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Photographed by Peter Lindbergh
The Elder Statesman
Malibu may not seem an obvious base for designer Greg Chait (with model Raquel Zimmermann), who started out in 2007 with heavy-gauge cashmere blankets. But the Arizona native, who now uses the fabric for his California-feel bajas, beanies, and intarsia sweaters, believes the beachfront city is right for that very reason: “Having distance from a fashion capital helps me keep a sense of naïveté.” His wanderlust contributes, too. The 34-year-old sources buffalo horn for eyeglasses from Germany and raw yarns from Mongolia. Then there’s the label’s lofty appellation, which was once his late brother’s nickname. “It holds everything I do to a high standard,” says Chait. “How things are made, how we treat people: That’s all part of luxury.”
Fashion Editor: Tonne Goodman
Which of the ten CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists has the talent, drive, and that indefinable quality to rise above the competition?