Even though I have never stepped foot into this city, there is something that I find extremely charming about the homes in New York City. On the verge of graduation, it seems a little unrealistic for a poor college student like me to pick up and move right away, but someday I hope I can call a place like this my home – at least for a little while.
This brownstone found in Brooklyn is catching some buzz because it is only 12ft wide. After taking a look at the pictures, the size of the width doesn’t even seem to look like as small as it really is. Much of the interior was designed and placed strategically in order to maximize space.
Here are some of my favorite shots of the interior below:
After tomorrow’s 2011 Video Music Awards, make sure you stick around to catch the pilot episode of MTV’s newest scripted series, “I Just Want My Pants Back.” Nathan Williams, the frontman of Wavves, has composed several songs and is in charge of providing the score for the new series. I’m not exactly sure what this series is about nor have I seen it advertised that much on the network, but supposedly, the series follows a group of hipster post-grads living in Brooklyn.
The full series will premiere sometime in 2012. Apparently, MTV was casting extras for the series last summer searching for real-life hipsters:
“Do you own skinny jeans, old school chucks, cabbie hat, the 70’s vest, an ironic t shirt or hat, a fitted sweater, flannel shirt, or chunky lens-less glasses? Do you drink PBR, have an ironic mustache, have a blog that allows you to post pictures you took with your digital camera? Been called a hipster? Deny being a hipster, but own various wardrobe and sport an asymetrical hair style that is considered Non-Mainstream? Smoke Parliaments? Got any cool tattoos? Perhaps one of a star, maybe on your wrist or elbow? Own a vintage dress or have an awesome beard? Shooting the week of 8/30/2010.”
The seventh annual Afro-Punk Festival will take place at Commodore Barry Park in Brooklyn at the end of August (27th-28th.) LINE UP:
Cee Lo Green
Santigold
Janelle Monae
Fishbone
Jay Electronica
Toro Y Moi
Toshi Reagon
Ninjasonik
Cerebral Ballzy
Gordon Voidwell
Reggie Watts
Res
Joi
Rocky Business
Straight Line Stitch
The festival also includes a variety of 20 different food trucks and a BMX competition. You definitely don’t see that everyday.
Can I just attend one music festival every month for the rest of my life? I will be the happiest girl in the world if my degree lands me with a job that will allow me to do so. By the way, is there anyone else besides me that remembers that one episode of “My Super Sweet 16” featuring Cee-Lo Green’s daughter?
Last year, my roommate and I were obsessed with our TV time. We had our scheduled shows to watch almost every night and if for some reason we had to miss an episode, her and I would stream it together from my laptop the day after. One night during TV hour, I caught a promo for MTV’s new series “My Life As Liz.” Liz Lee was a high school senior from a city in Texas with hair as red as Hayley Williams. She wasn’t a part of the mean girls, though she once hung out with them. She wasn’t a mathlete, a prep, a jock, or a sexually active band geek, though she does enjoy singing! Liz and her best friends would actually prefer to call themselves the “Nerd Herd.” The show revolved around her life, her relationships, and the end of her senior year in high school, but basically what you need to know is that this girl is badass. Liz is totally a girl that I would have hung out with in high school and I think that’s probably one of the reasons why I adored the show. Although the series was shot with reality television style camera-work and editing, the show is completely unscripted. As the season went on, I became more interested in trying to reach out to Liz for an interview on Yow Yow, but unfortunately wasn’t able to. It took me a year, but I’ve finally gotten my interview! Two weeks ago, Liz and I finally had the chance to speak with each other on the phone (my second phone interview since Brendan Leonard.) where she filled me in on her first year of college, her first season shooting My Life As Liz, and now her second season, which premieres tonight on MTV at 11PM after Teen Mom 2.
Q: Hi Liz! First off, how old are you and where are you from?
Liz: I am 19, and I am from Burleson, Texas.
Q: How did you acquire your own show? Did MTV approach you or did you approach them?
L: MTV was shooting a pilot for another show at my school focusing on my school’s journalism program. (Supposedly a spin off of The Paper) The producers interviewed me and the test shoot morphed into my own show.
Q: Prior to forming a contract with them, did you have any hesitations about letting MTV into your life or did any of your family/friends have any hesitations?
L: Before shooting season one, my family was concerned about me being in the public eye and living out my high school experience in such an open way. They were only familiar with reality shows that involved drinking and partying, which also concerned them. They wanted to make sure that my show was positive and reflected my life and the situations encountered by my friends on the show in an accurate and positive way.
