September 14, 2022 • 24 mins
On this episode of the podcast, host Betty Who is joined by celebrity fashion designer, Matt Sarafa. Matt knows how to let fashion fuel his voice and how to make confidence a calling card. Together they explore how self-expression can mean sustainable fashion and how the couture runway can get rowdy and real. Whether it’s that pop of color or a provocative cut of fabric, fashion is our armor. It is an extension of who we are and what we have to say.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hi everyone, and welcome back to Unfiltered, the jb L
Podcast and I Heart Radio Production in partnership with jb L.
I am your host, Betty who it's me Hello. This
podcast is a place to minimize the noise and tune
into authentic and unfiltered conversations about identity, art, self expression,
(00:21):
and so much more. How are you guys doing? Are
you holding up? Okay? I'm just really thinking about you
all the time. And you know what else, I've been
thinking about fashion. Yes, I have been dealing with a
lot of expression in my own life through my fashion.
My fashion sense has really changed in the last couple
of years. I'm definitely experimenting with a bunch of new looks,
and so I really wanted to spend today diving into
(00:44):
the world of fashion, because, after all, the way we
dress is an extension of how we can express ourselves.
And so I am so excited you guys to be
joined by a seriously impressive fashion designer. I can't believe it.
The one and only Matt Saratha is the youngest designer
to have ever shown at New York, Paris and l
A Fashion Week. Matt has come such a long way
(01:06):
since he started designing at age seven, such a baby.
If you don't recognize him from Project Runway Jr. You
may have seen his celebrity stylings for icons from Tyra
Banks What to Doja Cat? So crazy? This boy is
so serious. I can't wait to get into it. Come
join us. I'm so happy to have you here. I
(01:30):
have so many questions for you. You You started designing when
you were seven years old, which is so crazy to me.
I want to know what got you interested in fashion
and style, Like, what are your favorite parts about it?
Now that you're so many years in and you're still
just a baby, tell me about how you got started. Yeah,
like you said, I started getting into fashion and seven
years old. It was the craziest thing. And I remember
(01:51):
it so vividly. My mom was recovering from surgery and
I was sitting on the couch with her, flipping through
TV channels, and we stumbled across a marathon of Object
Runway and this was like a show that I've never
seen before, and I was just completely enthralled in it.
And I was just so perplexed how these designers could take,
you know, an idea from their head, put it down
(02:12):
on paper and then bring it to life through textiles
and creation, and I was just so entranced by it
and it was so cool. And my mom still tells
me to the stage, She's like, you turned to me
and you said, Mom, I think I can do this.
And I ran downstairs got my little sketch book and
I was sketching out these elaborate designs, and literally the
(02:32):
rest is pretty much history. Matt. It's so stinky, it's
so cute, it's a really cute it sounds like a movie. Honestly,
it's very crazy. And I never would have thought that
that TV watching experience would have pretty much changed the
trajectory of my entire life. Well, and like, as you said,
if these people are taking fabric in texture and its expression, right,
(02:56):
you're expressing a part of yourself. It's a part of
your personality, and you're trying to take what is inside
and put it on the outside, which I think is
really so many people don't know how to do. And
obviously you have a taste for it at seven years old,
and then you just grow into this incredible designer and
you're working in this fashion. How do you personally, especially now,
use fashion as the extension of your personality. How does
(03:18):
that come through? How do you express that part of yourself?
How does it change when you're expressing other people and
helping them get dressed? Oh my gosh, I mean to me,
fashion is such a powerful tool, and it's so much
more powerful than people realize. You know, it's so much
more than just clothes and shopping and that kind of stuff.
Like to me, an outfit is like a suit of armor,
and it gives me the confidence to go about my day,
(03:40):
put myself out there. And you know, people see what
you're wearing when you first walk into the room, and
it really says so much about you. It's the first
thing people notice about you. I often feel that. I
say that all the time exactly, and that's why it's
so important. And the best feeling in the world is
being able to create something that I love and that
came from my brain and seeing someone else where it
(04:00):
and make them feel like the baddest one when they
step into the room. Like that's the best thing to me.
So I love my job. I love fashion so much
and I really I couldn't see myself doing anything else. Yeah,
you know, obviously I love fashion, and I think being
in music fashion has such a like obvious tie in,
and it's a huge part of the way that autists
expressed themselves. I'm always really interested as far as how
(04:22):
your fashion or sort of that process flows through you.
Like do you do a lot of mood boarding? Are
you a sketcher? Absolutely? So. I graduated from u c
l A in and I was a design media art major. Congratulations,
thank you. Graduated during the pandemic from my living room
pandemic graduation, and you know, I dressed up and had
(04:43):
a full beat face because I was not letting that
moment go away. But before u c l A. I
was doing everything the old fashioned me, like I had
about a thousand sketch books in my room. I was
doing everything by hand. And when I went to u
c l A. I learned so much about, you know,
digital media and all these different programs. So now I
do everything digitally, usually on my iPad is where a
(05:05):
sketch ideas out like a pen and an iPad. I
love watching people work on because it's like also a
different thing, right, It's where you're like one with the
computer in a different way than you are with a
sketch pad or something. It's just a different set of skills.
I think that's really interesting, absolutely, and it's just the
opportunities are limitless. Okay, So in your process, how as
(05:25):
much as when you're in it and you're deciding for
other people, how much does that play into your own
sort of like expression of yourself. Do you find yourself
being like, Okay, I'm in jeans and a T shirt
because I have to make everybody else look fabulous, or
you like, I am number one. You know you showed
up in this fabulous for Henny, she said, I am here.
I'm making a statement. Are you very like particular about
making sure that you are also expressing yourself. I'm never
(05:47):
gonna let nobody outshine me. That's one thing about me.
