Gambit's CUE, August 2017

HOME

|

FASHION

|

BEAUT Y

A G A M B I T P U B L I C AT I O N | A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

STYLE

Makers INFLUENCING NEW ORLEANS

2017

AUGUST. 2 0 1 7 <<<

CUE

3

CUE • AUGUST 2017

CONTENTS

14 Style Makers 2017

Five people who are making impressions

6

Editor’s Letter

9

New & Cool Testing your metal

11

Built in Style

What you need to catch some zzz’s

21

CUE Tips

Sweet Olive Salon and Jean Lorent leather goods

22 Wear + Where

Artist Trey Bryant on Dirty Linen Night attire

4

CUE

> > > AU G U ST.20 1 7

CLOTHING

2 0 4 8 M AG A Z I N E

SHOES

5 3 7 R O YA L

LINGERIE

T R A S H Y D I VA . C O M

KATE SPADE TORY BURCH PRADA CHLOE JOIE THEORY DVF VINCE LOUBOUTIN DESIGNER CONSIGNMENT

f rom t he ed itor WE PROUDLY PRESENT TO OUR READERS CUE’s 2017 Style Makers. Annually, we recognize a few movers and shakers out there who are building brands and creating works of art, people we are proud to call New Orleanians. It was a struggle to select only five when facing a feast of talent in the city. I had never heard of some of our Style Makers until I began my search, and some were as familiar as K&B purple and missing street signs. Check them out, then make the effort to check out something and someone new this month. You will be surprised at the wealth of talent right under your noses.

Our CUE Tips column features a few more local gems. Get your hair syled at the certified sustainable Sweet Olive Salon, and then treat yourself to some posh made-in-the-USA leather goods from Jean Lorent. I’m telling you — surprised!

I’ll be stepping away from my desk to enjoy the bounty of the Atlantic Coast for a few days — Maine lobster and ice

ON

CUE

cream with “jimmies” (New England-speak for “sprinkles”) are definitely on the menu. I’ll return rested, rejuvenated and ready for September! (The issue, not the proverbial weather that accompanies the month.)

If you’re having trouble getting rest, check out this month’s Built in Style — it’s two pages dedicated to getting those zzz’s.

Yours in peace, love and an ocean breeze,

MARGO DUBOS CEO + pre sident JEANNE EXNICIOS FOSTER publ isher KATHERINE M. JOHNSON editor DORA SISON pro duc t ion dire c tor

EDITORIAL

DISPLAY ADVERTISING

managing editor

Kandace Power Graves

ad ver t ising direc tor

Sandy Stein Brondum

483-3150 sandys@gambitweekly.com

cont r ibut ing wr iter s

ad ver t ising adminis t rator

Lee Cutrone,Sarah Ravits, Marjorie Rawle, Suzanne Pfefferle Tafur

senior account e xe cut i ve s

PRODUCTION

editor ial graphic de signer

Lyn Vicknair pre-pre s s coordinator

Jason Whittaker ad ver t ising graphic de signer s

David Kroll, Emily Timmerman, Winnfield Jeansonne

Gambit

Michele Slonski Jill Gieger 483-3131

jillg@gambitweekly.com

Jeffrey Pizzo

483-3145 jeffp@gambitweekly.com account e xe cut i ve s

Brandin DuBos

483-3152 brandind@gambitweekly.com

Taylor Spectorsky

483-3143 taylors@gambitweekly.com

Alicia Paolercio

483-3142 aliciap@gambitweekly.com

Gabrielle Schick

483-3144 gabrielles@gambitweekly.com

| 3923 B I E N V I L L E S T R E E T | N E W O R L E A N S, L A 70 1 1 9 5 0 4.48 6. 59 0 0 | response@gambitweekly.com

GOT AN IDEA FOR CUE ? EMAIL US: cue@gambitweekly.com

6

CUE

> > > AU G U ST.20 1 7

AUGUST. 2 0 1 7 <<<

CUE

7

8

CUE

> > > AU G U ST.20 1 7

SHOPPING

PRECIOUS

BY SAR AH R AVITS

new & cool

METALS

Metallic accessories glisten in the summer sun, sparkle at night and add flair to home and fashion.

