Note: This post was originally posted October 6th, 2015 Still from the #UOGLB Art Film. 2015 Me and this girl are very different… Yet… Me and this girl are very much the same. I wrote this story about “Lolita” in…
Blog Archives
That Time I Wrote, Directed and Starred in an Art Film to “Hotline Bling” Featuring Johnny Stevens (of Highly Suspect), ASAP Bari, Luka Sabbat & More
Posted in ART, CULTURE, FEATURED, FILM, LIFE, MUSIC, STYLE Tagged with: #UOHLB, ASAP Bari, aubrey, drake, highly suspect, hotline bling, jarlos, johnny stevens, MAG, mark anthony green, official, sabrina passuntino, unofficial, vashtie, vashtie kola
Vashtie is a ‘Girl On The Move’ for Aldo & WhoWhatWear Feature
DJ, music video director and designer, Vashtie Kola’s career is an organic brew of passion projects, collaborations, and tenures that fluidly span across fashion, music, and art. Watch Vashtie take time out of her busy schedule to spend a day…
Open Letter to Our Beloved Scott Mescudi
We’ve come a long way since our downtown New York City years. You worked at the Bape store and I was just starting my brand Violette while doing the parties at Santos with Q-Tip. It seems like just yesterday we…
DOIN’ IT WELL: Vashtie’s Sober October Challenge
I’m going SOBER for the month of OCTOBER! Who wants to join me?! It’s Easy! Just look at the 3 easy steps! 1. COMMIT TO NO ALCOHOL FROM OCTOBER 1st-31st 2. FIND A HOMIE TO JOIN FOR SUPPORT 3. BODY THIS CHALLENGE!…
Vashtie’s Girls Get Together with Moët Nectar Rosé at Jacks Wife Freda
I haven’t done a random and useless “Life” post in forever. For those of you who are new to Vashtie.Com, you might not be familiar with this portion of my site. When I launched this little platform of mine in…
LIFE: My Designer Haul with Louis Vuitton, Chanel & Prada in Paris
There is one part of me that knows that “designer” anything doesn’t really enrich or fulfill the soul. I know that I am whole without a single addition to my natural self. But…then there is the poor kid in me…
Posted in LIFE, STYLE Tagged with: chanel, Chanel Double Mirror Duo, Chanel Hydra Beauty Nutrition, Chanel Les Beiges Retractable Kabuki Brush, louis vuitton, Louis Vuitton Dessert Laureate Boots, Louis Vuitton El Dorado Desert Boot, Louis Vuitton Leopard Bandeau, Nourishing Lip Care, paris, prada, travel., vashtie, vashtie.com, vat tax
LIFE: Happy Birthday Kendrick Lamar! Directing “A.D.H.D.” Music Video
In honor of Kendrick Lamar‘s 29th Birthday, here’s a flashback post of when I directed this Gemini man’s music video for Section.80-featured favorite, “A.D.H.D”. It was blazing hot summer — July 23rd of 2011 to be exact — when two days of…
Posted in FEATURED, LIFE, MUSIC Tagged with: 2011, 29th birthday, a.d.h.d., adhd, directing., jonny shipes, kendrick lamar, new york city, section.80, vashtie, vashtie directing, vashtie.com
LIFE: Houston’s Greg Noire Shoots Vashtie in Unexpected NYC Rainstorm (PHOTOS)
I met Greg Noire during my Hpnotiq Tour while having a DJ Show in Houston. He hit me on Instagram and I loved his work, so he came through to the telly and took quick and AMAZING photos of me…SEE…
Posted in BLOG, FEATURED, LIFE, STYLE Tagged with: all white, downtown, east village, girl with gold teeth, gold fronts, Greg noire, hood tomboy, new york city, rain, streetwear, tops and bottoms, vashtie kola, vashtie.com
