Jenna Lyons Interview

When I talked to J.Crew's Creative Director Jenna Lyons during New York Fashion Week, I had to ask her about those wonderful J.Crew jewels. Coincidentally, you can learn all about the brand's jewelry designer, Molly Carey, in the latest catalog. Molly sounds pretty rad, and here's what Jenna revealed about the upcoming Turkey-inspired Fall jewelry collection.

How do you start the jewelry process?

It's one of those things where it's anywhere and everywhere. This past season the girl who oversees jewelry went to Turkey and came back with some crazy cool pieces.

Is this for the Spring or Fall collection?

I'm sorry I'm so off, I never know…

For the rest of the jewel talk, read more

As we continue exploring the depths of J.Crew's Creative Director, Jenna and I discussed one of my favorite topics: the difference between East and West Coast style. I lived in NYC for six years, but am back in California, to stay. Needless to say, my years in New York influence my wardrobe. Than again, so has my active lifestyle in Cali. I mentioned before that Jenna is a born and bred Cali girl, but she is a self-proclaimed New Yorker, after living there for 25 years now.

What do you think are the main differences between East and West Coast style?

That to me is easy. I remember when I moved to NY, the first week that I was here, I noticed that guys were looking at me on the street and the idea of beauty here is so diverse — you can be six feet tall and brunette, you can be blond, you can be bald, you can have blue hair, you can be a tomboy, you can be a sex kitten — you can be anything here. There are all different ideals of beauty here and I think being an individual is praised, whereas when I grew up in CA I always felt like an outcast because I didn’t have blond hair and blue eyes, and I didn’t have any boobs. There’s definitely a look that exists in CA — everyone dresses alike — and I think that was really challenging growing up. I didn’t realize how hard it was until I moved here and all of sudden realized it was OK to look different. It’s OK to wear red lipstick and dorky glasses and a lot of people thought that was cute and that wasn’t the case when I was in CA. And the other thing I love: People dress up here. Like, I looove to dress up.

To see what else Jenna had to say, read more

One of my New York Fashion Week highlights was meeting J.Crew's Creative Director Jenna Lyons. As you know, I am officially J.Crazy — Fab's been a wearer since high school. But for the past several years and thanks to fellow wearer First Lady Michelle Obama, J.Crew has gained serious momentum. This is largely due to the company's Cali-born 6-foot-tall Jenna (pictured here, with a fan).

Two tall California girls chatting away in the corner in the AMEX Skybox; what did they talk about? Let's start with the fun stuff: Jenna's faves. Read on to hear about Jenna's favorite designers, bands, food, and inspiring hobbies.

Favorite designers?

Marni, Phillip Lim, Derek Lam (I went to school with him), vintage, what Pheobe Philo is doing with Celine is a new favorite. I'm all about old school preppy – socks, navy blazer, jeans.

Favorite bands?

Oooh, that’s a good one. I have an insane girl crush on Alison Mosshart right now from The Kills, I’m like obsessed with her. I have like pictures of her . . . Do you know Nouvelle Vague? I’m a total Depeche Mode junkie and old Killing Joke and The Smiths. It’s funny because I have a little boy, and when he was young we used to play rock n' roll a lot — like hard rock, everything from Nirvana to Killing Joke, and now if I put on anything too soft he goes, "No, Mommy. I like rock and roll." I was like, awesome. Thank God.

For lots more Jenna, read more