I felt like I knew that that was going to
be your answer, amouth somehow. I mean, fashion is so
exciting and like the most exciting part for me is
getting to dress up in express myself. So I'm never
going to let that go. I'm not gonna let none
of my clients or none of my customers look bad,
but I'm not gonna let myself look bad either. I
(06:07):
can't forget about me. I appreciate that. I love that
for you but at the end of the day, I'm
a firm believer and look good, feel good, do good.
Like if I'm not looking my best, I'm not feeling
my best, and I can't be the best version of
myself for other people, So I gotta throw on a first.
Sometimes you are wise beyond your years. Matt. That's so
great that you already have this, if you can hold
on to that when the going is getting really wild,
(06:29):
Like I really feel like that's a huge part of
being able to sustain. Like, that's really what you're trying
to do, is you're building an empire. It's so exciting.
But I want to go back even further before you
are at this stage in your life. Can you tell
me about being able to compete on Project Runway Junior
when you were seventeen years old? Like, how intense was
(06:49):
the competition? I just shot a reality dating TV show,
So if anybody knows how crazy reality TV can be,
I now have a new respect and understanding for it.
How was that experience for you? Oh my god, I
still say to this day it was the most stressful
but most rewarding experience ever. It was really such a
full circle moment, since you know, Project Runways what really
(07:11):
introduced me into the fashion world. So getting to be
a part of the Project Runway family at such a
young age was absolutely like mind blowing to me. It
was so exciting, and I got to meet so many
other cool people because you know, it's it's kind of
like a niche industry. There's not so many kids that
are out here designing. So getting to meet a whole
group of them at once and spend like literally the
(07:32):
entire summer together, it forged lifelong friendships that, like I
still have to this day. We still have a group chat,
we still talk well. Community is really important in your world, right,
And so like, how do you feel connected to competition
now a couple of years after this show and where
it's like so ingrained in you and you're forced into
this pressure cooker situation and then you get out into
the real world. Do you feel like hungry to set
(07:55):
yourself upon and like share the thing that you're doing
or are you sort of like, I know what it
feels like to compete now, I'm just out here trying
to be my best self. Where are you at somewhere
in between? Maybe it's more so the second one, I
would say I am a competitive person by nature, but
the person that I'm most competitive with is myself. I
just really try to outdo myself every day and just
(08:16):
try to be the best that I possibly can be,
because at the end of the day, in the fashion industry,
I believe your biggest asset is your uniqueness because nobody
can do or be who I am, and nobody has
the perspective on things that I do, So you know,
it's really easy to kind of feel the need to
change that to fit in, and I feel like that's
where so many people go wrong because it's like anybody
(08:38):
can copy what they see coming down the runway or
what they see on celebrities. But to have like a
unique perspective on fashion, that is your biggest asset. And
that's something that I tell everybody who's trying to get
into the industry, like never never lose that, and never
let anyone squash that. But you know, my ultimate goal
is I just want to take my brand as far
as it can possibly go. And I've come a long
(08:59):
way and I've done so many things that I never
thought that I would have done at this point in
my life. But I want to keep pushing myself to
keep growing and being better and getting bigger and just sharing,
you know, my perspective with the world and leaving my mark.
That's ultimately what I want to do when you know
my time is up here on earth. I want to
leave a mark, and I wanted to be a positive one.
(09:19):
I love that. I definitely relate to that sentiment. Do
you have like goals speaking of sort of validating ourselves
and all the ways that we have succeeded instead of
focusing on all the ways that we haven't gotten to
the place yet. Are there any goals or things that
you've set for yourself along the journey that you've been
on where you're like, hey, I really did that, Like
I'm checking that goal off my list. Like, will you
share with me some of the things that you've done
so far that you're really proud of? I want to
(09:40):
know absolutely. I mean, the biggest like accomplishment I think
of my life that I still cannot believe happened is
I'm the youngest designer to have shown at New York
Paris in l a fashion weeks, which is like beyond crazy,
and it's had always been something on my bucket. Liz
and I checked that off when I was like twenty
one years old, and I have it tattooed on my leg.
(10:02):
It's like my only tattoo because I was so proud
of myself, because you should be. My first time ever
being in Paris in my life was getting to be
there having a show at Paris Fashion Week, and that
was such a life changing experience. Oh my gosh, I'm
so happy for you. And that sounds incredible and I
wish that I had been there. And now I want
to come to a show. We'll do this next time,
(10:22):
next one. I'm gonna send you an invite. Nice, I'll
get you front row. So I want to come back. Yes,
let's make it happen. Thank you. I will wear an
Anna Wintour wig and we'll we'll we'll have it all together.
I love that sunglasses and all. Okay, So when you're
creating these fashion shows, which now you have like done
and been, you know, you're now you're a pro. You're
(10:43):
getting one baby. She Now we're a couple of years
in we're doing it. I am curious, of course, because
I'm the musician. Music is such a huge element of
putting together or kind of creating a vibe for your show.
What is that your sort of style that you like
to collaborate in, Like, what is your vision for how
you like music to support your art and vision. Absolutely,
(11:05):
music is so important for a fashion show, and I
feel like I take a little bit of a different
approach to putting together fashion shows, Like I am very
model focused because at the end of the day, I
want the models to feel comfortable in what they're wearing,
what they're walking to, what shoes they've got on. I
want them to feel good because I feel like that
kind of shines through and resonates through the outfits and
(11:26):
it makes it. It can either make or break the
whole look. So I actually work with a lot of
models and I'm like, Okay, these are some options that
I have for songs, like can you tell me what
you feel the best walking to? What do you want
to walk to? Okay, exactly what feels good? What's the vibe?
