing as too many shoes. I personally love wearing Chelsea boots and in winter and opt for white sneakers, loafers and ballet flats in Spring.

3. A perfect fitting dress  

The perfect fitting dress is a staple in any woman’s wardrobe. You can never go wrong with a little black dress. You can wear it to work, for a date, to a party, or to an interview. Personally, I love my Ganni dress which is the perfect choice for any occasion. The fit is impeccable and the fabric is luxurious and has been with me for almost 15 years. I actually loved the fit and cut so much I bought it in two colours (classic black and a bold blue).

4. Jewelry

It’s not just about the clothes you wear, but the jewelry you wear to complement the clothes. The right necklace can make or break an outfit. A bracelet can be the perfect accent to a dress, or the perfect accessory to a suit. Earrings are the finishing touch to a perfect look. From diamonds to gold, you can find jewelry items in every style and price point. Luxury fashion essentials like jewelry that I love the most are ones that become part of you. You never remove them, like my diamond necklace and Cartier bracelet.

5. A scarf

Cashmere, silk, and alpaca wool are my go-to. A high-end designer scarf can instantly elevate your outfit. My personal favourites are the classic Hermès silk scarfs and the classic House-Check cashmere scarf from Burberry.

6. A structured hat

This is a simple way to add a little edge to your daily looks. You can completely transform your outfit by topping it off with a trendy Prada bucket hat, a casual cashmere baseball cap, or a wide-brimmed Maison Michel felt hat which each all have a completely different aesthetic.

7. A leather belt

A Hermès Belt is one of the most versatile fashion accessories you can own. It can be worn with almost any outfit, from casual wear to evening wear. It can be worn with a dress, jeans, or a skirt. It can be worn with a dress shirt or a t-shirt to add dimension to your silhouette.

8. A Chanel Jacket

They are expensive, but worth the investment. Chanel is one of the most well-known fashion houses in the world. The company has been around for over 100 years and has always been on the forefront of the fashion industry. They are known for their designs and high-quality products. One of their most popular products is their classic Chanel jacket. There are many different styles to choose from, but the classic Chanel jacket in tweed is the most popular. It is the ultimate in luxury fashion, and is a must-have for any woman.

9. A Swiss Made Watch

A luxury fashion essential, a Swiss Made Watch is a must have. The Swiss Made Watch is a timeless symbol of status and timeless class for both men and women. It is the perfect accessory for any occasion as well as being the perfect gift for any occasion. They have a timeless elegance that never goes out of style. A Swiss Made Watch is a great investment as it will last for many years to come. For example, A Patek Philippe watch is a luxury fashion accessory that is timeless, elegant, and versatile. The Swiss-made watches are known for their accuracy, precision, and their ability to last for generations.

10. Sunglasses

It is always important to have a luxury fashion item that will never go out of style. A pair of designer sunglasses is the perfect choice to keep you looking chic and stylish. My personal favourites are black or brown frames and in terms of designer shades, I adore Celine, Christian Dior and Chanel. In terms of style, as I have soft features I prefer square and sharp rectangle frames – although cat-eye suits almost all face shapes and is a go-to.

So there you have it, 10 luxury essentials to stay stylish and fashionable.

I hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful! If you want to learn more about luxury fashion styling, why not take a look at my guide to creating a capsule wardrobe.

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The Woodward: Geneva’s most luxurious hotel

New: The Woodward Geneva- luxury suites & 2 Michelin star restaurants

Discovering the newly opened luxury hotel in Geneva: The Woodward Suites.

This 5-star hotel is part of the Oetker Collection. It is comprised of a total of 26 exclusive luxury suites & 2 Michelin star restaurants as well as the biggest indoor pool in all of Geneva.

Along with Bella Zofia, I had the pleasure of discovering this beautiful hotel in late December. We started with a tour of the Spa, pool, and gym. Before heading to our bespoke beauty treatments from Guerlain. As you know, I am a big fan of Guerlain beauty so I was very excited about this experience. The treatment was hands down the most wonderful experience I have had at a hotel spa. It stated with a beauty questionnaire so that the beautician could have a background on the areas you wished to focus on. Then I went into a private room complete with en-suite shower, locker room and of course Guerlain cosmetics and the fluffiest bathrobe I have ever used. Once I had been tucked into the ultra cozy SPA bed I did a personalised consultation to decide what would be the best treatment to have. Then we did a scent test where I was asked to choose the perfume that I found most relaxing. This scent was then integrated into the treatment. After the hour facial and beauty treatment the beautician applied Guerlain makeup for me and led me into the Guerlain makeup room. It was like being led into a candy store for someone who is as obsessed with beauty as myself! I then did my makeup before heading up to Le Jardiner with Bella.

