Lauren Santo Domingo discusses style, taste, and her life in Paris
In a profile published by the Financial Times, fashion executive Lauren Santo Domingo discusses her eclectic approach to personal style, her home in Paris, and her career in the luxury retail industry.
Santo Domingo serves as the co-founder and chief brand officer of Moda Operandi, an online luxury fashion retail platform. In the interview, she explains that her wardrobe features a deliberate mix of established luxury houses, archival pieces, and new independent designers.
“I’m not sure that I have a style signifier,” Santo Domingo told the Financial Times. “I wear a real mix of things – established designers, discovery designers, new, old, archival.”
She points to independent labels such as Conner Ives, Magda Butrym, and Kallmeyer as evidence of a shifting consumer appetite. According to Santo Domingo, contemporary shoppers are increasingly moving away from traditional logos in favor of creative, independent fashion houses.
Santo Domingo recalls early career experiences at Vogue
Reflecting on her entry into the fashion industry, Santo Domingo recalls working as a junior assistant at Vogue. During her time at the magazine, she was tasked with tracking down the contact information for emerging designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez as they graduated from college.
Those designers went on to launch Proenza Schouler, a brand Santo Domingo has championed throughout her career. She also recounts an early encounter with designer Vera Wang at a industry event in 1999 or 2000, where Wang advised her to avoid being overly formal.
“Don’t be boring,” Wang told her, according to the interview with the Financial Times. “Don’t try so hard. Don’t be polite, be yourself.”
Santo Domingo collects calligraphy boxes and ornaments
The profile details various aspects of Santo Domingo’s personal life, including her collections of Japanese calligraphy boxes and travel Christmas ornaments gathered during family trips. She also discusses her morning coffee routine and her preference for manual wellness treatments over machine-based procedures.
When discussing her literary tastes, she highlights Patrick Radden Keefe’s book London Falling as a standout read from the past year. Her musical downloads include tracks by Dolly Parton and Celine Dion, the latter acquired in preparation for a live performance in Paris.
What is Moda Operandi and who does Santo Domingo champion?
What is Moda Operandi?
Moda Operandi is a luxury fashion-retail platform co-founded by Lauren Santo Domingo that allows consumers to pre-order runway looks directly from designers.
Which independent fashion designers does Santo Domingo champion?
She highlights contemporary independent labels such as Conner Ives, Magda Butrym, and Kallmeyer as brands driving current fashion momentum.
Where does Lauren Santo Domingo currently reside?
The fashion executive splits her time and maintains a residence in Paris, where she was interviewed for the Financial Times profile.
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