As someone who commutes on a weekly basis between her studio in East London and her apartment in Paris’ 9th arrondissement, it helps that Semaine co-founder Michelle Lu has had a lot of practise in globe-trotting while managing to look effortlessly put together. While working as Mario Testino’s Creative Producer her non-stop schedule could take her from Lima to Tokyo to LA within a few weeks. So, Lu has honed a uniform of high quality, seasonless pieces. Here, she puts her signature tomboyish twist on the Coco Dress and Veronica Blouse and lets us in on her clever packing strategy.

I launched Semaine because

I had a desire to create a platform that experiments with moving content, and to create something that treats fashion and culture with a levity and wit that they might not normally be associated with. We were also trying to answer the needs of a woman who is multifaceted and interested in wellbeing too.

Michelle wears the Veronica Blouse in Red Vintage Flowers

A Borgo girl is

Someone who has a real identity and who wears clothes of quality that she will have in her wardrobe forever and wear for seasons to come. I love the Veronica Blouse because it looks great with a pair of jeans on a work day or for meetings. I can even wear it with vintage trackpants. And the dress worn with socks and loafers is the perfect weekend look, which I can dress up with a dark red lip for more of an evening vibe.

My wardrobe is filled with

Chinese jackets, body suits, socks, loafers and glasses. I have core pieces that I like adding quirky accessories to.

My packing strategy is

To always bring red lipstick and great jewellery so I can dress up a day look for the evening. And to leave room in my suitcase for the things I’ll pick up along the way.

A Borgo Girl is someone who has a real identity and who wears clothes of quality that she will have in her wardrobe forever.

The books on my bedside table are

The autobiography of Simone Viel called A Life, The Courage of Hopelessness by Slavoj Žižek and I’ve just finished The Quiet American by Graham Greene.

My morning ritual isn’t complete without

Meditating.

I can’t stop listening to

All of Ebo Taylor’s albums

My favourite artworks

Are by Mary Ramsden. They were a gift from two friends for my 30th birthday. I have them at home in Paris – my place is quite minimal so I love the femininity and simplicity of her work.

My dream day off in Paris

Involves just walking around the city – you can take in its beauty which never gets old. When I first moved to Paris, my friend who is a director showed me all of the tiny old cinemas that play films like Le Champo and Studio Christine, so I love going to those
too.

My life motto

Has been ruined by the acronym (!), but I suppose nothing says it better than ‘you only live once’!

Michelle wears the Coco Dress in the Red Orchid Leopard Print

INTERVIEW BY: GILLIAN BRETT
PHOTOGRAPHY: JESSICA MAHAFFEY
STYLIST: KENDAL BOYLE
HAIR & MAKE-UP: CLAIRE DE GRAFT

The Coco Dress is available to buy at Gio Moretti, Belinda, Bergdorf Goodman, Beymen, Matches, and Mitchells.

The Veronica Blouse is available to buy at Aishti, Saks Fifth Avenue, Moda Operandi, and Matches.