Gladeland

GladelandProfiling Miami's Tastemakers HOME

StevenAClark

STEVEN KNOWS MUSIC

ShareenSarwar

SHAREEN KNOWS CLOTHES

CathyLeff

CATHY KNOWS OBJECTS

ThaisFontenelle

THAIS KNOWS DESIGN

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Steven A. Clark // Music ArtistThaís Fontenelle // Luminaire LabCathy Leff // Wolfsonian MuseumShareen Sarwar // Vintage Mavens

GLADELAND profiles the personalities whose contributions to Miami's cultural landscape are as vital to the city as the the wetlands that inspire its name. Our exclusive features are meant to be relished by a cross section of readers, whether you live in Little Havana, Little Haiti, the Lower East Side or Le Marais. The common denominator is knowing that Miami is truly the Magic City.

Steven Profile

STEVEN A. CLARK

"Everywhere I go, my life is like a fashion show," goes a line in Steven A. Clark's song "International Man." On an overcast Saturday afternoon at Mai Tardi in the Design District, the singer, songwriter and producer works an effortless look that both confirms and contradicts this assetrtion.Clark is admittedly something of a chameleon, both in terms of his eclectic music and his amorphous look. "I'm down to do whatever," Clark says. "If I feel it, I go with it." Born in 1985, he says he gleaned his aesthetic cues from the early '90s--the era of A Tribe Called Quest and Boyz II Men. With his flannel shirt, large eyeglasses and fade haircut, on this day he resembles nothing so much as a 2011 version of Dwayne Wayne from A Different World, or "Buggin' Out," actor Giancarlo Esposito's character in Do the Right Thing. But that's just today. Tomorrow he could be unrecognizable. "[I thought] let me tap into that a little bit," he says of the circa 1989 inspired haircut he's wearing. "We'll see how long it lasts." But while fluidity is important to Clark, there are limits. "I'm not gonna be like a Lady Gaga type." If you happen to catch him wearing the same clothes on stage that you saw him in on the street, that's because "It's all the clothes I got." Before moving to Miami, Clark grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina, a place not necessarily known for its style. Fayetteville is the site of Fort Bragg, home to the US Army Airborne Forces and Special Forces. Growing up in such close proximity to a military base had its effects on a young Clark. "In terms of growing up, I wanted more," he says, terming the palette of Fayetteville as "very bland, brown. Military colors." So how does one end up trading Army khaki for Miami neon? While attending High Point University (the motto of which is Nil Sine Numine--Nothing Without Divine Guidance), a collegiate tradition led him to the Magic City. "I came to Miami during Spring Break," the artist offers. "I need that life," he decided after arriving. He soon quit school and moved down. After settling in Miami, Clark came to align himself with FreeLve, a loose-knit musical collective that also includes singer/ songwriter Albert Vargas and the hip-hop/R&B production team Mr. Familiar. "You have the Khaled side of [Miami] but there's also another side that's more organic."
Thais Profile
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THAIS FONTENELLE

Distinção. Linea. Estilo. Mode. Style. All words meaning roughly the same thing in the five languages spoken by Brazilian native and Miami Beach resident Thaís Fontenelle. Her multilingual fluency wasn't borne out of Rosetta Stone software, but from living. She currently manages Luminaire Lab, a conceptual showroom in the Design District featuring modern and contemporary pieces from international designers and is the founder and curator of Inventory, an arts collective that showcases the work of lesser known artists in Miami. While the Carioca has been a Magic City resident since 1994, she's lived all over the world, including Ibiza, Rome and New York, making her journey here not exactly direct. She explains, "I was more or less in New York for two years. In and out. Six months I would go back to Brazil. I then went to Greece, came back..." While in New York, Fontenelle studied at the Art Students League, but found that she couldnt remain in the Empire City long term. I love New York; I love the experience I had, but I'm from Rio. I lived on an island (Ibiza) before so I missed the ocean. It was a bit of a culture shock, actually." She realized what she wanted in a city was was the same bohemian, laid back aspect she had growing up in Rio de Janeiro. After her stint in NYC, Fontenelle moved back to Brazil. Friends urged her to return to the States, suggesting that Miami would be an ideal fit. She was taken by the Latino culture and the casual quality of life. Speaking of the Miami of the mid-90s, she offers, "When I came it was a smaller community."Fontenelle has worked in the Design District for 12 years, witnessing a tremendous amount of change and growth. She notes that Art Basel has altered the cultural landscape of the city, acting as a "major landmark for the city to change." She elaborates, "Even though we have a lot of collectors, famous collectors, it's almost like the mentality of a small town, that you're afraid to do anything. No risks." She acknowledges Miami's reputation as a party city due to its history as a resort town and also adds that it's traditionally been a transient community. "I think in the past (few) years, more people have moved here to stay and to live. Miami is a city in the making. It's a very young city." But Fontenelle is confident her adopted home has the capacity to become a major cultural capital. She stresses, "It has all the potential. I think it will happen."
Cathy Profile

