Connie Fleming Is Still the Star of the Show

September 30, 2024

For the month of September, office partnered with Alpha Industries to highlight eight icons in New York culture. Each of our September cover stars has shaped the next frontier across fashion, arts, music, and beyond.

Closing out September with our eighth and final cover of the month is the one and only “Connie Girl” Fleming. From iconic 80s and 90s club kid and international runway veteran, to fashion illustrator and exhibiting visual artist, to model coach and self-proclaimed “door bitch from hell,” Fleming has worn many hats throughout her storied life.

Many know her as the no-nonsense woman who runs the door at Le Bain, the penthouse bar and club on the roof of The Standard. Fashion lovers and New York cultural historians know her as “Connie Girl,” a star performer of the downtown club scene and a legendary muse for designers like Thierry Mugler and Vivienne Westwood. Today, Fleming’s modeling career is still active; this year alone, she walked runways for Mugler in Paris and Area in New York and starred in a MAC Cosmetics holiday campaign.

In 2021, Fleming introduced a new side of herself to the world as a visual artist, exhibiting a series of drawings titled “Ink” in Montreal at Never Apart Gallery and followed up with another show at Calligaris Chelsea last year. And to the community members of the Lower Eastside Girls Club, where she chose to shoot this cover story, she is simply Connie, beloved mentor and model coach.

Interview Brook Aster
Photography Adam Powell
Videography JP Blair
Styling Cassie Jekanoski
Talent "Connie Girl” Fleming wearing Alpha Industries MA-1 Heritage Bomber
Creative Direction Mitchell Connell
Makeup Grey Hoffman
Photo Assistant Brian Karlsson
Video Assistant Ian Wishart
Creative Producer Liv Solomon
Production Assistant Sophie Collongette
Location The Lower East Side Girls Club
Design Direction/Art Direction W—E Studio, Claudine Eriksson, and Piera Wolf
Graphic Design W–E Studio, Hannah Nathans
Special thanks to Joe & The Juice

Fleming has worked with the Lower Eastside Girls Club for years, an organization that supports and provides young girls and gender expansive youth in New York with a safe environment and opportunities to pursue passions from podcasting and music production to fashion design and sewing to astronomy and gardening and more. As we move throughout the space during this photoshoot, Fleming’s deep connection to the community is palpable; over and over, a passerby recognizes her and lights up with a warm ”Connie!” and a hug.

In another life, what would your career be?

I think I would have been a therapist. I think I'd be really great at it.

How do you decide to call somebody to the front of a club line?

Devotion to a look and the execution of a look. It can't be posing in any way. You can't be a poser. You have to be within your look, and your look is your confidence and your expression.

CONNIE wears MA-1 HERITAGE BOMBER JACKET by ALPHA INDUSTRIES, DRESS and SHOES by MUGLER

The building of my rep has given me a real respect for my ability. I'm proud of that.

Why is nightlife still important to you and to the overall culture?

I think nightclubs are still important because it is, as when I started, a communal space. It is a space where the artistic community can come together and share something.

It's always sort of been my 9 to 5. Nightclubs have always been my “day job.” It is and was a safe space for a Black trans woman. I've never felt unwelcome. It has always been a place for our community to grow and to be able to transition safely and not be discarded. There were only two options back then for us, really; sex work or you worked at the club on the stage as an entertainer. Now there is more space for us to not be on stage; we can be in the DJ booth, we can be in the lighting booth, we can be at the door.

The building of my rep has given me a real respect for my ability. So I'm proud of that, because when I started, there were no trans women or drag queens at doors. And I had to fight my way in, and I did. I'm proud of that.

What do you think makes a good party?

A good DJ. People that are there to experience, and drink in, and to learn. My most treasured club experiences have been on the dance floor, hearing the song and just becoming obsessed with it. The song rolls over in your mind and you’re trying to look for it. I've always been lucky to know DJs, so they would always clue me in, and tell me the name of the record.

It’s that breath and that collective heartbeat that you feel on the dance floor, that’s what makes a really incredible party. It reverberates through your body. It reverberates through your energy going out into the world. That energy stays with you and you can get up on Monday morning and roll it out again with that little song in your heart and that feeling of the beat within your body.