Q: Looking back on it now, how do you feel about those hesitations? Are they still there or how have they been resolved?
L: The hesitations have been resolved because they were able to see that my show is of a different breed. They also feel that it’s totally worth it because of the way that the fans of the show have reacted.
Q: So it’s been a year since we’ve seen your show’s first season. What has changed and can you set the scene for what the second season will look like?
L: Well, now I live in New York and I graduated from high school and now go to an art school called Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. It’s my first year of college and it just sort of follows that big change, you know, the dynamic between you and your old friends and trying to find new friends and trying to be independent in this huge scary place. It’s sort of like – not every college experience is like an Asher Roth song or a movie. It’s showing the tough side of it especially since the Pratt curriculum is pretty heavy undertaking. So I’m trying to juggle school and all of these adjustments at the same time. It follows the relationships and how the dynamics change and stuff.
Q: And how was your first year of college?
L: It was a struggle at first because it was this whole new place. I had never been this far away from home and I didn’t really have any friends up here so it was just kind of tough. But now, I kind of feel like this is where I belong and I feel like I’ve finally found my place with friends – and it’s just great.
Q: That’s great to hear. This is my third year in college, but I remember that same feeling of being down and trying to adjust with friends at school and with friends away at school and managing those relationships as well.
L: Yeah, well because there’s just sort of this stereotypical college experience that you see on TV or in movies and I come to college expecting that I’m going to immediately have a social life and a bunch of friends, and it’s just not that way especially with school. It’s tough.
Q: But college must be a lot easier because there’s no Cori there right?
L: Yes, it’s great! It’s awesome!
Q: I can’t remember if you mentioned it in one of your episodes, but how did that rift happen in the first place?
L: We were really close freshman year – like really really close. I sort of started to break off of that group of friends – the like blonde girls in the show – and she wasn’t really too happy about it, I guess. She was always kind of catty, but I just kind of thought that’s how friendships were. I remember sitting with my nerd herd for the first time and at the lunch table it was like I completely forgot that there were friends you could trust, you know? That you could confide in and that wouldn’t talk about you behind your back.
Q: After having one season out, do you think that MTV has portrayed your life pretty accurately? Do you think they ever edited anything deceivingly at all?
L: No, it’s really accurate. It’s through my eyes. It’s through my prism as I see it.
Q: Do you have any hand in how it gets edited at all or is it just left up to them?
L: It’s never been edited in a different way than it was shot. They’ve never put things out of order or took things out of context. It’s all been accurate.
Q: What was it like to watch your life on television from over a year ago? Do you sometimes cringe at some of the things you said or did or do you wish you would have done some things differently?
L: It’s weird; I don’t really have any regrets. Everything, even the awkward stuff, were things I learned from. I was open and honest about that struggle and I’m glad that people got to see that. I know that when I was going through those experiences, if I were to know that someone was just like me going through the same things, maybe I would feel a little bit less alone and it would have been easier.
Q: Last year, I saw some comments after the show aired that people speculated that the show was scripted or they couldn’t believe that it was real. How do you respond to these types of comments and do you understand why they might think that it is scripted?
L: Yeah, well definitely, I mean it’s a hybrid. We’ve never been handed a script. There was never a script for the show, ever. All the characters are real. They act the same way in real life. They have the same name. They’re not actors or actresses and never planned to be actors or actresses. You know, it just sort of happened and all of the relationships and the people are real. The shows and themes are how I see it, but the people are portrayed exactly how they are as well as the relationships. Sully and I have been friends since the 8th grade and we’ve been really close ever since.
Q: And what has the show taught you about yourself?
L: What has the show taught me about myself…It’s really weird and awkward seeing myself on TV. It’s kind of like when you hear yourself on a voice mail or something, it’s like, “Do I really sound like that?” “Do I really look like that?” All the stuff that I learned wasn’t necessarily through the show. I think I’ve learned a lot over the time the show was shot though. It wasn’t necessarily through the show, but through the events.
Q: On a scale of 1-10, how comfortable are you with the cameras now in your second season?
L: You know, I don’t even think it was the cameras. I think it was the people behind them. It’s weird having so many people stare at you at the same time when you’re shooting, but we’ve sort of grown to be like a family. I really trust them and I don’t even notice it anymore. I just act natural because they’ve been there for so long.
Q: So is this the same crew you had in the first season?
L: Yes, there’s some added members, but aside from that – even with the new members, we grew close over time. We just hang out like family. It’s really cool.
Q: When did you guys actually wrap up the second season?
