NeoL

-Can you introduce yourself?

Chantelle Thach : Hello! My name is Chantelle Thach and I am a fashion stylist and student at Parsons School of Design. I was born in San Francisco and was raised in the SF Bay Area. I’ve always loved fashion but it wasn’t until my first real job at the age of 17 at Barneys New York when I decided to work towards pursuing a real career in fashion. I stayed with the company for 3 years until right before they filed for bankruptcy. Barneys was known for launching some of the most renowned designers today and I believe this is where I gained most of my knowledge and passion for the industry.
When I studied abroad in Florence, Italy at Accademia Italiana School of Design, I studied fashion history, photography, merchandising, design and Italian language and made an effort to really immerse myself into the culture. After going door to door in Piazza Pitti, I was able to obtain an internship for a local couture designer by the name of, Tiziana Alemanni. At the time, she didn’t know much english nor did I know much Italian but we found ways to connect through our passions for art and fashion. Studying in Florence while interning was an unforgettable experience and is the reason why Italy will always hold a special place in my heart. I am still learning Italian today and hope to be fluent one day.
After coming home from the Milan and Paris autumn/winter 2018 fashion weeks, I found out that I was in need of an emergency liver transplant due to an underlying disease that I didn’t know I had called, Wilson’s disease. This resulted in me having surgery on June 18th of 2018 and left me with no choice but to cancel my move back to Italy. Fast forwarding 2 years later, I am finally back in school to finish studying what I love most but instead at Parsons School of Design in NYC. I am very grateful for the amazing opportunity to study at one of the best fashion schools in the world. Parsons is amazing and I look forward to moving to New York City in January of 2021. Today, I am a full-time student, stylist and am working on an independent project that encompasses sustainability in the fashion industry.

-What are the roots to your passion?


Chantelle Thach : My roots for the fashion industry comes from what I was exposed to at an early age. My mom worked at Saks Fifth Avenue as a Prada Specialist as I was growing up and my dad was also always into the finer things in life. My parents also love traveling so I was fortunate enough to visit some of the most major fashion capitals such as Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, Italy and New York City, growing up which exposed me to fashion from different parts of the world. I grew up visiting department stores like Saks and Barneys and designer boutiques like Dior, Prada, Gucci and Marc Jacobs while waiting for my parents to finish shopping and giving them advice on which pieces I loved best. So before even knowing what I wanted to pursue in life, fashion was always just around me and was already something that was a huge part of me. My first real job was at the age of 17 when I became a sales associate at Barneys New York so that was when I definitely knew that I was going to pursue a career in fashion.

-What does your outfit everyday depend on? Is it affected by the weather, colors that catch your eye?


Chantelle Thach : My everyday outfit definitely depends on the season we are in. Since we are in fall right now, my go to outfit consists of trousers, midi skirts or straight fit boyfriend jeans, chunky platform sneakers or boots and either a long trench coat or oversized blazer. Since we are entering the winter season, my go to outfit will definitely consist of vintage, vegan or sustainable leather pants, trousers, more chunky boots, and I love statement winter coats so any of my vintage or pre-owned shearling, leather, or trench coats. In terms of colors, I like to wear neutrals most of the time. I love wearing off white, cream, chocolate brown and black every season. But I also love color blocking so if I am in the mood for some color, I have really been enjoying wearing greens, purples, blues, oranges and yellows.


-What period fashion do you like and why do you like it.

