Greg Chait

We ask fashion’s pre-eminent talents to mine their inspirations and curate their world through style. Greg Chait, the founder of Los Angeles-based luxury lifestyle label The Elder Statesman, shares his.

1. “The first cashmere blanket I received as a gift sparked everything I do now. I don’t remember the brand, but it was a very simple yet elegant tobacco-brown throw. It inspired me to launch The Elder Statesman.”

2. “My grandmother, Thelma Chait, was an incredible artist. Growing up inside an artist’s world helped to shape everything I feel and do – mostly without me even knowing it.”

3. “The Outsiders has always defined my love for the underdog; I love the spirit of the outlaw protagonist. I love the [1967)] book by S. E. Hinton for the same reason and I love the movie. Staying gold is key.”

4. “Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis (1985) [is a favourite]. Growing up I thought this was what Los Angeles was actually like and I tried to make it that way when I moved there.”

5. “The brand Number (N)ine was the first time where I was able to go beyond my style into a brand. For me, the mid-2000s was the peak of founder Takahiro Miyashita.”

6. “I love the Haas Brothers as people and as creators … Both the brass and wooden dining tables they have done are my favourites.”

7. “I can tell a Jordan Peele project from a mile away. It’s an overall approach, I guess. He is an amazing filmmaker and comedian.”

8. “I literally tour as if I’m in a band. My motto is ‘always go’, because I have to see and smell a place, even if just for a day. Recent trips I’ve had include Hong Kong, Shanghai, Milan, Munich, Montreal, New York and Hawaii.”

9. “The people whose style I admire the most are usually not celebrities. I have a couple of friends who I think are the best-dressed people in the world … it’s about the perfect blend of casual yet elegant, but then dialling it up properly for the occasion and rising to the moment when it counts.”