INTERVIEW

You have a varied and eclectic educational background that undoubtedly provided the inspiration for this kind of art. Can you see where what you studied influenced your work?

I think like everything in life your past experience shapes your outlook and perspective of how you view your present experiences and the environment around you. I see my eclectic educational background as this process of steps that I had to experience in order to get where I am now. My liberal arts background has helped me ground my work conceptually. My music background has helped me tremendously in giving me clarity about my imagination and creative process. As far as clothing design and fine arts both together have combined a basic foundation for me to work from.

How did you settle on fashion as a means to communicate your vision?

I've always been interested in the powers of the body. I've always seen fashion or clothing design as more in relation to architecture. The  design of form and function. Fashion to me is more than trends, it's designing a surface--a kind of second skin perhaps--around the body that can control one's movement, create identity, and even have a social and psychological impact on others.

What fabrics and materials do you like to work with?

The material make-up of my work is very crucial, so as a result instead of controlling the material,  I always allow the material to guide my process. This usually means I start out by experimenting with a variety of materials and using the one that guides my creative process the best. In the past I've mostly worked with latex, and at times, human hair. However, now I'm experimenting with a variety of vinyls, leather, and even gelatin.

You say that your fashions are, in essence, "turning the body inside out." What are the emotional effects on your audience when witnessing this kind of visceral image?

I believe it definitely creates anxiety. Just as the sight of blood or the impaling of one's skin can make someone faint. I think the idea of our insides protruding outside is just that much closer to death and that creates an overwhelming fear of our own mortalities. However, I also think there is also a pain and pleasure principle that comes into play which creates attraction and curiosity with my audience at the same time .

Tell me about the short film you're working on.

The short film that I will start production on in March of 2004 will be my own film that I have co-written and will co-direct with a fellow colleague. This film will be based on my body of work which is mainly the flesh dresses that I've created in 2002. The natural progression for me with these dresses is to create a film for them, since much of my influence in my work is based on horror film. However, the film that I will be working on will not be a horror film.

You seem like the perfect protege for Tim Burton. Have you been asked to work on horror films?

Yes. However, I turn them down because I don't define my work within the genre of "horror." I think there are definite references, influences, and a sincere respect for the genre, but I've never been really interested in created horror films. I also don't want to be pigeon-toed into the genre of horror. I think my work is more about the psychological impact and power dynamics of society in relation to the feminine body.

I think as kids we're all fascinated with "the oozing of the wet and the slime" as you put it. Do you think that we're trained as we get older to look away from things that are unappealing?

I don't know if necessarily we are trained to look away from things that are unappealing. Although I think society has definitely created a taboo about it. However, it's a paradox because the more taboo it is the more we seek it; albeit by watching horror films, autopsy reports, or even as far as slowing down on the highway to look at a horrible highway crash.  I think within all of us we have a natural curiosity and even strange attraction to the unappealing and the macabre. We fear these things but are curious about it because of our own uncertainties which, as a result, creates anxiety.

Do you find yourself desensitized to gore from the nature of your work?

No. 

Who is your dream client to dress?

Freddie Mercury.

And what would Mr. Mercury wear? 

Freddie Mercury circa 1974 would usually adorn some dramatic Zhandra Rhodes creation. However, if I could pair him up with David Bowie on stage I would probably create some slimy creature outfit that they would both be zipped up into and would not be able to move unless they worked together.