Carolyn Murphy says her her grandmother helped shape her taste “in design and interiors”.
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover star also attributed becoming well-travelled has “helped influence and develop” her creativity as she debuted her second ‘Mother’ piece collection, a 12-piece titled ‘Surfs Up’, celebrating sustainability and surfing in Hawaii.
The 47-year-old fashionista told Elle: “I’m going to credit my nana for my eye in design and interiors—she was very chic and an artist. I was also traveling abroad from a young age, and in my career, was exposed to different people, cultures, and destinations, which helped influence and develop my personal style. It all comes down to the fact that I thrive on inspiration and creativity.”
Carolyn admits the adding eco-credentials to your wares is “intimidating” but thinks that making “simple lifestyle choices” is a great route into being more conscious about your impact on the world around you.
She said: “I find that being labelled by or claiming anything around sustainability is intimidating. We live in a world where walking the talk entirely is unrealistic for most, but adapting simple lifestyle choices is a way to start. Buying used—whether it’s cars, clothes, or furniture—is a great starting point of recycling. Reusing items like bags and glass jars. Reducing waste by shopping at farmers markets, composting kitchen scraps, and skipping single-use plastic items.”
The former Calvin Klein model finds vintage clothing “appealing” because of the satisfaction of the hunt for hidden gems.
Carolyn said: “Vintage is appealing because the hunt for pieces can be surprising; there is history around most of the garments, and the challenge in reworking them is so much fun.”