L'Wren Scott is no stranger to sequins.
Party dressing is part of her everyday life: It's simply not a choice for an insider-favorite fashion designer, a celebrity stylist and the girlfriend of Mick Jagger to curl up in her cashmere cardigan all the time.
But she doesn't compromise comfort, probably because she does attend so many events, meetings and red-carpet parties. Confidence is born from the combination of style, comfort and impeccable fit, Scott insists.
Cost, however, can be a factor for many women who feel their budgets force them into a choice of one or another. But, she says, it doesn't have to be that way.
She launches the limited-edition Banana Republic L'Wren Scott Collection this week, and Scott says it will wrap her signature flattering construction and extraordinary fabrics into a package that will cost less than $200. The timing, of course, matches up nicely with holiday-season festivities.
Her sparkly cardigan, for example, will take you to each and every event, even the ones you don't know you'll be going to until you're practically there, she says. (It's available in green, red, silver/black, so it's something for everyone, she adds.) Grab the sweater, a pair of heels and you're good to go.
OK, it's not quite Nicole Kidman at the Oscars or Cannes, but it'll turn some heads.
Scott, 46, shares her thoughts on dressing up and the holidays with The Associated Press:
AP: Your usual collection pieces are made at your small London atelier and the pieces have a four-figure price tag. Why was price important for this Banana Republic collection?
Scott: When I was growing up, I'd really have to save $150 for a dress. There is nothing more than $198 here. I grew up in rural Utah, and you'd have to drive awhile to get to the bigger city where there was a mall and a Banana Republic. I had to save my money to buy these luxury kinds of clothes.
AP: You meet all sorts of interesting people. Who has taught you the best lesson in life?
Scott: My parents taught me the work ethic.
AP: What's your advice if you find yourself overdressed or underdressed?
Scott: I'm (the) owner of a business, so getting to work and looking professional is always what I'm thinking about first, and then having something in my bag for the evening. Otherwise, I don't believe in underdressed or overdressed. I think it's about being yourself. ... During the holidays, more is more, not less is more. I do think you should sparkle and shine.
AP: For you, is the holiday season more of a time to go out and celebrate, or to wind down and relax?
Scott: Holiday is so much about shopping! Parties or events are second. I'm thinking more about my shopping list, which is big! My favorite thing is buying presents for people. ... But my No. 1 thing about holidays is time off. You're with your family and friends, and I think about the people I'm going to be with, the book I'm going to read, and, of course, I make sure I have the right things in my wardrobe so I can think and worry about the things I want to and not about what to wear.