IN THE HEIGHTS STAR MELISSA BARRERA

Dress – Paco Rabanne

Photography by Dennis Tejero @ ADB Agency

Styling by Marc Sifuentes

Makeup by Talia Sparrow @ Kalpana NYC

Hair by Cameron Rains @ Forward Artists

Interview by Evan Ross Katz 

Melissa Barrera, one of the leads on Starz’s Vida and the upcoming film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights, opens up about her journey to success and prioritizing her Latin roots within and outside of her work.

Dress, Belt and Boots by Versace

“It feels like so much more than an acting job,” Melissa Barrera says of her starring role on Starz’s hit series Vida. “I feel like it was a gift that I was given.” Barrera stars as Lyn Hernandez on the series which was recently renewed for a third season. “Barrera’s performance in particular blooms with searing clarity,” Vox wrote. The Hollywood Reporter called Barrera’s performance “absurdly funny.” The A.V. Club called the actress “a force to be reckoned with.” 

“It’s important to see Latin stories out there and to see the dreams that our people have and how hard we work. There’s more to us than just the negative things you see in the media or what certain people want to say about Latinx people.” But it’s not just Barrera’s work on Vida. Whether her upcoming role in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical In the Heights, her time on popular telenovelas like Siempre Tuya Acapulco and Tanto Amor or in regional theater productions in her hometown of Monterrey, Mexico, much of the conversation with Barrera seems to circle back to her Mexican roots—and it’s no coincidence.  

“I’m Mexican. I’m fully Mexican. I was born and raised in Mexico and now I happen to work in the United States. And I am proud to be a part of this Latinx wave of shows and films that are finally starting to get made and people that have never seen themselves represented on screen are finally getting to see themselves and I get to be a part of it. So I feel that it is important to wear my identity on my sleeve and be one of the faces of this movement and help people see themselves because a lot of people have felt erased in their stories or their stories are never told. I feel like it’s a responsibility of mine to be a voice for those people who have not had one for so long. And I want to.” 

Dress by Off-White

It’s this passion that emanates from Barrera, who thinks long and hard before responding to questions, constantly aware of the possibilities and pitfalls of a first impression and desiring to represent both herself and her roots with pride. This, according to her friends that I spoke with, is the Melissa they’ve always known. 

Though acting and singing seemed like the natural trajectory from an early age, Barrera did not limit her possibilities. “There was a point where I wanted to be a doctor,” she says, adding that architecture, interior design, even biomedical engineering were all career aspirations at various times. “I even at one point wanted to be a secret agent. I’ve wanted to be so many different things throughout my life. But that’s the thing about being an actor, you get to be everything.” 

She started auditioning for local regional productions in high school and was quickly cast in a musical version of Romeo and Juliet in Monterrey. That was her first taste of the rigor of the theater: working six days a week, with two-shows a day often the norm. It didn’t dissuade her, only making her hungry for more. She furthered her education attending New York University to study theater. She left New York University’s prestigious CAP21 musical theater program two years in after making it into the top 20 on La Academia, a popular Mexican competition reality series that catapulted her star meter. 

“That show definitely prepared me for the industry. It was a very difficult experience because it brought all my insecurities to the surface. It made me doubt if I had what it took to be in this business. It made me fight for it really hard. I’m very grateful I had that experience, even though sometimes I have PTSD about it. Whenever I have to sing in public I get stage fright and I never feel good enough because of all of the harsh judgments I had while I was on that show.” But she’s careful to stress the positives that came from it, like learning to fight for her dream. It’s also the place where she met her future husband, musician Paco Zazueta. 

Dress by Georgine

That show proved a career springboard, landing her roles in a number of popular telenovelas. “I’ve always felt that telenovelas, especially in Mexico, are looked down upon as a genre….but I personally love them,” she says, describing the rigor of the production process as boot camp. “It’s literally shooting 30 scenes a day, one after the other, and it forces you to go through a crazy rollercoaster of emotions, more so than anything else I’ve ever done. I think because of that school of telenovela, it made everything that’s come after much easier for me.”

And thankfully, the “everything” that has come after has been plentiful, from Vida to a recently-announced contemporary reimagining of the opera Carmen opposite Fifty Shades of Grey star Jamie Dornan, to the upcoming In the Heights, a role Barrera has been eyeing for over a decade before she was cast. “I remember going to see it on Broadway at least ten times. I remember the first time that I saw it, what I felt, it was as though my heart was going to explode with pride and hope. All my dreams of being on Broadway after seeing that show just felt so much more tangible.” From there, she set out to be casted, attending open calls for the show, but never quite landing a spot…until now, nearly a dozen years after the show’s first bow on the Great White Way. 

Dress by Tom Ford

“It’s going to be very different from the stage version,” she says of the movie, set for release next summer. “It’s been updated to reflect the situation of immigrants today, so it has appropriately been adapted to take place in 2020.” For Barrera, it’s about leveling out the audience with the content, noting the disparity between Latinx content consumption and shows casting Latinx actors, created by Latinx people and/or telling Latinx stories. To that end, Barrera says she hopes to begin producing her own work down the line. “Because [Vida creator] Tanya [Saracho] gave opportunities to people like me, I’m going to make sure that I follow in her footsteps.”

