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Corrections: Photos are by Angel Ceballos and Dana Landon

Style Med magazine out of Mexico City conducted an interview with me a couple months back and I'm excited to share it with you here! StyleMed is a print magazine. If I have any followers in that region then maybe you've seen it? It's funny to see my replies in Spanish! If only I spoke it!
For all the other english speaking dopes out there, here is a translation of this exclusive interview for StyleMed: 



Stella, can you tell us about your beginnings as an independent fashion designer?
I think the very beginning started when I was still in high school. I was creating wild pieces for myself to wear as well as crafting small things like earrings and wallets that I would sell out of my backpack at lunch the way most people sold drugs. Beginnings can last a long time and even though it's been over 5 years since then, I still very much feel as though I am in the beginning stage of becoming a fashion designer. There is so much to learn about the industry and going into the business alone is a challenge that requires you to utilize multiple talents, some of which you never even knew you had! I have a long way to go, it's gonna be a wild ride!

How was born the concept "Female Drag Queen"?
I've been dressing like a maniac for years! After I went through a significant "Johnny Rotten look-alike" phase I headed the opposite direction and began experimenting with hyper-feminine looks: bows, falsies, and too much makeup! Androgeny is usually looked at as somewhere between male and female but, with a nod to the drag movement, could over the top femininity also be considered androgenous? I would like to think so.

What is the source of inspiration in your work?
I draw inspiration from all sorts of things. Often literal things such as fashion icons and runway shows, but also random objects, thoughts, concepts, and colors. Whatever I am inspired by at the time will show in my work. Currently I am inspired by Catholic imagery, funerals, Easter candy, Meadham Kirchoff's SS12 show, macarons, glitter fabric, the japanese street fashion "Cult Party Kei", teenage diaries, red lipstick, and the idea of running away.

Who is the fashion designer you most admire?
I don't know that I have one in particular that I admire. I am forever inspired by Vivian Westwood's history of rotating punk storefronts in the 1970's where she sold clothing that broke all the rules and helped to shape an incredible movement. I love that she would sometimes sell out of the trunk of her car. I like hearing about designers and artists that are unstoppable like that. I also think that people are in to much of a hurry these days to get to the peak of their careers. Westwood wasn't putting on runway shows in London until years later. I think she used the early part of her career to let her own style evolve and learn the ins and outs of the industry in a fun, unique, and honest way. I could only hope to have such a long and colorful career as her.

What is your goal as a Fashion Designer?
I'd like to create an alternate reality through clothing. I believe getting dressed is very much an exercise in changing into the person we wish to be. Altering the way one dresses will ultimately impact the person they become. In that sense, fashion designers have quite a bit of control over the world whether they realize it or not. I may not fit the bill of an activist and even though my political agenda is mostly centered around pastel hats and pieces inspired by vintage girls dresses, I am confident that I too will have great impact  both inside and outside of the fashion world.

When you make your designs. Do you imagine who's gonna wear it?
Sometimes! I often have ideas of certain people who might look best in a particular design. Half the fun of creating the clothing however, is getting to see how different people wear it! Sometimes seeing your designs worn in a new way can inspire your next pieces. It's a way of your creations coming full circle.

Do you imagine your designs used on a movie or in a concert? Which celebrity would you like to dress?
Collaborating with a film or musician would be thrilling! Style is such an important creative tool and knowing that something I made was a key element in another person's creative endeavor is a great feeling. I've got a few such collaborations in the works right now and it will be thrilling to see them come to fruition. I think it would be fun to dress transexual club sensation Amanda Le Pore, or the blondest little girls on the hit show Toddlers and Tiaras.

You are working on a new collection currently?
Because I don't have the budget to release a real collection just yet, I'm focusing right now on creating designs one at a time which is a fun learning experience as well as a good way to give each design it's own platform. Right now I'm working on a few variations of my current designs and I have a ton of others in the works. It's my dream to release a full collection one day in order to create a total look and at the rate I'm going, that "some day" could come along sooner than I think! In the end, fashion is art and there are no rules. I just hope that everyone will continue to enjoy my designs and art as much I do!

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5 Responses so far.

  1. Sabina says:

    Great interview--congrats, and thanks for posting the translation.

  2. ashley says:

    I like your answer to how the concept of the 'female drag queen' was born. With over-the-top femininity being androgynous. Really interesting. I like you you're cool and if I knew you in real life I'd definitely make you be my friend.
    Ashley x

  3. You're cool too, Ashley. Thanks for your down to earth comment!