As much as Instagram can be a great source of inspiration and fun, it can often feel like drowning in a pool of sameness. After scrolling through similar images of Levi 501s and Adam Selman sunglasses, things can get boring. This makes it all the more refreshing to find someone who stands out, not for doing anything radical, but by keeping it simple. Cecilia Gorgon is one of those people whose profile keeps me double tapping. With the perfect mix of patterns, colours and glowing selfies, her profile reads more like a moodboard. Keep on scrolling to read about the role art plays in her life and her commitment to sustainability.
Who is Cecilia Gorgon?
I am a biracial woman from Detroit, Michigan. I’m also an artist. I’m deeply interested in, and committed to living a more sustainable life. Getting better at living sustainably has kind of been my mission all summer.
What's the first thing you do every morning?
Honestly the first thing I do is probably check my phone! It’s kind of a sad habit, but that’s what I do...it’s so difficult not to. After that I drink some water and take my vitamins, and try to wake up. I’m not naturally a morning person, but I really want to be.
Describe your style in three words
Classic, feminine, personal
When was your interest in art first sparked? How did that lead to your choice to study Fine Arts in university? I’ve been interested in art for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is of drawing apples on the kitchen floor. They looked like cherries, but I think that’s pretty good for 3 years old! I was always drawing since then, and one day it just kind of hit me that that’s what I wanted to do with my life. Since then, my interests have evolved, but are still very much connected to art, and being creative. How does art inspire your everyday life? Aside from the obvious aspects of being in art school (researching artists both in the past and in the present, and drawing inspiration from them), art is a huge source of inspiration for my sense of style. Color palettes and textures that I interact with through art play a huge role in the way that I style myself and the space around me. What made you decide to start a Youtube channel? What would you like it to be? I watch a lot of YouTubers. Probably too many! I was just feeling really inspired by them and that made me want to make some videos of my own. I think it’s really interesting to document life, and I like the idea of videos as diary entries of what I was interested at specific points in time. I want my channel to be a space for me to express myself, to document my life, and to talk about things that are important to me.
How do you deal with popularity that you've recently gained? I don’t think about it too often because it’s usually not something that I interact with outside of Instagram or the internet. I try not to think about it too much because I want to just continue making/posting things for myself. I don’t want my Instagram to look like the Instagram of someone who is trying to sell things, I want it to look like me. Favourite genre of music? I have always loved Trip Hop, bands like Portishead and Massive Attack, but right now I’m into sounds that are a bit lighter. I’ve been listening to a lot of Gonjasufi lately! Who inspires you? So many people! In terms of style I feel really inspired by the women I see on Instagram [like] Paloma Elsesser, Jeanne Damas, and Rachel Nguyen. My favorite artist, now and forever, is Maira Kalman. Her illustrations are so incredible, each of them is it’s own little world.
How did you first get interested in sustainable and ethical fashion? I was always interested in fashion. I’ve been reading Vogue since middle school, so it’s something that has been on my mind for ages. I also really care about my impact on the environment, and on the lives of others. I recently watched the documentary The True Cost, which just solidified a lot of the thoughts I was already having. I don’t want to be a part of a system that takes advantage of others, or the planet. Why is the slow fashion movement important to you? There are so many reasons I think slow fashion is important. For the obvious ethical and sustainable reasons, but also because I want my wardrobe to really be a reflection of me. I want the pieces I own to feel personal and meaningful. How do you plan to #WearTheChange?
This time last year I decided to stop buying fast fashion. I’m proud to say that I haven’t since then! I feel much more love for the pieces that I’ve acquired since then, and I plan to continue growing that love.
@ceciliagorgon