We lunched at the new restaurant called Le Jardiner by Michelin-starred Chef Alain Verzeroli and assisted by the chef Olivier Jean. It is a truly unique restaurant in Geneva, serving up dishes that celebrate the finest local ingredients. There are 2 sections to the restaurant each with a slightly different decoration (coté Lausanne where we ate for lunch, & coté Genève which is also featured here). There is also have a private meeting room right next to the restaurant that is ideal for business meetings. The primarily plant-based concept was launched in 2019 in New York by Joël Robuchon and Alain Verzeroli. This is.their first European edition of the concept. All the ingredients on the menu are locally sourced (maximum I50 km from the hotel. The Jardiner focuses primarily on vegetables in each of their dishes, meat and fish are almost incorporated as accompaniments.

To top it off we enjoyed their delicious pastries and had the pleasure to meet famous in-house pastry chef Titouan Clauder.

Lastly, we were given a private tour of the Woodward hotel and I was truly spellbound but their Royal Suite which was splendid, to say the least, and even had a private elevator for maximum privacy.

Designed Pierre-Yves Rochon (Pyr design), the entire hotel was incredibly refined with a quiet luxury appeal that so suits Geneva city.

I very much recommend the Woodward hotel if you visit Geneva. It is an absolutely wonderful place and the Guerlain SPA treatment was certainly one of the best treatments I have had in Switzerland.

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A LUXURY ESCAPE IN PARIS at Le Dokhan’s boutique hotel with a view of the Eiffel Tower

Le Dokhan’s, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Paris is the perfect place to stay during Paris Fashion Week.

I visited Le Dokhan’s a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in October, during famous Paris Fashion Week and I couldn’t recommend this luxury hotel enough…

About Le Dokhan’s Boutique Hotel in Paris

The hotel itself is situated in my favorite area of Paris: the iconic 16eme arrondissement, located across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower in the southwest corner of Paris. This prestigious area is home to many foreign embassies and renowned museums, including the Fondation Louis Vuitton and the Palais de Tokyo which was one of the major hubs during this year’s SS21 Fashion Week. So it was an ideal location for Marzena, Bella and I, as the hotel was within walking distance from several of the main fashion week events we went to. It was so amazing as we were close to everything. Although we were not so lucky with the weather, Paris in the rain is dreamy and poetic in its own way. What’s more, the hotel was well stocked with big sturdy umbrellas at the entrance for hotel guests which was super practical.

This Parisian boutique hotel dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. Le Dokhan’s offers 45 chic guest rooms, including 4 suites, that are accessible by a famous Louis Vuitton elevator created from old Louis Vuitton trunks. The hotel is highlighted by authentic works of art by Matisse and Picasso and the delicate scent of their custom-made fragrance.

It is a truly elegant hotel reminiscent of Belle Époque that is part of the Marriott Bonvoy. Indeed every element of the hotel is thoughtfully considered and utterly original including the parquet floors and wainscoting from a 17th-century château. Each of their guest rooms is individually decorated by the famous French interior decorator Frédéric Méchiche in a neoclassical style.

About Our Room: The Eiffel Tower Suite

The Eiffel suite we stayed in had the most breathtaking view of the iconic Parisian landmark. Equipped with a walk-in closet to accommodate all our Paris Fashion Week outfits and a jacuzzi bath to relax in after a hectic day filled with fashion shows and presentations.

This double room was ideal for Marzena, Bella, and I during fashion week as it had two full double beds, a Nespresso coffee machine and plenty of storage space.

The room details were all carefully considered, even the coffee table books including one from Veuve Cliquot, were on brand. Another amazing aspect of our room was that it had so many full-length mirrors which were great as we were three girls that needed to change a fair few times between the fashion shows. What I also loved about our room was the large marble bathroom that had a wonderful skylight window which was perfect for doing makeup. Stocked with fluffy bathrobes, hotel slippers, and premium Carita amenities.

The first champagne bar in Paris

A truly unique part of Le Dokhan’s a Tribute Portfolio Hotel was their champagne bar. In fact, Le Dokhan, is the first champagne bar in Paris, where Sommelier Matthias Breton created the city’s largest champagne menu with 240 choices including well-known names including Dom Pérignon and Moët-Hennessy as well as family estates little-known to the general public.

They also offer daily champagne-tasting events in the evenings, which we had the pleasure of discovering on our first evening of Paris Fashion Week. It was such an elegant and glamorous setting with candle lighting dancing around the room. It was the perfect way to start our evening. The hotel concierge kindly made a restaurant reservation for us that was just a stone’s throw away from the hotel which was super considerate and convenient.

