Style & People

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• January 6, 2009
• A Minute With QA

L.A Designer Jesse Kamm Muses on Margiela, Fleetwood Mac, and Making Her Very Own Mini Human

By Christene Barberich

"Unique, simple, beautiful, loose, and vibrating with a story or tale of my journey," is how L.A.-based designer Jesse Kamm describes her own inspired collection of limited-edition clothing. While her graphic printed shift dresses and slinky body-suits have become must-haves among fashion's most fashionable, it's Kamm's own effortless-glam-quirky look that scores her the highest style marks of all.

How would you describe your personal style?
"Clean, cool, and classic."

What five pieces define your everyday style?
"Now that it is winter: Hand dyed scarf, Wolford tights, a wool hat, a wristful of Yarborough bangles, and a beautiful and comfortable pair of vintage leather boots."

Who are your other favorite designers or labels?
"I think what Thakoon does is extremely beautiful. I have always loved Marni's colors and prints. I am super inspired by Margiela's shapes, which often blow my mind. so creative and inventive. I often find myself yearning over items from the past. I am a huge fan of Halston's simplicity and all of Yves' collections."

What was your most recent fashion purchase?
"A Black cutout Margiela Dress. I have no idea what collection this piece is from, but sometimes I just stare at it in awe. It is like a sculpture made with this slinky black fabric. I thank heaven it is mine."

What influences your style?
"I am easily influenced by films from the past. The Beverly Hills library has an awesome collection of foreign film. Sometimes I will see an image of a woman looking stunning in some get-up, and go straight to my closest and try to pull the look together out of my own pieces...I scour books of photos from the early 1900s to modern day, looking for new ideas. Usually this research is for the collection, which goes hand in hand with what I am inspired to wear at any given time."

What's your favorite place in Los Angeles or anywhere really?
"I think the BROAD contemporary Art Museum is my favorite place in L.A., besides my home/studio. It has a really great collection, and I can ride my bike there, which is a BONUS in this concrete jungle. You can bring a blanket and lounge in the lawn afterward, reflecting on your experience all while in the presence of tar-pits full of millions of mammoth remains."

What music do you listen to while designing?
"Grateful Dead, Talking Heads, Mozart, Steve Miller Band, Soft, Rilo Kiley, ELO, Aaron Kamm and the One Drops, Toots and the Maytals, Simon and Garfunkel, Fleetwood Mac, Isreal Vibration, Dylan, and more."

Where do you get the inspiration for your designs?
"My eyes are always open. I try too keep my mind attuned to the available stimuli at all times. The earth, strangers on the street, cars, Books, history museums, family photos, etc. I spend as little time as possible watching televsion, texting, talking on the phone, and getting lost in the internet. All of these activities
cloud my ability to focus on the real world around me."

Besides you, what kind of girl wears your clothes?
"A strong girl. A beautiful girl. A girl with grace."

If you could trade closets with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
"Bianca Jagger? I am pretty happy with my own closet."

What's one thing you would never be caught dead wearing?
"I would like to say anything mass produced, and manufactured in a sweatshop, but I am certain these things work there way into our closets even when we are careful with our buying and choices. I hope for a day when society deems that unacceptable.

What's next on the agenda?
"My next creation will be a small human. My contribution will be 23 chromosomes. Nine months is a long time to work on one piece, I have high
hopes though. Available in May for viewing only."

Seon Young

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