For the Love of Black – The Wardrobe Stories
This is the first installment of The Wardrobe Stories, where photographer Kerri Devine and Lisa Willetts, owner of fashion and homeware store Louis Who , take us beyond the front door and into the wardrobe.
Walking into Victoria Pomeroy’s house is a joyful experience for the senses. There are hints of incense in the air, light pouring in the French doors, and every direction you turn reveals something intriguing and unusual. Victoria’s home is her sanctuary, full of stories, colour and pattern, but there is also an innate feeling of Zen. Not surprisingly, this same juxtaposition is evident in her clothing style.
Victoria’s love of fashion started in her early teens. She loved op-shopping and buying what she and her friends called ‘old ladies’ dresses’. Her main passion was fabulous florals and fur coats, which had a bit of shock factor to them as people didn’t tend to buy second-hand clothing at the time.
These days Victoria is well known for her love of black. It began out of practicality, due to the fact she taught yoga in the mornings, and then needed to change into a suit for the office. ‘I could take all black stuff with me, and very seldom was it a fail,’ she laughs. ‘Everything just worked together.’
While some people think of black as one-dimensional, Victoria feels that it is multifaceted. ‘I think it can look chic; it can look grungy. It speaks to so much. Any dressed up event that I’m at, my eye goes to the person dressed in black. They are always the person that I feel is most well-dressed.’
While Victoria doesn’t think of herself as having a particular style, her son-in-law calls her a ‘sophisticated hippie’, and her friends describe her look as ‘androgynous yoga chic’. Although she does favour black, there are also bursts of colour in her wardrobe. Victoria loves texture and layers, and often this is where she will incorporate both colour and pattern into an outfit. A gorgeous statement coat or leopard print shoe really pops against her background of black.
What’s most striking about Victoria’s style is that it is so authentic to her. While she may take inspiration from her favourite designers, it’s clear from the way she puts things together that she follows her heart and trusts what she loves. Whether it is the way she decorates her home or the clothes she wears, everything is a pure representation of who she truly is.
It really is an inspiring way to live.
If you have a wardrobe in mind that we need to know about please don’t hesitate to reach out – we would love to hear from you! Drop an email to lucinda@latitudemedia.co.nz
