Nicole Warne

1. Nicole wears dress
 by BARBARA CASASOLA at NET-A-PORTER. COM; shoes by DIOR; bag by BURBERRY; earrings by CÉLINE; ring (left hand),
by NATASHA SCHWEITZER; ring (right hand), by ALINKA. Image courtesy of PORTER magazine.

1. I had the pleasure of interviewing NICOLE WARNE recently for PORTER magazine: the Australian fashion entrepreneur turned international blogger and style consultant has redefined her industry and amassed a staggering following along the way. Here, in a peek from the new Summer issue, she shares her thoughts on antipodean style and living life in the spotlight

Photographed by SIMON UPTON   Words by NATASHA INCHLEY

There’s a wonderful kind of power that comes with a beautiful dress,” says Nicole Warne, who, after starting out with an online vintage clothing store, is the woman behind one of the world’s most influential fashion blogs, Garypeppergirl.com. “It can transform both your look and your mood. I particularly love off-the-shoulder shapes and the romance of such a classic silhouette. When I was younger, I wanted to make a conspicuous impact with the clothes I wore but now I’ve come to appreciate that a more pared back design can feel just as dramatic, with the shoulder reveal being both unexpectedly sexy and sophisticated.”

Warne’s beachside home, which she shares with her photographer fiancé Luke Shadbolt, located on the New South Wales coast, is worlds away from the streets of Paris and New York, where she spends a lot of time for work. But it’s here that she keeps her incredible archive of fashion, consisting mostly of free-flowing dresses that incorporate the straight neckline and gravitate towards a band of Australian designers who are renowned for having revived the off-the-shoulder cut for contemporary life. 

“Dresses are the building blocks in my wardrobe,” says Warne. “Especially Zimmermann dresses. Every summer I invest in a new one; they are perfect for my lifestyle and have an easy-going aesthetic that I love.  I’ve also started wearing a lot of Christopher Esber, Dion Lee and Michael Lo Sordo.” Other favourites include pieces from Stella McCartney, Lisa Marie Fernandez and Chloé – all the perfect accompaniment to her buffed and sun-kissed skin.  

Warne has been enchanted by fashion’s power to transform since childhood but as her blog and business have evolved with time, so too has her idiosyncratic fashion sense. “My look used to be more quirky and obscure but now there’s definitely more pressure to stay relevant, owning the newest runway piece or interpreting new moods in fashion. I try to avoid that strain by keeping my look more timeless and not forcing something on myself just because it’s a trend. You should always be true to what you genuinely love.”

Above left, Nicole Warne wears dress by LISA MARIE FERNANDEZ at NET-A-PORTER.COM; shoes by AQUAZZURA; bag by PAULA CADEMARTORI; jewellery by SARAH & SEBASTIAN. Photographed by Simon Upton courtesy of PORTER

To see the full interview with Nicole Warne, buy the latest issue of PORTER, on sale globally now. The issue is also available as a digital edition, go to www.portersubscription.com/portersub