In the realm of girlhood dreams, Chloë Sevigny looms large. The actress and style muse has a Golden Globe, a backstage pass to every cool concert, and Bvlgari diamonds whenever there’s a big party.
Last night, the party was huge—a celebration of Raul de Nieves’ massive sparkly carousel at the Faena Hotel in Miami Beach. Party guests were warned not to touch it; Sevigny got to climb on and ride.
We had a drink with the eternally cool blonde just before dinner. She wore Miu Miu; we wore a naked expression of 9th grade anxiety, because, again: Chloë Sevigny.
Bvlgari has a lot of gorgeous jewels, but you’ve chosen a giant diamond collar. How do you wear huge gems without looking like a mafia wife?
Well first of all, who doesn’t want to look like Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface? You’ve got to own it. Put it on display. I kept the dress simple because I wanted the jewelry as the centerpiece. I’m obsessed with Italian big chunky jewelry. I feel like they do it so well—the Italians, but especially Bvlgari. The snake pieces, the big chunky diamond chokers, I’ve always been obsessed with them. I wore one of their vintage snakes to the Golden Globes the first time I went, and ever since, they’re my go-to.
Does your necklace come with a bodyguard?
You know, it did! He came up to the room but he’s left me alone for the party. I do have to return the jewelry before I’m allowed to leave the hotel, though. And to be honest, I think we’re surrounded by secret Bvlgari people to make sure I don’t make an escape.
You wear a lot of vintage jewelry. Do you think it’s haunted at all?
Never. I just don’t have that kind of personality. I even used to be obsessed with mourning jewelry, and nothing terrible ever happened when I was wearing it. Do I need a cleansing process for my jewelry? I don’t think so. Do you have one?
I do, actually. I wash all my jewelry in saltwater when I first get it. But I’m weird. And you buy vintage jewelry a lot and it seems fine…
I’ve recently been investing a little bit more now that I have my house in order, and other financial things in order. I’ve been getting some antique pieces from Kentshire Jewelry in Bergdorf. My friend Carrie [Imberman] owns it; her parents owned it. When I want to spend that much money, I know where it’s going, I know the research and care that goes into acquiring the pieces.
What about art? When did you first start investing in that?
When I was quite young! When Larry Clark directed my first film, I used to go over his apartment all the time and he had an amazing art collection. He was friends with Katie Nolan and Christopher Wool and Robert Gober. He had these Robert Gober wax red shoes that I was obsessed with. I grew up in Connecticut; I didn’t know too much about contemporary art. Larry Clark opened me up to this whole world. And it was when Felix Gonzalez-Torres was in his prime and had all these posters all over the city. I became obsessed with him, too.
Was that the first thing you bought?
No, I bought a piece at 303 Gallery from Karen Kilimnik. It was a painting and it was my first big piece. And it burned up in a fire!
What?!
I was going out with Harmony Korine at the time. He had a house in Connecticut, and I was in between apartments, so he had my painting up in that house! And there was a big fire, and that painting was destroyed. I’m still morning the loss of it. Before the fire, it was on loan to ICA London—it was an important piece! Now it’s gone forever, which is pretty terrible. It’s crazy how art can just disappear.
You just had a yard sale and sold a bunch of your clothes in New York. How’d that feel?
It felt really good! I had a big purge and it was great. All the girls who showed up were really excited. This girl was like, “I just bought my first Alaia dress!” I gave it to her for $100. I was happy the pieces were going to girls who were going to appreciate them and give them a real second life. Girls were picking stuff up that I wore in high school! I was trying to explain to the kids who were looking at them where it all came from and give them little stories. It was cute. The girls and boys who came were all really good kids; so nice and so excited about fashion.
Do you think if you were a teenager now, you would be cool?
I mean, probably! I try to stay current. I actually have a bunch of 20-year-old friends now. I try to stay current.
You have a Gen Z advisory council?! Where do you find them?
Some film sets, photo shoots, I did a play last year with a younger actress so I hang out with her. And they teach me about things I wouldn’t necessarily find on my own, like the newer hip hop… SZA, Jorja Smith. And when girls follow me on Instagram—some of the girls who came to the clothing sale tagged me, so I started looking at their feeds and seeing what they’re into. Checking them out—it’s cute for that reason.
Do you still like Instagram?
It’s up and down, depending on where my ego is at the time. [Laughing.] It’s a business for me so I try and keep it up. I do a thing called “I Heart Actresses” where I highlight performers and types of beauty that are harder to see in mainstream Hollywood. And I like to show artists on my feed. Like my friend, do you know Aurel Schmidt? Her Instagram got shut down because of drawings of penises! She’s like, “Literally there’s so much content on Instagram that’s so provocative, and I’m getting shut down because of fine art? You have to write [Instagram] for me and tell them to get their act together!” So I’m going to.
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How is Pete Davidson doing?
Ohhh! That’s funny! I just met him last night at the [Knicks] game. It was like me and my friend, and him and his friend, and we were all sitting next to each other.
Ohhh! The Internet is making it seem like your best friends.
I’d like to be besties with him! He seems cool! He’s a little young for me, as a guy, but I’ve seen him on SNL and I think he’s hilarious. And I heard about the whole thing, who did he date? Ariana Grande? But he seems like he’s doing great. He should absolutely come be my friend. I’d love to hang out with him sometime, you know, on purpose.