Like, subscribe and be on the look out for a new episode every week!
Credit and special thanks goes to:
Produced by: Aziza Duniani @woman_Business
Music supervisor: Chic loren @chicloren_
Music by: Gavin Williams @thegavin1
Like, subscribe and be on the look out for a new episode every week!
Credit and special thanks goes to:
Produced by: Aziza Duniani @woman_Business
Music supervisor: Chic loren @chicloren_
Music by: Gavin Williams @thegavin1
What's up y'all? This is Sheik Loren, and welcome to We8. We're spilling a tea on all things fashion, film and television, giving you an exclusive peek into our perspective on style and design. What's up y'all? This is Sheik Loren your style and music creative.
Speaker 2:Hi, I'm Isi Chevelle, costume designer, event producer and all around professional dot connector hey girl. I am being Natalie, costume designer and creative director.
Speaker 3:Hey, hey, hey y'all. Welcome to another episode of We8 podcast. We are next to the end of the year and the girls are excited. We're drinking champagne. We're in a new location Shout out to Noi Studios. It's cute, it's cozy in here, even though we cold. How y'all ladies doing hey, sit down.
Speaker 2:Sheik, I'll say you quickly. It's Saturday. This is new for us.
Speaker 3:Yeah, mmm, we had to reschedule our little program in because folks is back at work, so we. The strike is over. Strike is over. We back in the business. But now we at this real inconvenient time of 1 pm in the afternoon, which means y'all will be getting your podcast now, when you listen on Saturdays because your girl is working. So we got a lot going on. Y'all want to do a Pyrrha Maus, or you want to?
Speaker 2:Yes, let's talk about it. Let's talk about some things, Tram.
Speaker 1:I need it there. They got to appear Maus.
Speaker 3:I think it's interesting. His come is so I like it.
Speaker 1:I don't like it either. Really, my foot Pyrrha Maus, no I don't like his campaign.
Speaker 2:Just because, the looting campaign? Yeah.
Speaker 4:Because, kids are actually doing it right now. So why, are we playing to the habit that's already upon?
Speaker 1:our community. It's pushing it forward and he already got like a. It's encouraging it.
Speaker 4:And I see, I see like, hmm, reputation within the community it's like doing due diligence towards us. So why are you going to go and promote something negative? We've already got enough negative going on. There's another way to get a shock value at campaign out besides saying let's go looting the stores or looting the sale.
Speaker 2:Why don't you try and make it some good shit?
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah. First, versus like going to this gimmicky bullshit, making it available, let's make it available for purchase before we make it available to steal.
Speaker 3:However, I do feel like I'm taking a me a stance on this one. I feel like because he was so in my a for so long, we had a whole conversation about Kirby when that cut article came out and we was like where are you? We're trying to purchase your items. We can't. All we can get is a turtle night that says pure moss on it, Like the. The couture show was like. You know what I'm saying. We've had all of these moments. If you're you left out with chaos, I feel like it is in due time that you come in with chaos, like it's on brand.
Speaker 3:I think, and I think also again talking about Kanye and the Balenciaga and the bags, the grunt, I mean the bags that tar the gap and all the things I feel like there's. No, he couldn't have come in soft. You know what I'm saying. You can't be gone for three years and then come in with like a gentle show and we know we can't purchase anything.
Speaker 3:You know, I'm saying because he doesn't show we like the things and then we can't buy him. That's a gentle like entry. You have to come in with chaos. For a Steven it feels like Kanye and I don't want to give him the reputation of that because I don't think he's a genius. You know what I'm saying. But yeah, I don't think he's a genius out of by any means. But I think if you're going to do it, go in our into the bag of the off lights and the kind of when it comes to the marketing ploy of it all. You know what I'm saying. Just put throw yourself back into the conversation, otherwise we wouldn't be talking about him. We'd be like here he go doing that same little simple shit. You know that's not only perspective of it, but I do understand it being in bad taste, you know.
