ISLANDISTA EXCLUSIVE: Vashtie Kola speaks for herself

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="photo credit: myspace.com/violettenewyork"][/caption]


  



Islandistas, I know it is from 19-how long that we promised you our exclusive interview with multi-talented islandista it girl and 'Downtown's Sweetheart', Vashtie Kola.

But you know how it is... good things come to those who wait... and keep reading Islandista in the meantime!

So without further adieu, here are some unfiltered insights into the life and work of Vashtie Kola.

[caption id="attachment_1214" align="alignleft" width="193" caption="photo credit: myspace.com/violettenewyork"][/caption]

On growing up as a Trini in upstate New York:

 Both of my parents are Trinidadian. They emigrated to America in the 70s and I was born in the States. So my understanding of being Trinidadian is kind of different to most children who grew up in Trinidad.


There were also some West Indian families- mostly Jamaican or Guyanese but no Trinidadians. So growing up it was kind of me doing a lot of research to understand what it meant to be Trinidadian.

[Trying to explain her Trini heritage to those around her when she was young] It was a little confusing for them and it was confusing to me as well. I looked Indian but I wasn’t Indian. Trying to explain the culture – you knowI eat curry chicken, my mum is Hindu but my dad is Christian. …trying to explain all those different elements.  I tried to get away from it when I was younger. When I was a kid I definitely tried to be more American – I didn’t want to be Trinidadian. As I got older and started to understand my culture and my heritage, I grew to appreciate it more.


USA outside, Trini inside:


My parents are and were very Trinidadian and very traditional in that manner. For me I know that my parents would always talk about American kids and the difference in culture between there and Trinidad. We ate traditional food. My mum would show me Trinidadian music and movies. Once I walked in my door it seemed like Trinidad.


Always the artsy one:


Growing up I was always very creative. I was always making things - I would make my own clothes. I was always drawing. I felt comfortable and natural being that way. I studied directing and film in college. When I was there I was also taking film screening classes and making t-shirts. 

 The film aspect I studied because I wanted to learn every aspect. I wanted to really focus in on that. As far as drawing, I was always naturally a good artist. I always felt that making clothes and stuff would happen naturally for me.


On 1992, the party phenomenon she started with best friend, Oscar:


That was the first party that I started with my best friend, Oscar. There are so many parties going on and so many things happening and New York is also very elitist in a way. Yo u are constantly judged.  The idea was for us to do a party where it would be welcome to all people – it was not a place you would be judged. We wanted to do an event that would bring all kinds of people together.

We loved the 90s. It was organic and it grew huge. We got crazy press from the New York Times, Page 6 – that happened pretty naturally. We actually have a huge international following that plan their trips around when we have 1992. It’s been really great.

It’s funny because in the beginning we were just inviting people that we knew. We didn’t print flyers, we didn’t email blast and they knew.


Stepping out on her own:


I worked at Def Jam for a year. That was my introduction into the industry of entertainment. It was a lot of me being behind the scenes and not being as creative as I want to be. When I left Def Jam I decided I would do everything I wanted to do and stop putting it off.  I would do all the things I wanted to do and make it happen. 

It was a step out of the nest for me. My parents were very much 'go to school, get a good job, do what you have to do.' I played by the rules and followed their great advice.

But once I decided to just try not working for other people and work for myself, I had to put every energy forward. It’s scary at times, once you let go of that fear of the unknown.




[caption id="attachment_1222" align="alignleft" width="210" caption="photo credit: Amy Rollo/ Honey magazine"][/caption]

Why Violette? :



 


I've been a tomboy my whole life.  The majority of my life I've been wearing men’s clothes, jeans, t-shirts. I never found a female brand that incorporated my style for a girl – a kind of masculine and tomboyish style. I still don’t find a voice for myself in that. I definitely want to have clothes that I can wear. I realised that other people may want to have that option.


 On bringing West Indian flavour to bear in her designs:


 As far as the designing side, I like to take a lot from my roots and put that there. For my line next season I am going to do a line of t-shirts that are going to have a focus on West Indian pride – a lot of influences from all the different islands.

Post Title

→

ISLANDISTA EXCLUSIVE: Vashtie Kola speaks for herself

Post URL

→

https://nickiminaj-tdr.blogspot.com/2009/07/islandista-exclusive-vashtie-kola.html

Visit nicki minaj for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection

Islandista It Girl: Vashtie Kola

Who is this Vashtie Kola? That is the question gossip folks and entertainment people have been asking for a while.


 



[caption id="attachment_1056" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="Photo credit: Amy Rollo/ Honey Magazine"][/caption]

 



Vashtie, like other islandista 'it girls' is one of those chicks that always seems to be on the scene - at all the hottest, edgiest parties, friendsing with the most popular musicians, actors and designers and of course, wearing the cutest outfits.

It would not be quite right  though to say she has that certain je-ne-sais-quoi - after all, it is easy to pinpoint when and how she came to semi-public attention, as she dated rapper/producer Pharrell from 2003 to 2007.

However, even after that relationship faded, she has still managed to stay in the spotlight. Both Honey magazine and Giant magazine are profiling her this month so she must be doing something right.

So... who is Vashtie Kola?

Well to start with, she is an islandista by descent. Of course! Or else, why would we care? lol...

 She was born and raised in Albany, New York to parents who emigrated from Trinidad. Vashtie's wide range of work and races definitely puts the slash in things. As in she is an artist/ video director/ designer/party promoter of black/Indian descent and even though she is considered 'Downtown's Sweetheart' for her connections to all that is cutting edge in New York City club life, she is still so 'Trini to the bone' that she blogs about T&T every chance she gets, including a whole blog post about prowling Brooklyn in search  of roti, aloo pie, phoulourie, coconut bake and doubles!


 



[caption id="attachment_1057" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="ya want plenty pepper or slight pepper?"][/caption]

Formerly the Director of Creative Services with Def Jam, her main current hustle right now aside from video directing is her new clothing line Violette, which taps into her tomboyish style, as she explained to Hypebeast.com:

As a girl who dresses boyish, I could never find tees I wanted in my size and I really loved all the boy brands. I had been getting my Supreme tees altered by my tailor so they could fit me. Girl brands just never appealed to me. They say “necessity is the mother of invention” and well, I needed an option.



 Loving it. I love the hustle and creativity of islandistas and how we mix it up and give it back to the world in ways they would never have expected and Va$htie really exemplifies that.

Post Title

→

Islandista It Girl: Vashtie Kola

Post URL

→

https://nickiminaj-tdr.blogspot.com/2009/06/islandista-it-girl-vashtie-kola.html

Visit nicki minaj for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection