THE HELM: JENNI KAYNE ON BALANCE, BOUNDARIES, and living well / March 27, 2019
The designer perfectly translates her eponymous namesake lifestyle brand into a new (first!) coffee table book on living well and seasonal entertaining.
Jenni Kayne’s namesake brand speaks to more than just silk button downs and cashmere knit sweaters (though that’s what she’s best known for—along with those enviable mules). In her 16 years in business, with six stores, a beautiful ecommerce site, and wildly popular blog Rip & Tan under her belt, Kayne has weaved her personal style into a lifestyle brand that reaches far beyond wardrobe. Chances are high that if her essential yet thoughtful clothing line (built around timeless, elevated separates in sumptuous warm hues) checks all your boxes, so too will her home goods and beyond.
Her new book, Pacific Natural: Simple Seasonal Entertaining, perfectly encapsulates her effortless aesthetic through the lens of party hosting (which means nubby neutral linens and simple ceramics aplenty). It’s her world and her way of living well that we (and women everywhere) can’t get enough of, which is why we were thrilled to talk to the Los Angeles-based designer and mother of three about how she does it, all while making time to slow down and prioritize family.
How did you get started? What did the brand look like when you launched?
As a super ambitious and naïve 19-year-old, I started a fashion business that I always envisioned becoming a lifestyle business. I lived in Los Angeles but produced everything in Italy, so I traveled to Italy for three weeks at a time back and forth for the first two years until I figured out how to produce the line locally. Sweaters were the most popular item, and to this day, it’s still sweaters and shoes that are most popular. Then the line grew to be everything—blouses, pants, skirts, dresses. I was a lot younger and my life was a lot different at that point.
How did you initially fund your company?
My dad funded my business in the beginning. I’m fortunate that he was my partner—and he’s still my partner and mentor in business.
Tell us a little bit about your Rip & Tan blog and how it fits into the business?
I started it because I had friends asking me things like, “What do I cook for this dinner party?” or “What’s your favorite wellness thing?” As a Virgo over-researcher, I’m a wealth of knowledge and I wanted to put it all down somewhere where everyone could find it. I named it after my kids, Ripley and Tanner, and tried to keep it separate from the business. But as the business grew, I decided to integrate it into the website. It’s been an amazing platform for us. We use the stores to bring to life what you view on the site.
Even though this is your namesake business, I’ve heard you don’t always love being the public face of the brand. Would you say Rip & Tan was an outlet for you to step into that role on your own terms?
It was. At Jenni Kayne we stand for living well. Quality of life is paramount. I have three kids now, and spending time with family and friends is the whole premise of the book—coming together and creating traditions and slowing down and living in rhythm with nature. You can’t do all of that and run a business and be a public figure and be a mom. That means being super picky about how I spend my time. I would rather spend it designing a beautiful collection and putting together a book and entertaining and all of that stuff rather than running around being in the public eye.
Can you share an example of a time in your career where you failed forward?
Having a second child really threw me off balance. It became clear that the only way to be successful and happy would be to find a really good team at home and a really good team at work. Finding the team at home proved a lot easier than finding the team at work. Even though I had so many incredible people working with me, I really needed someone to help me run the business so that I could have more time with my family. After trying four different people, I really thought I was done. As much as I loved what I was doing, I wanted to enjoy my children and my life and not have any regrets. As I was making the decision to wind down, a woman I had just hired said, “Give me a chance to grow the business and see how you feel in a year.” She’s been my partner and the president of the company for four years now. Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. She’s completely transformed the company.
At The Helm, we often talk about how you actually get it all done—and juggle all of the things from your work life to your home life and everything in between.
I really do believe you can do it all, but emotionally, you need to have boundaries and you need to have balance in order to do it all happily.The book is so much more than a guide to entertaining. It’s also illustrative of living well and creating meaningful connections through food.
What do you hope readers take away from it?
The book is a love letter to California. The premise is that entertaining should be effortless and that anyone can do it. A lot of the tablescapes can look aspirational based on where they are, or maybe the florals look a bit more elevated than what the average person would do on their own. But all the tips and tricks are attainable. The other message is one of living seasonally and in rhythm with nature. Slow down, take time to come back into the garden or the kitchen and celebrate over dinner and drinks with friends and family. Our lives are so crazy there’s something really important about getting grounded and living in the moment.
You’ve said that having children forced you to adopt a uniform. How has motherhood informed and changed your personal style as well as that of the brand?
We did a whole campaign called Find Your Uniform based on this premise. Ask yourself: What do you want to wear every day? What looks good on your body type? What works for your lifestyle? Once you find that, if you really pay attention, you realize that you wear the same thing over and over again anyway. So instead of feeling pressure to wear new things or be trendy, figure out what you look and feel beautiful in. For me, that’s a pair of high-waisted pants or jeans with a Jenni Kayne knit or collared shirt tucked in. I also live in my Jenni Kayne mules. If I want to add something to that, I can change up my accessories—whether it’s my sunglasses, a hat, a different purse, or a statement jacket. You don’t need to reinvent yourself or try on a million things before you go out nor constantly buy and sell things. We design core pieces in our collection that we do over and over again. There’s always some newness, but nowhere near what it used to be. Why do we need to make all of this extra stuff? It’s really just a waste.
Can you apply the uniform idea to your table?
Yes. Get beautiful neutral ceramics and simple glassware you can use over and over again. Have some neutral linens, and then mix it up with colorful flowers or candles—things that are easy to introduce. You really don’t need that much.I know you’re a die-hard Californian.
Do you think it’s possible to achieve some of your quintessential style here on the East Coast?
Totally. You can achieve these looks anywhere—even in a small New York apartment. Bring nature in wherever you are. You don’t have to be under a canopy of olive trees to have a great dinner.
T Magazine: Label Maker / October 7, 2011
“A T-shirt?” asked the Lanvin shopgirl on the other end of the receiver when I inquired about logo tees. “We sell blouses. Have you tried calling the outlets?” My recent sartorial scavenge was prompted by Céline’s resort collection. I was already head over heels for the discreet French label, but then Phoebe Philo, its designer, showed an in-your-face Céline-tagged top, styled smartly beneath a bustier and a prim, tailored jacket. Only Philo could make blatant branding compulsively collectible so soon after we’d all stripped the initials (save our own) off our bags and sunglasses. “I’ve heard they keep them in the back,” said a saleswoman at Jeffrey when I went there looking for logos. “That’s the secret,” he added. “You have to ask.”A recent trip to Yves Saint Laurent confirmed this to be true. “We wouldn’t be YSL if we didn’t have an inscribed T-shirt, would we?” the sales associate coyly whispered to me before returning from the stockroom with a yummy stash of initialed tees in navy and magenta. “We’ll always have them.”Blouses, that is.
T Magazine: NIGHT OWLS / JULY 15, 2011
All too often, the jewelry that we see at fashion shows makes it only to the end of the runway and back. Thankfully, the owl pin designed by Alexis Bittar for Jason Wu—the one that adorned Wu’s fall peacoats and blazers— is very much real and ours for the buying, arriving in stores on Friday. Fans will recognize the owl, aka Miss Wu, the designer’s muse and logo (“perhaps because of too many late nights sketching,” Wu says), and also appreciate Bittar’s gutsy take on it. Inspired by the photographer Robert Polidori’s book on the restoration of Versailles, Parcours Muséologique Revisté(Steidl), the two fell hard for the contrast between grand décor and raw metals. “I love the juxtaposition,” says Wu, who calls his fall collection Baroque Sportswear. “The piece combines opulence with early ’90s grunge,” Bittar says. “And a sense of raw romanticism,” Wu adds. “A perfect complement to the clothes.”
T Magazine: A RaRE BOND / March 11, 2011
Alexander Wang is still flying high from the excitement of his newly opened SoHo flagship store. To keep the momentum going, Wang has introduced an exclusive all-leather collection of some of his favorite styles from the past. “We wanted to create special product for the store that felt very classic and representative of our DNA,”he says of the reinvented six best-selling silhouettes—the fishtail parka, tank bra, aviator jacket, trench vest, overall dress and tailored shorts. The skillful deployment of leather, the placement of smooth patched pockets and asymmetrical buckles, and the contour seaming reaffirms the young designer’s uncanny eye for subtlety.
T Magazine: Hearts on Sleeves! | How the Fashion Flock Says, ‘Be Mine’ / FEBRUARY 7, 2011
The fashion flock is putting the amour in glamour this Valentine’s Day. With that in mind, T caught up with the supremely adored, singles and pairs alike, to find out what they have planned for the Hallmark holiday.
Anja Rubik, model
Anja Rubik has a collection of memories from her childhood in Poland, but her first Valentine’s Day in Umtata, South Africa, stands out: “I was 8. His name was Tomek. He gave me a little colorful stone (I used to collect stones) and a kiss.”With all due respect to little Tomek, this year will no doubt top that memory: it’s Rubik’s first Valentine’s Day with her husband-to-be.
