Childhood is arguably the best time of your life. There is so much to learn, see, do, break, and it’s probably the only time in life where there are no serious repercussions for drawing on stuff, like walls and younger siblings. But unlike the moms who discourage drawing on your school clothes, there is a gem in milkPOP that encourages kids to be kids, and draw on clothing to their little heart’s content.
milkPOP is a children’s clothing line spawned from the imagination of Jena Scaccetti, which features magical little creatures who live in the land of Milk and Hunny and encourage you to follow your dreams through art, creativity and imagination.
The brand launched as a t-shirt collection in Fred Segal West Hollywood and Santa Monica in the spring of 2011, and quickly gained steam when celebrities and their kids, including Amanda Seyfried, NY Knicks player Jason Kidd, Kimora Simmons’ Aoki, Madonna’s daughter Mercy and Tori Spelling’s daughter Stella, were spotted rocking the threads.
With a big month shaping up ahead of her as she prepares to host a public event (her biggest to date) with over 1,000 people in Brooklyn to raise money for P.S. 84’s art program, (the event is open to the public on June 22) we caught up with Jena to talk milkPOP & Hip-Hop.
Check out our exclusive interview below.
On the birth of milkPOP:
I launched the line at Fred Segal in 2011 as a t-shirt collection and I wrote a kid’s book based around my characters; they’re the milkPOP characters. And then, I guess some of the first press I had gotten was when Kimora’s daughter Aoki wore one of the shirts for a Life in the Fab Lane promo. And then I started doing these events with Vogue Bambini and petitePARADE, which is Kid’s Fashion Week in New York twice a year. I would set up this workshop where I would put my characters on t-shirts and toys. I’d hand draw them on Vans and Converse so the kids could come and color everything in. The whole message behind the brand is for kids to express their diversity through art. So basically, they can pick my character, Farrah, and they can color her black. They can color her yellow. They can color her white. So the brand really promotes cultural unity and connects kids through art.
From there, I was just asked to do a lot of private events where I would set up my workshop and I started doing workshops with my friend Tanza, who owns this store in Harlem and her good friend is Vanessa Posso, who’s now my friend. Nessa has a pretty huge following. She has that jewelry line called Rich Girlz and she started putting her daughter in all my clothes and she started Instagramming it – so I have almost 4,000 Instagram followers – but it’s insane because that’s where I get most of my sales. Then Madonna’s adopted daughter, Mercy, wore a shirt, so from the beginning it’s always been this urban crowd that’s really been attracted to the characters and the line. It’s pretty cool.
On her inspiration for the milkPOP characters:
Oh gosh, I guess I started making them when I was a little kid. I’m definitely influenced by Japanese art and also by the street. There’s definitely been this street element towards it.
I basically have four main characters. I have Farrah and she’s this leopard cat and sometimes she’s this butterfly cat. She kind of morphs into different outfits. And then I have her teddy bear, who’s Leonard, who sometimes dresses as a girl. Then I have Kimberlily, and she’s this four leaf clover.
On her hip-hop influences:
I love Rihanna. I love Kanye. I love Rick Ross. I love Lil Wayne, Big E, Tupac, Jay-Z. I mean, ninety percent of what I listen to is probably rap or hip-hop. I like Gang Starr. I like old rap and I’m obsessed with Cassie. I think she’s, oh my god, she’s so pretty. I love her hair. And Cassie Instagrammed a picture of Vanessa’s kid in my shirt which was pretty exciting.
I love Pharrell and I also like old, old music. I like Earth, Wind, and Fire. I like Chic. I love Motown. I love Michael Jackson. I’ve basically been listening to all that music probably since I was four or five years old.
On how her music taste influences her designs:
Just in terms of the colors and also I think you can really feel that there’s definitely an urban inspiration with the sneakers. With the Vans and the Converse, which sell the best. I hand paint all the characters on the sneakers and that’s probably my best selling thing.
On being inspired by street art:
I think my biggest influence is Keith Haring. People have definitely said that they can see that my inspiration comes from him. He’s my favorite. He’s definitely the person I’m most inspired by in terms of street art.
On her favorite party milkPOP has ever thrown:
I did this event in Brownsville, Brooklyn like a month ago and it was insane. There were so many kids there. I did it at this girl’s boutique called “Polka Dots and Rockets.” All the dads were there with their kids making milkPOP and drawing. It was hilarious because all the dads were making it with the kids, so it was so cute. That was definitely one.
Then I’d say, in Harlem when I have workshops at my friend Tanza’s boutique that’s a lot of fun. Her boutique is called “You Me N Dupri” and actually it’s one of the best and only boutiques in Harlem for kids. She carries really cute stuff.
And then also my event with Vogue Bambini with petitePARADE is a huge hit. It’s at Industria Studios in the West Village and that’s always so much fun. I’d say those three.
On the future of milkPOP:
Right now I’m working on expanding my following in L.A. and I’m also currently working on some Kohl’s collaborations and endorsement deals. I definitely see it expanding over to Europe, possibly Dubai, and Japan. Really making it a global brand.
On branching out to an older crowd:
A lot of people who buy the sneakers are older. And I’m gonna start doing limited edition hoodies and t-shirts and that’s gonna really be geared towards adults. Ultimately I want to do limited edition toys, which are gonna be collector pieces. And I really see that transitioning to an older crowd, an older demographic.
On exciting things coming soon from milkPOP:
A collaboration that I’m curating this fall. I can’t really say who I’m working with. But yeah, it’s gonna launch at petitePARADE with Vogue Bambini in October.
All photos are courtesy of milkPOP.com. Check out their Blog to find out about upcoming events.
