Q&A: Designer Peter Som

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SCARLETT JOHANSSON, Claire Danes and other well-dressed starlets rock the red carpet in the delicate frocks and clean-lined jackets of Peter Som. The San Francisco-born, New York-based designer spoke about his influences, which range from film noir to Impressionist paintings, at the Corcoran Gallery of Art on June 20.

» EXPRESS: What do you draw on when dreaming up a new collection?
» SOM: This past season, it was John Singer Sargent. I like the whole idea of translating brush strokes into a different medium. My main influences have always been art and the movies. Sometimes it's contemporary art, like that of my friend Gary Simmons.

» EXPRESS: Which movies influence your clothing designs?
» SOM: Growing up, I'd obsess over a single movie for a long time. The pinnacle was "My Fair Lady." I'd freeze-frame parts of the ascot scene. It had over-the-top luxury and clean lines.

» EXPRESS: Any other favorite fashion flicks?
» SOM: I also love "Grey Gardens" for its contrast, like when Little Edie fastens a really run-down, weathered cardigan with a brooch.

» EXPRESS: Does your San Francisco background ever affect your clothes?
» SOM: Definitely. The city has this laid-back attitude, a "hey dude" ease I've tried to bring to my clothes.

» EXPRESS: Is designing a red-carpet dress any different from doing a normal one?
» SOM: Actresses want to have a "wow" moment, but they also want to be comfortable. And these are things that we mortals want also. But I do have to think about whether a dress will photograph well and which colors will really pop.

» EXPRESS: Who — living or dead — would you love to design for?
» SOM: Audrey Hepburn. For me, she seems like an ideal fashion muse. She personified elegance.

» EXPRESS: You began your career working with some of the biggest names in the biz. How did they shape you?
» SOM: I interned for Calvin [Klein] and Michael [Kors], just a kid cutting swatches. But I learned how a design room worked, the luxury and quality that was put into each collection. And [Bill] Blass took precious fabrics and used them in unprecious ways. It was inspiring.

» EXPRESS: How do you dress?
» SOM: I like a uniform of a perfect white shirt — I'm always searching for one — and A.P.C. jeans. The field is much more wide-open for women, which may be a blessing or a curse.

» EXPRESS: You've done interior design, too?
» SOM: I did a building project in New York. The process was different. When you do interiors, they have to look in-style for the next 10 years. It was about translating things I loved into different mediums, like a wall upholstered in blue faux ostrich.

» EXPRESS: What's your apartment like?
» SOM: Eclectic and comfortable. After a busy day, I flop on the couch.

» EXPRESS: Do you entertain much?
» SOM: I love cooking and having friends over. I watch the Food Network and get obsessed with fixing one thing. Lately, it's been soufflés. Last night, I made a blue cheese one.

Photo courtesy Peter Som