January 2022 - New Beginnings by The House of Perez

NEW BEGINNINGS | 1/22

SUAREZ SISTERS breaking barriers as the ultimate trendsetters in the digital space

LUXURIOUS VINTAGE

Roberta Mishchenko and Natalie Vyetrova give us all the reasons to repurpose

BEHIND THE CURTAIN

A look at the renowned work of Milena Canonero THEHOUSEOFPEREZ.COM

JANUARY 2022

NEW BEGINNINGS T. S. Eliot

“Every moment is a fresh beginning.”

Suarez Sisters Photographed by JANA SCHUESSLER / Styling by ALEKSANDRA MARKOVIC assisted by STEPHANIE WENGERKIEWICZ / Hair by FRANKIE SANDERSON / Makeup by MONICA WU Blazers and maxi skirts , Cinq a Sept. Rings and bracelet, Simplicité.

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NEW BEGINNINGS | 1/22

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CONTENTS January 2022

8 Editor’s Letter

BEHIND THE SCENES 10 Behind the Lens A moment with Jana Schuessler, renowned photographer and Visual Director at The House of Perez

FASHION 12 Rarchive Roberta Mishchenko revives collection of vintage Chanel jackets, bringing magic back to the outerwear

18 On the Road A look inside the Dior men's fall 2022 fashion show

BEAUTY 20 In the Know Frankie Sanderson talks with us about modernized hair extensions and how to choose what's right for you

21 The Beauty Edit A roundup of our Editor at Large's favorite

FOOD 22 Sakara Detox A review at Sakara's at home detox plan - the perfect way to kick start your 2022 wellness plan

24 Dry January Get to know Lyres - the hottest non-alcoholic cocktail mixes every entertainer needs stocked in their bar

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ART 30 Multi-disciplinary Artistry An ode to the award-winning costume designer, Milena Canonero, and her recent work in The French Dispatch

32 Lena Silva Our artist feature this month is inspired

42 NFT Dining Peter Klama develops innovative delivery services with well known brands and famous personalities

FEATURES 44 The Suarez Sisters Natalie and Dylana Suarez talk style, their passions and what's coming in their future

56 Dreaming in Vintage Creative director Natalie Vyetrova shows us luxury vintage on set in this fashion editorial

68 2022 Predictions A poetic outlook on the year through a reading by Madam Tallula

69 Final Notes

L E F T: P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y N AU M E N K H A N , M O D E L : A N A S TA S I A TA F U R I VA K U L A , S T Y L I N G B Y: N ATA L I E V Y E T R O VA . TO P A N D B E LO W : P H OTO C O U R T E S Y O F R O B E R TA M I S H C H E N K O.

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www.simpliciteus.com THEHOUSEOFPEREZ.COM

JANUARY 2022

www.simpliciteus.com THEHOUSEOFPEREZ.COM

JANUARY 2022

Creativity Within THE TERM, NEW YEAR, HAS BROUGHT ON A WHOLE NEW MEANING FOR ME THIS MONTH. It's odd going into this month feeling considerably optimistic despite the past two years, the current state of the economy, and the obstacles that COVID continues to display. The start to this year does feel different though. The hope that these obstacles will go away has diminshed for a lot of us, giving us the freedom to move forward, knowing that we need to be ready to adapt. It's also proven that society continues to find ways to be together, work together, learn together and create together. As I look ahead, the drive to cultivate the creativity within us to evoke change is entirely motivating. In this issue, our cover stars, Natalie and Dylana Suarez have tapped in to their own creativity to give themselves an artisitc edge to their storytelling. You find a certain uniqueness about both of them when you visit their digital spaces, but more importantly, the content motivates their audience to find their sense of personal style, own it and fall in love with it. Why is it important to love your own style? It's an investment in yourself - something we learned from Roberta Mishchenko while chatting with her about her vintage Chanel jacket boutique, Rarchive. Owning less ultimately feels like more when you buy quality pieces that feel like you We also spoke with Natalie Vyetrova, a sustainable creative director with an immense background in the fashion industry. She too is ulitlizing her creativity and experience to send a powerful message that it's possible to utilize and recycle vintage clothing and accessories without compromising on luxury. In closing, remember the possibilities are endless. We have officially entered and embraced an era where you can easily connect with people, create something together, tell a story and share it with the world without ever meeting one another in-person - and it can all be in an effort to help change the world.

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C O V E R S TO R Y - P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y J A N A S C H U E S S L E R . S T Y L E D B Y ALEKSANDRA MARKOVIC. BOT TOM PHOTO: COUR TESY OF ROBER TA MISHCHENKO OF RARCHIVE.

Letter from the Editor

Editor in Chief KACEY PEREZ Creative Director at Large NATALIE STEGER Editor at Large AIDA M. TORO Fashion Director CONNOR DUSZYNSKI Visual Director JANA SCHUESSLER Visual Director FILBERT KUNG Beauty Editor FRANKIE SANDERSON Features Editor JENNIFER STRIEGEL Social Media Manager CLAIRE GRISOLANO Contributing Writers Caroline Cotten

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Behind the Lens From Germany to the Big Apple, meet Jana Schuessler prominent photographer and visual director for The House of Perez WRITT EN BY: AIDA M. TO RO PHOTO G RA PHY: COU RT ESY OF JANA S CHU ESS LER

New York City is the destination for all aspiring creatives and more. For Jana Schuessler, a prominent fashion editorial photographer, the quest in the Big Apple began in April 2018 when she became an au pair for a family she absolutely adored. “That year made me fall in love with the city and I realized, this is home,” expressed Schuessler. “I started playing the green card lottery and won it 3 years later and tada…here I am now.” Schuessler focuses on fashion and celebrities and is the Visual Director for The House of Perez. When it comes to her work, she finds she is always able to create something unique that will arrest the eye and stick in the mind of the viewer. She enjoys playing around with clothing’s fabrics, colors, and shapes, finding that these elements are the most entertaining for her to shoot. Schuessler also loves clothes - they inspire her during a shoot, but also arrive with a comical hardship for her - not taking any clothes home for herself when the job is done. “At some point I wanted to become a fashion designer, but there would have been no way I could draw something that people would recognize because I'm really bad at drawing. So, I always tried to express ‘my art’ with photos, but I actually never thought about becoming a photographer until one day in art class, we had a photography project and for the first time, my teacher was impressed by what I did and she told me I should become a photographer.” Schuessler realized her teacher was correct in telling her she should pursue photography, which is what led her towards the professional route to pursue her dream. Once she finished school that year, Schuessler applied for a photography apprenticeship. To her

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excitement, she was accepted into the apprenticeship program and moved out at the age of 17 to Cologne in Germany, where she did her three year apprenticeship. “After three years, I finished my apprenticeship and became an au pair for one year where I fell in love with New York City,” she said. “Then I worked for some other fashion photographers in Switzerland, Los Angeles and became a freelancer in Berlin.” Prior to moving to the states, Schuessler applied for a green card in Frankfurt, Germany and when she received it, she and decided to travel. Schuessler travelled to a plethora of cities in the states and overseas for four months, visiting places like Cuba, New York, San Francisco, Vietnam, Australia and Italy. Once she completed her time traveling, she wanted to come back to the states and lived with the family she au paired for. To this day, they are still family to her. “Earning money was a challenge because I spent all of it traveling those four months,” she said. “My biggest challenge was to find work, to make contacts, and find a place to live.” Schuessler then began working at a German restaurant and for a fashion photographer for a few months. Soon after she became celebrity photographer Greg Swales’ assistant and retouched for other photographers as well. “How did I overcome this challenge? I think when you're in a ‘desperate’ state, you get way more creative about how to get a job and you put a lot of effort into it,” she stated. Thanks to Swales, Schuessler had the opportunity to work on some out of this world projects, all the way from Versace’s fashion show to assisting on shoots with major celebrities.

“He really changed my life - not just talking about being on cool shoots, but taught me so much,” she said. “He's a genius, and for me one of the biggest photographers of this era, the best mentor I ever had, who I am more than grateful for.” Swales helped her delve deeper into fashion photography and connected her to key players, which is important in the photography business. For Schuessler, one of her favorite shoots took place in Hawaii, as she loves shooting in incredible locations. Another project she was passionate about was an editorial shoot that was set in Wyoming. “I loved this shoot, not only because we shot with horses all

day, but this had a special and important meaning,” said Schuessler. “I photographed a Native American girl who is trying to provide greater awareness for women that go missing.” Schuessler continues to grow as a person, photographer, and professional with no stop in sight. For aspiring photographers, she advises them to grab the camera and shoot away. “Look at examples of photos you like and practice,” said Schuessler. “For me, I learn best by doing.” To check out more of Schuessler’s work, follow her on Instagram @janaschuessler and visit her website at janaschuessler.com.

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Timelessness Restored Roberta Mishchenko revives curated collection of vintage Chanel jackets, bringing magic back to the outerwear WR I TT EN BY: K ACEY PEREZ P HOTOGRAPHY: CO URTESY O F RARCHIVE

There is an exuberant amount of creativity in today's world of fashion, making the details matter more than ever before. It takes more than aesthetic to create a timeles piece - it has to be a perfect cross between detailed and utilitarian in order to stand the test of time. That's something Gabrielle Chanel perfected in her jacket designs, in 1954. The buttons, the trim, the tweed - it's what catches the eye, but the usefulness of the piece is what kept the design popular

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enough to continue adapting it into current designs still seen from the house today. Roberta Mishchenko is restoring her collection of vintage Chanel jackets and making them available to the label's most loyal fans at her boutique, Rarchive. It's a luxurious sustainable shopping experiece that takes you back in time, and reaffirms the real reasons for loving the Chanel jacket - it truly is timeless. Hi Roberta! Thank you for taking the time to chat with us. I first discovered Rarchive on Instagram and fell in love immediately. Can you

tell us about the backstory? What led you to the start of your boutique? Thank you for your interest! I have been collecting Chanel jackets for several years and curated a collection I felt I needed to share. It’s not a very healthy way of living to buy and store, so I decided to launch Rarchive. There is something completely dreamy about a Chanel jacket, old or new. What specifically do you love about them? When Gabrielle Chanel created her famous cardigan jacket she changed the way women dress, giving us freedom of movement. Once you experience

IN WITH THE OLD Mishchenko restores vintage Chanel jackets and makes them available for shoppers at her boutique, Rarchive.

