Stefania Yarhi

Laundry List: Daniel Faria x East Dane

December 17 2014
Laundry List: Daniel Faria x East Dane

Laundry List December edition with art dealer and gallerist Daniel Faria for EastDane.com. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Daniel for a few years now, he’s a really important fixture on the Canadian and international art scenes with a few names on his roster (cough-Douglas Coupland-cough) you may have heard of. I mean The New York Times lauded him a Toronto Tastemaker, Maclean’s touted him the Ambassador of Cool, apparently I’m in good company!

What does a guy who jets around the world to art fairs in the most fabulous places want for? Nothing really. But we got together and chatted one afternoon at his Bloor West gallery about Versace, uniforms and his upcoming 40th.

Daniel: Have you seen the new Beyoncé video for 7/11?
Me: Yes, I have, I can’t.
D: Dear Lord!

I can’t even. Especially on the heels of Kim Kardashian Paper mag cover, Beyoncé wins! I’m generally so over her, but that slap!
D: I’m not a huge Beyoncé fan either, but that video is amazing. It makes her look like she’s fun and not a robot, it’s obviously contrived cause she is a robot, but it’s so good!

Those awful J.Lo white sweat pants in the bathroom scene, they make me wanna look like I did in high school all over again!
I know, it’s really good.

What would you have worn to Solange’s wedding?
Oh my god, I don’t know?! Philip Lim

Like a white suit?
The pressure! I’m pretty casual, probably an untucked Phillip Lim shirt, white jeans and white Doc’s. I’m all about Doc Marten’s lately

They are so good on you though, for some reason on my right foot Doc’s kill me.
I’m back to basics, all about doc’s these days!

When did that start?
When I was trying to find a winter boot and they were all either atrocious or a thousand dollars. And I was like why not the Doc’s, it’s all about the Doc’s.

Boots got so much more expensive this year, shoes too!
And winter boots get destroyed, I like the doc’s and next year if they’re destroyed I know exactly what I’m going to get, the size and I don’t have to think about it. I don’t have time to think about things anymore. I bought the Comme des Garçons collaboration with Doc’s when I was in New York, they’re great I wear them for special occasions. Yesterday when I went to get my hair cut by my fabulous hair stylist Luis Pacheco he was wearing Doc’s too! If he’s wearing them, they’re cool. We’re like Portuguese brothers. Or sisters!

I’ve never met him.
No! He was at our Pride party last year and there was a moment where he and I were dancing to Rescue Me on the bench. He owns Hair on the Avenue and he just opened a salon on Queen st. called Medulla and Co. It’s fabulous. We were in Miami like two years ago and met on the beach. Prior to that, all these people were like “how do you two not know each other”? Then Marcus from Soho house sent me a bottle of champagne on the beach for my birthday and I took a glass over to Luis and we got to talking about a bunch of stuff and I found out he’s also obsessed with Madonna, he’s amazing. He and his husband are so hot!

But you and Rui are so cute!
No, but they are like hot, like Rick Owens-y, tattoos, man bun, hot.

Back to uniforms
I’ve implemented a uniform because it’s so easy. It’s pretty much black and white with a splash of grey. Crazy for me means navy. It’s usually dark denim jeans or black jeans and—

And that cuff!
Yeah, the cuff started cause I was too lazy and busy to go get them hemmed, but then I loved the cuff. There’s usually a black sweater or white button down and blazer. It’s pretty uniform. There was an article recently that just came out about how successful people always wear the same thing and I thought ahhhhh (sigh of relief).

Daniel in front of piece by artist Kristine Moran

That’s the thing to ease your mind.
Yeah, I’m ok! It’s just easy and it’s also as I get older I just find that I want less but better. So when everything works into a grayscale it’s easier and I don’t feel badly spending X on something because I know I’ll wear it and it fits with everything else. It narrows it down.

All mix ‘n match.
It’s a thing.

How do you feel that working in the art industry has informed your wardrobe?
The stereotype of the art world is that everyone wears black. “Culture worker black”. There’s that Amy Poehler video for Old Navy where she plays an art dealer and she’s wearing all black and a turtleneck.

