MOOD BOARD
Meet our new head of women’s design, Olympia Gayot
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I love to help with the process of getting dressed and empower women to walk through their day with added confidence.
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I love to help with the process of getting dressed and empower women to walk through their day with added confidence.
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My closet is arranged by color. When I get dressed I’m drawn to the one I want to wear that day, and build my outfit around it. It’s surprisingly easy!
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My closet is arranged by color. When I get dressed I’m drawn to the one I want to wear that day, and build my outfit around it. It’s surprisingly easy!
”
A study of color, from one of Olympia’s favorite books, An Atlas of Rare & Familiar Color.Olympia’sDesign principles
Go back to the drawing board“I always sketch by hand. That process really helps me work out proportion, styling and the attitude of the clothes. Tactile elements like fabric and yarn swatches, books and mood boards are so important to me. Inspiration always starts with color, specifically drawn from what I’m excited by at the moment: the art world, paintings and sculptures, furniture and whatever women resonate with me as muses that season. (Many of these inspirations will become collaborations, which I’m so excited about.)”
Look at the creative world around you“I love furniture, interiors and fabric. Even just looking at all of the buildings in downtown New York, you can see on one street eight different shades of green and five different shades of charcoal.
I start my research at my favorite galleries and bookstores in the city, like Karma Bookstore in the East Village. I’m really into Apartamento Magazine. Their stories feature so many iconic creatives in their homes and work environments, it feels really personal and unpretentious. Then, as I build my mood boards, I work quickly and using my instincts to pair ideas together, sketching as I go.”
I start my research at my favorite galleries and bookstores in the city, like Karma Bookstore in the East Village. I’m really into Apartamento Magazine. Their stories feature so many iconic creatives in their homes and work environments, it feels really personal and unpretentious. Then, as I build my mood boards, I work quickly and using my instincts to pair ideas together, sketching as I go.”
Simplify with confidence“I have an infinite respect for women; our dynamic lives are truly incredible. I love to help with the process of creatively expressing one’s self through clothing. I think it's really helpful to understand what you love about your body and what colors and shapes suit you best, and focus on that when looking for the right clothes for yourself (versus buying into a specific trend). Once you unlock this, you can keep wearing the same pieces and shapes for years, and layer on new emotional items that speak to you each season.”
Know where one outfit can take you“At this stage in my life as a mother of two, I need to pull myself together quickly, but I also want to feel I can creatively express myself through what I wear. Color, proportion play and comfort are key. I love a bias-cut slip dress with a boyish cashmere sweater. That’s something I have in a few colors. Depending on the season, where I’m going and my mood, I’ll mix it with slides or boots, a big coat and jewelry. It feels luxurious, but also so supremely comfortable.”
Keep it natural“J.Crew has always been great with using a lot of natural fibers and for me, that feels like the most organic way of dressing. I value comfort so much and the way that clothes feel against my body.”
The former Tribeca loft of Willi Smith, a pioneer of design. Photograph: Rosemary Peck for Apartamento Magazine.See what inspires her most...
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If you’re walking through nature and you look at grass or trees...interpreting those colors into clothing feels, to me, like the most natural way to dress.
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If you’re walking through nature and you look at grass or trees...interpreting those colors into clothing feels, to me, like the most natural way to dress.
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“Even just looking at all of the buildings…you can see on one street eight different shades of green… There’s so much you can pull from all of that.”Watch this space and follow @jcrew for more insights on design, styling and inspiration from Olympia.See the Fall 2021 Lookbook
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