L: It was awhile back – maybe three months ago was when we finally finished editing and the voiceovers.
Q: Going back to high school again, what is your best memory from high school?
L: The best memory I can recall was the talent show. I was so afraid and so nervous and I was just anticipating the worst. Then to have Bryson show up and be there for me… to see my friends in the crowd supporting me and to hear people clapping; it was just a really cool feeling because all that stress – all the anticipating and the horrible stuff – it was just the exact opposite. I felt really accomplished.
Q: Do you ever get mistaken for Hayley Williams of Paramore?
L: Yes! I actually was just talking about that in another interview. I was eating at this Chinese restaurant called Joe Shanghai when I was with the rest of the cast and this kid walked up to me asked me if I was Hayley Williams and everyone I was with answered “Yes” for me. It was a really awkward “What do I say?” but he got so excited. He honestly had no idea who I was, but I felt like I was disappointing him.
Q: Oh no!
L: Sometimes it happens on Twitter too. A lot of times on Twitter, people are like “Oh you guys look alike.” I personally don’t think we look like. I think we both just have red hair haha
Q: Tell us about a typical day in the life for Liz Lee.
L: Well, I go to school at Pratt Instititute and it’s an art school in Brooklyn. The curriculum is just really heavy undertaking so I’m usually doing homework or going to school. On Wenesdays, I’ll go to comic book shops and aside from that I’m kind of a hermit and I play video games and watch Netflix.
Q: So are you a sophomore in college now?
L: Yes.
Q: And what are you majoring in?
L: It was art history, but now I’m taking some writing classes. I think I’m going to veer into that major.
Q: What kind of music are you listening to these days?
L: Bad Books is a band I’ve listening to a lot of. Who else… I would blank out on this list. I’ve been listening to a lot of Bad Books and old school hip hop like N.W.A. I don’t know why I’m revisiting that, but it just seems like a good time. I’ve been listening to the new Cold War Kids album too. It’s pretty neat.
Q: If you could choose a musician or band to be the soundtrack to your life, who would it be?
L: The band that reflects my life best right now is Anamanaguchi. I love that they hacked a Nintendo and Game Boy to create such awesome music. Nerds love video games so I find their music very fitting.
Q: So last night before finishing up these interview questions, I watched the trailer again and I have a few questions for you. I know you can’t give too much away so if you want you can answer them in one sentence or however you would like. First off:
Q: Is Bryson in New York with you?
L: I can’t really give it away. It could be either or. I could be back in Texas or he could be in New York.
Q: Can you tell us anything about this new guy Louis?
L: Louis – oh my gosh, he’s so great. He’s such a good guy! He’s such a gentleman and it really shows how he’s such a good guy. He’s in a band called Augustine and he’s such a talented musician, it’s incredible. And he’s just a total dreamboat altogether. He was one of the first friends I had in New York and he really kind of helped me adjust.
Q: You seemed a little lonely in the trailer and you expressed your feelings about it. Have things since changed?
L: Yeah, actually. Things are a lot better now. I finally know where I’m going. I haven’t quite mastered the entire subway system, but I’m meeting new people, making new friends, and you get to see that in the show and those people. I’m doing a lot better. I actually feel like I belong here for the first time.
Q: So what are you doing with your life these days and where can we expect to see you next? Do you think there might be a third season or even after My Life As Liz wraps, is there anything else you would like to pursue?
L: You know, it’s really cool to be at Pratt and being surrounded by this community of artists and being able to make friends with these people who are animators and drama majors and photography majors. I’d really like to collaborate with some of them in the future. Maybe with a comic book and writing it with them and illustrating it or even a cartoon and animating it or something like that in the future. Right now, I’m just focusing on school. It would be cool if there were a season three, but I don’t know just yet.
Q: What are you most excited to have the world learn of you through this next season?
L: I’m really excited for fans to see romantic relationships unfold from the other cast members. There are tons of surprises in store for fans who want to see a different side of Sully, Taylor and Miles. They have love interests this season and it’s a totally new dimension of their lives this season.
Q: Lastly, do you have anything you would like to say to my readers?
L: I really appreciate my fans out there. I’m so grateful. I’m really excited about this next season. It’s just filled with so many twists and turns every episode – it’s just crazy and wild. It’s also a really fun and interesting season.
Thanks Liz! We wish you the best at Pratt and on the upcoming season of your show.
Catch My Life As Liz every Tuesday at 11PM after Teen Mom 2!
