One on One Interview with Josephine Latorre of Vanilla Clouds

Josephine Latorre is a talented young lady and not to mention a  good friend of mine.  She has always been artistic and has put that talent to work with her new company Vanilla Clouds.   Check out the interview below to learn more about Josephine and her company.

How did you come up with the name Vanilla Clouds?

A friend and I were brainstorming one day in a cafe and I thought the best way to go about deciding the name was to jot down all the things I loved in the form of adjectives and nouns so that they could be easily matched up. The list wasn’t as long as I had anticipated because at the end of the day, it really has to be something you could live with and that you feel represented a part of you or a feeling you wanted to convey. And so, I have always loved the smell of vanilla, and clouds just sound so peaceful. And even though there are some dark clouds every now and again, 99% of the time, clouds are depicted as airy, light puffs floating in the sky and that is how I choose to visualize them in my mind.  So when I matched those two words up, I smiled and I knew that was it.

What is the concept behind Vanilla Clouds?

The concept is crystal clear in my head but actually articulating it is a little challenging.  I do know, that for as long as I can remember, I have loved creating.  Whether it was coloring, drawing, painting, building or sewing.  My mom was a huge inspiration for me.  Although she would never admit to it, she is an artist herself who never had the opportunity to sharpen her skills.  I tried my hand in fashion for several years and although there were parts of it that I enjoyed, I realized that what I really loved about this field, was the history of fashion and art in general.  The movements that inspired fashion and art and what those movements were inspired by.   I am also drawn to color, shape and textures and how they can be used to convey emotions and ideas.  My cards allow me to showcase the beauty of my city as I see it and hopefully I can depict more cities in the future.  It also allows me to create my own fashion color story and message which I hope empowers and inspires.

Some of your prints are fashion related, what inspired this aspect of your cards?

I have aways loved fabrics and have been sewing since I was a little girl.  My mom and I used to go fabric shopping all the time for our sewing projects.  I received my BFA in Fabric Styling at the Fashion Institute of Technology.  I loved my time there and  I really enjoyed this major.  For someone like myself who enjoyed expressing ideas and conveying messages, it was the perfect program.  We spent half of the time studying the history of fashion and art and the rest of the time discovering our point of view and learning how to effectively execute an idea or message.  This definitely supplied the platform for my cards concept, although I did not know it then.

Where are your favorite areas in NYC to take photos?

It I had to choose a location, I would say Soho or Greenwich village because of the charm of the old cafes, houses and streets.  However, in general, my favorite things to shoot are old things.  I love history, so for the most part, I would prefer to shoot something old that has some character and charm over a shiny new modern building or thing. Nonetheless, it’s impossible to shoot New York and leave out our landmarks that people travel all over the world to see.  Most places I really enjoy shooting are not entirely recognizable, so, it’s a little more challenging to get the most interesting perspective of that shot.

As a start up company what are some creative ways you plan to promote and position your company?

I have made some connections in the last few years and also have many friends who are in the artistic field or other fields who have offered their help.  I certainly don’t have the opportunist kind of personality but I do believe in planting seeds, being authentic, working hard and establishing good bonds with people.  After-all, my work is about love and emotions, so at the very least, I hope to connect with people in some way.  I have goals but I  don’t believe in a stern plan because you can miss out on things and opportunities along the way if your closed minded.

What do you have planned for Vanilla Clouds in 2010?

In 2010, I hope to continue perfecting my product, expanding what I’d like to offer and establishing the brand Vanilla Clouds.  I would also like to complete my website.  It’s a lot of work for one person, but it’s also really comforting to know that your work is 100% your expression.  So, I accept the good and the bad parts of it and I realize that the process may take a little longer than I’d like but it will be worth it.

Where can you find Josephine?

www.vanillaclouds.com