Describe your personal style. Classic with a twist. The beauty of fashion is making something your own and creating a personal style.
What are you wearing? A Victorian-style sleeveless bustier by Byron Lars and a 3-tier organza taffeta miniskirt over leggings. The shoes are by Moschino. I love vintage jewelry, the bangle on my upper arm is a Victorian handcrafted silver bracelet and the choker is actually an ancient African piece.
Favorite designers? I adore the elegance and understatement of Chanel—the focus on the details of the seams, buttons, etc. For business wear I really like Alexander McQueen. It’s professional, but not traditional or conservative. For more of an everyday look, I can’t get enough of Moschino. I also find some great Christian Lacroix pieces in France and Italy.
Where do you shop in Marin? Kathleen Dughi was wonderful; I was always very impressed by her originality. For home shopping, I like Zaragoza in San Anselmo. When I’m shopping with my daughter, we often go to the junior department at Nordstrom.
What is always in your bag/pockets? I always carry green flower or jasmine tea and an antioxidant supplement. And of course I have a sample of some Pomega5 products as well as a t’Zerah cleansing bar because the scent is so nice—it makes me smile. I also usually have a Jane Iredale lip gloss, sunglasses and business cards.
What is your best cheapo secret? One of my favorite things to do is collect remnants at fabric stores. Recently I purchased bits of lightweight leather and tulle and made a gorgeous skirt for a fraction of what it would have cost to buy.
What’s your fashion pet peeve? Fashion is often too commercial; therefore, people lack individuality. People need to spend time learning what looks good on them (not on a model) and develop their own style.
What is your view of Marin style? I love Marin style because it simply is what it is. It focuses on being outdoors, active and casual. I don’t think the lifestyle here is Jean-Paul Gaultier, so the fashion shouldn’t be either.
Where do you love to eat in Marin? Sabor of Spain in San Rafael has fantastic seafood, and they are able to bring some of the authentic culture of Spain to Marin. Insalata’s in San Anselmo has delicious clean, fresh Mediterranean food, the kind I grew up on. And the Left Bank in Larkspur has the best niçoise salad I’ve ever had.
What was the last book you read and why? I’m reading two wonderful books: The Omnivore’s Dilemma: by Michael Pollan—it’s the book that I’ve been waiting for my whole life. I’m also enjoying Sastun: One Woman’s Apprenticeship with a Maya Healer.
What was the last movie you saw? After the Wedding. The actors were fantastic and I was truly moved by the message: “no matter where you are, the substance of the journey is the same.” I also adore movies directed by Fellini or Kieslowski.
If your life were a movie, what would be your theme song? The classic movie Elvira Madigan totally shaped my life, so I am moved and inspired by the music that resonated throughout the movie—Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 in C-major.
Founder and president of skin-care product lines Pomega5 and t’Zerah, Sofer will support Breast Cancer Awareness Month by donating a percentage of the online sales of Pomega5 Healing Cream to Search for the Cause.