The series “Young LA” captures a certain something about the youth in LA.
A series photographed by Keitaro Cloward. Part 4 starring Lieyah, Jaz, Leia, Lola and Ailanni. Styling done by Leia Mayaan.
“It’s getting late, the music is still playing, Lola has to leave. Sitting around hanging out for one last moment before everyone goes their way.”
Keitaro:
How do you like growing up in LA, or near LA? What do you think were the pros and cons?
Lieyah:
For me, the biggest pro about growing up in LA is that I’ve realized that I’m around a lot of different cultures and a lot of different people. And with that, I feel like I’ve grown to be not ignorant and also humble. But with growing up in LA, you also see a lot of superficial people, and I think that is definitely one of the cons, because it gives you a filter. You filter how you approach different people. Those are my pros and cons.
Ailanni:
I’m very grateful to have been able to grow up in this city for very similar reasons, like having been exposed to different cultures since I was very young. Additionally, I love that this city, you can wear whatever you want, you can be yourself, you can dress whatever way you want, and you will always be accepted. Versus when I spent a couple months in DC, I always felt very weird walking out in an outfit that I liked. I felt like I would get judged, it wasn’t the norm. Whereas, living in a place like this, you can really express yourself in any way that you want.
“You need that physical interaction, and you have to be face to face to actually understand where somebody else is coming from.” Jaz
Leia:
I like being in LA because I feel like we’re so close to whatever anyone wants to get their hands on. And by that, we can talk about culture, but also geographically. If you’re a person that likes to go hiking, you can go hiking. If you’re a person that likes to go to the beach, you can do that. And it’s all pretty close to each other, to just be able to go to a different part of the city and experience something new. There’s different cultures in different areas, you make different friends in different places. And yeah, it’s nice, because if you’re a person who’s a people person and likes to be outside, it’s good for that.
Jaz:
Just piggybacking off of what you guys said, literally everything. I really enjoyed growing up by the beach, and just always finding little areas to have an adventure, or just always being in the sun. Also just as creatives, it’s really nice for us to be able to connect with different people, whether it’s through film, makeup, art, styling.
Keitaro:
What are your dreams?
Lieyah:
It’s definitely a lot. And the thing is, because I still am finding who I am, I don’t really know what that is. But as of now, and my understanding of myself at this moment, I definitely know that I really want to definitely fulfill my whole entire Capricorn self, and go into a lot of business, and go full forward with being a boss woman. Also, definitely a lot of traveling. I’ve just traveled a lot with my family anyway, that’s all I know for now, but of course there’s so much more. But until I find myself, I won’t know. So, yeah.
Ailanni:
My dream is definitely to always be in a place with endless possibilities, because I am very indecisive and I don’t really know what I want. But I’d like to know that wherever I am, I could do whatever I want. I could be in a place that if I wanted to start some career, it will be available to me and I’ll have the opportunity to do that.
Leia:
I feel like when you ask a kid that question, they feel like they have to answer one thing that they want to do. So I feel like over time, my dream has changed, but I know for sure that I don’t want to have one career per se, I would like to have two. I would like to have a day life and a nightlife, so my ideal career would be… Right now I work for Apple, and if I continue to work with them, I would like to be able to do advertising for Apple. And then at nighttime would be my own personal projects that I’m pursuing full-time, and I just think that would be really cool because I would be able to balance a stable job, but also be able to accomplish things that are on my mind and heart, that I can feel good about myself and then crossing the finish line.
Lieyah:
Yeah. I feel exactly like that, because right now I’m studying advertising and marketing, and personally my biggest career goal would definitely to be in real estate. But then at the same time, as much as that sounds like an amazing career, I would definitely want to do things for myself as well, like my little nightlife, so I agree.
Ailanni:
I was actually also concentrating in marketing when I was at college, and I love it because I definitely want to go into business, but a more creative aspect of business. I also really like psychology and I think marketing integrates psychological concepts with business concepts, because you have to know how to appeal to a certain audience and a certain age group. And so that’s also what I want.