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the comfort, the craftsmanship, the attention to detail, all the little innovations like the chain at the hem - it is hard to stop at just one Chanel jacket. I love how timeless the Chanel jacket is. Is it possible for you to pinpoint 1-2 collections Chanel released that are your favorites? Is there a vintage year you love the most when it comes to their jacket designs? - I can’t pinpoint one or two particular collections, but I can say that my main area of interest is in the late 1980's and early 1990's. And of course, haute couture collections, especially those before 1971 when Gabrielle Chanel was creating new designs herself. I believe once you get to experience a Chanel Haute Couture piece, it changes your mindset. It’s like flying first class for the first time - it raises the bar, it elevates your standards. What does the process look like to bring an old jacket back to life? Are there specific steps you take that make your vintage shop different from others? The time a jacket takes from arriving at our studio to launching it in the online store may take weeks or even months. With vintage pieces, our goal is not quantity but quality and to present jackets that are in their best possible shape. Not all pieces we offer need a “facelift” but, when required, we work on carefully removing any stains and odors, if the shell fabric has pulls or holes we repair them by reintegrating the threads of the weave by hand. It is a delicate and elaborate process that takes time and patience. We have also started offering restoration services to some of our customers and will start offering this service on our website this year, which is going to be an exciting new chapter for us. I believe in taking care of your pieces rather than buying new ones. Can you tell us about a proud moment you have had while running Rarchive? Restoring over 100 jackets in the first year is a milestone, finding new homes for those pieces and building a community of people who appreciate what we do is something I am very proud of. And of course, offering some of the rarest pieces in our online store, like the haute-couture jackets and iconic pieces designed by Karl Lagerfeld. What has been the most challenging part of running your own business? On top of sourcing new pieces, which gets harder and harder every day, staying safe during the pandemic has been challenging, especially here in Texas. How much does sustainability inspire the process behind your products? It is at the core of Rarchive. By definition, sustainable means something that can continue over a period of time. And this is exactly the case with Chanel jackets. We source timeless pieces that are meant to last a lifetime. One of my favorite features of Chanel jackets is a little bit of extra fabric on each side panel. A thoughtful detail that allows for the jacket to be sized up because our bodies change throughout our lifetime. Producing less, restoring, and prolonging the lifetime of your favorite items rather than replacing them is something I deeply care about.

“One of my favorite features of Chanel jackets is a little bit of extra fabric on each side panel. A thoughtful detail that allows for the jacket to be sized up because our bodies change throughout our lifetime. Producing less, restoring and prolonging the lifetime of your favorite items rather than replacing them is something I deeply care about.”

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On the Road

Dior pays homage to the work of Jack Kerouac at Fall 2o22 show

WR I TT E N BY: C ON N OR DU SZYNSKI P H OTO G RAP H Y: C OU RT ESY OF DIOR

“Happiness consists in realizing it is all a great strange dream.” - Jack Kerouac Paying homage to the works of Jack Kerouac, last month’s Dior Fall 2022 Men’s Show celebrated wild imagination and pushed the reinvention of men’s fashion. Dior’s artistic director of menswear, Kim Jones, drew inspiration from Kerouac, whose works “shifted writing as seismically as Christian Dior changed fashion.” Perhaps Kerouac’s greatest work, On The Road, is not only regarded as the author’s most beloved work, but also the defining work of the Beat Generation, having been published in 1957 (the same year as the passing of Christian Dior). We are once again seeing the impact

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of American culture, art, and perspectives on the fashion landscape. Kim Jones drew upon the magic and postwar themes of On The Road and Kerouac’s other works for the presentation of the show, as well as the pieces of the collection, tying it all back to the legacy and life of Christian Dior, his love of traveling, and the kinds of postwar fashion one might find in On The Road or cross-country traveling through the United States. An obvious example of the influence of Kerouac’s work and of American influences on the collection, the show featured a continuous 120foot scroll of On The Road, which served as the runway and backdrop for the models. Kim Jones and The House of Dior’s

inspirations are ultimately summarized as blending “counterculture with couture.” However, while Jones and Dior seemingly draw inspiration from Kerouac's, On The Road and the Beat Generation, in many ways they actually draw inspiration from the relevant trends we are seeing unfold in today’s fashion landscape as well. The notion of “counterculture” or embracing a free, rebellious, and unapologetically self-expressive spirit is a theme that is very relevant to the current Gen Z. Furthermore, the idea of mixing this with couture, or elevating an unpolished, edgy, and trendsetting aesthetic with elements of formalwear, high-quality materials, and a more streamlined presenta-

tion is what the modern day American Gen Z is all about. We’ve seen this before, and I’m so glad we’re seeing even more of it. In the #GucciLoveParade, various Paris SS22 shows, and countless other shows last year, we saw more well-established fashion houses embrace the mixing of formalwear, streetwear, and athletic wear into more cohesive looks and ensembles that resonate with the line-blurring and boundary-pushing style Gen Z wants to see reflected in fashion. The House of Dior simply summarizes this as blending “counterculture and couture,” presenting it as an homage to Jack Kerouac and Christian Dior’s love of American culture, when many of the themes that were prevalent then are prevalent once

again today. It’s a very timely, appropriate, and well-thought-out concept and way of presenting the show at a time when men’s fashion desperately needs to be elevated. Expect to find references to 1950's classic Americana, from layering to reinvented 1950's silhouettes, an abundance (but not over-abundance) of denim, reinvented knitwear, and artistry including hand-painted leather jackets. The collection is wearable and digestible, yet it’s not boring. Additionally, the collection is iconically-Dior without being too obvious. There are nods to the iconic Dior grey in the knitwear, reinvention of the Dior monogram and classic motifs, and other references to the House’s heritage

without being too obvious. Among the many highlights of the show, a haute joaillerie necklace which echoed Jack Kerouac’s iconic novel On the Road was certainly a standout amongst the other accessories. The quilted jackets, blazers, and bold outerwear were favorites, further elevating many of the looks. dior.com.

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in the

KNOW W O R D S A N D P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y: FRANKIE SANDERSON

WE CAN TALK ABOUT ALL THE TRENDS WE SEE ON THE RUNWAYS at fashion week, but some of these highly curated looks are not practical for the streets, no matter how much we love them. It really depends on your style. From avant-garde to throwbacks, everything is in style - it’s just how you decide to interpret them. Let's look at what's been reimagined - hair extensions. New new brands, technology, and techniques are miles beyond hair extension brands of the past. They're more realistic, easier to manage, and longer-lasting. I can recall 2007 as a pinnacle for extensions in the media a la Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, and Brittany Spears - an amazing era! These girls were photographed everyday, in every way, and many of these times their hair looked like a plate of spaghetti had been dropped on their heads. The hair extensions were stringy and fake; the hair didn’t blend and you could tell it was not real. Fast forward, 15 years later, and these extension brands took time to figure it all out. We have more sophisticated methods and are less aggressive on our hair. Two of my personal favorites are Volume Wefts and Hand-Tied Wefts. ManeEvent, a fairly new hair extension line that has hit the market, makes high quality wefted hair. Any length, any color, they have it! While both of these methods are gorgeous, they have a different appearance. Volume wefts are easily described as ‘hair on a string’.

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There are three of these single wefts sewn together to make one thicker weft, which we call “volume wefts”. This method is applied by using copper or aluminum beads with a silicone lining to protect your natural hair inside. The bead is clamped down with hair extension pliers all the way around the shape of the head. You then measure out your volume weft from the front of the first bead to the front of the last bead. Lastly, the weft is cut to measure and you begin the final phase of your install by clipping the weft on top of the beads and sewing onto the given track to the left and right of the beads. You can double up the wefts for extra volume if you’d like or add multiple rows depending on the final look. The second favorite is called “hand-tied wefts”. This is exactly what it sounds like. Wefts that have been hand-tied and are much finer and more pliable than a volume weft. You can get a very full look out of this type of extension method, but not as full as a volume weft. That’s ok. Again, it’s all about giving the client what they discussed with the extensionist during the consultation. The method is similar but you will use more beads in this service and requires string in between the beads to add security and less tension on the hair base. The string gets threaded through the beads and from one bead to the other creating a strong web-like base for the wefts to get sewn to. The wefts are placed on top of the beaded base, then sewn to it. You can sew up to 6 wefts to one row. Typically, two rows will suffice but you can do more. There are many great options for men and women these days. If you’re someone who is looking for a change, or maybe a confidence boost, look in your area for someone who is experienced in these various methods and specializes in it. Volume wefts are better for thicker hair than hand-tied wefts, but normal to thicker hair can also use hand-tied wefts if that’s what you prefer. Bottom line; consultations are key and an eye-opening way to find out if these options are for you. So tell me, what are your hair dreams?

the beauty

EDIT W R I T T E N B Y: A I D A M . TO R O P H OTO G R A P H Y C O U R T E S Y O F B R A N D S

Forget about the "New Year, new me" sentiment - instead, give your face the refresh it deserves and amp up your beauty routine. We all start thinking about new regiments, whether it be fitness, healthy eating, skincare, and more. As skincare falls into the beauty category, there is so much more to this criteria as beauty entails self care, which includes activities all the way from facials, manicures, haircuts, to more. Here, The House of Perez has rounded up the top five beauty products that readers should get their hands on for a self-care filled January. 1 Pat McGrath’s beauty products have been the talk of the town as a plethora of these cosmetics have been utilized on Netflix’s “Emily in Paris”. Give your skin the glow it deserves by applying one of Pat McGrath’s most recently launched products: Skin Fetish: Sublime Skin Highlighter. This product will have your skin capturing light as well as projecting illumination with a heavenly highlighter, which delivers a resplendent range of otherworldly effects. The product is creamy, silky, and is a crystalline gel-powder that radiates pure light while laying down a smoothing veil of multidimensional sparkle. 2 Aside from being the destination to chill and restore in Manhattan, Chillhouse is accessible at home as well. Facial oils are a must have as they contain nutrients, including essential fatty acids and antioxidants that can assist with sealing in moisture to keep the skin hydrated during the cold, dry months. This duo of a day and night facial oil is formulated with a robust blend of natural essential oils and Squalane that battles a vast assortment of skin woes while providing targeted results. Start your day with a balanced, silky complexion, while giving your skin long-lasting hydration, cell turnover, anti-aging benefits, calmness and detoxification. The nightly face oil assists the skin by reducing signs of

aging, redness, and irritation, while stimulating cell turnover and preventing impurities in the future. Capric Triglyceride is paired with natural oils and extracts in this specific blend to target persistent skin sensitivities throughout any phase of your skincare regimen. 3 Arriving to the palm of your hands straight from France, are the Pivolea Nail Polishes. Pivolea’s mission is for one to take life into their own hands, with meaningful intentions, of course. The current collection is titled “The Power of Positive Affirmations, which consists of six good-mood varnishes to empower, inspire and assist each and everyone of you to make your dreams a reality. With this being stated, apply the “I’m Smart” top base following with the color of your choice to give your lovely fingers the confidence they deserve. 4 Keep it naturally beautiful this winter with Nakie Coquette’s Make Me Blush Goji lip & Cheek Compact. The cold temperatures call for some moisture on the skin, which is why this compact is a must-have, especially since the product can be applied to both the lips and the cheeks. This product will provide you with a blushed look which transforms to spotlight all skin tones, skin types, textures, ages, and more. 5 While being stuck at home due to the cold, we all might get lazy to wash our hair and seek a good hair day, even if it’s just to couch surf. With this being stated, the Oribe Gold lust Dry Shampoo is here to save the day for you as it is automatically clean and can extend your blowout while preventing damage to your hair. The product absorbs buildup, oil, and impurities with translucent powders while soothing the scalp and restoring strength and softness. To add on, the fragrance-retention technology incorporated into the product defines that the delectable Oribe signature scent stays with you all day.