And with that, Barrera is back to set to shoot the final week of filming In The Heights. Though she’s not filming any scenes on this particular day, she says she just wants to be around it all, near the cast, watching the process unfold around her. Like much of the pride Barrera so often spoke about, it’s not necessarily about her, but about who she can be to and for those who come after her.

Dress by Victoria Hayes

 

Interview from Issue 12 of IRIS COVET BOOK available in stores and online by clicking —> HERE! 

SHAWKAT BY BEN DUGGAN

Shirt – Daily Paper,  Denim Print Jacket – Pyer Moss, Bomber Jacket – Marcelo Burlon, Shoes – Givenchy

 

Photographer: Ben Duggan

Stylist: Jacqueline Trevizo

Grooming: Samantha Lepre

Model: Shawkat @ Photogenics

 

Shirt – Daily Paper,  Trousers – Salvatore Ferragamo,  Jacket – Iceberg

 

Jacket & Pants – Iceberg

 

Track Jacket – Marcelo Burlon,  Denim Jacket & Pants – IISE,  Shoes – Ermenegildo Zegna

 

Shirt & Briefs – Ralph Lauren, Pants – Daily Paper, Jacket – Marciano, Shoes – Givenchy

CLOSER : A PHOTO ESSAY BY ANASTASIA GARCIA

 

When quarantine started in the early Spring of 2020, I like many, thought I’d be home for two weeks. I couldn’t fathom a reality where I’d spend months at home alone, unable to leave my 500 sq ft, Brooklyn apartment. After two weeks, restrictions tightened, and photoshoots quickly became too risky and stopped, thus halting my work entirely. And I, like so many others faced financial hardship, separation, depression, and anxiety. My experience isn’t unique. Quarantine was and remains still incredibly challenging and lonely for all of us. 

Pre-pandemic I took my life for granted. I couldn’t fully appreciate the bonds that being a fashion photographer has allowed me to form with my subjects. For the last year, a photographer being in close quarters with anyone, let alone a model was a luxury. A luxury, that forced me to the realization that no amount of designer objects can equate to the value of human connection. Fashion was no longer the commodity, closeness was. This work explores that realization through polaroids and film images of intimate moments captured, in New York,  during the COVID 19 pandemic. Shot over the span of six months, to safely allow for quarantines and COVID tests, the project explores what happens when fashion is not the commodity, closeness is. These shoots on rooftops, in bedrooms, and in dark hotels were my lifeline to human interaction and creative expression. These moments behind the lens were more than just documenting my quaranpod during a pandemic. These women, these shoots were the breath that sustained me. On my darkest days, it was these women who in trusting me and allowing me in, lifted me out of the dark. 

xx

Anastasia

 

TÉ TIME WITH ANDREKZA

Bow top by Morphine / Gloves via PR Solo

 

Photographer: Josef Jasso
Creative Director/Wardrobe Stylist/Interview – Adrian Joseph
Make up: April Nicole
Hair: Jefferson T
Assistant: Danny

Few creatives can simultaneously connect music, visual storytelling, and fashion together much like what is exemplified in ANDREKZA’s evolution. With her definitive style of music which combines the traditional dembow riddim and reggaeton, along with eclectic rhythms found in dancehall, ANDREKZA’S music represents harmonies that have stormed into the music scene with a ravenous and poetic sound.

On the edge of the release of her EP “Cassette: Lado A”, and inspired by the memories of her first cassette player, ANDREKZA unifies her creative experiences through her latest endeavor: “Everything was created through my imagination. From the topics I wanted to touch to the creative direction of the videos. I call this album a mixtape because of the variety of rhythms. I’m a mix of different things, which I wanted to embrace on the album. I don’t want to label myself as just reggaeton or Pop.”

Leading the project is “TÉ,” a playfully light track that showcases her stylistic transitions in melody and lyricism. It’s also the creation that solidified her essence: “It’s one of the songs that left an imprint in my life. When I wrote the song, everything made sense. It all came together; I finally found my style, my sound, and voice.”

As the first Latina signed to Steve Aoki’s new Latin imprint – Dim Mak en Fuego, ANDREKZA keeps one goal in mind. “I hope to encourage people to express themselves through various art forms.”

 

Dress by Jovana Louis SS21 / Ear Rings- Bitch Fist / Socks – Dolls Kill

Before you were writing songs, you were writing poetry at a very young age in Venezuela. When did you write your first poem, and do you know what inspired you to do so?

I think I was 10 when I wrote my first poem about the moon. I love the moon, I didn’t understand why we could only see it at night until I understood that it was only necessary to look up to the sky to find it, red, gray or gold.

What music was in your house growing up and what impact, if any, do you feel it had on your music today?

Each person in my house had a preferred musical style and genre, but when it came to sharing, we were all DJs for a bit. I think that when you connect with music, it automatically moves your feet, I go into the studio, close my eyes and let myself flow. I always have influences in my heart, but no idea or style that I cling to in particular.

