Lotus

Fashion Designer and Stylist

“DON’T LET THE GOLD YOU HAVE IN YOUR HANDS DIE. MAKE GOOD USE OF IT”

Hi! How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling great. Thank you for asking.

How did Lotus Noir start?

Lotus Noir was born at school in 2019 during my final year of studying Fashion Design. For the jury, we had to present a collection and therefore create a clothing brand. As Lotus Noir has always been my name on social media, I decided to keep it as the brand name. 

Have you always been interested in fashion?

I have loved fashion since I was little. I have always been interested in being able to create clothes from A to Z on my own. Especially being able to create whatever comes to mind.

Your bio states: “Vous ne pouvez pas épuiser votre créativité.” How do you keep your creativity flowing, even on days where it feels harder?

To keep this creative spirit alive, I try to nourish myself with art. This can be photography, museums, music, books, fashion documentaries, but above all, travelling. Seeing new things that I don't see in my daily life is a great source of inspiration for me.

What’s the process from idea to finished piece at Lotus Noir? Sneak us in: mood boards, sketches, fittings …

The process depends on my mood. Sometimes I start with the order I learned at school: keywords, mood board, sketches, fabric selection, etc. And sometimes I do it my way, starting with sketches first, and little by little the vision becomes clearer once I tackle the mood board and fabric selection.

Do you have an accessory that you wear yourself that carries a special meaning?

Not particularly. But if there's one accessory I really love wearing, it's sunglasses. They're the only accessory that defines me. I've been a fan of sunglasses since I was a kid.

What materials or textures do you love working with the most?

I really like denim. I find it's quite an easy fabric to work with and you can create some really beautiful and unique pieces with it.

Maybe a bit random, but do you have a favorite color?

I am often asked this question, and I find it a shame to have to disappoint people by saying no. For a long time, pink was part of my personal style, and then suddenly I no longer had a favourite colour.

Your fashion feels artistic and powerful. Where do you usually find your inspiration?

My life and what I see around me are things that inspire me a lot and which, perhaps indirectly, have become a huge source of inspiration for my creations. For me, what I create must always have meaning and significance in my eyes.

How important are socials for you , and what do you want people to feel when they see Lotus Noir online?

It's true that what I've posted on my Instagram page has allowed a lot of people to discover Lotus Noir, and I know I should be a little more active on there too. But what's important to me is that when someone comes across my page and sees my creations, they can see the art and even understand the vision behind my creations and the message behind them. That they can see that I create not just for the sake of creating, but above all to share my world with others.

If you could collaborate with any artist, stylist or brand (locally or internationally), who would it be and why?

As brands, I would choose Pyer Moss, Maison Chateau Rouge, Blédard, Madua Buchi and Thebe Magugu, and as artists, I would definitely choose Grace Jones, Lous and the Yakuza, Solange Knowles, Lauryn Hill and Rihanna. The stylist I would love to collaborate with is Zerina Akers. These are people and brands that inspire me a lot. They always come up with bold, artistic outfits that I love.

What’s coming up next for Lotus Noir?

That's a very good question. As you may have noticed, I've been out of the picture for a little while, but I want you to know that Lotus Noir is anything but dead and is preparing its big comeback before the end of the world, I promise!

Tell us something to inspire the culture!

As a final word, I would like to say: stop putting pressure on yourselves. Don't let social media get to your head. If you don't feel ready yet, don't force yourselves to do anything. Take the time you need to improve your art, but don't let that wait stop you from pursuing your projects. Dare to take the first steps, dare to fail, dare to fall on your face, but above all, get back up and keep going. If you need to start over, do it, but never give up. Don't let the gold you have in your hands die. Make good use of it. Later on, you'll be proud that you didn't give up.