Jennifer Cooper, E!Michael Maccari is the newly-appointed creative director of Perry Ellis, and ever since he took the helm of the iconic label this past spring, he has worked to breath new life into the American sportswear line.
Under the direction of Maccari, Perry Ellis showed for the first time in three years at New York Fashion Week last month to rave reviews.
So we caught up with the Brooklyn-born designer to find out what, exactly, an average day in the life of a creative director at a major fashion label is like. Curious? Intrigued? Thought so. Keep reading!
What was your very first job?
I worked in a men's jeans shop during high school, as well as doing some landscaping. These both definitely shaped my current interests.
How did you get started in your career?
I was working for a small photo retouching studio, doing everything from seeing clients to directing the retouchers who were all artists and painters. The process of interpreting the client's needs and exploring the makeup of color really sharpened my eye for detail. I started taking classes in photography, Italian and production, which led me to menswear at F.I.T. My portfolio consisted of rough sketches of people I saw on the streets of NYC, sketched on the envelopes of work I was carrying between appointments. Unorthodox yes, but honest and unpretentious for sure.
Who are some of your career heroes?
I've been lucky to work for a lot of my heroes: Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren were all big influencers on my work and helped me form my style direction. Today I greatly respect Dries Van Noten, Martin Margiela, Stefano Pilati and Alexandre Mattiussi. My ultimate thanks, however, goes to Perry Ellis the man, because even before I knew I wanted a career in design, I learned about possibilities in menswear and how to dress appropriately for any occasion: to be sophisticated and casual, uncomplicated and comfortable. Perry Ellis was the first designer label that I ever collected or aspired to, and this came about through a very unusual circumstance. A close friend of a family member just happened to be Perry's head of merchandising, and she opened my eyes to this very Perry world.
What's a typical workday like for you?
After an early morning workout, I arrive before my first meeting to check in on my team, then hit the ground running with very little downtime. Meetings, fittings, and more meetings for product, by product, and about product.
Describe your office décor. What was your inspiration?
I inherited the office furniture, which was in the space when I arrived and is built-in. I found some chairs that suited the space that are classic mid-century design and are comfortable. I wanted to mix personal items with some archival Perry images. I am a huge cactus and succulent fan, as well as all types of pottery. I went for all-black matte and shine, organic and angular. I've collected some other objects: rough iron bookends, anatomical medical models, and a huge chunk of glass. And I always have to have a pinboard for inspiration and a clothing rack of samples.
List five things that are on your desk right now.
1. Two old-fashioned marble notebooks (one for design notes and one for sales meetings).
2. A swatch of navy suede.
3. Magazine tearsheets.
4. A picture of my grandparents.
5. A note from an intern…Oh, and a bunch of recent sketches!
What do you typically wear to work?
In the summer I wear a navy T-shirt and dress trousers—sometimes with a blazer. For important meetings, I'll wear a suit and tie. I take risks with my clothing options, but never take myself too seriously. My shoe collection is varied and reflects my mood. Sometimes a hard shoe, sometimes an active shoe or Vans-type slip-ons.
What are your favorite stores to shop for work clothes?
Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys, Nepenthes, Maison Martin Margiela. Or it can be anywhere that I might happen to be. I rarely go out looking to shop. It becomes part of the inspiration process to find new pieces, new ideas, to always look at your surroundings and basically leave no stone unturned. So in that process of "looking," if I happen to find some pieces for work, then I acquire them.
What's the best piece of career advice you've ever received?
Open your eyes to everything around you: art, culture, architecture, the streets. Then stand by, have conviction and be able to talk about your what you have seen and how it applies to your work.
Finish the sentence…
Today for lunch I had…a meeting
The first website I log onto every day is…Instagram is definitely the first thing I check online.
The beauty product you can always find in my purse is…Grey Flannel cologne.
My must-have work gadget is…my iPhone.
My usual Starbucks order is…four shots over ice.
If I need a quick break during work, I usually…take a walk outside or go into the bookshop at the International Center of Photography.
If I wasn't doing this job, I would be…an architect.
The best part of my job is…working with product and mentoring my team. I always encourage them to think and have a point of view and the results are very rewarding.