Clothes and Culture: An Interview with HOESFORCLOTHES founder, Sasha Tarnovsky

Interviewed and Written by Jazzi Almestica and Lucy Anderson

What started as an online thrifting venture by creator and designer Tarnovsky from her LA apartment quickly turned into an internationally loved and admired fashion capsule inspired by the early aughts and the peak of socialites in the spotlight. While Tarnovsky is still working out of her LA apartment, the brand she created, Hoes For Clothes, has grown greatly beyond that. Sasha talks with 47magazine about her experience as a creator, designer, and Gen-Z fashion icon. 

Pictured Above: Sasha Tarnovsky in Hoes For Clothes

47Magazine: You’ve cultivated such a distinctive culture and style with your clothing brand “hoesforclothes.” What was the inspiration behind your brand and its unique name?

Sasha Tarnovsky: Honestly, the name just came to me sporadically. I have had this brand since 2019, and the original name was Grinchy Vintage (like, after the Grinch, haha), and then I rebranded to Cherubs and Cherries when I switched from selling vintage to selling more of my own designs. However, it never really felt right. Then, I remember being in a section for one of my political science classes in school, and it was around the time when the expression being a “hoe for” something was popular, like “I'm a hoe for peanut butter” or something, idk, and the name hoes for clothes came to me. I remember being so excited I could barely pay attention in class because I was like.. “This is so perfect,” but I didn’t know if it was taken already or not, so I sat through the class in agony, waiting to check my phone. Then I swapped it, and the rest was history!

47: Your clothing hits a specific spot for young adults, balancing hotness and humor, setting the trend for Gen-Z culture. Where do you find your inspiration and creativity? 

ST: I get a lot of inspiration from internet culture, memes, tv-shows and stuff like that. I have always really liked the 2000s aesthetic and used to be so obsessed with Jersey Shore and Desperate Housewives growing up. Everything else just kind of comes together! I also get lots of ideas from my followers, which makes it a really fun and collaborative thing. 

47: Starting a business is one thing, but turning it into a flourishing success is another. Did you think your business was gonna reach this level of fame?

ST: Literally never did I imagine something like this would happen! I just started it to sell off some clothing out of my closet originally, and help pay off some of my loans. I actually have a degree in political science. I was originally going to go into law, but then right around when COVID started, the brand kinda took off, so I didn’t accept any law school applications, dove head first into this world, and I haven’t looked back since! But being a fashion designer, or whatever you want to call it, was always my dream.

47: Who is your personal fashion icon?

ST: I don’t really have any celebrity fashion icons (although some movie characters definitely inspire me, like Shelley from The House Bunny, Edie from Desperate Housewives, etc). Still, I do have a few girls online that I would like to shout out for sure, my two favorite fashion girlies to follow are @beanieboylston and @linmick; neither knows I exist, but I have been following them for so many years. I am always inspired by the creative and fun approach they both have to fashion. For Lindsay (@linmick), I don’t necessarily even think our fashion style is remotely similar, but something about her vibe and style is so incredible. 

Beanie Boylston (@beanieboylston)

Lindsay Vrckovnik (@linmick)

47: What is one item of clothing you couldn’t live without?

ST: This is a basic answer, but either a black mini skirt or a pair of denim cut-off shorts. I think you can style them both in so many different ways, up or down, and they are both constants in my wardrobe. I felt like there was no “perfect” black mini out there, so I designed my own. 

47: What was your “I’ve made it” moment?

ST: I bet you could ask even Christian Dior this question and he would say, “did I really make it?!” or maybe that is just my imposter syndrome talking but I guess if I had to say something, I would say when I was still pretty new to all this and Tana Mongeau wore my “DUMP HIM” hat and had some paparazzi take her photo. To this day, I always think of her so positively regarding this situation because she did not buy the hat, she gently asked me for it, and I gifted it to her, and then when people asked her about where it was from she reposted one of those “Tana Closet” accounts to her story that shared my @. I have never seen her do that before for anyone. It was a gesture she absolutely did not need to do, because influencers like her are paid so much for their tags, but it was so sweet and kind and brought so many new eyes on me. I will always be so grateful for that, and I remember freaking out that THE Tana, who I used to watch on YouTube after school for hours, wore my trucker hat and shouted me out. 