All tied up

Feathers of fancy

Metallic glass knot sculpture, from $29 at West Elm (2929 Magazine St., 504-895-2469; www.westelm.com).

Magenta leather earrings, $26 at NOLA Boo (517 Metairie Road, Suite 200, Metairie, 504-5104655; www.shopnolaboo.com).

Flashy fun

Bustier, $55; zip-front skirt, $89; polarized sunglasses (available in yellow and blue), $61; silver star applique choker, $25; and bracelet, $80 at Kay’s (5419 Magazine St., 504-301-3366; www.shopkays.com).

Pelican pride

Louisiana state flag cufflinks, $85 at Iron Horse Clothier (523 Metairie Road, Metairie, 504-644-4800; www.ironhorsenola.com).

PHOTO BY JULIA VALLEJOS

Pack with panache Travel tote set, $110 at NOLA Boo.

Ring it in

Handmade sterling silver “Cora” ring, $135 at Saint Claude Social Club (1933 Sophie Wright Place, 504-218-8987; www.saintclaudesocialclub.com).

Snake charmer

Sterling silver snake ring with sapphire, $150 at Saint Claude Social Club.

Silver dollars

Polished silver money clip, $139.95 at Iron Horse Clothier.

AUGUST. 2 0 1 7 <<<

CUE

9

10

CUE

> > > AU G U ST.20 1 7

HOME

GOT

SLEEP?

A physician explains sleeplessness and how to get your snooze back.

BY K AT HER INE M . J O HN S O N & K EL LY R O S E IF YOU THINK YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP AT NIGHT, THINK AGAIN. And if you think it’s not a big deal, definitely think again.

A 2016 study of the effects of sleep loss on the United States’ economy by the RAND Corporation (a public policy research group) found that the U.S. loses over 1.2 million working days a year due to employee absenteeism related to sleep deprivation. Sleeplessness costs the country $411 billion a year. It increases mortality risk by 13 percent.

bu i lt i n st yle

» THE SCIENCE Dr. Meredith Maxwell, a primary care physician at Touro Infirmary, often hears patients complain of tiredness. It’s common, but she stresses the need for downtime and proper rest. She says most adults need between seven and eight hours of sleep a night.

“Some people can run quite effectively on six hours, but only onethird of adults sleep at least six hours,” she says.

The effects of sleeplessness increase in severity the longer the problem continues. Short-term effects are irritability, depression and strain on the immune system.

“Long-term sleep deprivation — three or more nights per week for three months or more — can cause PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), neurologic disorders or even restless leg syndrome,” she says.

“It’s really important that people who have sleep problems do something about it.”

A common medical intervention is prescription sleep medication, which has its own risks. Many are addictive, and there is some science, such as a 2012 study published in the National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine, that suggests sedated sleep is on par with poor sleep.

Sleeplessness isn’t always linked to a sleep disorder. The inability to disconnect from work is a common cause. Many adults feel pressure to always be reachable, prompting them to check emails and texts constantly, even when it’s time for bed.

“People have problems shutting down at the end of the day,” Maxwell says. “In the long run, you’re making yourself less successful. You could be your most productive self if you can shut down for a while and get good rest and [are] more effective the next day.”

Maxwell urges consulting a physician before trying remedies for sleeplessness to rule out any medical conditions that may require professional care.

PAGE 12 AUGUST. 2 0 1 7 <<<

CUE

11

bu i lt i n st yle

HOME

PAGE 11

» THE DIY APPROACH Maxwell says the simplest remedy is good “sleep hygiene”: Clean up your daily sleep routine. Consistency is key — have the same sleep time and wake time (even on weekends), the same sleep aids (supplements, ear plugs, sleep mask). Establish a regimen that tells your body it’s time for bed and usually restful sleep will follow.

You also can change mattresses and pillows or try different sheet thread counts or a cooling gel pad, but Maxwell says there’s no substitute for being physically tired at night.

“I think exercise is the best remedy, but people have to be motivated to do it,” Maxwell says.

She also suggests putting daily problems into a time slot to keep them from creeping into your sleep routine.

“Set aside a ‘worry time,’ so you don’t deal with anxieties at bedtime,” she says.

