The Many Faces of Stacey McKenzie

We caught up with Stacey McKenzie and spoke to her about her career, some of the people she's worked with and how she views herself. "I'm super-hyper" she laughed. I'm always walking, always busy, always doing something. She is also extremely busy, but friendly and has a sharp sense of humor. She talked to us on her cellular phone from her car. She speaks at rapid fire speed in a suprisingly deep voice that is somewhat at odds with the doll-like photographs Ellen Von Unwerth shot of her for Interview Magazine, portraying her as the children's heroine, Pippi Longstocking.

Q1: What is the editorial you've modelled for that you're most proud of? If you had to show someone only one story that you've shot, which would it be? Is it in your portfolio?

SM: Well, there were two. Can I have two favorites? I love the pictures Seb Janiak shot of me for The Face, where he shot me like an African princess. I was petting my cobra, lying on my living room floor. There were some other girls in the shoot too. Sybil Buck and Helena, not Christensen, the other Helena, the runway girl and members of the French rock group, NTM. The other one I loved was the Wella campaign I shot with Ellen Von Unwerth because I got to be all different characters. It was like a United Nations! I played a White girl, and Indian girl and the hair pieces were great!

Q2: Let's talk about CK be, the campaign you shot. What was that whole experience like? Did you enjoy it? Was Calvin actively involved in the campaign? Did it lead to other work for you?

SM: I went to the casting and Avedon was there, he liked me, and that was it, I got picked for the shoot., It wasn't a hard job because Avedon and I work the same way. We go to a job, do the job and get out. So, we did the campaign in a very short time. About Calvin, he wasn't at the shoot, but I saw him a few weeks later at a club. He walked up to me and told me I was one of his favorites in the campaign. After that, I shot the Jean Paul Gaultier Fall '97 campaign with Jean-Baptiste Mondino.

Q#: Who are some of your favorite people in the fashion business? If you had total control over a shoot, whether it be editorial or advertising, who would you have on the team?

SM: Anyone I wanted? Hm, OK. Here's who I'd have:

Photographer: Ellen Von Unwerth because she always makes me sexy, super sexy, even. She put me in a g-string bikini and I had to walk down West Houston in it.

Make-up: I like Charlie Green, the little British girl, she's cute.

Hair: Honestly, I haven't met anyone I like that much. Wait, Forget that. I do like Dickie, who's with John Frieda, he even looks like me. Most of the time though, I guide whoever's doing my hair and usually end up doing it myself anyway.

Stylist: Bill Mullen's my choice because he sees me as very sexy. I like to be sexy but a lot of people don't see that side of me.

Catering: I love Jamaican food! I'd probably go somewhere in Brooklyn, to any of the little hole in the wall Jamaican restaurants and get take out from there-nothing fancy.

Q4: Which designer's clothing do you personally like to wear? Is there anywhere you like to shop, some out of the way place we might not know about?

SM: I'm JPG (Jean Paul Gaultier) freak! I also love Todd's (Oldham) dresses and especially his shoes. In New York, I'm really into this place called Le Corset. They have cute little slip dresses that are ridiculously expensive, a reasl splurge. In Canada, I love the Club Monaco warehouse for sporty stuff, which I wear a lot of.

Q5: Who in the fashion business do you think is really talented? Who do you admire?

SM: Todd is amazing, just amazing. That man could do anything, he could make a house, shoes, anything, it's sick! I also, love Madonna, she's really done a lot to influence style even though she's not in the business.

Q6: Looking forward towards the upcoming shows, who's shows would you like to do this season?

SM: JPJ, definitely, Betsey Johnson, I did it for the first time last season. I'd love to do Anna Sui, it's very strange that I haven't done it. Steven (Meisel) keeps telling me that he's waiting for the right story to shoot me for, then maybe I'd get Anna Sui. In Milan, Moschino, love the clothes, and Versace, I was on option last year, so maybe it's time...

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