Alexander Wang, designer
While the rest of us stay indoors in an attempt to avoid yet another snowstorm—not to mention the depressing sight of all of those single red roses wrapped in cellophane—Alexander Wang is planning a night out. His tradition? “To make sure my amazing single friends and I bask in all glory of being single and living in New York City.” Wang has other reasons to celebrate this Valentine’s Day eve: “The opening of our first flagship store in New York City” is at the top of the list.
Keegan Singh, stylist
When your boyfriend is the jewelry designer Eddie Borgo, flowers just aren’t going to cut it. “The only gift better than jewels?” Singh asks. “To love and be loved.” The duo is celebrating with a quiet dinner at Sant Ambroeus, where they met on their first date. And then it’s back to the apartment to watch “True Romance”: volatile pimps, drug busts, assaults and murders—whatever gets your heart racing.
Jenna Lyons, creative director of J. Crew
What does the ideal Valentine’s Day look like for Jenna Lyons? “A day where I feel skinny, not too old, still loved and with no BlackBerry.” That said, she will happily (and hopefully!) settle for mojitos, a fire and [her] boys” (her husband, Vincent Mazeau, and 4-year-old son, Beckett). Here’s to Vincent, with love: ” salted caramels, anemones, and jewelry is never required, but always appreciated!”
Joseph Altuzarra, designer
The fact that Joseph Altuzarra doesn’t have a Valentine (“Does not having a Valentine count as a tradition?” he asks sheepishly) will not in any way deter him from having a party this holiday eve. Valentine’s Day happens to be the birthday of his dear friend, the stylist Melanie Huynh.
Jason Wu, designer
Jason Wu is no closet romantic. (Lace detailing and seductively moody hues inspired by 1930s Parisian street fashion in his pre-fall collection should clear up any doubts). “There is always time to be a little romantic,” Wu says. “Even recovering from Fashion Week!” The evening will include dinner at Daniel with his partner, Gustavo Rangel, accompanied by white roses from Miho Kosuda and chocolate from Jacques Torres. Sweet!
Emily Weiss, founder of Into the Gloss
Like a lot of people, Weiss used to roll her eyes every Valentine’s Day. Then she fell in love. “I met my boyfriend on Mercer Street on Feb. 7, 2009, and our first date was Feb. 14,” she says. “He definitely didn’t realize how much a girl can overanalyze a guy asking for a first date on Valentine’s Day. Needless to say, it went well. This year, we’ll be at our neighborhood sushi place, Marumi.”
Chris Benz, designer
Because Valentine’s Day falls at the heart of New York Fashion Week, many designers will forgo the cards and candy grams. Good thing many of them truly love what they do. “My special valentine this year will be our fall 2011 presentation, which will be on Valentine’s Day evening,” Chris Benz says. “She’ll be getting all my attention that night!” Of course, once the show wraps, he’ll be heading downtown for a Team C.B. celebration.
Pamela Love, designer
Valentine’s Day doesn’t need to be a grand to-do. “Even the worst Valentine’s Day is funny in its own way,”Love insists. “Valentine’s Day should be every day!” Forget heart-shaped candies, flowers and jewelry (well, maybe not jewelry)—“buy your valentine something truly heartfelt. I was really into collage in high school, and loved Mod Podge. My boyfriend at the time got me a three-gallon bottle, and I thought that was awesome.”
Philip Crangi, designer
“With any luck we’ll be sitting on the floor of our new (and still very empty) apartment toasting our new life together before running back to work,” says Crangi, taking a break from the frenzy of Fashion Week with his valentine Darren Spaziani. Plans may be subject to change, but one thing’s certain: valentine’s gifts come in all shapes and sizes. “Really I’m a very simple man,” Crangi insists. “Just something involving caviar, oysters, Champagne and/or gold.”
Rachel Roy, designer
“Every girl should always have a special valentine,” Roy says. In fact, why settle for just one? Between last-minute preparations and alterations on the eve of the designer’s fall presentation, Roy will be sharing a whole lotta love with her many valentines. “I make sure to send to all my girls’ children, girlfriends, gay friends something thoughtful.”
T Magazine: Traffic Stopping / March 11, 2011
“Sunglasses are symbolic of life in Los Angeles,” says the California native and first-time eyewear designer Alex Israel. His collection, aptly called Freeway, includes five styles named after Route 1, Interstate 15, and the 10, 110 and 405 freeways. Each model was designed “to literally represent the landscape,” Israel says. “Like, the 405 freeway covers territory from San Diego to Brentwood; the shape of the frame is a classic Kurt Cobain meets Jackie Kennedy. I envision the glasses on San Diego punk kids and Brentwood moms. If you can’t beat the traffic, stop it. Grab a pair of modestly cool sunglasses from Freeway out of the glove compartment and have all eyes on you.