Maxwell warns against doing too much before bed. This includes eating, drinking alcohol and exercising. The sweet spot is two hours before bedtime, but 30 minutes will work in a pinch. Turn off electronics, take a warm bath and lower the thermostat (Maxwell says 60 to 67 degrees is optimal) to let the body wind down.

“Sleep is attainable. You just have to put in the work. It’s lots of trial and error. ... It takes 30 days to make a habit, so get started on some good ones.”

BOTTOM LEFT: Contour Elite Breeze mattress by TEMPUR-Pedic with adaptive support and built-in cooling pad, from $3,700 at Mattress Direct (Citywide; www.mattressdirect.com).

12

CUE

> > > AU G U ST.20 1 7

» LET THERE BE LIGHT (OR NOT) An illuminated sleep mask may restore the sleep cycle. The lenses give off a red light to simulate sunset, letting your body know it’s bedtime (and to increase melatonin production); as day approaches the light slowly turns blue to simulate sunrise. Blue light suppresses melatonin production in the body and increases alertness. That’s why too much “screen time” (watching TV or using a smartphone or a tablet) before bed can increase sleeplessness.

Programmable home lighting systems work the same way. There are white lightbulbs that emit blue light in the morning hours to stimulate the body and bulbs that produce warm spectrum light to induce drowsiness, often with the tap of a finger on an app.

Maxwell isn’t sure that any color or amount of light induces sleepiness (she urges patients to avoid light at bedtime), but she has observed that daylight-mimicking bulbs help people perk up in the morning.

» GO, GO, GADGET Personal monitoring devices (such as wearable trackers and sensor pads that are placed under the bedsheets) are becoming popular. Many monitors offer steps to improve sleep habits when they detect a disruptive pattern or an environmental factor (poor air quality, for example) that may trigger sleeplessness. Maxwell says the accuracy of the sleep data they provide is not yet known. For some, Maxwell included, they can increase anxiety about potential sleep problems.

» A NATURAL APPROACH Supplements like melatonin and valerian root offer a natural remedy, although effectiveness depends on the cause of sleeplessness. These supplements work to reset the body’s internal “clock” by regulating natural melatonin, which usually is elevated at night to keep the body in sleep mode, and slowly decreases as the sun rises. Circadian (sleep/ wake) rhythms can be disturbed by things like nighttime overexposure to light (especially the blue light emitted by electronic devices), travel and diet. If restlessness isn’t caused by one of these factors, these supplements may not work. They also may interfere with other medications and can build up in the body, causing long-term effects.

» AMBIENT NOISE Noise-canceling or white noise machines or apps, classical music and even the whirring of a fan all have the same function: They’re distracting techniques that drown out intrusive noises and replace them with sounds that are easier on the ears. Maxwell says pleasanter sounds can distract people from replaying the day over in their heads and from anticipating the next day at bedtime, reducing anxiety.

BOTTOM RIGHT:Lunar Oil by oLive + ani, $20.95 for .33 ounces at Earthsavers (Lakeside Shopping Center Annex, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 504-835-0225; The Premier Centre, 3414 Highway 190, Mandeville, 985-674-1133; 5501 Magazine St., 504-899-8555; www.earthsaversonline.com).

HOME

bu i lt i n st yle

spruce Dr. Mary Side Sleeper custom pillow, from $125 for down alternative fill and $325 for down fill at Sotre (3933 Magazine St., 504-304-9475; www.sotrenola.com).

Clean your routine for good sleep hygiene:

• Remove distractions from your bed — including pets and kids.

• Don’t watch the clock if you can’t sleep. Get out of bed and move to another room to do something calming until you feel drowsy again.

• Earplugs help if you’re a light sleeper. Try different types (wax, rubber, foam, etc.) to determine which works for you.

• Soothing scents (such as lavender) can help create a restful sleep environment.

• Maxwell advocates quitting smoking, especially before bed — nicotine is a stimulant.

Seersucker pajamas, $129 at Sotre.

Bucky 40 Blinks sleep mask, $14.95 at Earthsavers.

AUGUST. 2 0 1 7 <<<

CUE

13

STYLE

Makers

Right now, these are the ones to watch.

