“We are who we are and there is nothing we can do about that, so we may as well show off our pride to the fullest.”
“I find that, overall, people are quite accepting. I give off a strong, confident vibe in person that helps to eliminate bullying and harassment. I feel that if people can sense you are content, it inspires them,” says rhinestone bedazzler Kyle Farmery, who has leapt onto the NYC club scene in the most uncompromising of ways. His eye-catching work is used by and seen on Lizzo, while his first collection was bought in full by Manhattan department store Bergdorf Goodman. He is rocketing into mainstream culture through his sparkly goods, but how did he go from being a wide-eyed youngster who would stand admiring the windows on Fifth Avenue to accessorizing the rich and famous?
Mentorship started at a young age for Kyle, when he caught the eye of model and performance-art legend Amanda Lepore. “I was very lucky to have her as my mentor, inspiration, and teacher. My mom trusted her and took me to meet her. I think she saw this bond between us, it was just immediate. Amanda doesn’t drink or do drugs, and my mom just agreed to let her take me out.”
Having always been a creative soul, Kyle cites his upbringing as aiding his artistic development. “I grew up in a very creative household. My mother came up with all kinds of projects for us to do all year round. I wouldn’t particularly say she is an artist, but she is creative and was a strong help in keeping us creative as kids.” His biggest influences in fashion have been Thierry Mugler, Grace Jones, Philip Treacy, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Daphne Guinness, and Alexander McQueen, and they can be seen in his work. It’s all fabulous and evocative of the days of disco, yet clean and modernist in form.
About his process, he says: “I look at the different ways people have been able to design, [their] different silhouettes and different techniques. It’s mainly silhouettes, to be honest. Daphne Guinness is a genius with hers—the shoes and the hair, the very skinny body and skinny limbs—she has mastered proportions.”
With a feminine exterior balanced by a masculine interior, Kyle is the master of self-expression. “If [people] see someone walking around with bleached eyebrows and a very structured face, it could scare them. But there is a way that I hold myself that inspires them to open their minds a little. Wear it proudly.”
Although Kyle is no longer that involved with NYC nightlife, his status and influence remain. “I would say I definitely had a major part in it during my time. It’s been six months since I [was on active on the scene].”
His focus now is Sparkyle Studio, an innovative rhinestone-embellishment company that, after only six months since its launch last July, has attracted some major clients: “Work is commissioned-based. Since I started the company, I’ve worked with celebrities like Lizzo, Debi Mazar, and Yasmine Petty.”
Having his first collection bought by Bergdorf Goodman was perhaps his most surreal experience to date. “Two of the pieces ended up in their Christmas windows on Fifth Avenue,” he says. “This is a huge achievement and inspiration for me. I grew up in Manhattan, going to visit those windows every year with my mom, so it was a full-on experience.”
Regarding the resurgence in popularity of avant-garde club culture in New York City, Kyle believes it is incredibly reminiscent of that seen during the 1970s and 1980s, adding: “Through tough times comes community. Mr. Trump may be trying to silence us, but we’re not going anywhere.”
This is his reply to the Trump administration’s reversal of rights for people within the LGBTQ+ community, especially the trans community: It is real, it is happening, and it is affecting some of America’s most vulnerable citizens. “I think it’s extremely important that we’re ferociously strong and bold during the times we are going through now,” says Kyle. “We are who we are and there is nothing we can do about that, so we may as well show off our pride to the fullest.”
The future looks bright for Kyle Farmery: 2020 will be a year of growth with Sparkyle Studio. “Every day something new blows my mind. I have [commissions] for several celebrities in the works. I don’t know what the future holds, but every day over these past six months, there has been something new and exciting, and honestly, it’s hard for me to keep my attention going if I’m working on the same thing every day.”
Instagram: @kylefarmery
Photography: Fabien Baron
Styling: Patti Wilson
Makeup: Lena Koro
Hair: Ward Stegerhoek
Set design: Stefan Beckman
