Life in the Big Apple made them more aware than ever of the need for a line that catered to people who are always on the go, don’t want to spend too much time thinking about what they wear, but still care about looking good.

“When we both moved to New York, in 2016 [18 months before establishing Wardrobe.NYC], we realised that there was a uniform,” says Goot in a video interview from Sydney. “There are different uniforms for different people but in New York it’s really palpable; you see everyone in their uniform for the day, so we wanted to create our own uniform. Between those observations and our own personal journey we came up with Wardrobe.NYC.”

The brand was Goot’s brainchild but its success is a combination of Centenera’s skills as a stylist and Goot’s design expertise.

“There are so many brands out there, and so many labels starting and closing every day,” says Centenera. “What made me believe that this could work was the simple fact that we could help people dress every day and take the full process of putting clothes together by eliminating too much choice and too much waste.”

Centenera and Goot describe the pieces as building blocks, high-quality essentials that can take you from work to dinner, remaining go-to staples for any occasion.

“Everything can keep building on top of each other so it’s not as though the first release becomes outdated after you bought the seventh release,” says Goot. “Every piece keeps working together: one aesthetic and one identity, predominantly in black.”

“It’s just too hard, especially for a young brand, because [the industry] is controlled by big business, big conglomerates, department stores, big magazines,” says Goot. “It doesn’t make sense as a creator and entrepreneur but also for the consumer, and Christine and I could see that.”

Using fabrics from Italy and producing the garments in Europe comes at a cost, which is why, when Goot and Centenera debuted Wardrobe.NYC, they came up with the idea of selling bundles of key items in one go.

“There is a point where it’s not so cool to have so much stuff, and there is a relief you get from cleaning your wardrobe or home,” adds Centenera. “It was a message we wanted to carry through in what we did. The clothes are well made, last a long time, the style won’t be irrelevant so that’s a sustainable angle, which is what we wanted to do from the outset.”

While Wardrobe.NYC has become synonymous with its all-black urban vibe, the brand has also expanded into beachwear and sportswear, never straying from its fuss-free aesthetic. It has also collaborated with brands that trade in functional and comfortable basics, such as Levi’s, Carhartt WIP and Adidas.

The influence of Centenera, who is a front-row regular at fashion weeks, often photographed in her always impeccable outfits, is clear in the brand’s silhouettes and cuts, which are a reflection of what she, Goot, and their community of globetrotting friends wear on a daily basis.

“Sportswear, streetwear, tailoring, all mixed together; that’s how we dress and that’s what Wardrobe.NYC is all about,” says Goot.

“I want to make clothes I personally want to wear but can’t necessarily find,” says Centenera. “Part of our design process is if I could go away for a weekend and only take carry-on luggage and one pair of pants, shirt, jacket, what would I bring? So the line is indirectly influenced by my personal style but then we take it a step further: can my four sisters wear it as well?”

Or, even further, could a heavily pregnant woman wear it? Case in point: Rihanna, who was recently seen out and about in a Jean Paul Gaultier lace-up cardigan that showed off her baby bump. She paired it with a reversible jacket from Wardrobe.NYC’s collaboration with Carhartt WIP.

As someone who throughout her career has styled celebrities and women of all shapes and ages, Centenera is aware that the fashion industry tends to neglect consumers who just want to look well put together and don’t pay attention to short-lived trends. Many of them are older individuals who are willing to invest in a well-made, logo-free jacket or a comfortable sweatshirt that doesn’t scream “fashion”.

While the pandemic has affected the business, and at first kept it from developing new products because of supply-chain issues, the disruption has also helped Centenera and Goot hone their core permanent offerings, and further distil their vision.

Centenera, who recently gave birth to twins, says motherhood has strengthened her belief in what Wardrobe.NYC stands for. “The wardrobe concept rings more true to me now when I get out of the house than it did before and, when you have twins, you have less room in your luggage, so it’s really important that those things need to work.”

And the work is clearly resonating, even more so at a time when customers are becoming more aware of how they spend their money and want to invest in pieces not subject to a shelf life.

As Goot puts it: “Let’s go back to simplifying the ritual of getting dressed.”