The Working Wardrobe: Alice Casely-Hayford and Sean Baker

Of the singular strengths that Alice Casely-Hayford and Sean Baker possess, it’s their curiosity for the stories of fascinating people that complements them as a couple. Welsh-born Baker cut his teeth as digital editor at i-D before moving to Paul Smith, where he is now director of brand and communications. “Being a journalist gave me the perfect excuse to ask lots of questions and indulge that curiosity,” he says. Meanwhile, London native Casely-Hayford held positions at Refinery29 and British Vogue before commencing her current role as content director at NET-A-PORTER. “Throughout my career, I have particularly loved giving a platform to marginalized voices and those with a compelling, inspiring story.”

Both are cinephiles and design enthusiasts, so it’s no surprise that Baker and Casely-Hayford hit it off instantly. “We were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend, and it was pretty apparent less than a cocktail in that he was ‘the one’,” says Casely-Hayford, who describes her husband as “the most generous, curious and optimistic person I have ever met”. Baker, meanwhile, was quickly enamored by his now-wife’s elegance, kindness and confidence. “She is extraordinarily strong-willed. We make a great team and bring out the best in each other.” Baker invited Casely-Hayford to a bar on their first date and, after a few negronis, asked to kiss her – “A cliché she’s never forgiven me for,” he says.

Style is certainly a language the couple share, but their motivation to enter the fashion industry is down to very different inspirations. Casely-Hayford was raised in a sartorially accomplished family, with the influence of her parents’ fashion brand shaping much of her creative eye. “My brother and I were surrounded by creativity, both in our parents’ studio, where we spent a lot of time, and at home. It was quite an unconventional upbringing in comparison to my school friends, whose parents were bankers or lawyers, but I wouldn’t change a second of it. I was enthralled by storytelling, style and the power of pop culture from a young age,” she says.

“I love beautifully crafted, timeless classics with a twist, and cherish quality over quantity. Perhaps surprisingly for the content director of NET-A-PORTER, my wardrobe is pretty pared-back. In fact, my husband’s is much bigger! I wear a lot of denim and tailoring, and gravitate towards everyday pieces that are understated and elegant. For special occasions, I do like something more statement, though, and really love to wear [pieces by] emerging designers such as Maximilian Davis, Nensi Dojaka, Conner Ives and Christopher John Rogers.”

Baker’s childhood memories of fashion include a Mickey Mouse sweater hand-knitted by a neighbor, and the scent of his mother’s perfume while she would get ready for a night out or to host a party at home. “As a teenager growing up in Kent and reading GQ, Paul Smith was the smartest designer available in the local department store. Throughout his 50 years in business, Paul has been unwavering in his commitment to dressing people in brilliant, unpretentious clothes. I wear Paul Smith tailoring every day: it can be a sleek, double-breasted pinstripe suit or a more relaxed, drawstring wool trouser with an unstructured jacket, and I’ll always feel completely comfortable – and, crucially, at ease getting straight off my bicycle and walking into a meeting.”