BY LEE CUTRONE PHOTOS BY GREG MILES PHOTOGR APHY

14

CUE

ONCE THE DOMAIN OF CELEBRITIES, PERSONAL BRANDING IS EASIER THAN EVER through the internet and social media. Still, real style is innate. While it can be cultivated, it can’t be invented — you have it or you don’t. The five people recognized in CUE this month have style to spare. Each had something to say and used their creativity and perserverance to bring their talent and message to others.

While fashions come and go, style has legs. It endures, it inspires, it transcends. Meet the 2017 Style Makers. > > > AU G U ST.20 1 7

Sheba

Turk

Broadcaster, blogger, motivational speaker Sheba Turk stumbled into journalism when she enrolled at the University of New Orleans (UNO) after beginning college at New York University. “It was the only class available with my schedule,” she says, adding she always enjoyed writing. Two important figures in her life — Kim Bondy, a former CNN executive and a guest professor at UNO, and Soledad O’Brien, a journalist and CEO of Starfish Media — drew her to broadcast journalism. After graduating, she began working for WWL-TV and ascended the corporate ladder in just two years.

“I like the platform that being on air provides,” she says. “It’s up to me to develop that platform and do something good with it.”

How do you keep up with your busy schedule?

I wake up before 3 a.m. every day to anchor WWL-TV’s Eyewitness Morning News, so sleep is hard to come by. But I stay cheerful because I am grateful for my life and the opportunities I have.

How did you get where you are in your career?

A big part of me getting where I am right now is never accepting that “I made it.” I started at WWL working behind the scenes as an associate producer. I worked my way up to traffic reporter, then field reporter and finally anchor and host of my own show, The 504. Each time I made another step toward a better future, I set a new goal. … I hope to one day have my own nationally syndicated talk show.

What was your biggest challenge? How did you overcome it?

Running out of money to pay for college when I was at New York University. I overcame the situation with a lot of help. I was able to graduate from (UNO) thanks to the support of my mentor, Kim Bondy, and a scholarship from Soledad O’Brien’s PowHERful Foundation.

Never be afraid or ashamed to ask for help or to accept it. Just always remember to pay it forward.

How does New Orleans inspire you?

I grew up in New Orleans … so [it] has always been a part of my life. What inspires me most … is that at the heart of everything we do, we have a good time. … New Orleans inspires me to do everything with joy.

What’s your best style advice?

Experiment and don’t take yourself too seriously. … And learn what works for your body because when you don’t have time to experiment, you have a solid default. For me, it’s a good fitted midi dress in a great color.

PAGE 16

AUGUST. 2 0 1 7 <<<

CUE

15

PAGE 15

Rocio Mora

Digital influencer Move over, diamonds — Rocio Mora says curls are a girl’s best friend. Her curly locks were a springboard for a career as a mogul of new media. Born in Baltimore and raised in New Orleans, Mora studied broadcast journalism, but shifted gears to computer drafting for an engineering firm. When the downturn in oil and gas led to layoffs, Mora quickly rebounded. Having attended a blogger’s conference on how to improve her skills as a digital influencer, she turned what began as a hobby posting YouTube videos into a career change. In addition to her YouTube channel, she has a blog called RisasRizos, a combination of the Spanish words for “laughter” and “curls.”

She began with what she knew: the challenges of naturally curly hair, then expanded to other causes she cares about — the Hispanic community and empowering younger generations. “The world of digital influencers really is the Wild, Wild West,” she says. “Everyone’s winging it and taking it as they go.” She has more than 90,000 followers on YouTube and 20,000 each on Facebook and Instagram. This summer, Kia Motors America sponsored her Rizos on the Road tour, which visited six cities from coast to coast. “Being an entrepreneur means having that hustler mentality and drive to achieve your dreams,” she says.

How did you start your internet empire?

It all began when I was making video tutorials on what I had learned when getting my curls back after heat damage.

What do you like to post about?

My YouTube channel provides tips for curly hair in English and Spanish, helping women to love and embrace their curls.

How do you make a living out of being a YouTube and blog star?

Brands pay you to promote their products through reviews or integration when your following grows.

Stay consistent. It’s hard work to do full time, but it’s possible.

What is your advice for aspiring bloggers and YouTubers?

