Inside Her Closet: Kahlana Barfield

I'm always fascinated and inspired by women who live life on their own terms. Featured is one such woman, Kahlana Barfield, an editor at Instyle Magazine. Here, we get a peek inside her closet, as she shares some of her favorite pieces and beauty items.

Kahlana Barfield - Editor-At-Large, Fashion and Beauty, Instyle. New York

“Initially I really wanted to major in fashion merchandising but I knew my parents would never pay for that. But I always loved to write, so I thought I would major in journalism and minor in fashion, and that’s exactly what I did. I was always an avid magazine reader. I had Vogue, InStyle, ELLE — I had subscriptions all through college and I knew I wanted to write about fashion.”

Blazer, Balmain; Jeans, NSF

“My job is like a slow roller coaster ride; every day is so different, which makes it so amazing. You don’t ever really get stagnant. One day I'm in Nice on a press trip, the next day I’m at a photo shoot, the next day I'm in the market running around to beauty appointments. Everyday there’s exciting things in my job and every day is different, which keeps me interested because you never really know what to expect. Being able to travel the world for different things is always fun.”

“My engagement ring is definitely the most sentimental piece in my closet. My fiancé had it made by the designer Alexandra Mor last year and it’s just so special, it's so different. I didn’t want anything cookie cutter or traditional. He worked with her and designed it and no one has anything like it. It’s a yellow diamond with gold because all my jewelry is gold. It’s such a part of my look now. So much love went into it and he wanted to make sure I loved it. I knew how much effort he put into and it and that’s the most special.”

L to R. Rings, Cartier, Unknown Designer, Alexandra Mor

“I always have [in my makeup bag] a red lipstick — I'm kind of red lip girl, it’s so easy, especially when you wear so much black it can really dress it up. I have either MAC in Ruby Woo or NARS Velvet Matte Lip in Dragon Girl — those are my two favorites. I always have a white nail polish, Essie Blanc and keep it in my bag just incase my nail polish chips so I can touch it up easily. I always have my iPhone and Beats by Dre headphones.”

L to R. Marc Jacobs, Marni, Dior

Shoes, Christian Louboutin; Fur, Coach; Bag, Tom Ford; Sunglasses, Prada

“I’ve been collecting the Hermès collier de chien bracelets. My friend bought my first one for my birthday many years ago. From then on, every year I started buying myself one. But sometimes they are very hard to get because they don’t always have them in store. It came to the point where the salespeople had my phone number and when they would get a new color, they would call me so I could run over to Madison Avenue and get it. I've been collecting them for maybe 10 years, they are kind of like my armor. The black and gold one is my favorite because I wear so much black. Sometimes the others are kind of abandoned.”

All, Various Designers

“In the morning, I'm usually in a rush. I usually use a cream cleanser to wash my face (because at night I'm usually using a gel cleanser that takes off my makeup). Then I use La Mer Crème cleanser followed with La Mer concentrate serum. I put on my sunscreen, which took me years to start doing. I always thought I was immune to the sun. After sunscreen I put on Lancôme foundation, some Benefit ‘They’re Bent’ mascara, a red lip, and a little bit of bronzer and I’m out the door. I can do all this in 5 minutes. I’m always in a rush — it’s that New York thing.”

“I probably have every single Christian Louboutin Pigalle pump. They are just classics, so I have maybe 15 pairs. Black suede, black patent leather, black leather, nude suede, nude leather… it’s just those shoes you can always wear. A clean fit, it’s sexy, it looks good with a slouchy pant, but it also looks good with a tight mini skirt.”

Shoes, Christian Louboutin; Bracelet, Hermès

Sunglasses, Various Designers

Gloves, 3.1 Phillip Lim; Bracelet, Balenciaga

Hat, Rag & Bone

Bracelets, Hermès

Shoes, Givenchy; Eye Mask, Bottega Veneta

“I think probably my biggest splurge was actually when I was an assistant. I wasn’t making a lot of money. It was my birthday and it was this Gucci skirt, I think it was $3,000 dollars so I completely blew the bank. But I wanted this skirt so bad. And I still have this skirt to this day and I still love it. It was definitely a statement piece, I was going to wear on my birthday and I did whatever I had to to get that skirt. I've definitely spent more now but at that time it was even more inappropriate.”

Shoes, Christian Louboutin

“I have a lot of unique CHANEL bags that I love. I feel like CHANEL bags are like wine, they just get better with age. The more you wear them, the better they look. The oldest ones are the most special to me because I think they look the best when they are worn in a little bit. My style naturally has a little bit of an androgynous feel to it. I usually always have a CHANEL bag, because it’s very dainty, on to balance out the androgyny.”

