Ageless Style: 20s

Judging by Maryam Keyhani’s 400-plus book collection, which ranges from art history to Persian poetry, it is clear that the 27-year-old jewellery designer was born in the wrong decade. “I love fashion pieces from a specific era, not necessarily of now,” she says, referring to her obsession with Elizabethan-inspired neck ruffs and vintage men’s bow ties. There’s no doubt that Keyhani’s mix-master approach to fashion strikes a gender-bending chord in her closet. A self-described eccentric, she lists Vogue Italia’s Anna Piaggi and the late Isabella Blow among her style icons, so it comes as no surprise that Keyhani, too, has cultivated an extensive hat collection, which includes a Lilliputian-sized purchase from Urban Outfitters. But when you strip away the handmade necklaces and quirky hats and accessories, her look leans toward minimalism—unlike the many twentysomethings who subscribe to the more-is-more theory of dressing.

“Sexy is always sexier if it’s a little bit understated,” Keyhani says, speaking about her preference for boyfriend blazers over body-con dresses. Her own closet is filled with classic staples, such as tailored blazers (“I probably own 20 black blazers that look exactly the same”) and a Chanel chain-handled bag (“it makes me feel legit”). But when the conversation turns to designers, she speaks passionately about Christian Lacroix’s brilliant colour palette and ornate details. Who else makes Keyhani’s cut? “Balenciaga. I used to draw his 1950s dresses instead of studying Michelangelo when I was in art school.” Fashion fantasy aside, Keyhani says the key to great style at her age is building a signature look with a high  /low mix—like her YSL blazer worn with $14 vintage Levi’s from Value Village and one of her grandmother’s brightly patterned scarves to pay homage to her Persian heritage. Like any true artiste, she finds inspiration in the world around her. “Fashion is in art books, flea markets, museums or your boyfriend’s closet. You just have to look for it.”

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