Model’s Own: Greg Jackson Is Strict About His Personal Uniform

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The D.C. native Greg Jackson is the designer behind Greg Laboratory, his quasi namesake fashion upstart of technical apparel for cool guys on the town. Conceived of as a destination for fans of modern-monochromatic everyday wear, the young New York City-based brand categorizes its shirts, jackets, and pants according to how they slot into both its own product lineup and their future owner’s wardrobe. Here you’ll find the explicitly experimental, building-block evergreens, and plenty of clever in-betweens, all in shades black, gray, and white.

The concept label is as invested in the design of its clothes as it is in their material composition — clear evidence of Jackson’s training in industrial design and previous career at Nike. The care and attention to detail it requires to sustain such a consumer-centric ethos is why we wanted to learn more about Jackson’s approach to shopping, his grooming go-tos, and his guilty pleasures.

What item do you wear at least twice a week?

A pair of Greg Laboratory pants and a Gyakusou jacket signed by Jun Takahashi. 

The pants I designed for myself. They’re really loose, really easy to be in all day. The main ones I wear are poly-cotton so they have a sheen that looks a little bit dressy, but they’re a heavier weight. I gave them really gigantic pockets organized in a way where I can still put everything in them. You could stick a water bottle, cell phone, wallet, everything in these. 

The jacket is one I designed with Jun when I was at Nike. It was the first piece I did working with them. So when I left Nike, it was a gift from my boss, and Jun had signed it for me. It’s a piece I’ll always have. 

What garment do you regret getting rid of?

A Yohji Yamamoto nylon trench coat.

It’s funny, I get into these situations where, if I haven’t worn something in a year, I’ll sell it because I’m trying to have a small closet. So I probably got something else that I was super into, and I didn’t wear this jacket for a whole year, so I was like, let’s sell it. But I regret it now because the fabric was so great. The fit was awesome; they had these pocket details I try to apply to every garment that I have now. I just wish I still had it as a reference piece. I might’ve sold it on Grailed. I should go back and look for it. 

What is the most you've ever paid for an article of clothing or an accessory?

A Cartier Santos Galbée. I’m not a watch guy whatsoever, but I discovered this watch online someplace super late to the game. I usually don’t wear any gold at all; I’m usually silver. But for some reason, the gold and silver on this watch looked so great. 

It was my 34th birthday, and I wanted to treat myself. So I bought this from The RealReal, but I didn’t realize there were two sizes — the women’s size and the men’s size. And I had bought the women’s size. I was so nervous because I thought it was too small for my wrist, but I have very small wrists as it is. And everyone was like, “No, it fits you so well.” So now it’s one of my favorite pieces. I don’t know if I’ll ever actually buy another watch; this is my go-to. I love that it’s almost like a bracelet.  

What item do you own multiples of?

My Greg Laboratory long-sleeve T-shirt. I also designed this for myself. It’s very loose-fitting, very airy, with super long sleeves — probably low-key a little too long, but I just like my sleeves to touch my thumb knuckle. It’s just a very versatile shirt. I wore it hiking in Peru, I wore it in the Amazon, I wear it in the city, and it just does great.

What’s your favorite sweater or T-shirt right now?

Surprisingly, a black J.Crew mohair sweater I received as a gift. My girlfriend was doing a J. Crew event, and she got the sweater because she thought I might like it. And I was like, “What? I don’t wear J. Crew.” And then I put that thing on, and I was like, “Okay, yeah, this is kind of nice.” And every time I wear it, everyone is like, “Yo, is that Jil Sander?” and they name all these crazy high-end brands. I’m just like, “Nah, this is J. Crew.” 

What's the most underrated brand right now?

Oree NYC. They’re based in New York City; I think my homie Chester was the first one that I saw with them. Their main shoe is a dress shoe with a big lug sole and a zipper in the back, but they’re super heavy duty and crazy comfortable. I wore them all through the winter. Super nice guys. I really think they’ll pop off sooner than later, honestly. 

What do you start with when building an outfit?

I let the weather dictate my outfit and then dress accordingly. If it’s hot, I’ll wear something loose and breathable. I start at the bottom and then go up because I essentially have two types of shirts I wear: It’s a white T-shirt or a button-up. 

How would your friends roast your style?

They'd probably say I wear the exact same thing every day. I just wear white and black. I’ve slowly been tiptoeing into French blue, like that quintessential COMME des GARÇONS shirt blue. But besides that, it’s white and black. And if I go outside of that, everyone’s like, “Whoa, what?”

How often do you do laundry?

I probably wash clothes every other week, and I’m super strict about taking care of my clothes. I dry-clean all of my shirting, and I wash almost everything on cold and hang dry — including my socks. I just moved to a new apartment in Bedstuy so I’m still trying to find a go-to dry cleaner. I might just look in the city because I’m in midtown every day.

What goes on your face before bed?

Vita-Antioxidant AVST Moisturizer. I feel like we guys got into skincare ever since Pharrell did his brand. I was trying to find the best stuff, and my girlfriend got me a facial from our friend Soo-Young, and I was like “Wow, this looks great. I look crazy shiny.” And then I was like, “Do you have some skincare product I should use?” And she was just like, “Yeah, use this one.” Honestly, I don’t know if it’s good or not, but the fact that a woman told me to use it, I’m like, “Cool, I'm down.”

Any grooming or beauty rituals?

Before bed, I wash my face with IS CLINICAL Cleansing Complex, rinse with cold water, then apply the Vita moisturizer. I also use Sebum Tone Clarifying toner a couple times a week. Shout out Soo-Young for my regimen.

What’s something you do or own that others might deem unnecessary or decadent?

I probably go through an entire bag of BjornQorn spicy popcorn in one sitting twice a week. I can’t even tell you when this happened, but I just got hooked on this popcorn. It’s just good. It’s spicy. It’s just salty enough that it’s not too salty. And because I get it from a fancy grocery store, I feel like it’s not as bad for me, but that’s definitely not true.

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