Antonia Lives London
September 2014
By Martha Alexander, London
Antonia O’Brien, 27, is a fashion stylist and TV presenter. She was born and raised in London and lives in Marylebone.
Where are the best places to buy clothes in London?
I am a massive fan of pre-owned designer clothes shops that’s where I get loads of treasure there’s a Brit website called Covetique. They have exceptional clients who they buy clothes off and so you get designer stuff by Stella McCartney for the price of a pair of high street shoes. When I go to parties I like to wear stuff I know no one else will be wearing – Beyond Retro in Shoreditch is great for that. I also love the plaid shirts they have in there. Start boutique is an amazing edit of directional brands like Alexander Wang or Commes des Garcons.
What is your signature perfume?
One scent I love is Neroli by Le Labo – they have a shop just off Marylebone High Street and also a stand in Liberty. It smells really clean and fresh, and they also blend it on site. They have beautiful packaging that looks like a prescription. It smells good with shampoo and it’s not too girly. I hate anything too sweet. I also love Diptyque’s Vetyverio: I plan on buying it. It’s a green tea citrusy fusion. I don’t want to smell cloying or sugary. Brits love Diptyque: it’s such a chic brand.
Where do you exercise?
I love exercising, although I do procrastinate. I go to Virgin Active Mayfair. It offers amazing classes. I love Willpower and Grace which is a mix of body sculpting, body conditioning and meditation. It’s quite therapeutic: we imagine bad energies and push them away. The classes are small. I also love to feel the burn and leave the gym bright red having worked out all my stresses.
How do you get about?
At every opportunity I will walk through Hyde or Regents Park – I live right between them in Marylebone. Walking over the Serpentine in Hyde Park is one of my favourite ever things to do in London. It’s always so beautiful.
Where do you go to help keep you looking good?
I always get my hair done at John Frieda – the New Cavendish salon. I have an exceptional colourist and stylist. They are a great team. For nails, I choose Brit brand Nails Inc. They just have the coolest finishes. Their new muse is Alexa Chung and they are offering denim and leather look nails. I love having great nails to pep up a simple outfit.
Tell us the best places to eat and drink?
I love Pizza East either in Shoreditch or on Portobello Road. It offers the best pizza, the best Bloody Mary and the best ice cream. I’m a huge fan of Mexican food and so I love Wahaca – there seem to be branches everywhere now. I also recently discovered DF near the Truman Brewery which served brilliant margerhitas. Oh, and I can’t forget the Dean Street Townhouse where you can have the most lovely breakfasts.
Do you have a favourite London place?
Somerset House on Strand is one of my favourite places. For a start, I work there twice a year at Fashion Weekend but it also offers the best exhibitions and the best music nights. And it is truly majestic as a building.
How do you live your London life via social media?
Via Twitter and Instagram. My London friends are neglecting Twitter and moving to Instagram these days, probably because so many of them work in fashion and Instagram can show things more easily and quickly. But I prefer Twitter. I want to see breaking news and gossip from bloggers. With Twitter I get a true sense of London. The Nudge tells you about everything that is going to be going on. That’s my London secret. This is how I know about new cool stuff first.
