Struggles to Stardom

By: Grecia A. Garcia

There is an air of sophistication which permeates from 25-year-old Jose Hernandez. Observing him dressed in a tailored, royal blue pinned striped suit, his demeanor is scented with elegance and cologne (perhaps Gucci or Hugo Boss). Sitting crossed-legged in a velvet burgundy lounge chair at Java Beach on Judah and La Playa, Hernandez is the definition of a self -made man who overcame a struggling, deprived life. He lived in a 14- foot trailer in the scalding hot city of El Centro, California, where he was constantly reminded that his next meal was not assured. Hernandez’s parents had to put their dreams on permanent hold and moved on from their once glorious careers.

Hernandez currently holds the position of a public relations representative for Ford Dealership – incorporating his passion for Baja- off-roading trophy trucks and the Ford Mustang Rouge into his definitive dream job. Now an accomplished educated man who is a first generation Mexican American, Hernandez reminisces on those incomprehensible moments when he felt invisible and no one cared.

Could you describe a day in your childhood?

First, I would wake up and wonder whether my dad would sell enough radiators to eat dinner that day. I also remember a lot of fighting between my mom and dad over money every morning. Shortly after getting ready for school, I would open the door of our R.V. and run down the R.V. park to make my school bus.

What was living in an R.V. park like?

No luxury that’s for sure. I just remember how small it was and I can’t believe my family of six was able to live in that small trailer. I remember both my sister and I would sleep on the top bunk and my parent would sleep on the bigger bed (laughs). My parents slept on the kitchen table, which converted into a bed at night. 

What did your parents do for a living? 

My dad used to sell radiators and my mom was an architect but stopped working after she had my younger brother. So as a child, my dad was the primary bread giver. My dad was a former runner, and a good one too, but gave all those dreams up when my mom got pregnant with me. It’s almost like he had the tools to succeed but he never did.

What are your parents jobs now? And what are you feelings about their past decision to give up their dreams for their children? 

My mom is one of the smartest women I know and it makes me angry every time I think about her sacrifice for us. My mom was very successful before she had us but she said she had to stop because my sister and I were too close together in age. My dad is very talented...He was one of the best runners Mexico has ever seen in the 1980’s, and he had to give all that up to make some money. Now my dad works as an auto body painter and my mom is a car detailer. 

How have your parents' trials and sacrifices prompted your own life decisions?

My father has been a big inspiration to me. My dad would take me on runs when I was a little boy and he would enter me in local races. I was pretty talented from the beginning and from there on out I never stopped. Running is my passion and my escape. Running helped me get my scholarship to Chico State and it paid for my college tuition, so I’m very grateful for that.

Did you feel any pressure while in college to make sure that you never lost your ambition to succeed?

Of course I was always training because I always feared losing my scholarship. I worked harder than the runner to my left and I made sure I was on that traveling team. I don’t know what would’ve happened if I got injured.

What happened after you graduated from Chico State and how did you come to work your current position at Ford?

I went back home to El Centro and I got my first interview at Ford. I started as an Internet coordinator. My first step was to get a job because I had no money and I needed some money to get through. I was given the opportunity to get an interview through mutual friends. I was always a car fanatic but getting this job initially wasn’t that big of a deal for me, I was just happy I was given an opportunity at the time. I always thought I would be working with Jeff Gordon, but working with Ford has given me great connections.

I’m a public relation representative for Ford and I’m currently moving towards the international aspect of the company. I love my job and I’m just thankful. Coming from a poor upbringing I have to say I’m still scared of being poor again. I always think about those times when I would pray to God to help me get out of that life, and it brings me to tears. I just want to work and work and be happy, finally.”

"I remember both my sister and I would sleep on the top bunk and my parent would sleep on the bigger bed (He laughs in an awkward matter). My parent slept on the kitchen table, which converted into a bed at night."

photo courtesy of Ford.com

Making “Durrty” Fashionable

A young designer puts the "sexy" in exceptionally engineered clothing.

By: Stephanie Skangos

“Thinking sexy….looking great….feeling a little ‘durrty.’”  

Those are the words James Germono, young designer and entrepreneur, uses to describe the essence behind his new fashion company, Durrty Co., which includes a sophisticated and alluring lingerie line and figure-flattering, curve-hugging denim line.

