Profile: Gregory Parkinson

I met Gregory through friends when I first started my collection over ten years ago, and fell in love instantly. He is fun and eccentric, sweet and supportive, and one of those people I love being around and always have fun catching up with. An amazing designer with a very strong point of view, he has been making beautiful clothing for two decades. And though English – he moved to California at the age of twenty-six – he is most definitely an LA designer.

Not surprisingly, his Downtown loft feels very much like an extension of the clothing he designs – special, eccentric, colorful, detailed and layered. A wonderful mix of unique finds from his many travels, there are little jewels everywhere you look. I hope you enjoy this look inside. XXJKE

Beauty

R+T: What are your go-to beauty products? Apple cider vinegar in my water. RMS Coconut Cream. Lierac SPF 50 Sunblock. Sleep.

R+T: What are the 5 products you couldn’t live without? I love L’Oeil Du Vert fragrance. Bigelow Patchouli, Palo Santo Oil from the farmers market in Peru.

R+T: Bath or Shower? Shower, but baths in non-drought times.

R+T: What do you sleep in? Cotton shirting pajamas that I make in Peru.

Health

R+T: Do you have any health tricks? Early to bed. Strong coffee. Raw vegan at home with a teeny bit of cheating. Sprouted seeds, Vitamins D3 and B12, lots of water, apple cider vinegar. Garlic, ginger and chilies in cold season.

R+T: What do you do to stay healthy and balanced? Early bedtime. Gym every other day. Lying on the floor and stretching every evening. Biggest meal of the day is lunch. Alone time.

R+T: Do you workout, what do you swear by? I love Pilates most of all…and walking for miles and miles.

R+T: What do you do to relax? Lie on the floor and watch documentaries or movies. Get up early so I don’t have to rush.

Fashion

R+T: How would you describe your style? Classic-ish, slim fitting, casual. Boring.

R+T: Who are your favorite designers? Levi’s (520’s). Dries Van Noten, Bottega, Junya. Uniqlo jackets, Saint Laurent, George Esquivel shoes.

R+T: What are the 5 pieces you can’t live without this season? I didn’t buy anything new this season – I’m shopping my closet.

R+T: What is your uniform? Levis 520’s (Discontinued…Why????), shirts I make for myself in Peru, cashmere cardigans I make for myself in Nepal, Birkenstocks, George Esquivel shoes.

R+T: What is your newest purchase? Ami pleated trousers.

Food

R+T: Is there anything about your diet you would like to share with R+T? Raw vegetables are delicious and you can eat lots. Skipping dinner and just having a snack is anti-social but better for you (for me, anyway). If you eat something and fell gross afterwards or too full, it’s not good for you, don’t eat it again.

R+T: Do you cook? Yes. Every day.

R+T: What is your favorite recipe? Soups in winter. Salads in summer. Always vegetables, cooked or raw. Sprouted seeds are the most delicious and nutritious. I love sardines on toast. Any meal at Liseanne Frankfurt’s house and my sister’s too.

R+T: What are some of your favorite restaurants? Liseanne Frankfurt’s, Patrik Milani’s or Therese Tran’s houses… Axe or Ammo.

Art

R+T: Who are your favorite artists? Emil Nolde, Yayoi Kusama, Alice Neel, Marlene Dumas, Chillida, Odilon Redon, El Anatsui , Philip Guston, Bob Law, Ivon Hitchens, Victor Pasmore, and at least 50 more.

R+T: What is your favorite piece of art you own? I love the objects that are made by craftsmen (and women), rugs from around the world, stools, sculpture, fiber art, ceramics, drawings, insects, outsider artists and finds from my travels that have little value but remind me of that trip.

Shopping & Blogs

R+T: What are your favorite stores to shop for clothing? Uniqlo, Clarks shoes (for right now).

R+T: What is your favorite city for shopping? NY, Tokyo, any city in Italy.

R+T: What are your favorite sites for shopping? Mr Porter, Levi’s, Birkenstock Express.

R+T: Are you an impulse buyer, or do you wait to commit? Ugh, impulse up to a certain price, then more considered if more expensive.

R+T: What are your favorite sites for recipes? Everything is tried and tested or an experiment. I did look at Jamie Oliver once. River Cafe is nice to look at.

Design

R+T: How and when did you enter into the world of fashion? Art school at 17.

R+T: What inspired you to become a designer? What are your sources of inspiration today? I loved fabric and wanted to make clothes for myself. I’m still inspired by fabric, and now inspired to make things other than clothes.

R+T: How would you describe your aesthetic? And the woman you love to dress? Beachy, pretty, low-key boho glamorous, classic.

R+T: Has living in LA had an influence on your design perspective? Absolutely. Geography and climate are two very important factors. Plus, people have very active social lives here – they need to dress…up.

R+T: Any favorites within your collections? I pretty much have an archive of the past 20 years – items that were kind of turning points – I’m fond of those.

R+T: Any exciting projects on the horizon? I’ve been asked to make home items for many years. This past year has been the first serious focus on this area. I love what I have done.

R+T: What is the most rewarding part of your job? I get to travel, and my closest friends are the people who I met through my work.