Daily Style Phile: Julia Restoin-Roitfeld Is More Than Her Mother's Daughter

by CARSON GRIFFITH · May 12, 2009

    It takes more than being born into the right family - and the right genes - to make it in the jet-set crowd and the highest circles of New York society anymore. But for Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, daughter of French Vogue Editor-in-Chief Carine Roitfeld, it's been a walk in the park. The New York transplant has a resume rivaling the top people her age - or older - in the fashion industry. And with a degree from Parsons, killer internships, steady work experience, and a modeling career to boot, it's no surprise. With a love life as interesting as her background in the field of fashion, and a style worthy of being featured in her mother's magazine, we're lucky to have her on our side of the Atlantic...

    When it comes to Julia's personal style, she doesn't cite the usual brands you might expect. It's not just Chanel, Gucci and Prada for this girl. She'd rather spend her time raiding her mother's closet (um, so would we), or scouring the racks of NoLita vintage store Resurrection. She'll hit up the typical Paris haunts like Miu Miu when she's in her hometown, but don't be shocked to find her in Pigalle sex shop purchasing a miniskirt. "A cinched waist and short skirt and some cleavage" , her idea of the perfect outfit to accentuate her figure, is probably the European in her coming out, we expect. But hey, Julia pulls it off.

    So what makes her more than just another Parisian princess with a Parsons degree? Instead of riding on her mother's coat tails and holding positions at Conde Nast, she decided to try out other forums, starting with an internship at Fabien Baron's advertising and branding firm for luxury goods, Baron & Baron. Wanting to try out other medias, Julia followed this up with an internship for the photographer Craig McDean. After graduation (by this point, she had transferred from Parsons Paris affiliate to their NYC campus and currently resides on Bleecker Street), she went to work for Baron & Baron in New York, and eventually made the move to Laird & Partners.

    While this job career sounds like quite the accomplishment for any hard-working, lucky fashion grad, of course there are going to be even bigger perks for a girl born to one of the most powerful figures in International style. Thanks to her growing fame and beauty, in the fall of 2006, Julia was asked by Tom Ford to be the face of his first fragrance, Black Orchid. In August 2007, she also became the face of the jean company Restoration of the Monarchy as well. Continuing her modeling career, she also did work with Spanish brand Mango.

    It's not all work, work, work for the spawn of style royalty, as I'm sure you can imagine. She plays - and not alone all the time either. While she did break up with model Magnus Berger in December, she used to date international playboy Stavros Niarchos III as well . But now she may be hanging out with a whole new crowd of men: those interested more in what she wears than who's she's with. Just a few months ago she wrote on Alexander Wang's Facebook wall (yes, even jet-setting celebutantes with perfect style use Facebook): "Thank you for the bag! I absolutely LOVE it and going to wear it right away! Big kiss!" I'd love it too, Julia. Feel free to pass it along when you're done. You know where to find me.