She never thought that when she went to meet a friend dressed in a Yamamoto suit during NYFW that it would put her in front of the street style photographers' lenses that instantly fell in love with her fashion sensibility. That day, the idea of creating her own blog was born, and it became the birth of a new, accidental fashion icon. Visit her blog here.
In the Fashion Industry there has always prevailed an obsession with the young - and I mean the physique, when youth should really be a matter of attitude. What do you think about this and the lack of representation in advertising and runways?
I do not think about age at all in what I am doing, never did, never will. Perhaps that is why I have been successful. I really do not get into these types of narratives or discussions. There are more people of all positionalities being represented in fashion and advertising because of social media and people not talking about it, just doing it in spite of and putting themselves into the mix. Then, like anything else, the most talented, hard-working and creative people will emerge and get noticed.
MY STYLE ALWAYS WAS A REFLECTION OF ME IN MY HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL TIME. IN A WAY, STYLE WAS AND IS HOW I EXPERIMENTED WITH DIFFERENT IDENTITIES
It is not a secret that you feel passion and admiration for Japanese designers like Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo, standing out in many of your appearances in events and in your social media. What about New York based designers, is there anyone who you admire?
To be honest designers based in NY tend to be very commercial. I have always been involved with emerging designers and often develop relationships with design students who are attending Parsons as I find them much more innovative and exciting. If I lived in London I suspect I would spend a great deal of time at Central St. Martins.
How would you change of the industry's landscape then? What would you highlight and what would you change regarding the industry in the City that never sleeps?
Again, I am not so connected to the NY fashion scene. I tend to have a very international view of fashion and prefer less commercial brands and vintage for my styling. I think honestly that NY has lost its fashion edge and cities like London and Shanghai are becoming exciting incubators for what excites me in fashion. The one change is that some local designers are working very hard to produce locally as well as sustainable and I think that is a good thing.
For people who are just beginning in what you do, could you give them a piece of advice?
Be yourself. Do research about fashion. Work hard everyday.
Read the full Lyn Slater's interview featured in the Fall Winter 2018. Get your copy here.
Words by Andy Durán
All photographs by Calvin Lom.
