05 26 2012

SACHA M’BAYE FOR USED

IMAGE ANALYSIS: my life revolves around moments of reaction. reaction to others, responses to inspiration- i have this natural push inside of me that makes me question things until i figure them out or decode certain elements of human tendency. every spare moment i have of silence, im thinking about words or ideas, people or places- figuratively & geographically. when i was young, i feel like i was always reading either vibe magazine or the source, would occasionally get my hands on word-up or right on! but vibe was special to me, in the 90′s their editorial content was what really resonated with me. though not as creatively impacted as i am by high fashion, in the present day, hip-hop was a different aesthetic than it is now. this was before blogs, before the internet was being used in the way it is used today. i would see the models in the pages & wondered “who is he?” or “who is that girl?”. maybe it’s an affect of being an american- that you need to properly identify everything, to give it a place. or that everything that is seen through a form of media just draws an automatic interest. still developing, i have just begun this internal dialogue.

i’ve always had this thing with names- i was always very good with names. i feel like i have always tried to have a better understanding of myself, what i want & who i am before anything else- during my childhood through my teenage years to now i have always looked for greater ways to define who i am. starting with my name, really building my name & beyond that a presence. there is so much energy that is associated with a name. i would tell my friends “oh, you remember that guy, he used to be in kindergarten with us” – none would remember. but for many of us, names are connected to presence which is connected to identity. for me, the power of my identity is one that has been thoughtfully realized. outside of knowing myself, my curiosity began to take fruition in that of other people- which directly correlates to my need to identify. even still, i go out of my way to identify someone or something & look for ways to acknowledge others. that tendency of mine has carried over into the work i’ve done here & is really a fragment of my personal being, it’s the person that i am. it’s funny because the thoughts i’ve been having lately have so easily connected with the editorial content that i have been seeing, providing greater reason for me to share & discuss with you.

sacha m’baye is a french male model, represented by select models in london, new madison in paris & why not models in milan. upon my first seeing him, which was on the runway of a calvin klein show the same human reaction i have to most individuals i have some level of interest in started to rise. i began to tweet if anyone could identify him, which is usually followed by a wave of research on my part to find out who this person is. they say art imitates life & for me that is beyond true, if ever there were such a thing. i thought it to be interesting, the character that sacha embodies in this visual series of work. shot by harley weir, with styling by raphael hirsch, this editorial is titled “don’t look now”, appearing for the third issue of used magazine. im not one to throw around the title of icon or to even label things iconic if they aren’t but there is a certain magnetic energy about sacha. while still earning his spot in fashion, for me & for many others whom faithfully read this blog, he is now easily identifiable. it’s almost intentional, in what appears to be an effort to create a greater sense of mystique, in turn generating more public interest for sacha with fashion audiences. the spread is thoughtful in it’s use of angle & heavy shadows through dimmed lighting. through the entire spread, sacha’s face is not shown clearly, until the end & even then it’s distorted by a gleam of sunlight which appears to peak through a door. with this concept of me being ‘the face of fashion blogging’, i have looked at the ways i communicate & how i represent myself. observing the ways that models are portrayed or discussed, it’s caused me to re-think how i am identifed. looking at how models or industry entities are identified; this has given way to my own self-actualization. which, of course, helps me understand where i am & how that connects as well as effects those around me. a little mystery never hurt nobody, in fact, it probably had only helped them. whether maintaining privacy or exciting general interest, the mystery is what pulls the true thinkers in & pushes the shallow away. go beyond the mystery, push to understand it.

for an extended look at my editorial fascination visit jeremydante.tumblr.com

05 26 2012

LILY DONALDSON FOR VOGUE ESPAÑA

IMAGE ANALYSIS: in the few interviews i have been blessed enough to have during my time as a writer, i have made very clear that my fascination with beauty is rooted in disney films. of the entire princess collective, the little mermaid was & will always be my favorite. there is a vulnerability that i found in myself, as it was expressed by the animated films main character, ariel. even in my young age, i felt & still do feel that emotion for wanting something better, something greater than where i currently am. you can identify with her need to transform, to experience a world outside of her own comfort zone. when i seen the cover for this issue, which lily donaldson shot, i was unimpressed. but when you peel back the cover & dive inside, you discover this. shot by alexi lubomirski, styled by belen antolin with hair & make-up by tomohiro ohashi & tyron machhausen- this is a complete homage to our fascination with mermaids.

