Reno Fashion–An Oxymoron? An Interview With Jude Gabbard
Jude Gabbard y Muñoz was born in 1978 in Los Angeles, California. He currently lives and works in San Francisco, California producing his own line under the label modnik ™ as well as couture calibre made-to-order from his design studio off of San Francisco’s famous Maiden Lane. He completed his studies at the prestigious Kirov Textile Institute in St. Petersburg Russia in 1999, and is an alumnus of both Bassist College in Portland, Oregon and the Bellas Artes in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico. In 1998, Jude received 4th place (of 500) in the International Concourse of Younger Designers; a European competition to promote creativity held annually in St. Petersburg.
After finishing design school, Jude moved to Reno, Nevada from 2000-2002 where he had opened his own small design studio on the corner of West and First Streets. Jude was one of the founding entrepreneurs that pioneered this once abandoned district. He also coined the name WEFI, an abbreviated version of West First and a tongue in cheek play on the districts of major cities such as NOLITA and SOHO in New York or SOMA in San Francisco. Jude also has a blog called Fashion Dissident where he posts photos and comments about the fashion seen in San Francisco shop windows.
MTM: You’ve been in and our of Reno over the last few years haven’t you?
I Lived in Reno from 1979-1981, and saw the last of it’s heyday as a glamorous miniature city. I came back to Reno again from 92-94 when things were pretty slow economically. I moved back in 2000, just in time to watch the economic boom and see a substantial shift in the city.
MTM: What are the most common fashion mistakes people make in general (glad this is an email interview because I’m dressed like a complete slob).
I think the biggest mistake people make is understanding the importance of looking one’s best. So many careers and relationships get cut short because of appearance. Think about how many promotions have gone to a co-worker who are just a bit more stylish or have a more updated haircut. Looking your best means looking confident, together and in control. No matter what your field of endeavor, looking one’s best gives a distinct advantage. Clothes that don’t fit look terrible. Do you self a favor and get things altered. You can save a fortune by only purchasing clothes that fit.
MTM: What are the most common fashion mistakes people make in Reno?
Just throwing on whatever and shopping at chain stores are a big problem. Also dressing too casually. The way you dress should show your originality. Buy cute one of a kind things. Have things made, and when you visit San Francisco or Paris or whatever, pick up a few accessories– hats, gloves, a cute piece of costume jewelry, something that says you.
MTM: Knowing that Reno is the city of jeans as casual, cocktail, and formal wear, do Renoites do anything particularly well as far as fashion is concerned?
I think the words Reno and fashion are sort of antithetical these days. People in Reno are so scared to be original and at the same time ashamed of their cowboy heritage. Some of the best looking and most distinguished guys in Reno are cowboys. Also, you need lots of gays to be fashionable. Losing the Gay Rodeo was the worst thing to happen to Reno. Anyone who remembers Reno back in the days of Mickey Gilley, Dolly Parton, Liberace and anyone looking to swing, really missed out. As far as jeans, I never really see anything interesting in Reno. In LA or even here in San Francisco, you see so many of the latest jean styles from obscure Japanese and Chinese brands to the most haute European jeans. In cities like SF you have people putting their entire rent checks towards a pair of jeans or gorgeous little dress from Neiman’s. That would never happen in Reno.
In the early days of Reno things were very different. Reno had a very chic sensibility a mix of cowboy and Italian couture. You used to see furs everywhere in the winter. A lot of women wore those gorgeous Italian knit suits and cowboy inspired fashions. Gorgeous boots from Texas in exotic skins, sterling buckles mixed with Gucci handbags were everywhere. Lloyd Gotchy, Magnins and Hattons were just a few of the names that helped Reno Keep pace. That was a very chic time to live in Reno. In the 50s people like Countess Dandini and Mrs. DeLongchamp (the architects wife) set the pace with gorgeous designer clothes. You can’t even buy French or Italian couture in Reno anymore. I mean when was the last time you saw a Lanvin suit or a Courreges car coat? I’d like to say Reno’s personality was so outrageously distinct that they had their own set of fashion faux pas, but really you can find the same problems in any burg.
MTM: What is your opinion of the mullet–particularly the Reno mullet–which seems a bit more blunt than in other places?
Ahh the mullet. I haven’t seen it in a while. What I do see in Reno is women and men with haircuts that make them look too mature. Particularly that wedge haircut reminiscent of Sasoon or Yber from the 80s. I think a bad haircut ages without mercy. Be more adventurous with your haircut. It’ll always grow out. One word of advice, never ever copy the hairstyle of a country and western singer. Ever. I don’t care if their name is Faith or Shaniah, just don’t do it. Also, if you have the same hairstyle as you did 5 years ago take a chance, live a little and chop the God damned thing off.
