Style Shrine of the Week

‘I don't want to be cool, I want to be fashion,’ says Anna Dello Russo. A sentence which is so true to who she is. Living in a fantasy fashion land, she is known for her fearless dedication to the industry. Not only an icon...but a ‘fashion maniac’, waltzing from runway to runway with her statement outfits which are probably as important as the fashion weeks themselves.  

She’s currently the editor at large for Japanese Vogue, an enthusiastic blogger and after six years at L'Uomo Vogue, she’s created a brand in the most inspiring way.  You can see her being chased by photographers outside a show in Paris or Milan. Fashion shows seem to be her extreme catwalk as she sports straight-from-the-runway outfits making Anna one of fashion's biggest icons.  She faithfully recreates designer looks precisely as seen on the catwalks. I can't help it but I think she's fabulous.  Like myself, she’s a fashion obsessive compulsive (a sickness she realised aged 12) and is never going to go to therapy for it. She quotes, ‘Reality for me is too tough. Fashion is an escape. Is my addiction! Is better than drugs.’  Likewise Anna...likewise.

Born in the Italian provincial town of Bari in 1962, she studied history of art then went to Milan to do a fashion masters under designer Gianfranco Ferrè, and then got a job at Italian Vogue. She lives with her dog, Cucciolina and the DOG is better dressed than most human beings.  I repeat the dog is probably better dressed than you.  She’s modelled for the Lanvin/H&M fashion show in New York, and for Giles Deacon's Emanuel Ungaro.

Admittedly her style is bold....probably not appreciated by ‘normal’ people.  But I applaud her uniqueness. Each ensemble is like a theatrical performance. You have to have a strong personality to wear those extravagant outfits-she’s rarely ever seen in black.  I mean she once wore a watermelon on her head; she loves fruit fascinators- very ballsy. She’s rocked ostrich, sequins, furs, gold leather tassles, organza often at the same time. The 50 year old Italian eccentric gives her outfits life which is far more interesting than any model could achieve.  Whereas most fashion editors, Wintour and Roitfield, are mysterious and controlled, she couldn’t be more opposite. She always looks relaxed and looks like she’s having fun, constantly laughing and wildly waving at photographers and her fans.  Her upfront character is definitely one of her best qualities.  Maybe it's because of her personality, it’s why I adore her. Check out her style tips-they always make me smile. If you read her blog, she’s hilarious; the quotes have had me laughing out loud as it’s what I’m secretly thinking. When she divorced her husband, he said 'Too much clothes, in your house!' He said to me: 'Where is the space for me?' I said: 'There is no space for you.' He says: 'Where is the space in the closet?' There is no space in the closet! He says: 'Are you crazy?' Then he left. No space for him!’HAHAHA I agree....I would have done exactly the same. She has launched a perfume called 'The scent of Anna Dello Russo'-very few people could get away with that.

 

Dello Russo has been collecting clothes for 20 years, she owns more than 4,000 pairs of shoes (WOW) and her wardrobe is a climate-controlled second apartment next door to her home in Milan. Two apartments? STILL NO ROOM FOR A HUSBAND? CLIMATE CONTROLLED! What a dream. See... I knew my dream wardrobe which has to be fireproof, scan fingerprints and someone be able survive natural disasters was not nuts.  

Known to change five times a day, probably only beaten by fashion editor Isabella Blow, who once changed clothes seven times in a single day. Anna Dello Russo is very rarely in the same outfit- maybe once she wore a little Fausto Puglisi number in New York with Karolina Kurkova four times. That was a rare occurrence.  Let’s not forget each dress is probably at minimum, £10,000. The best thing about her is she‘s not afraid to wear things mostly used at night in the day.  Somehow she makes crazy avant garde dresses look as easy to wear as a t-shirt. She began gaining a profile in 2006 through the Sartorialist.com as it made a regular feature of her style. She likes gold trimmed matador coats, has worn neo-Versace prints, flouncy and structured skirts, feathery and organza cocktail dresses accessorised with pink cat's-eye sunglasses and multicoloured heels. Whilst she often embodies Balmain or D&G she doesn’t shy from newer designers. Remember this is all as daywear but this all looks effortless. Incredible. Anna dello Russo... you are a God send.