Letter No. 138 - Aesthetically Speaking with Marie-Sophie Chardin

Dear Reader,

Summer feels tantalisingly close. My boys start their summer holidays today and while I’m not quite there yet myself, I can already feel the shift in pace that this time of the year brings.

This week, Marie-Sophie Chardin takes the Aesthetically Speaking questionnaire and talks style, motherhood and her happy place in the south of France.

Wishing you all a beautiful weekend!

Love,
Carolina

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This week’s Aesthetically Speaking guest is Marie-Sophie Chardin, a Stockholm-based French-german Art Director and co-founder of Studio Chardin Simon. With her romantic approach to style, love of beautiful details and unmistakable je ne sais quoi, she embodies that effortless elegance I always admire. For Letter No. 128, she talks beauty essentials, motherhood, personal style and the objects and rituals she holds dear.

My style signifier:
I would call my style French romantic.

I always start my day with a perfect coffee in bed made by my boyfriend.

My beauty essentials are ZO Complexion Clarifying Serum, Susanne Kaufmann Hyaluron Serum & Nourishing Day Cream, Susanne Kaufmann Hayflower Bath Oil, and Augustinus Bader Face Mist.

A book I often recommend to others is Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan.

A hobby or skill I’m currently cultivating:
I recently started to play tennis and I am obsessed. I love the elegance of this sport, the fashion of course (not gonna lie), but also the discipline you need to have in order to improve.

The latest addition to my wardrobe is a white Chloé summer skirt with lots of ruffles. It makes me feel like a little meringue and I love it.

My biggest indulgence is wild strawberries with cream.

The artist I listen to the most is Frank Ocean.

The podcast I’m listening to:
- Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud, for getting fashion people to lie horizontally on a couch and spill the tea.

- Sentimental in the City with Caroline O’Donoghue and Dolly Alderton, for all Sex and the City lovers like me who love British humour.

- Pod Save America, to help digest the tragedies of US politics in a funny way.

My favourite room in my home is my bathroom. As a mum who is always on call, I feel like the bathroom is the only place where I can close the door without any guilt, take a bath, listen to a podcast, try out new face masks - basically unwind from the day.

Something I wish I knew before starting my own company is that highs feel extremely high, lows extremely low.

My go-to source for inspiration is our coffee table book collection from all over the world.

My hidden talent is that I can tell you within seconds - basically month, year and sometimes the exact date - of the most random events, trips, activities. Super random but very helpful when my mum tries to figure out where we went on holiday in the summer of 1997.

My happy place is my house in the South of France. Seeing my daughter running on the beach is all I ever wished for.

Three pieces I am investing in for the new season:
I am pregnant right now, so this fall there is not much I will invest in except cashmere pants. But definitely getting some more soft and romantic lace pieces for summer.

One item that is on my wish list is a vintage Alaïa leather jacket I saw in Paris. The fit in the back was just insane.

My favourite piece of clothing is a cheap shirt I bought on a market in Hong Kong in 2019 with the Hong Kong flag on it. I have worn it a gazillion times, travelled everywhere in it and love to style it with everything I have. Especially simple jeans, some ballerina flats and nice jewellery.

Something motherhood has taught me is to embrace the change. Motherhood is a transition that takes time and can be really rough. But growing into who you are as a mother is beautiful and something I would never want to miss.

My best styling trick is to go with what you feel comfortable in, trust your gut and don’t overthink too much. I love to add a little touch of playfulness, one piece that catches the eye.

A brand that makes up a significant part of my closet:
I don’t really have that one brand but I would say there is a lot of Acne Studios, vintage YSL, Céline by Phoebe Philo, Chloé, Re-done Jeans and a bunch of pieces from smaller brands that I found mostly when I am travelling.

Someone whose closet I’d like to raid is Alexa Chung’s for sure.

A dish I love making is Pasta Bolognese

One ritual that is sacred to me is my daily hikes in the morning and cooking dinner for my family.

Something I care deeply about is my kids, my family, my friends.

My guilty pleasure is watching Real Housewives of Beverly Hills while eating Corn Flakes Honey Pops.

Three things you’ll always find in my handbag are a soft rose lipstick, hand cream and some unnecessary pens.

The jewellery pieces I’m never without:
Sophie Bille Brahe always.

My go-to scent is Chloé Atelier des Fleurs Cedrus.

Someone I love following on Instagram is Alice Betts, my friend from Stockholm. Her Instagram is inspiring, fun, full of vintage fashion with a hint of ballerina.

A film that deeply resonates with my aesthetics is Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola and I’m Still Here by Walter Salles. I’m a very visual and music-driven person and both films touch me on both a visual and musical level.

Someone I’d love for you to feature in Aesthetically Speaking is Katharina Hein, I love her aesthetics and style. I think she would be a great addition!

Don’t forget to follow @mariechardin on Instagram for more inspiration!

SALE. House of Dagmar’s sale is officially on and I have my eyes on the navy version of my favourite blazer, the colour is spectacular!

GALERIE STORM. The Swedish Grace bowl of my dreams just arrived at the gallery.

WEAR. If you’re on the hunt for the perfect summer shorts, look no further. I’ve been living in these silk ones from Arket lately. Effortless, elegant and incredibly comfortable.