Sophia Neophitou
Creative director, Roland Mouret and Warren Noronha
As well as working as a stylist on a national newspaper and publishing and editing her own magazine, 10, an ultra-glossy, fashion-obsessed quarterly, Sophia Neophitou makes time to consult on the collections of two London-based designers, Warren Noronha and Roland Mouret. She is a formidable force. She has worked with Noronha since he set up on his own in 2000, and is just embarking on her second season with Mouret, a Frenchman who makes grown-up clothes designed with women like her in mind.
'He identified me as someone who would buy and wear his clothes and take them through different stages of the day,' she says. Her current favourite outfit is a drapey, silk jersey Callaghan dress, worn with an army Parka over the top, and high heels. She never veers far from what most women might class as evening wear, even when she is working. It is this way of dressing - both formal and casual - that fascinates Mouret, and was reflected in the collection he showed in September at the old Saatchi Gallery in north London. 'He said he wanted a woman's perspective. He was nervous that I would come in and say, "I hate this," or be too heavy handed. But I'll only work with clothes I really believe in. It's a really big trust thing.'
Already they have discussed fabrics and colours for the next collection. 'He comes with swatches and asks, "How do you see colours for next season? How do you see fashion going?"' Fashion editors like Neophitou, 36, have a much more rounded view on the season. Designers often operate in more of a vacuum. As well as being her own little fashion forecasting centre, Neophitou finds inspiration outside fashion. 'You could go to a fab flea market in Barcelona and bring something back, or sneak into St Martins' library and pretend to be a student. People are your best inspiration - students, old people, funny odd things catch your eye.'
For her fashion stories, Neophitou says it is possible to work miracles. But working with a designer on a show is different. It is a delicate process. 'I don't want to overshadow the collection with my styling. It should be cleverly anonymous. Styling a show is a different thing to a consultancy. You have to get into the designer's mind set. You are there for them 24/7. So much energy, time, love and care goes into it. You are 100 per cent involved.'
). it featured my beloved Lucinda Chambers and Sophia Neophitou. At that time she was a fashion director of Russian Vogue.
nothing feels like a costume, is what i'm trying to say, i guess. i wouldn't say what she picks out are necessarily "power clothes" but they lend this perfect blend of confidence and charisma to whomever is wearing them 
