Do you remember your first runway show? Nicole: Of course! We did it at this club called Laura Belle. Back then, everyone would show in different places around town—old theaters, mannequin studios, nightclub venues—and the editors were always running all over the place. Jay: Things were so different. In the early days, we couldn’t even afford real fashion. We were wearing vintage clothes, costumes, or still wearing our prepschool stuff. You show at the Tents now, Nicole. Why? Nicole: They really make it really easy for you. There’ve been times when we’ve gone off-site, and inevitably there’s something that we didn’t think of. I remember after 9/11 when Fashion Week was canceled. We had to move the show to the showroom. A lot of weird things happened. We served lots of alcohol. How’s the Bright Lights, Big City remake coming along, Jay? Jay: Great. It’s being made this summer. The screenplay was written by Josh Schwartz, who was the creator of The O.C. and Gossip Girl. I wrote the original screenplay for the first film in 1988. It was successful at the time, but I don’t really like it. What was more authentic for me was a movie I wrote called Gia. Oh, we’re familiar! It’s required viewing at The Daily. Nicole: I’d love to trade places with Angelina Jolie for a day. But Gia wasn’t really a supermodel. She became a much bigger deal after she died. Jay: Eh, she had five or six months when everybody wanted her. Nicole: Yeah, it’s funny. I remember over the years that there’d be a model and she’d walk like a dream in my show. Then we’d be booking the next show and I’d be like, ‘What about that girl? She’s really cool.’ Then they’d tell me, ‘No, she’s over.’ It’s a tough racket. What models are you loving this second? Jay: The only ones I can think of are Sports Illustrated models like Bar Refaeli. Nicole: It’s not like it was in the ’90s, certainly. Jay: I want to hear a good naughty model story! Got any? Nicole: I don’t really have any bad stories, but we once did a lingerie show at Scores. We thought one of the models was going to take her top off. Whose style do you admire?
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Jay: Hamish Bowles, Tom Wolfe, and Nicole, of course. I remember back in 1995 when The New Yorker asked me to write about fashion. I told them I knew this girl, Chloë Sevigny, from around the clubs. She was living in squalor somewhere in the East Village even though she was from Darien. It took me three days to find her. She had this impeccable ability to find stuff in a thrift shop that would drive Anna Sui wild. What starlet would you love to dress? Nicole: I like Jessica Chastain, plus she has red hair like me. Jay: Amanda Hearst, my stepdaughter, is at the top of the list. Does Amanda ever give you fashion advice? Jay: She’s been kind enough to refrain from that, but I sometimes ask her about stuff for her mom. I discovered Rag & Bone through Amanda. What other designers are you into? Nicole: I like to look at the British shows like Meadham Kirchhoff and Jonathan Saunders. Jay: In the ’80s, I liked Armani. In the ’90s, I liked Prada. In the early part of the last decade, I liked Gucci. I have a few pieces by Thom Browne right now, but I don’t wear the pants flood-length. When did you first realize you were famous? Nicole: When it was easier to get dinner reservations. They’d be like, ‘Oh, we’re all booked up.’ Then I’d be like ‘Oh, but it’s me.’ Jay: I remember a pub party at Area for Bright Lights, Big City. Norman Mailer, Boy George, and Billy Idol showed up and I thought, ‘Wow, this is cool!’ [A friend approaches and greets Nicole.] Friend: Are you all right? I saw there was a photographer marauding you! Nicole: Yeah, I’m just being paparazzied. p o r t r a i t: t h e pau l g r e e n . c o m ; s t o r e : a l l c o u r t e s y