Kait Lucas

Published on 4 Mar 2020
By Alnea Miskiv

In this month's feature, we reached out to digital content creator and digital marketing consultant, Kaitlynn Lucas. Kait's work and imagery has always been on our radar and scope as she has worked with some of our favorite Los Angeles-based, women-owned businesses, like Kkco, Selva Negra, and J. Hannah.

We discussed her inspirations, her multidisciplinary digital project, and her experiences in an increasingly nuanced field. Stemming from a background in Fine Arts, Kait has seamlessly combined her knowledge and interest in film, art, and literature to materialize a feeling of romance and nostalgia through her art direction within her work, ranging from her personal journal, Poesia Abrigada, her content creation for brands, and her consulting work for her clients. So we were very excited to see the shots she and her partner created: a shoot that demonstrates Kait's usage of imagery that results in a feeling of being invited into a personal memory.

All images featured are taken in collaboration with her favorite photographer, Ed Mumford.

M: We’ve titled this series “Women and Their Craft” as a way to highlight different women across industries beyond our own and their personal talents. How would you briefly explain your ‘craft’?

K: I’m wearing a lot of hats right now, but I’ve always worked within the digital realm. I’ve done content creation (originally just for fun!) since around 2013, but it started to become something that could support me, and these skills have translated within the editorial world and allowed me to work with brands I love doing photography or creative direction. Most recently I have delved into the world of Digital Marketing and helping small, independent brands grow. It’s been so much fun.

M: Your art direction and photographer work is gorgeous (as well as your partner’s)! Who and what are your greatest inspirations you look to when you’re about to create?

K: My partner and I have such disparate tastes – I lean toward the romantic and messy, he is a bit more minimal and clean; but I love what happens when we work together. I like to think about films, sometimes even literature, to pinpoint a feeling. I think a lot about scenes in films: Mia Hansen-Love’s L’Avenir, Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas, to name a few. I love old campaigns shot by Inez & Vinoodh or Craig McDean that live more in the editorial realm, but I also love referencing photographers like Jacques Henri L’Artigue or Rineke Dijkstra, Wolfgang Tillmans or Justine Kurland. I like things to feel a little undone, so a lot of the polished imagery from the editorial world doesn’t interest me.

M: How do you find the right balance and line between being a creative freelancer and running your own personal business? How often do those lines blur (and do you prefer or mind when they do)?

K: I love when those lines blur. I’ve received a lot of work solely through my digital presence, which I am so thankful for – that people trust my vision enough to allow me to work with them in some capacity is so special to me. But I’ve also done a lot of things outside of that. I don’t think one’s social platform is all there is to a human being.

M: Your journal, Poesia Abrigada, seems to incorporate a bit from your Bachelor's studies in Fine Arts; what inspired you to start this interdisciplinary project?

K: I love to write. I almost made the decision to major in Journalism years ago, but pivoted and decided to pursue art, which I am incredibly thankful for as it allowed me to see the world so differently. Poesia was born out of a desire to write and get all the things I was thinking about in my head out into the world. It’s a blog, but I didn’t want it to feel like one in the traditional sense. I wanted it to be more thoughtful and considered, and while I do discuss more frivolous things like fashion and beauty, it could also be a space for me to write about my experience in college, or dissect a film I had seen recently. I think more and more people are turning toward “blogging” and its earnest beginnings – people are overwhelmed (myself included) by the digital world and its disingenuity and craving more stories, more humanity. It’s my hope to cater to that desire with Poesia.

M: Increasingly so, fashion also intertwines so intimately with technology such as software and artificial intelligence - to put it broadly. Is this an area that you were considering exploring on your journal?
K: I think so. Shifting to a career that forces me to think about the digitization of everything has made me more and more aware of just how much I am a part of this ever expanding world of technology and its relation to everything around us. I used to not even consider myself a part of that world, but it’s inevitable – we’re all involved to some degree.

M: I read something interesting about how differently we treat women and men within the creative industry; for example, we more often call men, “content creators”, and women “influencers” - each with their own certain connotations. Are there certain challenges you’ve faced within your industry in regards to this?

K: I think the world often sees “influencers” and “content creators” as silly, but the truth of the matter is everyone has a desire to share things about themselves on social media, so we all do it. There’s also a stereotype that is inevitably associated with an influencer – we think of older iterations of bloggers, like “mommy bloggers” (a term I hate, by the way because who cares! Let people do what they want!) or the opposite side of the spectrum which is a Kendall Jenner type with millions of followers and tons of influence. The reality is that there are so many different kinds of content creators, and because it has become such a natural language for us all, it reflects the broad spectrum of our society and the people who inhabit it. Truthfully (and thankfully) I haven’t seen a lot of the new prejudices that are arising within this digital culture, but I put a lot of those pressures on myself. I’m worried that doing or posting something will make me seem a certain way, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. As long as you are doing your best and remaining authentic to yourself.

M: You mentioned that your partner mostly photographs you for you - this being a very intimate bond as you, of course, have to trust them to know your nuances and idiosyncrasies. Are there any other photographers you feel comfortable being shot by - if any? I know I often enjoy being behind the camera more so than being in front of one.

K: My partner is my favorite photographer. Like I mentioned before, there is a dissonance our tastes create and I always love the end result. I’m terrible at having my picture taken, which seems strange as I’ve created a personal brand that requires me to do so, but I think that’s a truth for a lot of people working in similar fields. I think there needs to be a feeling of safety and comfort in order to be shot by someone successfully, and my partner has always done that for me.

M: You consult and work with many brands (one of which we love, Kkco!); I was wondering if there is a certain level of standard you hold before you agree to work with and for one? For example, commitment to environmental concerns, womens’ rights, fair trade/wage, etc?

K: Of course! I try my best to make sure that the brands I’m working with are quality brands, and by this I don’t mean solely in regards to their construction, but also in their ethos. I love working with smaller brands, as most of them don’t have the desire to scale up and become huge global brands, because most of them understand that that sort of business model isn’t only outdated, it’s just not sustainable (in every sense of the word) within this day and age.

Find more of Kait's work at her website.

Kait is featured in our Verona Dress and Baby-Doll Top.