Jessica Michault 9/22/18 Jessica Michault 9/22/18

🎙️ Tamu McPherson

Tamu McPherson is lovely inside and out. In the world of fashion, she is known as much for her joyful, friendly and outgoing nature as she is for her exquisite taste in clothing and her talent as a photographer.

The Jamaica born, digital talent, is the woman behind the website All the Pretty Birds, and first got noticed back in 2006 when she was a budding street style photographer, who had left her job as a lawyer for a Hedge fund in New York and moved to Milan. While she was photographing all of the stylish guests attending the fashion shows her fellow photographers turned the camera on Tamu because, well she just naturally oozes from every pore of her body a modern chic style that most women would kill for.

Over the years Tamu has come out from behind the camera more and more. Staring in photos shoots for a number of fashion magazines, acting as a host for industry events, collaborating with brands and contributing to publications and websites like Glamour, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and Refinery 29 all the while charming her over 200 thousand Instagram followers with her IG stories and images. Tamu is an open book to her fans, she invites everyone to watch her take a dance class, prepare a healthy breakfast for her son and travel vicariously with her to some of fashion’s most glamourous events.

All of which is to say, trying to pin Tamu down for an interview is a tall order. For this podcast we ended up setting up the mic in the back seat of her town car and chatted while we waited for our next fashion show to start. And, fair warning, Tamu was a bit under the weather, but she was such a good sport and soldiered on, giving me a wonderful interview between her bouts of coughing.

But that’s Tamu for you. She will do anything for a friend. And in the world of fashion everyone is her bestie.

Jessica Michault 9/20/18 Jessica Michault 9/20/18

💭 Mary Kantratzou for Exhibition Magazine

Mary Kantratzou is a fashion designer who has built a highly successful independent business by transforming everyday items in the world around us into vibrant prints that have been at the foundation of her collage-style clothing. Trompe l’oeil garments that have reimagined images of everything from perfume bottles, banknotes and paint by numbers kits to postage stamps, insects and topiary. Her outfits are sartorial feats of daring, designed to stand out from the crowd. When a woman slips on one of her outfits she is instantly metamorphized into someone to be reckoned with, because who else would take on a Kantratzou creation?

This article first appeared in the Exhibition Magazine, Avatar Issue.

MARY KANTRATZOU

“I want women who wear my clothes to know that it’s designed for women to stand out. They wear them because they want to be bold. And I think that is liberating for women, they want to feel like the best version of themselves.”

— Mary Kantratzou

That sort of no holds barred approach to fashion has proven highly successful for the designer, who just celebrated the 10-year anniversary of her brand. A fact supported by the arrival of a new backer, the high profile Chinese heiress and investor Wendy Yu and the launch of a well-received capsule collection of colorful undergarments with Victoria’s Secret. And to celebrate the major milestone in the history of her company Katrantzou has also teamed up with MatchesFashion to create a mini reissue collection of 10 of her most iconic pieces from the past.
All of which is to say that Katrantzou is at a crucial point in her career. She has created well established codes, formed strong relationships with buyers and built a dedicated clientele, that including stylish heavy hitters like Cate Blanchett, Keira Knightley, Taylor Swift and Kerry Washington.
Here we take stock with the designer as she examines her past, explores how her own personal relationship to print and color transform her mindset and discuss what the future might look like for her attention getting company.

The theme for this issue is Avatar, which makes you an ideal person to interview for the magazine. The way you mix prints and unexpected motifs really can transform the women who wear them. Is that at the heart of what you like to do? To transform them? Or is it more to elevate them?
It’s one of the things you want to do. I think prints and colors can be a means of expression and communication. It’s so direct and so visual that it has an effect and I think it’s also a mood lifter, color in particular. But also I think when you combine print and color it should open up your mood. S0 it’s interesting in that way, and I think it has the power to transform not only the woman and how she feels, but also her mood.

That is so true. Wearing one of your pieces is a real choice. You’re choosing to you noticed.
Yes. I want women who wear my clothes to know that it’s designed for women to stand out but I think the woman who wear my clothes are women who are confident. They wear them because they want to be bold and they want to express themselves. And I think that is liberating for women, she wants to be herself and she wants to feel like the best version of herself.

You have now past that crucial ten year mark of since you founded your company. So when we talk about transformation and the future of fashion can you talk a little bit about how you’ve transformed over this last decade? I remember going to your first presentation and it was your mom showing me your collection. So how do you feel about how you’ve transformed as a designer and as a businesswoman?
I think you do have better understanding of who you are at ten years on because you take the time to reflect. When you’re starting out you’re tapping into, and experimenting with different elements – you’re trying to find your brand. Since I started my brand was always very visual and it’s still an image brand. But I think as you evolve your DNA your interests evolve, your conceptions. You evolve different silhouettes and different techniques and also you get to really understand the woman you are designing for. I’m more aware now about what my brand represents, whereas before I was more spontaneous and made more instinctive choices. Now I am more strategic about what I want to create around my brand.

And during your time as a designer have you seen the way women buy and wear clothing evolve? What are the shifts that you’ve seen that you really are surprised about or find fascinating?
I guess it’s a much more open world. Even in the last ten years there’s a much broader dialogue and I don’t know if it’s because we’re more connected to everyone through social media or if I’ve traveled a lot more. But obviously that opens your mind and I think it allows you to shape shift a little bit because of what inspiration you have around you. And that’s something to be celebrated. You know, women should be able to dress for the different role they play every day and feel free to kind of take on different characteristics of who they are, and express that to fashion. I think that’s a great thing and I think there’s much more independent style now. Probably because there’s so many options and maybe women are also in a period where they feel more confident. When I started I felt there were so many things stacked against me. One being the fact that I’m a woman. But now I feel actually that’s something to be celebrated and protected. I am really proud of the fact that I am an independent woman owning my own business and being an entrepreneur.

“I wore more and more black over the years, to the point that it became a uniform. It’s because my work involves making so many decisions about color daily that you almost need a palete cleanser.”

— Mary Kantratzou

As you should be! Another thing I find so unique about your brand is your ability to see inanimate objects in new ways. The manner in which you juxtapose different patterns and the way you place them together to create your designs shows that you see the world in a very unique way. Do you think comes from the fact that your mother was an interior designer?
I think you know growing up around design there will always be some sort of association to design. I have always had, you know, an appreciation of that. We celebrated our ten years with a collection that was based on the idea of a collection about collectibles, because looking back I think one thread that connect my collections…from perfume bottles or a postage stamp or other objects like that – is that they’re collectibles. So I think it’s a balance between an appreciation of the material and the beauty found in design and how to contextual to a certain extent tension or balance or synergy between different ideas and different concepts. The methodology is that I think I work in a similar way to how a collage artist works, where you juxtapose a lot of different elements and your perspective changes in relationship to what you choose to juxtapose and how you render that.

So I know it’s been reported a million times that you only wear black when you work. But I understand that when you are on vacation you wear anything but black. So to a certain extent you become an Avatar of yourself when you go on holiday.
For me I think progressively I wore more and more black over the years, to the point that it became a uniform and after kind of analyzing the why… it’s because my work involves making so many decisions about color daily that you almost need a palate cleanser. So I think it’s because you’re in work mode and maybe it’s partly not having to make a decision at all. And partly because you want to clear your head and not see any more color. But when you’re on holiday I think it kind of you want to feel that you’re on holiday and they think psychologically about not wearing black because it’s kind of like uniform of work. Wearing color and prints on holiday, it allows me to feel that I’m taking time off. I feel, you know, kind of freer. It’s a different Mary who is on holiday.

It’s definitely a different Mary! Do you find, because you say you know color is uplifting, that wearing those pieces transform you? That they change your mood or attitudes?
Of course I do! The psychology of color has nothing to do with the theme of a collection. Some women are drawn to my work just for the color. And because it’s a positive sign and because it’s a happy brand in a way. So that alone in itself can be a really appealing for some women. I think the power of color goes far beyond fashion, has to do with everything around you.

Speaking about change, you recently collaborated with Victoria’s Secret on a capsule collection. Designing undergarments isn’t exactly in your creative wheelhouse, so what was that process like for you?
I think every collaboration that we’ve done is different because of the nature of the product we are working on together. It’s always coming from a different arena than what I do. But that is what makes these sort of partnerships so interesting. They allow me to push, and extend myself in a new way. And immediately I thought that this would be an interesting project because there is a very intimate relationship between a woman and what she wears under her clothing. Also it is something that I wouldn’t have been able to do on my own. It’s such a technical product, and being able to rely a lot on their technical expertise taught me a lot. And also it’s wonderful to be able to speak to a much wider audience.

You have a new backer. I imagine that the influx of funds from Wendy Yu is also going to help you reach a wider audience How does that change things for you?
I think it hasn’t changed the way we work but what it has done is it allows me to look at my business and see where I want to be in five or 10 years’ time. Having the support of Wendy is really going to help us build brand awareness in China. Also it’s wonderful to have an ally that believes in you and is as an ambassador of your brand, someone who is like minded and can help you achieve your goals through their network and through having somebody to bounce ideas off of. And I think that’s very important at this point in the business that we are able to plan ahead and not just make decisions based on the opportunities that come to me. But it’s more about really deciding what I want to do and how I want to grow it.

So breaking into the Asian market is a focus for your company in the coming years. Which is smart, considering that there is an historic love of bright colors in that region of the world. Can you talk a little bit about your process, the dissonance of the different pieces you put together, how does that process work for you?'
I think when I first started I was a lot more protective of, you know, of each season’s idea. I would stick to the idea we decided on and follow it through and I was a lot more controlling of that process. Now I think it’s less important to me where a collection starts. It’s more important to see how that idea is executed and allowing it to evolve over time. So I guess what’s changed is that the collection could start with one strong theme, it can start with a mood. And then that will lead us to something and only when we find something concrete, that makes sense, do we really begin to define it. It’s somehow become a more democratic process.

“I think now I understand my strengths and I understand also what gives me joy and I think that should be celebrated.”

