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She was, as she puts it, “completely enamored by the relationship between body and clothes.”
She later moved to New York, and into senior design roles at Derek Lam and Proenza Schouler.
But as she climbed the ladder on the production side, her priorities began to shift.
Marie Claire: What are some of your favorite pieces in your closet?
Elizabeth Giardina:I’m a big believer in family closets.
I’ve traditionally worn a lot of Jil Sander and vintage pieces.
I have a pair ofLevi’sfrom the early ’90s that were my dad’s.
They have sentimental value, and I will keep them forever.
MC: Is there a particular fashion rule you don’t agree with?
EG:Quiet luxury.
Customers have always been, and will always be, drawn to understated luxuryno buzzwords needed.
MC: What do you think the fashion industry needs more of?
EG:More creative business leaders who question standard practices and apparel-making processes.
Every business should reimagine why and how we make clothing amid a climate crisis.
I want to see morechangemakerswho want to innovate for our present lives and a very different future.
Fewer brands whose primary focus is making more products without genuine regard for their environmental impact.
MC: How do you design for the real woman?
I’m also endlessly inspired by the collaborative and social nature of design.
I’m always asking people what they are into, what they’re reading, listening to, watching.
MC: And what are you watching and listening to?
EG:I love every album by Patti Smith.
I feel the same way about Alice Coltrane.
There have been whole weekends where I only listened non-stop toJourney in SatchidanadaandThe Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda.
I love how it captures both the fabulousness of live performances and the gritty rawness of real life.
MC: With an eye for art and design, what are your favorite things to collect?
When I travel, I buy jewelry, ceramics, and textiles.
Those are my three favorite things to collect.
In ourHave You Met series, we get to know stylish creatives, changemakers, and founders.
Leave your ballet flats in your checked bag.
Uncle Harry for the gifting win.
The internet sensation recreates Zendaya and Taylor Swifts iconic red carpet looks with everyday items.
“The Cutting Room Floor” host thinks the industry is in a creative drought.
But she has a few ideas on how to bring innovation back.
