A capsule wardrobe in five steps with Tiany Kiriloff
BUY BETTER
WITH XANDRES & TIANY KIRILOFF
Inconsiderate purchases, stuffed closets and discarding items instead of repairing them: these are absolute no-gos for our environmental impact. More conscious shopping is essential to counter that, and the key to that lies in choosing long-lasting clothing that is high quality, timeless and versatile—in other words, slow fashion. Buy less, but better. Where to begin? Xandres ambassador Tiany Kiriloff offers some tips for making the right choices and putting together your own capsule wardrobe.
Q&A WITH TIANY
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BUYING HABITS?
“I'm not really a lavish buyer; I shop very consciously. I ask myself the following questions: What exactly do I need? Can I combine this in multiple ways and wear it for multiple occasions? Something will usually have been on my wish list for a long time before I actually buy it. I also browse online first to see where I can find the item, then try it on and buy it in the store.”
HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY QUALITY IN A GARMENT?
“I can tell by the feel of the fabric immediately. When in doubt, just look at the label: is it a nice, high-quality material, or is it polyester or some other synthetic fabric? I always try to avoid those. A high-quality garment is always a bit more expensive, but if you make a thoughtful purchase, it is well worth it. Consider the cost per wear: a quality €300 blazer that you wear 100 times will effectively cost you €3 per wear. A €40 synthetic blazer that loses its shape after being worn twice will cost you €20 per wear.”
AS A FASHION ICON, YOU MUST HAVE AN OVERFLOWING CLOSET; WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE CLOTHES YOU NO LONGER WEAR?
“I have collected quite a bit over the years, and for a long time, I struggled to part with items I don't wear enough. Lately, I have been trying to improve in this area, and I am passing on a lot to my daughters and family members. I also regularly hold closet sales, and I donate some of the proceeds to charity.”
HOW DO YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF A GARMENT?
“I don't think in outfits, but look at my items as ‘crossovers’ and constantly put together new looks with them. For example, I wear the blue velvet suit with a silk blouse and loafers for an office look, and I wear the blazer as a top with a pair of heels underneath for a party. I can wear the pants with a casual sweater, and the blazer is also perfect with jeans or a dress. Maintenance is also very important. I wash very carefully at 30 degrees, and I use a steamer to freshen up my most delicate pieces.”
THE CAPSULE WARDROBE
A downsized, well-organised wardrobe made up of high-quality items that complement each other and last for years: a capsule wardrobe is the key to structure, reduced choice overload and lowering your environmental impact. Minimalist key pieces that you can continuously rotate, complemented by a few signature pieces to ensure your own style.
A CAPSULE WARDROBE MEANS SOMETHING ELSE FOR EVERYONE. WHAT DOES YOURS LOOK LIKE?
“Xandres has the perfect capsule items. Quality pieces that can be worn throughout the year are indispensable to me: a good pair of jeans, a white and a gray T-shirt, a cashmere sweater, and a nice suit because you can combine it in many different ways. A beige wool coat that goes with everything is also essential, as is a timeless blazer. Xandres items like this are simply top-notch, and will be as relevant ten years from now as they are today. I keep prints to a minimum in my capsule wardrobe, but a timeless leopard, plaid and pied-de-poule are classics that never go out of style, so they definitely belong there. My tip: use accessories to make your capsule looks look different every time!”
A CAPSULE WARDROBE IN FIVE STEPS
#1 DECLUTTER
Go through your wardrobe regularly and remove any items you no longer wear. Give them a second life by donating or selling them second-hand.
#2 DETERMINE YOUR KEY ITEMS
Stay true to your own style! If you love colour and prints, adopt a few signature shades that you can combine with each other, and choose timeless prints that never go out of style. Select multifunctional items that can be styled for different occasions.
#3 ANALYSE WHAT YOU ARE STILL MISSING
If your selection is incomplete, make a thoughtful list of essential items that would complete your capsule wardrobe, and then supplement your closet with quality pieces that you can combine well.
#4 THINK IN LAYERS, NOT IN SEASONS
For example, a summer dress can be worn through to the end of fall by pairing it with a wool sweater or coat and a pair of boots. It's all about layering!
#5 CARE FOR YOUR CLOTHES
A steamer for your delicate pieces, a depiller for your sweaters, washing less often and drying properly: taking good care of your clothes is the key to making them last a long time!
Want to know more about how Xandres is lowering its impact on the environment?