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in review

The Sakara Life 5 Day Level II Detox WR I TT E N BY: N ATALIE T. ST E GE R P H OTO G RAP H Y: C OU RT ESY SAKARA

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Who doesn't love healthy, delicious food and cleansing? In beautiful packaging, Sakara does fully-cooked meals and plans are good for your body, mind, and spirit. In 2021, part of my self-care journey was finally to try out Sakara for myself, cleanse, reset, and shed a few pounds if it happens. Last year I signed up for the Level II: 5 Day Detox, and here is what happened.

the details: It is a 5-day detox that eliminates gluten, meat, dairy, sugar (including fruit), nuts, soy, pesticides, GMO, nightshades, alcohol, and caffeine from your diet. If you don't know what nightshades are, they are typically white potatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, and chili peppers. You would think they are healthy for you, but these plants can cause inflammation of the body and aggravate arthritis. One of the reasons I did this is to detox and reset my body. The pandemic had me indulging in bad habits in terms of food, and I did gain quite a few pounds. Some people can experience very likely weight loss, and I lost 8 lbs. However, the goal of the detox is to reset the body while improving gut health, reducing sugar cravings, and increasing energy, not losing weight. The first thing I fell in love with was the thoughtful packaging it's well thought out and gorgeous. I am a sucker for pretty packaging. You receive a small pamphlet in the box that gives you tons of information and prepares you to start the program. It provides you information on how you feel during the detox program, expected side effects, and an explanation of the benefits and exactly what to expect of the detox program itself. The detox in itself was not easy, and there were a few times I wanted to veer off the program. If you are looking for a weight loss program, this program doesn't prioritize weight loss. It is an overall holistic and physical reset. Sakara's philosophy believes that plants are medicine, a whole-food cleanse that eliminates common inflammation triggers and fuels your body with plant nutrition. Utilizing dietary principles like ketosis and intermittent fasting, Level II will help heal the gut, restore the metabolism, and release years of toxic build-up. It is like hitting the reset on the body's systems, complete reboot.

the breakdown:

greens as part of this detox program. You drink their coconut kefir drink in the afternoon, which was my favorite part of the detox. I continue to have now kefir part of my daily routine. I love Sakara's, but sometimes it is just easier picking up one at the store. Usually, I get plain and blend it with a fruit of my choice. Though this was not always my favorite thing to consume each evening for dinner was the medicinal broth. I preferred it hot, but sometimes I just drank it cold. I found it filling, but it was the least exciting part of the program. Before bedtime, you take more supplements that support gut health and magnesium. One of my favorite rituals was drinking my water that mixed Sakara's Detox (chlorophyll) Drops; I felt it was nice closing to the day. On the second and third days, I felt light-headed or had minor headaches. I was unsure if it was the elimination of sugar or caffeine, but it was not as bad as others described their headaches. However, by the third day, I found my focus clearer, and I had a lot more energy. The worst part was being hungry, so I drank water to trick myself into feeling full. Day 4: You drink liquid only, consisting of two green juices, a carrot, ginger soup, coconut kefir, and medicinal broth. Not having solid food was the most challenging day as I always find satisfaction in chewing or eating something; it was probably a mental comfort thing to feel like I had to chew food, but I powered through. Day 5: Whole Food Returns You have a whole food breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with your medical grade detox supplements and probiotic Coconut Kefir, beauty water and detox water drop routine, and the digestive tea. I enjoyed the whole foods elements and eating plant-based food. The food was delicious and filling. I did feel a reset, and it was a healing experience. I believe in supplements and enjoy the easy, no thinking process of healthy eating and routine. Also, as part of the program, they provided you a dry brush with the detox to use before showering each day. Dry brushing helps with lymphatic drainage and exfoliation. I didn't always have time to do this as a mom of two, but when I did, I enjoyed the process of self-care. Overall I lost 8 pounds, felt I had a lot more energy, my mind felt clear, and my skin was glowing. I would recommend doing this again for those who eat relatively clean. If not, I would start with one of the shorter detox programs prior and build-up to this. The detox gave me the reboot I needed, and after, I felt I was much more aware of what I consumed and used some of the provided recipes with my order. I can say likely for the start of 2022, and I will be ordering another Level II: 5 Day Detox again.

Day 1-3: You start the day with a tall glass of water with Sakara's beauty drops. The beauty drops contain 72 trace minerals that are hard to get through diet alone—followed by breakfast which consists of a nutritious meal like a veggie hash or squash frittata. Then you take your morning supplements. Before lunch, you drink a cup of Digestive Tea, which has peppermint, meadowsweet, and gentian. I liked the tea. Lunch is a salad of some kind, and you would expect lots of

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2022: Drink with Purpose WR I TT EN BY: AIDA M. TO RO P HOTO GRAPHY: CO URTESY O F LYRES

Many want to lay off the booze at the beginning of the year as they want to practice Dry January. Others simply don’t and want to continue drinking in a much more balanced manner to ring in the new year. Lyres, a company consisting of an exquisite variety of crafted non-alcoholic spirits made with love, is the ultimate beverage for those who want to keep it dry in January or even want to give their cocktail a twist. Lyres is an Australian known brand whose name comes from the large Aus-

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tralian songbird referred to as the world’s greatest mimic. The fundamentals behind Lyres arrived from the founders, who both hold different careers. One of the founders is a master sommelier and the other a CEO of a marketing agency. Both founders play music in their spare time and would go out to the local wine bar, with the purpose of not experiencing the typical hangover. With this being the case, they didn’t want to drink a beverage that tastes like water, which was part of their mission behind Lyres. Lyres’ Regional Manager, Warren Hode, said, “If you can stay spirited with what is

going on and can still enjoy the rest of your evening and run a 100 person company the next day, you can be inspiring to many.” Lyres’ intention is to replicate taste, whether it's through gin, bourbon, and different types of rum. The above are all plug and play items, which can recreate 95% of menu items of 1920s inspired cocktails using all non-alcoholic spirits. Throughout the years of creation, Lyre’s delicate variety of beautifully crafted non-alcoholic spirits was curated from a quest to make the impossible possible. Providing the freedom to drink your drink of choice your

own way, rather than just providing an alternative to those who don’t wish to consume alcohol while ensuring that all can savor the pleasure of the mirth and merriment of an evening soiree or brunch hour potluck. “One of the most important things that we tell our consumers, we are here to encourage any choice they want to make and by no means would we tell tell them not to drink, they make their own decisions,”said Hode. Lyres sources the finest all natural essences, extracts and distillates from the four corners of the globe. The company offers consumers drinks that are much more inspiring than a typical club soda or diet coke. Hode explains that when people choose to abstain from liquor, they always crave something nicer to sip. “With what Lyres has to offer, you can have every cocktail from every menu in New York City,” said Hode. “ Rather than using

a normal bourbon, you can use ours and all of a sudden you can have the exact same cocktail.” Hode explains that Lyres is an ideal alternative for those who plan a housewarming party and have guests that don’t want to drink alcohol. He believes that no home bar would be complete without non-alcoholic options at the moment. “If you truly want to entertain and truly want to be a hospitable host, you will have something for everyone,” he said. “Once again, instead of just offering a club soda to someone, make something really nice, inspiring and delicious with a non-alcoholic product.” Although Lyres mission of non-alcoholic spirits is to mimic a bar, there are health benefits. Hode mentioned that every single product that Lyres carries has roughly 120th the amount of sugar as their alcoholic cousins, does not promote hangovers, and

obviously, no alcohol is incorporated. “Let’s say you want to go out and be social and your evening is coming to an end and you already had a couple of drinks, Lyres products are great alternatives as go-to’s,” he said. Hode and Lyres have provided recipes for The House of Perez readers that one can enjoy not only for Dry January, but throughout the whole year. Find the recipes in the follow pages for your at-home potlucks or for your me-time drink. For more information on Lyres, follow them on Instagram over at @lyresspiritco and visit the website over at lyres.com.

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Lyre’s Pink LADY A classic is reborn. Positively blushing with the addition of Pink London Spirit this cocktail delivers a delightful balance of fresh fruit and savouriness that will have you seeing through rosé-coloured glasses. An enchanting sour that is class in a glass. Act accordingly. INGREDIENTS 2 parts (60mL/ 2 Fl Oz) Lyre’s Pink London Spirit 1 part (30mL/ 1 Fl Oz) cloudy apple juice 0.5 parts (15mL/ 0.5 Fl Oz) lemon juice 0.5 parts (15mL/ 0.5 Fl Oz) pomegranate syrup 0.5 parts (15mL/ 0.5 Fl Oz) egg whites (or aquafaba) Tsp organic apple cider METHOD Shake brief with ice, strain into glass GLASS Coupette GARNISH Skewered cherry or dried orange wheel

Libations!

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Lyre’s Pink Gin spritz Spritz is a vibe. Simple and delicious, this spritz can take the dip with either tonic, soda water or lemonade for a sweeter finish. In this liquid kitchen it’s your time to shine. Top with a lemon wheel and berry of choice… Mwah, chef’s kiss! INGREDIENTS 2 parts (60mL/ 2 Fl Oz) Lyre’s Pink London Spirit 2 parts (60mL/ 2 Fl Oz) Lyre’s Classico 1 part (30mL/ 1 Fl Oz) premium bottled tonic water or soda water or lemonade 5 raspberries or berry of choice 2 lemon slices METHOD Build all ingredients in glass with ice, stir GLASS Large wine glass

Libations!

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Multi-disciplinary Artistry A review of the facinating work of Milena Canonero, costume designer for iconic films - most recently, The French Dispatch. WR I TT E N BY: J E N N I FER ST RIE GE L P HOTO G RAP H Y: C OURT E SY OF SE ARCHLIGHT PICT U RE S, 2021

Costume. Garments that adorn someone to signal a specific style when in their wearing to encapsulate its environment. Children and adults alike choose a costume to dress up for certain celebrations throughout the year. Artists, whose craft includes performing, wear costumes that are part of the choreography of their dance, music or theater performance. Designer. A person who is the developer of products. In fashion, designers are responsible for visioning a style, creating plans to execute that style. Fashion designers create an individual style or a collection of styles, depending upon their vision for the

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person purchasing their designs alongside the broader public’s acceptance of their designs. Costume Designer. Milena Canonero. An exceptional developer of garments for artists’ roles to come to life on film… in theaters and in the comforts of our homes globally. Her aesthetic over four plus decades has not been defined by a particular style, rather a consistent standard of excellence across every style she creates. That’s why, in each film, the garments from Milena are a key contributing factor to how our brains remember these films with a vivid memorability and universality. Making all of the 51

films Milena has dressed as iconic as they are. Milena, who turned 76 January 1st this year, was born in Turin, Italy. In her young adulthood, Milena studied art history and costume design, which in hindsight explains perfectly her incredible ability to equally combine the set of a film or stage with the people occupying it. Every detail chosen in her costume designs for the characters reflect each storyline. Her inspiration derived not just from the scripts, also her in-depth art history knowledge. Milena’s foundation in how to study each artwork results in every engagement being inspirational for her. For example, a

“When you do your collection, you are much more free. You have fewer boundaries. When you work on a movie, you have to take into consideration the story, the plot, the vision of the director, even the physique of your cast. And then on top of all this, you want your imagination, your taste, and your ideas to come through. But a movie is forever.” - MILENA CANO NERO

different form of art, baking. A well known story of her introductory meeting with Sofia Coppola for Marie Antoinette illuminates Milena’s innate ability to transcend all artistry to her costume designs. “The beautiful colors… they (the macarons) became a guideline.” Sofia had gifted Milena a box of macarons from Ladurée at the start of their work together. Ladurée introduced the macaroon as a sweet staple in Paris, France in 1862. Since then, both the sweet and the company name’s have been recognized and enjoyed globally for nearly two centuries. It's no surprise that Sofia felt it perfectly appropriate to share this type of both one-

of-a-kind and universally recognized making of edible art with Milena. Assimilating product placement is yet another genius of Milena’s eye in understanding what to see in art to incorporate into her costume designs. Milena’s partnership with Wes Anderson over various films of his, most recently The French Dispatch, introduces Prada as a prominent yet seamless part of the characters’ outfittings. Together with Prade, art in food for Milena continued. Pasticceria Marchesi, owned by Prada, is a Milan hotspot due to its real-life replica of Wes Anderson’s Bakery Mendl’s in The Grand Budapest Hotel,

incorporating colorways from the film’s cast in which Milena designed. Tune into the 94th Oscars nomination announcement on February 8th. The category - Best Costume Design Productions - predicts Melina of The French Dispatch’s ensemble cast Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Léa Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, Lyna Khoudri, Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Amalric, Stephen Park, Bill Murray, and Owen Wilson, all the beneficiaries of Melina Canonero’s multidisciplinary artistry.

