QP FASHION MAGAZINE - LUCJA KRZAK - OCTOBER 2022

TEAM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

EDITORIAL PRODUCERS

JOSE-MARIA JIMENEZ

M. CHÉRIE

MATTHEW NIENABER

AREZOO JALALI

FASHION STYLISTS

ANASTASIIA CHERKASHYNA

JOI SALVADOR

HANNAH KERRI

MICHELLE WU

QUELA RENEE

SENIOR EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

CONTENT CREATOR

CLAUDIA LOMBARDO

SHARON JANE

ELISABETH HOWER

SHARON JANE

MAKEUP ARTISTS HAIR STYLISTS

ARCHANGELA CHELSEA

DARIA NATIUNINA

TEAL DRUDA

NADIYA SERPOOSH

SARA MOKHTARI

DARIA NATIUNINA

JENNIFER BAKER

MICHELLE V.

RIRI ROYA

RUTH B. MEDRANO

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Hi there,

We are happy to be back with our OCTOBER 2022 issue with a stunning cover with the beautiful Polish model, LUCJA KRZAK, who has been representing her country in beauty pageants all over the world.

In this issue, we interview Canadian actress/producer LAURA VANDERVOORT who is making the jump behind the camera with her debut film MY SOUL TO TAKE, which script was written by her.

No less exciting are our interviews with LUCA FALONI and JULIAN O´HAYON (BLVCK), two extremely sucessful fashion designers with very different takes on the fashion industry and how it is evolving.

Always grateful to everyone involved in the process of making this issue possible!

JOSE-MARIA JIMENEZ

Editor-in-Chief

QPmag

IN

OUNDIST

LAURA

VANDERVOORT

EXCITING

by

STAFF WRITER

we are so excited to have you in QP again, in this very special moment for you. We would love to know more about your debut film “MY SOUL TO TAKE”. What can you tell us about it?

I finally took the leap and found myself on the other side of the camera. During the early pandemic days, much like everyone I found myself sitting idle and needing a creative outlet. I had recently been inspired in the last few years by some incredible female producers, DP’s, AD’s, camera operators and directors to develop and direct my first project. In the (at the time) 23 years I had been in the film/tv business, I’d only had perhaps 4 female directors. Finally seeing those numbers change I was encouraged to take the next step.

During one of my several 14-day quarantines, I sat down with an idea and for three days straight I broke the story and finished the script for my short film ‘My Soul To Take.’ I’d never fully finished a script before but I had tried multiple times, hahaha. I reached out to my good friend and talented director/ producer Jessica Petelle (who I had collaborated with prior and she had directed me in another film ‘Age Of Dysphoria´.) Jessica was one of my major inspirations to direct and after I pitched the concept to her she (thankfully) agreed to come on as a producer and we began reaching out of cast and crew. Luckily, everyone was eager to get onboard and we went into prep right away.

Together with our other producer Moriah Atlas, we raised the funds on Indiegogo ourselves, selling most of my Smallville memorabilia and other perks. Before we knew it, we had enough to begin production!! We had an incredible all Canadian cast, led by the talented Jenny Raven and supported by Colm Feore and Rainbow Sun Francks. I had my A-team producers, Jessica Petelle, Moriah Atlas, Justin Dyck, Kevin Eade and Peter Mabrucco, friend and talented Director of Photography, Kim Derko and an overall hardworking and talented crew

and post production team. So many people came out to support this passion project and it wouldn’t have been possible without them. Our film has many layers and interpretations but ultimately it is about the dangers of isolation, mental health, societal pressures, the dark spiral for online validation, the dangers and temptations for quick fixes and how there is an entire generation willingly sharing their lives and locations (whether real of fake) and putting themselves potentially in the path of danger.

In our film, we see a woman being told where to go and how to get there by a male voice, dictating her every move and in the end…owning her body. She no longer has control over her own anatomy (sounds familiar?)

I have always been inspired by the likes and moods and color palletes of Tim Burton films, Hitchcock and the subject matter and style of Canadians own Sarah Polley. Darker fairytales and fables like ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland’ are all intertwined within our film.