— Mary Kantratzou

Now that you have a new investor and a bit more room to breathe, creatively speaking, what do you want to do with this brand?
It hasn’t really changed. It’s just that you’re more aware of what your brand is about and what inspires you. What makes you happy. Who your customer is. So it does allow you to see the bigger picture. I think when you start you are so focused on each collection and how to produce it. Who are the best supplier. Who are you going to hire as your team. Are you going to motivate and manage them. And so you are so bogged down with everything that you can’t see the larger picture. I think now I understand my strengths and I understand also what gives me joy and I think that should be celebrated. I now know what makes me happy in the design process. I’m inspired by all the amazing people I have met during my career; that’s one of the things I am most grateful for. It also has allowed me to focus more on certain elements that I enjoy doing, and growing those because I think that’s the balance that you can have when you’re an independent brand.

“Je veux que les femmes qui portent mes vêtements sachent qu’ils sont créés pour qu’elles se démarquent. Elles portent ces vêtements parce qu’elles veulent être audacieuses. Et c’est libérateur pour les femmes, elles veulent être la meilleure version d’elles-mêmes.”

— Mary Kantratzou

Mary Katrantzou est une créatrice de mode qui a construit une marque indépendante à succès en transformant des objets de tous les jours en imprimés vifs, la base de son style “ collage”. Ses créations en trompe-l’œil ont réinventé des objets : des bouteilles de parfum, des billets de banque, des peintures par numéro, mais aussi des timbres poste, des insectes et de l’art topiaire. Ses tenues sont des merveilles d’audace, dessinées pour se démarquer de la foule. Quand une femme enfile l’une de ses créations, elle est instantanément métamorphosée en quelqu’un qui compte : qui sinon ferait le choix d’un vêtement Katrantzou ?

Cette conception très libre de la mode fonctionne très bien pour la créatrice qui vient de fêter les 10 ans de sa marque. Pour preuve, l’arrivée d’une nouvelle bailleuse de fonds, l’héritière et investrice en vue Wendy Yu, et le lancement acclamé d’une collection capsule de sous-vêtements colorés avec Victoria’s Secret. Pour célébrer cette date marquante dans l’histoire de sa marque, Katrantzou s’est aussi associée à MatchesFashion pour créer une mini collection pour laquelle elle a réédité 10 pièces iconiques.
Katrantzou se trouve décidément à un point crucial de sa carrière. Elle a inventé des codes devenus des références, elle a créé des relations solides avec les acheteurs et s’est construit une clientèle dévouée qui compte des poids lourds de la mode comme Cate Blanchett, Keira Knightley, Taylor Swift et Kerry Washington.
La créatrice revient avec nous sur son passé. Elle explore comment son rapport personnel à l’imprimé et à la couleur change son état d’esprit, et envisage l’avenir de sa marque en pleine ascension.

Le thème de ce numéro est Avatar, ce qui fait de vous la personne idéale à interviewer pour le magazine. La façon dont vous mélangez les imprimés et les motifs inattendus peut vraiment transformer les femmes qui portent vos créations. Est-ce au cœur de ce que vous aimez faire ? Transformer les femmes ? Ou bien s’agit-il plutôt de les magnifier ?
C’est l’un des buts à atteindre. Je pense que les imprimés et les couleurs peuvent être un moyen de s’exprimer et de communiquer. C’est si direct, si visuel que cela a un effet. La couleur surtout peut donner de l’énergie. Mais en associant imprimé et couleur, on améliore aussi son humeur. Je suis convaincue que cela a le pouvoir de transformer non seulement la femme et comment elle se sent, mais aussi son humeur.

C’est vrai, porter l’une de vos pièces est un choix assumé. On prend la décision d’être remarquée.
Oui, je veux que les femmes qui portent mes vêtements sachent qu’ils sont créés pour qu’elles se démarquent. Je pense que les femmes qui portent mes vêtements sont sûres d’elles. Et c’est libérateur pour les femmes, elles veulent être la meilleure version d’elles-mêmes.

Vous avez passé le cap des dix ans depuis la création de votre marque. Comment s’est-elle transformée pendant la décennie ? Je me souviens être allée à votre première présentation où votre propre mère m’avait montré la collection. Quel œil portez-vous sur votre transformation en tant que créatrice et femme d’affaires ?
Après dix ans, on prend le temps de réfléchir et on comprend mieux qui l’on est. Quand on commence, on expérimente et on puise dans différents éléments parce qu’on se cherche. Ma marque a toujours été très visuelle et elle le reste aujourd’hui. Mais quand on grandit, notre ADN évolue, tout comme nos intérêts et notre vision des choses. On touche à différentes silhouettes et techniques et on comprend mieux la femme pour qui on crée les vêtements. Aujourd’hui, je me rends mieux compte de ce que représente ma marque, alors qu’au départ j’étais plus spontanée, je faisais des choix plus instinctifs. Maintenant, je suis plus stratégique quant à ce que je veux créer autour de ma marque.

Depuis que vous êtes créatrice de mode, avez-vous vu évoluer la manière dont les femmes achètent et portent les vêtements ? Quels changements vous ont surprise ou fascinée ?
Je dirais que c’est un monde beaucoup plus ouvert. Même ces dix dernières années, il s’est établi un dialogue plus large. Je ne sais pas si c’est parce qu’on est plus connectés aux autres par les réseaux sociaux, ou parce que j’ai beaucoup plus voyagé. Mais évidemment, ça ouvre l’esprit et toute cette inspiration permet de changer ses perceptions. Et c’est génial. Les femmes devraient pouvoir s’habiller pour les différents rôles qu’elles jouent chaque jour et se sentir libres d’assumer certaines caractéristiques de leur identité, et exprimer cela à travers la mode.
Pour moi, c’est positif. Il y a tellement plus de styles indépendants aujourd’hui. Probablement parce qu’il y a beaucoup de choix et que, peut-être, les femmes traversent une période où elles se sentent plus sûres d’elles-mêmes. Quand j’ai commencé, je sentais une montagne d’obstacles devant moi, l’un d’entre eux étant que je suis une femme. Mais à présent, ça me semble être quelque chose à célébrer et à protéger. Je suis vraiment fière d’être une femme indépendante à la tête de sa propre marque, et d’être un entrepreneur.

“Au fil du temps, j’ai porté de plus en plus de noir, cela a fini par devenir mon uniforme. Dans mon travail, je dois prendre tellement de décisions sur les couleurs tous les jours que j’ai eu besoin d’une couleur neutre.”

— Mary Kantratzou

Vous avez bien raison! Une autre spécificité de votre marque est de réinventer les objets inanimés. La façon dont vous juxtaposez des motifs différents et dont vous les assemblez pour créer vos designs montrent que vous avez une vision du monde très particulière. Cela vient-il du fait que votre mère ait été architecte d’intérieur?
Grandir dans le monde du design fait qu’il y aura toujours des références au design. J’ai toujours apprécié ce domaine. Pour nos dix ans, on a créé une collection à partir d’objets de collection. Le fil qui connecte toutes mes collections, des bouteilles de parfum aux timbres, ou d’autres objets de ce type, est qu’elles tournent autour d’objets collector.
C’est un équilibre entre une appréciation du matériau et de la beauté de sa forme, et une manière de contextualiser une tension, un équilibre, une synergie entre des idées et des concepts différents. Ma méthodologie est proche de celle d’un artiste qui fait des collages : juxtaposer beaucoup d’éléments différents pour que ma perspective change selon ce que je choisis de juxtaposer.

Je sais qu’on a pu lire un million de fois que tu ne portes que du noir quand tu travailles. Mais j’ai cru comprendre qu’en vacances, tu portais tout sauf du noir. Donc d’une certaine manière, tu deviens un Avatar de toi-même quand tu pars en vacances.
Au fil du temps, j’ai porté de plus en plus de noir, au point que c’est devenu mon uniforme et après avoir analysé la raison….. c’est que dans mon travail, je dois prendre tellement de décisions sur les couleurs tous les jours que j’ai eu besoin d’une couleur neutre. C’est à la fois par volonté d’être en “ mode travail” et à la fois l’envie de ne pas avoir à prendre de décision du tout. Et, aussi, parce que je veux me vider la tête et ne plus voir de couleur.
Mais quand je suis en vacances, j’ai envie de sentir que je suis en vacances. Psychologiquement, le noir est mon uniforme de travail donc porter de la couleur et des imprimés pendant mes congés me permet de sentir une vraie rupture. Je me sens plus libre. C’est une autre Mary qui est en vacances.

C’est vraiment une autre Mary! Vous dites que la couleur remonte le moral, est-ce que porter ces pièces vous transforme ? Changent-elles votre état d’esprit ou votre attitude ?
Oui, bien sûr ! La psychologie des couleur n’a rien à voir avec le thème d’une collection. Certaines femmes sont attirées par mon travail juste pour la couleur. Et parce que c’est un signe positif, c’est une marque joyeuse, en quelque sorte. Ça, en soi, peut vraiment attirer certaines femmes. Le pouvoir des couleurs dépasse la mode, il s’applique à tout autour de nous.

En parlant de changement, vous avez collaboré avec Victoria’s Secret sur une collection capsule récemment. Vous n’êtes pas habituée à créer de la lingerie, comment s’est déroulé ce processus ?
Chaque collaboration que j’ai faite a été différente, parce qu’elles dépendent toujours du produit sur lequel on travaille. C’est toujours éloigné de ce que je fais au départ. Mais c’est ça qui rend ces partenariats si intéressants. Ils me permettent d’aller plus loin, de pousser mes horizons. J’ai immédiatement pensé que ce projet serait intéressant parce qu’il existe un rapport très intime entre les femmes et ce qu’elles portent sous leurs vêtements. En plus, je n’aurais pas été capable de réaliser ce projet toute seule. C’est un produit tellement technique. L’expertise technique de Victoria’s Secret m’a beaucoup appris. C’est merveilleux de s’adresser à un public plus large.