Your favorite musicians and bands are no longer playing large venues and arenas. The only time you will ever see them perform in that type of setting will be at a music festival. What if musicians and bands started playing at smaller venues – the same type of venues that gave them their start? Ticket prices would be much less than the close to $100 you are paying now. Instead, they’ll be $10 or not even. The bands will take requests for songs that you want to hear. A few feet will be all that separates you from them. These shows will be more exclusive of course, but well worth it. In fact, these are what your favorite bands want. They WANT these intimate shows with their fans.
The times are changing people.
This past summer, Rocky Votolato hosted a number of “Living Room Shows” in the homes of his fans. Tickets were limited, but you really can’t get any more intimate than that right there. The Rocket Summer is touring the country at much smaller venues starting this fall and is leaving their full band behind and only taking along a few of Bryce’s instruments. Earlier this week we heard about the secret shows from Deerhunter and Neon Trees. Ben Gibbard is playing a small show in November that is already sold out with proceeds benefiting Teen Feed. Now, Yeah Yeah Yeah’s is next to jump on the band wagon. To celebrate their tenth anniversary, they hosted a surprise show at Secret Project Robot located in Brooklyn.
In their announcement, the band explained their choice of tiny venue, saying “Our birthday wish is to play a show as small- or smaller- than back in the day.”
Unfortunately, the show was sold out and happened two nights ago. If you don’t want to miss out on any of these secret shows, take my advice and sign up for mailing lists of your favorite bands. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, etc because if they’re going to let a gig slip – this is where they will do it.
When you visit Seattle, you have to try our seafood. When you go to New York, you shouldn’t leave without grabbing a slice of pizza. Brooklyn resident Colin plans to try a slice of pizza from every pizza restaurant, parlor, and joint in the New York area and reviewing them on his blog Slice Harvester. He’s been doing this project for over a year, but I imagine that he won’t be done with it anytime soon…
Just from looking at his blog, it seems as if he is reviewing a place every single day. I can’t help but wonder what this is doing to his health. [and figure?]
Best part about the blog? He’s asking his readers to donate $2.50 a month so that he can afford his pizza eating habits. I guess that’s not too much to ask… I mean if you think about it – he’s doing you a favor. You now know the best pizza place to eat at when you visit New York on your next trip.
To celebrate Fashion’s Night Out, Barneys New York have asked Brooklyn artist Andrew Yang to create dolls resembling Vogue editors Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington. These one-of-a-kind dolls took two weeks to make because the materials used came from all over and needed a bit of tweaking to get the two editors’ looks just right.
“I had to special-order Anna’s wig and cut it myself to get the bob right,” Mr. Yang says. “And Grace’s hair was the right color, but it needed a perm.” Alas, the question on everyone’s lips – What are they wearing? – has a disappointingly democratic answer. “The outfits are my own take on their signature looks,” he says. “It would have been unfair to single out specific designers.”
Both dolls will be auctioned off starting August 31st with proceeds going directly to the New York City Aids Fund.
Every time I’m in Vancouver, I always make sure I stop by my favorite Gas Town district – home to beautiful, eclectic, and sometimes secretive boutiques. Back in June, I created a My Seatte: Fave Local Hot Spots post based on my favorite eateries, shops, and things to do in the city and I hope to someday soon create one for a My Vancouver:
Today, I’d like to spotlight the boutique and label (212) run by Anthony Castro and Scott Walhovd. This post was inspired by their feature on Fashionista this morning and after I saw it, I felt I needed to make a post about them too! They first opened their boutique back in 2005, but it wasn’t until the Fall of 2009 that the duo decided to create their own private label. Although they are based in Vancouver, their clothes can be found at nearly 30 retailers in North America including Brooklyn’sDear Fieldbinder and at their own boutique.
Castro and Walhovd will also be moving back to New York this fall, and that makes me a little bit sad because I absolutely adore their Vancouver store. Hopefully, they can find someone to run it when they’re gone.
To learn more about (212) visit their website here
She’s the daughter of famous movie producer Brian Grazer (American Gangster, Inside Man, Cinderella Man, A Beautiful Mind,) but these days Sage is earning recognition for her beautiful photographs and art exhibitions with her girlfriends Tracy Antonopoulos and Gia Coppola. Her photos fall along on a wide scale including Polaroids, portraits, still life, and some pulled from her own travels. Sage has appeared on Mark Hunter’s The CobraSnake and has had a feature on the Urban Outfitters Blog.
Question: How old are you and where are you from?
Sage: I’m 22 and I’m from Los Angeles.
