Sean Yseult Interview

Besides being a respected musician, you have also been involved with photography and design. When did you start being interested in those subjects?

As a child I was always drawing abstract designs; our parents surrounded us with abstract coloring books and psychedelic rock posters, so it seemed normal. In high school I attended the North Carolina School of the Arts, and received a scholarship to stay on campus for the fine arts department. I clicked with photography immediately and had a great instructor, Michael Avedon. From high school I received a scholarship to Parsons School of Design in NYC. This is where Rob and I met and started White Zombie – we were both attending Parsons, as were our first drummer and guitarist.

What are your memories about your first days as a designer and as a photographer?

For photography, it was just exciting to create scenarios and put exactly what you want in the frame. I delved into infra-red film for quite a while too, and always loved the ghostly effects. For design, I loved creating the design, and then seeing the finished product, but loathed the whole business side of having to sell product.

What inspires you as a designer?

So many things, but for my hand drawn graphics obviously Peter Max, psychedelic rock posters of the 60’s and 70’s, art deco and art nouveau. As a designer in general I feel like I am influenced by everything, and each job is unique and requires different inspirations.

Can you tell a little about your company Yseult Designs?

I began it in 2006, and it was because I had taken up drawing again as I had when I was a child, just stream of consciousness abstractions. Once I had filled up an entire book I decided I liked quite a few of them, and would like to see them on various surfaces. Scarves seemed right – my mother had Peter Max scarves, and I love how the silk charmeuse keeps the colors glowing brightly.

What differentiate your products from other brands? We’ve heard that the unusual size of your scarves is one of your distinguishing feature. 

That was unintentional, but worked to my advantage. I’m not really a fashion person; I had no idea there were standard sizes for scarves. I was told by my showrooms never to say this, but the proportions of the scarves are due to the proportions of the size of the notebook I happened to draw that series in! Some people found the shapes odd but they turned out to be very versatile. 

As a successful businesswoman what advice would you give to someone who wanted to start a business similar to Yseult Designs?

Unless you are business oriented, I strongly suggest finding a showroom to help you sell your products. I only want to create, I hate the selling aspect so I immediately got hooked up with showrooms. At one point I had one in NYC, one in LA and one in London.  They helped me jump into some of the better boutiques and department stores, like Liberty of London and Henri Bendels. I also did trade shows, which is how I got into Fred Segals, and with Barneys, I just got up the nerve to email them! You have to be pretty bold, or have someone be bold on your behalf.

Could you summarize in a few bullet points the process of the product since it’s just and idea ‘til it hits the stores? (design, manufacturing, distribution, etc etc)

For my designs, I hand draw them pen on paper. Then I scan them into photoshop and create color separations for the printers. My scarves are then hand silkscreened with hand rolled edging – I also have pillows that are hand sewn, and tiles that are made individually. I had purses made at one point but the minimums were too high – a lot of manufacturers require high minimums, which is not what I am about. I like to do very limited runs so pieces are unique.

Where your products be found?

The last store interaction I had was with Barneys, who purchased a number of my pillows. I sell almost exclusively online now, on my own website www.yseultdesigns.com.

You also have experience as a photographer and artist and you have exhibited your work in several art galleries. What are your main inspirations?

The city of New Orleans, with all of it’s decaying beauty and outlands of swamps and neglected graveyards and mansions, Bellocq, Joel Peter Whitkins, Avedon.

What’s the piece of art –design, photography or music- you’ve created that you are proudest of?

I wrote the music for “Black Sunshine”, a song that was one of White Zombie’s biggest hits, and included Iggy Pop not only on the song but in the video, which was one of our best. It was great to meet him and get to hang out.

After several years involved with photography, is there’s something like your “dream picture”? In other words, the picture you have always wanted to take.

No, because I will take it. Whatever I dream up, I will find a way to shoot it. Right now I am working on a series of photos I dreamt up – girls inside bottles, adrift at sea. They are turning out exactly as I envisioned them.

What can be found in your book “I’m in the Band”?

I’m In The Band chronicles White Zombie from day one, through my eyes. I was the only one in the band taking pictures the whole time, and I also saved everything along the way – old flyers, back stage passes, etc. Originally I pictured the book as a coffee table book of my photos and other items, collaged together. Although White Zombie went from CBGB’s to headlining arenas, I remained (and still do) a huge fan, so I have great shots of the bands we toured with also – The Cramps, the Ramones, Pantera, etc. The book is the images but more:the publishers liked my writing style and encouraged me to write more so there is commentary throughout, telling some behind the scenes stories that involve what you are looking at. Kind of like a directors commentary on a dvd!

                                                    Click on the picture to purchase the book

You’ve succeeded as a musician in a traditionally male dominated world. How would you define this particular musical scene from a woman point of view?

Very testosterone driven! But I prefer that to the weepy whiny moaning music that young bands are coming out with now – grow some balls already! I went to see a popular new band at a huge sold out show recently, and the music was so weak and sad, and the audience stood there hypnotized; they were all about twenty years old. I was like, “Jesus, when I was twenty I was dodging a boot to the head at Black Flag and Bad Brains shows!” How can these twenty year-olds not want to have something more exciting, or at least rocking?!” I’m glad I was a part of a scene that was fun and exciting, I feel very lucky.