Alex Eagle's Rules for Living Well

If the overused qualifier “tastemaker” can rightly be applied to anyone, it's Alex Eagle. She first came onto the scene in her hometown of London, when she opened a store modelled on her own apartment, selling everything from her coffee table to the candles and books on top of it. From that original shop opened seven years ago, Alex has spun out a miniature empire devoted to that very same taste: the best fashion and finest home items out of her loft-like Soho store (which, yes, is a nod to her current home—a Soho loft) and soon to also be boutique fitness studio, Alex Eagle Sporting Club. And she’s also bringing that eye to other peoples’ homes with her just-published book, More Than Just a House: at Home with Collectors and Creators, featuring profiles of her fabulous creative friends and their homes all around the world.

Knowing all of this, we had to get a peek into Alex’s own home to see how she really lives (just as tasteful as we expected), understand how she styles jewelry (a necklace as an anklet, because why not?), and get her lessons on how to live a life as quintessentially ‘London’ as hers. What we walked away with were a series of maxims to refer back to when our lives need a little shine. Read on for Alex Eagle’s rules to working, dressing and living well.

“I’m always thinking about: how can I get someone to visit a real space. Online is done so well by so many that to actually succeed in retail you need to build a brand where your main thing is the premises and touching the fabric and smelling the candle—it’s very tactile, all the things I create and make. You see that the ceramics are hand painted, and a plain black shirt is really beautifully made and the buttons are perfect and the silk is the best. For me, luxury is about experiencing the simple, utilitarian and functional, but in a way that feels special. Which really ties in with Mejuri, because it’s not trying to be overly designed or be a statement, it’s just trying to be really beautiful and easy and essential.”

“I’m always looking to simplify my life. I create easy, cohesive building blocks for my wardrobe or kitchen or bathroom or for my holidays—everything. There are always other things that sneak in, like mad teapots or brightly coloured glasses or bright orange lipstick, but if the bones are there with elevated essentials, beautiful classics and well-made pieces, it’s really easy to do anything with them.”

“Tailoring is a big thing for me. I like an androgynous vibe, so a white or navy suit for day and a tux for night are key for me. And then a great coat—you can be wearing a tracksuit underneath and still look really pulled together. But otherwise, it’s the underpinnings that should be really well made: great-fitting jeans; natural, 100% linen or organic cotton t-shirts; cashmere hoodies and track pants; cashmere socks; beanies. My seven classics are a good piece of cashmere, a great pair of jeans, a trench, a tailored coat, a suit and a great white shirt. And Supergas, or Stan Smiths or New Balance trainers.”

“[I wear] tiny gold diamond hoops every day. Unless I’m going out, I keep it quite simple with earrings. I’ve got gold chains that I layer up on my wrists and a big, chunky gold necklace that I live in. I’ve got a few watches, but they're all men’s. A bit of jewelry is the touch I need to give my look a bit of sparkle.”

“I love the necklace I wore on my ankle. I love jewelry—like I love clothes or furniture—that’s multifunctional. When you’re investing in something, it’s nice when they do more than one thing. My clothes can be worn in multiple different ways by a man or a woman. I really like the multi-functionality of Mejuri jewelry: layering it up or wearing a ring on a chain necklace. It works really well as an anklet and would look adorable with one of the rings around the chain. Going on holiday you could bring six pieces and have endless fun.”

“Pilates is the best investment in myself. I really enjoy it, so it’s not a chore or a drag. It brings me joy and it’s an hour to myself. That’s a real luxury. Again, all the luxury I like is multipurpose: it’s fun, it’s cheerful, but it’s also good for me.”

“Use your best things every day and don’t worry if they break. You shouldn’t save things for best—that happens less and less now anyway. Treat yourself like your best guest. Lay the table for yourself: have a nice napkin and iron that napkin, set the table, use one of your nice glasses, and, even if you’re having an omelet, make it nice for yourself.”

Photographed by Genevieve Lutkin

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