Reggaetón, Salsa, Venezuelan Rap, Rock, Pop, Celia Cruz, Oscar de Leon, la Fania, on the Reggaetón side, Wisin y Yandel, Daddy Yankee, Tego Calderón, Tres Dueños, Apache, Residente, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, Natalia Lafourcade, Jesse & Joy, there are so many.

 

Crystallized Jacket, ruffle pants by Morphine / Fashion Top – PR Solo / Earrings – Stylist Own

I know you graduated high school at age 15, who did you stan musically when you were a teenager? And are you still a fan of them? 

Yes, definitely! When I was 15, I loved Natalia Lafourcade, La Mala Rodríguez and Residente and I still admire them a lot.

Your first EP Cassette – Lado A (Side A) just released with your catchy and infectious first date anthem “TÉ,” the song produced by Orlando Vitto. What makes a good first date for you?

Spontaneity, tea and a good sunset, the most beautiful show in the world and it’s free every day.

I know you probably get this a lot nowadays. What’s your favorite kind of tea? 

It really depends on my mood. In the morning I love to have black tea, in the afternoon passion fruit tea, and in the evening green tea with lavender.

Cassette – Lado A features “Nerviosa” which is a track that showcases your versatility as a singer with trap rhymes and melodic verses. You accompanied the song with a video directed by you and Macksimo. What inspired you in the creation of the “Nerviosa” music video and story?

We always wait for a special moment to celebrate, but every day is special. Macksimo and I wanted to celebrate the feelings, the connection between two people, with a “happy non-birthday” party.

 

Bow skirt by Morphine Pink / Crystal hem jacket by Pink Crystal / Top by PR Solo / Boots by Current Mood Dolls Kill

 

What would you like people to take away from listening to Cassette – Lado A?

That fear of speaking only takes away the opportunity to know each other and live. Say what you feel and when you feel it. Let’s not have it be a taboo, let’s be emotionally free.

In your recent single “Tuve” ft. Gabriel Garzón-Montano your chemistry is unmatched, and you follow that by being featured in his “Mira my look” remix! How has it been collaborating with the fellow artist?

I’ve never admired an artist’s creative process as much as I do Gabriel’s, I feel very fortunate to be able to share art and love with him, we are working on a very cool project together, which we will soon be able to give more details about!

I know it’s a challenging time but what are you most looking forward to this year? 

I’m looking forward to sharing my art, being able to hug each other again, and having people enjoy my full debut Album CASSETTE, which will be available in September!

 

Dress by Morphine Fashion (Harpers PR)/ Earrings by Bitchfist / Ring – PR Solo

 

 

NOUR BY ANDREW MORALES

Dress and Bag by Salvatore Ferragamo, Shoes by Brother Vellies

 

Photographer: Andrew Morales @LifeInReverie

Model: Nour @NourGal @TheIndustryNY

Fashion Stylist: Torian Lewin @TorianLewin

Hair Stylist: Kazuto Shimomura @kazuto_hairstylist_new_york

Makeup Artist: Liz Schroeder @Liz_Schroeder

Digital Tech: Dante Corbett @DLCoreVisuals 

 

Dress by Bibhu Mohapatra, Shoes by Salvatore Ferragamo

Dress by Angel Chen , Headband by Gucci, Shoes by Schutz

 

Top by Dsquared2, Cardigan and Skirt by Scarlet Sage, Shoes by Schutz

 

Full Look by Private Policy, Shoes by Boohoo

 

Dress by Scarlet Sage

 

Dress by Angel Chen, Shoes by Gucci

Bikini top & Skirt by Angel Chen, Shoes by Salvatore Ferragamo

 

Full look by Shuting Qiu, Shoes by Schutz

COVER STORY – JIM PARSONS

Photography: Dennis Tejero at ADB Agency

Fashion Editor/Interview: Marc Sifuentes

Grooming: Melissa Dezarate at The Wall Group

Production: Savvie

Photo Assistants: Ben Kasun, Jai Castillo

Location: The Stonewall Inn

 

A sharp tongue, quick wit, and great timing have often been the ingredients necessary to make a movie star, but the ability to spin those talents into a career of longevity and diversity are far rarer.

Born and raised in Houston, TX, Jim Parsons followed a winding path of community theater, small gigs, and part-time commercial acting until his break-out role as Sheldon on “The Big Bang Theory”. While many actors struggle to break free of such well-known characters, Parsons’ talent and industry acumen have helped produce a portfolio that includes a starring role and a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in Ryan Murphy’s “Hollywood”, an independent production company with his husband, Todd Spiewak, and numerous accolades for his role in Netflix’s The Boys in the Band.

In an interview with the multi-hyphenate, we got a look into the road map that turned Parsons into the well-known and well-accoladed actor and producer he is today. With us, Jim explores a perspective shift of a young man interested in community theater in Houston to an artist trying to make ends meet in New York, the untimely death of a father that inspired a new chapter in his career, and wrestling with his identity as a gay man in a world just starting to normalize his identity.

Parson’s outlook, unique in its optimism and trust in himself, is ultimately infectious and inspiring. From coping with personal tragedy to starting a new chapter in life, Jim Parsons has always tried “not to grasp the sand too hard and just let things happen,” and it seems to have worked so far.