Q: What was your major at NYU?
S: I major in Photography and Imaging at Tisch and minor in Psychology.
Q: What age did you first start getting into photography?
S: I always had an interest in photography but I didn’t start studying it until my sophomore year of college. I had originally planned to study film production but after my freshman year realized that if I’m going to be spending all of my time doing something, it might as well be the thing that I really love.
Q: Who or What are you inspirations?
S: My parents have inspired me a lot. My mom always encouraged me to follow my heart and my father showed me what can come of hard work and dedication.
Q: What kind or types of camera(s) do you use and how much would you say you edit your pictures?
S: It really depends on what the work is. I have a good slew of cameras, but most frequently I use one of four cameras: Hasselblad H1, Canon 5D Mark II, Leica R7, or Contax T3. In terms of editing the photos, depending on whether it’s a personal project for myself or art installation shots for a friend, I’ll edit accordingly. I generally retouch people, clear up their skin a little bit but nothing dramatic.
Q: You’ve done all types of photography including Polaroid’s, black and white, portraits, etc, but which is your favorite?
S: I’d say color photography is my favorite. I like to shoot medium format, 35mm, and digital. I prefer the aesthetic of film but digital is good for things with finicky lighting because you get that instant result which makes it easy to adjust your exposure etc. It’s also significantly less expensive and a much more hasty process.
Q: Tell us about your first show.
S: My first show was in New York at the National Arts Club in 2008. It was a group show with four other people that I helped to organize. I showed collection of ten photographs from over the year or so prior to the show. The photos ranged from Greece to Switzerland to Brooklyn to Malibu (my home town). The show went well, it had its fair share of mishaps but overall it was really fun and truly a great learning experience. I gathered a better understanding of how to actually make a show happen and all of the little details that must be attended to.
Q: How do you feel about fast editing programs such as Lightroom presets or Flickr’s Picnik?
S: I’m not familiar with Flickr’s Picnik and I don’t use Lightroom frequently. I prefer to work through Bridge and Photoshop. Once you become really familiar with a program, it becomes like a second language that you don’t even need to think about, you just do it. I find that it’s better to have a great understanding of one or two programs than to have a mediocre understanding of multiple programs.
Q: Anna Wintour once said “because of reality television, everyone imagines they can just be a fashion designer, photographer, or model. That’s not the way things go. Learn your craft.”
How do you feel about this quote and what do you think are the traits of a true photographer?
S: I agree with the quote. I do believe that you can have a natural talent for designing or photography, but I think that learning your craft is extremely important if it’s something that you want to pursue. You can have a vision of what you want, but you have to have the skills to execute it, otherwise it’s just a figment of your imagination. For photography and any other art form, you have to have a combination of natural talent and learned skill. You’re not born with the knowledge of how to use a camera or how to operate strobes.
[Hong Kong]
[NYC]
[Lauren, Las Vegas]
[Masks]
Q: Any advice for aspiring photographers?
S: 1. Do it for yourself. You have to make the leap and believe in yourself because if you’re just doing some bullshit project for a class you don’t care about, you’re not going to turn out good work.
2. Persistence. If you shoot something and you don’t love the way it came out, shoot it again.
3. Study. I think that it’s important to have a knowledge of the history of photography and contemporary work.
Q: What are you listening to right now? Ciara, Cults, and The Box Tops
Reading? Aperture Magazine and The Journal
Watching? Law and Order: SVU
Shopping at? Whole Foods…I’m not a big shopper
Eating? Mexican corn, steak tacos, bean and cheese burrito mmmm
Q: You’ve taken pictures on both coasts and Europe and Asia. What has photography taught you about different cultures? What has photography showed you that you wouldn’t have seen w/o your camera?
S: I love to travel. Photography has spawned from my passion for travel and yet at the same time it has inspired it. Like many of the early photographers, I love to bring the image of a foreign land home to share with others. It’s the idea of sharing what you find to be important, interesting, or beautiful. And, you come home and develop your photos and often find things you didn’t even notice at the time of taking the photo.
Q: Your father is movie producer Brian Grazer. Have you ever shown any interest in film?
S: Like I said earlier, I first began at Tisch for Film and Television Production but it just wasn’t where my heart was. Photography is my true passion. I also really love the independence of photography; you can easily produce a photograph all by yourself but it would be dramatically more difficult to produce a film without the help of anyone else. It’s not that I don’t like to collaborate, but it’s the freedom of knowing that you can do it alone if you chose to.