Jaz:
For me, my dream is to just continue to explore the world, and just always have different options and varieties of living. As far as a career, my end goal is to go into film and television. I know that’s cliche, growing up in LA, but that has always been my dream. And whether it’s production or acting, or just anything behind or in front of the camera. But there’s just so much that I want to do all the time, so I just want to explore everything.
Keitaro:
So what does style mean to you?
Lieyah:
Before it used to mean fitting in. I feel like that was the biggest thing, because growing up, going to school is where I didn’t see a lot of people like me, or also just on TV, you don’t see a lot of people like you. You just want to fit in. But now it just means expressing whatever my mood is that day.
Lieyah:
So it doesn’t have to be a specific style or… I don’t know how to explain it, but whatever’s on trend, it’s whatever I feel. So if one day I’m feeling like I want to go dark, then that’s what I’m going to do because that’s my mood of the day. And if I want to feel feminine, then I’ll go for that. It just depends on what is going on inside my mind. So that’s what style means for me.
Ailanni:
I used to struggle a lot, the same way I wanted to fit in, so I would dress like whatever I thought people would like. But as I got older and I started to really grow into myself, and that’s why every time you see me, I look completely different, is because I’m still figuring myself out. I’m still figuring out what style is mine. And I’ve been grateful that I’ve been able to take advantage of that, and I think every time I have a new look, it’s an evolution. That’s how I see it.
Leia:
Yeah. I used to change my hair color every month, and I feel like every time I did it, it was new bitch, new me. But for me it was also nice because I feel like I was given… With one hair color, you’re restricted, so every month I was able to try out new stuff that I liked for myself. But I would say my favorite hairstyle is having my hair buzzed, and that’s because I see myself as… I don’t know. I guess now, in terms you would call it non-binary, but I don’t really feel comfortable with that. I like being she/her because I feel comfortable with that. But I like being able to wake up one day and feel like, “Today I feel really boyish, and I want to wear all the biggest, baggiest clothes in my closet.” Or “Today I want wear the tiniest skirt in my closet and the non-existent top from my closet.”
Leia:
So it just depends on what mood I’m in, or what character I feel like putting on for the day. But I just like being able… I’m lucky that I live in a city where I’m able to express myself, and also I have a family that’s really supportive, so it’s like I can do what I want and play with what I want.
Jaz:
I think it’s one of my favorite forms of expression. And not just for myself, but just being in an area where people are able to express their creativity and passions through their style. My favorite thing to do is just be walking downtown or something, and see somebody whose style is completely different from mine. But it’s just like I feel connected to that stranger for a second.
Jaz:
Also just that there’s no rules. You don’t really have to follow a trend, you don’t have to wear a specific type of color, it’s like what you want to do. Yeah, you just wake up and you’re like, “Oh, I want to be a bad bitch.”
Lieyah:
And you could literally time travel with it.
Jaz:
Yeah, literally.
Lieyah:
I have been loving living my early 2000s life, but then maybe I want to go back to the 70s. It’s like a little time traveling machine. Yeah.
Keitaro:
And what role do you think style plays culturally in the environment that you’re in?
Jaz:
I think living in LA plays a big role, mainly because everybody here is so different, culturally. And so I feel like… I don’t want to say a lot of other places bite, but same thing with bigger cities, like same thing with New York. It’s like it’s kind of a statement piece, in a way, where it’s like we can all be wearing whatever we want, and then other people will see that and gain inspiration, which is honestly really nice. I don’t know if that makes sense.
Leia:
Yeah, that makes sense. I was going to say for me, I’m half black, half Mexican, and in some cases I feel like I don’t really agree with the words cultural appropriation, because I live someplace where everybody shares everything. Like me going to eat food that’s not from my culture, I don’t… But they would argue one day that that’s cultural appropriation, but I think it’s cool that people share ideas and styles and stuff like that.