47: What’s one piece of advice you wish you could tell yourself at the beginning of your journey? And what’s something you’d want to tell future you?

ST: I would tell myself to stay true to myself and my style because when you try to be something you’re not, you won’t succeed. The phrase “they can copy the recipe, but the sauce won’t taste the same” is so true. When I try to make items that I think people “want”, they never do well. All my best-performing pieces always came from the heart, and they were items I was personally inspired by. I am so grateful for the community I’ve curated on my social media, and I believe I got there by following my heart and doing whatever the fuck I wanted!

Painted Faces, Real Power: The Transformative World of Drag and the Strength of Community

There’s something electric about sitting across from a drag queen at the Stonewall Inn.

The disco ball spins above us, casting flecks of light on the bar’s worn brick walls—walls that have held decades of laughter, rebellion, and chosen family. I’m here with Crystal Marie Tyler, a local NYC drag performer who somehow manages to be both larger than life and deeply grounded. Her presence is commanding, sure—but it’s her warmth, the way she speaks about drag like it’s both armor and art, that sticks with me.

As a gay creative in this city, this moment means something. Interviewing someone like Crystal in this place—the Stonewall Inn—isn’t just exciting. It’s emotional. This is where people like us first stood up and said, “No more.” And now, years later, I’m here, phone in hand, talking with someone who’s still carrying that torch—just with a little more rhinestone.

JL: Do you feel as though performing and being in drag has kind of given you a lot of confidence or some kind of personality boost outside of drag?

CMT: Yeah, absolutely. When I started it, like I was in college and I was just getting used to like, ’oh, it's just a fantasy. 
I'm like a kid that wants to pretend and play drag.’ Then at the end of college, I'm like, oh, this is a profitable skill then I can really run with and make a lot of connections and network and make a lot of friends in that way. And as I move forward, it's mostly just about the community, and that's what brings the best in you.”

Drag is magic. But not in the way people always think. Yes, there are wigs and lashes and death drops that make you scream, but it’s more than that. Drag transforms people from the inside out. For many in our community, it’s the first time they’ve been seen—really seen—for who they are. Or maybe even for who they’ve always dreamed of becoming.

Crystal talks about that transformation like it’s sacred. Because it is.

JL: What would you consider the most transformative aspect of drag?

CMT: Anyone that touches it and really experiments with it often comes out of wanting to learn more about themselves.  Sometimes it comes from feeling very isolated. And the most important thing about that is you try it and then you're not alone because it's a whole community of people that also started at that point.

And then there’s the community. That loud, loving, messy, beautiful drag family that shows up night after night. You find your people in this world, sometimes when you least expect it. And they don’t just cheer for you—they see you. They push you, protect you, and love you in ways the outside world often doesn’t know how to.

JL: Where should aspiring artists go to find these communities?

CMT: The spaces that are really just all about the freedom and that you feel the most comfortable in, you will be the most drawn to. And I mean like we're standing right here where I followed my heart and I always wanted to perform here, and now I'm Mx. Fan Favorite. So.

I look around Stonewall and I think about the queens who were here before us—the ones who kicked open the doors so we could even have this conversation. What would they think, seeing us here now? Would they be proud? I hope so. I think about that a lot. How being queer in this city can feel lonely one minute, and then suddenly, you’re at a drag show, surrounded by strangers who feel like home.

By the time our interview wraps, I don’t want to leave. Not because the lights are pretty (they are), or because Crystal’s makeup is hypnotizing (it is), but because in this tiny, historic room, I feel like I’ve reconnected with something I didn’t even realize I needed.

Drag isn’t just performance. It’s protest. It’s therapy. It’s community. It’s survival. And it’s joy.

And for people like Crystal—and people like me—it’s proof that we’re not just here. We belong here.

