Nicole Richie Tells Us All About Her Macy's Collaboration And Teen Style
Nicole Richie was a household name before she even sketched her first dress, thanks to her role on The Simple Life, an early reality TV hit. Nicole has dabbled in acting and writing (she's penned two novels) since her star turn, but it's her enviable personal style and impressive design skills that have kept her in the spotlight.
Four years ago, she debuted her jewelry line House of Harlow 1960, which has also come to include shoes and ready-to-wear. Then came a women's line called Winter Kate; like House of Harlow, it is named after her daughter with husband Joel Madden of Good Charlotte. This past spring, Nicole brought her fashion and business acumen to Fashion Star, where she served as a mentor to aspiring designers.
It was during her time on the show that she struck up a relationship with Macy's. Nicole worked alongside buyers from the department store on the competition series, so when Macy's approached her about doing a limited-edition collection for Impulse, the decision was a no-brainer. The resulting '70s-inspired collab is infused with Nicole's signature boho glamour, with its asymmetrical skirts, bold retro prints, and lu fabrics.
We recently sat down with the designer to chat about Nicole Richie for Impulse, teen style, and bad hair days.
1/24The designer dishes on her Impulse collection, design process, and mortifying fashion moments. (Plus we have pictures of all the goods!)
2/24What is the inspiration behind this collection?
When I was filming Fashion Star, I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with the head Macy’s buyers while working with the designers and having them present their collections to Macy’s. Listening to Macy’s feedback — what the customer was looking for, who the customer is — I got extremely familiar with the brand. So when they approached me to do the Impulse collection, I was first of all so honored, but I felt that it was a great time to step into this and still have it be my aesthetic. Still have it be very much me, very much my aesthetic, bring in the jewel tones and work with some really great prints. We developed some great kaleidoscope peacock prints, and you’ll see some cool Aztec prints that are actually a nod to the jewelry that I do for House of Harlow. You’ll see similarities, but this collection is focused for the Macy’s customer.
Nicole Richie for Impulse Chevron Print Blouse, $59. Available on Macys.com beginning Sept. 12.
3/24**How is doing a collaboration different from your own in-house designing?
**Collaborating with Macy’s has been a wonderful experience. This is the American iconic retailer, so to step in and have my clothes be there is just a huge honor. I opened my ears and was just ready to learn and ready to work, and it was an amazing experience. The second I decided to do this I said, "You know what? I’m not just going to design a collection, and then send it over to them and say, ’This is done!’" I really wanted to work with them to make sure that this was specific for their customer.
Nicole Richie for Impulse Faux Leather Dress, $79. Available on Macys.com beginning Sept. 12.
4/24**Can you describe your design process?
**I work about a year in advance, and doing ready-to-wear is different than jewelry, doing jewelry is different than shoes, but you know the process is different every season. I’m traveling a lot, and it’s not really a stop-and-start process — it’s pretty constant. I’m constantly looking for inspiration, music that I like. That’s my main source of inspiration; everything normally starts with music and travel. We are a traveling family. That’s just how we live, so I’m always on the hunt — looking for different fabric, different prints, something that speaks to me — and bringing it home and working it in. If it doesn’t make one collection, it might get pushed to the next, but it’s really an ongoing process. It never stops. There’s never a point where I’m just saying, "All right, well I’ll just take a month break."
Nicole Richie for Impulse Print Asymmetrical Skirt, $49. Available on Macys.com beginning Sept. 12.
5/24What is your biggest fashion regret?
I would say the pictures that my mom has up of me in her house is the most mortifying to me, because that’s where I spend a lot of my time. So it’s constantly in my face, those pictures of me in these ridiculous Punky Brewster-esque outfits. But you know what? There’s actually no moment where I’m just mortified because fashion is fashion and everybody gets mortified. I make fun of my dad for his crazy ’70s commodore outfits and his giant Afro. Everybody goes through it, that’s what fashion is all about. It’s important to just have fun with it and look at every time as that time.
Nicole Richie for Impulse Feather Print Asymmetrical Dress, $69. Available on Macys.com beginning Sept. 12.
6/24We’ve heard that you have impressive hairstyling skills. What are your best tips?
I have naturally curly hair. I have curly, curly, curly hair, and I hated it growing up. All I wanted to do was be like my friends and go to school with wet hair and let it dry naturally. That was my dream, and it never happened for me. So I learned at a very early age — I taught myself — how to blow dry and flat iron my hair when I was like 10 or 11 years old because that’s what I wanted to do. Just through that I became really obsessed with hair and obsessed with having that bad hair day and how to really conceal it. I learned how to French braid, and I’ve been braiding forever. So I’m a very good braider, which is kind of always my go-to for those out of control, crazy hair days. Bobby pins are my best friend; I never leave my house with out them. I figure you can always kind of work it out. If you have enough bobby pins, you can fix your hair in some sort of way. In the summer I wear a ton of headscarves. I wear them at the beach because, like I said, I have naturally curly hair, so me just Bo Derek-ing it out of the ocean is never happening.
Nicole Richie for Impulse Cityscape High-Low Chiffon Dress, $69. Available on Macys.com beginning Sept. 12.
7/24What was your style like as a teen, and how has it changed since?
It wasn’t when I was a teenager, but when I was about 7 or 8, I was extremely excited about Punky Brewster. She was my style icon. I would leave the house with a white sock and a black sock and then a green shoe and a red shoe, and I thought I was killing it. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. And then Clarissa Explains It All came out a little bit after, and she again had that same kind of eclectic, crazy taste. My mom was mortified. And then Reality Bites came out, and I think I kind of went through that grunge phase. I was your typical girl, so I went though every stage.
Nicole Richie for Impulse Cropped Geometric Sweater, $49. Available on Macys.com beginning Sept. 12.
8/24You’re a mentor on Fashion Star. What advice do you have for aspiring designers?
Never give up. It is definitely a hard business, but never give up. Go with your instincts, and always be open to learning more. Listen to the buyers. Listen to the customers because you have to be a businessperson as well as an artist in this industry.
Nicole Richie for Impulse Chiffon Embroidered Blouse, $59. Available on Macys.com beginning Sept. 12.
9/24What is your wardrobe secret weapon?
For fall, I would say that a great go-to blazer a must-have. I did one for the Impulse collection actually, and it has embellished shoulders.
Nicole Richie for Impulse Tudo Blazer, $89. Available on Macys.com beginning Sept. 12.
10/24Nicole Richie for Impulse Velvet Skirt, $49. Available on Macys.com beginning Sept. 12.
