Luciana & Sheehan team up to give back
I can’t count the times that I screamed like a fangirl whenever Luciana’s “I Like That” came on, and then almost passed out a year later when she teamed up with Betty White for “I’m Still Hot.” The tale of how their collaboration began, I kid you not, at a Bear party – one of many Luciana has attended. Born in the melting pot of London’s music, fashion, and art culture, the Queen of Electro has been a vibrant voice in the industry for quite a while, reaching #1 in the Billboard charts eight times and counting. She’s written for Britney and Kylie Minogue, collaborated with Tiesto, Will Sparks, and Fedde Le Grande, and her videos have almost 100 million views to date. In May, she launched a new website that combined her love of art, music, and fashion into a party for the senses. But probably her most awesome collaboration? Putting foods on tables by way of fashion.
Enter Daniel Sheehan, a 20-year fashion veteran whose company Sheehan & Co has a US-made fashion line that is a blend of vintage and masculine with a touch of sassy diva. As a small business owner, he used his creative mind to keep himself sane even as his staff had to be cut. Working around the clock in his warehouse, he started using his signature attitude for a series of clothing that he had to hand create himself – with t-shirts and masks that read, “Back the F Up, Social Distancing”, “Wash You F’ing Hands”, and the more somber, “Alone Never Lonely.” With detail to quality and flair, the shirts were being ordered faster than his hands could work giving him a sense that he could keep the business alive with a plant to bring his staff back. But working and living in Downtown Los Angeles, he could see how the pandemic was affecting the community right outside his door, he had to do something.
“I am on the front lines of this battle. I live and work in an immigrant neighborhood in East Hollywood. You can see how devastating that closure of our economy is… I had to do something. That’s what we are supposed to do as Americans,” says Daniel. [Phone rings]
“Luciana?”
“Yes, Daniel?”
“Do you want to – “
“Yes, Daniel.”
“I have actually known and admired Daniel for some time. I love his style and his charisma…he is talented and very cheeky and has a big heart – how could I not love that? I knew I wanted to do something for the community so when he reached out to me, it was an instant yes,” says Luciana.
In a matter of days, LUCIANA for SHEEHAN: Electronic Dance Music Meets Fashion was born with Luciana and Daniel working side by side to create a series of tees, hats, and masks with cheeky yet provocative colors and slogans, “ Holy Sh!t I Fu@king Love You,” “Punk All Over Me,” and “Never Mind the Bollocks” leading the pack.
“I love touching and being around my friends and loved ones… so, I struggle with the distancing. I’m also eating far too much, but I have discovered I’m actually a good cook. Although I am yet to bake a decent cake,” comments Luciana. “Although everything feels so uncertain, this is actually a gift of time to think about our passions and what we want to share with the world; what we want to say and what we want to give back; and to not forget to have fun!”
What the two have cooked up is a series that is as effective being worn around the house while binge-watching Netflix, as it is to the dance floor of the nearest nightclub (whenever that will be again).
This is not solely about creating, it is truly about helping the community. A portion of every sale benefits the Westside Food Bank in California, a non-profit with a mission to distribute as much food as possible to 70 local agencies with food assistance programs. Their services keep families from becoming homeless and they have a statement of inclusivity, serving all niche markets of the community from the elderly to LGBT youth. In the campaign’s short time, thousands of meals have already been distributed.
Daniel tells us, “The Westside Food Bank has wholesale buying power! They buy in bulk and supply organizations like God’s Love We Deliver, Meals on Wheels, US Veteran programs, LBGTQ youth, you name it. One dollar can buy a powerful amount when used in bulk. So, the math is simple: one shirt equals a $10 donation. At four meals per dollar, that is 40 meals!”
Luciana has been an ally from day one – “the LGBT community has just been a part of my family, my neighborhood from day one, it wasn’t a conscious choice, it was just a way of life.” She has been a favorite performer at Pride festivals and her contagious spirit raises a sense of confidence, even if you are the worst dancer of the lot. She has reinvented herself not to fit the fads, but to set them – both fashionably and musically. Her partnership with Daniel is kismet, Daniel himself a member of the LGBT community who has certainly experienced obstacles in the fashion world. “While I cannot talk specifics of my journey, I would advise young gay professionals, even in what we believe to be the safety net of the fashion world, we have no protections in many states like Georgia, where discrimination is legal based on sexual orientation. SCARY. The battle is definitely not over,” declares Daniel.
Put these two queens together, and there’s quite simply, magic. Daniel expresses, “Working with Luciana is SUNSHINE, LOVE, LIFE, and all with a techno beat! She is amazing and kind… Luciana brings you to life. She has a unique ability to make you forget about all the bad things that are going on and just laugh, sing, and smile so hard your face hurts. I love her… or as she would say, “Holy Shit, I Fu@king Love You,” in an East London Cockney accent.”
Taking a sip from a glass of wine bigger than her top hits list, Luciana’s message to us all is simply “Be strong, calm, realistic and most of all stay positive.”
Without a doubt, she’s still hot.
To check out their fashion line, head to www.danielsheehan.co
For the latest in Luciana’s world, including her upcoming music, head to www.Luciana.com
Last modified: June 20, 2020
