TORN

Photo by Sean Sullivan

Let me introduce you to a very dear friend of mine, filmmaker Jenna Elizabeth. She is equally as talented as she is cool and I'm excited to share her thoughts with you here. Her passion and intellect make her what I believe to be one of the best of her generation. Enjoy!

x Kat

KT: What do you do?

JE:I am a filmmaker.

KT: Where are you from?

JE:Where sun meets smog, Los Angeles.

KT: How do you describe your look?

JE:I prefer a clean silhouette that has opposite exaggerated proportions. Typically it starts with a structured jacket and ends with a great pair of jeans. 

KT: What or who inspires you?

JE:Roald Dahl's short stories and Gottfried Helnwein's art.

KT: Did you grow up with fashion or when did you get into it?

JE:My grandmother was a runway model turned fashion illustrator. She was always the one growing up that taught me to invest in key basics. My personal attraction to fashion started with film, I remember my style changing greatly after seeing Fellini movies as a teenager. There was an elegance in 60s films that has sort has been lost over time. I remember saving up my money- working in the summers, and splurging on a vintage Dior corset and Tom Ford for Gucci skirt - which I wore to prom. 

KT: Where do you like to shop?

JE:Tokio 7 in NY is great for unexpected finds.

KT: Do you shop online? If yes which sites?

JE:Huge fan of ebay.

KT: What is your favorite piece you from your closet?

JE:Well the piece that is my staple is my PHI motorcycle jacket - but my most valued piece has to be the thigh high lotus boots from Tom Ford's last collection for Yves Saint Laurent.

KT: What is your favorite vacation spot?

JE:A movie theater. The best vacations are escapes from my own head. I feel like every time I'm on a real vacation all I can do is think about work. So the real luxury for me is being able to just lose myself, even if it is just for two hours.

KT: What kind of music do you listen to?

JE:Everything from Trent Reznor to The Clash. Right now, to be fair, according to my iTunes, my most played song as of late is House of Pain's "Put Your Head Out". 

KT: Best Gift you have ever received?

JE:Signed copy of Hedi Slimane's Rock Diary.

KT: You look very fit .Do you do sports?

JE:Schedule permitting, yoga. But most of my exercise comes from walking as much as I can in NY. I feel like that's the beauty of the city- you get to interact with people on the street. I much prefer walking to taking the subway.

KT: If you could steal a piece from someone elses closet what would it be?

JE: Rolex oyster perpetual submariner watch from 1960s James Bond

KT: Which modern day personas style do you admire?

JE:I've always admired Charlotte Gainsbourg. She always looks elegant yet effortless.

KT: Do you read Blogs? Which ones?

JE: I'm really into Richard Lawson. He used to write for Gawker, now he writes for The Atlantic Wire. I feel like he has a refreshing point of view on pop culture. The way he writes, makes me feel like I am having lunch with him. I've never met him, but I wish we were friends in real life.

KT: Which Magazines do you read? Any favorite?

JE:Love & Vogue Italia

KT: Where do you like to eat in the city? lunch and dinner?

JE: Lunch- I am a huge sucker for the pasta over at Bar Pitti. Dinner- La Grenouille… the presentation and taste is met with the best service. They also have the most beautiful floral arrangements from any restaurant in New York. 

KT: Where would you go for a date?

JE: Best date I've ever been on was a James Brown tribute at Roseland Ballroom - the funk and soul night. Dance till you're drenched. 

Photo by Terry Richardson

KT: Do you go out? if yes where to?

JE: Bowery hotel for drinks. 

KT: What is your beauty routine?

JE: I have raccoon eyes- so my routine is centered on under eye concealer, and black eye-liner. Occasionally some blush. For me, it is all about having good skin. I try to get a facial once a month, and am a huge advocate of spf moisturizer. 

KT: Do you have a to go to outfit?

JE: My uniform traditionally is made up with black ankle boots, jeans, a tank top, something to layer over the tank top, and a structured jacket. If it is fall - I like to get creative with significantly oversized scarves. I hate dressing in the spring/summer. I find spring clothing for the most part, totally repulsive looking. 

