Welcome to Creative Closeup, an ongoing series where we spend time with inspiring women learning about their creative practices and the spaces they inhabit.
This month, we traveled to Santa Monica to spend time with Cultured Magazine Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson. Surrounding herself with artists and their work every day has led her to a highly developed visual sense, which comes through her laid-back but thoughtful style. Find out what her work, her wardrobe, and her way of life mean to her.
Q: How does your creative practice influence your style?
A: I feel super lucky to be visually exposed to so much on a daily basis. The way an artist organizes their studio, or how a photographer sets up for a shoot. All of these things inspire and inform me, and not always in obvious ways. Everything blends together in the decisions I make in my closet everyday.
Q: How would you characterize your work?
A: As an editor, I’m interested in all forms of artistic expression of creative energy. But in my personal life, I find myself really specifically drawn to the work of women.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: A work in progress.
Q: What is it about Merlette that appeals to you?
A: I love how inviting and feminine the silhouettes are. That kind of simple, straightforward elegance really makes putting an outfit together easy.
Q: How have you styled your Merlette pieces?
A: Mostly just with old jeans and chunky gold jewelry. I don’t think they need much, which I love.
Q: As a female creative and/or a female entrepreneur, what does it mean to you to support female-founded brands?
A: It means everything. I have two teenage daughters and I had an incredible relationship with my mother, who worked when many women didn’t. Being able to participate in a community of women doing exciting and innovative things has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.
Q: How would you describe your studio/creative space? What does it mean to you to share the space with others?
A: Our office in Los Angeles is very intimate. But we are constantly collaborating with people all over the world, and I think that mix is key to generating a really dynamic atmosphere for both me and my team. It has been important to me to be able to personalize my office space by bringing in my own collection of art, design, and books.
Photographed by: Emmanuelle Pickett
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