“Living in LA plays a big role to my style, mainly because everybody here is so different, culturally.” Jaz
Leia:
And for me, myself, I was raised mostly Mexican, and I didn’t really start to be able to embrace my black side till I went to college and had all black friends, you know what I mean? So then I started to get into doing my hair different and trying different things with my makeup, and now I’m in this weird thing where I like to clash both the Mexican and black style into one thing, it’s a fun thing for me to try to do. So I think it’s… Yeah, growing up in LA affects my style because of the friends I have, because of who raised me, yeah.
Ailanni:
Well, I think, like with any form of art express, it’s something that anybody can do, and it brings people together. It’s a very shared common interest. But I think having the ability to use any form of art expression to bring people together, I think that’s very important.
Lieyah:
I think for me, not only… The role that it plays within my own cultures is more like putting that specific community out there, because the thing is there is so many things that come from both my black side and my Asian side that are super popular, but nobody knows that that’s where it comes from. So it’s really cool that the role that style can play is putting this culture on a map, and becoming the blueprint, basically, for what’s the coolest thing now.
Leia:
Yeah, and sharing it with other people.
Lieyah:
Yeah, exactly. Which I think is super cool when it comes to my cultures, but in general, talking about LA culture, I think that it just goes back to the form of expression and the way that people can, like everyone else was saying, melt together. And I feel like that’s why you call LA the melting pot, because it’s just everyone coming from everywhere, just showing what their style from their culture means. And being able to incorporate… I don’t know, aspects from their own city or aspects from other people’s cultures around them, and making something new, which I think is really cool. It’s a lot. And also being raised by Spanish mother, that’s like a completely different world, all different types of things.
Keitaro:
What’s the first moment that you can remember that style or fashion played a part in your life? Like helped you get by or something, made a new friend because of it, or anything.
Leia:
I started sewing when I was really younger. No one in my family sewed except my grandma, but she passed away when I was four, and around seven, I started picking up sewing. And my mom bought me a sewing machine, because I used to make… I used to take old jeans that no one wanted around the house and cut them up and make clothes, like whole outfits for my Barbie dolls. So that was kind of pivotal for me, and then also I remember one time I made a pair of shoes out of cardboard and string. You know those Greek shoes?
Leia:
I made a pair of those and just started walking around the house. My dad was like, “You made those?” and I was like, “Yeah, I just saw some cardboard and string.” And he was like, “Those are incredible.” So I just feel like I’ve always really liked clothes, and dressing up for me is like playing different characters, and I kind of like playing with that.
Lieyah:
Yeah, same for me. My parents were just… I feel like I was kind of born into getting into the fashion industry, because my parents met off Rodeo Drive. They were both working in two different departments, one at Ralph Lauren, one at Versace. And because of that, I would go to my mom’s work and be in the tailor shop downstairs, and the people that were working there taught me how to sew as well. So I sewed from a young age, making my dolls clothes and everything. And then when my dad was done with that, he had his own little clothing line, and we would go to this place called Jet Rag in LA and do the $1 Sundays, and completely revamp these really old clothes.
Lieyah:
And so when I was three, I was walking around with little boy’s suit jackets with pink letters painted on the back of my jacket, saying brat or whatever, but it was something cool, it wasn’t offensive. But it was very cool. So then I remember when it was career day in kindergarten, and everyone was saying, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” At the time I said fashion designer because I became in love with it. It was something that was so cool, and it was a different form of art. It wasn’t what everyone thought was art at five years old, which was painting. It was making your own clothes and making them yours. And that’s why I’m so excited to have a sewing machine now, because I’m going to relive that little five year old dream.
Keitaro:
We’re excited for you to have a sewing machine.
Lieyah:
Thank you.
Jaz:
I just remember being around nine or 10 when those GirlsGoGames dropped, or WeWorld. Just where you can style your own character, and just have all these different options, and buy clothes and sell the clothes. So that inspired me, because growing up, I really didn’t have or I didn’t come from a lot of money. So probably up until I graduated high school, I wasn’t able to express myself through clothing as much as I do now.