Q: Camilla Belle, Joe Jonas, Sofia Coppola, Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, and Kirsten Dunst have all attended one of your shows. What is it like to have this kind of support?
S: I feel very honored and lucky, but at the same time, the support that I really treasure is that of my family and friends.
Q: You grew up in Los Angeles, but attended NYU. What is the best and worst thing about each city? Where do you think you will end up settling down in the end?
S: I will always have a love for Los Angeles, my whole family is there and it’s where I grew up, but at this point in my life, I find it extremely difficult to live there. I love to go home for a week or two at a time to see everyone, but I feel so isolated and under stimulated there. In LA you have to drive everywhere and everything is so far apart, it’s hard for me to get motivated leave my home and neighborhood. New York is so much fun! I love living here, I never feel bored because there’s always a good handful of things that I could do here. Everything is so accessible; you’re surrounded by art and delicious food. In the end, I think I see myself settling down in LA, I want my children to grow up near their grandparents. I think that it’s natural to want to replicate parts of your childhood for your own children.
Q: Is photography long term for you or do you think you would like to venture into another career also?
S: I feel very passionate about photography and I believe that I will continue to create images for the rest of my life. I may not end up with a career in photo, but it will definitely be a long-term personal hobby for me. Outside of photography, my greatest interest is in the field of psychology.
Q: Any big summer plans?
S: No big summer plans this year. I’ve been working on a few ongoing projects and trying to travel as much as I can.
Q: So you’ve just graduated from New York University. Congratulations! What are you going to do now?
S: I still have another semester left, I fell behind after my transfer between departments at Tisch…so I’ll be soaking up the last bit of school I can get, savoring it!
To view more of Sage’s work, visit her website here
Sena has worked with noted fashion designers Catherine Malandrino, Sue Stemp, and even the late Alexander McQueen. Now residing from New York City, Sena who was once a native to the Seattle area is venturing into her own collections. Her line, composed of basics with “high fashion detailing,” is the common staple for every young woman. Sena is an incredibly driven woman with an amazing sense of style and an eye for fashion. I am so excited to be able to share this interview with you all.
(Featured photos are from SENA NYC’s spring/summer 2010 collection)
Question: First off, how old are you and where are you from?
Sena: I’m 26 years old and from Seattle, Washington.
Q: Where did you attend school in Seattle?
S: The Bush School.
Q: What would you say is the biggest difference between the Northwest and the East Coast?
S: The energies are really different. In the Northwest, it is a very much laid back atmosphere and on the East Coast, everything is in constant motion.
Q: What do you miss about Seattle, if anything? And what don’t you miss?
S: There are so many things I miss about Seattle! Seattle is one of those few places where you can see mountains and water from almost all points of the city whether it be Mt. Rainier, Elliott Bay or Lake Washington. I’m also constantly craving the amazing coffee spots I used to frequent like Bauhaus, Caffe Vita, Vivace and B&O.
Q: What is the philosophy and mission behind your clothing line? What kind of audience do you think your line caters to?
S: All the clothes are developed and produced in the heart of the Garment District in New York City to help in the fight to save the Garment District. SENA is a contemporary women’s line that captures the effortless chic downtown attitude of cities like New York, Paris and London where I have spent time in.
Q: Getting involved with the fashion industry is definitely not something that comes easily. I’ve heard that usually you have to start from the bottom and work your way up. What first job got your foot in the doors of the fashion industry?
S: I’ve had several different working experiences in different fashion houses that were all extremely enriching from Catherine Malandrino, Alexander McQueen, Sue Stemp, LaROK and The Seattle Opera House’s Costume Dept.
Q:
Because of reality television, everyone imagines they can just be a fashion designer, photographer, or model. That’s not the way things go. Learn your craft.” – Anna Wintour
Do you agree or disagree with this statement and why?
S: I completely agree. You need to fully learn and understand your craft in order to fully achieve it and this takes time and patience. But it’s not just craft that’s neccessary, it’s also passion.
Q: There are many aspiring fashion designers around the country, what one piece of advice do you have for them?
S: Stay true to your vision.
Q: What is a typical day for Sena Yang?
S: My days consist of going to my factory to check up on development and production, meeting with different fabric vendors, constant emailing, sketching out ideas for future collections, gathering conceptual ideas, brainstorming different projects with fellow creative friends, lots of paperwork and lots of coffee to keep going.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years down the line? Is fashion designing forever or would you like to branch out into another fashion related career?
S: Fashion is my life but I’ve always wanted to open up a coffee shop in spirits of my Seattle roots…
Q: Are there any stores in Seattle selling your clothing?
S: Not currently but I would love to be able to have SENA in my hometown!
Q: What upcoming trends are you predicting for Spring 2010?
S: Sharp, graphic qualities in terms of silhouettes.
Q: What is one trend that you wouldn’t mind ever seeing again?
S: Crocs….but do Snuggies and Slankets count?
Q: Name one misconception about the fashion industry.
S: That it is entirely glamorous. Don’t get me wrong, there are some very glamorous parts in this industry but that is only 5% of the reality as the other 95% is an immense amount of constant work and dedication.
Q: Where’s the best place you have traveled for business?
S: London, I love the off-beat, rocker mixed with preppy aesthetic. There’s a fearless way about dressing there that doesn’t exist so much in the states.
Q: What are you listening to on your iPod these days?
S:New Order, Lady GaGa, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, and tons of 90’s Hip Hop and R&B.
Q: What spring activity are you looking forward to the most?
S: Going out to McCarren Park in Brooklyn with a picnic blanket, laying out in the sun and relaxing with my friends (If I have time!)
Q: What’s next for Sena Yang and Sena NYC?
S: We’ve expanded into wovens, faux leather and faux fur for our Fall Line and we hope to venture into additional territories. We’re also beginning to brainstorm concepts for our next Fall Editorial Video that we’re all really looking forward to begin shooting!
Thanks Sena! We wish you the best of luck in your upcoming seasons!
You’ve seen him on MTV’s The Real World. You’ve watched him on The Ruins. Chet Cannon is known for his exquisite style, his friendship with housemate Ryan, and his individualistic personality. Seriously, I’ve never met anyone like him before in my life. I was curious in getting to know Chet a little bit better just to see if he was anything like he was on show. In fact, he’s better!
Q: Alright Chet, tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from, what do you do, what’s your sign? Etc
Chet: Well, first off, Chet is my nickname. Chester is my real name…also the name of my Grandfather I might add. Sadly, Chester rhymes with molester…the kids at school had a field day with that. I’m still heartbroken. Right now, I am en route to LA. Well, actually, I’m headed to Boston tomorrow for a week, then back to SLC for Thanksgiving, then Louisiana, then NYC, then PA, then Baltimore all before December 6th….I guess you could say travel a fair amount. I have lots on my plate right now. I’ve been approached with ideas about new TV shows hosting gigs which influenced my trek from NYC to LA. Personal endeavors would include YouTube (which I hope to more consistent with), writing a children’s book, inventing a bowless bow tie, chewable water. In all seriousness, The Real World, for me, was like a small scale lottery….A lottery that can open many doors. Now, what you do when the doors are opened is entirely up to you. Mainly I’m just trying to hustle and stay focused. There is a lot of easy money with hosting parties and what have you, but I am more than happy to forgo a few of those in my pursuit for elevated status in the television industry. The end game for me is hosting a successful news show.
Q: Which do you prefer, being interviewed or doing the interviewing?
C: I’m impartial, to be honest. I guess it depends on the people I’m interviewing, you know? Sometimes you’ll get out there and throw the mic in someone’s face and instead of being unique, you receive some regurgitated, colorless rant. I enjoy spontaneity…people who can shoot the proverbial shit. When I happen upon those types, I enjoy conducting the interview.
Q: Chet, you happen to be one of my favorite Real Worlders ever. Just so you know, I don’t give out that title too often. You made a brief appearance on The Ruins, would you ever do it again? What was that experience like for you?
C: Well, thank you, my lady! You’re a peach. Yes…brevity would be an accurate description of my time on The Ruins. I loved it. The format, in terms of filming is a bit more enjoyable than Real World. There are so many people, so you can avoid the cameras if you feel the need. Never say never. I may do one again…depends on the location. Phuket….obviously I wasn’t going to turn that down. The Challenges aren’t a focus of mine at the moment, I will put it that way.
Q: Your friendship w/ Ryan and the song you guys made up in one of the early episodes. Inspiring. Are you guys still pretty close? How is he doing?
C: Ryan is doing very well. He called me just days ago from Iraq. Ryan and I have some projects in the works right now, which hopefully, will put both of us back on the tube…together.
Q: Your fashion sense is exquisite. Where do you prefer to shop and would you say you have more of a hipster or metro style?