Chantelle Thach : I honestly love every fashion era, I think there are significant trends from all our fashion periods. However, I think the fashion era’s that resonate with me the most are the 70s, 80s and 90s. Although, I still appreciate the 60’s and how classy the era was, the 70s resonates more with me because this was a huge mark for fashion when Japanese designers and fashion became renowned in Europe’s fashion scene. I love all the warm colors and shades of brown from this era and the fun crop tops, jumpsuits, high rise pants, fur coats and boots. I love that women began to gear away from the conservative full and midi length dresses and started dressing a little more rebellious and trendy. The 80s is a fun era for me because I loved all of the gogo boots, dramatic shoulders, bright colors and denim everything. This was an era where people got to have more fun with their style and have bright makeup and big curly hair. I think that’s why people are most familiar with 80s fashion, it was an iconic era for partygoers and punk rockers. Lastly, 90’s grunge is another era that really resonates with me. I was born in the late 90’s in ‘98 so I grew up watching movies and shows from the 90’s where all of the cool kids wore ripped jeans, crop tops, low rise pants, exposed thongs, big earrings, lip liner and had highlights. This was the sexiest era for me and most of my favorite vintage fashion collections actually come from the 90s. In fact, my current style is a mixture of 70s, 90s and modern fashion.

-How would you describe yourself as a child?


Chantelle Thach : As a child, I was already exposed to fashion from my parents. Like I said before, I loved traveling and shopping at an early age so I would say that I developed my fashion sense early on.





-What is your main source of inspiration? (Art, social media, childhood memories)


Chantelle Thach : My main source of inspiration are the fashion era’s, current and past fashion shows and traveling is another huge one for me because I love finding different trends and styles from different parts of the world. I would also say social media because recently I have been discovering many creatives on Instagram that are doing such different and unique things in terms of design, fashion, beauty, art and sustainability.


-When you express yourself in fashion, do you have your own philosophy?


Chantelle Thach : Yes, all of my clothes, shoes and bags carry great value to me because of where it comes from. I refrain from shopping fast fashion so my closet consists of vintage clothes that were passed down from my parents that I like to rework and modernize, pieces I have purchased from small and emerging to bigger scale brands, pre-owned and vintage pieces, and pieces I have accumulated from working as a stylist. I definitely try to shop and wear sustainable and ethical brands as well as vintage and pre-owned items as much as possible. If there is something new I want, I will search for a gently used version just because I’d rather buy something pre-owned to help promote the circular economy. When I buy brand new pieces, I make sure it is a piece that will last in my closet for a long time and then will be passed on to someone else who will also love and care for it.


-You just moved to New York from Los Angeles. What made you choose to study in Parsons school of design?


Chantelle Thach : I am actually moving to NYC from San Francisco in January and I am very excited for this next chapter in my life! I decided to transfer to Parsons because I knew that the next place I wanted to live was New York City and I wanted to work towards a degree from one of the most prestigious fashion schools in the world. Another reason why I was interested in choosing Parsons is because of its Strategic Design and Management BBA major. I am studying the business side of fashion and am very passionate about entrepreneurship as well as fashion so Parsons has been helping me mend both of my passions.


-You might study fashion design and business in Parsons. What do you think about the balance of creation and business?


Chantelle Thach : At Parsons, my major is very business focused however, my professors allow us to create our projects according to brands that we are passionate about. So I have done all of my business and research projects on fashion brands and it has given me the opportunity to get satisfaction from the creative and business side. I am also a freelance stylist outside of school, so that is also another creative outlet of mine.


-Your work for Boyfriend Magazine is amazing. That style using only sustainable , up-cycled, pre-owned. Please tell us your thoughts on ethical consciousness.


Chantelle Thach : Thank you so much! I have been passionate about pushing the fashion industry towards a more sustainable, ethical and socially conscious space for a while now therefore I wanted to produce, create direct and style a shoot that spoke to my missions and goals for the fashion industry. I am also currently working on an independent case study that highlights sustainable fashion brands so I wanted to incorporate that into my work as a stylist. I began with sourcing pieces for the shoot from my personal closet and looking for pre-owned and vintage pieces. I wanted to highlight some of my fashion sustainable brands such as Marine Serre, Vivienne Westwood and Sketch-y in the editorial to show people that sustainable fashion can still be luxurious and trendy. Which is why I also went with the 80s theme, it seemed fitting with the brands I was working with and I wanted to create something that showed how sustainable fashion could be fashionable, bold and fun like the 80s era was.


-More genderless fashion is coming about. Have you seen this effect in your work?


