LESSONS FROM LUCKY MAGAZINE'S FASHION DIRECTOR ANNE KEANE

 Lucky Magazine Fashion Director Anne Keane; photo credit: Phil Oh

"Fashionable" is the complimentary bi-product of creative chaos + arbitrary assessment. While designers continually chase the prospect of creating yet another 'inspired' collection, publication management (editors and fashion/creative/art directors the likes of Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington) sets the tone for seasonal trends. Journalists (think blogger Susie Bubble and columnist Suzy Menkes) define and opine on the sartorial medley of the moment. The general public plays both judge and jury in the face of endless options and informed style supremacy (a.k.a social media); and so, perception and placement become prominent drivers of what is "fashionable." For Lucky's Fashion Director, Anne Keane, seasons, styles, trends and tastes have served as the baseline of her day-to-day, since the magazine's inception in 2000. The LA-raised, West Village transplant shares a bit about her views on fashion, her time at Lucky Magazine and her dietary delights in our Q&A...

Photo credit: Melodie Jeng

You've been with Lucky since its inception in 2000 and experienced the ups and downs of the publication, along with fluctuation in fashion and tastes. What are your most memorable moments along the way? What hasn't changed in the last 14 years?

My most memorable moment was my interview with my would-be boss. I was wearing these witch-y Dolce shoes she happened to be obsessed with. We ended up talking about the pros and cons of them for a good 10 minutes! It was so much fun, and when does that ever happen on an interview? It was clear I had found the right place. 

I also have so many great memories of all the fashion shows I have attended. They have ranged from breathtaking to...insane! Marc Jacobs' marching band, the Chanel carousel, the McQueen pyramid with a 3–D hologram of Kate Moss floating in it. Those moments are priceless!

What hasn't changed over the years?  The positive energy of our editors. They have a very genuine enthusiasm for what they do and an outlook on the market that is unique and authentic. They love runway as much as they do street style; a random find on an unknown web site as much as they do a Saint Laurent shoe. And they love sharing that information. 

Content is key in keeping readers interested. How do you generate inspiration from season to season without being overly repetitive? Who is the 'Lucky' gal and what would she wear to the beach this summer--Paint me a picture!

I don't worry too much about being repetitive. Trends are cyclical, but every year we see a new fresh take on them. That is the exciting part! So what if we’re seeing a ton of white for summer again--as long as it’s all swoon-worthy and amazing. I love seeing new renditions of old trends. The details, nuances, styling, and timing keep it all interesting.  That is my inspiration.

The Lucky reader is savvy--she always has been. She makes smart, informed purchases with a discerning eye. She knows the marketplace and has a confident, lighthearted attitude when it comes fashion. She appreciates a quirky bag as much as she does a sensible one. She might be wearing a colorful bikini and simple cotton dress to the beach, but while she is sitting there she is shopping from her phone for the perfect Fall boots and coat. Again, I turn to our editors as inspirational examples of real Lucky girls. They are equally as passionate when discussing the qualities of an American Apparel tee as they would a Marc Jacobs shoe.

Back of the Benz: Anne Kwon Keane and Alexis Bryan Morgan by New York Magazine, Fashion Week 2010

Technology has transformed readership beyond traditional magazine subscribers to a vast interactive social network. Easing into a digital dichotomy wrought with overflowing opinion, global competition and an expectation of updates on demand, what is your philosophy for generating content (i.e. focus on quality or quantity? Fact or opinion?) and managing social media? Do you find that your job has evolved to accommodate the 24/7 model? (If so, how?)

Generating content has reached a fever pitch that can be overwhelming. My philosophy on it depends on the platform being discussed. Successful social media requires one to be consistently engaged in order to be successful. And by that very nature, this may mean that quantity sometimes wins over quality. But the good news is that as long as you are authentic your point of view will come across. I applaud those who embrace a moment in time on social media and make what might be considered in some circles a "mistake." It makes them human and all the more intriguing! And trust me I am consuming it 24/7. It is part of my job to know what people are talking about and what is blowing up on instagram! 

I'm a firm believer that food fuels productivity--do you agree? At work, what's your lunchtime regimen like?

Yes! Lately I am all about Organic Avenue's grapefruit juice with a shot of ginger and a lentil salad. And their Matcha Chia Glo juice for "dessert." I realize that makes me sound vegan and boring when it comes to eating, but I am emphatically not. I am as happy eating barbecue as I am lunching at Locanda Verde. And being from LA originally, I also always crave anything authentically Mexican. 

Street style, photo provided by Lucky Magazine, credit: Julio Gamboa

Style defines a person--from workwear to wedding formal and everything in between. What is/are your brand(s) of choice?

My style is fairly simple and generally on the preppy side. I am very picky about pattern--I have to wear it. Really, I could write a ten page memo on the brands I love and why!! But here is a very compressed version: I am crazy for: Celine coats, Thakoon sweaters, Proenza patterns, Alexander Wang shoes, Balenciaga dresses, Rag and Bone blazers, Chanel bags, MIH jeans, 3.1 tops, Madewell cotton dresses. My new obsessions are No. 21, Maison Kitsuné and Victoria Beckham. Oh, and I just went on a Roksanda Illincic appointment that was so inspiring!  She made me want to venture out of my navy and black comfort zone.