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Photography Adrian Meško Photo assistant Tucker Van Wyden

From left: Desi Santiago, Zaldy, Twan Meijerink, Paul Cupo, Miki Horii, and Jarrod Glaze

ZALDY, COSTUME DESIGNER

Location and year founded: New York City, 2001 Who have been some of your biggest clients? Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha, RuPaul, Cirque du Soleil How did you get into costuming? After I graduated from design school, I went to Paris to get a job, but everyone wanted me to be a model. I went with the flow and ended up doing runway for Jean Paul Gaultier, Thierry Mugler, Vivienne Westwood, and campaigns for Levi’s and Paul Smith. You could book me as a boy or a girl! I shot with Steven Meisel, Steven Klein, Karl Lagerfeld, Ellen von Unwerth, Glen Luchford, and even Scavullo. It was a great portal into the industry. Eventually I pulled it together and presented eight collections. It was tough. I ended up designing L.A.M.B. for seven seasons as well, but eventually music projects pulled me away from fashion. When working with a client, what is your objective?

From left: Danielle Haim, Este Haim, Ariel Rechtshaid, and Alana Haim

To create a lasting impression that satisfies not only visually but also emotionally so it moves people to want what my client is wearing. Who is the biggest “get” when it comes to pop stars looking for an original piece? I’m always conflicted about this, because I love working with big budgets, but the artists whose music I personally love don’t have the budgets required to make my team move. I would love to work with Lykke Li, Fever Ray, Sky Ferreira, and Lana Del Rey. Hopefully soon I’ll be able to work something out! What is the strangest job you’ve ever taken? The Lady Gaga–Kanye West tour! At the time it was really bold, the merging of a hip-hop crowd with a pop-music crowd. The story boards were amazing, and it would have been monumental if Kanye hadn’t taken the microphone away from Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards, which essentially made him public enemy number one.

One day it was all over and then I started working on Gaga’s “The Monster Ball Tour.” Kanye did ask me to design his collection with him, but the project needed full-time attention, which I unfortunately was not able to give. I would have loved to, he is a genius after all. If you could take any legendary musician from the past and dress them now, who would it be? Elvis, Nico, Aaliyah, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Ziggy Stardust Where do you predict pop-star style is going? More personalized fashion. Celebrities have been too caught up in “getting it right” instead of expressing a personal point of view. What’s next? I am launching my ZALDY collection again, for Spring 2015. Plus another big project, but it’s a secret. Personal motto: Follow through. I learned it playing tennis in high school, but it’s evolved to mean that if you start something then you have to see it all the way through.

ARIEL REChTShAID, pRODUCER

Photography Claudia Lucia Photo assistants Byron D. Gamarro and Chris Velasco

Location: Los Angeles Year founded: 2009 Who are you currently working with? Kylie Minogue Most prominent clients? Rostam Batmanglij, HAIM, Usher, Sky Ferreira, Snoop Dogg Biggest hits? “Climax,” “Unbelievers,” “The Wire” Do you have a favorite song you’ve written or produced? That’s like asking if I have a favorite child…it’s not fair to those bastards. How did you get into producing? I like telling people what to do. What makes a good pop song? Three major elements: a signature beat, signature chords, and a great lyric! What is your process like when crafting a song? I try to come up with a signature beat, signature chords, and a great lyric. What separates you from other producers in the business? Other producers? Where is the strangest place you’ve ever recorded a song? In a hut in the mountains of Jamaica with Snoop Dogg. If you could take any legendary musician from the past and work with him or her now, who would it be? I think John Lennon was on to something. What’s the hardest part of your job? Deciding what to eat for lunch. What’s the easiest part? Nothing is easy. Career highlight? There are a few, but walking the stage with Usher to receive a Rhythm & Soul Music Award was pretty ill. Give a prediction about where pop music is headed: Hopefully somewhere we could have never predicted. Plans for 2014? Talking about taking a vacation but working instead Motto: One of two on any given day: That’s not good enough or Shit is hot


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