My Virginia

What is your best vintage piece?

A vintage Pucci long cotton velvet bell skirt in greens and purples. I based a velvet skirt in the fall line on it. It’s called the Polly, after one of my best friends, the godmother to my oldest son.

Where does your inspiration come from?

My line is very colorful. I lived in India for a year when I was little—my Dad did his residency there—and my Mom used to wear saris. I definitely had younger parents. We drove a VW bug, and my Dad had a beard. They were hippies, ’60s bohemians—what we call “gypset.”

“Gypset”?

“Gypsy” plus “jetset”—the name comes from Julia Chaplin’s book Gypset Style, published last year by Assouline. It’s a must-read for any aspiring fashionista.