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Editor’s notice: This interview was accomplished earlier than and printed in the course of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023. The work being reviewed wouldn’t exist with out the labor of writers and actors.
“I’m a New Yorker and I needed it to really feel like actual New York.” –
Keia Bounds
It’s one thing about seeing style on a plus measurement physique that thrills me essentially the most at any time when I’m watching a selected film or tv collection. Having seen the trailer for Netflix’s “Survival of the Thickest,” I used to be instantly intrigued with how properly the collection’ lead, Michelle Buteau, was styled all through the 30 second clip.
New York’s personal, Keia Bounds (and her styling/design staff), delivered stylishly with every episode of the collection, bringing an edgy, city-inspired theme. One which captured the essence of the vitality, tradition, creativity and individuality, and intercourse attraction typically seen strolling the runway sidewalks of the totally different boroughs of New York.
When given the duty off interviewing Bounds, I jumped on the chance IMMEDIATELY! Having watched the collection and being a wardrobe stylist myself, pleasure ran by way of my “Single Black Feminine Hooked on Retail” veins seeing totally different manufacturers like Eloquii, Brandon Blackwood, Selkie (I’m such a fan of The Puff Gown within the cowl), and plus athleisure put on like Adidas, I couldn’t wait to ask Bounds these questions that fashion lovers would ask.
In makes an attempt to calm my nerves and chill out the urge to enter a full nervousness crammed episode, I placed on my pink lipstick, entered the Zoom chat room, and had a one-on-one girlfriend chat with the lead stylist of “Survival of the Thickest.” TCF supporters, followers, and viewers members, I current to you, Keia Bounds.
Get to Know Keia Bounds, the Costume Designer for Survival of the Thickest!
Getting into the chat with such warmness and a chill-relaxed vibe, Bounds (alongside her publicist), (with ardour in her eyes) gave me the inspiration to dive deep into asking questions not solely pertaining to the movie, however her profession as a fashion-designer-turned-wardrobe-stylist.
We puzzled, as a Costume Designer, what was her inspiration for every episode with every character. With the ability to put her genius into play, with a view to make it possible for the style was so superb and so New York, and so ahead? We needed to know; what was the inspiration behind that?
Keia shares “So I assume the inspiration behind it was that I’m a New Yorker, and I needed it to really feel like actual New York, in addition to to get what they needed me to get off of the web page (the script).”
Listening to, “the actual New York,” introduced me again a time of the early 2000s and watching nighttime tv with reveals like Intercourse and the Metropolis. Being a local of the town, Bounds appeared to haven’t solely grasped the imaginative and prescient of the movie’s manufacturing, however she was capable of fashion Michelle Buteau in such a means that made me wish to strive on the attire and add them into my closet.
Out of curiosity, I requested her about her time working with Michelle Buteau.
On working with Michele Buteau, Keia Bounds shares, “She’s AMAZING! To work along with her as a girl, as a Black lady, as a curvy lady! Like all this stuff, Michelle is hilarious! She’s not the type of hilarious that you just want they might flip off both. She’s simply herself and simply naturally humorous and naturally sensible. It was enjoyable!”
All through every episode, I observed acquainted manufacturers and types that I had not been launched to but. With every forged member having their very own stylistic attraction, I typically puzzled if the styling crew had any challenges with discovering totally different style manufacturers desirous to collaborate with the movie.
Though the style business has advanced and continues to evolve with measurement inclusivity and physique sort inclusivity, whereas additionally creating supportive and trendy ahead environments for the members of the LGBTQIA+ neighborhood, there are nonetheless manufacturers who aren’t as on board with making clothes for the ever-changing society that we reside in.
Figuring out that the movie excitedly highlighted a lot of the plus measurement AND LGBTQ neighborhood, we puzzled about Keia Bounds’ experiences or challenges with accessing plus measurement style for the forged members.
Keia shares, “I feel that, as a result of as we all know, it’s onerous to search out fashionably items (particularly designer items) in plus sizes, for curvy ladies. For the style business to nonetheless not be on top of things on what is occurring in the actual world made it onerous for me to search out numerous the issues that have been wanted.”
Understanding her challenges, Bounds utilized her inventive {and professional} contact all through the collection with creating items that have been wanted to be created, reached out to totally different designers to obtain specialised unique clothes, and took the treasure of discovering unfamiliar manufacturers to ensure the crew have been styled to the T.
Though not shocking, Bounds’ empathy in direction of not having as many obtainable plus measurement designer manufacturers to select from for this mission helped me to wish to ask myself, “What’s the maintain up with the style business?”
With a profession that has stylishly stretched from the early 2000s, Keia Bounds has labored with actors comparable to Jack Black, Dave Chapelle, and Edie Falco, and tv collection like “The Get Down” and “BMF.”
“I might love my legacy to be about impacting the tradition in a constructive means. Whether or not the tradition be the tradition of style or the tradition of individuals of coloration, I might love to have the ability to have a stamp in there someplace.”
Keia Bounds
Getting a sneak peek in her background was shocking. Having turned from being a designer to turning into a stylist, then to costume designing, Keia Bounds has a flexibility along with her creativity that has not solely made her a pioneer but in addition given herself the power to proceed with the legacy of serving to others make an impression, working in style and magnificence throughout the tv and movie business.
Be open to the chances and be keen to study all the totally different processes with a view to work out what that one factor is that you just wish to do. ”
Keia Bounds
Bounds spoke passionately on the challenges and successes of being a dressing up designer within the movie/tv business, whereas additionally mentioning how refreshing it might be to have extra higher-ups respect and admire the artwork of costume and wardrobe styling and compensating extra for the career and expertise throughout the movie/tv business.
In the event you haven’t already, please watch Netflix’s “Survival of the Thickest” and tell us what you considered the style!
With such tv tasks as “Survival of the Thickest,” we hope to see extra indie plus measurement designer manufacturers featured and included, to serve the ever-changing society that we’re at present dwelling in.
Stylishly signing off, I’m D. Ni’Cole!
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