Marimekko’s creative director on why minimalism requires a good eye

What are the three essential items in your wardrobe? A white shirt, charcoal sweaters and a good wool coat, something cocooning and comfortable that can dress up anything. I am still holding on to my Phoebe Philo for Celine macintoshes and overcoats. Bottega does a great double-faced wool coat, too.

Loading

Any go-to jewellery? I don’t wear any, other than my wedding rings.

Can you remember a favourite outfit you wore as a child? I always had opinions about what was nice. I had a pair of bell-bottom jeans that I felt so fashionable in when I was seven.

And your worst fashion mistake? In Denmark, everyone wears white to graduation, but I chose to make myself a floral dress that made me look like something out of an American prom.

What was your first fashion moment? When I launched COS for H&M I had to dress myself in the image of the woman that we had built this brand for and present it to the world. There was this perfect black wool dress from the collection; I felt so myself in that dress.

Is there something you’d never wear? A miniskirt.

What’s on your wish list? The perfect boot. It doesn’t exist.

What shoes do you wear most often? Birkenstocks. I love the designer collaborations and the 1774 collections. I don’t even think about if they’re beautiful or ugly because they’re such a part of my world. I wore a white shirt and Birkenstocks on my first day at design school, and I feel like I’m still wearing a white shirt and Birkenstocks.

Who is your favourite fashion icon? Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy was my first style icon. Her style still resonates so much with me.

What do you wear on a typical working day? I am usually dressing out of a suitcase, so it’s a few pieces that work well together: a crew-neck sweater, wide-leg trousers, pencil skirt, denim, boots. I always pack in colour schemes: all navy, or grey and black.

What’s your favourite off-duty, casual Sunday look? A casual sweater and sweatpants from La Garçonne in New York – they’re cropped and a little nicer, so it doesn’t look like you are coming out of a pyjama party.

Rebekka Bay is Marimekko’s creative director.

Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.