NEW YORK — Those familiar with Nathan Jenden might think the venue for his first runway show — Lady Mendl’s at Irving Place — is ever so appropriate.
The quaint tea salon inside the Inn at Irving Place, where New Yorkers like to sweeten their Earl Grey with a dash of milk and a scone, seems like a direct import from England — just like the 34-year-old designer himself. But that’s about where the similarities end. Where one would expect to find British frou at this tea salon, Jenden is using the location to present his much darker, more structured vision of fashion.
It’s also a look that is completely different from the one at Diane von Furstenberg, where he has been creative director for more than four years.
“It’s easy to come out of DVF and to think that I can go big, but that’s not what I am about,” Jenden said, in a reference not just to the intimate venue, which only accommodates 60 guests, but also to his personal business ambition. “I want to keep it precise and not go over the top until we’re ready. The aim was to do something very intimate and a little bit ‘old-fashioned.'”
The English transplant moved from London to New York six years ago, working first for Daryl K as director of design before being poached by von Furstenberg. With Jenden in tow, von Furstenberg reestablished herself in fashion. Von Furstenberg in turn helped Jenden establish a name for himself in fashion circles by taking him down the runway with her at the end of each show to share some of the limelight.
“Diane has really taught me so much about life,” Jenden said. “She shares a lot of the values I was brought up with. Cultural references have always been very important to Diane, and they are also important to me. She is surrounded by books about art and poetry. She is inspiring.”
Von Furstenberg said: “What I like about Nathan is that he is both talented and intelligent. I need to refer to history, to literature, so I need somebody who is talented, intelligent and well-read.”
Tall, with his blonde locks tied into a ponytail, Jenden seems to talk faster than Karl Lagerfeld, with almost as many cultural references on hand. Though born in London, he moved around at an early age, spending some time in Ethiopia, where his parents spearheaded the Band-Aid and Live Aid relief efforts with Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, as well as in India, where his mother was working on her doctoral degree.
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After boarding school in Stowe, England, Jenden attended Central St. Martins College of Art and Design, followed by the Royal College of Art, where he received a master’s degree. He then moved to Paris to become an apprentice to John Galliano.
Jenden’s love of fashion, especially vintage couture from Christian Dior, Balenciaga and Mainbocher, started at an early age. His parents called him Edward Scissorhands because of his penchant for cutting up their clothes to investigate a garment’s construction. Later on, he took to sketching and would get into trouble for doodling away during school. “I still have a school report from when I was 16, which said, “If he insists on drawing women in the back of his exercise book, he will never pass math. But I did.'”
Jenden always wanted to start his own collection, and though she was initially hesitant, von Furstenberg strongly encouraged him to go after his dream. He will continue as creative director at DVF while developing his own line.
“We like each other, we respect each other, inspire each other,” von Furstenberg said. “It’s a wonderful dialogue and collaboration. He doesn’t really want to leave, and he really wanted to do this. We have been talking about this for two years, and I was very concerned about how, as my brand and business have become so large, he can do both. So I built a strong team around him so that I get the juice that I want out of him, and he has a little bit more time to do his own thing.”
Jenden’s first collection, called Angel Heart, is sure to offer some surprises to those familiar with his work at DVF. In it, he channels several dark movements, from the Spanish Inquisition to black magic and voodoo. Most of the mannish pieces in the collection are tailored, with much focus on intricate construction, such as a waisted gaberdine jacket with an attached waistcoat underneath or wide-legged trousers with a fold detail around the thigh for a narrow silhouette. The color palette is mostly black, and there isn’t a colorful print or wrap dress in sight.
“The most interesting thing about fashion is the technicality of it,” Jenden said. “I am happiest in sample rooms. I love draping and working with fabrics and seamstresses.”
Jenden’s price points are slightly higher than those of von Furstenberg’s, whose dresses often find themselves in contemporary departments. On average, Jenden’s collection suggested retail prices range between $250 and $1,000. Jenden didn’t disclose sales projections, but said that he envisions a small-scale launch, preferably selling exclusively to a store in New York, in London and perhaps a capital city in Asia for the first season.
Jenden may be working overtime on two collections this season, but there are still other things on his mind. His wife, Joanna, is due to give birth to their second child the day before his runway show. While others would be challenged with such a concurrence, Jenden ultimately finds the level of anticipation — both personally and career-wise — a total motivation. “DVF said to me, ‘You’re better when you have too much to do,'” he quipped.