We speak to the Spanish sartorial expert about her rise to the top and what she’s excited about this season
Lupa Puerta is the first to admit that it takes hard work to get to the top. After having started at the bottom, she spent years creating and cultivating a valuable network of customers, admitting that there are no shortcuts to get to the top. Her career started with work at a second-hand designer store, before moving into multi-brand roles at reputable department stores as well as stints at legendary brands like Vivienne Westwood. She joined Net-A-Porter in 2004 and has since developed a resilient personal shopping and client relations department to a twenty strong, incredibly talented multilingual team in her role as Global Head of Personal Shopping and Client Relations.
Hong Kong Tatler: You travel a lot for you job, what are some of the most fun trips you have taken recently? Most memorable adventures?
Lupa Puerta: I was recently in Hong Kong for Art Basel. It is one of the most dynamic cities; you can feel the pulse when you get off the plane. I love the fact that people work hard and play hard; they really make the most of their vibrant city.
HKT: What are some of the new designers you have seen doing really well for SS15?
LP: Protagonist is a hot new brand we have launched exclusively. It’s super stylish, elevated work wear. Self Portrait has beautiful, feminine pieces at an amazing price point. Barbara Casasola is new and most certainly one to watch as she has an exceptional eye for design.
HKT: What are some of the ‘must-have’ accessories this season?
LP: Lace up sandals to the knee from Chloe, Valentino or Gianvito Rossi is an essential purchase, plus an Anya Hindmarch Ebury Maxi complete with stickers for personalisation.
HKT: We’ve seen the rage for the cute clutches and the minimal bucket bags by Mansur, what’s next?
LP: For SS15, I think the Saint Laurent monogram fringed suede shoulder bag hits pretty much every trend. It’s perfection.
HKT: Shoes: Chunky heels with platforms or the sleek heel with no platform and a skinny heel- what’s your preference?
LP: For me personally, I am quite tall so I steer away from platforms. However I was pretty tempted by retro styles on the Saint Laurent SS15 runway. And you need a bit of height this season to make sure those flares don’t get scuffed. I also love the look of a boyfriend jean with a perfect pair of delicate pumps. The mix of tomboy and feminine is a look that can carry you through most daily scenarios.
HKT: Some key trends or key styles that seem to work for most people/body types?
LP: It’s not about what to wear but how to wear it. There is no one piece that would suit every shape, but every trend can be interpreted into your wardrobe if you pay attention to length, color way and fabrication. For example, pick culottes in a dark shade that stop at the point of your calf that works for your height and pair them with a medium to high heel and you’ll achieve an elegant look. It’s all about how you make it work for you.
HKT: What are some trends from 2014 you would love to see die down this coming season?
LP: I’m not tired of anything in particular. I am looking forward to packing away my knitwear and bringing out my summer dresses.
HKT: Transitional pieces from SS15 to FW15? Especially keeping in mind that in Hong Kong it doesn¹t really get cool until around late October to early November?
LP: I think denim is the ultimate cross season fabric. White jeans are big this summer, which keeps the look fresh, but can be layered up with a shirt dresses and jackets come autumn. We were seeing lots of tunics over trousers on the runway for AW15 which is a great way of topping up layers and making any lightweight summer fabrics work for you as the weather gets cooler.
HKT: There were some debut collections for houses with new artistic/creative directors this season- how do you feel about Adrien Caillaudaud's first collection for Carven? Galliano for Maison Margiela? Guillaume Henry for Nina Ricci?
LP: I’m always excited to see where new creative directors take a brand – especially long-established houses. It’s what keeps our industry fresh. Galliano’s first collection for Maison Margiela was one of the most anticipated moments of the Fall 2015 shows. He is a true visionary and really challenges us with his work, which I admire.
HKT: Styling tips - is there any universal advice you could offer our female readers?
LP: My advice is to push beyond your comfort zone but trust your gut. Try new shapes, have fun, but always maintain that sense of yourself. When you discover a shape or color that you’ve never worn before but that seems just right, you feel absolutely amazing and everyone notices. So be adventurous and keep updating.
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