Where a Victoria’s Secret Model Gets Her Favorite Ballet Flats
Yumi Nu is building a home and a closet full of pieces that spark joy. The model’s idea of good style is a mix of classics with personality that can withstand the constant change of trend culture. She is spending more time thinking about what to buy and how long it will last, like her fur-trimmed coats and ballet flats mixed with athleisure.
Nu pulls style inspiration from Pinterest, pinning mostly ’90s and aughts minimalism including brands like Ralph Lauren and Issey Miyake. She’s always looking for more sharp shapes and structured garments to add to her minimal, buildable wardrobe.
See where Nu got the pieces that made their way into her curated closet and home.
Where did you get your most recent purchase?
Neiman Marcus. It’s a Mantas Ezcaray Serenity wool blanket. This room is mostly white, and there’s not a lot of artwork. I’m scared to get a huge art piece because I think it could really change the way my home looks. I’m trying to introduce color into this space without having it be art yet. I’ve been on the hunt for a wool blanket for a while, but finding a color that could work in all seasons was important to me. This pink and orange reminds me of sorbet.
Mantas Ezcaray Serenity Mohair & Wool Throw
Where do you get your favorite gifts to give?
Victoria’s Secret. I’ve had such a funny relationship with bras in my life. I went from wearing crazy push-up bras when I was younger to wearing bralettes. When I shot with Victoria’s Secret for the holiday campaign, it was my reintroduction to a lot of different bra types. I’m finding my new staples and shapes that I want to have. In the show, they gave us these bombshell push-up bras, and I wear them all the time now. It’s a game changer when it comes to confidence; a bra can make or break a whole outfit for me. I’m adding more lace and colors to my lingerie drawer and getting more supportive pieces. One of my friends keeps hinting that she wants one for Christmas, so I’m going to get her one.
Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels Boho Floral Embroidery Push-Up Bra
Where did you get your signature scent?
Byredo. Bal D’Afrique reminds me of this character I aspire to be in my head. It reminds me of my Pinterest boards and the overall style I love: ’90s minimalist, expensive hotels, chic New York, this tailored adult woman living in the city. Perfume is really hard for me because I don’t like most perfumes. I wish I had more of an easy attachment to it because it’s such a fun world that can unlock different characters and confidence.
Byredo Bal d’Afrique Eau de Parfum
Where did you get the inanimate object that brings you the most joy?
My fiancé. A while ago, I had a whiteboard on the fridge and my fiancé would write notes to me on it for a hundred days; we called them the “fridge notes,” and I’d scan them to my Notes app. But eventually, it started to crash, so I couldn’t even look at them. I was going to scan all the pictures into the book, but it was a nightmare so I went to Muji for a plain notebook.
Where did you get your favorite piece of clothing?
Charlotte Simone. I have one of her Penny Lane coats in brown, and I love wearing it with workout clothes or sweats. It’s such a fun contrast. I wear it with more relaxed outfits like for going to Pilates or running errands. I can pretty much wear it with everything, but I find myself liking that juxtaposition of something fun and fancy with something dressed down and unexpected.
Where did you get the item you wear the most?
Réalisation Par. If I had known how much I was going to wear it, I would’ve gotten a few more tank tops because there’s nothing worse than falling in love with a white shirt and then it gets all yellow. I can’t let it go because the cartoon is so cute.
Where did you get your favorite item to layer?
Tank Air. If I’m going out and I want more temperature options, I’ll wear the tank under a cardigan, under a coat. This year, for winter, I want to wear it under a long-sleeve in a Pilates ballet-princess way. I have a few tank tops with thicker straps, so I’ll layer it with others to make new tops. I love the brand’s tanks because they’re very sculpting. I’ve also been loving Cou Cou Intimates. My fiancé is really into organic materials, and that has put me on a kick of looking at the materials; Cou Cou does organic cotton, which is really cool. Their pieces are really classic, and the materials are really soft. I have these gray cotton pajama pants from them, and I put them on my Christmas list because I want them in black and white, too.
Tank Air Peek Tank
Cou Cou Intimates The Vest
Where did you get your favorite pair of shoes?
Repetto. I ordered a bunch of shoes to test before summer, and I was curious about the brand. My first impression was that they were uncomfortable, but they were expensive and nonrefundable so I took them to the cobbler to see what they could do. I love the look and how flexible the leather is; the cobbler gave me insoles and it changed everything. I wear them every day. I’ve been wearing a lot of sweatpants and activewear with ballet flats. It feels cute and less like a gym bro. They’re so easy to travel with, too, because you can stack them on top of each other.
Repetto Cendrillon Flats
Where did you get the item that gets complimented the most?
My engagement ring is from Aeri Go. I was a customer of hers for a really long time, and she started doing custom pieces, too. I heard a lot of suggestions about going classic with my engagement ring and keeping it elegant and minimal, but I thought, I want to wear what I want to wear. If anything, I could take the diamond off and put it on something simple if I change my mind. It’s easier to start a little bit avant-garde and then taper it down. I decided I wanted a custom ring. I wear a lot of custom silver jewelry, and I wanted it to blend in with the whole stack of chunky, blobby rings. I wanted something that didn’t look traditional, like a thick band with a sideways pear, and I wanted it to sit off center. We started in January, and the ring was done by the end of August. It was a process. We went back and forth for a long time.
Where did you get what’s on your nightstand?
Loftie. My nightstand is very practical. I have an alarm clock. My New Year’s resolution every year is to wake up, meditate, drink water, and not go on my phone. At night, the goal is to read and use my red light. Sometimes it works out, but the doomscroll has me on lock.
Loftie Clock
Where did you get the item that brings you convenience in the kitchen?
It’s a spoon rest from an alleyway pottery shop in Crete. I hate clutter. I’m very Marie Kondo in that way where I don’t keep things that don’t bring me joy. There’s a lot of boring kitchen stuff, so it’s hard to find joy in a can opener. When I was in Greece, I went to this ceramics shop and all the pieces were so beautiful and reasonably priced. I saw this cute spoon rest with a spiral on it, and I like how it lifts the space and makes really mundane everyday tasks more aesthetically pleasing.
Where did you get your plates, forks, and cups?
Fable and Lazy Jamie. The Fable bowls and plates are well made. They come in a few different colors, and I wanted something that was neutral and ceramic. I appreciate a beautifully designed piece, but at the end of the day, I’m very practical. My utensils are more fun, so I wanted to highlight that. That’s kind of my way of accessorizing my home, the way I would accessorize an outfit.
Fable Dinnerware Set
Lazy Jamie Upward Spiral 5-piece Flatware Set