Posh. Parisian. Personal Stylist.
As the French wife of San Antonio Spur Tony Parker, Axelle Parker has every excuse to have her nose in the air. One might imagine her sitting in her mansion, looking down upon the rest of us meager peasants and wondering what she’s done wrong to end up in the heart of Texas. But to meet her is to know that she is the precise opposite of that snooty Parisian stereotype. She is warm, inviting and fantastically kind.
And yet, she commands a closet and a sense of style that may be second to none in San Antonio. She can rattle off brand names and fashion terminology the way some Texans can list breakfast taco flavors. This, no doubt, makes her the perfect candidate to style those of us who are not blessed with natural “cool girl chic” running through our veins.
When we sat down in her La Cantera offices, homemade macarons in hand, I was curious to discover if this serious journalist-turned-basketball-wife has what it takes to dress the city’s elite. I should have known simply by the evolution of Tony’s wardrobe since they’ve been together that the answer would be an emphatic yes.
San Antonio Woman: Hi Axelle, thanks for having us today. Tell us a little about your favorite trends or staple items that you’re loving for spring and summer.
Axelle Parker: For spring I really like the casual chic trend of an oversized shoulder blazer or suit jacket. Then, even though I generally prefer to wear miniskirts and dresses with black sheer hose or opaque tights during colder seasons, I’d rather them be longer this spring. So I’ll opt for gold and silver lamé over-the-knee dresses or half-long pleated skirts.
I like to mix the basics like a tweed jacket with a simple no-sleeve top. I love to mix materials with sneakers. In France everyone has a pair of Stan Smith Adidas sneakers. They are just coming here, but I always have people asking me where I found them.
SAW: What kind of advice would you give someone going to their first Spurs game? What should a girl wear to support the team but still look stylish?
AP: It depends on what you want to do. If you want to cheer, you put a jersey on, preferably number nine. (Laughs.) Usually I wear flats. I’m crazy about the Louboutin “Fred” shoes; I wear them the whole year-round. But it’s a family atmosphere, so we like it a lot.
SAW: You’ve been in San Antonio for a few years now. Is there anything that you like about our style?
AP: What I like is that San Antonio women are not afraid to show some skin, to show that they are sexy. In France we are not too colorful, so I like to take a bit from both and mix it for my clients.
SAW: If you had to pick one thing to add to every woman’s closet, what would it be?
AP: A trench coat. I have the Burberry trench coats in beige, like everyone should have. And I have a red, navy blue and black. We love trench coats in France, too.
SAW: What’s the biggest challenge in dressing San Antonians?
AP: It’s a big challenge for the men to leave the boots behind. This is nice, but when you want to look more professional, you have to wear the dressier shoes. I’m very good friends with Christian Louboutin, so I can have some shoes sent from Paris with a discount, and this is a very classy shoe.
Parker’s clients range from oil and gas CEOs to stay-at-home mothers, and she considers it her passion to help each one find a unique style within their budget. Her services range from wardrobe consulting for men and women to makeup application lessons with her female clients. For more information about her company, send her an email at imageinfinity9@gmail.com.
By Aquila Mendez-Valdez, Fashion & Beauty Editor
Photography by April Denton
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