Style & People

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• December 15, 2006
• My Style

My Style: Jessie Randall

The shoe and handbag designer divulges a few of her personal style secrets. By Christene Barberich

Much like her delicately restrained line of footwear, Loeffler Randall, designer Jessie Randall has the kind of quiet style that resonates. "Our line is about an understated elegance and clean, modern design," she says from her Brooklyn apartment. Last year, following the swift success of her 2-year-old shoe line, Randall added handbags to her repertoire of accessories.

"I wanted to create a bag line that was interesting and compelling without being overdone," she says. "When I sat down to design this collection, it seemed like there were so many bags on the market with lots of hardware: buckles, rivets, grommets. I wanted to design something covetable but without [too many] bells and whistles. The Hattie bag was our first design, a satchel in woven or plain Italian deerskin, and it has become the signature of the collection." Passing over the classic noir lining, aka the Black Hole interiors of bags, all of Randall's designs come lined in a cheerful pale gold metallic—a private treat for the wearer alone.

Both collections are continuing to grow and evolve, however, it's Randall's own stylish manner that serves as the aesthetic starting point of the label. Refinery29 checked in with Randall about the fashion commandments that dictate her personal look.

1. A Clean Aesthetic.
"I really like to wear clothes that are clean and modern. I tend to prefer solid colors as opposed to prints. Some of my favorite lines are Geren Ford, Leafe Machinist, A.P.C., labels that create classic pieces that are simple, elegant, and unique."

A.P.C. fall/winter 2006 lookbook

2. Flats.
"I love wearing ballet flats and flat boots like our Matilde design. Flats are great for walking around all day, especially in a city like New York, and they're perfect for dressing down the mod A-line dresses I've been wearing lately, too."

Loeffler Randall Matilde boots

3. Downtown Elegance.
"My style is clean and tasteful, but also very young and downtown. I live in Brooklyn and work in SoHo, and my style reflects that. I may wear a pretty dress, but my look is never completely girly. I like to add some more masculine elements, too—like the green army jacket that I wear practically every day of the week."

Lover spring/summer 2007 lookbook

4. Jewelry with Sentimental Meaning.
"I wear very minimal jewelry—no earrings or bracelets—but I love to wear necklaces with charms that have special meaning for me. My favorites are a little gold Chihuahua charm my friend gave me for Christmas, my grandmother's emerald-and-diamond eye snake ring worn on a necklace, and the rose-gold necklace my husband had made for me by my friend, jewelry designer Poornima Dasgupta."

Poornima Gasgupta rose gold, pink sapphire, and diamond neklace

5. Icons.
"There are so many women whose style I admire. I've always been obsessed with Mia Farrow and Catherine Deneuve—women whose style is understated, feminine, and incredibly alluring. Lately, I've been inspired by the films The Bride Wore Black and Darling. Both of the heroines in these films have huge wardrobes of gorgeous, simple pieces—but always with a twist like a simple black dress with giant bow cascading down the back. It's not just about the clothes and accessories in these films, it's about the way they are worn and how these actresses pull them off."

Poster for The Bride Wore Black

The shoe and handbag designer divulges a few of her personal style secrets.

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