I read somewhere that NY girls’ style comes out of the impracticality of what they wear; that is, they trot around the entirety of Midtown wearing 4-inch heels, wear sheer tights in the dead of winter and show up to your WIlliamsburg barbecue in party frocks. Despite the idiosyncratic outfits, NY girls can run marathons in stilettos, can survive below freezing temperatures with only a fur cape and a grin and will definitely join in on the flag football game even though she’s wearing crinoline. Chictopia Chantal (aka CocoRosa) epitomizes this Metropolitan Princess with her killer ensembles and doe-eyed stare. Enjoy our interview!
xoConnie
What’s your day job?
I work as a trend forecaster for one of the leading online trend forecasting services, My company provides exact analyses of runway, retail and tradeshows done by our top analysts, I however work on a section where I provide directional themes, colors and fabrics seasons ahead based on intuition and inspirational thoughts and tendencies I feel.
What’s your night job (this sounds way too dirty, but what’s your favorite nighttime thing to do?)
Haha that totally depends on the season, during the winter I tend to stay at home more, read books, watch movies, and I recently started designing again, during the winter I’m in big hibernation, and well in the warmer months I tend to be all over the place haha,
What’s your dream job?
My dream job…. this is kind of my dream job haha, but I would really like to set something down that would be ultimate, perfect, like the perfect dress, the perfect perfume…. It can be a collection, a book, a painting, an idea, whatever, something that would set a new course, would change and truly make a difference.
Describe your typical outfit?
ehhh…. That would be something pretty, feminine, or romantic set against something more rough, black or dark.. I think …
What are the most important things that you look for when you’re shopping for clothes?
Ahh quality, the feel and flow of something, I just have to touch everything… and tailoring and details! I’m really picky..
What makes fashion in NY so distinctive?
New York can be very cut throat and fast paced, people come here to make a career, you see this in how people dress I guess, this edge.., There is also an over flood in whatever you can think off, Brooklyn is different, there is a other attitude, more laid back and a lot of hipsters, every neighborhood is different actually, Soho, Lower east side…
I know you’re a trendsetter in the most literal sense of the word. What’s the next big thing? What would you like to see as the next big thing?
I never think in fashion or trends actually…
But right now I’m getting into and obsessed with this HR-Giger-ish jewelry, very morbid, puterish… primal in a way.. Aliens haha.
And what I would like to see as the next big thing is a total revolt against set labels, in a way that people will run off with the labels and start to make their own Chanel, their own Balmain and whatever, a total revolt :) that fashion becomes a surprise again and unpredictable..
Any favorite NY spots?
Gawk, there is so much! It would be the consignment stores, Nolita restaurants and Brooklyn rooftop parties.
What were you like in high school?
A dreamer haha
Bigger question—how has your style evolved?
Still evolving haha, honestly I just go for what I like and what I feel like and what comes along ☺