sometime last year, i said to a friend- “someone should create a collection inspired by the little mermaid”. i began to reference the scene at the end, when ariel does become a human & she emerges out of the water in that minimal, glittering gown. image six in this editorial set seems to reference that exact scene, which im obsessed with. i have noticed that the photography work of alexi lubomirski has become gradually more fantasmic.  this spread is probably one of my favorites from him, at the moment. the blending of images, the way the likeness of fins is represented & recreated with gowns- the idea is genius. not to mention the recent popularization of mermaids. from azealia banks & her mermaid weave to that post that kourtney kardashian posted on instagram the other day- mermaids are making waves in the culture whether you’ve recognized it or not. im on the fence, usually when it comes to lily donaldson, i find that her presence in editorial can be lackluster at times but here, she completely shines. beautiful in every capacity- the styling, the execution with the editing & not to mention how beautiful this story of fantasy was told. it’s editorial content like this that gives fashion a place with creatives seeking inspiration. completely stunning, completely.

for an extended look at my editorial fascination visit jeremydante.tumblr.com

05 25 2012

DOUTZEN KROES FOR VOGUE CHINA

IMAGE ANALYSIS: i thought to myself the other day, why is flesh tone considered the tone of flesh? everyone’s flesh is not that tone. i had this conversation just yesterday & then seen this spread for the june issue of chinese vogue. styled by nicoletta santoro & captured through the lens of sølve sundsbø- the spread embodies everything associated with summer. appearing beautiful as ever is doutzen kroes, whom i have always refered to as a real life barbie. considering the constant issue of race, which remains a mainstay in the discussion of fashion for us ethnic & of color, i thought about how color is represented. there is this constant tug & pull with what is considered beautiful. this spread captures the beauty of golden skin in high constrast, which i am more naturally drawn to. in my observations of editorial through the years; the use of light vs. dark is one of intense interest for me. the work of sølve sundsbø in particular is heavily based upon exaggeration of color- it’s enhanced, it’s beautiful. it’s bold, it represents an energy of visual attraction that is completely undeniable. it’s modern. combined with doutzen’s photographic presence & a little bit of johnson & johnson’s baby oil? the spread is flawless. when seeking editorial content to discuss, there is an element of beauty that has to be, in some ways, exaggerated or enhanced for me. i don’t want remedial, i want extreme- whether subtle or an overextension to the point where it’s almost too much. it’s these extremes that push the boundaries of what epitomizes photography; which in turn redefines this art form.

doutzen is one of my favorite models for her classic beauty. i always love seeing mothers come back into the fashion spotlight & straight murder it. i have this natural attraction to women who defy odds, who surprise you. in the past few years doutzen has been noticeably more commercial & understandably considering her type of beauty. i feel as though commercial model is what we can expect, high fashion & more specifically editorial is where experimentation lives- it’s in these forms of visualizing fashion that stars are made. there is a greater demand to perform, there is a greater need for the photographer to execute. obsessed with this spread, especially with summer solstice rapidly approaching. i praise this spread for it’s reflection of exaggerated beauty. as a child, it was my goal every summer to get as brown as i could. now being aware of the harm UV rays can cause im a bit more cautious but i have always thought it to be interesting the debate of light skin vs. dark skin. aside from it being a personal preference for most, it seems as though once gets more focus in the mainstream. this golden brown, darkened skin tone is the type of beauty i gravitate to, but not the only form of beauty i can identify. hands up for sundsbø, with this spread you killed it.

for an extended look at my editorial fascination visit jeremydante.tumblr.com

05 24 2012

GISELE BÜNDCHEN FOR VOGUE PARIS

IMAGE ANALYSIS:  through the lens of inez + vinoodh, gisele is given another opportunity to shine for the pages of french vogue. i was reminded of words spoken by olivier theyskens about elegance to another this past week. “there is an elegance that can be inherent, natural, personal: you put a trash bag on a certain girl, and she’s elegant. it’s a gift that is almost physical.” said theyskens as i began to contemplate my favorite models. often times, poise is what i often associate with star quality, or what others refer to as ‘the x factor’. very few beings in the realm of celebrity these days possess or are even aware of this concept.

