(from a post I wrote for clusterflock) 

You may remember Nouk from a recent post. I became very intrigued with his style, and I had a few questions for him which turned into an interview, with topics ranging from personal responsibility to what exactly style is.

“You can always judge a person coming out of the supermarket, being the most hilarious fashion mishap on earth. But don’t waste your time and energy on it, eventually all the derision makes you bitter and takes away the ability to be really, and truly happy about the one person coming out of the supermarket being absolutely magnificent.”

How do you spend most of your time?

Nouk Baudrot: Phh. Hanging around in Thrift shops and with friends, I’m a trained actor and it’s hard staying alive with just that. Next month I am starting in a production of Romeo and Juliet though, which is exciting as hell.

What is style, and why even bother to dress nicely day to day?

Nouk: Tough question. Coco Chanel once said : “Fashion passes, style remains”. Style is the most clever way to communicate in the millisecond timeframe you judge a person on the first sight. So I suppose, its just the smartest way to express who you are and who you want to be associated with. Lets be honest, if you go out the door and feel you look like shit, your day will be just that: shit.

At what point in your life did you decide that dressing nicely would be a priority? Can you pinpoint a moment?

Nouk: No not really, when I was twelve I wrote into my diary, that for the rest of time I will wear baggy jeans and boxershort. I dont wear any of these things. But I know for sure that after I lost 40 pounds, when I was 18, everything changed. I got more confident, with wearing what I wanted to wear. I didnt have to hide myself anymore. And most of all didnt have to buy clothes covering up what I didnt like about myself.

You obviously know you’re good looking, that’s clear from the way you photograph yourself. What kind of responsibility do you feel for that?

Nouk: Wow, you are killing me. Responsibility for me staying “good looking”? I dont know, I smoke, drink loads of coffee and sleep is a rare thing for me. But of course I keep care of my looks. I had huge problems with the way I looked when i was heavier, so I try my best to not get back to where I was once, knowing it really, really made me unhappy.

I think I meant this: Do you feel a responsibility to other people, because of your looks, to be good or kind to people that are not as good looking? Do you think that people who are fashion forward and attractive have any kind of responsibilities to others and what might those be?

Nouk: Thats a good question, Amanda. I am a very shy person in real life, honestly I am, so I never felt any kind of responsibility, because I feel people looking at me going, “huh, whats that?” I’ve always been bad in figuring out if people appreciated the way I looked, or were just amused. So I dont give fashion advice to anybody that doesnt particularily asks me for it. And most of the time I think, thats just fine, because I dont think people would dress like me. They just think its cute, but they would be too embarassed to wear it themselves. I think quite a lot fashion forward-ish kind of people are arrogant bastards, that spend most of their time dissing those less gifted, and I don’t want to be associated with people of that sort, since most of the time it is people with too much money, that dont have a real sense of how hard it can be. If I feel any responsibility it is to stay true to where I am coming from and respecting people that have a hard life that isn’t just joyful shopping and going out to parties. I am not a good or especially nice person, but it’s just that most people don’t even have the time to think about fashion, style or whatever coz they are busy sorting out their problems, and they don’t need hipsters judging what they wear whatsoever.

Earlier you said that “style is the most clever way to communicate in the millisecond timeframe you judge a person on the first sight.” So you agree that there is some judgement involved, but also that most people should not be judged? Do you mean that the only people who should be judged on their fashion sense are the people who are actively participating in fashion by dressing well? (It confuses me when people are actively anti-fashion, even taking pride in a sloppy or unattractive outfit.)

Nouk: At first I have to say, I am not trying to be Mother Theresa. To know what’s good you have to know what’s bad. But at some point you can just grow yourself blinders. The bad doesnt change a lot. The good develops.

But you totally understood me. [Lookbook-ers] insist on being appreciated for the fact they are different with what they are wearing, I suppose. So he/she at the same automatically, and plenary victimizes him/herself to be the target of critique from others going the same way. It’s an individual choice isnt it? But you have to be conscious of that fact. If you show, hey I am a hipster/fashionist/neomod/ bla bla bla, with whatever you choose to be you actively make a statement, and others choosing to represent the same will go; “Yeah he pulls it off well.” or, “Oh my thats lame”. It’s a really tough subject, and you would have to go back right to the roots and history of fashion, seeing it is anchored very deeply into ourselves, because it primarily has been a way to show your echelon. But it’s worth an essay really, and with so many facts involved two years of research wouldnt do justice to it.

So let’s sum it up. If you chose to be fashion, deal with the consequences. Otherwise go and hide in your room.

The choice to be anti-fashion is a very fashion driven choice, and can be quite inspiring. But I know that’s not what you meant. I think, it’s the easiest to describe it like that. You can always judge a person coming out of the supermarket, being the most hilarious fashion mishap on earth. But don’t waste your time and energy on it, eventually all the derision makes you bitter and takes away the ability to be really, and truly happy about the one person coming out of the supermarket being absoulutely magnificent. And I know I am a terrible smartass quoting Coco Chanel. But she spoke the truth when saying: “Those who create are rare; those who cannot are numerous. Therefore, the latter are stronger.” Try as long as you want to, it’s helpless mocking the others, it wont change ever. They are the vast majority. Enjoy you are who you are; the one coming out of the supermarket, with somebody noticing you, and truly falling for you at first sight. Maybe because of your dress. But not really. Fashion is just an accessory itself.

 What is your favourite item in your closet, and what does it mean to you beyond it’s basic function?

Nouk: I’d say there is one item I truly love, and it’s shades I bought two years ago. They were cheap and they are scratched and old. But it’s the one true love. I havent lost it in two years. Which means something, shades usually never survive the 2 weeks mark in my life.

What is your ideal outfit, and place to wear it?

Nouk: Okay. I would say… If I would host a really neat party, and maybe even be DJ for a night, I’d go with tailormade high waisted black shorts, in the style of a 1910’s school uniform, with white sneakers and black calf length tubesocks. With that, a perfectly cut, white longsleeve tshirt, that sleeves are actually a little too long… and thats it. Basic. But maybe it also explains a little better what I said in some of the previous answers.

In what direction would you love to see menswear go, and who is leading the pack in that regard?

Nouk: Oh, I’d love to see menswear embracing the classic male shape again. But besides that, I think, beyond all hipness of glasses, suspenders, and bowties and crap. I think it’d be best to find something really, pure. Like the little black dress is for the girls. But who knows what I’ll be thinking tomorrow. Leaders of the pack? I love Ennio Capasa CoStume National, that is how I’d love to see more men dressed. He definitely knows what the male figure is about.

How do books, films and music play into your stylistic decisions? Is it even a conscious move?

Nouk: They definitely do something to me, I can’t listen to the StrayCats without wanting to have my hair like Brian Setzer. Or see James Dean with his classic white t-shirt, getting angry I don’t have one in my closet. So in my case it usually is a consious move. I plan my looks. Always.

Are you the favourite person of anybody?

Nouk: Mhm, I hope so. My gran’ really likes my style, she just recently said I look a little like my granddad in the 50’s, and he was one hell of a guy.