Loading summary
Transcript102 lines
- [00:00]
A
Whether you're renting or paying a mortgage, one of your biggest monthly expenses should be working harder for you. That's where BILT comes in. BILT is the membership for where you live that rewards you with points on every housing payment wherever you live. It started out rewarding members on their rent, but now, as of 2026, BILT members can also earn points on mortgage payments. Every housing payment earns you points you can use toward flights with top travel partners like United and Hyatt Lyft rides Amazon.com purchases more Personally, I'd love to redeem my points toward a room at a Hyatt for my next vacation, but here's what I think is the most underrated part. Built members also get access to a neighborhood concierge. It can make restaurant reservations, book fitness classes, and find new local spots, all while being rewarded at more than 45,000 merchant partners. It's like having a personal assistant baked into where you live. It's simple. Being a renter and now owning a home is better with built Join the membership for where you live@join built.com fashion that's J-O-I-N B I L T.com fashion make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you. You know when your hair turns out
- [01:18]
B
just right and it kind of sets the tone for the whole day, I
- [01:21]
A
feel like we're all chasing that, but none of us want to spend an hour getting to that point. That's why I've been really, really into l' ange hair lately. I switched over to their Axia hair dryer and the first thing I noticed was how compact and lightweight it is. It just makes styling feel way more manageable, especially on those mornings when you're rushing but still want your hair to look put together. And I've been using their gloss shock treatment along with it, which has been such a nice addition for my super coarse, super curly, super frizzy hair. I'll spray it on damp hair, then blow dry and it just helps everything look smoother and more polished like that fresh from the salon kind finish. But at home, which is extremely hard for me to get, it's been amazing. What's great is how these two work together. The heat from the dryer activates the treatment and you end up with soft, glossy hair in under 20 minutes. It's simple, it's quick and it just fits into real life. I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants an easy routine that still delivers super, super nice results. Go to launchhair.com and use code fashion to get 20% off your first order. That's L A N G E h a I r.com and use code FASHION for 20% off at checkout. Hello and welcome to Fashion People. I'm Lauren Sherman, writer of Puck's Fashion and Beauty Memo Line Sheet and today with me on the show is superstar super stylist Jason Bolden. We're talking the business and nuance of celebrity styling, what makes a good a lister, why it pays off to be kind, and so much more.
- [03:00]
B
Before we get going, I wanted to
- [03:02]
A
remind you that if you like this podcast, you'll definitely love Puck, where I send an email called Line Sheet. If you're a fashion person, you get that reference.
- [03:10]
B
It's an original look at what's really
- [03:13]
A
going on inside the fashion and beauty industries.
- [03:15]
B
Line Sheet is scoopy, analytical and above all, fun.
- [03:19]
A
Along with me, a subscription to Puck gains you access to an unmatched roster of experts reporting on powerful people and companies in entertainment, media, sports, politics, finance, the art world and much more. If you're interested listeners of Fashion People get a discount. Just go to Puck News Fashion People to join Puck or start a free trial. Happy Friday everyone. Hope you are having a great week. I was in London for less than 24 hours to host a dinner with AMEX at the Heart last night. It was so great. To host two dinners in two weeks in a city where you haven't lived in 20 years can be a bit nerve wracking, I would say. But I appreciate that Line Sheet stars and readers alike were willing to come out for me for AMEX fur Puck for themselves to chat. Have a good time. We talked industry. We talked a bunch of different stuff. Industry.
- [04:16]
B
The.
- [04:18]
A
The fashion industry, but also a little bit about industry. The show. Anyway, huge thanks to the team at amex for making it happen, especially Amanda Christine Miller, who I have known since I was probably 22 or 23 years old and who was the first person to ever take me to Nobu. The whole thing was really amazing. In Line Sheet. On Thursday I get into Chanel's acquisition of Charvet, which comes off the back of the two brands collaborating on Matt Tublasi's first Ready to Wear show. You should really subscribe to Line Sheet and read the whole thing. I got a lot of messages yesterday being like, I want your take, pay for my take. This is just, this is just icing, people. The podcast is icing. The real stuff is in In Line Sheet. But I will just say I think it was inevitable that Charvet would be acquired. The family who owns it, there's no one. They don't have a succession plan and this ensures that they have a decent one. Chanel takes care of the companies that they acquire. It's very obvious and clear and that's not going to change. You know, they have 19m that collection of metiers and it's like preserving French culture. They're not going to mess it up. So they own a company that makes feathers. They're going to do everything in their power not to mess this up. And I don't think it's going to get crazy expensive and all that stuff. Look, it's already. The slippers are more expensive than they used to be, guys. So anyone who's going to come to me to complain on that level, I
- [05:48]
B
don't want to hear it.
- [05:48]
A
This is the best possible scenario. It's not going to be messed up for me. It's not going to be messed up for you or any of the other 40 somethings who buy shirts there. Elsewhere, news of a big departure in the communications department. Caring one of a fan favorite is exiting on great terms, but it's a little sad for all of us. And there's plenty of other good tidbits. Some more tea magazine stuff. I know you guys are loving this. It's super fun. I'm excited for that announcement. Maybe that announcement will happen tonight and I'll miss being able to say anything because I'm recording this early. But anyway, looking forward to seeing many of you at the couture shows next week. And let's get going with Jason. This was so fun to have him on on the back of Josh Oconnors big disclosure day press tour. So this.
