Back in 2016, when the Strategist first launched, we asked designer John Derian about the unscented soap, calligraphy pen, and canvas tote he can’t live without. Six and a half years later, we asked him to revisit his list — which you can read here — and it turns out, he’s still using all of it, along with a few new favorites.
What he still can’t live without
I still use this every day. I’m fair complected, and I don’t think there are a lot of great moisturizers out there with a decent amount of sunscreen built in. Sun protection is important to me!
I have a low tolerance to too much scent. For a time, I felt like I was becoming like Julianne Moore in the movie Safe (1995), where she develops this full-body sickness to scents or fumes. Sometimes I’ll grab a stick of another natural, unsmelly deodorant — like Schmidt’s — but this one remains my default.
Again, I don’t like cloying scents or a lot of competing scents. Here’s a bar of soap with the thinnest list of ingredients that just does the essential job.
This is still very much in rotation. Actually, I wore it yesterday. It’s more jacket-y than shirt-y, and I wear it as a jacket. The fabric is substantial but not so substantial or cut in such a way that it restricts movement. It has deep, strong pockets that I can throw so much into when I’m flea-marketing, which is ideal, because I am a schlepper. There’s usually a screwdriver rattling around in one of the pockets. Amazingly, the garment is in great shape despite regular wear.
[Editor’s note: John Derian’s exact Ralph Lauren shirt — the Double RL Overshirt — is no longer available, so we linked a very similar option here.]
Still have these everywhere. I — we — use them all the time in my stores. The smaller end is perfect for our handwritten tags. Its flat marker tip makes everyone’s handwriting uniform. It kind of forces you to write letters and numbers in the same way and enforces a certain vibe.
I’ve had this tote for a decade, and like I said, I am a schlepper: This is my Mary Poppins carpetbag. I schlep stuff in and out and around the city in it; it goes from home to work and hangs around the shop. I don’t have a desk — this bag is where everything lives in various compartments. I take the tote to France twice a year — it works as my carry-on for flights. It’s what I use when traveling back and forth from Cape Cod. I go on a nine-seater plane, and they take it into the wing, so I have to remember to tie the top closed in that situation. The staff at the small airport recognizes this bag now. Last time, I remember a stranger was like, “Hey, your parsley is falling out!” I’m actually on my second one because the handle broke, and it took me a while to get the original bag repaired.
And some new favorites
We’re in the woods a lot on the Cape. There’s a lot of cranberry bogs and things of that nature, and I can just waltz through it in these rain boots. Mine are green. They make me feel like a little kid, and they make me feel indestructible. I’ll also wear them in New York City in the snow, and I’ll throw them on just to run across the street. They’re comfy. I’m not really one to dress up. For shoes, I like a slip-on — can’t bother with laces — and I like that these boots aren’t too heavy or very stiff. If I could wear them all the time, I would.
This salt comes from an estuary in Essex. Pyramidal flakes of salt that are large and crunchy and delicious. I have a bowl of it out at all times. We cook a lot when we’re in coastal Massachusetts — and I cook with this salt and use it over cooked food. I just use it for everything. Maldon offers a smoked version as well, but I wasn’t that into it. It’s just too much flavor for me. Whereas a lot of salt cakes up on the Cape because of the humidity, this somehow doesn’t cake up. For whatever reason, this stays crisp. In fact, I think all the markets on the Cape carry it, and I now buy it in the 20-ounce-size tubs.
I’ve had one of these hats for, like, a decade as well. It’s the perfect little traditional-like fisherman’s cap — great fitted shape, not too large or chunky. It’s made of a thinner cotton, not wool, so an ideal transitional accessory. I wasn’t sure what the weather would be like yesterday on the dunes, for example, so I dropped it into my pocket. Basically, it can often be found stuffed in my Ralph Lauren overshirt or in my Filson tote. It’s among my trusty basics (like the rain boots); the black indigo color reads like navy. I’ve cut the label off, so it’s about as basic as it gets.
A friend gave me a pair of Cutler and Gross eyeglasses for my birthday — this was maybe six years ago. I’ve been wearing them ever since. I’m on my fourth pair. These frames are similar to my normal glasses from the brand, but they’re smaller. They’re a clear acrylic in a very weak-tea color that’s just lovely. I am kind of rough with everything: A common thread here is that I appreciate and seek out sturdiness. These frames are definitely not flimsy, but they manage not to be heavy, either. Their aviator shape is classic — they don’t really make a statement. I should add that I have a giant head, and these sunglasses have the effect of making my head feel smaller!
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