 

Suit, sweater and shirt by Gucci

 

When you were growing up in Houston and you became inspired to get into the world of the arts, was it always in the form of theatre that you were drawn to? 

Yes, it was immediately. I knew that I wanted to be an actor. My mother had these children’s books “What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?” type of books, and for years I would say I wanted to be a movie star. I don’t know what I meant by that, and I don’t know what triggered it. I know I was in a play in first grade which obviously made a big impact. But I don’t actually remember that being the turning point.

I will say that my love of theatre is just a fortunate act of circumstance. We had plays in our school, and I did them, but that was the only outlet I had for acting as a youngster growing up in Houston. It’s not like my parents were getting me into auditions for local movies or anything, we didn’t even know how to do such a thing.

Houston has an incredible art scene. But, growing up there, I wasn’t exposed to the arts until I was in high school. I worked as an usher when I was around sixteen for the big theatre spaces in downtown like Jones Hall, The Wortham or the Alley Theatre. So, I think it’s interesting to hear when you became aware of these outlets particularly the more underground ones, like the now-defunct independent theater company, Infernal Bridegroom Productions?

I honestly wasn’t very motivated during my junior and senior years before going into college. I didn’t know what I wanted to do or what I wanted to get into. I mean acting seemed very risky and luckily my parents were never discouraging to me, but they weren’t people who came from a situation where acting was even an option. Like they wouldn’t have pushed me in that direction either. So, my first year at the University of Houston I personally didn’t do theater, but I was around people who were doing it. And by the end of my first year, I felt very strongly that I needed to give it a shot. There was nothing else in my life going on. It’s kind of like when people always ask you if there is anything else you can do. I felt at that point in time there really wasn’t anything calling me. Everything else sounded like I was just settling.

What were you going to college for at the time? 

I don’t know what it’s called anymore. Something in the communications department like radio and television. I guess I thought that maybe I would go into broadcast, like a weatherman or something. But looking back, it was naïve that I didn’t realize that you needed to major in journalism, or you needed to major in meteorology you know, and the on-camera stuff would be obviously secondary to that. 

Infernal Bridegroom came from eventually being in theatre at the University of Houston I was brought to them by another classmate that was already involved. I had been doing some college shows and I was really having a great time, but I found the idea of doing things out of the scholastic environment, with a different group of people and surroundings, really exciting. 

IRIS: Looking back now, what advice would you give to young actors that are just starting out. Do you think it still stands true today to say yes to everything? Which in your case, also meant working for free a lot of the times? 

Yes, I do firmly believe that saying yes to as many things as you can is really the key. It’s easier said than done because the hard part is making sure you find the right people or situations that have opportunities to offer. 

Just like any other job, there’s only so much you can teach, only so much you can theorize about. But when you’re acting on a stage with lights on you and people staring at you, there’s no substitute for getting used to that unless you are doing it. So much of it is about building confidence. That’s what it was about for me. And then, of course, if you want to make a career out of it, there does come a point in time where you have to decide I’m no longer working for free. I don’t remember ever saying I’m not going to work for free anymore that never happened for me. Hell, I’d still work for free depending on what the project was. 

Suit and Shirt by Canali

IRIS: What was the main motivating factor that pushed you out of Houston and to New York?

I remember I was really getting to do a lot of work in Houston, and I was very happy with it in many ways, but there was a practical side of me that was like, “I don’t think I’m going to be able to do this,” since at the time there were so few people that were able to make a living off acting in Houston. So I kind of felt strongly that it was New York or LA.

I went to grad school and did a showcase in New York, and I knew a couple of people living here already. So a friend let me live with him, and it just kind of made sense. It’s funny going over any of this with you just how much scarier it sounds to me looking back than it did at the time. It felt like I didn’t really have much of a choice at the time. I felt this is just what I needed to do, this is what I am going to do. But looking back, I know all these things fell into place, all the fortunate things that happened or people I met. It’s now so easy to see the thread being pulled and things completely changing for me. So that’s the advice I would give a young actor – let your ignorance be your bliss and keep going.

IRIS: I read that you were doing some commercial work and then you ended up with a contract with CBS. So then would you say that your first big break was the “Big Bang Theory?”

Yes and no. It was definitely the big break in the obvious way of a lot of people seeing the show and being a consistent, well-paid acting job, but honestly it was the little things that came together. It was the commercials, the off-Broadway plays. They weren’t things that a lot of people were seeing, and they weren’t providing enough of a stable income, but I met great people. Again, it goes back to building the confidence. It felt like I was on the right journey and that was crucial for me. I think it’s so hard to wonder when or if anything is going to happen, and it is these little paths along the way that kind of give you a tiny little shove. They all add up. When I did get the audition for “Big Bang” I felt it was the appropriate time. I didn’t know if I was going to get it, but I didn’t feel like I was unworthy. I felt like, “I’m here and I’ve been working and I’m trying to get things going.” And so that’s what I would say about the big break. It was all the tiny little ones before that. 

IRIS: I was thinking about being a lead in a successful show like Big Bang, which is in syndication and can be seen anywhere in the world on any given day. Did you ever feel you might want to break away from being Sheldon for fear of being typecast? 

