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Monday, May 21, 2012

CULTURE

Michael Kors’ Creative Director on Collecting, the Catskills and Cher

Richard Sinnott

Richard Sinnott, Senior Vice President, Creative Director of Accessories and Footwear for Michael Kors, talks about his career, his love of fashion accessories, his eBay obsessions and Cher!

The Inside Source: How did you get your start in the fashion industry?

Richard Sinnott: I grew up in the Catskills and started out working at a mall in Kingston. Met a woman there who did "visual displays"—never heard of it! All I know is she said she made 27K a year and I nearly fainted because I was making 6K at the time! She told me she went to FIT so I made it my mission to go there! After graduating, I got a job in the D & D building [Decoration & Design Building in New York] but just didn’t feel it was right for me. My first real fashion job was as an editorial assistant at Harper's Bazaar magazine. I moved up to sittings assistant, then was in charge of sittings and finally got promoted to Accessories Director. I love accessories—for the person, and for the home!

 

The Inside Source: How did you end up working with Michael Kors accessories?

Richard Sinnott: During my Harper’s Bazaar days, I did a little consulting for a designer or two on their accessory and shoe collections, because basically that’s what we ended up doing when we wanted special things made for shoots. It was just kind of part of the job, but I really loved it. Then one day, Michael called me to meet about an accessory collection—we had first met backstage at a Celine Dion show about a year before—and eventually he invited me to join him as Creative Director for all of his accessories. Working for him was my dream come true!


The Inside Source: What inspires you in your work in the fashion industry?

Richard Sinnott: First, Cher was my first biggest inspiration as a kid in Catskill, NY in the 70s. We only got three channels up there but on one of them was the Sonny & Cher Show! Growing up, she was the only thing I ever saw sparkle! Now I get inspired by great vintage finds, people I see on the streets of New York—everywhere from 14th Street to Park Avenue. Women with style always inspire me, as do accessories with history. I always went to the 26th Street Flea Market every weekend when I was at FIT and would follow around Andy Warhol, Grace Jones, and many other celebrities that had great style.

Inspiration board

Richard Sinnott's inspiration board at Michael Kors

 

The Inside Source: How do you use eBay?

Richard Sinnott: I use it personally and professionally. My inspiration library at work is filled with eBay finds, my apartment and beach house are filled with collections I’ve bought on eBay and I even bought a car—a 1991 vintage Jeep Wagoneer—on eBay! Vintage accessories, handbags, sunglasses…I spend hours a week looking on eBay!

 

The Inside Source: What are your favorite eBay finds?

Richard Sinnott: Right now, I’m obsessed with collecting French vintage bowls. I search eBay for “vintage café au lait bowls”—they are little pieces of art and color and I mix them together and put them on shelves. I also love to shop for oil paintings on eBay. I search for ”oil paintings” under antiques. I usually start with dates—anywhere from 1930-1960. I find such great things in little corners of eBay!  I also purchase all my lamps on eBay. I love buying pairs of lamps. My search words are “antiques, lamps, collectibles decorative arts, pairs”  Also, love buying rugs on eBay. And it’s very educational—as I search and research antique rugs, I find they all are properly identified according to type ,so I actually learn the names of what I like. Right now I’m very into Heriz Serapi rugs. I always start with “Antiques or Decorative Arts” when searching for rugs.  

Richard Sinnott's eBay collection

Richard Sinnott's eBay collection of vintage cafe au lait bowls

 

The Inside Source: What’s something unusual you shop online for using eBay?

Richard Sinnott: I buy white, pure linen antique bed sheets and pillow cases on eBay! I just got a delivery two weeks ago of seven enormous, never-been-used vintage sheets. You know how they always say they don’t make ‘em like they used to? Well they do on eBay!

 

The Inside Source: What are your 2011 New Year's shopping resolutions?

Richard Sinnott: To shop less! Just kidding...I would love to recycle my eBay purchases—list some of my old collections of lighting fixtures and other things on eBay—and then of course buy more stuff! It’s like a full-circle, one-stop shop!

