Photos by David & Kevin
The Color Crush Project: BURKELMAN asked fans of the brand who we admire, and who also have an intriguing and distinct color aesthetic, to reveal their Velvetone Color Crush – that is, which color turns them on, titillates their senses, soothes their psyche, or just makes them happy?
Kim David Smith, reveals his Velvetone Color Crush.
– Aegean –
“I imagine colors often while performing. Some held notes feel like a blast of green light, some ballads are a pregnant, purple storm cloud, and others are a glitter-fall of pinks and reds.”
How does color affect you? Color has a huge effect on my day to day; the boldness, or starkness of a stranger’s choices invite me into imagining storylines for them, and I like to think it does the same in reverse; when I see a fabulous woman in severe, skin-tight black strolling about Nomad with a violently lavender bob, I think “that’s who I want to be when I grow up!” or “I want to follow her to whatever fabulous funeral she’s going to.” Or, if I’m out and about and encounter someone drenched in cheerful yellow, or speckled with blood-orange accents, I smile – assuming it’s the intended response. We’re all one another’s audience.
How do you use color to express yourself? I use color to express myself in macro and micro ways every day – sometimes I’ll go to Blick Arts Supply to pick out some gorgeous teal or pink paper – the use for which I’ll figure out someday, but in the immediate moment, I just love having the color to hand. I imagine colors often, while performing, too, which perhaps better answers the question: some held notes feel like a blast of green light, some ballads are a pregnant, purple storm cloud, and others are a glitter-fall of pinks and reds.
How do you feel about colors in your environment? I feel very strongly about colors in my environment! I adore strong, cheering colors against muted and moody greys and charcoals. We have a lot of flashes of yellow in our apartment, and many oceanic tones – the Aegean Velvetone pillow feels like a shaded glade on a summer’s day. It’s a wonderful thing to play with color in one’s habitat!
How do you think about color in regards to your work? In my work, for the most part, I like to be swathed in black. I like to play with textures, and with degrees of flesh-baring, but for me, the absolute ultimate in cabaret is either black or blindingly sequined. Given my adoration for Marlene Dietrich and her iconic tuxedo looks, I lean into black suits in leather and gorgeous wools. There’s something so slinky and wicked, and so New York to be in black head to toe.
“The Aegean pillows in your series have completely captured my heart – I think of intergalactic nebulae clouds of blue-green, of impossibly teal oceans, the color of my favorite, old t-shirt … all are so dreamy, so comforting, so calming.”
“When I see a fabulous woman in severe, skin-tight black strolling about Nomad with a violently lavender bob, I think ‘that’s who I want to be when I grow up!’ or ‘I want to follow her to whatever fabulous funeral she’s going to.'”
What’s a work of art or media where color impacted or inspired you? I would have to say Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman in Batman Returns probably birthed my love of all-black, but it was a Little Mermaid doll, gifted to my sister (back in the 90’s) that blew my mind with its iridescent, magical “Saruman of many colors” removable fish tail; the textile was so hypnotically fabulous, my little gay eyes couldn’t bear to look away! This brings me, of course, to my worship of your iridescent Celebration Coupes. How I love them!
And why are you crushing on our Aegean in particular? When I’m not performing, my love of color springs into the realms of golds, pinks, and teals. The Aegean pillows in your series have completely captured my heart – I think of intergalactic nebulae clouds of blue-green, of impossibly teal oceans, the color of my favorite, old t-shirt…all are so dreamy, so comforting, so calming. My living room couch is teal, and I would have to say it’s my number one comfort color.