Not only inspired by his pure love of fashion and desire to be recognized for his talent, Germono founded Durrty Co. – derived from a nickname he was blessed with in college – with aspirations to create walking pieces of art and improve the fit of clothing with the help of his engineering background. 

I spoke with the original talent, who describes himself as “GQ-trendy” and incredibly label-driven, to discuss his innovative creativeness and fresh perspective on fashion design and his hopes for Durrty Co. in the near future.  What I found was a great example of inspiring raw talent that will excite the modern-day fashionista. 

When did you first discover an interest in fashion?
I actually got my interest from my mom.  Growing up, we couldn’t afford nice clothing, so my mom would take us to consignment stores.  I would reinvent hand-me-downs and our consignment purchases into one-of-a-kind creations by altering and sewing.  I learned to make-do with what we could afford.

Which designer would you say specifically inspires you and your drive to create a successful fashion company?
Coco Chanel.  She came from nothing, worked as a maid, had talent that was eventually recognized ...and became known because everyone loved her talent.  Her "nothing" upbringing is similar to mine.  I came from nothing; my parents came from nothing.  I want to show that being successful in fashion doesn’t mean you have to come from money or be a member of a country club.

How are your clothes different?  What makes them stand out?
The lingerie line is sophisticated; while the jeans are Brazilian cut – hugs the hips [and are] form fitting.  They’re also satin-lined for a sensual feel.   These jeans are different because they create a V shape at the top of the jean.  Additionally we select jean material that can stretch about 2 inches.  Essentially, coming from an engineering back ground, I’m trying to improve clothing to fit women and men better.

So you studied engineering in college?
Yes.  I really wanted to go to FIDM to study fashion design.  Because I was introduced to sewing by my mother at a young age, it just became innate to me.  I wasn’t born with a “fashion” gene.  [Fashion] was introduced to me, and I fell in love with it eventually.  But my parents didn’t support my decision to attend FIDM.  I ended up at Cal Poly [San Luis Obispo] studying engineering.

Why were your parents against you attending FIDM?
They believed there was no career benefit in pursuing fashion.  As an Asian, they wanted me to go after the typical careers – engineering, the medical field – something that would create money and give me a better life than they had.  Obviously, they wanted the best for me, and they didn’t want me to go after something that would potentially not provide me with a successful and financially-comfortable future.



Image Source: Durrty Co.



How do you think an engineering background gives you an edge in fashion design and the industry?
My engineering background is definitely an advantage.  In engineering you learn to build from the ground up – from conception to prototype to proto-phase to manufacturing to marketing, and, finally, to sales.  You learn the technology, the background of a system and where to get what you need to actually create, to take an idea to production.  It’s the marketing stage that’s the hard part.  In the fashion world, marketing is so big; most people get stuck in the manufacturing stage because they just can’t market their product.

What are some marketing techniques you employ?
To get our name out, we’re doing sheer gorilla marketing: handing out sticker flyers, getting ads in goodie bags at fashion shows and events, using Twitter and Facebook to spread the word, and sending samples to celebrities through PR agents.  We want to try and get [celebrities] to wear our clothing and possibly have them shot by paparazzi and seen in magazines.  We also “crash” events and parties, and get onto to fashion lists.  It’s really hit or miss with gorilla marketing.

Has the marketing been successful?  Where does your fashion line currently stand?
Right now we have some samples but not enough [to launch].  Our first manufacturing round has been stalled by the economy.  We were trying to manufacture the denim, but denim is just so expensive. We’ve decided to start with the lingerie line.  It’s less expensive to manufacture.  But we’re at a stand-still right now because we’re looking for investors.  Essentially, we’re in the proto-phase stage – trying to find a means of getting the money we need for production.

Ideally, where do you see yourself and your company in five to ten years?
We’ve decided that 2015 is going to be our break-out year.  Right now we’re working on the production of the lingerie line, looking for perspective funding and investors and networking, while designing, sketching and conceptualizing for the brand itself.  We’ve given ourselves a timeline: 2011 and 2012 are for funding; 2013 and 2014 are for production and marketing; and 2015 is when we want to be known to the public and fashion world.             

