Looklyn: The alchemy of fashion (and screaming possum memes)

By Johnny Cirillo

Personal style isn’t the same thing as fashion. It’s … more personal. It’s rooted in self, an outward expression of attitude, vibe, swag, panache, aspiration, time and place. In this semi-regular series called Looklyn, we hold a mirror up to the borough to show us how we dress now … and what it tells us about who we are.

Here, photographer Johnny Cirillo introduces us to artist Amber Strickland, on her way to a socially responsible hang. Read more about her below.

Name: Amber Strickland
Age: 25
How do you identify?: She/her/sentient screaming possum meme
Occupation: I create ethical entomology/taxidermy art through my moniker Weepling, serve cocktails, am a Covid compliance officer on production sets, and recently started selling from my vast vintage collection. One of those jacks-of-alltrades in the NYC hustle.
Where are you heading?: En route to Hotel Delmano to see some lovely (masked) faces and bask in the sunshine.
Fashion inspo: Vampyress queen à la 1992 Bram Stoker’s Dracula on laundry day.
About the fit: A 1951 military coverall jumpsuit (for comfort), Met Cloisters unicorn tapestry baggu and my mother’s 80’s fanny pack (for utility), Western roper boots (for style), and copious armored jewelry (for protection and pizazz).
About Amber: A foundational truth about who I am is found within my pursuit of personal evolution. My life, like many, hasn’t been light with difficulties or trauma. Alongside intentional time dedicated to wellness and art, what I wear has certainly always been a source of power. There’s this idea—(a cliché, but one for a reason) I witnessed daily while working as an entomologist and observing insects in metamorphosis)—that we too are capable of coming into our own being in a grand display of color and novel appearance. We get to do this every morning. No matter what you or I have experienced, I believe there’s a very real power in using fashion to alchemize oneself.