MTM: I recently reviewed a short film by a local director called Nevada Bad Ass and it brought up the idea of a Reno aesthetic and I need help with that idea. The film was filled with western tropes, rattlesnakes rattling, desert scenery, shabby bars, and foul mouthed misogynist men. What do you think the Reno aesthetic is? Its a tough subject for me because so much of it seems to be centered around social class. I don’t want to go there. Can you point me in any other directions?
I think your best bet is to check out old copies of Reno and Nevada Magazine from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Also the move The Misfits. I think it really hits the nail on the head as far as Reno aesthetics. It’s East Coast money meets losers, mobsters and cowboys filtered through the lens of Hollywood. It was the quirky misfits that made Reno so famous. I mean Dude Ranch was synonymous with Reno until the 80s. The casinos and hollywood celebrities brought the glitz. I mean who dresses up to go to a casino? Can you imagine the Winter in Olympics in 68? How absolutely chic. Now people go to places like Deer Park or Aspen. Over the years I’ve come across clippings from the Gazette Journal that kept track of celebrities and socialites arriving to Reno for quickie divorces. There’s a beautiful apartment building on the corner of Arlington and Liberty that used to be an upscale dormitory / hotel for ritzy divorcees. Check out the murals in the lobby sometime when you have a chance. The 1930s classic film The Women is considered a cult classic and great fashion movie with nearly a third of it taking place in Reno. Their dude ranch life gives really interesting insight into how urban American perceived Reno during it’s glamorous heyday.
It’s interesting that you bring up class. I think the great thing about Reno was that you had this really level playing ground in the sense that in the old days hookers, gambling tycoons, hollywood starlets, con men, alcoholic cabbies, dealers, waitresses and local shop keeps all mixed. Now everyone’s so uptight about everything. I mean really, the best thing about Reno is gambling and hookers. If it wasn’t for those two things it would just be Modesto or Fresno. I don’t think class is any indicator of style. There is a large contingent of unGodly rich women who live in gated neighborhoods and only shop Bloomingdale’s by mail. On the opposite end of the spectrum I know girls here in the city that are broke as fuck and manage to look impossibly chic everywhere they go.
When I used to work at the museum I remember listening to all the old broads that made up the volunteer association. They mostly all came from the East Coast and they are just so funny and stylish. Most of them came in the boom years after the war and remember when Reno Tahoe was one great big party. They were all so well traveled, charming, curious about life and well read; unfortunately they don’t make’em like the used to and these ladies are a vanishing breed. There are a couple of young ladies I think are very promising, but I hate to name drop. Lisa Kornze is a charmer and a half.
MTM: Let’s tie in architecture because I know you have some strong feelings about that. What does Reno’s architecture tell us about the Reno aesthetic? Maybe that pulls us out of the class morass.
I think the fact that it’s best structures are neglected says a lot. When you look at Reno’s legacy of modernism, the old garde did a tremendous job at utilizing LA architects. I think with the loss of buildings like the Mapes, the city has sort of sealed it’s fate as a fifth class city. Places like Atlanta and Dallas, who destroyed all their historic buildings for the sake of development, have felt the sting of having lost a certain amount of sophistication that once lost is gone forever. The city needs to attract world class architects or contract with young architects with a very certain future. Teddy Cruz is someone who comes to mind. I think tacky fake Italianate is possibly the worst thing ever to happen to Reno. It’s awesome for casino interiors, but on serious buildings it’s positively cheap looking. Nothing says I have no class like a fake Tuscan aesthetic. The city should look towards Los Angeles and Palm Springs for inspiration. I think the Stremmels have done an excellent job working with Mark Mack who is one of my favorite West Coast architects. He really understands the legacy of West Coast modernism.
I’ve seen a couple of new projects that I like, especially that umbrella canopy cum sculpture that’s being planned for the skating rink. I think the Delongchamp post office is gorgeous. I was really sad to see the old courthouse annex destroyed for that ugly prefab job they put up. There’s was only one other building in the world with those oscillating panels and that is a building Oscar Niemeyer designed in Rio. Unfortunately, city planners are just regular folk and usually don’t have the background to make informed judgements about things like architecture, so it’s very important that they consult academics or reliable sources–they tend to look at the short term or advancing their personal interests. There is that old saying that goes, “I don’t know much about art, but I know what I like.” It’s a corny cliche at best and destructive at worst. When considering the long term impact of public monuments and buildings that define a city’s culture and heritage and will hopefully endure, careful consideration is critical. The fact that people dumb enough to invest in Thomas Kincade prints might be making decisions about public spending should make everyone a little queasy. I think whoever chose that stupid windmill sculpture for the Convention Center should be drawn and quartered.