Speaker 1:I mean, I do see exactly what you're saying. You're right on on a marketing and branding point. It's great, it makes all the sense in the world. But I read the article and you know I was trying to find where, like, other brands have done something similar. They call it something different, obviously, but we're like they're pushing to get their stuff out and so he took that looting, take on it, to add the spin.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and then they. Let's be clear it's not just us, it's all the people of all the shades in.
Speaker 4:LA.
Speaker 3:I'm specifically speaking to LA, because they going in stores and snatching anything because what's the limit is like $800. You could take up to $800 worth of stuff and it not be a criminal offense.
Speaker 2:But that's wild. I think those of us that don't know the article, what happened? What happened with Kirby?
Speaker 1:So I guess well, from what I understand, he is doing like a shopping sale right when you can purchase items, but you are doing it like whatever you can run in and put in a bag, like that's what you get.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a grab and go. That's exactly what they were talking about, and are they weighing the bag or you just shat down?
Speaker 1:Girl. No, I didn't get that far, but you're not even purchasing it.
Speaker 2:No, you're paying for it. So you do pay for it, but it's not for it as much as you can like grab, but he's calling it the move out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's just using it. He's using it for marketing purpose, so it's not like what he's doing has been done before in terms of the grab and go, but it's the way in which he's doing it Is this new shit or old? So that's my question. I didn't know. That's where I didn't get to Like is it old or new? Because what I think was old Okay. So, I thought it was old and I'm like, okay, you just trying to get rid of shit, so we never gonna get nothing from you.
Speaker 3:So he's giving unreleased apparel, unreleased footwear, archival collections Well, I guess this is old Archival collaborations, runway samples, prototype accessories and the way it works is you purchase a time block of one minute or five minutes, you show up to the designated time, you lock up your phone and any items that you wore in with a attendant, you grab and get dressed in whatever items you like until your time is up and then you get your photo taken upon exit. So the marketing part and the looks that you created with the photographer, which is optional, you can buy. A one minute is $100. And then a five minute is $300.
Speaker 4:One minute is $100.
Speaker 1:Yep Wow so. Great marketing scheme, great marketing scheme. I how you know it's crazy that you say that they take pictures at the end. You know that's all that they're doing. That's why they letting them do this shit.
Speaker 1:We don't get your picture, like when these people actually loot and rob these stores. They are getting their pictures. So like when they start trying to trickle down effect, the oh. Let me rate you based on who you are your face, I recognize your face. So they're going to have you in the system, so that's why they'll be looking for it.
Speaker 3:But that's why they'll be looking for it. But the thing is you're paying for it, though it's not like it. No, oh you saying in general, what you actually do stuff.
Speaker 1:I'm talking about the real life shit, oh yeah, so I'm saying there's the irony there of them taking that picture at the end and then actually when you are looting and doing that shit in real life, they get your picture.
Speaker 3:You definitely have it. She can't come back in because she's a shoplifter.
Speaker 1:Because I think it's, I think that's interesting. Yeah, I mean, he's brilliant in that marketing way. Whoever came up with that idea, for sure.
Speaker 3:Absolutely, because it's very now what's happening like socially on the West coast you know what I'm saying, because it's a lot of that happening Like they're shutting down full stores, because they're like we don't have anything to sell.
Speaker 3:And he said you know what I'm saying they shut down real department stores because they're like we're losing more than we're keeping, because people could still up to $800 and not be like there's no criminal charge, so people just going in there busting glass. I'm taking a little of this, take a little of that, it's the thing. So being able to come in with this kind of like like I said, organized chaos.
Speaker 3:I think that's the only way we would be able to look at. We would even be looking in his direction, you know, cause I was done with Kirby.
Speaker 2:Everyone is trying to stay relevant.
Speaker 3:Always.
Speaker 2:And it's very difficult to go away for three years and no one knows. Yeah, the way the cycle of fashion has been going. It used to be like a year, two years and then the trend resets itself. Now it's like every three months, every six months.