What I realize now, as far as typecasting goes, is if that if they want to typecast you, there’s really not a lot you can do to stop them. I was fortunate enough to find a few people who are interested in working with me on other things and taking a journey on projects outside my realm. That’s where I’ve been very fortunate, and I feel so very grateful. 

I never would have wanted to stop playing Sheldon because of the association with him or the show, or for fear of being typecast. I knew it was the end of the line for me, not because I didn’t want to do it anymore, but because I felt it had run its course. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. I can’t imagine something I could list that I’m more grateful for than that entire experience. But twelve years was a long time for me to play a fairly intense character. He’s a big personality, you know? I was going to be 47 when those twelve years ended, and my dad had died when he was 52, and that just gave me a very unique perspective. I said to myself, “you know what? What if you’ve only got six years left to live?” And looking at it like that, there’s other things that I need to get done.

Suit and Shirt by Berluti, Shoes by Gucci

IRIS: Which brings us to your latest venture as the head of your own production company. It has already produced some pretty successful shows for Netflix, HBO and Fox. How did you start this new foray into producing? 

I did not know if I wanted to do it at first. I did not know exactly what it meant to do it. I am still five years into this and still learning what it means to do it. But I did feel it was a real gift, and I wasn’t afraid of failing at it. I felt that no one was going to care if I succeeded at it or not, but if we have this opportunity we should take it.  I use the word ‘we’ because my deal is very specifically both mine and my husband Todd’s. I would not have done it without him. I knew that for sure and if anything, I’ve only learned that to a greater and greater degree as this has gone on. Todd wasn’t in the business until he met me. He sees things much differently than I do. When we’re looking at something at the production company, I can see his brain work differently, receiving information about shows or scripts or whatever. He’s very good at dealing with all the different personalities involved, I’m really not, and that’s been one of the main reasons this has been a successful venture so far.

IRIS: Speaking of your husband Todd, I was watching an interview where you were talking about you two meeting on a blind date nearly nineteen years ago and I was curious, when did you know that he was the one? Was it love at first sight? 

No, but I did know very soon. I won’t say that night only because I was always a little too stable for thoughts like that. He would argue with me on that one. I would say within a couple of weeks after the first blind date almost nineteen years ago, I knew that this was very much worth pursuing, and I knew that I thought he was very special. You know, we met November 15th, and by the end of December I had basically moved into his apartment. It was really the most romantic time of my whole life. I’ll never forget he took off a week from work for the holidays in December and I had never had so much fun as running around New York with him. I remember going to the coin cashing machine at the supermarket on New Year’s Eve, and he had two pillowcases full of loose change that we dumped into the machine, and that’s what we used to go out that night. I remember we got pizza and bought alcohol. I don’t know, everything was just through rose-colored glasses that’s for sure. We just had our 18th anniversary together. 

We got married in 2018. But you know back in 2002 when we met, gay marriage was barely a thing. It wasn’t legal yet. It was a long evolutionary process for me to care about getting married, it really was. It took me a long time to realize that, not having seen examples of gay marriage, I had lived so much of my life without that dream. It was part of the reason it became important for me to do it. I really wanted our relationship to contribute to the visibility of gay marriage and help people have that dream too, if that’s what they want.

IRIS: I want to make sure we talk about “The Boys in The Band.” The Broadway production was such a big hit, I’m curious, what did you have to do mentally to creatively switch between the stage to the screen?

Before we were actually working on the movie, I was kind of overly anxious about it. I had such a profound summer working on that play.  A huge part of it was just that I love playing that role, I loved getting to be in that play and I really loved getting to work with a group of all gay actors, director, writer and producer. I think it was just a gay extravaganza. 

I always think of my first times, and I imagine a lot of gay people do depending on where you grew up and when you grew up, like the first few times you walk into a gay bar and you immediately feel like, “Oh, I don’t have to hide anything here.” Only when you feel that do you realize the depths to which you’ve been hiding certain things just to get along and to get by. I hope a lot of that has changed by now. I think that is why I was all the more surprised at how powerful working with all of these gay actors was. There’s a language spoken in shared experiences. So, I’m only telling this because all of that made me very anxious to work on the movie because it had been such a wonderful experience as a play, I was worried we might mar the production. 

We were very fortunate that we only had to do a few days of rehearsal because we had all done the play not long ago. We all knew this stuff and it quickly became clear within a day that it was going to be great. It was thrilling. I felt myself relax more and more, knowing I can do these lines a million different ways and calibrate it or just completely change it. I would give them options.

On Broadway, the actors are utterly responsible for getting the story told and it does affect me. The number of risks I’m willing to take, the number of things I’m willing to try in the spur of the moment. It’s calibrated because I can’t risk the point not getting made. But with the movie I thought there is so much freedom to be explored here because the director and the editor have to put this shit together at the end. I can do eight completely different takes of a single scene and then they can pick and choose, and they will tell the story. But I can take some of that responsibility off my shoulders. I knew that we could all trust ourselves because we knew the story that had to be told.

Suit and Shirt by Alexander McQueen

IRIS: I watched The Boys in the Band the day it came out on Netflix and still remember one of the final scenes where you’re about to walk out the door, talking about the loss of your father. It was such a strong scene. Did the memory of your father ever come into play during that scene?