Our lives inevitably changed during the pandemic and you are a clear example of how this new reality boosted your creativity, and bravery, taking the roles of director and writer in this project for the first time in your career. Did the support you received exceed your expectations?

It definitely did. The support came from so many people in my life. Encouragement from industry professionals and support from friends and family. Not to mention the incredible support from our Indiegogo supporters! I was actually surprised by the responses I received when I told people what I wanted to do. Everyone had expected I would at one point or another try to tackle the other side of the camera. That gave me the courage (and pressure) to follow through with it.

“MY SOUL TO TAKE” has been accepted in a good number of festivals, including some nominations which results will be

“I have always been inspired by the likes and moods and color palletes of Tim Burton films”

announced shortly. How are you dealing with this, being your first directional project?

We have been thrilled with being accepted into these festivals and we have had great feedback and reviews on the film. I will say, I didn’t realize how scary it would be sharing the film with an audience of strangers. Having written the script, it felt like I was allowing people into my mind and thought process. I felt exposed! On the other hand, it was freeing in a way. Just seeing something that originated in my mind translated onto the big screen was a pretty cool experience.

Did you feel any special connection with Jenny Raven, who plays the leading role, “Quin”?

Jenny is actually a friend of mine. I knew she was a very talented actor and had the perfect look for ‘Quinn.’ I was truly impressed with her ability to emote so-so much with almost no dialogue. Her ability to express with just her eyes alone takes a very special skill. I really didn’t have to direct her much at all. Jenny understood Quinn’s mindset and anguish.

Who is your all time favorite movie director?

It’s imposssible to choose. I love Canadian director Clement Virgo (I just went to his most recent film ‘Brother’ during TIFF and was blown away.) Obviously Spielberg is someone so many of us admire and aspire to work with. Hitchock for his original perspective in his time. The list goes on.

Any actor/actress you would love to direct?

Everyone!!

Do you plan on focusing your career more on the directing/writing side from now on?

Not entirely. I am only just getting my feet wet with writing and directing. I am still very green.

Acting will always be my first love and passion. It’s been 25 years now since I first stepped in front of the camera and I don’t plan to stop. However, I have been developing projects over the years with hopes of making them into a reality. Whether that’s as a director or producer… we will see. I do hope to continue to learn and grow as a producer and director. Shadowing established directors is something I hope to do in the near future.

You have participated in a large number of sci-fi projects over your career and we remember your preference for evil characters from our previous interview. Do you still feel the same?

Yes! Hahaha. I definitely still prefer the darker side of characters and storytelling.

You also have amazing style! Who is or are your style inspiration(s)?

Oh wow, well... thank you!! I honestly don’t have specific style inspirations. I tend to just wear things that are either comfortable in my personal life or that I feel empowered in for special events/ red carpets.

Do you have any skin care routines?

Yes, in a way. I am in love with Skin Ceuticals products. I’ve finally found a line that works for my specific needs. I try to keep to my usual routine and 1-2 times a week I will do an at home exfoliation and face mask with Kora Organics products.

What are your favorite activities to do in your free time?

I find it beneficial for my physical and mental health to stay active. I try to workout often, whether it is hot yoga, F45, Barry’s Bootcamp, spinning, running or pilates. I try to mix up the type of workout I do so that I don’t get bored and can challenge my muscles in different ways.

EVERYONE had expected I would (at one point or another) TRY to tackle the other side of the camera

Grey tank HANES

Black beaded skirt GOMEZ GRACIA Shoes CASADEI

Spending time with my dog, ‘Frankie Blue Eyes’ on walks or at home. Spending time with family and friends. I go through phases of painting as well, especially in early 2020. I just moved into a new home so that has been keeping me rather busy. How do you stay inspired and motivated?

I think I am just hardwired to never stop moving. Not sure if that’s a good quality or not, haha. It is hard for me to sit and settle my mind. I was also raised to work hard and work for everything I earn. In terms of work (career), it can be easy to become discouraged. We are in an industry that breeds insecurities and self-doubt. You have to have a thick skin (and I don’t.) There are always going to be moments where we want to give up and surrender (several times a year) but I find that if I look at other artists success’s as a motivating factor and choose to be inspired by their achievements instead of comparing myself to them… I will always continue to move forward and get back up.