I don’t get it, why is a black turtleneck a bad thing, it’s something I could live my entire life in.
I could wear a black turtleneck all day everyday. You throw a blazer on or you don’t, I’m all about it.

Agreed!
I think when I first started in the art world I wore all black because that’s what I thought you had to do. Then I resisted the all black and Rui was trying to get me to wear navy and other things. And really I’m just most comfortable in all black and grey. Even our house is black and grey and it’s the art work that adds the colour. It’s funny because most of the artists I work with are either colourful or black and white and monotone. I’d rather the art be the punctuation as opposed to me and what I’m wearing. I still like design, but the details “the devil is in the details” is what stands out even though it’s very subtle.

I love that the accoutrement would be the art work. There’s something to be said because you can enjoy Versace.
And I do! More than ever.

But It’s not necessarily you and it doesn’t have to be.
Exactly. My goal right now is to get a full set of Versace dinner ware. And I look on eBay at least once a week.

Are there many full sets?
Mostly you see bits and pieces, but a few months ago there was a full set and it was going for $5000.

Ouch.
But then that’s what I like. You’ll have it forever and then everything else helps it stand out.

I’m coming over for dinner when you do. I’ll bring a bucket of KFC.
I know. It’s funny cause everything is so cyclical. That 90s thing is so back. Including Versace, it’s so good. I was looking through the Rock’n Royalty Versace book the other day. It’s still so good.

It was just too bad about the made-for-tv Versace pic, and who played Donatella? Gina…
Gershon! I’d read the book maybe six months before the movie came out and I was so into the story of this family business on the brink of bankruptcy and then it all gets turned around. But also was that it was filmed in Montreal and the house had all these Canadian artists and I thought, “hmmmm. Versace wouldn’t have gone for this.”

It couldn’t have been that hard to get the rights to use the mansion.
Right there on Ocean Dr. I’m kind of obsessed with Donatella at the moment. I love the whole story of the family I think it’s fascinating.

You love your Italian women… Madge, Donatella.
Well they are best friends! That world is so fascinating. I tried to be Gianni Versace for Halloween last year but those vintage shirts go for $800-1000. I’m like I’m not doing this for a Halloween costume. But that’s another piece that would be nice to have in the wardrobe. Did you see the sneakers that Donatella gave Madonna for her birthday? Madonna Instagrammed a pic! Just black with huge gold Medusa on the toe.

I love that logo it’s still one of the best.
Iconic.

So what are you packing for Miami?
Black and white obviously and these new Balenciaga sneakers I just got. I’ve been looking for a pair of black sandals but I just can’t find a pair that I like. I’m back to my youth, I’m into Tretorn’s, white t-shirts and black jeans. I’m almost 40 so I just want clean lines and basics. I love COS, Uniqlo, Levi’s and Phillip Lim is a go-to.

What are you going to do for the 40th?
It’s been a big topic of discussion; either a party here, or a weekend in Palm Springs. We go every year, end of January, but we would bring a whole bunch of friends, hire some drag queens and have a party.

You can’t do anything without drag queens!
Why would I? I’m so into drag queens and its funny Rui wasn’t into them as much as I am. This past year in Palm Springs, at Toucan’s, they were so incredible and a bunch of the girls were on RuPaul’s Drag. They were so amazing even Rui was getting so into it and kept getting more money to tip them. The other option for the 40th is a trip to Israel on the flip side.

Love it! Thanks Danny xx


Clockwise from top left: WANT Les Essentiels de la Vie Trudeau 17″ Computer Bag; Mackintosh Dunoon Bonded Raincoat; Patrik Ervell Wool Pea Coat; Ray-Ban Thin Aviator Sunglasses; Public School x The Generic Man Leather Sneakers; Tumi Alpha 2 Continental Carry On Suitcase; A.P.C. Petit New Standard Indigo Jeans; Levi’s Made & Crafted Needle Narrow Fit Jeans; Tretorn Nylite Canvas Sneakers; Tom Dixon Water Scented Candle; 3.1 Phillip Lim Fisherman Shirt.

P.S. You’re welcome Rui!

Laundry List Archives:
Grant Van Gameren
Parambir Singh Keila
Joseph of Mercury
Martin Aldorsson
Jesse Mermuys
Brian A. Richards

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