MENA SUVARI: COMPASSION FASHION

Words by: Lisa Wayne

Photographed by BEKOR • BLAINE @MCH 

Fashion by ALIONA KONONOVA

Creative Direction: JOHN BLAINE @ MCH 

Makeup: STEPHANIE NAVARRO @ The Rex Agency

Hair: JOHN BLAINE @ MCH using Number 4

Manicure: VANESSA MCCULLOUGH 

Location & Scenery: DEPICT33

MENA SUVARI has made it her life’s purpose to defend the rights of animals. As an activist for Peta, Last Chance for Animals and Farm Sanctuary, you can find her at rallies, protests and award shows alike, where she has been honored time and time again for her courage and inspiring expression. Aligning with other activists and becoming a voice for the people, she has attracted the likes of major industry players. This year the famed fashion house Gucci, joins Stella McCartney, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein—becoming the next big fur-free fashion line. Public awareness and pressure has made it clear: they do not want to wear the skins of animals as a fashion statement.

BASIC: Standing up, speaking out and public service announcements are a big part of your efforts. Your Instagram is a lesson of love and supports creatures without a voice. How did this awareness come to life? MENA SUVARI: I’d say this initially started through my manager Oren. He introduced me to an organization called Last Chance for Animals (LCA). They were looking for someone who they could align with their latest PSA, which involved highlighting animal cruelty and testing in laboratories. I remember the day going in, shooting the video and being really excited to meet everyone. I had never heard of LCA before and just feeling really special to have been chosen and being really excited to be a part of something like that and to sup – port them. It wasn’t until after they sent me the fully–edited video to watch including undercover footage they had gotten of some of these laboratories and I was devastated. I was so shocked I couldn’t even finish watching the videos. I couldn’t believe us as human beings could get to such a level of disassociation and inflict that kind of torture on another sentient being. And I sort of found myself not only really upset, but at the same time, really motivated to continue to learn more and do whatever I could. I just felt like it was simply a matter of right and wrong and I made myself available to LCA in any way they needed me. I couldn’t go back and turn a blind eye. I needed to learn more and learn how to fight.

BASIC: There are now many ethical and sustainably-sourced, cruelty-free textile brands the consumer can choose from. Who are some of your favorite designers in this genre?
MENA SUVARI: I did an ad campaign for PETA on anti-down and was being exposed to these videos and pictures, the things that were happening and being kept from the public. It was then that I decided to go cruelty-free. I couldn’t dissociate anymore. I felt very hypocritical in that sense. It hasn’t been easy and it’s definitely a challenge, but it’s something that at my core, drives me. I decided to donate and sell my entire wardrobe. For a couple weeks I had maybe two pairs of shoes and one handbag. I didn’t know where to go to find designers. I felt really lucky to be supported by my stylist Nola Singer, who introduced me to so many fantastic brands, like Soucy Studios and Davey and Veerah. Many of these designers give a percentage of their proceeds back to really wonderful animal organizations, and there is just a real positivity around everything they do. It’s such a movement of love. I adore Matt and Nat, Votch, Watch, Cult of Coquette and Story 81. There are so many worldwide.

BASIC: Women in Hollywood are powerful and they become so for many different reasons. What is your greatest strength?
MENA SUVARI: I would have to say that currently, my greatest strength is acknowledging my intuition, but also my determination. I think they go hand-in-hand. I’ve struggled a lot in my life, especially emotionally. Sometimes it’s just one person who can say no to you, and that can defeat you. And I would just encourage anyone to keep trying. I think it’s so important for people to research some of this thought path, then you see that a lot of people who’ve been successful weren’t just instantly successful. These people kept at it. They didn’t give up on their ideas and they found a way. It is something that is so important to remember. I’ve heard a million stories of people that have experienced it the same way, where they get a no right off the bat and they just shut down their dream. It’s so important to just keep believing and the right people will come. And when they do, have nothing but gratitude for that because it’s such a beautiful thing. It’s such an acknowledgement of your idea, and the most amazing thing that you can ever experience is support from another person. So, I would say to really try to connect with your intuition and then help it progress your determination into making your dreams happen, because they can.