Find out in our brand new sustainability report.
BUY BETTER
WITH XANDRES & TIANY KIRILOFF
Inconsiderate purchases, stuffed closets and discarding items instead of repairing them: these are absolute no-gos for our environmental impact. More conscious shopping is essential to counter that, and the key to that lies in choosing long-lasting clothing that is high quality, timeless and versatile—in other words, slow fashion. Buy less, but better. Where to begin? Xandres ambassador Tiany Kiriloff offers some tips for making the right choices and putting together your own capsule wardrobe.
Q&A WITH TIANY
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BUYING HABITS?
“I'm not really a lavish buyer; I shop very consciously. I ask myself the following questions: What exactly do I need? Can I combine this in multiple ways and wear it for multiple occasions? Something will usually have been on my wish list for a long time before I actually buy it. I also browse online first to see where I can find the item, then try it on and buy it in the store.”
HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY QUALITY IN A GARMENT?
“I can tell by the feel of the fabric immediately. When in doubt, just look at the label: is it a nice, high-quality material, or is it polyester or some other synthetic fabric? I always try to avoid those. A high-quality garment is always a bit more expensive, but if you make a thoughtful purchase, it is well worth it. Consider the cost per wear: a quality €300 blazer that you wear 100 times will effectively cost you €3 per wear. A €40 synthetic blazer that loses its shape after being worn twice will cost you €20 per wear.”
AS A FASHION ICON, YOU MUST HAVE AN OVERFLOWING CLOSET; WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE CLOTHES YOU NO LONGER WEAR?
“I have collected quite a bit over the years, and for a long time, I struggled to part with items I don't wear enough. Lately, I have been trying to improve in this area, and I am passing on a lot to my daughters and family members. I also regularly hold closet sales, and I donate some of the proceeds to charity.”
HOW DO YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF A GARMENT?
“I don't think in outfits, but look at my items as ‘crossovers’ and constantly put together new looks with them. For example, I wear the blue velvet suit with a silk blouse and loafers for an office look, and I wear the blazer as a top with a pair of heels underneath for a party. I can wear the pants with a casual sweater, and the blazer is also perfect with jeans or a dress. Maintenance is also very important. I wash very carefully at 30 degrees, and I use a steamer to freshen up my most delicate pieces.”
THE CAPSULE WARDROBE
A downsized, well-organised wardrobe made up of high-quality items that complement each other and last for years: a capsule wardrobe is the key to structure, reduced choice overload and lowering your environmental impact. Minimalist key pieces that you can continuously rotate, complemented by a few signature pieces to ensure your own style.
A CAPSULE WARDROBE MEANS SOMETHING ELSE FOR EVERYONE. WHAT DOES YOURS LOOK LIKE?
“Xandres has the perfect capsule items. Quality pieces that can be worn throughout the year are indispensable to me: a good pair of jeans, a white and a gray T-shirt, a cashmere sweater, and a nice suit because you can combine it in many different ways. A beige wool coat that goes with everything is also essential, as is a timeless blazer. Xandres items like this are simply top-notch, and will be as relevant ten years from now as they are today. I keep prints to a minimum in my capsule wardrobe, but a timeless leopard, plaid and pied-de-poule are classics that never go out of style, so they definitely belong there. My tip: use accessories to make your capsule looks look different every time!”
A CAPSULE WARDROBE IN FIVE STEPS
#1 DECLUTTER
Go through your wardrobe regularly and remove any items you no longer wear. Give them a second life by donating or selling them second-hand.
#2 DETERMINE YOUR KEY ITEMS
Stay true to your own style! If you love colour and prints, adopt a few signature shades that you can combine with each other, and choose timeless prints that never go out of style. Select multifunctional items that can be styled for different occasions.
#3 ANALYSE WHAT YOU ARE STILL MISSING
If your selection is incomplete, make a thoughtful list of essential items that would complete your capsule wardrobe, and then supplement your closet with quality pieces that you can combine well.
#4 THINK IN LAYERS, NOT IN SEASONS
For example, a summer dress can be worn through to the end of fall by pairing it with a wool sweater or coat and a pair of boots. It's all about layering!
#5 CARE FOR YOUR CLOTHES
A steamer for your delicate pieces, a depiller for your sweaters, washing less often and drying properly: taking good care of your clothes is the key to making them last a long time!
Want to know more about how Xandres is lowering its impact on the environment?
Find out in our brand new sustainability report.