Is this your pre-holiday detox?
Post-Thanksgiving, pre-holiday — I’ve had so many friends in town and coming to town so there’s a lot of going out and dinner parties.
What did you do for Thanksgiving?
I hosted and had Thanksgiving at my apartment. I’m cursed with a gigantic dining room table. It’s one of those things where once you do it once, you have to do it again because people know.
Like having a guest room?
Exactly. But I didn’t cook. I ordered everything and it was just as delicious.
You’ll be heading to the area soon for an appearance. Have you been to Boston before?
I’ve been there about three or four times, just short trips, but I love Boston. Conceptually, for me being an American sportswear designer, it’s such an American city. It’s still very young but has that old Americana spirit. The last time I was there was for the [ICA] opening and [it is] a building that seems so modern, like it should be from Denmark or something. I grew up in Seattle, which is a lot like Boston in being such a tiny city with a lot of effort for preservation of the historical architecture, but with Microsoft and new businesses comes severe modern architecture also moving in. I like that feeling of tension in a city.
What will be seeing from you in terms of fashion when you’re here?
I’m showing Resort and previewing Spring [2012]. We have a lot of really great knitwear and I think the women of Boston understand layering better than anyone else. They’re not afraid to have that preppy moment where blouses are layered under sweaters that other climates and cities are apprehensive of. I’m excited to play with layering and mixing colors and updating the classic American sportswear for these women.
Before launching his namesake fashion line, Chris Benz worked at the helms of J.Crew and Marc Jacobs. His previous employers appear to be natural mentors when viewing his coquettishly chic collection of wearable womenswear with an affinity for prints and pops of color but Benz brings his own flair for personality and wit to the brand through a ferociously active Twitter account and bright bubblegum pink locks.