By AquilaDellaNotte Kondor
Poptart Lilliehook is an example of a self made woman in Second Life, one of the most important members of the fashion world in SL: Chief Marketing Officer of LeeZu! (formerly LeeZu Baxter Designs), Owner and CEO of Modavia Fashion Marketing, Chief Editor of the Modavia Fashion Directory, Modavia Supermodel, MAD Agency model, InStyle model ...Glance model ....Faces model... the list goes on... Poptart was recently nominated for the Runway Model of the Year award and is a favourite on the catwalk of many of the leading designers in SL. Poptart also recently announced that she will be launching a new venture, together with Payton Heron, which will take Modavia into an entirely new segment of the market. Modavia Productions came into being in April 2009 to fill the gap left by Runway Productions which closed its doors a short while ago. Modavia Productions will focus on industry events like the spring and fall New York Fashion Weeks, seasonal revues and special interest showcases. I met Poptart Lilliehook at the Modavia HQ in Second Life. She lives in the same sim, at the opposite side of the Modavia HQ. She accepted to have this meeting to answer a number of questions that every SL resident is probably curious about.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: Poptart, I think fashion is one of the most interesting activities in SL, what is your opinion?
Poptart Lilliehook: Yes there are a lot of very creative people here.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: I wish to know something about your professional history in SL, in the fashion world.
Poptart Lilliehook: Okay,.... well. I started as a model - working my way up through the agencies as many do. My first inspiration, when I was a new SL resident, was landing one day in the LBD - LeeZu Baxter Designs store, I suddenly found myself surrounded by all these amazing designs - like nothing I had ever seen in SL, or RL for that matter. LeeZu at the time had a leopard in her store, and I sat on her couch in the store and just stared. I never dreamt such clothes existed, and I decided there, sitting by this leopard, that I wanted to be a part of the fashion world. This was back in July or August 2007.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: I know you are a marketing consultant in RL…
Poptart Lilliehook: I have always approached SL in the same way as RL. I have the same belief system and the same values, here as in real life, so I knew I would have to put in the work to get anywhere in SL.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: Were you attracted by those wonderful clothes and creations, or by the people that work in this world?
Poptart Lilliehook: Both really, creative people are interesting, and stimulating.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: so you started as a model....
Poptart Lilliehook: I spent the next year developing a career as a model and studying the couture fashion market. I went to every show and every shop, read all I could find about this world.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: was it a planned career or just something that developed?
Poptart Lilliehook: I cannot really say it was planned when I joined SL, but shortly after discovering LBD I made a very conscious decision, to learn how the fashion market works in SL.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: so, LBD was very important for you…
Poptart Lilliehook: Yes, as you mentioned, I am a marketing professional in RL and it was intriguing for me to see how RL techniques and strategies worked in SL, I later got the marketing role at LeeZu Baxter Designs (now LeeZu!) which was a very exciting step for me.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: Poptart, this is a critical aspect in a virtual world, don't you think that this is a game, a fantastic world?
Poptart Lilliehook: No, I dont - people like LeeZu and many others, make their living here. SL supports them and their families, it is very very real in many ways. I am always conscious that there are real people behind the avatars, who can be disappointed or hurt. I know how terribly hard the designers work to put things in their shops, how they hope people will like their things.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: lots of people work in the fashion world in SL.
Poptart Lilliehook: ....how discouraged they can get sometimes. The models of course too put a lot of themselves into their work.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: there are also not very able people in this world, not all are good designers.
Poptart Lilliehook: Well SL is the same as RL, not everybody is the best of course.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: what are the characteristics to became an high level model, for you?
Poptart Lilliehook: Hard work and discipline, and a sense of style. If you've got those you can succeed, a lot of new models don't realize it is very hard work and a big time commitment.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: hard work, the principle rule, I understand. But what do you mean by discipline, in this case?
Poptart Lilliehook: Well you need to be on time and prepared for engagements - which means you need to be disciplined in planning your schedule and meticulous about fitting and styling so that you are completely ready to perform when you are called to. If like many of us you are doing 4 or 5 shows a week plus shoots and rehearsals .... it’s a lot to organize.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: a very hard work, do you work here, in SL, every day?
Poptart Lilliehook: I have my responsibilities with LeeZu! And the Modavia company to run - trust me discipline is an absolute requirement to keep everything pointing in the right direction. I am on-line pretty much every evening, and a lot of the weekend.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: do you participate still in catwalks now or work only as manager?
Poptart Lilliehook: No I am still very active - this last weekend I walked in the two LeLutka spring shows, the Sweetaholic kimono show and the Modavia show. I think it’s important to keep an active modelling career as it keeps me very immersed in the fashion scene. But I have a lot of wonderful people who help me with many things also, Modavia is a fashion marketing company in which the group slikk set is a very important component.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: Poptart, can you explain to me about the Modavia project?
