Chef de Couture: Shannon Reed Designs Innovative Chef’s Coats and Aprons

Photo by Scott M. Lacey. Hair and makeup by Michelle McGrath.

The Lincoln-based clothing designer Shannon Reed has a résumé that includes stints at J.Jill and Sigrid Olsen, but it was her close friendships with chefs like Barbara Lynch and Suzanne Goin (of Lucques, in L.A.) that led to her current business—designing stylish, innovative chef’s coats and aprons. “It felt like all the uniforms these poor chefs were wearing were basically pajamas,” Reed says. “They were just void of style. I have such a passion for food and design that I thought it would be a great marriage.” After founding her company in 2008, she relaunched the business last November—and her wares can now be seen on Lynch, Oleana’s Ana Sortun, and the front-of-house staff at Myers + Chang.

Her latest fan? Menton chef de cuisine—and recent winner of Top Chef: Seattle—Kristen Kish (pictured), who donned a Shannon Reed chef’s coat on the finale of Last Chance Kitchen, an online component of Top Chef. “I love that they are industrial while still being really feminine,” Kish says of the designs. “I think they’re fantastic, and there are so many different options.”

“Moto” chef jacket, $189, and denim apron, $44, shannonreed.com.