My personal style signifier is a Breton T-shirt. I am French, and I’ve been wearing them my whole life – 36 years. I’m always looking for the perfect shape and stripe. My parents used to buy the really thick cotton ones from Agnès b and Petit Bateau, but my current favourites are by Matteau. They’re expensive, but are made from a very hefty fabric and have a drop shoulder. It almost feels like you’re wearing an authentic marinière shirt.
The last things I bought and loved were three hand-crocheted tops from my sister-in-law’s café-atelier – Las Flores – in the Andes, where my husband, the chef and ceramicist Fernando “Fefo” Aciar, is from. She lives in the last little village in Argentina before you hit Chile. It’s always buzzing at this time of year.
The place that means a lot to me is Garzón, a very special village in Uruguay. I’ve gone every January for the past decade. Fefo introduced me to it; he’s been going for nearly 30 years, originally to work with chefs Francis Mallmann and Ignacio Mattos. The wonderful thing about it is that you’re deep in nature; there are horses and sheep roaming around and an amazing community of people you would never know are there. It’s very discreet. But then you can drive 30 minutes to José Ignacio, a town with a beach and lively restaurants. One of my favourite trips was right before I had my child. Fefo was doing a ceramics residency at Francis’s studio. Normally he stays for longer and I head back to New York for work, but because of some Covid-related situation, they had to cancel my flight. It ended up being the best babymoon. We were on cloud nine.
The best souvenirs I’ve brought home are alfajores, biscuits made from flour, nuts and honey, from Uruguay. You can find them at every bakery and supermarket, but there’s one brand I recently discovered, Sierras de Minas – they’re the absolute best. Every year we bring 10 boxes back to New York and give them as gifts. And when we visit the south of France, we’ll fill suitcases with old, heavy cotton sheets from the flea market in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon to use as tablecloths or curtains.
The best book I’ve read in the past year is Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb. It’s essentially a retelling of her grandmother’s story through a series of voice memos and recordings. She’s from a family of eastern European Jewish immigrants; the book delves into the complex dynamic between generations of women. I also just finished The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir, a founding feminist text that still holds up.
My style icons are women who have fun with their style, who mix beautiful designer clothes with market finds and items they’ve made themselves. I often reference Lauren Hutton, Jean Seberg, Audrey Hepburn or close friends such as illustrator Joana Avillez, who always manages to source the coolest things from Portugal and Italy. I’ve also learned a lot from Olga Berluti, an old friend of my mother who has become a bit of a godmother to me. She used to make shoes for Hollywood stars and royalty around the world, but also costumes for movies. She taught me about the art of combining high-quality, well-cut garments with a little je ne sais quoi: the fantasy that an accessory can bring to a strong silhouette.
The best gift I’ve received was a printed catalogue by Belgian-born collage artist Audrey Guttman. She was commissioned by Christie’s last year to design its Carte Blanche exhibition celebrating the Surrealist centenary, and also created the catalogue. It’s out of print now, but she gave me a copy when I visited her studio recently. It’s a piece of art in itself.
The last music I downloaded was the soundtrack from the Netflix adaptation of One Hundred Years of Solitude. Plus a lot of Karol G and Colombian sounds for the road, and the only lullaby I can tolerate by Chopin: “Berceuse in D-flat major”.
I have a collection of food- and beverage-related print matters, from quirky zines to the entire archive of guides by Le Fooding, where I worked 15 years ago. Le Fooding taught me everything I know about creative direction; this approach of not putting your own signature style on every project, but really trying to tell a story about who you’re working with. My design studio Polonsky & Friends is currently collaborating with cook and author Alison Roman on a new food launch. Sicilian food stickers were a big inspiration.
The best way to spend $20 is on a Clementine box from Natoora. It’s the Hermès of citrus.
A way to make me laugh is with observational comedy. In France, there’s a comedian called Marine Leonardi whose repertoire is based around a lot of parenting neuroses: the terrible twos, the threenagers, how husbands don’t help enough. At this stage of my life it just cracks me up. I also love US actor and comedian Ramy Youssef.
In my fridge you’ll always find French salted butter (a splurge in New York); Maille mustard; quince and apricot jams made by my husband’s family in Argentina; Ghia, a non-alcoholic aperitif; and lots of Tart drinking vinegars.
I don’t believe in the afterlife. Generally, I try to stay in the present and make the most of what’s going on right now. On a scale of one to woo-woo, I’m probably a five; my husband’s a 10. He often refers to our “little witches” – advisers watching over us.
I couldn’t do without seven hours of sleep. I really value sleeping, something all the women in my family have always talked about. I won’t ever refuse a party, but I try to be in bed by 11.
