J.Crew Designer Olympia Gayot on Her Rare Book Collection and Art Collaborations
In an interview with CULTURED, J.Crew's Creative Director and Head of Women's and Kids' Design, Olympia Gayot, shares insights about her unique collection of books and art. Originally from Toronto, she now resides in New York with her husband, curator Matt Black. Their collection boasts every photography book by Juergen Teller, alongside rare titles such as 'Fashion: Photography in the Nineties' and 'Collecting Fashion' (Rizzoli). A Charlotte Perriand side table showcases Teller's 'Go-sees' and Robert Mapplethorpe's 'Early Works: 1970-1974'. Gayot encourages aspiring collectors to prioritize exploration and travel for exceptional discoveries. Her residence also features inherited Murano ashtrays and ceramics by Roger Herman, highlighting the connection between her professional and personal collecting pursuits.
Key facts
- Olympia Gayot is Creative Director and Head of Women's and Kids' Design at J.Crew.
- Gayot is married to curator Matt Black.
- Gayot owns every photography book by Juergen Teller.
- Her collection includes 'Fashion: Photography in the Nineties' edited by Camilla Nickerson and Neville Wakefield.
- She has collaborated with artists Nicole Wittenberg, Ann Craven, and Katherine Bernhardt at J.Crew.
- Gayot collects Murano ashtrays inherited from her aunts.
- She advises collectors to focus on the hunt and discovery, not price.
- Gayot and Black have been collecting books together since the 1990s.
Entities
Artists
- Olympia Gayot
- Matt Black
- Juergen Teller
- Camilla Nickerson
- Neville Wakefield
- Alexandra Carl
- Michèle Lamy
- Zaha Hadid
- Robert Mapplethorpe
- Nicole Wittenberg
- Ann Craven
- Katherine Bernhardt
- Roger Herman
Institutions
- J.Crew
- CULTURED
- Rizzoli
- Cow Books
Locations
- New York
- Toronto
- Paris
- Copenhagen
- Hydra
- Japan
- Maine