Gabrielle Hackworthy
On her morning routine:
“I cleanse with Simply Clean foaming cleanser from Skin Ceuticals. I like that squeaky clean feeling as opposed to a cream cleanser. Then I apply Dr Francis Prenna Jones Formula 2006, followed with Bi-Hydrating Cream from Neostrata. Finally I apply Jan Marini Broad Spectrum High Protection SPF30 – this one has a slight iridescence to it and is super light and non greasy so you can apply your make-up on top without it looking too heavy.”
On beauty as part of her style:
“Beauty for me is about simplicity, I don’t really make huge fashion statements with make-up or hair, I prefer a more effortless look.”
Products pictured:
“It’s all about my eyebrows! I am obsessive about them, never a hair out of place.”
Pictured: Tom Ford Brow Sculptor
On her beauty obsessions:
“M.A.C Face and Body Foundation, M.A.C Pro Longwear Concealer, Dior New look Mascara, Tom Ford Brow Sculptor and By Terry Rose lip balm.”
On her dirty little beauty secrets:
“Using dry shampoo is about as dirty as I get!”
Products pictured:
On her most treasured item of clothing:
“A Celine Leopard print coat.”
Gabrielle’s BVLGARI Serpenti bag (shop similar here) and her own jewellery from Portobello markets in London.
On her signature beauty look:
“Minimal mascara, a bit of blush and healthy looking skin.”
Products pictured:
Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence
Elta MD Broad Spectrum Sunscreen
On her beauty travel essentials:
“Zelens Triple Action Advanced Eye Cream and Evian spray to keep my face hydrated. I’ll also put a Omorovicza’s Gold Hydralifting mask on for the flight to stop my skin from dehydrating.”
On her hair routine:
“I try not to wash my hair every day, to avoid stripping it of all the natural oils.”
Gabrielle wears Isabel Marant blouse and pants (shop similar here).
Gabrielle wears kaftan by Loom (shop similar here), Australia pendant necklace by Pink Lou Lou, and “hand me downs from my mum”, Pomellato onyx and black diamond rose gold ring, Ana Khouri black diamond and gold ring,
Petite Grand string bracelet and hammered metal bangle from Portobello Road markets.
On her beauty treatment routine:
“I am very low maintenance, but on the rare occasion I have a facial I will see Fumi Yamamoto in Sydney when I am at home, whilst in London I go to European Dermatology London to see Dr Stephanie Williams.”
On her five minute beauty look:
“I love a loose messy top knot like Jane Birkin.”
On how she keeps her skin bright:
“I take Vitamin C everyday, it’s a great antioxidant.”
On her earliest beauty memory:
“Watching my mother put her make-up on to go out.”
Products pictured:
On beauty as part of her style:
“Beauty for me is about simplicity, I don’t really make huge fashion statements with make-up or hair, I prefer a more effortless look.”
Pictured: Tom Ford Brow Sculptor
On her exercise regime:
“I am not religious about exercise at all. I really want to be one of those people that is addicted to the gym but it’s just not me. I have an amazing tennis coach in London who makes me run around the court, and I like doing dynamic pilates at Ten Pilates. I’ll snowboard, and surf on holidays too.”
Gabriele Hackworthy describes her personal style simply as “boy meets girl”, which is a fairly minimalist view of her Seventies flavoured oeuvre that nods to legendary flare-wearers like Bianca Jagger and the windswept scarf-and-tresses vibes of the bohemian YSL muses of yesteryear.
Those murmurs from the past are inflected in the clothes Gab chose to wear for our shoot, including that fantastic paisley print chiffon blouse by Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga (“it’s ten years old but I still love it”, she says). She also wears a black vest by Stella McCartney, an embroidered peasant blouse by Isabel Marant and black shorts by Chloe – and all three are available from what is ostensibly her office.
In the world of fashion publishing (and life), she has a day job that would make even the most high-spirited employee deranged with envy. Official title/s: Editorial Fashion Director at Net-A-Porter and she’s also Fashion Director of the website’s lovely print iteration, PORTER. According to our mental calculations, that amounts to a shitload of time spent with really, really, really gorgeous clothing.
Gab says she knew she wanted to work in fashion “from the time I was old enough to dress myself”.
Now based in London, Gab originally hails from Australia and did a three-year tenure as Fashion Director of Vogue Australia before pursuing international posts for Vogue China and UK Harper’s Bazaar.
“I love working with talented people who put their heart and soul into everything they do,” she says, explaining what it is about the fashion industry that continues to keep her enamoured after more than 15 years up to her neck in it.
“It’s one of the most creative and inspiring industries to work in. I also have a rather short attention span, so the fast pace suits me well.”
With the limited attention span spent telling stories through style, her beauty strategy is in line with the less-is-more school of thought. “Beauty for me is about simplicity,” she explains. “I don’t really make huge fashion statements with make-up or hair, I prefer a more effortless look.
When it comes to statements she tends to let the clothing do the talking. Her most treasured wearable item is a Celine leopard print coat, for example. And despite the myriad designers and big brands she interacts with on a daily basis, she’s quick to name her favourites.
“Nicolas Ghesquiere and Phoebe Philo, hands down, are the most influential designers on the planet right now. I love everything they do.”
Coming from someone with credentials like Gabriele Hackworthy, that should be taken as gospel.
Photographed by Kelly Geddes
Words by Susannah Tucker