Chantelle Thach : I really appreciate brands that are coming out with gender neutral collections as well as brands that are making an effort to promote diversity and inclusion in all aspects of a business. Fashion is a form of self expression so it is important that consumers feel like they are being well represented and respected in this industry. I also don’t think gender labels in fashion should ever stop someone from dressing how they want. When I worked at Barneys, I shopped in the men’s department most of the time and I rework all of my dad’s suits that he has passed down to me. Gender neutral fashion and brands that are putting sustainability and inclusion at the core of their business is where we need to be. I love that designers are combining their collections now and I hope to see more size inclusive fashion going forward as well.


-What power do you think fashion has?


Chantelle Thach : Fashion has more power than people think. Even if you are someone who doesn’t think you care about fashion, we all consume it and it is everywhere around us. We all wear clothes that come from a design and manufacturing process and I think most people forget that. Since we are one of the most harmful industries in the world when it comes to the environment, we need to use our power to do better going forward. That means using our power to speak up about unethical working conditions in our factories, animal welfare, the insane amount of plastics, waste and greenhouse gas emissions that are constantly released into the environment that come with creating a fashion brand, and our world wide social issue of inclusivity and diversity. I think the pandemic has given us all a much needed reboot so that all brands and creatives who want to come out of this stronger than ever before, can. I hope to see brands come out of this in a more conscious and sustainable way.


-Fashion is not just about appearance; it is also a tool for political statements. How do you think the Black Lives Matter movement will change fashion?


Chantelle Thach : The Black Lives Matter movement was something that the fashion industry needed to hear loud and clear. Unfortunately, a lot of brands don’t think to hire Black/poc models in general to model their campaigns or even market for them on social media and this is something that has needed to change for a while now. Through social media, brands are finally being held more accountable through the recent BLM movement so that we can create real systemic change going forward. For brands that are not inclusive or diverse in the workforce nor do they hire models or influencers that are people of color, I hope they have already started rethinking, rebranding and retraining their entire business from within otherwise I do not think they will be lasting much longer. What I am happy to see are the brands that are taking real initiatives and measures to implement change. We still have so much more to do and improve from but I hope that with the fashion industry’s voice and platform, we can all push not only fashion but all industries towards a more ethical, inclusive and sustainable space.


-How do you feel your ‘race’ is represented in the fashion world?


Chantelle Thach : I am a Chinese American and I feel proud that the fashion industry is finally starting to notice more creatives and designers that are coming out of China and other parts of Asia. However, of course I wish this began sooner and that there was more asian representation in general.


-How do you feel that your identity plays a role in making art? Do you feel that it occasionally limits you?


Chantelle Thach : I don’t feel that my identity limits me at all, I am very open and free minded so I often just create whatever flows to me the most. Who I am as a person is what got me to where I am today, so I continue to trust the process and pursue my creative passions.





-Due to the pandemic, the way fashion is presented is very different. What are ways you continue to make work that is original?


Chantelle Thach : We all have taken a long break due to the pandemic. I struggled with staying creative during the pandemic because I didn’t have any opportunities to leave the house so I began educating myself by taking an online sustainability course from Fashion Revolution and began focusing more on building my case study around sustainable fashion. I have used my newfound knowledge to network and speak with other creatives who are also pushing for sustainable change in the industry as well as representing these brands through my works as a stylist.


-How do you communicate your views on climate change and politics through fashion? And how do you maintain your originality through that.


Chantelle Thach : I like to make sure that I align my visions and standards with the brands I support. For example, during the pandemic I wanted to contribute to small and sustainable brands that were suffering to keep afloat as well as brands that were owned by Black/poc or donated to BLM organizations. This speaks to my originality because I am being more selective of brands to follow and support through my personal standards and beliefs.


-With quarantine and staying at home, many find it harder to be creative. What are ways you get inspiration?


Chantelle Thach : During quarantine it was really hard to create so I began making more moodboards for photoshoot ideas as well as focusing on my independent sustainable fashion case study. I’ve done extensive research on brands that are doing amazing things to promote sustainability and social change and curated a list of 200 sustainable brands.