Written and interviewed by Jai LePrince @jai.leprince

Talent: Crystal Marie Tyler @crystal.tyler.nyc

Photography by Mark Bluemle @barks.mindd 

Production and Direction by Sophia Querrazzi @sophiamq_14 

PA, Movement Direction by Jai LePrince 

Places Everyone: JJ Niemann Gets Real About His Life On Stage.

If you’re anything like the staff at 47Magazine or one of his 1.1 million followers, you will have been lucky enough to spot JJ Niemann on your TikTok For You Page. Creating a diverse slew of consistently quality and entertaining content, Niemann has garnered a loving and passionate fan base, as well as maintaining his “day job” - living out the career of his dreams. In this interview, 47Magazine was able to get down to the nitty gritty with JJ Niemann of what it means to be a social media influencer while also being a full-time actor. Niemann, the newest cast member of Hamilton, got open and honest with us about past projects, grief, rejection, and even plans for the big screen. 

47Magazine: How do you feel that being a social media influencer has affected your path as an actor? Has it hindered or supported your journey? 

JJ Niemann: The coolest, most tangible difference is that I now feel supported by an online community of millions of friends. At the stage door, no matter what role I’ve played that night, usually 50% or more of the stage door know me by name or have seen my content, and express that they were excited to see me in the show. It truly means the world to feel that support and to get to meet people IRL after connecting online and sharing common laughs and cries together there. Of course, having a platform comes with having some haters and naysayers here and there, which can feel overwhelming at times. But the pros WAY outweigh the cons, and I choose to focus on the joy that content creation brings me, and the joy I can bring to others.

47: Working in some of Broadway's most famous shows and theatres, some performers have built superstitions or rituals they live by to pull off a good show. Do you have any you’ve learned from past cast members or developed yourself? 

JN: Honestly, I don’t have any wild rituals! I just take properly warming up seriously - doing a vocal routine and physical routine before the show so that everything is in alignment. I do love to steam or nebulize my voice, and I swear by my Ricola for my voice and Tiger Balm for the aches and pains!

47: From Broadway to underground theatre, the arts have been graced with some truly amazing roles. What is your DREAM role (ANY show, ANY gender, etc)? 

JN: A dream role I’ve had since college is Frank Abagnale Jr. in Catch Me if You Can. I love roles like that where it’s truly a triple threat role - singing, acting, and dancing while leading big production numbers. However, if gender bent roles are an option, Anne Boleyn in SIX would be SO fun! I identify with her chaos.

47: Musical Theatre is full of powerhouses and iconic performers, who are your three biggest inspirations?

JN: I’m very inspired by artists that I’ve been fortunate enough to work with, whose kindness and work ethic match their massive talent. Susan Stroman, an icon and legend, ran the Smash rehearsal room as it should be - with kindness and grace. I was fortunate enough to play alongside Roger Bart in Back to the Future many times, and he truly took me under his wing, and I learned so much about comic timing and how to command a stage from him. Getting to witness James Monroe Iglehart tear the roof down every day in Hercules, but also be the sweetest and most supportive cast member, is something that really stuck with me. Those three really stick out to me at the moment.

47: Would you ever consider making the leap from stage to screen? Why or why not? 

JN: I’d absolutely LOVE to! The bulk of my training so far as a performer has been for on-stage performance, and I feel my skill sets lend itself naturally to the stage. I’ve definitely started to take more camera acting classes and have been pursuing some of those auditions. It’s such a different medium, and half of the battle is being in the right place at the right time for on-screen work. The other half is having the right tools in your toolbox to know how to best approach self-taping and auditioning for those jobs, which I’m actively working on.

47: With such a long history in the industry, you must have had your fair share of rejections. How do you react to “no’s”? What’s some advice you have for upcoming actors when it comes to auditioning and callbacks, and moving on from a no? 

