Hot Child, Mad City: Silke Labson On Why Shooting Film Makes Her Happy
Jill Wallace will be presenting babes who are killing it in her new feature “Hot Child, Mad City” Check out below!
Photography Robbie Mueller
This week on Hot Child, Mad City we are catching up with the chronically creative Silke Labson of Shown to Scale. This verified baddie is a jack of so many trades. When I was first introduced to Silke I mainly knew her as a photographer. I soon found out that this little lady had a whole lot more up her sleeve (made of 100% recycled fabric, obvi). While she’s not busy designing clothes she’s also styling, creative directing, and shooting. Head spinning yet? I think I need a nap. Whether she is in front of or behind the lens, Silke has a certain knack for capturing amazing moments. So without further ado, let’s get to know how this hot child navigates through life in a mad city.
You are a woman that wears a lot of hats. Tell us about them!
For a woman that does wear a lot of hats I just thought about how many actual hats I own and it’s two. And one was lost at a photoshoot. I really need some rad hats for Fall – f***.
Anyway, I am just a creative lil lady that likes to work and try new things. I moved back to LA from NY after 5 years not really knowing what to do. I accidently got into styling, then creative directing and now shooting. I also have owned a line called Shown To Scale and just started a new one called Misc Short Trips (www.miscshorttrips.com) which is one new style a month in a few colorways. All made in LA with recycled fabric.
Any exciting projects you are currently working on?
I started shooting film again a few months ago and have been collecting a series that I will be showing around January with my friend Zio Ziegler. Also, my new line is a big new project but rather than make it huge like my last line – I just want to keep it simple. I love to do so much that I need to make sure I can handle it all!
There’s a lot of photographers out there. What makes your style different from the rest?
Every photographer has a different “eye” but, it’s natural for people to try to emulate photographers they love. The thing is, you will really stand out when you start doing it from the heart – doing what comes natural. When I started shooting film recently, it was only for me. I wasn’t getting paid, it wasn’t for a client, there was no end goal but to make myself happy. And to have the people I was taking candid photos of love the images. It ended up working out and now I’m doing a show and my work is in magazines – Teen Vogue, Nylon, Monster Children, etc. My personal work is very different then my commercial work though. I mean I can shoot product on a white backdrop like anyone else, but f*** that.
WCW?
I can’t look at it without thinking of wrestling WWF. So when I see it I literally think of buff chicks. I don’t have a woman crush this Wednesday but, I can smell what the Rock is cookin.
Clearly you are a Hot Child. So let’s move on to the Mad City. Why LA?
Hot child? Ooh, fancy. Well, I grew up in California and love it. I lived in Mammoth, SF, Australia, NY and now i’m back. There is nowhere else I’d rather be. I am close to the mountains, the beach, the desert, the weather is great, rent is cheaper, etc. etc. etc. At the end of the day I can always fly to NY to get my fix of the mad rush but, I don’t have to pay out the ass to live in a glorified Jr one bedroom or smell the subway in the summer. I can drive in my car with the A/C pumping and be singing anything embarrassing I want – as loud as I want. And seeing that I’m half Filipino, a girl gotta karaoke sing some cheesy tunes sometimes – it’s in my blood.
Makeup: Maddie North
Photos: Robbie Mueller