What can we expect from you in the near future?

That I will hopefully continue to challenge myself in front of and behind the camera.

“We are in an industry that breeds insecurities and self-doubt. You have to have a thick skin (and I don ´t)”

White men’s dress shirt ZARA

LUCJA KRZAK

NATURAL BEAUTY

Interview by QP STAFF WRITER

Lucja started modeling when she was only 14, inspired by the classic standards of beauty. After having represented Poland in beauty pageants all over the world, and thanks to her great body and face features, she is willing to continue pursuing her career in the fashion world stronger than ever.

Hi Lucja! It is such a pleasure for us at QP to have you on the cover of our magazine. We have so many questions for you. Let´s start with your early years as a fashion model, how did you get into this industry?

Hello. Thank you for inviting me to this interview. My early years in the business started when I was 14 years old and I took part in local photoshoots in my hometown in Poland. I was pretty tall for my age so photographers got interested in me because of that. At that time, I was busy at school and my priority was to have good grades, and move to a bigger city so I stopped my early career for a few years until I went to the university. Then, unexpectedly, I became the face of my university and my modeling adventure started again.

Who were your role models back then? Are they still the same?

I love natural beauty and my type was mostly models who somehow reminded me of myself. I especially admired Claudia Schiffer , Doutzen Kroes, and Karen Mulder. Nowadays there is a lot of emphasis on models as role models and taking an active part in charity events, non-profit organizations etc. I think it is a positive and empowering change.

How would you describe yourself?

I believe we are all different depending on who you are asking...lol. I think I am joyful, adventurous, goal-oriented, and with the ability to uplift people around me. I can’t sit still, I love changes and what comes out if we actually take those chances in our hands.

Tell us about your experience as Miss Poland. Was it a dream come true? Did it help to develop your career as a fashion model? I represented Poland in a few beauty pageants over the years. It is always my pleasure and honor

to do it. I take it seriously and I give my best. I have participated in beauty pageants in Europe, Africa, and North America. My next step will be Miss Bikini in 2023.

How do you think the industry has changed since you started modeling?

When I started I remember there was a policy to look as natural as possible- no hair dyes, no nail polish, natural shape eyebrows, and definitely, no facial fillers or plastic surgery. Over the years,

I have noticed the industry opening up a lot to all of the above. There has been a time when daughters of famous people like Hadid sisters, Kendall Jenner, etc had obviously work done but they became new modeling icons. I feel like it all depends on the audience and, more importantly, on who is paying for the campaign. The social media following seems crucial and companies pay more if you have a big following. After all, photos are marketing tools to sell a product.

In my opinion, there isn’t any strict model standard these days because of the body positivity movement.

What is one of the most memorable moments as a model that you would like to share with us?

I loved my photoshoot and, overall, the whole project of Shape Romania magazine. It was produced in Los Angeles and I was 2 months pregnant at the time, but you can't tell from the pictures. It was a great job done by many people and I loved the results. I never dreamed before of being on the cover of Shape ...I was inspired for years by people who kept discipline with their nutrition and gym regimen. Those people did what had to be done in order to become who they wanted and being on the cover gave me that feeling myself.

Do you have any fashion designer or brand you would love to model for?

I love European brands for casual wear, my favorite is probably Elisabetta Franchi. As for

“I love natural beauty and my type was mostly models who somehow reminded me of myself. ”

gowns and formal attire, Arabic designers win. When I attend any charity event I usually wear Tom Ford and have something customized.

I did catwalks for Arabic designers such as LaBourjoisie.

What is your definition of beauty?

Beauty is a very broad term. Every single person has something beautiful about themselves. There is beauty in all sizes, ages, and cultural backgrounds. After all, we are all different and beauty standards vary from country to country.

What are your favorite activities to do in your free time?

My favourites are probably winter sports like snowboarding and skiing, I have fair skin so I don´t

do many outdoor sports in summer especially in Las Vegas where I live. I enjoy fitness and fancing, dancing.

In what ways do you hope you can inspire others?

I hope I can be an inspiration for young girls that anything is possible and they shall be bold and brave in this world. Following your dreams is so energy giving.

