Meet The Creative Director Behind This Cult Denim Brand

My career started right as the premium denim craze took hold in LA in the early 2000s. I had a tremendous amount of design responsibility from an early age, and it exposed me to a lot of branding ideas. I worked for various denim brands and even launched my own before I started working with Citizens of Humanity. 

My first fashion obsession was a Guess denim jacket in a pale bleach wash. I was about ten, and I wanted it more than anything. I literally lost sleep over it. Looking back, I think it was my first time experiencing the power of marketing – it’s crazy how much you can be influenced at a young age. 

My mother loved shopping and my father was always drawn to mid-century Scandinavian designers. He loved sailing and all the fashion that went along with it – think fair isle sweaters, twill jackets and classic denim. I think that’s where my creativity comes from, as well as my appreciation for beautiful aesthetics and quality craftmanship.

The Citizen’s aesthetic is all about elevated essentials in quality fabrics. The collections evoke a signature ease and a sense of versatility. Any company can make denim, but people come to us because we have a strong point of view.  We make familiar silhouettes but with a modern edge.

A great wardrobe should be made of pieces that will never go out of style – even if the way we wear them evolves. This has always been a part of our brand DNA. We’re aware that our products are expensive, so when people choose to invest in them, it’s vital that they continue to feel happy about their purchase for months and even years down the line.

When designing for the modern woman, I always consider the idea of necessity. Sometimes necessity translates as a particular vibe and other times it’s a certain silhouette. It’s essentially about homing in on what form “necessity” takes. Sometimes, at the beginning of a season, you feel one thing and then months later you gravitate towards something else – it’s a very fluid process.