We had met a few times before, but Steffi and I really got to know each other on my very first day at a new job. We were going to share an office. Before I even had time to put down my bag and get nervous about being the new girl once again, she got up from her chair, hugged me and said: “I’m so happy you’re here!” It didn’t matter to her that we were practically strangers. Which meant that we became instant friends.
And even though I’ve known her for some time now, that first impression still fits: Steffi’s an infectiously upbeat, warm person, who makes you feel instantly comfortable in her presence. Turns out that she’s also fantastically fun. (All of which you can see on her blog)
When I went to visit her at home in Hamburg – for the second time, because we spent the first time mostly chatting, drinking coffee and not taking enough pictures! – she happily grabbed a bunch of balloons that were left over from her wedding and started hamming it up for me. She was pretty much game for anything: “Is the large picture hanging on the wall behind getting in the way of the photo? No problem, we’ll take it down! You want to move all of my jeans from my closet and make a big stack out of them? Yeah, okay. God, I have a lot of jeans! Just don’t let my husband see that picture, hehehe.” (By the way, both Steffi and her husband Chrissi are fabulous hosts. Not only did they let me rearrange their entire apartment – they served me fresh juice and cookies while I was rearranging)
Steffi even humored me by doing silly poses with a Chanel rugby ball (yes, a rugby ball, not a football. Thanks for clearing that up, Chrissi!) that she’d once been given as a press gift. That picture alone is making me happier than I should be willing to admit.
You can see her in the clothes she wears. They’re unpretentious, playful, relaxed, and very cool. And she kows the secret to finding the kind of easy, pretty summer dresses that you’re always looking for. A secret I’m going to get out of her…
So, from her engagement ring to the silver Zara jacket that was a lifesaver not just on her wedding day, her favourite white summer dress to the amazing collection of Closed jeans, the von hey bracelets to her Marc Jacobs bag, these are some of her favourite things.
