Style Insider: Fashion Blogger LornaLuxe

Last month DONNA IDA teamed up with London based fashion blogger LornaLuxe to introduce our latest collection of denim inspired looks. We caught up with the busy  fashionista, and her camera, to find out about her fashion week highlights, her style inspiration, but most importantly how she takes such great photos.

LornaLuxe wears IDA Tied up in Africa blouse and IDA Ella Skirt donnaida.com

LornaLuxe wears IDA Tied up in Africa Blouse and IDA Ella Skirt

DONNA IDA: Where are you from and where did you grow up?

I'm a northerner, from a little suburb of Greater Manchester called Trafford. It's where I grew up and where I got my first brownie badge - out and about. I've been out and about ever since.

DONNA IDA: How did you get started in the fashion world? 

I don't think I can pin point my initiation. My early twenties were sartorially hedonistic, I was working for Virgin Atlantic as a hostie, travelling the globe dressed in togs I picked up along the way. Leaving that career and landing in reality was probably the reason I began blogging about my outfits, I suppose I was trying to figure out how to dress for the city I lived in.

DONNA IDA: What inspired you to start your blog LornaLuxe?

Initially I was inspired by instagram. There I would post my outfits and new purchases, and quickly I befriended a small but super inspiring network of likeminded show-offs. I think the alliances I formed gave me the confidence to grow and seek out a bolder platform to be creative. One night and a wordpress fight later lornaluxe.com was born.

DONNA IDA: What are your tips for taking a great photo?

I always seek out natural daylight. Whether it's a table of food or a flat-lay of clothes I take it from above - the most pleasing angle to the eye. I always try to include something personal - a pair of sunnies, a handbag to make the pic my own. My new thing is increasing the contrast to a pic when I edit. Instagram, has some great editing tools in it's app I swear by.

LornaLuxe wears IDA Mrs Thatcher blouse and IDA Ramona Culotte Pinafore donnaida.com

LornaLuxe wears IDA Mrs Thatcher Blouse and IDA Ramona Culotte Pinafore

LornaLuxe wears IDA Honor jeans in Grease and Outback denim shirt donnaida.com

LornaLuxe wears IDA Honor Jeans in Grease and Outback Denim Shirt

DONNA IDA: Tell us about Fashion Week; what are your show highlights, what are you looking forward to and what are your survival tips?

Now that LFW has relocated to a car-park my highlights/I survived moments; a Ham Yard Mojito, a Cafe Royal croque monsieur and plentiful Ottolenghi hoovering at Nopi in Golden Square. But in all seriousness, I was smitten with the fuzzy 'summer fur' at House of Holland. I like a trend I can wear immediately and the faux fur party has started well and truly this season.

DONNA IDA: What are your wardrobe essentials and how do you wear your jeans?

Essentially a perfect fit blazer with everything. Dresses, skirts, tailored pants and of course denim on repeat. I wear a boxy blazer with a high waisted rizzo and a basic tee. Tassled loafer for day, totally vertiginous court at night.

DONNA IDA: Why do you think jeans are such an iconic item?

I think the off-duty appeal of denim makes it versatile and easy. Each pair takes on a personality, it weathers and rips and kind of becomes one of the family. It's this attribute that I think has given it cult status.

DONNA IDA: Which are your favourite jeans from our shoot and why?

It's a Sophies Choice between the high-waisted skinny Rizzo which creates the perfect silhouette and the Margo culotte - a vehicle for showing off my statement booties.

DONNA IDA: Who is your denim icon?

I look to modern day muses like Sarah Harris and Leandra Medine. They style up such a variety of denim but always in their own effortless way, and always with an unexpected twist which I find utterly inspiring.

DONNA IDA: Where in the world are girls best dressed? What kind of style do you admire?

Paris. They nail it overall. The Parisian style is a little safer which I think keeps the element of failure to a minimum. In London anything goes, and that can sometimes be great and sometimes god awful.

LornaLuxe wears IDA Miss Maggie blouse and IDA Honor Jeans in Foggy London donnaida.com1

LornaLuxe wears IDA Miss Maggie Blouse and IDA Honor Jeans in Foggy London

DONNA IDA: What’s your favourite restaurant?

Flavour of this month is Pont St. Leave me the last truffle-honey drizzled parmesan chunk and I'll love you forever.

DONNA IDA: Where’s your ultimate holiday destination?

This time of year I crave sun, so I'm regularly googling the Caribbean hoping to stumble on the deal of the century. I love St. Lucia for the (rum) sight seeing, Cuba for the (rum) culture and Barbados for everything (rum) else.

DONNA IDA: What is your favourite fashion magazine?

I don't collect old catalogues of Vogue so often I'll visit online editorials to get my fix. I like wearesodroee.com and dazeddigital.com if I need to feel cool.

LornaLuxe wears IDA Margot Culotte donnaida.com

LornaLuxe wears IDA Margot Culotte and Outback Denim Shirt

DONNA IDA: What do you do to keep fit?

With my current press-day diet of canapés and cocktails. I need to keep alive never mind fit.

DONNA IDA: What advice would you give to a younger you?

Go to Donna Ida and buy a decent pair of jeans. It will save you so much angst.

DONNA IDA: What’s next?

Goals include re-launching my website next month and squeezing into my Rizzo's throughout an entire carb-fuelled Christmas.

LornaLuxe wears IDA Poet Dont Know It blouse and IDA Ivy Jeans in Blackest donnaida.com

LornaLuxe wears IDA Poet Dont Know It Blouse and IDA Ivy Jeans in Blackest

With thanks to LornaLuxe

For style tips and ideas from LornaLuxe please visit  lornaluxe.com



More from Style Insider


Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published

;