I sat down with Disco Lemonade's fairy queen creator, Lem, for the ultimate exclusive kiki on our collaborative collection "As Above, So Below," pussy pants, Alexander McQueen, hermetic law and following your fucking dreams. Read on!
Adrienne: I remember the first time your clothes caught my attention. You were creating beautiful yoni pants with intricate, layered patches that celebrated pussy power and deliberately called attention to this sacred zone instead of trying to cover it up. What was the story, the inspiration and the impetus behind this? Would you ever make these again?
Lem: The idea behind the “Pussy Pants” began when I was a senior in college studying Journalism & Art & Design back in 2016. My struggle as an art student was finding what purpose my art served. How could I make an impact with my art? What meaning does my art have & how can it cause the viewer to feel moved? Once I began learning about the ingrained sexism in American media, I knew my art had to bring awareness to these issues that I never fully recognized and now felt so strongly about. The oversexualization of women in the media throughout history and the inability to “reclaim the female body” was something that intrigued me, and the grey area between the power of the female nude versus the objectivation of a naked body. My new found goal as an artist was to comment on how mass media has portrayed women throughout history and has created an idealization of what truly makes a woman sexy and powerful. I created the “Pussy Pants” to comment on gender roles and how the media has created a false reality of what is valuable, beautiful and desirable. My goal was to create a fashion piece that made a bold statement & brought a sense of uneasiness to the viewer, forcing their thoughts to wonder, “why does staring at this sacred region make me feel so uncomfortable?”
I have thought about bringing these babies back to the shop, & “discofy” them even more than ever. The world has made so much progress since these were originally created & hopefully more ladies would feel comfortable rocking them than ever before!
Adrienne: Now please tell us the origin story behind Disco Lemonade--a brand so heartfelt, sexy and juicy. How was your brand created?
Lem: Disco Lemonade was created as a senior project for my Art & Design degree in college back in 2016. I began incorporating fashion into my art pieces, commenting on social injustices. I was always a festival goer, ever since my first rave, Nocturnal Wonderland 2012, & eventually my art & love for music collided. I began making lil fairy festival pieces for myself & eventually so many groovy babes asked me about my sparkly pieces, I started taking custom orders. Once I started hunting for new fabrics, my mind was flooded with new ideas. I knew I was here to make fairy armor for Goddesses.
Adrienne: You are more than just a clothing brand, you are clearly an artist. Your designs are absolute stunners and the silhouettes keep me surprised and delighted again and again. Where does your creativity and drive come from? Why do you feel so compelled to create?
Lem: My creativity stems from my desire to be unique and different. Ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted to stand out, stray away from the popular path. Fashion was one of the main ways I felt I could accomplish that. I was always wearing clothes that people thought were “different” and sometimes even got those death glares because being “out there” wasn’t always as widely accepted. But wearing these outfits & standing out is what made me feel most alive. Not caring what anyone thought about me, gave me the confidence to be my true authentic self. Once I began making clothes, I realized I could help others feel that powerful too. I never believed in the phrase “I can’t pull that off,” because you can pull off absolutely anything! When you wear what makes you feel the most alive, the most powerful, the most BEAUTIFUL, your light shines the brightest. I want to create pieces that make women feel like their inner goddess is glowing, because nothing is sexier & more powerful than an unstoppable, confident woman.
Adrienne: What or who are your fashion inspirations or leadership icons?
Lem: Oh this question is easy. The one and only Alexander McQueen. Wow what an absolute icon. Alexander McQueen redefined fashion & was absolutely fearless with every design he came out with. There were no rules to his designs, and that’s how he changed the world of fashion. I hope one day to achieve even a smidgen of what that man accomplished. Rest in peace McQueen. He will live on forever through all the people he inspired to make fashion more than clothing, but works of art.
Adrienne: What was the story and the inspiration behind the “As Above, So Below” collaborative collection with LBD? How does tarot and these specific cards tell a story with each unique, glittering set?
Lem: As Above, So Below is based on sacred geometry & Hermetic law; a concept I began exploring with my obsession with artist Alex Grey & the band TOOL. It’s meaning stems from the concept of duality & that earthly matters directly reflect the astral plane, implying that the visible stars in the sky are linked to life on earth. Essentially we are all connected. :) In terms of tarot, we chose to name our pieces after tarot cards: the Magician, the Empress & the High Priestess. Each tarot card has a unique meaning & we chose cards that we felt reflected the colorways on each piece. The use of multiple colors create a multifaceted design that can be worn multiple ways, which metaphorically represents a tarot card facing upright, versus the reversed side.
