Interview with Nektar De Stagni
This interview with fashion designer Nektar De Stagni was written while contributing for Satellite-mag.com, a publication that covers lifestyles and varying views on beauty, design, fashion, and politics of people and places throughout the world.
Nektar De Stagni
Located on North East 38th street about two miles away from the touristic shores of South Beach, is the small but chicly decorated shop that sums up the persona of fashion designer Nektar De Stagni. Typical retail décor is something that De Stagni intentionally strayed from.
At first glance, walking into De Stagni’s shop appears like one is walking into the wild rain forest of the Amazon. With full-grown plant life by the windows under fluorescent lighting, the scene violently compliments the tranquil mannequins draped in her newest designs. The first three feet are a mix of glossy, dark, and bold colored tiles that give contrast to the jungle scene, while blocks of regular Grey carpet are treated like tile. Two reconstructed inverted chrome racks (wheels on top) stand on each side of the shop with her fashion line on frowned hangers. Her uniquely designed necklaces sit on a Styrofoam platform in the center while the rest is displayed on an antique school desk with carved signage by passer-byes. The shop is loosely based on post-apocalyptic office space and is meticulously and purposefully designed by De Stagni.
“I want people to question normal store design,” said De Stagni. “I want them to get into my mind a little bit and shift the normal way of thinking.”
De Stagni’s fashion designs are strongly propelled by the idea of balance and innovativeness. She conceptually and intellectually pushes ordinary objects to represent them in a unique way.
Her jewelry and fashion line designs are based on her ground-breaking ideas - some of which include still pearls-on-wire in order to capture a moment in time, jewels wrapped around the industrial thick rope, and classic soft pearl necklaces are viciously flattered by pearl-colored shark teeth, which all follow ancient serpent tendencies.
“We have opposites attracting these precious objects, mixed in with utilitarian tools that we wouldn’t really use for decoration,” said De Stagni. She incorporates elements of 1970’s glamour and tries to reflect her own interests (cinema and music) for the final results.
Fashion designs are elegantly splashed by bold colors with serene fabrics that awakens the eye. De Stagni’s 2009 collection depicts typically tranquil ideas and converts them into wild energy that reflects our own instincts.
“When we think of the jungle, we think of it as this peaceful, harmonious place but it’s really quite the opposite,” said De Stagni. “It’s this violent, aggressive, struggle-to-live place so I’m trying to bring in those characteristics and reflect them into our everyday life.”
As a young girl, De Stagni first began sketching at the age of five but it wasn’t typical landscapes or stick figures. Over the years she accumulated piles of fashion design sketches and recorded CNN Style with Elsa Klensch. With fashion being her destiny, she applied her sketches to her size models and began her work. De Stagni’s fashion line was formally known as “Pelusim” when she first launched her collections. With the uncertainty of how she will be perceived, she left room for mistakes and let it loose for a test drive.
“Once I acquired press through “Pelusium” and I felt comfortable with my situation, I decided it was time to switch over to Nektar.”
Launching her collections, like any designer, did run into its dilemmas. Trying to find the right people that were technically capable of production was quite a challenge in a city like Miami and that was the biggest obstacle for the young and emerging De Stagni.
“There is this certain esthetic to Miami that is kind of standard and whenever you go against it, you kind of have to convince the people,” said De Stagni.
The Miami Design District location strongly appealed to De Stagni for its emerging area for young artists. With its evolving appeal to the next generation, more and more boutiques and galleries are settling in just in time for the new age. Artistic support is also something that every rising artist or designer needs in its location in order to move forward.
But Fashion isn’t the only thing she is savvy about. Music is playing (no pun intended) more and more of a role in her life. What started out as a hobby about three years ago quickly became a noted talent for Designer/Disc jockey, Nektar De Stagni. Her hobby now turned work, requires a little traveling when she is requested to DJ, including major cities like L.A, New York, Paris, and of course Miami.
NDS merchandise can be found in retailers worldwide including Opening Ceremony LA & NY, Tomorrowland, Japan, The Webster Miami, the MOCA Store, LA among others.