Husband and wife team, Jon and Linda English, owners and creative directors of Jon English Salons and Jon English Products, were recently featured in the 2009 issue of Shops. Shops is an annual publication by Mpls/St. Paul Magazine that focuses on the top local businesses in the Twin Cities.
Jon and Linda were chosen for a recurring segment entitled, "Closet Confidential", in which their wardrobe doors were opened to the private eye, and their unique fashion senses were highlighted respectively. They were also interviewed separately about how fashion has inspired their roles in the beauty biz, and some of their favorite pieces.
Here's some of what they had to say:
[ Jon English ]
Describe your personal style.
The benefit of living long enough is that your style becomes more defined. People tend to get either more conservative or more eccentric as they get older. I guess I'm considered eccentric.
Are you inspired by fashion trends?
Yes, from specific designeres. Way out in front is Paul Smith. He's just magical. Then Dolce & Gabbana, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Prada. But I also like Theory, because it's really contemporary and modern.
Does owning a salon influence your style?
Sure. I think we tend to attract what we reflect and vice versa. I started styling hair when I was thirteen years old and I was working in London with a client base that was in the fashion business. They were good teachers—very style-influential—and I was always a good student.
[ Linda English ]
Do you follow fashion trends?
Of course—we're in the fashion business. But I don't feel obliged to purchase or be something I'm not. I think the way we dress is a form of how we express ourselves, and it's good to be aware of it. I mean, fashion is fun; it changes how we see things. But I encourage people to find their own way of presenting themselves—a way that feels good to them. Sure, there are trends and there's a look that's modern, but there are so many variations on that.
Where are your favorite places to shop in the Twin Cities?
I like H&M, Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom. In New York, I love Barneys and Bergdorf's. But I am practical—I don't like to buy things I won't use, I just like to appreciate those things in the store.
What's your biggest shopping weakness?
Shoes. It all started with a pair of white go-go boots that I wanted so badly in fifth grade. I still remember my mom coming into my room with a box and crying with joy when I saw them. I wore a hole in those boots! Handbags are a close runner-up.
For the complete interview, pick up the newest issue of Shops, on news stands now.
0 comments:
Post a Comment