Designer Gregory Paul Discusses His Interim Prep, Playlist, More

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Grid View

Expand

• Gregory Paul
• Gregory Paul
• Gregory Paul
• Gregory Paul

StyleWeek Interim kicked off last night at the W Hotel with its "Ready for the Runway" cocktail hour and event. Highlights of the upcoming three-day showcase? Project Runway veterans Joseph Aaron Segal and Jonathan Joseph Peters (tongue twister, much?) hit the catwalk on Saturday, and emerging talents Gregory Paul and Marcel Plante have surprises in store for Friday night's crowd. Here, we chat with Gregory Paul about his preparation for this weekend and more.—Heather C. White

The morning of my show, I'll be ___________.?
Surprisingly calm. All the elements of this collection seemed to come together perfectly. Models, music, guest list, and, well, the looks. The StyleWeek team is organized to the nth degree. I'm sure I'll be scrambling around 7:30 anyway.??

Describe your aesthetic in 5 words:
Restrained. Sharp. Thoughtful. Sophisticated. Timeless. ?

What was your childhood like? How did your surroundings influence you and your designs??
I grew up in Scarborough, Maine. It's a really quiet, beautiful place so mostly I spaced out all the time. Played video games (which I still do...a lot). As for my childhood, I was lucky to have a family that has always been supportive of what I want to do with my life. My mom and dad are honestly the best parents you could hope for.

?If you could design for one of Boston's royalty (Tom Brady, Gisele, Marilyn Riseman, etc.), who would it be?
?I'd design for Marilyn in a heartbeat. She can wear anything. But I think if I had to pick one person to embody my aesthetic it would be either Alli Achtmeyer or Ashley Bernon. Though different, they're both beautiful, elegant women who are forward thinking in their fashion choices but at the same time they appreciate quality over ostentation. There's a certain restraint in everything they wear. And they're both super fun and incredibly sweet.

?What's something surprising about your creative process?
These days, that it's so regimented! I've been producing made-to-order pieces since graduating from Lasell because I decided I wouldn't show a full collection until I could really stand behind every piece. And deliver. That meant schedules, streamlining processes, managing the boring details, etc. etc. Thankfully I have a team in place that handles that stuff for me now so I can just focus on creating collections season to season, but deadlines are still hard. They are for everybody, I'm sure.??

If your collection was a Boston neighborhood - which would it be and why?
This one's tough. Maybe the South End? My clothes are about an appreciation for tradition and craftsmanship, but at the same time, I'm not a super established label that's been around for like half a century. I think that's the South End: all the beauty of, say, Beacon Hill, but it's still growing and changing and taking risks with that growth, little by little.

?What can we expect from your show at Style Week Interim?
Clothes? Ha. Diversity—in the looks, in the model casting, in the guest list. I think my look is pretty clear, but I like exploring the edges, drawing subtle details from outside my aesthetic sphere. But really, you can expect clothes.

?You said your F/W '13 was a study in detail, which ones should we look out for?
Fabric is first in my world. I've struggled with being more accessible in terms of price but at the end of the day I'm drawn to really rich fabrics. That usually means expensive, unfortunately. Lambskin, two-ply cashmere blends, luxe wools, all that. One reoccurring detail I love from this collection is this antique anthracite crystal chain I found at one of my suppliers. I believe it's from the 60s? Yeah. Bought all of it before I had any idea what I would use it for.

Give us your designer play list:
I'd love to give you my show music because it's just so damn good but I can't give that away yet. Instead, I'll give you the list of songs I considered: LCD Soundsystem, Home?Hercules; Love Affair, Blind; ?Arcade Fire, My Body is a Cage; Hot Chip, Over and Over; Zebra Katz, Ima Read (featuring Njena Reddd Foxxx).

· StyleWeek Interim Kicks Off, Welcoming the Public to 'Atelier' [Racked Boston]
· Gregory Paul [Official Site]