Because I feel like, at the end of the day,
it's just as much their show as it is mine,
because they are the ones that are presenting my clothes
(11:48):
and they are making or breaking the show. So I
want them to feel comfortable. I want them to feel badass,
And I want them to go out there and kill
it confidently. Well on did the JBL podcast after a
quick break and now back to the show. So you've
(12:17):
worked with all these huge celebrities already everybody's calling they
want the Matster off out look the vibe. What celebrity
would you love to style? Who you have yet to style?
Oh my gosh, I love Lady Gaga. I've been the
biggest gust since I was little, So you would be
an icon and pause up, Rihanna. I think it is such.
She does it so well and so effortlessly that I
(12:40):
would die to see her in my stuff. She would
rock this fur I would pay money to see, right,
and she could even do some of the funkier stuff too,
Like she can really make anything work for her, And
those are the kind of people that like I idolize.
So I really, I really love her. So we got
to get a fur on Rihanna. Okay, that's a really
good one. Giga and re yes and re read. Okay.
(13:04):
So we're looking forward, We're looking at fashion. It's trend alert,
it's time. What trends do you see happening in the
world that you're obsessed with? What is Matt Tarafa's favorite
stuff happen. Why two K is big right now? Like,
what's your vibe? What are you looking around seeing? What
makes you excited? Why two K is huge? But the
trend that I'm the most excited for it's been kind
of peeking its head up these past few seasons. But
(13:25):
it is like androgynous style, and that makes my heart
so happy, and I'm sure we can relate on that.
Man's like I live for androgynous looks, and I feel
like fashion should not be a binary kind of thing.
Literally could not agree more. It's it's so stupid, and
that's one thing that is at the heart of my brand.
You'll never see like a men's and a women's section
(13:46):
on my website because I feel like, as human beings,
I feel like we should feel allowed and we should
feel empowered to wear whatever the hell we see and
whatever the hell is going to make us feel good
million percent. So I need to know what is your
advice to someone who you see walking past you on
the street and they look at you and they're like, Wow,
Matt is so fabulous and being themselves and I wish
(14:07):
I could do that. What is your advice to that person?
My advice is you can do it just as easily,
if not easier, than I can. To be honest, it's
like it really is. It's a mental thing, and it
is a perspective. It's a confidence thing. And the thing
about confidence is if you don't have it, fake it
till you make it, and I promise you will get there.
It is like one of those things that it is
(14:28):
all in your head and you know, just like saying,
oh I wish I could be like this, I wish
I could do that. Just do it. You can do
whatever you want, whatever you set your mind to, you
can do. And I learned that. I feel like a
little bit later than I would have liked to, and
I feel like my life would have been so much
better when I was growing up. We are high vibration
kinds of people. Only g v O good vibes only.
(14:51):
That would be my next tattoo. You have your coat,
I'll get g VO across the floor right here. Sponsored
by J B L. Yeah, exactly, Okay. I want to
get in more about your identity, how you stay faithful
to that identity. I think, especially when you're big personalities
like us. I'm making an assumption here about us, Matt,
But I think we share this, We absolutely do, speaking
(15:15):
of this confidence, speaking of this self love that we
are trying to you know, Emanate, I think it can
be really difficult to stay true to that without apologies,
without censoring yourself in front of some people that maybe
you're like instinctively being like, oh, they're not going to
get me, you know. So the thing that we are
going to ask all of our guests is not only
you have found your calling professionally, but how did you
(15:37):
find it in yourself living authentically? What has your journey
of living authentically been? Like? How would you describe yourself
in this lens? It has definitely been a journey. That's
the understatement of the year, I think I would think so.
And honestly, finding myself is what I had to do
before I could find my footing on my career path.
Because I feel like when I finally started living for
(15:58):
myself and living an apology ethically, and you know, after
I came out, you know, that was when all the
pieces of my life finally started to fall into place
and I just became so much more confident, so much
more Unapologetic is like my favorite word, because I feel
like that like totally describes me, and just like not
living so much for what other people think about me
(16:20):
and just doing what makes me happy. And what makes
me happy is you know, sharing love and sharing positivity
with the rest of the world, and you know, creating
fashion and sharing that with everybody else. And it just
like it makes life so much better when you start
living for yourself and not for other people. I was
just about to say, like, at the end of the day,
(16:43):
no one's going to take care of you better than
you're going to take care of you. What's the easiest
part for you about like living authentically and and finding
the contentment with who you are? And then inversely, what's
the hardest part. The easiest part for me is just
letting out all of this fabulosity and all of this
inner you that I feel like I've been holding in
my whole life and kind of suppressing in a way,
(17:04):
like starting out and like first kind of cracking open
the lid was a little difficult, but now it is
just so easy to let it, you know, blow free,
just like rainbowing out of your heart chakra exactly. Okay,
so that's the easiest part. Hardest part, Yeah, the hardest
part is something that I definitely struggle with. You know,
I struggle with a lot of anxiety, and I feel
like a lot of it comes from the fear of disappointment,
(17:26):
and it's something that I feel like I still need
to work and I still need to overcome. And that
fear of disappointment is to you know, my loved ones,
but it's also to myself, Like I hate disappointing myself
and letting myself down because I am a perfectionist, which
is a blessing and a curse, and you know, at
the end of the day, perfection is not possible. So
I'm chasing after something that's never really going to happen. Yeah,
(17:48):
something that someone said to me a couple of weeks ago.
Actually it's pretty fresh that it's helped me. Is I
also have my own anxieties. But someone said to me,
I refused to suffer twice. So if something bad is
going to happen, I will suffer. Then I'm not going
to suffer now if I'm going to suffer later, because
I know that I will when I will, because I
can't control that stuff. So I'm just I'm not going
to suffer twice. And I was like, that's kind of
(18:10):
useful to me. I'm getting that tattooed on my forehead.
