60 Seconds with…Mariona Planas

Blogging in Spanish and English, Mariona Planas is one of the official voices of ELLE magazine. Her professional eye, insider status, and warm, personal style have made her a leading voice in the blogosphere.

How did you get the idea to start your own fashion blog?
It was about two years ago, I discovered the blogger phenomenon in ELLE magazine. The influence of blogs on the street was unbelievable. It caught my attention and I began investigating. I realised that it was a fantastic source of inspiration: seeing, learning and contrasting on a daily basis, soaking up the diverse styles. From then on to share it there was only one step… and DIARY OF STYLE was born.

Where do you hope your fashion career will lead?
To be honest, I don’t know. I prefer to live in the here and now, I don’t usually plan my future because life is very unpredictable. Who knows…, now I am fully involved in this project and I am grateful for everything that it’s giving me at a personal level.

What advantages has your status as an official blogger for ELLE brought to you?
Forming part of a fashion portal that’s as important as Elle, without a doubt offers you support and it shows you around this industry which is so complicated.

What was your first contact with the fashion industry?
It must have been about 15 years ago, I was very young of course, ha, ha, ha, I spent a summer assisting a stylist for a fashion supplement in the newspaper LA VANGUARDIA. This was my first real contact. In June 2009, I was subsequently signed up by Elle.es.

What makes your blog/your style unique?
I take risks, I experiment fearlessly and I have fun. Fashion allows me to reinterpret different versions of myself.

What was your last purchase?
A dress by Marni.

What inspires you?
Absolutely everything does. At times the most insignificant details are the starting point in building up a look. The streets and their people, photographs, films, editorials, blogs, I keep observing and it happens. I hate the “copy-paste”.
Sometimes I feel like the most inspiring thing is closing your eyes, mentally going blank, forgetting about everything and starting over again.

What is the difference between fashion and style?
Fashion is real, unpredictable, a declaration of absolute individual freedom. Style is an essence, for many it’s pretentious.

Do you have a favorite brand?
No. I feel identified with a lot of them. Those who use both daily and special occasions are: Zara, Isabel Marant, Miu Miu, Balenciaga, Fernando Claro, Sard, etc.

Which designer would you love to meet?
That’s a tough question; Nicolas Ghesquière, Miuccia Prada…

Do you prefer online or “real-life” shopping?
Both, with the frantic rhythm nowadays, they complement each other to perfection.

In your opinion, what will be the top trend of 2011?
Clasicism, austerity, sobriety, minimalism, anything from monochrome designs to polished ones.

Which other blogs do you read on a regular basis?
The Sartorialist, Jak & Jil, Karla’s Closet, Alex Boutique, Alexa Chung…

What are your “must haves” of the moment?
With regards to trends, the seventies and the minimalism of the nineties. I am still obsessed with the mix of prints and colours by Marni and fluorescents in small doses.
My unfinished business; lengths, I fancy XXL skirts and dresses.
My ballerina pumps, my essentials from yesterday, today and tomorrow. I cannot live without them.

Do you have any advice for young bloggers?
I like to quote Anna dello Russo: Fashion is like a muse, seduce it.

What do you love the most about the fashion industry?
The freedom of individual expression that it represents.

Tic tac…60 seconds are up! Thank you, Mariona!