gisele, however, is very aware. i feel as though there is a certain level of confidence a model must possess, there is an air of assurance the best models have within them. there is a greater understanding of how to not only be beautiful, but to exude that energy outwardly & on demand. it’s that energy. you feel that energy in performance & when done correctly, that energy is transferred through an executed vision. through much of my observations of models, working & not both represented as well as aspiring; many poorly judge the profession of modeling as an easy job. like every job, it has it’s demands. there is an innate ability that models must be aware of; some have to work at it, while others are born to do it.

there is a reason that fashion audiences, even those outside of fashion, clamor at gisele on the catwalks & on the magazine covers. that energy is present. i pulled this spread to analyze because i have an intense fascination with the concept of icons. gisele being one of the new era, she has this ability to grab you. grab you in the way of effortlessness- it’s a look, it’s the slight arch in her back, it’s the way she turns her head so the sunlight can properly hit her bone structure to put out the best shot. that is a skill. a skill, mind you, that not many possess. much like athletes, models too have physical instincts & know their bodies. they make flaws, flawless. i pulled the images of the editorial titled, “perfect girl” that most impacted me. gisele being from brazil, there is already a level of comfort she has when styled in swimwear & shot on location at the beach. styled by emmanuelle alt, editor-in-chief of french vogue, gisele is among the favorites of the EIC & her cover bookings at the magazine make that very clear. also serving as this month’s cover girl, gisele shines as we would expect of her. from the neon swimsuits to the last shot that is heavily shadowed- i am willing to bet that not many of us can make a watermelon look that chic. gisele continues to defy the age limitations & supposed self life for models. gisele  is that bitch & reigns supreme as one of the last supermodels.

for an extended look at my editorial fascination visit jeremydante.tumblr.com

05 24 2012

CREATIVE DIALOGUE WITH SANTIGOLD

 

in my interactions with friends, i feel as though much of that interaction is conversation. i am constantly sharing & providing information on a number of platforms, using technology as a tool to educate. not even just to educate those interested, but to educate myself & excite others like myself who are hungry for information. i feel as though our modern times have allowed us a greater opportunity to take on self directed forms of education. whether creative or academic, we have the tools, its all in how we utilize them. for me, my work is heavily driven by research. i am constantly fact finding, researching & redefining the ways in which i communicate, which has allowed me to inspired in a much greater capacity. the music i listen to,  the ways i am attracted to images, the ways i am able to articulate how i am moved artistically by different elements is what separates me from others in this age of digital culture, more specifically in the blogosphere.

amidst this separation, i continue to look for other creatives like myself. the dialogue i am able to have with these creatives i find along my way is what is driving me in this new phase that i continue to refer to. the importance of this dialogue is what shapes & refines my vision, the ways i am able to quench my sense of expression. it’s my way of outwardly connecting with you, to provide a greater sense of art as it relates to culture & each of us as human beings. this interview with santigold is in that lane of dialogue. wide ranged in the discussion of artistic freedom, culture & how this culture differs from aspects of the past is exactly what i am looking to convey in my work, in my connection that directly correlates me to you. much like the piece i shared on tom ford, this is completely necessary for me to share in order to clarify my vision accurately.

santigold is a recording artist, producer & writer. hailing from philidelphia, santi ‘santigold’ white attended weleyan university as a double major in music & african-american studies. prior to her work as a recording artist, santigold worked at epic records in A&R (artist & repetoire) which seen her responsible for scouting & developing talent at the label. 2007 seen santigold stepping into the spotlight with her debut album which was critically acclaimed & allowed her to tour for two years, which she mentions in the above interview. santigold is recognized as an artists of the new school, blurring culture lines & fusing them with new, innovative sounds. awarded for her breakthrough contributions in music, santigold continues this effort with her sophomore album, master of my make-believe which is currently in stores.

click here to purchase the album

05 24 2012

ELZA LUIJENDIJK FOR DAZED & CONFUSED

IMAGE ANALYSIS: in the evolution of my interest in fashion, i have always had a strong connection to editorial. in this new range of work i will be discussing, i have decided to abandon the previous ‘editorialesque’ features & have opted to go in the lane of image analysis. at the heart of it, the ways in which i discuss editorial tap heavily into the emotional impact in which i feel for editorial. take for example, the june issue of dazed + confused. i will admit, in my attempts to re-establish the creative landscape for myself, i have not been as heavily interested in full spreads for most of 2012. this editorial however, created a shift in me. shot by ben toms with make-up by peter phillips & styling by robbie spencer; elza luijendijk appears heavily ornamented in this groundbreaking set of visuals. for me, styling is really the foundation for any great editorial, of course make-up & the photographer also lend a great deal of effort on their own, but styling really sets the tone. it lays the ground work for how we react. in the ways i respond, i consider much of editorial a fantasy. amidst all the artificiality that comes with fashion, image & even style- this new range of analysis will allow us to re-connect with shit that is real. that’s how my voice differentiates from others.

