Ashton Michael

Ashton from Stylelikeu on Vimeo.

“Always remember that a big slice of humble pie is best with a shot of whiskey, sarcastic smurk, and realness.” Ashton Michael

occupation: designer

Ashton was born and raised in East LA, where he was a child actor, growing up on tv and movie sets. Today, the bow tie tattoo on the front of his neck, and his “Dali” moustache exclaim the dramatic, “dapper dan” in him. However, don’t let his highly visual appearance fool you, as today, Ashton is all about focusing on the background artistry, “behind the scenes.” With his partner, Marko Martone, they are center stage as the founders of The House of Infinite Radness, where performers experience a 360 in fashion and beauty styling, head-to-toe, including access to Ashton’s own “glamourized, ghetto punk” clothing line. Ashton says, “give me a treatment, give me a…

Jelone

“You’ve got to not only be able to sing a song, you’ve also got to create an art and let your audience know what you visualize when you actually sing that song. It’s about giving a whole window into your world as an artist. That’s what everyone wants now… Even if it’s a persona, there is a concept behind it.” Jelone

occupation: musician

Sitting at a pub on Portobello road near Jelone’s home, I remember feeling very conspicuous with my nose in the blackberry. It was about seven at night, with another one-third of my work day to go (as usual), while everyone else was without a visible hand held device, clearly valuing their social lives with one another, not with the person on the other side of their phone. It appears that Jelone became enamored with this subtle, but important difference in the cultures on either side of…

Ansoni

“As an artist there will always be a moment where my attention is interrupted by something around me. These forces in life that are constantly grasping our attention. They take away from our ability to really be ourselves. I try not to let them control me.” Ansoni

occupation: composer and artist

Ansoni grew up in Japan, where the structure of rituals and traditions have played a role in shaping his ideals and his appreciation for the meticulousness of deeply rooted aesthetics. Grounded, like a modern day Buddha, with his warm and dreamy inner smile, he speaks fondly of the Japanese tea ceremonies of his childhood, “they follow the rules religously…certain colors, all the ornaments have to be in the right order.” Ideologies like these helped teach him to look at things holistically, while also creating his appreciation for detail. “I find in myself, whether it is getting dressed or…

Max Hurd

“I love history, especially the French and Russian revolutions, seeing how people struggled through everyday life really puts my life into perspective.” Max Hurd

occupation: student, model

Max lives in Nottinghill, which is my favorite neighborhood in London for its classic English pubs, and, most of all, Portobello Road, a flea market that surpasses all I have ever seen and possibly the only thing that derailed our hectic shooting schedule. One of things that makes Nottinghill so appealing is the juxtaposition of the eclectic, heavenly madness of the blocks and blocks of state of the art vintage, juxtaposed with the “Mary Poppins- like” charming tree-lined streets with neoclassical, ultra aristocratic homes in varying shades of pastels. I remember looking out of the window in the back of Max’s house and admiring the very romantic Thomas Gainsborough gardens and willowy trees. It takes this kind of…

Tatum Mazzilli, Rocky Mazzilli and Louise Michielsens

There are three separate videos for this post.

“Thank you for my roots and then thank you for being here to translate it into what I feel is correct. Everyone is free to do what they want, but I still think that your identity today comes from your childhood. It always goes back. It’s like a tree.” Tatum Mazzilli

occupation: artists and designers

I have been waiting for a year to go to London and meet the the other three quarters of already featured, Tiziano Mazzilli’s ultra talented family. His daughter, Tatum (after Tatum O’Neill), his son, Rocky (after Rocky Balboa), and the mother of his children, Louise Michielsens. This family could be the emblem of what I believe is 21st century thinking: both tribal (rooted) and futuristic (breaking norms) in thought and self-expression. They work together, respect each other, have become stronger from…