About Us
Grayse is a modern collection of specialty separates designed to dress women who love quality, luxury, and style. This is the Gray's first time collaborating since their departure from St. John Knits almost a decade ago.
Most of the collection is produced at the company's headquarters in Irvine, California. The duo places a high value on empowering women to feel confidant, glamorous, sexy and edgy. Each piece is designed with attention to detail, carefully fitted to ensure the most flattering silhouette.
The collection features embellished tops and dresses, delicately sequined leggings and gowns, and exquisitely detailed leather jackets. Grayse has three retail boutiques and is carried online at www.grayseofficial.com
Marie Gray
Internationally Renowned for her Classic Knit Designs
Creator of One of the Most Recognizable fashion brands in the world.
Internationally renowned for her classic knit designs, Marie Gray was the creative force behind St. John, the company she co-founded with her businessman husband in 1962. Together the two created one of the premiere clothing companies in the United States and one of the most recognizable fashion brands in the world.
Born in Europe and raised in Canada, Marie was studying to be an opera singer when her family's move to California brought her to the fashion industry. In Los Angeles, she became a successful fashion model, but soon gravitated towards designing clothes herself.
In the early 60's, a simple hand-knit dress created on a whim, proved to be the inspiration for St. John. Her entrepreneur husband, Robert Gray, recognized the strong business potential of the design and began selling it to specialty retailers. Almost overnight, St. John was launched.
For the next 44 years, Marie Gray's unwavering commitment to quality combined with styles of timeless elegance created legions of devoted customers. Aficionados included some of the most powerful and high-profile women in the world.
Though she left the company in 2005, Marie continues to serve on its Board of Directors. She says she is also finally finding time to devote to her other interests which include, in addition to golf, children's charities, education, and the Arts.
Kelly Gray
Iconic Model and Creative Director
Kelly was, in a sense, born into the world of fashion. She grew up at St. John, the high end knitwear company founded by her model-turned-designer mother and businessman father in 1962. When she was only 12, her father hired her to work answering phones during summer vacation, and by the time she was 15, Kelly began modeling for the company.
Within a few years, she became the face of St. John, appearing in the company's iconic ads for over two decades. But Kelly had learned from her parents that fashion was about much more than just appearances and advertising. She made it her business to familiarize herself with every aspect of the company, working in departments as varied as shipping and accounting, production and retail, each experience deepening her knowledge of the industry. She moved up the corporate ladder quickly, becoming the company's Creative Director when she was in her mid-20's, and just before her 30th birthday taking over the reins as CEO.
In the interim, Kelly and Nikki Sixx had formed Royal Underground, a men's clothing line with an edgy vibe. The two had met backstage at Kelly's first Motley Crue concert and soon discovered a shared love for fashion. Following the success of its men's line, Royal Underground launched its women's line in late 2007.
Kelly says she has enjoyed her "love affair" with the rock and roll industry and working on Royal Underground, but ultimately realized how much she missed working with her family. Grayse, the new company she has formed with her mother, Marie Gray, seems "the natural progression at this stage of my life."
During her years at the head of St. John, Kelly steered it through a period of amazing growth, taking the firm from a $100 million-a-year company to one with annual revenues of $400 million. Though she left St. John in 2005, she returned less than two years later as a part-time creative consultant for two years.