C: Hipster or Metro….couldn’t tell you. My friends from back home laugh at the way I dress. They are the furthest thing from hipsters or metro. I will leave that up to you guys to decide. I really enjoy Ben Sherman and whenever I get a chance to visit SLC, I hit up the thrift stores. SLC has great, cheap thrift stores. You go to the thrift shop in NYC and the prices are comparable to those at Saks and Barneys…no joke.
Q: So are you still in Utah or have you relocated?
C: I stayed in NYC and only recently moved away, so I could pick up my car and make the trek to LA. I hope to get back to NYC soon.
Q: What’s a typical day for Chet Cannon?
C: That’s a tough one. They are so different. Yesterday, I filmed some video for my YouTube channel, worked out, edited video, worked on a children’s book I’m writing, and then went to a party downtown for the Nitro Circus movie…dancing the night away. It was brilliant. After that, some mates and I went hot tubbing and I arrived home at 3 AM, where I then edited video again until 4 AM. Tomorrow I hop on a flight to Boston. I enjoy the inconsistency.
Q: If you could interview anyone, who would it be?
C: Dead or alive? Let’s go with alive….hmm….maybe Pete Doherty. He is my favorite rocker/fashion icon.
Q: My favorite episode was when you had the chance to meet and interview one of my friend’s bands while on the show, Danger Radio. Had you been listening to them prior to the show as well? And also, what kind of music are you listening to these days that you think my readers should be listening to?
C: Cool guys. Love them. The Danger Radio interview was offered to me and at that point I began listening to them (in preparation)….grew to enjoy it….and then we had the interview. It was one of my favorites. I just made this really awesome “love songs” mix. I wish I could post a link to it. My favorite band is The Sounds. Easily. At the moment, I’m stoked on Fun and Foxy Shazam (Check them out). Amazing stage presence.
Q: There’s always talk that MTV’s editing portrays characters in a certain way for their audience to see them as. Do you feel as if you were portrayed correctly or incorrectly? Is Real World REALLY real?
C: You can’t deny anything that makes the air. I believe they will heighten aspects of your personality, but each person has a lot more depth. I’m not super bummed over my portrayal, but there are plenty of things I would have displaced with other moments from the 4 months in Brooklyn….had I been given the creative control.
Q: When I was younger, I used to want to be an MTV VJ, but first! I wanted to do Real World (like yourself) in hopes that it would lead me to becoming a VJ. This was before I knew TRL was going to be canceled. Do you think MTV has contributed in helping you get to where you are today or did Chet Cannon conquer the world all on his own?
C: VJ’s don’t exist anymore…haha. My stint on MTV has DEFINITELY given me more opportunities than I would have otherwise received. Is it possible to make it without a reality show….ABSOLUTELY. Reality TV can be scary. You have to be very calculated about your decisions….which is very difficult considering the frequency with which you are filmed.
Q: I’ve seen some of your YouTube videos on your blog featuring your covers, is there a singing career in the works? Maybe you and Ryan can get together and start something!
C: Singing is just for fun…I’m not opposed to playing with Ryan when he returns. I think we could form a pretty kick A duet.
Q: Jesse McCartney Pee Pee Hands story. Is it true?
C: Yes. It is true. Scott Herman and I walked into the bathroom and Jesse was on the phone, while peeing and didn’t wash his hands. IT was disheartening.
Q: What are you up to and where can we see you next Chet?
C: You will see me again soon. I hate to be the guy who says “it’s confidential,” but that’s how most of this stuff works. Mums the word.
Brooklyn native Sheena Matheiken took on the Uniform Project earlier this year starting May 1st to see if she could wear one single dress every single day for an entire year, 365 different ways. The Uniform Project“is an online record of Matheiken’s daily attempts at reinventing an unvarying silhouette—distinguished only by a solitary pintuck pleat and buttons running down the back—as an exercise in sustainable fashion.”
The dress was custom designed by Eliza Starbuckthat can be worn both ways. 7 identical dresses were created for Sheena to wear at least once every week.
Not only is Sheena trying to prove that she can do this, it also happens to be for a year long fundraiserfor the Akanksha Foundation’s School Project, “which pays for uniforms and other educational expenses for children living in India’s slums.”
What do our shadows really look like? It’s not like we see them or anything since they’re always behind us right? Designer Katie Sokoler decided to put it to the test with her “Shadow Project.” Together, her and her boyfriend laid out rolls of black paper and cut out traces of themeslves. They then took their “shadows” to the streets of Brooklyn where they pasted them on walls and sidewalks.
Camera in hand, they waited for passerby’s to match up with the shadows perfectly and snapped their photos. These are the results they came up with.