If I were king of Reno, I would redevelop Fourth Street and make it into a new section of the city that is architecturally sound, mixing old motels with high design projects for living and playing. It would be utterly chic. There is a big cultural shift taking place in the U.S., and I call it Capitalist Fatigue. People are sick of cheaply made goods, waste and and badly planned projects. People are looking for authentic experiences with an emotional connection. Reno certainly has that potential. How do you connect to a crummy building designed by a nameless architectural service that designs everything from prefab modules? It’s like making love to a robot, sure it gets the job done, but where’s the fulfillment?
Again, the cultural resources just aren’t there. UNR doesn’t have an architectural program and there’s no established style like there is in Portland, Chicago or Washington DC. I think it’s a fear of seeming provincial that is Reno’s curse. Embrace the Western heritage in dress and architecture. Incidentally I think Ruby Ridge Steakhouse has one of the most Reno interiors ever. Is that place even still there?
Instead of trying to be a suburb of Sacramento, Reno should just reclaim its mantel as an outpost of Los Angeles. Like the world needs another Modesto or Stockton. Reno really needs something to put itself on the map, some kind of design competition or a major rebuild that will attract real architects. They really missed the boat by not legalizing gay marriage. Give people a reason to come to Reno. By the by, the outdoor mall is super lame. Downtown downtown downtown! Shopping downtown! Sprawl is stupid, has anyone looked at gas prices lately?
MTM: How does they way we dress reflect the city’s aesthetic?
I think it reflects a lot of the city’s heritage in both good and bad ways. At it’s heart Reno is still a lazy old west town that’s traded it’s soul to become an overgrown suburb. One more strip mall filled with more crummy chain stores that sell more crummy clothes. Fast food, fast fashion and fast architecture are sort of redefining Reno’s aesthetic. I think when buildings like the El Cortez are gone that will be it for the city’s personality.
MTM: What do you think about goth fasion? punk fashion? Reno seems to have a lot of around or maybe it seems that way to me because they all hang out in my neighborhood…
Goth and punk fashion are very funny, I put it in the same category as Ren Fair; it looks very costumey. The funny part is that it has almost become a sort of camp. An empty rebellion against what, polo shirts? With the advent of idiotic trends like right wing Christian punks and Hot Topic the whole concept has become hopelessly lost. I mean punk was about protesting a way of life, it was an aggressive way to drop out and sock it to the man. Now it’s a fast track to a job at Starbuck’s or Borders, it’s a counter culture against a culture that no longer exists. It just looks stupid. How anti establishment can you be in Burberry bondage pants or sporting a concert T-shirt from Hot Topic?
The new counter culture tends to wear ski masks in homage of Mexico’s Zappatistas. I think taggers, critical mass and hackers are the new punks. They are sort of against everything establishment and live the lifestyle; they’re broke they’re inventive with nothing to lose. In short, they are people who live by their wits. There is a huge counterculture movement that is burgeoning thanks to our current political situation. We’re on the cusp of a very exciting time. I know it’s sort of off the subject, but fashion really is a huge part of defining cultural movements.
MTM: What one word sums up Reno’s fashion sense?
Nonexistent (currently).
MTM: What is the think you hate to see the most? What do you love to see?
Anything without substance, people, buildings or clothing. P.F. Chang’s, Macaroni Grill Wal-Mart, McMansions, it’s all so disheartening. I don’t even know how people who shop at Wal-Mart can live with themselves. You’d have to be a total earth hating ogre to shop there. My grandmother always used to tell me go first or third class, never second. It’s a rule I try to live by. It applies to fashion. I have this amazing portrait that an artist friend of mine did recently in which I’m wearing a $20 jacket from Target over a $350 shirt from Hermes. It’s truly delicious.
MTM: If you were creating a look that said Reno what would it look like?
I’d do something very cowboy chic, sort of Bonanza meets LA. I’d match designer Wrangler and Levi’s with couture blouses, totally hot cowboy boots, Gucci handbags and oversize trophy belt buckles. Mexican tooled leather shoes and handbags with Western tiered skirts. I’d do really baroque string ties and Nudie inspired suits for men and women. Think Grand Ol’ Opry circa 1972. Greasy slicked back hairdos and really coiffed hair for the ladies would be the icing on the cake. My friend Missy owns Camp Round Up and the Lucky Star, and she’s got a pretty good grasp on the whole Old Reno thing.