Bag, CHANEL

Shoes, Alaïa

Bags, CHANEL; Sunglasses, Fendi

Clockwise. Wallets, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander Wang, Yves Saint Laurent, Tom Ford

“The best career advice I have ever received is figure out what you're passionate about and give it 100%. Don't waist time dabbling in things you don't love. And surround yourself with goal-driven people: Eagles don't flock with pigeons—they don't fly high enough.”

L to R. Jackets, Burberry, Prada, 3.1 Philip Lim

Shoes, Givenchy; Jacket, Vika Gazinskaya

Jacket, Balmain; Shoes, Christian Louboutin; Bag, CHANEL

On the emoji that best describes her…“The girl with the red dress on! She is spinning and twirling on everybody, that’s how I am all day. That’s my kicker, that’s how I sign off.”

Collar, Marni; Jeans, Diesel; Sunglasses, Grey Ant; Bracelets, Céline, Jennifer Meyer, Hermès

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Inside Her Closet: Susie Lau

A prominent fixture at the various fashion weeks, Susie Lau is known for her love of  printed and embellished items. Here, she gives us a peek inside her closet, as she shares some of her favorite pieces.

Susie Lau

, Blogger; Freelance Writer. London

"I’m lacking in space in my apartment so Ikea came to the rescue with their STOLMEN system, which basically means you construct your own open closet. I’ve become the unofficial STOLMEN spokesperson because I love it so much. That said, I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve probably outgrown the rails and shelves. Currently, there is no real system of organization other than if I see a smidgen of space, I’ll cram it in there."

Dress, Opening Ceremony x Tron; Shoes, Y-3; Sunglasses, Karen Walker

"People often comment on the sheer oddness of my shoe collection. I don’t seem to own an average pair of pumps or a pair of 'sensible' shoes. I have an addiction to interesting flats at the moment—the stranger, the better. Nicholas Kirkwood does good lace-ups and I’m getting back into my Nikes, something I thought I weaned myself off when I was a teen."

"I’ll admit there are a few pairs here that aren’t really possible for daily wear. There’s an old pair of Basso & Brooke shoes here that are impossibly high but have a really beautiful carved heel. I don’t want to say I collect shoes as 'art'. Shoes are definitely meant to be worn, but I think my tendency to go for statement pieces inevitably means that a few pairs might be left to gather dust on the shelves. They’re for ungrateful future kids and grandkids, who will eventually roll their eyes at all my crap."

"The boots are by a young fashion graduate, who competed in China’s version of Project Runway with a collection inspired by tin toys, and these beaded Timberlands were part of that. These do verge on the wrong side of the ridiculous but I love that they even exist on this planet."

Jacket, Suno; Shoes, Xiao Li

"This dress is one of her earlier pieces and it’s something that I’ve probably over-worn, just because I love it so much. It’s one of those pieces that can be dressy-dressy or casualified."

Dress, Mary Katrantzou; Shoes, J.W. Anderson

Top, Matthew Harding; Shoes, Nicholas Kirkwood x Rodarte

"The oxfords are something I picked up in a Rag Tag in Tokyo—it’s such an awesome designer consignment store. I seem to gravitate towards one-off samples in shoes. Sample sales are my favorite haunt for shoes that never made it to the shop floor. My feet can be anything from a U.K. 4 to 7, depending on the sample."

L to R. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik x Michael Angel, Luella

Shoes, Nicholas Kirkwood x Peter Pilotto; Sunglasses, Karen Walker

Shoes, Nicholas Kirkwood x Erdem

"The satin heels were meant for his S/S '12 show, but in the end, he decided to use the pool sandals that you see on the right. I think it was a good call but I couldn’t resist the pretty satin when I saw them at the sample sale (which is legendary in London)."

All, Christopher Kane

"I love that Lulu Kennedy (who is known as the fashion fairy godmother of London) has started her own label, reviving old designs from ex-Fashion East alumni. The shoes - I’m NOT a designer by any stretch of the imagination but it was definitely a dream to design my fantasy heels. They’re pretty horrific looking to most people but again, I love that I can walk for miles in them whilst being super tall."

L to R. Shoes, Six London x Susie Lau, Nicholas Kirkwood; Dress, Lulu + Co. x Louise Gray

"It was a stroke of genius to combine the air soles of a sneaker with a loafer. I call them loakers. Strangely, everyone from old men to middle-aged women to teenagers ask me about these shoes. Guess they’re after the comfort factor. I struggle to tie a pretty bow with these sandals but I like the excess use of grosgrain ribbon, a material that I can’t get enough of in accessories."

