The East Village–based filmmaker/ designer/DJ

The East Village–based filmmaker/
designer/DJ opens up about her
club-kid roots, '90s nostalgia, and
making it in this crazy city.
Teekay, $00,
Necklace,
Vashtie’s
own.
Pudam
animpelit
Top,
$40,
Violetteconse
New
quat.
Hentius,
York.
nobisJacket,
experit $160,
ionse
PUMA.
$225,
quost,Pants,
nim faccum
Cynthia
imi,
sequi Rowley.
untorro
38 TRENDINGNY JUNE
PHOTO CREDITS GO HERE
By Ruby Warrington Photographed by Adrian Mesko Styled by James Worthington Demolet
For someone who makes a living off her creativity, Vashtie
Kola doesn’t change it up much when it comes to her wardrobe. She arrives on location in DUMBO wearing a look she
calls “Donnie Brasco meets Goth schoolgirl”: pleated miniskirt, black denim jacket, killer heels, and lashings of gold
jewelry. It’s her uniform. “I tend to obsess over the smallest
details,” she says, “so the less to choose from when I’m
getting dressed in the morning, the better.”
But when it comes to her career, the 34-year-old (deep
breath) director, filmmaker, artist, designer, creative consultant, and DJ, or in short, Downtown’s Sweetheart, likes to mix
it up, with classic NY-style entrepreneurial spirit. “It’s a hard
city, and it’s only getting harder for a kid to come here and
make it,” she says. “Being able to live in New York and pay
my bills doing what I love is my biggest achievement.” That’s
coming from someone who’s designed for Nike and Puma,
and who directed Justin Bieber’s first music video.
Kola grew up in Albany, but always “knew I’d come here,”
she says. The consummate noughties club kid, she studied
directing and cinematography at the School of Visual Arts,
then parlayed her love of music into DJ gigs around the city.
Currently she cohosts a Thursday night dance party at
Webster Hall—it’s called “1992 with Vashtie.” The ’90s represent a golden era of club culture: “My generation is nostalgic
for the nineties because it was the last decade before social
media. There’s this kind of purity about the idea that everything just happened IRL”—she giggles—“I mean, in real life.”
Another thing she loves about New York nightlife? “I
used to do a party at Santos Party House with Q-Tip, and it
was a mix of young gay boys, hood kids, European tourists,
and hipsters, with celebrities like Mick Jagger hanging out,”
she recalls. “It made for such a good night! I love a diverse
crowd—I’m never interested in walking into a room and
seeing people dressed just like me.” Which, with Kola’s
vampy schoolgirl style and confident smile, seems
unlikely to happen anytime soon.
TRENDINGNY JUNE 39
PHOTO CREDITS GO HERE
Earrings, Vashtie’s
own. Top, $23,
Forever 21. Pants,
$325, ICB.
Hair by Teddi Cranford; Makeup by Tai Lotson; Manicure by Casey Herman at Kate Ryan for China glaze
“Being able to
live in New York
and pay my bills
doing what I love
is my biggest
achievement.”
Vest, $298, Marissa
Webb. Net Top, $35,
Forever 21. Dress, $525,
Marissa Webb. Shoes,
$175, DKNY Active.
TRENDINGNY JUNE 41
Vashtie’s
Summer
Playlist
Bankhead
Kelela
Cherry Bomb
Tyler, The Creator
Rush
Kali Uchis
Teach Me
Joey Bada$$
feat. Kiesza
Bikini Top, $295, Baja
East. Sweater, $168,
Rebecca Minkoff.
Skirt, $50, H&M.
42 TRENDINGNY JUNE
PHOTO CREDITS GO HERE
Jacket, $398,
Diesel. Top, $150,
Cynthia Rowley.
Pants, $295, DKNY.
Shoes, $55, Converse.
TRENDINGNY JUNE 43
Vashtie’s
NYC Haunts
Jack’s Wife Freda
“They do
this amazing
cauliflower dish.”
224 Lafayette Street,
jackswifefreda.com
Lovely Day
“I get the
papaya salad
and the
summer roll
religiously.”
196 Elizabeth Street,
lovelydaynyc.com
The Bowery Hotel
“Such a cool
vibe for drinks.”
335 Bowery,
theboweryhotel.com
Bra and Shorts,
from $395, both
Baja East. Shoes,
$70, Adidas.
Jacket, $278, Rebecca
Minkoff. Top, $255,
Elizabeth and James.
TRENDINGNY JUNE 45