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Still yet to turn 30, Ira Tassouli has already built a career out of helping brands like GANNI, A.P.C., and now Louis Vuitton not only present themselves well to the world, but also to connect with the right tastemakers. She's a talent maestro, a bona fide influence-monger, a community conjoiner — and, as a result, a kind of alpha influencer in her own right who can often be spotted in Copenhagen, Paris, and wherever else the fashion industry's moveable feast might be on any given day.
Today, as the manager of global talent relations at the biggest luxury house in the world, Tassouli steps out from behind the scenes to offer us a primer on her own personal style. As our latest "Model's Own" subject, Tassouli told us all about the "grown woman" watch she gave herself, her go-to LV bags, and her perfect airport outfit formula.
What is an item or garment that you regret having gotten rid of?
There is a pair of Dries Van Noten loafers that I sold. I don't know why, I was having a moment, and then I later repurchased them — in a different color though, if that makes any difference. I was like, you know what? I'm going back for another pair. Otherwise, I'm pretty good with getting rid of things and that being the end of it.
What's the most you've ever paid for an article of clothing or an accessory?
I think the most expensive thing that I've gotten for myself is a Cartier Panthère watch that I bought last year to celebrate a milestone. It was an “I'm an independent grown woman with adult money”-move, and I wanted to get myself this watch. And it definitely started an itch for me to continue this tradition of attaching sentimental value to objects, of connecting purchases to life moments.
Who's the most stylish person you grew up around?
I would definitely say it's my mom. Ever since I was really young, she would see things in magazines and make her own patterns and recreate what she really liked. And so, when I was a kid, I had like a fully custom wardrobe of just things that she would see and be like, “Let me make a version of this for you.” I think so much of my overall taste, not just in clothing, comes from all the things she exposed me to from a young age. She's probably one of the best-dressed people in my life.
What item do you own multiples of?
Amy, who owns Nhỏgirl in Amsterdam, is a close friend, and she recently released the Nhỏgirl Classic line, where she does streamlined basics, and they're incredible. They're made for layering, and when she did a pop-up in Paris, I bought the long sleeves in every single color. I wear them practically every single day. It's been a month or even more, and I have not stopped wearing them. I've literally just been waiting for them to restock so that I can repurchase the white one in particular, which I've worn and washed so much.
What has the algorithm recently convinced you to buy?
Something I bought recently was a pair of Thistles sunglasses. It's not necessarily the product, specifically, but the style of it. Everybody's got a pair of big aviator sunglasses, or at least I was seeing them everywhere, and eventually I felt like, “Okay, I think I want a pair." The algorithm will create a need for me to buy something, and then I'll look into what kind of version of something I want.
Tell me about your everyday bag.
I can be a fabulous corporate soldier: I actually do wear an LV bag every single day of my life, an Express bag currently. It's one of the more subtle bags that we've released lately. I have the medium size, and it fits my laptop even though it looks like it wouldn't, which is the perfect size of bag for me. It's, like, big but not gigantic. So you see it and you think, “What can she fit in there?” The answer is: a lot. I usually make it weigh about 10 kilos a day. I love her and wear her crossbody too, because I bike a lot in Paris, and we love functionality.
What's the last thing you bought in person?
I went to the store two days ago to buy a new Rimowa suitcase. And the other purchase that I did make in-store was in the US recently over the summer. If there's one thing I do when I'm in the US, it's go to multiple vintage shops and hunt and dig. I got two Ralph Lauren Made in USA vintage shirts at some secondhand store in Portland.
Are you more of an impulse shopper or deep researcher?
I wouldn't say that I'm a deep researcher, and I wouldn't call my shopping impulse either, but I would say it's like I'm somewhere in between. I'll see a movie and someone's wearing incredible jeans, or see someone outside and be like, oh, that looks great — “What would that look like within my universe and like my kind of wardrobe, myself interpreting that?” If I can think of a million ways to style this and wear something, I'll buy it. I won't put too much thought into it or be like, “Oh, let me look at other options.”
What do you wear to the airport?
I have a great airport formula: Sweatpants styled in an elevated way. This means: gray sweats with a loafer, a nice sock, and I'll do a flannel layering situation. Like a sweats by way of Ralph Lauren, let's call it. Add a cap and plus a hoodie shoved down a bag, in case.
What about your wedding guest get-up?
“Wedding guest” is more nuanced. As a person that works in the fashion industry, a lot of weddings with quite extravagant and fun dress codes happen around me. As such, I always try to just come through with something fun and playful that feels true to what the bride or groom would expect. If you tell me to dress up, I will dress up.
As a woman, if the dress code allows, something that I think is underrated is wearing a pant to a wedding, like a very chic pant look. I did that for a friend's wedding: a feathered off-shoulder top and a simple black pant and a pointed heel. If the bride and groom have something more traditional, don't challenge that. That said, I do a lot of black, which I think can be controversial because a lot of people don't like black for weddings. But I would suggest checking with the person first, if they care or not, about the whole good luck / bad luck thing. There's a lot of cultural nuance, too. There's something somewhere about how wearing red means you're sleeping with the groom? Anyways, check with the bride and groom.
What goes on your face in the mornings?
SPF. Always. Every single day. Of course. Like a broken record.
And in the evenings?
Evening is where we cleanse and moisturize. If I have to name a specific product, I would say Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream. It absorbs really quickly. It's very lightweight.
Any beauty grails?
For healthy, shiny hair I have this Shiseido hair oil bought in Japan and have not stopped repurchasing since. Fino Premium Touch is what it's called. Not expensive, super affordable, and just works wonders on dry hair, it's just amazing.
And lastly, what do you pick up from the infamous French pharmacies?
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5. It's just never not in the house, always restocking if I'm near a pharmacy.
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