A Fashion Designer’s Art-Filled Artist’s Loft in SoHo, NYC

Fashion designer and philanthropist Kay Unger welcomes us inside her expansive New York City loft, where her decades-long collection of art, clothing, family treasures, and found objects meet the bold eye of interior designer Jamie Drake.

After a devastating flood forced the 5,000-square-foot apartment to be rebuilt, Jamie transformed the space with a sophisticated mix of industrial materials, saturated color, and pieces that reflect Kay's creative life.

The apartment’s entertaining spaces center around a dramatic black Venetian plaster fireplace, tomato-red vintage Le Corbusier chairs, sustainable rugs made from recycled leather, and artwork collected throughout Kay's life.

In the kitchen, lacquered cabinetry, marble, natural wood, and subtle red accents create a highly functional space designed for everything from intimate dinners to large gatherings.

Kay also opens the doors to her remarkable dressing room, filled with vintage Chanel, Alexander McQueen, decades-old pieces from her own collections, repurposed jewelry, and clothing inherited from her mother and grandmother.

Throughout the apartment, Jamie incorporates Kay's fashion sketches, family photographs, contemporary art, and sustainable materials, creating an interiors approach he describes as “personality, plus interior design.”

The apartment also reflects their shared commitment to sustainable design through their work with Parsons’ Healthy Materials Lab, with recycled leather rugs, corrugated cardboard tables, and a playful installation made from repurposed plastic bottles woven throughout the home.

The result is a deeply personal Soho home that balances art, fashion, entertaining, and the practical realities of everyday life—while remaining unmistakably Kay Unger.