Camera Roll with Jenn Park
Camera Roll is an interview series where we glimpse into the current moment via the mundane and the ordinary — the life documented and forgotten, lived through our phones and beyond.
If Jenn Park isn’t digging through old books and magazines at a library, passersby can find her running around New York’s Garment District for Maryam Nassir Zadeh, where she serves as Head of Design and Development. Despite watching endless amounts of Fashion File as a kid growing up in the Valley, Jenn wasn’t always certain she would pursue fashion as a career. Jenn also runs the archive @sculpting__in__time, using a decidedly old-school research approach with a preference for the physical over the digital. Here, we speak to Jenn about her early love for Marc Jacobs/Juergen Teller ads, her recent success tracking down a lost documentary after a 15-year search, and how she treats her phone as a hard drive.
What kind of phone do you have and how many images are on it?
I just upgraded to an iPhone 15 from an X! I currently have 94,959 photos. I just transferred 2017 and half of 2018 off my phone. The goal is to only have the most recent two years. My boyfriend jokes around that I use my phone like a hard drive.
When did you get your first phone, and what do you remember about it?
I got my first phone when I went to college, pre-smartphone so I definitely went through a few flip phones. My favorite was the Razr. It was ultra-slim and sleek. I remember the keypad was laser-etched on a metal grid and it had an extension on the bottom for your chin. It was the first phone that felt “designed.” I still think about this phone.
How long do you typically spend on your phone in a day?
I don’t keep track. Some days I’ll fall into a hole and be on it longer, and some days I’m barely on it because I’m running around. I try not to (over) think it. It’s not that serious.
Where are passersby likely to spot you? What are you doing there?
Probably at the movie theater, usually screenings of old films.
Where are you right now?
In bed, my other usual spot.
What's your morning routine like?
I wake up naturally, no alarm clock. I like to be up really early. It’s my favorite part of the day. It feels special, the energy is so focused and quiet. This isn’t ideal but I go straight to email. Since I work with Italy, I like to catch them as early as possible before their EOD. Then I start to get ready, putting all the cold things on my face. I can’t start my day without this part. What else? I almost always forget to drink water.
what do your days look like?
I’m either at the studio, working from home, or running around the Garment District, depending on which stage of the season I’m in. Endless emails and putting out fires. Researching in my spare time.
What was your upbringing like? can you tell us how and why you got to where you are now?
I’m originally from Southern California. "The Valley.” It's so close to LA but feels so far. It’s magical, a world of its own. It's home and I'm a die hard. I still have my "818" phone number and I refuse to change it!
I remember growing up in the Valley in the ’90s fondly: there was mall and car culture, chain restaurants, backyard pools, and then later on, trying to escape to LA as much as possible. I suppose the Valley/LA relationship is similar to New Jersey/New York, but I embraced it.
I didn't have a linear, conventional path, which I'm so grateful for. I went to college not really knowing what I wanted to do. My background was in music but I thought of maybe pursuing psychology. I took my first photo class my freshman year and that was it. And then I took a film class and it was like my whole world shifted. I majored in both, and it turns out I was a terrible photographer, but I think I knew at that moment what I wanted to do. I was obsessed with building worlds and — this word gets used a lot but — “storytelling.” That comes in many different forms, but it eventually led to design and working in fashion.
How did you get started in the fashion industry?
I don't know why I didn't pursue fashion off the bat. I guess I thought it was just an interest, even though it clearly was an obsession. It wasn't until after college that I realized I needed to give it a try, which led me to move to New York and attend Parsons. I interned at Daryl K — which looking back is so insane to me and kind of a proud moment in time— as well as Helmut Lang and W Magazine in the accessories closet.
I initially started working at the MNZ store in 2012 as a shopgirl on Sundays while I had various freelance, part-time design jobs, and restaurant jobs, followed by a 9-5 corporate design job. The design opportunities at that time weren't inspiring at all and when I discovered MNZ, I felt an immediate connection. I was blown away by its magic and beauty, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I worked at the store part-time for maybe three years while very occasionally helping out with production for the MNZ collection. The brand was still very young then. It was around 2015 (when I had also started Sculpting in Time), that Maryam reached out to me about consulting for design, research, and concept direction. I did that for a year and then I slowly transitioned into working full-time. I now head Development and Design for the collection.