What is more, the champagne bar transforms into the hotel breakfast room in the morning. Breakfast a la carte is served daily from 7.00 am until 10.30 am (and 11.00 am on weekends).

Breakfast with an unforgettable view of Paris

The room had beautiful views of the Parisian skyline, punctuated by the Eiffel Tower. So on our last day in Paris, we started the morning in style and enjoyed breakfast in bed whilst looking at the beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower from our hotel room. We had lots of delicious coffee, poached eggs, and fresh orange juice and the staff was so attentive about our food preferences providing us with gluten-free options and milk alternatives as well. I must say the hotel staff all went above and beyond in terms of hospitality and made sure we were comfortable and well tended to.

I love how central the hotel is and the staff was so helpful, kind, and professional. If you’re planning your next stay in Paris, then definitely try to get one of the rooms that face the Eiffel Tower. You won’t ever want to wake up any other way…

A Stylish Story

Your luxury lifestyle blogger from Geneva

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Purple Rain at Paris Fashion Week SS22 Street Style

PARIS FASHION WEEK Started the 28th of September and came to a close today, the 6th of October 2021. Despite the ever-present rain during our stay in Paris, it was a magical time. Bringing back wonderful memories of when I was a fashion illustration student at Parsons Paris and would run around the beautiful city and get endlessly inspired by the beauty of it. Paris Fashion Week (PFW) is one of the most important fashion events of the year when official membres of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) show their new designs. It is the final destination of fashion month for buyers, fashion bloggers and the press.

What’s so exciting about Paris Fashion Week is the prestige of the fashion shows and designer brands showing their new collections. For the brands that were born in the city of lights such as Dior, Saint Laurent, Lanvin, Hermès, Givenchy and Chanel it really is an amazing moment. The fashion houses all have such fascinating and rich heritage that is deeply rooted in Paris, their creations are real works of art and impact the whole fashion industry. These collections will set the trends and the tone for Summer Spring 2022.

The past nine days clearly demonstrated how the fashion industry is now embracing technology. Fashion Weeks are back with a bang one might say, adapting to the post-pandemic era. Although many key designers remained digital during this particular fashion season, most will be back with full-blown fashion shows by the next one.

So here we go with this look that I wore during Paris Fashion Week. I played with the contrast of modern and vintage. Bold chic statement and rock grunge. Pairing a bright purple vintage Albert Nipon tailored blazer with grey stonewashed jeans and my tiny Le Chiquito handbag from Jacquemus. Whilst my dear friend Bella paired a canary yellow Chanel tweed coat with dark rinse denim.

This is actually a very “Parisian” fashion style. Unexpected twists on traditional combinations such as a beautifully tailored blazer combined with a pair of relaxed jeans. I remember I initially learned about these style tips from Ines de La Fressage’s book, “La Parisienne” (“Parisian Chic” in English). The author of the book (Ines de la Fressange) is a fashion icon and symbol of Parisian style. Indeed she was the late Karl Lagerfeld‘s muse and she is chosen as the ambassador for the House of Chanel and is the first model to sign an exclusive contract with a luxury brand. So if you are a fan of Chanel and the effortlessly chic look that Parisian girls all intuitively have, I definitely recommend picking up that book!

A Stylish Story

Your luxury fashion blogger from Geneva

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5 Facts about the Chanel SS22 Fashion Show

PFW: CHANEL Spring Summer 2022 Womenswear Collection

Before the show, several short fashion video teasers were released. Directed the iconic fashion duo Inez & Vinoodh. Shot in black and white, they featured the beautiful fashion models (and Chanel brand ambassadors) Lily-Rose Depp, Rebecca Dayan, Quannah Chasinghorse-Potts, Alma Jodorowsk and Vivienne Rohner. Each of them personified key roles in a fantasy world of fashion, imagined by Chanel’s creative director Virginie Viard.

A blast from the past

PFW: CHANEL Spring Summer 2022 Womenswear Collection

Virginie Viard recreated the glamour from the Eighties catwalk during the Spring Summer 2022 Chanel collection.

Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin’s short series set the scene for the SS22 Chanel Fashion Show that took place on the 5th of October 2021 during Paris Fashion Week.

The videos all had a retro 80s and early 90s sax playing which set the tone for the new Chanel SS22 collection inspired by that era.

Indeed Karl Lagerfeld used to photograph the Chanel campaigns himself.

So for all you fashion fanatics and Coco Chanel lovers, here are 5 facts about the SS22 Chanel Fashion Show.

