Next Up in the Industry? Ellery Harper, Laura Dern’s Son

Leigh Nordstrom

Updated February 14, 2018 at 10:43 AM

Laura Dern might’ve been invited to the fall 2018 Calvin Klein show in her own right, where she sat front row chatting with “Big Little Lies” costar Nicole Kidman, but, in her words, she was there more as a chaperone for her son, whose interest in pursuing a career in the fashion industry scored him an invite to the show.

Ellery Harper, her 16-year-old son with ex-husband Ben Harper, is an aspiring model and designer and, lucky for him, his mom has a few connections in the industry.

“We’re just here at the Calvin show,” Dern said of her fashion week plans. “Really I’m attending with Ellery who has a great love of Raf and is an invited guest of Raf — they have a beautiful connection.”

“He originally asked me to walk,” Harper said. “But my dad had different opinions.”

“He wanted him to wait a little bit more,” Dern said.

“So I’m just here, spectating this,” Harper added.

Harper said he has an interest in modeling but his main focus is in design.

“This is a great love of his,” Dern explained.

In addition to getting time with Simons, it would seem the aspiring designer would get to meet some other industry legends before the night was over.

“I’m sorry to interrupt — do you know Grace Coddington?” Dern’s “Twin Peaks” costar, Kyle MacLachlan, interjected.

“I’ve only met her once. I’ll come,” Dern replied, before ending with praise for the designer.

“What he’s done at Calvin is my favorite gift in design. [He is] someone who is the king of a design house, like the work he did at Dior,” she said. “It’s so elegant and beautiful, and then he brings something so raw and modern.”

And clearly she’s not the only fan in the family.

“As someone who loves urban wear and streetwear, this is his favorite artist,” Dern said, motioning to her son. “So watching the two worlds come together through his work at Calvin is incredible.”

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