Dressing for the ‘Divinity Within Me’—What Paloma Elsesser Wears in a Week
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Model Paloma Elsesser’s style is advanced. She seeks out fresh perspectives, championing and even helping make the careers of certain young designers. She doesn’t hop onto trends because of virality, either. Each piece in the model’s closet is intentional and meticulously considered, reflecting her values of community. Plus, she has serious fashion knowledge. (Hello, archival Comme des Garçons.) Elsesser, in short, is the ultimate trendsetter—among the few who lead the triumphant circularity of what’s cool, all while making space for inclusivity.
All this is incredibly clear in just a small fraction of her epic wardrobe as presented in our latest 7 Days 7 Looks. In the episode, we see Elsesser wax poetic about what she might wear in a week—looks filled with cool-cool labels helmed by a young and diverse crop of designers.
We see her wear Brooklyn-based label Theophilio, New York City–based designer Timo Sassen, and size-inclusive womenswear studio Karoline Vitto alongside Marni and Chanel. She sports pieces by industry friendlies, including her best friend’s brand, Miaou, and Dos Swim (a brand Elsesser recently collaborated with on a size-inclusive swim capsule). She shops vintage pieces from storied vintage dealers like Gabriel Held (“I love the way that there’s just different lives [a piece] lives,” she says) and wears Clarks Wallabees because she loved the way they looked on her brother and father.
Elsesser’s fashion prowess shines through her styling too. The model’s assembly of an outfit is just as interesting as the individual pieces she collects. Each look offers balance: She softens baggy Carhartt work pants with kelly green Chanel ballet flats or roughs up a slinky, cutout skirt by adding a messy knot to the back of her white Telfar tank. “It shows that I am a little bit nuanced,” she explains.
To Elsesser, sexy isn’t just about showing skin; it’s about knowing her body. Her grown-and-sexy look features an archival Comme des Garçons tartan wrap top, cinched perfectly at the waist, paired with oversized trousers by Karoline Vitto that show off just a sliver of midriff. “Knowing my body and knowing how I like to dress, I can spot if something is going to work,” the model says. The model’s night-of-romance look features a skirt with a cutout at the hip, also by Karoline Vitto, and a cropped asymmetric tank by Telfar. “I wouldn’t have ordinarily worn this. I wouldn’t have chosen something like this, but I think now, after I turned about 25, I started leaning into the more femme divinity within me,” the model explains. “It’s cool to show a little skin in a way that feels personally a little bit more authentic to me. It’s not just breasts, which is also fab, it’s not just butt, but I feel like this part of my body I like. I think it shows that I think critically about my body, and I think that’s cool.”
From a vintage Muhammad Ali–emblazoned Dolce & Gabbana tank top to up-and-coming shoe brand Ugo Paulon and Bottega accessories, take a walk in Paloma Elsesser’s self-described “wild and wacky” wardrobe.
Monday
Miaou Tati black top
$209.00, END CLOTHING
Carhartt Rugged Flex relaxed-fit heavyweight double-front utility logger jeans
$50.00, CARHARTT
Skims mesh underwire bra
$44.00, SKIMS
Spanx Higher Power shaper panties
$38.00, NORDSTROM
Loewe XL Flamenco Knot leather tote
$3400.00, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE
Manolo Blahnik Lurum 90 satin heels
$1295.00, FWRD
Marshall Columbia black mini plush bag
$210.00, SSENSE
Tuesday
Telfar asymmetric cable-knit top
$520.00, CETTIRE
Amina Muaddi Gilda black patent leather mini bag
$915.00, BROWNS
Ugo Paulon Patel black kitten-heel mules
$473.00, LN-CC
Mudd Pearl x Vetrova earring
$250.00, MUDD PEARL
Amina Muaddi Ciao Bella black crystal and silk mini bag
$690.00, BROWNS
Wednesday
Marni crocheted multicolored wool sweater
$750.00, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE
Dion Lee black cotton parachute trousers
$500.00, SSENSE
The Elder Statesman navy tie-dyed sherpa bucket hat
$275.00, THE WEBSTER
Clarks Wallabee boots in maple suede
$160.00, CLARKS
Thursday
Bea Bongiasca single curl wine earrings
$1350.00, MODA OPERANDI
Mudd Pearl Moth Fantasies necklace
$360.00, MUDD PEARL
Bea Bongiasca Baby Vine tendril gold, enamel, and topaz ring
$620.00, NET-A-PORTER
Church’s Kara white leather loafers
$495.00, BROWNS
Fendi croissant small shoulder bag
$1980.00, BERGDORF GOODMAN
Friday
Comme des Garçons vintage 2006 top
$395.00, THE REALREAL
Karoline Vitto belly-button trousers
$403.00, APOC
Panconesi Upside Down hoop earrings
$473.00, FARFETCH
Ottolinger red ceramic bag
$863.00, LN-CC
Marco Panconesi Solar ring in zircons
$376.00, MONNIER FRÈRES
Saturday
Dos Swim Nero top and Talus bottoms
$188.00, DOS SWIM
Dries Van Noten Clavelly embroidered printed cotton-poplin shirt
$898.00, NET-A-PORTER
Theophilio Freedom Rasta tank dress
$195.00, BLACK FASHION FAIR
Bottega Veneta yellow acetate cat-eye sunglasses
$495.00, SSENSE
Bottega Veneta wraparound snake-effect leather sandals
$1190.00, MATCHESFASHION.COM
Adina’s Jewels large hollow hoop earrings
$68.00, REVOLVE
Sunday
Timo Sassen black suspender top
$233.00, APOC
Staud Sasha mini resin and leather shoulder bag
$275.00, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE
Bea Bongiasca Flower Power 9-karat gold and crystal hoop earrings
$1550.00, MATCHESFASHION.COM
Coperni square-toe slingback ballerina flats
$720.00, FARFETCH
Originally Appeared on Vogue