Natacha Voranger Creates To Extend Societal Acceptance of the Unknown

Natacha Voranger is an independent stylist who uses her creative talent with a mindfulness to establish an inclusive and diverse fashion industry. In pursuit of this mission, Natacha manifests her creative products while pointing out truths of daily life and collective societal problems. Her outfits do not aim to shock as much as to evoke questions about classical definitions of beauty. In so doing, her work is on a greater conceptual level of creation rather than existing in a physical materialistic dimension. Here she speaks on the importance of fashion enabling movement, growth, evolution, and ultimately for the establishment of one's unique self. It is hard to imagine a more powerful mission.

1. How much of styling is about destruction as opposed to construction?

I think it’s both and neither at the same time. I try to think of styling in an organic way, I like the fact of having an outfit moving and evolving with the body. I try to move away from perfection. Perfection in an outfit means that the person which embodies the outfit needs to stay calm and not move, which ultimately means that the person is hindered in her movements.

2. How much of our artistic styling conveys a specific message or truth? Provide an example if you can think of one.

In the approach I have to styling I often try to point out a societal problem or an everyday life situation / anecdote that I find interesting. Fashion, and more precisely styling is often only a medium to express myself, not an end in itself. In the editorial we produced for Gruppe Magazine, the concept was to put a whole family on a spike, the idea came from questioning the classic nuclear family system, the kind of families who have barbecue parties on Sundays.

3. What kind of reaction do you hope to receive from the people who view your work?

By publishing my work I try to push the boundaries of what is normally seen as “classical” beauty. I deeply think that creative people have the duty to enlarge other people’s minds in order to extend their acceptance of the unknown.

4. What is the best piece of commentary or advice you have received about your work?

Someone told me not long ago that my work is a bit all over the place. I agree. Sometimes I wish I had found that one thing I like and I would centre my research only on this specific thing but I’m just way too curious to go only in one direction. Even if it might be seen by some as a weakness, I will gain something out of it at some point.

But that’s the hard part about working in the fashion world - everybody is very protective of their ideas, their network, and you don’t get help or advice. I’m always happy to support others, but it does not always work both ways, so you have to learn everything by yourself.

5. What kind of relationship do you have with your personal style? How does this relate to how you style your clients?

I’m a huge fan of vintage clothing, in fact I mostly wear vintage. It is so nice to find a great piece that no one has; the cuts and fabrics are also unique. It also allows me to buy designer clothes for way less money, and make the person I’ve bought the piece from happy about her sell. It’s way more personal and human in a way. But the most important reason to wear vintage is the ecological one, the Fashion industry pollutes so much, we should be all really conscious about that.

I always try to include vintage as much as I can with most of my clients. But finding good vintage pieces takes time, and it’s sometimes hard to arrange that with last-minute jobs.

6. What are some of the limitations of styling.

I think there are no limitations of styling. As a stylist there is only limitations in the fact of knowing where to stop when someone already has a great style, and not trying to influence the person so much with your own style.

7. Describe an alternate universe in which you would like to live.

I think our universe is so complex and interesting to live in that you can never be bored.

8. What does “layering” mean to you ?

Layering means more possibilities to develop interesting shapes and combinations on an outfit.

9. Do you ever sketch the looks that you construct? What is the process for building an entire look?

I never sketch the looks, I just envision them when I see the clothes in front of me.

10. How do you see your art developing in the future? Where do you notice a gap in your current oeuvre ?

I would like to be even more conceptual, conceptual in the looks I make but also in the stories I develop. I would like to find the right people, collaborators and work with them on developing new concepts, great images and even more.