Get Love Drunk Off Her Junk: Chanel Kennebrew
As an illustrator and designer of the clothing and accessories line Junkprints, Chanel Kennebrew is a true "boss lady."
Isn’t it horrible when an article starts off with a cliché? Sometimes they make sense, and other times they are thrown in frivolously. I hope that you think it makes sense in this case when I say, “One’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Are you interested? If so, then keep on reading.
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Chanel Kennebrew, who describes herself on Twitter (@junkprints) as a “hyperactive designer, maker, thinker, do-er.” Kennebrew is a Brooklyn-based illustrator and designer of the fashion clothing and accessories line, Junkprints. Now like most of you if I wanted junk; then I would head over to a yard sale. So what makes Kennebrew’s junk better? According to Kennebrew, her junk is better because she doesn’t believe that discarded items are junk, but rather things that people haven’t found a new or good use for.
“My job is to help find uses for that stuff, through reconstructing it, literally or figuratively,” Kennebrew adds.
Custom necklace for Lady Gaga
As a child of highly creative people, Kennebrew discovered her artistic ability at a young age and always had an interest in duplication.
“You know how influential children are. If you tell a child they are good, eventually they will get good and perhaps great,” Kennebrew says.
In high school Kennebrew was fond of the costume element of dressing and describes herself at the time as a “drag queen.” What drag queen doesn’t love sparkling makeup, bright colors, and outlandish weaves with matching nail polish? Nowadays Kennebrew opts for comfort, function, and confidence when dressing.
“I have stuff to do. I can’t be biking around Brooklyn in heels,” Kennebrew says.
Kennebrew lists thrift stores among her favorite places to shop and maintains, “If you decide to opt for the five-inch heels, I don’t want to hear a lick about your feet hurting. Wear them like they are your favorite running shoes or don’t wear them at all.”
Although she contends that her current personality is not as “outwardly outlandish” as it was in high school, Kennebrew believes that developing Junkprints has allowed her to express a lot of her alter egos and challenge assumptions made by society based on person’s clothing choice. Personally, I think that there is a little drag queen inside all of us and would argue that Kennebrew, who describes her artistic self as “thinking, overt, and flamboyant,” hasn’t completely lost that aspect of her personality. In general, Kennebrew’s work is inspired by people and how they interact with each other. Her designs are also inspired by 1980s pop culture and she counts “The Smurfs” as her favorite 1980s-era cartoon.
How does Kennebrew turn “junk” into treasure? First she hoards loads of items: anything from vintage fabric packaging to magazines to zippers. After that she does some research on her topic and then remixes it as she sees fit.
“Sometimes the best execution is through photography or collage or illustration, or a combination of all three,” Kennebrew adds.
Chanel Kennebrew Halloween 2009 handmade costumes.
During our interview, I took some time out to ask Kennebrew some hard-hitting political issues, because as everyone knows life is not all about gumdrops and lollipops. As someone who has lived on both coasts, I asked her to remove any diplomacy she had in her system and choose which coast she preferred better. To this Kennebrew asserts that although the weather in Southern California is better, she appreciates that New Yorkers respect the hustle. She adds that she also appreciates the directness of New Yorkers compared to Southern Californians who she claims, “don’t want to be considered unpleasant, or mean.”
Just when you thought that was it for the question, Kennebrew adds that she has also lived in the “North Coast,” more formally known as Toronto. According to her, “the people there [in Toronto] are awesome, probably the most talented, globally aware and genuine in North America.” To sum it all up, Kennebrew adds, “I love them all but where I’m currently at (Brooklyn) is where I need to be.” We continued our conversation of politics by attempting to answer the age-old question, “If there was a Civil War of Hip-Hop, which region would win—North or South?” “The North would win, not necessarily because it actually is better, but because it says its better, has a bigger global audience, and will ignore all others,” Kennebrew explains.
What is next for Kennebrew? Will she reclaim her high school days by designing a collection for drag queens? Discover why Smurfette was the only female smurf on “The Smurfs”? Or, learn to bike around Brooklyn in heels? Who can be sure what the future holds for this designer/illustrator.
“This is the problem,” says Kennebrew. “I want to do everything”.
Model wearing items from Junkprints fall collection
There is a lot to be learned from Chanel Kennebrew such as, “one man’s junk is another man’s (or woman’s) treasure”. If you like “good junk” then, check out her website. If you like “hyperactive designer, maker, thinker, doer[s],” then follow Kennebrew on Twitter or add her as a contact on Flickr.
