The Working Wardrobe: Jan-Michael Quammie
The Berlin-based stylist and street-style favorite talks to GRACE COOK about the importance of fabrics, her love for the ’90s, and why bold nails have become her beauty signature
Unsurprisingly, the impeccably dressed Jan-Michael Quammie has always had a strong sense of style. The New York-born stylist and former style director of InStyle Germany (who now lives in Berlin) says her earliest memories of clothes are envisioning color-blocked outfits that she planned to wear the following day – at age five. “I’d think, green top and yellow skirt, or orange top and green skirt,” she laughs, speaking over Zoom from her apartment and dressed in an understated black jersey top. “Even then, I’d wake up knowing what I was going to wear.”
Having cut her teeth as a buyer in New York, she transcended the traditional routes into the industry to carve out her own multi-faceted career that has seen her work across everything from e-commerce at NET-A-PORTER to editorial at HighSnobiety, straddling commercial and creative roles, online and in print, across both womenswear and men’s. Her work has taken her from the US to Asia and Europe, and, today, she splits her time between Berlin and New York. Such an on-the-go life keeps her finger firmly on the pulse and tapped into the global zeitgeist.
Quammie has always sought inspiration from myriad sources. Growing up in Brooklyn, she fell in love with fashion and culture at an early age and cites the 1990s as an endless source of inspiration for her, even today. “From music, fashion, film, sport, art… everything that we are influenced by right now happened in the 1990s and in New York, and I was there for that and at a very impressionable age,” she says.
Today, as a freelance stylist, she marches to the beat of her own drum, overseeing a team of creatives working on everything from magazine editorials to music videos; she’s dressed everyone from Snoop Dogg and the American producer and actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, to the model and activist Ebonee Davis and Saudi Arabian Princess Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz.
“I don’t like things that are trendy; I buy things because I like them. That’s why I always look at the linings of clothes – I have bought jackets based purely on the linings before”
She’s enjoying the variety it brings but says there’s more commonality than one might think. She’s learnt that there are closet staples that are universal – from a sharp Saint Laurent tuxedo to a classic timepiece and a good wallet. “These are things that every man and woman should have,” she says. Read on to discover more of her style secrets.
Buy special pieces that you love
“I don’t like things that are trendy; I buy things because I like them. That’s why I always look at the linings of clothes – I have bought jackets based purely on the linings before. Haider Ackermann does beautiful velvet ones, where there could be a purple lining on a yellow jacket, and it’s velvet, so it feels so soft against your skin. It’s that unexpected surprise that only you know about – the lining is just for you. But something I really like buying are collaboration items, when two cult brands from different fields come together and create a baby. It’s a more intellectual purchase, and a form of flex. My current favorite is Sacai’s collaboration with Nike.”
Invest in a good suit
“A good suit can be worn anywhere, especially when it’s oversized – I like to wear a really relaxed one on set when I’m shooting, as it feels like a more refined version of a sweatsuit. I pair it with a cotton tee, or I’ll wear just the blazer with leggings. On set, I wear it with sneakers, but sometimes I pair a suit with some Givenchy platforms that, again, give that sense of polish – heels can be as comfortable as flats. At the moment, I’m loving Bottega Veneta’s suits. The fit and fabrics are so good that they not only transcend day to night, but work really well trans-seasonally, too. Fabrics are the most important thing to focus on, as you can alter garments to fit.”
Don’t be afraid to mix it up
“I grew up with Prada, and one of the things I love is how Miuccia can cover all the stages of womanhood. Sometimes, it’s really grown up and chic, other times it’s more rock and roll, sometimes it’s playful – a colorful Prada mohair sweater is something I think every woman should own, as they’re so endearing and they’re never going to date. Miuccia has never been afraid to experiment with themes and personalities, and that’s how I approach getting dressed, too. Sometimes I’m feeling preppy, other times I feel like dressing very vampirey. I like to adopt color palettes for the seasons. In winter, I love head-to-toe black; in summer, I’m very into white on white.”
“In my suitcase, you’ll always find a black leather jacket, a tuxedo, some knits and a good evening dress. I usually pack all black”
Always overpack
“I travel a lot, but I am not a minimalist packer. I like options, because I want to be able to wake up and if I decide to wear something, I want to know that it’s there. It also means days can be more spontaneous, as I’ll always have something that’s appropriate. In my suitcase, you’ll always find a black leather jacket, a tuxedo, some knits and a good evening dress. I usually pack all black, or blackish colors. Everything goes together.”
“The nails are a reality check for me, and I have a little shave in my eyebrow – both stop any outfit looking too pretty or polished and remind me where I come from”
Find a skincare regimen that works for you – and stick to it
“I have very sensitive skin, so I can’t use everything – every time I get a bit creative with products, my skin gets upset. So, I’ve figured out what works for me, and my routine has been the same since 2004. I cleanse, tone and moisturize daily; everything I use is by Dr. Barbara Sturm; her product line for darker skin really agrees with me.
Find your beauty signature
“I always have my nails done. They’re long, squared-off and always painted; if one broke today, I’d have to immediately get it fixed. Being a Black girl in Brooklyn, I grew up around women getting their nails done. Today, the nails are a reality check for me, and I have a little shave in my eyebrow – both stop any outfit looking too pretty or polished and remind me where I come from.”
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