- [06:36]
B
I hope you enjoy it. Jason Bolden, welcome to Fashion People.
- [06:43]
C
Yay. I've been waiting for this my whole entire life.
- [06:47]
B
I bet you have. It's funny, I usually don't get that enthusiastic, but we've just, we've just gotten a lot of good news, so we're, we're feeling good this morning. What did you have for breakfast this morning?
- [06:59]
C
For breakfast this morning I had coffee. I had a cappuccino with almond milk and a splash of honey. That's all I had.
- [07:06]
B
What kind of almond milk do you use?
- [07:09]
C
I have no clue. Whatever they're serving at my local place.
- [07:15]
B
Okay. Probably Calafia, which I'm very anti. They're never going to advertise on Fashion People, but I much prefer Malk or Three Trees.
- [07:25]
C
Well, I'm on the east coast.
- [07:27]
B
Yeah, no, it's Calafia's everywhere, unfortunately.
- [07:30]
C
Oh, see, I'm like. So now you're going to have me.
- [07:32]
B
It's a national chain.
- [07:34]
C
Okay, now you're gonna have me. Totally aware. Now I don't have to ask and pivot.
- [07:38]
B
Well, you're. You're at a holiday spa vacation home, correct?
- [07:43]
C
Yes, yes. I'm on the east coast in Long island.
- [07:46]
B
So they may have something a little bit more. I just, my issue with Calafea is just doesn't have to taste as bad as it does. And I get very frustrated when restaurants have it as their main thing. But you know, this is just one of my.
- [08:06]
C
Sounds awful.
- [08:08]
B
Yeah, it's just one of my pet peeves. But I'm back. I'm in New York for a couple of days to deal with something urgent and I was happy to be back to the world of three trees because in Europe there's really not. We just use like shelf stabilized stuff. But anyway, I'm so happy to be chatting with you. You. Are you done with the. What is this movie called?
- [08:33]
C
Disclosure.
- [08:34]
B
Disclosure Day.
- [08:35]
C
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
- [08:36]
B
Press tour.
- [08:37]
C
Press tour is done. The movie is out. And now I am in the middle of. What am I doing right now? There was just, I just came off of the men's. Men's Fashion Week and now I'm going into couture in the process of, you know, I have things happening for the ESPYs. It's just, you know, the talks of Venice and I, I, Laura, I don't know, it never, it literally never stops. And then I have private clients and then I have things like that. So I'm, I'm always kind of going,
- [09:14]
B
that was a question. I mean, I want to talk through your process, but do you ever have downtime? Because, because there are so many events and like, will you come to Paris for couture or are you a well oiled ma enough with your clients, especially your long term clients, that you don't need to be there every single time?
- [09:32]
C
Yes and no. Like for example, I just had a conversation with Cynthia Rivo yesterday. She was on, she was literally sprinting while she's FaceTiming me on her treadmill and she's like, couture. You know, I really want you there and I really want you there. And you know, I know there's all these other things happening and me deciding to go last minute, so don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll have you on FaceTime. So I have that type of situation with people, but then there's also a lot of times, like, I go to those shows. I just don't go to those shows just for, you know, to have a fabulous picture to post on Social. I truly, truly, truly. When you see me at a show, I'm truly, truly working or there with a client working in that way. So this particular couture, I'm still on the fence. I have a couple of people going, and I'm still on the fence if I'm going to attend because this one just might be for fun for them in the sense of us working for something.
- [10:36]
B
Understood. Okay, so we're going to get into all of it. And I wanted to have you on. I've wanted to have you on for a while, but I think the sort of newspake was the Disclosure Day tour. And I talked to a lot of the Vic PRs, the OR or the VIP PRs, so the people who deal on the brand side with the celebrities. And we talk a lot about the stylists. We gossip about the stylist and the gossip about you. Tell me you're the best one because you are. You are kind. You come in and you do your own pools. You're really professional. You're a. Like, you're sort of. They're. You just. They all love you and they don't.
- [11:20]
A
They.
- [11:20]
B
A lot of them are close to, but they also have battles. Someday I'll write a big story about all of them.
- [11:27]
A
No, I won't.
- [11:27]
B
They're too good to me. But maybe without names, but. But they all, like, unanimously. And I think you have always had very hot, like, big clients and very, like, a list. But there's something this year that seems to have, like, sort of you. It feels like you are at the. The height of your power in some ways. So before we get into how you operate today and how you choose clients and all of that, let's talk about how you got into fashion. Like, when you were growing up, was being a stylist a thing you wanted? Did you want to be a designer? Like, how did you end up moving to L. A and styling celebrities?
