Having a blog nowadays is not something necessarily authentic anymore. Many bloggers are seen as part of a group rather than being an individual, except for Ivania Carpio – by sharing her eye for detail and incredible sense of style, she quickly attracted the attention of the fashion industry. Love Aesthetics is subtly making a sustainable mark on the current system that is still bound to seasonal clothing. Creating things is what makes Ivania happy, and seeing what comes out of her artistic mind is what makes us happy.
Love Aesthetics was created in 2008, which was a different time period for blogs than we are in now. How have you experienced the growth of the blogging industry?
You could say it has been a growth of the entire Internet. Back then I remember a lot of brands didn’t even have a website yet. Instagram didn't exist. It was like the Wild West where digital territory was unknown. Most magazines didn’t have a digital team. A lot of what was online was created by kids, for fun, not by commercial and editorial teams with money on the agenda. ‘Web-logging’ now obviously happens mostly through Instagram, which has algorithms in place to serve your content through ‘popular posts’ and ‘suggested pages’. There’s been a big shift in control.
When did you realise your blog became popular?
When trying to introduce myself to people, but they already know everything about me.
You have a very authentic and clear style, which also indicates the success of your work. In what way has your personal fashion style developed over the years?
Thank you! When you grow as a person your style reflects that I guess.
If you had to connect your style to a city in the world, which city would this be?
I think it would be close to home. Amsterdam, where women get their hair done by the wind on their bikes instead of a blow-dry salon. I appreciate the comfort first, two feet on the ground, no fuss, unpretentious way of being; and dressing.
Where do you find the perfect place and surrounding to shoot photos?
I guess I always keep my eyes peeled. Light is the most important thing on the checklist for locations – we always shoot with natural light.
There are many interesting and highly creative DIY projects to be found on your blog, how do you come up with all these different ideas?
It’s very random; ideas come constantly from the strangest places. A lot of the times the main ingredients are impatience and functionality. For example when I was very little, I’d cut my dresses in half because I ‘needed’ a skirt. It was much more effective than having to wait for your parents to take you to the store – it still is.
You’ve done quite some collaborations with brands already, is there a collaboration you are most proud of?
It is great to be able to work together with people and brands that I admire. Working with Maison Margiela, being welcomed into their headquarters was a crazy dream coming true. What has been most meaningful to me so far was the collaboration with Nick Knight for SHOWstudio, it happened at a time where I was rethinking everything. Nick is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met and working on that project changed my life.
Is there also a brand that is still high on your list to work with?
Comme des Garçons got in touch about a little project, which I am really excited about! But to be honest – the projects that are not in collaboration with brands are the most exciting to me, like Aetelier for example.
Right, last year you started the Love Aesthetic Aetelier, what triggered you to do so?
Making things is what makes me most happy. I like to think of Aetelier as a place where ideas can grow. I have an urge to find the best execution possible, the best materials, working together with the most skilled people – unlike DIY projects, which always have to be simplified so that the step-by-step is shorter and easier to photograph. What mostly triggered me were the many emails and direct messages I got from readers whenever I posted something self-made on my blog. I realised that people wanted to actually spend their pennies on my stuff, wow!
Your style is not necessarily bound to a season or trends, do you think the fashion industry as a whole should move towards more unbound collections?
Our beautiful planet can’t provide two wardrobe changes per person every year. And other than that, style is a part of your identity, which is something that doesn’t change with every season. I love brands that continue their story where they left off the previous season as opposed to completely changing direction. Blindly chasing trends doesn’t seem like fun.
What is your opinion on the current fashion industry?
The system is so dysfunctional. It is such a wasteful industry. Talent is exploited and workers are abused. Rip offs are totally accepted. Primark keeps opening stores. That part of the fashion industry is quite sad.
You refer Romeo Pokomasse, the father of your beautiful daughter Lois, as “my other half”. Could you explain your relationship with regards to how he inspires you in your work and daily life?
It is amazing to be able to be with someone you can share everything with. I find it hard to separate work and non-work. We are simultaneously each other’s biggest supporter and each other’s biggest critic. We might argue about who’s turn it is to do the dishes but we always agree when it comes to work.
With parents like you two, your daughter is undoubtedly growing up in a creative surrounding. Is there something she's really passionate about?
She is incredibly musical. She makes her own songs and melodies on her keyboard and she is always dancing.
It feels like your entire life is an organised and aesthetic feast – what is going on behind the scenes that we don't see on Instagram?
I've got a secret Instagram account for my close friends only. Stuff I post there would probably get me banned; it does not follow the Instagram guidelines to say the least.
What is the biggest dream of you personally that you hope to achieve in the near future?
My ultimate dream is to own a big warehouse to work, live, party in and just make things and art with friends. Have unlimited resources to just make every single idea happen.