Lastly, who are some of your favorite designers right now?
It depends.  For shoes, I love Prada – the history, the hand-picked leather.  Suits are Prada and Versace, [their] selection of fabric beyond par, their mix of classic and modern.  I like H&M for their mix of affordability with luxury and fashion.  I enjoy being able to mix and match items.

Pull Quotes:

“It has become our blood, sweat and tears to try to launch a brand.”

“The essence of ‘Durrty’ is not just an idea; it’s a mindset.”

METAL MAGIC

When it comes to metal, many may not think of glitz and glamour. But when it comes to jewelry making, it’s a different story. San Francisco’s own local jewelry designer, Shana Astrachan, shares her perspective and talks about her love for all things crafty.

By: Stephanie Cafano

Just a few blocks off the 24^th Street BART stop, in the Mission District, lies the pop-up shop of jewelry designer Shana Astrachan. Don’t be fooled by the minuscule space of the Urban Interstice Gallery. Astrachan’s designs are carefully decorated throughout the gallery, as well as little gadgets and trinkets that show off the artist’s creative personality. From tiny, simple metal stud earrings to shiny, bright-pink sequined necklaces, there’s no denying that the artist possesses a unique and edgy style that can draw any lover of jewelry into her shop.

“You came at a good time,” Astrachan says, as she fiddled behind a set of curtains to find a chair.

The door to the shop is left wide open, allowing a nice breeze to filter in. Wearing a dark, navy blue dress with a blue cardigan and her own complimentary jewelry pieces—a very Anthropologie look—the artist gets situated behind her very clean, organized desk.

As well as her acclaimed website—which automatically links viewers to shop for her designs—the petite artist has accounts with boutiques and jewelery stores across the Bay Area.

“I [also] show my more artistic pieces in gallery exhibitions,” says Astrachan. “I just had one of these pieces come back from the National Metals Museum in Tennessee. That was kind of an honor to show in the museum. It was a major exhibition.”

From gallery exhibits to being featured in several jewelry making books to her own pop-up gallery shop, there is nothing that holds Astrachan back from doing it all when it comes to her passion.  

When did you first become interested in jewelry making?  

 It was a combination of two things. Not sure if they happened around the same time, or which was first. I grew up [with] an aunt owning a jewelry gallery, and it was contemporary at the time. Her gallery was in Boston [on Newbury Street]. I was always around jewelry. Also, when I was very young, probably around 15, I found a whole bunch of jewelry tools in my basement and some books. I started experimenting on my own.

You went to college in Maine. What was your major/program like?

I went to Maine College of Art in Portland, Maine. It was a small arts school. It had a strong metals program. I studied under Tim McCray, who is the god of jewelry education. My other teachers were also great influences. It was a small, very tight program. In my class and major, there were about seven of us.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Alexander Calder, probably one of my earliest influences. Mary Rank, she was part of jewelry making in the ‘50s. She has this very cool, stylized, [yet] simple jewelry that I’m really drawn to. Wendy Ramshaw, whom I did a workshop under couple years back, is a big influence on my work. I tend to get my influences from other designers. I always hear a lot of other people who make jewelry say ‘oh, I never wear jewelry.’ They are [mainly] studio makers. I feel like I am combination of both, of fashion and design. My aesthetic influences are very simple and early modern.

Why San Francisco?

For me, being right out of art school, I did want to be in a city with other artists. San Francisco has a really rich history of early jewelry studio work.

What is your favorite memory of being a designer?

It happened to be this past year. I am part of a critique group. I’ve been a part of it since I moved here. This past year we did an exchange with an outside group [based out of London]. They came here for a couple days; we got to go there for a couple days. We met great people and got to be a part of a great symposium that they put together. It was pretty exciting.

I know you love playing with different materials in your work, but what are three materials you cannot live without?

Metal. I guess I would have to start with. I feel like there are a million. [Sighs] Because I really like to play with materials. The mohair silk material that I use for my felting I really love; it can take on so many forms. And the sequins, for these fancy pieces [takes an example off the wall], because I find them so fun and easy to wear.

Any other art you like to do?

A little bit of everything. I’m a little obsessed with all hand-made items and crafts. [Giggles] I do sew. I’m a long time-knitter and recently converted to being obsessed with crocheting. I do a lot of crocheting, and I’m hoping to work that technique in with some of my jewelry. I like the idea of making.  I [also] have a little obsession with interiors. I’ve helped friends with decorating their spaces.

