Palm Beach's 8 Most Fashionable Prove Style Is A State Of Mind

Sophisticated with a dash of swagger—these local trendsetters prove that style is a state of mind.

Nick and Molly Mele can be spotted posing for their stylish snaps across Palm Beach in locales like The Colony’s Living Room (shown here), Casa Gusto and Sant Ambroeus.

NICK & MOLLY MELE

Husband and wife Nick and Molly Mele are a Palm Beach fashion power pairing—she a former model, he a photographer with clients like Ralph Lauren and Lele Sadoughi as feathers in his House of Clyde cap. The two catalog their adventures with sons Johnny and Archer and dog Lola in tow on their witty, Slim Aarons-esque Instagram, A.Social.Life. The Meles’ busy lifestyle continues into 2022 as Nick publishes two books with Vendome Press (one on Newport, R.I., lifestyle and the other on Palm Beach interior design) and releases a fine art series. While the couple’s fashions have a certain yin-yang quality, the result is a wonderful melange of style perfected. Says Nick, “Fashion is a way to stand out or blend in depending on your personality.” nickmele.com; @a.social.life

MY STYLE IN A WORD NM: Classic
MM: Effortless
GO-TO OUTFIT TO LOOK AND FEEL MY BEST NM: White button-down, colorful slacks, sports coat and Belgian loafers
MM: Something floral and flowy
FASHION MEANS MM: Self-expression—dressing for yourself and not anybody else
PIECE WITH THE MOST SENTIMENTAL VALUE NM: My gold ID bracelet that belonged to my grandfather. It has his name and city on one side and his military ID number on the other. The clasp is a St. Christopher medal.
DESIGNER TO WATCH NM: I love Artemis Design Co. shoes out of Boston. Every pair is uniquely made from old Turkish rugs.
MM: Lana Marks handbags. The brand has been around and fabulous for a while, but it just got a new storefront and a revitalized energy thanks to Lana’s daughter Tiffany Isaacs.
THE ULTIMATE STYLISH SPLURGE NM: For me, it’s shoes or sports coats and blazers. Or a killer hat from House of Clyde.

The Style Bungalow’s Stephanie Hill wearing Ferragamo

STEPHANIE HILL

Like so many, Stephanie Hill began her blog, The Style Bungalow, as a creative outlet. Today, the West Palm Beach-based brand has grown to more than 220,000 followers on Instagram and gaining. Hill uses her platform to showcase her signature aesthetic—a mix of feminine timelessness with an influx of South Florida’s tropical palette. Spot this former ballerina on her feed wearing classic designer favorites, such as Chanel, Valentino, Givenchy, Dior, Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera, as well as paying homage to her Latin heritage with pieces from Johanna Ortiz, Agua by Agua Bendita, Monica Sordo Jewelry and more. When not sharing her #OOTD, Hill is often out and about in Palm Beach, perusing the fashion-filled displays at Lola Dré, Palm Beach Vintage, City Girl Consignment and AERIN, or snagging a bite at Celis Produce, Bolay and Buccan. thestylebungalow.com

MY STYLE IN A WORD Timeless
GO-TO OUTFIT TO LOOK AND FEEL MY BEST Anything ivory, silk or cotton poplin
PALM BEACH’S BEST UNDER-THE-RADAR SHOPPING DESTINATION Any second-hand store on Antique Row
FASHION MEANS Individuality
PIECE WITH THE MOST SENTIMENTAL VALUE My late grandmother’s pearl clutch from the 1940s
DESIGNER TO WATCH Maygel Coronel
THE ULTIMATE STYLISH SPLURGE A Chanel handbag never goes out of style!

Nick Hissom, shown here in front of “Interior” (1977) by Roy Lichtenstein, has two genres of go-to outfits. “Either black-on-black sexy and simple with a T-shirt, jeans and white leather sneakers, or maximum suited in pastel colors,” he says.

NICK HISSOM

Nick Hissom’s life has been bathed in the arts—from living among priceless works as stepson to collector Steve Wynn to expressing his confidence-fueled individual fashion sense. Now, Hissom makes his own mark on the industry as he settles into the directorship of Wynn Fine Art, the private gallery discreetly located in the Esplanade. In singular style, he opened his inaugural season with Master Works, featuring Roy Lichtenstein, and Basquiat x Warhol: Generations in Art. The busy jet-setter has also founded contemporary art-focused AKTION ART with partner Kameron Ramirez, showcasing artists like Kevin Hees and ThankYouX and rapidly cementing his name among today’s creatives. aktionart.com; wynnfineart.com

MY STYLE IN A WORD Confident
PALM BEACH’S BEST UNDER-THERADAR SHOPPING DESTINATION Saint Laurent. It doesn’t ‘have’ menswear... but ask and you’ll find it.
FASHION MEANS Freedom, expression, a lifestyle, an intention. What do I want out of today, and who do I need to be to get it?
PIECE WITH THE MOST SENTIMENTAL VALUE My Brioni suit. I’ve had it since 2016 and it still fits (on occasion). I was given it for the 2016 Billboard Music Awards back when I was a young recording artist signed to Sony. I got best dressed in Esquire magazine alongside Nick Jonas, and I’ve always loved it since.
THE ULTIMATE STYLISH SPLURGE Graff. Diamonds make everything sexy.

Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger recently moved to Palm Beach with husband Tommy Hilfiger.

