This week FashionZest got a chance to interview fashion blogger Claire from Fashion Bomb. We got to learn more about her, her blog and her view of fashion.
Jenny: Let’s start by hearing a little about yourself… who is Claire?
Claire: I was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. I’m a bit of a bookworm, but I have a veritable and passionate love for writing and fashion. I love French, blazers and bling!
Jenny: What led you to write about / be involved in the fashion industry?
Claire: I’ve always loved clothes and truly discovered I liked fashion during my first magazine internship, at Upscale Magazine. By chance I was placed in the fashion and beauty department, and found out I had a flair for writing–and enjoyed playing in clothes.
Jenny: How did Fashion Bomb start?
Claire: It started in August 2006 as a personal blog about me shopping in the city. People started asking me for tips on what to wear, and our whole Mail Bombs section started. I began including celebrities little by little, and found out that it worked well with readers. Showcasing readers, like in our Bombshell of the Day section, started because I decided to move to Paris, but couldn’t find enough fashionable people of color to photograph. So I started asking readers to submit pictures, and one of our most popular features was born!
Jenny: So what is Fashion Bomb about?
Claire: We’re a one stop online destination for everything related to people of color in fashion. We profile industry insiders, take pictures of people on the street, look at celebrity style, and report on fashion news.
Jenny: What do you hope to achieve with Fashion Bomb?
Claire: I want women of color in fashion to know there is a place for them online where they come first. I want to continue to blaze trails in the fashion industry, similar to how Robin Givhan and Andre Leon Talley have done before me.
Jenny: How would you describe your personal style?
Claire: I like classic pieces, but play everything up with statement jewelry and sometimes saucy short hems.
Jenny: Who or what has been your greatest fashion influence?
Claire: In terms of style, I love Jackie O, Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham, J.Lo, and Kerry Washington. In terms of my career, I look up to fashion writers and editors like Robin Givhan, Andre Leon Talley, Cathy Horyn, and Suzy Menkes.
Jenny: Which is your favorite fashion designer at the moment, and why?
Claire: I’ve been wearing a lot of Diane von Furstenberg lately simply because her clothes represent simple, easy, functional, yet feminine dressing.
Jenny: What current fashion trends do you like and dislike the most at the moment?
Claire: I love the asymmetrical hi-lo movement. Hi-lo skirts and dresses are interesting and add a bit of drama to every look. I also adore high slits! I could do away with midi skirts.
Jenny: What would be the one fashion tip you would give to a friend?
Claire: Know your body and dress for it. If you have a belly, don’t wear a skin tight dress. If you have legs, show ‘em off!
Jenny: And finally… as the creator of Fashion Bomb, where do you see the site in 5 years time?
Claire: In five years, I’d love to be the host of a television show that brings what I blog about to life on the small screen. Of course the blog will still be around, but I’d love to just be involved from an editor standpoint, allowing younger writers to do the bulk of the blog’s everyday maintenance.