Meet Zara Mirkin, New Zealand's very own punk princess. Zara is the woman behind Stolen Girlfriends Club woman's wear collections and the amazing styling in NO. Magazine. Today she is one of New Zeland's top fashion stylists, contributing to other international magazines such as Yen and Oyster. Zara was previously a Mala Brajkovic store girl for three years.
I had a chat to her a few days after meeting her at her Yard Sale...
How are you Zara? What have you being doing lately?
Hey Imogen, I’m really good at the moment but also extremely busy. We just launched NO Magazine last week so it’s been a very nervous but exciting time to hear feedback and sales which thankfully have all been overwhelming! Working on Issue Two, which is due out end of May. I’m also getting our samples made for our summer range (Stolen Girlfriends Club) to take over to Sydney Fashion week next month and trying to hurry production up! Un work related I am in the process of setting up a photography website with a friend and trying to stop spending and start saving.
What's it like being a designer for Stolen Girlfriends Club and now Fashion Editor of NO Magazine?
It’s pretty full on, but I’m doing what I love and wouldn’t swap it for anything. I’m constantly surrounded by creative and inspiring people and have my dream jobs at such an early age. I’ve been given the most amazing opportunities through it all and worked with people I never thought I would ever be in the same room as! I also get to be on both sides of the fashion Industry, behind the scenes and in front during fashion week etc, which is a really cool experience because I know there is months work put into these shows, that take only 15 minutes!
If you could work for any one magazine/fashion house..etc in the
world who would it be?
That’s a really difficult answer, I have so many favourite magazines (Russh, Lula) But It would have to be Self Service or ID. They both have the most beautiful editorial but are also a bit tough rather than girly and pretty. Fashion house’s I will probably never do, but would love to work with Christophe Decarnin, Christopher Kane or Jeremy Scott, because they are young, have hot clothes and are extremely talented and inspirational.
How did you get to where you are today?
By working my *** off! And also by having people give me a chance, one in particular, Who thought me most things I know, made me appreciate fashion so much more, and introduced me to everyone and everything, including Guns n Roses, air guitar and my new boss, No Magazines Delaney Tabron. I owe that person a lot.
A normal day for you is....
It changes every week but usually 3 out of 7 days, I wake up and go to Stolen Girlfriends at 9am, Spend the day driving, designing, researching, packing boxes, all sorts of stuff. 2 out of 7 days I usually will be shooting editorial for No Magazine.
Whats the worst and best things about the industry you are in for you?
Worst, some of the people can be really negative. I’ve noticed a lot of them put people down when their doing well, picking out their flaws etc, and also the weeks leading up to fashion week last year, were very little sleep and a couple of speeding tickets..
The Best, would be working with photographers and models that you only dream of! I assisted Russh on a four day editorial with Catherine McNeil before she was a super model, that was one of the most exciting shoots I’ve ever worked on. Also the clothes and the people you get to meet and shoot along the way.
When you were a kid, what was your dream job?
Surprise Surprise… a Fashion Designer. My Grandfather was one of New York’s top Fashion illustrators. He worked for a number of clients including Pierre Cardin, Bloomingdales, Macy’s etc, Before they had catalogues of glossy pictures they had sketched drawings of handsome men and women. So I grew up looking up to him and admiring these pictures and I naturally wanted to make these clothes I saw on them.
If you could meet any three people, who would they be?
Slash, Jay Adams, George Jung and Hunter S Thompson. I know that’s four but I couldn’t choose. Three out of four of them are still alive so hopefully I will have the chance one day…
Fictional People would be Dallas from the Outsiders, Matthew from The Dreamers and Trip Fontaine from The Virgin Suicides.
What three things make you happy the most?
Cheese Pizza, Fashion, Music and most importantly my Friends and Family. Four again… Sorry.
Source: thegirlwiththekaleidoscopeeyes.com
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