Meet: Jake Poser
NYC-based Stylist & Designer
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Join us as we chat with Jake about following his instincts, his approach to work, and why there always needs to be an element of play (oh, plus a whole lot more.)
Before we start, for those who don’t know you, can you share with us what you do and where you’re based?
Jake Poser, currently based on the Upper West Side in NYC with my partner and our cat, Swiffer (I know, I never thought I’d have a cat either). I work as a stylist and designer with projects spanning film, television, editorial and interiors and have an art practice as well.
When you look back, do you remember a moment growing up when you realized you were drawn to making things or shaping environments?
Not necessarily career-wise, but in that can’t-ignore-it way.
I can’t point to a single “aha” moment when I realized this would be my path, but I’ve always been instinctively drawn to the arts. My parents were incredibly encouraging, and creativity was woven into everyday life. School projects became full productions. We agonized over poster-board layouts and the details of dioramas. I went to art camp, or tennis camp where I inevitably ended up hiding out in the arts-and-crafts cabin.
I cared deeply about the décor of my bedroom and the Shabbos table, baked pies that had to have the perfect lattice crust, and acted in children’s theater productions while also gravitating toward set-building, costumes, and makeup. In all these small but persistent ways, making and shaping environments was always there, impossible to ignore.
Before you had language for being an artist or designer, how did that interest show up?
Rearranging rooms, obsessing over clothes, building little worlds, noticing details other people missed.
I was dressing up in my grandma’s clothes as soon as I could walk. I played with Barbies who dated my brother’s G.I. Joes, rearranged my room a million times, and hosted elaborate dinner parties at my “restaurant.” I danced in troupes and absolutely loved to draw and paint. I’ve been so lucky to always have a way to express myself creatively and the space to do so.
You work across art, interior design, and costume design for TV and film. On paper they’re different lanes, but internally do they feel connected?
Completely connected. Design is design. While the technical skills differ from medium to medium, the underlying principles remain the same.
In TV and film especially, understanding a character’s environment is essential to how you dress them, not just in terms of color, but also scale and context (a ballgown versus a doorway, for example). The way someone lives informs how they dress, and how you dress ultimately shapes how you live. Do you gravitate toward color or pattern, or prefer neutrals? Could you comfortably live surrounded by colors you’d never wear?
Approaching projects across disciplines holistically helps me and my clients and collaborators more clearly define the goal. That shared understanding, I think, is what leads to stronger, more cohesive results.
Is there a through line in how you approach all of them? Something about storytelling, mood, character, or atmosphere that shows up no matter the medium?
My approach is always evolving. It used to begin strictly with research, but now it often starts with feeling; how a project makes someone feel, or better yet, how it wants to make someone feel. I think first about the goal: Are we selling a look? Helping someone express themselves? Creating a space for hosting family and friends?
From there, it becomes research… endless research. Saved folders upon folders: Instagram, magazines, travel, art books, even the wall of a subway station. The people at Apple tell me I’ll never use a terabyte of storage, but I’m determined to prove them wrong.
Working in creative industries often comes with imposter syndrome, especially in a city like New York. How does that show up for you, if at all?
I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t show up. But I try to remind myself that I’m building a portfolio across many different types of projects, and that I’m fortunate to work with people from a wide range of industries and walks of life. That variety actually keeps my imposter syndrome a bit confused—I switch hats so often it doesn’t have time to fixate on one person or path to compare myself to.
Comparison creeps in, of course, but I do my best to stay focused on my own lane and enjoy the process for where I am right now. We all get where we’re meant to be, in our own time.
In that same sort of sense, how has your relationship to confidence changed over time? Not in a fearless sense, but in how you move through doubt without letting it stop you.
I think I’ve learned to just keep going. What’s the alternative? Stop because of a wrong shoe choice or a paint color that didn’t work? You take note, make an adjustment, and move forward.
So much of good design is instinctual and rooted in risk-taking. Over time, I’ve become more comfortable sitting with doubt without letting it stall me. Ideally, the projects get bigger and the risks grow too but they also become more informed, more intentional. Confidence, for me, isn’t fearlessness; it’s learning how to move through uncertainty and keep working anyway.
What has working in New York given you creatively, and what has it demanded from you in return?
New York is a gag. Creatively, it gives me the opportunity to work at a larger scale—on projects that feel ambitious, with artists and collaborators who are truly next level. Simply by living here, I’ve been lucky enough to meet and work alongside creative institutions, which is endlessly inspiring.
If you’re curious by nature, New York is a never-ending treasure trove. We’re incredibly lucky to have her. At the same time, the city demands speed, hustle, and an almost constant drive. There’s a real fear that if you step away, you’ll miss the next project or the next moment.
