What Leandra Nef’s wardrobe lacks in colour, her home more than compensates for. The apartment of the deputy editor is classic yet exuberant, shaped slowly and deliberately, piece by piece. Objects arrive through encounters with designers and moments that matter, each carrying its own story. Drawn to interiors that reveal themselves over time, she favours spaces that, in a René Magritte spirit, invite a second look. We speak with her about fashion as attitude rather than trend, bold interior choices, the logic of red, and why she writes.
By Kaira van Wijk
We’re standing in Leandra’s bedroom, talking wardrobe and personal style as she packs for Milan Fashion Week, when a flash of colour catches the eye. Right across from her built-in cabinet sits a small writer’s desk in pale bubblegum pink. An asymmetrically shaped silver chair, custom-designed by Spanish designer Jorge Suárez-Kilzi, whom she discovered on Instagram and had made to her size, mirrors her petite frame, slender but strong. When she’s not on the go, she’s happily banging out workouts just as diligently as sentences. What is she writing about right now? ‘Finalising an interview with Cecilie Bahnsen,’ she says. ‘One of the loveliest designers I’ve ever had the chance to talk to.’ The colour scheme nods to Bahnsen too, soft pinks paired with a bright red modular storage system tucked a bit out of sight. ‘It was a gift from my father,’ she says: ‘and apparently colour theory says every room immediately looks better with a touch of red. Perhaps it brightens the space.’ She continues, ‘Funny you should say that, I never thought of it as a Cecilie Bahnsen colour scheme, but I guess it’s a happy accident.’
Her elegant Altbau apartment in the heart of bustling Wiedikon, Zurich, features polished hardwood floors and two French balconies with doors that open wide, letting light spill through the room. Yet the space is decorated with quirky, off-beat and often brightly coloured pieces, from sculptural glassware by Helle Mardahl to silverware by modern classicist Louise Roe.
‘It’s the opposite of how I dress day to day,’ she says, picking up on our wardrobe conversation. ‘I love a classic. Jeans with a good blazer is my go-to when I’m unsure what to wear.’ She pulls out a small striped brown set: a blouse with side lacing and a matching mini. Still, a note of quirk inevitably seeps in as she reaches for a favourite piece of Swiss design: black clogs from Appenzeller Gurt adorned with hammered, gold-toned figures depicting Alpine farm workers. Growing up in Lucerne, then Zug, with time spent in Winterthur and Vienna, she eventually landed in Zurich seven years ago, after a brief detour to Australia to study English. ‘My family were farmers. I remember picking cherries as a kid,’ she says. ‘Design and art weren’t necessarily what I grew up with, although I do think my mum has great taste.’ Her ocean-blue eyes light up as we talk about the things she loves.
You just moved one floor down in this beautiful building…
‘I actually sized up and chose a corner apartment, because in summer you get sun from eight in the morning until eight at night, which completely changes how you live. For me, it’s all about the light. I can people-watch all day, and I even added a summer lounge chair, a Swiss design by Bogen 33 and H100. When it’s warm, everyone gathers on the benches outside, so I have an almost private viewing situation. It feels very Parisian. And then there are the mountains, with Uetliberg right there.’
What does hosting mean to you?
“Honestly, I’m socialising so much that when I’m home, I like to retreat a little. That said, people still drop by. A few close friends (pictures from a trip to Biarritz with some of them, shot on analogue film and printed by Bookfactory, now hang above my kitchen table) live in the same building and often pop in spontaneously. I have a Zuriga coffee machine, so half the time people don’t come for me, they come for the coffee. (Laughs) “Leandra, good to see you but can I see your coffee?”’
The most unconventional design piece in my home is…
‘In my bedroom there’s a bright red light sculpture by Josefin Eklund. I love it, but when I switch it on at night it suddenly feels a bit like an establishment in here (laughs, jokingly nodding to those red-lit places you associate with nightlife). Or maybe an infrared wellness setup. I like that it’s unexpected and playful. My coat hangers are glass-bulb pieces in vivid tones from my colleague’s brand Issu Issu that add an element of surprise.’
