The Spotlight Collection with Ilaria Urbinati

Ilaria Urbinati. She’s the woman behind many of Hollywood’s best-dressed men (think The Rock, Ryan Reynolds, Chris Evans, Rami Malek …). She has topped the Hollywood Reporter’s “Most Powerful Stylists” list for six consecutive years – and most recently named their “Most Influential Stylist of The Decade”. She is co-founder and editor-in-chief of LEO, an inspiring, tastemaking site for the modern man. And she has just launched her second sock collection with London Sock Company. 

The Spotlight Collection is a stylish 6-pair capsule collection of socks. Available as a six-pair gift box, two 3-pair sets or as individual pairs, this head-turning collection of vintage vibes and feel-good stripes captures Ilaria’s playful signature style. 

“Socks are the last thing I choose,” Ilaria once told us. “I pick them carefully around the colour and vibe of the outfit and the setting of the event my client is going to, be it sitting down on a talk show or a walking shot on a red carpet. There is just something about that little pop of colour. That great walking shot with a little blast of pattern or a shock of colour that makes the outfit that much cooler. Or when you see a guy sit down and suddenly you see he’s got cool socks on – especially well made chic socks like London Sock Company socks – you automatically feel like this is a guy who knows what’s up in the men’s style game.”

We caught up with Ilaria to learn more about her inspiration for this collection and what helps her Walk Brighter.

The colours and patterns in this collection are very distinctive – what inspired you?

I was inspired by fashion campaigns from years back that felt very 1960s bohemian-folk-costumes-meets-Victorian Pre-Raphaelite. A lot of kaleidoscopic prints and moody interiors with busy patterns.

What kinds of moods do these colours inspire?

As opposed to the pastels we have done in the past, I was leaning towards rich, vibrant jewel tones that work nicely for fall and winter but that can continue nicely into spring. It’s a little moodier than bright colours.

What pair would look great at a festive event?

I think a lot of them would work for festive events – the colours are all so vivid and luxurious. Particularly the Ocean Checker because that particular weave feels really luxe.

What about everyday – what day-to-day wardrobe pieces would these work with? What other colours will they complement?

I love the idea of men pairing these with unexpected fabrics. Think corduroy, tweeds and wools in shades of brown, maroon and camel. Of course they will also work great with all manners of blues and greens.

Obviously these are like your children and you can’t pick a favourite. But if you could only pick one, which one would you choose?

The Camel Stripe is my favourite because I just love the contrast of that goldish tan trim that makes it feel really vintage but rich.

We’re talking a lot about belief and self-belief right now – what helps you believe in yourself? What do you do to walk brighter, feel more confident?

I’m a big believer in going after the things I want to achieve, even if it sometimes feels out of my comfort zone. I don’t really allow myself to have a comfort zone. I don’t want to do just one thing. It’s important to not let other people’s idea of your ‘box’ stop you from going after all manner of passions. That’s why I’m able to style but also design, be editor-in-chief of LEO and pursue various writing projects.

What have your personal and professional highlights of this year been?

I got married to my love and the father of my children, and we moved into our dream home. So it was a big transitional year on a personal level. Professionally, I launched five collabs. I also got a big writing project off the ground and my website is about to turn three and going strong.