street science

Elisa Nalin Has Dressed Like This Since Age 4

Stylist and brand consultant Elisa Nalin has emerged as a street style favorite over the past three seasons, frequently snapped with her cropped blonde hair and color-blocked outfits. Born and raised in Verona, Italy, as the daughter of an architect mother and judge father, Nalin insists she’s always been dressing this way. “I’ve always been obsessed with colors, clothes, and things that were pretty,” she says. “So I remember my outfits from [when I was] 4 years old.” After attending the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan, she began her career designing at Costume National, until Samsonite offered her a position overseeing their footwear line. After three years of designing shoes, she wanted a change, so she moved to Paris and began styling. With editorial spreads in Italian Glamour, French Glamour, and Russian Harper’s Bazaar along with consulting gigs for Benneton, Sessun, La Perla, and others, Nalin further splits her time by also designing for the French brand Ventilo. Oh, and being a mom to a 3-year-old son. 

That last part is the reason you’ll never spot her at a New York show. “New York? International? No, he won’t recognize me anymore,” she explains with mock horror. Having a baby boy also meant moving from an apartment that was more accommodating to her massive clothing collection to a house that the stylist describes as nearly “exploding” from all of her finds. Citing Dries Van Noten, Marni, and Lanvin as her go-to labels, she buys with an emphasis on color and pattern, eschewing anything that’s all black or too minimalist. Click ahead for a breakdown of her best outfits from the past fashion month, along with how to recreate her signature look, even if you’re on a budget.

Photo: Victoria Adamson/Courtesy of vendors

Milan Fashion Week SS13

“I was going into the Mila Schön show, which a friend of mine brought me to two seasons ago and I fell in love with the collection. The bag is Lanvin, the shoes are Valentino, and the necklace is Uniqueness. Whenever I’m going to Milan, my suitcase is prepared. If I’m going to stay seven days, I’m going to have seven outfits. It comes pretty natural. I may have a few extra just in case of weather.” ——- Sequins long sleeve sweater, $178; Delia’s Blain circle tee, $19.50; Effortless is More skirt, $69.99; Topshop Genie glitter bow point heels, $100; Marni printed clutch, at $320; J.Crew bubble necklace, $150

Photo: Victoria Adamson/Courtesy of vendors

Paris Fashion Week SS13

“The gold sequin coat is from Dries Van Noten and it was a hard to put on because it didn’t even go with anything. I tried many things and nothing really satisfed me. Then it just popped out in my mind that I had this sweater, which is a vintage one I had forever, and I had never worn it before. I buy things, and then one day I wake up and I know that I’m going to wear it. The skirt is vintage, too, since I really like vintage. I buy it everywhere. In Paris, you have a lot of local flea markets that people do on the weekends, and it’s the best. You find the most amazing things, it’s really cheap. And for me, I buy for research.” ——- By Malene Birger coffee allover sequin open cardigan, $590; Mango tailored blazer, $99.99; Étoile Isabel Marant Gladys knit, $420; Steven Alan Claudia skirt, $248; Ricky Designs beaded gold clutch, $68.95; Madewell stonecut statement necklace, $88 ; Stella McCartney round frame acetate sunglasses, $225

Photo: Victoria Adamson/Courtesy of vendors

Paris Fashion Week SS13

“The shirt and belt I designed for this French brand called Ventilo. The skirt is Lanvin and the clutch is Valentino. I particularly like this look because, in my head, [there’s a] weird contrast. I don’t like when it’s too normal. I like to play. I have two uniforms: one is when I’m dressing like a boy because there’s an androgynous part, because I have short hair and I’ve always been a big tomboy. The other is more feminine with all of the jewel tones. I [recently] moved from my apartment to the house where I’m living, and I found stuff that I’ve had for fifteen years. It’s the same colors I’m wearing now.” ——- MSGM laminated metallic lace blouse, $569.48; Mango knit midi skirt, $59.99; Jas MB ponyhair Lisa clutch, $545; Ghibli jeweled buckle white calf leather skinny belt, $60

Photo: Victoria Adamson/Courtesy of vendors

Paris Fashion Week SS13

“The skirt is from Marni, the sweater is from Topshop, and the shoes are Dries van Noten. There are three or four designers that are classic in my wardrobe: Marni, Lanvin, Dries, and Valentino. My necklace is from a cute girl named Guldal Aydinli who designs a line called Giia, she gave it to me because she wanted to know what I thought about it. I put it on right away.” ——- Acne Clementine cable sweater, $240; Carven round neck shirt, $263; Jonathan Saunders Roselyn printed cotton-blend pencil skirt, $865; Roger Vivier Prismick small degrade purse, at Roger Viver locations; Barneys New York Co-op Harper pump, $275; Forever 21 rhinestone frond pin, $9.80; ASOS rhinestone brooch pack, $14.07; Aeropostale hand knit beret, $18; Brooklyn chain necklace, $20; Vince Camuto chain necklace, $55  

Photo: Victoria Adamson/Courtesy of vendors

London Fashion Week SS13

“I was in London, going to the Burberry show, so the clutch is Burberry. The skirt and top are Stella McCartney, the necklace is Lanvin, and the coat is Valentino. I have a very particular way of dressing. Maybe that’s why people like it because it’s really individual but it doesn’t come from following a trend. People always associate me with colors and color blocks but I’ve always dressed like that. I wake up in the morning and I like to mix patterns. It’s the same things you find in my work.” ——- Reiss Myla funnel neck coat, $615;  Dinou lace t-shirt, $112.83; Marc by Marc Jacobs Clarice flower-print twill skirt, $295; Boutique 9 Justine pump, $120;  Stella McCartney round frame acetate sunglasses, $225; Forever 21 rhinestone rope necklace, $7.80; BCBGeneration Morgan clutch, $87.68

Photo: Victoria Adamson/Courtesy of vendors

Paris Fashion Week SS13

“The skirt is Paule Ka and the shirt is vintage. There are two different versions of the look, actually, because it was not that warm yet in the morning, so I had a stripe sweater on top. When the day got warmer, I took the sweater off. I had long hair for quite a while and I cut it after I had my son.” ——- Quiksilver Volan dream shirt, $80; Sea the Light skirt, $42.99; Stella McCartney round frame acetate sunglasses, $225;  Saloni ikat clutch bag, $495

Photo: Victoria Adamson/Courtesy of vendors

A Close-up on Her Bracelets

“Until my bracelets are falling apart, I keep them on my wrists. My left arm, it’s all stuff that I got on my summer holidays, from places like Bali, Turkey, Greece, and Italy. I love to have a lot of stuff around my wrists and it reminds me of my summer.” ——- (1) Adriana Orsini pave crystal bracelet, $195 (2) Miriam Salat Year of the Boar bead bracelet, $115 (3) Aurélie Bidermann Do Brazil “Tamar III” bracelet, $505  (4) Madewell braided friendship bracelet, $10 (5) River Island Maggie friendship bangle pack, $22.87 (6) Aurélie Bidermann Do Brazil crocheted chain link bracelet, $350 (7) Marni large bead bracelet, $141.07 (8) Marc by Marc Jacobs mini rose gold link bracelet, $120 (9) Golden Carousel bracelet, $28 (10) Vineyard Vines rope bracelet, $36 

Elisa Nalin Has Dressed Like This Since Age 4