Vous avez un nouveau bailleur de fonds. J’imagine que les fonds de Wendy Yu vont aussi vous aider à toucher un public plus large. Qu’est-ce que cela change pour vous ?
Ça n’a pas changé la façon dont on travaille, mais ça m’a permis de réfléchir à ma marque et de voir où je veux en être dans cinq ou dix ans. Le soutien de Wendy va vraiment nous aider à être reconnus en Chine. C’est merveilleux d’avoir une alliée qui croit en vous et qui se fait l’ambassadrice de votre marque. Quelqu’un qui pense comme vous et qui peut vous aider à réaliser vos objectifs gr'ce à son réseau, avec qui échanger des idées. À ce stade de développement de mon entreprise, il est important de planifier à l’avance au lieu de prendre des décisions à partir des opportunités que je rencontre. Il s’agit de décider de ce que je veux faire et comment je veux développer ma marque.

Donc faire une percée sur le marché asiatique est une priorité pour votre entreprise dans les années à venir. Ce qui est malin, sachant qu’il existe un amour historique des couleurs vives dans cette région du monde. Pouvez-vous parler de votre processus créatif, de la dissonance des pièces que vous assemblez ?
Quand j’ai commencé, je cherchais à protéger les idées de chaque saison. Je restais fidèle à l’idée qu’on avait établie et je la suivais jusqu’au bout, je contrôlais ce processus. Maintenant, j’accorde moins d’importance à comment débute une collection. Ce qui compte, c’est de voir comment cette idée va être exécutée, en lui donnant une chance d’évoluer avec le temps. Avant, la collection naissait avec un thème défini, alors que maintenant elle peut naître avec une humeur. Ça nous mène quelque part, et on ne définit ça qu’une fois qu’on trouve quelque chose de concret, qui ait du sens. C’est devenu un processus plus démocratique.

“Je pense qu’à présent je comprends mes forces et ce qui m’apporte de la joie, et je m’en félicite.”

— Mary Kantratzou

À présent que vous avez un nouvel investisseur et davantage de sécurité, que voulez-vous faire de cette marque au niveau créatif ?
Ça n’a pas vraiment changé. Je comprends simplement mieux ce qu’est ma marque et ce qui m’inspire, ce qui me rend heureuse, qui est ma cliente. Cela me permet de prendre du recul. Quand on commence, on est tellement focalisé sur chaque collection et la manière de la produire : qui est le meilleur fournisseur, qui on va embaucher dans son équipe, est-ce qu’on sera capable de les motiver et de les diriger… On se noie dans tout ça, on n’a aucun recul. Je pense qu’à présent je comprends mes forces, et ce qui m’apporte de la joie, et je m’en félicite. Je sais ce qui me rend heureuse dans le processus créatif. Je suis inspirée par tous les gens merveilleux que j’ai rencontrés pendant ma carrière, c’est l’une des choses dont je suis la plus reconnaissante. Cela m’a aussi permis de me concentrer sur certains éléments que j’aime vraiment travailler, et de leur donner de l’importance. C’est ça, l’équilibre auquel on peut aspirer quand on est une marque indépendante.

Jessica Michault 9/7/18 Jessica Michault 9/7/18

🎙️ Phil Oh

If there is one person more dedicated to fashion coverage than me, it might just be photographer Phil Oh (AKA Mr. Street Peeper) who is a fixture outside pretty much every fashion show under the sun. He is there (alongside Tommy Ton and Scott Schuman) rain or shine, morning or night, fall, winter, spring or summer.

You can’t miss him with his long black hair, dark rimmed, slightly geeky glasses and one colorful, eye catching outfit after another.

Also eye catching are the photos he captures on the concrete catwalk. Phil has a tendency to snap his subject in action, on the go and in a hurry. Less posed than the work of most of his colleagues, his photos harken back to the oeuvre of the great Bill Cunningham – the grandfather or godfather (depending on who you ask) of street style photography.

On a personal level what makes Phil such a fun person to hang out with during the shows, besides the fact that he barley ever sleeps so he is always reachable, is that he has no filter. He says what he thinks and doesn’t care who hears it. Phil is a true free spirit, with a fantastic sense of personal style and a brilliant eye for capturing fashion moments as they happen with unforgettable images that will mark generations of fashion lovers as visual signposts of how the world dressed up for life.

I am particular proud of this podcast because, if you look online to learn about Phil, well there is not a lot out there, he is not a big fan of self-promotion. But even so, I hope with this interview you will be able to discover for yourself why he is such a worthwhile member of our global fashion family.

Jessica Michault 9/1/18 Jessica Michault 9/1/18

💭 Sigourney Weaver for ODDA Magazine

Sigourney Weaver is an icon and a role model for women across the globe. Not just for the breadth and width of her work as an actress in films as varied as the Alien and Avatar series as well as Gorillas in the Mist, The Ice Storm, Galaxy Quest and Dave; but also in the way she has lived her life and career fully on her own terms. Weaver has worked consistently over the past 40 years while raising a daughter alongside her husband of over 30 years, stage director Jim Simpson. If she has one defining characteristic, it is her endless curiosity about the world around her. And it is this inquisitiveness that makes her such a delight to watch on screen and to speak with in person.

This article first appeared in the ODDA Magazine, Issue 15.

SIGOURNEY WEAVER

*Total look 1 MONCLER PIERPAOLO PICCIOLI*

I know you are currently shooting back to back films Avatar 2 and 3 with James Cameron, so let’s talk about what it is like to work 24/7 in a capture suit that tracks your movements to create a totally virtual character?
Yes, we’re doing 2 and 3, and it’s been a very exciting year. But we have been in capture suits or in sort of silver, wet-capture suits, and then we have a third capture suit for when we’re half in the water and half out. It’s kind of technical, but yeah it’s been a wild year and I’ve had a lot of fun! I can’t really talk about the part but it’s been great to work with Jim again, he’s in great form. I think this one as much as the first one. The story is so compelling and so moving, full of action, but also tender and funny. And I think, technically, we’re working at a completely new level, I can’t understand half the conversations the tech guys have! I only know that whatever we’re going for is much more ambitious than what we did before, so it’s quite exciting.

And you’ve had to learn free dive and scuba diving?
It was fun because my husband actually trained with me. We started before the film, we went down to Florida Keys, we were certified and had the most marvelous instructor, who worked with Jim all the time on the other side of his life which is, you know, inventing, developing, and building submarines.

So, he worked with Jim on all the deep sea exploration and he was our teacher, so we couldn’t be in better hands.

What is it like to be under water like that? I mean, I’ve only ever snorkeled, what is that experience like?
Well, it’s wonderful, you feel like a whole new universe is opening up in front of you, that you never were allowed to go in. And suddenly, like we’re in Hawaii, we went there for rehearsal in deep water before we started shooting. One time we did a night dive and we went to this place where the manta rays love to congregate. And we were all laying on the bottom of the ocean and these manta rays, these beautiful 8/10-feet long manta rays, just went right over us. Sometimes, skinning your forehead, they were kind of playing with us. So it opens up this world, it’s just extraordinary!
And then the free diving, Jim Cameron decided that we’re not going to pretend that the actors are under water, but we’re going to teach them to hold their breath for three minutes, so we can do takes under water.
It’s been incredibly challenging because there’s so many things about shooting in water that they had to deal with, like the reflections. The surface was covered with these plastic balls, very easy to swallow by mistake, you don’t want to do that! But, to cover the surface, when the camera’s under water, it’s just one thing after another and we got these amazing tanks that can change into all kinds of different environments, but you know it’s very very ambitious.

But I mean, honestly, between you and me, do you do anything other than ambitious films? Because Gorillas in the Mist, Aliens, Galaxy Quest and Dave, I mean all of that is really ambitious stuff. Is that what drives you to your roles, pushing yourself? What do you look for as far as that is concerned?
Oh, gosh. Well, you know, I never look for anything in a role. I never look for the role, I look for the story and if the story, to me, is something I would want to see and something that I think is relevant and has a good beginning middle and end, and a very good structure.
When it passes all those tests, and the biggest test is: is it about something more than just a character? Then, if it passes this, if there’s enough for me to make something out of this, because I feel like in some of the movies you’ve mentioned, I’ve been very fortunate to be involved in, so many good movies that I think hold up pretty well because of the stories. I certainly don’t consider myself charming enough to sustain an audience’s interest for two hours if I’m not riding on a fantastic story. And I don’t really think any actor is. So that’s what I look for. I’m not seduced by a role if it isn’t a project that I want to be a part of, or a director that I would like to work with because I have structured my career that way. It allows me to bounce around to so many different genres and work with all kinds of directors.

You do bounce around, so it’s the story that brings to a comedy or to a drama, but what about the director? You’ve read the story, you liked the script, do you prefer a director that’s hands on or one that lets you go with your gut and let things roll a little bit more freestyle? Where do you feel comfortable?
Well, you know, you have to be just opened to whatever happens. I think that there are some directors, like Roman Polanski, who is very hands on, and that can be also liberating, although it takes the whole film to learn how to deal with that. But it is very liberating when someone has a very specific idea of what it is, and I find that most directors, especially ones that I’ve worked with before, kind of trust me, and kind of let me go.
The only kind of director I don’t like to work with would be one that is caught up in how to shoot the day’s work, you know, who isn’t interested in talking about the scenes or talking about the characters. But that’s very rare and you get that, frankly, mostly in television, because they’re trying to make their day, using all the cool shots they can and it seems like they could care less, which kind of leaves you high and dry. I like to be directed.

Have you actually directed anything yourself, and if not is it something that you’ve ever fantasized about doing?
You know, I have thought about it because I think I would work well with actors. I could certainly tell them what not to worry about. Actors worry about so many things!

What shouldn’t they worry about?
You know, they are always worrying about how they look, stuff like that, and they don’t realize probably that the reason they’re cast is because of who they are, actually, as people. The sense of character, within the character they’re playing. You sense their character, who they are as a person in the character, and I would encourage actors to be more themselves. It sounds like a contradiction, but brings your life forth to your character, I think that’s what people want to see.
And I think that this can hold young actors up because they feel that there’s a certain thing that they’re supposed to be doing, they don’t realize that they’re already doing it. They don’t have to worry about it.