That's what I need to see every time I look
in the mirror. But that is like a file somewhere
in your head, in the back of a filing cabinet
somewhere and taking a mental note right now, Yeah, we're
not going to suffer twice. So what is your favorite
way to feel your best? So for me, I'm like
(18:30):
a both girl. And then that's like a self care thing.
Maybe for you, you're an extrovert and you need to
be outside with people, what's just the thing that makes
you go like this is gonna make me feel good?
I would say I'm an extroverted introvert. I love spending
time with my friends and my family, but I need
like it's not even a want, it's a need. I
need time to myself to recharge my battery. I'm huge
into self care. Like I love a good face mask,
(18:53):
I love a good body scrub, like I need like
a full on where beauty regimen you t regimen the
house down boots, mama, So I love that, And I
just one of my favorite things is just like having
a self care night and then like sitting back. I
love watching reality TV, like the trashy or the better.
So I'll just have like a total and I put
(19:14):
my phone on, do not disturb. Nobody can bother me.
I'm gonna do with like maybe one or two face masks,
lay in bed, have some snacks in bed, and just
watch all my real housewives, all my love and hip hop,
basketball wives, all of that. Okay, See, this is what
we power up on is some housewives. Housewives give it
to us good. Okay, okay, okay, I love me some housewives.
(19:34):
So if you're not watching house Wives, but you're trying
to get a vibe, like, okay, so Meg is you're
walking through the city, her her, her, you're giving that.
What is your like face mask is on? I am
like powering down on the couch. Housewives is off. I'm
putting my jb L headphones on to have a moment.
What do you listen? What's your vibe set for this
(19:54):
self care energy? That's a very good question. I am
a very big like female rap kind of I love
a good female rapper. Like I'm a huge little Kim fan.
She is like one of my favorite people on earth,
and she is an icon, a legend, and she is
the moment. She is the moment. She'd be a good one.
Little him is a good one for your list, Gigga
really Little Kim. Yes, Okay, I have one more question
(20:19):
for you, and we've sort of touched on this, but
I just I feel like the whole point of this
podcast is really to be in conversation with people that
inspire me, that are like paving their own way, and
you really like doing something incredible. You are such a
tastemaker and you're it's really special. I genuinely, I mean
that honestly, Like, you've come so far, You've been through
so much, You've learned so much. What do you want
(20:40):
to say to anybody who was listening now, who looks
up to you? And it's like, I feel so far
away from myself, from the best version of myself, and
you seem like you're really living in it. Like how
do I how do I do what you're doing? That
is such a good question, And the advice that I
always give is the best thing. It sounds cheesy, but
it's you just got to be your self and never
(21:00):
lose sight of who you really are. Surround yourself with
people that embrace that and aren't trying to fit in
or make you change things to you know, become a
different person, because at the end of the day, our
uniqueness and our charisma is what makes us different and
what sets us apart from the crowd. And if everybody
was the same, the world would be such a boring place.
(21:21):
Gread Matt. Just always lead with love, lead with positivity,
and you know things are never going to be It's
never gonna be an easy road. But it's the highs
and the lows that really make us and shape us
into who we are as people. And it's not always
about you know, what goes right and what goes wrong,
it's about how you deal with it and how you
take that and try to turn it around for yourself.
(21:41):
That's what builds character. In my book, Yeah, I love that.
And also maybe the thing that I thought as you
were talking, just to add is like don't be afraid
to also experiment, like try parts on for yourself and
go is this me today? And if you hate it,
then be like cool, that's not me And I've tried,
and don't you don't have to feel bad or shame
about trying this thing, Like, don't be afraid to find
(22:02):
yourself as well. I think it's easy for us to
say because we're living out loud and like being fabulous
versions of ourselves. But it's like it takes again, like
you were saying, being in the closet, and you're like,
the only person I'm fooling is me baby, like in
my air apostle Polo. So be kind to yourself along
the way, maybe while you're finding yourself. Well, Matt, I'm
so grateful for your time and I'm so glad that
(22:24):
we got to get into this. I feel like we've
like spotted trends, we've talked about celebs, we've made playlists together,
We've really done it all. So I'm so grateful. This
was so much fun. I cannot thank you, and not
this just feels like a conversation with an old friend.
Well now we are old friends, Matt. Thank you so much, Matt.
Obsessed with you and let's do it again soon, any day, anytime,
(22:44):
any place, Let's do it. I want to thank Matt
again so much for chatting with me today. I'm insanely
impressed by his insight and success. Really, there is nothing
more fulfilling than getting to share your creativity with others,
and you can really tell he gets to do what
he loves every single day. I'm so grateful for his
time and for his beautiful energy, and I am hopefully Guys,
(23:07):
how long do you think it's gonna take for me
to get into one of those firms the Matt Sarafa
for original I'm on a waiting list. I'm sure I'm
gonna email somebody, I'm gonna text everybody. We're going to
get into it. And that's it for today's episode. But
join me again next week as we talk about art,
and don't forget to join in on the conversation. I
want to hear from you and know what you think
of the podcast. Who do you think we should have
(23:28):
on the show, How have you been using your creativity?
Share your thoughts with me on socials or leave a
rating and review for the podcast. Wherever you're listening, you
can always find me on Instagram and Twitter at Betty Who,
and on TikTok on YouTube at Betty Who Music. Until
Next Time Unfiltered, The JBL podcast is produced by I
Heart Radio and partnership with j b L. Our show
(23:48):
is hosted by me Betty Who, our executive producer is
Molly Sosha, Our EP of Post production is Matt Stillo.
