From Temp at Vogue to Sustainable Luxury Designer: Lessons from my time with Grace Coddington

The staccato click of heels on polished floors, the rustle of tissue paper as garment bags are carefully opened, the hushed whispers of assistants scurrying to fulfill the latest request - these are the sounds that once filled my days at Vogue in NYC in the 90's.

Fast forward to today, and you'll find me in a very different environment: the gentle whir of my sewing machine, the satisfying crinkle of upcycled fabrics, and the soft splash of ice melting during our signature dyeing process. My journey from a temp at Vogue to the founder of Luna e Stelle, a sustainable luxury fashion brand, has been nothing short of transformative. But the lessons learned in those hallowed halls, especially from the legendary Grace Coddington, continue to shape every stitch and seam of my work today.

My Vogue Days: Behind the Glossy Pages

As a temp at Vogue, I was a small cog in a massive, insanely paced machine. My days were a whirlwind of tasks: organizing samples, getting things ready for photo shoots, and occasionally running very important errands (read: coffee runs). The contrast between the glossy, curated image of Vogue and the frenetic behind-the-scenes reality was stark. Yet, amidst the chaos, there was an undeniable magic - a shared understanding that we were all part of creating something extraordinary. 

To give you some context, this was 1993, the first year that New York fashion Week was gathered together under "The Tents" of Bryant Park, the heyday of the era of the supermodel, and still the golden time for the giant print edition of Vogue. It was electric, and I'm extremely grateful for the particular perspective through which I got to experience it.

One moment I'd be steam-pressing a couture gown worth way more than my yearly salary, and the next I'd be making sure designer samples were delivered to the right people for a photo shoot that would set the fashion agenda for the coming season. It was exhilarating, exhausting, and utterly captivating.

Grace Coddington: A Master at Work

Enter Grace Coddington, Vogue's flame-haired creative director and a true fashion virtuoso. Grace moved through the Vogue offices like a force of nature, and reigned over it's visual style from a small unassuming office, filled with favorite images and memories. This is before the fame that came for her with the release of The September Issue – the documentary about Vogue that exposed to the world her amazing talents. My time with her was truly special and transformative, even though I didn't fully realize how much at the time.

Grace was not just a creative director; she was an artist, a visionary, and a storyteller. Her intelligence is striking, giving her the ability to conceptualize entire worlds within a single photo spread. But what truly set Grace apart was the clarity of her vision. When she spoke about a shoot or a concept, you could tell she could already see the final image, fully formed in her mind's eye.

Grace possesses a deeply kind soul. Despite her formidable talent and power, she was incredibly warm and caring to me, while demanding great attention to detail at the same time. She is a romantic at heart, and this romanticism infuses her work with a dreamy, often nostalgic quality that set Vogue's editorials apart.

The time spent working for her was a deepening of my real education in fashion. Grace didn't just create photoshoots; she crafted narratives, weaving together clothing, setting, and emotion to tell stories that leapt off the page and lodged themselves in your heart.

Lessons Learned from Grace

Working with Grace, even in my limited capacity, was a masterclass in creativity and vision. Here are some of the most impactful lessons I carry with me:

1. Embrace the Unexpected: Grace has an uncanny ability to find beauty in juxtaposition. This taught me to look beyond the obvious in design.
2. Attention to Detail: Every element in Grace's shoots are meticulously chosen. This level of care influences how I approach each Luna e Stelle piece.
3. Tell a Story: Grace doesn't just style clothes; she creates worlds. This storytelling approach is central to Luna e Stelle's ethos.
4. Trust Your Vision: Grace is uncompromising in her creative vision, even when it goes against prevailing trends. Remembering this has helped give me courage to pursue my unique vision of sustainable fashion.
5. Collaboration is Key: Grace's ability to bring out the best in photographers, models, and designers taught me the value of collaboration, a principle that guides Luna e Stelle's relationships with everyone I work with.

The Shift: From High Fashion to Sustainable Luxury

My transition from the world of high fashion to sustainable luxury wasn't a single moment, but a gradual journey with a lot of twists and turns along the way. Although it was insanely exciting and interesting, there wasn't really a place for me long-term at Vogue. Everyone in the Conde Nast empire knew who were the Vogue assistants. You could spot them a mile away. They dressed in an incredibly stylish and expensive manner, straight from the pages of Vogue. While I often wore a T-shirt, cut off jeans, and big, clunky, black shoes — the uniform of the East Village ACTUP gay (that's me with the goatee in the pic). I was a temp, so I could wear whatever i wanted, which annoyed them to no end, and made Grace laugh. 🤣

Besides, I wanted to be in the pages of Vogue, not behind them. At this point I was heavily considering going to fashion design school, but was seduced away from it all by the $100 lunches, private cars, flights to celebrity events, and expensive hotels that I stumbled into as the assistant to the publisher of Bon Appétit magazine, another Conde Nast publication in the same building. Which I then left to be a pioneer in internet publishing and design. Oh, how I miss NYC in the 90's!