But if the DJ is trash then your night is trash. I'm sorry!

What is your favorite space or place in New York?

There are multiple — the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MoMA) and the Brooklyn Museum. They are spaces that feed me not only as an artist, but as a person. They are sort of like cathedrals of art that we all share. We all have such a wonderful opportunity in having these great spaces in our little town.

How did your first solo show a few years ago come about? Can we expect any more exhibitions of your work to come?

The show came about during lockdown. I'd fallen down every Youtube, Instagram, TikTok rabbit hole. I’d seen all of the Netflix and the Hulu and the Amazon. I needed something new to do.

My only contact with the world was going outside to walk my dog, and the streets were deserted. I would see the occasional homeboy with a du-rag or tattoos. And I just kept seeing images of boys with tattoos on Instagram and online. So I put it down on paper. I started to draw, just for therapy. Always in my life, art has been therapeutic and fed my soul.

I drew like three or four of the men, and the third or fourth one, I thought it was super hot, so I took a picture and I posted it. Everyone was like, “wait a minute, you can draw!” or “this is really good” or “Oh, I’d do him, he could get it!” [Laughs].

So I just threw myself in and kept drawing, and it was just such a beautiful experience. My mom and I lived together during lockdown, and sometimes she would come and sit with me. She's like, “oh, I've, I've never seen that technique,” and, and I'm like Erykah Badu — ”I’m an artist and I’m sensitive about my shit!” [Laughs].

And the director of Never Apart Gallery, Michael Venus, was seeing all of my posts. He was like, “oh my God, these are beautiful. Have you ever thought of showing?” Just when we were starting to come out of our confinement, he said, “I just looked through your feed and you have a show.” So we scanned the drawings, emailed them to him and he blew them up, and there was a show in Montreal. I didn't get to see it, I could only see it virtually, but that was my first show. Then it came to New York and we had it at the Lower Eastside Girls Club.

It was really received well. Now everybody knows that I can draw — I used to do illustration for Patricia Fields and David Dalrymple, and some people knew, some people didn't know, but it was that niche of fashion illustration for the purposes of sales and the purposes of inspiration or showing a client, so this was different.

Last year, I had a second show at Calligaris. So now I've got to get back to work. I have to get a brush and my supplies out again and then get another show rolling. Fingers crossed!

And I'm still in the biz, you know. I'm still at the door of the club. So you can come down and see me at the clerbbb. [Laughs]

How did you first encounter the Lower Eastside Girls Club?

I first encountered the Lower Eastside Girls Club through my longtime friend Jenny “Jennytalia.” We were club kids together back in the day at the Limelight, and eventually she left club life and began her adult career.

One day, a couple of years ago, the Lower Eastside Girls Club needed help with their fashion show. They asked me to come and help the girls with their confidence and their walk and choreography. I came here and I did not want to leave. Since then, we've been working together.

How many of your old club kid friends still stay in touch?

Most of my early club kid friends, you know, the ones that survived, we all keep in touch with each other. We could move, we could go off and do this or that, but whenever we come back together, it is like no time has passed. Myra [Lewis], the wonderful filmmaker, made a documentary [Love Is The Legend] about the historic Patricia Field ball. Being an alumni of the House of Field, Patrica has kept us all together as our little family.

And I'm still in the biz, you know. I'm still at the door of the club. So you can come down and see me at the clerbbb. [Laughs]

What's one thing about New York that you think will never change?

The hustle. It’s sort of lessened and sort of shifted, but there's still that drive to be here. And it is a grind! Either you are ground down into a fine powder, or you survive and make it happen.

Fashion

Timberland and Veneda Carter Reimagine Classics with Bold Metallics

November 23, 2024

Veneda Carter teams up with Timberland once again, bringing a fresh edge to archival designs in their latest capsule collection. Highlight pieces include towering lace-up boots in electric blue and silver, alongside a sleek reinvention of Timberland’s iconic 6-Inch boot, both crafted with patent leather and recycled materials.

