Q & A with Leila Baboi

Leila Baboi is a woman of many talents and obsessions. Her passion for art, photography, fashion, and design have resulted in a prosperous and exciting career in the fashion publishing industry. She's worked with Flaunt, Modern Luxury, URB, and a slew of successful entrepreneurs in the publishing industry as well as musicians like Hot Chip, Outkast, Yoko Ono and Peaches. She is now settled in as the West Coast Market Editor for world renowned fashion trade publication WWD in Los Angeles where she continues to feed her obsession for vintage shoes and jewelry. CLICK HERE to go to Leila's website to view her past projects and recent work.
Who's your style icon? Why?
Miuccia Bianchi Prada. With no formal design background she pushes conventions through eccentric and unconventional uses of design, never underestimating the power of pop culture, and always keeping a femininity of dress.
Favorite designers or brand?
RTW: Rei Kawakubo, Alexander McQueen, Camilla Staerk, Galliano, Maison Martin Margiela
Sportswear: Ksubi, Insight, Larsen Gray, Kill City,
Spikes: Pour La Victoire, LD Tuttle, Report Signature, my Chucks sans height
Gold or Silver?
Silver
Favorite book?
Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
Favorite film?
Le Grand Bleu by Luc Besson
Art?
Basquiat, Van Gogh, Helmut Newton, Picasso, John Miro, Gustav Klimt, Ronald Kitaj, Raffaello, Robert Rauschenberg, Duane Michals, Henri Rousseau
What's playing in your IPOD?
Lykke Li, MGMT, the Virgins, Neon Neon, Minuit, The Kooks
What's your guilty pleasure?
Cigs + chocolate
If you had one wish?
Love for all
Your favorite find? or accessory?
A mixed metal triple wrap chain that once belonged to my friend's fabulous grandma.
If you could go back in time and pick out anything to bring back with you, what would that be?
Peace, worldwide.
Tell us about the accessories finds you chose to share with us and where you got them. When I vintage shop I generally look for accessories. SHOES and JEWELRY. They just don't make shoes like they used to and the jewelry you can find is unmatched to contemporary pieces. It almost feels as if I'm wearing a piece of history and I love that there is probably no other like it in the world. I found the white rhinestone star earrings at a no-name vintage boutique off the Pacific coast highway in route to San Fran, both pairs of shoes at the Fairfax flea market in Los Angeles, and the fabulous sequined blue cocktail lounge dress and wing earrings at the Pasadena swap meet in Los Angeles. I chose to share these because I'm obsessed. Especially with vintage shoes - I CAN'T GET ENOUGH !!! and I always get compliments and people asking where I got them.