Darian Darling is best known for being a lifestyle blogger and make up artist. Darian is not just a New York party girl, Darian is,to me, New York itself. Fashion savy, exciting and charismatic. Close friend of Lady Starlight, Semi Precious Weapons and Gaga herself, there is something special about Darian that stands out and draws you in much more than the circus around her. As a fan and fellow Candy Darling inspired gal I was delighted to chat to Darian.
1 - If I met you at a party, how would you describe yourself ?
A sweet vision of drunken beauty.
2 - You always seem to be on the go, what is a typical Darian day ?
Wake up in my makeup, blog/tweet/tumble/facebook, write, bake in 5" heels, get ready, go out, get gorgeously wasted, pass out.
3 - At what age did you begin to experiment with looks and make up?
When I was 6. I used to apply my mom's pink blush around my eyes in a geometric shape, pretend I was JEM from JEM and the Holograms and sing into a hairbrush. My mom was amazing at sewing and making me costumes, so I played dress up a lot!
4 - Growing up,who and what inspired you ?
I have always been inspired by beauty, glamour and strong women...and this is what continues to inspire me. Madonna was/is my biggest inspiration look wise but I've also been completely obsessed with the 80's rock star glitz of JEM and the Holograms, the ethereal beauty and DIY edge of Debbie Harry, the grunge/baby doll decadence of Courtney Love, the classic bombshell glaMOUR of Marilyn Monroe. If you put all that into a cocktail shaker with a splash of champagne....I would pour out!
5 - What was school like for you? Were you allowed to experiment with looks etc or was it strict like it is over here?
Middle school was horrifying. High school was amazing. I was a very odd kid, fat, glasses, braces, and was always tormented in middle school. However that didn't stop me from dressing up like Blond Ambition era Madonna for Halloween in 6th grade, complete with Gaultier cones that my mom made...and going to school like that. I think in a strange way the kids respected me for just fucking living and not caring what people thought...but they were still mean. Like everyone I have the obligatory dodge ball horror stories. I ended up going to a really progressive high school for social outcasts/teen misfits (punks, goths, ravers, hippies, homies, gay, straight) and the principle was punk rock with a multi-colored mohawk. Everyone was bringing serious looks. Every Friday was "Hair Dyeing Day". I'm not making that up.
6 - Where did you grow up and how did you end up in New York ?
I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area but had wanted to move to NYC since at least 10 years old. Seeing movies set in NYC like Desperately Seeking Susan, Eyes of Laura Mars, and The Warriors on late night cable really did it for me as a kid. It just all looked so exciting and glamorous and dangerous and fabulous. I had to move. HAD to!
7 - So many people are inspired you,and at the same time you are surrounded by so many inspiring characters,Semi Precious Weapons,Lady Starlight and Gaga, what is it like being surrounded by so much talent and art all the time?
Just as insane and fabulous and crazy and magical as it looks.
8 - Has there been a paticular moment yet where you have just stopped and thought 'Wow is this happening?' or has everything so far felt natural to you as you have been working hard for a long time?
Every day I think that! Hahahaha!
9 - Your blog is fantastic and quite different from others around,primarily because of the original 'Blondes' theme! Would you say that you are fascinated by blondes or was it just a fun theme to go with?
I have always been fascinated by blonde glaMOUR! The idea for the blog happened over a drunken summer brunch in 2009. I'm incredibly knowledgeable about blonde everything and have been bleaching off and on since I was 15, so I have a good stockpile of tips and advice. Also, it was an interesting theme and luckily, a fairly broad one. I seem to make nearly anything fit within the "umbrella" of BLONDE, from style to baking to decor!
10 - Where are favourite places to shop and how do you go about putting your looks together?
I love wearing vintage clothes because they are usually all one of a kind, so you will never see someone else out at night or on the street wearing the same thing. That's my worst nightmare. I love thrift stores in the 'hood, eBay, sex shops, $tripper stores, etc. Lady Starlight had also trained me to think more outside of the box and look in unexpected places, what she calls "out of context" dressing, so athletic apparel stores, 99¢ stores etc. I'm not opposed to shopping at places like H & M, Forever 21 or Top Shop, you can always find some cheap, fun pieces there but the trick is to wait a while before you wear it. That way nobody remembers where it's from.
I also was obsessed with playing with Fashion Plates as a kid. They were plastic indented illustrated plates of a model with a large variety of dresses, blouses, pants, skirts and various other fashion items. After mixing and matching until you created the perfect outfit, you'd place a piece of paper over the base, glide a black crayon over it, which would create an image of your fashion statement. You could then select from a number of textures, use colored pencils out and add color to your designs. Totally inspiring and it made me great at being able to mix and match my garments as an adult.
11 - What are your plans for the next couple of years, do you plan things or take them as they go?
Well, I'm currently writing a nightlife column about my filthy NYC exploits so I would love to continue that. I'm also working on turning my blog into a lifestyle/beauty book/media empire. The sky is the limit, really. If you can dream it, you can do it.
12 - Finally, how you like people to remember you in the future?
"She was fabulous!"
And that is exactly what Darian Darling is, fabulous. Darian is old Hollywood glamour, the excitment of Andy's Factory, the thrill of Studio 54 and the drive and brains of the future. A star that is going to continue to grow, Darian Darling is a name for everyone to remember and one that will continue to inspire me.
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