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The Gilded Ones
REBECCA MOSES
HIGH PRIESTESS OF STYLE
THE MULTI-HYPHENATE
If we are lucky, some of us will eventually find our lane in life and stick with it. But there are some for whom one lane will not do. These people are bursting with so much creativity and passion that they occupy several lanes simultaneously. One such person is Rebecca Moses. She is, at once, a fashion designer, an artist, an author, a color expert, and a storyteller. Rebecca is also a lover of bold jewelry, which is right up our alley.
Known as the “Queen of Cashmere” because of the way she innovated and elevated the use of cashmere in fashion and interior design, Rebecca once designed 250 different products from cashmere — from jump ropes to hammocks to sweaters to loungewear — for an initiative launched by Saks Fifth Avenue called "Wild About Cashmere.” Not content to limit her design skills to fashion design, Rebecca worked with the centuries-old Florentine stationer, Pineider, to design paper goods and writing ornaments. On top of that, Rebecca has illustrated the pages of fashion magazines such as Vogue Italia and Vogue Japan, and developed brand campaigns for the likes of Mac Cosmetics, Furla and Fratelli Rossetti. Did we mention that she wrote and illustrated a style guidebook called A Life of Style?
Even though she is already a multi-hyphenate, Rebecca refuses to be defined by past or even current achievements. She is always looking for ways to do more, and this year she did just that. In the midst of a global pandemic, Rebecca found a way to use her art and love of story-telling to connect 345 women from around the globe. How? By offering them a safe space on Instagram to share their experiences during some of the most terrifying months of 2020. This ever-growing sisterhood is known as the “Stay Home Sisters”.
Want to know more? Of course you do. Scroll down to join us on a fall afternoon walk in New York City with the inimitable Rebecca Moses.
LET’S CHAT
Home. Sweet. Home. I grew up in North Bergen, New Jersey.
School Daze. I went to college at FIT.
The J.O.B. I am an artist, a designer, an author and a storyteller.
Wilding Out. I can’t really recall too many crazy things that I’ve done. I am pretty regular in an irregular kind of way.
Daytime Reverie. I daydream about everything. My mind is pretty fertile.
Sign Language. I was born in the month of the Crab. Indeed, I am all that you might expect from a Cancerian.
LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR ILLUSTRIOUS AND EXCITING CAREER PATH!
You were one of the first Americans to enter the European fashion market in the 1990s as the creative director of Genny (following the tenure of Gianni Versace). Tell us more about that era in fashion.
There is nothing better than working in Italy as a fashion designer! It was a critical turning point in my life, both personally and professionally. I worked with some of the greatest artisans in the world, which unleashed my own creativity and vision. Working in Italy also gave me a global perspective on the business of design.
You eventually left Genny to start your own eponymous fashion brand. What was the ethos and aesthetic of your brand?
I wanted to create cashmere in a much more feminine, creative and colorful way. From fluorescent to unusual tonalities, I offered 36 colors in every collection and cut in very studied proportions and shapes. We were sold in 15 countries and in the most exclusive stores around the world. My brand changed the world’s view of cashmere.
Today, you are a fashion illustrator and a fine artist. Tell us about your trajectory from clothing design to fine art.
I have always painted, illustrated and told stories throughout my career. I wrote and illustrated a book about style called “A Life of Style”, which was published in 2010 at around the same time that my husband, Giacomo, passed away. Not long after that, I decided to leave Italy and move back to New York City with my kids. Franca Sozzani, the late Editor-in-Chief of Italian Vogue, thought that this would be a good time for me to dive deeper into my art. She offered me an opportunity to illustrate stories for Italian Vogue and I went for it. That work brought me a whole new sense of creative expression and my art flourished. In 2012, I had my first exhibit, “Curiosities of the Fashionable Kind” at the Traffic Gallery. I held my next major exhibit in 2016 at Ralph Pucci in Miami and New York City. I called it "Imperfectly Perfect”, which is sort of the way I see the world. The show consisted of massive canvases, mannequins and original fashion designs that gave a 360-degree storybook view of my work. It was an absolutely wonderful way to merge my love for fashion and art. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to exhibit in Tokyo, New York City, and Milan at Nilafur Gallery.
