Exclusive: Jeremy Scott On Whether He’s Ready To Return To The Runway

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Jeremy Scott was in New York City this week to let the world know about his new limited-edition collaboration with Longchamp. Having worked together for 20 years, the designer and French label have released a super cute “Greetings from New York” Le Pliage bag. They celebrated with a party at Longchamp’s Soho store that brought out Maggie Gyllenhaal, Zoey Deutch, Kate Mara, Emma Roberts, Lourdes Leon, Coco Rocha, and more to celebrate their long partnership and the dedicated Jeremy Scott retrospective, now open now to the public through July. The People’s designer sat down with us this week to talk about reuniting with Longchamp, reveal how he’s keeping busy these days, and address whether he has any plans to come back to the runway full-time again. 

You worked with Longchamp many years ago. How did the reunion come about?
Sophie [Delafontaine, Longchamp Creative Director) wrote me in December and wanted to do a Zoom with me. She explained to me about the new “Hidden Treasures: 250 of Franco-American Luxury Stories,” exhibition curated by the French luxury association Comité Colbert at The Shed and they wanted to do something for their anniversary. Our partnership with them over the years has been so valued. She asked if I wanted to do a new bag and I said ‘Sure!’ Longchamp is family. It was a no-brainer. I said we should do a new postcard of New York. There’s no better idea than to continue our postcard series.

How did you design it?
There was an image of old New York that we used as a start. We had to fudge a little to make it right for the bag size. I looked at old postcards to have that feeling of a hand, more painted. The skyline is all hand-drawn. It took my assistant three weeks. We do it in the studio. Then we used my handwriting on the back.

What has it been like to look back on all the work you’ve done with Longchamp?
It’s very sweet. It’s a large part of the last part of my career. The first one we did with them was a season before my own 10th anniversary (of his namesake Jeremy Scott label). I think I’m at 30 years now! Most of the bags we’ve done are from shows and my personal expression of that season and that moment.

I remember when you did a show and I put one of the bags you gave away down for two minutes backstage and…
Someone stole it?!

Yes! It’s a big compliment, I suppose! 
It is. They were a very coveted item.

Any chance of you bringing your namesake label back any time soon?
The answer is no because I don’t want to. The truth is I’m not that eager or I would because I could. All those logistical things aren’t big issues. It’s now three years since I’ve shown and I’ve eased into it. At first it was a little chaotic and I asked ‘What’s my value in this world?’ And then I was like, ‘Bitch, you have done it and you’ve done shit that no one else has done and you can take a pause.’ If someone else doesn’t value you because you aren’t doing a show, that’s on them. I’m not taking it personally.

What’s keeping you busy these days?
I’m writing a screenplay right now. I’m adapting my favorite book, Maybe The Moon, from the amazing writer Armistead Maupin, who wrote Tales From The City. I want to adapt it to direct it. I’m obviously still doing things with people I love like Longchamp. I had a shoot with Adidas out last month. I love creating. It pours out of me. I love to create. I’ve gone on job interviews, have been up for these gigs. If the right things comes along, I’ll entertain talking about it. But I’m not rushing anymore. These commitments are really a marriage and I don’t want to be in a bad marriage. I could do my own thing. It’s there if I want to, but I don’t really want that burden of all that on my shoulders. I’d like to express myself creatively in another way for the time being.

Do you feel less stressed since you aren’t putting out as much?
I loved working. I’m like an Olympic athlete in that I’m fine with that crazy schedule. This is like when Michael Phelps wasn’t training and eating pizza. Maybe I’m in that phase right now! I’m off. I don’t have to worry. I’ve also tried to trade it in for other things like spending time with my family. It wasn’t always possible to spend time in Kansas City. That’s time I can’t buy back with my siblings and my parents. Everyone’s here and still healthy. You get a little value change. I’m not anti-fashion or anti-creating, I want to work in a way that makes more sense for me.

The industry isn’t as fun since you left Moschino.
It’s not! I will agree with you. I think that’s a big problem for the industry itself. It’s also not my responsibility to educate people about that or why they are all so stale. Sometimes I look at myself like an actor who is taking a bit of a hiatus. You’ll all remember why you were supposed to love me when I come back because you took me for granted a little bit.

The Daily never did!
You never did.

What are you doing this summer for fun?
I’m going to school. I’m making ceramics with my nephew at UCLA this summer. Even though I got an honorary doctorate last week. In June and July, I’m in Cali. I have class Monday, Wednesday and Friday for four days a week. I hope they’ll be OK if I have to go do a phone call because I do have another life. I used to want to be a cermicist. That’s what I wanted to be in high school. My teacher told me I had to go to fashion school! I’m getting back to my origins to play with clay!

The Jeremy Scott and Longchamp party this week (Photos: BFA)