Recently, you've had the opportunity to work under Kim Jones, creative director of DIOR HOMME. Please tell us more about the entire experience! What's it like to work with someone that gets to call the shots and set trends in fashion?

  

What can I say Mr. Kim Jones? He’s an amazing, iconic figure to me. Him being one of the most noticeable and talented designers in this industry right now. It was very surreal to me to even have the opportunity to work with him. I’m forever grateful that my manager Shawn Mann introducing me to Mr. Kim Jones and for Kim’s team and himself being very welcoming and allowed me to go into their space, watch, and help out with their process. It all started when I met him at the Dior show in Paris, the one with Kaws. From there my little brother Mandla stayed in touch with him and when he was in la a few months after he came over for brunch. Such a good time. From that my mom came up with a good idea like “Maybe like you should intern.” That was the time I was progressing KOM, and my clothing line, KOM Clothing. I feel like I’m soaking in all of the knowledge I can because a clothing business is a lot of work. So, getting the opportunity to go into one of the biggest clothing houses, and one of the most powerful ones, in New York is surreal.

  

From what you have observed by working closely with Kim, what are some traits he possesses that can help you with your professional life?

  

When Kim is in his creative space and he is working, I find that... with Kim, he just draws inspiration from absolutely anything. It can be from shoes that somebody wears to the office one day, to strolling down the street, or even an office building. I feel like Kim has such a creative mind. I think that’s one of the things I personally soaked up from being around him. There is nothing wrong with being inspired by things around the world. So, I definitely took that into my own practice.

  

Fashion is more than just pretty clothes, and there are also messages and statements that go behind a collection. What have you learned about creating a message and sending out a statement on the runway in all the time you've spent at DIOR? 

  

From my point of view, I feel like a collection is always inspired by an idea or any occurrence in your life that happens which you feel something about. All fashion shows from the outside may seem like putting a couple of articles of clothing together. But there is always, I can’t stress this enough, a story behind any collection anybody puts out. I feel like designers do that because if you’re just creating clothes without any purpose or meaning then it comes out very bland. I definitely think having a story behind what you’re doing makes the process much more interesting and influential.

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Photography: Anthony Giovanni +  Edwin J. Ortega

Creative Direction / Styling: Edwin J. Ortega

Grooming: Caitlin Krenz using Oribe

Interview:  Anthony Giovanni

 

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