-In a time where you have access to millions of works online, how do you maintain original work? Are you affected by likes and followers on social media?


Chantelle Thach : I personally don’t like to obtain my style from copying others on social media. I enjoy discovering other creatives and brands to follow but I like to create my own looks and styles that are combined with vintage or staple pieces that I already own with newer brands and designers I have recently discovered. I think I would be lying if I said I wasn’t affected by likes and followers but I also don’t care enough to try to get more likes and followers. I kind of just do my thing and post what I like and tag the brands so they can see how I’ve styled their pieces. If more people like my content then that’s awesome but it’s not something I am very fixated on. That may change later but right now, I care more about creating lasting relationships with brands and creatives around the world because I think that matters more than how many likes or followers one has. I love making new friends and partnerships with people from all over the world.

-When are moments that you discover your identity. When is the time you feel that you break out of your own identity?


Chantelle Thach : I think I discovered my identity when I was studying abroad in Italy. It was the first time I had moved to another country and forced myself to learn the language and immerse myself into their culture. I really loved it and I even hope to move back some day. Because I discovered that huge moment in my life in Italy, I feel like I will always hold a place in my heart for Italy and my time there. I am still learning Italian language and hope to become fluent because my time there was not the typical study abroad experience. During my time interning for a couture designer that didn’t know any english at the time, I forced myself to learn Italian and create a bond with this woman that came from a totally different world than I did. She became like a second mother to me and I spent most of my after school days with her in her sartoria. We built such a strong bond through our love and passion for fashion, art and the italian culture. After coming home, my identity only grew stronger after dealing with hardships such as my liver transplant and having to essentially start from scratch when I moved back home. Transferring to Parsons was a huge moment for me because I felt that similar feeling I felt in Italy, like I finally belonged somewhere again. Right now, being a student at Parsons and pursuing an education in fashion and entrepreneurship is the most I have ever felt like myself and I can’t wait to see where it takes me.


-The pandemic and climate change has shaped fashion in a certain way. What is your opinion on this?


Chantelle Thach : The pandemic has hit most fashion labels in a negative way. Unfortunately, some may not even be able to come back. However, I do believe that there is a silver lining. Our industry is shaping into a more sustainable, ethical and socially conscious space and I look forward to seeing how brands come back from this year of uncertainty and isolation. Whether it be creating more eco-friendly collections, reducing waste and plastics, producing less clothing or being more diverse and inclusive, I hope to see all these sorts of changes in fashion and more. I believe that it is in the hands of my generation, millennials and gen-z, to continue to push for this system change in the industry.

-Currently, fashion is experiencing a big transition. As a fashion student in this era, what are your next steps?


Chantelle Thach : As a fashion student, I am focusing a lot on getting the most out of my education so that I can enter the workforce more prepared than ever before. I am also focusing a lot of my efforts on building my sustainable fashion case report for Parsons and hope to be able to launch my platform for my senior capstone project at Parsons next year. I will be continuing to work as a stylist in NYC, build my sustainable fashion case study, solidify my language speaking abilities in Italian language, along with finishing up my degree in Strategic Design and Management at Parsons.


-What is your advice to someone who is trying to step out of their comfort zone in fashion, to test their limits and take action.


Chantelle Thach : I would say, just do it! I know that sounds cliche but I used to tell myself that I would pursue a passion of mine later in life when I would be more ready. But the truth is, you may never be ready. So the only way to find out if this is truly what you love and what you want to do is to just do it wholeheartedly and give it your best shot. Start doing research and following people who are doing similar things to what you want to do and see what resonates with you most. You may find that you really love it and that you made the best decision in your life to pursue that route or you may find something else you enjoy more along the way. Either way you are getting answers and pushing yourself and that’s always a win in my book 🙂


text & edit Ryoko Kuwahara


Chantelle Thach
San Francisco and New York City based Editorial and Wardrobe Stylist. Chantelle is pursuing her BBA in Strategic Design and Management at Parsons School of Design.
https://www.chantellethach.com
https://www.instagram.com/chantellethach/