The simple things in life are often the best, right? London-based jewellery designer Madeleine Moxham proves that sentiment most certainly applies to style too. Her signature look is made up of steamlined shapes and a cool, clean colour palette of black and white because, she says, ‘mixing bright colour with black really kills the colour, so in general, I’ll stick to a monochrome colour palette’.
COS is Madeleine’s go-to for the staples that make up her everyday wardrobe, such as round-neck knits and T-shirts, while rulers of impactful style understatement, Stella McCartney and Acne are among her designer favourites. ‘I also love dresses by Self-Portrait,’ she says. She also always keeps an eye on Australian designers such as Uniform Studios on Instagram.
You couldn’t get a better canvas for her industrial metal and leather jewellery designs, stocked at Whistles and Harvey Nichols because ‘a bold, statement piece works better with clean lines and simple silhouettes,’ she says.
So how do you nail Madeleine’s striking yet straightforward style without looking like you simply couldn’t be arsed? Let’s dissect...
Stick to a theme
Picture this outfit in a mish-mash of colours, it wouldn’t look anywhere near as strong. Pick a couple of easy-to-wear pieces such as this Topshop funnel-neck T-shirt, and a flattering A-line skirt in a crisp non-colour by Madeleine’s favourite, COS, and then add interest with one piece of statement jewellery like Madeleine’s Kling necklace, worn here.
Comfort is king when dressing effortlessly
‘When I’m getting dressed I think about how far I need to travel and what impact that has on my choice of footwear,’ Madeleine says. You’ll sure look a whole lot cooler breezing around town wearing a pair of black Birkenstocks with these bargain Balenciagawhite slouchy trousers than you would running for the bus in high heels and jeans.
Colour blocking is cool in monochrome
Just because colour-blocking uses the C-word, doesn’t mean you need to always turn to rainbow shades. Black and white are best of friends when worn together and makes for as striking a mix as something brighter. A simply cut, mid-length leather skirt, like this one from laid-back label Baukjen, would look effortlessly excellent with Iris and Ink’s soft, ivory silk blouse.
Monochrome makes for a super-simple alternative to colourful print, too
A bright tropical print rules if you’re in the mood for kalaedescopic style, but your chic ’n’ simple route doesn’t mean you have to eschew print entirely, as Madeleine repeatedly proves. Monki’s ‘Fab’ print T-shirt, with this Girls on Film skirt would recreate her look well.
Black-on-white logos, and vice versa, mix up one-dimensional colour-blocking without detracting from the pared-down essence of this look. A sport-logo T-shirt like Madeleine’s would allow you to tap the streetwear trend while still keeping things chic. Alaia’s ‘Team Azzedine’ T-shirt is the most fashion forward version.
The biggest rule is, there are no rules
This look is dead simple and there are no cuts, shapes and sillhouettes you should avoid. There’s nothing that Madeleine has on her defo-no-way list when it comes to dressing. ‘Never say never, I say. You’ll live to regret it,’ she tells us. ‘I didn’t think I would be wearing mules this side of the 90s...’
Follow Laura Silver on Twitter @laurafleur
Pictures: Lucy Browning, @moxhamstore
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.