KT: Do you wear jewelry? which items on daily basis?

JE: I wear three leather cuffs, a French bulldog ring, and an Edward Scissorhand necklace (slightly dangerous as it can poke people) every single day. 

KT: Which items do you purchase most? or spend most money on? food,beauty,clothes , travel anything..

JE: I'm more about investment pieces so I feel like I only really buy clothes every three- four months or so. I have not cooked anything in three years, so I guess most of my money goes towards food. 

KT: Which are your favorite designers?

JE: Right now, for me, it is all about Riccardo Tisci. Specifically, his 2011 couture collections were some of the best garments I have seen in the last decade. I think he has reinvented couture. I mean he still uses traditional techniques like the use of "cat's eye" and "caviar beading". However, there is an element of modernity that defies traditional couture, the exposed zippers, and use of light fabrics that scale like a fish. Every detail is balanced with exact precision. It challenges the movement of a woman, the lightness gives her an effortless freedom, which in turn looks powerful. I recently used a dress of his for a film with Erin Wasson. The movement of the dress was spectacular. If I could, I'd film every dress he's created.

KT: Who is your ideal women?

JE:I'm one for the Helmut Newton archetype of woman… All of his women exude a confidence and strength while still emoting sexuality. They stand with their legs apart, taking up space. They aren't hunched in a corner. I can't stand when fashion photographers make a woman look frail. 

KT; Who is your ideal man or some you think is a great male character?

JE: This is an odd juxtaposition but I have equal crushes on Peter Sellers and River Phoenix. Peter Sellers was so complex. Albeit torture, I like complicated men no matter how hard I try to avoid them. An air of mystery is attractive to me. He was so great at being everyone but himself. I've read three books about Sellers. The key with Sellers apparently was date him - but don't marry him. He was wonderful at courting women, very thoughtful with gifts but terrible with them once a ring was on their finger. River Phoenix I adore because there's a sincerity there that you don't see in most actors today. Also, he had great hair… sleepy bedhead hair that cowlicks in just the right way. Both of them never felt too "done", and have a sort of street- smart artful dodger quality. 

KT: How did you get into directing?

JE: I’ve known I wanted to be a filmmaker since a very young age. I started a film club when I was I was in high school, I restored the James Bond collection at Lowry Digital when I was sixteen, I interned for Tom Hanks’ production company Playtone, I worked at Momentum Pictures in England ... But I knew I needed to end up in New York, because I wanted to make films in participation with fashion designers. The fashion industry has its own competitive ranking system. So I slipped through the back door, and got my hands on large accounts by working in advertising. First fashion piece I made was for Yves Saint Laurent's fragrance, Belle D'Opium. Since then I have been fortunate to work with Julianne Moore, Brady Corbet, and Chanel Iman.

KT: Which director inspires you?

JE: This question to me is the equivalent of would you rather burn or freeze to death. I feel like the director that represents filmmaking in my mind is Stanley Kubrick. It wasn't just about directing for him, he was involved in every step of the process. I remember reading that there was a post production issue with Dr. Strangelove and he ended up having to re-edit the film from memory. He also negotiated his distribution deals. Kubrick has made a film in nearly every genre. Total package. I also am greatly influenced by Hal Ashby, Jacques Tati, Alain Resnais, Michelangelo Antonioni, Fritz Lang and Lindsey Anderson. Modern day filmmakers I love Jonathan Glazer, Paul Thomas Anderson, Lars Von Trier, David Fincher, Nicolas Refn, Milos Forman, and Anthony Minghella. 

KT: I know you like jewelry, if you could chose one piece what would it be for you to wear?

JE: I have a Lanvin cuff - that is essentially a square of costume jewelry that is hooked on a men's watchband. Sort of a genius juxtaposition. I only wear it on special occasions. 

KT:What is your dream location?

JE: I've always wanted to shoot at Pierre Cardin's house, Palais Bulles. I once went to a party there- it is like Dr. Seuss on Mars.