DUJOUR MAGAZINE - MARCH 2002

MARCH 2002

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WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION FOR THE WOMEN'S SPRING/SUMMER 2009 COLLECTION? 

I WAS THINKING OF A CRISP MODERNIST VERSION OF HEALTH AND DISCIPLINE. I KIND OF GLIBLY MENTIONED 'PRIESTESSES OF LONGING.' I'D KNOWN THIS KIND OF QUESTION WAS COMING AND I'D THOUGHT 'WELL, SOMEONES GONNA ASK. WHAT IS IT I'M TRYING TO EXPRESS?' AND I WOKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITH THE WORD 'LONGING.' IT'S THE ROOT OF EVERY OPERA, EVERY POP SONG, EVERY RELIGION, EVERY ADVERTISEMENT. LONGING FOR LOVE, LONGING FOR A HIGH, LONGING FOR VALIDATION. AND WHAT IF LONGING WAS ELIMINATED? MIGHT THAT NOT JUST LEAVE A DISCIPLINED FUNCTIONALITY? THAT KIND OF IDEA APPEALED TO ME. LONGINGS, URGES AND POSSESSIVENESS IS SOMETHING I'D GRADUALLY BEEN WANTING TO RETREAT FROM AS I GOT OLDER. I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE, OR IF I'M KIDDING MYSELF. PROBABLY BOTH. BUT DOESN'T 'PRIESTESSES OF LONGING' SOUND PRETTY? 

YOU ALSO DESIGN A MEN'S LINE; LILIES (A JERSEY COLLECTION FOR WOMEN); DRKSHDW (A DENIM COLLECTION FOR MEN AND WOMEN); AND FURNITURE. DO YOU USE THE SAME INSPIRATIONS AND REFERENCES FOR ALL YOUR COLLECTIONS? 

YES, I DO. I'M SOMEWHAT OF A PRAGMATIST. I DON'T REALLY DO FANTASIES. MAYBE I SHOULD. 

OUT OF THE 5 COLLECTIONS YOU DESIGN, WHICH DO YOU FIND THE MOST CHALLENGING? 

DENIM. I NEVER WEAR JEANS ANYMORE. THEY'RE JUST TOO STIFF AND UPTIGHT. HOW DOES SOMEONE DO SOMETHING MODERN WITH SOMETHING SO PROSAIC AND NORMAL? BUT DON'T GET ME WRONG, I DO ENJOY THE CHALLENGE. PERSONALLY, I JUST WEAR SWEATPANTS AND SHORTS SO I DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE FOR THE GYM EVERY DAY. I LIKE WEARING A UNIFORM. LIKE ALAIA. OR HITLER. OR A PRIEST. 

YOU'VE RECENTLY OPENED STORES IN NEW YORK CITY AND LONDON. I WOULD IMAGINE THE PROCESS OF FINDING THE RIGHT SPACE WOULD BE VERY STRENUOUS. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN SEARCHING FOR THE RIGHT SPOT? 

SURPRISINGLY, ALL THE STORES JUST FELL FROM THE SKY. I NEVER LOOKED FOR THEM OR PLANNED FOR THEM. BUT AFTER THE SUCCESS OF THE FIRST ONE, I GUESS MORE JUST SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA. IT'S GOTTA HAVE GOOD BONES AND BE DISCREET BUT NOT BE TOO FAR AWAY FOR SHOPPERS TO WALK TO. I'M QUIET BUT I'M NOT AN IDIOT. 

FUTURE PLANS TO OPEN MORE STORES? WHICH CITIES? 

SEOUL IS NEXT. 

YOU MOVED FROM LOS ANGELES TO PARIS IN 2003. WHY? 

IT WAS JUST TOO LONG A SCHLEP FROM L.A. TO ITALY, WHERE I'D STARTED MANUFACTURING AT THE TIME. IT WASN'T THAT BIG OF A DEAL TO MOVE. 

WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT L.A.? 

SUNNY WINTER MORNINGS. 

LEAST? 

DRIVING. 

BEST RESTAURANT IN PARIS? 

NO CLUE. 

SHOP? 

MINE. GO BUY SOMETHING. 

CLUB? 

DON'T GO. 

DO YOU GO OUT MUCH? 

RARELY. THE MAIN REASONS FOR TO GO OUT WERE TO GET LAID, WASTED OR NOTICED. I DON'T DO ANY OF THOSE ANYMORE BUT I DO DANCE. DANCING IS ONE OF THE SIMPLEST AND PUREST ACTS OF JOY THAT THERE IS. IF I GO OUT, IT'S TO SOMEPLACE BLACK, AFTERHOURS, WITH AN ARMY OF MEN FOCUSED ON THE MUSIC. 

YOU RARELY ATTEND ANY SHOWS BUT YOU WERE RECENTLY SPOTTED AT GARETH PUGH'S SPRING/SUMMER 09 SHOW IN PARIS. HOW WAS IT? 

IT WAS WONDERFUL. FOCUSED AND EDITED. 

WHICH OTHER DESIGNERS DO YOU ENJOY? 

I'M A BIG FASHION FAN OF A LOT OF DESIGNERS. 

DO YOU READ FASHION MAGAZINES? 

SURE. ON THE PLANE. 

WATCH TV? 

NO. I'LL WATCH ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF SOME OLD MOVIE ON TCM EVERY NIGHT AND FALL ASLEEP. 

WHAT IS CURRENTLY IN ROTATION ON YOUR IPOD? CD PLAYER? RECORD PLAYER? COMPUTER? 

JOEY BELTRAM, AUTECHRE, LABELLE, KISS AND ALWAYS MONTSERRAT CABALLE. 

YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH IN LESS THAN A DECADE. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACHIEVE NEXT?