Lucy Sykes
Fashion Director, RenttheRunway.comAs fashion director of Rent the Runway—a virtual closet of designer couture-for-rent that you absolutely must try out—Lucy Sykes lives the kind of life we thought only existed in movies: a fashion whirlwind of designer showroom tours, meetings with magazine editors and fashion house heads, photo shoot stylings and more. But despite the fact that she’s been in the fashion business for many years—starting at Rent the Runway as a freelancer and working her way up—Lucy is nothing like the high-strung portrayals of style mavens in endless rom-coms. In her free time she has taken up tap dancing—an old hobby, she says—and loves cooking for dinner parties and playing board games around the fire with her husband and children. Have we convinced you yet that Lucy has the perfect life? She spills her secrets for us here.
Go ahead: Strike a Pose on Rent the Runway.
BEAUTY MUST-HAVES >> fragrance: JO MALONE 154 // body lotion: TATA HARPER // concealer: YSL TOUCHE ÉCLAT // mascara: L’OREAL VOLUMINOUS MILLION LASHES MASCARA // lip gloss: GIORGIO ARMANI ‘GLOSS D’ARMANI’ #103 // nail polish: NAKED NAIL POLISH BY DEBORAH LIPPMANN // hairspray: L’OREAL HAIRSPRAY ELNETT
Q: Happy almost-Valentine’s-Day! How will you be celebrating this year?
A: I celebrate with my husband over a nice lunch or dinner. Mr. Chow’s and Red Rooster Harlem are often top of the list.
Q: What is the perfect Valentine’s date outfit?
A: Prabal Gurung’s Modern Madame Dress [PICTURED RIGHT], which retails for $2,150 but rents on RTR for $275.
Q: Prabal Gurung is great. Any other designers you play favorites for?
A: Bibhu Mohapatra, Sachin+Babi, Allessandro Dell’Acqua, Nina Ricci, Anna Sui and Roksanda Ilincic. Alexis Bittar and Tom Binns for jewelry.
Q: Makeup vs. outfit: is one more important? Should they match?
A: They should never match. Never wear the same eye shadow as the color of your dress!
Q: Good tip. What is the best beauty tip you’ve ever received?
A: Less is more.
Q: What’s your latest fashion or beauty obsession?
A: Michelle Williams and her hair color in My Week With Marilyn!
Q: Gorgeous! Other all time fashion and beauty icons?
A: For fashion: Coco Chanel. For Beauty: Julie Christie.
Q: And one last V-day question: what’s your best memory of the day?
A: Realizing that love is thankfully everywhere, every day.