Symone Ridgell Fashion Interview by Holger Homann Photos by Symone Ridgell 3 6 HH The New York Times once described you as having a “late-80s, early-90s thing”— watching “Channel Surfing”, I can see you stick to the glam—what is so fascinating about that time period you never lived in? How does it affect your daily life? SR I’m not sure at all. I have a theory that the decade one’s born into is constantly looking at least two decades before them, because that’s the age group that was cool when they were kids. Sort of how “Dazed and Confused”, “Boogie Nights”, and “The Wedding Singer” were so successful repeating the 70s/80s in the 90s. There’s this strange transition that happened to film after video emerged that I’m interested in mixing together, rather than keeping apart (especially in the digital/web-based era of video). HH How would you describe “vintage glamour”? SR I’d describe it as Helmut Newton’s “Cold Eye” mixed with your Mom’s old headshot. HH You are Director/Editor | Video Producer at PAPER magazine—tell us more about PAPER magazine and your contributions for that medium. SR PAPER gave me my jumping-off point and from there sparked a symbiotic relationship between the brand and my personal taste. HH Please tell us about the casting process for those shorts—did you have freedom of choice? SR I worked closely with the casting director and stylist, Ella Cepeda, who has a natural eye for both. I can’t take any credit. She just showed me her choices and I loved them both. HH You studied at the Parsons School of Art and Design. How important would you rate your academic background in terms of your current work, and how much more important has the actual experience become? SR I couldn’t imagine there being any other route for myself academically. I use everything I learned in my time spent there in all facets of my life. HH How important is the influence of photography in general, and fashion in specific? SR For me, very important. Fashion is where you create the character. It’s the same as wardrobing on a narrative feature. HH How important would you say Music and Pop plays in conjunction with your own work? SR Music is major. I don’t think I would’ve ever dove as deep into film without it. As a kid I would sit in the passenger seat of my Grandpa’s car listening to my iPod classic and think up music videos for each song playing that didn’t already have one. Sound is an incredibly manipulative source. With it, you can change the entire scope of an image with one good or bad move. HH You mentioned Gia and Sofia Coppola having a major influence on you for their storytelling styles. In terms of your own work—would you consider that you’ve achieved your own style? SR I do. I, however, don’t think it’s completely manifested, but I’m not sure I’d like it to. I’d like to constantly be changing themes within that style. I really look to Kubrick in that sense. He’s a director whose motifs followed throughout most of his work no matter the changing themes. HH In terms of influence by other directors, is there any European director you may claim to have an impact on your work? SR I’ve never thought about it like this, but I guess that all depends on if I’m shooting color or black and white. I come from a photographic background, so the two mediums are very separate in my mind. When I’m shooting black and white, it’s got to be Fellini and Resnais. It took me a second after starting college to make the transition from photo to film. So anything that can work as a still image really captures my attention when it then chooses to move. I found myself looking a lot to Dario Argento’s “Suspiria” during the filming of “Channel Surfing” for his vivid use of colors through unmotivated lighting. HH As a female director looking back at your own experience—do you feel the fashion industry should become more diverse in the direction of decision makers in terms of business and creative decisions? SR Absolutely. Yes. Speaking as a young, female, African-American, that’s a no brainer. HH Working in the west, east and south of the US—if you could choose, which would be your preferred city to work in? SR I prefer to write in the midwest, film in the east, and take a breather in the south. I grew up between Michigan and Florida, so bits and pieces of me belong to certain regions. Living in New York and not being able to have the parts of the other cities I call home readily available has been tough to navigate. Though, I’ve found ways to still create without having to travel miles to get there. New York is such a surprising place. You can find the suburbs and the beach amongst the city if you look for them. HH Can you tell us about your next project? SR I just wrapped two projects coming out this September. The first is a music video for the artist Mafalda. She’s got an incredibly smooth dark-pop sound. We met two years ago when I first started at PAPER on a shoot and this will be her first music video. The second is a piece highlighting several northeast based sex workers. I chose to film it in a 1970s porno homage, but instead of the sex workers playing their assumed roles, I flipped the script and gave them the role of the director on a porn set. I wanted to highlight their ability to direct their own careers. MATERIAL GIRLS
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