AANY: Who are you? What do you do? Where do you come from? Why are you in New York? I dig your look.
Clarence: Well, first and foremost, I’m a student at St. Johns University. I’m a Junior. I’m a freelance photographer, freelance videographer and a new designer. I just started to show the pieces that I have, called “Clarence Lived”. It’s a DIY line, meaning “Design It Yourself”. For example, you could pick up a jacket and you do what you want to it. You recreate what’s in front of you. The range of people that are interested in the pieces goes from grannies to sixteen year old cheerleaders that just want something for the prom.
AANY: You would make Heidi Klum proud. Are you a Project Runway watcher?
Clarence: No, I’m not. I really don’t like to watch anything like that. While it may inspire me, I want to make sure that everything is original as possible. So by making everything as original as possible I try not to watch too many things or listen to too many ideas. So that way I know that in another interview, kind of like this, I can really say the truth and be like, “Yeah, this was an original thing”. And if someone would ask what the inspiration was, I can honestly say it was my own idea, my own inspiration.
AANY: So you’re inspired by yourself?
Clarence: Like I said earlier, my goal is to make people dream and to take them to another place. That’s really it. I can’t really say there’s any person, or thing. I just like to take people to another place.
AANY: How would you describe your style, your look?
Clarence: My style is probably very Jeremy Scott. My style is probably very outrageous, classy meets punk.
AANY: You’re sitting at a table having a glass of wine with Anna Wintour – what would you chat about?
Clarence: It certainly would not be fashion. It certainly would not be about the weather either. I could think of all the things I would not talk about with her. I would not want to ask her any direct questions. She has been asked every single question in the book. So I wouldn’t want to waste her time. I suppose if I were to ask a question it may be something like, “What are your views on the future for my generation? Where are we going? What do you think people are going to symbolize and remember in anything whether it be fashion, music, art, photography, literature, anything?” I wouldn’t just want to sit down and talk fashion with her because I could just pick up Vogue or another interview where someone is asking the same question that 1500 other people have asked her.
AANY: I would ask her if she has ever entertained the idea of changing her hair style? Never changes. Are you interviewed often?
Clarence: The last time I was interviewed was recently by Nylontv for what I am wearing right now. I was wearing one of the pieces that are going to be in the DIY line.
AANY: What’s in your refrigerator right now?
Clarence: I don’t have a refrigerator. I have a meal plan.
AANY: Now we are getting somewhere.
Clarence: Every day I eat a chicken quesadilla or a shrimp quesadilla.
AANY: St Johns has had a great basketball program, and it’s a great academic school.
Clarence: I’m advertising major. Going to St Johns feels like the Midwest. I don’t feel like I’m in New York. I’m not getting like an F.I.T. or Columbia experience. It feels like I’m at University of Wisconsin in Madison. I support St. Johns in every way possible. It’s the perfect place to focus on your education.
AANY: What is Blind Specs?
Clarence: Actually we are rebalancing Blind Specs at the end of April. It’s going to be insane. We are reporting from Cape Town, Milan, Italy, London, Paris and New York. Blind Specs is something I started. It’s a life style blog. With all the contributors that we have now each contributor is really just telling their story. They are already part of the media industry, fashion industry. Like for instance one contributor that I have from Paris, His name is Zelig, who is a high fashion model but he is trying to make his break in New York. So his story is really about “I’ve done the Paris thing now I want to do the New York thing”.
AANY: What do you feel or think when you look at yourself in the mirror?
Clarence: I don’t care what anybody else thinks. No insecurities.
AANY: OK. Let’s deconstruct what you’re wearing. What’s up with the striped leggings, or are they pants?
Clarence: The pants rather are a shirt I just altered it. It’s from American Apparel. It’s all held up by one gold pin.
AANY: Where can I buy your DIY line?
Clarence: The website launches in December. It’s going to be called. Clarrencelived.com. Clarence lived right now is my portfolio. http://www.clarencelived.com/
AANY: It’s a shirt?
Clarence: The vest is a DIY piece. The ring, well, I’m a rep for an Atlanta brand called The Tuxedo Dames. So they just end me this stuff, and I either wear it or I do a little presentation, and see who wants to buy them. They’re mostly known for the sun glasses that Amber Rose wore with the chains hanging down.
AANY: Let’s talk about China.
Clarence: I went there my Junior year of high school with my orchestra. I play the violin. We played on the Great Wall.
AANY: What are Mom and Dad like?
Clarence: Both of my parents are lawyers. My mom retired but she still practices. My grandfather was a judge so that was the whole thing. My Dad is also lawyer but now he is a poet. He loves the poetry world.
AANY: Pleasure meeting you, Clarence. Good luck with all your creative endeavors!!