What can we expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects you would like to share with us?

As I mentioned before, I will be attending Miss Bikini in 2023 and few more surprises I can´t disclose yet also bikini connected.

“I hope I can be an inspiration for young girls that ANYTHING is possible and they shall be bold and brave in this world. ”

Lingerie HONEY BIRDETTE

HEART on

LUCA FALONI

THE LEADER OF THE PACK

Interview by QP STAFF WRITER

It’s no secret hidden secret that when it comes to craftsmanship and style, Italians do it best. We connected with Luca Faloni, the founder of the menswear label that bears his name. Having launched multiple stores worldwide after the success of his omnichannel direct to consumer offer, Luca Faloni is opening in Miami, their second store in the USA.

Italian craftsmanship is very much the pinnacle of men’s fashion, given that you grew up in Italy, we’re really intrigued to know exactly what it was that surrounded you growing up that has shaped Luca Faloni as a brand in terms of its style.

I grew up in Turin, which is a medium-size city in the northwest and is the first capital of Italy. Some people call it Little Paris because the architecture looks palatial, the whole city is very classic, almost timeless in a way. I grew up in many places in Italy, I was surrounded by small local stores who specialize in shirts, shoes, etc... All excellent quality. I always thought this type of product was easily available to everyone. Later in life, I moved abroad, I went to study in London, and then I lived between London and San Francisco. It was much more difficult to find the things that I liked which were good quality and fairly priced. At the time, I never thought about it consciously, but I was always going back to do shopping during my trips home to Italy. After ten years of continuously flying to Italy to buy clothes for myself, the first directto-consumer brands started to launch in San Francisco. At the time there was Warby Parker for glasses, Allbirds for shoes and Everlane for fashion, and I quickly understood how the industry worked with the middlemen taking a lot of the value. That was the moment I thought “Wow, I should also be creating a DTC label, making the same products that we have in Italy easily available worldwide at a fair price”, because we skip all those wholesale channels.

Slow fashion is an incredibly important factor when it comes to drawing in customers, consumers across LA are making conscious decisions when it comes to buying into a brand be it sustainability, the founder’s story or in your case, slow fashion. Can you share with our readers the data points for Luca Faloni that ensure your brand practices this?

First of all, we don't have new collections every year like other brands. We have what we call a timeless collection, which we developed for

every type of staple you need in your wardrobe. We developed what we believe is the perfect design in the perfect material and we never change them. We have rejected the traditional clothing cycle in favour of high quality and longevity. Often in some places, whatever goes unsold gets thrown away or they do sales. But we only encourage you to buy a few things that are well made and last longer. This strategy decreases the amount of consumption needed. We produce our products in Italy using true artisans. All the materials are natural and natural fibers, we don't use artificial products.

Each of your stores has a very distinctive style which not only celebrates the local culture, but is also true to your own brand DNA, how do you manage to achieve this, do you come back to the same drawing board each time, or do you look at each location as an entirely blank canvas and work from there?

We have seven stores which recently opened, for seven or eight years we were online and only in the last three did we start adding boutiques to the mix, now we want to open more, we believe the brand needs a physical presence to communicate with our customers. The last three stores we just opened were designed with a new format which we created with Italian architects from my home in Turin. They mix in key points of design of the store as an element, mixed with wood, marble and bronze and our furniture so that we give a signature style. Each location highlights an element and makes it truly unique. In Munich, we noticed that a lot of the buildings in the city had metal work, so we played with copper inside the boutique and it's quite special, it's beautiful and very distinctive. But at the same time, you have our furnishings and our clothes that make it a truly special place for customers, which is amazing. In Milan, for instance, we use the same visual display system that we have in Munich, but all the other architectural elements are reflected in a sympathetic manner. Miami played with color because if you go to Miami Beach there are many buildings that are from the vibrant deco period. They match white with green and details like

“

I wanted to make the same products that we have in Italy available worldwide at a fair price”

“The reality is that I am usually looking for new PROTOTYPES, things that are not on the market yet. hink SIMPLE but efficient and go crazy staying ELEGANT”

that, so we made it our most colorful store and it has more of a vintage atmosphere.

