Givenchy and Hepburn, Saint Laurent and de la Falaise... the relationship between designer and muse has been integral to fashion history. In Under the Influence, we ask our favorite contemporary designers to photograph the people, places, or objects that inspired their own collections. This time, Scott Sternberg of Band of Outsiders shares how Nicole Cari, BoO's VP of marketing and communications, impacts his creative process. In the past, we've described Nicole to Scott as peanut butter to jelly, and we're sticking to it...
Years ago, we also featured Nicole as your muse. Describe the staying power.
Nicole is just solid—a Steady Freddy, an Even Steven... um, yeah.
How does she influence you?
She is not shy about sharing her opinions.
Has the relationship between designer and muse changed as you've both evolved?
It's pretty much the same, but we're both a bit older and wiser.
If Nicole was only a boy OR girl, which would she be?
In the old Band vernacular, she'd definitely be more of a Boy. girl [in comparison to Sternberg's more feminine womenswear collection formally called Girl], but both sides are there.
You and your muse work incredibly closely, from fabric selection to show concept. What's the most surprising thing she's ever said to you?
I'm always surprised at how both of our tastes and interests evolve.
Tell us about shooting the polaroid campaigns with Nicole.
It's such a lovely, quiet, easy process. I can't remember a shoot that sucked. The day is pretty short—maybe four hours—and we're usually at an iconic LA location where people don't normally shoot, so there's not the feeling of a normal fashion or TV/film shoot.
If you and Nicole threw a dinner party, who else would come 'round?
Our buddies. Not like a bunch of famous people or anything like that.
Where did you shoot these photos?
Jeana Sohn shot them in Nicole's house in Echo Park.
In another life, my muse was:
Martha Stewart
Shop all Band of Outsiders men's and women's![]()
Nicole Cari, Band of Outsiders' VP of marketing and communications and Scott Sternberg's muse. Photos by Jeana Sohn
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In the previous image, Nicole wears the Flower Merino Wool Dress in black
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"Nicole is just solid." -Scott Sternberg
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In the previous image, Nicole wears the
Years ago, we also featured Nicole as your muse. Describe the staying power.
Nicole is just solid—a Steady Freddy, an Even Steven... um, yeah.
How does she influence you?
She is not shy about sharing her opinions.
Has the relationship between designer and muse changed as you've both evolved?
It's pretty much the same, but we're both a bit older and wiser.
If Nicole was only a boy OR girl, which would she be?
In the old Band vernacular, she'd definitely be more of a Boy. girl [in comparison to Sternberg's more feminine womenswear collection formally called Girl], but both sides are there.
You and your muse work incredibly closely, from fabric selection to show concept. What's the most surprising thing she's ever said to you?
I'm always surprised at how both of our tastes and interests evolve.
Tell us about shooting the polaroid campaigns with Nicole.
It's such a lovely, quiet, easy process. I can't remember a shoot that sucked. The day is pretty short—maybe four hours—and we're usually at an iconic LA location where people don't normally shoot, so there's not the feeling of a normal fashion or TV/film shoot.
If you and Nicole threw a dinner party, who else would come 'round?
Our buddies. Not like a bunch of famous people or anything like that.
Where did you shoot these photos?
Jeana Sohn shot them in Nicole's house in Echo Park.
In another life, my muse was:
Martha Stewart
Shop all Band of Outsiders men's and women's
Nicole Cari, Band of Outsiders' VP of marketing and communications and Scott Sternberg's muse. Photos by Jeana Sohn
In the previous image, Nicole wears the Flower Merino Wool Dress in black
"Nicole is just solid." -Scott Sternberg
In the previous image, Nicole wears the