Advice on decorating a new home…
‘Take your time. I really believe a home should grow slowly and collect stories along the way. With our jobs, we see so many beautiful things every day, so I wait until I come across something that truly feels right for my own life. I also don’t have unlimited resources, so I try to invest in one special design piece each year. I love supporting local Swiss designers who put heart and soul into what they do. I find it inspiring how an idea can start late at night and turn into a brand. And then it’s also about joy. Take the USM desk in my bedroom, a special edition from Salone del Mobile. The pink immediately spoke to me. It mirrors this pink mountain power outlet by Gert Wessels that I’ve had for almost ten years.’
Gert Wessels turns out to be a Dutch designer. And there’s also a picture of Lara Stone, another Dutchie, in your living room…
‘The Lara Stone image is actually a ripped-out page from i-D from about fifteen years ago, when I was a teenager. I had it on my wall back then too. Bare-breasted, holding those wine glasses. I loved it then, and I still love it now. It’s funny how some images stay with you.’
How my love for design started…
‘It was always there somewhere inside me, but it didn’t come from my family background. My grandparents were farmers, and my uncle still is. My dad is a teacher. My mum always dressed nicely, but there was no money for elaborate design pieces. Our home was cosy rather than designed. Over the years she collected a few vintage items, including a Le Corbusier lounge chair she still loves and uses all the time. From a very young age, I knew I wanted to work in this field, and even when everyone advised me against journalism, I went for it. I’m grateful that I did.’
The driver behind my writing…
‘I work for Annabelle, a magazine that is almost as old as German Vogue and has always embraced contrast. One half can be devoted to serious reporting, the other to beauty, interiors, jewellery and design. Some people find that tricky, but to me it makes perfect sense. Both matter. Beauty is not superficial; it’s part of how we live, how we cope, how we get through the day. It’s like oxygen.’
A fashion moment that shaped me…
‘Recently, it was Rama Duwaji, New York City’s First Lady. I appreciate her sense of dress, she looked incredible in a The Cut editorial shot by Szilvester Makó (look it up!), but what stayed with me most was her attitude. She has such a singular presence and is completely unapologetic about who she is. That, to me, is always the most inspiring thing: being fully yourself in how you look and how you show up. She comes across as kind-hearted and grounded, while fully owning her identity as an artist in New York. Even following her posts, especially the series about the things she saw that made her want to make art, reminded me why making things, and putting something personal into the world, matters.’
How I view colour and texture in my wardrobe versus my home…
‘They’re almost opposites. My wardrobe is more restrained: lots of black, brown and muted tones. I love a classic like a beautiful cashmere sweater. At home, I want something else entirely. My interior is much more joyful. A beige home would feel quite boring to me. Most of my everyday outfits live in my bedroom cabinet, but I keep a larger rack in the living room for going out, next to a big mirror.’
My go-to outfits…
‘For a special occasion, there’s one cobalt-blue dress I wear all the time. It’s such a beautiful colour and works even for black-tie events. I also keep buying blazers; they’re a bit of a signature. A blazer, black jeans or leggings, a tight top, and I’m done. I’m not really a bag person. If anything, something small and cute. I have this tiny Louis Vuitton piece that fits keys and maybe one lipstick. No phone, no chance. It’s very minimal, and ideal for an offline evening.’
My take on trends…
‘I don’t actively follow them, but I don’t reject them either. I’m always inspired by what’s happening around me; trends say something about the psychological zeitgeist, and that can be interesting. Occasionally I’ll buy a piece that’s very much of the moment, but it’s never because it’s a trend. If something touches me and stays with me long enough, that’s usually when it earns a place in my life.’
Injecting an instant Spring vibe…
‘Flowers are always the quickest way, but I travel so much that fresh ones can be hard to keep up with. The SilkHaus flowers really surprised me. They’re artificial, but you genuinely can’t tell. The quality is beautiful, and they still bring that feeling of Spring, of things opening up again. Add a bit of sunshine coming in through the windows, and suddenly it really feels like the season has arrived.’
My love for Zurich…
‘I don’t know if I would have ended up here if I didn’t travel so much, but I do love coming back. Zurich is calm, organised, and incredibly grounding; maybe that’s the Virgo in me. From here, Paris and Milan are three hours away, London is an hour by flight. Wiedikon feels like a little village. I still think about Bondi - the energy, the sport, the surfing - and I love New York too. In an ideal world, I’d move between places: European-Italian summer, autumn in New York, and winters in Australia. Zurich is the anchor that makes all that possible.’
