These Bay Area gents prove that success comes with an eye on the art of fashion.
Founder, Jay Jeffers Inc., jayjeffers.com
Years ago, Jay Jeffers’ grandmother gave him advice that he uses as a mantra, professionally and personally. “Save a little. Spend a little. Give a little. That saying can really transfer to anything in life,” says Jeffers. “It’s not just about money. If we all lived this life, our world would be a better place.”
And if the world mirrored what Jeffers creates for clients—highly curated rooms with plenty of soul and collected stories—we’d likely possess infinite beauty. The designer, whose books include Collected Cool and Be Bold, says his personal style is similar to the interiors he conjures. “I love mixing high-end and low-end pieces with a vintage belt and cool shoes. Actually, it’s all about the shoes,” he says. “Fashion is a form of expression that I enjoy so much. And it’s a form of armor as well. I look at fashion from a quality standpoint, not from a label standpoint. In fact, I always remove the Thom Browne (thombrowne.com) labels on the outside of the jackets. I’d rather you ask who I’m wearing.”
The biggest news in Jeffers’ world these days is the opening of his own boutique hotel, The Madrona (themadronahotel.com), in Healdsburg. Not surprisingly, the property has received rave reviews for its design, but critics also love its luxe accommodations and dining and beverage programs. Guests might glimpse Jeffers on the porch of the property wearing black linen James Perse (jamesperse.com) shorts, a short-sleeved patterned shirt by Dior (dior.com), navy leather sneakers by Common Projects (commonprojects.com) and a Calibre de Cartier (cartier.com) diving watch. For Saturday evenings in wine country, he’ll don Boglioli (bogliolimilano.com) chinos, a short-sleeved Brunello Cucinelli (brunellocucinelli.com) shirt, vintage belt and sandals from Mister Turk (mrturk.com).
Back in San Francisco, in addition to Thom Browne, Jeffers says his favorite fashion brands change often. His current favorites include Bode (bodenewyork.com), Dries Van Noten (driesvannoten.com), Koio (koio.co), Officine Générale (officinegenerale.com), Uniqlo (uniqlo.com), Eleventy (eleventymilano.com) and Belstaff (belstaff.com). And while Jeffers’ fashion ensemble speaks volumes, he says he’s been told he’s aloof. “I’m not really, but I’m still OK with it, as I like to have a hint of mystery.”
Stylist, Suitsupply, suitsupply.com
Alan Maramag, who has spent his life in the Bay Area, proudly acknowledges that the region’s 1990s underground subcultures have greatly influenced his style. “Being immersed in hiphop, alternative rock, skateboarding and rave culture not only helped nurture the way that I think but also opened up my experimentation with fashion,” says Maramag, who is a stylist for Dutch menswear brand Suitsupply. “I’ve studied everything from streetwear to runway to tailored clothing, which led me to a career in fashion, working for several notable luxury brands.”
For years, Maramag’s style icon was André 3000, who embraces elevated tailoring and traditional menswear while executing it in a way that resonates with his audience. “His personal style taught me how I can blend the extreme opposites of my persona to feel both comfortable and authentic in any environment,” says Maramag, who says his current look is relaxed, tailored minimalism with a touch of streetwear. Beyond Suitsupply, the stylist’s go-to designers are Brunello Cucinelli (brunellocucinelli.com), Stoffa (stoffa.co), Fear of God (fearofgod.com), Lemaire (us.lemaire.fr) and Ralph Lauren (ralphlauren.com). His current go-to sartorial formula is a tailored jacket with a casual knit top, high-waisted, relaxed-fit pleated trousers and unstructured suede loafers.
“Fashion has taught me a lot about the strength of visual communication,” says Maramag. “It has shown me that how I choose to present myself can not only affect how others act around me but can also open opportunities for careers and new friendships.”
While it’s not related to fashion, there’s a bit of advice Maramag received long ago that steadies him and offers a world of perspective: “There are people who love you,” he says. “Stop focusing on the ones who don’t.”
