“I definitely have a signature look,” affirmed Peter Nolis, 70, speaking about his distinct fashion sense. He then playfully revealed the shirt under his cozy puffer jackets – a striking yellow with bold red horizontal stripes. “I own a vast collection of them,” he explained, sourcing them from Saint James, the renowned brand famous for its classic French sailor shirts. “They’re always striped, of course,” he added with a smile.
Given his bright red puffer and coordinating striped shirt, one might assume red is his favorite hue. However, Peter clarified that the jacket’s color was purely serendipitous. “I just needed a warm coat,” he recalled. When he stepped into a Saks Off Fifth, he found, “the only coats available at that moment happened to be red.”
Sylvie Zurstrassen, 63, who was with Peter during our chance meeting in bustling Lower Manhattan one Thursday in January, playfully interjected. She pointed out that his coffee machine and milk frother at home were also red, hinting at a deeper connection to the color. Sylvie then shared that her own vibrant red Freitag bag was a cherished 50th birthday gift from her older sister.
Peter and Sylvie’s lives now unfold across an ocean – he resides in New York, while she calls Liège, Belgium, home. Yet, their history runs deep. “We were married for 20 years,” Peter stated.
Sylvie promptly corrected him with a grin: “Twenty-one years.”
Nowadays, Sylvie makes an annual trip to New York, Peter explained, “and we embark on our usual adventures together.” When asked about the secret to their lasting connection, Peter quipped, “Living 3,000 miles apart certainly helps!” Both shared a hearty laugh. “But honestly,” he added, “we’ve always gotten along wonderfully.”
(An interactive gallery featuring more street style looks follows.)