In this series, we’ve been interviewing some of our favorite fashion bloggers around the world, today our featured blogger is Gabrielle Marie of Only EthnITCities.
Gabrielle, tell us a little bit about yourself (who you are/what you do/where you’re from, etc.).
My name is Gabrielle Marie, 26 years old, I am a French New Yorker, I guess that’s a strange introduction. I am in between Paris and New York. I am a freelance style writer and fashion journalist. I write on http://etnicitteitmoda.style.it/ my column/blog on Style.it ( ITALY) covering cities of Paris, Milano, New York, Oslo, Dubaï…
How would you define your style?
Most of the time ETHNIC & CHIC with a lot of prints,very colorful, iam a color blocking girl with a twist of rock i love leather pants, jackets. Sometimes Rockabilly.
How did you find your sense of style?
Family culture nature ( books museums history magazines Design architecture MUSIC art in general objects …) from everywhere! Looked at my mum her looks, hairdos, sitting down front of her singer machine sewing listening to the noise of it and women in my family whose most of them got a lot of style. But most of the time is very spontaneous it’s like a vision, envision, I am a visionary. For instance where I look for an outfit i do it in silence i look at fabric, prints superpositions combinations, details, touches to bring how to turn the inital function of the ouffit. Iam like a designer who is doing his sketches, a painter drawing his masterpiece but if it seems very elaborate when i speak about it the process it’s quite natural and easy and the result is quite too don’t worry lol.
What inspired you to start a style blog? What motivates you to keep blogging?
It was very spontaneous and very thought decision as well. Style.it sought new talents/writers /journalists or anonymous people who could join their style bloggers team. You know i’ve been observing researching being around fashion blogging world for a while. But never really made the jump because there is too much blogs out there I do think the blogsphere is satured. But what inspired me to start was PARIS FASHION WEEK 2011. Because my style is different ive been pictured snapped by photographers and bloggers from all over the world even the POPE of Streetstyle BILL CUNNINGHAM HIMSELF*, been interviewed on USA Channel and French Radio about trends this was my first entire fashion week.
I didn’t really pay attention to it and never really asked to people which blogs they have or where they came from to gather all these features just because I wasn’t taking Blogging as serious thing. I starting blogging because on style.it I have all hands on plus this is not a personal blog ! I don’t post pictures of me what I wear or buy. It ‘s a Professional Blog written by a style writer that’s different. I do interview Professionals, Major Players and Personalities in the Fashion Industry. I also offer an avenue for Bloggers I know personally or people I want to showcase. I think what I write about is a niche, I put ahead of trends Ethnic Chic Style : Solange Knowles is one of our best ambassador. To be honest there a lot of talented, professional as well as amateurs bloggers out there talking about the same things without bringing something new on the table. who showcase ethnic-chic kind of style inspiration? Vintage is a huge trend and i believe that next big thing is ethnic-chic we saw prints especially african tribal everywhere WAX AND ANKARA this season From ACNE Capsule Collection to Burberry Resort Collection & Thakoon.. Burberry on Anna Wintour Kate Bosworth among others. The streets of Milan were also full of ethnic chic-color blocking trends during MFW.
How did you choose the name of your blog?
I named it ETHNICITTÀITMODA in italian meaning which means “ethn” for “ethnic”, “città” for “cities”(because ive been travelling and living in NYC LONDON SICILY( messina) and obviously PARIS…), “it” for “it Girls and it Bags”, and “moda” for “fashion”.
What was the best comment you ever received from a reader?
I received a lot of thankful messages from personalities and bloggers I interviewed when they saw their features on Style.it. The best is probably the one from My dear and loving friend Marina di Guardo from The travel passion blog ( the mum of Chiara Ferragni from the BlondeSalad Blog*) I love her come and check who she is on style.it : http://etnicitteitmoda.style.it/tag/marina-di-guardo/
Who/what inspires you?
My mum, solange knowles, julia sarr-jamois, johanna hillman, elisa nalin, John Kissi from streetiquette fabrics travels paintings museums music pieces from the past designers nature bible a lot think LIFE IN GENERAL OBSERVING. But I am original different I never copy anybody even my mum lool
What are your favourite pieces in your wardrobe?
Dresses, Jackets and belts.
What is your top fashion tip?
Change the function of clothes accesories jewellry. Turn a scarf in a belt, or a scarf in a turban, a skirt in a dress. A long necklace in a belt or in a headband. An earring for doing a pendant or a pin…. the list and the possibilities is huge : be creative.
What advice do you have for new bloggers or people considering starting a blog?
#1 Observe #2 research #3 report.
When you have done this only experience it can make you understand what is blogging. blog for good reasons not for getting famous receiving products brands endorsements deals or whatever else for a wrong motivation. blog because you love it because you have something to say. Now as everybody wants to blog if you dont have anything relevant to say to showcase to bring on table don’t open a blog you will waiste your time. Blogging takes a lot of energy and time so be sure that’s made for you. learn and stay humble, believe in you don’t let people trends industry tell you what to blog. I also insist on blogging for a niche like blogging on denim, clothes and recipes, ethnicity ! lol don’t blog to tell the same story others do. because people will be bored.
What importance do social networks have for you?
It’s major on professional and personal sides. I love twitter especially you can follow trends topics events in a second and be informed during the paris fashion when we didn’t know the place where some runaways where showcased for example 
. I am bad at using TUMBLR don’t why i would love to use it more !
Your first thought in the morning?
Opening my computer for reading my emails, browsing on blogs and blogging as well lol
What is your favourite thing to do when not blogging?
Eating, outing, shopping, hanging out with friends. Things that normal people do.
For you, what is the world’s most fashionable city?
Tough question though don’t know what to answer its depends what you are looking for. Paris is amazing during PFW maybe the best place for a fashion week, NYC is great for daily inspirations because of its diversity and versatile styles. Milan seems to be also amazing in effervescence of style chic and elegance during MPW. London designers have an incomparably sense and structure of styles, they are almost the best of our generation among others even most of my favourites designers are italian and american so thats tricky!
How would you describe fashion in the city where you live?
I will speak about New York even iam not in The City now. The fashion in NYC is everywhere from the streets to catwalks. Fashion isn’t ruled anybody can be fashionable. Everybody has his own interpretation depends in which districts you live. And you have a lot of choice and a wide range of products from luxury high end to high street fashion and vintage. But what everybody says and knows, is that New York Style is really difficult to define because it doesn’t really exist! lol Fashion in NYC is a lot of things.
What message do you hope to send to your readers?
Message? Just inspire them at least on one thing and translate my passion for Ethnic fabric and style, style and cities. Change their minds on ethnic-chic stereotypes about how to mix and wear it. like most of ethncitizens say : DEMOGRAPHIC CHIC! and just as simple as” join me” to those who are not reading me yet. FOLLOW ME lol
Christmas is coming, tell us your tips for shopping on Giglio.com:
I choose these five items:
PINKO SKIRT
ETRO PANTS WIDE LEG PANTS SILK PATTERN
YSL SHOES
VALENTINO BAG
BALENCIAGA DRESS
I choose them because i love printed materials and i love the mix between the pinko shirt and etro printed pants. There aint the same prints but the combination is audacious and i just love it to pop a bit of coulour Ysl green suede heels are perfect love platform shoes. The Valentino bag reminds the colours of the printed pants, and dress that matches very well. By night love these pants like celine inspiration and the dress by night with pump heels and bag perfect to be noticeable.