dazed + confused as a publication, constantly pushes the boundaries of what we define as beauty. i read a piece on fashion’s ‘new aesthetic’ & began to think of this spread. not only does this editorial allow us to redefine beauty, but it challenges how we perceive the odd or the curious. represented by IMG models, elza herself in considerably new, debuting on the scene just this february on the runway. while im aware that models aren’t always completely in control of their bookings, i am aware that models are in control of how they perform. this editorial performance of elza really allows a greater form of fashion to be seen, it’s an amplification of what style is & can be. standing ovation to the creative team that brought this vision to life. outside of all the psychological or imaginative undertones we can pull from editorial- i measure beautiful shit by how long i spend staring at it. this one had me in a daze.

for an extended look at my editorial fascination visit jeremydante.tumblr.com

05 15 2012

STYLE VS. SOUND: RYE RYE

from baltimore to billboard, it’s been a long time coming for ms. ryeisha berrain, affectionately known as rye rye. i’ve watched her shake that shit to the ground & twerk her way to the top- from being hailed as billboards ’21 under 21′ to her entrance into film as an actress. before nicki minaj or lady gaga, rye rye was taking meetings with industry heavy hitters & developing her style, both musically & fashionably. when it comes to over the top style, hood appeal & a rapid-release flow- rye rye is that bitch. very few artists showcase a true, individualized style & with rye rye she has developed a thorough sense of delivery. categorically considered electrohop, rye rye was an artist developed on the baltimore club scene. a native of baltimore, maryland, she started performing at 16 & quickly garnered attention from the industry after meeting DJ blaqstarr. it was through blaqstarr that rye rye was able to connect with musical & style impresario, M.I.A. it appears as though rye’s meeting with M.I.A. has allowed her the creative freedom, to be the artist she is, innately. between 2006 and 2007, rye connected with M.I.A. & power producer diplo, through blaqstarr & was asked to go on tour that year. still only a junior in high school, M.I.A. began to feature rye rye on remixes and other tracks. i remember the first feature i heard of rye rye’s, it was the verse she dropped on the remix to ‘paper planes’. that song was massive that summer & i heard the track on someone’s myspace profile, immediately following my discovery of the track, i was asking “oh, my god! who is that girl?”

after being signed to M.I.A.’s N.E.E.T. label through interscope, rye rye began recording her debut album. with noted performances, like her appearance at SXSW in 2010, rye rye has made a significant mark & continues to do so through her representation of individuality. what i love so much about rye rye is the amount of style put into the things she does. she has a clear image that is very distinct & unmatched in music. it’s not just the clothes she wears, but the energy she puts out & verses that she spits. as the second artist i have selected to feature for my on-going style vs. sound series, rye rye fits into the framework of this segment perfectly. when you see her & hear her, it’s consistent. it’s what i refer to as a visual sound; a sound so powerful that when you hear it, you also see it. i have a very clear vision for how i perceive women, whether in fashion or music & i love when women can successfully merge the two. rye rye, from her style to her lyrics- impacts you. a clear indication of a new wave in music, rye has been a standout in my mind both sonically & stylistically, for years. over time, i have seen her evolve more greatly in the spotlight. rye rye adds a new dimension for women in music, her approach in all forms is fearless. it’s that undeniable, irresistible attraction to her that truly makes her an even brighter star. with the release of her mixtape, “RYEot PowRR (2011) we were able to experience yet another expansion of the artist known as rye rye. outside her successful features on assorted soundtracks, EP’s or indie albums- rye rye has always added who she is as an artist to what she is involved with.

