We love Kastor & Pollux’s quirky style and fun take on fashion blogging, so we chatted with them for this week’s Be Our Guest. With backgrounds in graphic design, editorial and fashion, both Danielle and Bianca have so much to share about their unique outlet.
What inspired you to start Kastor & Pollux and how long has Kastor & Pollux been around?
We started an online vintage shop in 2008 – and after tiring of it’s juvenile aesthetic and creatively stifling parameters, we decided to shut down and start fresh with Kastor & Pollux in April 2011.
Kastor & Pollux is a webshop specializing in handmade clothing and jewelry, and attached to that is our personal style blog in which we share cross-coordinated outfits and witty quips about the weather. Collectively, it gives us the opportunity to put our extensive list of fostered skills to good use, creatively and sartorially satisfying ourselves, and putting some money in our usually empty pockets in the process.
How did you come up with the name “Kastor & Pollux”?
When we met in 2008, we looked nearly identical and were labelled “twins” by our peers. It’s important to note that this was before Dani’s growth spurt (so we were both the same height), and before our introduction to bleach/razor (so had natural black hair with a layered & side bang-ed ‘do). Though the “twin” label is no longer applicable, we wanted to play off the idea that we were “twins” without explicitly labeling ourselves the AZN OLSENS. We decided to go the mythological route, penning our brand after the Gemini twins Castor & Pollux – stylized Kastor & Pollux because we liked how the ‘K’ looked typographically, of course.
What is your must-have piece for fall? What kind of look are you going for this season?
Our must-have piece for fall is a statement jacket. We love anything with an all-over print or a fun graphic, because they’re easy to just throw on and upgrade a plain Jane outfit.
How was your experience at NYFW? What was your favourite moment, show or look?
It was our second NYFW – so the glitz and glamour of the debacle kind of wore off for us. Regardless we had a lot of fun (when we weren’t working), and got to catch up with a lot of our American friends!
What designers, photographers, decades or trends inspire you the most?
We discovered the magic of Steven Alan this past NYFW. We think it’s safe to say we’d wear his pieces head-to-toe if we could; the collections and the styling (especially in Spring 2014) are the perfect combination of preppy and quirky. As for decades, we love pulling ideas from the 60’s. Pixie haircuts, shift silhouettes, and unconventional colour blocking are always good in our books.
Most memorable moment of Kastor & Pollux?
As corny as it sounds, we try to make every day we’re working together a memorable day! One of our favourite parts about our job, though, is our constant ability to connect with like-minded creative types – bring Internet friendships to real-life fruition!
Style icon of the moment?
Street style savants Michelle Harper and Miroslava Duma.
Top 3 favourite places to shop?
We’re always frequenting high street stores, but above everything else, we’ve always gravitated towards thrifted pieces and vintage stores.
What are the blogs you both read on a regular basis that you would say inspire you?
Man Repeller! Leandra’s funny and intelligent and fun, and we want to be her when we grow up.
What is your favourite part about working together?
The better question is, who wouldn’t want to work on an endless roster of self-gratifying projects with their best friend?!
Why did you decide to partner with Forever 21 for their online influencer program?
Forever 21 is one ofthe biggest fashion companies of our generation; we can’t deny its influence on girls our age and younger. We’re honored to be a part of Forever 21’s culture, and can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve got planned for the next few months!