Yes, I feel like my father affects all of my work in all ways. So, when it’s specific like it was there and it’s a character who also has lost their father then yes, I do think it is more obvious in my head. But I really do think about him everyday, and not in a sorrowful way. And not always even just celebratory either. I don’t know. I feel his presence, I firmly believe that. I always have, from the moment he was taken from us I felt that he was with us and always would be. I have never veered from that or doubted that. There can be a real gift to these tragedies if you’re able to appreciate your life more with these beings that are no longer.

IRIS: Do you think you get your dry sense of comedic timing from your mom or your dad.

My dad. No that’s not fair, I shouldn’t say that so quickly my mom would be insulted. She is very funny because she was a teacher. She was the talker; she was the more showman of the two of them. He was a quiet one. He had a very dry sense of humor. He had really good sense of timing. He knew when to throw in commentary, as it were. He knew when to throw in his one liner. I definitely didn’t appreciate it at the time. I mean some of it was dad humor, but it was being applied, I see now, very skillfully.

It’s interesting the older you get, especially when a parent is gone, you are able to see them as human and not the parental figure. I found it really frees me to get a clearer view of him which is another blessing of the tragedy. 

IRIS: You did mention earlier you’re about to start a new movie.

Hopefully! Everything’s crazy now, as you can imagine, but a couple of years ago we had optioned a book called “Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Other Four-Letter Words” by Michael Ausiello. I was on vacation when I read it. I don’t know if I really intended on crying so much during the vacation. And then Todd read it and reacted similarly to me, but he was the one to have the idea of optioning it for our production company and for me to star in the movie. I said I didn’t think that was a good idea. I thought it was a great book, but I wasn’t wanting to go through that heartbreaking experience. But the more I thought about it, I knew he was absolutely right; it is rare that I read anything that affects me at this level. So, we did option it, and it came out in the trades or whatever. We thew around director names, and one of the top dream names was Michael Showalter. We felt that he would be such a good fit for he clearly knows comedy and he clearly knows good entertainment. He has this grounded foundation of human connectivity. Anyway, the news came out that we had the option and, lo and behold, he contacted us. I couldn’t believe it came true!

Jacket and Suit by Salvatore Ferragamo

IRIS: You have been lucky to have had a lot of great things fall into place it seems.

The universal system is always that fine balance between striving and letting go, and it can be hard when it’s important to you. I remember being in an acting class towards the end of graduate school, a class about auditioning, what it means, the practicalities. It wasn’t the most interesting acting class, but it was the most harrowing and stomach-turning class. I remember the teacher telling me the whole career of an actor is like trying to hold sand. If you squeeze too hard, you lose it. You lose a lot of it. It was such a good example and I always remember it because it bears repeating time and time again. 

It’s true for love and dating too. You have to both try to not grasp the sand too hard and just let things happen. There is only so much you can do. Now why did you get me started on this?

IRIS: I’m going to start thinking of opportunities using that metaphor. See? You’re already helping me cope!

Well, that’s what I’m here for. I’m glad I can help the people!

Suit and Shirt by Teddy VonRanson

 

 

FREDERIQUE AND THE CITY BY ELLEN VON UNWERTH

Frederique and The City

Frederique van der Wal by Ellen von Unwerth

Clothing by Georgine

Makeup by Romero Jennings

There is no denying that Ellen von Unwerth and Frederique van der Wal are legends in the fashion world. Between the photographer and Supermodel, there is a prolific collection of coffee-table compendium worthy images that, through the years, have inspired a generation of photography enthusiast and fashion fanatics alike. 

The universe brought the two fashion juggernauts together when they discovered they lived in the same New York City apartment building. Together, with fashion designer Georgine Ratelband the two icons have created images in Ellen von Unwerth’s unmistakable aesthetic of “sex, fun and rock & roll.” Iris Covet Book documented the chat between Ellen, Frederique and Georgine on how this shoot came together, staying creative during lockdown and their plans for 2021.

IRIS: Hi ladies, can you give us a little background on how you and Ellen met and how long you have known each other.

ELLEN: Ok yes, we know each other because we live on the same floor in the same building in New York and we run into each other often. You know, we’ve always said let’s shoot together but never found the right time. But this one morning I came home and saw Frederique with a totally new look. Her hair was totally blonde and you know how I love a blonde! I said “Oh my God this is the moment. We have to shoot!”. So, I called Georgine and I asked her if she wanted to join and Georgine offered us pieces from her collection.

FREDERIQUE: I’ve always adored Ellen’s work and strangely enough we had never yet worked together. Somehow it hadn’t happened until both of us, this past September were stuck in New York City.
Then it all came together…this sexy rock and roll Ellen element mixed with the city and the roof. It was very inspiring. For me sometimes, you have these moments when you really get your adrenaline going and that’s how the shoot felt for me. It felt great! It was a day where the playfulness was there, the fun, the sexiness, the rock and roll. It was so Ellen and then the fantastic clothes by Georgine.

