If you haven’t yet become acquainted with the creative and ambitious mind behind LalaNYC, it’s time you did. Lala Lopez, a New York native and fashion enthusiast is a glowing young lady who spends her time “serving as the authority in New York fashion and lifestyle”, that is, when she isn’t freelancing as a Stylist, Journalist and Fashion Consultant. In spite of her hefty list of expertise, Lala still finds the time to bring her passion to life on her blog for readers like you and me.
Chictopia’s Claire had the opportunity to chat with Lala about fashion, print media and her feelings on the industry.
Check it out below!
xo, Kristine
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When it comes to print media and the internet, how do you “read” and “look” at the editorial? Any opinion of saying “Print media is dying”?
The fashion stories and editorials are my favorite sections of fashion magazines. I love the fact that editorials can tell a story without saying a word – the story is being told with clothing. There is so much that is put into a photo shoot that it’s hard not to look at the details of the hair, the makeup, the photography and of course the clothing.
I think it’s very fair to say that print media is dying. It’s sad but true. I’m a magazinaholic. I’d love to buy every magazine that is sold at Universal News but it’s just not practical in today’s economy. People are becoming more and more frugal as time goes on and rather than spending $15 on French Vogue, they’re going to save that money for a rainy day. Not to mention, the most important factor in the demise of print media is the internet. People can get all their information, news and updates from the internet for free. The information found on the internet is so instantaneous that magazines that are even published monthly now have outdated information. But its exciting. Its a new wave of media, technology and culture. It’s keeping up with the times.
How does one digest editorial and apply it to the every day world?
What I love about fashion editorials and stories is the drama. The clothing and styling is over the top, extravagant and you can’t help but look. Most times, the looks that we see on the pages of our favorite fashion magazines aren’t very wearable. Even on the runway, we often see looks aren’t wearable for an every day look, but that doesn’t mean that we’re not going sport designer duds. I really think it’s all about the balance. Just taking a single piece, like a jacket, that may be a bit elaborate but keeping the pants, top and accessories very minimal.
Let’s talk about the premise of your blog. What are some examples of how online media successfully transitioned into print? Why do you think this is?
If I’m not mistaken, the editor-in-chief of Dujour Magazine started a fashion blog years before it was popular to blog. Her blog became so successful that she was turned it into Dujour, which is both a print and digital magazine that is now distributed all over the world. So its very interesting to see the strong effects that online and digital media have on traditional media.
Fashion and NYC are inseparable. How did you get into fashion industry?
Coming out of high school, I wanted to be do entertainment public relations and journalism. I began working at an entertainment mag and began assisting the stylist who would do all of the cover shoots. I loved being on the set of photo shoots but said styling wasn’t for me. [I was] still trying to figure things out [but] knew that I wanted a career in fashion. So I started a fashion blog that initially was an outlet to get all the creative energy I had out and to showcase my writing. Shortly after that, I began interning for the fashion editor at an indie fashion magazine. She really showed [me] the ropes into the world of styling and fashion. In January, I wanted to introduce the original fashion editorial feature on my blog. I organized the shoot but I was not interested in styling. After not being able to find a stylist, I did it myself. Surprisingly, it came out pretty decent and I’ve been styling ever since. My heart is still deeply rooted in writing, so whether [it] be for my blog, other websites or magazines, I’m always writing about fashion. My blog has really been a blessing in that it has given me the great opportunity to meet, interview and work with some really talented people. Although, I’m almost 3 years in, I really feel like my journey in the fashion world has just begun. I can’t wait to see where it will go.