JN: One of my favorite quotes from a castmate of mine has been “Rejection is Redirection.” We can be thankful for that. And a “no” isn’t even necessarily always a “NO,” sometimes it’s just a “not yet.” I think about doors that have closed for me in the past, and how thankful I am looking back that those doors closed, because it led me to a different door that was open for me, one that I was ready for, and one that was in more alignment with who I am and what I want. I often think about when I initially auditioned for Hamilton years ago, and I was considered for going on tour with the show. I was devastated that it didn't work out, and I thought that door was closed. I'd missed out on doing Hamilton, one of my dream shows. But… if I had taken that tour, I wouldn’t have been in NYC for my callbacks to book my first Original Broadway Cast, Back to the Future, which was a life-changing experience I needed. Now, two and a half years later, the same role I almost did in the touring production opened up in the Broadway company of Hamilton, and I’m getting to do this dream show on Broadway. It was just a “not yet!"

47: How do you react to a yes? What’s the most exciting “yes” you’ve gotten? 

JN: It depends, honestly! When you get a “yes,” it can be the most THRILLING feeling in the world. It means you got the job and put in the work to land that job. But then, immediately, you wrap your head around the fact that the hard work is just beginning, and the road ahead to do the work will be fulfilling but tough. The best “yes” I can remember was getting that call to be in Back to the Future on Broadway, covering Marty McFly. It meant I was going to be in my first Original Broadway Cast, and it also meant that I was going to get to take the final bow on a Broadway stage when I went on for the role. Even though I truly never doubted that the job was mine (I had a lot of intuitions and just a feeling about it), I had waited 5 weeks after my callbacks to hear back. It was like a wash of emotions when my agent called me right before Christmas in 2022. It was truly the best Christmas present ever!

47: I’m sure it’s hard to choose, having done numerous productions over the years, but what has been your favorite part of being able to work on Broadway?

JN: My favorite part of working on Broadway and in this industry is the community. Genuinely, I have met the greatest people and forged the most special friendships through showbiz. I like to joke to people that I got into theatre for “social reasons” in the first place, but it really is true - the best part about these experiences is the people you get to share them with.

47: Having a strong support system is important when doing full show weeks, pushing your body and mind to bring out an amazing performance isn't always easy. Who has been your biggest supporter?

JN: My biggest supporter and hugest fan my entire life was my father. He sadly passed in March, pretty unexpectedly, and it has been the most challenging chapter of my life I’ve ever faced, not having him to go to or call for life advice, career tips, or even the smallest things. However, I know in my heart of hearts he has the best seat in the house every night at my theatre and is cheering me on. I’m honored to be his son and to continue his legacy in this world.

47: To pursue a career in the arts is one of both triumph and uncertainty, for those who choose to do so, they are pushed by their “love for the game.” When was the first moment you realized this is what you wanted to do? 

JN: I had a director in high school when I did a summer production who told me and my parents that if I wanted to pursue this as a career, he thought I genuinely had what it takes if I pursued it and studied it in college. I always knew I loved theatre more than anything else, but I never really considered that I could make it, or even realized there were programs out there to hone my skills. Having that director believe in me gave me the kick I needed to audition for college programs and pursue training in theatre!

47: What’s one piece of advice you’ve kept with you along your acting journey that you always look back on? 

JN: In terms of keeping my head on straight, the best advice has been simple: what’s meant for you won’t pass you by. If it’s for you, it’s FOR you. That has helped me remember to stay in my own lane and path, and not look too much to my left or my right, getting distracted by what others are doing or achieving. Another simple bit of advice that has stuck with me is to “be the kind of person that I would want to be around and work with.” It’s a small world, so it’s always good to operate and act in a workplace or rehearsal room as the kind of person YOU would want to hire and be around every day.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity

Keep up with JJ on his socials: 

@jjniemann

Or on stage: https://hamiltonmusical.com/new-york/

Written by Lucy Anderson and Jazzi Almestica for 47 Magazine. 

Creative direction — Lucy Anderson (@lugzyjane), Toni Desiree (@tonidesireethomas)

Production — Emma Oviedo (@emmaovi_), Jazzi Almestica (@shes.so.dope)

Photography — Mark Bluemle (@barks.mindd)

Styling — Shelby Leeming (@shelbyleeming)

Makeup — Emma Oviedo (@emmaovi_)

Hair/asst. — Natasha Teiman (@natasha_teiman)

Clothing from Electrix Vintage @electrixvintage