DEE OCLEPPO HILFIGER

New South Florida resident Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger is a fixture in fashion as a former model, founder of Dee Ocleppo shoes, creative director of Judith Leiber and as partner to legendary king of prep Tommy Hilfiger. “I think years of working across a lot of the big fashion brands and houses in Europe have led me to develop my own style sensibilities,” she says. “Over time, you become keener to cover classic pieces across ready-to-wear and accessories and footwear that can remain with you and can be worn time and time again.” deeocleppo.com; judithleiber.com

FASHION MEANS Expression, whether it be expression of personality, feelings or opinions. Fashion has always played a fundamental form of expressing individual identity.
PIECE WITH THE MOST SENTIMENTAL VALUE Knowing that I’m a huge fan of Marilyn Monroe, my husband bought me a bag at auction a few years back. He found a beautiful handbag that Marilyn once carried, and it’s a very uniquely designed piece.
DESIGNER TO WATCH I enjoy seeing what Daniel Roseberry is doing and how he has revived the spirit of Schiaparelli in Paris. ... He has single-handedly shaken up haute couture and has been pushing the house since his arrival.

Among her favorite places to shop in Palm Beach, Alnifa Hackney says, “I’m partial to the Worth Avenue Vias. They remind me of being in Europe—the quaint little side streets, unique boutiques and galleries are just darling and utterly charming.”

ALNIFA HACKNEY

British-born Chinese fashion designer Alnifa Hackney finds inspiration in her global travels. “My parents are from Hong Kong, which is the epicenter for fashion in Asia,” she says. “‘Hong Kongese’ love fashion and style, which has a strong British influence as it was a British-ruled colony. Over the years Hong Kong has created its own ultramodern style that I am drawn to and inspired by as the styling is sharp with attention to detail and different to the West.” This blending of East-meets-West is seen throughout Hackney’s collections for MAAC London, which opened on Worth Avenue earlier this year. “I was always interested in fashion from a young age and studied ballet intensely,” she says. “The love for creating beautiful alignments, form and shape stems from a visual sense with the early training as a dancer. My silhouettes reflect that in my collections.” These days, Hackney has her heart set on the JW Anderson chunky chain mule. A simple silhouette with a modern twist, she says, “the over-the-top chain is perfect and will amp up any outfit.” maac-london.com

MY STYLE IN A WORD Effortless
GO-TO OUTFIT TO LOOK AND FEEL MY BEST A fabulous jacket. Whether it’s day or night, I think jackets are the finishing touch to any ensemble.
FASHION MEANS Self-expression. It’s an unspoken artform and mere extension of one’s inner voice. There are no rules.
PIECE WITH THE MOST SENTIMENTAL VALUE My first-ever Louis Vuitton bag. It was an 18th birthday gift from my dear aunt. It’s funny how the classic monogram has made a full circle back in trend, and now my 17-year-old daughter wears it. A true vintage piece!
DESIGNER TO WATCH I have always been obsessed with the designer Lee Mathews. I love her seasonless style and understated pieces. Then the designer Johanna Ortiz brings out the playfulness in textiles. I adore her work.

Laurea cofounder Deryk Rhodes says fashion means “expression without words.”

DERYK RHODES

Deryk Rhodes took his learnings from a career in investment banking and transferred them into fashion. Seems like an unlikely transformation, but as he points out, “I have long been a believer in the value physical gold can have as part of your portfolio.” Enter Laurea, a brand he launched from Palm Beach with co-founder Nicholas Whiteley, which specializes in investmentworthy solid, 100% pure 24K gold jewelry. “Once you’ve worn 24K,” he says, “it’s hard to go back. It has a luster that can’t be replicated and even in the most delicate of silhouettes a weight that feels significant.” And much like his personal style, Rhodes adds, “Our designs are classic and timeless, forged from a single ingredient, artisanally crafted and traditionally finished by hand.” maisonlaurea.com

MY STYLE IN A WORD Tailored
GO-TO OUTFIT TO LOOK AND FEEL MY BEST Fitted yet secretly comfortable
PIECE WITH THE MOST SENTIMENTAL VALUE I still own the first Hermès tie I bought. It was the first serious purchase I made when starting my career and still brings me back to that first day in the office.
DESIGNER TO WATCH Laurea
THE ULTIMATE STYLISH SPLURGE I have a weakness for cuff links... My go-to right now are our Laurea bar cuff links in 24K gold. Once you’ve felt the weight and significance of them, it’s hard to go back.

Former jewelry designer Kiki di Savoy has lived in Italy and Mexico and now calls Palm Beach home.

KIKI DI SAVOY

“Design was always a passion of mine,” says Kiki di Savoy, who moved from Mexico City to Palm Beach last year. The former jewelry designer—whose work has been spotted in the likes of Vogue and on red carpets galore— launched her eponymous Instagram last March and has quickly attracted thousands of devotees thanks to her far-flung travels and colorful style showcasing brands like Maygel Coronel, Loewe, Rianna + Nina, Khaite and Dries Van Noten. Up next, she’ll relaunch her jewelry biz as the Kiki di Savoy collection. kikidisavoy.com

MY STYLE IN A WORD Carefree
GO-TO OUTFIT TO LOOK AND FEEL MY BEST White dress and colorful Oran Hermès sandals
PALM BEACH’S BEST UNDER-THE-RADAR SHOPPING DESTINATION House of Clyde for me. Hive for my kids and home.
PIECE WITH THE MOST SENTIMENTAL VALUE My grandmother’s heirloom jewels
DESIGNER TO WATCH Piece of White or Lacoste L!ve
THE ULTIMATE STYLISH SPLURGE Anything Hermès