Ok, so you’ve done all these amazing roles. Which character do you feel that was the closest to you in real life?
Well, I’m not trying to be difficult but really the one that’s closest to me, and the most challenging, is the one I’m doing now in Avatar 2 and 3, but I can’t talk about that, sorry!
I know it’s ridiculous, and some day you’ll see the film and you’ll laugh because you’ll remember that I’ve said it’s the closest to me and it really is.
And it is kind of wicked that they’ve cast me as this character because they know me very well, it’s not a side I show.

Can you tell me if it’s a new character?
It’s a totally new character. Other than that, I’m just trying to think who would be like me. Oddly enough, I think of Tawny, Gwen, in Galaxy Quest. Which was what I’ve said to the director. You know they didn’t want to see anyone who’s done any science-fiction for that movie, my agent told me that and I thought, “They’re out of their mind!” You know, if anyone can make fun of this genre, it’s the people who have done these movies. I had to kind of talk my way in. And then it was my decision to make her blonde, and she was already insecure, but I just decided to go with how I would sometimes feel if I had to go to outer space, really as Sigourney, and play that. So really, Tawny and Gwen are pretty close to me.

Is Tawny the character you’re recognized most for these days? Do people still come up and quote a line she says from that film or is it a different character from another film?
You know it’s all over the map. Certainly, kids think of me from Alien, or Avatar, or Finding Dory because my voice is in that. And then, people who are older, recall Gorillas in The Mist, Years of Living Dangerously, The Ice Storm, things like that. It really depends and it’s so nice to jump around a lot because, to do comedies and more serious kinds of films, that’s the joy of being an actor.

Why do you think you’ve never have really been pigeon holed? I mean, that’s exceptional. You never had a low, you’ve really been able to move throughout the Hollywood system all these years. What is your secret?
Well, it’s not really a secret. I was told when I was at drama school that I had no talent and that I’d never get anywhere. So, I remember thinking I was crushed because what my goal was. My mother was a British actress, she worked in Repertory theater for a couple of years and that was my dream. To be in a company, and do big parts, small parts, comedies, and just do everything!
And when I was told I had no talent I though, “Ugh, now I have to rethink everything.” So, eventually, I got out of that place and I started working on all these new plays with my friends and I was thinking, “Well, I can’t work in a repertory company, but I can think about creating my own repertory, doing the same thing but with whatever jobs I’m offered.
So that being my kind of structure, like I don’t care if I’m playing the maid, I’ll play the queen in the next one… you know what I mean? I just like to jump around and do different things. It all makes sense to me because I’m in this sort of invisible repertory company of actors where we all take turns doing different things ad having different responsibilities. I love that, I love being part of an ensemble.
My part in Avatar is not the biggest part but, to me, of course, it is the most interesting part!

Let’s talk about your voice now, because while researching you I’ve discovered how much voice work you’ve done on Wall-E, Dory, and everything, does that use a different creative muscle for you? What is that kind of acting like?
I love doing it, first of all some of the things I have done are just so interesting. And what I find is since I know nothing about narration, really, I kind of go in and take a whack at it and let them kind of tell me who I should be. In other words, for Planet Earth I had to very much flatten down what I said, and so I did quite a few of those and that was very interesting for me because it was more narration that I have ever done before.
And other times, clearly, they want to have a more personal approach; so I would say every single job is quite different and I have a wonderful voice over my agent who’s always coaching me to bring more of myself to the narration, which is a tricky thing. Not necessarily narration, but sometimes I read for other things and to put yourself or your voice and have that represent you is a very interesting challenge. I enjoy it, but it’s not easy I must say.

That’s really interesting to know. We were talking earlier about the motion-capture suits that you were wearing and, because this is an interview for a fashion magazine, I’m wondering if you can talk a little about fashion in your life, like clothing getting you into a role, or maybe a moment when fashion really was impactful for you, like when you were growing up something your mother wore or something you wore at the Oscars. Do you have a moment when you really felt the power of clothing in your life to a certain extent?
You know, I think one of the funny things about doing motion capture is you don’t get a costume. I’m so dependent on costumes, and it’s such a big partner for me for all the roles I play. I would say the best example would be The Ice Storm because Janey was such a cypher and I felt that thanks to Carol, who designed the costumes and found these old fabrics, all these horrible polyester fabrics. The clothes were practically falling apart by the time we finished, but my costume was so incredible, and between that and my hair and makeup, the outside absolutely told me where I was going.
Same thing with Galaxy Quest. Sometimes, the costume is so simple, like in Death and the Maiden, that red, white and blue costume, and that tells you everything. I get more from costumes than just about anything else. I think of my capture suit, which is unique to my character. And we have stickers we put on this like Velcro. Patches we put on, we stick them on each other’s costumes and they say ridiculous things like, “Follow me on Tinder!” and things like that. Because they’re just black with a few bright markings. So you have to develop a costume even if you have no costume. You have to develop an identity.

What do you attribute your long and happy married life to, in Hollywood, which really doesn’t have that great of a track record when it comes to marriages?
Well, first of all we live in New York. I think it’s a big plus. We’re not a Hollywood couple, and I’m not sure that anyone is. And, you know, we’re a very normal, boring couple. My husband ran a theater company for 20 years. We’re very active downtown with this wonderful group of young actors, young writers and directors. And, you know, I just think when you’re in the world, you forget it’s such a tiny microcosm where you’re a movie star and it’s fine. You go on the red carpet… but that is such a micro part of what you do.

T-shirt VERSACEPants ROBERTO CAVALLIBoots and gloves RAF SIMONSCoat OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh — *T-shirt VERSACE*
*Pants ROBERTO CAVALLI*
*Boots and gloves RAF SIMONS*
*Coat OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh*

What about aging in such an image-driven business. You are in your 60s now, what are your impressions, reactions or your life history been as far as you’ve been experiencing this progression through your career?
I think it’s an amazing time for women now and in every way. I think that we’re seeing so many women directors, women writers and so many actresses starting to direct like Greta Gerwig. Not waiting, but just jumping in!
I just feel, in spite of what may be going on politically, in this country in many other ways it’s the most interesting time for women. But I also feel there’s been a great sense of sisterhood and pride in who we are. And the women coming forward about #MeToo really changed the landscape. I don’t think the same stuff will be able to go on like that. We have a long way to go. In Hollywood, for instance now, there really are more roles for women, but when you look around and it would be nice to see women in all these different capacities: in sound and in construction, in lighting and all these different things, that has not happened. I think partially because the unions have training programs, but maybe they don’t have enough support to train people to make sure your crew is diverse.
I think the bigger worry for me is not Hollywood, but when I look at the fast-food industry and the hotel industry: think of how much might be going on there that can keep women down. A manager who requires sexual favor if you want to keep that low-level job. We have a lot of work to do in these various industries. In November, we’re going to see this army of women running. I don’t know when, but they are certainly out there now.

What kind of advice would you give to your 25-year-old self or a young person coming into the industry?
It is very hard to give anyone advice I think, but I would say to myself, “Don’t be so serious.” And, in fact, I think Jim Cameron has observed. I’m much less serious about my work than I used to be. In my 20s especially, I missed out a lot of things because I was thinking about work and looking for work.
I would say to my 25-year-old self, “Just relax, don’t stop having fun because you’re hoping for a job.”
I feel like the universe will sort this out for you. I think you can just be in the moment and you know life will let you know pretty quickly whether you’re on the right path or not. So just go for it. I wasn’t sure if I was in the right business I kept being offered work, but I couldn’t actually say out loud or to myself, “I want to be an actor” until I had my first paying job, which wasn’t till I was in my early 20s.

What is it like to be nominated for an Oscar?
Well, it’s a terrific acknowledgement by your community. That’s what’s so cool about it. The nomination is a kind of a “job well done” clap on the back. To actually win is the whole community vote. And it’s quite an amazing night to be there with all these people. You have so much in common with many, most of whom you’ve never met. People outside think you all know each other really well. I don’t of course! But it’s a chance to be with your community and celebrate what you do.
I think, ironically, that I’ve done better work that has not been acknowledged, but that’s just because you have to be in a movie that catches fire and that has support.
That’s a large part of what seems to get you to the Oscars. The movie has to catch the attention of the audience and the community. And I think that’s perfectly valid, but they do miss out on a lot of wonderful films like Detroit, which was an amazing film last year. Awfully difficult to watch and I was very shocked.

You have done dream things like going and hanging out with gorillas in the wild, freediving and scuba diving, traveling the world for your work. What’s left on your bucket list of things you still really want to do?
Wow, what a wonderful question! I think now that my husband is retired, it’s also funny because he’s younger than I am, but he’s retired! And he’s been out here really for the first time ever in my career. I’ve been in a location where my husband and my daughter are both out here and we’ve had the most wonderful year to sort of enjoying life in California and the farmers markets and the wonderful LA Philharmonic and all the things that are out here.
What I would say is I’m looking forward to doing more traveling with him. We’re just trying to figure out all the places we would like to go. Also I feel like I’m at the top of my craft and I’d love to sink my teeth into something that’s very challenging. So, I am looking around for that kind of story.
But, on the other hand, I feel like there’s so many things I haven’t done: I’d love to go around the world just listening to music. Just immerse myself in the world music and see more of the world.
Being able to travel for my job is one of the greatest things I’ve been given in my career. This chance to work all over the world with people from those countries doing something we all love.