FEATURED: Happy Birthday Kanye! Directing “Us Placers” Music Video by CRS in 2007
OMG. I cannot believe how time is flying. It’s obscene, actually. 9 years!!! Anyways. Before I do a full introductory post for all the newbies to Vashtie.Com that explains the birth of my digital baby and who I am, I…
Posted in BLOG, CULTURE, FEATURED, LIFE, MUSIC Tagged with: 2007, bbc, birthday happy kanye west, can't tell me nothing mixtape, child rebel soldiers music video, crs, downtown, irak, kreg holt, little kids, lupe fiasco, music video, pharrell, radiohead, thom yorke, us placers, vashtie, vashtie directing, vashtie kola, vashtie.com
LIFE: “3AM” Docuseries on Showtime
At the end of 2014 and into the beginning of 2015, I was filmed to be a feature on a Showtime Docu-Series called “3am” about New York City Nightlife. When they told me that my homies Fat Jew and Kirill…
Posted in BLOG, FEATURED, LIFE Tagged with: 3am, DJ'ing, docuseries, fat jew, krill was here, markus doorman, new york city nightlife, vashtie, vashtie.com
DOIN’ IT WELL: Sober Summer Sixteen
High School Vashtie at Dunkin’ Donuts getting a Coffee Coolatta or some ish So, the truth about me is that I never drank in high school or even at art school. There was no particular reason, I was just…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE, WELLNESS Tagged with: #sobersummersixteen, 21 days sober, challenge, sober summer sixteen, vashtie
LIFE: Celebrating Marcelo Burlon & Tyga Exclusive Saks 5th Avenue Collection
A few days ago, my Italian Friend Marcel Burlon reached out inviting me to celebrate his latest collaboration with Tyga for Saks 5th Avenue in New York City. Well, I had to be there to celebrate and represent. The soiree…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: amaris, deemehlow, laquon treadwell, marcelo burlon saks 5th avenue, new york city, sabel, tyga, va$htie, vashtie, vashtie.com, vikings
LIFE: #FBF Attending Rihanna’s Diamond Ball 2014
I was flown out to attend Rihanna’s lovely Diamond Ball affair by my family at Puma (more to come on that soon). LA is famously not one of my favorite places, but the weather, food and friends made up for…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: Beth Gibbs, chris gibbs, chris stamp, diamond ball, fabolous, Flashback Friday, puma, rihanna, sean lyles, sky gellatly, stamped LA, tai lotson, union LA
BEAUTY: Vashtie Discusses Holistic Beauty & Wellness for The Coveteur
VASHTIE ON VEGANISM, MEDITATING LIKE OPRAH & HATING WORKOUTS SHE GREW UP ON CHEETOS AND CHERRY COKE. IF SHE CAN DO IT, YOU CAN TOO. BY: Meagan Wilson (Full Interview via TheCoveteur.Com) Hands down the most addictive part of Snapchat?…
LIFE: Vashtie Gets Ready by Photographer Greg Noire (Black & White)
From time to time, budding artists reach out to either collaborate with or to shoot me. It’s sort of cool because I’ve been able to meet some incredible talents that I’m able to make cool things with. Like – Houston…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: black and white, Greg noire, Houston, HPNOTIQ, minor threat, photoshoot, supreme, texas, va$htie, vashtie, vashtie.com, violette.
