He cut his music chops with the “big dogs” as he calls them—Tom Ford, YSL, Gucci—creating a “brand identity” through music. He has produced music for hundreds of fashion shows and scored music for even more commercials. He admits to being bad at remembering names, but associates memories with colors, emotions, and experiences. He calls NYC home, but spends 80 percent of his time on the road, traveling the world. He’s been named Timeout’s “Most Stylish New Yorker” and recently holds the title as W Hotel’s Global Music Director. In the five minutes I was allotted that turned into fifty, I was blown away not only with L’Acqua’s cool and charming demeanor, but his approach to life and style. How fitting for our first Mr. JNSQ.
MM: What are your favorite places to listen to DJ music in NYC?
MLA: It’s hard to say because New York is an open format city…meaning DJs at clubs play anything from Swedish House Mafia to Rihanna. I don’t listen to music that anyone else knows.
MM: Any favorite DJs?
MLA: None of the big ones are my favorites, but if I had to name a few, I’d say… Soul Clap and Wolf + Lamb. They are funky soul DJs.
MM: Your career has been based off of blending music & fashion—tell me more about that.
MLA: I’ve worked for eight years in fashion and still dabble in it a little, and when the big dogs call, I still come running.
MM: You’ve created music for a lot of the big dogs. What is your process of matching music to the designer?
MLA: I consider myself a facilitator of another person’s vision. I try to translate the designer’s words into music, colors, sound—tailor from bespoke elements. I use remixes, never use just a track.
MM: How did you fall into a fashion + music career? Was it something you always wanted to do?
MLA:I just got lucky. I did a fashion show for Cynthia Rowley in 99 and it was all remixes, and a producer was looking for the next whiz kid to produce music for a show. Three days later I was on a plane to Paris, not knowing who my client was, showed up, and it was Tom Ford. I knew nothing, I thought it was Ford Motors (he laughs). Why is Ford Motors in fashion? Tom Ford had just left Gucci, and this was his first show as the head designer at YSL. I knew nothing about fashion. I had a handle bar mustache, and hair down here (pointing to his shoulders).
MM: Let’s talk about the program, Symmetry, you created for the W Hotels.
MLA: Symmetry was my first project as Global Music Director of W Hotels. It’s a multi-tiered global music strategy, one of the tiers being this; bringing emerging artists to W Hotels to do live concerts at Ws around the world. I like discovering artists where they are in a place where they are just about to turn the corner. Timing is everything.
MM: What artists do you want to work with that you haven’t?
MLA: I’ve always wanted to work with Kimbra (vocalist featured on Gotye’s “Somebody that I Used to Know”) and Gary Clark Jr. He has a new album coming out. He IS the return of the rock guitar hero to this generation.
MM: What do you see coming new to music?
MLA: Electronic music is only going to get bigger and bigger. I believe it has something to do with the state of America. We just want to tune out with music and art. Disillusioned. Rock and roll is dead… hip hop is turning into electronic music.
MM: What’s your favorite electronic festival?
MLA: In the US, Coachella. In Europe, Secret Garden Party. It’s outside of Oxford in England—reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. People dress as the mad hatter, queens, and duchesses.
MM: Where do you draw your personal style from?
MLA: Europe.
MM: Favorite euro city for style?
Milan and Paris. It’s obvious but I love the accessories that they use—scarves, bags, shoes. I am a suit whore. I have way too many suits.
Who’s your favorite suit maker?
It depends. I get a lot of stuff for free or barter. A lot of my friends run clothing companies, so if they need a show or music, I say ‘no problem, but I need a suit,’ but if I am purchasing I love the Double RL Purple Label Double Breasted three-piece suit. They are bullet proof. Isaia (a private label Italian company) suits are unbelievable as well.
MM: I thought I was going to come meet a guy, a DJ who dresses like a stereotypical DJ. You know, t-shirts, all black… but you look very dapper.
MLA: This is my night uniform—a suit top with jeans—I like looking a little buttoned up.
MM: What’s your favorite season?
MLA: I am a fall guy, layers person. I am known to have about four to five layers at any given moment. Drives my friends crazy, and I don’t understand why? T-shirt, shirt, sweater, jacket, another jacket, and a scarf. I don’t deal with cold at all, but don’t like it too hot either.
MM: What neighborhood in NYC do you live in?
MLA: Chelsea. Next to the High Line. I am not there a lot, but I have friends stay there when I am not around. I don’t own, but I should, with the rent and broker fee I pay.
MM: You’ve been with W Hotels for a while now, what’s next?
MLA: I’m an independent contractor, and work with some other clients—in a dream world I would like to stay home a little bit more, fall in love with someone, and have a reason to stay home. It’s hard to have a relationship. You meet someone nice, and then it’s ‘Oh I’ll be back in three weeks,’ then they are like ‘What? Are you kidding?’ It doesn’t work. But I love what I do, Love the job, love the W. Initiatives are getting much bigger, so I need to be the Creative Director and not running around the world, get some young kids to do that, I will bang out the logistics.
MM: Are you ready for that??
MLA: I will always travel, but hell yeah. I would love three weeks home and one week out.
MM: What is your favorite thing to do in your downtime?
MLA: My god… I work seven days a week. It just never ends. There is always research to do, music to listen to. I would love to spend more time with my friends and family. I’ve cut my friends down to only the ones that are loving and supportive. I give only what I expect in return. I have a simple life when back in NYC… quality time with friends and family. All those things that people take for granted, I only see the most important people in my life. Extraordinary efforts for extraordinary lives. I can’t complain.
MM: What’s your favorite place to go—not for work—to travel to?
MLA: I could use a quiet beach, with no technology, no attachments or connections. With friends or someone special.
MM: For a female—what is the ultimate look in your opinion?
MLA: Most men are not aware of attention to details, so I think jeans are an important wardrobe staple for a woman… to accentuate their lines.
MM: So you aren’t into boyfriend jeans?
MLA: No, no, no. I also think shoes are important. A tank top, a great pair of jeans, shoes, and a nice jacket. A woman will demand attention of every single person in the room she walks in.
MM: Style advice for men?
MLA: The same as women. For everyday, a great pair of jeans and they better damn well fit because you are going to wear them 20 days a month. And one good suit that fits well. Most men have horribly fitted suits. And you don’t need to spend a lot of money; the secret is in the tailoring. Take a $200 suit, and tailor it. The fit will make it look like a $2,000 suit.
MM: What would a JENESEQUA playlist look like?
MLA:
- “Sutphin Boulevard” by Blood Orange
- “Too Close” by Alex Clare
- “At Your Door” by Chromatics
- “Flutes” by Hot Chip
- “Forever” by Haim
- “I Belong in Your Arms” by Chairlift
- “Idle Talk” by iamamiwhoami
Interview conducted by Melissa Middleton on May 2012 at W Hotels Seattle. Find more about L’acqua on his website.
Author: Melissa Middleton Photo: Mick Rock