- [12:08]
C
I mean, it's truly kind of this. It's. It's not what I read. It's not what I've experienced in a way of, like, I read so many books, and currently in my life, in the past maybe 10 years, I read these books about how everyone else kind of fell into it. They lived on Park Avenue, they worked at Vogue. Mine was completely like they vacationed with. Mine was definitely the complete opposite. I grew up in The Midwest. I'm a proper Midwest boy. And I always was into this idea of just beautiful things. And you know, I give, I give all of it kind of to my grandmother, who is probably the chicest person that I still to this day has ever experienced. And she just allowed me to kind of follow her and just shop with her in so many ways. Right. And I would always see her in these, in this way. She always had the, the most fantastic bob. She always wore these beautiful khaki, high waisted trousers with like either a polo or a cap sleeve but down in it as she was like in her garden planting tulips. Like, I've always kind of had that kind of experience with her. And I would literally sometimes be with her on the weekends or she would like, let me skip school and hang out with her and we would watch things on television or I would go to Saks Fifth Avenue with her and I would kind of experience fashion in that type of way. But did I ever know that this could be a career? Absolutely not. Again, I grew up in the Midwest. You're the doctor, a teacher, attorney, a. A cop. It's something that always felt that way. And then when I went to, when I moved to Chicago for college, I. I still had no clue. I thought you could only be a designer. You worked in luxury retail. I thought that was the only two things I never wanted to be a designer. And then I start working in luxury retail and it got. It gave me my first kind of personal experience with clothes, clients. Right. It was my first relationship with that first is the touch, the feel, the identification of like, oh, this is this. This is how this feels. This is a fit. This is how this goes. And then people will walk into the door. And then I would not knowing that this is what I was doing, but I would. My instinct was kind of like, yeah, that Chloe look is great, but maybe you're more of an Oscar de la Renta girl. And I would kind of walk people in that way. And that was kind. My introduction still had no clue. And then I met one of my closest friends at that time in Chicago and we started to collect vintage. And I could tell you brands and she could tell you silhouette. She loves silhouettes. And I was merging the silhouettes and the brands at the same time. And we would be having these vintage sales and selling it to friends throughout out of our loft. And then it turned into something. I moved to New York by accident. We meet this kid in Soho and it was this store, which is now the Louis Vuitton store in soho on Green. And this kid gave us that space for a weekend for $1,500. And we just started selling vintage and we called it the Garment Room. And we made so much money more like that first weekend, we probably cleared like 50, 60 thousand dollars, because this was kind that height of New York summer where everybody was, you know, traveling into New York. Like we used to call anybody who wasn't American. We used to be like the intls, the Internationals, right? We're like, here comes the intls. And they would just all come in and they would shop like nuts. And they were buying everything. They were buying everything. And, you know, we got kind of coined the first pop up store. We kind of like, we were the first pop up. And it was called the Garment Room. And it just kind of. That created its own life. And then I made a decision. I met my husband and I was kind of like, I want to do something else. I'm kind of burnt out because we were working seven days a week, and it was just two of us seven days a week. And we were shopping and selling at the same time and doing design inspirations from people like actress to Ralph Lauren. Like, we were doing these big design inspiration suites within. And then I met my husband. He was like, well, take a beat. Figure out what you want to do. And then the start was one of my best friends, Gabrielle Union, called me. She's like, I'm going to Art Basel. I need something to wear. And I was like, oh, I have this vintage Lanvin. I have this Alaia. You should just do it. I'll bring it with me when I get to Miami. She tried it on and we went to an Art Basel party. And she got picked up, the image got picked up. The image got picked up by Vogue. And it was kind of like Jason Bolden, like style curator or something like that. I was like, first of all, what is that second of all, huh? And it just kind of snowballed. And then I all of a sudden became a stylist. I didn't know anything about that. I mean, the most I knew was watching Rachel Zo Project.
- [17:28]
B
And how long ago was that?
- [17:31]
C
Oh. Oh, my gosh. I don't know. I mean, I guess it would be not even like 15 years maybe. Maybe because I've been with my husband for 15 years, so maybe like third, maybe like truly, truly in it. In it. Maybe like 13. Thirteen. Something like something in that world. Thirteen to 15 years, you know, from the real start, you know. But I. I mean, I had like throughout that part, I was like, I was playing with it. I never had true. Any true ideas of anything. And then, you know, I just found myself in this thing. I kind of faked it till I made it. I had no idea. I didn't know how to send a request email. I mean, my whole entire. Everything was on my American Express, so I was doing it that way. And then I found an assistant. When I moved to la, I found an assistant and she would. She had been an assistant for a really big stylist at that time. I think she was like number two or three for a big stylist. And she literally came in and she was like, I'm gonna send request emails. And I was like, what? Like, huh? I'm like, girl, what? And that's how we kind of started. And then I. I would just personally walk into. These are like Star Wars. Star wars days back in L. A. Like, I would walk into Star Works and I would walk into, like all
- [18:51]
B
these things, you know, RIP Star Works.
- [18:54]
C
Oh, my God.