Photographer JENS INGVARSSON @2DM
Interviewed by JESSICA MICHAULT
Talent SIGOURNEY WEAVER
Fashion Editor GEORGIA TAL
Creative Director DAVID MARTIN
Casting Director CLARE RHODES @Castingbyus
Make-Up Artist BRIGITTE REISS-ANDERSEN @Starworks Artists using MAC Cosmetics
Hair Stylist REBEKAH FORECAST@The Wall Group
Photographer’s Assistant SHAWN CUNI
Fashion Assistant MIRKO PEDONE
Location SPACESCOUT
Special thanks SOMAR, MARJAN and NINA

Jessica Michault 8/7/18 Jessica Michault 8/7/18

🎙️ Ines de la Fressange

You know that classic line…about looking up a word in the dictionary and you would find a photo of a particular person there, as an embodiment of said word? Well, in the case of Ines de la Fressange if you looked up the words Parisian chic in the dictionary you might actually find a photo of her there.

She is so linked to this idea that she even wrote a worldwide best selling book on the subject, which of course was called Parisian Chic. It has already produced a few equally clever and easy to read offspring.

But calling Ines an author is to limit her. She is so very many things. A global brand ambassador for the French luxury accessories company Roger Vivier. She has a store in Paris that bears her name that is filled with all of her favorite things, which she has hunted out on her travels around the world. But also pieces that are oh so French that they make for some great keepsakes and gifts for tourists looking to capture the je ne sais quoi French Style for themselves. She also is behind highly successful clothing collaborations with Uniqlo and Aigle. And she even has a capsule line of Citroen DS3 cars named after her that featured a few of her favorite things and colors.

Ines, who is a slender 5 foot 11 and 60 years old, is also a world class model. A muse for many years of Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel as well as Jean Paul Gaultier, she just recently walked in both their shows. She is also the mother to two amazing girls, runs her own eponymous company and has a fantastic blog called Lalettredines where she writes about all of her latest discovers that span the whole chic lifestyle spectrum.

Basically Ines is one of those women you end up having a girl crush on…while you endlessly wonder…how does she do it all. In our chat she lets me in on a few of her tricks to having it all..and doing it in style.

Jessica Michault 7/17/18 Jessica Michault 7/17/18

🎙️ Eugenia de la Torriente

Eugenia de la Torriente is the incredibly articulate and fashion savvy editor in chief of Vogue Spain and is considered to be one of the most respected fashion voices in Spain. Before she got her current gig at Vogue last year, she was editor-in-chief of the Spanish edition of Harper’s Bazaar, as well as fashion editor of El Pais, and editor of El Pais Semanal.

Eugenia has also worked as a professor, regular speaking at leading luxury and fashion conferences and has published several books on fashion.

She arrives at Vogue Spain at a pretty important time in the history of the magazine. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Spain edition of the internationally respected publication. It is also a time when Spanish designers, like Johnny Coca, Palomo Spain and Ana Locking, are generating some serious international buzz.

In this podcast she talks about how Vogue Spain is supporting these budding designers, the challenges they face and what advice she would give any young brand starting out that is looking to make a name for itself in the saturated fashion market. Her answers are insightful and informative and the takeaways she offers up in this podcast can be applied to designers around the globe.

In the world of fashion editor in chiefs….Eugenia is one to watch.

Jessica Michault 6/29/18 Jessica Michault 6/29/18

🎙️ Henrik Most

IKEA is a brand that is no stranger to collaborations. It’s a company that loves to elevate everyday item to artwork, while still making those designer home designs something accessible even for the first time home owner, young adult or student setting out on their own.

Spearheading the company’s latest collaboration is Henrik Most, who is the Creative Lead at Ikea. Most is the one who is working hand-in-hand with white hot designer Virgil Abloh, who just presented his first collection as the menswear designer of Louis Vuitton, on a line of cobranded Ikea items.

I interviewed Most at the Fashion Tech Forum conference in Los Angeles right after he finished a round table talk with Abloh. At the conference they discussed what the home items they are creating together, which will drop early next year, would look like.

Called The Markerad collection, the designs are all about elevating the anonymous, everyday pieces that we use without noticing and giving them a subtle pop-art inspired twist. Iconic staple and functional items have been injected with a modern designer polish that makes the familiar feel fresh and new.

The perfect example of this thinking is the standard white Ikea rug that Abloh re-envisioned. In a very meta move the designer transformed the white rug into an oh-so-familiar white Ikea receipt (bar code et all) that actually showed printed on the rug the price of the rug itself.

But instead of me trying to explain what it is like to work with Abloh on a creative collaboration, I am going to turn it over to Most to tell you more about this exciting adventure in interior designs.

Jessica Michault 6/19/18 Jessica Michault 6/19/18

🎙️ Marcelo Burlon

Marcelo Burlon a fashion designer somehow seems so limiting. This is a man who doesn’t shy away from a challenge and, more importantly, whatever project he is working on he comes at it with such a sense of positivity, playfulness and joy that it’s no surprise that he has been so successful.

Today Marcelo is perhaps most famous for being the mastermind behind the Marcelo Burlon: County of Milan brand. A company that he started in 2012 as just a cool t-shirts label inspired by his native Patagonia, that garnered a cult following for its 180 euro a pop designs, has now grown into a global business. A brand that today counts a 40 million euros per year turn over and is sold in more that 400 stores worldwide. It’s a company powered by bold streetwear culture and Marcelo’s keen ability to spot what’s hot before the rest of the industry has even begun to feel the heat.

It’s a skill that this autodidact designer has put to good use in other areas as well. For example, organizing events for top brands like Gucci, McQueen or Raf Simons, shaping the mood at parties with his renowned DJing skills or use his talent for embracing innovative avenues of communication when working the PR angle for brands like Nike, Coca Cola, Prada or Versace.

A practising Buddhist, and moved with his family to Italy when he was a teenager to work in a shoe factory and cleaned hotels with his mother to help make ends meet, Marcelo does not take his success for granted and is keen to support others to reach their dreams. He has invested in Virgil Abloh’s brand Off White, Palm Angel and Ben Taverniti Unravel Project via The New Guard Group that he co-founded in 2015 and now counts over 170 employees. Together these brands are creating a sartorial paradigm shift in the industry.

There is no doubt that Marcelo’s impact on fashion is reaching far beyond clothing.

Jessica Michault 6/1/18 Jessica Michault 6/1/18

💭 Paul Andrew for VOGUE Japan

This article first appeared in the VOGUE JAPAN June 2017 Issue No. 214.

PAUL ANDREW

As far as first impressions go Paul Andrew knows how to make an impact. On the top floor of the Salvatore Ferragamo headquarters in Milan he greets me inside a giant glass veranda. There, the city’s rooftops frame an impressive display of his first shoe collection for the house. It’s a momentous occasion considering that Andrew is first person to every hold the title of design director of woman’s footwear for the brand since its illustrious founder Salvatore Ferragamo.

If he is feeling the pressure of having such enormous shoes to fill, you wouldn’t know it by looking at him. “Its beautiful up here isn’t it,” are the first words out of Andrew’s mouth as he takes in the view with an easy smile on his face.

But he is also eager to show off his debut runway collection. Picking up one pair after another to explain what exactly makes those shoes so special. “ The most important thing is, as much time I spend designing this collection, I also spend time reworking the fit and the construction of the shoes for Ferragamo,” he said.

Many people think that Andrew should feel right at home at Ferragamo. For years he has earned a reputation for creating chicly shaped footwear that never sacrifice comfort for style. And in 2014 he took home the top award at the prestigious CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize. He is also one of the most prolific shoemakers in the industry. When he accepted the position at Ferragamo he ended over 14 shoe designing contracts he held with leading fashion houses like Diane Von Furstenberg, Donna Karan and Alexander McQueen. Only holding onto his own signature label that he will continue to design in tandem with his work at Ferragamo.

Here Andew explains some of the cool new features he has incorporated into his Ferragamo designs, how the female foot has changed since Salvatore was in charge and reveals one of his secret talents.

What was it like to you when you came on board at Ferragamo and first got you hands on those amazing archives? Because you, like Salvatore, have been passionate about shoes all your life.
I have! Well, I knew a lot of his shoes already. There were a lot of museums pieces in display. But to actually have the great honor and pleasure to see how they were crafted. And there are actually shoes that I found in the archive that I don’t think anyone has ever seen before. He was a genius and to have inherited the keys to that archive is pretty much the most incredible honor and privilege for anyone.

So when the Ferragamo family approached you did you even hesitate to say yes to the job?
It was a very organic process. They have been, the Ferragamo family, were following my career for a little while now. We also share a similar sense of values in design, in quality and for color... And I think those things really appealed to them. It’s family; it feels like I am part of that family. It’s really an amazing thing.

You mentioned earlier when we started looking at the shoes that you wanted to “rebuilt” some of the signature shapes. Was that the first thing on your “to do” list when you arrived at Ferragamo?
Re-work the fit was the number one thing. Because it’s really the foundation on which the company was born. Salvatore was very interested in art, in architecture, in sculpture, collecting different pieces of art and spent great time energy investing in museums. Somehow a lot of that informed what he did in his shoes, the architecture of his footwear. So I’ve tried to translate that mentality into the new products. It’s much more clean and simple. There is a lot of attention to the line of the foot. When they’re on the foot, hopefully they are the perfect fit.

So your saying that women’s feet have changed a lot over the past 50 years?
If you look at the shoes in the archives, it’s incredible, I can hold them in one hand, they’re tiny, people were much more smaller in those days. But more than that, so many people wear sneakers these days. People are more engaged in sports, running, yoga or whatever. What that does is it has really changed proportions: feet are bigger, wider, people’s arch tends to be higher. So the shoe has been re-proportioned in the way it’s really going to fit the modern foot. There is a new technology that I have developed with the Ferragamo team: it’s memory foam. Everytime you put in on, you feel that same juicy cushion on the ball of your foot.

So this is you version of botox for shoes?
That’s exactly what it is - fabulous.

So what exactly is the fascination with shoes? How did you first get interested in them?
It sounds like a generic answer but I would say its thanks to my mother. She's incredibly stylish. She has always had deep closets full of shoes. I remember being 5 or 6 years old, sitting in her shoe closet; holding and cherishing this red suede fringe boot which became my obsession. And then I started drawing shoes from that point on.

