RUIFIER TALKS WITH ANOUK YVE
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE CITY AND WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT LONDON?
My favorite city must be Stockholm. It’s where my first son is born and where we still have a lot of friends. It’s something with this city that makes me really happy. It’s fairly small, each island has its own charm. I love the level of aesthetics. From buildings to coffee places, the swedes know how to sell it to you. I also love their take on sustainability. For instance, they cancelled this years Fashion Week to focus on a more clean take on bringing fashion to the public. More mindful, less waste.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE, MINIMAL?
I like a clean palette. My colors are black, brown, white, shades of beige, navy, mint green. I used to infuse more colors in my look, but I’m getting older and really choose the more classic colors nowadays.
WHAT ARE SOME ESSENTIAL STYLE TIPS THAT OTHERS COULD BENEFIT FROM?
I love to shop second hand designer. A great vintage quality belt can uplift a look. A beautiful cashmere knit and a good pair of trousers. I love Hardlyeverwornit for it. Also silhouette and balance are style rules I apply in my daily looks.
HAS MOTHERHOOD CHANGED YOUR STYLE?
I have become more practical yes. I mean walking around in 5 inch and up isn’t really handy on the play yard. I do think my style has become more uniform like: I always opt for a good cashmere, comfy jeans. I know it works and it does give me more time in the morning.
WHAT ADVISE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF?
Thoughts are just thoughts. And wake up with a smile every day. I overthink everything and I’ve learned to set my thoughts aside me and look at a situation from a helicopter point of view. It gives me so much more mental peace. I guess this really comes with age.
WHAT WAS SOMETHING ‘LIFE-CHANGING’ YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED AND THAT YOU ARE THANKFUL FOR?
Obviously becoming a mother. I never ‘wanted’ children to be honest. I always was the girl who said I would rather travel the world. But the minute my first son came, it was love. It’s so cliché.
WHAT ENCOURAGES YOU TO FEEL EMPOWERED?
I feel empowered if I really spent time listening to other people. If you really listen to other people it’s so much more powerful. Nowadays we are all multitaskers. Thinking of the groceries while having a conversation. If you know what people truly want, what they are after. You can adapt to their needs. That’s power of the soft kind. Being open to conversations.
WHAT JEWELLERY PIECE IS THE MOST VITAL TO COMPLETE A LOOK?
A good set of earrings. It really is true. Whenever I have dressed up, there is something missing if I don’t have earrings in. They make the look 100%.
WHAT DOES JEWELLERY MEAN TO YOU?
A way to give a unique touch to my daily outfits.
AND LASTLY WHAT MAKES YOU TRULY HAPPY?
Really the super small things in life. A ray of sun on a rainy day (gosh how cheesy does this sound). My daughter poo-ing on the toilet for the first time - looking in my eyes saying ‘it’s coming’, ehm a good dish of food, tuning out with Netflix after a long day. Like everyday things.