GEORGINE: It was very spontaneous And it came together very effortlessly which I enjoyed very much! I think Ellen called me two days before the shoot, I pulled a variety of looks for Frederique that I thought would suit her and we were ready to rock & roll!

ELLEN: Yes, but also you look incredible in the pictures! It’s one thing to see you coming in and out of our building every day but when you see the pictures, you’re like “Wow! There’s Frederique the supermodel!”. I was really blown away when I saw the pictures. Also, it’s very intimate because it’s in my apartment and our roof. A small home production with friends.

IRIS: Frederique, I was reading about a new venture that you have called lifecycles. Is that a project of yours that we can look forward to later this year?

FREDERIQUE: Yes, I created a series with newswire.fm where I visit friends and or celebs from different industries. I’m always riding around on my bike and I talk about life in New York and what keeps them there and we discuss their ups and downs and inspirations. We did our first seven and we featured a bunch of people from different artistic backgrounds. As in fantastic singer Marieme Diop, actor/director Griffin Dunne, designers Badgley Mischka, architect Winka Dubbeldam who did both Ellen and my apartment. An amazing mix of people and it’s coming out this year. It was really fun and it’s a good thing to show the love we all have for New York City. It’s funny, I’m not a Native New Yorker but I do feel like I’m a Dutch-New Yorker.

Whatever happens, the city breathes a sort of inspiration. It’s the mix of people, the wild experiences which can happen in the city at any moment. It just makes it such a special place. I think New York has such a heartbeat. It keeps you coming back to it.

ELLEN: Each time I’m coming from the airport and I see the skyline I just think “Wow, I’m coming home.” You know? I really feel like this is my city. It is so special because even when I’m in Paris, Berlin and all these other beautiful cities, it’s still not like being in New York. Of course, it’s a sad time at the moment, but I love how quickly and creatively they built up all the outdoor seating restaurants. Some of them with really nice decorations and music. It’s nice to see how New York always overcomes challenges.

FREDERIQUE: And also, that resilience of a New Yorker. It’s interesting to see it from a European perspective. For example, the Dutch if you would say to people you have to take another job or you have to come up with an idea to have a different approach to what you’ve been doing, it’s harder for them. But here in New York people are like “Yes let’s go for it! Come on let’s do it!” And I love that.

GEORGINE: New Yorkers are so strong and also very flexible and easy to adapt to a new situation.

ELLEN: It’s also kind of a survival mode of being a New Yorker. You don’t have the luxury to wait things out, you have to be creative to make it there.

IRIS: What are some things you have been doing during the lockdown to stay creative?

ELLEN: I still have been working but of course much less than normal. Productions have slowly started again with many precautions with testing and mask and everything. You never know how the virus reacts so it’s always stressful after a shoot to not know if you might have it or how your body might react to it. I also did some facetime shoots. Like facetiming a shoot in Paris and another in LA. So, I guess we have found new ways of being creative which is the good side of things I suppose.
It can be kind of fun because you feel very voyeuristic since you’re practically in somebody’s apartment.
And then I’m like “Oh, I want to see what is over there… ok you could just sit over there you know and pose like this.” It does feel weird. I would much rather be with somebody in person of course.

FREDERIQUE: I think that the future will be more about coming together. I think we will see more value in what we are doing because of this time of reflection. And be a little bit more focused on what we really want to do. And I think when you do that, as in organizing this shoot and being surrounded with people you like, it creates something great.

ELLEN: I don’t always photograph the people I love for jobs, but I think we can definitely focus more on what we want to say through our work. Now that we see that time is precious and we can’t waste it, I think it’s more important than ever.

IRIS: One of the things that you talked about is reflection. Since we all had much more time for personal reflection, was there anything that you learned about yourself this past year?

FREDERIQUE: Well, I was quite lucky that I could escape to upstate New York where I have a farm. We were able to go back and forth from there and back to the city. It was so nice to be in nature, how healing that was actually. And I realized how much I loved the time I spent in nature and in the garden. Planting and gardening with all this free time felt new to me and it was different to have this solitude with just a few people at my house. Of course, I miss going out and I’m dying to go dancing and to go to all the fun events, but it was interesting to realize how much I actually love being more in nature and working with my hands. So, I ended up creating gardens, planting vegetable, and painting. I loved it.

GEORGINE: We got back from Paris Fashion Week and doing a last minute trunk show in Texas and enjoyed the time off. We are always on the run between places and running around so it was great to have a moment to relax. Catched up on a lot of tv shows and re-watched some classic movies and of course did a lot of cooking.But after a couple of weeks I felt very restless and needed a project. We have always wanted to renovate our showroom and give it new light. This seemed the perfect time for it. If not now, then when? We started with the kitchen area, and before I knew it, we reimagined our entire space and were living in a construction zone for the next 8 months!

ELLEN: And we went to our country home and we always go there for winters. We have a huge cherry tree in the garden and we actually got to see it blooming this summer and it was so amazing. It was a good time to really appreciate it. We also did some vegetable gardening. I also just photographed everything in sight from rain drops on the leaves, to the bees, to my neighbor’s horses. And I really feel like I experienced nature in a very intense way.

IRIS: What new projects should we expect from you this year? Frederique let’s start with you.