The States are big fans of the Royal Family, and your brand has been seen on Prince William, this must have been an incredibly proud moment for you. What is it about your designs that you believe draws in this kind of clientele and how do you keep that momentum going?

I believe this type of customer likes subtle elegance and they don't like to show a brands logo too much, and I think our products are exactly this. They are distinguished but not pretentious. And again, they're made of natural materials so that they're beautiful and high quality without being flashy.

One of the biggest trends we are seeing in fashion today is brands investing in technology, whether that’s making commerce more nimble, more sustainable, or more engaging to consumers and of course the metaverse. What can we see in the future from Luca Faloni, and if you’re not following this trend why?

Look, we believe in technology, and we invest in technology, more so on the backend to understand the data and consumer behavior, this way we give them something that they want, and it makes everything more efficient. But from a metaverse point of view we believe in real things, and we believe in craftsmanship. I know that other brands are engaging, selling clothes avatars and gimmicks like that. I prefer to focus on what I believe matters the most, which is making beautiful, simple products, and it's complex to make consumer products. I have actually seen investors that have asked me to accept Bitcoin or, you know, do something more innovative. But so far, we haven't done it. OK, let’s talk about cryptocurrencies, there’s a big divide going on the world right now, we’ve got a camp of crypto investors who have made a fortune and possibly just as many people who’ve lost money. At the time

of writing this, most of the currencies have dropped by an average of 60%, as a fashion brand would you ever or do you accept this as a form of payment and whatever your answers about to be … why?

At the moment we don’t accept bitcoin or any other cryptocurrencies. If people use this as their main form of significant payment, we will accept it. But we will be followers on that. People will buy our clothes because they want to buy them, and as long as we accept credit cards, that's fine for them. Although in Miami, who knows, that’s a different story, there is a lot of the crypto community based here. So maybe Miami will do it to become local in a way, but we consider that undecided right now.

How much of your personal closet is Luca Faloni, and which other brands do you admire and why?

So, everything we design I wear. And if there is something that we don't create that I need, I try to develop prototypes because I want to add them to our label and add these designs to the collection. The reality is that I am usually looking for new prototypes, things that are not on the market yet. But the only things we don't do at the moment are shoes and outerwear, both of these are big fashion categories and it's something we want to play a role in the future. In our stores, for instance, we put shoes on the mannequins, but we use shoes from diverse brands because we want to hear from the customers which style they like. So if we ever want to produce shoes, we know exactly what type to make. A brand I like … there is a Belgian loafer brand called Baudoin & Lange and they do amazing shoes. I wear them all the time and I like Chinese velvet jackets. Oh, okay. There is a brand called The Elite Five that I also love. And if your question goes also beyond the fashion industry, some of the obvious ones that everyone likes like Apple who have done an amazing job. Apple and some carmakers have created incredible products and have become an institution. I like Cipriani but their industry is restaurants and hotels. But I think they created this institution, which is

“I would say there is not a right or wrong STYLE, everyone should go for what they like

Italian at heart, quintessentially Italy. And it's fun, it's great food! I think they have done an amazing job of building an amazing brand. And we have a shoe store next to them in New York. So, we are proud to be in the same street as them.

In your eyes, what truly defines style when it comes to menswear? From your campaigns the look is very classic, investment pieces to last a lifetime. The trends for SS22 were wild with many of the Gen Z labels nodding towards dresses and a more effeminate overall look for menswear, do you ever see the introduction of these trends to your business?

So, what are the signs? I believe we created the style that we like and that I like. We appeal to a certain part of the market, style is what makes you comfortable and makes you be yourself. I would say there is not a right or wrong style, everyone should go for what they like. And we serve one part of the market, then the other people, you know, they just must be themselves. So, again, there's no right and wrong. How do you run a successful business in such a competitive market, the pandemic sadly gave a wave goodbye to many brands, however Luca Faloni seems to have doubled in size. Fashion is an incredibly hard business to survive in and we’re curious to know what your approach has been.

