Carolina Herrera and the classic white shirt

Carolina Herrera, a woman whose name is known worldwide and hailing from a family of Venezuelan aristocrats, is the empress of the classically refined look. If it wasn’t for her friend Diana Vreeland, she would never have launched her first collection in 1980 at the tender age of 40.

When she moved to New York City to pursue a career in high fashion, most critics believed that Carolina would be just another socialite with too much time to kill; but she proved them wrong. Her signature collections include 212 Men and 212 Carolina Herrera for Women, a bridal collection, fragrances, colour cosmetics and accessories.

Having only recently in November 2012 celebrated the opening of the new CH Carolina Herrera boutique in Kensington with a White Shirt Party, Carolina insists: “The white shirt is my favourite thing. It’s fresh yet seductive – every woman always looks good in a white shirt.”

The Carolina Herrera look is sleek, smart and glamorous. She said: “I love the idea of elegance and intricacy, but whether it is in a piece of clothing or a fragrance, the intricacy must appear as simplicity.” She is frequently on best-dressed lists all over the world. In 2004 she received the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s (CFDA) Women’s Wear Designer of the Year Award.

Carolina Herrera has dressed the likes of Renee Zellweger, Cameron Diaz, First Lady Laura Bush and many A-listers. She was also the exclusive designer for Jackie Onassis Kennedy for the last twelve years of her life; something no other designer can stake claim to.

Her tip to wearing a white shirt and making it the centre of your outfit is to dress it up with a scarf, a belt or even a necklace, but to never take away the elegance of the shirt.

Since designer wear tends to be more on the pricey side, do remember the classic white shirt can be found in every high street shop. With Christmas coming up, we all have our budgets, so why not pop into Zara, H&M, Mango or Warehouse and see what is available. Get the same look, without breaking the bank. Why not make it your OWN white shirt?!

Pooja Sahny
Photos: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera

To view Carolina’s spectacular designs and visionary ideas, visit her website here.