dc street style by britt elyse nelson: lance

Name: Lance Lotus Anthony

Occupation: Artist/Songwriter

Dream Job: Songwriter/Entertainer

Place you live: Washington D.C

Next place you wish to visit: Tokyo

Why? The energy, the fashion, the experience. Tokyo style is bold and unapologetic. I fucking love that.

What influences/ inspires your personal style the most?

I want to be honest, I have a love/hate relationship with this question. We are constantly influenced because that is the nature of human beings. To lie and say I do it all on my own is ludicrous. I’ve had role models my whole life, but it was bigger than style. It was that each person had come into their own in a whimsical way. My major influences are people who I felt externally represented how i felt on the inside. People like Grace Jones, Slash, Jean Michel Basquiat, Bob Marley, Keith Richards Johnny Depp, and John Galliano,…Individuals. An as a Artist EVERYTHING should inspire you. Receptors of life.

Do you consider yourself an artist?

Absofuckinlutely… Art is in my DNA and I’m so grateful for it. My Nana was a sculptor; she gave me my first painting lessons and exposed me to the world of art/music. Art was her only outlet and she taught it to be mine. I love the ability to create worlds of your own, through your imagination but to find out that someone else can connect to your world is invigorating. It’s one of the most organic, addicting, and fulfilling experiences. I’ve dabbled in almost every medium…now I’m interested in mastering them.

Do you consider there to be a fashion scene in DC? If so how have you contributed to creating one? Let’s be explicit about what we mean by “fashion scene”. Are there fashionable people in DC? Yes…but there are fashionable people everywhere. Do we have fashion bloggers (or at least ones that THINK they are)? Yes, but the ones here are not constantly exposed to the cutting edge industry they are in NY, for example. Do we have a “fashion week”? Yes…but one or two fashion shows and a couple networking events, do NOT a fashion week make. When it comes to the fashion world, DC is like a sandbox compared to the beach. Do you think people are flocking to DC for fashion?! NO. We aren’t even a blip on the fashion radar.

Don’t get me wrong. This is not from a lack of trying. Just because there is no strong fashion scene here, doesn’t mean that people, like myself and others, don’t believe that this beautiful expression cannot happen here. We have the people, we have the knowledge, we have the will and the definitive talent. The problem lies in the fact that fashion here comes second. There is no lucrative living to be made in dc fashion, which sucks for the people who believe in the culture and in our city. While I feel like I have some influence on the fashion culture here, I look forward to the possibilities that are on the horizon for our city; but as of right now, we just have to hope that the other dope people working hard here can find away around the obstacles stopping us from making DC a fashion hub. * Lance’s Instagram: LLAnthony ; email: Lotusmalone@gmail.com.

* A Howard University graduate, Britt Elyse Nelson is a photojournalist living in Washington D.C. She specializes in capturing and sharing the creative essence of individuals as they display their unique street style.

Facebook: Britt Elyse Nelson Instagram: @brittelysenelson
To contact Britt, email her at britt.elysedc@gmail.com