Peggy Noland x Nasty Gal

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone else in the world quite like the amazing Peggy Noland. With just a glance at her shaved ‘do which, at the crown, magically cascades into long, flowing locks, you can tell that homegirl is truly in a world of her own—and it’s a world we want to invade. If you don’t already know and love Peggy’s designs like we do, you’re probably a fan without even knowing it because you’re definitely a fan of some of her musically inclined clients. The Kansas City-native has designed many an over-the-top stage piece for Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Brooke Candy, Sky Ferreira, Ssion, CSS, Peaches, Hunx and His Punx, Gossip, Yelle—the list goes on and on. Now, we’re proud to say that we can add ourselves to that esteemed list with the three exclusive looks (a puff-paint rose emblazoned vintage denim and leather jacket and a candy coated oversized sweatshirt) that our girl Peggy designed, just for us. To celebrate, we had a chat with the queen of outrageousness herself about puff paint, normcore, and the importance of humor in fashion.

First off, we love the designs you created for Nasty Gal! Can you go into the inspiration behind them?

It was so fun to make stuff for Nasty Gal! The collection was inspired by pieces I made for Wacky Wacko, and we made them extra special for Nasty Gal.

Do you remember your first design?

I think it was probably helping my mom make a Halloween costume. I learned how to sew from her.

You design for a ton of amazing musicians. Why do you think that this particular type of creative is so drawn to your work? And do you feel as though your aesthetic works best on stage?

Many musicians like to stand out on stage and I love to make work that demands attention, so it’s a very natural partnership. I love seeing my designs on stage—it gives them so much life. But it’s just as sweet to see a teen in the the middle of America tag you in a pic of them wearing your pieces.

It’s safe to say that you’re the complete opposite of the Normcore trend that so many people are into lately. Would you agree? What are your thoughts on that trend?

Normal is different for everyone, and I always feel abnormal if I don’t look a little abnormal. Normcore is cool the way any other trend is cool. If you’re basing your opinion on what dominate culture considers “normal” there is plenty of experimenting to be done—even if it’s with khakis. I am into trends always, even if they’re not something I personally adopt because it’s moving things forward. Even if it’s a trend from the past, the fact that it’s happing now means there is going to be a fresh spin on it. I also love when people are committed to a look and often those who dive deep into trends take it too a really fun, fresh place.

Your garments are so elaborate and distinctively you. What do the beginning stages of your designs normally entail/look like? How does an idea normally start?

It’s always very organic. I have never been able to sit down and sketch an idea or collection out on paper. That has always felt like work to me and when your passion becomes your business it’s very important that it stays fun and something you enjoy, or inevitably you’ll dread waking up to do the thing you used to love doing in your spare time. When I get an idea or find inspiration, I take into consideration if the timeliness of it is important or if I can let it sink in and swirl around with other ideas and take it from there.

Can you give us some insight into your love affair with puff paint and how it began?

Craft had always been something I have either fully embraced or tried desperately to stay away from. Lately, I have been much more comfortable using craft in a more contemporary way. But regardless of what I’m painting, a part of me always feels like a 12-year-old in my childhood bedroom.

Who are you designing for?

Usually I will start by designing something I would want to wear on myself. So, typically my customer is someone who doesn’t mind sticking out, who feels better out than in. They probably listen to Hunx and His Punx and Miley and are dying their hair on a Saturday night. Tammy Faye and Rupaul are they’re sheros!

What is the best reaction you’ve gotten from your designs? The worst?

The best reactions are when people totally appreciate and get what you do, whether they are a customer or not. The worst is when people assume your risk taking is meant to be cruel or is uninformed. However, unless you’re creating in a vacuum, you have to be ready for the best, worst and everything in between! It’s a wild ride!

There is a lot of humor is your designs. What inspires that and why do you think it’s important to inject some funny into your style?

It’s hard for me to take fashion that seriously with all the heavy stuff in the world. Art is an important communicator and it’s the way I feel most comfortable participating in the conversation. However it’s also an opportunity to lighten the load a bit, and an excuse to have fun. My designs are funny—but I’m not joking.