JEREMY SCOTT: IT FELT LIKE A FIRE INSIDE ME AND A SECRET I COULDN’T KEEP. MAYBE A DASH OF SURVIVAL – BUT NOT IN THE USUAL SENSE. I HAD TO EXPRESS MYSELF, TO SHARE MY VISION. WITH NO OTHER OUTLET, I USED MY BODY: HOW I LOOKED, WHAT I WORE, MY LITTLE CONCOCTIONS. I COULD SKETCH, SURE, BUT I DIDN’T HAVE A COLLECTION OR MODELS. FASHION, FOR ME, IS COMMUNICATION – A CHANNEL, LIKE PAINT FOR A PAINTER OR CLAY FOR A SCULPTOR. MY MEDIUM JUST HAPPENS TO BE CLOTHES ON BODIES, OFTEN SHOWN ON A RUNWAY.

JS: YES, THAT NEED TO COMMUNICATE WAS VISCERAL – TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF MY HEAD AND INTO THE WORLD, TO FREE MYSELF OF THE BURDEN AND START A DIALOGUE. IT’S BEEN ALMOST 30 YEARS SINCE ’96; THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL LED TO: A CONTINUOUS EXPRESSION, A CONNECTION WITH OTHER HUMANS.

JS: I’M EXTREMELY INTUITIVE – FIRST EMOTIONAL, THEN CEREBRAL. I’M SENSITIVE TO WHAT I FEEL AND SEE IN THE WORLD, AND I DON’T CONTROL THE INPUT. IT CAN FEEL ALMOST RELIGIOUS: I’M A VESSEL. I RECEIVE AND POUR IT BACK OUT. I’M GRATEFUL TO BE THAT CONDUIT, TO SHARE A BIT OF DIVINITY, TO BRING JOY, HAVE CONVERSATIONS, AND BE THE PHYSICAL EXPRESSION OF IT – EVEN IF I CAN’T EX-PLAIN HOW IT HAPPENS.

JS: PEOPLE ASK ME WHERE IDEAS COME FROM; THERE ISN’T ONE AN-SWER. LIFE IS THE CLOSEST: CONVERSATIONS, WHAT I WATCH, WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD, A COLOR ON A PASSING CAR, NATURE, MEMORIES – ESPECIALLY HOW MOMENTS MADE ME FEEL. SOMETIMES IT’S A DIRECT SPARK – SAY, A PHOTO OF MARILYN MONROE – BUT OFTEN IT’S JUST THAT DIVINITY OF INSPIRATION. I RIDE IT LIKE A WAVE AND HOPE IT KEEPS INSPIRING OTHERS.

JS: LOOKING BACK, I DON’T RECALL DEEP DOUBT – THOUGH I DID SOMETIMES THINK, “MAYBE PEOPLE AREN’T READY FOR THIS.” I LEARNED QUICKLY THAT THOSE ELECTRIC IDEAS ARE THE ONES TO CHASE. IF IT SCARES ME A LITTLE – OR JOLTS ME – THAT’S THE PATH. OVER TIME, I BECAME SO RECEPTIVE TO THAT FEELING THAT THE FEAR FADED. NOW, WHEN IT COMES, I JUST WELCOME IT IN. ALSO, MY OUTPUT SHIFTED. IT’S BEEN NEARLY THREE YEARS SINCE I LEFT MOSCHINO. I’M STILL CREATIVE, BUT NOT ON THAT RELENTLESS CYCLE OF COLLECTIONS AND SHOWS. I’M CHANNELING IT DIFFERENTLY – AND STILL TRUSTING WHAT COMES TO ME.

JS: BOTH, THOUGH I’M VERY BIG ON TRANSFORMATION. I SEE THINGS AND WANT TO MAKE THEM BETTER – FAR BEYOND FASH-ION. HOUSES, THE GLASS I’M DRINKING FROM – ENVIRONMENTS MAT-TER TO ME. IT CAN SOUND DIVA-ISH, SO I DON’T DWELL ON IT, BUT IT’S SIMPLY HOW MY BRAIN WORKS. I TRY TO BE IN PLACES THAT ALREADY “WORK” FOR ME SO I CAN FOCUS ON THE COLLECTION, THE COSTUMES, THE FILM – WHATEVER VESSEL I’M POURING INTO – INSTEAD OF REDESIGNING THE FAUCET.

