James Perse

By: Susan Michals | Photography by Steven Lippman | June 04, 2009 | Design Fashion

James Perse doesn’t do interviews. I’m not saying never ever — because obviously what you’re about to read would completely debunk that statement. It’s just that James Perse prefers to keep it simple — much like his designs. He is one of the seminal purveyors of minimalism in apparel today, something that bodes well in this rather rambunctious financial time. Since launching his business in 1994, Perse has been strict with himself: He adheres to a straightforward artistic vision and does not digress. What started out as a small T-shirt venture has blossomed into a multimillion-dollar apparel empire with 11 company-owned stores and retailers the likes of Saks Fith Avenue and Nordstrom carrying his collection of clothing, accessories and item for home.

Perse is very hands-on; he’s involved in every aspect of the company from creation to completion, right down to the final elements from the Ping-Pong table that sits outside his latest Malibu store to the tags that hang from the clothing within. Sure, his line has grown and evolved, but Perse has remained steadfast in the way he conducts his business: “To do it just to do it, I’d look like everyone else out there, and that’s not me” — hence the reason behind the lack of press. He didn’t want to hit the public with a barrage of stories that could potentially just become part of the glut of that superficial spin we experience daily from a multitude of media outlets. That’s just not what James Perse is all about. Now the designer feels he’s in a place where he truly has something to say. He’s left the city and become a bona fide beach denizen, having lived in Malibu now for a number of years. And he has a newborn as well.

His new store, which opened just last month in the Malibu Lumber Yard, showcases his apparel line as well as his home furnishings collection. The store is unusual in the sense that it immediately puts you at ease. The furniture is a combination of modern sophisticate and rustic comfy, making you feel like you’re in someone’s home and not a retail establishment. Perse was kind enough to stop working for an afternoon on his many projects to spend some time with Malibu Magazine to talk about the influence of his child, what the market has taught him and what he loves about this town.

Malibu Magazine: You’re a city boy. What brought you to Malibu?
James Perse: I’ve been out here [on Malibu Road] now for a year and half, but I started this process about four years ago. I lived down near Encinal Bluffs, but it was a little too remote and not as connected to the ocean. I was thinking, “I wanna live this beach lifestyle, but it’s like I’m in the middle of nowhere because no one will come visit me.” (Laughs.) So, I sold my house and came down to Malibu Road and fell in love with it. I’ve never left.

MM: What’s so different about it out here for you?
JP: My experience out here is like going back in time a bit because people actually say hello to each other. It’s neighborhoody. I study everyone — whether I’m on a hike or on the street or on the beach. In Malibu, people will look up and say “good morning,” and you realize that’s what’s been missing from my life. I can go into the city and do the same thing I just talked about — take a hike, take a walk — and 98 percent of people will not make eye contact or avoid you. It’s almost like, what kind of energy has been created out there to make people start avoiding each other? Now I want nothing to do with the city. Coming out to a place like this, it gives you perspective. I spent the majority of my life in Los Angeles, but you come out here, and you realize that human contact is the difference between being alive and sleepwalking.

MM: I read there’s a bit of backlash from some of the Malibu residents on the renovations to the lumberyard where your new store is, saying that people are trying to turn it into Rodeo Drive.
JP: Look, I’m a native Los Angeles guy who has spent his life coming out here. I’ve now fallen completely in love with Malibu, and I’m all about the community. It’s all about that neighborhood experience. With any store that I do, I really try to connect to the community and find a way to feel local and understand where I am. I spent two years of my life personally on putting together this one store. I essentially poured my heart and soul into it trying to create this experience so it’s like a beach home. Judging from what was going on opening weekend, people were so excited for something else, something more, something new. They were really enjoying themselves and just hanging out.

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