Francesca Kaplan Design

Florence Adu is a Lifestylist in New York City. Her aesthetic is classic, cool, with a dash of funk, and her every day look makes both men and women stare as she walks down Broadway. It helps that she's stunning: 6 feet tall, an angular face that photographers crave. But it's more than that. Florence is all that is stylish right now; she's classically modern. She describes herself as, "A Brooklyn girl by way of Accra, Ghana and Denver Colorado. I'm a runner and yogi...I'm a Lifestylist, which is about discovering and developing an individual's holistic personal style from home decor and organization and [space planning] to wardrobe and personal grooming exploration."

She says, "Style is taste and confidence. It's a very personal form of communication... very instinctual. One of my favorite designers...is Giorgio Armani - Armani Collezioni because of the cut. I like Miu Miu -- shoes especially ...really interesting textures and shapes. In general, I'm definitely not about labels.... [A] favorite place is my mother's closet...elements of style are hereditary so a lot of my pieces are recycled from the 60s, 70s and 80s."

Her style nods to the current deconstruction of American Pop Culture. Like the Richard Prince: Spiritual America retrospective at the Guggenheim this fall. She spans decades - vintage 60s one day, contemporary chic the next. Like Brooklyn-based Daptone Records who have gone back to analog recording, the scratchy quality just part of its modern, warm tone.

Shopping for a Lifestyling project, she's in a crisp white vintage dress, sky-high leopard Barney's heels and her signature matte pearls. She doesn't overdo. She carries her Reeboks in her bag at all times, in case she has to dart. She likes their retro style, modern colors, and comfortable soles. At Baker Tribeca she searches for the perfect square-backed couch. Why Baker? The pieces are structured and clean, but homey. Her apartment? "Ethnic Ralph Lauren...a lot of vintage pieces mixed with modern and ethnic accents."

At Design Within Reach - She loves a Jetson's style coffee table, chestnut with rounded joints. Three shiny copper chandeliers soar above her. "Those, I like. They're timeless."

Florence's favorite watering hole in Soho - Cercle Rouge Brassiere. Her drink - bitters and soda. She likes that it settles her. It's warm, a little spicy, epitomizing her clean (sometimes biting) style. Florence is acutely aware that what she puts into her body is as important as where she flops it down at the end of the day, so her menu is always organic and fresh. Her lifestyling is based on the idea that what's in your fridge is just as important as what's sprucing up your living room, and she approaches her design with a holistic bent.

Florence's style, like her vintage name, is the old made new. It suggests that New Yorkers are looking for a way to slow down, to remain classic, minus the extras fashion has boasted for some time. They're looking for a retrospective, confident future - the porch swing in the urban jungle. Ensuring that their history is a true scaffold .