Five Fits With: Interior Designer and Canadian Tuxedo Fan Jake Arnold
Interior designer Jake Arnold’s portfolio includes home for the likes of Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, Rashida Jones, and Aaron Paul (among countless others). Hailing from London, Arnold grew up just outside of the city with his interior designer mother and jeweler father, and developed an early obsession with interiors and aesthetics. One of his earlier design-appreciation memories is how beautiful his “really old Georgian school” was. At 21, he moved to L.A. after for an internship. That soon turned into a job offer—with a salary of just $800 a month.
When he returned London to file for a visa to work in the U.S., Arnold’s father expressed his dismay. Arnold countered that he’d use his bar mitzvah money for the move. His father said that the money was “for big things” to which Arnold replied, “That’s this.” After a year and a half in California, he landed a new gig as an interior designer, faking it till he made it and Googling whatever he didn’t know how to do. It was tough going, but his first home wound up being photographed for the cover of Better Homes & Gardens. After that, he says, calls started rolling in.
Now in business for himself, Arnold is one of the most revered interior designer’s in L.A. He’s been featured in publications like Architectural Digest and ELLE Décor, collaborated with brands like Crate & Barrel, and even has his own book. Below, Arnold and I discuss his rise to prominence, the links between his interior style and personal style, why the Canadian Tuxedo is a perfect outfit, and more.
Look One
Was there a moment when you realized you could make a career of interior design?
I hate using the word manifesting because I think it gets abused. But I believe that the stars can align. It’s opportunity and working hard and being at the right place at the right time. Everyone in L.A. was doing beachy, light, bright bohemian interiors, and I was painting people's walls black. It was different. Making creativity into a career is difficult because you have to have convictions. I don't think I'm the best interior designer in the world, but I know what I do is good and I put 100 percent into it and I show up. But everything else, the stars have to align.
Look Two
How has your sense of style and direction changed from when your career first began to now? How did you develop your voice?
When I started, I was so naive. Ignorance is bliss. I did not grow up being exposed to high design. England naturally has beautiful architecture and history. It doesn't matter how you were brought up, that's just part of the culture. And to this day, it’s self-taught. Being curious is what inspired me at the beginning. I'm more risk-taking now. Every single project I work on is different. Every home has its own point of view. Obviously, there's a through line of what I do, which ultimately has always stayed the same, which is comfort. I make spaces that you want to hang out in, that are not necessarily the most avant-garde. I like to explore and go outside the box and push my boundaries and always seek new inspiration, but I always come back to, “But how do you want to wake up? If I'm coming into this kitchen to make my morning coffee, do I really want to stand on concrete?”
I'm also into timelessness. That's why Ralph Lauren is such an inspiration to me. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. I'm trying to put things together that I believe are classic and rooted in heritage, but at the same time, are youthful and reflect the current time versus being trend-driven. I've learned when designing, some of these projects can take four or five years. You really have to take yourself out of the moment. You want to be current, but what does current mean when you're not in it yet? It's almost like forecasting.
Look Three
How do some of the tenets of your design work intersect with your personal style and your daily wardrobe?
I'm not particularly on the edge. I'm not aware. I dress for comfort. But mixing materials is also how I work in interiors. I love to play with denim. Maybe it's velvet or it's a mohair sweater. It’s all textures for me. I've never been someone to wear print or pattern. I've come to understand what looks best on me, and I think it's an effortlessness. I have more fun with shoes. I have a lot of fun Bottega shoes that are a little more colorful and playful. Same with interiors. It's that thing where you are playing with color or pattern, but everything else is pared back.
Was there a seminal moment you became interested in clothing and style?
When I was younger, I was really into clothes. And then I stopped being into clothes. I think it has something to do with when I was at university. I was my most unhappy self. I wore sweats every day. I went for a whole period of time where all I would wear is black sweatpants, a sweater, a puffer jacket, and that was it because it's not wanting to be seen. When I moved to L.A., I almost had this rebirth, like, “Oh my God, you can do whatever you want when you're not in a place that you grew up in.” The judgment of it all just dissipated. When I grew up at school, especially being in the closet, I never wanted people to comment on my appearance. That was the last thing I wanted, attention. So it's changed. Now, it’s fun. I actually enjoy looking at clothes, going into stores, trying new things, and also just being less rigid.
Look Four
What are some of your favorite brands, and why?
My staple clothing brand is Acne. That's what I live in. That's my white T-shirt, most of my jeans, my shirts. I love the fits. I love the fabrics. I love that they do basics, but it has a spin. The Row is exactly what I like. It's plain, comfortable, good quality, good fit, timeless. I also love Dries Van Noten. I have a lot of cool shirts and blazers. Again, really fun with some of the fabrics. Bottega Veneta, I love as well. There's this one brand called Found. It's kind of similar to Bode, but it's more pared back. I like some of those more whimsical moments that they have. I always love to find new brands. There's another one that I just discovered last year called Porto Diego. They have amazing stuff. I've got some really great pants and some jackets from them. James Perse, I have maybe 100 T-shirts that I've cut up. I've done my own thing with it because, again, I need a little bit of edge. The fabrics are amazing.
Look Five
If you had to wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it consist of?
It's definitely a Canadian tuxedo. It's the best look. I actually just tried on a whole set from Acne the other day. It was a cropped, dark, raw denim jacket with these oversized pants that had a slight flare to them. I was like, “This look, this outfit, you could wear to breakfast, lunch, and dinner and you could wear this at an event or to get groceries.” Denim is my favorite material because it's timeless, classic. Every time I wear denim on denim without fail, someone comments. My sneaker game is bleak because I'm new to sneakers, but I live in my New Balances to be honest. I actually am just about to order another pair because I've worn them to death. So: New Balances, Acne jeans with a James Perse white T-shirt and this Ralph Lauren hat and a Prada bag and glasses. I'm so happy. That's all I need to wear.
esquire