Jaz:
But also my grandparents. Both of my grandmas, they have never repeated an outfit, like ever in my life. So I would see that growing up, and I’m like, “I want to be just like you. I want to just layer accessories and just always have different shoes.” So big inspo.
Lieyah:
Definitely. Especially when it comes to my black side, and I see all my grandma’s… just her church Sunday clothes. She has the hat, but she has a huge box for her hat, matching shoes and everything, but it’s completely coordinated thing and I’m like, “Okay, there it is. I know-
Jaz:
That’s the life that I want to live right there.
Lieyah:
I know, exactly.
Leia:
She taught me to match your shoes with your purse.
Lieyah:
Exactly. Yeah, coordination and everything. So, yeah.
“Art Forms made me so much more confident as a person.” Ailanni
Ailanni:
I guess maybe recently, honestly, was a pivotal passion moment for me. I started go to the Goodwill bins a lot in New York. I go probably every single weekend, and my closet has tripled in size, and I’m buying clothes that are a dollar, two dollars. And I think what I realized, that my friend’s like, “You found this? How did you find this?” I’m like, “I go and I post up for two hours.” It’s aggressive, you got to get in there and start ripping things apart. That’s when I realized I think I have an eye for picking things out that people would like.
Ailanni:
But I think me realizing that I kind of have a knack for just… Or just the patience to really go and look for it has been like, “Okay, this is something I could see myself doing.” And maybe it gets me excited. And it’s pretty rare that I come across something that I’m like, “Okay, I’m good at it and I actually like doing it. I could see myself doing this.”
Keitaro:
What would be a thing you would like to change about the fashion industry or the way we interact with the fashion industry if you could?
Leia:
I would just say different. I feel like bigger brands like to pride themselves in tradition, and so I feel like I would like to see the Gucci’s… And I’m not just talking about regular brands, because I feel like regular brands that are just trying to get off the ground. You were talking about Parade earlier. Parade’s a brand that likes to try new things, I can’t really think of anyone else right now. But bigger brands that you’ve known just your whole life and have been around for hundreds of years, I’d like to see them try things that are different. Because they really set the standard for what style is for everyone else down below, and if we expect to see big changes for opening doors for people that look different, that are different…
Leia:
I went to a show, for example, and I saw two models with disabilities. And this is a small time LA Fashion Week show, nothing major, but I saw two models with disabilities walking the runway, and everyone in the crowd was going so crazy for them walking down the runway. It was the cutest moment, and I was like, “This should be normal.” Everybody should just be able to do something that you normally don’t see, because that’s what life is like outside, and I feel like capturing that would be a lot cooler.
Lieyah:
I think we were talking about this earlier too, when it comes to the point of view of certain things. Like in terms of brands incorporating diversity, the diversity should be shown from the point of view of that community being represented. Just because, as much as we do see more representation, it’s not accurate, I would say sometimes. But just in general, I would like to see less labeling. Like a girl should be able to wear a certain thing and not still be labeled slutty. She should be able to embrace her femininity.
Lieyah:
And same goes for if you want to embrace something that isn’t yours, sexuality-wise or gender-wise. Like me wanting to wear something that is labeled for a man shouldn’t have to be like, “Oh, she’s wearing that.” It should just be a piece of clothing, and not a men’s piece of clothing, and same goes for the other way around. So yeah, I would like to see less labeling and more… I don’t know, appreciation.
Ailanni:
I think that I was going to say something pretty similar. I think maybe it’s just because I’ve only been in LA and New York, but I feel like it’s starting to get better with people aren’t labeling clothes, and not assigning it to a specific gender. But I’m thinking more outside of the US. I know my family in Mexico, or even just when I see my family and I come in baggy clothes or something like that. They’re like, “Oh, I like seeing you in tighter things,” or like, “You never dress that feminine anymore.” And I feel like it needs not just in the US, but Mexico and other countries all over the world should also share that idea, that clothes don’t need to have any sort of rules, they don’t need to belong to specific gender, they don’t need to look a certain way on someone.
