Roberta Benteler, I want to steal her style.
Roberta Benteler is not only gorgeous, smart and entrepreneurial but also she has the most fabulous personal style. Her natural beauty radiates a certain self-confidence and calm.
We met to talk about her love of fashion and how working in the industry has shaped her style since launching Avenue 32. At 26 she left the world of finance and created Avenue 32, one of the best curated online fashion sites. She is a champion for up and coming designers from all over the world and she has an instinctive “eye” for future trends.
At the time of our meeting she was wearing her ‘signature’ jeans with a fabulous black blouse and a pair of cute Gucci mules. Roberta Benteler is understated, humble about her achievements and has a personality I immediately warmed to.
We have only just met and are years apart in age but I feel we are kindred spirits in our philosophy on style and fashion.
Roberta Benteler, I want to steal your style.
Spontaneous, emotional and timeless would be the words to describe my personal style. My style is instinctive and not trend focused. I fall in love with a piece and I can wear it for 3 years or equally 10 years. Fashion is about collecting and wearing what I love year after year. What’s your go-to outfit? We all have days when we don’t like how we feel or what we see, what is your “comfort” outfit that works whatever your frame of mind? Fashion makes me feel better. If I am well put together my mood can change. I am a trouser person and my favourite pair will be my go-to on those days. Like all women if I am feeling on top of the world I will wear the high-waisted and tight styles; if it is one of those “other” days I will search for the boyfriend jeans, with room to move. I will choose a favourite jacket and cashmere; cashmere always feels right. Do you plan what you buy for the coming season or do you impulse buy? I am an impulse buyer. I try to plan outfits but it doesn’t work. “Buy what you love” is how I shop and it is an instinctive response not a practical one. Buying is never about needing more, it is always an emotional decision. What I wear is driven by impulse. When I post an image on Instagram I will have taken it at the time and decided what to wear twenty minutes before that. I try to plan outfits but it doesn’t work. You have said, “I don’t consume fashion, I collect it.” What do you consider are the best pieces in your wardrobe? It’s difficult to choose because I love everything in my wardrobe. I bought my first Chanel jacket at the age of 19 (I think I had to save and starve for months to afford it) but it looks better and better over time; the jacket has real character now. I have inherited pieces from my mother I adore and wear over and over. I have cashmere I have collected and bring out every season. The only pieces I don’t save are tee shirts; everything else stays.
Every woman’s wardrobe should hold a great fitting pair of jeans or trousers, worn with flats or heels and finished with a fabulous blazer. The key to a good pair of trousers is comfort and they must be flattering. I want to steal your style. What do you think you do best? What should we steal? Don’t get hung up on what others wear. Take inspiration but be true to yourself. Educate yourself and learn what colours and shapes work best. Trial and error is the way to understand your personal style and from that comes the confidence to wear what you like. Roberta, you wear a certain silhouette frequently? Are you true to that style? It doesn’t matter how many similar styles and shapes I have in my wardrobe, if I know it works with my look then I will continue to wear that. I have many blazers; yes, they are alike but with small distinctive differences. They suit me and that is what counts and gives me confidence. Confidence is the element to wearing fashion well and staying true to our style. What is the best outfit, the one you remember? My “best” always changes. This year my outfit for Paris Fashion week was a favourite. I didn’t plan it, it simply happened. My personal style silhouette again; jacket, boots and jeans. Are there any fashion faux pas you would like to tell me about? There are no faux pas as long as we have the confidence and dedication to carry them off. What do you want women to feel when they open the Avenue 32 website for the first time? Confident. I want women to feel confidence in Avenue 32 and confidence in our brand curation and edit. I want them to buy with confidence and know they will be wearing a much-loved piece for years to come.
Getting to know Roberta re-enforced to me fashion is timeless, it is emotional and it should be spontaneous. It is never about age or what is age appropriate; personal style is about the individual and what works for them. So many elements of our conversation resonate with me and her “fashion” wisdom is a very welcome reminder we must remain true to ourselves. xv
Roberta Benteler: Steal Her Style
[thefeedproducts style=’two’]
roksanda black crepe darcey coat || harper le high skinny jeans || vanessa bruno white cotton short sleeved blouse
equipment white cotton striped daddy shirt || frame blue wetherley jeans || pinky laing navy military jacket
images the life style edit and roberta benteler
