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Akin to many of the incredible women we’re fortunate enough to feature on The Lifestyle Edit, Sanne Sehested is the ultimate multi-hyphenate. The 40 year-old started off working in sales for some of the biggest fashion brands in Denmark, before venturing into retail and later branding. Thanks to her impeccable taste, ‘style inspiration’ could also be added to her impressive CV, but it’s at her label Gestuz, where she takes the helm of all of those former roles, where she really comes into her own.
The afternoon we meet she’s tired, not that it shows. She’s been in back to back meetings with editors and buyers since she landed at Heathrow from Denmark the day before. Walking into her London salesroom, her lithe physique is clad in a pair of leather trousers, a simple tee and one of the must-have sleeveless jackets from the new collection. Her hair hangs loose, tucked loosely behind her ear highlighting an enviable set of cheekbones.
When it comes to getting dressed, Sanne is the first to admit that she’s Scandi through and through. Eschewing the season’s trends for pieces that will last the test of time, she’s the master of that insouciantly thrown together look that they all do so well. Unsurprisingly, her wardrobe is full of classic staples in muted tones – bright colours and splashy prints aren’t in her vocabulary. Think leather in droves, little cami dresses for summer, a whole collection of white shirts and enough black to give the Parisian’s a run for their money. Anything that doesn’t make her look like she’s tried too hard gets her vote.
‘I’m basic but with a twist – everything I wear always has to have a twist. So if I’m wearing a simple dress, I’ll always wear a big biker jacket on top to balance out the silhouette and femininity; or if I’m wearing a white t-shirt, I’ll add something like a lace bra underneath that you can see peeking out slightly,’ she says. ‘As classic as I am, I never want my look to feel boring. I love quality staples and after twenty years I know what I like. I’m not going to start loving something just because it’s the thing of the moment.’
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First it was the effortless cool of the Parisians but now the stylish inhabitants of Sweden, Denmark and Norway are having their moment. What’s that down to, I ask? ‘I think it’s because we don’t try too hard. Nothing is every too done because that’s just not sexy,’ she says, laughing. ‘It’s okay to have bed hair with a sexy dress but a sexy dress with ‘done’ hair – that’s just not us.’
If there is such a thing as the perfect job, Sanne has certainly found hers. As the founder and creative director of Gestuz, each collection is the fruits of her meticulous eye and nothing goes out without her stamp of approval. In fact, the whole concept of Gestuz is grounded in Sanne’s personal style. ‘I wanted to create my own brand based on my personal style and what I love,’ she admits. ‘I am Gestuz – if you look at me, you also see the collection. Everything I design is based on me.’
It’s a formula that’s obviously working. The brand is already a favourite among the likes of Taylor Swift and Olivia Palermo and if you’ve been style stalking any of the big bloggers based in Scandinavia, chances are you’re more familiar with the brand that you’d think. From easy tailoring like day-to-night blazers and wide leg pants to quality every day dresses and separates, think of Gestuz as your ultimate go-to for all of your wardrobe essentials. And, rather than tapping into new trends, each collection is created to build on the last to form a timeless wardrobe.
‘We’re all about creating pieces that will take you from season to season. They’re the types of pieces I invest in,’ she says. ‘We’re not a trend-seeking label. It’s not, ‘oh, now everyone is going yellow, so we need to do yellow.’ We’re always trying to add new elements and get people excited but we will always have that core in the collection that you just want to put in your wardrobe and wear over and over again.’
The best part? Prices start from around £79 for a top and peak at around £400 for the more statement jackets – the only difference between a piece from Gestuz and all of the big contemporary brands we love is the price and we love them all the more for it.
Images by Dvora for The Lifestyle Edit