- [18:55]
B
Just with Nikki Bitter in London, who is now the CEO of Aries or co founder of Aries, and she was one of the OG Star Works people, and Justin Padgett and like, wow. And in the US Ramon K. Like, there were just so many. They had so many different businesses.
- [19:11]
C
Remember that?
- [19:13]
B
Yes.
- [19:13]
C
And then I would just pop into all those different places and like, I don't think I had, like. I don't think I had, like, splashy glitter. Glitter clients that people like, you know, die for. But I died for those people that I worked with at that time. And I would go personally go into all those showrooms and, like, ask and like, kind of be a little controversial in the sense of like, well, why not? Yeah, tell me why.
- [19:39]
B
You know, and also, I feel like Gabrielle Union being your good friend, but also her celebrity has morphed so much over the years and has. She's a bigger celebrity than she's ever been and also is so beautiful and amazing and cool and people really like her. So for that to be your first person, it's a unique. Who else did you rep? Did you work with in the early days?
- [20:05]
C
My early days, I had. I had. And Gab was never a client. It was just like best friends kind of things. It's like, if you. If, like, if you would call me and be like, jason, I need. Do you know where I need a shoe? Or like, it would. It was more. That was more our relationship in that space. So I had people very early on. I think I had like Brandi And Monica at one point. And then after that, it trickled into the first really big one. Cause that was the one that trickled from New York to la, which was Taraji P. Henson.
- [20:37]
B
Oh, yeah. And was this during her big TV show?
- [20:41]
C
This was the TV show. And Hidden Figures.
- [20:44]
B
Oh, yeah.
- [20:45]
C
So Hidden Figures. She took me to my first of everything. My first Golden Globes, my first sag, my first Emmys, my first Oscars. Like, I got to do that for the first time with her. And that movie was so incredible. And then you had her and Cookie, you had, you know, Taraji the movie star, and Taraji this big, splashy TV star. So that was. That was so monumental to actually have someone, you know, that had had so many cameras and lights on her. So I do know that helped in so many ways, too, where a lot of people were like, we want to dress her, we want to dress her, we want to dress her. So, you know, I. I coined her as my true introduction because I got to do everything for the first time with her.
- [21:31]
B
Yeah. Yeah. That must have been truly amazing. And people were so, I think, generally really excited to dress her at that time, right?
- [21:39]
C
Oh, yeah. Everybody was. It was great. I had. I mean, I think when I first. When I. When we first started, you know, there was. There was definitely a hold. A lot of, like, well, you know, or, well, she's edgy and, well, and da, da, da, da, da, da, da. Because Taraji came into it like, Taraji's more of a rock star when you think of her style, point of view, which is kind of out of the. The actress, you know, celebrity actress, red carpet fashion profile. So she was like. She was. As soon as I met her, I was like, well, you're a beat of your own drum. She's a shopper, too. So she's going to shop, and then she'll come into a fitting. She's like, I just bought this. And, you know, so that was kind of the intro into that. And then, you know, we did this. She did this really iconic W cover with Edward NFL. It was insane. The white tank top, the jean, it was. It was fabulous. And I. I'll never forget, Edward NFL sat me on the sofa, and he said, who do you want? I'll give you whoever you want to dress her. And at that time, I was dying for this John Bautista dress. And he calls Jamba. Literally, as we're sitting there, he picks up the phone and he hands me the phone, and he goes, jason, what do you want? Tell me whatever you want. And, like, that was that. And she ended up wearing that dress to. It didn't work for the Oscars, but she ended up wearing that dress to Indie Spirits when it was like the perfect moment for that. So that was kind of like the real, real heavy, heavy start. And creating those relationships with, with, with, you know, fashion, PR and creative directors and just being really like grateful and understanding that like, you know, this is an art, this is your craft, and hoping people see me the exact same way. And I think that's where a lot of those relationships have stood the test of time because I didn't just go in trying to take something from you. I was, I was going in understanding the business.
- [23:47]
A
Finding a therapist is hard enough, but finding one who actually takes your insurance can feel compelled, completely impossible. Believe me, I know. I've spent hours interviewing therapists and trying to find one that works for my life and my budget and my insurance. It really makes no sense. We use our insurance for physical health, so why not our mental health? That's why I am obsessed with Rula. They do things differently by partnering with over 100 insurance plans, making the average copay just $15 per session. Instead of just matching you with the first available person, Rula considers your specific goals, preferences and background to give you a curated list of licensed, vetted in network therapists. With a network of over 15,000 providers, there are no wait lists. You can book an appointment as soon as tomorrow. Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high quality therapy that's actually covered by Insurance. Visit rula.comfashion to get started. That's R U L A.com fashion. You deserve mental health care that works with you, not against your budget.
