When I first met Ariel Krupnik it was at a gallery event. As soon as I meet him i was taken back because his outfit was extremely well put together. He knew how to mix and match pieces that one wouldn't think of, yet for him it works. I knew I had to take time to get to know him... I needed to find out more about this guy and began to talk to him.
Not that many people in New York City can pull off wearing a military suit with a doll satchel and get away with it. This why I became such an admirer of his style because he stands out, he makes this black and white city have a splash of yellow. We have become good friends since and love how when we walk around town people stop staring at me and look at him. He's my walking museum.
I asked him if it would be okay to have me interview him for the month of February's Manufactured1987 Present's and without any hesitation he said "yes!". So we walked to The Highline and had a photoshoot with photographer Richard Burrowes and took amazing shots! Later that week we sat at my favorite meeting place The Chelsea Market for some one-on-one interview time and talk about fashion, style and the wonderful world of Night Life.
Jillian: Hey Sir Ariel! I'm so glad you took time to have a chat with me for my site, lets start by telling me how you decide what outfit to wear at a event, compared to a normal day?
Ariel: Hello Jill and Ian, see most outfits worn at night are out during
the day - but only to a lesser extreme. Like a test run; to see how
people react. Sometimes I'd just wear the complete thing if I plan on
being at a lot of places that day. But anything worn at night would
take a fair amount of conceptualization. More than half my life Ive
decided what to wear months in advance. I'll either give myself a theme
of the week, or of the month. I decide what, and go from there.
J: I
met you at a gallery event last spring, attending I saw many people
with different types of outfits and styles, do you stick to a style?
What’s your favorite outfit to wear?
A: That was a great time. I didn't have the ache in my toes yet.
While as I don't necessarily believe I have style, I do follow certain
"guidelines" that may come off as style. I know that the outfit has to
be authentic to me. The idea of what to wear must come from me, without
thinking of comparisons that may be made later. At some point you
develop a sense of personal style, that can take many avenues. I would
like to stick to just one thing, but at the same time, to me that's not
growth. I need to be able to change my face, above all. By the time
this interview goes to print, I will want to have peoples perception of
what to expect from my style altered, in tandem with my mustache. It
keeps the senses heightened. As for favorite outfit to wear, its not
fashionable, but if not for thermals I'd be dead inside a day. That,
and I like to wear faces or dolls - things that just have an
association to miniature-life.
J: Okay I can understand what your saying, stay true to who you are. There has to be a beginning to this, to the way you dress. Where do you get your inspiration from?
A: Well being that you and me both are of 'nerd descent', a good
majority of influence would stem from comic books, movies, and
television. Ive also read a lot of books, and feel that I have this
untapped resource at my disposal of visual imagery of what things in
these books may look like. Equal parts those, and tapping into the
Akashic Records of bygone era's and somehow pulling from there. Im
fortunate that I never stop thinking of clothes and what can be done
about them. Believe me when I say fashion is something you channel.
J: How do you feel about the Fashion world? Would you change anything about it?
A: The fashion world we live in bores me to pieces. I cant even
shop at a normal clothes store anymore. Clothes don't excite me as much
as they use to. However, the prospect of creating what should be made
for yourself to be happy, does. Its the only way the problem will get
solved. Now I don't want companies mass-producing something they've seen
me in, but it would bring awareness to creativity. It should be more
innovative out there. We've all sat at home, perusing blogs for the
next collective ah-ha! moment, so I figure the industry should allow
people with actual vision to create their clothes. If you want master
pieces, hire a bookworm - not a fashionista. Least just don't let
fashionista be their first forte. I know its not mine!. And be good.
Its not a metaphor. If you are unkind, you cease to be talented.
J: I
personally know you love t.v shows, if you had to choose a t.v show
that you would love to have a chance to style what would it be? Tell me
what you would change/keep?
A: Oooh, and so interview has a plot twist!. Well, that's a toughy.
So many shows have done so well without me. I'd have to pick one I can
have the most fun with. It be a period show, perhaps a Boardwalk
Empire, or a Mad Men. Perhaps even a show that flashes back to time
periods. I understand TV spends a meticulous amount of time stringing
stuff together to be forgotten about, and it be real hard to stifle the
impulse to have it be grand. Maybe Game of Thrones?. I'd need a large
playing field and complete access. But I would want to develop dressing
the spiffy and spiv characters. The originals would stay put, the new
youth, especially a villain, would get the VIP treatment.
J: Most
people know you from night life events, take me to the first day and
compare it to now... What’s advice you can give people who want to
step into the night life scene? Or a advise you would give yourself
when you first went into it?
A: Its crazy to think how long its been. I definitely wasn't
planning for more than one party. My first day was so much more
intimate than what its turned out to be these days. You would be able
to sit down and have conversations then. This isn't sour grapes, I love
the people Ive met and the parties they come with and come to, I guess
I'm just a lot older and jaded from it now. Partying en masse teaches
you to be more aware of who you are. Makes you wonder why people would
bother remembering who you are. I come off to people as best as I can;
as much as my paranoia will allow. I am just particularly blessed to
have been put in a place where your appreciated month after month for
how crazy you might be. If I were to tell anybody else entering this
life called 'night', I would ask that they quit on their first night,
and see how they feel the night after. If you plan on staying, carry
yourself well. Fucking be nice as hell. Be great, too. No one wants to
be great anymore, they want to be everything around it. And always be a
better person than you are a better dresser.
J: What are your favorite stores?
A: At the moment, Ive been doing my shopping online, and that can
only mean one of two things: Amazon or Topman. In the city (in person),
I try to keep to Broadway. If I'm feeling a little risky in the pockets,
I'll venture down West Broadway. I don't think I actually buy anything,
ever, yet somehow I always end up with clothes. Oh, and the home depot and ace hardware store.
J: Five items you believe a guy must have in his closet.
A: Up to four really good suits - this can be your cerise pink
summer suit, dharma jumpsuit - you name it. And one authentic, Eastern
European slave to help with the tidying. Note that all these don't come
with a closet, and one must devote time and charm towards procuring
such items.
J: Is there any trends you love or hate?
A: Hate might not be the right word for it, but probably when you
can derive no origin from the person wearing their outfit. I want to
know who they are from their clothes. If we want to go even deeper, how
you wear your identity, and how it has to look like something. I will
spend the rest of my life trying to evoke looks of the past, and at the
same ensemble, invoke what may come next. As far as trends I love go,
you don't see this too often, but girls with cufflinks. I feel that one
will be big one day. Again.
J: So for the ending of this interview I must ask, what’s does the future look like to Ariel Krupnik?
A: Ariel Krupnik is a solo project I'm working on. I'm a hopeful
person, and feel I'm finally starting to establish who I want that to
be, and be seen as. I have always been my own entity, and would like to
continue practicing this doctrine. I cant see myself ending my life in
mortgages, divorce, alcoholism, etc. Every time I feel the need to
drink these days, I instead pick up a book I'm reading, and read the
next two pages. Then again, I'm not a role model because I welcome my
ruin, should it come to that. I wouldn't mind death, Ive looked good for
it. So long as the wrinkles are in my face, and not not in my shoes, I
should be okay.
