PETRO STOFBERG
We are pleased to spotlight our latest Marfa Muse, Petro Stofberg.
A former fashion stylist, Petro is the Co-Founder of Wardrobe ICONS, a digital shopping destination dedicated to timeless and staple pieces that you will wear season after season.
Petro wears size S in the Trench Coat in olive.
#marfamuse
Tell us about your background
I was a fashion stylist for magazines for about 10 years and then after the birth of my son I co-founded Wardrobe ICONS with Laura Fantacci.
What led you to working in fashion?
I did work experience at a fashion PR agency when I was 16, I quickly realised I was at the wrong end of the job and that I desperately wanted to be a fashion stylist from that moment. I did years and years of work experience until I got my first job at a magazine called Happy as a fashion assistant and that is where I met Laura, who is now my business partner.
What are you most proud of?
I love that we have started Wardrobe ICONS from our kitchen table and that built around a concept we both feel very strongly about. We favour forever-pieces over quick-fix fashion and endeavour to help our community build a wardrobe they will love wearing, season after season. In a world saturated by content that tells you what’s on-trend right now, Wardrobe Icons focuses on what never goes out of fashion. We’re fastidious about quality, so we’ll never recommend something we haven’t fallen in love with ourselves. At the heart of our business is the strong sense of trust we've built with our community.
What advice do you have for others who are thinking about getting into similar roles?
If you are planning to set up your own business, make sure you know the business inside and out. Try out the industry you are interested in first - gain as much as experience as possible and then go solo. If you are going to set up with a friend, make sure you have done your dudiligence. Have the death and taxes chat before making any money. Be brutal about what you want to achieve and what you are willing to do to achieve it. Make sure your partners aspirations are aligned with yours. Setting up your own company is a long and complicated journey, it isn't a sprint it is a marathon so be prepared to never really feel like you 'made' it!
How do you style your Marfa Stance piece?
I love wearing it to add a bit of modernism and texture to an outfit. So I keep the silhouette simple and clean underneath such as a jumpsuit or knitted dress and then add interest with my coat. I love the fact that it is reversible so it is like having two very different coats in one. You can dress it up and down easily - meaning I have worn it out to the park and to dinner almost equally. Photographer: Zac Frackleton