BASIC: You were recently given an award for your work with Last Chance for Animals (LCFA). Talk to us about their mission.
MENA SUVARI: I remember the moment when Chris DeRose, the founder, was talking about how he wanted to acknowledge me. I tried very heavily to refuse; I didn’t feel like I deserved this award at all. I felt like I’m very new to the movement and activism in general. I just felt like there’s so much more I could do. Chris knows so much about how the system works and how to take advantage of it to create the change that you need. He’s worked as a police officer and as a detective. He has a book that he wrote a few years ago called, In Your Face, and I highly recommend that to anyone who’s interested in helping animals. He truly does what he does simply for the love of these animals, for the acknowledgment of them, and to create change.

BASIC: Farmsanctuary.org invites the public in to meet farm animals up close, to interact and make friends with them, so to speak. What was this experience like for you?
MENA SUVARI: I loved going and visiting everyone at Farm Sanctuary. They were so welcoming and gracious to give me such an extensive tour. I have to say, I personally met animals that I’ve never met before in my life, and it was just such a beautiful experience. It’s such a wonderful place, everything that they do, the way that they give back and support the animals, how they create awareness. That’s the most important thing.

BASIC: Small steps count. What are a few simple changes we can all make towards an animal-friendly wardrobe?
MENA SUVARI: I would say that if you wanted to started making just a few simple changes towards an animal-friendly wardrobe, right off the bat you can cut out wearing leather, especially fur. I don’t wear any wool. That’s something that is a little harder to disconnect from. I don’t understand why we have to use four percent wool in a garment. I mean, it’s so close to zero percent, so just get rid of it altogether. There’s so many amazing alternatives that are ethical and sustainable, renewable even. 

BASIC:When you want a break from it all, where do you escape? Where is your very own sanctuary here on earth?
MENA SUVARI: My home is such a sanctuary. I’m constantly burning incense and I grow my own sage. I think it’s very important to create that environment within your home because that’s where you most reside. It gives you the opportunity to recharge. The world is such a chaotic, hectic place. I love when I’m able to just come home at night, light some candles and maybe watch a documentary.

BASIC: Let’s talk American Woman, which is based on the real-life story of Beverly Hills housewife Kyle Richards, who also co-produced the series. Whether the hair, makeup or fashion, what was your favorite aspect of filming? MENA SUVARI: Working on a show that highlighted real situations, scenarios and relationships for women in 1975 and creating con- versations based upon that, I think, was one of the most important things about filming American Woman. To be reminded of where we are in this third-wave of feminism and the ERA so close to being official, finally. That in and of itself was such a learning process for me. I understood some of the things that my mother had to go up against and it helped me appreciate my own life in so many ways. I had personally always wanted to play a character like Kathleen. I felt like I could identify with her as someone who simply is learning how to believe in themselves and fight for what they want. She’s a woman, who in that time period, basically came up against an obstacle of somebody telling her, “Well, you can’t run your own company. Where is the guy? Where’s your male partner in this situation.” And she just gets exhausted with it and says, “You know what? I’m just gonna do it on my own.” And she just does it. I became close to Judith Gellman, who was our costumer. Many times, I would just get lost in the costume department on the Warner Brothers’ lot because it was just the most exciting thing to be in there. She would find these pieces that were in somebody’s warehouse in San Francisco, pieces that were in deadstock from the 60s and 70s that were amazing. She had a dress that Alicia Silverstone ended up wearing and there was a photo attached to it. She had found this dress in a guy’s warehouse up in San Francisco and the photo was of Twiggy wearing the same dress. I just thought that was like the coolest thing ever!

BASIC: What projects or films are you are working on now? Anything exciting things on your horizon?
MENA SUVARI: I worked on a few independent films last year, including The Murder of Nicole Simpson, Grace and Grit and Don’t Tell a Soul. They were such passion projects to be a part of. Grace and Grit, which is based on Ken Wilbur and his relationship to his first wife Treya, truly transformed my life. And that will always be an understatement. It moved me into a completely different space within myself. I’m really excited for these films to come out. I’ve also been developing a project of my own that I want to produce. One of the things that I was so blown away with was meeting and working with Kyle Richards on American Woman. Seeing a woman who drew upon her own life, fearlessly sharing it with the world.

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