This was published 1 year ago
‘I believe in travel-outfit etiquette’: What designer Gabriella Pereira wears on a plane
By Georgie Gordon
Each week, we quiz a prominent person about their style and the inspiration behind it. Ahead, designer Gabriella Pereira.
Gabriella Pereira: “I love the spectacle of fashion but I try to be blind to trends.”Credit: Holly Gibson
How would you describe your style? It’s simple and comfortable but I also like to feel polished and chic. The antithesis of my style is fussy. Quality craftsmanship and materials are very important to me.
What’s the oldest thing in your wardrobe? An ’80s Chanel tweed jacket I bought from a vintage store in Paris. I’ve never worn it; it’s outrageous – red, blue and white with gold buttons.
And the most recent addition? A pair of Alaïa jeans with an elastic waist I bought after seeing Lara Worthington wearing them.
What’s your favourite fashion era? The present, for its inclusivity.
Gabriella Pereira loves writer Fran Lebowitz’s “chic and timeless” sense of style.Credit: Getty Images
What are the three essential items in your wardrobe? A Beare Park double-breasted blazer, Bassike T-shirts, and worn-in, emotionally attached denim; I have so many pairs, from Acne, The Row, Khaite …
What would you wear …
… on a first date? Nothing too fancy; relaxed denim with a silk blouse, a blazer and heeled boots.
… on a plane? I believe in travel-outfit etiquette, to have respect for the people around you. I wear relaxed denim, a cashmere sweater, a blazer and black Adidas “Samba” sneakers.
… on the red carpet? I feel most confident in black. The “Layered Asymmetric” dress from Beare Park’s Resort ’24 collection would be perfect.
Who is your favourite designer? I idolise Phoebe Philo. She’s a pioneer who designs clothes from a female perspective that allow women to feel chic but not like they’re trying too hard.
What’s your fragrance of choice? Le Labo “Thé Noir 29”.
Any go-to jewellery? A gold chain from Love Well Sourced with a FoundRae charm. Also, a Natasha Schweitzer chain and a gold ring that was my mum’s.
Can you remember a favourite outfit from when you were a child? My grandmother would sew fairy costumes – dense layers of sparkling tulle and silk with hand-sewn sequins and beading – that were so realistic I didn’t feel like I was dressing up.
What was your first fashion moment? It was 2013 and I had just finished school. I was working in a boutique and the owner took me to the Camilla and Marc show at Australian Fashion Week. There’s something electric about the fashion industry and I felt it for the first time then.
And your worst fashion mistake? Pretty much any school formal I went to I was wearing something too short, too tight, platform stilettos, a smoky eye … It was more is more.
A diamond necklace from Jessica McCormack is top of Gabriella Pereira’s wish list.
Is there a current trend you like? I love the spectacle of fashion but I try to be blind to trends. I’m anti-waste; when I buy something, it’s to keep forever. Also, I get turned off an item if I see it everywhere.
What’s at the top of your wish list? I turn 30 next year and I’d love a special watch, a 1980s Rolex “Day-Date” with black face, President band and diamond markers. And before I die, I want to buy myself a button-back diamond necklace from Jessica McCormack.
Is there anything you would never wear? I have a problem with purple. I can’t wear it, my skin crawls.
What shoes do you wear most often? Black Adidas “Sambas”.
What do you sleep in? Organic cotton T-shirts that have left the daytime rotation.
Who is your favourite fashion icon? Fran Lebowitz has unwavering certainty in her sense of style. It’s chic and timeless with zero consideration of trends. A strong blazer and denim combo is also my everyday uniform.
What do you wear on a typical working day? Our relaxed pleat trouser with a shirt or Jac + Jack knit, a blazer and sneakers.
What’s your favourite, off-duty casual Sunday look? A big shirt and shorts. Sunday is a regain and realign day; it usually involves an afternoon trip to the pub.
Gabriella Pereira is the creative director of Beare Park.
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