He styles homes worth millions, but this interior designer loves these $20 T-shirts

Each week, we quiz a prominent person about their style and the inspiration behind it. Ahead, interior designer David Flack.

How would you describe your style? The way I dress is less complex than my interiors. I’m very daring with materials and colour combinations in my work, whereas my personal style is quite pared back. I have recently started wearing colour again after my husband, Jason, told me I need to stop wearing black all the time. I love it – wearing colour makes you feel good.

What’s the oldest thing in your wardrobe? I wear a lot of vintage. I’ve got a great ’70s leather jacket I bought in Brooklyn, New York. It’s a beautiful tobacco colour and a bit cowboy.

And the most recent addition? A pair of Balenciaga “3XL” runners with a massive sole.

What are the three essential items in your wardrobe? Levi’s boot-cut jeans, a bomber jacket, and my handcrafted Japanese Matsuda sunglasses, which look like little goggles.

What would you wear … on a first date? On my first date with my husband, I wore tailored pants, an oversized black Acne button-down shirt, Acne trench coat and Bottega Veneta “Tire” boots with a green sole. He’s usually taller than me, but I was taller than him in those boots, so I think he was annoyed. … on a plane? Black everything: oversized cotton pants; a [$20] Uniqlo “AIRism” tee, because they breathe well; slip-on Salomon runners; a Norse Projects bomber jacket that doesn’t crease and looks smart enough to wear to a meeting straight off the plane. … on the red carpet? A beautiful Prada suit and Prada dress shoe with a chunky sole.

What’s your favourite fashion era? I grew up in the ’90s and I love seeing all the references now – it’s a form of nostalgia. The fashion was stripped-back and more casual than today.

Who are your favourite fashion designers? I like Raf Simons for his sense of colour. His designs are very clean and there’s always beauty in the simple but significant details. And JW Anderson – there’s always a surprise, some little quirk or nuance. It’s playful.

What’s your fragrance of choice? Ex Nihilo’s “French Affair”.

Any go-to jewellery? My Tessa Blazey wedding ring and a gold Cartier “Juste un Clou” hoop
earring.

Can you remember a favourite outfit from when you were a child? It was a blue, red and white parachute tracksuit when I was about seven. I don’t know why I was so obsessed with it; it made me look like I belonged in the Olympics.

What was your first fashion moment? It was probably when I was around 20 and had come out. I’d moved from the country to Melbourne and was working at Ralph Lauren, exploring fashion and
experimenting with lots of different outfits – good and bad. It was a fun time.

And your worst fashion mistake? Also in my early twenties, I went through a stage where I thought I looked good in a trilby hat. That’s a laugh; it was bad.

What’s on your wish list? I’m coveting a Jacquemus “Canevas de-Nîmes” denim jacket and the Bottega “Intrecciato North-South” tote bag.

Is there something you would never wear? A velvet suit, or a white suit.

Is there a current trend you like? I love seeing Gen Z get into the early 2000s/Y2K stuff.

What shoes do you wear the most often? Salomon “XT-4 S/Lab” sneakers in all different colours, all day.

Who’s your favourite fashion icon? Yves Saint Laurent. He was prolific in everything – fashion, interiors, art collecting – with an incredible sense of colour and embellishment.

What do you wear on a typical working day? I float between jeans, T-shirt and runners and dress pants with a white shirt and smarter shoe. It complements my studio; I wear nice pieces, but I don’t get overly dressed up.

What’s your favourite off-duty, casual Sunday look? A coloured Acne tee and jeans.

Flack Studio: Interiors (Rizzoli) by David Flack is out now.

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