JS: I’M IN THE FINAL WEEK AND FLYING IN FOR THE PRE-MIERE – PUT-TING THE LAST TOUCHES ON SO IT’S FULLY OUT OF ME. A COUPLE OF COSTUMES DEBUT ONLY ON PREMIERE NIGHT. I’M CLOS-ING THAT CHAPTER AND OPENING A NEW ONE.I HAVEN’T DIVED INTO A NEW BIG PROJECT YET, THOUGH I’M INSPIRED CONSTANTLY. I’VE BEEN FINISHING A HOUSE IN THE PALM SPRINGS DESERT – REFURBISHING, DEC-ORATING, EVEN DESIGNING FURNITURE LIKE MY BED FRAME. NOT WILD FOR WILD’S SAKE – JUST EXACTLY WHAT NEEDED TO BE THERE.I’M ALSO IN EARLY TALKS WITH TWO NON-FASHION COMPANIES ABOUT HOME DE-SIGNS – REAL-LIFE “VESSELS” RATHER THAN CLOTHING – AND I’M DEVELOPING A FILM: WRITING THE SCREENPLAY AND DIRECTING. I’VE PREPARED FOR YEARS; THE WRITING STARTS NOW. IT’S EXCITING – AND A LITTLE TERRIFYING.

JS: YES, I ENJOY IT. EVEN WITHOUT RUNNING MY OWN COLLECTION OR ANOTHER BRAND, I RELEASED A NICE ADIDAS COLLECTION IN JUNE; WE DO THINGS EVERY YEAR AND HAVE FOR 20 YEARS – SOME SMALL, SOME BIGGER. STILL, WITHOUT THAT “MAIN MECHANISM” I WAS USED TO, I FEEL LIKE I’M DOING LESS – BECAUSE I USED TO DO SO MUCH DAILY. THINK OF AN OLYMPIAN AFTER COMPETITION. I’M IN MY MICHAEL PHELPS PHASE [LAUGHS] – NOT TRAINING FLAT OUT, BUT THE TALENT AND DRIVE ARE THERE. THE PAUSE LETS ME ENJOY THINGS. I’VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH MY PARENTS – ABOUT TEN WEEKS THIS PAST YEAR – HELPING, LISTENING TO FAMILY STORIES ONLY THEY CAN TELL. THAT TIME IS A GIFT, AND I DON’T KNOW HOW LONG ANY OF US HAVE. PROFESSIONALLY, I’M APPROACHED ABOUT CREATIVE DIRECTOR ROLES. I’VE INTERVIEWED FOR SOME. THE RIGHT ONE WILL FEEL LIKE A MARRIAGE; IT HAS TO BE RIGHT FOR BOTH SIDES. IT’S MORE BUSINESS THAN EVER, AND CHEMISTRY MATTERS. THE RIGHT ROLE WILL APPEAR.

JS: I THOUGHT THE INSTALLATION WOULD TAKE A WEEK; IT TOOK SEVERAL, AND I WAS GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE TIME. I DESIGNED PEDESTALS, SHAPED THE DISPLAY – CREATED A WHOLE WORLD. IT WAS NOURISH-ING AND HEALING TO SEE THE BODY OF MY WORK. THE OPENING WAS SPECIAL: MY PARENTS AND RELA-TIVES, HIGH-SCHOOL TEACHERS, LOCALS, FANS, PEOPLE WHO FLEW IN. EXPERIENCES LIKE THAT WOULDN’T HAVE FIT THE OLD SCHEDULE.

JS: RIGHT AFTER LEAVING MO-SCHINO, I RAN INTO JOHN GALLIANO. I’VE ADMIRED HIM SINCE HIGH SCHOOL. HE TOLD ME: “TAKE THIS TIME AND DO EVERYTHING YOU WANT – TRAVEL, SEE THINGS – BE-CAUSE IT WILL END AND YOU’LL BE BUSY AGAIN.” I CRIED. IT WAS GENEROUS AND TRUE. I’VE TRIED TO HONOR THAT – RESISTING THE RUSH BACK. WE GET ONE LIFE; TIME AND MOMENTS AREN’T INFINITE. I TRY TO USE THEM WISELY AND ENJOY THEM PASSIONATELY. NOT EVERY DAY IS PERFECT – EGOS BRUISE – BUT I TRY TO RESET AND REMEMBER WHAT’S GOOD.

JS: I DON’T KNOW – AND I’M LEARNING TO ENJOY NOT KNOWING. FOR YEARS, I WAS STRAPPED INTO THE ROLLERCOASTER: RESEARCH, MAKE, FITTINGS, SHOW, PRESS, REPEAT. IF A FRIEND’S WEDDING OR A PREMIERE COLLIDED WITH THE CLIMB, I MISSED IT. NOW I HAVE MORE AUTONOMY – STAY A WEEK LONGER HERE, SHIFT PLANS THERE. MAYBE THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR CHAPTER IS DONE; MAYBE A NEW ONE IS COMING THAT’S DIFFERENTLY, EVEN MORE, FULFILLING. THE BEST THING I CAN DO AS A CREATIVE VESSEL IS STAY OPEN, RECEPTIVE, WILLING, GRATEFUL.