Signe Yberg

Fashion stylist and costume designer Signe Yberg is easily one of the most caring and creative people that I have met over the years here in NYC. Not only is she beautiful on the outside but she is equally beautiful on the inside with her compassionate, caring and intelligent nature. She is always on the go, either fulfilling herself artistically with her work or championing a cause. Creatively, her clients range from Ewan McGregor to Vanity Fair magazine. Above all, I have the utmost respect for her and what she stands for, so I asked Signe some random and some not so random questions...

What is your favorite Sigourney Weaver film?

oh, good, we're starting with an easy one: the ice storm.

Several years ago you styled the prostitutes at the Bunny Ranch (a legal brothel in Nevada) for Vice Magazine. They included Airforce Amy and Sunset Thomas, who are both currently featured on the brothel's reality show "Cathouse" on HBO. What was that experience like?

that shoot was really depressing for me, actually. i went to college in new york city in the early 90s and took a bunch of women's studies classes, and really considered myself to be this kind of post-modern, sex-positive feminist who truly believed that women could use their sexuality as a means of empowerment. and, i still do believe that, but what i don't believe anymore is that being a prostitute can be an empowering way to support oneself. i don't care what dennis hof (the owner of the bunny ranch) says... and, trust me, he fed us lots of bs along those lines when we were at the ranch. ugh... don't get me started on this issue. all i know is, every woman i spoke to at the ranch (who spoke "off the record") would have been doing something else if she thought she had other options. the "bigger girls" (the ones who were the highest earners, like airforce amy and sunset thomas) didn't let their guards down -- they had those weird, plastic, perma-grins that happen when people put on their game faces -- so i couldn't get a feel for them. one of the newer girls was a young woman who confided in me that she initially came to "dance" at the ranch but she started having sex for money because her family saw her on the hbo "bunny ranch" special and disowned her, even though she was only stripping there. she had no other means of income and nowhere to go, so she felt trapped and decided to prostitute herself until she had enough money to start over, and, well, i have no idea what has happened to her since then, but she told me she didn't think she could ever truly trust a man again. very sad. that shoot did my head in... after spending three days at the ranch and talking to the women, listening to them, dressing them, eavesdropping on their conversations, witnessing the men come in for the "line ups" and watching the men interact with the women... well... when we wrapped the shoot and left the ranch, and even for a few days after that, i had the impression that every woman i saw was a hooker and every man, a john. i didn't like that feeling.

Who would be your dream client?

probably pj harvey because she's so strong and fearless and passionate. i like that she takes huge risks and i love her sense of darkness and sexuality. she doesn't sound or look manufactured by the industry, like a lot of other musicians today. or, i'd love to work with wes anderson.

Are you a regular flosser?

every day!

What did you do last Tuesday night?

oddly, last tuesday was the only night i stayed home last week. i probably watched something on sundance or ifc... oh, wait, I think i watched one of my netflix movies featuring my celebrity crush: sam rockwell. (i try not to have celebrity crushes, by the way.)

Name the first Bon Jovi song that pops into your head.

that's weird... it was "livin' on a prayer." i don't even like that song. it should have been "wanted: dead or alive" because i used to karaoke that one with my friend nina a lot.

High waisted or low slung jeans?

high-waisted!
1) instant girdle
2) makes my butt look extra great, and i work really hard to have a good butt.

What is your favorite song of all time?

that's impossible to answer, but "don't let it bring you down," by neil young is one of my favorites.

Favorite color?

another tough one. for flowers I like fuchsia, but i also love looking at lush, green landscapes and i just noticed my bedroom has a lot of green in it. i think the right kind of fresh green is calming and rejuvenating.

Name a funny/weird/scary moment from a photo shoot set.

it wasn't funny, scary, or weird, but when i assisted carine roitfeld, i found myself in madonna's bedroom, fitting her wardrobe with the help of a seamstress, while carine and mario testino sat on her bed and chatted with her about her love life. that was a "pinch me, am i dreaming?" moment.

When you were ten, what did you want to be when you grew up?

hmmmmm... at ten i probably wanted to be in the human league.

Name your favorite item of clothing or accessory in your closet.

a few years ago, i lost my favorite "lucky" necklace because i was rushing out the door to meet friends for lunch and it was tangled, so i stuck it in my pocket instead of leaving it at home or taking the time to untangle it and put it on. i forgot it was in my pocket, and it must have fallen out. i was devastated when i realized it was gone. i retraced my steps and placed an ad on craigslist and the whole thing. the necklace meant a lot to me because i had been collecting the charms on it for ten years. each charm had a story. i truly believed the necklace had magical powers and i once had a taxi turn around so i could go home and get it before flying across the country. when i lost the necklace i had to make a decision to keep torturing myself or get over it, so i got over it, and now i try to not get too attached to objects. it's hard. objects are pretty and they make us feel good, but i try to focus on feelings and memories instead of "things," if that makes any sense.

when i love something, i wear it literally until its death... and when that final bit of irreparable damage occurs, i panic a little, but i know there will be something else coming around the corner for me to love... having said that, i will be really bummed the day my judi rosen classic faded skinny high-waisted jeans (the ones with the center seams and without the back pockets) give out. they fit me perfectly and i should have bought multiple pairs because she doesn't make them anymore. i've got a tracy feith dress from years ago that makes me look like a million bucks and the colors are absolutely divine. i call it my superhero dress because it does something magical to my body. sometimes i just try it on at home to make sure it still fits. i'm also a big fan of all the $3 thrift store blazers in my closet, and i'm constantly searching for long, lean "nice" tank tops in thin cotton. i live in them and they don't have a long life span. and i'm sure i'll think of a dozen more favorites after i send this to you...

Who would you love to have shoot your portrait?

mert and marcus. or paolo roversi

What type of conditioner do you use?

okay, this is kind of embarrassing but i use the drugstore versions of well-known brands because i have super-long hair and use a lot of conditioner, so it gets too expensive to buy the fancy stuff.

What was the last book that you read?

i start many but finish very few... several are collecting dust on my bedside table right now. i have a short attention span and if a book doesn't hook me, i can't get into it.

Tell me about the plants/herbs that you grow on your fire escape. What do you use them for?

really only lavender, and i use it to make homemade lavender-infused lemonade. it's so easy. i just use lemons, water, lavender, and maybe some agave nectar, but i do like it unsweetened. also, i like to run my fingers through the lavender when it's still in my fire escape planter and then smell my hands. it's relaxing.

Name an unusual yet enjoyable smell.

i don't know how unusual it is, but if i like a man, chances are, i'm way into how he smells behind his ears and on his neck: kinda musky, kinda sweaty, a little dirty, a little soapy, and just a trace of whatever scent he wears, if he wears one. also... when my dog was alive, i used to like to smell her ears, too, because they smelled like honey. truffled honey, actually.

Name your favorite bra.

for every day prettiness i like eberjey, which makes great bras for the itty-bitty titty committee. i also like to stock up on little girls' xl cotton training bralets from target. they're good for under my tank tops because they're smooth and super minimal, like american apparel, but they fit me better and are even less expensive, if you can believe that. for special occasions, it's gotta be the agent provocateur marilyn, which isn't really a bra at all... it's more like an accessory.

What is your favorite cause or charity?

there are so many worthy organizations out there, but the one closest to my heart is petfinder.com because it's how i met my dog, shady. adopt or foster a homeless animal!

To view Signe's portfolio visit www.signe-yberg.com. Here are some of my favorite shoots that she styled: