Paint the Town Red

Photo by Scott M. Lacey

Marilyn Riseman won’t modify her outfit for this, or any, photo shoot. The socialite knows exactly what she likes and what she doesn’t, and on set, her choice of coat is non-negotiable. Riseman readily admits that contrarianism is the hallmark of her signature style. “I like having things that other people don’t,” she says. “And if it doesn’t hit me in the eye, I don’t buy it.” Take this chair, for example—its radical finger-like design nearly knocked the diminutive fashionista off her feet when she first saw it in the Roche Bobois showroom. After stretching out on the plush chaise, she put it at the top of her wish list.

“Vitamine” chaise longue, $5,050, Roche Bobois, 2 Avery St., Boston, 617-742-9611, roche-bobois.com.