Speaker 2:And like you, said, it's very difficult to keep up and, like you said last time, people are bored and people are so bored because there's so many image Like I mean we're constantly I mean I'm not about to call you out Winter, but like Winters on Instagram right now and there's all these images that we've seen, and then we're not seeing every single day and we're starting to become very like, desensitized to things, absolutely. You know, we don't know what's, you know people are trending. I used to love that red tight trend. If I see it again, I'm a scream.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, and that just happened, what two months ago? Yeah we over dilute. This Over diluting things and so curvy is real Generally and said it she was like I'm really. I went on the Housewives of New York just to try to become relevant again, because I had something to sell, yeah. And that's beneath her.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, shade. No, that's I mean, but it's a fact. Everybody is trying to keep up with the curve and the curve turns over real quickly. It's like a circle, not a curve. It's like you say, you at that one age point. Yep, Someone like yeah, we know Some people don't even know who he is. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Who is Paramount? Yeah, it just happened, but it didn't just happen.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like it's the strangest thing.
Speaker 3:And it's almost. That's also a testament to thinking about the Diatemus, the Ophelios we had this conversation before and their stuff being so fly, like you know what I'm saying. But like, what are they going to have to do to maintain that relevancy and still maintain the authenticity of their, their brand and their product? Because we don't want to see in to you. We want to see the natural progression of the thing, like we see natural progression of characters on screen. We don't want to see that she turned over to something totally new, because then we're going to turn off. We don't like it. The people who are really new about it, the people who was really invested, like I don't like it, yes, it looks fake, it looks forced, and then we're going to get back to it. What In another two years? You're going to go back to what is authentically. You Not saying that that's what they've done, but based off of the cycle of how things are moving, designers have almost no choice. They have no choice.
Speaker 2:They have no choice, and so they do.
Speaker 4:I mean, unless it's the designers that are of a classic standpoint. We don't give a fuck about the dream.
Speaker 2:Well, the houses are already established, like your and the raffle ring and like these are all staples that are not bludgeoned just because it's a fad but these like quick, these blinty august.
Speaker 4:I think a sap said someone asked him who's doing her thing in high fashion and I know he spoke to live a and I think we'll take a little Tega, yeah, you just did that campaign. Well, tega is doing sweatsuits now. Yeah, that's so far.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but their sweatsuits are made out of like leather Ben leather yeah, out of sway and woven, let's go.
Speaker 4:That's all running around in the streets in it Like some Russell sweatpants.
Speaker 3:No, I think it is leather. Though those were leather. Yeah, they're making them look like sweat.
Speaker 4:The paparazzi was following.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and they're gray. Yeah, I don't really like gray. Yeah, it's leather. Yeah, it's like a very subtle woven leather.
Speaker 3:But that's a testament to also the marketing of it all, like, I think, with the off-white and the Virgil's, the importance of like, the marketing of it, of your, especially when you're doing something so polarizing to the industry, you have to kind of like, have a parallel campaign that is going to polarize the industry as well in order to like, push the needle forward and then people fall short, because that's how the Lenciaga fell short. You thought polarizing was vulgar and in in, in, like evil and crass and dark. You know what I'm saying and it's like no, you don't have to do that. But also, a lot of these people are having to figure out the marketing and mechanics in order to brand these, like, these stay relevant.
Speaker 2:You know, at the end of the day we have to understand Balenciaga has been. Demna has been the designer for Balenciaga since something like 2011. Yeah, that's a long time. Yeah so now we're just now seeing, over the last two years, balenciaga Pop. Well, not pop, but like do the polarizing.
Speaker 3:But, he stayed true to Crystal Ball's brand and whatnot, but no wasn't Demna, oh no, maybe it's the guy before at Balenciaga who was the one who changed just into the street wear, because the original Balenciaga was for like anti post war, like high class post post war, european aesthetic, you know, like satchel bags and all those things. So I don't, it's interesting, I don't know.
Speaker 2:But it's sad.