How do you strike a balance between work and free time?
I’ve always struggled with balance. For me, it’s all or nothing. Working a lot gets a bad rap but I love what I do. I love being inspired and putting that out into the world. I don’t know any other way. In my free time, I’m watching movies or I’m at the library, which informs and inspires my work. It’s all related.
Any advice for those who want to work in fashion?
Have a really fresh point of view and keep refining that vision. Create a distinct world that’s yours and make it convincing. Be nice.
You run the Instagram archive account @sculpting__in__time. What is your approach to archiving? How did you get started?
I had been collecting old ads — my favorites were Prada and Marc Jacobs/Juergen Teller — and magazines since I was in high school. I would plaster my walls and make binders full of them. Kids woke up to watch Saturday morning cartoons, I woke up to Fashion File on E! with Tim Blanks, which I would religiously record to VHS. This was the beginning of my documenting and archiving. I didn’t realize what I was doing — I just knew I loved it and wanted to somehow preserve it and make sure I could revisit it whenever I wanted to.
All of this was a precursor to Pinterest and Tumblr but in physical form, which I prefer. The old ads and runway images were loosely archived in a Tumblr but the idea wasn't fully realized until I started Sculpting in Time on Instagram. I was tired of seeing the same throwback images being reposted to death so I wanted to go a little deeper and do some research on my own. The images that I post are mostly the B-sides that aren’t too precious to share.
How does archiving play into your current role as Head of Design and Development at Maryam Nassir Zadeh?
The research and archiving is a personal project that I work on year round. For MNZ, I’ll go back and look through my archives when I have to pull for concept and mood direction at the beginning of each season.
What’s your research process? Does it differ for working on @sculpting__in__time versus Maryam Nassir Zadeh?
When curating and researching images, I'm really particular and try to be selective. I definitely lean towards images that are rare and unknown. I'm attracted to styling, design, and art direction that is understated and considered. There's a definite point of view and a consistent mood and rhythm. They're old images but they still feel very modern. I like to do a deep dive on a photographer or designer. If it’s a magazine, I’m mostly drawn to the late ’70s, ’90s and early 2000s.
The images for @sculpting__in__time feel a bit more polished, whereas the research for MNZ can be more fun, novel, and raw. There’s definitely more color, too.
Does constant research ever get overwhelming?
It never gets overwhelming. In fact, it’s the opposite. I can’t get enough. I’m old-school so I only go through old books, magazines, and video footage. It’s the only way for me. I can’t do what I do on…say, Pinterest. That feels cheap, using the same recycled, pixelated images that have been circulating on the internet. I like finding my own images in my research. It feels more special and personal. I must have thousands of images at this point and I remember every single one of them.
What are your favorite libraries in NYC?
I love how small and intimate the Pratt Library is. It’s quite beautiful — it’s framed by copper-plated iron supports and the floors of the stacks are made of glass. And it has a pretty decent Vogue Italia collection. I also love the Jefferson Market Library in the West Village. You can’t miss it walking down 6th Avenue. It's known for its Victorian Gothic architecture and watch tower. It feels like you’re in a church or a castle. They have beautiful reading rooms with a nice collection of rare books.
How do you use your phone or other tools (like a journal, for example) to mark, store, and remember moments?
I take screenshots as reminders. Sometimes a visual snapshot is just easier than remembering to write it down, although I do like to jot things down in my notebook.
I document a lot of things especially for work: interesting color combinations that I see out in the wild, color stories/edits from work, fabrics, mood images, photo shoots, fittings, etc. This is the bulk of what’s on my phone. I also take photos of my research, so I use my phone as a library. I always say I’m going to transfer everything to my hard drive and it almost never happens.
I’m less diligent about capturing my personal life. Having memories of these moments is so much better.
What’s your stylistic approach to taking photos and videos on your phone?
There’s a certain way that I like to frame and crop photos. I love close-ups and detail shots. I love a soft focus. I’ll take pictures with my phone and also scan something to see which looks better. Sometimes, I get nice blurry/distorted scanning mistakes.
My favorite thing to do is screenshot films and old archival footage of fashion shows to fit how I'd like to frame them. I don’t really know what I’m looking for but I know it when l I see it. I think it comes from studying film and photography in my past life.