We’ve more than doubled in size. This year we are eight times what we were before COVID in 2019. So I guess what we learned during COVID was that online was a good channel. We pushed online a lot more than if COVID never happened, in a way, the pandemic made us aware of this bigger opportunity. Stores are important, of course, but if not, you can just be aggressive online and that grows a business. I believe people are back shopping in the stores like before. But you need to be an omni-channel as a brand and you need to develop and be aggressive, adding stores and doing more online marketing, engaging more with your customers. The days when a brand would only do physical retail are gone. I also

believe the days when a brand can be only online are gone because it's difficult to be engaged with the customers.

With the opening of your Miami store around the corner, and your already thriving location in New York, how long will it be before you join us in Los Angeles?

So we are now looking at adding a fair number of stores, and we always think about it in terms of where our existing customers are. We want to better serve our online community and we want to find more people like them. We are looking at two locations in Europe, in particular Paris and Zurich, especially Paris because it's one of the four fashion capitals and we have three of them. We have, Milan, London and New York, Paris is also a place where a lot of tourists go. We want Zurich because it’s so similar to how we opened in Munich, Germany is a big online market for us and Munich is, we believe Zurich is the same. The USA is a very interesting market for us, the store in New York is doing really well, let's see how Miami does when we open in September, but I think it will do well. We have a lot of customers in L.A and San Francisco but it would be two years down the line before we go there, logistically it is on the other side of the world and it takes more to get stock there. But we will be there eventually for sure. What made you decide to open in Miami, we love the scene there and the economy is going from strength to strength in this region of the USA. Typically, brands opt for New York or Los Angeles as destination locations, had you been to Miami before and something had caught your eye?

In Miami we can sell linen all year long, so when summer is over in Europe, you can unload some of the left over inventory from the summer. It's the second city in the US for a number of tourists after New York and is great for international business tourists. We want to show our brand to a lot of different nationalities, Miami is a great place to do this, particularly as South America is where lots of people from everywhere in America go shopping. The last reason I believe

“We believe the brand needs a physical presence to COMMUNICATE with our customers

”

is that Miami gives a flavor of fun and is exotic compared to London, Milan, Munich, and Stockholm which are far more serious.

Luca, we’ve really enjoyed discussing your business, to put a bow around everything, can you leave us with your top tips for men wanting to create that classic, Italian style that Luca Faloni creates so well? Is it grooming, good shoes, a classic white shirt or just simply walking with confidence?

Well, first of all, they can go to our website as there is plenty of inspiration, it looks like you didn't care, but you cared when you were dressing. It must be natural; you have to be comfortable with what you're wearing. And I guess also some people need to wear what makes them look at their best based on hair color or how tall they are and stuff like that. I don't like to try too hard, but I don't like being casual either. So somewhere in between is important. And in terms of colors, I like pastel shades they're not too eccentric and they're not too boring. Pastel colors and natural materials are kind of the rules in our brand as a model. So, I would give that as an advice.

“Pastel colors and natural materials are kind of the rules in our BRAND.”

Dress BRONX AND BANCO Shoes CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

JULIAN O´HAYON BLVCK

Julian O’hayon is a great example of how to turn your passion into a multimillion-dollar business. His love of black clothes and accessories quickly became the go to label globally and has now expanded outside of the universe. To date BLVCK Paris has numerous stores globally and over a million followers on social media, “All Black Everything” was coined by O’hayon

here for his energy.

FOUNDER & DESIGNER

J

ulian, it’s great to connect. We are all big fans of BLVCK Paris, across LA we see a lot of your designs being worn, you’ve really created a cult following and we are here for it. Can we start by talking a little about your NFT’s, when did this idea come to you to start creating them and from a business standpoint, how has this altered your business?

Thanks for having me and it’s great to hear that the brand is making strides in LA. We love the community that we have built in LA and we’re always grateful to get such positive feedback.

We see NFTs and Web3 as a natural progression of the brand. BLVCK was founded 5 years ago, predominately on social media and built around a community who love the ‘All Black Everything’ lifestyle, quality, aesthetics, and design. We started our journey in NFTs in June 2021 on MakersPlace. We were their first brand showcasing artistic collections, the Dark Mode series. After three successful drops on MakersPlace, earlier this year, we wanted to galvanize our Web2 community and expand our reach into Web3 by creating BLVCK Genesis, a unique collection of 10k BLVCK avatars living on the Ethereum blockchain.

