a note from kelly: so, i'm totally chilling in my purple panties and blue sweater. my sweet bunny is behind me and she just sneezed like a llama. we've gotten about 16 solid hours of snow here in Maine, which cushions my apple cider party. anyway, i tell you ~ ~ ~ i've been thinking a lot about my friend, Msss. Claudia, who is one of the most unique fawns i've had the pleasure of swimming with. Claudia would no doubt fare well in this quiet snow. may you enjoy the insights posted below from this up-and-coming fashion-queen. xo.
kelly ~ where were you born and raised? at what point did you move to the U.S. and for what reasons? does NYC suit you at this present point in your life? do you think you'll stay awhile?
Claudia ~ I was born in Florence, Alabama, but raised in Uruguay. I moved to the U.S. when I was about 15 years old with my mother and sister and dogs. There was an economic crisis at the time ~ my mother lost her job and the home wasn't happy. We were in Virginia first, then New Jersey. Now I'm in Brooklyn living like a teenager, and in Manhattan working like an adult. I really like living here because I have fun even when I'm bored and because I'm super ambitious. I think I will stay here for a really long time ~ I decided that I won't leave until I truly have the desire to live somewhere else. I don't want to allow myself to run away.
kelly ~ so, it is my opinion that you are one of the most innately sweet, caring, beautiful, gentle, and child-like creatures of our time. would you please provide 11 words that lend insight into your identity?
Claudia ~ I am: ghost, dance, smoke, a stray, a person, loyal, resilient, silent, improving, excited, learning ~ ~ ~
kelly ~ do you have some favorite animals? do you have a favorite place to retreat to? do you enjoy the ocean? what is your favorite food?
Claudia ~ My favorite animals are the ones with hair ~ right now I'm especially preferring canines. My favorite place to retreat to is my bedroom, though it's rare for me to retreat. The ocean is beautiful, but I prefer meadows and mountains. My favorite food is cookies ~ especially ones with chocolate.
kelly ~ i know that you've studied clothing design, but recently, you opted not to return to school. i think this is an incredible choice. talk to me about the reasons why.
kelly ~ i know that you've studied clothing design, but recently, you opted not to return to school. i think this is an incredible choice. talk to me about the reasons why.
Claudia ~ My first year of college was very intense. I was in Italy and all the professors were really great. I developed lots of new skills and I made beautiful friends. When I came back to New York it was different. I felt like I wasn't really learning any new skills, but just practicing ... and things were repeating over and over. I thought I'd rather practice through the real thing, and once I started interning, I realized that it worked much better for me. The first week of my sixth semester I was sitting in class listening to all the professors go through the syllabus ... and I just knew it was time, so I dropped most of my classes ... and then once the semester was over I didn't go back. That is the short story.
kelly ~ you've got a rad gig right now in the fashion world. tell the peeps what you're doing, learning, and working towards.
kelly ~ you've got a rad gig right now in the fashion world. tell the peeps what you're doing, learning, and working towards.
Claudia ~ I'm working for a designer called Gary Graham. It's really fun and challenging at the same time, and my coworkers are so nice, creative, patient and smart. I'm learning so much! ... but one of my favorite things is trying to figure out the best way to work successfully with brains and personalities that are so different from mine ... My plans are secret, or at least I only share them with close ones.
kelly ~ why fashion?
Claudia ~ As a kid I had a very long period of unhappiness, maybe about six years. One day, I decided I couldn't be like that anymore, and I started working
kelly ~ you are given the gift of $11,111. what do you do?
kelly ~ you are given the gift of $11,111. what do you do?
Claudia ~ I would pay my student loans ~ it's a boring answer, I know.
kelly ~ Claudia, i'd love to know what your ultimate happiness looks like. what are you doing or not doing? who is there? where you at?
Claudia ~ When I imagine ultimate happiness, I see myself as an old woman sitting on my porch ... finally getting some rest, being really satisfied with the things I have accomplished and the person I have become ... I am surrounded by flowers, there's also an old man, an old dog, an old cat, and old friends. I think that achieving happiness will take a lot of time and wisdom.
kelly ~ you are given a golden key. it is small, fits into your palm snugly. you are then lead to a big wooden boat that will sail across an ocean made of lavender and turquoise waves. what happens? tell me more!
Claudia ~ I try the key in every key hole in the boat, but it doesn't open anything! So I move to the front of the boat and I wish really hard that it will go faster, but then I think ... that the boat is probably going at just the right speed, so I begin wandering around. There are lots of people dressed in every color. I think I'm invisible, so I stare at one of them for a really long time because he has the biggest hair in the world. He is very confused, so he tries to do some small talk, but I don't like that ... so I just turn around. He is angry and throws me off the boat. ... I begin to swim ... until my feet touch the ground ~ then I begin to walk. I can see a door! It has a keyhole! I run super-fast and I trip and fall right in front of the door. I jump up and stick the key in the key hole. To my surprise it fits! To my even bigger surprise, the door was already unlocked. On the other side is a giant mirror. I laugh and then I fall asleep.
kelly ~ as someone who has come and gone and will come again to NYC, i admire your willingness to stay-on for years to find your way. what do you love, like, and dislike about NYC?
Claudia ~ I like the abundance of everything there is! I feel like a kid in Disney world. What I dislike is how hard it is to feel "peace" here ~ It's a mental challenge, but then I think about it, and those two things are probably the same thing ... and I like the challenge. So, I guess in a way I even like the things I dislike about this place. I love that I can feel this city leading me to great things ... I can feel that something I want is here.
kelly ~ what are some of your hopes + goals for this new year? what transformations are you embarking upon?
Claudia ~ The answer to this question is only for you ~ I feel nervous about strangers seeing it, not that it would matter to them.