  1. The Location: The Chanel fashion show traditionally always takes place in the Grand Palais, however this year, it took place at the Grand Palais Éphémère on Place Joffre (a 15-minute walk from the usual venue the Grand Palais that is currently being revamped).
  2. The Chanel Show was an homage to Fashion Photography: The creative director Virginie Viard asserted that she wished to pay tribute to fashion photographers. Calling upon Inez and Vinoodh for the teaser videos and editorials.
  3. Recreating the epic fashion show experience of the 80s: The models were smiling and winking at the crowd! As part of the early 80s / early 90s inspiration, Chanel’s creative director Virginie Viard made sure that the models including Luna Bijl and Edie Campbell who walked the Chanel SS22 show interacted with the audience. She wanted to recapture that fun aspect of the shows. She explained: “I used to love the sound of flashbulbs going off at shows in the Eighties when the models were on a raised runway. I wanted to recapture some of that emotion.” It felt like George Michael’s Freedom music video had teamed up Mariah Carey’s Butterfly Album and come to life.
  4. All the classic emblems of the iconic French luxury house were integrated into the new SS22 collection. With a playful twist, Chanel suits, classic Chanel shoes, tweed twinsets, thick gold chains and quilted leather handbags were a nod to the iconic elements of the brand’s heritage.
  5. Future Nostalgia: Early 90s monochrome, butterfly prints, plastic pink Chanel CC logo earrings, Chanel’s Mary Jane sandals, double-C monograms and square necklines were key to the collection, a nod to the past.

As always, the show did not disappoint and I can’t wait for the new Spring Summer 2022 Chanel collection to arrive in Switzerland.

For more fashion updates click here.

A Stylish Story

Your luxury fashion blogger from Geneva

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What to buy for Autumn before it sells out

The first of September brings back memories of back-to-school apprehension. The change in season means the introduction of light knits into one’s wardrobe. Autumn makes way for deep earthy tones of chocolate and olive green with pops of orange and pink. The perfect bases for buildable layers of leather & cashmere.

When it comes to new seasons it’s best to think ahead. Primarily because all the good stuff goes out of stock early. So to avoid any fashion FOMO I put together my autumnal essential shopping list to ensure no one misses out!  

So are you ready to plan for your autumn wardrobe?

My autumn wardrobe essentials 2021:

No. 1 PLEATED TENNIS SKIRTS

The collegiate preppy look is in, as is the subdued “old money” aesthetic. If you want to test drive this style, a staple piece to add to your wardrobe is a classic tennis skirt. A chalk-white one paired with a cream cashmere or tucked into an elegant silk blouse. You can also add an equestrian edge by adding a pair of knee-high leather boots. I recommend opting for a tennis skirt in neutral shades such as soft cream, stone, black, sky blue or navy so you can use it as a building block for your fall wardrobe.

Shop the best skirts

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No. 2 MICRO BAGS They have been the must-have accessory for the last 4 years. Since 2017 and Jacquemus’ Le Chiquito bag took the fashion world by storm, the trend has been the smaller the bag the better. The trend actually goes back further, these itty-bitty purses were especially popular in the early 1900s and were often carried by wealthy women because they were small, elegant, and held very little. They are the perfect “it-girl” accessory. Handbags remain at the forefront of fashion’s status symbol. However, there has been a definite shift towards less in-your-face logo blazing bags this season with more timeless silhouettes.

Shop the latest micro bag styles

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No. 3 KNITWEAR SETS I’m personally obsessed with cashmere and matching sets. So this trend is one I am super excited about. Twinsets also go hand in hand with the “old money” aesthetic that is becoming an increasingly prevalent trend, especially when worn in light tones and punctuated with a gold or pearl necklace.

No. 4 KNEE HIGH BOOTS My footwear of choice, year on year is a good quality pair of leather boots. They are my most versatile autumnal shoe, going from high-waisted denim jeans to flirty dresses. This is an item that really does sell out fast so I recommend stocking up on the shades you know you will wear time and time again. Be it dark grey, black, and an array of chocolate browns, knee-high boots are a must-have.

No. 5 THE PERFECT FALL FRAGRANCE Nothing tops off an outfit quite like the perfect perfume. I am always on the hunt for a scent that will compliment my outfit and I really like to switch it up with the temperature drops. Gravitating towards scents that have deeper notes such as sandalwood, musk, and oud. This said, I always have a couple of perfumes on rotation. I’m always on the look for new, slightly niche brands and fragrances so that I’m always wearing something just a little bit different, sometimes I even layer fragrances.

What’s on your Fall shopping list now?

So there you have it, those are the 5 AW21 trends that I can’t wait to wear.