What I’ve learned, though, is that leaving New York is imperative. To thrive here, you have to take breaks. Stepping outside the city—seeing other parts of the world, experiencing suburbia, slowing down—creates perspective, breath, and purpose. That space ultimately fuels the intense work ethic and opportunity that New York provides.
How do you feel the internet and social media have impacted your industries, especially when it comes to taste, visibility, and the pressure to be legible online?
I’m trying to be better about sharing my life and work online—it’s tough. So much of what I do is about the work itself, not about me, but I understand that to expand my practice and my “brand,” being present online matters.
I don’t have a scorching hot take on social media. Like most people, I think it’s been one of the greatest connectors—and also pretty terrible for my brain. I’ve met incredible creatives from all over the world through the internet, which has genuinely expanded my network across interiors, film, TV, and art. The ability to see and share so much work so quickly is amazing.
At the same time, it’s cursed. There’s constant competition for instant gratification—for ourselves, for brands, for clicks, for movie trailers. And now everyone is a critic. It’s certainly easier to throw opinions into the void when you don’t have to confront anyone in person.
That said, truth be told, I’m a scroller. I love to click, save, like, and subscribe.
Your personal style feels intentional without being precious. How does the way you dress and present yourself influence your creative work, if it does at all?
Thank you, I’m blushing. And yes, it is quite intentional. When I’m working, comfort really matters to me, so my approach to dressing is rooted in simplicity, ease, and practicality. I gravitate toward vintage-washed jeans, a cotton sweater or crewneck, and a sensible loafer or sneaker. I don’t feel the need to make a bold statement with my clothes; instead, I like investing in pieces that stand the test of time. A wardrobe built on strong basics makes getting dressed and styling feel effortless.
That same mindset shows up in my interiors, which are a mix of inherited pieces from my grandmother and bold, graphic patterns. I’m always playing with dichotomy: nostalgia and modernity, restraint and whimsy.
Ultimately, I do my best work when I feel good: visually, physically, and emotionally. I want my work to feel easy to understand, undeniably stylish, and classic, with a nod to fantasy. I try to reflect that same balance in how I present myself.
With client work, deadlines, and expectations, how do you protect a sense of play and curiosity so the work doesn’t become purely transactional?
I can’t work without playing. Cheesy, I know, but laughter and lightness are essential, especially in collaborative environments. I’m lucky to get to play dress up with fabulous people, rearrange rooms, and paint beautiful things for clients who actively seek out my creative services. That may sound flippant, and it certainly understates what artists and creatives really do, create meaningful cultural moments, but it’s important to leave room for whimsy and humor too.
Deadlines are simply a fact of life. In interiors, in film, and always with invoices, they’re usually non-negotiable. I respect that and do my best to meet them every time. Being responsible, honest, and communicative keeps projects moving smoothly, and that efficiency actually creates more space for play.
Design also thrives on challenge. Keeping collaborators on their toes with unexpected choices sparks conversation, maintains momentum, and keeps the work feeling alive rather than transactional.
Before we let you almost go, where can we find more of you?!
Follow me on Instagram or TikTok?! Email? Let’s collaborate!
Let’s Get Deep
What’s your theme song?
Right now, probably Native New Yorker – Disco Mix by Odyssey. I also listen to a ton of Broadway show tunes, though I’m not sure they fully reflect this current moment in my life.
Night In or Night Out?
Night in! I love to cook and host and live my Ina Garten fantasy.
When do you feel most you?
It’s all about the hunt. I feel most myself when I’m in the midst of searching before anything is fully formed whether that’s during a fitting, prepping a dinner for friends at home, or wandering the Saint Ouen flea market in Paris. That moment of discovery, play, and imagining before things are solidified is my favorite part of any creative process.
What’s something you’re obsessed with right now?
The color red! It’s the perfect pop.
Call or Text?
Call me! I miss house phones and prefer wire headphones to airpods.
When was the last time you cried?
I don’t full-on cry very often, but I well up at the drop of a leaf in the fall. An orchestration during a Downton Abbey rewatch or listening to Man I Need by Olivia Dean will absolutely do it on the right street corner. I’m a total wuss.
When’s the last time you laughed (like a big belly laugh)?
Boring, I know, but I honestly don’t remember. Probably not a great thing. New New Year’s resolution unlocked. Thank you for pointing it out.
Current favorite follow on social media?
It’s always StreetEasy… don’t tease me with a piece of NYC real estate that I can’t yet afford. Not sure I even follow but the targeted ads are working!
Lastly, what’s one thing you would tell your 16-year-old self?
My 16-year-old self probably wouldn’t listen—he was way too cool—but I’d try to tell him, “Go with the flow! It’s all happening! I love you, wackadoo! Kiss mom!”
Find More of Jake here:
Instagram: @jakeposer + @jakeposerconcept
TikTok: @jakeposer
Website: jakeposer.com