It has been a very interesting journey in Web3 and we’re excited for what the future holds for the space and building the BLVCK VERSE . We are working on building our community in the space and bringing a lot of advantages and utility as we continue on our journey.

For any of our readers who are still learning about NFT’s can you explain a bit about them and why they are so hugely popular. What are the benefits to owning a NFT and how do they buy into them?

We see our BLVCK Genesis collection as a digital loyalty card to the brand. By owning a

BLVCK Genesis NFT, you will immediately have membership access to exclusive events, lifestyle products and rewards.

It is still a very new space for a lot of our customers, so we aim to educate them on how to buy an NFT, protect your digital wallets and the do/don’ts of the space. The collection is available to purchase on OpenSea ( https://opensea.io/ collection/blvckgenesis ). We also see ownership as an opportunity to be part of an enthusiastic community and a chance to make friendships with other holders.

It is unusual for a founder to design all the NFT’s and we understand you’ve done over 10,000 of these, you’ve also had the addition of Web3 which is a member only world of fashion events and merchandise. How did this idea come around and can you tell us a bit about what is available here?

Our brand has always been centered around aesthetics and creating visually pleasing designs. I learned 3D almost two years ago with the aim of creating a new dimension of depth to the brand’s marketing. I love experimenting with 3D and its endless possibilities. With my 3D skills, I naturally progressed into creating the Dark Mode series on makersplace.com/blvck before the Genesis drop. It was very important for me to create the avatars with aesthetics that conceptualize the image of the brand, using dark, transcendent, and melancholic themes. Whilst it was a hard task single handedly creating 10,000 avatars, I am always grateful for the positive feedback that I’ve received.

What does a day in the life of Julian consist of, do you have any routines, rituals or any habits that you like to do every day. I would be lying if I said I had a routine. Every day is different, and I love it that way. Sometimes in the morning I may start off with a gym session as I feel it helps clear my mind. I get very passionate

“Our brand has always been centered around aestehtics and creating visually pleasants designs

when I start designing on a specific project and I can easily be working all night. When I get myself in the ‘zone’ with 3D, the sun may rise, and I have no where the hours have gone. I also love learning new skills and often watch a lot of tutorials and try experimenting myself. I value the skills of my peers and spend a lot of time finding new ways to develop. I also think it’s important to celebrate each milestone and spend a lot of time with my friends and family. They have been there with me every step of the way.

Black Paris has the perfect balance of fashion and homewares, we love the signature look is wearable activewear, how important is sustainability to Black Paris and are you currently doing anything to help climate change.

We love to diversify the brand’s collection. From your homeware, lifestyle products, gym wear and everything else in between, we want it to be Blvck.

We understand the pressures that the fashion industry has on the environment. It is also incredibly important to various members of our community. We are making strides with our manufacturing techniques to ensure that future collections use sustainable materials. Random question but we are keen to see your clothes on a new demographic, what are the chances of Black Paris serving a campaign to the silver surfers (60+) sporting some of the latest designs? Two words – Colleen Heidemann ….

We’re an inclusive brand and we would love to increase the reach of our appeal wherever possible! Send a DM to our marketing team and we’ll see what we can do!

We love that you have consistently kept the aesthetic all black and white, are you ever tempted to drop an all color line and if not why not? Equally do you ever see Black Paris branching towards another kind of product such as eveningwear?

Whilst I never say no to anything, my aim is always to expand on the texturizations and color schemes of black and white. There is so much variety even with my two favorite colors and I think so much more that we can do. Maybe we can do something in multiple colors with our branding in celebration of Pride, that would be pretty cool! Eveningwear is also on the agenda, and we’ve already started some elegant female offerings. We’re taking some time to make sure that our future pieces are ‘on brand’. What do you consider important factors when it comes to running and operating a successful business in today´s market, particularly when it comes to GenZ?

Being a small team, we’re always able to come together and make quick decisions. We’ve also made investments in diversifying our marketing, particularly in TikTok. We’re seeing a whole new generation of customers come through with particular interest in our lifestyle products.

earrings & layered silver necklace

FOREVER

LAURA VANDERVOORT

BY GLENN NUTLEY