CATHY LEFF

Just one block north of the Fatburger on South Beach's Washington Avenue sits a converted warehouse built during the 1920s South Floridaland boom. What was formerly a storage facility for wealthy snowbirds is now home to the Wolfsonian, a museum and educational resourcecenter specializing in material objects. Since 1996, Cathy Leff has been director of the institution, which was incorporated into Florida International University soon afterwards. "Our museum is a design museum [inspired by] the idea of people thinking about what surrounds them [and] how they create their own identity." Just as striking as the pieces housed in the building is Leff's singular style. She developed her eye early on through an appreciation for art and design and this has organically manifested itself in her wardrobe. "I have a lot of vintage things. Ive been buying Issey Miyake, Comme des Garçons and Yohji (Yamamoto) for 20 to 30 years." Leff stresses that she prefers clothing that doesnt date and is capable of long-term wear. The Brooklyn-born, Florida-raised director acknowledges that the tropical monsoon climate factors significantly into Miami aesthetics. "The natural thing to do is to undress because its hot. If youre not in an A/C'd environment, then you really need to unwrap." She observes that Miami has always been an exhibitionist city and that its natural for the eye to move towards the body here. Despite a neighborhood that is hemorrhaging generic surf shops (with more souvenir magnets than actual surfing gear), themed bars and burger joints, the Beach isn't completely void of cultural institutions. It's home to the New World Symphony, the Bass Museum of Art, the Miami City Ballet and Art Basel Miami Beach. Leff believes the party-like atmosphere is more than capable of coexisting with the various art organizations. While the 24 oz. Triple King burger with extra cheese and bacon up the block has its virtues, a place where people can come and gain a better understanding of how we use design to navigate the world is more beneficial to South Beach's future.
Shareen Profile

SHAREEN SARWAR

When you were born in Bangladesh, raised in all five boroughs of New York City, studied in Washington, D.C. (and abroad in Australia), and settled down in the Magic City you're capable of seeing the world through a very specific lens. Throw in stints at Teen Vogue, Vogue Latin America and Womens Wear Daily, and that lens becomes even more refined. Shareen Sarwar, the proprietor of online boutique Vintage Mavens, is able to expertly curate a collection of pre-loved clothing as well as original designs due to her unique background. But why Miami? Sarwar explains that a change of scenery was in order, adding that "I just really needed to see more and be in a different environment." After earning a degree in Fashion Merchandising at Miami International University and a tenure at Arrive Miami on South Beach, the Little Havana resident and her husband, Jorge Rubiera (drummer for Animal Tropical), created Vintage Mavens. After moving to the city, she realized an untapped market for affordable vintage clothing while thrifting. "I started buying for myself and then when I felt someone else could get a lot of use out of it, I'd put it online and it would sell." The store grew exponentially from there, particularly in her old stomping grounds of Australia, where an overwhelming percentage of the boutique's clientele lives. Sarwar speculates that their options aren't as broad as those in the States. "All of our decades have so much personality and that's appealing to a lot of people." As far as the local contingency, she notes that Vintage Mavens has a strong following with University of Miami students. Loyal customers from across the globe currently favor the decade that brought Crockett and Tubbs and Dynasty's Krystle and Alexis. "I can't seem to keep any 1980s frocks in stock. They're so outrageous and I wonder 'Who's going to buy this?' The party frocks: the volume, tulle, the ruffles. Anything made by Victor Costa is just gone." Sarwar's own style is simplified. "I'm very minimal when it comes to what I wear." She subscribes to a 'less is more' aesthetic, and often utilizes a "simple, classic dress with a great accessory." As for the gents interested in shopping Vintage Mavens, the store now carries menswear. A brick and mortar shop is the next big step, but until then, get that bodycon dress before the Australians scoop it up!
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