Ideas were created to be brought to life. Market yourself digitally.

Nearly everyone is staring at their phones all the time — use that.

There are apps to help reach your target demographic.

Whose individualism has made a lasting impression on you?

I surround myself with like-minded individuals who are influencers and work hard at what they do. Their drive and diligence inspire me.

16

CUE

> > > AU G U ST.20 1 7

Ashley Ann

Lyons Porter

Designer Ashley Porter grew up in San Francisco, but her New Orleans lineage dates to the 1860s. A family member opened I.L. Lyons & Co., a pharmaceutical supply company, and invented nectar flavor, the famous pink syrup used in now-closed K&B’s nectar milkshakes.

Porter moved to New Orleans to attend Tulane University, and after graduating with a master of finance degree, she relocated to Los Angeles and received an associate degree in fashion design from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Stints at Balenciaga and Ralph Lauren followed in New York City. Her retail career started when she developed a business plan for a line of belts made from Louisiana alligator skins. While sourcing the skins, she found an alligator backbone that inspired her first jewelry design (a backbone cuff and knuckle ring), and the rest is shiny, bejeweled history. “New Orleans has the most vibrant, serendipitous culture I’ve ever experienced,” she says. “It’s just in my blood.”

Tell us about your jewelry line.

Porter Lyons is wearable art that tells a story about New Orleans culture. I (am committed to) the sustainability of my products and partner with different nonprofits in Louisiana to give back to the community that inspires my work.

What is your favorite piece of vintage jewelry?

For me, jewelry acts as an amulet, reminding me of a place and time in my life. One of my treasures is a Native American bracelet my parents and I found together in Arizona. It’s … an eagle soaring with her wings outstretched, inlaid with coral, turquoise and bone. It was when I first started my career in jewelry and a memory and anchor point I’ll never forget.

Why do you raise chickens?

The short answer: fresh eggs. But … there is something beautiful about connecting with your food and knowing where it comes from.

What does New Orleans offer your design life that other cities do not?

I truly have a love affair with this city and its rich culture. I’ve lived in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles and find New Orleans to be where I feel most alive and inspired. … I feel amazed to be living my dream, creating art to adorn people in a city I love so much. There’s a sense of freedom and self-expression here that’s in a class of its own.

PAGE 18

AUGUST. 2 0 1 7 <<<

CUE

17

PAGE 17

Frank Relle

Photographer While waiting tables in the French Quarter, native New Orleanian Frank Relle visited A Gallery for Fine Photography on Chartres Street.

There, works by Edward Weston, Sebastiao Salgado and Karl Blossfeldt spurred the Tulane University graduate’s interest in photography.

Relle began calling photographers to see if they needed an assistant, which led to three years of apprenticing with photographers including Mary Ellen Mark, Annie Leibovitz and Arnold Newman. He then explored the process of making his own work, taking beautifully lit, romantic photos of New Orleans houses at night. “I’m fascinated by how the character and personality of the people who live there are reflected in the character and personality of the home,” he says. “I’m in a conversation with the house about the relationship between the stately and the weathered, the rich and the poor.” He began his series of nightlit swamp and bayou scenes in 2014. “I want to explore the natural parts of Louisiana in a stimulating and interesting way,” he says.

Why photos of New Orleans and Louisiana landscapes?

When I start making something, I begin with what I know and love. My life, memories and education are rooted in the watery lands of Louisiana.

Your photos feature heavy contrast between light and darkness. Why?

No two musicians will play a song the same, and light and shadow are the music of photography. I light my photographs to express my interpretation of the scene.

What’s it like having your work on display in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History?

Originally, I thought it was a prank. Realizing it actually was the curator from the Smithsonian, I calmly accepted her request to bring my work to D.C., hung up (the phone), and promptly ran around screaming, “Smithsonian!

Smithsonian!” Most days I forget the honor, but in moments like this, I recall the Dalai Lama scene from Caddyshack and Bill Murray’s words, “So I got that going for me, which is nice.”

Where do you find inspiration?

From my gallery on Royal Street, I (walk) toward Canal, stopping at Arcadian Books and M.S. Rau Antiques. … Spitfire Coffee has my fuel. I loop back on Chartres (Street), [and] then it’s time for a quarter muffuletta from Napoleon House. I sit at the bar, listen to the tourist-meets-local conversation. How much more inspiration can you get with an hour and $5.47?

