Sandrine Zhang Ferron started out in finance before launching Vinterior, the online marketplace that’s become the UK’s biggest vintage furniture platform. “I hated all the tight pencil skirts and heels. Now, I’m all about really good staples that are comfortable and timeless.”
After a gruelling three-month search for a 1950s Poul Volther chair, Zhang Ferron had the idea for Vinterior and the site made its first sale in January 2016. Naturally, her wardrobe is a mix of old and new: a vintage black silk Lanvin skirt she bought 15 years ago sits alongside staples from Cos. “I like to find unique pieces that no one else has, which is why vintage is so great,” she says. “But I also live in white T-shirts, so if I find one I like, I buy two or more.”
Some of her favourite pieces are ones she’s picked up abroad, but she believes London’s style is unmatched. “New Yorkers wear black; Parisians love neutrals. It’s elegant and smart but not as fun: Londoners are bolder. There’s no judgement and way more freedom here.”
She also has a weakness for 1980s fashion. “We hosted a Miami Vice-themed 40th birthday party recently and I found this ’80s suit dress in peacock green with big shoulders. I actually wore it again to our Selfridges pop-up party – just without the big hair and colourful eyeliner.”
T-shirt
“I was looking for a present for my husband in San Francisco and someone recommended Buck Mason. I left with nothing for him and the perfect cotton T-shirt for me: it’s got some weight to it, and I like the boxy shape.”
Blazer
“The colour of this Ganni blazer makes it smart without being too formal … It’s also very on brand, as it’s basically the colour of the Vinterior logo!”
Trousers
“I went to the gym one morning and realised I didn’t have any other trousers to change into, so I ran into Anthropologie and bought these faux leather ones. They’re really comfortable and, crucially, have pockets – I’m not really a handbag person.”
Shoes
“I found these croc-effect Salvatore Ferragamo pumps in a vintage shop in Tokyo about 12 years ago and I still wear them all the time.”
Jewellery
“I wear simple Tiffany gold studs in my ears, and when I gave birth to my daughter, my husband bought me the Cartier Love bracelet, engraved with our initials. I’m also obsessed with data, hence the Oura ring.”
Lipstick
“I had my colours done and learned that I’m a ‘winter’, so I tried this cherry shade by Violette FR and I got so many compliments that it’s become a signature. It’s the Plume Lip in Mon Cheri.”
This article originally appeared in the fifth issue of Broadsheet London's magazine.
