Jesse Keyes (born December 15, 1971) is an American design entrepreneur. He developed One 7th Avenue South and created and co-owns the restaurant Hotel Griffou and the fashion label Karolina Zmarlak.

Jesse Keys
Born (1971-12-15) December 15, 1971 (age 52)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materPrinceton University, Columbia University, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Bloustein School of Planning
OccupationDesigner
Years active1998 - present
Known for
  • One Seventh Avenue South
  • Karolina Zmarlak
  • DC Keyes Residence
  • Hotel Griffou
  • E_P
  • XIX
  • KZ_K Studio
AwardsFulbright Fellowship, GSAPP Kinne Fellowship

Early life

edit

Born in Stanford, California, Keyes studied urban planning at the Woodrow Wilson School of Princeton University, earning a B.A. in 1995. He was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to study architecture in Barcelona where he earned a Master's degree from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in 1997.[1] He received a Masters of Science from the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation in 1999. He completed a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in urban planning from the Bloustein School in 2016.[citation needed]

Career

edit

Keyes founded MODO to house his spatially based endeavors to use modern techniques in fashion, design, and building under one roof. [citation needed]

in 2008, Keyes completed the development of One Seventh Avenue South, a triangular condominium building in downtown Manhattan where Keyes "was looking for a development opportunity," he said, "to make a statement."[2] He is co-owner and operating partner at Hotel Griffou where the design makes reference to New York's past.[3] The house "embodies the essential modernist tenet of building what you need and nothing more."[4] MODO designed and developed the Intent Media work environment.[citation needed]

Keyes is the co-founder and Executive Producer of the Karolina Zmarlak product development studio, known as KZ_K Studio. Keyes worked with Zmarlak to make conceptual and versatile pieces.[5] With Zmarlak, their fashion label was selected as one of sixty "Premier Designers" in the uppermost design category at Neiman Marcus Direct.[6] Keyes produced a film for Zmarlak that was launched on W Magazine's Fashion Film series: "Double Identity/Podwojna Tozsamosc was inspired by Women of Communism in Poland."[7] The partners maintain a "commitment to using luxury fabrications and focusing on craftsmanship."[8] The studio’s product designs are undergirded by "Modernist European tailoring with innovative techniques."[citation needed] Vogue has covered the designs, launching fashion films produced by Keyes, and stating that "convertibility" is the studio’s “thing."[9]

Keyes designed E_P in the basement of the old CBGB, which is now below the John Varvatos boutique on the Bowery.[citation needed] He also designed the XIX lounge on Kenmare Street.[10] He wrote a column for Blackbook Magazine, entitled "Dark Design," concerning the aesthetics of nightlife.[11]

For President Barack Obama's second inauguration, Keyes hosted a gathering for around 400 guests-including John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, Paula Abdul, Sophia Bush, and Zmarlak at the residence of his grandfather, architect Arthur H. Keyes.[12]

Keyes and Zmarlak opened a new studio under the KZ_K Studio label on Great Jones Street in Manhattan in 2022.[13][14] The studio had its launch event on April 12, 2022.[14]

References

edit
  1. ^ Sheftell, Jason (January 3, 2008). "Developer Jesse Keyes turns unconventional into bold statement". Daily News (New York). Retrieved 2011-07-18.
  2. ^ Hughes, C. J. (August 2, 2007). "Three Sides to This Condo Story". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
  3. ^ Nathan, Jean (July 7, 2009). "Griffou's Wilde Past: West Village Restaurant's Ghost Guests Included Oscar, Twain, Tarbell". The New York Observer. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
  4. ^ Mundo Resink and Stefan Blokker (2012-12-27). "Awesome Offices: Inside 15 Fantastic Startup Workplaces in New York". Thenextweb.com. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
  5. ^ "Karolina Zmarlak Transformational value - BOF". The Business of Fashion. 2009-05-22. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
  6. ^ "Karolina Zmarlak 3/4-Sleeve Darted Geometric Jacket & Straight Skirt". Neimanmarcus.com. Archived from the original on 2014-05-08. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
  7. ^ "Double Identity: Karolina Zmarlak F/W 2011 by Matt Kliegman". Trendland. 2011-04-16. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
  8. ^ "KAROLINA ZMARLAK IS A LABEL TO WATCH". Fashionista. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  9. ^ "Fall 2015 Ready to Wear: Karolina Zmarlak". Vogue. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  10. ^ "A Plush New Lounge on Kenmare". UrbanDaddy. 23 August 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  11. ^ Gall, Tatjana; Keyes, Jesse (July 8, 2008). "Dark Design: Mummified in Moomia". BlackBook. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
  12. ^ "V Magazine / V In Dc". V magazine. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  13. ^ Feitelberg, Rosemary (2022-03-31). "KZ_K Studio Readies New SoHo Space". WWD. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  14. ^ a b Fraser, Kristopher (2022-04-19). "KZ_K Studio opens new Manhattan studio". FashionUnited. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
edit