Whose artistry influences your own?

My most impactful photographic lessons: darkroom printing from Joel Pickford, physics of light from Chris Callis and understanding content from Rick Olivier — or as he likes to call it, “the cake, not the icing.”

18

CUE

> > > AU G U ST.20 1 7

Ellen Macomber

Artist, designer Ellen Macomber was raised in New Orleans and Abbeville, and always had a penchant for art and design. She requested a sewing machine as a graduation present and devised inventive ways to finance life as an artist after college. She attended music festivals across the country and sold clothing she designed. The money she earned helped her travel to places such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, where she collected textiles for future designs. Macomber says the day-to-day demands of being a store owner motivate her to push herself harder than ever. In addition to selling New Orleans-centric home goods, clothes, purses and paintings featuring local imagery, she offers creative workshops and paints custom commissions. “It’s not just about creating the work,” she says, “but also about constantly getting it organized and coming up with new ideas.”

Why textiles?

Before (Hurricane) Katrina I had a small clothing line. … I also worked as a costume designer for local theater [groups] and made Mardi Gras costumes for clients. … (After the storm,) I didn’t touch a sewing machine for years.

Instead, I began painting on glass as therapy.

That led to painting maps and architecture, which then led me back to textiles. Fabric design allows me to connect my interests in maps, architecture, painting and fashion.

Tell us about the creative workshops you offer.

I offer a few different workshops, but the most popular is the headdress workshop. Everyone gets a head, a base, and tons of gorgeous materials. Oh, and Champagne. I also host succulent driftwood workshops [arranging succulent plants on driftwood] and succulent wreath workshops. If you have a green thumb or are interested in living art, these are great workshops to attend.

How do you pick the creative projects for your workshops?

People throw amazing craft parties here, gathering together and helping one another make costumes, especially during Mardi Gras.

I decided to offer a place where you can come create, drink Champagne and leave a mess.

A lot of your work shares the same visual theme — maps of New Orleans.

What about them inspires you?

Maps are part of my family’s heritage. My grandfather was a shrimper and my mother was [raised on the water]. Maritime charts of coastal Louisiana [cover] the walls of my mother’s fishing camp. I first had the idea to print maps on fabric for the baby blankets sometime in 2011. … Now I have everything from baby clothes to men’s neckties to upholstery fabric.

What are your personal style essentials?

My hair, my costume jewelry and my 3-year- old.

AUGUST. 2 0 1 7 <<<

CUE

19

20

CUE

> > > AU G U ST.20 1 7

SHOPPING

LUXE LEATHER WHILE WORKING AS AN INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER, Jean Lorent Makin created leather fashion accessories as a hobby. Now, her designs can be purchased at more than 30 shops across the country, including six in the New Orleans area, as well as through her website.

Makin is the owner of Jean Lorent (www.jeanlorent.com), a local company that makes men’s leather bowties and suspenders and women’s handbags. Each item is made from premium full grain leather with a rich patina, from materials found within the U.S. The products are designed and handcrafted by Makin in her studio on Old Gentilly Road in New Orleans East.

A native of Venezuela, Makin launched her business by selling her crafts online and at festivals under the company’s original name, NOLA Leather. Makin felt sales were doing well

and she set her sights on a new, expanded venture.

“I decided that I wanted to take it to the next level,” she says of placing her merchandise in boutiques nationwide.

She also rebranded her company, changing the name to Jean Lorent.

Jean Lorent’s men’s collection includes suspenders and bow ties in an array of colors and materials — from cognac crocodile to gray snakeskin. Prices start at $70. The company offers styling for grooms and provides exclusive accoutrements for entire wedding parties.

“Our leather bow ties and leather suspenders are very popular among the grooms,” Makin says.

The spring women’s handbag collection features a shimmery,

silver “gator leather” clutch made from cowhide ($157), and an understated, black leather crossbody purse for everyday with a detachable chain ($182).

Jean Lorent’s next handbag collection debuts this fall. — SUZANNE PFEFFERLE TAFUR

NATURAL BEAUTY Sweet Olive Salon owner Andrea A. Hoover.