FREDERIQUE: Yes, there’s a couple of shoots that I did. I did a story for Vogue Living on my place in upstate New York and I’m actually working on a television program. It’s a bit futuristic where we will use virtual reality. We will follow how certain products come to us. In 2D and also in 3D. For example, the artists from Studio Drift, they create amazing light art and we follow their journey through their creative process. I’ve also decided that I should write a book. It came to me while I did a ‘journey’. I will see once I start writing if it indeed moves me and if it’s something I would like to see to completion and published.

IRIS: Georgine?

GEORGINE: Actually, as I’m talking to you guys, I’m sketching some proposals for the First Lady. It’s very exciting! After redoing our space I’ve ventured into interior design besides designing collections because many of our clients that have come over to our space since we did the renovation were so enamored by the space that they asked me to help them redo their homes! I’m also working on a new spring line and trying to improve my italian by taking classes via zoom.

IRIS: And then Ellen what about your plans for 2021?

ELLEN: I am planning to do another photography book because people are still so fascinated with the time of the supermodels and I lived that time you know? I shot with Naomi when she was 16, I discovered Claudia and Eva and I have so many pictures. So, I think it’s actually a good time to pull them all out. The glamourous fashion from the nineties in a book will be my next project. I also got asked to do a very exciting project which is to create a cabaret burlesque show in Los Angeles in a very special venue. It’s not really what I do but why not? I want to try different things, so why not? It’s good to go in a bit of a different direction sometimes. Everyone is going to be so ready to go out, so I’m super excited about it.

Frederique with designer Georgine

Photography: Ellen von Unwerth @ellenvonunwerth

Model: Frederique van der Wal @frederiquevdwal

Makeup: Romero Jennings @romerojennings

Clothing: Georgine @georginestudio

BRITTANY NOON BY KIMBER CAPRIOTTI

 

Photographer: Kimber Capriotti @kimbercapriotti
Model: Brittnay Noon @brittanynoon @womenmanagementny
Stylist: Lucci @lucci_world_
Makeup: Sarah Fiorello @sarah_fiorello
Hair: Keita @keitahair
Casting: Chad Thompson @communa_k

 

Faux Fur Coat – Pavlina Jauss, Bodysuit and Scarf – Soid Studios Hat, Boots – Stylists’ own

 

Coat – Mikage Shin, Dress and Skirt – Soid Studios, Belt & Boots – Stylists’ own

 

Suit – Manuri, Hat – Heather Marie Designs, Shoes & Accessories – Stylists’ own

 

Boilersuit – GCDS, Earrings – Kusi.K, Boots – Stylists’ own

 

Dress – Dur Doux, Gloves – Vex Clothing, Boots – Rossi

Hat – Halo Mimi, Dress – Voni Studio, Boots – Rossi

 

Hat – Halo Mimi, Top & Skirt – Voni Studio, Boots – Dolce Vita, Choker – Stylists’ own

 

Dress – Cessani, Bodysuit – Stylists’ own, Boots – Rossi

HANNAH, I’M BACK.

Eco leather body, corset and trouser – Stelios Koudounaris, Sandals – Saint Laurent

 

Photography & Direction – Joey Leo / @_joeyleo_

Styling – Aristides Zois / @aristides_zois

Make-up – Efi Ramone / @efi_ramone

Hair – Konstantinos Sakkas / @ksakkas

Model – Hannah Vincent / @vincent.han.gogh

Agency – D Models Agency / @dmodelagency

 

Blazer – Louis Vuitton

 

Oversized wool suit – Natty World, Latex strapless top – Angelika Darkling, Sandals – Saint Laurent, Gold chain – Vourakis Jewels

 

Shirt and skirt – Stelios Koudounaris

 

Silk shirt and leather skirt – Tom Ford, Sandals – Gianvito Rossi

 

Corset and balloon skirt – Natty World, Sandals – Saint Laurent, Necklace with diamonds – Vourakis Jewels

 

Jacket with embroidery – Natty World, Velvet skirt – Tom Ford, Sandals – Saint Laurent

 

Leather strapless dress – Natty World, Sandals – Amina Muaddi 

 

Oversized wool suit – Natty World, Latex strapless top – Angelika Darkling, Sandals – Saint Laurent, Gold chain – Vourakis Jewels

 

Silk trench coat – Tom Ford, Pumps – Amina Muaddi

 

Blazer – Louis Vuitton

FLORA IN BROOKLYN

Suit by Ricky King

 

Photographer – Marcus Derricotté @mderricotte

Makeup/hair – Jas Doyle @jasdoylemakeup

Stylist – Awelle Odima @awelleodima

Model – Flora Carter @flora_carter of Muse Models NYC and Storm models UK 

 

 

Suit by Alberta Ferretti, Boots by Todd Oldham

 

Coat and Dress – Stylist own, Boots by Jeffrey Campbell

 

 

Top and Pant by Adam Selman, Shoes by Nicole Saldana, Socks by Fogal, Jewelry – Stylist own

 

Bodysuit by Marine Serre, Shoes by Nicole Saldana, Socks by Fogal, Jewelry – Stylist own

 

Suit by Ricky King, Boots by Jeffrey Campbell