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Dec 3, 2019

4 Staples the Fashion Industry's Favourite Cool Girl Can't Live Without

by Joy Montgomery

When it comes to basics, Anine Bing knows what she's talking about. Right from the get-go, this model-turned-influencer-turned-designer championed the power of a well-made staple: From the posts on her popular fashion blog and first Instagram snaps (she was an early adopter), right up to the launch of her namesake brand in 2012. Uniting her own personal brand of Scandi simplicity and L.A. cool in one neat and oh-so enviable package, Anine Bing has seen huge commercial success and now boasts over 300 boutiques worldwide. Clearly she knows what people want.

If that wasn't enough, Anine has now collaborated with the late Terry O'Neill, the British photographer known for his iconic fashion and celebrity imagery from the 1960s. Comprised of a simple three-piece edit—a T-shirt, sweater and a T-shirt dress—the collection features one of the photographer's most famous prints of Brigitte Bardot. Anine wore the sweater to the launch party with a pair of leather trousers and a chain necklace, and let's just say it looked pretty damn cool. We spoke to Anine about everything from the inspiration behind her latest collaboration to the key staples she can't live without. Scroll down to see what she said and shop the collection.

What inspired you to create the collection with Terry O'Neill?

Terry's photography had inspired me long before I even started the brand. I'm such a fan of his work and have a few of his original prints in my home. About a year ago, one of his team reached out to me because they had heard I loved his photography and asked if we could meet up. We looked through his whole archive and decided that this print was the one, as it has always been on my mood board. She looks so cool and effortless, which is everything I want from my brand.

Your collection is based around timeless staples—what are yours?

It's so important to find those good quality pieces that easily go together. If you build up a good basics closet, then it's much easier to get dressed in the morning because you can pull out a few things and you're ready to go. I couldn't live without the perfect white T-shirt, a pair of jeans, a blazer and pumps or a boot. Also, once you have these staples you can then easily layer in more fashiony pieces.

What's the key to finding your personal style?

I discovered my personal style in my mid-20s. I think it's important to experiment until you find the pieces you feel the most comfortable in—whatever is good for you might not be good for me. I look to anything from art and street style to flea markets and travelling for style inspiration.

Which fashion influencers are you following right now?

I'm loving all the Danish girls at the moment—my style is a little more simple than theirs, but they always look amazing. It's interesting, because Danish style is typically more minimal, but lately they're embracing more colour and prints. Scandi influencers such as Emili Sindlev always stand out, because they don't try to be like anyone else.

Scroll down to shop our Anine Bing edit.