Member in the Spotlight: Lea Muses

Lea Muses, of American, Irish, and Dutch Caribbean roots, started working in the Entertainment Industry at a young age, both in front and behind the camera. As an Actress, Model & International Presenter, Lea has worked for major brands such as Adidas, ING Bank, Tommy Hilfiger, Booking.com, JBL, Nike and many more. She is an Advertising Design Graduate of The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York with a minor in Photography from UMass Amherst. She is also a beauty entrepreneur and hair stylist seen assisting lead stylists backstage for London, Paris and Milan Fashion weeks for major brands such as Balenciaga, Versace, D&G, and Acne Studios. More recently, she was the voiceover for our new ADCN film.

As the Club for Creativity, we’d like to ask you to get creative and create a self-portrait.

PERSONAL

Do you own a collection and if so, what is it?

I collect vintage clothes. I used to own a store in Amsterdam but now I still collect and sell online via Vinted under the name Brooklyn Vintage.

What’s the most unforgettable place you have travelled to?

I would have to say the Amalfi Coast / Capri. It felt like a Federico Fellini movie set with the gorgeous hillside towns and caves overlooking the mediterranean. Vintage cars, rich colours and windy roads.

What was the last meal that truly impressed you?

Parallel Restaurant in Amsterdam – I had the most incredible grilled Octopus there with my foodie friend @MissVintageAmsterdam.

What is the last thing you bought and loved?

High quality jersey cotton sheets! I will splurge for a good night's sleep. The greatest gift is a cozy home and it’s very important to my process.

What is the best souvenir you've ever brought home?

Native American arrowheads from Cape Cod, Wine from Tuscany and a vintage Chinese 100 day hat for a baby. I love the handcraft of indigenous cultures.

What is the best gift you ever received and why?

Becoming a mother! Not only do I have two of the most amazing boys and another one on the way, they made me a better and more wholesome person, mostly through using my creativity to make an environment for them that is inspiring.

Who is the one artist whose work you'd collect if you could?

Raphael Mazzucco

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

My family! I'm up everyday making breakfast at 6:45. We have a pretty tight schedule so I need to have some me time before the morning circus. I feel highly motivated by them.

PROFESSIONAL

If you weren't working in the creative industry, what else would you be doing?

I would most likely go into Real Estate or Interiors. But still, I can only imagine myself being tempted towards any type of creative outlet.

How do you learn in the best/most effective way?

Usually by focusing on the things I am drawn to or have a genuine interest in.

Out of the campaigns/projects you’ve worked on, which makes you the most proud?

In the beginning it was the thrill of NYC, the validating feeling from being on TV or Magazines, part of the elite community. The Apple iPod Campaign was my first big job. The posters and billboards were everywhere worldwide. I really had that feeling that dreams can come true when I stood in Times Square with my mother looking up at a building covered in my image. That was a proud moment. It’s hard to say which of all the campaigns are my favourite because being booked for a campaign is always insanely cool. I put a lot of my soul into projects. I think the most fulfilling was music, and most recently narrating. Using my voice to collaborate with others has been the most true thing I've ever done. It's easy to become a narcissist when you are a model but when you make sensory art it can be transformational not only for your own thrill but the collaborative audience. That feeling was more validating than just feeling cute in front of the camera. It was an all inclusive high of resonant understanding. That's real beauty.

What top tips do you have to help people get creatively inspired?

Find your mastermind group. A group of people that vibrate on a higher level, that inspire you and keep you accountable. Keep learning and never stop developing yourself. Stay youthful in spirit.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Never be jealous of someone else's success. Instead, make friends with them and ask questions, be open to learn and congratulate the success of others. You can have or succeed in anything with this type of attitude.

What’s the first thing you do when you start a project?

Usually, I meditate then procrastinate, draw in my sketchbook… then sleep on it. I wait for the idea to come by searching outside of the constraints – collage, bookstores, city scapes, listen to new music, light candles, pour wine, make a mess, stay up late. Usually it's while cleaning up the brainstorm, the idea comes to me. I guess it's a wacky sort of warm up but it works.

How do you deal with failure?

Accept the pros and cons of why things didn't work and learn from them. I think all challenges propose an opportunity to stimulate a creative solution.

Through our Members in the Spotlight feature, we aim to get to know both professionally and personally the unique qualities of our ADCN Members. If you would like to join ADCN, the Club for Creativity, you can find out more here.