Lived In Series ~ Vanessa Vargas
Our Lived In Series was created to capture our clothing on a series of women, all pursuing their own creative paths, to see how they live in Kordal. So many women in our lives inspire us with their drive, their talent, and their genuine sense of self. These are the women we design for. They remind us of why we want to design clothing in the first place: to create pieces that encourage comfort, ease, and the unique and honest beauty in each and every one of us.
I met Vanessa five years ago while desperately searching for someone to help fix a very bad haircut. Luckily I walked into the salon where Vanessa was working and not only did she fix my hair but we ended up chatting the entire time and have become good friends ever since. After working for some really great local salons Vanessa opened up her very own shop Suite V in Crown Heights this past year! Fusing all of her passions, the shop doubles as a salon and vintage store. Plus you can always count on a great playlist, which I wouldn't expect anything less as Vanessa is a hair stylist by day but vinyl reggae dj by night! Truly a woman of many talents and one of the kindest people I've been lucky enough to befriend. To learn more about how this amazing lady got her start check out our Q&A below!
Tell us a little bit about how you got your start as a hair stylist? What do you love about it?!
When I was a kid, I would invite the neighbors over so I could practice different hairstyles on them. Sleepovers in the high school years meant you and your sisters were getting cornrows or a sleek blow out/flat iron like early 2000s J-Lo.
I ended up going to The Aveda Institute when I was 17 and I never looked back! Love every minute of it, especially when creating clients signature look or inspiring clients to try something they never imagined would look good on them; they leave like a whole new person though really it’s them shining through! So fun to help with the transition :)
Your salon SuiteV is one of my favorite spots in our neighborhood. I love browsing through the vintage and the music is always so good! How did you decide to open up your own salon and incorporate vintage clothing into the space?
Thanks Mandy!
I’ve always been a hairstylist but throughout the years I’ve played many roles that also became my passion and essence. DJing, collecting records and vintage, crocheting and, my latest, sewing- so it only made sense for me to combine them all! Really, my clients would always ask me about my shows, other DJ friends would ask me about hair, and people are always asking me where I go thrifting.
In your other life you perform as a vinyl DJ, how did this come about? And please share some of your favorite tunes with us!
Miami has so much Caribbean influence, I was always being exposed to tropical sounds, mostly Latin and Reggae. When I started collecting records I wondered why I would hear the same music at every party when there is so much out there! Which then inspired me to play them out at friends parties! I collect anything from UK lovers rock and dub to studio one and dancehall. The artists I’m currently listening to from Jamaica are Lila Ike and Xana Romeo. My classic favorites are Jennifer lara, Alton Ellis, and Sugar Minott, to name a few.
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You have such a cool signature style, what are some of your inspirations? How does your work inspire the way you dress?
Thanks! I’m definitely inspired by the 70s Jamaican era of music because the album covers are just so fly!! Earthy but colorful and lots of patterns! I loooove patterns, especially those created with intention and tradition. Thankfully work has always allowed and encouraged creative expression when it comes style. They say we attract our tribe or clients that are similar to us (the stylist), so I’d like to think that’s why my clients are so amazing!
Can you share some of the joys and challenges of being a small business owner?
I’d like to say it’s way less hard than they make it out to be! To everyone that feels it: just go for it if you want it! Especially with a supportive base of loved ones and friends who believe in you and got your back! The best part is holding space for others to meet and share joy with the intention of creating a community. I love that’s its a safe space, where people can open up and sometimes it’s like group therapy! It’s sweet when clients engage with one another and compliment their new look.
One of the challenges I have is preserving my energy. Sometimes you just end up giving it all away engaging with all different types of personalities in a day. I'm trusting that more vacations can fix that (lol).
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Lived In Series ~ Ilana Glazer
Like many of us, I was introduced to Ilana Glazer through the genius of Broad City, a show that she and pal Abbi Jacobson created and starred in. So when Ilana came to our Fort Greene shop last fall, we just about lost it! We shared that this year is Kordal's ten year anniversary and it would be such an honor to feature her in our Lived in Series to mark the occasion. Fast forward a few months later and Ilana is rolling up to set in Crown Heights on her bike, and yes, she's just as cool and kind as you'd expect. She's generous with her time, has everyone cracking up and looks incredible in our knits - even on a humid 90 degree day. We got a chance to talk about pregnancy and healthcare, how styling informs her characters, and finding levity amidst existential challenges.
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