Every single morning, Linda Fargo, Bergdorf Goodman’s senior vice president and women’s fashion and store presentation director, swipes on the brightest shade of scarlet lipstick and selects an outfit for the day: something slightly surreal, artistically creative, or a little bit head-turning—maybe a huge, glittering bow headpiece; ruffled black cargo pants with a massive turquoise necklace; or a leopard-print suit. “I definitely believe you should always dress for yourself first,” Fargo says. “But if I don’t live this, then who’s going to live it? At times, I need to represent Bergdorf’s, and we need to walk the talk.”
True tastemakers will tell you: Personal style is one thing that doesn’t come instantly. It’s molded, shaped, and curated over many years of careful (or reckless!) sartorial expression. So it makes sense that those who know the ins and outs of building a wardrobe best—namely, the buyers and executives of some of the biggest fashion retailers—have also become the shining street-style set. Think of them as walking billboards for the must-have items they represent—sometimes even driving the sales of specific pieces.
Linda Fargo
With her icy bob and penchant for Sacai and Junya Watanabe, Fargo is regularly featured in street-style content and even has her own namesake shop, Linda’s at BG, inside Bergdorf’s, inspired by her individualistic, edgy aesthetic. “I’ve always been drawn toward the drama of clothing. When I was young, it probably tended toward costume,” she says. “I think you learn, through that, the power and the effect that transforming yourself visually has.” Inside Linda’s, you might find exactly what she has in her fantasy-fueled closet: glittering Judith Leiber boom box bags, crystal minidresses by Area, or deconstructed jackets by Noir Kei Ninomiya.
Another standout in the field, Mytheresa’s chief buying officer Tiffany Hsu, has more than 241K Instagram followers and is a favorite of Fashion Week paparazzi. When she posted photos of herself wearing a Victoria Beckham sequined maxiskirt and matching bodysuit to an event late last year, the retailer saw an immediate uptick in site traffic and sales for those pieces. “I enjoy dressing up, so any opportunity that I have, I’ll try to go all out,” Hsu says. “I think if you have a strong sense of personal style, it’s always good for your career—and also for people to remember you and to understand your work.”
Roopal Patel
Quiet luxury may have reigned in the last year or so, but maybe that’s because some of the fashion world’s biggest stars were living it first. Take Roopal Patel, Saks Fifth Avenue’s senior vice president and fashion director. She describes her wardrobe as “a mix of utilitarian pieces, cargoes, bombers, tailored boxy blazers, leather, novelty skirts that stand out, great white T-shirts, and bright pops of color and shine.” Or April Hennig, Moda Operandi’s chief merchandising and marketing officer, who loves anything leather, oversize outerwear, and relaxed knitwear, but also “well-tailored pieces that have a clean, modern simplicity,” she says. “In my day-to-day life as a mom, I gravitate toward understated pieces. But when I’m representing Moda, I often feel a little more inspired by bolder color, prints, and femininity.”
April Hennig
As for what these retail icons are shopping for spring? Almost all of them agree they covet anything and everything by Khaite. Fargo is into Bottega Veneta skirt pants, Balenciaga lace-up jackets, nautical stripes, and fringe. And there’s no shortage of excitement about emerging designers, with Hsu citing the work of Grace Ling and Hennig mentioning Marie Adam-Leenaerdt’s oversize suiting. Looks like Fargo isn’t the only one walking the talk.
This story appears in the March 2025 issue of ELLE.