In good company
Designer Jason Wu and actress Diane Kruger share the story of their seven-year friendship and fashion connection.
They vacation together, do Coachella together and cook together. Fashion designer Jason Wu, 33 (who dressed Michelle Obama for both inaugural balls and who, in addition to helming his own line, serves as artistic director for Boss women’s wear), and actress Diane Kruger, 40, live oceans away from their flesh-and-blood families, so they’ve become each other’s surrogate clan. Here, they speak of their long friendship. Jason Wu: “I met you in 2009, I believe. It was early in my career. You asked for a dress to wear to the Cannes Film Festival.” Diane Kruger: “It was cream and strapless, and I remember you came yourself to fit me in it! We immediately hit it off.” JW: “Yes! We just clicked. Obviously, I was a huge fan of yours already. I’d seen you at events and you always stood out because you have this strong sense of self. But at the fittings, then and at every one since, we had one-on-one conversations; there weren’t 10 people between us, so we bonded.” DK: “We genuinely like each other and have a respect for each other as artists. And we have a similar sense of humour.” JW: “We’re both sarcastic! After that first Cannes experience, we went to dinner and just connected. Now we exchange ideas all the time and travel together.” DK: “Coachella is our bonding trip. It’s so funny to see you there letting loose. You know when you see someone in a different light? That was a breakthrough moment in our friendship.” JW: “That was the first time we did something that wasn’t related to fashion or an event. I didn’t think I would like it. It’s hot, it’s outside, it’s crowded. Being in a crowd for three days sounded like a nightmare to me. My ideal Saturday is having friends over for dinner. But I thought: ‘What the hell, let’s try something new.’ And it was really fun. I still prefer smaller groups and more intimate settings, but Coachella took me out of myself. You’re much more adventurous than me, Diane.” DK: “I guess my preferred vacation is backpacking and not knowing where I’m going to end up that night. But you’re very outgoing. I’ve met the most interesting people through you.” JW: “I could say the same thing! The fourth of July party at your home in Malibu was so fun. That’s actually partly what inspired the Grey Jason Wu collection [a new line under Jason Wu’s eponymous label]. I rifled through your closet!”
DK: “I have classic pieces: Chanel bags that have been given to me or I’ve bought over the years, but other than that it’s pretty casual. I live in LA and Paris, so I wear easy things.” JW: “Come on! You have a room full of clothes! I got lost in there. You’ve got everything from Chanel to Topshop. You just know how to mix things up and make everything look great.” DK: “The way I put things together is very European. My inspiration is always the 60s – characters like Catherine Deneuve in Belle de Jour. Women who are very sophisticated but who you sense have a boiling naughtiness underneath the surface.” JW: “You never look like you’ve been forced into anything. You are truly yourself all the time. You also have the kind of fashion knowledge a designer or seasoned stylist has – of the fabrics, the details, the fit. You might send me a reference from the 50s and ask: ‘How do we do a modern version of this look?’” DK: “When I was a model I learned about proportion. I got a sense of how I could take anything and make it my own without becoming a victim to trends. The way we work is very organic. You always design something I fall in love with.” JW: “Your day-to-day style is also great. The way I see it, Grey is like your off-duty closet.” DK: “That makes sense. Grey is everyday stuff. These clothes go with anything.” JW: “It’s another aspect of my personality. Grey is less serious. People who don’t know me tend to perceive me as more serious than I actually am.” DK: “The clothes are young and fun. The collaboration with [artist] Hunt Slonem is a cool element too.” JW: “Yes, we’ll collaborate with a different artist each season. I’ve always looked to artists for inspiration, and I love the idea of creating unique prints through that dialogue.” DK: “We’ve collaborated many times over the years, and it never feels like work. But we have things to talk about other than fashion. We both love cooking. You whip up the most incredible dinners at your apartment.” JW: “My family is in Taiwan, so my friends are like family.” DK: “I don’t make friends easily, so I’m glad we found each other! You’ve shown me that through hard work and dedication, one can do anything – without having to sell your soul. Kindness wins.” JW: “Friendship wins!”
“WE GENUINELY LIKE EACH OTHER AND HAVE A RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER AS ARTISTS”