L to R. Shoes, J.W. Anderson, Bruno Frisoni

"These shoes were made for a special POP Magazine pop-up shop in Selfridges when Katie Grand was still helming the magazine."

Clutch, Lulu Guinness; Shoes, Miu Miu x POP

"Versace very cleverly revived their archive prints in anticipation of the H&M collaboration. I’ve got a few vintage Versace print pieces so this revived shirt slots right into that mini-collection."

Skirt, Louise Gray: Shirt, Vintage Versace

"The pink leather cage skirt is by a designer Angie Johnson from a label called I Heart Norwegian Wood (based in Montreal). We met through Etsy, and she’s been a really amazing supporter of the blog."

Skirt, I Heart Norwegian Wood; Visor, Fleet Ilya

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Inside Her Closet

Celebrity Stylist and Designer, June Ambrose, is one of my favorite "women of style." I look forward to seeing her unique style, captured during New York Fashion Week, and other events around the city. To get a peek inside her closet, is like icing on the cake! Here, she shares with The Coveteur, her love of shoes and more.

Dress, Dries Van Noten; Turban, Prada

My closet is designed by color and hanging items by silhouette. Day and night frocks live separately.

A bag should not only reflect your lifestyle but also have so much character that you dare not throw it away, ever.

Headpiece, Maison Michel; Necklace, Lulu Frost

Shoes, Prada

I love my mink Fendi purse. It was a sample that was not produced and I bought it from the showroom years ago. I wouldn’t ever dare to tell anyone how much I paid for it!!

Bag, Fendi;

My Prada obsession goes back many years. Miuccia has a way of making something old look new. I love the vintage high fashion aesthetic and I tend to use them more in editorial that music videos. They tell a better story in print and on the streets.

Bag, Goyard; Grey Shoes, Prada; Red Shoes, Prada; Magenta Shoes, Miu Miu

These are my running shoes, lol. I’m vertically challenged and my kids are catching up to me in height so when I wear my CL’s they take me seriously.

All, Christian Louboutin

L to R. Shoes, Yves Saint Laurent, Alaïa, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Louboutin; Cuffs, Hermès

When I saw the Oxford skate shoes I was immediately obsessed. So I promptly bought the knee-high version too. I love the audacity of Dean and Dan. The Skeleton heel boots wear made for me. When they saw me in them they immediately sent a note –great friends to have those two.

Shoes, DSquared, Versace, and Brian Atwood

This bag has a home in my closet for life. Its deco design and rich fabric makes it timeless. Unlike my beaded Fendi baguettes this bag can stand the test of time.

Bag, Fendi; Shoes, Céline; Bracelet, Vita Fede

Fur, Versace; Shoes, Alaïa

I’m a mood dresser: I don’t plan my looks the night before because I’m driven by the spirit of the sunrise. Some days I’m feeling sporty or sassy, some days it’s sexy or maybe even preppy.

Shoes, Rodarte; Jacket, Dolce + Gabbana

I was born in frames. I started collecting vintage ones in junior high school; it was my version of make up for when I was too young to wear it but needed something to upstage my face when I had problem skin. For me, the more eccentric the better. My grandmother used to wear Pucci and Portobello frames that I kidnapped and I recently designed my own collection with Selima Optiques. It was the most organic collaboration ever. 

I did, we call it our little cave. It’s kid friendly, it’s designed for intimate family time, bar dining table and a living den filled with pillows to cuddle and catch up. My better half loves pop art and I love Asian inspired artifacts. We really need more wall space for his art collection, and more book shelves for my fashion books. I live for modern retro future and Dwell Studio does it so well. They have great things for kids rooms and chic accessories at truly reasonable price.

Bag, Louis Vuitton; Leopard Print Shoes, Miu Miu

Shoes, Charlotte Olympia

I’ve been a fan of Brian Atwood for years; his shoes have been fashionably comfortable from the beginning. I’ve enjoyed watching his brand and collection grow.

Shoes, Brian Atwood

I bought my first cuff 13 years ago, and it was actually in Canada! When they refused to ship it to me because it was an exotic skin I flew over to buy it. I love the edgy yet classy feeling of the cuffs and brand. It used to be an understated status symbol, but now that I have so many, it’s far from understated.

Cuffs, Hermès

Photos: thecoveteur.com