Our editor is Sierra Spreen. This episode was written and
produced by Sierra Kaiser. Special thanks to our friends Harmon
Initiative and Donna m
Hi everyone, and welcome back to Unfiltered, the jb L
Podcast and I Heart Radio Production in partnership with jb L.
I am your host, Betty who it's me Hello. This
podcast is a place to minimize the noise and tune
into authentic and unfiltered conversations about identity, art, self expression,
(00:21):
and so much more. How are you guys doing? Are
you holding up? Okay? I'm just really thinking about you
all the time. And you know what else, I've been
thinking about fashion. Yes, I have been dealing with a
lot of expression in my own life through my fashion.
My fashion sense has really changed in the last couple
of years. I'm definitely experimenting with a bunch of new looks,
and so I really wanted to spend today diving into
(00:44):
the world of fashion, because, after all, the way we
dress is an extension of how we can express ourselves.
And so I am so excited you guys to be
joined by a seriously impressive fashion designer. I can't believe it.
The one and only Matt Saratha is the youngest designer
to have ever shown at New York, Paris and l
A Fashion Week. Matt has come such a long way
(01:06):
since he started designing at age seven, such a baby.
If you don't recognize him from Project Runway Jr. You
may have seen his celebrity stylings for icons from Tyra
Banks What to Doja Cat? So crazy? This boy is
so serious. I can't wait to get into it. Come
join us. I'm so happy to have you here. I
(01:30):
have so many questions for you. You You started designing when
you were seven years old, which is so crazy to me.
I want to know what got you interested in fashion
and style, Like, what are your favorite parts about it?
Now that you're so many years in and you're still
just a baby, tell me about how you got started. Yeah,
like you said, I started getting into fashion and seven
years old. It was the craziest thing. And I remember
(01:51):
it so vividly. My mom was recovering from surgery and
I was sitting on the couch with her, flipping through
TV channels, and we stumbled across a marathon of Object
Runway and this was like a show that I've never
seen before, and I was just completely enthralled in it.
And I was just so perplexed how these designers could take,
you know, an idea from their head, put it down
(02:12):
on paper and then bring it to life through textiles
and creation, and I was just so entranced by it
and it was so cool. And my mom still tells
me to the stage, She's like, you turned to me
and you said, Mom, I think I can do this.
And I ran downstairs got my little sketch book and
I was sketching out these elaborate designs, and literally the
(02:32):
rest is pretty much history. Matt. It's so stinky, it's
so cute, it's a really cute it sounds like a movie. Honestly,
it's very crazy. And I never would have thought that
that TV watching experience would have pretty much changed the
trajectory of my entire life. Well, and like, as you said,
if these people are taking fabric in texture and its expression, right,
(02:56):
you're expressing a part of yourself. It's a part of
your personality, and you're trying to take what is inside
and put it on the outside, which I think is
really so many people don't know how to do. And
obviously you have a taste for it at seven years old,
and then you just grow into this incredible designer and
you're working in this fashion. How do you personally, especially now,
use fashion as the extension of your personality. How does
(03:18):
that come through? How do you express that part of yourself?
How does it change when you're expressing other people and
helping them get dressed? Oh my gosh, I mean to me,
fashion is such a powerful tool, and it's so much
more powerful than people realize. You know, it's so much
more than just clothes and shopping and that kind of stuff.
Like to me, an outfit is like a suit of armor,
and it gives me the confidence to go about my day,
(03:40):
put myself out there. And you know, people see what
you're wearing when you first walk into the room, and
it really says so much about you. It's the first
thing people notice about you. I often feel that. I
say that all the time exactly, and that's why it's
so important. And the best feeling in the world is
being able to create something that I love and that
came from my brain and seeing someone else where it
(04:00):
and make them feel like the baddest one when they
step into the room. Like that's the best thing to me.
So I love my job. I love fashion so much
and I really I couldn't see myself doing anything else. Yeah,
you know, obviously I love fashion, and I think being
in music fashion has such a like obvious tie in,
and it's a huge part of the way that autists
expressed themselves. I'm always really interested as far as how
(04:22):
your fashion or sort of that process flows through you.
Like do you do a lot of mood boarding? Are
you a sketcher? Absolutely? So. I graduated from u c
l A in and I was a design media art major. Congratulations,
thank you. Graduated during the pandemic from my living room
pandemic graduation, and you know, I dressed up and had
(04:43):
a full beat face because I was not letting that
moment go away. But before u c l A. I
was doing everything the old fashioned me, like I had
about a thousand sketch books in my room. I was
doing everything by hand. And when I went to u
c l A. I learned so much about, you know,
digital media and all these different programs. So now I
do everything digitally, usually on my iPad is where a
(05:05):
sketch ideas out like a pen and an iPad. I
love watching people work on because it's like also a
different thing, right, It's where you're like one with the
computer in a different way than you are with a
sketch pad or something. It's just a different set of skills.
I think that's really interesting, absolutely, and it's just the
opportunities are limitless. Okay, So in your process, how as
(05:25):
much as when you're in it and you're deciding for
other people, how much does that play into your own
sort of like expression of yourself. Do you find yourself
being like, Okay, I'm in jeans and a T shirt
because I have to make everybody else look fabulous, or
you like, I am number one. You know you showed
up in this fabulous for Henny, she said, I am here.
I'm making a statement. Are you very like particular about
making sure that you are also expressing yourself. I'm never
(05:47):
gonna let nobody outshine me. That's one thing about me.
