Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Max Reid of Manhattan

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Max Reid. Check out our conversation below.

Max, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I used to be an avid gamer, though these days real life feels far more exciting. Still, I’ve completely fallen back into Hollow Knight: Silksong — it’s meditative in the best way, even if there are moments when I’m this close to throwing my controller. It’s the perfect little escape that breaks up my routine and pulls me into a world that feels beautifully otherworldly.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a fashion stylist and creative director with a rather unexpected background — I actually started out as an engineer. A few years ago I accidentally stepped into styling during a shoot, and it ended up transforming my entire life. Since then, I’ve worked across Europe, Asia, and now the U.S., collaborating on campaigns and editorials for artists and brands like Maye Musk, Steve Aoki, Coco Rocha, Jessica Chastain, Jordan Roth, and Irina Shayk, as well as creatives like Steven Klein. My recent work also includes projects for Swarovski, Mind Games, and runway shows for designers such as LaQuan Smith, Grace Ling and Jason Wu — each one pushing me to evolve and expand my visual language.

Right now, I’m part of the team at Patti Wilson Studio and V Magazine — an environment that challenges me, inspires me, and constantly pushes me to grow. I’m dedicating a huge amount of time to learning, experimenting, and sharpening my craft.

I’m also exploring the intersection of photography and AI, creating surreal worlds where the digital and physical meet. It feels a bit like discovering a new universe — the same feeling you get when a game completely pulls you in — only now I get to design that universe myself.

At my core, I’m driven by curiosity and storytelling. I love creating work that feels thoughtful, intentional, and just a little otherworldly.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
Honestly, the person who’s taught me the most about work is… me. I’m constantly studying everything around me — whether it’s an image in a book or someone on set who doesn’t even realize I’m observing them. I treat the world like one big moodboard: always watching, analyzing, collecting details, and turning them into something useful.

But staying in this state isn’t effortless. It takes a lot of inner work to stay present, focused, and open enough to absorb inspiration instead of letting it pass by. So in a way, my biggest teacher has been learning how to keep myself aware, curious, and grounded. The world gives you endless lessons — you just have to be awake enough to catch them.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
All the time, honestly. The older I get, the more energy it takes to pull myself back up after each fall. Every new project I take on, I try to outdo myself — to create something better, something sharper, something that pushes me forward. And while I feel pure excitement right after a shoot, give it a day or two and that excitement usually dissolves into self-critique.

But that cycle, as exhausting as it is, is also what keeps me growing. I “give up” constantly — only to rise again with a sharper vision and stronger ideas. It’s less about defeat and more about shedding a layer so the next version of me can take shape. In a strange way, giving up is part of how I move forward.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Probably not — at least not entirely. But I’m trying my best (laughs). I don’t really believe anyone can be 100% their true self and still thrive in every situation. We move through the world interacting with so many different people, each with their own personality, expectations, and communication style. And to navigate all of that, you naturally adapt. You find a different “key” for every person, and sometimes that means shifting parts of yourself so the door actually opens.

I don’t see it as being dishonest — more like understanding how the modern world and our industry actually work. The public version of me is still me, just a curated version that allows me to connect, collaborate, and move forward without losing who I am at the core.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If immortality were real, what would you build?
I actually believe we’re not that far from some form of “immortality” — give AI another 10–20 years and we might unlock something very close to it. And if time were no longer a limit, I’d love to explore entirely new industries. Over the years I’ve realized that almost any profession becomes fascinating once you dive deep enough and start shaping a personal universe around it.

I’d definitely try my hand at creating carpets — not the ordinary kind, but couture carpets. Pieces that feel like wearable art, just laid across a floor instead of a runway. If immortality were real, I’d probably spend eternity jumping between worlds of craft, design, and storytelling, building things that feel both unexpected and beautifully intentional.

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Image Credits
Special Thanks to: MATT MYLES, GENIA KOZLOVA, PIERRE BONNET, SARAH SCHNEIDER, NATALIA JANUL & ODIN GRINA ,VIKTOR FEOKTISTOV, DARIA KOZAK, NIKA VOLKOVA, OLGA KOTOVA, CORINTH MOULTERIE, SVETA BULDAKOVA & DARIA MATKOVA, THOMAS CHIMNEY, TAKAYUKI UMEDA, SHU ZHANG, LEXIE TAPPER, SABINA KAHN, MAGGIE SEPSEY, MARCELO GOMEZ, FILI DOMINGUEZ, JULIZZA VIVAS, LANIER HANDY, KATYA KACHANOUSKAYA.

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