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P H OTO B Y PA E LO S A D D L E R

Lena Silva, Portuguese oil painter, explores her love of Renaissance art in her own, modern way. WRI TTEN BY: KAC E Y PE RE Z P H OTOG RA P H Y: C O U RT ESY OF LE NA SILVA

Lena, I am so glad we discovered each other and excited to get to know each other more through this interview. Tell me about your background. Where does your story begin? The pleasure is all mine! So grateful that I was afforded this amazing opportunity to collaborate with The House of Perez team. My story, it starts in the beautiful north of Portugal, where I was born, Porto. My artistic skills have been part of me since I can remember, tender toddler age. I remember my primary school years through high school, teachers observing, encouraging, and celebrating my artistic skills. Portuguese arts have always had an impact on my artistic development over the years. I remember being fascinated by Portuguese history, their beautiful historical buildings and inside artifacts. I love the beauty of the hand painted tiles covering some of the historical buildings. I come from a family with a few artists in their own rights, from marble sculpturing to classical music and adult health sciences. Renaissance is my profound passion and influence. Early years in Portugal, paintings by Portuguese renaissance artists caused such an impression on me. Paintings by Grao Vasco, Jorge Afonso, Garcia Fernandes, and many others captured my attention. Conversely, my artistic soul profoundly loves the Italian renaissance artists the most. As a teen, one memory that

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has stayed with me, the first time I came across a Leonardo Da Vinci book with majority of his works, I stood there in awe admiring those pages with such an intent and care, trying to memorize details. When I discovered Sandro Botticelli and Michelangelo Buonarroti, to this day I cannot express the emotion I felt. There is an incredible natural, simplicity of beauty to the works of these Italian renaissance masters that is almost surreal to put it in to words. Was there something in particular that made you pursue a career in art? I come from a humble background of working-class parents. A family, sadly, divided by a difference of financial and social status. Growing up, I was surround by adults that played ‘role models’ in my development. Though an awareness of my artistic skills through my early years I was suppressed by adults’ views and cultural beliefs of what I should or should not be, not what my person desired to follow. Stereotypical views as, you must have a job that pays bills and play the numerous expected roles as a female in society. Sadly, my artistic skills were discouraged and suppressed. Young teen years I dropped out of high school to find a job while doing so, as my dream of studying arts kept growing inside my soul, I end up enrolling in a private college of fashion and designing, led by one amazing Portuguese fashion Designer – Maria da Conceicao G. P. Martins. I was only able to be there a few months as my parents could not afford the fees, thus it marked my whole life and my passion for arts. Since leaving Portugal, I have never seen her again, this beautiful person and an inspiring role model, since my teen years, I wish and hope I will find her one day and express to her what an impact she caused in my life. At that point in life, I decided to leave Portugal and adventure myself, flying to the royal lands of the United Kingdom where I have lived and resided majority of my life. It was time to chase my dreams and live my life not of what others made me believe my life should be, but what my heart desired. However, no one ever knows what life brings us and how things will turn up, as much as one plans. Due to life events, I ended up pursuing another form of arts, a BSc honours in adults health and social sciences, where to this day, I still practice by teaching on the medical, nursing grounds. For a few years I laid my art and artistic dreams dormant to focus on the respective academic studies and my small family. Through the dormant years, I seldomly would do a sketch here and there, it has only been the last few years that due to life traumas and battles I reflected on how fragile life is. One minute we are here the next we’re not! I took courage and decided to apply myself to my true passion in life - art and give myself the honour to practice my skills, continue to develop and challenging myself. In 2019, I had a life event that affirmed my determination, resilience to continue pursuing with my artwork. The famous, well know art curator, Loredana Trestin, with her assistant curator, Erika Gravanti, contacted and invited me to have my work exhibited via Divulgarti Gallery, Genova, Italy. Since then, my artistic career has taken off and has been developing since then in a steady and swift way. Do you paint in a studio? If so, what’s it like? If not, where do you usually find yourself painting? (Smile…) I do not, as of yet, have my studio, the space I desire to freely express my artistic skills without concerns or worries of messing up floors and walls. My current studio is between my sitting and dining room. A very controlled area, space,

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WHILE SHE SLEEPS Oil on canvas

and as tidy as one can keep (giggles). I am blessed with the most beautiful souls in my life, my children, that have been gifted with artistic skills themselves. I am their strongest role model and creating, painting in front of my children have supported their development and confidence with their own characters and skills. I give them and encourage freedom of expression, tidiness at times becomes an artistic chaotic playground that we treasure as a family.

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My children are part of my inspiration, thinking process, a reminder of who I am. I consider so special and unique the artistic bond I have with my children and them being part and witnessing their mother’s artistic career development. How do you start your creating process? Does something inspire you to put paint to a canvas before you begin, or are you a meticulous planner? My work is spiritual, emotive moments, past experiences, traumas, mem-

ories, music, nature and joys, a process of identity, my hypostasis. People around me, their interactions with each other inspire me and allow me to continuously grow my own person. I believe, in general, we as beings have an ongoing need, profound desire, to understand whom we are, and what make us. How we process emotions, moments of joy and sadness, how we relate to each other and what keeps us connected. I often start by a reflection of what took

DISSILIENT Oil on canvas

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C R O O K E D B E AU T Y Oil on canvas

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“The world of arts, in our current society, puts so much pressure on artists, specifically emerging artists, in doing and becoming something that is expected of others. Art, to me, should be something spontaneous.” place around me in the past or that same day, how it reflects on my person, on how it made me or makes me feel at that very same moment. Thereafter, I will stare at a blank canvas, often in silence or a background sound – music I enjoy, for long periods of time. After a long moment, I will be glancing through prints of different portraits, old photos and feel how it has an impact on me. In that same moment, and thereafter, I let my soul and hands lead the brushes and the bright oil colours. Art and colours are one of the greatest therapy in this world. ART is beauty! Awhile back I heard these words – ‘Separating Art from GOD is a lie! For the heart of human craves beauty as we crave for GOD.’ I would say, no, I am not a meticulous planner with my artwork, it is very much spontaneous, spiritual, reflective moments. The world of arts, in our current society, puts so much pressure on artists, specially emerging artists, in doing and becoming something that is expected of others. Art to me, should be something so natural, spontaneous. Yes, it involves techniques on how we are to use different materials, experimenting, trials and errors, skills development. However, the expectation of writing long ‘stories’ describing a piece of work to meet expectations when to the artist it was a personal moment of no

long descriptions - it's unnecessary pressure on an artist. I, personally, have more interest in hearing how my work impacts a viewer, how it made them feel, how it connects to them than myself making an eloquent speech on it for the sake of art world' expectations. I often imagine how the old masters presented their work, if long descriptions and eloquent speeches were given or they simply allowed their work to speak for itself and how it impacted others. Go no further, we know, from neuroaesthetics, there is a field of psychology that explores and studies how the brain processes beauty in humans and arts as much as the impact of colours. ART is very much on how it impacts us all, be it individually or collectively, a ‘therapy’ one way or another. Tell us about the medium you paint with. Have you always used it, or was there a learning process that led you there? For a while now I have been working with oils, I fell in love with fine oils, there is so much to learn. A lot of trials and errors, experimenting, committing myself to learning and finding a style(s) that I enjoy the most. Art is an ongoing learning journey. I enjoy oils the most however, that's not to say I don’t enjoy other materials like pastels, charcoal, watercolours, pencils as well. I am an individual that strives

through challenging myself and my skills. My first paintings with oils on canvas took an immense determination, persistence to challenge myself finding the right colours, shades. I enjoyed so much the challenge I set upon myself, a memory to treasure, how delighted I felt with the finished result. Those two artwork pieces titled ‘Amity’ and ‘Elated’ were inspired on Sandro Botticelli’s work Primavera and Venus. Early last year 2021, I became a patron to the Florence Academy of Arts (FAA Collective) and it felt like a step closer to a childhood dream, study of arts. Becoming a patron for FAA has given me the opportunity and privilege to contribute t0 the dreams of our next generation of artists developing skills of old renaissance Masters. In addition, by being a patron, gives me access to materials such as videos and lectures in different art topics that contributes to my own self development. Watching the videos and listening to wonderful art lectures by Tom Richards (an artist himself), seeing amazing art pieces by Daniel Graves (Founder of FAA, 1991) and many others has given me further determination to continue challenging myself in the hope that I will one day step into the grounds of FAA to become their student. My internal vision and passion for Renaissance period of arts and its masters

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DELIQUESCE Oil on canvas R I G H T: I N E X P E C TAT I O N OF A KISS Oil on canvas

fuels my dream. There is a certain moodiness and bold color to your work. Why is this important to your work? I have a fascination for life, emotions in relation to life, human beings and how it drives both. The truth is one can hardly think of human activity without emotions. Arts, in general, could not be without emotions as many other professional fields. Human beings experience a variety of emo-

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tions, positive as much negative, joy, sadness, love, anger, excitement, anxieties, through the visual of arts, colour, movement. There has not been an art piece that I have observed or admired that has not caused some sort of emotions on me. Colour is Life! My work is very real as much as insincere, an invitation to connect with inner selves without boundaries. Painting is a gate of self-expression, a private inner space where I can connect

consciously or unconsciously with the plain canvas. I can be my own protector against the demands and expectations of our society. Humans are constantly searching, longing to truly understand oneself, finding meaning, purpose. We often turn to an inner world as a mechanism of escape from reality. My work often allures, veiling elements of one’s soul, conveying messages that the observer might, or might not, connect with. I aim

to gift the observer with a natural feeling when engaging with my work rather than an imposed emotion by society views an expectation. Are your paintings intended to tell stories? Each of my works has a personal story, an emotion, a past and present moment. Art is not without a soul where the brush dips in. Rather than telling a story I intend to provoke a plethora of emotions upon the

observe leading to their own story. Are there other painters/artists you draw inspiration from? I have mentioned a few on an earlier question, masters of Renaissance period of arts. I admire the work of quite a few artists! Adding on, Antonio Mancini, John Sargeant, Gustav Klimt. There are also a few artists from current days and age I admire their work, mentioning names would be unfair as I might not be able to mention

them all. I certainly will mention, not by names, FAA students and their wonderful works and their teachers/lectures, majority artists themselves. Outside the art world, who or what inspires and motivates you? Outside the art world, I love being surrounded by nature, sea, and its scents the most tantalising to one’s human senses and profoundly inspiring. What motivates me is, GOD – creator of all, no beauty

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“Live life to its fullest, through happiness, challenges, traumas, dreams - live life. Never lose sight of your inner core, your principles, dignity and dreams.”

