'I grew up between Paris and the countryside with my two brothers, and I have always liked when a woman wears boy’s clothes, especially beanies and hats. I think it can be elegant. Now, it's really trendy right to dress like a tomboy. Why not? I’ve worked as a model and in cinema, but I quit everything to start my own accessories brand, Marie Marot. It’s comprised of black beanies and black leather pouches with words on them. I decided not to do t-shirts or caps because I don’t wear that kind of stuff. Beanies and clutches are my essentials—they are my world.

The brand has a feeling of 'less is more.' I’m really, really, tired of having too many choices. People are so completely lost in choices, and since you have to choose a word to have inscribed on the pouch [either “poe(try),” “pain(ter),” or “Ameri(can “], I thought it was too much to also have to choose a color, so everything is black. I like to keep things simple.

My own look is very simple. I don’t do a lot to my skin or hair. I wash my face with Avène Cleanser, because it’s a very natural French brand, and then I put on Embryolisse Lait- Crème Concentré. That’s my two-part skincare routine. I’m very faithful when it comes these products. Sometimes I’ll try something new, but it’s never as good. I always come back to the standbys.

My makeup routine is also composed of two products. I was a model for a long time, and the one tip I took away from that career was using Terracotta Bronzing Powder from Guerlain for men. It’s perfect. The men’s version has a bigger brush, which makes it so easy to apply—it takes all of two seconds to give a bronzer-like effect. And I always wear a bit of blush. Have you seen the gray skies of Paris? You have to wear blush. After that, I’m ready to go.

I do love a strong lip on a woman, so occasionally I’ll wear red lipstick or a pencil, like MAC Cherry. Sometimes I'll use Russian Red, but the Cherry is a better match for my skin. Red always works because it goes well with my hats—I only wear black and maroon hats.

I switch between my own beanies and hats from Maison Michel. My hair gets little dreadlocks from wearing them— ugh—but I would never cut my hair. Yes, I sometimes dream of shaving my head and never having to brush it again, but it’s been long forever and I would be so shocked to change it. My hair is an extension of myself. And, actually, aside from needing to be brushed, my hair is pretty low maintenance. I use almost nothing in it. I just wash it with L’Oreal Elvive shampoo and conditioner. If it’s super, super dry on the bottom I’ll use Kérastase. And I trim it myself once a month.

The other thing I wear every day is perfume. I discovered a new brand, Mad et Len, in December at a little avant-garde store in Paris. It’s produced in the South of France and the scent I like, 55 Bois de Sycomore, smells very woodsy and a little like maple syrup. It’s perfect for me. Before that, I only wore scents from Diptyque or Patchouli from Nicolai,”

—as told to ITG

Marie Marot photographed by Emily Weiss in Paris on March 1, 2013. Marot's collection is now available at Colette.