The Style Series: Lolita Jacobs

Lolita Jacobs, who cut her teeth at Chloé and Courrèges before opening her own creative agency, Jacobs+Talbourdet-Napoleone, in 2018, may be best known, sartorially speaking, for a certain pared-back Parisienne aesthetic, but closer inspection reveals that the creative director, and L’Etiquette fashion director’s Jane Birkin-esque ensembles often come with an element of the unexpected, be it layers of beads and pearls or a classic coat cut from leopard-printed ponyhair. As she puts it, “I like to be noticed by the details.” Below, Jacobs discusses her wardrobe foundations, greatest vintage finds, and more.

How would you describe your style?

I would describe my style as classic and eccentric. I’m drawn to pieces that will last and that I will wear for a long time. I never shop at any fast fashion store—not because I’m a snob, but because I just like things to stay longer with me. I’m rather into minimal colors—white, blue, black, beige—everything kind of blends in together… I know it sounds a bit uptight, but I unconsciously manage to be a bit color-coordinated.

Maybe I was a bit more experimental when I was younger in terms of colors and shapes, but, the more I mature, I see that I’m more and more drawn to some sort of uniform. I’m always obsessed with a good suit, shirt, lace-up shoe, high-waisted pants... I don’t want to say [my style is] masculine because I don’t like to define style by gender, but it’s true that I borrow a lot of elements from the masculine vestiaire. My main inspiration is Diane Keaton in her Annie Hall era.

The reason why I say ‘eccentric’ is that I think I come from a family of eccentrics, and the real definition that I gathered from that was to always be different in terms of how I think, to always question things and not go in the same direction philosophically. When I was younger, my mother was dressing me in leopard tights and completely different colors for school. We were always wearing things that were made by her; it was an interesting mix of pieces that had a lot of eccentricity and wit. So, I think there is always a twist in what I wear today, be it my necklaces, my rings, or a little color here and there. I like to be noticed by the details.

What are your wardrobe essentials?

I’m mostly in pants and wear a lot of high-waisted trousers and denim by Redone, which recycles old Levi’s to give them the perfect modern fit. I don’t like anything too low-rise because I like when my legs look long.

I also am a big searcher for the perfect T-shirt; I love to have a T-shirt that’s the right cotton, that’s lived-in, that has a good color… I love Velva Sheen’s shirts. In the winter, I wear long sleeve T-shirts all the time—it’s really my uniform—and, in the summer, it’s mostly white tank tops and T-shirts. I share a lot of them with my husband; we dress the same, so we exchange a lot of clothes.

Why are you drawn to vintage?

I like when clothes have a history. It moves me to think that what I’m wearing has had a life before me, that someone else paid attention to it and repaired it… I don’t feel very comfortable when I wear super close-fitting clothes; I like when the silhouette is a bit more straight. Old Alaia and Saint Laurent work really well for me.

How did you first become interested in vintage?

My grandmother had an incredible vestiaire. I was the only one in my family interested in it, which was lucky for me. I was always going into her wardrobe and dressing up in old Karl Lagerfeld for Chloe and Ungaro or old finds from her travels in Dakar or South America. They were not necessarily designer or fancy pieces, but she had a lot of taste. I inherited pieces from her, and I’m still borrowing clothes from my mother today. My love of vintage is partly because of these women I grew up with; they didn’t want to throw anything away, so I was always in the middle of a lot of clothes that were there for many years.

What do you collect now?

I have a lot of old Pucci jackets and long dresses. I’m obsessed with the prints and feel that they bring a lot of joy to my wardrobe, which is funny as my actual style is way more toned-down. Otherwise, I’m always looking for a nice Hermès bag that I can repair or reshape or give a little cream massage to make the leather a bit better. I seem to have developed an obsession for camel-colored bags; I got a few on Resee actually. I’m always looking for different models. That’s my thing.

How do you incorporate vintage into your wardrobe?

Vintage is part of my every day. I don’t wear it head-to-toe; I mix everything. I still wear a lot of Céline by Phoebe Philo. It never gets old, and every time I wear one of her archival pieces it is still accurate with today.

What’s your greatest vintage find?

Recently, I found a Hermès Plume bag that I absolutely love, and I paired it with an Hermès strap of the same color that I found in Milan. Another one of my great vintage finds is an old Prada coat in printed leopard ponyskin. I know it’s a bit controversial, but I love it so much that I even wear it in my house.

What’s a piece you will never give up?

My Alaia wedding dress, which is a white shirt with a slightly longer pleated back. I saw it and instantly thought it was going to be the dress. I didn’t even try it on until the very day.

Do you have any style rules?

I don’t like to show the strap of my bra, but I don’t really have any do’s and don’ts because I think everything comes back. I used to be completely against mules, and now I love them. I hate platforms and heels, but I have amazing ones in my cupboard that maybe I’ll bring back. I think everybody is doing their best. Working at l’Etiquette, I’ve learned to look at and appreciate a lot of different styles. I think everyone is a bit of a connoisseur in their own taste.

What’s in your styling kit?

When I do style, I have a lot of necklaces in my kit because it’s a bit of a signature for my own style. I have a lot of chains, pearls, beads… I always have a trinket somewhere.

As told to Zoe Ruffner

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