Adam Lippes: The Fashion Designer Who Wrote a Letter to Oprah... and Me
How a Versace coat — and a call from Oprah — changed his life... plus, a first look at the inspiration behind his upcoming fashion show!
It’s quite possible Adam Lippes has no recollection of this. But almost exactly 10 years ago, he did something I’ll never forget.
Adam Lippes and Alina Cho backstage after his fashion show, September 2011
It was 2011. I had just lost my father, and one day I came home to a letter… handwritten and hand delivered… by Adam Lippes.
If you asked me today what was in the letter, honestly, I couldn’t tell you. But I do remember being so moved by his kind gesture.
Turns out, Adam is very good at writing letters. (There’s the one he wrote Oprah, which helped launch his career — more on that later).
So, on the eve of New York Fashion Week… and just two days before his first in-person show since the pandemic… I wanted to catch up with my friend, Adam.
Adam’s photo of Alina during their Zoom last Friday
So, over Zoom last Friday morning, we did exactly that.
VERSACE IS A BOOKSTORE?
ADAM LIPPES: I always wanted to be a fashion designer. I used to style my mother, drive her crazy, but you know, Alina? There was no path for me. There was no path to be a designer. Back then, in the early '80s, late '70s, you couldn't even discuss it because they would have looked at you like you had four eyes.
ALINA CHO: So, how did you get into fashion then?
ADAM LIPPES: I went to Cornell. I studied psychology, which was my day one first class, because I had no idea what I was going to do. I decided I was going to be an investment banker.
ALINA CHO: Wow.
ADAM LIPPES: And then I studied abroad in Paris my junior year.
ALINA CHO: Oh, I did that.
ADAM LIPPES: It was so eye opening. I really got involved in the fashion world basically by going out at night, going to clubs, meeting the models, meeting designers. [And I realized] that it was a life. This was a life. This could be a profession.
ALINA CHO: Right.
ADAM LIPPES: I had long blond hair to my shoulders, blown out straight from Sun In [hair lightener]. And I had a friend — model from Cornell — and she said, "You look like a prep boy, we need to style you." So, I got a pair of tight black leather jeans. And you know me, I'm pretty conservative…
Adam Lippes with friends during his junior year abroad in Paris
ALINA CHO: I was going to say.
ADAM LIPPES: Combat boots, a tank top and went to Versace, and got a long shearling coat. And I convinced my father that Versace was the bookstore, and bookstores were very expensive in Paris.
ALINA CHO: So, you got the bug.
ADAM LIPPES: Unfortunately, I had an internship already confirmed for Bear Stearns for that summer. I called home and said, "Dad, I found my calling, my dream. I want to be a fashion designer and I'm not coming home.” He was like, "Well, okay. You want to do that, son? You're on your own."
ALINA CHO: So, what did you do?
ADAM LIPPES: I took the next plane back to New York City. As any smart son would do.
ALINA CHO: So, you did the internship at Bear Stearns, but you hated it.
ADAM LIPPES: I hated it. They offered me a job. I finished Cornell expecting to start and I moved to New York and thought I need to give this one last shot. And I met Paul Wilmot, who was a big PR guy.
ALINA CHO: Of course, yes.
ADAM LIPPES: And he said, "Let me get you an interview at Ralph Lauren." And they hired me in sales. And I did sales for about a week, and the store manager said, "I hear that you want to be a fashion designer. Would you like to be my assistant?” About a year [later], she said, "I'm going to Oscar de la Renta, and I'd like you to come with me."
“EVERYTHING I KNOW” I LEARNED FROM OSCAR DE LA RENTA
ADAM LIPPES: Oscar had a chef [who] cooked lunch for everyone in the office. And I saw Mr. De la Renta, who I had not met of course, walk down the hallway in all his grandeur.
ALINA CHO: Yes.
ADAM LIPPES: And I could see him take his plate, get his chicken salad and pasta. I think, well, I'll go. I got up, got my plate, my chicken salad, and my pasta. There were three big round tables and Oscar was sitting in the corner. And I thought, well, you can't go early to church and sit in the back row, so I went and sat on his right.
Oscar de la Renta, Adam Lippes, Eliza Reed Bolen, February 2006
ALINA CHO: Wow.
ADAM LIPPES: Remember, I had this long blond hair still down to my shoulder. And I was in a Ralph Lauren get up of all get ups. Eight cashmere sweaters tied around my neck, gladiator sandals. Oscar had never seen a man dressed like this in his life. And he turned to me and said, "Do you work here?" And I said, "Hi, I'm Adam." And that began a friendship and a mentorship that lasted for almost 10 years.
ALINA CHO: So, you worked your way up and became creative director.
ADAM LIPPES: Everything I know about design I learned from him.
ALINA CHO: What are the few big things that he taught you?
