In Todd We Trust

Designer Todd Oldham's couture de force

The empire of Todd Oldham, reigning king of hautehobo couture, is ever expanding. This month he launches a line of blue jeans, and next year his men's fragrance and Los Angeles store debut, GEORGE WAYNE talks to the designer whom many consider the nicest guy in the perilous world of fashion.

George Wayne: Darling, tell me about that man who was stalking you recently. That must have been terrifying!

Todd Oldham: Oh, do we have to talk about this, George? Can we talk about it off the record? It's not that interesting. G.W. But it's something that has affected you!

T.O. Yeah, it's really spooky to know someone's out there after you. It's very creepy. I lived through it for seven months, and I don't want to live through it again.

G.W. Todd Oldham is the media darling of the fashion world. It's very impressive, the cool way you've handled your celebrity.

T.O. Oh well, thanks, George. I guess I have a pretty clear take on what it is. I don't believe my press. I mean, I appreciate the press, but you have to have a reality check at all times.

G.W. How is the SoHo boutique doing?

T.O. Great. We're meeting our projections, and we're opening in L.A. in February, and I think we'll be opening in London sometime next year.

G.W. And your new line of jeans?

T.O. Well, I wear jeans a lot, and I always remember that nobody needs anything, so if you're gonna do it, you better make it interesting. So there's lots of tricks for the wearer, like the insides of all the jeans are printed. So only you see it when you put it on, or in the cuff sometimes.

And there is a very interesting backpocket shape which does beautiful things for sort of lifting the butt, visually cheating that area. They'll be like 70 bucks, jackets will be between $100 and $150.

G.W. When are you going to make a men's fragrance?

T.O. It comes out in September 1996, and there is a nice ingredient that smells like pencil shavings

in it. It's a mix of funny cedar products and cucumber. G.W. Is Todd Oldham the next Calvin Klein, or are you scared of fashion superstardom?

T.O. I have no competitive bones in my body whatsoever, so I don't know that anyone needs to be "the next" anything.

G.W. Tell me about your truly significant other, Tony Longoria. What's the secret to your successful marriage?

T.O. I think patience, a sense of adventure. Even after 15 years with him, I am still constantly surprised.

G.W. I know you have a great interest in film. I heard a rumor you wanted to direct.

T.O. Yeah, well, I've started to direct my pieces on MTV, and I ghost-edit and -direct some other pieces on the show. I'm gonna be directing my TV commercial for the jeans. It's very otherworldly and surreal, but supersexy.

G.W. What do you think of your peers? Are you friendly with Isaac [Mizrahi]? T.O. I'm friendly with Isaac—I know him. G.W. Do you ever have dinner?

T.O. No. I don't really hang out with people in the fashion world so much. But I'm a big fan of Isaac and Anna [Sui] and Marc [Jacobs]. They're all pretty good.

G.W. Do you ever think back to those days as a club kid hanging out at the Starck Club in Dallas every weekend?

T.O. I remember them hazily. That was some good fun. It taught me how to stay up late. G.W. When did you stop eating meat?

T.O. A long time ago, and I stopped eating anything with eyes about seven years ago. G.W. With eyes?! You're so P.C. I could puke!

T.O. My God! It's not intentional, it's just the way it worked out. I like ani* mals—I don't want to eat them.

G.W. And you're the pet favorite of PETA. T.O. It has nothing to do with politics. G.W. And you're a workaholic, a slave of New York.

T.O. I don't think I'm a workaholic. I have a thing—I don't work hard, I work often.

G.W. Well, darlin ', keep on truckin '. I know the Karma will always be with you.