I felt like I knew that that was going to
be your answer, amouth somehow. I mean, fashion is so
exciting and like the most exciting part for me is
getting to dress up in express myself. So I'm never
going to let that go. I'm not gonna let none
of my clients or none of my customers look bad,
but I'm not gonna let myself look bad either. I
(06:07):
can't forget about me. I appreciate that. I love that
for you but at the end of the day, I'm
a firm believer and look good, feel good, do good.
Like if I'm not looking my best, I'm not feeling
my best, and I can't be the best version of
myself for other people, So I gotta throw on a first.
Sometimes you are wise beyond your years. Matt. That's so
great that you already have this, if you can hold
on to that when the going is getting really wild,
(06:29):
Like I really feel like that's a huge part of
being able to sustain. Like, that's really what you're trying
to do, is you're building an empire. It's so exciting.
But I want to go back even further before you
are at this stage in your life. Can you tell
me about being able to compete on Project Runway Junior
when you were seventeen years old? Like, how intense was
(06:49):
the competition? I just shot a reality dating TV show,
So if anybody knows how crazy reality TV can be,
I now have a new respect and understanding for it.
How was that experience for you? Oh my god, I
still say to this day it was the most stressful
but most rewarding experience ever. It was really such a
full circle moment, since you know, Project Runways what really
(07:11):
introduced me into the fashion world. So getting to be
a part of the Project Runway family at such a
young age was absolutely like mind blowing to me. It
was so exciting, and I got to meet so many
other cool people because you know, it's it's kind of
like a niche industry. There's not so many kids that
are out here designing. So getting to meet a whole
group of them at once and spend like literally the
(07:32):
entire summer together, it forged lifelong friendships that, like I
still have to this day. We still have a group chat,
we still talk well. Community is really important in your world, right,
And so like, how do you feel connected to competition
now a couple of years after this show and where
it's like so ingrained in you and you're forced into
this pressure cooker situation and then you get out into
the real world. Do you feel like hungry to set
(07:55):
yourself upon and like share the thing that you're doing
or are you sort of like, I know what it
feels like to compete now, I'm just out here trying
to be my best self. Where are you at somewhere
in between? Maybe it's more so the second one, I
would say I am a competitive person by nature, but
the person that I'm most competitive with is myself. I
just really try to outdo myself every day and just
(08:16):
try to be the best that I possibly can be,
because at the end of the day, in the fashion industry,
I believe your biggest asset is your uniqueness because nobody
can do or be who I am, and nobody has
the perspective on things that I do, So you know,
it's really easy to kind of feel the need to
change that to fit in, and I feel like that's
where so many people go wrong because it's like anybody
(08:38):
can copy what they see coming down the runway or
what they see on celebrities. But to have like a
unique perspective on fashion, that is your biggest asset. And
that's something that I tell everybody who's trying to get
into the industry, like never never lose that, and never
let anyone squash that. But you know, my ultimate goal
is I just want to take my brand as far
as it can possibly go. And I've come a long
(08:59):
way and I've done so many things that I never
thought that I would have done at this point in
my life. But I want to keep pushing myself to
keep growing and being better and getting bigger and just sharing,
you know, my perspective with the world and leaving my mark.
That's ultimately what I want to do when you know
my time is up here on earth. I want to
leave a mark, and I wanted to be a positive one.
(09:19):
I love that. I definitely relate to that sentiment. Do
you have like goals speaking of sort of validating ourselves
and all the ways that we have succeeded instead of
focusing on all the ways that we haven't gotten to
the place yet. Are there any goals or things that
you've set for yourself along the journey that you've been
on where you're like, hey, I really did that, Like
I'm checking that goal off my list. Like, will you
share with me some of the things that you've done
so far that you're really proud of? I want to
(09:40):
know absolutely. I mean, the biggest like accomplishment I think
of my life that I still cannot believe happened is
I'm the youngest designer to have shown at New York
Paris in l a fashion weeks, which is like beyond crazy,
and it's had always been something on my bucket. Liz
and I checked that off when I was like twenty
one years old, and I have it tattooed on my leg.
(10:02):
It's like my only tattoo because I was so proud
of myself, because you should be. My first time ever
being in Paris in my life was getting to be
there having a show at Paris Fashion Week, and that
was such a life changing experience. Oh my gosh, I'm
so happy for you. And that sounds incredible and I
wish that I had been there. And now I want
to come to a show. We'll do this next time,
(10:22):
next one. I'm gonna send you an invite. Nice, I'll
get you front row. So I want to come back. Yes,
let's make it happen. Thank you. I will wear an
Anna Wintour wig and we'll we'll we'll have it all together.
I love that sunglasses and all. Okay, So when you're
creating these fashion shows, which now you have like done
and been, you know, you're now you're a pro. You're
(10:43):
getting one baby. She Now we're a couple of years
in we're doing it. I am curious, of course, because
I'm the musician. Music is such a huge element of
putting together or kind of creating a vibe for your show.
What is that your sort of style that you like
to collaborate in, Like, what is your vision for how
you like music to support your art and vision. Absolutely,
(11:05):
music is so important for a fashion show, and I
feel like I take a little bit of a different
approach to putting together fashion shows, Like I am very
model focused because at the end of the day, I
want the models to feel comfortable in what they're wearing,
what they're walking to, what shoes they've got on. I
want them to feel good because I feel like that
kind of shines through and resonates through the outfits and
(11:26):
it makes it. It can either make or break the
whole look. So I actually work with a lot of
models and I'm like, Okay, these are some options that
I have for songs, like can you tell me what
you feel the best walking to? What do you want
to walk to? Okay, exactly what feels good? What's the vibe?
