In His Bag
I take Halloween seriously and try to step my mask game up annually. I thought I had something special planned out this year until I saw Ari Serrano aka @pleaselookatmyas pop out at a party with a Louie bag on his head.
J.E.: What’s the backstory of this incredible project?
A.S.: One day, I stumbled upon SFX effects make-up artist @Nina_Carelli_ and fell in LOVE with her work! She had turned one of my friends, IZECREAM into a demon and this other guy into a freaking dolphin! I was automatically obsessed with her work and hit her up to schedule a day to collaborate! The idea for her turning me into an LV bag was because of my undying OBSESSION for the Louis Vuitton brand. I thought to myself, maybe she can turn my face into an actual purse! Nobody has ever done that before. Perfect idea!
A.S.: I took a Marc Jacobs-era rainbow print Louis Vuitton purse and cut a hole in it for my face. Then I printed a monogram image of the LV symbols out on a piece of paper and carefully cut them out with an Exacto knife to create a stencil for the logos. I then hopped on the train to see Nina in Brooklyn. She started by placing the purse over my head and glueing the sides flush to my skin, then started to add some silicone clay to fill in holes on the sides that looked awkward. Once she filled in all holes, she started to gently paint my face all white with a brush to lay the first base layer.
A.S.: Then she picked up the stencil and began to Airbrush each logo separately in a different color. It felt very weird and cold when air brushed on to my skin at first. I got goosebumps and started thinking “yo I wonder if this even looks good?” I closed my eyes and just let her do her thing and started telling myself that I was in good hands and that I didn’t have anything to worry about. Nina Carelli is an expert and she is going to make sure you look immaculate! Ten minutes later, she told me to open my eyes and she was done! I couldn’t believe it when I looked in the mirror, I was speechless and I knew from that moment on that this was going to go down in the history books!
J.E.: Incredible. What’s your background? You’ve gone viral several times for your LV repurposed garments and accessories.. have you connected with the brand yet?
A.S.: I have not heard from Louis Vuitton yet.. I don’t know how to reach them. Hopefully they like what I’m doing and hit me up soon. I’m Puerto Rican, born and raised in Norwalk, Connecticut. At this point I guess I’m notoriously known for my outlandish content mixed with hand made custom fashion garments and accessories. I gained my name by street vending the gritty vibrant streets of New York City!
J.E.: After setting up some activations in the downtown area, your entirely unique vision was quickly noticed by celebs and fashion lovers alike. What is your point of view? Tell us about what happened when you linked up with Post Malone.
A.S.: I do not see what you see. You see a bag - I see a coat. You see art supplies - I see sunglasses. You see a classic winter hat, I see.. something entirely new. I’ve been taking the New York street fashion scene to new places since Covid’s vice grip on the city started to loosen. When NY Nico reached out to me and told me that Post Malone wanted to meet me and buy something custom made by me, I was floored. I didn’t think it was real at first but then, I realized I’ve been working for this moment for years, this is your time Ari. You got this! I knew exactly what to make him even before I got off the phone, a Western Cowboy Style Leather shirt with Louis Vuitton Accents!
A.S.: I knew Posty was a western Texas cowboy lover and so I used that for my inspiration! I bought a plain denim long sleeve shirt, and took apart a vintage Louis Vuitton luggage bag for the leather accents. I cut fringes in the LV leather for that classic traditional Cowboy sleeve look, and added a long cool Lighter Leash to the front pocket because I knew he was a heavy cigarette smoker! He was amazed. The next day, I headed to NYC to the location Nico wanted me to meet him for transfer of goods. Posty pulls up in like three black Ford Explorers with two big security guards and I’m like “Holy Shit” yo this is really happening..
A.S.: I say whatsup to him and show him what I’ve made for him, he grabs it from me and triess it on right than and there.. Perfect fit! It was like a dream come true for me, I was super nervous that maybe it wouldn’t fit him well enough, but god answered my prayers. He freaking LOVED it and paid me exactly what I asked. Than we went to go play golf with Tiger Woods down the street, it was one of the BEST days of my life, all thanks to NewYorkNico!
J.E.: Who inspires you? What influenced you?
A.S: I lost one of my best friends about 6 years ago. I was so lost and to deal with my grief I picked up a sewing machine. I’m inspired by living everyday life and it’s ups and downs. I tend to create more when I’m in a tight spot, financially and I tell myself “yo Ari you have to make something to get you out of this position you’re in”. I’d like to be known as a master of reimagination with a wicked sense of humor, and in your face sexuality. I am self taught - my middle school home economics class was my initial introduction to the craft. My influence comes directly from life. My love of deconstruction and reconstruction, elevation and de-elevation is designed to leave you questioning things.
A.S.: I use my anger and sadness as fuel to propel me to create the next best thing! Some fashion designers that I look up to are Dapper Dan, Kid Super and Domozillionaire - all out of NYC area. I’m obsessed with functionality, so if something looks like it works and it doesn’t, I don’t like that! So when I create something multi-functional it has to work exactly like the real thing. If I make a Yankees hat with a solar powered fan in the brim, you best believe that fan will turn on in the sun! If I make a picture frame out of sage, best believe you can actually burn the frame and use it to cleanse negativity!
J.E.: It looks like with this Halloween moment that you are reaching the top of the game. Is that how you feel?
A.S.: I most def don’t think I’m at the peak of my work at all, in fact i think I’ve just barely scratched the surface! For now all I’m doing is making video content skits for my unique one of one fashion garments. But I plan to actually open up a clothing store and manufacturer once my brand is up and running successfully! I don’t have the resources these big companies are able to use. I don’t have a team or workshop to execute my ideas. But once I do gain those attributes, I will become unstoppable, and finally get to show what I can really bring to the fashion world.
A.S.: Eventually, I see myself transitioning to a more high-end clothing brand titled “Ari By Ari Serrano”. ARI would be my chance to show the fashion world what I can bring to the industry. I will be making garments from scratch instead of using reworked materials from second hand shops. I create because it’s what makes me happy and keeps me going, and I never want to make something that has already been attempted.