When did dressing up begin for you? Dressing for pleasure began for me at age 5 when I first tried on my grandmother’s fruit-adorned pumps. My early fashion influences were Betty’s red lipstick, piles of colorful shoes, Bob Fosse musicals on VHS, imported kimonos from WW11 and a little red sequined tuxedo I wore at my first dance recital. In an interview I read that your grandmother Betty was a big influence on you. How is Betty doing today? Betty Bailey is on the top of the world right now. She’s 90 years old and still LIVING! Every time we speak she repeats phrases like “Your gona be a big star!” and “Horay for Hollywood!” She will always be my best friend and inspiration. Oh the things I would do, to walk a day in her shoes! Tell me your personal journey becoming Betty, and the struggles you faced? I’ve always told myself I will one day become the women I desire. Currently I’m working on a project where I transform into Betty Bailey, a living legend in my eyes. I know I have big shoes to fill, that’s part of the responsibility I’ve set for myself. One of the struggles I have faced is the acceptance from my biological Mother. She thinks I’ve lost my mind and tells me I will never be as famous as her girlfriend Heidi Fleiss. Too be honest, I hope she’s right! How Betty affected or influenced your aesthetic today? Thanks to Betty I still live in the 20th century of showbiz and glamour. Currently I’m dreaming of a Hollywood Babylon type of lifestyle. Your latest video with Ellen titled “Do Not Disturb” debuted at Diane Pernet’s film festival. What was that experience like? Shooting with Ellen is always a debaucherous rendezvous with a happy ending. How did you and Ellen Von Unwerth get together? Ellen and I connected on the dance floor of Hollywood’s nightclub “Smoke and Mirrors.” She hated the fact I wore real fur but loved that it was my grandmothers! How do you think social media has influenced us today? Social media can be an invasion of privacy. If you don’t monitor the content you can be drowned in a bucket of useless information. Personally, I would rather throw on some dancing shoes and stomp the blues. Speaking of social media, you use the hash tag #midnightsaunters. What does this phrase mean to you? #afterhours #runway #stomping Favourite motto? “I’d rather be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring” -Marilyn Monroe Do you find yourself having to compromise creatively? I feel that my vision is understood and appreciated by the people that surround me. Of course we don’t always see eye-to-eye but the conflict keeps us entertained. What do you think of the dynamic of the current times? Do you think fashion has become more commercial than breaking new territory? Although I love bad cliché’s, trendy fashion just doesn’t inspire me. The media curates what they think is an idealistic image. I call her Stephanie; she usually wears Tory Burch Ballet flats and clutches her fake Chanel pearls. Unfortunately that just doesn’t do it for me, I need women who break boundaries and walk to their own beat. What future designers are you looking forward to watching their vision grow? Iris Van Herpen, Jan Taminau, Zana Bayne, The Blonds, Heidi Lee, Alexandre Vauthier and my personal favorite, Brad Callahan aka BCalla. You just curated an entire magazine with Naomi Campbell on the cover. What was that experience like? Curating Schon with Naomi Campbell on the cover was a completely organic creative process. We made it up as we went along and documented every pleasurable moment of it. If I had to do it all over again I would fire everyone and burn everything. Besides living a colorful lifestyle, styling icons, designing hats, and becoming Betty Bailey what’s next in your future? In May I am directing a multimedia Exhibition curated with a group of fiercely talented NYC artists and top supermodels. We’re creating a surreal experience that will assault your senses and open your mind. In this performance Betty Bailey will welcome you down the rabbit hole, Stomp down the catwalk and dance to her dementia in the sky! PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELIAS TAHAN TEXT BY AKMAL SHAUKAT
When did dressing up begin for you? Dressing for pleasure began for me at age 5 when I first tried on my grandmother’s fruit-adorned pumps. My early fashion influences were Betty’s red lipstick, piles of colorful shoes, Bob Fosse musicals on VHS, imported kimonos from WW11 and a little red sequined tuxedo I wore at my first dance recital. In an interview I read that your grandmother Betty was a big influence on you. How is Betty doing today? Betty Bailey is on the top of the world right now. She’s 90 years old and still LIVING! Every time we speak she repeats phrases like “Your gona be a big star!” and “Horay for Hollywood!” She will always be my best friend and inspiration. Oh the things I would do, to walk a day in her shoes! Tell me your personal journey becoming Betty, and the struggles you faced? I’ve always told myself I will one day become the women I desire. Currently I’m working on a project where I transform into Betty Bailey, a living legend in my eyes. I know I have big shoes to fill, that’s part of the responsibility I’ve set for myself. One of the struggles I have faced is the acceptance from my biological Mother. She thinks I’ve lost my mind and tells me I will never be as famous as her girlfriend Heidi Fleiss. Too be honest, I hope she’s right! How Betty affected or influenced your aesthetic today? Thanks to Betty I still live in the 20th century of showbiz and glamour. Currently I’m dreaming of a Hollywood Babylon type of lifestyle. Your latest video with Ellen titled “Do Not Disturb” debuted at Diane Pernet’s film festival. What was that experience like? Shooting with Ellen is always a debaucherous rendezvous with a happy ending. How did you and Ellen Von Unwerth get together? Ellen and I connected on the dance floor of Hollywood’s nightclub “Smoke and Mirrors.” She hated the fact I wore real fur but loved that it was my grandmothers! How do you think social media has influenced us today? Social media can be an invasion of privacy. If you don’t monitor the content you can be drowned in a bucket of useless information. Personally, I would rather throw on some dancing shoes and stomp the blues. Speaking of social media, you use the hash tag #midnightsaunters. What does this phrase mean to you? #afterhours #runway #stomping Favourite motto? “I’d rather be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring” -Marilyn Monroe Do you find yourself having to compromise creatively? I feel that my vision is understood and appreciated by the people that surround me. Of course we don’t always see eye-to-eye but the conflict keeps us entertained. What do you think of the dynamic of the current times? Do you think fashion has become more commercial than breaking new territory? Although I love bad cliché’s, trendy fashion just doesn’t inspire me. The media curates what they think is an idealistic image. I call her Stephanie; she usually wears Tory Burch Ballet flats and clutches her fake Chanel pearls. Unfortunately that just doesn’t do it for me, I need women who break boundaries and walk to their own beat. What future designers are you looking forward to watching their vision grow? Iris Van Herpen, Jan Taminau, Zana Bayne, The Blonds, Heidi Lee, Alexandre Vauthier and my personal favorite, Brad Callahan aka BCalla. You just curated an entire magazine with Naomi Campbell on the cover. What was that experience like? Curating Schon with Naomi Campbell on the cover was a completely organic creative process. We made it up as we went along and documented every pleasurable moment of it. If I had to do it all over again I would fire everyone and burn everything. Besides living a colorful lifestyle, styling icons, designing hats, and becoming Betty Bailey what’s next in your future? In May I am directing a multimedia Exhibition curated with a group of fiercely talented NYC artists and top supermodels. We’re creating a surreal experience that will assault your senses and open your mind. In this performance Betty Bailey will welcome you down the rabbit hole, Stomp down the catwalk and dance to her dementia in the sky! PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELIAS TAHAN TEXT BY AKMAL SHAUKAT
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