BOSS LADY

When is comes to big dreamers, Australia's very own Simone 'Boss Lady' Kapsalides is leading the pack. In the early 2000's Simone was responsible for making Urban Hitz become Australia's biggest r&b/hip hop Magazine to ever hit the shelves. Now this Sydney girl is living in New York working for fashion powerhouse DR.JAYS, interviewing the likes of Diddy, Busta Rhymes, Russell Simmons, Nelly, T.I and every other big name you could possibly think of. This time Boss Lady was on the other end of the mic as the Spader team asked the Q's.



What did you dream of being when you were a kid?
I can honestly say I always had two big dreams – to create Australia’s first big, successful hip-hop/R&B magazine and afterwards live and work in New York City – and I’ve achieved both of them. God is truly great (and hard work helps too!)

What are you doing now in your life?
In a nutshell, I live in New York City and I’m Content Manager (a role created specifically for me) of DrJays.com (the biggest online retailer of street fashion), DJPremium.com and StreetStyle.com.



What has been the best advice given to you to about surviving in the entertainment industry?
Not so much advice; it was more of a conversation I had with a peer that truly opened my eyes for the first time. We were talking about the industry as a whole, and we came to the somewhat sad conclusion that it’s ultimately just a game. And if you aspire to carve out a sustainable career in entertainment, you need to play it as such – and most importantly, play to win. The players definitely vary – some are real, most are fake – but it’s not worth investing your heart and soul, because you’ll truly get hurt time and again. Take it for what it is, learn the rules carefully and play it to your advantage. Lessons along the way can and will be harsh but they’re almost always valuable.

Where do you get your fashion inspiration from?
I have the privilege of witnessing amazing, unique style in action in New York City every day. I’m also blessed to work for a company that has access to most of the major streetwear brands, so we always get to see new, innovative fashion before it hits the streets; this constantly inspires me!



Describe your style to us?
As a teenager I was definitely a tomboy; you couldn’t get me to wear any other brands besides Nike, FILA, adidas, etc. Definitely forget make-up and heels! Nowadays I still rock my Nike’s and casual outfits during the day when I feel like it but I prefer short summer dresses to anything else, especially cute babydoll dresses. Not a huge fan of jeans actually, but I’ll wear them if they fit right and look good.

Describe your outfit when you go out?
A night out would definitely consist of a short dress (not tight-fitting; I prefer loose and flowy) in a bright color (love oranges and purples), with sky-high heels (I have a shoe addiction like most women), lots of gold jewelry and an eye-catching clutch purse.



What item of clothing would you like to see brought back?
Baggier jeans on men! The skinny jeans look just kills me. I think looser jeans will definitely make a comeback for the fellas soon though.

Who is a person that has been an inspiration to you?
There are many, but Angie Martinez is an important inspiration to me for many reasons. As one of the rare high-powered females in hip-hop, and as a minority also, she commands an almost unrivaled level of respect from her peers. She’s down to earth, hardworking and carries herself in a way that puts the artists she interviews at ease, but at the same time allows her to remain in control of the dialogue. I have the utmost respect for her and the way she’s handled her amazing career.

Who is the ultimate Spader to you?
Well if we’re going to go by the definition of the word as set by the brand itself, I’d say the ultimate Spader…would be me!


DR.JAYS