Fearless Fashion
STYLIST/AUTHOR/ PHOTOGRAPHER Frankie Uba
MODEL/ARTIST/QUOTES Rachel Deutsch
LBD worn as shawl
I met up with Rachel on a blazing hot roof in a secret location. She said she had something to show me. I was hoping that something wouldn’t scar me for life ( you never know with this one!) Instead, the surprise was much more pleasant than I anticipated. Rachel had been slaving away in the summer heat for the sake of her art and I’d be a fool not to use the fruit of her labor for a photoshoot!
Who better to model than the artist herself?!
“A big part of New York is style. I mean it’s everywhere- in clothes, graffiti, the way the preacher on the subway tells you you’re going to burn in hell. Even when you’re not looking for it you’re inspired. Actually, especially when you’re not looking!”
LBD hood!
” My style is transformative-that’s just a nicer way of saying it’s all over the place isn’t it?! Freud would have a field day with my work. I sit down and make art for a couple of hours and let it all hang out. Believe it or not it’s much cheaper than a therapist.”
LBD converted into button up skirt
” Right now I’m inspired by guerilla art. Most of the time we’re walking around feeling like ants, too busy to take in the little nuances that make this city so great. One of my favorite things about New York is the large scale street art that commands your attention, even if it’s just for a moment.”
“I saw these paint splats that were already on the wall, they looked unintentional. I painted big free birds over the drips. I think a lot of people that come to New York are not far off from the pigeons they learn to ignore on the street; urban nomads flying from place to place looking for something.”
The LBD worn as culottes tucked into boots
” It takes a lot to be fearless and to look at things from an all new perspective, your own vision. I love seeing people express themselves by wearing or doing things I only dream of! I have these pair of pants, completely covered in paint, that I can’t bring myself to wear in public. I don’t know why, they’re my favorite and they’re so comfortable. I can only try and be braver with my art!”
“You can’t think so hard about being fearless I guess! My doodles started on the edges of my school textbooks and scrap pieces of paper and now they’ve become synonymous with my style. They’re something I don’t really think about -they kind of just do themselves! It’s great to be able to do them on a larger scale and to think that they might stop someone, even if it’s just for a moment.”
fearless fashion
Check out the rest of Rachel’s style and artwork on her flickr page
I know your art will stop us all in our busy tracks one day. You were fearless during the shoot and that’s why you’re a bright young thing, thanks Rach!
This is SO COOL.
I love the pigeons/new yorkers as urban nomads quote