While you were watching Rihanna’s BBHMM video, her pastel-haired sidekick, Sita Abellan, might’ve seemed familiar. Sita’s an Instagram star, having amassed a huge social following for her style – particularly her eye for underground designers. After spying her alongside RiRi, we couldn’t resist the chance to catch up with the Spanish model, DJ and all round bad gal. Sita gave us her take on Instafame, fashion favorites, and working with RiRi.
How did Rihanna get in contact with you for the BBHMM video?
Her team got in contact with my agency Wilhelmina (New York) offering the job. I couldn’t believe when my booker called me to give me the notice! I was really excited about it.
The shoot must have been intense. How was working with Rihanna as a director?
Rihanna always reviewed what we were recording and deciding somehow, with the other directors, how she wanted the scene to be. She did a super good job!
So how do you become Instafamous?
I started with Instagram three years ago, with the idea of taking pictures of myself in different occasions of my day to day, like a diary. I used to use Tumblr for this and I already had some followers on it but I never expected to have all those people following me, or that Instagram would become such an important tool in my job as model and DJ. Basically, I don’t think I would have gotten the half of the jobs I had without it.
You have a great eye for new designers. Who are your favorite up-and-comers right now?
I like to search new designers and people in fashion, as they bring me a fresh idea of what fashion is and how to express yourself. I often do it by Instagram. My favorite up-and-coming designers at the moment are Dilara Findikoglu and Taylor Ross.
Do you have any ambitions to get into fashion design yourself?
I would literally love to do it. Since I was a teenager I’ve always wanted to study fashion design, but it hasn’t been possible so I finished studying Advertising and PR… If I get the time to do it I want to make a little collection, I drew one a year ago.
What else are you getting up to?
I have another project with my boyfriend called Heavy Pop Market. It’s an emerging brands, second hand and vintage market that we organize on certain dates. It was born in Milan one year ago, from the idea of merging fashion, art, music and entertainment.
Find Sita on Tumblr and Instagram.
Related: Is Rihanna the new Tarantino? Noisey explores.
Credits
Text Isabelle Hellyer
Photography via @sitabellan