today marks the release date of rye rye’s debut album, “GO! POP! BANG!“. originally slated for a 2009 release, recording for the album began in early 2008, with rye rye’s mentor M.I.A. at her side every step of the way. the sound & overall image of the album from artwork to production is one that embodies the energy of the project’s title. with beats that go bang & a few flecks of pop for the mainstream; producers bangladesh, redone, play ‘n skillz, r3hab, so japan, mayru, christian rich, egyptian lover, blaqstarr & the neptunes have all made remarkable contributions. the album is refreshing in that, it creates a sound for an artist. that artist being rye rye, who oozes individuality so vividly that anything she touches is just an accent to who she is, creatively. standout tracks, in the order that they have been sequenced on the album are “holla holla”, “drop”, “rock off shake off” & “crazy bitch”. with the influence of her baltimore club music roots ever present, i love that the producers on the project act as amplification. it’s so sonically on-point to what we’ve come to know rye rye as; through lyrics, stuttering beats & psycho-sonic instrumentation. simply put, i like hood bitches & rye rye gives you that in your face energy that is so necessary for today’s musical scene. it’s not shy or held back, it’s high energy & definitive dance music. rye rye’s third single for the album, “boom boom”, which samples a 90′s club hit by the venga boys is currently climbing the dance billboard charts & it’s clear that there is not only a space for rye rye in the game; but a thirst for an artist of her caliber.

a perfect fit for this style collision with sound, ryeisha berrain is a muthafuckn star. the album boasts songs that have long been associated with rye’s musical catalog, including her infamous “shake to the ground” & the hard-edged “bang”. with features with other avant-garde artists like M.I.A. & swedish electro-queen robyn, as well as rappers tyga & akon- the album is a well rounded vision of dance music for the future. i support new forms of music that challenge the boundaries that have been put on the industry. the album successfully merges an indie edge while transcending with true pop potential; allowing gangstas & glittering girls to share the same dance floor. simply put, rye rye is the shit & her album is an emphasis of that logic.

click here to purchase the album

05 14 2012

THE STORY OF VIDAL SASSOON


of the many influential figures existing in today’s thriving beauty industry, none can touch vidal sassoon. keeping these beautician hoes on their toes since the 50′s, sassoon changed the game with incredible strives for perfection & complete innovation. with a few series features currently in the works, i had hoped to feature vidal amidst a collective of innovators who have impacted fashion. the impact vidal has had on fashion, ultimately style, is soo far spanning that it’s influence is in some forms unrecognizable. i gasped at the headline, when i heard the news of the legends passing earlier this week. sassoon had made his diagnosis with lukemia public june of 2011. at the time this was made public, the legendary hairdresser was already being treated for his condition in both beverly hills, california & the united kingdom. though sassoon may have lost his battle with lukemia, he leaves 84 years of life & a remarkable career that has shaped the way we perceive beauty. it’s his legacy which has laid the ground work for the ways in which we strive for innovation.

in 1928, vidal was born in west england’s hammersmith borough. with the odds stacked against them in the ghettos of london, vidal’s single-mother placed him & his younger brother in an orphanage. being kept in the orphanage for 11 years, vidal was allowed visitation with his mother, which allowed him to maintain a close relationship with her. at the age of 14, vidal began an apprenticeship after his mother had a premonition that he would be a hairdresser. vidal & his mother were still struggling financially around the time when he began this apprenticeship. not being able to afford the proposed apprenticeship, raymond bessone took a chance on vidal allowing him to work under him for two years free of charge. vidal himself has credited bessone for teaching him what he knew of hairdressing & how to cut hair. soon after completing his apprenticeship, vidal ventured off to london’s historic bond street & began his journey as a hairdresser in 1954. “as in haute couture, the cut is the most important element in deciding line. haircutting simply means design & this feeling of design must come from within”, spoke vidal on the art of hairdressing. after mastering hairdressing technique of the 50′s, vidal decided he wanted to change how things were being done. this decision changed the industry of beauty, completely.

