by isabel wortman
photo by alina grubnyak
“There was a genuine love for art, for creating, and for bringing so many people together.” Immersive. Dynamic. Expressive. We The Unscene’s first event, Edition 001, welcomed every creative with open arms. We The Unscene is “a stage for the unseen. Where fashion, sound, and space collide.” It is a place to create, to connect, and to express, with each edition offering a new world and a new opportunity to lose yourself in art.
Showcasing underground artists, this space transformed into a living, breathing space for feeling, thinking, and connecting. Its subliminal-like music, moody lighting, and diverse attendance proved our collective need for community. Although a lofty, expansive space, the energy felt warm and inviting, with a unique sense of community. In our hyper-digital world, this event proved our collective desire to feel something and to connect on a more intimate level.
A live performance from fashion designer, The Air In Sin, featured a collection of fascinating designs, displayed with passionate storytelling. The Air In Sin is a fashion artist based in New York City, “exploring the idea of past-human through experimental draping, distorted pattern-making, and wearable sculpture.” It is unconventional, yet humanistic. Appealing to every sense, this performance succeeded in We The Unscene’s mission for attendees to “feel as much as they see.” Edition 001 explored interminglings between art media, where static art turned dynamic. Every single attendee was pulled in different directions, touched by the art and performances in unique ways.
This fashion experience coincided with the DJ duo Neozeema to deliver an immersive, engaging, and passionate performance that kept drawing you in. You could feel the music, feel the frequency, feel the sound throughout your entire body, and as the music intensified, viewers became more engaged, delivering a performance you never wanted to end.
I had the privilege of attending Edition 001 and speaking with The Unscene’s founder, Valentino Bornancini, to gain more insight into his vision.
photo by alina grubnyak
Congratulations on the success of your event! How did it feel to see it come together?
Valentino: “Thank you so much, Isabel! Oh my gosh, where do I start! It was honestly such an overwhelmingly emotional feeling, a mixture of happiness, relief, pride, and honestly shock at how an idea I had last year at my kitchen table had turned into a reality. Building this from the ground up in a completely new industry I wasn’t experienced in was definitely very challenging, but it made it all the more rewarding. Getting to work with so many creatives who truly love art and collaborating with the community was also something so beautiful to experience.”
photo by alina grubnyak
What inspired you to create “ The Unscene?”
Valentino: “The entire concept of this event came to me one day when I sat down and thought to myself that growing up, I had always had the idea that I would create something of my own someday, something that I not only loved but that would also be impactful and benefit the world in some way. Of course, I’m not solving climate change or anything more impactful like that. However, I truly wanted to create something in the art world that combined my interests into one and opened up a space for people to enjoy these forms of art that have become so exclusive over time.
The idea started with fashion, music, and spatial design. I have always been so enamored by the production and grandness of the big fashion shows during NY Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, etc. I realized how common it is for people to want to experience these sorts of events. From that concept as a base, I then drew on the music side and realized that it could play a much bigger part in this, not only for performance aspects, but by bringing the fashion week after-party energy into the event itself.
I wanted to create a non-exclusive event that allowed people who truly want to experience fashion, music, and spatial design to be part of that world. On top of that, I really liked the concept of having both the fashion designer and the DJ be emerging or underground artists, to highlight and give new creatives a platform to shine, unlike how the big fashion shows are usually the same big names over and over.”
photo by alina grubnyak
photo by alina grubnyak
What creative and artistic experiences led you here? You were aware of a gap in this space — what kinds of things sparked the desire to create the intersection between art, music, and fashion?
Valentino: “Originally working as a photographer and director in the fashion, music, and beauty industry, I have been on many sets and met countless creatives. That feeling of being on set, surrounded by people with different roles all coming together to create something, is very similar to the feeling I wanted to build. In this industry, there is such a gatekept and exclusive level that not only includes high fashion shows, celebrities, and parties, but also exists within the working side itself. It is very hard to break in and start working with big clients. It is a sort of recycled system where the big names get priority, and then the people they know get brought in. Of course, some rightfully earn their spots, but it is still difficult to break through. There is something very distinct about being on a small creative production versus a big one. The people in smaller productions are full of passion and creativity, and you can feel the sense of community in the air. This applies to fashion projects, but also to working with emerging music artists. There is a sense of freedom in creativity and a warm energy, instead of the coldness that can come with the top levels of the industry. All of these experiences and realizations felt connected, and ultimately led me to create this third space, something that feels like a safe haven for creatives.”
photo by shanna deneux
If you had to describe this event in one word, what would it be?
Valentino: “Genuine.
photo by shanna deneux
The biggest takeaway from this first edition would have to be the integrity and dedication of the people who took part in building it. There was a genuine love for art, for creating, and for bringing so many people together to achieve something like this. Not only from everyone who took part in building this event, but also from every single person who showed up to our first edition. To me, that is genuine love and support for the arts. Choosing to attend a first event with nothing prior to reference is truly special.”
What do you hope your attendees will gain from this event and from the overall experience?
Valentino: “The goal is for every person who chooses to experience The Unscene to feel as if they stepped into a different world. With the combination of fashion, music, and spatial design, my goal was to appeal to a wide range of tastes and interests. There is something for everyone. I want people to experience all of these mediums at their fullest and grandest scale. A place where people can connect and leave with new friends, new projects, and inspiration for their own art.”
The fashion industry is built on the concept of exclusivity — the way it operates, the way we interact with it... why do you want to change this?
Valentino: “You are completely right about that, and I think that as messed up as it is, there is some charm in placing this industry on such a high pedestal that feels unattainable. It is part of human nature, in the same way that we create celebrities and follow their lives in a parasocial way. We crave and long for things we think we cannot have. However, I wanted to break down some of those walls and allow anyone the chance to truly experience the fashion industry, the glitz, the glam, the grandness of it all. Everyone who is interested in this industry deserves a chance to take part in all sides of it, not just experience it through a phone screen.”
How do you want to build on the success of this event going forward?
Valentino: “Success for this event, in my eyes, is continuing to reach more people who want to be part of the world we are creating. As we grow and highlight different artists, the plan is to take it worldwide. Each city would feature a different local fashion designer and DJ pairing. Opening the doors to fashion, music and spatial design on a whole new level.”