Poptart Lilliehook: Modavia publishes the Modavia Fashion Directory each month which showcases the best of SL designers. Modavia has 30 models, and we use about 10 different photographers. The trick is to attract good people who want to work with us. We have a wonderful event every 2 months where we give away all the clothes that have been modelled in the Directory to 2 lucky subscribers - we call it the Modavia Designer Wardrobe Giveaway. Each winner walks away with about 40 couture outfits so it is a very exciting event. As a fashion marketing company we also provide consulting services to our designers, helping them with a broad range of issues.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: what are your projects for the future Poptart?
Poptart Lilliehook: Well, I want to definitely grow the Modavia brand and help to make LeeZu! even more successful. The aim of the Directory is to provide a platform for the best of design, the best of photography and the best of modeling in SL. And to take that platform to as many people in SL as we can - so if a new resident is wondering where to go to buy good quality fashion they can just look in our book - it is all there for them, in one place, the Directory is an invitation. We feature only the best designers, so it is a "guide" to residents, of where the best fashion can be found. Of course we do not have every one of the best designers - but we are growing our designer base every month.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: Your “mission” is to give only the best to SL residents, to create a culture of fashion, right?
Poptart Lilliehook: Every month a few more of the top designers are joining us. I hope to keep expanding this base to include as many good brands as I can.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: I have a complicated question Poptart: what relation is there between SL and RL fashion, are there already contacts through the two world, how will it be in the future?
Poptart Lilliehook: Oh there is a lot of contact already.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: really?
Poptart Lilliehook: Yes, we witnessed two important RL crossover fashion events take place. These took the form of simultaneous shows held in SL and at the Amsterdam International Fashion Week and the “In Quelle Trine Morbide” event which involved Italian designers here showcasing unique creations using antique lace textures provided by the Museo Napoleonico in Rome, the SL environment was shown on a giant screen at the RL venues. Also several of our designers here are also RL designers with large fashion brands in RL - example is VictoriaV. So I think we will see more and more crossover between the RL and SL fashion world in the future.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: but do u think that SL creations can became real life models?
Poptart Lilliehook: Yes of course .... How does an RL creation start? A sketch on a paper pad, a drawing from the mind of a designer. If an RL creation can start with a drawing why can’t it start with an avatar wearing a design..? It is all about demonstrating the concept and the creative vision.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: do u think there are RL stylists that can use SL models? Who trust in SL stylists?
Poptart Lilliehook: Well, we see architects in RL using SL builds to "sell" their concepts to clients, let clients walk around the building see what they like or don’t like, and transfer the learning to the real world. Again - why cannot fashion designers do the same?
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: yes, I understand this point.
Poptart Lilliehook: Use an SL model to demonstrate their design to their clients before creating the real garments in RL. Of course it has applications for any kind of design, SL provides a very valuable 3D sketch pad for design. But more importantly ... I think SL will increasingly be used by RL companies to promote their RL products.
Poptart Lilliehook: You mentioned Armani - this is perhaps a useful example - they saw the opportunities here but I think they perhaps underestimated the technical challenges of design and marketing in SL. My impression was that they found it harder to create quality merchandise here than they originally thought.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: for the technical difficulties of the platform you say?
Poptart Lilliehook: They perhaps needed to work more closely with designers who are already very experienced in SL.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: this is a point to discuss with them Poptart in the RL occasions. What do you think about Italian designers ?
Poptart Lilliehook: We all love them, so creative, so full of spirit…
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: do u know some of them?
Poptart Lilliehook: Italian designers in SL? Yes many of our designers in the Modavia Fashion Directory are Italian. Italian designers are among the most prolific creators in the industry here I think.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: there is a lot of creativity in Italy I think.
Poptart Lilliehook: Well, they certainly bring a lot of light to our lives in SL, a very very active community here.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: You are very kind Poptart to say this of my country.
Poptart Lilliehook: They work very collaboratively, it’s like an Italian "club", many Italian designers working together here, in SL. The BeStar Fashion Club, the Best of Italy, the SHOUTED collaboration. They like very much to work together.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: may you give a suggestion for all those young models that wish to improve their capability?
Poptart Lilliehook: To be unique above all else. Too many models with same faces, same hair. Find your own style, and stand out.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: this is a wonderful suggestion I think, for them.
Poptart Lilliehook: If you have any further questions let me know.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: do you know Italy Poptart? in RL I say.
Poptart Lilliehook: I have a Godson in Venice, I know Tuscany, Milan, and Rome of course.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: did you see it?
Poptart Lilliehook: Yes many times. I have some RL clients there. I’ve also had conferences there many times. I work for a global management consultancy so I get to travel to these cities quite often.
AquilaDellaNotte Kondor: Well. Thank you very much Poptart, for your time and for giving us your vision of this fantastic world of fashion. Good luck.
Originally published in Italian in Esseelle Movie Magazine by AquilaDellaNotte Kondor
translated by AquilaDellaNotte Kondor and republished with kind permission
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