Faustina

Faustina

Humorous, Unicorn, Fashion Personality

“I originally moved to NY because I wanted to be in fashion. I did that. Then I realized I don’t love the fashion industry. It’s myself that I love and New York that I love.”

“ Now I want to be a comedic fashion personality in TV known for the style and showing the utmost of creativity with clothes.”

“I’ve never been in love. I’m 29. I feel there’s a lot of ego and a lot of competition, too. If you’re dating one person, they’re dating seven. And they’re comparing you. Not only comparing, they’re weighing the scale. Fashion is my love. It’s what I understand the most.”

“I find it so funny when I am around locals. They want everyone around them to know that they are locals. I’m going to do a video about that. I’m going to wear an ‘I LOVE NY’ t-shirt and style it up. Then I will stand in line at Magnolia Bakery together with a friend. Both of us will have the t-shirts, and then we’re going to talk loud about how we know everything.”

“New York changes so often that you need to be ready. I think you have to be on your toes here because it can change instantly. If you’re ready for change and for every day to be different from yesterday, you’re going to do just fine here. But as I said, if you’re afraid of anything, do not come to New York.”

“I don’t like when people only dress in vintage clothing because you’re not contributing to the time and generation that you live in now. Interpretation and vintage additives are great! But I don’t believe in being a walking ad of the past, especially when now is the most exciting time to be alive.”

“Day-to-day life here, I wake up to quiet. I get ready to quiet. I do it to quiet, because it’s so loud out there. I go out and I get a coffee. I don’t even need coffee. I just love to go get it with a friend or someone I’ve never met before. We get a coffee and we walk and we talk.”

“I love this neighborhood, Sugar Hill. I love that there’s so much family here. It’s historic. It’s beautiful. I love that you can feel the past and see the future here. It’s called the Sugar Hill because it was for the sweet life. Everyone who lived here was very wealthy and it’s on top of a hill.”

“New York City is magic and I believe this is a thing, because everyone living here is expecting that. When you have a small space with everyone believing in the magic, it is bound to happen. It can be small things like you get on the train. You see somebody. You kind of have this little moment when you look at each other. Then later on in the same day you find the same person again.”

Q&A

“ If you’re afraid of anything, do not come to New York. I recommend people who are fearful not to move here. I mean, I’m afraid of stupid things, like garbage bags that fly up in the air. If I hang a plastic bag outside the bathroom, I get scared when I see it hanging there.”

What neighborhood do you live in? Harlem—technically, Sugar Hill.

Best thing about living there? I love the buildings and the convent. Here, you can feel the past and see the future. It’s so beautiful.

Favorite neighborhood in NYC? I love all the neighborhoods. I mostly frequent the Chelsea/Flat Iron area and Soho, though.

Favorite street to stroll? I love walking along Gramercy Park.

Why? I’m absolutely in love with one of the buildings facing the park and would just love to live there one day. I like to imagine life there.

Favorite restaurant? My go-to spot is Peacefood Café.

Favorite bar? I don’t drink, but I do like Lillie’s Victorian Establishment. The scenery is great.

Hidden gem? The bar at Baccarat Hotel is my favorite place in the whole city.

How to be(come) a New Yorker? I’m a natural at fitting in. People are always shocked when I say I wasn’t born here. Best advice to get that response is: Just follow your gut and the city.

Your New York soundtrack? Gaga released the “Born This Way” album right when I moved here. It was the start of her being insanely famous and she was the topic of discussion at that time. Naturally, looking like her was a huge thing during that time. I had a lot of encounters with her fans mistaking me for her. My first day living here, I was followed by people with cameras like, paparazzi. They asked the friend I was walking with if we were dating. Because of all these memories, that album really set the tone for my life here. Life has been a bit safe lately. I should give it a listen now, to feel that new excitement again.

5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT FAUSTINA

HORSES “David Frank Ray was a famous make-up artist who recently passed away. He was the most fabulous person I ever met. We would go to his apartment for tea and laugh all night. These were his horses. He knew I loved them. I named them after him and his dog, which he loved”

BROKEN CANDLE “Once, I opened the fridge and the door broke. My friend tried to help fix it when this candle fell on his head and cracked his head open. He started bleeding so we rushed to the hospital. But we laughed so much. I am going to keep this forever.”

FRAMED UNICORN “Me on me as a unicorn. I got this from a friend. A lot of people see me as a unicorn, because I am rare and mystical.”

TEDDYBEAR “This is my grandma’s stole, which my mom turned into a teddy bear. It has my name on it. My mum has the bigger version.”

PURSE “I used this bag when I got my dog Timothy. He was sick when I found him, so I called him Tiny Tim after the film, ‘A Christmas Carol.’ Recently, I noticed who made the bag, and guess what? His name is Tim.”