in the 50′s, everything was flawless. aesthetically speaking, hair in that time was immaculate. it was all up-dos that didn’t move for a week. vidal seen a need for change, a thirst for modernization. something that was self-manageable, easy & chic. back in the day, vidal started his salon with a modest staff of 8. these 8 set & teased their way into a new era, which was led by vidal. in 1954, searching for direction, sassoon began to observe the changing world around him. heavily impacted by architecture, vidal began to recreate these linear shapes into hair. developed greatly over a 9 year period from 1954-1963, vidal changed the game one hairstyle at a time, refining his vision with each snip of his scissors. described as his peak in creative development, vidal’s creation of the five-point cut was among the most visibly innovative in his career. that style still resonates today, seen on the runways of paris, milan & tokyo. lending a great deal to iconic images of the 1960′s, vidal takes credit for creating the legendary haircuts of the beatles, for cutting mia farrows’ hair in the psychological thriller, rosemary’s baby. his work was also seen on the covers of past & present publications queen & vogue. working with film stars like, nancy kwan & grace coodington in her modeling days has afforded vidal an undeniable influence. working alongside legendary designer, mary quant, vidal was a front runner in the world of new fashion during his life. quant is credited for creating the mini-skirt, a design staple that needs no introduction whatsoever. vidal collaborated with quant to create an accent to the iconic mini-skirt & really gave way to the mod era in fashion out of london. quant has often spoke that it was vidal that added to her design and “gave it a top.”

though his client list is impressive, vidal is also to credit for more far spanning developments in the beauty industry that are much more greatly visible, even outside of the celebrity world. before sassoon, beauty shops did not expose their shops with large pained windows or glittering staircases; it was vidal sassoon that created that aesthetic in the business. on bond street, vidal changed his approach with his salon & created large floor-to-ceiling windows that allowed pedestrians to view the innovative work taking place in his salon. this revolutionized the industry & gave it a new face. all black decor became brows laquer & set the stage for vidal’s second greatest business venture within hair, which was products. vidal set the beauty market on fire when he began creating shampoos & conditioners for his clients and far beyond. he set the blueprint & career path for beauticians today, whom look to expanding their brand by creating lines of products. it was vidal who explored this marketing approach first, creating a completely new format for hairdressers around the world.

today, the impact vidal has made with his beauty enterprise is still very relevant. that once 8 person staff has grown significantly to an estimated 20,000 employees. vidal sassoon as a business entity garners approximately $400 million in sales worldwide, every year. additionally, vidal sassoon products are distributed in over 50 countries around the world, not to mention the 30 salons stationed around the globe & 8 vidal sassoon beauty schools. as not just a business man, but a hairstylist & beyond that, as an artist- vidal sassoon will forever remain untouched as well as remembered for what he did for beauty. beyond the industry, vidal has liberated the ways in which we perceive hair forever. he completely broke the boundaries of beauty.

†

05 10 2012

OWN VISIONARIES | TOM FORD

 

in the past few months that i’ve creatively rediscovered another dimension of myself, oprah winfrey has struck a nerve in me. her network & their way of producing television has not only changed the way we view the world, but it has changed the way we view ourselves. while i ramp up with new content, i assure you my dashboard, iphone & macbook are loaded with drafts, notated ideas, brainstorms & varied sources of inspiration. i wanted to share with you, in an effort to open your mind even wider, the effect of fashion as it relates to human curiosity. this piece, filmed by oprah winfrey for OWN, had that type of effect on me that cannot accurately be put into words. it was this still, calm- almost a reassuring sense of artistry that i felt. the docu-series visionaries takes you on a journey with some of the most brilliant, creative minds living today. when i heard tom ford was being filmed, i gasped & counted down the days until this episode aired. i find it very important for anyone interested in fashion & anyone appreciative of history to understand the power of tom ford. not power in the political fashion sense, not powerful from the PR tip- powerful as a designer, as an artist. tom ford, for me, was the first real designer i became interested in. my first big label obsession was with gucci- how sleek, modern & decadent the label was under the guidance of tom ford. tom taught me about aesthetic, he taught me about high-end appeal & how to sell sex. i invite you to share in this moment of creative clarity with tom ford in this intimate look at him, behind the scenes. watch, learn & love.

