Finding Your Style: A conversation with pianist, composer, fashion icon, and activist Chloe Flower on why “no” should never stop you.

CHLOE

FLOWER

Chloe Flower is hard to label—and that’s what makes her amazing. The New York-based pianist is a composer, producer, writer, activist, and fashion icon who’s come to dominate her self-created musical genre, popsical. She sat down with our founder for a conversation about intentionality, quality, and how walks with her dog Wolfie can help clear her busy mind.

Before we get into anything else, we’d love our PAGERIE community to get to know you. Tell us about yourself, specifically your journey into the music world.

It started from a bad floral delivery! It’s a common experience in the floral industry that often you don't know what you're going to get and you don't know who's making it. And we thought, wow, this is such an opportunity to create something here that is vertically integrated. I thought, what if we created something that people are excited to receive and share. I loved the floral designs in Paris, was inspired by Parisian hat boxes, and often they were putting flowers in boxes. And that's kind of where the thought process came in.

This intersection of classical and pop music is such a unique niche. What inspired that?

For my whole life, I really separated the two genres. I was like, okay, this is my classical side, and this is my pop or hip-hop side. And then it occurred to me; like in this world when I was growing up, classical music was very elitist. And, you know, they didn't want you to bring pop music into classical and they didn't want to make it more accessible. I think with the arrival of social media and the internet, it's kind of opened up this whole new world of sound and artists and people and cultures. And so I really, I think for me, I early on embraced that and decided I could combine these two things! I call it “popsical” as a joke because it's pop classical—but it's not just hip-hop. It's not just pop. It's not just jazz. It's not just classical. So for me, it was this idea that popular music and classical music can be combined together and to create this new form of instrumental sound. I felt like if I fit into that genre, someone else would too, because I didn't fit into the classical genre completely. I was too out there!

Oddly enough, that’s a bit similar to how PAGERIE started. I knew there was a gap in the market; so I reached out to the same family-owned factory that makes Loewe and Chloe handbags. And I said to them, would you be interested in doing something completely out of the box with your amazing skills? And they loved the concept and decided to take a risk. And that’s how PAGERIE was born; we’re the only pet accessory brand made in the same facility with these luxury handbags.

I had no idea that you guys were made in the same facility, that's so amazing. Well, that explains it. You can see the quality just without even putting it on her; the box was so beautiful. Everything was really nice quality from like, opening the box to actually seeing the products.

Thank you so much, Chloe! Tell us about your canine companion, Wolfie. How did she come into your life?

She's everything. She was just supposed to be a foster, and she was just so sweet. Every time I pull her leash out or her harness she just sticks her head in it and puts her leg up. So she knows how to get in it already, immediately. It was so cute. I just love her so much. I think for me, I've lived such a solitary life. I have my boyfriend, Michael—my partner—but, you know, being a pianist is very lonely. I don't play in an orchestra, and so most of the time I'm playing piano and composing alone. And so it's nice to have a dog, and it also makes you go outside and take a walk. That I used to never do!

How do PAGERIE accessories complement both your style and Wolfie’s?

It’s amazing! I wear a lot of neutral colors, and PAGERIE goes with everything. When I did a fashion show for Prabal last year, I was wearing white. And I had to take her harness off before they took my photos because it was like, “You can't photograph her in this. She doesn't match my outfit.” But if I had had PAGERIE, it would have matched perfectly! But for me even when I'm wearing sweatpants or clothes for just going out with my friends. I like really good quality. I'll buy like a few signature pieces that are really good quality that I love.  

And that's why I love PAGERIE because it's just really nice quality you can see. That's really important to me: the quality of the materials. So now Wolfie only wears PAGERIE. I see the buckles; the quality of the leather; the stitching; the leash, which just looks so fine. Everything is so well done. It’s fine quality and craftsmanship.

What do you and Wolfie like to do together?

We love walking together. Anytime I walk, I feel guilty when I don't bring her with me because she loves going outside. Walking to the seaport is like her favorite thing. And people always tell me they're like, Oh my gosh, her leash and harness are so amazing. So we love to take walks together. But also in my hallway, I throw a toy for like 20 minutes a day, and she runs up and down the hall—like sprints! So those are kind of our daily activities.

You’re clearly a wonderful dog owner, and have a busy career with performing, composing, and advocating. How do you manage everything?

I like to watch movies. I like to go to the sauna. I meditate. And so those are the kind of self care and mental care things that I try to do. Because I think when we're so busy—you're so busy all the time, too—our brain gets so cluttered, and filled with things. And so I think meditation for me has been a real way to clear out my thoughts.

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