In a world of fast fashion, Toast, a UK brand, specializes in clothing and decor meant to last for years, even generations. CEO Suzie de Rohan Willner has helped put sustainability and craftsmanship first at the company. We talked to her about her approach to timeless style and mindful living.
Suzie says she looks for furnishings and objects that “tell a story, that make me smile.” For her home in the English countryside (6), those pieces are often vintage or made by artisans, such as UK company Leach Pottery. “I remember the first time I held one of their mugs [3], it was so beautiful, it actually slowed me down.”
On chilly days, she often wears a shift dress (4) from Toast layered with a shirt and leggings. “The dress really complements women’s bodies,” Suzie says. “We hear from customers all the time who have been wearing theirs for years and years.” Lydia Jersey Shift Dress, $215; us.toa.st
To cut down on your fashion footprint, Suzie encourages mending existing clothing and
buying used pieces when possible. Toast regularly hosts sewing workshops (2) and clothing swaps, where, she says, “you’ll see women in their 70s trading with women in their 20s.”
Suzie’s Instagram feed reflects her appreciation for makers. She’s a fan of @upstate_diary, which spotlights creatives in Upstate New York, as well as @sarahjeanclothes, a fashion designer who creates clothes out of upcycled textiles.
When entertaining guests at her house, Suzie sets the table with a mismatched mix of family and artisan-made pieces. For holidays, at each place setting she uses a textile (5) to wrap a small gift and includes a piece of paper with the first line of a famous novel. The line makes for a conversation starter, and the textile can be repurposed as a scarf.
PHOTOS: (PORTRAIT & 2–6) SUZIE HOWELL, COURTESY OF TOAST, (1) ELLIE SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY; ILLUSTRATION AGENCY: CLOSER & CLOSER
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