LIFE: Supreme’s Paris Store Soft Opening & Afterparty – Last Day In Paris
Okay, just saying. I cannot believe how much Supreme has not only grown, but taken over the world while continuing to dominate in an authentic way. I came to know this brand in the late 90’s, when I was still…
Posted in BLOG, CULTURE, LIFE Tagged with: a-ron, alex sossah, angelo baque, Cam'Ron, charaf tajer, Colette, dj supa, dolly cohen, Hami Delimi, james jebbia, jason dill, jessica linon, kenzo, kyle demers, la balajo, marais, michael lamjc, moet, pablo attal, paris, RICKY SAIZ, sage elsesser, steven cales, supreme, tan, tremaine, tyrsa, tyshawn jones, tyshawn lyons, west, william strobeck
LIFE: My Paris Fashion Week 2016 Photo Diary
I adore Paris and I am so lucky to be able to travel there for work. And literally, anything is possible in life. If you haven’t traveled to a new continent and want to, just know – it can be…
Posted in BLOG, CULTURE, LIFE Tagged with: 1 oak, afshin momadi, air bnb, angelo baque, bio c' bon, british airways, carven, charaf, chloe, coco baudelle, devon windsor, emmanuele, galliano, givenchy, grace, ian connor, irene, j. scott, jean paul paula, jour/ne, juice press, julien, jus ske, kaki, kenzo, Kilo Kish, kyle demers, l'arc, le pom pon, livincool, louis vuitton, Luka Sabbat, michael lockley, morgane polanski, naleye, new york city, paloma elsesser, paris, pfw photo diary, pigalle, plaza athenee, regine's, richie akiva, rochas, silencio, stephane ashpool, suz p, the haute pursuit, thpshop.com, trapstar, up and down, vashtie, vashtie.com, violettenewyork.com, virgil abloh, Zuhair Murad
Fashion: My Top 5 Personal Favorite Jordan Moments
Just another post to honor the GOAT, Michael Jordan. I have had many favorite moments in favorite pairs of Jordans, but here are my Top 5 Personal Moments rocking Brand Jordan. 1. 2007 – Black Cement Jordan 3’s My Black…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: Brand Jordan, jordan, jordan 2, jordan 3, jordan 5, top 5 personal favorite jordan moments, vashtie, vashtie jordan 2's
LIFE: BODY POSITIVITY AND SHOOTING NUDE WITH NARS & PAPER MAGAZINE
A couple of weeks ago I was approached last minute by NARS and PAPER Magazine to participate in a shoot that would take a new spin on the traditional beauty story surrounding NARS’ Velvet Matte foundation. Since the foundation has…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: body positivity, bon duke, bts, diana veras, nars, NARSissist, papermagazine, taylor lashae, velvet matte foundation
LIFE: This Trini-American Attends Her Very First Trinidad Carnival
So, as many of you know – both of my parents are born and raised in Trinidad and as the youngest of 3, I am the first American born in my family. Growing up in my hometown of Albany New…
Posted in BLOG, FEATURED, LIFE Tagged with: affion crockett, angela hunte, carnival, che kothari, damaine radcliff, damien wayans, dougla, epic mas band, fantasy carnival, fuquan johnson, machel montano, mriga kothari, playing mas, travis winfrey, trinidad and tobago, vashtie, vashtie blog, vashtie kola, west indian, winnie harlow
LIFE: NYFW Men’s – My 3 Favorite Shows – Public School, Billy Reid & Rochambeau
Phewww. The work week is over and so was my part-time job of attending not only Fashion Week Shows, but MENS Fashion Week Shows. Oy vey. Next Week is Women’s New York Fashion Week and I’m already exhausted. Don’t get…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: billy reid, dao yi, Joey Badass, joshua cooper, kirk knight, laurence chandler, Luka Sabbat, maxwell osbourne, public school, rochambeau, shaun ross, stephanie gotch, tanairLG, vashtie, vashtie kola, violette new york
LIFE: Modeling for Calvin Klein Jeans x Opening Ceremony in Elle Magazine
Last Spring, I got a terrible case of food poisoning. They say that you have to find the positive in every negative and although the non-stop vomiting and simultaneous pooping made my life hell for 24-hours, it definitely became a…
Posted in BLOG, FEATURED, LIFE Tagged with: Barbara Ferreira, calvin klein jeans, Carlotta Kohl, Christina Caradona, Diana Vera, Elle Magazine, Humberto Leon, Julia Baylis, opening ceremony, Petra Collins, princess nokia, vashtie
LIFE: This International Playboy DJ’ed For PlayBoy!
