No, it’s not déjà vu. Juliette Lewis isn’t hitting the road and reprising her iconic turns in Natural Born Killers or Kalifornia — or reappearing in a non-linear time jump in Yellowjackets.
Instead, the new Magenta in the star-studded Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is headlining a cinematic fashion campaign for her collaboration with Wildfang — and she’ll tell us all about it.
But first, dear WNVM-ers, a quick housekeeping note: due to travel and general overload, I’m combining this week’s regular and bonus issues — no paywall, so everyone can read. And after two great collabs with Ministry of Pop Culture and the Gen X Oscars with Jonathan Small, I’ll be taking a few weeks off in April to prep for a new season of Whatever Nevermind. Thank you, as always, for your support.
xo Fawnia
As always, forgive any stray typos — I’m my own editor — and if you’re reading this in email, the full experience lives in your browser. If you’re feeling generous and remember Juliette Lewis in The Facts of Life, please tap the ❤️ at the bottom — it really, really helps!
You can’t blame me for immediately jumping to some of Juliette Lewis’ most memorable characters — whether the ’80s-fabulous den mother in Welcome to Chippendales, the eye-rolling Audrey Griswold in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, or Dani, the whip-smart teen flirting with danger and her own independence in Cape Fear.
The latter is also, arguably, a road trip movie — if you count a terrifying Robert De Niro, with excellent upper-body strength, hitching a ride on the undercarriage of Nick Nolte’s car. (A moment perfectly spoofed by The Simpsons — and will Javier Bardem be as terrifying recreating that in the Cape Fear reboot?!)
But “nothing is directly influenced by any character I’ve played,” says Lewis, about the open-road-themed campaign, featuring shots of the star in a Western shirt, cowboy boots, and no pants — hitchhiking and reading a newspaper headlined “Juliette Lewis is a Wild Card.”
“Although I have been in a couple of movies heavily connected to outlaw culture and the American West,” she adds.
Lewis’ versatile, rugged-chic capsule with Portland-based Wildfang blends Western Americana and “rockabilly attitude” with the brand’s signature tailoring and commitment to gender and size inclusivity, offering sizes XS to 4X. She also looked to her own experiences for cool, easy-to-style pieces, like a grey-blue bandana-print pantsuit and a sleeveless denim jumpsuit with delicate embroidery on the collar and graphic lining.
“Aesthetically, we pulled from where I was in my life,” says Lewis. “I love the open road and communing with nature. I do, in fact, own a muscle car, and I moved out of the city ages ago… I don’t like a lot of noise and fuss.”
Of course, Lewis has always been bold and fearless in her style since the ’90s — and never afraid to experiment — so it’s no surprise she’d put her own playful touches on the collection. She worked closely with Wildfang’s creative director, Taralyn Thuot, down to the tiniest details.
“I added the ties at the bottom [of the jumpsuit legs], so they look baggy and then cinched around the ankle, which looks great with a boot or heel. It makes them kind of chic, but not too fussy in that great dark blue,” says Lewis.
“Taralyn brought in the concept of paisley. We went through different color combinations and made it into a suit,” she continues. “I think it’s super cool and unique. The fabric is soft, not stiff or severe, so it can be worn as a day or evening suit.”
Now, Wildfang is no stranger to projects with Gen X icons — previously collaborating, not once but twice, with Blondie’s Debbie Harry. (Her second collection features a timeless yellow plaid suit that fellow Substacker Sheila (of Ephemera) would appreciate).
“Juliette has always taken brave and unexpected roles. She’s an icon for our community and us,” says Wildfang CEO Emma Mcilroy, who counts Natural Born Killers and Yellowjackets — which is at heart Gen X and ’90s — as her top Lewis performances. “On stage, she is wild. On screen, she is mesmerizing. She throws herself into every project fearlessly and authentically.”
Always breaking new ground, the triple-threat formed an indie-punk rock band, Juliette and the Licks, in 2003 with former Hole drummer Patty Schemel. They released a couple of albums and toured in the aughts, which also influenced a throwback black tank in the capsule.
“The mesh top came from a shirt I used to wear in my shows on stage. But we made it in a good quality cotton — not polyester!” says Lewis.
In 2015, Juliette cheekily promoted a band reunion with a t-shirt emblazoned with her infamous mugshot from her arrest at age 15 for dancing in an LA nightclub without a liquor license — which begs the question: Shouldn’t the club, and not the minor, have been punished? Lewis posted on Instagram at the time: “Is it wrong to wear my own mugshot shirt? That’s ok I dont wanna be right! Lol. 😎”
Lewis resourcefully turned the t-shirt into band merch and had zero qualms about re-upping the rebellious graphic tee in the Wildfang capsule — even using it as the logo for the tag — to send a strong message.
“The use of my mugshot follows my mantra of ‘own all that you are,’” says Lewis. “It was Taralyn’s idea to make it the tag. I love that.”
The collection also features accessories to mix and match with collab pieces and your existing wardrobe: a neckerchief, a bandana scarf, and an edgy bolo tie. Paging Ethan Hawke!
Meanwhile, Lewis is making her Broadway debut — alongside Luke Evans as Frank-N-Furter and Rachel Dratch as the Narrator — in Rocky Horror Picture Show, which just began previews. She told a Broadway.com interviewer — who, impressively, dropped a deep cut by mentioning he loved her in The Facts of Life — that she first watched the movie at age 11, and it left a lasting impression.
“So to do it now at 52 is really special for me,” said Lewis.
Love seeing Gen X-ers continuously try new things! Lewis’ approach to style — versatile, fearless, and unapologetically herself — shines through in pieces that encourage everyone to embrace and express themselves.
“Hopefully it’s a reminder to cut your own path in this world and own all that you are,” says Mcilroy.
See the full Juliette Lewis x Wildfang collection here.
Whatever Nevermind celebrates Gen X-ers doing cool things, explores stories and trends that define our generation, and dives into pop culture, fashion, and beauty from our perspective. Read more stories like this here.
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