Raised in Southern California, menswear designer Joel Knörnschild has put his passport into heavy rotation, residing in Florence, where he studied art, Innsbruck, Austia, and Tokyo, among other places. Joel named his clothing line, K.Z.O., after his expat Japanese grandfather, Kazuo Iwasaki. The conceptual conceit behind his collections is equally reverent, reinterpreting the narrative logic and dramatic mood of film and music into clothing that has the same here, there and everywhere sophistication of its creator. Here, we speak to Joel about his take on contemporary fashion.

Alastair McKimm: When did you first become interested in fashion?

Joel Knörnschild: I think that fashion and the creative spirit go hand-in-glove.  There isn’t one exact moment that I can say was a monumental “light-bulb” experience….Well, maybe the time I got in trouble days shy of my 16^th birthday by the department of labor for working a job as quality assurance under-age at a sewing contractor in Los Angeles.  That may qualify as a defining moment…

AM: What is your design background?

JK: Growing up in the mist of Southern California’s fashion surfwear business.  I can remember working for my Dad in the late ‘80s in the production room for a $1 an hour.  Where were you then Department of Labor?  Also found the happy medium of creating environments and working with bands by directing music videos for musicians in the US and Japan.

AM: What is your opinion on originality in fashion?

JK: The possibilities of originality in fashion design are endless; the designer’s point-of-view is the engine of a specific brand or fashion house. I look at what Jun Takahashi from Undercover is doing. He does a pant that in its most basic form has two legs, but is also has a really strong point of view.  I see Jun in every piece he creates.

AM: What was the last track you listened to?

JK: Department of Eagles “No One Does it Like You,” Beach House “Master of None,” and Neil Young “Cripple Creek Ferry.”

AM: What was the last gig you went to?

JK: Grizzly Bear with Beach House at the Palladium and Daniel Lanois playing with Brian Blade at the Troubadour.

AM: What was the last film you watched?

JK: Where the Wild Things Are. It was melancholy but I loved the social dynamic of the monsters and “King” Max.  Like Rodney King said, “Can’t we all just get along?” The scene where Max is poking his head through the miniature world created by Carol was mind-blowing.

Photographer: Amy Troost

Stylist: Alastair McKimm

Hair: Bok-Hee / Streeters

Make Up: Sil Bruinsma / Streeters

Model: Yuri / Request

Stylist Assistants: Zara Zachrisson & Michael Vendola

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