Would you say that that red fringe suede boot is your favorite shoe of all time?
When I started my own collection, I did a version of that which actually sold very well. But I don't know if it’s my favorite shoe of all time. I mean people ask me to choose my favorite shoe in my collection; it’s really like choosing your favorite child. Like you spent so much time and attention to each model and picking one more to the other… I don’t know it’s very hard to choose.

I know that about 40% of the brand’s business comes from footwear but there are three of you creating the Ferragamo universe. Fulvio Rigoni is doing the womenswear and Guillaume Meilland is in charge of menswear, while you create all of the footwear. How do you all communicate with each other? What is the process like?
We’re all on the road all the time and we all thank god for technology. We do a lot of Skype calls, Facetime calls but we speak to each other all the time. I know that’s an unusual scenario in fashion to have three creative directors but it kinda works in this case. We are all specialists in our own role. Even though certain things may begin with the shoes, because of course we are women's shoes house, it’s a very open vocabulary. It’s a great relationship actually.

What’s your creative process like?
I get up really early and I find it’s the best time because the world is waking up and it gives me a moment to think and start sketching. Once I’ve sort of curate some initial shapes and pulled together some inspirational images, that’s when I start engaging with my team and we work together to create the collection.

And then how do you break up your time, when you’re working on your own signature label and Ferragamo?
I do like to keep things separate so there is no aesthetics overlap and the way that I do that is by keeping a very tight schedule. It’s very clear that you know “this day I’m working for Paul Andrew”, “the next day it’s all about Ferragamo”. Actually it tends to be less about days but more about weeks. I would spend a week in New York, a week in Florence.
It tends to be that way: back and forth every week. It’s important for me to keep the two things very separate.

What has been the biggest surprise for you here so far at Ferragamo?
I think the biggest surprise was to discover that archive and then understanding that all this was designed in 192o and 30s. Just thinking how incredibly ahead of the time Salvatore was. It was all about innovation and technology but at the same time incredible craftsmanship. He was so engaged with these Italian artisans, that he not necessarily discovered in factories. He might be walking in the streets of Florence, and in the 1920s and 1930s, every square had markets with artists, painters, artisans... he was incredibly engaged with these people and always trying new things, inventing things. He was an incredible man.

Do you have a vision of the new modern Ferragamo woman? Who is she?
You know that’s an interesting question because, as we in America, we don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. We have established consumers. We don’t want to lose her. She may be a certain age now so we’re interested in introducing the brand to her daughter.
It’s difficult to put a celebrity name to that person. Even if I have that person in my mind...

Who? You can tell me, it’s between us!
Well I think she’s a sophisticated, educated, world-traveling woman...like so many women today. I think of women the brand has been dressing like Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore or Jessica Chastain, you know these smart intellectual women.

I am curious, do you try on the shoes?
(Laughing) No I have not! Maybe because they don’t come in my size – 43. Actually you can’t believe the number of requests we have for size 43 shoes.

What would you way is the common denominator between your design philosophy and Ferragamo’s?
We both have a shared love for color. He was always very connected and obsessed with color. He was pushing boundaries on that. Imagine in 1928 what he created with natural pigments. There is also that underlining desire for fit and comfort.

Tell me something about yourself that no one else know.
I play the piano. That’s an amazing way to relax… the hours almost disappear.

Looking forward, how do you envision your future? Where do you see yourself?
This definitely isn’t a temporary arrangement for me. I feel like it is just the beginning and we have a lot of work to do still. It’s an incredible heritage luxury brand. We want to really introduce this company to a new generation and that takes time. I’m really excited about the prospect of doing that. Plus the archive is so rich, there is so much to do and so much I am excited about for the future. So I definitely see myself here for an extended time.

What is Ferragamo to you in one word or sentence?
It’s an incredible Italian heritage brand. It’s all about family and at the same time about technology and innovation. We have so many values here. We established...that You know I am really trying to pull it back to that, fundamentals…

Jessica Michault 5/28/18 Jessica Michault 5/28/18

🎙️ Stephanie Phair

Stephanie Phair, the chief strategy officer at luxury online marketplace Farfetch, has been in the news lately because she was just appointed as the new Chair of the British Fashion Council, succeeding Net-a-Porter founder Natalie Massenet, who stepped down in December 2017 after five years in the role. Stephanie will basically be overseeing core events that the BFC puts on, most notably London Fashion Week and The Fashion Awards, while at the same time still doing her day job as CSO at Farfetch.

Stephanie will basically be overseeing core events that the BFC puts on, most notably London Fashion Week and The Fashion Awards, while at the same time still doing her day job as CSO at Farfetch.

The Chairmanship of the BFC is a seriously big side hustle, but I have no double that Stephanie is up to the task. Bacially because when we spoke at the Fashion Tech Forum in Los Angeles Stephanie was so fired up about all the new projects she was working on for Farfetch and jazzed about the future of online and offline shopping in the luxury sector.

I mean just to give you some perspective, Farfetch has raised over $700 million in funding and has partnered with JD.com in China and Chalhoub in the Middle East. Two major deals that are part of a global expansion ahead of an expected initial public offering later this year that could value the company at greater than $5 billion, according to some reports.

Stephanie is in the fashion pole position right now and is clearly going full throttle into the future.

Jessica Michault 5/11/18 Jessica Michault 5/11/18

🎙️ Adam Pritzker

I was lucky enough to be a moderator of a panel that Adam Pritzker, the Chairman and CEO, Assembled Brands, was on at the famed Fashion Tech Forum conference that took place in Los Angeles. The event was hosted by the renowned Karen Harvey, who founded the Karen Harvey Consulting Group and is known for her ability to make high level connections between fashion and tech companies around the globe.

It made sense that Pritzker would be speaking at Karen’s conference. He co-founded and raised millions for his tech-education platform General Assembly, which – among other things became known for its great coding bootcamps and got him on Forbes 30 Under 30 list when he was 28. Then in 2013 he launched Assembled Brands, which is a next generation holding company of niche fashion and lifestyle brands like The Line, Khaite, Pop & Suki, Protagonist and Margaux.

Pritzker, who it is worth pointing out is the scion of the Hyatt Hotels family, dove into the world of fashion because he saw an opening that needed filling in the circle of life of modern day fashion brands. He wants Assembled Brands to be the place where this growing number of targeted smaller fashion labels can come and build their business thanks to the infrastructure and support his company will be able to provide them. Thus leaving the creative entrepreneurs who start these labels room to focus their energy on building their unique product. When we spoke about it at the conference he compared the concept behind Assembled Brands to Y Combinator, a respected accelerator for nascent tech startups.

We spoke about all of this in the somewhat noisy backstage green room right after we had finished our Fashion Tech Forum’s round table talk in a quick and precise interview that proves Pritzker has a clear vision of the future of fashion, where creativity is supported and elevated by lifting the burden of the business side of the industry off the shoulders of talented designers.

Once you have finished this podcast you might just want to get in touch with Pritzker about becoming part of the Assembled Brands family yourself.

Jessica Michault 5/1/18 Jessica Michault 5/1/18

💭 Celine for VOGUE Japan

The clothing that Phoebe Philo creates for Celine has often been described as wearable artwork. She elevates the everyday wardrobe of modern women to a place where it feels both relevant and yet revolutionary. And from the beginning of her time at the house she has found creative ways to incorporate inspirations from other artists into her sartorial universe.

This article first appeared in the VOGUE JAPAN May 2017 Issue No. 213.

CELINE

But for her most recent spring/summer show she wove her artistic muses into her work in two much more literal ways. First she turned to the modern artist and writer Dan Graham, who is renowned for his “installation” artwork, to concoct an undulating glass walls that dissected the audience. The walls separated the guest but, as they were transparent, they also made it possible for a visual connection to remain between the individuals.

“I first came across Dan’s work at the Dia in NYC many years ago. I thought it was beautiful…. ,” said Philo about the contemporary artist. “I wanted to see my collection cast through the kaleidoscope of Dan’s installation. The fact that people can see themselves and the collection makes for more complex reflections,” she explained.

As the show unfolded — filled with tailored jackets, ensembles with graphic cut outs sliced at the sides, mismatched shoes and draped dresses in neon hues – guests could watch the reaction of others to Philo’s work as the models glide by. The two-way glass had the audience simultaneously seeing themselves and those sitting opposite them. Resulting in a viscerally experience which made it possible sense to how others responded to the designs in real time and appreciate the work in an unconventional way.

“ I want to show that our bodies are bound to the world, whether we like it or not….” pronounced Dan Graham in a typed statement that was featured on the show’s invitation. His cryptic words being open to a multitude of interpretations in light of his divisive yet inclusive set.

But what the designer appreciated most about the artist’s work, and her show’s set in particular, was how it elegantly channeled everyday life and ordinary elements into something unexpectedly and serenely beautiful. “I love the fact that this pavilion by Dan Graham, made up of readily available corporate materials {2way glass}, offers an opportunity to question our present day, highlighting the complexities and contradictions of every day life,” she said. “Social interaction, fantasy, and life in general are the main driving forces in my work and Dan Graham’s installation is therefore an interesting and powerful way for me to present my collection to the audience,” she added.

The other artist that Philo turned to this season was Yves Klein. Designers commonly use the iconic Yves Klein blue color in their collections but never has one made such a clear allusion to some of his most iconic work.

Back in the 1960s Klein famously panted nude models in his signature color and then had them press their naked bodies onto paper, leaving a colorful traces of their female forms on the canvas. These works are known as the Anthropometry paintings. The also happen to be some of Philo’s favorite modern art prints.

So in a homage that felt very much in keeping with the designer’s overarching artistic inclinations, Philo flipped the narrative on the Anthropometry nudes. On two white dresses in her collection she returned those celebrated two dimensional nudes to their three-dimensional origins. She reproduced in her own way the blue print outline. But this time the curves of her model’s bodies gave the flat forms new life. It made for a brilliant and bold statement about the female body that conveyed an inspiration that somehow also felt rooted in a feminist repossession of self.

