Cave recently talked with Windy City Times about his life, fashion and art.
Windy City Times: How did you become in fashion, and how did you end up in Chicago? [Cave is from Missouri.]
Jack Cave: I was in corporate for about 30 years, but it started when I attended the Kansas City Art Institute. I worked at Hallmark while I was in school, and it blossomed from there. I was in painting and fine art at first—but as I was doing that, I realized I wasn’t really going to make any money. [Laughs] Someone at Hallmark saw my sketches, and asked me if I do those for them. I then went into marketing and creative marketing.
I moved to Chicago in 2006. I really wanted to get out of corporate and start a consulting business. Plus, my brother was living here at the time and wanted me to come to Chicago—and I liked Chicago.
Then, 2007 hit—and [the national financial crisis] killed me. Doing what I wanted to do seemed difficult; my clients, who were Fortune 500 companies, pulled their contracts. I then started focusing on my art, and decided that’s what I wanted to do—and I started rebuilding myself.
WCT: And you did it through fashion?
JC: And I did it through fashion. I decided to go into accessories, although I had been involved in clothing. I participated in different shows, like during Fashion Week; those went really well. The one thing lacking in Chicago and the Midwest, though, is buyers; they tend to be in New York and L.A.
WCT: Let’s talk about those accessories. How would you characterize your items? What would make someone say, “Oh, yeah—that’s a Jack Cave piece?”
JC: I would say it’s very eclectic and European. There are a lot of luxury fabrics—and I only deal with luxury materials because I like how they handle. That would distinguish a Jack Cave piece. [Note: Cave later texted, “Another characteristic of my accessories is that they are non-gender-specific.”]
WCT: And, on the flip side, what’s the typical Jack Cave client?
JC: I would say that individual wants to be first in line. They don’t fall within traditional parameters. They like to have a certain flair about how they present themselves.
Even individuals who don’t have the money will save money to buy one of my pieces. That’s the kind of person I want—because they know the pieces are one of a kind. I want to be known as having one-offs.
WCT: By the way, I notice you teach at the School of the Art Institute. What are your classes?
JC: I teach fabrication and materials, and spacial habitats [which explores methods and processes for research, planning, and production leading up to the installation of a body of work] as well as advanced shape and garments.
I learn so much from the students. I teach them, but they feed me with how they see things. Things are so different now! It’s technology; I learn how to store information, but they learn how to use a pencil. You can’t do everything on a computer or phone.
Also, here are some fast facts about Cave:
—Neighborhood of residence: Irving Park
—Favorite snack: “Oh, my God—key lime pie is my favorite. But, snack-wise, probably candy—especially chocolate.”
—If you could have dinner with any three people (living or dead), who would they be?: “They would be Commes de Garcons designer Rei Kawakubo, Michelle Obama and my father.”
—Influences: “Japanese style and skateboard culture”
—What is fashion to you?: “As a designer, fashion, to me, is anything I would wear. I would wear any of my stuff. What I’m selling is my vision.”
Facility Fall-a-Faire, featuring Jack Cave and other artists, will open Thursday, Dec. 12, 5-9 p.m., and will continue Dec. 13-15, noon-5 p.m., at 3616 N. Milwaukee Ave. See http://FacilityChicago.org. For more about Cave’s designs, visit http://JackCaveLLC.com.