Getting ready for Paris couture with Ellie Goulding

Without further ado, here are Goulding’s sartorial secrets…

Tell us about your look: what drew you to this particular outfit?

“This is the best Elie Saab outfit. It’s a very airy, delicate wool long trench coat in a beautiful cream color, with a little mini skirt and a little bra, and white leather cowboy boots. It’s so me. I don’t know what ‘me’ means exactly, but it’s just what I feel good in. It depends on the day, what I’m going through, where I am – it just suits me today and I feel very, very confident!”

How do you decide which brands you want to work with?

“What interests me most is their ethics and attitude towards sustainability. I really think that with 1 billion clothes being made a day and fast fashion booming, cheap clothes, cheap labor, cheap materials… I always wonder if a brand cares about environment or not before wearing it. This is becoming easier and easier, as young designers are much more aware of the impact of fashion on the planet; it is one of the biggest polluters, with one of the largest carbon footprints. I think it is simply responsible and wise to be aware of this.

“I’ve been called a hippie and a tree protector, but I just care about the survival of all human beings! That’s why couture is so great. The pieces are bespoke and unique, the work that goes into in every piece is amazing. It really means the whole practice is sustainable. I love being a part of and experiencing sewing, and appreciating fashion and opulence.

How involved are you in the styling process?

“I have complete trust in my stylist (Kyle De’Volle). He’s always pushing the boundaries and taking me out of my comfort zone. I truly believe that in order to move forward, you have to do things that make you a little nervous. I think stylists need to be recognized more for the work that they do because artists, singers, actors… We work hard! When you want to do something great—and that includes fashion—you have to be very specific about what you want. And that doesn’t mean you have to be picky, it’s because it’s your vision and something that you want to express to the world.”

How has your style evolved over the years?

“I feel like my fashion changes to reflect what I do in music. But I also have clothes that I’ve had for over a decade. I wore something yesterday on Instagram and one of my fans sent me a picture and I pointed out that I wore the same thing 10 years ago!”

What is your ideal prep setup?

“I listen to so much music that when I’m getting ready, I like it to be quiet and I think my team appreciates that. Sometimes it’s really nice to have silence and talk a lot, share stories, eat a lot of snacks, have a drink, a glass of champagne maybe… It’s really part of the experience. The people I work with a lot are people I can trust and like to chat with!”

What style have you always admired and why?

“The first thing that comes to mind is Carrie from Sex and the City. My favorite anti-anxiety TV show is Sex and the City. All the stupid things I’ve done in my life happen in this show too; it makes you realize that everything you’ve done has been done before and you’re doing great! Despite all the crazy outfit inventions she creates, she never once looks crazy. I’m kind of a Sex and the City monster; I follow a lot of blogs and Instagram pages, where they take apart her outfits and analyze them, and I find it so interesting.”

When do you feel most beautiful?

“My first thing is to feel good about myself and my body. I feel good when I’m active – walking, running. Yesterday, I spent a whole day walking around Paris, in a top, shorts and JW Anderson sneakers, and I took off my headphones so I could enjoy some of the ambiance I really felt freer in ages This is one of the most free cities. cooler place to walk, I ate really well, I drank lots of water and when I woke up this morning I went for a run, the weather is nice, ideally I would feel good. Better naked with nothing, but I don’t do that every day!”