20 Of New York's Coolest Influencers Share Their New Year's Resolutions
Part of the R29 ethos is keeping tabs on the Lagerfelds, the Gagas, the Wangs, and the Wintours, all while eyeing the young blood set to be the Next Big Things to obsess over. So, while we say goodbye to the old, there is no better way to welcome in the new than with our list of 20 of New York's next-wave tastemakers, gamechangers, and superstars, and their hopes for the year to come. If we may say so ourselves (and we will!), no city is more multidisciplinary than the Big Apple — the place where fashion, art, food, and music all take turns influencing each other — so we hand-picked the creative leaders that represent what being a New Yorker is all about: big ideas, bigger plans, and a whole heap of talent! You'll want to next level your own New Year's goals after eyeing these fresh to-dos — they're all on track to have a groundbreaking 2012.
Asher Levine
While 2010 introduced us to the "Gaga Designers," those handpicked by the Lady and Nicola Formichetti to represent the superstar's style, 2011 got to see which one of them really had the chops. Asher Levine's rise has been meteoric, from a club kid with a penchant for leather to a designer with one of the hardest to obtain tickets to Fashion Week. His edgy menswear and his permanent place in Gaga's roster makes him a new New York staple.
His New Year's Resolution: "Make more clothes, make more money, make more fun. And to live past the apocalypse in 2012!"
Holy Ghost!
New York experienced a helluva loss this year when institution LCD Soundsystem broke up. But right there, ready to take the dance-rock mantle, was Holy Ghost!, a NYC-based group raised on DFA Records. Headed up by all-around cool (and adorbz!) dudes Alex Frankel and Nick Millhiser, these musicians are the future of dance music, and the future looks good.
Alex's New Year's Resolution: "We've been on tour for 18 months, with almost no real resting period at home. So, my first real New Year's resolution is to make up for lost time and spend as much time as I can eating, hanging, and dancing with my friends and family here in New York City. Beyond that, I have a laundry list of personality flaws that need to be overcome, but I won't bore the world with my Jewish neurosis. I'll save that for the next album!"
Nick's New Year's Resolution: "Not leave my taxes until April 14, take more Polaroids, organize my existing hundreds of Polaroids which I've been putting off for years and probably — PROBABLY — quit smoking. I've always told myself I'd quit at 30 which is an age that is sneaking up on me very, very quickly. No promises, Mom."
Frankie Rose
Frankie Rose is Brooklyn music. Having been a driving force in some of our favorite bands — Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls, and the Vivian Girls — Rose has now gone solo and continues to impress us with her rocker machinations and totally amazing, cool-girl-next-door style!
Her New Year's Resolution: "I have never made a New Year's resolution and I doubt that will ever change. I am a work in progress and a date on a calendar doesn't mean much to me. However, looking forward, if I could modify anything, I suppose I wouldn't mind spending more time noticing the good things in front of me rather then waste time worrying about the bad things that have already happened or could potentially happen in the future. "
Jean-Michel Cazabat:
We've always been fans of this New York shoe designer, but something happened this year. Something clicked. Amidst Wang wedges and Miu Miu pumps, his sky-high heels have become a well-crafted alternative that we've simply been drooling over.
His New Year's Resolution: "My New Year's resolutions are to stop drinking wine and cocktails at least the first three months of the year. I would also like to do an herbal blood detox — I did it last year at the same time and you feel so good! (Of course, no caffeine with this diet either.)
Even though my job requires me to travel, I hope to spend more time at my Bleecker Street flagship store because I love being there and communicating directly with my customers. And I hope to spend the maximum amount of time with my fianceé, Tess, who I love!"
Mary Meyer:
Brooklyn designer Mary Meyer has had quite a year. Not only is she the go-to for singers like EMA or Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino for her cozy, easy-to-wear BK staples, but she also opened her own brick-and-mortar and teamed up with our Reserve program for a jaw-dropping sale. Just another reason why Brooklyn is simply poppin'!
