We met at the entrance to the Sonoma Community Center. Just inside, two volunteers were set to raise two chandeliers strung with tiger-striped fabric scraps—as if to open the Trashion Fashion season upon our entrance.
Xochitl, the mononomic, multi-hyphenate head of Coyote Creates, was dressed to the teeth—in her own words—in the style of an evil Pokemon gym leader. Her look—a preview of her upcycled trash fashion collection—cut a nostalgic Pokemon comforter together with a black blanket into a comfy-cozy two piece ensemble with the sharp lines of streetwear (for a living picture of this look, watch her walk in Sonoma’s 16th annual Trashion Fashion Runway Show; details at end).
She completed her look with a pair of black, bad girl Doc Martens, and a wide bag she had made from a man’s blue collar work shirt.
This collection will be Xochitl’s first presentation on the Trashion Fashion runway, but she aims to make a splash by entering an entire collection of five thematic looks (into a show of mostly single look entries). Her favorite piece from the collection is made from Star Wars sheets recut to resemble a dress worn by Queen Amadala (iykyk). After visiting her folkloric-styled entries in Trashion’s mini couture Barbie show, we found a leafy outside spot by a big wicker elephant for a brisk chat.
Cincinnatus Hibbard: Xochitl, you live in Napa. Throw off a few locations in Xochitl’s Napa.
Xochitl: CP Thrift, Napa Library and the Sunshine Cafe.
You have a lot of projects under the umbrella of Coyote Creates. Tell me about what ties it all together.
In describing the brand, I usually say, “Escaping the matrix through creation.” That’s my tagline.
Your main medium and money maker within your Coyote Creates brand is music—typically voice, self-accompanied by guitar. But with your upcoming album, Alien Nation, you’re taking your belated pop turn.
My last albums have been “sad girl music”—which is great—but I really want to show my fun side. Sonically, my inspirations for this album have been a lot of the pop of the 2010s. Lady Gaga, Kesha, Katie Perry—our leading ladies were really pop pop popping then. But I am trying to throw in some ’80s [hair] metal that I love so much—these big choruses, five people singing all at once unnecessarily, big reverb drums.
I saw the BTS from your promotional shoot for Alien Nation—your hair was teased up like a vixen from a White Snake video… An alien visiting Earth is also the premise of the children’s book that you self-illustrated. What message do you have for earthlings?
A lot of adults lose playtime. We’re scared to play—we’re scared to not be good at something. And we are scared to have a hobby that doesn’t make us money. But I’m telling you right now—as someone who is a full-time artist—that play time is crucial to our being. Whether it’s just playing with Legos or a paint night with your friends. Pick up that old paintbrush. The world would be a much happier place if you did. Creation is so important to us; we are part of the universe—and the universe creates.
Learn more: Connect with Xochitl through her instagram, @coyotecreates, or her glossy website, coyotecreates.com (which opens on a finely filmed self-statement). Her collection upcycled from nostalgic old bedspreads can be witnessed at Sonoma’s 16th annual Trashion Fashion Runway Show, April 18, at Sonoma’s Veterans Memorial Hall, 126 1st St. W., Sonoma. Tickets start at $20 for the 1:30 and 5pm seatings.
