The modeling game is not usually a long-term vocation, but there are some girls that just have staying power. Texas-born Erin Wasson is one of them, and it’s down to the fact that she’s more than a beautiful face — she has her own distinct style, one that people want a piece of, which makes her a natural for design collaborations. Her latest is with Attribute, a totally new London-based footwear and accessories label created by a group of industry experts who, after working for various top labels, joined together to develop their own line. With a shared style sensibility, Erin’s pairing with Attribute was natural, an important factor for the model and jewelry designer: “I always work with brands that I very much share an aesthetic with.” Being a part of developing a totally new brand was another big attraction for Erin. “It was really interesting to be able to come into Attribute and help them create an identity and define their DNA. The team behind the brand have an incredible backbone in making shoes, they’ve got an incredible amount of knowledge but they’ve never created a design collective before.”
Erin’s particular contribution to the first collection is the Patti boot, which she describes as “a bit rock and roll, it’s all different sorts of leather, it’s got metal elements to it — it feels like a beetle boot but toughened up with a bit more attitude.” And the Nicks mule, which is “like a sliced off cowboy boot. We used a beautiful cracked leather for it, because for me it’s about the textures and about the contrasts.”
With her own jewelry label and a number of previous clothing collaborations, Erin is experienced in the design process and finds it comes naturally to her. “I’m really intrigued by aesthetics and designing is something that I truly enjoy. I love finding new ways to interpret things. I love the research aspect, I love going to the factory, I love starting with something that’s not tangible and turning it into something real.”
Based in California, Erin spent time long-distance collaborating with Attribute to realize her vision for the Patti boot and the Nicks mule. “We did a lot of Skyping, lots of sending ideas back and forth.” But she also made it over to London to immerse herself in the development: “I sat with the design team and shared my mood boards and ideas, because so many things get lost when you’re communicating digitally, sometimes you want to just feel the leather swatch and really see the concentration of color, you know.”
Erin’s deigns for Attribute are stamped with her signature freewheeling style and adventurous way of life — a quick look at her Instagram shows that she’s a relentless traveller, always on the road with her beloved dog Cream. So we took the opportunity to get a few tips on how to live the breezy, intrepid supermodel life.
Erin Wasson’s adventure handbook:
Freedom to me is being in my car with my dog. When I got my car, that was real freedom. You can come and go as you please, you don’t have to worry about re-booking a ticket if you want to stay longer, you know you can pull over and stay at a motel, you can pop up a tent. Freedom to me is being in control of your life. As much as I like to travel by plane and go to exotic locations, at the end of the day that always feel like it’s very temporary, there’s always an ending to those experiences. It’s about making it part of your everyday life.
I live in Los Angeles because I can be in the desert or the mountains or the beach in a matter of a few hours. Geographically speaking, there is so much at my fingertips. I also love driving up to Tucson, Arizona. There’s a really inspiring collective community out in Tucson.
When I’m on the road I listen to a ton of African music from the 60s and 70s. I listen to a lot of Reverberation Radio; I listen to their podcasts — when you’re on the road, not only do you not have to think about what you’re going to put on next, but you can also discover a lot of interesting music as well.
My ultimate free-feeling outfit? Right now I’m in denim cut-off shorts, but they’re not even cute, I cut a pair of jeans off at my knees. I’ve got a button down on with some Birkenstocks. I think it’s the best style is when you don’t care what you’re hair looks like, you didn’t put on makeup, you haven’t looked in the mirror in a couple of days. That’s freedom. It’s just about being in the moment, it’s not about your projected self. It’s not about impressing the world.
My perfect adventure companion is definitely my dog Cream. Anyone who’s seen my Instagram knows about my ridiculously undying love for my dog. He’s my partner in crime for sure.
Credits
Text Clementine de Pressigny