- [24:57]
D
History that Doesn't Suck is a legit, hard hitting American history podcast told through entertaining stories. As we approach America's 250th anniversary, now might be the time to go back and learn how we got here. With more than 200 episodes, you can binge your way decade by decade, defining event to defining event from the founding into the 20th century. Join me, Professor Greg Jackson for History that Doesn't Suck. An Odyssey Podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [25:32]
B
So I want to talk about how the business has changed over that 15 years. But as you developed your practice, let's call it, how many people do you work with on average at a time? Like, is there a certain mix of people that you mentioned? Cynthia, you also work with Nicole Kidman very famously for Disclosure Day, you worked with Josh o' Connor which was very exciting for everybody. Lots of mess. I got lots of DMs about it. But you do men and women, you do a lister, you do different kinds of A listers. But it's, it's like really high profile people. Like, very, very intense stuff that you're working on. Like how, as it developed, how did you figure out, okay, this is, I'm sure it's not an exact number, but like, this is the amount of clients I can handle with the staff that I want to deal with. And like how did you figure all that stuff out?
- [26:34]
C
I think it was initially I was doing everything by myself and I was still so hands on. I was throwing up to every fitting, I was doing every pull. Back then I was the exact same way that I am now. The people that I work with have worked with me for eight to 10 years. I'm very clear on my team and giving some type of autonomy so they can actually grow and understand the business. But I also, I have always started out just strictly as a business. Fashion has always been second to third on the list when I'm building, you know, this firm or whatever you want to call it. But I just really wanted to come in as someone who was an underdog, right. So I still work in that same capacity as an underdog. I constantly have something to prove and it's more about proving things to myself. And I that and that's how I move forward. That's how everybody moves forward in my office. From Nicole, Nicole gets the same treatment as a newcomer, it is exactly the same. Because how I want that newcomer to show up is the same way that Nick shows up. How Michael B. Jordan shows up is the same way. How I want Tyreek Withers to show up, you know, so everything is everybody gets the same treatment across the board. And that's the one thing that I, I want to constantly feed and fuel the people that I work with. So on a daily basis I. Lauren, it's a lot of people. It's a lot, a lot of people. Like I'm on the, the base of my life is on the west coast, but my whole entire everything else is New York and Europe. So I'm probably up from like, I'm like up at 4 o' clock sometimes. And also, you know, I have a family and a husband, so integrating all of that. But now I'm also very clear too. It's just like I only want to work with people. And this is across the board, from brands to clients. I only want to work with people who actually are nice people because it makes the work so much more fulfilling. And it's just like, my office is actually pretty funny because everybody kind of fights sometimes over, like, no, I want to do that.
- [28:57]
E
I want to.
- [28:57]
C
You know what I mean? Where most of the time, I hear stories where most people are like, oh, I gotta do this. I gotta go there. We're all kind of like, this is gonna be great. This is gonna be so much fun. Like, you get to be with people who actually makes this feel like the dream, because this is a dream job. This is like, when you think of, like, I could be doing other things, but I get to actually talk to these people and actually experience, you know, being with Josh and then being on tour and, like, having Steven Spielberg walk past and be like, I like that jacket. And you're like, what is happening right now? This. This is fucking weird. So I'm at that space right now where I'm just like, I really want to work with people who actually love their job and also understand this is a job. This is also not who you are. So if you can treat me when all this is done and all this is turned off, you treat me the exact same way as when I'm servicing you. Those are the type of people that I want to be around all the fucking time.
- [29:54]
B
Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's a level of. What is the word? Grace. That a lot of people don't have in the world.
- [30:01]
C
Oh, yeah. I mean, but, Laura, I even think about. There's, like, there's point. There's. For me, I will also not work with a brand or a publicist or a thing if it's just like, you know what? I just don't want that. Like, I don't have time for that. Like, and. And this is like a. This is a total universe, and everything needs to need something else to function how it needs to function properly. And if you want to do all of that. That weird shit, then go, I don't want it. I literally want to show up, have a good time, do a good job, and every. All of us stand back and be like, that person looks incredible. That's the space that I want to live in. But then you get people in this business who are like. I'm like, I just sometimes have to just take it to the point. I'm like, you clearly don't have a life. And I'm like, that is too much for me. Like, I'm trying. I love this. But I also have people at home that I need to pour into in a Different type of way that actually love me and can't wait for me to get home. So it's a balance for me in that space of saying yes and also saying no.
- [31:11]
B
Yeah. I think it's a matter of. Some people need context. They create context because they. There's, like, nothing. They have nothing to hold on to. And so they want to play games. And either you don't. You don't play the games, and you live a sort of clear life and you rise above, or you do play the games, and most people choose to play the games, but you clearly don't. In styling and working with the clients, how does that sort of play out? How do you build a client's red carpet? And, you know, not even just red carpet, just, like, outward Persona. How do you work with them to create? Because I never think of you as a person who I'm not like, oh, that's like a Jason Bolden person. Because every person you work with has their own style and their own personality, and you could work with any brand. It's not like. Like, I could think of a brand that you. That you wouldn't be able to work with because your aesthetic is so overwhelming. You are able to let the person shine. How do you develop that dialogue and language with them?