Speaker 3:It is because it makes it harder to. It's only. I think it's only sad because it takes away from just. I'm a creative and I love clothing and I want to tell a story through clothing. To now I also have to figure out how to market myself, just as like you have to have a partner now you know what I'm saying, because now I have to be able to sell this thing in a different creative Space.
Speaker 2:Sometimes selling it mean means putting your selling you who else to those who don't have to do that. But it's very hard.
Speaker 3:I think that's across the board, though, even with Create, you know your costume designers, your stylist. Having to be like the extra edge is selling your brand, your personal self, even though you're creative and you want to stay back behind the screen and you want to do the things and see it come to life.
Speaker 4:I ain't like it's so, especially for people who don't like to do it. I know, personally I hate hosting. I'm not taking a picture but that's because I, you know, I like to put shit on and I like like that's for me, but to have to like Physically put it up so the world can see and like tie it back into what we got going on, when there's so much of the work that's already been done. It's like you think we pay so much attention to these girls and what they got on but they have no fucking work ethic.
Speaker 3:So why are they getting hired? Yeah or spotlight it.
Speaker 4:Yeah, like what? Where is the talent? You know? But you went to go look at somebody, you imitated it and you have a following. So, oh my god, she's a fashion girl. Not for real, no.
Speaker 2:Not, you know what it is. It feels really inauthentic. Yeah, it feels inauthentic to like go to work every day and literally do it for real, in real life. And then have to turn around and put your stuff on Instagram or Facebook, whatever it is or not. Instagram and TikTok yeah, and then try to have everyone else prove like, have everyone else Validate something that you actually get paid for from from 5 am To 2 am, every fucking day of the week.
Speaker 2:The week. The world has to validate you in order for you to be successful.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, that's like the feeling of like you're not doing enough but we do a lot, fucking much.
Speaker 4:You don't say you still do it like now. On top of it, you actually have real lives. Most of us on this podcast are fucking moms. I think, someone wrote in about how do you balance work and being a mom. It's hard as Both of them. Yeah, look great, you gotta make sure you kid. Okay, you gotta make sure your business and say you gotta make sure your home. Okay, you know man or no man, you still gotta take care of so yeah.
Speaker 4:It's only so much a man could do for you. Thanks, you're still a person as a whole, so it just becomes so. I Don't, I don't even know what a word a great word to describe, maybe overwhelming. You know, you find yourself just sitting, sometimes just to collect thoughts so you can move in the right direction.
Speaker 2:And you don't even know where to move. Like this morning I was like, what do I do? Like, oh my god, do I Feed the kid, do I get myself dressed? Do I journal? But I really want to work out, I really need to take care of myself. Oh, I haven't eaten in two days. Like it's just, like there's, it's just too much, yeah, and then you don't want to sit at home.
Speaker 4:We're not telling y'all to sit at home either. I'm like, not do like, but I think that's the creative.
Speaker 2:Because you're like.
Speaker 4:I'm not serving my purpose in life. Yeah, I understand at the end of the day. I say this all the time. We literally wake up and get paid to do what we love to do, yes, which is a blessing within itself but, to manage it and turn it into a business.
Speaker 4:I know for me like I don't just work, I create and build and I and I have this thing, but it becomes so much because it's like Still got to work, but then I still got to take care of manner and then I still got it yet like and then it's like well if I don't do this, then this is in the lacquer.
Speaker 4:If I step away from that and that's gonna, and then it just becomes this ongoing cycle. But you still get up every day, you pull your shit together and you serve as if there's nothing going on. Yeah, with a straight face and you post it on fucking Instagram shit that you like, just so that people know like I'm still here, I'm still here, I'm still here because they told you that if you don't post, then all of a sudden that work, that you do yeah.
Speaker 2:And then you can't afford to pay the people you can't afford to pay your house. No and you get mortgage and whatever, because everything is so relied on Again the validation of others.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's a real good. I feel that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I feel that shout out to pure minds. He's trying Mm-hmm.