The collection also introduces rugged, versatile outerwear like oversized parkas, utility vests, and a statement boiler suit, all built for layering and durability. Inspired by industrial design and early 2000s fashion, Carter infuses each piece with a contemporary energy that feels both striking and wearable.

The collection is now available and can be found at flagship Timberland stores, online, and select retailers worldwide..

By Enzo Holdt
Photography courtesy of Timberland

Fashion

ECCO.kollektive collaborates with Louis-Gabriel Nouchi

November 21, 2024

ECCO.kollektive has teamed up with Paris-based designer Louis-Gabriel Nouchi for a bold and innovative Spring/Summer 2025 collection. Known for his thoughtful exploration of masculinity and storytelling in fashion, Nouchi brings his unique perspective to this collaboration, blending his modern aesthetic with ECCO’s skill in craftsmanship and material innovation.

The collection features a range of footwear, clothing, and accessories, each designed with attention to detail. The collection uses a mix of black, deep red, and pearl white. Sensual touches, like Nouchi’s signature slits, combine with structured tailoring and flowing shapes, showing how the designer blends bold and refined styles.

We spoke with Louis-Gabriel Nouchi about the collection and his inspiration. From the textures of the human body to his love for stretch leather, Nouchi shared how the collaboration allowed to experiment with new ideas.

By Enzo Holdt
Photography by courtesy of ECCO.kollektive x LGN

The collection debuted at Paris Fashion Week and draws inspiration from the textures of the human body. “The idea came from the textures of skin,” Nouchi explains. “I wanted to create something sensual and fluid, using leather in a way that felt both strong and soft. Leather has this amazing quality—it can feel like armor, but also like a second skin.”

Nouchi worked closely with ECCO to develop designs that showcase the versatility of their materials. High-shine biker nappa leather with a waxy finish appears in tailored separates like a single-breasted blazer, trousers, and long-line shorts. For a more experimental edge, he created a column dress and a pencil skirt using strips of leather embroidered onto stretchy tulle—a design he says was inspired by his younger self. “When I was young, I was obsessed with stretch leather because of designers like Jean-Claude Jitrois. It’s something I wanted to explore and bring into this collection, almost like fulfilling a dream for my past self.”

Footwear is another major highlight, featuring Derby shoes, Helsinki loafers, and the standout Truck Lace loafer with a bold platform. The shoe’s futuristic design draws from Nouchi’s fascination with brutalism and technology. “It might be a bit controversial,” he says, laughing, “but I really like the Tesla Cybertruck. The sharp, angular lines and futuristic look combined with that raw, brutalist vibe—it’s something that resonates with me. The platform on the Truck Lace loafer feels like a nod to that kind of design.”

Another unique detail is the inclusion of removable coins on some of the shoes, adding a playful yet personal touch. “You can take the coins off—it becomes almost like a lucky charm,” Nouchi says. “It’s one of those small details that make the pieces feel more connected to the wearer.”

Louis-Gabriel Nouchi’s signature slit motif, which adds subtle hints of reveal and concealment, runs throughout the collection. “The slit is about teasing the eye,” he explains. “It’s never about revealing too much—it’s about creating tension, a little mystery.” This motif appears on everything from loafers to hems, blending seamlessly with the collection's sensual yet structured aesthetic.

When asked about the versatility of his designs, Nouchi emphasizes their adaptability to different occasions. “You can wear these pieces in super casual situations on the street, looking super chic at night—super sexy,” he says. “From one garment, you can style it in so many ways during the day. For example, the tank top—you can wear it with pants, or without. It’s super hot, super cool, and it works for so many moments.”

For Nouchi, the collaboration with ECCO was as much about innovation as it was about creative freedom. “There are no limits with ECCO,” he says. “As a designer obsessed with materials, having the freedom to push development this far was an amazing opportunity. Fashion, for me, is like a laboratory. It’s about testing ideas and seeing how far we can take them.”

The ECCO.kollektive x Louis-Gabriel Nouchi collection is available now, combining high-quality craftsmanship with bold, modern design that showcases Nouchi’s vision and ECCO’s craftsmanship.