feature image: Who What Wear

by Marica Fick

I have to admit, for someone in the creative industry, I’m a bit of a fashion dud. Don’t get me wrong, I DO desire lovely, well-thought-through outfits and voguish attire – it is just not high on my priority list. Furthermore, I don’t think I was blessed with the expert “fashion eye”. For me comfort trumps style most days and, to be honest, I am fine with being a Plain Jane.

Having said that, there is something very desirable about a beautifully designed and organized closet. Gorgeous clothes, shoes, handbags and fashion accessories lined up and displayed like the posh shelves of a chic boutique. You don’t have to be a fashion guru, retail addict or materialistic diva to want and appreciate a stylish walk-in closet or dressing room.

Maybe we have Sex and The City to blame for our aspirational walk-in closet desires. Can you still remember the stunning walk-in closet in fashionista Carrie Bradshaw’s stylish Manhattan apartment? How could one forget really… it feels like half of the series was shot within the manicured walls of that closet. I imagine that if it came down to it, Carrie would probably choose her closet above Mr Big.

Furthermore, Marie Kondo and her “keep things organized” mantra has got us all in a neat and tidy closet tizzy. If you want to keep your closet Instagram ready you have to refer to Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing which after its runaway success is now being referred to as the “decluttering bible”!

Her (in)famous “KonMari” Method involves a whole lot of practical and emotional probing. First, you have to determine your personal connection to your items and then decide what stays and what goes. She even suggests folding clothing in a new way to minimise clutter (it really works). Just a fair warning, with the KonMari Method it gets messy before it gets neat, tidy and minimal – prepare yourself for chaos.

Looking at all these prime examples of luxury dressing rooms and the way they are used, I am left the impression that walk-in closets can serve a greater function than just simple clothes storage. They are pause areas, private retreats, and little sanctuaries. They allow you to calmly and mindfully prepare for your day or wind down after a busy one.

In fact, I wouldn’t mind having a little closet-sized paradise of my own…

How about you, do you also desire a drool-worthy luxury walk-in closet? Which one of the ten closets shared here hits the spot for you? Let us know what you think in the comments below…