Tell us more about your book,“ A Life of Style”. What inspired you to write the book and what do you hope that people get from reading it?
I wanted to inspire people to explore style in a way that wasn’t intimidating. I didn’t want to preach. I wanted a book to entertain. I wanted the reader to walk away realizing that your style is your voice.
Recently, the Fragrance Foundation enlisted you to launch a series of original works in celebration of Fragrance Week 2020. Tell us more about that collaboration.
I was asked by Linda Levy, President of the Fragrance Foundation, who I met through my dear friend Nicole Fischelis, to create a campaign about various notes of the fragrance, which campaign was to be used to celebrate the International Fragrance Day. I created 7 paintings, each showing a woman made up entirely of the notes they represented.
Many of us around the world have spent most of 2020 in our homes. You were inspired by the quarantine to create a series called Stay Home Sisters. Tell us more.
In April of this year, I was in “stay home” mode in NYC and feeling very anxious about the state of the world. I felt the need to do something to help people. We were all so overwhelmed by the unknown. I was illustrating what I was witnessing, but when I started, I wasn’t illustrating real women, but rather, my own vision. After doing these illustrations for a while, I began to feel empty. One day, I spoke to a friend who shared her experience with me. I decided to illustrate her story. Then a light bulb went off in my head. I began to reach out to women who I knew wanted to share, and ask them to write me their stay home experience. In exchange, I would paint a portrait of them. Together, we documented an epic time in our lives. The cool part about this project is the way all of the women started connecting, sharing with, and supporting each other. It became a global sisterhood. We consist of 345 women (and growing) from 6 continents, 25 countries, from every profession you can imagine, as well as every race, religion, and socio-economic background. In May, I went live on Instagram with the sisterhood as a way to give each woman a platform to share and discuss issues that are dear to her. That space became a safe zone from the daily noise and anxiety of 2020.
You mentioned in a recent interview in V Magazine that “people want to pickle and package you.” Tell us what you mean by that statement and how you avoid being “pickled and packaged.”
I think humans like to categorize and “sum up” other people in a word. Yet there is no single word that fully describes me, or anyone else for that matter. I like to think of my work as a creative journey. There have been many voices of expression in my life — each leading me to the next discovery. I am learning and challenging myself to grow and explore on a daily basis. I believe in the organic growth of expression. Creativity needs to be authentic and constantly evolving. We all need to keep pushing ourselves forward.
YOUR INSTAGRAM FEED IS INCREDIBLE.
How important is social media to your career as an artist?
Instagram is a critical platform that provides a powerful place of outreach and expression.
How has time spent on Instagram benefited you?
My Instagram feed has connected me to several amazing people, many of whom I consider friends. It has also given power to messaging. In other words, Instagram allows me the ability to amplify my ideas and points of view.
Do you get ideas for new projects from time spent on Instagram?
Definitely. So many ideas . . . so little time.
WE READ SOMEWHERE THAT YOU ARE A FRAGRANCE JUNKIE?
What’s your favorite perfume right now?
I adore perfume. You could say that my nose rules my life! My favorite perfumes are Patchouli by Reminiscence and Ambre by Reminiscence. Reminiscence is a French jewelry and perfume house founded in 1970. Patchouli and Ambre were two of the first three perfumes launched by the brand that is still in production today.
Do you tend to wear one scent for years or do you like to mix things up every day?
Much in the same way I cannot be summed up by one word, I cannot be be summed up by one scent! I live to mix things up.
What’s the one element that you are drawn to in a perfume?
I am a patchouli, amber and musk girl.
NAME YOUR FAVORITE:
Artist: Modigliani
Designer: Vionnet
Musician: Alicia Keyes
Movie: Bird Cage
Food: Italian
Category of clothing: Coats
Category of Jewelry: Earrings
WHEN YOU AREN’T WORKING, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
I love to cook for, and entertain, friends and family in my home — which is a little difficult given the state of 2020. I am definitely looking forward a time where social gatherings are safe again without social distance!