Founder, Queer Arts Featured, queerartsfeatured.com
With his strawberry blond tresses, mesmerizing blue eyes, statuesque height and edgy style, Devlin Shand is hard to miss. Usually, the artist is behind a camera—he’s one of society photographer Drew Altizer’s most in-demand lensmen—but this past June, Shand stepped out from behind the shutter and opened Queer A.F., or Queer Arts Featured. Fittingly, it’s located in Harvey Milk’s former camera store. The space features more than 30 local artists and represents various media, from Shand’s photos and re-created jewelry to paintings, accessories and clothing.
A native of Cornwall, N.Y., Shand first realized the importance of fashion when he moved to Manhattan. “I learned quickly that how you present yourself is how most people see you. As I overcame the fear of expressing myself as a queer person, I realized how liberating it is to play with what you wear and thereby give others permission to do the same.” And play he does. Shand shops exclusively at vintage spots like Wasteland (shopwasteland.com) and Crossroads (crossroadstrading.com) and local estate sales. “My most treasured pieces lived a life before me, and I see it as a luxury and a privilege to carry them forward into my own,” he says. He prefers designers that aren’t afraid to try something new, like Palomo Spain (palomospain.com) and Daniel Roseberry (@danielroseberry). How does he describe his over-the-top, fabulous forward style? “My looks may be curated, but my life is just as chaotic as anyone’s,” Shand says. “If Stevie Nicks, Iris Apfel and Mick Jagger had a baby, I would be that chartreuse silk fringe-swaddled baby.”
Founders, Gentleman Farmer Wines, gentlemanfarmerwines.com
These are exciting times for Gentleman Farmer Wines, a Napa boutique winery known for its cabernets, chardonnays and rosés. Owners and life partners Joey Wolosz and Jeff Durham recently added a Sonoma Coast pinot noir that will be released to the Gentleman Farmer Wine Club Collective in December and to the public in 2023. “I’m excited we’re now working with pinot noir,” says Wolosz. “Our winemaker, Jérôme Chéry, is from Burgundy, the motherland of the varietal.”
Inspired by Bordeaux chateau tradition, the gents are also known throughout Napa Valley as the consummate lunch party hosts. Invitations to midday soirees in their 1926 Craftsman bungalow are highly coveted. The duo recently started major renovation on the bungalow, where a massive chefs kitchen will be dropped into the middle of the space for even more elaborate lunches and wine pairings. The scene is always festive: Wolosz, who wears an oilcloth Hedley & Bennett (hedleyandbennett.com) waxed canvas apron, whips up everything from his own housemade mustard and brioche to terrines and prosciutto. Durham serves the five courses and buses tables amid the unending cheer in the room.
Fashion plays into nearly every aspect of their work and social lives, which are vitally linked. “My closet is probably 99% blue,” says Wolosz. “Over the years, I’ve shifted to intentional-casual. I never want to be stuffy—this may be a side effect of living in wine country. Denim shows up quite a bit. I have some soft Brunello Cucinelli (brunellocucinelli.com) shirts, a Montcler (moncler.com) outer vest and a Western corduroy Tom Ford (tomford.com) jacket I’m pretty fond of. I have many pairs of Vans (vans.com), a coastal California influence of my youth.”
For his look, Durham, who owns more than 50 hats, says he favors color schemes (blue, black or brown) that he can easily match with favorite brands like Todd Snyder (toddsnyder.com), Theory (theory.com), Ron Dorff (rondorff.com) and APC (apc-us.com). “I like to lay items out on the bed to get a good visual of where I am in my head,” says Durham. “As opposed to Coco Chanel, I like to add one item before I leave the house—like my new favorite thing, blue nail polish.”
The business of winemaking is fraught with more curves than a Napa Valley switchback. One bit of advice that has served the couple well came from fellow vintner Allison Steltzner: “You be you.” They’ve never wavered from this nugget. “It’s more than just wine,” says Durham. “It’s about relationships. It’s about hospitality and sharing it at the table with friends new and old.”
Photography by: JASON MADARA; WESLEY J. SZABO; DEVON LACH; COURTESY OF GENTELMAN FARMER WINES
