Photo: Courtesy of Old Navy
New York Fashion Week is officially underway, which means catwalks with a little chaos, and models with a side of madness. But not for Joe Zee.
The Yahoo Style editor-in-chief isn’t freaking out. Instead, he’s partnered with Old Navy, as the brand’s Style Ambassador.
“It was a no-brainer when they asked me,” said Zee at the Old Navy + Joe Zee launch party in NYC on Thursday night. “I already live in their clothes. A lot of people see me in suits all the time – that’s what I wear to work. But there are so many time I bring these clothes to change into at work, or as soon as I’m done with a suit.”
Amen to that. Read on for our exclusive chat with the man himself, as he reveals his fashion week rituals and his thoughts on replacing Joan Rivers.
StyleBlazer: What’s your favorite part of Fashion Week?
Joe Zee: I think seeing all the new stuff on the runway is definitely exciting, but for me, it’s really connecting with old friends. It’s like coming back from camp – seeing all of my friends I haven’t seen all summer, to catch up, be in that energy and be in that world.
SB: What is your least favorite thing about Fashion Week?
JZ: No regular schedule! I can’t sleep. I can’t eat – just running around like crazy. But, you know, twice a year I can do that.
SB: With no regular schedule, do you have any Fashion Week rituals to get through the madness?
JZ: Sometimes I do need to go to the gym, but I think I live on Juice Generation. I love getting fresh juices and smoothies in between shows. I just eat that. That’s my recharge. I like the Joyful Almond.
SB: Do you think it’s okay for people to dress down during Fashion Week, or should people always dress to impress?
JZ: I’ve gone to Fashion Week in my jeans and sneakers. In winter, I’ve gone in snow boots. I just dress how I am. I’m about being comfortable.
SB: Joan Rivers was such a Fashion Week staple. What was her influence on the fashion world?
JZ: She defined red carpet reporting. Everybody watches the red carpet pre-show today, and it’s so second nature for people to say, ‘What are you wearing?’ She defined that. She created that genre. People forget that. She was a little ahead of her time in doing so. She injected laughter into fashion. Joan always sat up and reminded us, you should just laugh. They’re just clothes.
SB: Do you see someone stepping into that role?
JZ: Maybe in an organic way, somewhere down the road, but today, there’s no one that could take her place.
The post StyleBlazer Exclusive: Joe Zee Says Joan Rivers Is Irreplaceable appeared first on StyleBlazer.