Philo is a private woman of few words. She rarely talks with the press and most often only via email. But what she doesn’t say with hundreds of magazine and newspaper interviews or via social media posts speaks just as forcefully. She is a designer who leaves it all on the catwalk. Each season the artists that inspire her or that she collaborates with to present her collections are her heralds. They are the ones that help to hone her narrative and vision down to a precision perfect result. One designed to make sure that her message is heard loud and clear.

Jessica Michault 4/27/18 Jessica Michault 4/27/18

🎙️ Paula Cademartori

The first thing you notice about Paula is her smile. It is always there...from ear to ear…honestly she is one of the most positive, up beat people you are likely to meet working in fashion. And her colorful headquarters in Milan, where we did this podcast interview, beautifully reflects her personality. As do her vibrant shoes and her eye catching bags, with their very distinctive clasp.

Paula originally moved to Italy from Brazil (where she earned a degree in industrial design) back in 2005 when she was just 21 years old. She wanted to both reconnect with her family’s native country and study Accessories Design at the Istituto Marangoni.

By 2009 Paula was spotted by Italian Vogue and competed in the magazine’s Vogue Talents award. That recognition motivated Paula to launch her signature accessories brand in 2010, which right away stood out for its great design, colorful pattered leather combos and the instantly iconic metal buckle clasp she had designed after being inspired by the symbol for Pi. And I can tell you from first hand experience that once Paula’s bag line was launched…every fashion it-girl on the planet was clamoring to get there hands on one.

But as the company grew, to include a line of shoes as well as small leather goods, Paula always made every client feel special. She was, and is, famous for sending hand written notes to her customers in the mail. And by 2016, it came as no surprise that the Fashion Group Only The Brave, which is run by the charismatic Renzo Rosso, would come knocking on Paula’s door and would end up acquiring a majority stake in her company. A move that has given her start up accessories company the support it needed to super charge its global expansion.

Paula now finds herself in the pole position to become a world wide household name in the luxury accessories market. And who knows, maybe one day in the not too distance future, fashionable women will be able to wear Cademartori designs from head to toe.

Jessica Michault 4/13/18 Jessica Michault 4/13/18

🎙️ Fausto Puglisi

Fausto Puglisi is a designer who embraces life with both hands. Born in Sicily he is one of fashion’s big personalities. Everything he does he does with 100% passion and creative fire. From his visceral and vibrate fashion shows to his friendships- Fausto is a man who claims the center stage with an open heart and a desire to inspire the women he dresses and the fashion world at large.

Fausto career started auspiciously…working with the famed stylist Patti Wilson in New York before he headed West and in LA he wooed big names like Jennifer Lopez and Whitney Houston with his sexy an ornate that had an Italian swagger that was undeniable. So it comes as no surprise that designers Dominico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana spotted him and added his creations in their concept store in Milan and Stylist Anna Dello Russo became one of his biggest ambassadors and muses wearing his creations often in front of the street style photographers who documented her every move.

Fausto’s clothing often references his southern Italian heritage, and there are religious references as well as some biker bravado usually built in – pieces that Madonna proved to be a big fan of.

But when we spoke in his Italian showroom, where you can almost hear his Italian hand gestures and you do hear him pound the table where the mic was sitting when he was making a point. He had just presented one of his most reserved and reflective shows in the history of his signature brand…inspired Carolyn Bessette Kennedy –an icon of minimalistic dressing. The collection was mostly in shades of white and black with lace being the embellishment of choice. It marked a new direction for the designer…that was well received by the press.

I’ll be honest what I love most about Fausto is that he is such a creative raw nerve. He always speaks from the heart, feels things deeply. Sometimes that can get him into trouble but I think for Fausto…that might just be part of the fun of it all.

Jessica Michault 3/30/18 Jessica Michault 3/30/18

🎙️ Jeff Carvalho

Late last year I was honored to be asked by Karen Harvey, CEO of Karen Harvey Consulting Group and founder of Fashion Tech Forum to participate in the latest Fashion Tech Forum conference in Los Angeles. And besides speaking on the center stage of the forum I had the all access privilege to interview some of the key speakers at the event.

So backstage, between presentations, round-table talks and motivational speeches I got to pick the brains of some of the leading minds in the fashion and tech industry. The first chat from this series of interviews that I want to share with you is with Jeff Carvalho. He is the managing editor of one of the coolest, street savvy and innovative fashion websites online today – Highsnobiety, which counts a global audience of 12.5 million monthly readers.

Jeff is also a partner at Titelmedia, which owns Highsnobiety. He joined in 2007 when the company’s founder and CEO David Fischer brought him on board not only to oversee the website but also develop other print and online content and brand partnerships. The company has worked with some of the hottest brands of today- from Louis Vuitton and Nike to Mercedes-Benz and Levi’s.

Jeff is considered to be an expert in the street wear culture and is often asked to comment by the New York Times and The Business of Fashion on this growing market and its influence on fashion and luxury on a broader scale. And I have to tell you I understand why those publications want to hear from Jeff.

We spoke right after he had interviewed designer Virgil Abloh and Henrik Most, Creative Lead at Ikea about the Ikea and Off White collaboration that will soon debut.

In rapid fire, well thought out answers to my questions Jeff proved himself to be a skilled speaker, who wasn’t distracted in the slightest by the background noise at the venue or the fact that Virgil, Will.i.am and Joe Zee were milling about.

I basically just sat back and let him loose to explain the success of his site, explore the idea of jet stream influencers and discuss how the way we use and consumer products and news is continuing to evolve.

So hold onto your seat and get ready for a ride into the future.

Jessica Michault 3/16/18 Jessica Michault 3/16/18

🎙️ Ruth Chapman

If you are a woman working in fashion today might I suggest Ruth Chapman, the co-founder of Matchesfashion.com, as a role model. Not only did she build up her fashion empire with her husband Tom from scratch, with a single brick and mortar store in Wimbledon, in southwest London, 30 years ago, she turned it into one of the leading independent luxury e-commerce players in the industry.

If you are a woman working in fashion today might I suggest Ruth Chapman, the co-founder of Matchesfashion.com, as a role model. Not only did she build up her fashion empire with her husband Tom from scratch, with a single brick and mortar store in Wimbledon, in southwest London, 30 years ago, she turned it into one of the leading independent luxury e-commerce players in the industry.

Under her guiding hand Matches Fashion.com became known for its nurturing and dedicated support of young designers, with a healthy dose of national pride in highlighting home grown British brands… as well as a highly curated and clever selection of some of the most influential international luxury labels from around the globe. A selection that directly reflected the desires of a clientele that is also very international and endlessly looking for new discoveries and high quality designs.

All of which is very admirable indeed, but what is perhaps just as indicative of who Ruth is…. is the warm and family like working environment she fostered within the company over those three decades. Which saw more than a few staffers starting out as interns and moving up through the ranks of the company as it grew into a global player.

In 2017, the company released its financial results for the first time, revealing a 61 percent year-on-year growth and full-year revenues for 2016 at an impressive £204 million pounds. Also last year Ruth and her husband decided it was time for new challenges and they sold their majority stake in the company to private equity firm Apax. Although the exact amount they sold the company has not been disclosed the rumor on the street is that it was in the region of 800 million pounds.

I spoke with Ruth while she was in Paris attending a few fashion shows during the latest ready to wear collections. We talked about what it was like to leave a good job to follow a dream, how building a great team is the best way to be successful and what she wants to do with the next act of her life.

After our chat I felt like Ruth was living proof that women really can have it all, and look absolutely amazing doing it.

Jessica Michault 2/22/18 Jessica Michault 2/22/18

💭 Saif Mahdhi for ODDA Magazine

Saif Mahdhi is the fashion industry’s equivalent of the Wizard of Oz. He is the President Europe of Next Management and if you like a fresh face on the cover of a magazine, then you probably have this “man behind the curtain” to thank for it. Mahdhi, who has helped nurture the careers of Kate Moss, Carla Bruni, Anna Cleveland, Caroline de Maigret, Anja Rubik, Grace Hartzel, Lana Del Rey, Caroline Issa and Alexa Chung (just to name a few), is a someone who not only can spot talent in others, he knows how to cultivate it. But more than that, in an industry with a reputation for being fake and two faced he is renowned for his loyalty and commitment to his every growing band of beautiful and talented friends. And just like the Wizard of Oz, he is able to instill in each of them the ability to discover their full potential.

A version of this exclusive interview first appeared in the pages of the 13th issue of ODDA Magazine.

SAIF MAHDHI

Fashion’s Wizard of Oz

Saif Mahdhi is the fashion industry’s equivalent of the Wizard of Oz. He is the President Europe of Next Management and if you like a fresh face on the cover of a magazine, then you probably have this “man behind the curtain” to thank for it. Mahdhi, who has helped nurture the careers of Kate Moss, Carla Bruni, Anna Cleveland, Caroline de Maigret, Anja Rubik, Grace Hartzel, Lana Del Rey, Caroline Issa and Alexa Chung (just to name a few), is a someone who not only can spot talent in others, he knows how to cultivate it. But more than that, in an industry with a reputation for being fake and two faced he is renowned for his loyalty and commitment to his every growing band of beautiful and talented friends. And just like the Wizard of Oz, he is able to instill in each of them the ability to discover their full potential.

You recently have been rediscovering your family roots in Tunisia. What brought that about?
Basically, I was born and grew up in Paris but my parents are immigrants and when I was I kid I use to come here like 5 times a year but when I became a teenager the cultural contrast were quite strong and I kind of moved away from my heritage and I didn’t explore it again for something like twenty years. Then last year I decided to come back for 2 weeks and I ended up staying for a whole month and I kind of reclaimed my country. I found hidden treasures and I wanted to help people rediscover this country. It started with me posting images on my Instagram and then my friends – photographers, artists, models and fashion magazines – became interested. I really started to push people in my industry to take a look at Tunisia because our industry is very powerful and we can really present a new vision of the country to the world.