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without GOD and my dearest, beautiful children and my parents. They are my strength and motivation, my driving force, my resilience, my dream. A life of ‘simplicity is the ultimate sophistication’ (Leonardo Da Vinci) that’s part of my motivation. What is next for you? Any dream projects in the works? Well, I have had a past year filled with wonderful blessings and achievements regarding my artwork. I am filled with hope and faith to continue working in 2022 towards my dream and goals, always challenging myself. I have a few collaborations that I am working on and preparing for it. I will be planning, if the current world pandemic circumstances permits, for some physical exhibitions. Currently, I am managing my teaching on the medical/nursing grounds together with my artwork passion. It has been immensely challenging managing both as well being a parent, thus without saying, marvellously rewarding. The dream, is to continue diligently working towards a stage where I can solemnly dedicate my full time to my passion, stepping onto the grounds of Florence Academy of Arts, and further down the line it is my profound desire to utilize my art skills for the benefit of others as a therapy vehicle to work through life experiences and emotions, all in GOD’s blessings and his own time. GOD is love, love should be the driving force of our current troubled society, comfort one another, support one another to be and do the best one can do for ourselves and others. Leave us with one of your proud moments during your career. (Wide smile!) I have quite a few proud moments in my life! I am truly blessed. Regarding my art career my proudest moment is the day I took courage to pick up on a childhood dream and let my God given inner strength, faith and hope lead my artistic soul. Arts world is a very competitive,

challenging world, it requires much resilience, determination, discipline and above all belief in oneself. Be prepared, as best one can be, for all sort of criticism. I will echo Joseph Chilton Pearce words – ‘To live a creative life we must lose our fear of being wrong.’ Thanks for spending time with us! Is there anything else you would like to add? Thank you kindly, it has been my sincere pleasure. I would like to leave us all with these wise words as a reflective moment - ‘For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.’ James 4:14 NKJV. One can plan; however, one never knows what is around the corner. As stated by Steve Hagen - “I’m not anything in particular. Nor are you, nor is anyone. In fact, everything in our experience – our bodies, our minds, our thoughts, our wants and needs our relationships – is fleeting. Changing. Subject to death. We die in each moment and again in each moment we are born. The process of birth and death goes on endlessly, moment after moment right before our eyes. Everything we look at, including ourselves and every aspect of our lives, is nothing but change. In fact, you are nothing but change itself. Vitality consists of this very birth and death. This impermanence, this constant arising and fading away, are the very things that make our lives vibrant, wonderful and alive.” Therefore, live life to its fullest, through happiness, challenges, traumas, dreams – live life. Never lose sight of your inner core, your principles, dignity, and dreams.

EQUILIBRIUM Oil on canvas. September 2021.

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NFT Dining with Denise Richards & Carmen Electra WR I TT EN BY: AIDA M. TO RO IMAG E S : CO URTESTY O F MO RE MANAGEMENT

Non-fungible tokens (NFT’s) have been the talk of the town… more like talk of the city. With blockchain technology disrupting worlds such as finance and art, the culinary industry is delving into NFT’s as well. Peter Klamka, the mastermind behind MORE coin and President of Cordia Food Hall, is developing innovative, branded delivery services utilizing well known brands and famous personalities. “We began as a virtual restaurant company and are planning to launch menus from Carmen Electra and Denise Richards,” said Klamka. “Similar to other celebrity delivery services, our value add/ secret sauce is an ‘eat to earn’ model where people that order can get NFT’s and crypto as rewards.” Many know Richards as Kelly Van Ryan in Wild Things who has also graced a variety of magazines spreads, as well as Electra who is known as Lani McKenzie in the American drama series Baywatch. Klamka mentioned that Cordia has been developing the world's first crypto food hall for the past eight months. The initial minting will contain 5,000 NFTs featuring a collection of chefs, including some of the celebrities that are already associated with the company's virtual restaurant business, as well as new chefs that will be announced in conjunction with the crypto food hall. “We are also creating fictional chefs based on cuisine and we are exploring buying popular NFTs and using those to create virtual restaurants,” he said. “The goal is to create a platform for the struggling indie restaurants that want to play in the crypto/NFT space, but can afford to scale.” Klamka mentioned menus are currently being curated. The

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menus will consist of modern interpretations of classic dishes such as burgers, wings, fries, and more. Fictional chefs will arrive from cuisine types, the metaverse, and culinary trends. “The interesting part will be to see if we can bring a fictional chef to life in a real restaurant to- go setting,” said Klamka. “If fictional chef's NFT is popular....we will roll out to real restaurants.” A whitelist is expected for shareholders to receive early access for this special collection. Cordia is also exploring acquiring popular NFTs such as tokens from CryptoPunks and Bored Ape Yacht Club that can be included in the crypto food hall. These acquisitions will be subjected to the company receiving confirmation of various intellectual property rights that may come with these purchases. The NFT’s will launch in February and the virtual menus will follow post launch. For more information on these NFT’s, follow @ cordiainfused.

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SUAREZ

SISTERS EMPOWERING THE WORLD WITH SISTERHOOD WRI TT EN BY: AI DA M. TORO PH OTOG RA P H Y BY: JANA S CHU ESSLER STYL ED BY: AL E XSANDRA M ARKOVIC & ASSIS TAN T ST E PH AN I E WENGE RKIEWICZ H A I R BY: FRAN KI E SANDERS ON M A K EU P BY: M ON I CA WU

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DEFINED STYLE Both Natalie and Dylana Suarez have used the influence of the arts to define their own personal styles and it's reflected in the way the share that with their audience. Natalie wears blazer, shirt and skirt by Fendi. Dylana wears pants by Cinq a Sept, shirt by Frankie Shop, blazer by AFRM and earrings by Chanel.

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DEFINED STYLE Natalie wearing blazer by Mood x Miura and earrings by Simplicité. Dylana wearing blazer by Annakiki earrings by Simplicité.

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The Suarez Sisters, Natalie and Dylana, are a power duo. With one being a photographer and the other a model, they are a multi-talented team that has established themselves both as trendsetters and tastemakers. When you visit their Instagram, you’ll notice that their success is a product of staying true to themselves and what they love. Their unique approach to fashion and creating beautiful content does not go unrecognized as it has opened the doors for them to travel the world, joining forces with major campaigns for prominent brands (Cartier and Sephora to name a few). The House of Perez welcomed the chance to have meaningful conversations with these creative women about their sisterhood and they’re experience as leaders and shakers of the fashion and creative industries. Read on for their thoughts on trends, fashion, and more. What are some of the greatest challenges for the both of you in terms of keeping up with trends? How do you ladies stay up to date on the latest and best trends out there? DS: I try not to fall into the traps of trends. Maybe it’s because I’m 34 now and it feels too childish to be falling for every trend that comes and goes by the week. Although, I think there is no escaping trends when you work, live and breathe social media. It’s all there in our faces whether we like it or not. For me, it’s all about balance. There are certain trends out there that I like, and many that I don’t like. So it’s all about finding these natural connections and making them your own. It can be fashion, it can be a style of music, it can be something on Tik Tok (most of which I don’t have the patience to pay attention to), but think about the reasons you are drawn to something. I always ask myself, do I actually like this if no one else was wearing this or doing this? If the answer is yes, then I think it’s important to go with your gut. If you find yourself liking something for no legitimate reason other than because everyone else is doing it, even though you aren’t particularly excited about it, then you probably should stray away from that trend. That’s the best way to be authentic on social

media in my personal opinion. NS: I honestly look at more old photographs than I do new ones now. The 80's being my absolute favorite. There's something so powerful behind those images and the style. Being an influencer now, I'm

really moves me. There's so much power in a photograph and in a moment. I try to soak it all in, the old with the new. What values do you both seek when choosing to work or partner with brands or companies and why? DS: I try to look at brands that I already had a personal connection with. Do I already follow them and look to them for inspiration or for quality items that I see living in my closet forever? Is it a platform that I actually support because of its added value to my life? Do they have the same values as me and do they work with other creators who have similar values as me? Are they working towards being more sustainable? Do I see myself working with them on a long term basis? I see all of these questions as very important because I view authenticity as super important. It’s easy to lose a sense of your true self on social media because you want to do this for a living, which can sometimes mean taking every paid job that comes your way no matter what the brand is and what they represent; molding yourself to a brand’s aesthetics and values as opposed to the other way around. Thankfully, we have been in this field for so long, I feel like the brands who approach us get our vibe and values, and are really great fits for us, and many end up as long term partners. When you make a point to work with the brands who really line up with who you are, your followers and the brands who align with you already as well, will come to you. NS: We work with brands that really respect the influencer space. Brands that genuinely appreciate the art of what we do, the work, and the fresh perspective that influencers, models, and creators give to brands. We also value transparency, integrity, and communication. That's what makes a successful partnership. It's when all voices are heard and respected. How do you both feel social media has changed in the blogging world from when you first started vs now? What do you both dislike about social media nowadays and are there any solutions or hopes for a positive change? DS: It

“For me, it's all about balance. There are certain trends out there that I like, and many that I don't like. So it's all about finding these natural connections and making them your own.” so lucky to be able to connect with brands and designers on a personal level. Going to a designer's showroom, attending fashion week, and getting a first look in an email to an upcoming campaign or collection. I feel I'm always in the loop. There's always something new. I'm always inspired by beautiful product and designer creations, but it's when I see someone wear it in their own way that

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has changed a lot since we started back in 2009. Everything spreads so much faster now, photos, trends, videos, etc. It can be too much sometimes even for me. I remember the early days of blogging, how people really loved to write and get very personal in more long form posts. There was a real close sense of community there, and the pace was much slower. It felt like you really got to know people. Of course, there were far less people in that world as opposed to the amount of people on Instagram and Tik Tok now, but I still feel it’s so important to keep that tightly knitted sense of community today even if you have hundreds of thousands or millions of followers. I feel like that is where the most important influence happens. It means really reading your DMS and your comments, getting to know those who take the time to reach out to you, taking time to respond to messages, and just thinking about the best ways you can share the best parts of yourselves on your platform that is unrelated to selling material items. Of course, sponsored posts are important to influencers sustaining this lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean we have to forget about the real conversions we should be having with our audience on a regular basis. I’m always thinking about how I can better balance these two. I have hope that the direction of social media will move back to the way it was in the beginning, especially after what we have all gone through these past two years. I think audiences are looking to find real connections online and to find people to influence them to find a sense of purpose or creative direction in life that they in turn can give back to the people in their own lives. NS: Social media is bound to continuously change. When I first began blogging back in 2009, we had only a small community of like-minded creators. What's amazing now is that the platforms are much larger. You can find your niche. You can dip into so many different topics. There's a place for all of your passions. Since there's so much publicly out there, it's also made me value privacy and intimacy so much more. I have definitely now found my healthy balance with social media. Being able to juggle my online life with my offline life. As a creator, your work is your life, so I'm actually pretty

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picky with what I share. I think that's the positive change we can have, making social media a healthy place that gives us light and positivity rather than making it a dark place that hurts our self esteem. Luckily, we can control what's on our feeds and the stories we're telling ourselves. Also, I don't think social media is completely relatable. I like to keep it my professional work life, and a happy place for me. What are your thoughts on the term influencer? Likes/dislikes and what social impact do the both of you have today and how does it affect the both of you professionally and personally? DS: I used to feel a bit weird about the term since it can come across as a bit pretentious, but if you come to think about it, it really is a good way to describe what we do. When I first started blogging, it was all about finding influence to be inspired by, and in turn the natural response was to inspire others. And when influence is going back and forth in a positive, creative way, I see it as a really amazing way of connecting. It’s one of my favorite things about what I do, and I have met so many amazing creatives because of this, that have helped me push towards broadening my horizons and creative endeavors. The hard thing about being an influencer is that it really is a 24/7 job, or it easily can turn into something like that. It took me a long time to really find that balance of figuring out what to share and not share, what to document and what not to document. It’s really easy to let this lifestyle take over and you feel like you have to be on all the time for the sake of your following and interactions, but really I feel like balance is key. The worst position to be as an influencer is feeling overworked and underwhelmed and as if you are not actually living for yourself. I always say, post what speaks to you personally, and those who connect will follow. That’s how I try to have a healthy relationship with my job as a content creator. NS: I have never had a problem with the term influencer. To me, I like to think it represents the multi-hyphenates and many influencers aren't just one thing. We all have different stories, different talents, and perspectives. I want my social platform to influence others to create the life they've always dreamed of. Because that's what I did.