PHOTO BY SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

AS A HAIRSTYLIST WITH NEARLY 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, Andrea A. Hoover was tired of working in salons that didn’t recycle.

In January 2017, she opened Sweet Olive Salon (1230 N. Broad St., 504-3045826; www.sweetolivesalonnola.com) — a certified sustainable Green Circle Salon. This means 85 to 95 percent of the salon’s waste is recycled or repurposed and kept out of landfills and waterways.

Hoover learned of Green Circle Salons through a representative for the salon’s product line, Davines (an Italian company that manufactures its products using practices that are 100 percent sustainable).

“It’s so much better for the environment, and I really believe in recycling,”

c ue t ips

Jean Lorent’s leather handbag collection includes a variety of styles, all made in the company’s studio in New Orleans East.

PHOTO COURTESY JEAN MAKIN

Hoover says. “I’m so over seeing polluted rivers and oceans and how marine life gets compromised.”

Sweet Olive Salon recycles hair, leftover color chemicals, foil and plastic, among other materials. Hoover says the hair is made into booms used to soak up oil spills and into cots for animals in rescue shelters.

The salon offers an array of beauty services, including haircuts and coloring, waxing, facials and microblading, which Hoover describes as a temporary “tattoo of sorts, for eyebrows.”

She says her company soon will join a program called Safe in My Chair, which helps transgender people find welcoming salons.

Sweet Olive Salon is bright and airy, and styled with black-and-white photography and plants.

“It feels good to be here, and it’s really important to me that everybody feels welcome,” she says. “I love meeting different people.”

Hoover says she has worked with some of her clients since the beginning of her career and feels lucky to have formed friendships with them along the way — in addition to making them feel beautiful.

— SUZANNE PFEFFERLE TAFUR AUGUST. 2 0 1 7 <<<

CUE

21

WEAR+ WHERE

Dirty Linen Night

TREY BRYAN ARTIST

BY MARJORIE R AWLE PHOTO BY L AC Y DAVILLIER OF DAVILLIER PHOTOGR APHY & GR APHIC S

You went to Ringling College of Art & Design for illustration, but now you focus on drawing and painting.

Do you consider yourself an illustrator or a painter?

I would say I’m a fine artist before an illustrator, because I’m developing my own content. For me, all the fun in a job like editorial illustration is getting the job, meeting publishers and eavesdropping at bars where I know they’ll be.

I’ve always loved drawing and painting from life, because then I get to experience what I’m drawing and painting, too.

Has moving to New Orleans changed your practice?

I’m definitely better at my craft, getting to spend all day out on the Royal Street fence and thriving off the energy.

Here, every day and all day, any artist of any trade or specialty has the ability to sell [their work]. And that’s a huge difference [from other cities], because once you start making sales with your artwork, you get to do a lot more.

Where’s your favorite place to work?

I just like to go out and draw life happening. Musicians, performers and even just people out and about, doing their thing. It almost feels like combat drawing.

Do you try to go unnoticed?

Definitely, because once peo-

22

CUE

> > > AU G U ST.20 1 7

ple know you’re drawing them, they change.

How did you land a spot in Elliott Gallery on Royal Street?

[It’s] my favorite gallery in town for sure, as far as the work goes.

Every time I went in there, [the owner, Catherine Martens Betz, and I] would start talking about art. Eventually, I showed her my drawings, and she asked if she could sell them at Elliott for me.

The next day she sold three of them, and it just kept happening like that.

You’re wearing a hat now — would you say hats are one of your style staples?

Yeah, I think so. I’ve definitely been wearing this wide brimmed Goorin Bros. hat a lot lately. And the shoes I’m wearing are some of my favorites, too. They’re handmade in the Yucatan, and the bottoms are actually made out of old tires.

Are you going to wear your recycled white linen for Dirty Linen Night?

Probably, but I’ll have to get some (in the first place). I like the Bargain Center [on Dauphine Street]. I don’t usually go shopping but just happen upon things that I like. I have a lot of old stuff, like a Levi’s jacket I found in New York, and am usually rocking an all-black look, just to keep things simple.

Dirty Linen Night

7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12 in the Royal Street arts district