Today, there are few women as elegant as Carolina Herrera. Her uniform of crisp, white button-down shirts worn with black pants or skirt is so simple, and yet, it makes such a confident, not to mention chic, statement. People might expect her sartorial minimalism to extend to her home, but in fact, the opposite is true. For example, I've seen photos of her home that show a living room swathed in red damask. It's tastefully lavish and exudes worldly flair, fitting for a woman of her immense style.
Recently, I found these photos of her Manhattan bedroom, circa 1993. Again, decoratively speaking, the room is rather the opposite of a plain white shirt. Herrera said that she wanted to create a garden in her bedroom, one which would make up for her lack of a real garden. There are layers of cheerful floral chintzes spread throughout the space, given room to breathe by those neutral-colored walls and rug. And then there's her closet, a sumptuous tented space swathed in rose-and-white toile. It's not surprising to learn that Herrera sometimes hosts dinner parties in her closet. Wouldn't you if your home had such a space?
But for all of their apparent differences, Herrera's home has much in common with her well-documented wardrobe. Both reflect the designer's elegance, eye for quality, and impeccable taste.
All photos from House Beautiful, April 1993, Thibault Jeanson photographer.