TEASER<3 is a complete custom lingerie, costume, and dancewear line created by designer Yuli Xenexai. Every outfit has its own unique personality created specifically for each fabulous individual. There are no two of the same outfits in the WORLD, and they will never be duplicated.
Yuli’s fascination with all things glamorous & dress up started at an early age with Drill Team & Cheerleading. A former gogo dancer with a long history in the nightlife industry, she was given the opportunity to channel all her creative energy into making custom costumes and outfits for her own jobs. What started out as a hobby all of a sudden became a business when local promoters took notice of her special hidden talent, and the rest became history. Today, TEASER<3 custom creates fabulous one of a kind pieces for girls all over the world. From international models & gogos to your everyday girl next door, she has designed for them all!
TEASER<3 ‘s signature style is “SEXY, SWEET, & FUN.” Yuli truly believes that every custom piece should exude all three of those attitudes & that every girl that puts one on…should feel exactly this way!
Exclusive Interview With Yuli From TEASER<3
J: How did you first get introduced into the fashion industry and what do you love about it?
Y: Well I don’t know that I would categorize my line as something in the “fashion” industry.. It’s more costume/lingerie based and not so much ready to wear, but I got into my line of work because I was in the nightlife industry a long time myself. I gogo danced & worked in VIP at Myth Nightclub, so there were alot of events that we got to dress up for. I used to have a lot of my own outfits customized by an amazing designer named Sherri of Stuck Up. But after a while I decided to make my own outfits & then it kind of snowballed from there. What I love about creating customized outfits is the glamour & being able to doll up & feel sexy. It’s like creating a whole alter ego for yourself almost.
J: Where do you get inspiration from for your work?
Y: Oh man, I get inspiration from everywhere. I actually do alot of research on outfits, I’ll go thru the Internet, Tumblr is an amazing resource for inspirational images, magazine spreads, pictures of celebrities… But alot of inspiration just comes from random things. I’ll see pieces or details or some material that Im just dying to use & incorporate into outfits somehow. It’s definitely about taking inspirations & making it your own. Creating images & work that people have never even thought of.
J: Are there any designers that you would compare yourself to or that you admire?
Y: Well I don’t like to compare work. To me it’s not about who is the best or sells the most or is more popular. I’m more focused on the design & artistry of it. I’m not here to compete with people. I think that there are enough girls in this world that we can all design for. But there are definitely a few people in the same relative business that I truly admire like Vincent Vu & Jon Strange, again Sherri Creath as well. They are incredible designers & have their own signature styles. You see one of their pieces & you can instantly tell it is something of their own.
J: Are there any pieces from your collections that you are particularly fond or proud of?
Y: Oh my god, there are too many. But I can say for certain the first runway pieces I did for the Shameless Ink party with Trilogy was the collection I am most proud of. They were just so fierce & sexy & really took me publicly to that next level. I was really able to push my limits & showcase pieces that were more in the direction I had wanted to go. That collection is just everything to me. A huge milestone in my short career thus far.
J: Were there any particular models or clients that you loved working with and why?
Y: I have been blessed to work with some of the most down to earth & amazing models. Sarah Beth Mosser from the 2011 Bridal Collection was just BEYOND. She looked straight out of a Victoria Secret Catalogue. Sarah Verrastro from the 2011 Halloween Campaign was just so ethereal & dreamy when we shot her. Jennifer Dao & Lila were the sweetest & funnest to shoot for the Darling Collection. Jessica Roscoe who shot the Shameless Feather Collection was unreal. Just so graceful & beautiful. Trisha Lynn is definitely always my little muse & lastly I cannot forget Jeri Lee who is just the epitome of TEASER<3Â Â She is just so fun & sexy.
J: Is there anything other than designing that you like to immerse yourself in?
Y: I definitely want to branch outside of designing costumes & lingerie. I’m just naturally crafty & artsy, so it’s in me to have other creative mediums. I would love to invest in other small businesses like a shoe boutique & nail spa but also maybe branch into an entertainment group and event planning services would be an absolute dream. We will see just how far out I can build my brand. It’s been a great way to network & understand business so far.
J: Could you survive in a world without fashion or creativity?
Y: Lol, well anyone could technically survive in a world without fashion & creativity, but what fun would that be? I think Fashion & the arts are just as much a part of our culture & human evolution as science & politics. It’s part of our humanity & natural instincts.
J: So, what’s next for Yuli Xenexai and the Teaser label?
Y: I’ve had an amazing two years building TEASER<3. It has pushed me physically, emotionally & creatively in ways I could never imagine. For 2012, I definitely want to push myself & my brand to the next level. I want to do even more ridiculous pieces, I want to do epic photoshoots, I want to break the barriers of sexy, I want to bring other artists & businesses to the fore front & gain the international attention that I have had. There’s alot in the works so Im just really hoping for the best!
J: Where do you see yourself in the future?
T: I see myself owning my own businesses & working independently. I’d love to stop slaving away in corporate America & put in my work, time, life into work that I love & am proud of.
Connect with TEASER<3:
www.teaserbyyuli.com
www.facebook.com/teaserbyyulix
http://teaserbyyuli.tumblr.
http://twitter.com/