What’s inspiring you right now?
Fall. I love the transitional seasons. We have a few weeks that feel like magic before it starts to turn. Lately, I’ve been on the search for old Agnes b. and Ghost, back issues of Viva and WET magazines, clutches, brutalist jewelry, and aviator-esque headwear via the most recent Saint Laurent collection. My friend reminded me of a show called Behind the Velvet Ropes that was on Style Network in the ’90s with Lauren Ezersky that I’ve been obsessively revisiting. There are about 80 episodes on YouTube. I miss that golden era of fashion.
what are you watching?
I just watched Frederick Wiseman’s The Garden (if you know, you know) and it’s maybe one of the best things I’ve ever seen. Over three hours of the inner workings of Madison Square Garden! I’ve searched for this documentary for maybe the past 15 years? The same week that I found it, I went to Madison Square Garden for the first time for a concert.
What are your go-to theaters?
One of the perks of living in NYC is that you’re surrounded by so many amazing, iconic theaters. My favorite is maybe the Angelika, I’ve been going there since I was in college. I also love Anthology Film Archives, Film Forum, IFC Center for all things indie, foreign, classic. No frills, just great programming. Roxy Cinema is good for that, too, but a bit more moody — a hidden gem tucked away in the basement of a hotel. If I’m in the mood for a bigger movie, my guilty pleasure is the Alamo Drafthouse — you can order food, it kind of feels like a drive-in. And nothing beats Alice Tully Hall for the film festival.
What are you reading?
I was attending the NYFF circuit and I needed a smallish book to fit in my bag so I grabbed the now defunct F de C Reader to read in the standby lines. It has a little bit of everything — thoughtful interviews and essays on fashion, art, photography, music, etc. Plus, it’s pocket-sized.
What’s in your podcast queue?
Red Scare and Every Outfit (my guilty pleasures). You Must Remember This Erotic ’80s and ’90s series.
favorite new possession over the past year?
I found a signed piece of paper by Tina Chow from the ’80s on eBay. She’s up there for me.
you mentioned your bed is your usual spot. Do you have any bedding recommendations?
I wanted something in between, not too casual but not too stuffy like hotel sheets, so I settled on percale cotton sheets. It’s lightweight and airy, and highly breathable which helps with sleep. Percale has a distinct crispness, which I love. I use them year-round and it’s a great base layer for the fall/winter. To make my weekend mornings a little bit more elegant, I have my eye on a vintage ‘80s glass serving tray with a newspaper holder.
what are your favorite accounts you follow? any other archive accounts you want to point to?
I feel like @heleneagency is doing something nice and it’s been exciting to follow her new project. My dear friend @kaytenschmidt — her images are otherworldly! @5th_dimensional_plain_ and @run_collection_. Susan Cianciolo, a reminder to learn and unlearn. To me, she's transcended designer/artist. @rarebooksparis and @rareclothesparis for obvious reasons. @camillevergnes who has the most impeccable taste and authority in interiors. @omc_82 for the best selection of late ‘70s and early ‘80s fashion photography. It has a lot of hyperfem, erotic photography that I gravitate toward. This is a new favorite: @sportsmans__paradise. Early aughts gold all in one place.
What apps on your phone do you use most?
I’m constantly checking the Weather app. I didn’t even know I could be this obsessed with the weather until I moved to New York. Otherwise, I’m not really an app person. I did recently download TodayTix to get rush tickets for plays, specifically JOB, which I’ve set alerts for.
last thing you googled on your phone?
“How to get oil stains out of viscose fabric.”
Can you describe your lock screen?
It’s a zoomed-in photo of a Prada SS 1989 ad shot by Albert Watson. The model, Charlotte Pellé Flossaut, is in the dining room of La Colombe d’Or next to an untitled drawing of a woman’s face by Matisse, which is lit up by a shell lamp. It seems like the shell lamp has been blown up, indicating some mystical, cultish hold that this ‘objet’ has on us. It’s one of my favorite old Prada ads that I’ve discovered.
what is a memorable image on your camera roll, and what does it mean to you?
There’s an old photo of my parents in their twenties when they first moved to the States. They’re hugging a palm tree. It’s one of my favorite photos.
images provided by jenn park, edited by sammy case