Because I feel like, at the end of the day,
it's just as much their show as it is mine,
because they are the ones that are presenting my clothes
(11:48):
and they are making or breaking the show. So I
want them to feel comfortable. I want them to feel badass,
And I want them to go out there and kill
it confidently. Well on did the JBL podcast after a
quick break and now back to the show. So you've
(12:17):
worked with all these huge celebrities already everybody's calling they
want the Matster off out look the vibe. What celebrity
would you love to style? Who you have yet to style?
Oh my gosh, I love Lady Gaga. I've been the
biggest gust since I was little, So you would be
an icon and pause up, Rihanna. I think it is such.
She does it so well and so effortlessly that I
(12:40):
would die to see her in my stuff. She would
rock this fur I would pay money to see, right,
and she could even do some of the funkier stuff too,
Like she can really make anything work for her, And
those are the kind of people that like I idolize.
So I really, I really love her. So we got
to get a fur on Rihanna. Okay, that's a really
good one. Giga and re yes and re read. Okay.
(13:04):
So we're looking forward, We're looking at fashion. It's trend alert,
it's time. What trends do you see happening in the
world that you're obsessed with? What is Matt Tarafa's favorite
stuff happen. Why two K is big right now? Like,
what's your vibe? What are you looking around seeing? What
makes you excited? Why two K is huge? But the
trend that I'm the most excited for it's been kind
of peeking its head up these past few seasons. But
(13:25):
it is like androgynous style, and that makes my heart
so happy, and I'm sure we can relate on that.
Man's like I live for androgynous looks, and I feel
like fashion should not be a binary kind of thing.
Literally could not agree more. It's it's so stupid, and
that's one thing that is at the heart of my brand.
You'll never see like a men's and a women's section
(13:46):
on my website because I feel like, as human beings,
I feel like we should feel allowed and we should
feel empowered to wear whatever the hell we see and
whatever the hell is going to make us feel good
million percent. So I need to know what is your
advice to someone who you see walking past you on
the street and they look at you and they're like, Wow,
Matt is so fabulous and being themselves and I wish
(14:07):
I could do that. What is your advice to that person?
My advice is you can do it just as easily,
if not easier, than I can. To be honest, it's
like it really is. It's a mental thing, and it
is a perspective. It's a confidence thing. And the thing
about confidence is if you don't have it, fake it
till you make it, and I promise you will get there.
It is like one of those things that it is
(14:28):
all in your head and you know, just like saying,
oh I wish I could be like this, I wish
I could do that. Just do it. You can do
whatever you want, whatever you set your mind to, you
can do. And I learned that. I feel like a
little bit later than I would have liked to, and
I feel like my life would have been so much
better when I was growing up. We are high vibration
kinds of people. Only g v O good vibes only.
(14:51):
That would be my next tattoo. You have your coat,
I'll get g VO across the floor right here. Sponsored
by J B L. Yeah, exactly, Okay. I want to
get in more about your identity, how you stay faithful
to that identity. I think, especially when you're big personalities
like us. I'm making an assumption here about us, Matt,
But I think we share this, We absolutely do, speaking
(15:15):
of this confidence, speaking of this self love that we
are trying to you know, Emanate, I think it can
be really difficult to stay true to that without apologies,
without censoring yourself in front of some people that maybe
you're like instinctively being like, oh, they're not going to
get me, you know. So the thing that we are
going to ask all of our guests is not only
you have found your calling professionally, but how did you
(15:37):
find it in yourself living authentically? What has your journey
of living authentically been? Like? How would you describe yourself
in this lens? It has definitely been a journey. That's
the understatement of the year, I think I would think so.
And honestly, finding myself is what I had to do
before I could find my footing on my career path.
Because I feel like when I finally started living for
(15:58):
myself and living an apology ethically, and you know, after
I came out, you know, that was when all the
pieces of my life finally started to fall into place
and I just became so much more confident, so much
more Unapologetic is like my favorite word, because I feel
like that like totally describes me, and just like not
living so much for what other people think about me
(16:20):
and just doing what makes me happy. And what makes
me happy is you know, sharing love and sharing positivity
with the rest of the world, and you know, creating
fashion and sharing that with everybody else. And it just
like it makes life so much better when you start
living for yourself and not for other people. I was
just about to say, like, at the end of the day,
(16:43):
no one's going to take care of you better than
you're going to take care of you. What's the easiest
part for you about like living authentically and and finding
the contentment with who you are? And then inversely, what's
the hardest part. The easiest part for me is just
letting out all of this fabulosity and all of this
inner you that I feel like I've been holding in
my whole life and kind of suppressing in a way,
(17:04):
like starting out and like first kind of cracking open
the lid was a little difficult, but now it is
just so easy to let it, you know, blow free,
just like rainbowing out of your heart chakra exactly. Okay,
so that's the easiest part. Hardest part, Yeah, the hardest
part is something that I definitely struggle with. You know,
I struggle with a lot of anxiety, and I feel
like a lot of it comes from the fear of disappointment,
(17:26):
and it's something that I feel like I still need
to work and I still need to overcome. And that
fear of disappointment is to you know, my loved ones,
but it's also to myself, Like I hate disappointing myself
and letting myself down because I am a perfectionist, which
is a blessing and a curse, and you know, at
the end of the day, perfection is not possible. So
I'm chasing after something that's never really going to happen. Yeah,
(17:48):
something that someone said to me a couple of weeks ago.
Actually it's pretty fresh that it's helped me. Is I
also have my own anxieties. But someone said to me,
I refused to suffer twice. So if something bad is
going to happen, I will suffer. Then I'm not going
to suffer now if I'm going to suffer later, because
I know that I will when I will, because I
can't control that stuff. So I'm just I'm not going
to suffer twice. And I was like, that's kind of
(18:10):
useful to me. I'm getting that tattooed on my forehead.