Her Resolution: "I'm looking forward to going to the Dominican Republic with my boyfriend in January. I'm super stoked to be on a tropical beach in the middle of the NYC winter. Also I'm really excited for my spring '12 collection to come out in March: it's the collection I'm most proud of and I resolve to enjoy it when it hits the streets."
Photographed by Aaron Cobbett, Photo: Courtesy of Holy Ghost! Photographed by Lauren Bilanko, Photo: Courtesy of Jean-Michel Cazabat, Photographed by Jason Eric Hardwick
Asher Levine
While 2010 introduced us to the "Gaga Designers," those handpicked by the Lady and Nicola Formichetti to represent the superstar's style, 2011 got to see which one of them really had the chops. Asher Levine's rise has been meteoric, from a club kid with a penchant for leather to a designer with one of the hardest to obtain tickets to Fashion Week. His edgy menswear and his permanent place in Gaga's roster makes him a new New York staple.
His New Year's Resolution: "Make more clothes, make more money, make more fun. And to live past the apocalypse in 2012!"
Holy Ghost!
New York experienced a helluva loss this year when institution LCD Soundsystem broke up. But right there, ready to take the dance-rock mantle, was Holy Ghost!, a NYC-based group raised on DFA Records. Headed up by all-around cool (and adorbz!) dudes Alex Frankel and Nick Millhiser, these musicians are the future of dance music, and the future looks good.
Alex's New Year's Resolution: "We've been on tour for 18 months, with almost no real resting period at home. So, my first real New Year's resolution is to make up for lost time and spend as much time as I can eating, hanging, and dancing with my friends and family here in New York City. Beyond that, I have a laundry list of personality flaws that need to be overcome, but I won't bore the world with my Jewish neurosis. I'll save that for the next album!"
Nick's New Year's Resolution: "Not leave my taxes until April 14, take more Polaroids, organize my existing hundreds of Polaroids which I've been putting off for years and probably — PROBABLY — quit smoking. I've always told myself I'd quit at 30 which is an age that is sneaking up on me very, very quickly. No promises, Mom."
Frankie Rose
Frankie Rose is Brooklyn music. Having been a driving force in some of our favorite bands — Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls, and the Vivian Girls — Rose has now gone solo and continues to impress us with her rocker machinations and totally amazing, cool-girl-next-door style!
Her New Year's Resolution: "I have never made a New Year's resolution and I doubt that will ever change. I am a work in progress and a date on a calendar doesn't mean much to me. However, looking forward, if I could modify anything, I suppose I wouldn't mind spending more time noticing the good things in front of me rather then waste time worrying about the bad things that have already happened or could potentially happen in the future. "
Jean-Michel Cazabat:
We've always been fans of this New York shoe designer, but something happened this year. Something clicked. Amidst Wang wedges and Miu Miu pumps, his sky-high heels have become a well-crafted alternative that we've simply been drooling over.
His New Year's Resolution: "My New Year's resolutions are to stop drinking wine and cocktails at least the first three months of the year. I would also like to do an herbal blood detox — I did it last year at the same time and you feel so good! (Of course, no caffeine with this diet either.)
Even though my job requires me to travel, I hope to spend more time at my Bleecker Street flagship store because I love being there and communicating directly with my customers. And I hope to spend the maximum amount of time with my fianceé, Tess, who I love!"
Mary Meyer:
Brooklyn designer Mary Meyer has had quite a year. Not only is she the go-to for singers like EMA or Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino for her cozy, easy-to-wear BK staples, but she also opened her own brick-and-mortar and teamed up with our Reserve program for a jaw-dropping sale. Just another reason why Brooklyn is simply poppin'!
Her Resolution: "I'm looking forward to going to the Dominican Republic with my boyfriend in January. I'm super stoked to be on a tropical beach in the middle of the NYC winter. Also I'm really excited for my spring '12 collection to come out in March: it's the collection I'm most proud of and I resolve to enjoy it when it hits the streets."
Photographed by Aaron Cobbett, Photo: Courtesy of Holy Ghost! Photographed by Lauren Bilanko, Photo: Courtesy of Jean-Michel Cazabat, Photographed by Jason Eric Hardwick
