Nicole Miller Reflects On Owning The ’90s

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Nicole Miller’s first fashion show in New York was in 1990 and turned her into a household name. With ’90s nostalgia at fever pitch, we checked in with the legendary designer and Sag Harbor resident about the career-changing decade, what it was like working with the supermodels, and the look she hopes will stay in the past.

There’s been a real interest in fashion from the 1990s. Why do you think a younger generation is looking to that decade for inspiration? Everyone is into nostalgia. The younger generation is always envious of an era they did not experience. I’ve heard so many times how they wish they could have been there. Sometimes I feel their interpretations of older decades are better than our actual styles.

Do you think ’90s style is as defined as fashion from other decades? I feel that a lot of other eras were more obvious. The 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s are very vivid to me. Maybe you have to be years in the future to see an era more clearly.

What was that era like for you as a designer? I loved the ’90s! I had my first fashion show in 1990. It was Spring ’91, and it was a huge hit. I had the cover of WWD with Christy Turlington wearing my dress and many pages in Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and all the other fashion magazines. So the ’90s were an exciting time for me. We had two fashion shows a year, plus resort shows.

Your first show had the supers walk. How did that come together? I was so fortunate to have Christy [Turlington], Linda [Evangelista], and Naomi [Campbell] in my first show, as well as Yasmin Le Bon, Gail Elliott, Melanie Landestoy, and Sophia Goth. We had a fantastic cast, and our PR firm, KCD, was instrumental in getting us such a fabulous group.

What was it like working with the girls at that time? The girls were always great, and they all seemed to be quite good friends and supportive of one another. They really did have quite an aura about them. They truly were supermodels. It was a point in time that never was repeated.

Who is your favorite model from the 1990s? Well, it’s hard to decide among such fabulous women, but I did think Linda Evangelista was particularly amazing. She also had a manner of professionalism that was impressive.

Are you a nostalgic person? I am nostalgic about some things, but I don’t like to dwell on the past. I like things to move forward, so fashion being on repeat can be a little boring sometimes.

Is there any fashion from the ’90s that you hope to never see again? Let’s ban slip dresses over T-shirts!

Ha! Yes! What’s new at Nicole Miller these days? There’s always a lot going on here. We have more than 50 product categories now, and we’ve become a well-rounded lifestyle brand. We also have a line at QVC, which has been lots of fun. Other than that I traveled to Albania to judge a fashion contest recently, so there are always a lot of things like that happening.

All images: Courtesy of Nicole Miller.

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