Special Interview with Blogger Kristin Knox

Kristin Knox - www.theclotheswhisperer.co.uk

Kristin Knox is a name that you must have heard if you claim to be following the blog tribe and to belong to the fashion forward sphere. She is not only the founder of theclotheswhispere.co.uk but also the mummy of the most fashionable Pomeranian and… AND she is the author of the latest to-recommend book “Alexander McQueen: Genius of a Generation”. So this young lady is in her mid-twenties accountable for many achievements that could be a preview of what she will offer us as a main course. But first and foremost she is a lovely American-Japanese London girl who knows what is nice and cool; she lives in the heart of Notting Hill and gives you a bright smile before saying Hello. She is sweet and whispers fashion stories that are genuine, interesting and cleverly written. In a word, she is the member of the blog intelligentsia, which only counts some happy few. I had the pleasure to have a coffee in Paris with Kristin and to get her thoughts on blogs, social media and trends… At the end we need to know what her super dressing is made of, to be inspired and aspire to be soon a member or at least a special guest at The Club.

Kristin Knox - www.theclotheswhisperer.co.uk

FS:What is the definition of a blog?
KK: I believe a blog is a record of a personal journey. It is one voice, one author, and one photographer. Ok you can’t do everything at once by yourself, and sometimes you need help, but that needs to be kept to a minimum. Once you start to “commission” people to work for you, it’s an e-zine, not a blog.

FS: What is the purpose of yours?
KK: To be honest, I feel like it’s always changing. When I started out, it was a platform from which I could showcase my writing to potential and future employers whilst I finished my masters out in fashion’s no man’s land…aka Oxford. But since the blog itself wound up becoming my livelihood, I now see it as much more than that. It’s a space for me to play, to ruminate on what I want to ruminate on, to take a voyeuristic voyage and see how far I can push my ideas and vision since there’s no one there to police me.

FS: Do you feel on a fashion mission?
KK: I do, actually. Fashionistas are often branded as brainless, and many of them are, but I do feel that fashion as an art form, as a creative medium used to make social and political statements, is often overlooked or marginalized. On my blog, I seek to get at the artistic and intellectual side of what designers and other industry members are all about. And I believe on the flipside, I’m on a mission to inspire girls with a brain, with a traditional education that you don’t need to be a Whitney or an Olivia and intern here or there with a degree from FIT or Parsons to “make it” in this industry. In fact, the people I respect most in this business studied nothing to do with fashion.

Kristin Knox - www.theclotheswhisperer.co.uk

FS: Having published a sold out book on Alexander McQueen last year, do you consider yourself more of a writer than a blogger?
KK: It’s all one in the same, I say. Journalism, authorship, and blogging…it all comes from the same place, me and my brain sitting down at the laptop. I’m a writer, period, the medium and methodology doesn’t matter. In fact, if anything, I consider myself a CREATIVE writer and feel constricted by my non-fiction past. I’m also not one of those bloggers that whinges at being labelled “BLOGGER.” I started in print, we are a different entity all together and we shouldn’t demand the same titles and deserts as our editorial sisters and brothers. It just bugs me that I can’t figure out the etymology of the word “blogger…”

FS: What is it that you enjoy in blogging?
KK: The editorial freedom. My blog is my world is my oyster, that sort of thing. If it interests me, I don’t care if it interests you, I’ll write about it. It’s a place where I can experiment, provoke my readers into heated debates, and also test out my styling with homegrown photoshoots. I also love that I can collaborate with other talented individuals, such as photographers, and provide them with a platform and an audience to showcase their work to. I also love the freedom to write when I want to write and not traipse about with an editor and a deadline lurking behind my every move.

FS: I s your dog your mascot or your blogging pal and somehow your signature?
KK: She is my baby and my blogging (excuse me, dlogging) partner. Butters has been through a hell of a lot with me, and I would have never upped and moved continents and then left academia if I didn’t have her fluffy warmth and tail a-wagging approval to come home to. Since fashion is a doggy-friendly industry, I just wouldn’t take “No Dogs” as an answer and only went to events/press days/etc where she was allowed. Now the PRs know to ask in advance and get special permission for her to attend events. I love that I blazoned my own trail that way, and that we can work together as a team. Blogging is a lonely affair, often logging long hours at the laptop alone, everyone should have a little furry partner in crime.

FS: Do you believe in the future of blogs?
KK: How will a 2012 blog look like? Oooh I don’t know, and that’s kind of what I love about it! But I do think it will become harder and harder for “breakout” stars to emerge on the scene as the ‘sphere becomes more and more oversaturated.

FS: What gives credit to a blogger?
KK: In my opinion, it’s the layout/design of the site, quality and

Kristin Knox - www.theclotheswhisperer.co.uk

frequency of posting, uniqueness of voice/vision. That’s a lot of boxes to tick, but as a million and one blogs emerge on the scene, we have to be tougher with our criteria. A blurry half assed photo of yourself in the mirror simply won’t cut it anymore.

FS: Which bloggers do you follow on Facebook or Twitter?
KK: Not so much on Facebook, which I use for personal, but on Twitter Bryan keeps me amused, as does Anastasia & Duck…so I guess I like the snarky gays. But in general, I just follow my friends who are bloggers on Twitter and we DM instead of texting!!! Shocker: I really don’t read many blogs unless I’m personally friends with that person!!

FS: What are your favourite fashion websites?
KK: The Telegraph and Vogue.it, for sure. Franca Sozzani’s blog is the only one I read everyday and everyday I am moved to reblog it. I’m pretty sure we share a stream of consciousness.

FS: Where is fashion located now?
KK: Here, there, everywhere…but online!! The world is changing, economic powers are shifting and the political lines of the world are being redrawn. As fashion is a part of society, it too will inevitably follow and Paris, Milan, New York etc. are becoming less and less important as buyers can voyeuristically take part via live streaming, blogs, and more. Street style also shows us that inspiration and fashion happen on a local and individual level.

FS: What is your must have catwalk piece for SS11?
KK: That rainbow striped Prada fur stole–Anna Della Russo better lock her doors at night, or else I’m COMING FOR ONE OF HERS!!!

Kristin’s personalised dressing:

FS: On top or underneath?
KK: underneath.

FS: Honey or Vinegar?
KK: Honey!

FS: Colourful or monocolour?
KK: Monochrome

FS: On the side or as main?
KK: On the side.

FS: Fruity or veggie?
KK: Chocolate???

FS: “Diet-style” or lifestyle?
KK: Lifestyle.

Interview by Delphine Hervieu.
Photo credits: Kristin Knox