Art of Style

The Working Wardrobe: Amalie and Cecilie Moosgaard Nielsen

Danish twins and former models AMALIE and CECILIE MOOSGAARD NIELSEN naturally have that cool, laid-back Scandinavian style down to a tee. Here, they talk to GILLIAN BRETT about launching their own jewelry brand, LIÉ STUDIO, and what they love to wear (and re-wear) most when it comes to their own impeccably stylish wardrobes

Photography Trish WardStyling Viktorija Tomasevic
Fashion
Amalie (left) wears shirt, The Frankie Shop; jeans, Khaite; ballet flats, Manolo Blahnik. Cecilie (right) wears dress, The Row; shoes, Toteme. All jewelry, Lié Studio

Counting nearly a million Instagram followers between them, and a further 100,000 for their jewelry brand, Lié Studio, Danish twins Amalie and Cecilie Moosgaard Nielsen personify the perfectly polished yet low-key look we all love that is inherent to Scandinavian style – and the sisters became unintentional fashion influencers when they started posting their outfits almost 10 years ago. “I think that, because we were traveling so much as models, it was interesting to follow us – and then we did all of these outfit posts and people could see themselves wearing what we were wearing because it was very authentic,” says Amalie.

The Moosgaard Nielsens walked for Gucci, Burberry, JW Anderson and Valentino Garavani Haute Couture, amongst others, before deciding they wanted to create something of their own in the fashion industry. And so along came Lié Studio – the word ‘lié’ being the last three letters of both sisters’ first names, with an added acute accent to aptly (for a family-run jewelry brand) become the French word for ‘linked’ or ‘connected’. Aesthetically speaking, the sisters have created a well-edited line of modern, timeless, sculptural and understated jewelry pieces in gold and silver.

“It became our goal to create jewelry for the non-jewelry person, because that was who we were,” says Cecilie. In line with their fuss-free outfit formulas, jewelry centers around hero pieces for the duo. “We’ve never been ones to stack rings or necklaces; we always just wear one bracelet, one chunky ring… So we learnt quickly that whatever works for us is also what works for the customer. If there is something that we would wear and like, then it’s going into production – but otherwise, we would never do it.”

Just two and a half years since the launch of Lié Studio, the brand has built a loyal following that includes fellow tastemakers and in-the-know fashion editors. The sisters’ entry into the world of content creation may have been unintentional, but the platform it’s given their brand is invaluable. Not only are they co-founders and creative directors, but they are both the faces of the brand, too – and their feeds serve as showcases for the chic, uncomplicated ways to wear their exquisite pieces.

With enduring style and emotive connections to what we wear at the brand’s core, this month sees the launch of Lié Studio’s exclusive capsule collection on NET-A-PORTER, which has been inspired by vintage jewelry. “We remember growing up, looking at our grandmothers and our mom wearing the exact same jewelry over and over again – and it’s so clear in my mind how they look,” muses Amalie. “We want to create something that is just as timeless, but with a more modern take.”

Read on for Amalie and Cecilie’s advice on mastering enduringly elegant style…

Amalie wears dress, Khaite; shoes, Aeyde; necklace, Lié Studio

Curate a ‘weekend-away’ capsule wardrobe

Amalie: We are so good at packing a carry-on bag. It’s the perfect size for us – when we start packing a big suitcase, you suddenly have too many options. But when it’s just a carry-on…

Cecilie: …that’s when we’re best-dressed.

A: [To create a capsule closet], think about what you would pack for a weekend trip to Paris Some of the staple pieces that we have in our capsule wardrobe include a long coat (an oversized shape, be it a trench or a wool coat), a button-down, a fitted blazer, a good pair of jeans, a nice pair of shoes for the evening, a good pair of boots, and some jewelry. Ultimately, you want to make it easier to get dressed in the morning. You could just wear a white T-shirt and a great pair of fitted jeans, put on some jewelry and then you’re good to go. Jewelry is that final touch to make you look ‘put together’ – and that’s what we want to do with our jewelry.

Take good care of your clothes

A: Keeping and re-wearing our clothes is, firstly, important from a more conscious aspect – extending the lifespan of our garments can help mitigate the many negative effects of excessive consumption. Additionally, re-wearing clothes allows us to form a deeper connection with our wardrobes and shapes our identity. Certain pieces in our wardrobe hold sentimental value or memories, making them irreplaceable. For example, we both have thrifted Levi’s jeans that we wear on repeat – adorned with small patches that are lovingly sewn on by our grandmother whenever a rip appears.

C: Personally, I have a cherished Toteme ‘Bergerac’ coat that has been with me since my high-school days. It has weathered many winters alongside me, and each year, when I have the opportunity to slip it on again, it brings me immense joy. I could never imagine parting with it.

Cecilie wears vest, Esse Studios; pants, and flats, both Toteme; earrings, and ring, both Lié Studio
Ballet flats, Aeyde; bag, Savette; bracelet, and earrings, both Lié Studio

Treasure the brands you wear on repeat

C: I love Tove. I have one of its fitted blazers that I can wear to any meeting – or for an important day or dinner – and always feel so confident and so good. The brand also does some really nice fitted dresses.

A: Aeyde, Toteme – you can never go wrong with Toteme. And Khaite does amazing jeans.

Cecilie wears sweater, The Row; earrings, and bracelet, both Lié Studio

Find your go-tos for style inspiration

C: We’ve always loved a Carolyn Bessette Kennedy style of dressing; I think we’re probably not the only ones. We adore that minimalist style; we always look at old pictures of her [from the ’90s] – and that’s how we want to dress. I also think it’s a new era now, and we get a lot of inspiration from the people we follow on Instagram and social media… Sylvie Mus is a go-to for both of us whenever we’re in doubt and don’t know what to wear – she’s so clever at elevating a simple outfit. And Ilirida Krasniqi always looks fabulously chic.

Figure out what doesn’t work for you

A: We both own just one pair of sneakers. I guess it’s not very convenient or practical, but we’ve always just chosen a better-looking pair of shoes… We walk a lot – we walk in our home town, and whenever we’re traveling; it’s faster, and we just prefer a ballet flat or a boot instead of a sneaker – it’s more elegant.

Amalie wears blazer, Toteme; jeans, Agolde; earrings, Lié Studio
Amalie (left) wears top, Nili Lotan; skirt, Tibi; sandals, Aeyde. Cecilie (right) wears T-shirt, Matteau; pants, and belt, both Nili Lotan; flats, Aeyde. All jewelry, Lié Studio

Lean into trends if they feel authentically you

C: I love when a trend fits my existing style. For example, I love that ballet flats have become such a ‘thing’ because I’ve been wearing flats forever… If a new trend was coming up for, say, platform heels, we wouldn’t just jump on it.

A: I’ve had my eyes opened about the polo T-shirt. I wore one by Nili Lotan [for this shoot] that was so nice. There was a shiny cocktail skirt and a polo shirt – I could definitely see myself wearing that look.

Bracelet, and necklace, both Lié Studio; bag, Loewe

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