Whoa. If you read my last post on the TOP 10 FACTS YOU DIDN’T KNOW (or probably didn’t know) ABOUT PLAYBOY, you may have found some revolutionary facts! In general, the magazine has done some incredible things and as a…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: angela soto, flour de mal, house party niece, new york, playboy, saint laurent, tai lotson, vashtie, webster hall
LIFE: Christmas Gifting Myself New Gold Jewels
As you know, your girl loves loves loves gold. From the all gold G-Shock I designed… To the all gold Puma sneakers…if it can be dipped in gold, you best believe I’m going to do it. And as you know,…
LIFE: My Top 7 Moments of 2015 – Puma Collab, 5 Toshiba Commercials & DJ’ing for Drake & More!
Paris 2014 My life in the past 2 years has been a major roller coaster ride of mainly career ups and personal lows. It sounds very exciting and maybe a bit emo, but fam – you know I’m emo, what…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: dkny, drake, dubai, hotline bling, kendrick lamar, Luka Sabbat, puma, PUMAxVASHTIE, rihanna, slash gen, sotheby's, toshiba, us placers, vashtie, violette.
LIFE: Hangout for Downtown Artists & Influencers – Sway Lounge Closes in NYC
A sweet and somber line, halfway down the block, waiting to pay their respects to Sway Lounge. Some of you who have been reading this blog, might remember me mentioning Sway Lounge in Greenwich Village that my downtown derelict friends and I…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: Aaron Bondaroff, alex corporan, alife, B. Denise, ben cho, ben solomon, brian degraw, cherie camacho, deemehlow, dice the god, DJ Kitty Cash, dqm, earsnot, eric elms, ferris bueller, frank 151, harold hunter, irak, jack rabbit slims, jamil gs, julia chiang, king solomon, kunle martins, LORI STEWART, matty ice, mcgoverns bar, new york city, new york city nightlife, ninjasonik, nunnie, oscar sanchez, promise smith, retail mafia, RIP SWAY LOUNGE, roxy cottontail, russ karablin, shawn powers, skate culture, ssur, supreme new york, sway lounge, telfar, telfar clemons, telly, the smiths night, uncle paulie, vashtie, vashtie kola, youth culture
LIFE: DJ’ing For Post Malone & Ashlen on her Birthday in Dallas
Some of you who follow me may know that last week I went on my first vacation of the year, that got cut short 4 days for work in Miami. I got back Thursday and as I cozied up to…
LIFE: My Long Overdue Vacation back to Goldeneye Jamaica
Some of you may remember when I DJ’ed last year in Jamaica for NYE at the islands coveted Goldeneye Resort (Peep HERE). Once a home to Ian Fleming, author of the 007 Series, and now property of Chris Blackwell (longtime…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: best vacation, goldeneye, jamaica, millennial, mobay VIP, montego bay, resort, vacation, vashtie, vashtie kola
SHOP: Violette New York’s Vintage Mickey Mouse Collection
Growing up, Mickey Mouse was one of my favorite cartoon characters. Since his creation in 1928, he’s become one of the most recognizable and popular figures in pop culture. Although as a kid I wasn’t able to own anything Mickey…
Posted in BLOG, FEATURED, LIFE Tagged with: birthday, collection, kola, mickey, mickey mouse, vashtie, vashtie kola, violette new york, violette., walt disney, walt disney birthday
LIFE: DJ’ing for Cadillac x Public School in Dubai! My very first time there!
