SC: What would you title your memoir?
JG: I’m too young to pen a memoir, there is still so much to see and do!
SC: Do you have a signature recipe? If so, can you share it with us?
JG: Grey Goose on the rocks.
SC: Where is your next travel destination?
JG: Santa Fe, New Mexico.
SC: What books are you reading now?
JG: “I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell” by Tucker Max and “The Prodigal Daughter” by John Irving.
SC: iPhone or BlackBerry?
JG: I have my Blackberry attached to me at all times.
SC: Do you have a signature scent? What is it?
JG: Fresh makes a fragrance called Cannabis Santal, which is essentially weed and sandalwood. It’s very woodsy and masculine.
SC: What inspires you?
JG: Trailblazing designers like Halston, Vionnet, Madame Gres and Tom Ford are major design inspirations. Merging their various aesthetics with elements from popular culture that I admire, such as contemporary architecture, sculpture, photography and rock n’ roll gives the classics a modern relevance.
SC: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
JG: My father always says, “Don’t get too high on your highs or too low on your lows, as the road to success is never a straight line upwards.”
SC: If you could time travel to any period, which would it be?
JG: Without a question, the 70s. I would have given anything to hang with Mick and Bianca Jagger, Andy Warhol, Yves Saint Laurent and Halston at Studio 54.
SC: What exciting plans do you have for the future?
JG: So much to tell! We are expanding by offering more versatile and daytime looks. Looking to add costume jewelry next season. We also just launched e-commerce.
SC: Where is your favorite downtown destination?
JG: I am loving DBGB for dinner these days. Amazing food and a good vibe. Also loving drinks at the Cooper Square. Obsessed with Momofuku Noodle Bar, Locanda Verde and I think that Peasant and La Esquina are now NYC downtown classics.
SC: Where is your favorite place to grab a drink/what is your signature cocktail?
JG: My signature cocktail is Grey Goose on the rocks with lime. Honestly, my favorite is to have small groups over to my apartment in Chelsea.
SC: Who is your favorite photographer and why?
JG: Not easy to name one so I will name three! Miles Aldridge because of his sexy simplicity but extraordinary use of bold color. Greg Kadel captures the female form like no other; I want to start collecting his black and whites. And last but certainly not least, the late Jeanloup Sieff, who does nudes in such a beautifully elegant way.
SC: What is your dream piece of artwork to own?
JG: Probably a Richard Serra Torqued Ellipse but am not sure how I will fit it in my apartment!
SC: If you were to lead a walking tour of New York, what neighborhood would you choose and what would the tour be called?
JG: Probably the West Village. So much to see from the Village Vanguard to the Stephen Weiss Gallery, Julian Schnabel’s Palazzo Chupi and Richard Meier‘s glass towers on the west. Loads of excellent places to eat, like Mario Batali‘s Spotted Pig, Wallse (one of my favorite Austrian restos), Morandi and Taim. And of course Bleecker Street for Marc Jacobs, Magnolia Bakery and Intermix. I’d call it the Culinary + Artistic Hi-Lo tour as it highlights everything from the super luxe to the everyday.
SC: What was the first CD you bought?
JG: Dock of the Bay Otis Redding.
SC: What was the last song you listened to?
JG: “Over the Hills and Far Away” by Led Zeppelin.
SC: What one brand best represents your style?
JG: My own J.
SC: Which magazine best represents your style?
JG: AnOther Magazine.
SC: Who is a dream client/editor to work with?
JG: I would love to dress Queen Rania of Jordan or Sienna Miller.
SC: Where do you see yourself in ten years?
JG: Alive. Possibly with accessories, menswear, some of my own stores.
SC: What must-have items do you think should be in every woman’s closet?
JG: Nude pumps, which go with everything and lengthen one’s legs. Nu-bra featherlite for those dresses and tops that you think are not bra-friendly. And a healthy dose of confidence because nothing is sexier than that.
SC: When did you know you wanted to be a designer?
JG: My first summer job at Hugo Boss opened my eyes to the importance of presenting an elegant and stylish impression.
SC: What is your favorite shopping destination, worldwide?
JG: Maxfield in L.A. and Dover Street Market in London.
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