Leia:
I think that’s why I said bigger brands, because if kids who are reading magazines in Mexico are looking at Prada, they’re looking at Gucci. And if they were to see a man in a skirt, it wouldn’t be like this dude’s wearing a skirt, it’d be like, “Oh, he looks so cute.” You know what I mean?
Lieyah:
Yeah. And also because those are the brands, when you look at their runway shows, you see all these clothing pieces, but you’re like, “Will this be flattering on another body type, will this be flattering on this skin tone?” It’s not enough of… I don’t know, there’s not-
Jaz:
Like make it more inclusive.
Lieyah:
Exactly, there’s so many questions about that. As much as it’s beautiful when you do see it, once you actually realize, “Will that even work on me?” it kind of sucks because… yeah.
Jaz:
Yeah, I think you guys hit it, now it needs to be repeated.
“I feel through conversation and being open enough to hear things that you’re not used to, we should be able to kind of figure out somewhere in the middle that everyone feels good and comfortable.” Leia
Keitaro:
What are the good and bad things about living and growing up in this generation?
Leia:
I think, just really quick, what we were talking about earlier is we’ve gone from being super, super closed off about things, to now super, super open and trying to… Almost so okay with things that it’s now excluding people again. So I think in this time period, just being able to look at where we’ve been and where we are, and try to find some sort of middle ground so everyone kind of feels like it works for them. And I know the point of a utopia is that everyone’s opinion of what that is is different, but I feel through conversation and being open enough to hear things that you’re not used to, we should be able to kind of figure out somewhere in the middle that everyone feels good and comfortable.
Lieyah:
I don’t know. I guess for me, it’s more like there’s pros and cons to all the controversy that is so easily brought up, I feel like with this generation that we have, because there are problems that have needed to be adjusted for years, decades, or centuries, that are being brought up, and people have more of an understanding for it. But then there are also certain things that I feel like some people fail to recognize, because you focus so much on the controversy itself that you don’t realize who’s actually being affected. I don’t really know how to explain it, but there’s just a lot. It’s very dramatic, I would say. I don’t really know… Because I feel like you look back and things look so easy going, but then you’re also like, “Okay,” but maybe people also didn’t have as much as an understanding for certain things, so it’s like I wouldn’t know what to say.
Lieyah:
But I also appreciate the fact that you can see a lot of different people, see a lot of different people mixing, for example. Like I know that for my parents, it was probably not the best idea for them to have a baby together because it’s the whole idea of race mixing and everything, but now I can feel comfortable having a boyfriend whose white, because my boyfriend is white, and not have to have all that judgment that, for example, my parents did. So I guess that’s a cool thing about this generation.
Keitaro:
How do you feel that the art forms that you’re involved in help you communicate growth in your life?
Ailanni:
Well, I think it’s made me so much more confident as a person. I finally feel like the way that I look, it matches my personality. I finally feel like you can see that in myself. I am communicating who I am as a person. I try to embody myself with what I wear. It’s not just clothes to me, to me it is a form of art expression.
Lieyah:
When it comes to modeling, that was definitely… As soon as I started, I realized that was my pivotal moment where I started to realize my worth a little bit more. Because I always had struggles with that and always doubted myself a lot, but when I started to put myself out there, I realized that I’m a lot more than what I think I am. And also, in terms of, like Ailanni was saying, when it comes to styling, because like I said, I think that’s an art in itself, it shows my growth in a way where I can hold on to things that really mean a lot to me, and also let go of the things that are not good for me.
Lieyah:
So when it comes to me being able to finally wear my dad’s clothes, for example, because he passed away, that shows a lot of growth for me, personally, because I can move forward instead of trying to hide that part of my life. Or when it comes to… I don’t know, holding up a piece of clothing that really brings me back to a bad time in my life, I can just get rid of it and move forward. So I guess those are certain things like that. And now with sewing, I can create something new for myself, and be proud of myself.
Jaz:
I feel like just in general, when I first started doing make up, I wasn’t as confident working on other people’s faces and just having them trust me, like creating a whole look or whatever, but now it’s way easier to just jump in. And also communicating with people, always meeting new people.
