In the second of my summer interviews with the leading ladies of Provincetown, I sat down with the one-and-only Miss Coco Peru. More of a comedienne (or monologist, technically) than lip-syncher (although she can also sing), Miss Coco is a different breed of drag diva, whom Lily Tomlin called one of the last great storytellers. Since bursting onto the scene almost 20 years ago with her one-woman show, Miss Coco Peru in My Goddamn Cabaret, the ginger-wigged, Stepford Wife-styled spitfire has performed to sold-out crowds all over the world. (Don't miss her in Miss Coco Peru's Glorious Wounds this November.) Not bad for a gal born and raised in one of the down-and-dirtiest places on earth...
Seeing as you're from the Bronx, have you ever been in a fight?
No, but in high school this girl did slap me. I slapped her right back and she fell backwards down the steps. It was wonderful.
In a bitch fight between you and Varla Jean Merman, who would win?
Varla and I are like sisters, so we would never fight. However, if we did, Varla would have a lot of advantages: her high kicks, her big hands, her female wrestling background. But after all her posturing I’d pull a gun out of my purse and shoot her. Actually, Varla and I would probably make up and just brush each other’s hair. And we don’t even have to be in the same room!
Was it tough being a pretty girl in the Bronx?
Actually, it was when I finally admitted that I was a pretty “girl” that things finally got easier. There's something about owning and having the courage to be 100% of who you are and taking back your power that people respect.
What was your first trip to downtown Manhattan as Coco like?
As a child, my parents used to take me to Radio City Music Hall to see movies. It was there that I saw Auntie Mame, Funny Lady, and What’s Up, Doc? However, the real thrill was that grand staircase. I used to walk up and down it like I was in a big musical. So when I finally dressed up as Coco and went out for my first time, there just happened to be a big staircase there and I took to it like a fish to water. All eyes were on me and I loved it.
If you could make someone over, who would it be and what would you do to them?
Snookie from Jersey Shore. She just reminds me of the girls I grew up around and if, as a society, we’re going to make celebs out of people who have nothing to offer us, can they at least look like a celebrity? The one thing I would do, besides the obvious sandblasting to remove the bad makeup and fake tan, would be to stick her on a rack, the one used to torture people, and I’d stretch her. Not only to make her taller, but to teach her manners.
Who do people say you resemble?
It used to be Tina Louise. Now, Kathy Griffin.
When do you feel your prettiest and what is it that takes you there?
When I’m walking down a street and a hot guy pulls over in his car and offers to pay me for sex. I know I should be offended, but I love it. And yes, it still happens, even at my age!
What's a look you had to abandon?
Big Ann-Margret hair. Early Coco was all about big hair. It was a nuisance to take care of and Coco was always meant to be a “less is more” kind of a lady.
I first laid eyes on Varla Jean Merman exactly 20 years ago at her drag debut in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. At the time we were silly, young college students living it up. I photographed many of her earliest performances, but our paths wouldn't cross again until now. Unbeknownst to us, we're both spending the summer in Provincetown, I with my vintage outlet Cherry and Miss Merman performing all over town for the onslaught of seasonal queens. And so, two decades after our sissy Southern romps, we reunited to discuss choosing breasts, appearing on Project Runway and whether a lady spits or swallows...
When it comes to beauty, who's been your biggest inspiration?
I always loved early Ann-Margret. But now, I’m a huge fan of Christina Hendricks from Mad Men. Now that’s a pretty lady.
If you could make someone over, who would it be and why?
Mariah Carey. When even I question her taste, something is seriously wrong. That Rainbow cover is about as sexy as Barbra Streisand’s notorious Superman cover, with the tube socks and perm. I'd like to force Miss Carey to wear a caftan and turban for a solid year just to teach her ass a lesson!
When do you feel your prettiest?
The moment I put on my lashes. A lady without lashes isn’t a lady.
What's a make-up look you had to abandon?
Bottom lashes.
How crazy should a gal go with mascara?
I want to let your readers know that mascara ads are bogus! Any time you see a lady in an ad who applies mascara, they always, and I mean always, put the model in a huge pair of fake lashes to make it seem like the mascara is plumping up her lashes. It’s false advertising. It doesn’t work. Just wear fake lashes! Then use any old brand of mascara to color your lashes black to match the fake ones. Don’t waste your money on nice mascara.