When the email came in asking if I was interested to DJ for Cadillac x Public School’s debut collaboration in Dubai, I was all…”Public School? The homies! Cadillac? Iconic and the homies too. Dubai? Like, “duh!”. Who could turn that…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: #cadillacxpublicschool, ahmad troy, alyse archer-coite, burj khalifa, cadillac, dao yi, dubai, elle clay, flying emirates, gold souk, guia golden, Hannah Bronfman, maxwell osbourne, public school, tourist in dubai, united arab emirates, vashtie, vashtie kola
LIFE: 3 Simple Dishes To Compliment Your Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner
For those of you out there who are vegan, transitioning to vegan, or have a predominantly plant based diet like myself, I curated a list of 3 simple yet very delicious vegan recipes that you can add to your Thanksgiving…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: apple pie, cornbread, diet, mac and cheese, plant, thanksgiving, thanksgiving meal, vashtie, vashtie kola, vegan, vegan diet
LIFE: DJ’ing for Uncommon Sense on MTV2
Last week I received a sick opportunity to DJ for Charlamagne Tha God’s show Uncommon Sense on MTV2. I got to put my turntable skills to the test on national television and had fun doing it while they brought on special guest…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: charlamagne tha god, DJ, mtv, mtv2, uncommon sense, vashtie, vashtie kola
LIFE: Behind The Scenes of My Art Film for Hotline Bling #UOHLB
Back in September, my friends and I got together to make a video for a song that I happened to love using a story I had written. Strangely enough, the story was written in 2008 to the song “HoustAtlantaVegas” by…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: angela soto, ASAP Bari, elijah domonique, elle clay, gabija, guy belch, jarlos, mieko jones, sabrina passuntino, vashtie
LIFE: DJ’ing for Cadillac & Nick Wooster’s #StyleDriven + Hanging with the Bro’s at Max Fish (9.1.15)
Last night I DJ’ed a fun little event for Cadillac and the Capsule Collection they did, curated and styled by Nick Wooster. I even had my own Cadillac truck and driver pick me up and drop me off. Elle, Chester…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: #styledriven, cadillac, chester berry, deemehlow, elle clay, esquire, max fish, nick wooster, vashtie
NEWS: Toxic Shock Radio with Vashtie & Elle Clay! LIVE NOW! Ep. 1 Feat. Angelo Baque
Some of you may remember a while back, that my best friend and I did a little Radio Show for Know Wave called #ToxicShockRadio. Our second episode was the only one uploaded and saved, but you can listen to our…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: angelo baque, elle clay, toxic shock radio, vashtie kola, vashtie.com
LIFE: Joey Bada$$, Pro Era, Ab-Soul, The Underachievers, A$AP Ferg & More – First Annual Steez Day
Check out what went down behind-the-scenes as well as at the concert during Pro Era’s first annual STEEZ Day. The festival was established in honor of the collective’s fallen comrade, Capital STEEZ, taking place on July 7, what would have…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: A$AP Ferg, Ab-Soul, Joey Badass, pro era, Steez Day, The Underachievers, vashtie, vashtie kola
WATCH: Vashtie on ShowTime’s NYC Night-Life Series 3AM! Tonight 11PM EST
Have you guys been watching my SHOWTIME SHOW? Please tell me you have and I will feel less butt-naked and alone…seriously. A couple weeks ago you might have seen my debut which happened on Episode 2. I basically began my…
LIFE: Trailer of Vashtie’s Debut on Showtime’s 3AM Show This Thursday
Well, okay. When the producers for 3am contacted me to be apart of the show, I was super reluctant. But, my friends Fat Jew and Kirill were involved – so I was a bit more interested than usual. Still…despite sharing…
INTERVIEW: Vashtie On The June Cover of TRENDING NY – On Stands Now!
When Trending NY reached out a few weeks back asking me to grace their cover with a double 4 page spread, I was beyond stoked. Their publication is barely a year old and already keeping the fashionable hip to the game. Just…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: adrian mesko, bowery hotel, cover, hearst, Jack's Wife Freda, james demolet, Joey Bada$$, kali uchis, kelela, lovely day, new york city, tai lotson, teddi cranford, tredning ny, tyler the creator, vashtie, vashtie's favorites
LIFE: My Opening DJ Set for Santigold + Steve Madden, While Food Poisoning
A couple of weeks ago I was asked to open for the amazing Santigold at the Music Hall of Williamsburg for the Steve Madden Presents Series. I almost didn’t make it since I had a bad case of food poisoning…
Posted in BLOG, LIFE Tagged with: brooklyn, music hall of williamsburg, santigold, steve madden, steve madden presents series, va$htie, vashtie, vashtie blog
