A Little Bit Savile Row, A Little Bit Rock and Roll - Designer Jay Godfrey Talks About His Latest Collection and Gives Us a Sneak Peak!
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
Have you heard of Jay Godfrey? If you haven’t yet, trust me when I say you’ll know his name soon! Jay is an up and coming fashion designer from Toronto and now based in New York, whose sexy and youthful dresses have been a hit with Hollywood’s hottest stars.
Hayden Panettiere (left) and Eva Mendes (right) in Jay Godfrey
Recognised for his signature one shoulder dresses and bows, Jay can count Hayden Panettiere, Gabrielle Union, Eva Mendes and Carmen Electra among the celebrities who are already fans of his cocktail dresses and full length gowns.
Gabrielle Union (left) and Carmen Electra (right) wear Jay Godfrey gowns
OMG I Love Her Style has a sneak peak at his incredible Spring 2008 Collection and a fabulous interview with the man himself. Check it out!:
Q: Hi Jay, first of all I want to say I love your designs! There have been so many questions I’ve been dying to ask you! Firstly, I was wondering how you got into fashion in the first place, since you started out in finance! Was it always a passion of yours?
A: I’ve always loved fashion. While my colleagues in investment banking were reading the Wall Street Journal, I was reading Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. One day, after 14 months in finance, I decided “enough was enough” and I left Solomon Smith Barney to pursue my dream of designing. I enrolled in Parson, interned at Oscar de la Renta, started my own label. I’m the perfect example of what can happen when you set out to follow your dreams and then they start coming true.
Q: Hi Jay, first of all I want to say I love your designs! There have been so many questions I’ve been dying to ask you! Firstly, I was wondering how you got into fashion in the first place, since you started out in finance! Was it always a passion of yours?
A: I’ve always loved fashion. While my colleagues in investment banking were reading the Wall Street Journal, I was reading Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. One day, after 14 months in finance, I decided “enough was enough” and I left Solomon Smith Barney to pursue my dream of designing. I enrolled in Parson, interned at Oscar de la Renta, started my own label. I’m the perfect example of what can happen when you set out to follow your dreams and then they start coming true.
Vanessa Hudgens wearing a stunning Jay Godfrey gown
Q: You definitely are! With your success, you’ve had the opportunity to dress so many beautiful and famous women, what epitomises a Jay Godfrey woman to you?
A: The Jay Godfrey woman is confident, strong, and sexy. She’s fashion-forward and never afraid of taking calculated risks.
Open Back Dress with Zipper Trim - Jay Godfrey Spring 2008
Q: Sounds like many of the celebs you've dressed! Is there a celebrity you haven’t dressed yet who you’d love to see in one of your designs?
A: I would love to dress Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz and Queen Rania of Jordan.
Angelina Jolie (left), Queen Rania of Jordan (middle) and Cameron Diaz (right)
Q: Interesting choices. Which young starlet do you think we should all be watching out for as a future fashion icon? Who’s style do you love right now?
A: Diane Kruger, Charlotte Casiraghi, and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld.
Julia Restoin-Roitfeld (left), Charlotte Casiraghi (middle) and Diane Kruger (right)
Q: So many young people look up to the celebrities who wear your clothes as fashion icons, but who is your fashion icon?
A: David Bowie, Tommy Nutter, Keith Richards, and Karl Lagerfeld… I can never chose just one.
Iconic Chanel Fashion Designer Karl Lagerfeld
Q: How would you describe your own personal style? How do you like to dress?
A: A little bit Savile Row, a little bit Rock and Roll.
Q: Very cool. Who or what would you say inspires your collections?
A: I take inspiration from old photographs, exotic landscapes or places, as well as the treatment of color and surfaces in other art forms like interior design. I also look to great architects like Richard Serra and sculptors like Santiago Calatrava. Finally, I take cues from trend-setting confident and sexy women like my wife, Dara.
Fitted White Dress With Contrast Straps - Jay Godfrey Spring 2008
Q: That's so sweet! How long does it take you to create an entire collection, from conception to the runway? And how long before a season are you thinking about what that collection will be like?
A: It takes about three months to create an entire collection. I start by sketching. I let the sketches sit for a few days and then I go back and edit. The designs I select at this point usually make it into the final collection. We sample the pieces, take appointments with buyers, and ship to stores a few months later.
Being a designer is a 24-hour a day job. I am constantly thinking about new designs and the next season. It’s a lot less regimented than one would think.
Q: Sounds like an interesting job. I’ve seen your Spring 2008 Collection and it’s so fun and feminine, what styles do you think fashionistas should be stocking up on now to be ahead of the pack for next season?
Orange Ombre Drop Waist Short Dress - Jay Godfrey Spring 2008
A: Ombre fabrics, anything with zippered trim, silhouettes that show off the new erogenous zone: the shoulder.
Sarah Michelle Gellar (left), Minka Kelly (middle) and Ginnifer Goodwin (right) all wearing Jay Godfrey
Q: You are famous for the one shoulder dresses! I’ve fallen in love with your scratch-print shift dress as well as your white strapless bow dress, but which are your favourite pieces from your Spring 2008 Collection?
Scratch Print Shift Dress (left and middle) and White Strapless Bow Dress (right) both from the Jay Godfrey Spring 2008 Collection
A: My favorites are the Jackson Pollack scratch-print party dress and the zipper shift dress.
Jackson Pollack Scratch Print Party Dress (left) and Black Zipper Shift Dress (middle and right) both from the Jay Godfrey Spring 2008 Collection
Q: As for this season, what is your favourite fashion trend for autumn/winter 2007-2008?
A: Bold color.
Petra Nemcova (left and right) and Brittany Snow (middle) both wearing Jay Godfrey dresses
Q: And is there a trend you hate and want to banish?!
A: Flats for evening.
Q: Ha ha! Better get those heels out girls! Do you have any advice for any budding young designers who may be reading this and wondering how to get into the fashion industry?
A: Start simple and build from there. Become good at one thing before you become good at many.
One Shoulder Bow Gown in Deep Ultramarine (left) and Cutout Salmon Gown (right) - Jay Godfrey Spring 2008
Q: And finally, your star has risen so quickly since you launched you first collection two years ago, what’s next for you? What can we expect to see from you in the future? Do you any exciting new projects coming up?
Zoe Saldana (left), Vanessa Hudgens (middle) and Katherine McPhee (right) all wearing Jay Godfrey
A: I am expanding the collection to include contemporary separates and day dresses for Fall 2009. Eventually, I would love to get into other categories such as accessories.
Thank you so much for your time Jay, it truly has been an honour! I’d like to wish you the best of luck in the future and I look forward to seeing the next collection of Jay Godfrey designs.
If you’d like to get your hands on a Jay Godfrey design, they can be found at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales and Intermix stores as well as high-end boutique stores in the United States, Canada, Asia and Germany.
10 January 2008 13:02
Never knew you were rolling with the glitz and the glam miss Laura :P
Nice article :)
-Rob.
10 January 2008 13:13
Haha, well that's me, a woman of mystery lol
Thanks so much for stopping by!! Glad you like it!
Don't forget to tell all your female (or male lol) friends bout my site ;)
Take care x
10 January 2008 17:48
I like the interview and im extremely proud :) Keep it up!!
11 January 2008 12:41
Great interview Laura, really proud of you! xx