- [32:30]
C
I think the biggest problem. The biggest problem as stylist client is that people don't listen to, like, I sit and listen to what, everything people. I'm always like, it's like, you know, tell me everything. I literally. That's part of, like, my introduction. I'm like, okay, so tell me everything. What book are you reading? What are you doing? What you like, what, you don't like this, that. And, you know, and I. I literally listen and I consume, and then I. I play back that the stories and things that they said, and I go look at, like, what has happened in the past for them, what's currently happening for them. And I. You just. You just carve out that. You literally carve out that journey in that lane for that person. You know, I work with a bunch of people and, like, the point. The point of views are very different, but it's also, you know, this ongoing joke. But my mom. My mom does this, but it's ongoing joke for her. She's like, but, babe, they're all just expensive. So she's like, they're all just expensive.
- [33:34]
B
And I'm like, I guess that is common. I have to common denominator.
- [33:38]
C
I was like, I can see that. But it's just like, you know, you have you know, I think all of them are very. It's very different. It's very personal. And I think that's the magic with fashion and clothes. People always talk about individuality with clothes. And that's the thing. Like, I'm not in the business of building robots, right? I want people to actually just be and flourish in their own special, like, bubble and universe, right? So I. I never wanted to be the person. I think it's also something that, like, my. My body of work is how I live my life. Like, I am just not this person that has this one type of client. So when you come to my house, that's what my house feels and looks like. You know what I mean? So that's how I like to move in that way. So I listen, I figure out, you know, the. Also a very important thing. Do you have a contract? These are the rules that we have to fall in line with your contract, Right. Are there certain brands that are tougher than others? Yes, but you know what? You signed a contract, so the job is the job is the job, right? So let's do it. And then what we do is we figure out how to enhance you in that particular brand or space that sometimes you may not be happy in. You know, so we figure that part out. But like, to try to make someone into a robot or force someone into an aesthetic that may just be great for you is, I think, is that's where the fall happens with having a career, a long standing career in this business, right? Where some, you know, and I'll never forget, Jean Yang actually told me that a very, very, very long time ago. She said to me, I was like one of the. I was spiraling. I was totally spiraling very early on. I was like, gene, I'm just like, I just got my horseback. I'm just doing the work. And it's just like, I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand. And she said this. I'll never, never, never, never, never forget. We were at a Hollywood Reporter dinner, and I walked in and I was. She was walking. I had walked in and I went to the room and I was like, this is not. This is not right. Jean Yang. I'm walking out of the Sunset Tower. Jean Yang is walking, and she goes, where are you going? I go, gene, it's not this. This ain't for me. I'm like, I'm good like this. I just, you know, I just want to do good work, and I just really want. And she was like, you know what? She Was like, jason, if anybody deserves to be here is you. I've watched you. I've watched you, and everything has always been consistent and chic and smart. She grabbed my hand and she sat me down, and I end up sitting next to Gwyneth Paltrow. You know what I mean? And it was that particular moment when I. When I realized in that moment, I'm like, you know what? You cannot pay attention what's going on around you. This person is doing all these, you know, big and splashy things and da, da, da. Just stay the course. And me staying the course and being very true and identifying what my client wants and needs, I feel like. And I don't talk about myself like this a lot, but I feel like it has stood the test of time and it has created a body of work and an interest that make. You know how some people probably see, like, these mega movie stars want to work with me, right? So it's just like, it's not about. It's not about me. It's more about the work that I pour into them. So I just think it's. Long story short, it's just like listening to people finding out what they want and what they need, and you service them in that way. And, like, there's. There's times where, like now, even for me, and there's for. Even for. Like, we think about disclosure with Josh o'. Connor. Josh and I met. We had a very small conversation. We talked on. We talked on text. And then he came to the fitting, and everything was there, and he was like, what? Huh? Like, we never had, like, a. But it was just one of those things. Like, I listened to what he said, and I was kind of like, oh, like, you remind. Like this. And that's just what it was. But it was like, you give you service people exactly what they want, but sometimes they have to see themselves you know, through a different lens. But you're not trying to shake things up so much in a way that makes them uncomfortable.
- [38:04]
B
No. I thought one of the key looks for him, and I. Maybe it was at the Paris a Paris press call. But you mix Dior, where he's an ambassador, he's very close with Jonathan Anderson as a. You mix it with La Maire, which, like, to me is an obvious thing to do for Josh o', Connor, but I don't think there's another stylist who would have done that and balanced it in the way that you did. Like, La Mer is not a brand that gets a lot of red carpet. And I was like, oh, he just. I'm sure that there is so much you're balancing behind the scenes of when he needs to wear Dior, when he needs to wear Dior head to toe, when he can go off brand, when what he can mix Dior with all of that stuff. And I was like, oh, Josh o' Connor as a movie star. It's still indie, it's still all the stuff, but it's really polished and it's the new indie, which is where he and Greta Lee and these people are going, which is. They are now the A list. Because our culture has changed.
- [39:05]
C
Yeah.
- [39:05]
B
And I thought that you totally nailed that. But that look in particular probably took so much management behind the scenes of just how to balance it. And that kind of, I mean is. That requires a lot of. It just requires tons of attention to detail. I mean your attention to detail must be insane.