I also have another side profession that I’ve taken on over the last few years, which balances well with my jewelry work. I do some freelance work as a make-up artist. It’s mostly doing commercial work, but I’ve done a little film work too. It’s a nice balance. I do that and then go back to my studio. [Laughs]

What’s a typical workday like?

My studio days are long. [Laughs] There are so many different aspects. Right now I’m doing almost everything on my own, from the bookkeeping to the marketing to the invoicing to the ordering materials to the actual making. I usually start the day off with a lot of emails, getting back to people. By the time I actually get into the studio and work on the jewelry, time just goes by so fast. 

I do have my first intern working with me, one day a week. I think it will help me become more productive. She’s a sculpture student at the Academy of Art University.

What are your plans for the future?

In a sense, I am really happy doing what I do right now. It seems like a really good balance for me. I would definitely like to have a few more accounts, selling to more places. I would like the opportunity to work with other materials. I’m always thinking up some new lines of jewelry. I’d be happy to collaborate with other artists. I’d love to be hired by another line and do some work for them. I’m open to all kinds of possibilities.

Any advice for those who are interested in jewelry making?

Some of my advice is more practical, on the business side. If you are looking to make it into a full-time business, advise a business plan, come up with a budget, and be realistic. There are a few times over the years where I’ve gotten way in over my head. [Laughs] So knowing and being practical in the financial portion of it is really important. And for artists, that may not be a strong point. I got a business license right away [at the age of 21], so I could start selling to stores. It was a lot of baby-steps.

Pull Quotes:

“I’m a little obsessed with all hand-made items and crafts.”

“I really like to play with materials.”

Pictures from www.shanaastrachan.com 

A Shaky Start

Standing at a slim 6’1”, it is the hair style of Julio Cortez which might do the most justice in articulating his own personal style. It’s a Morrisey-like tuft of black hair slicked back which contrasts the punk-inspired shaved sides. The coif immediately sings the songs of the alternative maestro himself, while also conveying a sense of the militant and well-polished all in one glance. 

This kind of quirk can be seen all around the space which Julio calls his office/bedroom. What was once a dinning room off his apartment kitchen is now split and separated by a single dark curtain. The half which connects to the kitchen is Cortez’s book-covered office where the blogger has, created the site Style Quake, which has featured San Francisco knitwear designer Ryan Debonville, and gained the notice of Bobby Collins, a photographer who has shot for the popular indie, homoerotic art/fashion blog, East Village Boys. 

Past the crunched library of designer history books, international fashion magazines, and a Gwen Stefani-styled wig, and one finds Cortez’s sanctuary. Framed vinyl albums signed by his favorite performers line the walls, a ring-encrusted mannequin hand extends from the top of his dresser, and a single-standing photo of Gwen Stefani and Cortez stands proudly near a window.

Talking with Cortez on his present blog, and his past connection with No Doubt, it becomes easy, very early, to understand why so many young people like Cortez are turning to their blogs to display their work, either as an electronic portfolio, or as a simple means to get themselves published and in the networking game. Within the fashion journalism industry itself, Cinderella stories abound from sites like Bryan Boy, Sea of Shoes, and Kate Loves  Me, all acting to inspire the present fashion-obsessed community into believing it’s not that difficult to get your 15 minutes of fame and a front row invite. However, Cortez also voices his shared frustrations as a modern writer and their continual search for that gem of an angle which separates his ideas from the rest of the pack.

How did Style Quake come about?

I started Style Quake because I’m taking an online journalism class right now that requires us to keep a blog. However, they encouraged us to pick a subject with-something on going. So, maybe you could do a blog on the war overseas, or some kind of health blog in America with the current obesity epidemic, or something like a serious issue. But I stressed it to my professors that I take all these classes at state and none of them make me happy. But with this, if they could just let me pick a subject that I’m actually interested in I will deliver great work to them, because it is completely derived from me. So I picked fashion because I love it.

I work in retail, but that’s not why I love it. I love it because I like playing with style. Putting together different looks. I like playing dress up [chuckles].

What are you studying in school?

