Greatest inspirations
and influences
My greatest inspiration is someone who enjoys life — whatever hardship they went through. I think life's greatest pleasure is simply enjoying our time here and trying not to waste it.
It always makes me so happy seeing elderly people smile. For me, that is a mark of a life well-lived.
As for grumpy old folks? Sometimes I see them and worry their grumpiness comes from regret — over not doing something they wanted to do when they still could. I don't want to be one of those people regretting my life. We only have one, right?
I also enjoy connecting with people from all over the world, and the greater perspective that affords. Seeing how a beauty blogger in Europe would highlight different features versus one in Asia — how the same broad fashion trends are adapted differently across countries depending on cultural and even weather-specific nuances.
Technology, innovation
and the creative
Fashion is by its very nature creative and innovative, so it comes as no surprise that the industry is typically among the first to embrace new technologies. As an aspiring trendsetter, I therefore also have to keep up.
Specifically, blockchain technology and the NFTs they enable are becoming increasingly adopted by fashion companies — both to appeal to new market segments and to simply offer new products. Early signs point to strong demand. For example, Dolce & Gabbana auctioned off a nine-piece NFT collection for $5.7 million.
This has led me to educate myself on blockchain technologies, NFTs, and the platforms that combine them with fashion — such as Exclusible x Hogan — with an eye on working with them in the near future.
The creative process —
idea to world
When working on specific collaborations I start by consulting the client — to ensure I deliver something they actually want. The most fun assignments, though, are when the brand tells me I can shoot however I like. In that case I study their current feed and ads and look for how I could do something that ties into that, but with a quirky twist.
More specifically, I roughly follow these steps through each work cycle of two to three days:
Catching up on trends — from established websites like Vogue, respected bloggers, and select content creators I admire.
Reaching out to clients — getting feedback on pitches, inquiring about potential collaborations, or simply introducing myself and building the network.
Planning the feed — thirty minutes to an hour spent planning the next campaign: color composition, general aesthetics, how it fits into the overall brand. Everything must stand out and still be consistent.
The art world —
continuous change
The answer is probably as simple as the fact that people change. Over time, the new replaces the old. People are influenced by popular culture, especially social media. To the extent that art imitates life — or that the best art sheds light on some often overlooked aspect of it — as life and people evolve, so too must art.
I know people who exclusively love Old Masters and Impressionist paintings, and they are often the same people who complain that street art and much of contemporary art lack the technical sophistication of earlier eras. But today — in ways linked with the rise of social media — we see shortened attention spans and a democratisation of voices. So it is only natural that art sometimes needs to be more direct, more explicit, to command attention. And it is certainly no bad thing that even those without technical prowess with a brush can still have a platform to create.
Well-being &
what you practise
being
Well-being is being healthy and happy. That includes the big things — a clean bill of health — but also the little things that fulfil you. Taking a walk in nature. Doing something you always wanted to do, which later you'll be proud of having done.
Professionally, what the Japanese refer to as ikigai is not far off from what I have in mind as the gold standard — except I believe one does not have to be "good" at what one chooses to do. Practice and more practice can get you there.
In fields such as fashion, "good" is so subjective. I don't aspire to be better than other content creators. I just try to be better today than I was yesterday — an ever-improving version of myself.
