For a decade, Petra Collins has been capturing the essence of cheeky yet self-assured girlhood in cotton-candy-colored lenses that have inspired countless admirers (and imitators). In 2020, the Canadian artist and photographer decided to expand beyond images, launching an exclusive womenswear line with Ssense, for which she serves as the creative director.
I’m Sorry by Petra Collins debuted its latest collection in collaboration with Tokyo-based fashion brand Jenny Fax last month. Featuring embroidered tulle and apron-style minidresses, acrylic nail earrings, and wide-eyed Blythe dolls serving as Gothic muses screen-printed atop purses, the line continues the legacy of the slightly twisted, girly aesthetic that has come to define the brand.
Collins’s personal style, however, is a little more dainty these days. “I’m really into mod style at the moment,” she tells Bazaar. “I haven’t implemented it yet into my wardrobe or makeup routine, but I think it’s going to slowly happen. I really love bouffant hair, but I think that will never happen for me.”
While Collins doesn’t subscribe to a seasonal wardrobe per se, she is excited to experiment with contrasting textures. “I think this spring, I’ll be wearing a lot of linens and layering those with cashmere or wool. I loved how Lotta [Volkova] styled the last Miu Miu collection, using linen skirts and dresses and then layering them with sweaters that can tie into tube tops.”
Below, Collins shares her favorite all-time buys, from cashmere crewneck cardigans to a steel bedside table that has become a staple in her household.
1.
“I’ve bought so many colors of Miu Miu’s cashmere button-up sweater. They are so comfortable and chic.”
2.
“I have a vintage black Lili Ann skirt suit that I put on anytime I want to feel hot.”
3.
“I love an oversize coat like this one from the Row, which is similar to the one Damiel wore in Wings of Desire.”
4.
“When I want to feel sexy, I grab my 1999 Prada Mary Jane mirror heels or my pair of dead-stock ’80s classic pointed black pumps from a stripper store that have not failed me yet.”
5.
“Levi’s 501s—I love a Canadian tuxedo.”
6.
“I’ve lost so much jewelry over time, but I have this one ring with my sister’s initials that keeps boomeranging back to me. It’s an ornate gold signet ring I got in Chinatown in NYC.”
7.
“I just bought a steel side table for my bedside. I’ve been really into metal or steel furniture because it helps balance out the different periods of furniture I have going on.”
8.
“My I’m Sorry Blythe bag fits a lot of stuff. Jen had made this bag shape prior to our collection, and I used it so much, I asked her to make one for me.”
9., 10. & 11.
“The three beauty products getting me through the spring are Homeoplasmine, Danessa Myricks’s lip and cheek palette in Dew It Undercover, and Tower 28’s liner in taupey brown.”
12.
“I’ve also been wearing my I’m Sorry hoodie dress.”
13.
“When it’s time to unwind, the shoes I slip on? No shoes.”
