If you’re not one of Kelsey Merritt’s 2M Instagram followers, then you might not have heard of the model, who made history in 2018 as the first model of Filipino descent to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
Merritt sat this year out, handing over the torch to model Christina Nadin, who became the second model of Filipino descent to walk the Victoria’s Secret runway. Instead of gym-hopping around LA for show prep, Merritt touched down in New York to celebrate her 30th birthday.
A Lesson in Low-Key Luxury
The model was spotted heading to and from New York’s Bowery Hotel multiple times over the past week—because where else would a model-turned-influencer stay for a milestone birthday? Merritt gave us a lesson in quiet-luxury dressing, opting for The Row’s chic, if entirely impractical, Margaux East-West clutch for a couple of effortlessly polished evening looks.
Simple but entirely sophisticated, Merritt’s outfits prove the power of great staples. The perfect black bootie, a statement pair of sunglasses, or an It bag can do all the talking, even when the rest of the look is intentionally under the radar. After all, sometimes the most understated pieces make the biggest statement.