That's what I need to see every time I look
in the mirror. But that is like a file somewhere
in your head, in the back of a filing cabinet
somewhere and taking a mental note right now, Yeah, we're
not going to suffer twice. So what is your favorite
way to feel your best? So for me, I'm like
(18:30):
a both girl. And then that's like a self care thing.
Maybe for you, you're an extrovert and you need to
be outside with people, what's just the thing that makes
you go like this is gonna make me feel good?
I would say I'm an extroverted introvert. I love spending
time with my friends and my family, but I need
like it's not even a want, it's a need. I
need time to myself to recharge my battery. I'm huge
into self care. Like I love a good face mask,
(18:53):
I love a good body scrub, like I need like
a full on where beauty regimen you t regimen the
house down boots, mama, So I love that, And I
just one of my favorite things is just like having
a self care night and then like sitting back. I
love watching reality TV, like the trashy or the better.
So I'll just have like a total and I put
(19:14):
my phone on, do not disturb. Nobody can bother me.
I'm gonna do with like maybe one or two face masks,
lay in bed, have some snacks in bed, and just
watch all my real housewives, all my love and hip hop,
basketball wives, all of that. Okay, See, this is what
we power up on is some housewives. Housewives give it
to us good. Okay, okay, okay, I love me some housewives.
(19:34):
So if you're not watching house Wives, but you're trying
to get a vibe, like, okay, so Meg is you're
walking through the city, her her, her, you're giving that.
What is your like face mask is on? I am
like powering down on the couch. Housewives is off. I'm
putting my jb L headphones on to have a moment.
What do you listen? What's your vibe set for this
(19:54):
self care energy? That's a very good question. I am
a very big like female rap kind of I love
a good female rapper. Like I'm a huge little Kim fan.
She is like one of my favorite people on earth,
and she is an icon, a legend, and she is
the moment. She is the moment. She'd be a good one.
Little him is a good one for your list, Gigga
really Little Kim. Yes, Okay, I have one more question
(20:19):
for you, and we've sort of touched on this, but
I just I feel like the whole point of this
podcast is really to be in conversation with people that
inspire me, that are like paving their own way, and
you really like doing something incredible. You are such a
tastemaker and you're it's really special. I genuinely, I mean
that honestly, Like, you've come so far, You've been through
so much, You've learned so much. What do you want
(20:40):
to say to anybody who was listening now, who looks
up to you? And it's like, I feel so far
away from myself, from the best version of myself, and
you seem like you're really living in it. Like how
do I how do I do what you're doing? That
is such a good question, And the advice that I
always give is the best thing. It sounds cheesy, but
it's you just got to be your self and never
(21:00):
lose sight of who you really are. Surround yourself with
people that embrace that and aren't trying to fit in
or make you change things to you know, become a
different person, because at the end of the day, our
uniqueness and our charisma is what makes us different and
what sets us apart from the crowd. And if everybody
was the same, the world would be such a boring place.
(21:21):
Gread Matt. Just always lead with love, lead with positivity,
and you know things are never going to be It's
never gonna be an easy road. But it's the highs
and the lows that really make us and shape us
into who we are as people. And it's not always
about you know, what goes right and what goes wrong,
it's about how you deal with it and how you
take that and try to turn it around for yourself.
(21:41):
That's what builds character. In my book, Yeah, I love that.
And also maybe the thing that I thought as you
were talking, just to add is like don't be afraid
to also experiment, like try parts on for yourself and
go is this me today? And if you hate it,
then be like cool, that's not me And I've tried,
and don't you don't have to feel bad or shame
about trying this thing, Like, don't be afraid to find
(22:02):
yourself as well. I think it's easy for us to
say because we're living out loud and like being fabulous
versions of ourselves. But it's like it takes again, like
you were saying, being in the closet, and you're like,
the only person I'm fooling is me baby, like in
my air apostle Polo. So be kind to yourself along
the way, maybe while you're finding yourself. Well, Matt, I'm
so grateful for your time and I'm so glad that
(22:24):
we got to get into this. I feel like we've
like spotted trends, we've talked about celebs, we've made playlists together,
We've really done it all. So I'm so grateful. This
was so much fun. I cannot thank you, and not
this just feels like a conversation with an old friend.
Well now we are old friends, Matt. Thank you so much, Matt.
Obsessed with you and let's do it again soon, any day, anytime,
(22:44):
any place, Let's do it. I want to thank Matt
again so much for chatting with me today. I'm insanely
impressed by his insight and success. Really, there is nothing
more fulfilling than getting to share your creativity with others,
and you can really tell he gets to do what
he loves every single day. I'm so grateful for his
time and for his beautiful energy, and I am hopefully Guys,
(23:07):
how long do you think it's gonna take for me
to get into one of those firms the Matt Sarafa
for original I'm on a waiting list. I'm sure I'm
gonna email somebody, I'm gonna text everybody. We're going to
get into it. And that's it for today's episode. But
join me again next week as we talk about art,
and don't forget to join in on the conversation. I
want to hear from you and know what you think
of the podcast. Who do you think we should have
(23:28):
on the show, How have you been using your creativity?
Share your thoughts with me on socials or leave a
rating and review for the podcast. Wherever you're listening, you
can always find me on Instagram and Twitter at Betty Who,
and on TikTok on YouTube at Betty Who Music. Until
Next Time Unfiltered, The JBL podcast is produced by I
Heart Radio and partnership with j b L. Our show
(23:48):
is hosted by me Betty Who, our executive producer is
Molly Sosha, Our EP of Post production is Matt Stillo.
Our editor is Sierra Spreen. This episode was written and
produced by Sierra Kaiser. Special thanks to our friends Harmon
Initiative and Donna m
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