Any other make-up tips?
Hire a professional. And here’s a tip for the Southern ladies: liberally apply an aluminum-rich ant-perspirant, like Mitchum, to your face before your foundation. By clogging your facial pores with this metal, you won’t sweat for weeks…well, on your face. It all comes out at the back of your knees. Next time you see me onstage, notice the big wet spots above my calves.
Do you recommend cosmetic surgery?
Yes! But start young. Then nobody notices.
How do you choose your breasts?
Choosing breast enhancement is like choosing a puppy. You don’t pick them, they pick you. The right pair will speak to you.
Who did you have on your walls growing up?
I wasn’t allowed posters growing up. Tape and wood paneling don’t mix.
Give us your fashion trends for fall.
I’m stuck in 1971, so I probably wouldn’t be the lady to ask.
Do you wear corsets?
I used to, but not anymore. I don't need to now that I’ve permanently deformed my body by allowing my kidneys to share the same space with my lower colon.
If you were to ask me what my favorite movie is, I would most likely mumble something foreign or allude to some esoteric film genre. The truth is, I've lost count how many times I've watched Clueless, the 1995 camp classic responsible not only for injecting a host of words-as-hand-gestures—Whatever, Loser—into pop culture, but also introducing millions of teenagers to the world of high fashion. Upon its release, my interest in clothes reflected that of my grunge-obsessed brethren. But, like my peers, I immediately embraced the bright, cartoonish, bubble-gum pop flaunted by Cher Horowitz and her equally style-whipped clique, who turned their big-screen high school into a walking, talking runway.
The woman responsible for the mass teen awakening is costume designer Mona May, also known for her work on everyone's other secret favorite, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, as well as The Wedding Singer and Enchanted. A trained fashion designer, Mona’s eye for trends is impeccable, and with Clueless she created a look that persists today. L.A. boutique Confederacy recently joined forces with Francisco Costa to reproduce the iconic Calvin Klein dress Cher wears (the skimpy white one, at which her father frowns and says, "What the hell is that?"), currently selling on their website for a cool $916.
This year, Mona reunites with Clueless director-screenwriter Amy Heckerling and Alicia Silverstone on a new film, Vamps. If you haven't been poring over film blogs, it's a Clueless-in-tone comedy about beautiful vampire BFFs, with Sigourney Weaver as the vampire queen.
Here, a moment with Mona about those heady days and the making of an enduring fashion icon...
What were your references for the costumes in Clueless? Did Amy have a clear vision of what she wanted?
When Amy wrote Clueless, the current fashion was grunge. Her vision for the film was to show the rich, upscale high school girls of Beverly Hills. The costumes were to be like characters in the film.
Was the hyper use of color a reaction against grunge?
Yes, grunge is dark and sad so the color palette was very important to Amy. The clothes needed to be very bright and fun. I wanted the girls to be girls again, with over-the-knee stockings and Mary Jane shoes. We wanted to change the current look that was on the street and show teens how to have fun with clothes.
Were you influenced by catwalk trends?
Amy loves fashion and we had a great time looking into current European designers and what they were doing on the runways. It takes eight months to make, edit and release a movie. I had to intuitively pick the trends that I felt would still be current in eight months time. We also had to make sure the trends and fashions translated into the lives of teen girls. It was a great collaboration and I think it worked well on screen with the language and sets that Amy had visualized.
Did you have any idea of the impact it would make on street fashion?
No, we had no idea what an impact the movie would make on young girls all over the world! I was trained as a fashion designer and was just breaking into costume design, so I was in heaven blending my two passions and creating a runway show for teens on screen.
When did you first realize that kids were copying the Clueless style?
I saw girls in L.A. and Beverly Hills wearing the Clueless looks, then Karl Lagerfeld sent models down the runway with cell phone carriers that we designed for the movie. Then it was all over the magazines, including Vogue and Women’s Wear Daily, that Clueless was the fashion movie of the year. It was great!
Were there any kind of commercial tie-ins with the release of the film? Did any stores do special Clueless window displays?
