CEO STYLE: TERJE EICHELMANN ON DRESSING FOR LEADERSHIP
A conversation between two female CEO-s
What does it mean to dress like a leader? How does personal presentation influence the way others perceive you? And how do you build a wardrobe that supports your professional ambitions? These are some of the questions our clients might face. And who better to talk about this than a woman who works closely with executives and organisations on leadership and career development.
We sat down with Eichel Advisory CEO Terje Eichelmann to talk about women in leadership, personal style and the role of clothing in a demanding professional life. As someone who works closely with leaders and executive talent, Terje offers a valuable perspective on why the way we present ourselves matters.
Discover more about CEO style for women→
1. In executive search, first impressions matter. How much do you think personal presentation influences the way people perceive a leader?
More than we like to admit. A first impression doesn't decide whether someone is a good leader, but it frames everything they say in the next hour. In executive search we look at evidence: track record, judgment, values, and how a person behaves under pressure. Still, every week I see how the first few minutes affect how closely people listen to someone afterwards.
To me, personal presentation isn't about appearance. It's about coherence. Does the way you walk into a room match what you say? When it does, the noise disappears and people hear the substance.
For women leaders that frame is unfortunately narrower. They are judged on appearance more often, and for being "too much" as well as "not enough". That's why at Eichel we do two things at once. In our assessments we deliberately separate first impressions from evidence, so decisions rest on substance. With candidates, we're honest that presentation is a tool, and that using it well lets you direct attention where you want it.
2. What made you choose Marimo as your clothing partner?
I was looking for three things. First, quality that lasts through a day that starts with a board meeting, continues with a candidate interview over lunch and ends with a client dinner. Second, made-to-measure cuts for a real woman’s body and a real working day, not only for a photo. Third, values. Marimo is an Estonian brand that believes in women and acts on it.
Marimo’s CEO style also fits how I think about leadership: dress like the CEO you are or want to become. The best CEO outfit is the one you stop thinking about five minutes after leaving home, so you can focus on the work.
We work globally, but we also want to support Estonian design globally. It makes people curious about where the clothes come from, and that brings Estonian design to new people.
What convinced me was that the Marimo team first asked what my days look like, and only then what I like. That’s exactly how we work when searching for leaders: context first, then the solution. We also share a way of thinking: nothing worth keeping is chosen quickly. Marimo builds wardrobes that last, and we help build leadership teams that last. That is the idea behind our campaign, Built to lead. Built to last. The partnership also fits naturally with our 10,000 Women Leaders goal, because we both want women to step into more visible roles and feel confident there.
3. As a woman in leadership, how important is the way you present yourself professionally?
Very important, but in service of substance, never as a replacement for it. A leader is always a signal. How you carry yourself tells your team, your clients and your candidates how seriously you take the moment.
Early in my career I tried to blend in. I chose dark suits and neutral tones so that nobody would notice first that I was a woman. Today I believe the opposite: the energy you spend on blending in is taken away from your substance. Now I follow two principles, authenticity and intention. I dress as myself, but I always know what I want to say.
There’s a wider dimension too. Young women can’t be what they can’t see. If we want 10,000 women leaders in Estonia, we need visible role models who don’t apologise for being in the room.
4. We created a red blazer dress for you. What attracted you to this piece, and how do you see yourself wearing it?
Red stands for decisiveness and energy. You can’t be half-present in that colour. The blazer cut brings structure and authority, while the dress lets you be feminine without apologising for it. I like that one piece holds both, because a woman leader shouldn’t have to choose between being taken seriously and being feminine.
I’ll wear it when I want to be seen and heard: opening a conference, presenting to a board, meeting a new client for the first time, and certainly at our 10,000 Women Leaders events. There my role is to show that a woman belongs at the table naturally, not as an exception. When the message is “we’re not here to blend in”, your clothes should say it too.
5. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO WOMEN WHO WANT TO BUILD A WARDROBE THAT SUPPORTS THEIR AMBITIONS AND BUSY PROFESSIONAL LIVES?
Think about your wardrobe the way you think about your career: strategically.
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Start with your calendar, not your hangers. What are your three or four typical situations: board, team, client, stage? Dress for those.
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Build a system, not a collection. Five to seven quality pieces that work together save time and decision energy every morning.
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Keep one “power piece” that makes you feel most confident. Wear it when the stakes are high.
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Fit matters more than trends. Clothes that fit well say you know what you’re doing.
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Comfort is confidence. In the middle of a negotiation, you shouldn’t be thinking about your clothes.
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Say your next role out loud, to your manager or to a headhunter.
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Look for a sponsor, not only a mentor. A sponsor is someone who says your name in rooms you’re not in.
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Say yes to visible assignments: speaking, high-profile projects and board work.
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Apply even if you don’t meet every requirement. In our experience, men do this far more readily.
A wardrobe helps you walk into the room. What you say and do there is up to you. This is a conversation I want to keep having, and we plan to return to it at upcoming events.
Building a wardrobe for leadership is not about having more clothes. It's about having the right pieces for the roles you play, the rooms you enter and the ambitions you're working towards.
Explore our collection of excecutive womenswear, or book a personal consultation to create a wardrobe designed around your career and lifestyle.
Warmly,
Founder & Designer
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