I think fashion is the only thing I'm fully suited to do because I am super impatient, which I think is a good thing for fashion. I could never work on something for two years. I would do 20 things and finish none of them. I always admire people who have that ability to sustain something for that long a period.
Reed KrakoffI think sometimes you get too caught up in the business side, and you make compromises, and then the brand becomes unexciting. I think in the early stages you have to be bold. You have to define yourself. Everyone wants to understand who you are and why you're here. I think the best brands are forever surprising people.
Reed KrakoffI think of my life as divided between a lot of different periods. I grew up in the country, but as I got older I became more of an urban person. That's really when I started to become more of a creative person who was interested in fine arts, painting, drawing, and music. I studied jazz for a long time. Looking back, all those things were great training.
Reed KrakoffHaving your own store is one of the most immediate ways to connect with the customer, to really get to know her and develop a more intimate relationship.
Reed KrakoffI'm attracted to that mix of things that are very refined and polished, and things that are almost accidental. I feel like the best things happen when you're on the path to making something, even if where you end up is not where you thought you would.
Reed KrakoffI don't want to have a singular vision. I don't have that kind of discipline. I love the randomness of my life - how I have five, six, seven projects going on at one time.
Reed KrakoffI think it's so important that you understand what you're trying to accomplish, what you're trying to say. Timelessness is never a thing I think about. If you try to make things timeless, you can end up with things that are neither exciting nor timeless. It's sort of like aiming for the middle in a way. At the same time, I never want to have to use the word trendy because it's not really what interests me. That's something that is gone tomorrow.
Reed Krakoff