- [39:27]
C
Well, it's, it's that too. And Lauren, I mean, you know this, but a lot of people probably listening don't understand that this is a business first. Right. You have to think about the business first. And some people are just like, good look beautiful this, beautiful that. But the, the, the, the sit down and looking at the do nots and the do's and then also still you're doing everything to service the client first, then the contract, right. And then you get to. In both of those, I find this balance of finding this, this excitement and my creative stroke through that. Right. So that particular thing, it was just like it was. Josh has this whimsy to him that is so great. And it was something just as easy as the sweater vest, the print putting the Cartier watch over the print, which was print on texture, which is a pair of black Limere jeans. And that was it. Right. But in the mix of all of that, it's still, you know, he's, you were still. He still was identified as the face of Dior, you know.
- [40:36]
B
Totally. Yes.
- [40:41]
E
Fourth of July savings are happening now at the Home Depot with select appliances starting at $398. Plus get free delivery on appliance purchases of $398 or more. No membership required. Upgrade your kitchen with a modern and sleek GE profile refrigerator featuring hands free autofill for the perfect pour every time and make laundry day easier with 2 in 1 washer dryer combo innovation that completes laundry in about 90 minutes. Shop top brand appliances now at the Home depot offer valid June 17, July at the US only C store.
- [41:09]
C
Online for details. So good, so good, so good.
- [41:14]
F
New summer arrivals are at Nordstrom rack stores ready to save big with up to 60% off brands like Rag and Bone, Levi's, Adidas and free people. Join the NordicLub to unlock exclusive discounts. Shop new arrivals first and more. Plus buy online and pick up at your favorite rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack.
- [41:43]
B
So talking about these brands like, like you have been at the center of this for the sort of explosion of the brands investing more in red carpet them using celebrity as their key vehicle. It went from celebrities would do one or two campaigns to doing every single campaign that's possible to attending every single fashion week. It just has become so much bigger of a part of their marketing plans. On top of that, you are working with many, many a listers who I don't know if have any clients who don't have a contract or, or a semic contract or something. What's your observation of how the industry has changed and do you think I'm always grappling with who, who has a leverage? Is it the celebrities or is it the. Is it the brands at this point?
- [42:33]
C
I think it, it depends. It really depends. And I think where, where, where I see a couple of things. I'm super lucky because that's part of like. That's part of like my magic. I actually love. I love being the one to kind of like help and spearhead to a contract because I think that's the ultimate goal. Like part of this, part of the. Again I go back to business. Part of this is like I think most people would love a brand deal because it supports you financially in ways. Right? When you're not filming or things like that. It supports you in that sense. But there's a couple of ways that I look at it. I look at it as like the ingenues or the budding new person or the new it her kid or young actor, actress. I use those as leverage, right? You use the brand as a leverage because what it hap. What helps is they actually push you out to the ether even more. Right? That support, right? You think of someone like a. Let's use the. The Internet boyfriend. One of my clients that I have is like someone like a Tyreek Withers, right? He did like Tyreek is like we use the fashion for him. I use the fashion for him to help support and push along after his film is done. And we did those big splashy carpets and press moments. But then what's next if we have this huge window of time, if you sign a deal now, all of a sudden your face is splattered all over the world, globally, right? So people are like, oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh. So that's good for someone like that. But then it also alerts everyone else to be like, what were we missing? Why the hell were we not paying attention to this kid? Now we missed it, right? So it creates that kind of buzz and that syner for that talent to actually have exposure, right? The other half are super established people that, that I have. Some of them are like, they love the idea because it's this. This massive relationship that they've built with the house, right? And it's also a space for me, sometimes is a space of having this. People may hate that I'm saying this, but there's a little safety to that, right? There's a little safety in the world that we're living in. We're like, budgets are all over the place. But you have this safety with the house that they can help and guarantee to make you something custom or help and guarantee to almost give you one of the first picks to a collection, right? Because the budgets are shot or people can't afford. I can't just randomly go out to another person and say, hey, I would love for you to make me this. And they're like, jason, we really don't have that budget, right? So there's the piece of both of both of those things. But there's sometimes where you find this magic for like, the talent in most cases is like the git. And they have all this power and the brands are just kind of like, you have eight brands trying to fight for this one person. So a lot of times I think it's the talent and it's the talents team who can actually have a full conversation. Yes, we love this brand. Yes, they have the budget. Yes, they have this huge, massive, you know, press push. But then also, this brand actually might work better for you. Even though it's small, they don't have as much money. You might be the sole focus there, but you pro. You don't need the big PR push because you have eight, you know, big universal mgm, like, whatever movies coming out where you're going to be. You're going to be explosive in that way anyway. So there's a. There's, there's such a way to look at it now when you think of brand and celebrity. But you also have to. Again, I go back to. You have to have somebody who looks at it more outside of just like, I want to be on Vogue's best Dress or I want to make such an explosive business for you in this fashion space.
- [46:30]
B
What brands are you excited about right now as. Maybe as a consumer, but. Or just like, Runway, like we were talking about Fashion Week. You go when you need to, when it's your job. But what are the brands right now that you are like, man, I am happy that that's happening.