Yes, lots of stores did Clueless window looks, but at the time we did not follow up with a line of clothes. We should have!
Do you believe that film inspires fashion?
Fashion is one thing and creating real characters on film that people can relate to is a whole other thing. It was wonderful to be able to work in these two worlds and bring high fashion onto the big screen.
Can you tell me what to expect from Vamps, fashion-wise? Should I be preparing for another image overhaul, à la Clueless?
Vamps will definitely have a Mona May/Amy Heckerling flavor, but it is a different movie. They are vampires and bring back looks from the past and mix it in the present. Fun!
Dries Van Noten, Designer
What did you do immediately before this questionnaire?
Dread its completion.
What will you do immediately following this questionnaire?
Sigh with relief.
What is your idea of bliss?
Turning the soil or pruning a bush.
What is your idea of misery?
Bullied onto a path I have not chosen.
What is your proudest moment?
My 50th fashion show.
What is your greatest regret?
None so far.
What would be the first sentence of your biography?
Often taken for a world traveler…
What is your best personality trait?
Loyalty and perceptiveness.
What is your worst personality trait?
Reservedness.
What would you ask for if you were granted one wish?
That timidity be banished.
What is your greatest fear?
Fear itself.
What has been your greatest loss?
The death of my business partner and company co-founder Christine Mathys.
What historical figure would you most like to meet?
Queen Elizabeth of Belgium.
What have you marched in the streets for/against?
To get to Goosens, the great bakery in Antwerp, for their currant bread.
If you could live out one fantasy, what would it be?
That creativity is embraced as much in adolescents as it is in children.
When Jeffrey Deitch announced in January that he was closing his legendary Deitch Projects to head up L.A.'s MOCA, a collective shudder rippled through downtown New York. But his staff members were too busy planning their next move to mourn the departure of their overachieving mentor for long. Just one month after the final New York show, Deitch's former directors Kathy Grayson and Meghan Coleman have emerged with their own gallery, The Hole.
Nestled next to luxury giant Louis Vuitton in the heart of Soho, The Hole—whose name pays homage to the defunct East Village nightclub—is a sprawling work-in-progress. Final touches still being made to the space serve as inspiration for the first exhibit, Not Quite Open for Business, featuring unfinished work by over 20 artists arranged around an installation by Taylor McKimens. I caught up with Grayson to talk about her new undertaking, the community she helped foster and her aspiring role as matchmaker.
What's the first piece of art you had an emotional reaction to?
The first piece that got through to me was a drawing by Chris Johanson in a 2002 Matthew Marks group show that I stumbled upon. It had a guy in a business suit on all fours with a dogface with a talk bubble, saying "How did I become a fucked-up dog person?" It made me reevaluate my life, as corny as that sounds. It made me change the path I was on because I looked into the future and saw it was going to be a bad trip.
Was opening a space always something you knew you would do after Deitch?
Nope, I never though about doing it. I never quite pictured post-Deitch because it was so fun and so great and things were growing and perpetually interesting, so why leave?
Why Soho?
Anywhere downtown would have been great. [I had] no interest in homogenizing, unpleasant Chelsea. Soho is a beautiful part of town—active, interesting. So is the Lower East Side and Chinatown. I live on Avenue C and 2nd Street so anywhere I could walk would have been okay.
What are you most proud of from your time at Deitch?
The community of artists that I built here with Jeffrey’s support. The most valuable asset I have is my team.
Most gallery directors have a shorter life span than you did at Deitch. What kept you there so long?
It was like working at a well-funded Kunsthalle. Any show idea I cooked up, we did. Any project I pitched, we did. Any book I wanted to do, essay I wanted to write, event I wanted to throw! It wasn’t always easy but Jeffrey always supported my ideas and the door was open to make my ideas reality.
How do you stay current with the art world?
I have a big network of people who keep me posted on things. I go out every night to events, concerts, openings, closings, screenings, etc. I go to studio visits. I poke around the Internet. I have my ears open and lots of friends with recommendations.
Are you looking to bring artists you haven't worked with before to The Hole?
