Leonie Hanne is one of the foremost tastemakers in the world. The Hamburg native fashion influencer, blogger, model, and social media entrepreneur is renowned for her bold looks especially when it comes to street style. We caught up with her at the Marc Cain show in Berlin to find out a bit more about what influences her inimitable style and how she gets dressed for fashion week.
Leonie Hanne at the Marc Cain AW22 show
What is your favourite fashion city?
I always have the most fun at Milan Fashion Week, because the Italians love life - everything from the food and culture to the fashion is a lot of fun. You can dress up and no one is judging you. I love Paris, but in Paris I can’t go too crazy. I love a Versace moment, or some Gucci drama.
Hanne loves to show a sense of fun with her style
Who are your street style fashion icons?
That’s a tricky question, because it’s actually our job to be on top of the game but I have a lot of friends I really admire. I always love Chiara (Ferragni) because she really did the groundwork for everyone. I love my friend Emilie Sindlev and love how she plays with colour. Tamu, from Milan, I love, because in a not so diverse group of people she always brings in her very different take on fashion.
She looks to her friends when seeking inspiration for new looks
How do you make sure you stand out in a street style photo?
Normally during fashion week it’s not that easy because you usually wear a full look from a brand, so you’ll get a lookbook to choose from, but it’s often a case of first come first serve - it’s all eyes on the inbox for four weeks. But then I feel like in New York for example, the brands don’t always have a full look policy, so then I can style more to my own taste. I feel like my New York looks were one of the strongest because it was more of my personal wardrobe and not just full looks. I think it’s nice to mix it up a bit, I feel like a lot of brands especially in Paris would not want you to mix… at the moment.
Hanne is one to experiment with seasonal bright colours
How long does it take you to put together a look for your Instagram?
That’s super easy because I love playing with fashion. If we have 20 looks to shoot, I just grab something and then I love to mix and match with my own pieces. Even as a child, I have these crazy pictures of myself because my mum would always say it’s good for creativity, so I would be allowed to go to kindergarten wearing whatever I wanted. I guess when I was a child I was all over the place but it’s good to learn what looks good on you and what doesn’t.
What’s the first thing you think about when putting together an outfit?
I love shopping because if I have a new item I love to style around it. I do love bags and shoes, both equally - but maybe bags even more.
Hanne showing her love of bags with this blue statement clutch
Do you have a favourite brand?
Oh this is a bit political, because I work with so many brands I love so it's hard to pick a fave. I would say most of my favourite brands are based in Milan and Paris
How important is hair and makeup to complete a whole look?
Personally I’m more of a fashion girl, but I feel like I started using hair and makeup a bit more when my Instagram became bigger, and all of a sudden people expected it and now I actually think it’s a lot of fun. With Euphoria and post-pandemic, nowadays people love to have a bit more fun with their looks.
The German influencer is known for her bold street style