My personal life and professional life definitely overlap. I'd love people to find more beauty in their surroundings and courage in themselves through my story. Do you ladies foresee working together more as a duo in the future? Any exciting upcoming projects as the Suarez Sisters for 2022? DS: We definitely will be working together for more and long into the future. We did get into this world together so it only makes sense that we will continue to do so. Our companionship has always been the driving force between our creativity. This cover for January 2022 for House of Perez already seals the deal on that one! We are a bit hush hush on what is coming next for us, but follow along to find out! There is always something new we can look forward to as both sisters and individual creators! NS: I always see us working together. We tend to complete one another, and I really value what sisterhood has brought to our lives, which is adventure, sharing incredible experiences, and creating amazing work. There will be many more projects together for us in 2022 both behind of and in front of the lens and we can't wait to show you more. Natalie Lim Suarez, the half Chinese, quarter Spanish, and quarter Mexican model and creative director has been all over social media, campaign spreads, and is known for her blog “Natalie Off Duty”. She often appears alongside her sister Dylana Suarez on social media, who is also an influential creative. From creating the first digital fashion label at Macy’s, working on the launch of Estée Lauder’s Luxury Collection of fragrances, to celebrating Miu Miu’s Nuit collection, Suarez has a story behind it all. “I really loved the art of photography,” said Suarez in regards to her reason for becoming a model, creative director, and more. “Dylana and I would immerse ourselves in books, magazines, and catalogs it felt like studying to me.” Her modeling career began at the tender age of 15 when she was signed by her first agency. It is no surprise she found a career in modeling, Suarez’s beauty is profound with her raven long hair, striking eyes paired with her unique beauty

T H E D E TA I L S Earrings by Simplicité.

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from her Chinese, Spanish and Mexican background. During this time, Suarez was still in high school and deeply involved in the performing arts, which kept her incredibly busy with dance competitions, show choir performances, piano lessons, theatre, and her studies in Los Angeles. “A lot of it had to do with my parents pushing me to really discover my creativity and I'm so glad that they did,” she said. “I was super passionate about school as it was my entire life, and honestly, it's totally inspired what I do today and who I am.” For Suarez, the performing arts play a huge role in fashion and modeling. Acting portrays a mood throughout the art, as fashion does with an image or video. She carried this passion for the arts when she started modeling and into her entire career. To Suarez, creating simply became a lifestyle, which she couldn’t live without. 'As a young girl in the bookstore, I just wanted to learn about the people behind the image and have always been fascinated by self-made creators,” she expressed. “I felt connected to female entrepreneurs, their stories, and their work ethic. As a child, I was always told I could do whatever I wanted to do in life if I believed in myself and focused.” Suarez always had an imagination and clear vision of who she wanted to be. Reading the journeys of other creators, entrepreneurs, and designers really inspired her and gave her a burst of motivation. “Natalie Off Duty” was launched at the age of 18 as Suarez’s first creative outlet as a model. She wanted the platform to showcase her life as a model on the other side, documenting her outfit choices for castings, and writing stories behind photoshoots. “Simply showing up as a model on set wasn't enough for me,” said Suarez. “I had more to say and I was creating a magazine of my daily life.” “Natalie Off Duty” was inspired by “model off duty”, a phrase meant to describe the undone, effortless, model’s style. Think:

model wearing denim cut off shorts and a tank top with disheveled hair. This look is very carefree, yet completely cool, stated Suarez. “‘Natalie Off Duty’ is my own version of the popular phrase ‘It's me, off duty’, and is a peek inside my closet, it's going with me on my travels, it's working on a project with

her blog, opening doors for her to work in the fashion industry as herself, rather than just as a model. With her platform, she has a voice for her own vision and has gained opportunities to work with many amazing individuals who have respected and realized her vision, all the way from catalog covers to product design collaborations. “I knew it would be hard work, but that's just in my nature,” said Suarez. “There was no project that I wouldn't give 100% my all to, and with fashion, I'm able to do that every single day and it's the best feeling.” Suarez’s cultural background has also provided her with the opportunity to travel all over the world and carry pieces of her heritage alongside her everyday. Her Chinese side has inspired her daily jewelry choice of a jade stone, as it’s not only beautiful in her eyes, but protects her energy. The Hispanic side has inspired her to embrace color and vibrancy in her wardrobe. “I definitely have a spicy Latina side to my style that shows up when I want to feel sexy,” said Suarez. “My Hispanic heritage brings out my fun, spunky side, and my Chinese heritage brings out my feminine, spiritual side in my daily style.” Along with her passion for fashion and creativity, a love for interiors blossomed for Suarez as a result of both of her parents working in real estate. She would attend showings of the homes her parents had listed, fueling the dream of living in a New York City loft - savoring the pride of home ownership. Currently, she lives in a loft in Dumbo, Brooklyn, and enjoys the elegant and relaxing space. “It's very modern and minimal, with a beautiful feel to it with a chandelier right center of my loft and some really beautiful and artistic statement pieces in my living room,” said Suarez about her space. “I'm all about Feng Shui, and don't follow any real designer trends.” To her, if a space makes Suarez feel good and has a positive energy, then that's the best type of architecture and bones

“All I had was that I had to be me, and that is the strongest mindset to be in. I hope my career has inspired someone to be in that mindset, that anything is possible as long as you believe in it.”

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me, it's what I wear on set, it's what I wear to the party, it's the restaurant I ate at overseas, it's my place to go beyond the photo and image, and also a source of inspiration for shopping,” she said. “Both my blog and Instagram are places that are purely my work and fashion life and the story behind what I do.” Brands began noticing Suarez through

Natalie, wearing top and skirt by Mood x Miura shoes by Any Nord and coat by Bevza.

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Dylana, wearing blazer and pants by Maison Margiela, sandals by Alaia, earrings by Chanel and rings by Simplicité.

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to work with. Her home has a Manhattan meets California feel through it's decor that arrived naturally. Suarez intends to keep her space very sleek, typical for spaces in Manhattan. “There's a part of me that always feels the need to be by the beach and the water, which is calm to me, especially living in the New York City hurry,” she explained. As the fashion landscape changes from time to time, Suarez encourages society to remain confident and own who they are unapologetically. One’s uniqueness is the key to making them special, a leading factor for why Suarez never felt the need to portray someone she isn’t. “All I had was that I had to be me, and that is the strongest mindset to be in,” she said. “I hope my career has inspired someone to be in that mindset, that anything is possible as long as you believe in it, without being swayed by anyone else's opinion on what you are capable of because only you know what you're capable of and you define you.”

“I grew up always in tune with my imagination and creativity, and had a love for fashion since childhood, even though I never thought being creative was something I could ever do for a living,” expressed Dylana Suarez. Suarez has launch collections alongside her sister Natalie, attend some of the most influential events in the Big Apple, and so much more. For her, fashion was just a hobby, as she thought she was going to pursue a career in the medical field since she transferred to UCLA to major in Biology. After Suarez’s first quarter of the semester, she realized that her heart wasn’t on that path. “Although I still didn’t know what I wanted to pursue long term, I ended up switching to English Literature because I thought it was a better idea to at least study what naturally interested me and that I would fall into my own path soon enough, which is what ended up happening on my own time,” she said. “I’m so happy that I decided to switch majors because it was just

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the first step towards growing into myself and exploring all of my interests.” Suarez loved to read, write, and visualize stories, which just ended up going hand in hand with her other love: fashion. Combining all of her interests and diving

“I've always been a visual person since I was very young, and think storytelling is such an amazing way to connect people and to start conversations.” deeper into her passions is what helped her start her fashion blog in her last year of college, which is something she never stopped working on and has brought her to where she is today. “I remember coming across my very first fashion blog in college and thinking how cool and interesting that would be and that maybe this is something I could do,” said

Suarez. “It was always a dream of mine to attend fashion week, but I thought to myself, ‘could this someday be a reality?...But how?’... This is what made me want to start a blog of my own, pick up a camera, just a cheap and simple point and shoot back then, and start documenting my life and exploring my fashion sensibility.” Growing up, Suarez’s escape was always fashion magazines. She poured over the images these publications contained and imagined her own versions of everything. Finally having a camera on hand was so inspiring for her because she could find ways to bring her own visions to life. It just so happened that her father found a second hand camera and Suarez taught herself through Youtube videos how to shoot manual, and that’s when she was really able to elevate her work. The lust for learning and creating was a natural instinct for her, which is what kept her going. Suarez joined forces with her sister Natalie from day one, styling and photographing her forher portfolio, as she initially wanted to pursue a career in styling. As a result, Suarez and her sister each started their own personal style blogs where they photographed one another. “This is how we really learned how to use a camera,” she said. “You can really see the transformation with time if you go back to our old posts. We always had our voices, we had similar styles, but still very different at the same time, and we each liked having our own creative control which is why running our pages separately was always best for us, rather than a single blog or account.” Suarez and her sister always helped each other bring their visions to life. To be honest, if it wasn’t for each-other, Suarez doesn’t think they would be where they are today. “We needed each other to boost each other and develop in our open unique ways,” she said. For Suarez, creating gives her a sense of joy and accomplishment. She has an overflow ofideas in her head, and can’t help but try her best to bring them to life. Overall, she just loves creativity, as it is where she is

most in her element. Suarez also loves being inspired and inspiring others, as she states, it is a two way street and an exciting way to live life. “I’ve always been a visual person since I was very young, and I think storytelling is such an amazing way to connect people and to start conversations,” said Suarez. “Be it through words, through music, through film, through fashion, through paint, through sculpture…it’s all ART!” Suarez is amazed at finding beauty in the most overlooked things that result in bringing so much meaning to life and feel as the most important. She has always been the type of person who goes with her gut feeling, no matter how big or small they are, and is led by the images she creates in her mind. This is where her sense of style comes from. Before, it was fashion magazines and films; nowadays, Suarez still draws a variety of inspiration from films, especially movies from past decades. She enjoys paying attention to the compositions, colors, and energies of each scene due to the fact that they really affect the way she chooses to dress. “The way we choose to dress ourselves is very similar to the way a director can bring to life a character on screen, if you think about it,” said Suarez. “It’s all about expression, music, people I see on the streets in my cities, the fiction I read, and following certain photographers on Instagram inspire me as well.” Suarez opened up her world and her views on fashion as she grew older and began to travel. There is so much out there in the world that she must lean on trusting her intuition and going with what she’s naturally drawn to rather than just following the trends. With everything coming and going in cycles constantly, Suarez has learned that what she loves to wear has nothing to do with current trends. Nowadays, feeling good about what she wears has a lot to do with the comfortability in what she wears. “I don't like to feel restricted. I love to be able to move in my clothes. I love playing with oversized pieces and pops of colors. I love incorporating menswear,” she expressed. “I always come back to the same pieces over and over again and I feel like

I’ve finally found my LOOK, even though the tiny details change constantly because experimentation is always a YES.” Suarez recently wrapped up a number of projects for this past season, however, she has some exciting things coming in the new year. Although she can’t spill much of the tea on these projects, she did divulge that she has more coming with her long-term partner, Patron. “It has been so much fun working with them on finding ways to explore the brand in relation to my own lifestyle and being able to interpret it creatively and put my own spin on the content I create for them,” she said. “Last year was unbelievably busy and I feel so lucky to be able to work on my own projects, as well as projects with my sister, with great brands that we see ourselves working with long term, and I’m excited to see what 2022 will bring!”