Our next two shows: Cody Critcheloe [of the band SSION] and Mat Brinkman. Neither one has done a show at Deitch. Both are huge talents. With Mat I have been trying to get him to do a show for like six years. This is the culmination of years of patience and relationship-building. It's a huge triumph and going to be fantastic!
You're an artist yourself. Do you find it hard to balance creating art and running a gallery?
Since the gallery opened I have made one 3x4-foot painting. I made it staying up all night one night. Other than that, I have no spare time for anything and can't seem to sit down in my studio for more than 30 seconds at a time. It sucks!
Would you ever have a show of your own work at the gallery?
Oh, no way. I don’t want to pee where I eat, or whatever that expression is.
What do you think the biggest challenges will be for you in your first year?
Selling art, as simple as that!
Although his given name was Thomas, German-born Tomas Maier later dropped the "h," he tells us, in a quest for symmetry. After nine years at Hermès (and Sonia Rykiel and Revillon before that), the creative director of the Italian house Bottega Veneta—which he's reinvigorated and made into one of the most sought-after names in fashion—is still pursuing calm, understated, luxurious perfection. Even when he designs a fishnet bodysuit, as he did for fall, it's the most discreet bodysuit you've ever seen. He also prefers to have his base in Florida, where he can work on his own line beach fare and stay far removed from the fashion fray of Milan. For a man who's always done things his way, why not?...
Okay, so why did you drop the “h”?
I lost it in a youthful quest for symmetry in my own label.
What does fashion need now more than ever before?
Individuality.
What would you like to try your hand at that you haven't?
I’d like to build a house.
Speaking of, you're a fan of [American architect] Addison Mizner, and you’ve said that in one of his houses, near where you live in Florida, there's a small window in the living room, so that you could see the ocean as Mizner wanted. How does this idea relate to your view at Bottega Veneta?
He took something precious, an ocean view, and approached it with restraint, thoughtfulness and even reverence. You can, of course, step outside and see the ocean. But that little window frames the view in a way that is very personal, like a gift. At Bottega Veneta, we try to add to the beauty of natural materials by treating them with restraint and creativity, and to frame them with the touch of an artisan.
What is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen or heard?
I always appreciate an amazing view and I love the moment of stillness and silence just before dawn.
You’re a very private person. How do you feel about designers as celebrities?
I understand the dynamic and see its value from a business perspective, but I couldn’t live in such a public way.
Does the idea of timeless luxury ever interfere with the need for the new, new, new!
No. I don’t think there’s a conflict, although you have to try harder.
Who are the young talents you’ve discovered recently?
Bottega Veneta recently sponsored a design competition for students from the University of Tokyo’s Department of Architecture. There were three winners: Ayami Takada, Kentaro Fujimoto and Shima Suzuki. They are very talented—it was a pleasure to work with them. We brought them to Milan for the Salone del Mobile.
How can one make power dressing relevant and modern again?
What does power look like? I think there used to be more of a consensus than there is now. Today, power dressing is about enabling the individual to feel confident and unique. There is strength in stepping away from convention and dressing for yourself.
As perfection is elusive, does it secretly bother you a little when reviews are full of praise?
No. A positive review is always a pleasure. It makes the impossibility of perfection less frustrating.
Visit Bottega Veneta
Tsumori Chisato's highly whimsical clothes may conjure images of the designer doing cartwheels through the studio like a Japanese Betsey Johnson. But, as witnessed recently at the fete for her 20th anniversary at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo, she can be as sharp and deadly serious as a Bushido sword.
I spoke with Chisato at the party, where she also restaged her fall collection, her first showing in Tokyo since leaving for Paris Fashion Week seven years ago. Alas, the start of the conversation went like this: "What do you do to relax?" "I sleep." But then, when the topic turned to her inspiration for fall, a trip to Turkey, she lit up and spoke—in a mix of Japanese and English—with the same curious wonder that wriggles its way into her fanciful designs. “Turkey was absolutely amazing," she said. "People say that Japan is an exotic destination, but it doesn’t hold a candle to Turkey! I mean, everywhere you go it’s like you’re walking through a museum. It’s colorful like Disneyland, but so real and poignant.”
