Kristen Naiman sees shopping as a communal sport, whether in dressing rooms or comment sections.
Hi folks,
Does spring cleaning = spring shopping? Asking for a friend—but we all know the answer is complicated.
Your closet isn't just storage; it's a living archive of where your imagination and personal history collide, waiting to be reimagined. This week, for my latest edition of ‘Styled & Crafted’, Kristen Naiman, Chief Creative Officer of The RealReal, a pioneer platform in the luxury resale game, is our guide to the art of sartorial reinvention.
You know how it is when you meet that person at an event and you just know they’re cool? After watching and listening to her at a recent RealReal gathering, I had to get to know her better. I was not disappointed, and it wasn’t just because of her résumé, as impressive as it is.
Kristen has a rejuvenating, no b.s. take on style, and she brings creativity to everything she touches. My kind of lady.
From the best vintage score (and the one that got away) to the pieces we’ll still be talking about in 100 years, Kristen shares her take on the evolving world of luxury resale, social shopping, and why some closets—like some handbags—only get better with age.
From working at Kate Spade and Isaac Mizrahi to leading creative at The RealReal, you’ve seen how people’s relationships with fashion and clothing evolve. What’s one surprising shift you’ve noticed in how we shop today?
One of the things I love about shopping is how it’s a communal experience. I grew up in the pink carpeted open dressing rooms of Loehmann’s, and my favorite place in New York retail is still the old Barneys shoe salon (RIP), with the strategically placed sofas. (Whoever placed those sofas understood admiration and inspiration live on a knife's edge.)
Sometimes the best way to see yourself anew is through the borrowed eyes of others. An admiring double take is a gut check, a jealous side eye is a prod to hurry up and close the deal. And now, someone’s overwhelming enthusiasm for a dressing room post (or for a shared link on TRR!) will cheer you on or splash cold water from afar.
People talk about the toxicity of online envy, but the ease of sharing and commenting, when done with friends or a friendly audience, can be a great connector and it's one of the more interesting parts of the social media shopping stratosphere.
Kristen began her career as a fashion stylist shooting for everyone from Harper’s Bazaar to Paper Magazine.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever found secondhand? (Bonus: What’s the one that got away?)
When I was in my 20s my best friend's parents lived on 86th and Madison and they were gone all summer, so we would camp out for long stretches at their apartment. We were regulars at the charity thrift shops on 3rd Ave. One super hot August day I spotted an original 1960’s Cristóbal Balenciaga kelly green silk pea coat with jet black jewel buttons.
It was in amazing condition: imagine the doyenne who wore that thing once to a luncheon. But, yellow greens and ‘60s cuts have never been for me so I BEGGED the lady at the register to hold it for 20 minutes and ran home to grab my friend who bought it on the spot. She wore that coat until it fell apart and every time I saw her in it the thrill of the score was no less sweet for not being mine. So it was both the best score and also the one who got away. (But not too far away.)
Loulou de Falaise and Nina Simone. Credit: Getty Images
The RealReal is built on the idea of luxury with a past life. If you could raid one fashion icon’s closet—past or present—whose would it be and why?
Loulou de Falaise. Her mix of bourgeois Parisian and unhinged bohemian has always resonated with me. And then I would like Nina Simone to be my stylist. She might be the only person—past, present o future—that I would let tell me what to do. Her combinations and proportions were singular and inspired and somehow always simple and natural no matter how off kilter.
If The RealReal were to launch a time capsule collection 100 years from now, what three pieces from today’s fashion landscape would deserve a spot?
Let’s talk about your style. What’s a signature Kristen Naiman look or piece you always return to?
A billowy cream colored trench coat, rumpled silk blouse and gold hoops–plus, some reddish brown lipstick.
If you could raid any historical figure's closet for The RealReal, whose would it be and what piece would you be most excited to authenticate?
The girl with the pearl earring. Both the painting and the earring.
Finish this sentence: If your closet could talk…
This year I’m turning 50 and my daughter just turned 13 (and was desperate to get my stuff out her closet) so I decided my gift to both of us was to build a new closet in my room. So if my closet could talk she'd probably tell you she’s feeling herself, or maybe she’d just say her jeans are fitting like a glove.
“If you come out and look the way you want to look, you will create a mood before you even open your mouth.” — Nina Simone
