Converse’ TALK Blog Interviews Pamela Wasabi

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Miami-based fashion dynamo Pamela Wasabi is an insanely creative person. From producing fashion shows, to taking street photos, to putting out an online ‘zine, she does it all. She recently took some time to speak with Converse.com about her busy life.

Let’s start out with your background; where are you from, and how did you first get into fashion? Did you go to school for it?

I grew up in Colombia, I have lived in Paris and now home is Miami. I really don’t care about belonging to any place in particular but every place that I have lived has contributed to who I am.

I took a fashion associate program in Miami back in ‘03 just because I wanted to be in a creative field, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

How did you come to live in Miami? What do you like about it? In general, or career-wise?

I came to Miami when I was 16 and I had no choice but to come, as it was a family decision. I hated the decision back then, but now I think it is the best thing that has happened to me. To come from Bogota, a cold, conservative, religious, close-minded, man’s world, to Miami, a young, full-of-energy, free spirited and next-to-the-ocean city, it woke me up! And now I don’t rest until I know that what I am doing is for my own benefit. Call me selfish, but it is my life and I just have one to live.

How did you come up with the moniker Wasabi? What does it mean to you? Stretching it out further, what do you want the name Wasabi Fashion Kult to signify?

My personal fashion style, color preference and even graphic aesthetic is very similar to the one built into the Harajuku culture. I have developed this saturated style since I can remember but what is funny is that I was never exposed to the Japanese pop culture until ‘05. A friend gave me a Fruits postcard and opened a whole new universe and new obsession for me. Since then I love, love, love anything that has that colorful, dolly, j-pop strokes of energy.

Therefore, Wasabi stands for that eccentric flavor and colorful, expressive style. It is a word that has the Japanese culture built into it and no matter what language you speak it correlates to something hot and stimulating. Later on as my concept grew, I tied in the Fashion Kult words and formed a name that I want to signify a movement, a house, a brand, an icon that stands for expression, freedom and individuality. Like creating a religion, this one is my own.

You have many different types of content in your online magazine. Art, music, interviews, video…what’s the overriding ethos that drives it?

The first thing that I intend is to document our culture, what is happening right now, how we evolve, how we behave, what we like, and, most importantly, why? I am very, very curious and seek to know how others make something out of their lives. But the common ground for this type of history that I want to observe is the one where the individual is really looking for his or her independence.

You also do fashion street photography. What draws you to that? What kinds of people do you most like to photograph?

I am attracted to see how people express themselves. How they break the mold and don’t give a damn about it. Those are the people I photograph.

You do so many different things…is there one medium that was your first love, or did they all grow organically at the same time?

I call what I do, solving puzzles. I like to see the big picture and then move the pieces to make it work. It is like a kind of math and everything that I do, from my fashion journalism to organizing the magazine, advertising, promotions, styling, producing and art directing has this creative arithmetic. I think conceptually, and mostly through images. And that is how everything in my life organically happens.

What are your biggest aesthetic inspirations? Have you been to Japan? Your style, as you said, is often similar to j-pop imagery.

The big picture will be, to be the bridge or some sort of blender that communicates, and documents both cultures. The creative, expressive avant-garde Japanese pop culture with the free spirited, artistic Western one.

I have never been to Japan; I will go when WFK gives me the opportunity to travel. It will be the peak of my career and the start of a new chapter.

How did you get into producing fashion shows? What do you like about doing this particular line of work?

It’s putting into practice my artistic mathematics and my creative conceptual thinking. Like creating a big assembling machine and making everything work flawlessly. I like to entertain people, and while I dress up what I do with a big fashion smile, I play my game backstage.

What exactly goes into producing a fashion show? What are some of the unique challenges?

The biggest challenge is to dare oneself to create what hasn’t been done before, and since you do not have a point of reference you only know if what you are doing is successful after the show is over.

To produce a fashion show it takes a lot of organizational, communication and visualization skills. As the producer and art director I like to get my hands in every department; from the idea to the making of it.
It is a big process: looks, casting, models, sizes, fit sessions. Styling, outfits, make up and hairstyle design. Venue, production, runway, coordination. Music, dates, PR. Dressers, timing, dead lines, adrenaline and show time!

What do you do for fun when you’re not working?

I love to watch movies, mostly old ones. Film is a perfect art to me and it gives my imagination wings. I also love adventure and action; I practice boxing and go for runs very often. It’s my discipline.

What advice do you have for a young person who wants to get into fashion?

Fashion is a business and can be a monster. Selling and making clothes is just like selling and making French fries, you just have to be smart about the game.