Chisato translated the embroidered rugs she found, as well as images of Aladdin’s magic lamp and striped tents of Turkish nomads into a defiantly vibrant and youthful collection, one which was misconstrued by some as having a circus theme. “It’s not a circus. That’s a mistake,” she was quick to point out.
While her imaginative designs may garner plenty of attention in Paris, the only non-Asian home to a Tsumori Chisato boutique, it takes a massive amount of stamina and loyalty to maintain a presence in every major shopping district in kitsch-saturated Tokyo. "I am perfectly aware of my job, which I work very hard at," said Chisato, who got her start as a design assistant for Issey Miyake in the 70s. "And making people feel cheerful when they wear my clothes is in my job description. It’s about being demandingly curious, like a child. For example, I wanted to ride in a hot-air balloon, so I did. And I did it right away. I stay young by never growing up."
Recently, one of Chisato’s former assistants started a label, Mew New York, with a similar Peter Pan quality. Asked about this, she said, “It doesn't bother me because of course the people who like my own aesthetic are going to want to be assisting me. Birds of a feather, you know? I would love to have assistants who are totally different style-wise, just to mix things up, like a shibuya girl or macho boy. But they aren't going to want to work for Tsumori Chisato, right? I only have girly boys on my design team. So it’s a natural process.”
At the Tokyo show, the room was brimming with reporters and photographers from Chinese media, where Chisato has been stepping up her game, along with many Japanese designers. She courteously worked through all the questions like a pro. Then a reporter from Chinese Glamour asked, “My readers usually dress sexy. What advice would you give to them to dress girly?” Chisato paused before pulling out the sword and answering, rather bluntly, “Girly? I don't know! Don’t be young, don’t be old. Look at me. Do it like this.”
Stephen Jones, Milliner
What did you do immediately before this questionnaire?
I sniffed a Blue Moon rose in my garden.
What will you do immediately following this questionnaire?
Check all the emails from Antwerp (they're an hour ahead of me) about the upcoming show at MOMU.
What is your idea of bliss?
Karlie Kloss' face when I put her cellophane mask on at the Dior couture show a few days ago.
What is your idea of misery?
When it fell off three seconds later.
What is the strangest article of clothing in your closet?
A men's YSL silk shirt I bought a season ago—it's actually a dress.
What is your proudest moment?
Getting my OBE medal.
What is your greatest regret?
Turning down Karl Lagerfeld five times when he first went to Chanel.
What would be the first sentence of your biography?
Don't look before you leap.
What catchphrase do you use the most?
Silence, because I'm too tired!
What is your best personality trait?
I don't give up.
What is your worst personality trait?
As above.
What is your second Google email alert?
Get a huge cock.
What is your most embarrassing fashion moment?
Getting out of a car with Divine for the premiere of Polyester, and my taffeta trousers (homemade) split and fell to the ground.
What is your most triumphant fashion moment?
Runway for Gaultier.
What do you do when you're creatively blocked?
Gin or head or both.
What is your favorite physical feature?
Baldness.
What is your least favorite physical feature?
You said one sentence!
What would you ask for if you were granted one wish?
That the place that made top hat fabric reopened.
What is your greatest fear?
Leaving John's new collection on the Eurostar.
What has been your greatest loss?
About 35 pounds in '88, and I wish I could do it now.
What historical figure would you most like to meet?
The person who did the pattern for Schiap's shoe hat.
What is your most treasured possession?
My new DayGlo lavender plastic Vivienne Westwood loafers.
What have you marched in the streets for/against?
I marched against Margaret Thatcher and for Gay Pride.
What's your drag name? (Name of first pet + name of first street)
Lulu Promenade (very Easter Parade—can't you just see the hat?)
If you made a parody of a song, what would it be?
I'd just sing the Fashion Pack by Amanda Lear.
If you could erase one memory, what would it be?
Saying to Marc, it'll be okay, and it wasn't.
If you could live out one fantasy, what would it be?
Be a stay-at-home mom.
If you could change your life in one way, what would it be?
Je ne regrette rien.
Katie Grand, Editor-in-Chief, LOVE Magazine
What did you do immediately before this questionnaire?
I've been on the Eurostar.
What will you do immediately following this questionnaire?
