Photo by Mario Testino- courtesy of Carine Roitfeld
It's fitting that we kick off Fashion Week with an exclusive interview with the most fashionable woman in the world, Carine Roitfeld. You know her as the stylish Editor of French Vogue but did you know that it's her family, not fashion, that rocks her world? Carine is a devoted mother and has been with her partner, Christian Restoin, for 30 years! Her children, Julia and Vladmir, are both studying in the US but she stays close with daily phone calls and taking several vacations with them throughout the year (they just spent the holidays in Australia and they often rent a house in St. Barts for the summer). She is a fiercely loyal and faithful friend and no matter how busy or tired, it is important to her to make time for a quick lunch or coffee with friends because she values the relationships in her life more than the latest "it" bags. She is infatuated with shoes however, and when asked what her favorite shoes are of the moment, she says "YSL" and was seen in the entire collection of killer stilettos last Fall. You won't ever catch her in flats unless she is on the beach! For looks off the Spring '07 runway, she says she loves "Prada" and we couldn't agree more! Although you will not find her cooking on a regular basis with her hectic schedule, she is known to whip up a gourmet feast with friends while on vacation (although in LA, she prefers to dine at Mr. Chows). She's been called terrifyingly chic, I found her to be terrifyingly nice, she replied to my emails personally from her Blackberry and was very accomodating about scheduling our phone interview. Even though she was in the midst of pre-Fashion Week rush, she took time to answer our questions:
Bag Snob: How do you feel about "it" bags being marketed to consumers every season and how do you think it affects the artistic integrity of the designer?
Carine Roitfeld: No, I don’t think it affects the designer’s artistic integrity. I am sure designers do not design bags they don’t like.
Bag Snob: What was your childhood ambition?
Carine Roitfeld: I wanted to be a writer.
Bag Snob: What is your favorite memory as a stylist?
Carine Roitfeld: Meeting and working with Mario Testino and Tom Ford. (Daughter Julia is currently featured in Ford's Black Orchid fragrance campaign)
Bag Snob: What is your favorite bag?
Carine Roitfeld: None. I do not have a favorite bag.
Bag Snob: What is your morning routine?:
Carine Roitfeld: I start my morning with my Pilates class every day at 8 am.
Bag Snob: Best gift you ever received?
Carine Roitfeld: The first smiles of my kids when they were babies
Bag Snob: Earliest style icons?
Carine Roitfeld: I don’t have any.
Bag Snob: When did you laugh last?
Carine Roitfeld: Watching the movie “Little Miss Sunshine”
Bag Snob: What are your beauty secrets to looking so youthful?
Carine Roitfeld: Frequent Facial Massages!
Bag Snob: Do you have a secret talent?
Carine Roitfeld: Yes, I’m a real clown with my kids and make them laugh a lot.
Bag Snob: If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt and politics, what would you change?
Carine Roitfeld: Less inequality, more justice !
(A big thank you to Florence- The Shoe Goddess, my fabulous girlfriend who made the introduction to Carine and made this interview possible!)