Interview with Cameron Silver, Author and LA Fashion Guru
by What Cameron Silver doesn’t know about fashion may not be worth knowing. Included in Time magazine’s “25 Most Influential Names and Faces in Fashion,” Silver is currently starring in the Bravo reality show The Dukes of Melrose.
He’s been selling exquisite examples of vintage fashion at Decades, his legendary boutique, for fifteen years — and outfitting many a red carpet celebrity. Since Cameron Silver opened the doors of Decades in 1997, the dress code in Los Angeles has irrevocably changed, due — in large part — to Silver exhorting his frequently-photographed, trendsetting clientele to “dress up!”
And now his sartorial knowledge is in print.
DECADES: A Century of Fashion, penned with Rebecca DiLiberto, is a stunningly beautiful, truly original, and entirely definitive history of fashion over the last century.
Q: What prompted you to open a vintage clothing store in Los Angeles?
I am a Los Angeles native, fashion lover, and a bit of a vintage history nerd. I transitioned from recycling old songs (I used to sing German cabaret from the ’20s and ’30s) and concert touring to recycling old clothes at Decades. It just made sense for me but it was certainly a circuitous way to get to retail.
[quote]I used to sing German cabaret from the ’20s and ’30s.[/quote]
Q: Do you attend LA Fashion Week? What are your favorite shows at LA Fashion Week?
I have gone to LA Fashion Week shows in the past. We have a plethora of strong talent and I truly believe Los Angeles is the fashion capitol of the world as we export more fashion imagery via red carpets and celebs than a Paris runway; plus we are a such a popular editorial destination.
[quote]I truly believe Los Angeles is the fashion capitol of the world.[/quote]
Q: How have you liked LA’s response to your “dress up” suggestion in the last 15 years?
Los Angeles certainly has gotten dressed up! Look at how we dressed in the mid-1990s and how we dress now! Chic, no?
Q: What has been your favorite projects/ collaborations over the years?
I am always partial to my most recent project and about to launch a collaboration with Nine West.
[quote]I’m about to launch a collaboration with Nine West.[/quote]
Q: Did writing a book come naturally or were you asked?
It took five years. There is nothing easy about writing a book, but I had a wonderful partner in crime, Roberta DiLiberto, and we persevered together!
Q: Do you still sing? When?
I sing in the shower, in the car, and if someone serves me too much tequila.
Q: Who/ what would be your dream client / opportunity?
My dream opportunity appears to be on the horizon with the launch of an eponymous collection in stores.
Q: What do you see as the future of fashion globally and in LA?
I guess it’s really that fashion is less local and is all global now.
Q: What is your favorite color? City? Accessory?
I love oxblood; Paris; and I can’t select a single accessory….
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CameronSilver.com | Decades Boutique | DECADES: A Century of Fashion
ABOUT JAMES MACLEAN
Trend-setting, accomplished and passionate. Those are just a few words to describe luxury marketing expert James MacLean, who has transformed the celebrity product placement industry through events such as GRAMMYS, Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards, American Country Music Awards, Golden Globes, Spike TV Video Game Awards, BET Awards, NAACP Image Awards, Sundance Film Festival and Grand Prix Monaco. He continues to set the pace and raise the bar in some of the most glamorous settings around the globe.
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