Orion Carloto

from Bode Magazine Summer 2021

Sand & Sentiment

She is the writer, poet and unspoken style maven who has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the industry, all while keeping a diary and telling stories. Romanticizing life and playing dress up, this self-proclaimed “multifaceted sad girl” — Orion Carloto — shares with us what inspires her written art — in all forms.

By Jessica Gandy

he right words have yet to come into existence to fully encapsulate the artist that is Orion Carloto. Her interests traverse various mediums from poetry to interior design, however her style is the continuous thread that connects all of her work to create Carloto’s own personal brand. Although she is just twenty-four, Carloto’s soul is deep and old, nourished by the works and the lives of poets and artists who came before her. “Early on I was inspired by the works of Sappho, [John] Keats, and [Sylvia] Plath,” begins the poet. “Later that blossomed into appreciating the works of [Samuel] Beckett, [Frank] O’Hara, and [Arthur] Rimbaud. Enamored with the lives of Patti Smith, Eve Babitz, and Anne Carson. I had no choice, but to come to the conclusion that poetry and storytelling were as much to me as the air I breathe.” When Carloto first began taking pen to paper, her stories and poems were meant for her eyes only, keeping a diary for her own musings. “Rumi once said ‘As long as I can remember, I’ve wanted you. I’ve made a monument of this loving,’” begins Carloto. “Though this was written about a lover, I’ve always felt those words ring true with my relationship to writing.” As a first generation American born from immigrant parents, Carloto always felt that she lacked a certain privilege when it came to understanding literature, but that did not stop her from drafting prose. “Poetry was a home to place all of my heartbreak,” shares the writer. “I appreciated the solitary and forgiveness poetry has.” Carloto began sharing her personal work when she was fifteen years old, still very unsure as to where she and her work would fit in. Little knowing she would one day grow up to be a published writer.

Film for Her, Carloto’s latest published work, is a collage of photographs, poems and short stories consisting of compositions from Carloto’s formative years. The book started as a visual diary for herself, and as the diary grew a theme emerged. Capturing her life experiences in those various mediums showed Carloto that she had a penchant for romanticizing life. She would take mundane moments and attribute her flavor of grande splendeur to them. “My life growing up had always felt monotonous to me. In my small town I had very little friends who understood me, a dysfunctional family situation and a lust for life greater than I knew how to handle. I found that this romanticization was bleeding into my work, taking instances I’d soon forget and noting them as much larger than they’d appear to be in the moment. In short, Film for Her was just that — a reflection of all of the instances where I found beauty in the most ordinary places. A space to acknowledge both life and death. Inspiration came naturally, I just had to look for it in the in-betweens,” shared Carloto. “Being a published writer is a greater deal to me than I think I’ve ever really spoken about. To this day, I still find myself getting emotional when I see my work on the shelves of a bookstore or in the hands of strangers — it’s almost indescribable.”

Much like her fervor for writing, the poet’s personal and noteworthy style developed at a young age; and it is her style that serves as a critical component of her personality. Carloto’s specific taste is a preview to the world of the woman she is before she opens her mouth to speak or places ink on a page to write. She believes that both fashion and poetry are experimental, and the message is up to the interpretation of both the wearer and the consumer. “My recent fashion inspiration has come from researching the archives of iconic designers and labels — Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto, Jil Sander, and Maison Margiela to name a few,” admires Carloto. The self-made stylist’s key tip to drawing inspiration from designers and incorporating them into your own personal edit is to find your preferred silhouette for your body shape. Finding the right shape that feels tailor-made for you will make cultivating your closet a much easier task. A quick glance through her Instagram feed shows that she has a particular sense of style. From the muted colors to the emotional imagery, Carloto’s point of view may be inspired by some of the greats, but it is truly unique to her.

Not slowed down by the pandemic of this past year, Carloto is currently in the process of writing more books, learning new photography techniques, and — as if that isn’t enough — curating her perfect home. Even pre-pandemic, Carloto spent most of her time at home so creating the perfect space to live was of the utmost importance. “French philosopher Gaston Bachelard in his book The Poetics of Space quotes Noël Arnaud, ‘I am the space where I am,’” noted the creator. “If you want to present yourself authentically, I believe it starts at home.” Over the past few years, Carloto has taken a more refined approach to styling her abode. Once a collector, she has been downsizing and removing busy pieces to replace them with lasting pieces that she will cherish for years to come. Those pieces are found in styles ranging from the mid-century to space-age with a touch of French and Japanese influence. “Now, that sounds like it couldn’t possibly make any sense,” laughs Carloto, “but through the eras of design and architecture, I have found certain similarities between all of these approaches. Interior design is supposed to be fun even if a little experimental.”

P“ utting these styles together can feel like a challenge, but in the end, someone could walk into my space and know immediately that it belongs to me.” Much like her book, Film for Her, Carloto’s home is a collage of pieces that inspire and encourage her pursuit of living a romantic life. While continuing to push her many projects, the Angeleno is taking time to enjoy her own company while welcoming in the rising temps of the summer season. What will she be donning? “As much skin as possible,” states the porcelain skinned beauty. “Bardot bandana’s, and sun-kissed just enough to break some freckles in.” In the present time, Carloto can be found deciphering the works of Cy Twombly and Le Corbusier, cuddling with her cats, driving through the canyons of Beachwood, or really doing anything that sparks inspiration for her. However, Carloto can almost always be found where she began, in bed, at 3 a.m., diving deep into her journal. Leaving us with these late night words: “Invest in building character over worrying about what you look like. Clichés aside, it’s fundamental to enjoy your own company. Boredom is a myth.”