Keitaro:
So doing more things remotely this last year, diving into the virtual world the spaces seems to be more of the norm, but if you were born in the future where it’s an accelerated version of now, what would be that one real life moment that you would want to make sure to experience in the real life and not some metaverse reality. What would that one moment be?
Leia:
Oh, that’s so dark.
Leia:
I feel like dates with my friends, and dates with my boyfriend, and dates with my family, I feel like quality time, we’re not Zoom calling. I need to feel you, touch you, I need to… we need to exchange airs and smells and make food for each other, and stuff like that. I can’t imagine doing that virtually, that would sound really sucky.
“… I don’t think we realize how much social interaction, in person, really makes a big difference. Because when I was doing college online, compared to now finally being in person, I just felt so much better about life in general.” Lieyah
Lieyah:
And also I feel like it really would mess with the way our brains develop, because I don’t think we realize how much social interaction, in person, really makes a big difference. Because when I was doing college online, compared to now finally being in person, I just felt so much better about life in general. I had to force myself to actually communicate and participate in things. Instead of being in class on my laptop, I could just close it and be like, “I’m done for the day.” It was like I actually have to put myself in the situation, because that’s just what life is.
Leia:
And just getting ready for school, honestly, like getting clothes on, right?
Ailanni:
Actually the quality of learning online is not the same. I have to teach everything to myself, pretty much, and it’s so easy to just be like, “Oh, I’m just going to roll off and fall asleep, they can’t see me.” But if you’re in class, it’s the discipline of having to be there and actually sitting there and doing the work.
Leia:
Yeah. I’ve become a shittier student because I don’t want to say.
Ailanni:
Yeah. Online school made me be like, “Okay, I don’t…” I was such a good student and I used to love of learning, and it totally took the magic out of that.
Lieyah:
Yeah. And meeting people, in general. It’s so nice to finally be in a environment where there’s a bunch of people on the same path as me, in terms of not knowing who they fully are, but trying to find themselves, and also having very similar backgrounds or goals, personalities, all that. So it’s really cool to be around other people like that because you don’t feel alone, in your room.
Jaz:
Yeah. And like you said, you need that physical interaction, and you have to be face to face to actually understand where somebody else is coming from.
Lieyah:
Exactly, emotions and everything, because… And that’s why I felt so bad for professors on Zoom, because everyone has their cameras off. On Zoom, you have the option to have your camera off. So as much as it sounds like you can be face to face, half the time-
Ailanni:
It’s just awkward. Also Zoom class is so awkward, and people feel… Like the professor feels obligated to, like he would in class, like, “Why don’t you tell me what you think about this?”, then it’s just silence, dead air.
Lieyah:
Yeah. Or like breakout rooms.
Leia:
Yeah, breakout rooms are so trash.
Ailanni:
They’re so awkward. I’ve been in ones where no one talks. I think the whole time everyone’s cameras off, you’re like, “Okay.” Yeah. And I’m the person where I feel obligated to make the professor feel good. We did something, so then I started delegating stuff for other people to do, and I’m just like, “No, I just an a-hole. I’m not trying to boss you guys around, but this is so uncomfortable.”
Lieyah:
Yeah, definitely. I find myself talking a lot because nobody else is talking, but then I’m like, “Oh, I’m being that annoying person, or I’m being a teacher’s bet.” And I’m not trying to do that, but I just feel bad because nobody’s talking, and then the professor’s sitting there, not being able to also enjoy their job of being an educator. So yeah, I don’t know.
Keitaro:
Cool. I think that was a good way to end it. Anything else you’d like to leave us with?
Jaz:
Final thought, love what you do, do what you love, purrrrrrr.
TALENTS: @Lieyahali @Jazzrockmc @Lei.ugh @Lolakruegerr @Ai1anni
MUA: Jaz @Jazzrockmc
STYLIST: Leia Mayaan @Lei.ugh
PHOTOGRAPHY: Keitaro Cloward @keitarocloward
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