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DREAMING 56

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After years of experience in the fashion industry, Natalie Vyetrova creates new perspectives on sustainability and how we dress. Photography by NAUMEN KHAN Model ANASTASIA TAFURI VAKULA Creative direction & styling NATALIE VYETROVA Written by NATALIE STEGER

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Vyetrova sourced all of the clothing from Dejavu, a vintage boutique

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IN A WORLD OF DREAMERS, we had the pleasure of interviewing the one and only Natalie Vyetrova, owner of Nata Sabi, an artistic brand covering event design, artistic direction, project consulting to creating one of a kind dried flower arrangements for all occasions. Vyetrova’s professional life is closely linked to sustainability. Her history in the fashion industry moulded her into the visionary and art director she is now. In the next several pages, you will experience her talents in this immaculate photo story created with vintage clothing and recycled props. Using what was available to her created scenes an unexpected, elevated look rivaling imagery created in the newest editorial campaigns of Dior and Chanel - proof the old can be new again. Vyetrova’s personal style consists of mostly vintage pieces and she covets the luxurious construction of these items. She beautifully describes the experience of wearing a well made vintage piece is like wrapping yourself in the nostalgia of tasteful living, while eloquently expressing that one “can feel a piece of fashion art on your body and elevate your style, French seams, generous hems, and exquisitely crafted buttons, prints and pintucks. There is nothing quite as flattering as an artfully crafted garment.” Vyetrova’s showcases her mission and work by creating original and creative ideas utilizing sustainable resources in her productions. It's her way of expressing where the future fashion should be heading. “We are moving toward a sustainable life and don’t have another choice,” she said. “It is a unique formula to survive on this planet.” What is sustainability? According to the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency, “Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. To pursue sustainability is to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.”

Vyetrova’s goal is to inspire others to think about sustainability and have meaningful discussions about the future of fashion and its challenges, along with the struggles consumers face in the world of fashion. Her hope is to change the life of a person in a much more sustainable fashion which to her, means she fulfilled her mission as an individual and professional. Tell us what your personal idea and definition of Fashion is? Fashion for me is just an instrument to express style, your personality, and your voice. Therefore, I am not too fond of fashion trends that don’t have a history. I associate style with uniqueness; fashion is like sitting on the ongoing train and admiring different views from the window. Those views are beautiful but are not connected with you. You just enjoy them without feelings. But, on

times where you could never be. These one of a kind previously loved pieces which we call vintage are considered quality over quantity. Every time you pick up a vintage item, you realize how much attention to detail has been spent by the artisans who created it. Every seam, every piece demonstrates a great love for the art of fashion. The refinement of cuts, materials, shades, finishes, the choice in the multiplicity of accessories, and the many interpretations allow you to challenge time and actuality. I experience the warm rush of finding and wearing something beautiful. It is like closing your eyes and taking a sip of good aromatic wine, like watching the blood orange luster you find in the colors of a Californian sunset. Jean Cocteau, French poet, actor, and filmmaker, manifested elegance in every move, mode, and mannerism. He said, “The fashion is what goes out of fashion.” The elegance of a garment can reflect the beauty and elegance of the soul of who wears it. Your vision of yourself can be so exclusive and strange for others. You can reproduce your inner voice outwardly using clothing. Garments help you demonstrate your essence in a very simple way and are a steering link in your communication with people. People say that they do not judge others through clothes, but it is always fascinating to learn about a person who does not look like everyone else, who has their own style, right? It becomes magnetic and intriguing through clothing. Like I said earlier, vintage clothing is simply remarkable. Tell us about your dreams and goals. I dream a lot. In general, for the planet, and also the hopes that one day we don’t see suffering around the world. My personal dream is to be heard and have a little lovely house near the ocean. My life goal is to be a good person. I have been learning all my life to be an honest, sensitive, respectful human being. It is not always easy being honest, and that is one thing I strive to always be. I hope that in the way I live, I can help change the world in a good way. What is your experience in the fashion world that led your journey to this greener mindset? My “greener mindset” desire for people

"We are moving toward a sustainable life and don't have another choice. It is a unique formula to survive on this planet." the other hand, one can have their own profound unique style. I see many people who society might think are not very fashionable, but to me they are so stylish in a distinctive way, that I wanted just to look at them over and over again. What is vintage to you and tell us how it inspires you in your creative projects as an artistic director and visionary? Vintage to me is quality and with each piece containing an intriguing history. My love for vintage started in Italy. My life was surrounded by beautiful artists, architects, and creative people who helped me develop my style and vision. So many of them were wearing vintage clothes and were unique in how they expressed themselves. I don’t remember the first vintage piece I bought, but I remember the feeling. The feeling I felt was special. One of my favorite past-times was to go to Porta Portese market in Rome every Sunday and explore with the hopes to find something extraordinary. Vintage clothing is simply remarkable. It helps you to dream about the places and

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“My life was surrounded by beautiful artists, architects, and creative people who helped me develop my style and vision. So many of them were wearing vintage clothes and were unique in how they expressed themselves. I don't remember the first vintage piece I bought, but I remember the feeling.” 62

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to live healthy lives, and minimize the human impact on the planet evolved to be my priority starting in the late 1980’s as a young child in Soviet Union-occupied Ukraine. Like most Ukrainians, I learned to survive with minimal resources. By the time I turned sixteen, I knew only of survival but could not ignore my evolving desire to create and express my artistic and fashion interests. Unable to find or afford fashionable clothing, I depended upon piecing together my mother’s decades-old clothes and using my creativity to satisfy my self-expression with self created fashion-forward outfits. Later, my first year at University provided me the opportunity to purchase my first pair of jeans, and pursue my degree in LEED-certified construction project management. Soon I realized that my love for fashion and the arts was far more substantial than my interest in construction and, despite my degree, I pursued a career in fashion. My first position was as a consultant to small designers mixed amongst the famous fashion houses in Rome’s commercial center, “La Rinascente”. My career progressed to fashion stock management, and ultimately to positions with Gucci in sales and merchandising. Though educational, those experiences had a more negative than positive impact on me. I realized that my clients were over-consuming, and purchasing clothing without thinking. Ultimately, this behavior of consumers led to the decreasing quality of materials and craftsmanship. I soon discovered the impact of the fashion industry became the seeds that inspired my approach to sustainable fashion. These collective experiences, growing up in a minimalistic and restrictive environment, along with my education in eco-building formed my desire to connect sustainable living with a fashionable approach. Today, I am fortunate to live in the U.S. with its limitless resources, combined with the lessons of my past and my desire to promote a sustainable environment along with a healthy lifestyle has provided the foundation for my fashion artistry. It also solidifies my commitment to helping people make fashionable and sustainable decisions. Can you talk more about your time at Gucci and discuss your role there? I loved that time! I earned a position in the original flagship Gucci store in Rome. Not only was it a new experience, it was also challenging because I was exposed to a different aspect of the fashion industry. As a sales professional, I needed to learn that the “business” of fashion and client satisfaction had nothing to do with my personal design choice; those lessons were critical to my success. I realized the importance of being a good listener which, ultimately, taught me to be open-minded and to see the world differently. After a couple of years, I became immersed in the philosophy of sales, inspired by the process of selling fashion and luxury to clients from around the world with different cultures and behaviors. Eventually, I became the leading sales professional at the most famous Gucci store location. Serving the various needs and desires of my global clientele helped me appreciate the visual representation of products. I became fascinated by the psychology of visualization, and spent my time studying the strategy, thought process, and attention to detail which defines Gucci’s merchandising platform. This led me to transition from sales to visual merchandising to which I dedicated my time to people’s visual perception of fashion.

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Looking back at your time working at Gucci and in fashion back then, what are some of the things you loved? While at Gucci, I had two different roles: sales professional and visual merchandiser. As a sales professional it was exciting to quickly curate outfits that matched the culture, fashion interests, physique, and personality of clients. I also loved taking the fashion experience beyond the individual desires of each client, and using visual merchandising to appeal to the eyes of many. For this, visual creation brings me tremendous joy but also requires a keen understanding of fashion trends. I needed the ability to present the product to the client in a manner that the client was able to perceive themselves wearing the product, all the while, successfully demonstrating the product's value, and substantiating the product’s investment. My career as Gucci’s visual merchandiser was much like the concept of an artist who must paint to appeal to the masses without the benefit and direction of a specific client’s request. The artist is left with a blank canvas, access to an array of different color palettes and textures. He or she has a head full of ideas, and must produce a highpriced painting that is guaranteed to sell. I find tremendous fulfillment in managing all these elements to produce a visual experience that will be enjoyed by many and sell products. How do you think bigger fashion houses can do better? Do you have any designers or brands that inspire you and why? I think that the groups Kering and LVMH have a significant impact on the future of fashion. They own a big part of luxury brands and have to be focused on recycling and reusing materials more than ever. Of course, this is a significant investment afforded by big conglomerates. I don’t want to go into too much detail to explain how much responsibility H&M, ZARA, and other fast fashion companies have in global and environmental disasters. Still, I believe that the companies have to continue to make sustainable choices more affordable and practical, which influence increasingly into consumers' actions. I strongly believe there should be investments also in education internally, not

just in brands but also to the consumers. Some of my favorite people whose work or life inspire me so much are Gabriela Hearst, Alessandro Michele, Mira Duma, Ulyana Sergeenko, Lauren Singer who is a zero Waste Environmentalist), and photographer Alexi Lubomirski. They are exciting and inspiring individuals whose life is focused on sustainable living and saving the planet. They

