Hailey Bieber may have entered the beauty sphere, but fashion remains her no. 1. The 25-year-old model has always been obsessed with dressing up, usually with the clothes she buys while scrolling through her phone in bed. Her new collaboration with e-commerce retailer Armoire.NYC was therefore a natural fit. Bieber worked with his co-founder, Christine Centenera, on a capsule collection featuring new takes on her wardrobe staples: wide-leg pants and blazers, and mini dresses and miniskirts. And if you buy one of the four- or eight-piece sets, it’s as if Bieber did your hair herself. Fresh from the Bahamas, where she was celebrating her fourth wedding anniversary with husband Justin, Bieber shares her online shopping strategies and her hopes for the future of her wedding dress.
It feels like there are endless options for shopping online. In your opinion, what makes Armoire.NYC different?
I think the concept of releasing every drop like a wardrobe is really interesting. You can buy the whole thing together or you can buy the parts separately. You can find things to add to your current wardrobe, you can start over with one of their wardrobes. For me, it’s fresh and new.
With online shopping in general, a search for even a specific item can give you dozens of pages of results. What is your strategy for screening?
It’s so overwhelming. One way to do that is if there’s something new coming out that I have my eye on, I just want to get it ASAP; I am intentional about what the article is. And then I’m someone who just scrolls late at night and probably buys a lot of shit that I don’t really want and ends up giving it back. Usually I look to see what’s available on sites like Net-a-Porter, Farfetch, and SSENSE. Honestly, I love the convenience. I’m not a fan of stores at all, so the best option is to order online. And I love receiving packages – opening a new handbag is so satisfying.
What’s the last thing you bought online?
I bought these leather Versace platform boots from the new season. They are so doped.
Do you ever buy things you see when you scroll on Instagram?
In fact, I buy a lot of stuff through TikTok. I’m into all things TikTok.
Getting into the Style Notes questions, what are you wearing right now and why did you decide to wear it?
I was just on the plane, so I’m wearing a vintage white t-shirt, comfy little white pajama shorts, white socks, and Adidas speakers. Nothing too special. Tonight I will probably wear a little black dress with a cool leather jacket and loafers.
You wear a lot of cropped hems and you’re known for just don’t wear pants.
I like the illusion of not wearing shorts or pants under a big t-shirt or a big sweatshirt. I’ll wear a little shorts underneath so that if it comes up there’s something there, but I like the look of these like there’s nothing underneath. It’s funny because I really like anything loose and oversized – baggy pants, big t-shirts, big coats – but I also love the fleece opposite, a tiny miniskirt paired with a big jacket or a very small dress with a large blazer. I have always been attracted to the mixture of these two ends of the spectrum. It’s definitely my favorite, and I think it shows in the Wardrobe.NYC collection. There are little tank tops, baggy pants, big blazers and mini dresses, all my essentials.
As a teenager, what was your style?
I have always loved doing my hair, getting dressed and putting together my outfits. What was fashionable when I was 16 was very different from what it is now. I had a younger sense of style because I hadn’t developed my taste yet. I was very influenced by the dancer and ballet culture, with the buns and baggy pants to wear over your leotard and tights. I was a dancer, so my style was influenced by that world. In some ways, I think that’s still the case.
What was your first major fashion purchase?
I’m pretty sure it was a pair of YSL shoes or a bag. YSL was the first major designer I splurged on.
If you could only choose one piece to take with you on this trip to New York, what would it have been?
Probably a big leather jacket. The problem with me is that I wear a leather jacket even when it’s 90 degrees. But if someone told me I had five items to pack, I’d say, “Okay, I’m packing a white tank top, a big boxy jacket, flashy pants, and a pair of sneakers.” I can live off this.
The Off-White wedding dress that Virgil Abloh designed for you was pretty iconic. Did you hang on to it?
I have. I actually put it in a special storage facility where they have it specially cleaned and they keep it for you. Eventually, if there’s anything to do with it, I’d be happy to do it. It’s the most special thing in my possessions, and just in life in general. Someday, if I ever have a daughter and she wants to wear it for some reason, that would be super special.
Who do you think is your ultimate style icon?
The big ones for me have always been Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Rihanna. I think back to when I was a little younger and looked at people’s fashions on Tumblr to see what I wanted to emulate, and those two really stuck with me.
What are your favorite vintage shops?
Tokyo definitely has the craziest vintage I’ve ever bought and seen. I also find a lot of really cool vintage online, through Etsy and Depop.
How much of a role does a stylist play in the type of looks you tend to post on Instagram?
When I’m working with a stylist, I’m like, “Okay, I have a bunch of stuff coming up and I want to create looks.” From there, it’s really, really collaborative. Most of the time I send moodboards and photos of things that I feel and have the vibe I want to create. I want to be involved in how the outfit comes together and comes to life. Most of the time I’m just putting things together totally by myself. On a daily basis, I go on dates or I go to the office or I run errands and I don’t need style for that.
Do you have one biggest fashion regret?
I’ve had a lot, that’s for sure. When I was younger and started going to red carpets and events, I was still learning and understanding what photographs well and what works for my body shape. I think I wore some things that were so ill-fitting and just not great.
What’s your favorite pop culture fashion moment?
The thing that comes to mind, partly because you mentioned the Met Gala, is when Rihanna went in that long, long yellow [Guo Pei] cape that came down the stairs. And also, the sheer, see-through Swarovski dress she wore with a thong. It killed me in so many ways.
She had such an awesome maternity style, and since you just mentioned a girl-to-be, I wonder if you’re planning on emulating her by not shopping in the maternity aisle.
She was the most beautiful and sexiest pregnant woman I had ever seen. And I think I won’t know until that time comes, but yeah, I definitely don’t want to feel like I have to sacrifice my style when I’m pregnant. My style is something that is really important to me.