 

The Inside Source: What do you think you’ll be searching for/buying in 2011?

 Richard Sinnott: I plan to search for vintage afghans, pairs of vases to turn into lamps, and modern vintage jewelry!

Here's what we turned up using some of Richard Sinnott's favorite eBay keyword search terms.

  

“vintage café au lait bowls”

Roll over items for details
Art Deco French Café au Lait Bowl
(buy it now price, $50)
Flower 50s Café au Lait Bowl
(buy it now price, $20)
Michael Kors’ Creative Director on Collecting, the Catskills and Cher

 

“1950/60s oil painting”

Mid-Century Impressionist Art
(buy it now price, $259)
Vintage Oil Painting
(buy it now price, $160)
Signed M. Kinert Painting
(buy it now price, $350)
German Kitsch Oil Painting
(buy it now price, $299)
Michael Kors’ Creative Director on Collecting, the Catskills and Cher

 

“lamp pairs”

Vintage Modern Pottery Drip Glaze Lamps
(buy it now price, $389)
Vintage Green Murano Glass Lamps
(buy it now price, $1,485)
Danish Modern Lamps
(buy it now price, $395)
Michael Kors’ Creative Director on Collecting, the Catskills and Cher

 

“heriz serapi rug”

Antique Persian Heriz Serapi Rug
(buy it now price, $7,500)
Vintage Persian Heriz Serapi Rug
(buy it now price, $7,250)
Persian Heriz Serapi Rug
(buy it now price, $5,999)
Michael Kors’ Creative Director on Collecting, the Catskills and Cher

 

“modern vintage jewelry”

Retro Silver Bracelet
(buy it now price, $89.99)
Modernist Copper Bracelet
(buy it now price, $65)
Two-tone Classic Pendant
(buy it now price, $7.99)
Blue Lucite Earrings
(buy it now price, $29)
Michael Kors’ Creative Director on Collecting, the Catskills and Cher

 

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Comments

90bd94aa-607c-43bc-a5d9-5478c7ec700a Sat, 8 Jan 2011 17:44:01 PST Sat, 8 Jan 2011 17:44:01 PST
Patricia Sinnott
comment-post

What a wonderful surprise to find this article on Richard Sinnott. While I don't know Richard I've known for a while that the Sinnott's as a family have a strong visual arts gene.

9d57397b-295f-4d92-a910-8e78f1390c84 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 07:13:59 PST Wed, 12 Jan 2011 07:13:59 PST
jerry diamond
comment-post

Interesting interview. I'm also inspired by mid century oil paintings as well as traditional rug patterns.

9c7a717e-8583-49ef-8f81-b887d22c263b Wed, 12 Jan 2011 13:18:12 PST Wed, 12 Jan 2011 13:18:12 PST
Jennifer
comment-post

I LOVE this article. Very interesting. And I love all the accessories and shoes at MK

8b117330-7c35-413c-a4aa-21d80bca2161 Thu, 3 Feb 2011 05:16:02 PST Thu, 3 Feb 2011 05:16:02 PST
D Cornelius
comment-post

I knew Richard Sinnot growing up in Catskill. I had a sense that he'd go places and it is so good to see that he got his dream job. If you enjoy what you do for work, it's like not having to work at all.

ad9a70ff-0ad3-4e08-a5a3-cb6cd813e777 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:10:40 PDT Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:10:40 PDT
Jordan Blum
comment-post

I don't know about the whole buying rugs on ebay... I find that there are so many dealers that misrepresent the rugs and just overload their posts with keywords. I would say buyer beware. I just googled Antique Rugs, Antique Carpets and a few other terms and I keep seeing The Nazmiyal Collection In New York City. They seem to be extremely reputable and only have 5 star ratings in google (no complaints whatsoever which is pretty awesome) I would feel way more comfortable buying from them then on ebay (but that is me). You can check out their site at: http://nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/

77f5b056-75fa-4287-b5f4-5f726c2cd180 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:11:45 PDT Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:11:45 PDT
Jordan Blum
comment-post

<a href="http://nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/">Antique Rugs</a>

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