- [46:48]
C
Okay, So I have this thing about Pierre Paulo that is unmatched. Unmatched. And it's also because the soul of Pierre Paulo is just. It's unmatched. And I'm really excited. I'm just so, so excited for him. I think the way that he touches couture is the way that I. The way that I've always remembered it. Like, when he was at Valentino, there was nothing. Like, you got a Valentino dress, and every girl that I put it on, they were like, this is what I'm wearing. You know what I mean? So I'm so excited about what. What Pierpaolo is going to do at Balenciaga. I. I have this. I also have this full body thing about Jonathan Anderson at Dior. I went to the LA show, and when those girls and guys were walking around that corner, I was like, I feel it. It's here. There was something about Jonathan down to, like, in the men's show that just happened. I was like, okay, I want that. I want that. I want that. I want that. I want that. I'm really excited about. About what Jonathan's doing. I'm also in this space of, like, everything at Chanel for me, and this is just like that. It's just. It's. It's just. Excuse my. Like, it's just good. Like, I was just in there shopping the other day. I was in there shopping the other day, and I also. This sounds also crazy. The price points are actually like. I'm like, what? This is not. Is it? Why is this.
- [48:19]
B
Yeah, it's not. It's not. It's not cheap.
- [48:21]
C
It is.
- [48:22]
E
Yes. You know what I mean?
- [48:23]
B
Reasonable.
- [48:24]
D
Yeah.
- [48:24]
B
It's like for the price. And I. I love this term. It's like the wonkiest Harvard Business Business price value equation is off the charts. Like, it's so good. It makes you feel like it's worth the money, which is hard to do in luxury today.
- [48:38]
C
No, it's crazy. I went. I went. We. I went shopping with two girlfriends, and we were all in there, and we had all the. We have bags lined up and we're like. I am so used to the point of being like, you Know what? I really don't need all. I just. I'm gonna get that one. We were all in there. We all walked out with, like, two or three bags. Because the price point, because you're so used to what the price is now, like, you walk into a place and a bag is six grand. We're looking at things. It was, like, wild. So we're looking at. So I, I'm kind of in that world of Jonathan Pier Apollo Mattu. Like, I, I, I love the. I love the difference in that in such a way. But what I'm really, really, really, really excited for is when Grace gets to Hermes. That, you know, it is all like, that is the. So those four right there, Like, I could build a closet with that. And then my nothing but, like, my Gap T shirts and my vintage Levi's. Like, I could live that way.
- [49:44]
B
But, Jason, I think this is what makes you so good at your job, because you just named four designers that could not be more different and could have if you had. If I had asked any other fashion person that question, they would not have put that mix of people together and aesthetics. And because you are choosing things that are right for you, not because they're cool or because they're popular or because they're what you're supposed to like. It's because you appreciate them for what they are. And that, I think, is why you've been so successful and why all of these people look so great, who are all so different, and yet you are able to convey who they are through the way they dress and help them with that. And I think that's. It's so key to. I'm so glad I asked you that question, because it is not the answer. I am also very excited for Grace. I think she's going to be amazing.
- [50:45]
C
I'm excited for Grace. I'm so, so, so excited for Grace. I was just thinking about what you were saying. Like, this past met, I think I had, like, like 13, 12, 13 people or something like that. And every single one of them, it was so funny. Like, every single. And it took my. It took my assistant to say this to me. It was like he lit. He was like, look at the, like, look at this thing. And he was. Before he posted it on his social, he was like, look at this. And I was like, you. Like, this would be an actual really fun dinner party. Like, if all those people went, like, in my head and, like, they all showed up in their, like, in their best, in a way. And it just, it makes me really happy to see that this is the kind of the world that I would love to see. When it comes to how fashion brands, like, do their carpets or pick their ambassadors, I love. I. That's how I just want to see it. And the way that everybody shows up, I think that's. That's. That's the magic. Like, Lauren, you, like, you go to places and you look around, you're like, these people are. That person's kind of cool. That person's kind of cool that, you know, where it's like, not robots. And I think that's the thing. You see some of these brands, and they all look like robots. And I'm like, well, that's weird. That's the only person that exists in the world. That's not it.
- [51:58]
B
You know, here's to anti robots, Literally, to real human. Human beings and human touch and humanity.
- [52:06]
C
Absolutely.
- [52:07]
B
Jason, thank you for doing this. Congratulations on everything.
- [52:10]
A
Thank you.
- [52:11]
B
And I look forward. I hope I do see you at Couture.
- [52:14]
C
Oh, yes. Hopefully.
- [52:17]
B
Have a great rest of your day. And I appreciate this so much.
- [52:19]
C
Thank you. Thank you so much. Enjoy everything.
- [52:21]
B
This is awesome. Fashion People is a presentation of Odyssey in partnership with Puck.
- [52:28]
A
The show is produced and edited by Molly Nugent. Special thanks to Puck co founder John Kelly, executive editor Ben Landy, producer Maya Tribbett, and director of editorial operations, Gabby Grossman. An additional thanks to the team at Odyssey, Kelly Turner and Bob Tabador.