ADAM LIPPES: It was not about fashion; it was about beauty. And our job was very simple. It was to make a woman feel good. Oscar never talked about clothing, ever.
ALINA CHO: Really?
ADAM LIPPES: No, he wasn't interested in that. He was very philanthropic. He was very cultured. Oscar could have been a lot of creative things, he just happened to be a fashion designer.
THE OPRAH EFFECT
ADAM LIPPES: I went to Oscar, and I said, "I have an idea. I want to launch t-shirts for men and women." Luxury t-shirts. I always wore a t-shirt. I'm in one now. Oscar would say, "You look richer than anyone in this office, just in beautiful jeans and a t-shirt." I said, "I want to launch this brand, and I want you to be my first investor." And he was my first investor.
ALINA CHO: And this is the brand that you launched, Adam and Eve?
ADAM LIPPES: Correct. It was called Adam plus Eve.
ALINA CHO: Adam plus Eve. So, Oprah [came calling].
Adam Lippes on "The Oprah Winfrey Show"
ADAM LIPPES: It’s an incredible story, Alina. Back then I smoked cigarettes. I was out of the office, smoking a cigarette. I came back and we had a production director with a very thick accent. She said, "Adam, Oppa is on the phone." And I said, "Oppa?” So, I pick up the phone and she says, "Adam, it’s Oprah." And I remember I said, "Can you repeat your name?" Because you just can't believe it. She said, "It's Oprah Winfrey, I've been on hold for over seven minutes. And I was just about to hang up.” I said, "Ms. Winfrey, I don't know what you want, but I'm so happy you didn't hang up."
ALINA CHO: That gives me the chills.
ADAM LIPPES: She said, "I am wearing a t-shirt. I have been gifted it. I've been trying to find the maker; I think it's you and I am obsessed. I want three dozen of these sent to my different homes.” Are you ready? “Here's my American Express card. If you don't charge me [full price], I'm sending them back."
ALINA CHO: No way.
ADAM LIPPES: And so, I wrote her this love letter when I sent her, her package. And about six weeks later, the phone rang, and someone said, "Ms. Winfrey received and read your note and wants to have you on her show."
ALINA CHO: What happened after you were on the show?
ADAM LIPPES: Our name was Adam plus Eve. You called it Adam and Eve, which many people did. Adam and Eve back then was sort-of an X-rated website. Very big, that sold sort-of sexy lingerie, toys, and things.
ALINA CHO: Oh, God.
ADAM LIPPES: They were a multi-hundred-million-dollar business. We not only took down our site, we took down their site for three days.
FASHION SHOWS ARE BACK!
ALINA CHO: You famously sold your name, [lost control of your business, left fashion], and then bought your name back.
ADAM LIPPES: I decided I was going to launch luxury women's apparel [in 2013]. I wanted to launch a brand, taking a mix of what I learned at Ralph Lauren. You could walk into Ralph Lauren and never make a mistake. And Oscar was much more about fabric and fit and beauty. And if I could take those two ideas and mix them together, because that was what is in my heart, American sportswear. Clothes that you wear, not clothes that wear you.
Adam Lippes, (far left, far right, second from right) Resort 2022; (second from left) Fall 2021
ALINA CHO: You make luxury clothing that women grab for.
ADAM LIPPES: Day in, day out. And it’s funny. I hear that all the time.
ALINA CHO: Can we talk about COVID and how that affected you and your business?
ADAM LIPPES: Our sales fell by 55% over the year. And we had to furlough everyone at the start except for three or four people just to keep the lights on. My least favorite collection is the collection we did remotely during COVID.
Adam Lippes, Spring 2021
ALINA CHO: You didn't feel inspired.
ADAM LIPPES: I didn't know what she wanted. What does the customer want? What will she want? When will she want it? I didn't know what to give her. We luckily have 100% of our staff back. And our sell-throughs are better in the past three months than at any time in my history.
ALINA CHO: Let's talk about your upcoming show.
ADAM LIPPES: It is our biggest show, by far, to date. We'll have 225 [guests] for breakfast. Everyone is sitting at tables. [And then, we’ll do a runway show].
ALINA CHO: What was your inspiration this season?
ADAM LIPPES: So, there is a woman in Amsterdam who makes flowers out of sugar. It’s called Cake Atelier Amsterdam. She doesn't make cakes; she makes flowers in sugar and they're the most extraordinary pieces of art you've ever seen. And we did a collaboration with her, and she really [helped with] our print development, our colors. It's a riot of color and prints.
ALINA CHO: I can't wait.
ADAM LIPPES: I think it'll make everyone leave thinking, “That makes me feel good.” Clothes' job is I think to make you feel good, whether it's to feel warm, feel pretty, feel secure. It's to make you feel good. And if we can help you to feel good, even for a minute, then our job is done.