Head home.
What is your idea of bliss?
Being alive.
What is your idea of misery?
Being dead.
What is the strangest article of clothing in your closet?
A whole selection of High Street clothing from the eighties that I can't bear to throw away.
What is your proudest moment?
Too numerous to answer quickly.
What is your greatest regret?
I never regret anything.
What would be the first sentence of your biography?
Born in Leeds in 1971.
What is your best personality trait?
Being pretty loyal.
What is your worst personality trait?
Being pretty disloyal. And bored.
What is your favorite physical feature?
My teeth.
What is your least favorite physical feature?
My knees.
What would you ask for if you were granted one wish?
A magic wand.
What is your greatest fear?
Death.
What has been your greatest loss?
Friends.
What historical figure would you most like to meet?
Superman.
What is your most treasured possession?
My rabbit, Clara.
What have you marched in the streets for/against?
I was on an anti-Nazi march in Digbeth, Birmingham, in the late 70s and we were bricked. I was about six.
What's your drag name? (name of first pet + name of first street)
Olga Frederick.
If you made a parody of a song, what would it be?
When I was a kid we wrote a pretty good parody of Wham's Freedom: 'I don't need no suntan, I don't need no beaches, all I need is a sun bed baby, and a bottle of hair bleach, I don't need no sun tan, cause all I want right now is him. Every day I hear a different story, people saying that my love life's boring, I saw Andy with a girl and he's making a fool of me, oo hoo.'
If you could live out one fantasy, what would it be?
Being Gerlina, good witch of the North. With a magic wand.
When I spoke to Quebecois director Xavier Dolan at the Cannes Film Festival, he had already given a variety of interviews for his latest film, Heartbeats. Yet of all the questions he’d fielded, mine included, his biggest surprise was that no one had noticed his references to Godard’s muse, Anna Karina. Although it was clear, at least to me, that Dolan’s latest creation is an ode to French New Wave (the similarities to François Truffaut’s Jules et Jim are uncanny).
All of Dolan's films have a tortured gay theme, and Heartbeats—which the 21-year-old wrote, directed and starred in—is no exception. The story follows a friendship (and its unraveling) between a man and a woman who find themselves competing for the same man. The premiere at Cannes last week received a standing ovation, winning the Regards Jeunes prize, the second year in a row Dolan has won accolades at Cannes. This is what he had to say about his return to the festival...
Is Cannes different this year now that you're an alumnus?
This year has definitely been more engrossing. The press, the dinners. I’m in a whole new category, which is different than when I was in Director’s Fortnight. But it’s equally engaging. There is a brotherhood that develops.
How does this film debut at Cannes compare with last year's film, J'ai tue ma mere?
It's lighter, funnier and less intense that a film about killing my mother.
What made you decide to go in a lighter direction?
Well, it isn’t just one thing. I came up with the idea while on a road trip with friends. We were driving around talking about things that related to us. As a young director, I feel you do films out of ignorance.
Heartbeats has been compared to Truffaut’s Jules et Jim. Was this intentional?
This wasn’t a reference I was trying to make. I just thought that that was the best way to capture a woman, and then as soon as you do that, people start making references to other works. It’s funny because the references I was trying to make, no one has really picked up on, one being Anna Karina.
The film is set in Montreal. Do you identify as a Canadian director?
To be honest, I find I identify more as a director from Quebec than Canada. It is not that one is better than the other, but I feel they are two different worlds.
What are you working on now? Are you going to go for a third year at Cannes?
I am working on a script and will hopefully shoot in the fall. I hope I can come back to Cannes again. It is all a dream, and such an honor to show my work here.
Designer Rad Hourani is like a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma under a black leather tunic...
As indie designers put the finishing touches on their spring '11 collections, they take a moment to finish our sentences...
In Gunn’s Golden Rules, everyone from Anna Wintour and André Leon Talley to Padma Lakshmi and Alexis Stewart get called out...
Alexander McQueen is introducing its first men's underwear line—briefs & boxers with skulls and bones (get it?)...…
We hear Lady Gaga's stylist is the new artistic director of the label...…
When we mentioned he was in China for an art show, we should have known...…