MTM: Any last words?
I probably sound a little harsh towards Reno, but the truth is I love it. There’s a thin residue of it’s past glory that can bee seen in Virginia City, the sad remnants of Bill Harrah’s Auto Collection, the Santa Fe and Coney Island, the Newland’s, The NMA’s historic collection, the DeLongchamp post office and the 4th Street motels. It’s visible in The Misfits and the work of Jeff Johnson and the social group The Clampers. The city’s arts organizations need to work harder at supporting challenging new ideas rather than incubating candy ass bullshit that will never fly outside the confines of McCarran Loop.
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[...] Will the GSR help Reno construct its own Via Veneto, the street made famous in Federico Fellini’s La Vita Dolce? Probably not. But as Jude Gabbard keeps reminding me, Reno has a history of decadence. I for one am looking for its return. // [...]
Comments
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As an outside observer, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and agree with Jude Gabbard’s delicious comments here. This one is getting forwarded on!
um, the reno gay rodeo has been back for a couple years now: http://www.renogayrodeo.com/.
i also fail to see what’s so laudable about putting an entire paycheck towards a single pair of jeans. that sounds like follow-the-herd insanity to me. i like reno’s “no bullshit” attitude towards so-called fashion, which calls ‘bullshit!’ on the slave to fashion idea, and i think that’s awesome.
Thanks for the update Frank!
There’s lots to laud in his ideas and comments about our little burg. However:
“you need lots of gays to be fashionable”
is an unhelpful sterotype if ever I heard one. I think I will report this little queen to my sister and her band of union lesbians in Berkeley.
Also, I’d like to blow $250 on a pair of killer Notify jeans. But you know what? The bathroom doesn’t retile itself.
I know, its like when I say: “you need a lot of minxs to have effective government.”
You’re telling me…..so what are you waiting for? I’d send over my houseboy Bjorn but he’s busy right now sealing tile with a q-tip.
I love all the comments, especially the one about the Lesbians from Berkley. I think I hear the sound of Birkenstocks and welding torches outside my front door. Fashion is fun guys, remember that fun! You don’t buy jeans to prove that you’re one of the herd, you do it for a complex variety of cultural reasons. I tiled my bathroom last year and I looked stunning. Even fucking fashion is a fashion all its owns. Oh and the punk comments do not refer to anyone who was actually a punk at the time. If you bought your CBGB shirt at CBGB, then it’s allright by me! I love the characters that make up Reno and I love Reno! Viva Reno Guys!
Kudos to Myrna the Minx for keeping Reno talking!
I’m not waiting. House repairs have kept me from cogitating and commenting on the meatier recent posts.
I appreciate that Jude stopped by to see how his thoughts were received, and took my comments in stride. Minx can poke all the fun she wants, but I stand by my points. Remember the Unitarian pastor Minx wrote about some weeks ago, who was driven back to the Bay Area by the casual bigotry around here? I bet those two weren’t the snappiest dressers in Reno, because they had kids to raise and a ministry to attend to. The Gays are not a monoculture.
My point about the jeans is that the costs of daily life often keep those of us who try from being as fabulous as we might like. Designers mock the hoi polloi for buying shit from Ann Taylor Loft, but what’s the alternative if you’re not made of money? And before anyone invokes the “broke as fuck” city girls who look great, I’ll say that big cities generally have better vintage pickings and I have a job in a conservative industry that requires me to wear a suit many days. I individualize with bags, shoes and jewelry, but I can’t afford to buy that Moschino blouse I saw in a magazine and still pay the mortgage. So if I buy a knockoff, that makes me uncool? Okay…
So, did you delete my further comment or did WordPress eat it?
You swore so WP held it up for moderation….at least I think that’s what happened to your comment.
Knox, my idea of dressing up is actually tying my shoes…and I don’t shop at all if I can help it–I hate shopping. I’d rather spend 300 bucks on a trip than a pair of jeans and it wouldn’t be a choice I can make all the time–that’s a lot of money. I think that’s why Jude’s comments about wearing Target are so great–well, they make me feel better at least. I often joke that my style is anti-style.
That being said, I can appreciate the aesthetic pleasure some people get from fashion and the role it plays in our culture as a signifyer of cultural trends…its a text I can read like anyother and gives us clues about where we are heading. Of course, for me, I look for that in street wear rather than haute couture.
Great post. Congrats.