In the fictional hierarchy of accessories, socks would likely rank near the bottom in terms of importance for most people. After all, they’re partially hidden by your shoes. Entrepreneur and designer
Jenni Lee didn’t agree with that assessment, having established a collection of unique socks over her years of traveling and working in the fashion world. Then, in March of last year, she took a significant step forward in elevating the humble sock from a functional leftover to a luxurious and exciting part of your everyday wardrobe with the launch of
Comme Si.
“I grew up in the era of frilly socks with jelly sandals, chunky white [socks] with Air Maxes, and I started collecting socks in high school,” she says when we visit her Brooklyn home (before the start of the current pandemic). “I didn’t go to a school that required uniforms, but I did play in the orchestra and on the tennis team and found that socks were a way to add a little flair to my extracurricular uniforms, a way to signal my personality and creativity.”
Unsurprisingly, Lee’s exceptional taste doesn’t stop at her sock drawer—or, rather, at the *adorable* miniature hangers she’s using to display some of her favorite silk and cashmere Comme Si styles. Old Céline sunnies mingle with gold vintage necklaces on her dresser, and a handful of drool-worthy Acne Studios coats share closet space with affordable Uniqlo separates and investment pieces like the cream Prada sweater that she wore to her wedding (again—this woman is beyond cool).
More on her journey through the fashion and direct-to-consumer industry, how she is reshaping what it means to create a luxury brand, and her response to anyone who still throws shade at wearing socks with sandals, ahead.