05 06 2012

THE INNER WORKINGS OF A VISUAL MIND


it’s been exactly one month & twenty days since my last post here. i wanted to take some time to figure out my next move. over the course of the last two years, i have had a restrained flow of creativity. as an artist, environment is everything. with some changes entering the picture in my life, off screen; i feel as though a greater period of artistic expression & creative freedom is on the rise. in anticipation of these changes i wanted to create a break in content from old to new. through the years, my interests have become more refined & have transformed. while i’ve been lucky enough to build a stronger public presence, with the rise of the internet, my interests have been given a place on a global stage. to understand my perception is to see the value of my inspiration. as inspiration relates to & influences aspects of my overall approach, i find myself yearning for more valued expression in my own work. i thought to myself; how can i really live in the framework of jeremydante.com - as an entity that bares my name, as a space that is really my story, in my words. what am i trying to say? what message am i looking to convey? as an artist, writer- shit, as an individual, how am i set apart? where do i fit categorically? personally, i am exactly the way i portray myself to be, digitally. for me, it’s not nor has it ever been about creating an image, it’s been about correctly expressing my actual self for you, my audience- my friends, my readers. i’ve spoken quite often about this conflict of real vs. fake & admittedly, i strive to set myself apart by reflecting & communicating in ways that are real. real in that, these aspects bridge gaps rather than creating them. much of my love for fashion has been strengthened in my need to build & create connections. connections that allow more broad understanding, rather than plotting false exclusivity that just mystifies audiences, rather than informing them. my own attraction to contrast is often highlighted by the concept of spectrum- whether opposite or the like. this is why you often see a natural highlight of combative perceptions- style vs. sound, light vs. dark, right vs. wrong & so on. in chronicling the major forces of fashion, i have been able to dissect the industry in ways that have allowed me to analyze how certain aspects rival one another, but also how they work hand in hand. in analyzing these high end forms of media, in this odd way, i’ve gotten to know myself in greater form. the largest aspect of success, in my opinion, of my entire digital project at jeremydante.com is the fact that i am who i am in front of you, as i am when im nowhere to be seen. successfully, i have been able to reveal to you my deepest, truest sense of self.

in my life, amidst this on-going battle of contrast, i’ve searched for balance. in learning to identify balance, i have found that i exist at the intersection of so many things. an intersection that i have not been able to properly articulate or delve into, as greatly as i would have liked. with the few pieces of writing i have created in this space, i feel as though i have been strained in many ways- that i’ve lacked a certain air of breakthrough. approaching content cautiously, i have often asked myself, “is this high fashion enough?”, “how will my readers receive this?” – all these questions pounding my brain while none were being asked to reveal “how does this define jeremydante?”. my site was born after my own realization of drastic changes happening in the music industry. while i have struggled to adjust to these changes in my understanding of how music is produced & provided to the masses- i have looked to other art forms for inspiration. it’s in this transitory state that i have discovered even more creative depth within myself. perhaps this phase of my life is my moment of clarity, it’s me hitting my creative stride both as an individual & artist. over the course of the years that will follow, my writing & choice of content will evolve more greatly than you may be anticipating, more rapidly than you have expected. i have thought about this for quite some time, in an effort to not disrupt my current readership & audience. you, as the readers, have given my voice more power & greater visibility. you are a valued contributor to my success. i find it important to touch base with you to avoid any sense of disconnection. it’s incredibly important for me to use this platform i have created in ways that are enhancing value to elements that may have been overlooked or judged unfairly. that value has been realized more greatly, in the past few months. with changes happening all around me, evolution will be mirrored on screen through creative writing, assorted analysis & varied case studies. in addition to these new forms i will introduce, interviews with other creative forces, historical profiling as well as other features will be seen. it’s all intended to break even further the barrier for what blogging is & has been defined as. these ideas, as i will execute them, have not been done by any other in the form i will be executing them. believe me.

as a writer, my aim has always been to contrast the real & the fake. i’ve always aimed to find soul in places that others have written off as soul-less. i aim to humanize our fascination with celebrity culture, to uncover the high-end artistic value of fashion & it’s materialization. i aim to document & discuss, with you, the intersection of style & sound. i hope to hit a nerve with my audience, whom i value as a legion of creative forces inspired by varied aspects of art- both mainstream & independent. i find great value in my place here, on the internet, because i feel as though my voice represents that of the creative community. my natural gravitation to beauty, fame & style are not to be condemned or thought of as lesser. i  have concealed much of my mindset in fear that the game was not ready, but soon i realized- i can’t wait for anyone to be ready. i, myself, have always been ready & it’s up to me to lead the way in that direction; in these untouched territories. we’re all searching for this greater purpose, we all want to have a greater effect. in this phase of my life, as a writer, i hope to accomplish this in ways that have not been done within the confining definition of what a “blogger” is. while i still feel a responsibility to represent aspects of fashion, the responsibility i have to represent myself is far greater. i cannot imagine allowing you to see what i see while holding myself to a one-dimensional approach to content. this is not a fashion blog, i am not a blogger. this is art & i am a writer.