Spotlight on Big Booty, Big Money

Greetings dear MODA Blog readers! This week, I present to you Evelyn Edelman, fashion designer and owner of Big Booty, Big Money located on Envy(101,75,22).
MODA's Spotlight Event of February 4, 2008 is all about Evelyn's fashions. This is a must-see event to watch on SLCN.TV at 7:00pm live. I had the pleasure of chatting with this talented designer, I was especially tickled by her great sense of humor. I am always curious about the "soul" behind the avatar. I now present you with excerpts of our conversation.

Ms Edelman is a resident of the United States. Her RL multi-faceted artistic talents as a writer, painter, doodler, seamstress, dancer and singer give her creations a special "je ne sais quoi" (per Webster: something that cannot be adequately described or expressed). Evelyn adds humbly: ... she does "all extremely well, of course. I come equipped for any renaissance."
I wanted to know what made her decide to start designing fashion in Second Life. " I suppose, I was surprised to see that there was a fashion world here in SL, and delighted to revel in how cheap everything was (relatively speaking). And so, since I am fond of the ridiculous, both aesthetic and economic possibilities of "fashion" in SL opened up to me like the dazzling colors that sometimes accompany migraine headaches."
I complimented her on the how very original and whimsical her designs are and asked her for her sources of inspiration. "My inspiration usually comes from random things, in RL: cartoons, novels, shampoo bottles, reflections upon unrevived, long-dead fashion, AND words. A good name, a good turn of phrase will inspire me to make SOMETHING. Once, I had a dream about a dress that I then proceeded to make upon waking(the dormant dress, so named for my semi-conscious conception phase)."
Asking her to describe the style of her creations, Evelyn described them as "Ticklingly desultory."

I wanted to ask about the displays in her designer shop. HD: The product displays in your designer store are so original. You have styles called "Face to Face" where a model is holding a gun, another style is called "Let's do Kafka" and another called "I don't ever want to see you again". Is there a little story or anecdote behind these names?
EE: Yes, well, the names of things are very important to me. And so is looking at people, and guns, and giant bugs, and holing up in a barricaded stronghold for weeks at a time. But seriously, several of my titles come from literature or songs or product labels or conversational tidbits that I've experienced through one form or another, and the words have stood out, powerfully, colorfully, dramatically as particularly beautiful and concise. Add weapons and a fashionably cliched emaciated body and you have imagery explosions.

These blue and red dresses (shown here) are titled ABJECT.

A fashion designer needs to stay in touch with their clientele and I asked her to recall the most memorable comment made by a visitor to her studio. "So that's what it looks like to be on LSD. "

Every designer has a creation they have most enjoyed designing. To that question, Evelyn replied: "I suppose the Adoucissement Dress. I remember being very frustrated with it, while I was making it, redoing it countless times, and then being exceedingly satisfied and relieved with the creepy ads/promos I was able to make from the finished 'product'. I was giddy with glee."

Evelyn continued to display her wonderful disposition. HD: Is there anything you would like the rest of the world to know about Evelyn Edelman, Fashion Designer and what about your fashion store Big Booty, Big Money?" EE: "It's very very cold in my RL apartment, and I would love a cup of coffee."

Now, let's get to know Evelyn Edelman, the avatar behind the designs:
HD: What kind of "souls" do you like to hang out with in SL?
EE: Comedians, weirdos, lonely types, Christians, spiritual people
HD: Favorite place to hang out in SL when you are not designing?
EE: My default non-designing locale is usually a very exciting, griefer-frequented cyberchurch called ALM.
HD: How much time to you spend in SL in a typical week?
EE: Way too blasted much; at least 20 hours.
HD: What kind of music do you like to listen to in SL?
EE: I am a groper of the classical, electronic and/or the independent rocking stuff.
HD: Is there a place in SL that has truly amazed you?
EE: Oh...sure. most recently, I remember visiting the Tree of SL store and being quite dazzled with the build. But of course, SL is full of immersive builds and alternative ambiences. I love everything fantastical, quirky, dingy, dark and wholly unreal about SL(architecturally speaking).
HD: Do you have a favorite club for dancing or listening to music?
EE: I like to frequent the rooftops of Suffugium every once in awhile.

There was never a dull moment with Evelyn and I challenge anyone viewing her fashion designs to describe them as anything but truly unique. Please visit her studio Big Booty, Big Money and post your comments to the MODA blog.