As I began re-immersing myself in the fashion industry several years ago, with the desire to finally bring my visions to life, I became increasingly aware of fashion's environmental impact. The contrast between the beauty created and the waste generated became impossible to ignore.

I realized that true luxury shouldn't come at the cost of our planet. The creativity and attention to detail I had learned at Vogue could be channeled into creating fashion that was not only beautiful but also responsible.

Bringing Couture Sensibilities to Sustainable Design

At Luna e Stelle, we apply the sensibilities and techniques of couture to sustainable fashion. Every upcycled garment is treated with the same reverence as a couture piece. Our ice-dyeing technique, for instance, is approached with an artistry and care that is inspired by the intricate beadwork and embroidery on haute couture gowns.

We use a technique we call "listening to the textiles," where we work directly with upcycled and deadstock materials on the dress form, allowing the fabric's history and character to speak and guide the design process. This echoes the haute couture houses' approach to creating one-of-a-kind pieces, but with sustainability at its core.

The Power of Storytelling in Fashion

Grace Coddington's ability to weave narratives through fashion has profoundly influenced Luna e Stelle's brand identity. Each of our pieces tells a story - of its past life, its transformation, and its future potential. Our marketing doesn't just showcase clothes; it invites our customers into the world of Luna e Stelle, where sustainability and fashion coexist in beautiful harmony.

For example, our upcoming Reincarnation series traces the journey of a single garment from its original form through its transformation in our atelier, culminating in its new life as a Luna e Stelle piece. This narrative approach, inspired by Grace's editorial layouts, will help our customers connect with the story behind their clothes, fostering a deeper appreciation for sustainable fashion.

Challenges and Triumphs

The transition from traditional fashion to sustainable luxury design hasn't been without its challenges. The fashion industry's reliance on novelty and consumption is deeply ingrained, and shifting this mindset - both for myself and our customers - has been an ongoing process. I made a deep mistake in the early days of Luna e Stelle that I will tell you about another day.

However, my experience at Vogue taught me persistence and the power of a strong vision. One of our proudest achievements at Luna e Stelle has been developing our new Sanguine Collection made entirely from upcycled and deadstock materials. Seeing these pieces come to life, which rival traditional designer clothing and luxury gowns in their beauty and craftsmanship, has been incredibly validating.

The Future of Luxury: Where Fashion Meets Sustainability

As I look to the future of luxury fashion, I see a world where the creativity and artistry I witnessed at Vogue merge seamlessly with a commitment to sustainability. At Luna e Stelle, we're constantly pushing the boundaries of what sustainable fashion and luxury can be, inspired by many diverse things, including the relentless innovation I saw in the fashion editorials at Vogue.

Our upcoming Sanguine Collection, in particular, embodies this fusion of high fashion sensibilities and sustainable practices. While I can't reveal too much just yet, I can say that it draws inspiration from the dramatic narratives of Grace's iconic Vogue spreads, reinterpreted through a lens of sustainability and transformation.

Conclusion

My journey from a temp at Vogue to the founder of Luna e Stelle has been one of continuous learning and evolution. The lessons I learned from Grace Coddington and my time in the fashion publishing world have been invaluable in shaping Luna e Stelle's vision of sustainable luxury.

As we move forward, I carry with me the creativity, attention to detail, and storytelling power I absorbed at Vogue, now focused on creating a more sustainable future for fashion. Every Luna e Stelle piece is a testament to this journey - a bridge between the high-fashion world and the pressing need for sustainability in our industry.

The future of fashion is being written now, and at Luna e Stelle, we're committed to ensuring it's a story of beauty, innovation, and respect for our planet. As Grace Coddington taught me, sometimes the most beautiful stories come from unexpected combinations. In our case, it's the fusion of high fashion and sustainability, creating luxury that doesn't cost the Earth.

Stay tuned for the unveiling of our Sanguine Collection, where you'll see how the storytelling magic of Vogue meets the transformative power of sustainable fashion. It's a narrative of rebirth and dark beauty that I can't wait to share with you!

With every thread sewn,
Blue 💙