An indulgence I would never forgo is eating Punitions (Punishments), the butter shortbread biscuits from Poilâne. And artisanal tailoring. I’m utterly romanced by the craft. I recently bought a cotton-poplin dress from Atelier Bomba in Rome. It’s so unassuming, but I’ll cherish it for life.
The last item of clothing I added to my wardrobe was a pair of travel ballerina flats from Brazilian designer Mari Giudicelli via Vestiaire Collective. I think she has discontinued them, but they are my staple. I have them in a few colours, including a very dangerous light cream.
An object I would never part with is my gold charm bracelet. My grandparents gave my mum the first heart-shaped charm when I was born; when I was a teenager, my mum gave me the bracelet to attach it to. I’ve since added six more – an evil eye for luck and another to commemorate my wedding. I haven’t had more than seven milestones, I guess.
On my Instagram “For You” page you’ll find desserts, logo design and, strangely, a lot of celebrity gossip.
The beauty staples I’m never without are colourful, ’80s-style scrunchies, RMS UnCoverup foundation and perfume. For the past 20 years, I’ve worn J’adore by Dior, but recently I’ve been toying with a few natural brands, including French-based Ormaie, which makes a beautiful orange-blossom scent. Dior J’adore, £145 for 100ml EDP. Ormaie 28°, $310 for 100ml EDP. RMS Beauty UnCoverup Cream Foundation, £59
My favourite room in my house is the kitchen. It’s the theatre of our lives, where we host parties from 30 people to intimate groups of five, hang out as a family and do a lot of work events. It’s where I can be alone with my husband, which happens very rarely. We designed the whole thing; Fefo handmade all of the tiles. In Paris, there is an 18th-century-style house called Camondo, which I refer to a lot for inspiration. It’s packed with antiques and things I don’t really like – the owners were art dealers – but when you come to the kitchen, which was built for the staff, it’s all simple tiles and beautiful utilitarian surfaces. I also love Barragán’s pink-tiled kitchen in Mexico City and Monet’s blue and terracotta one in Giverny. The kitchen is always the most simple room, but also the most familiar. It gives you a better sense of people’s lives.
I’ve recently discovered the Cotentin region on the north-west coast of France. We have always gravitated more towards Brittany and the south, but while searching for a property to buy in Europe, we discovered it has both beautiful countryside and a scenic coast. I like that the nature is raw, the winters are soft and that you can still find air (and, of course, rain) in the summers. It’s also where some of the best French butter is made.
The one artist whose work I would collect if I could is Egon Schiele. The only time I’ve ever cried in front of a painting was seeing Mother and Daughter at the Leopold Museum in Vienna. I’ve also followed Italian artist Beatrice Caracciolo my whole life. Schiele brings me a lot of torment and Caracciolo brings me a lot of peace. Then there are artists I’m already collecting – Sarah Nsikak’s quilts and the beautiful line drawings of Eva Claessens, who is based in Uruguay.
My beauty guru is my mother, Marie Serre Polonsky, an amazing dermatologist based in Paris. I’m not the only one to say it. She’s taught me the importance of sleep and protection from the sun. She’s now in her 70s and her face is practically untouched. I’ll also always make a trip to Mr Thong when I’m in Paris for an amazing Thai massage.
The writer who changed everything for me was Romain Gary, Jean Seberg’s ex-husband. I find his narration and the way he lived his life very inspiring. He was a consul general in LA at some point but also wrote incredible novels. I’m attracted to people who don’t embody the stereotype of just being the “wild artist”. Also French neuroscientist David Servan-Schreiber, who has written a few books, including one about how to handle stress, anxiety and depression. I have a history of depression in my family so that was game-changing for me. I read it 15 or so years ago, when natural approaches to treating mental health, like animal therapies and exercise, weren’t so well-established.
When I need to feel inspired, I travel. I try to have my team travel as much as possible, too. It’s hard to ask people to be creative if they can’t wander around. I also force myself to walk to the office every day, even if it means I’m running late. It’s good to set your eyes on things that are not planned.
My favourite app is Superhuman, which changed my life. If you can’t read an email, you can schedule a reminder for it to come back to your inbox when you have time. Also, My Mind, which is like an organised Pinterest. If I like a quote in a book or a recipe, I screenshot it and put it in there.
In another life, I would have been a lawyer. I’m very meticulous and love to anticipate issues. My husband probably wishes I was more spontaneous but everyone has a different creative process; organisation is what allows me to thrive.
The best bit of advice I’ve ever received was from my dad, who said “freedom is to have options”. He’s always encouraged a creative path, but when I was a kid he was like: “Just get into the best school and then do whatever you want. Try to give yourself options.” It applies to everything in life.
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