Journalism. It sucks, because journalism is a dying industry [laughs]. But it’s exciting right now especially as a fashion blogger because that’s where it’s migrating to. I think sooner or later we’re not going to need to go to college to become journalists. Anybody can do it with twitter and the internet. Anybody can report the news.

Some might say that this easy access to information is actually a major problem with contemporary journalism. The fact that everyone can become a reporter of the news makes it difficult for those who might be sincerely interested in the profession to be heard without some kind of gimmick of twist on things. What separates your personal style blog from others? 

My main focus is sticking to San Francisco style. So I’ve been interviewing and working with independent store owners and independent designers that are all based out of the bay area. 

I think it’s important to always work with your local economy. And I think we’re grateful enough to live in a city were there’s such great versatility in fashion. And networking within that is amazing here. If you meet one photographer, they’ll know three designers. Those three designers will know ten make up artists. All of them will know more designers. And it’s just really fun getting to know everyone in the city, and realizing that there are more people like you out there. I’ve been lucky enough to become friends with some of the people I’ve interviewed.

What are your plans for the blog? Would you ever turn it into a zine?

I’m seeing it more as a portfolio right now, because I don’t have a physical portfolio. I see a lot of my friends do have that, but it’s not me. I’ve always been one to work with computers. Since eleven-years-old I’ve been running websites.

What types of websites have you worked with in the past?

Well, it’s cheesy, but in middle school when we [his family] got our first computer I started a bunch of No Doubt fan sites. I’m from southern California, so they’re my favorite band. I got to see them so much. So I would write about them and take pictures. When Gwen went solo that’s when I got really into fashion. I was obsessed with everything she bought.

So it went hand and hand? 

It definitely did. She helped me realize I was gay, and then taught me how to dress [laughs]. I loved her obsession with Vivienne Westwood, so I started buying Vivienne Westwood books. And then I started looking up old seasons, I memorized patterns, I memorized colors. I started studying Galliano, McQueen. Everything because of her. Just whatever she would wear, for covers or videos.

Eventually I got to meet her [Gwen Stefani], because I ran a pretty huge website with a girl in the UK. It was called NoDoubtWeb. If you google it, you’ll see some stuff about it. It was cool, because we would get invited to their shows, and get tickets to places. It was just fun. Basically we would help promote them because we were obsessed with them.

I got to go to my first fashion show because of them. I went to a LAMB fashion show in the OC.-this was in 2007. It was at South Coast plaza on the roof top of Nordstroms. They had the balcony covered in a white tent and Gwen was there with the baby she’d just had. She kept having to go backstage and breast feed, she was so open about it.

 It was a trunk show, so you got to buy the new collection that came out that season there, and pre-order the fall pieces that had just shown at fashion week the week before. I got to touch everything that was on the runway. I got to play with samples. You see all the little imperfections, the original colors and cuts for things, and patterns. And I got to meet Gwen for the first time then. I cried. They didn’t allow cameras [he says with an off-hand frown].

So, have you kept on with NoDoubtWeb?

No, when I moved here [San Francisco] I got a life. I realized I couldn’t live my life on the internet.

Will you continue with your blog?

Yeah, but I see that as a career. It’s literally the easiest way to network and be informed.

You can take your obsession and bank on it.

Yeah, there are so many ways to do it for free and get your name out there.

You talked earlier on San Francisco designers, who are you paying attention to right now and why do they stand out to you?

The guy I interviewed for my first feature was Ryan DeBonville, he’s a knitwear designer. I really liked his passion for knitting. He knits all day. He’s this hot gay guy, and he’ll knit on the bus. He works part time jobs around the city, and on his down time he’ll just knit. And he’s been doing it since he was a kid. I don’t mind supporting someone else’s passion, especially when they make great quality items.

You’ve said where you want to take this blog, but what are you hoping this blog does for you (aside from help you pass your online class)?

With blogging, I would hope that people can see my work on there and [I can] get other jobs out of it. It would be cool to style something.

I think blogs are going to keep growing. It’s up to you to make your content different and interesting so that people can set you aside from everyone else. I think now, if you look around  you can see who is in it for the money, and who is in it for the journalistic aspect. I’d like to be able to run something that’s all about what I want.






Interview by William Biga