It’s day three of VFW and even though there’s barely five minutes to spare between shows, I took the time to sit down with spirited 18-year-old designer Lillea Goian of LillzKillz to chat about vintage, fast fashion and the see-now-buy-now trend. 

What was your inspiration for the collection?

“I really take inspiration from what’s on my mind. I just think about the things that I like and if I find something else that I’m interested in I try and find a way to incorporate it. The main theme of the show was sequins and motocross gear. I saw someone online wearing really vibrant motocross pants and I thought [they] were cool, but that I could find a way to make them even cooler.”

 

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You re-work vintage pieces with original artwork. Do you create the art before working on the collection, or vice versa?

“I don’t make the artwork myself. I incorporate [the work] of friends of mine who want exposure. I’ve used the work of two artists so far who suited the themes in my past shows. My friend Aidan did the artwork for this show. I thought it really suited it since it’s very graffiti-like. I usually just work with my friends because I like helping people as much as I can. If I had the opportunity to get help from somebody I would take it.” 

What do you look for when choosing vintage pieces?

“I always look for things no one else would be interested in. I feel like a lot of vintage stores cater to a certain market and I feel like a lot of the time buyers go for the ripped jean, T-shirts, leather and camo jackets. It’s so bland! So I go searching in places that no one else would go to find the brightest things. I feel like vintage stores should have something for everybody. Everyone appreciates vintage at some level and it sucks when it’s catered to specific people.” 

Where do you find inspiration?

“I’m 18 so I don’t have a lot of opportunities to go places for inspiration. If anything, I get inspiration from what’s on the Internet. I’m constantly looking online for street style from different fashion weeks. Instagram is pretty big but I also go through personal style changes that affect my designs.” 

What are your thoughts on the see-now-buy-now trend?

“I think it’s smart to show things the season of because fast fashion companies take your ideas and re-work them for less and I don’t think that’s fair. People put in so much energy, time and emotion into their designs and to have someone steal it is so unfair. So I do my absolute best to wear vintage pieces and make them new in my own way. That’s what I can afford at this point in my life. If I could afford expensive designer clothing I would be all over it.”