Interview with Corey Woods
It all started in February; I was invited by close colleague and celebrity stylist Jen Abraham to a Style Fashion Week show by a designer named Corey Woods. Always a steadfast supporter of anything Jen is involved in, I accepted the invitation and made plans to be there. The night of the show, I had a full schedule and didn’t think I could make it in time. Fortunately I did, and that’s when YEROC sunglasses first entered my fashion vision.
The show was well-curated, with all-white garments to allow for the construction, color palette, and overall look of the sunglasses to be appreciated. I saw some that immediately caught my eye and made a note to ask Jen to introduce me to Corey. She did — although it was a brief meeting due to the hectic montage that is backstage. Jen did manage to give me two pairs to see if they worked.
A few days pass, and it’s a cold but sunny day in New York, so I decided to wear one pair of the shades — the Ice Colter editions. I turned on my camera to snap a shameless selfie to see how they looked, which I then decided to post on Instagram. Immediately a stream of likes came in, then direct messages asking where could they buy them, followed by more comments. Needless to say, those sunglasses became my new favorites. I loved the fact the frames were outlined in clear see-through sheer white, and how the shape of the lenses fit the frame of my face.
Immediately a stream of Instagram “likes” came in.
Fast forward to present day, when I was invited to the SS17 launch of his new HANGAR collection, in a private location in Midtown. Arriving in time to see the models walking off and Corey taking his walk down the runway, it was time to see the sunglasses up-close backstage.
The Presentation
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The HANGAR collection impressed me with the unique framework of the sunglasses coupled with the detailed intricacy of the lenses’ shapes and colors. I kept my eye on three particular pairs of shades that I felt represented the excitement of this new collection. Having been seen on countless celebrities such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Pitbull — and the list goes on — I was honored when he told me, “Chris, take whichever ones you want.”
At that moment, it made me even happier for his success. Even though he’s been on A-listers, he hasn’t forgotten the true fans of his sunglasses. The launch event was filled with a “who’s who” of different industries, such as Fatima Ptacek who is the voice of the world-known Dora the Explorer. The diverse attendees only further lent truth to the notion that these glasses were resonating with people from all walks of life.
The next day, I chose which of the three new pairs of shades I wanted to wear for a bright sunny summer day — like a child who can’t wait to take his new toy outside. The reactions continued to increase.
During Corey Wood’s SS17 show, I had a chance to catch up with him and ask a few questions to dig deeper into the creative process: how the collection came to be, and his take on fashion overall.
Q: How does this collection differ from your previous ones?
Of all the multimodal, multifarious forms of my previous collections, my current HANGAR collection is by far the most delicate. There is a metaphorical message braided in each one of my collections. In the instance of this one, levitation and elevation are explored. Therefore, I infused those elements into the physical construction of the eyewear. The HANGAR collection is comprised of hanger-like wiring balanced with brilliant metalloid foils.
In HANGAR, levitation and elevation are explored.
The physical hanger is a utilitarian staple in our wardrobes; it literally holds organizes and preserves our fabric adornments. Hangars harbor airplanes and private jets. Since I am uplifting and elevating people to a whole new aerial-like dimension of eyewear — a new vision; a greater overarching sight, while combining those airy physical elements in conjunction with the lightweight thinness of an actual hanger — I have aptly named it the HANGAR collection.
Q: What do you think resonates with celebrities to make them gravitate toward your brand?
Fashion has always been a visual demonstration of your imagination.
Hence, my aphorism, “Standing out is a natural consequence of being an icon.” To be iconic is to be the human embodiment of a lightning bolt; a powerful physical exclamation point that makes an unforgettable and impressionable statement. My celebrity clientele express to me in a plethora of dialects one irrevocable point: “I can be fashion-forward in your eyewear.” I am forever grateful to have so many of them in my life at the forefront, championing my brand.
I am forever grateful for my celebrity clientele.
Q: How do you see the accessories market evolving in the next five years?
The evolution of the accessories market will rival clothing in the forthcoming five years. I predict seasons of pieces so histrionic they will overpower the ensemble itself, leaving you to ponder the irreversibility of the accessory.
Making the Seam
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Q: What is the “big picture” for Corey Woods?
The creation of YEROC transcends the physical matter of the actual eyewear; it is a physical, static symbol of my vision for an enhanced, sharper future. That vision will continue to propel me to design pieces that will not dissolve in the trends of time, but sustain and withstand through actual time. The big picture of Corey Woods is a limitless puzzle; in which I create worlds within worlds, piece by piece.
Q: How did you decide fashion was your path while holding two masters in other fields?
I was born a creator.
Ever since I could think, I have been constructing things in my mind with the thought of physically executing these things. The pursuit and attainment of higher education has quenched my aridity for knowledge. I am an eclectic individual, whose mind is equipped with a multivariate palette. Art has always been a cornerstone of my life, from the onset as a very young child. I am still that boy with the deluxe box of Crayola colored pencils, except now my hand is much more deft, and dexterously skilled.
Q: Do you feel you are reaching your immediate goals within fashion?
Goals are never-ending. The majestic and encrusted jeweled road to fashion is an endless path. I am fortunate to be traversing this tantalizing highway of heightened high-fashion and visualized physical imagery in a world that I am proud to call my own; a world that I can now view through the lens of my YEROC glass.
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With love,
FWO