Adrienne: How was your experience collaborating with LBD?
Lem: Working with Little Black Diamond was an absolute dream. Adrienne is truly a magical human & I feel blessed to have connected with someone as kind & wonderful as she is. Little Black Diamond was one of the first rave shops I ever purchased from when I began going to festivals 9 years ago. It feels so incredible to work with someone who has inspired so many in the festival fashion world. Our kindred creative energies were destined to make magic together & I can’t wait for our future collaborations. THE WORLD IS NOT READY!
Adrienne: Where would you wear this collection (during quarantine and after)?
Well I am a huge advocate for wearing what makes you feel like a goddess 24/7. Coffee run? Rock the sparkliest fit you have. Need some groceries? Put on those platforms with that fiery disco set and strut down aisle 11. I will be wearing my Disco Set when I have a solo dance party in my room for the rest of quarantine, and once shows are back in full swing, you know I’ll be at the warehouse party sparkling under the disco ball. There is no dull moment in a queen’s life & your clothes you should represent that! Stand out in the sea of squares & break some necks on the daily my queens!
Adrienne: What are some of your other favorite small businesses / independent brands?
Lem: I absolutely love this question! Some of my favorite small businesses include Funky Fresh Shop for the best vintage in the game, Psy Dye Tie Dye for the most glorious tie dye creations ever and Millie Savage for truly some of the most gorgeous jewelry pieces ever created. Some others that I adore are Lux Muse, Gimme Kaya, Magical Minnie, Daisy Daydreamz, Namaslay Collective, Nasteski the Label and Pink Moon. I truly only shop at small businesses & independent brands nowadays, because 1) Fast fashion sucks 2) You make a small business owner’s day and 3) You receive original, hand-crafted (or hand-picked) items. It connects you to the owner of the business in a very special way, and as a human being, connection is truly everything :)
Adrienne: What are some important lessons you’ve learned as a badass woman?
Lem: The most important lesson I have learned is the energy you give out, always (ALWAYS) comes back to you. This transfers over into every aspect of life, from a business standpoint to inner work. I think being kind, even when you are hurting, being forgiving even when it is the hardest thing in the world, and standing up for your beliefs even when no one wants to hear it, are all things that will challenge every ounce of your being, but will always point you in the direction of your truth. Meeting hate with love & giving out the energy your soul craves rather than what your ego persists on saying, will always come back full circle.
Adrienne: What’s one goal you are aiming to accomplish this year?
Lem: Expanding Disco & hiring some babes to help me out! I can only do so much as one human, & I feel as soon as my team grows, Disco will grow right on with it! I want to produce more clothing for more humans & spread more love through art & sparkles!
Adrienne: What wisdom or advice can you share with your fellow goddesses who feel deep down that they want to express themselves more freely or to follow their dreams but are feeling scared or feel like they can’t do it?
Lem: Never doubt yourself. To all my fellow goddesses out there, you are a QUEEN & never let anyone tell you otherwise! You can accomplish absolutely anything you set your mind to. I truly believe the energy you put into things will come back to you. As long as you put in the work, the universe will always have your back. Whenever you feel down, meditate on the feeling of an abundant life: abundance in love, success & happiness. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals, be yourself & never take sh*t from anyone & I promise everything will work out. Even at your darkest moments, you are a light & no one can ever take that away from you. Know your power & your light will shine brighter than you ever thought imaginable!
Adrienne: What’s next for Lem and Disco Lemonade?
Lem: Ah my mind is constantly working a million miles a minute with ideas! I hope to expand & hire some lovely humans to join my team. I absolutely love collaborating with creatives, and I’m constantly manifesting more connections in my life & for Disco. Just existing in this beautiful world inspires me so much & I am so excited to see where life takes me and all my Disco babez! There are so many friendships to be made, places to explore & new fabrics to hunt down, the future of Disco Lemonade is so bright. I hope to spread love & light through my art, and make every human rocking Disco Lemonade feel powerful & beautiful. Ah, I truly can’t wait to see all my Goddesses rockin Disco Lemonade once festival season is back in full swing, radiating on the dancefloor. You all give me so much life & I am so beyond grateful.
