It’s been more than a decade since Emily Current and Meritt Elliott first joined forces to become Hollywood’s stylist-to-the-stars A-Team. Since then, the LA-based duo known affectionately as “Maude” has styled everyone from Emma Roberts, Mandy Moore, Mary Kate Olsen and Katie Holmes to Megan Fox, Nicole Richie and Reese Witherspoon. They’ve also lent their talents to music videos, fashion editorials in Nylon and Teen Vogue, and styled ad campaigns and look books for Roxy, Guess, Levi’s, Neutrogena and Michael Stars and - oh yeah - launched a little line of denim called Current/Elliott (perhaps you’ve heard of it?), which they design in collaboration with their friend, Serge Azria.
“We were drawn to fashion early on,” the bffs said when asked what prompted them to choose careers in fashion. “It is an easy and accessible way to express your mood. We really enjoy the sociology behind fashion and why people buy. We loved that developing someone’s image was essentially branding them and we have been focusing on branding people and products ever since!”
So what’s the biggest difference between their styling work and their design work? “Design is a reflection of our worldview,” they explain. “Styling is an editing and elevation of our client’s worldview.”
The denim-loving duo have recently jumped on the social media bandwagon by joining Twitter and Facebook, and just launched a beautifully designed blog called This Is Emily and Meritt, where you can immerse yourself in their quirky, decidedly feminine worldview and learn more about the non-fashion things that are important to them, such as the non-profits Phase One Foundation and Art of the Brain (Elliott, who has a young daughter, lost her husband to brain cancer in 2009). And they just designed a six-piece handbag capsule collection for Kate Spade, which will hit stores next month.
The Fashion Informer’s Lauren David Peden recently chatted with the lovely ladies about their favorite blogs, their beauty must-haves and what really makes them mad.
So, Emily and Meritt…
What did you have for dinner last night?
Emily Current: Sushi; I was with Meritt.
Meritt Elliott: Sushi; I was with Emily.
What did you do last weekend and what are your plans for this weekend?
EC: Last weekend: Rose Bowl. This weekend: Vacation in Maui!
ME: Last weekend: Beverly Hot Springs. This weekend: Closet cleanout.
What's your favorite hobby/off-duty activity?
EC: Playing cards with friends in the backyard.
ME: Park picnics with my daughter.
Brunch: pro or con?
EC: Pro!
ME: Pro.
Tell me about your pet(s).
EC: Gus, my handsome orange tabby cat and Olive, my hilarious and snuggly Mini Pinscher.
ME: We have two fish that are overfed.
What's your favorite street in the world?
EC: Avenue Montaigne in Paris (clichéd, I know). It makes me happy and reminds me of good times and good friends - window shopping at Chanel and having raspberry champagnes at the Plaza Athenee!
ME: The street that I grew up on. It reminds me of tree houses and freeze tag.
What websites/blogs do you read regularly?
EC: Whowhatwear.com, fashionista.com, jakandjill.com, www.somuchtotellyou.co.nz.
ME: Nieniedialogues.blogspot.com, whowhatwear.com.
What's the one beauty/grooming item you cannot live without?
EC: Revlon Fabulash Mascara.
ME: Dry shampoo.
Favorite movie of all time?
EC: The Graduate. The lighting, the colors, the dialogue, the mood.
ME: Fried Green Tomatoes. Two strong women getting each other’s backs (wink, wink).
If you found $15,000 cash in a brown paper bag, how would you spend it?
EC: A trip to Bali.
ME: Support local artists.
What's your idea of a perfect spring day?
EC: Barbequeing and playing "The Game of Things" with friends outdoors!
ME: A long, long walk and a Bloody Mary.
When was the last time you lost your temper?
EC: Today when I stubbed my toe.
ME: When I popped my tire, chipped my tooth and lost my keys all in the same day. That was yesterday.
What do men look for in a pair of jeans and what do women look for in a pair of jeans?
EC: Women want jeans to look authentic and to make them look skinny. Men want jeans to be authentic and to be something they could throw on every day.
ME: With women it’s proportion, fit and relevance. With men it’s wash, fit and versatility.
What freaks you out?
EC: Scary movies.
ME: Morning news.
When are you happiest?
EC: Sunday morning at home with coffee, my man and my animals!
ME: A Saturday in the summer at 6pm, surrounded by family.
handbag photo courtesy Emily Current and Meritt Elliott for Kate Spade
Comments