A Peek Into the Blossoming World of NYC's Coolest Creative Director

On a balmy August night in New York City, the fashion set, ballet devotees, and flower fanatics emerged for a special pop-up event. Of course, the city is an invariable playground

of surprise happenings, especially around New York Fashion Week, but none hold a candle to the magic conjured up by the supremely stylish Laura Kim. As the founder of Monse and co-creative director of Oscar de la Renta for the past six years, she’s been at the forefront of the fashion industry for quite some time. Unlike some industry leaders, Kim has an uncanny ability to grow with the times. She has not only created some of the most avant-garde collections and made us want to adopt trends like cutouts, but she has also been a vocal proponent of speaking up against the rising hate crimes against the AAPI community and advocating for the performing arts industry as it continues to grapple with the pandemic. 

It only makes sense that her most recent endeavor—a partnership with Fleuriste St-Germain and James Whiteside, principal dancer and choreographer of the American Ballet Theater, to create a flower-inspired cocktail lounge—would be intriguing. After all, how many designers can make florals truly groundbreaking? Ahead, Kim speaks about her most recent pop-up, how the pandemic has changed her relationship with fashion, and the inspiration behind her F/W 21 collections (that you can shop now). If your infatuation with Kim’s work wasn’t already blooming, this interview will plant the seed.