WHAT THREE WORDS DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?
Eclectic. Comfortable. Celebratory.
HOW DOES JEWELRY FIT INTO YOUR DAILY WARDROBE?
Jewelry is mandatory.
DO YOU TAKE FASHION RISKS? IF SO, WHAT ARE THEY?
As a fashion designer and someone who has always been willing to experiment with fashion and art, I am not sure what I might consider risky in fashion!
STYLE ICONS? WHOSE STYLE DO YOU ADMIRE THE MOST AND WHY?
Georgia O’Keefe! Her style was just so organic.
WHAT ARE YOUR FIVE GO-TO WARDROBE PIECES?
Wide legged black pants;
Oversized silk shirts;
A great coat;
A turban; and
Bold jewelry.
WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT OBSESSIONS?
Handbags are definitely one of them. I love to find vintage pieces and remake them by covering them with my art! I am also obsessed with jewelry — whether fine jewelry, handcrafted from gold or semi-precious beaded stones or bold and dramatic costume jewelry. The bigger, wilder and more dramatic, the better.
WHERE WOULD YOU TELL OUT-OF-TOWNERS TO GO TO GET YOUR NYC EXPERIENCE?
For dining, any of Keith McNally’s restaurants. When it comes to shopping, I highly recommend the boutiques in NoLita and the lower east side. I love exploring Harlem in search of new restaurants, shops and galleries. It’s so thrilling when you discover new places in your own city!
YOU SPENT 20 YEARS IN MILAN, ITALY. WHERE WOULD YOU TELL A TRAVELER TO GO TO GET YOUR MILAN EXPERIENCE?
My favorite restaurants in Milan are Bice, Latteria and Da Giacomo. For shopping, one should visit the Brera neighborhood and Altalena for a custom turban!
TELL US ABOUT ONE UNFORGETTABLE PLACE TO WHICH YOU HAVE TRAVELLED RECENTLY?
The Amalfi coast in Italy is my favorite place and the first trip on my list when it is safe to travel again.
LIGHTNING ROUND! PICK ONE.
On personal aura: Mystery or Clarity? — Both.
On personal style: Minimalist or Maximalist? — Both. I promise to pick one or the other in the next question!
On Interior Design: Bold color or neutral hues? — Bold color. See. I told you!
On NYC apartment living: Huge walk-in closet with seating area or huge laundry room with large sized washer and dryer. — Duh. What do you think? Give me that walk-in-closet please!
On shopping: Online or in store? — In store.
On jewelry: Delicate or bold? — Bold.
On jewelry, pt. 2: Neck Game, Ear-scape, Arm Candy or Ring Bling? — All of the above!
On travel: Adventure-filled with spartan digs or calm and quiet but supremely luxe? — Calm, quiet and supremely luxe.
On people: Absolute favorite human trait? — Trustworthiness.
On people, pt. 2: Least favorite human trait? — Meanness.
Even my dog, Mia Johnson, loves bold gold jewelry!
REBECCA IS WEARING:
Cover: Clothing: Rebecca Moses; Turban: The Hat Shop NYC; and Jewelry:Auvere (Flex Earrings; Bold Heart Diamond/Black Enamel Pendant & Long Link Chain; Cage Convertible Robe Necklace; Star Power Rings; and Brutalist 24K Signet Ring Satin);
Look 1: Clothing: Rebecca Moses; and Jewelry:Auvere (Plexus Earrings; Double Cone Earrings Tall; Floral Eye Signet Ring | Pave Diamonds; Vortex 24K Ring; Maze Cuff Short; and Open Cage Cuff); and
Look 2: Clothing: Rebecca Moses; Turban: The Hat Shop NYC; Handbag: Rebecca Moses; Sunglasses: Vintage Alain Mikli; and Jewelry:Auvere (Arthropod Earrings Satin; Triple Barrel Ring Satin; Golden Globe Necklace; and Golden Moon Ring Satin);