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all have a unique goal with a consciousness of living, creating a sustainable future, making changes for future generations, and demonstrating actions toward eco-friendly life. You have done a little of everything in the aspect of design. What are your plans for the future artistically? In 2022 I have projects: events, podcasts, photoshoots, collaborations with non-profit organizations that are concentrated in the education of customers, and promotions of vintage and secondhand, sustainable fashion in society. I am currently preparing my capsule vintage collection, which I will have for sale. The capsule vintage collection is of items that I carefully curated for my customers. My long experience in fashion gave me the capability to see the quality of items, match them

together, create unique, authentic outfits that can catch the eye. I love playing around time, textures, shapes, styles. I have many ideas of trying to create new items using secondhand clothing which would update vintage pieces in a modern way. Do you see us, as a society, making true strides to a better world of sustainability and acknowledging we need to make changes? Yes, I do! In my little community in Washington DC, I noticed that my friends, neighbors, and people I know are waking up; they are more focused on sustainable living and being attentive to what impact they have for the future of the planet. They are speaking all the time about this global issue, climate change, fast fashion, and plastic waste. I noticed that my friends started to have questions like “ What can I do as a person to make a better future?” This leads to discussion on how we all can do better. People are more aware of how an item they buy can be recycled and used for other occasions as well where and how items are produced. From the global perspective, the numbers can confirm that people are starting to try to be more green. According to PwC’s Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey, they were conducted in March 2021, signifying a historical and dramatic shift in consumer behavior. Consumers evolved to be more interested in local shopping and sustainable brands. We have already seen that the generation we call the “Gen-Z” support influencers with unique, less individualistic views who engage and entertain them in meaningful ways. People want to buy an item with its contribution to society. Speaking about vintage to others is one of the things that I promote so hard in my personal life, on social media and in all creative aspects of what I do . The vintage trend is growing fast thanks to changes in values, the inclusion of vintage inspirations used in current designs. For me, vintage movements are a reaction against mass-produced fast fashion. The vintage trend phenomenon might be a potent chance to keep sustainable promises and be a big part of the circular economy. According to ThredUp’s 2021 Fashion Resale Market Report, secondhand is projected to grow to double in the next five years, reaching from $36 B in 2021 to

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$77B in 2025. Any last inspiring words you’d like to share with our readers or quote? A regeneration of humanity. Finishing with the words of Vivienne Westwood in BoF VOICES 2021: “Governments will crash the whole world, rather than submit to popular demand for peace. We are defending ourselves from our own aggression. Tomorrow is too late. S-O-S” In a world where fast fashion is taking speed and pressuring us to buy more and think less, and we can find discarded clothing in landfill that contains over 16 million tonnes a year in the US alone, we have a choice to do better, be better, and be more proactive. As humans, we have a responsibility for our daily decisions. Did you know that just 20% of all clothing is recycled? The fashion industry creates waste and sends it to landfills on massive levels. Water consumption, energy emissions, and chemical usage are the struggles with which we have to work on. If we don’t decrease the number of resources used in the fashion industry, it will use up a quarter of the world’s carbon budget until 2050. Since the Pandemic, the consumer has been looking for balance in everything: life, work, or a place to live. Finding a state of equilibrium or equipoise in living is the priority now. All around, everyone starts asking about their impact; Sustainability starts to matter to people more than ever. If we want to talk about the quality of life, then sustainability and balance are inseparable. For creating ecological balance, we have to practice sustainability in our daily life. There are many platforms or projects where we can share our approaches for long-term vitality. One of them is a tag in social media #SolveDifferent where people can share stories about what they do towards creating a different future for our planet. Our effect as a consumer on the environment is the loudest conversation topic in fashion right now. Saving money on clothes is now the top priority for many of us. However, we have the power to take small steps towards a much more sustainable fashion future each day because the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. To make an individual positive impact on consumption volume, we can purchase vintage or second hand pieces. Shopping vintage is so easy now. There are many online stores such as GEM, Vestiaire Collective, Depop, Beyond Retro, and others where you can find exclusive pieces for any occasion you want. By buying vintage, you not only reduce the environmental impact, but you also give a garment a second life; you create your style and have notable, unique pieces in your wardrobe. Of course, the vintage clothing industry leaves a carbon footprint on its own: transportation is the primary resource for it. However, vintage clothing resale doesn’t usually require any additional materials such as material waste or water consumption—So in that respect, the resource use is still minimal. From the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report, textile waste has increased by 811% between 1960 and 2015 which is the date I found on thredup.com in a discussion about who and why we are thrift shopping. I love a quote from Ralph Lauren and he says it best, “Style is very personal. It has nothing to do with fashion. Fashion is over quickly. Style is forever.”

“People say that they do not judge others through clothes, but it is always fascinating to learn about a person who does not look like everyone else, who has their own style, right? It becomes magnetic and intriguing through clothing.”

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A Prediction for 2022 Through Poetry with Madam Tallula W R I T T E N B Y A I D A M . TO R O P H OTO C O U R T E S Y O F B E R N A D E T T E M C C O M I S H

THE NEW YEAR IS HERE AND MANY WANT TO SEE IF THEY ARE STARTING OFF ON A GOOD NOTE, whether it be through good fortune, love, health, and more. Typical predictions are made via horoscopes and tarot readings. A major game changer for predicting what’s to come for 2022 is brought to society by Bernadette McComish, a New York native, known as Madam Tallula on stage when performing her written words for The Poetry Brothel and poetry oracle readings. “As a kid I loved the 80’s movie Bugsy Malone,” said McComish. “Jody Foster plays a mobster’s girlfriend and headlines their shows and her name is Tallula. She sings a song called ‘My Name is Tallula’ and it always stuck with me. It was a name that felt powerful and I like to think I embody that character when I perform.” McComish had been a huge fan of the Poetry Brothel since 2009, ever since she attended one of their first shows in New York. When she moved to Los Angeles, McComish reconnected with an old friend who happened to know Stephanie Berger, the CEO of the Poetry Brothel. Two days later after connecting with this friend, he received an email from Berger asking if he knew of any poets who could fill in at the last minute at the Electric Forest festival, a four-day, one-weekend, multi-genre event with a focus on electronic and jam band genres, held in Rothbury, Michigan. As McComish had never been to a music festival nor camped out when attending one, she knew she was destined to be part of The Poetry Brothel and immediately sent over her application. Within 24 hours, Berger called her directly and said she was a perfect fit for the Poetry Brothel. After only two years of performing with The Poetry Brothel and PSNY, McComish asked Berger if she could take over the Los Angeles Chapter of The Poetry Brothel. Even though the Los Angeles Chapter had a small following, the touring show wasn’t enough to keep the chapter in the hearts and minds of Angelinos. In April of 2017, McComish signed a collaboration agreement and it was official. “I was the new producer and Madam of The Poetry Brothel Los Angeles,” she said. “We were offered a bi-monthly residency at El-Cid on Sunset in Silverlake and we quickly began drawing soldout crowds. As McComish has been an affluent poet and performer, inspiration is a tricky subject for her. “I recall an incredible professor,

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Louise DeSalv, who once said, ‘If you keep regular office hours, the muse will check in more often’,” she said. “Her lessons on the creative process taught me that you can’t wait for inspiration, you have to build a practice. By practice, I mean that as a writer and artist it’s crucial to write everyday, to develop a routine, and in that way inspiration comes.” Part of McComish’s practice involves gathering with writing groups to generate work and revise work, going to events and museums to find ideas. With this being stated, she also gets a lot of inspiration from living life. “I had a rough childhood; I’ve been in a variety of relationships with men and women that have left some wounds,” she expressed. “I deeply believe that art is divinely inspired so I use all of the pain and the love I’ve experienced to write from the heart and create poetry that comes from a vulnerable place and is able to give definition to the unsayable.” Being resilient has built McComish to be the poet, writer, and creative she is today, that she even performs psychic readings with her poetry. She’s always had the gift of prophecy and strong intuition, as she is able to read energy and view images about a person when she connects with them. “At a young age I was able to speak with those who have passed beyond the veil and often the images or prophetic dreams I have are direct messages from spirit guides,” said McComish. “My private poetry readings are poetry oracle readings and I have a custom oracle deck I’ve created with postcards, art, and custom images that I hand pick and combine with poems.” When someone sits with her, she lays out the cards and allows them to choose based on look or feel. Once they choose a card, McComish reads a fortune based on the image following the poem and explains how it correlates to their individual life experience. “It’s a very intimate moment that often leaves the John, Jane, or non-binary Jean feeling fulfilled and with hope and/or guidance,” she said. For 2022, McComish predicts via her poetry that a lot of self reflection and regeneration is to come. This year will be a good year to look inward and find one's true calling as well as passions. In addition, there is a great transcendence happening in the universe where everyone will be faced with choices to either stay the same and continue on a path that’s more like a hamster wheel, or make hard decisions, cleanse, and cut ties in order to find what is truly in alignment with them in order to evolve. “It’s a great year to manifest and explore hidden dreams or goals that once were thought to be unattainable,” expressed McComish. For more updates on McComish’s work, upcoming performance with The Poetry Brothel, and more, follow her on Instagram over @berndecember and @madamtallula.

final notes FROM THE HOUSE WRITTEN BY: JENNIFER STRIEGEL IMAGES FROM: THE ARCHIVES OF PATTI SMITH AND RAM DASS

CARPE DIEM WAS INTRODUCED TO THE WRITTEN WORD IN 23 BC by Horatius Flaccus, a Roman poet in his book Odes. Odes was a compilation of poems he authored, over four books and 103 poems. Today, we universally refer to his phrase carpe diem - as seize the day. Be present in each moment. Don’t dwell on the before or after. Rather take note of the here and now. In the arts - as artists - we often do this when we are swept up in the moment of our creative process. Our focus takes our mind over and the potential surrounding distractions are a distant whisper. Whereas post creation to socialization, we can get stuck. Not in the moment to be present and relish, rather to ponder what to do with what we have made, whether to share and how to share in the present. To what value does sharing and getting recognition matter, or not? Is awareness a driver of recognition? Awareness is integral when the knowledge of the art determines its ability to live on. Culture - the way in which groups of people live in a society introduced by Edward Tylor, an English anthropologist in his book Primitive Culture, in 1871. Those ways are underpinned by belief systems, interests, and behaviors. Art, he shares, is an essential component of a culture. The types of art in culture are defined by the group of people that each culture encompasses and how culture is applied by the group as a result of the art they have chosen to represent. To be cultured refers to an individual’s own knowledge base. Not just in their culture, but the culture of others. One may represent a certain culture, simultaneously recognizing other cultures they don’t represent. In doing so, one recognizes and even identifies with another culture because they have sought to understand the differences from their own. Carpe Diem and Culture collide when we celebrate - in the moment - the way we are choosing to live. At The

House of Perez, we do this in our own culture internally as well as in the cultures of others externally. Issue by issue, we bring these cultures to life, from the moment of writing each story, through to each story being read by you. In this new year of 2022, we invite you to seize culture. Recognize the culture you are identified with today. Reflect in the moment on whether it is one you want to continue to be part of, or not, moving forward. Look around you and learn about other cultures. What that culture means to the people that are taking part in it and why. Read the book by Ram Dass, Be Here Now. “The message is that you don’t need to go to anywhere else to find what you are seeking.” Listen to, People have the Power, by Patti Smith. “Remind the listener of their individual power, but also of the collective power of the people, how we can do anything… inspire people to come together.” Embrace. Culture. Now. Carpe Diem de Culture.

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THE HOUSE OF PEREZ WEDDINGS

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY J A N A S C H U E S S L E R

W W W. J A N A S C H U E S S L E R . CO M

COMING SOON The latest place for luxury wedding inspiration. Follow along for the latest trends in wedding fashion, design, beauty and tips and tricks from the best in the industry.

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