Speaker 3:You know it can go wrong, but Christ, I get it also, I guess it's to shout out to you for taking your time, you know, because, granted, don't be pushing it out that we can't buy, but shout out to you for taking your time to sit down and not be Pushed out, I guess, by the system, but allowing yourself the time to figure out what you need to do creatively. You know what I'm saying because I think maybe you posted something that was like Take a break, creative, take a break. Don't stop, but take. It's okay to take a second. It's okay to take a second breathe, think about what you really need to create or if creating needs you, and then do that. But it's okay, just breathe, because boy, you're, boy, you're boy. This is crazy.
Speaker 2:That's the back in the back and I don't know if y'all notice that if we're not posting on Instagram, then I follow it. We're trying to build this Instagram right away. I'm a follower, start to Dwindle, yeah, and then it's you got. You want to get in this algorithm, want to do my gosh?
Speaker 3:Yeah, and also that's another thing, because creative is, at the end of the day, we. You build something, you manifest something because you want the world to. You don't want it to be Diluted by the world, but you want the world to have it. You create something, you put it out and you want the world to have it, but you don't want to be overcome like Encompass, all encompassed by this, like social aspect of it. You want them, people to be able to enjoy it, receive whatever therapy you receive from putting out in the world. But it's like I don't want fight so hard for you for people to be able to see it.
Speaker 4:To appreciate the work.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's the that it to be.
Speaker 4:You want it to be authentic, you want it to be slow to experience it for themselves, versus like, oh, I'm just gonna go because she got a cute outfit yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I want us to be able to be in sweats, sweatpants At this podcast. Talk about the things we want to talk about and y'all understand the authenticity that the who we are and what we do in our daily life is a genuine, real thing about who we are, without having to put on this. You know what I'm saying. Well, I have to put on the jewelry, the leather. We could just come out and be and you understand that. We know what we're talking about and we feel what we're saying because it's the life we live and not because this is how you perceive it. You know, like the perception is what's key.
Speaker 3:That's what every major company is buying.
Speaker 4:A perception of you, yeah, or your brand or what you're putting in there.
Speaker 3:And at the end of the day.
Speaker 4:we do do this work in the hopes of larger collaborations that will bring more value to the work that we've already created. I know for me, that's gold Collaborations with some of these larger firms. That is something that we will acquire, but you got to get outside your head, you got to move yourself out of the way and say this is what has to be done in order to do so.
Speaker 4:Am I going to do that shit every day? No, no, I'm fine, I don't. I'm just going to do it right now. And then you know, even to go back to hiring someone to do it that shit, tough People don't find your voice. Yeah, get on your nerves. Or they might have certain qualities that you do love, and then other shit they don't love, and then it's like you know what Never mind, never mind, never mind. I do it, send them back home.
Speaker 2:Damn friend Lock out for me, babe, I do it, all these relationships we build in, yeah, yeah and how valid are they?
Speaker 4:Because, for real, for real, I don't fuck with a lot of people- what. I love them. You know what I'm saying. If I fuck with you, I fuck with you, but all that unnecessary chitter chatter. Y'all know damn well. I would be like this Can we go yeah?
Speaker 2:I'm a terrible small talker.
Speaker 1:That shit should pull you into conversation and slide Slide right out Fucking hell.
Speaker 3:How do you she needs? I've never seen winter hit a 180 and be like ooh, silently. Yeah, All right.
Speaker 1:I'm a mess.
Speaker 3:But I love y'all.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:That's me.
Speaker 4:That is the thing.
Speaker 3:Sheesh, OK, Well, I feel like that's a good closer. You know what I'm saying. At the end of the day, the creatives that you take the time that you need to take to pour into yourself and put that artwork out there. You know what I'm saying Don't let nobody shame you for taking your time, but also don't stop creating. Always be in the process, Always know that this is a therapeutic act. Whatever your creative outlet is whether it's to sing, whether it's acting, dancing, putting together these looks, creating characters, whatever it is never stop creating. And when you feel the need to put it out there, put it out there and do what you do, but never shortchange yourself. All right, Well, let's talk to y'all next week. Happy New Year. Happy New Year y'all. Bye, y'all.