leather & lace-styled by phaedra

from baggy painters’ clothing to lace and dresses, our bushwick buyer, phaedra has caught our attention. she describes the inspiration for her style and art in this edition of styled by.

describe your personal style.

clothing to me represents who you are and your atmosphere. i’m always expressing my mood through my style. my parents’ style when i was growing up has definitely been a big influence on me. my dad went from painting contractor workwear to slick italian suits. my mom's style was neo-romantic and gothy throughout the 90's. so i go between wearing baggy painters’ clothing to various dresses. wanting to stay little forever, my childhood style is something that has always stuck with me. i even still wear clothes from elementary school. i love to mix lace and victorian fashion with contemporary clothing.

you love photography-any favorite fashion photographers?

i discovered ellen von unwerth when i was a teenager and was blown away by her work. her photos are so timeless and have a powerful erotic energy to them. she would create stories in her photography and make you feel that you can walk right into it.

you are an artist-tell us about your work.

painting is about exploring my past and my childhood. i’m constantly reflecting on my personal issues and views about society. my latest piece references fra angelico’s “last judgement.” i created a diptych in which the earth is dying because we humans are destroying the planet. this painting is to make people wake up and start being more conscious about what's going on.