by Kristine
The great thing about fashion is the freedom to draw inspiration from every aspect of life. The steady bass blaring from a favorite song, the color harmony in a favorite painting, even the energy of an era has the capacity to influence entire wardrobes. Perhaps that’s what draws me to use it as my particular artistic outlet.
Feeling rather drained by clothing itself, I went on a search for some sensory stimuli that would charge me up and encourage me to go back to what I loved most about fashion. That is, making it my own.
On my search, I came across Beautiful/Decay. B/D, founded 13 years ago (when I was eight), is the brainchild of Creative Director Amir Fallah. The publication which features upcoming artists of all backgrounds and expertise, is my new go-to for inspiration. Young emerging artists seemingly untainted by the all-you-can-consume rhetoric so prevalent among everything else these days? Don’t mind if I do.
Delighted to have found a new wellspring of eye candy, I was even more pleased to find that the minds behind the publication are the very definition of chic.
Enter Associate Editor Sasha M. Lee. Clad in hippie garb and hair to match, Sasha appears to have stepped out of the era of free love, rock’n’roll and revolution. So rare a find is someone with such command over her personal style. Of course, I had to know more.
I chatted with her to find out what makes her tick when it comes to fashion, art and B/D.
Read below!
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ON BEAUTIFUL/DECAY
What message are you hoping to convey through B/D? And what do you hope to accomplish?
I try to write about art in a way that considers its “object-ness,” as far as how a work was fabricated and exists in the world, yet also delves into the deeper philosophical layers of meanings of a work, in an accessible way. I think the great thing about Beautiful/Decay is that we break emerging artists, giving some really great young talents the critical attention that they deserve in a way that’s serious in intent but not in an exclusive, stuffy way like some theory based publications. With my freelance work I’d like to collaborate with a wide range of artists.
From where do you draw your inspiration?
I usually go directly to the work of art itself, I see them as a muse or philosopher’s stone from which to spin tales and ideas. I love the rock n’ roll writing of Lester Bangs, the mysticism of Aleister Crowley, Shakespeare’s word play.
Where do you see B/D in the future?
Onwards and upwards! I think it will continue to garner devoted readers who go to Beautiful/Decay as a sourcebook for what’s happening in the art world right now.
ON FASHION
What do you feel most comfortable wearing?
I’m a fan of 70’s vintage, I like borrowing some of the more ostentatious styles of heavy rock icons a la Hendrix and mixing it with more feminine pieces, like Anita Pallenberg. Like studded denim with platforms and big jewelry. Right now for summer I’m into wearing really tight high wasted pants or short shorts in denim or bright colors, like Ditto’s, mixed with halter tops, platform shoes, baby doll dresses.
If you could have just five pieces of clothing in your closet, what would they be?
Hm. My Betsey Johnson gold & suede platforms, pink Ditto’s, fox fur coat, Black Sabbath t-shirt, my grandmother’s 1974 vintage Ray-bans.
How do you decide what to wear when you get dressed?
Whatever mood I’m in for the day really, and what I’m going to do, like walking my dog in the morning means maybe an old band t-shirt and cowboy boots, a date in the park, some kind of flutter-sleeve feminine psychedelic print dress, haha.
ON INSPIRATION
What inspires you the most?
Rock n’ roll and mysticism.
What song best describes where you are in life at this moment?
“Can you get to that,” Funkadelic
Quote to live by?
Get it while you can!
A photo or video you’re really feeling right now?
I love Festival Express, only in the 70’s could you have train cars of whiskey and late night jam sessions with a bunch of musicians traveling the country on a train!