You famously started your career because you accidentally got off on the wrong floor when you were going for a job interview. Which makes me want to ask you if you believe in destiny and fate?
I honestly don’t know if I believe in fate. I do believe in being honest, being real and working hard and following your instincts. I come from a very poor background, my mom was a cleaning woman and my father was a garbage man. They never really went to school and they had a very tough life. But they sacrificed everything for me to get a good education and thank God I grew up in France were the national education system gave me access to so many things. So I am grateful for the life I have but I worked very hard to get where I am today. And I am very conscious that have a voice and that what I do can have an impact.

So how are you using your voice?
First of all, I am working in an industry were women are very powerful. Where women make a 100 times more money than men for the same job. And I love that, it’s really important for me to empower that. For me women are the base of humanity and human beings. And so I am very protective of my clients. Basically when I started I never felt like I had any special talent, basically a go between between people. But then I realized that I do have a talent, which is to support the talent I see in the people around me. To spot it. To develop it. To support it. I just love human beings and that became the basis of my job. The word that I prefer to sum up what I do is a French work it is “accompagnateur” and I love that.

So you are not interested in the spotlight?
No! No! That is not what drives me. Of course I am taking care of famous people, and because I work with them and I follow them I get to have this amazing life. But that is not my life. I don’t have any ego about the spotlight, I don’t exist through that.

You get your fulfillment through helping those around you succeed?
Oh yes! Its huge for me and it makes me extremely happy because their success is my success.

What do you feel has been the biggest change in the industry and what you do since you started working?
I know this is a bit of a generic answer but it’s basically social media that has changed everything. Basically people can exist by themselves and they can promote themselves. Before to have someone like Steven Misel XX or a designer aware of one of my clients I would have to Fedex over some pictures and I would have to talk about them and promote them. Today people can see my clients on social media and get a sense of who they are right away. Sometimes I post a picture of a new client I have just signed and my team will call me up and say “did you post something about this person” because they just received like five phone calls for options. All of that just because I posted their photo. It makes things move much faster. Which is great. But at the same time there is this endless craving for something new. All the time. Also today its more about being an artist. Not just being or doing one thing. People need to be models, actresses, painters, designers… before that was something the industry didn’t like. They wanted to have people stay in one area, doing only one thing.

So how do you know when someone is the right fit for you. That a person is someone you want to take on as a client and support?
It’s a mixture of a lot of things. It’s the beauty first, for sure, especially for a model. But is also their personality. Their energy. Their ambition. It’s really just something you have…or you don’t. It’s hard to explain and its very instinctive. Also you really have to believe in them because sometimes it can be years and years for someone to become who they are. You just have to support them.

Jessica Michault 2/16/18 Jessica Michault 2/16/18

🎙️ Carlo Capasa

Capasa, who has a love of black perfecto biker jackets, has been a fixture on the Italian fashion scene for years, having spent the bulk of his career as the chief executive and co-creator of Costume National, a brand he founded with his brother — and the company’s designer — Ennio Capasa in 1986, until the brothers announced their resignation in March 2016.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, the governing body of Italian fashion. During that time the industry has gone through quite a lot of changes, but arguably no more so than in the last decade. Fashion shows have become far more than just an industry affair attracting editors and journalists, but a consumer-facing event that are powered by social networks and digital technology, which has helped democratize the industry. There has also been a growing self-awareness within the industry about its impact on the environment leading to the rise of more sustainable fashion. The blurring of sartorial gender lines and brands grouping their menswear and womenswear shows together have changed the landscape even further. All of this has transformed the way the world interacts with fashion.

Helping The Camera, as insiders like to call it, weather these profound changes is its president Carlo Capasa. Appointed in April 2015, Capasa has, in the space less than three years jump started to the way The Camera operates. Dusting off the institution and putting into overdrive new initiatives designed to build a global engagement with Milan as a fashion capital.

His strategy has been to focus on three key areas:

Promotion and supporting emerging Italian design talent with initiatives like MILANO MODA GRADUATE, which highlights the best young talents coming out of the most prestigious Italian fashion schools.

The Green Carpet Awards, designed to underline the importance and wide reaching potential of sustainable fashion.

And he introduced a new Digital strategy that saw The Camera’s website get a facelift, its social media platforms also became a priority and a powerful tool for promoting Italian fashion online. The Camera’s Instagram feed alone now counts more than 150 thousand followers.

But here he talks about his plans for the future of The Camera in a fashion world that is more fluid, flexible and forward thinking than ever.

Jessica Michault 2/14/18 Jessica Michault 2/14/18

💭 The Row for ODDA Magazine

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have carved out a unique niche for themselves in the fashion industry. The twins are exacting and crystal clear about what they want and what they think a very select group of wealthy women desire — understated and refined designs of exceptional quality. Garments that exist in the rarified air above trends, fast fashion or everyday attire. Instead, pieces from The Row reside outside of sartorial time. They do not age. They do not become obsolete our out of touch. They do no relinquish their evergreen grace for anything. And that is why they have become some of the most “major” designs of the modern age.

A version of this exclusive interview first appeared in the pages of the 13th issue of ODDA Magazine.

THE ROW

The Exceptional is the Rule

Can you talk about how the luxe minimal nature of The Row‘s aesthetic came about… is it just an extension of your own personal tastes, did you see space in the market for this style?
Mary-Kate Olsen: The Row was inspired by quality and fit. What we wanted to wear, but was not available in the market at the time. The concept that quality product can sell even without a logo.
Ashley Olsen: The Row started with the idea of the perfect t-shirt. We saw a need in the market for essential pieces that were the perfect fit and of the highest quality.

You have a “store” in LA and one in NYC… but I put the word store in quotes because both spaces feel less like boutiques and more like homes. Why did you take this approach to presenting your oeuvre?
MKO: Architecture is another passion of ours. Our spaces dictate our stores, the stores don’t dictate the spaces.
AO: We wanted to take the opportunity to present The Row to our customers in the way that we had envisioned. It was never just about shopping, but the experience you have within the world of The Row.

You have opened your world to include other brands in the store… what was the thinking behind that… with even the artwork on the walls for sale.
MKO: We have a strong appreciation for all forms of art. It was part of the narrative, thus we felt strongly about incorporating these elements into the spaces.

Can you talk about how you work together. Do each of you have a part of the business that you excel at or enjoy the most?
AO: We both do everything together.
MKO: There is a balance – a ying and yang relationship.

What was the thinking behind the decision to support high-end fashion manufacturing in the US?
AO: Localization is very important to us. The
craft to create quality pieces exists in the United States. With this, you also have efficiency. –
MKO: Overseeing and nurturing the samples until we deliver the garments gives us more control over fit and quality.

With so many talented top tier brands now showing in Paris (and I know you have presented in France in the past) is it still important for you to continue to present your work in the United States?
MKO: It’s important for The Row to be true to our clients and customers. We show internationally when it’s the right time.
AO: When we present our collections, we show within a context that makes sense for that season and for our clients, wherever that location may be at the time.

What would you say sets your brand apart… there is a sort of stealth understated elegance to it?
MKO: Consistency. We don’t look to trends. We don’t believe we are trendy. We do what we do and constantly look ahead.
AO: We are owner operated and have a very consistent mindset when designing. We practice restraint.

You now have ready-to-wear, eyewear, handbags and footwear. Are there any other lines you would like to develop?
AO: Yes.
MKO: All in a matter of time. Doing collaborations with other brands is a big trend in fashion right now.

Is that something you would like to explore…and if so… what brand would you like to creatively team up with?
AO: We have partnered with other brands in the past and will do so again in the future when it makes sense.

Can you tell me a story about a time when you saw someone wearing one of your designs out in the street. What was that experience like?
AO: During our second market in Paris, I saw a woman wearing the leather leggings outside of a restaurant. It’s always a very humbling feeling. There are many options for women, so I never take it for granted.
MKO: Every time I see someone in the brand, whether it was 10 years ago or today, it makes me smile.

Random question… what is your favorite fabric?
MKO: Hard to answer. When fabrics are treated well there are many fabrics that are considered favorites.
AO: It’s hard to pick one.

Besides making covetable clothing do you both have any other hidden talents that you excel at?
MKO: It’s hard to excel if you can only do something part time.
AO: What she said.

Jessica Michault 1/26/18 Jessica Michault 1/26/18

🎙️ Stephen Jones

There are some people who work in fashion that you could just listen to for hours. Their knowledge about the industry, both institutional and anecdotal make them treasured sources of information and education. And if there is one person working in fashion today who does this, pretty much better than anyone else its Stephen Jones.

Stephen has been a milliner for 40 years and during that time he has become the go to hat maker for…well…just about everyone. From fashion designers and celebrities to rockstars and royalty, Stephen has created the finishing touch for thousands and thousands of outfits. Clients include everyone from Boy George, Mick Jagger and Madonna, to Beyoncé, Victoria Beckham and Rihanna. Not to mention all the royals who have donned one of his designs including Diana, Princess of Wales.

But it is via his numerous collaboration with fashion designers that Stephen has been able to let his creative imagination really run wild. The hats he crafted for John Galliano during his Dior years, the headgear he has created for Thom Browne and headpieces he has concocted for Rei Kawakubo to complete her Comme des Garçons collections are the stuff of legends. They are often gravity defying designs that are objet d’art in their own right.

Stephen’s talents have been recognized by Her Royal Highness, Queen Elisabeth II. She bestowed on him an OBE for his services to fashion, and his work has been the subject of fashion exhibitions around the world.

But as extraordinary as all his hats are, Stephen himself has a very distinctive look. Yes he is always dapperly dressed, but it’s his balled head, which he started shaving back in the 1980s, that makes him instantly recognizable in a fashion crowd. Stephen decided to make this dramatic choice when he discovered that his head was the perfect stock size, which instantly made it easy to test out all of his hats…on himself.

Getting to chat with Stephen about his life’s work as a milliner was such a treat for me. And I know you will be tipping your hat to him too by the end of this podcast.

MARY KANTRATZOU

SIGOURNEY WEAVER

PAUL ANDREW

CELINE

SAIF MAHDHI

Fashion’s Wizard of Oz

THE ROW

The Exceptional is the Rule

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