VeryBadHoRse

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101 Magazine Issue 5 Vol. 1	101 Magazine Issue 5 Vol. 1	101 Magazine Issue 5 Vol. 1


Philadelphia Style Magazine May / June 2002	Philadelphia Style Magazine May / June 2002	101 Magazine Issue 5 Vol. 1


Philadelphia Style Magazine	101 Magazine Issue 2, Volume 1 2001	101 Magazine Issue 2, Volume 1 2001	101 Magazine Issue 3, Volume 1 2001

Front Magazine Issue 23 Sept. 2000	Front Magazine Issue 23 Sept. 2000	101 Magazine Issue 2, Volume 1 2001	Hotel Venus Magazine Issue 2 2001

If your life were a television show which one would it be?
Ripleys Believe it or Not.

How would you describe your style?
Prepared for anything.

How would you describe a well-dressed woman?
A woman who wears clean underpants.

Why are we slaves to fashion?
I can't identify with this question because I'm so used to being a master.

What is your favorite piece of clothing?
My daisy dukes.

What are three things you always have in your purse?
My platinum card, cell phone, and a diamond encrusted 357 magnum.

Describe one of the funkiest pieces of clothing that you designed?
A G-string made out of string.

What is your favorite thing to do?
Work and make love.

What makes you unique?
The thing that makes me unique is that I may come across as radical or unapproachable to the average person. A large portion of my life is devoted to researching and developing spiritual activities as past life regression.

Tell us about the clothing that you design?
My main collection is called Sub-mission, a streetwear collection, which is a collaboration designed by my partner the infamous Agatha Blois of N.Y.C. Custom Leather and myself. My own separate line is called Motormontenegro Jeanswear and Custom Leather. This line is just what it says to be; jeans, jeans jackets, some T-shirts and custom pants, jackets, guitar straps, bags and any other interesting projects I want to take on.

Philadelphia Style Magazine

Kim Montenegro is a Jane-of-all-trades- a soap maker, stylist, and all around bad-ass chick with numerous clothing lines under her belt. Presently, two of Kim Montenegros clothing lines, Motormontenegro and Submission, are being distributed both internationally and in the United States. Both lines have gotten so big, that Kim cannot keep up with who is wearing her gear. She recently outfitted the dancers for Madonnas Tour, and Iggy Pop has bought over ten pairs of Motormontenegro Jeans. Locally, Montenegro’s clothing can be found in a limited supply at Vegabond on 3rd St. and Echo Chic on South Street. To see the breadth of her fashion, one must track her down at her studio.
Kim has fashion in her blood. Born and raised in Philadelphia, her mother owned a vintage clothing store. After studying for four years locally at Tracy Warner School of Tailoring, Kim moved to London in search of work. Stricken by her appearance, a designer stopped her in the street and asked her who she was. He worked with General Purpose Clothing, and hired her on the spot to do design for the London trade Show. After a successful showing, General Purpose gave Kim a stall at Chez Gabana in the Great Gear

Market in Pendelton. She debuted Dearpart, an English punk line with a Western rock and roll flair.
Eventually Kim came back to her roots, and returned to Philly (yo!). She became very close with Johnny Thunder, who had her design for bands Hanoi Rocks and New York Dolls. Being based in Philly, Montenegro found it difficult to work with New York artists. This led her into production, and she caught the eye of Patricia Fields. Fields picked up Kims line, Kim Montenegro Anti-Fashion, and hired her to outfit bands, go-go dancers and Playboy bunnies. Love the 80’s!
After her stint with Fields, Montenegro decided to take a break from the industry. After moving to the West Indies and living on a boat, Montenegro returned once again to Philly. Upon her return, Montenegro linked up with Dennis McQue, owner of East Coast Ghost. In an effort to “bring back punk style”, McQue contracted Montenegro to design his entire line. In typical punk style, Kim put together pants and tops emblazoned with band names that she did not have licensing for. Enter Submission.
Kim then met Shawn Peterson, the designer owner of Dogpile, a California based company. Seeing Dogpile as the perfect male counterpart for Submission, Montenegro packed her bags and moved to Southern California to design the woman’s end of Dogpile.

101 Magazine Issue 2, Volume 1 2001 story / photography by C. Borromeo, Digital Environment Paul Romano.

Montenegro was unable to ignore the "allure" of Philadelphia, and returned again a few years later. Much like before, Montenegro began to work with an old friend. This time she merged with Agatha from New York City Custom Leather and re-launched Submission. This time Submission was given a raunchy, military flair. "If we needed to go to war right now, what the fuck would we wear," jokes Montenegro. After only two years, Kim’s line has International distribution, with buyers in Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, Italy and Germany.

Kim’s youngest line, Motormontenegro has nothing but cotton and denim in mind. Wanting to return to her ‘70’s rock and roll roots, Motormontenegro is characterized by low-waisted hip-hugging jeans, denim jackets and t-shirts. Her goal with the new line was simple-to create clothing that she would want in her own closet, clothing that she would feel comfortable in herself.
Only Kim knows what the future holds. She recently started a soap company, Motormontenegro and Lamb, with Debi Phillpots, another old friend. To keep up with Philly’s fashion maven, call her directly at her studio-215-627-3376. Do it now, before she beats your ass!

101 Magazine Issue 2, Volume 1 2001 story / photography by C. Borromeo, Digital Environment Paul Romano.

Retraction

Dear 101,
First off, Id like to thank you for giving me such a great write up. I am more than appreciative for the exposure and kudos. However, there are a couple of minor errors that I’d like to correct.
Your article states that Johnny Thunders had me design for Hanoi Rocks and the New York Dolls. I actually never designed for the New York Dolls, as I was far too young when they were together. I would have had to have been designing at the age of ten for that scenario to happen. However, I did design clothing for Johnny, one of the original members, during his solo career years later. As for Hanoi Rocks, similarly, I designed for Sammi and Nasty after the band was over. I'm making these distinctions because I don’t want to appear as if I’ve been name-dropping or inflating what actually happened. At the time, we all happened to be hanging around in the same scene, and the clothes just went along with the music. Also, just to set the record straight, in the ‘80’s young designers didn’t have stores on the Kensington (not Pendleton) High Street, they had stalls. My stall (not store) was in Che Guevera (not Chez Gabana) in the great Gear Market. And my first partner in Sub-Mission was the infamous Dennis McHugh (not McQue) of Philly’s own East Coast Ghost. And last but not least, I would like to thank Paul Mojica for hair and makeup. Again, thanks for the kind words.
Love,
Kim Montenegro

101 Issue 3, Volume 1

Kim Montenegro - Very Bad Horse - this cooler than thou boutique with attitude just popped up in mid-March. Kim started her sought after Submission, Inc., line back in 1996; she calls it street wear with lots of details. Many pieces in the collection feature a timeless military look. In addition to Submission, Inc., Kim has also launched Motor jeans by Motormontenegro Montenegro. This idea came when Kim and friends had a hard time trying to find a pair of jeans that really fit. Here come irresistible hip-huggers in unique mud wash fabrics. The devilish denim was even worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in a recent episode of Sex and the City. The store is magnificently designed (with help from buddy Jon Graf) featuring parts of an old carousel, ornate chandeliers, large mounted antlers, hand carved wooden rails and lush red walls-think high end rustic cowboy meets London underground. Kim's also known for her custom leather jackets, pants and bags. The pants are fitted to the body and start at $850-hey, you can pick your own hides. What's up with Kim's own personal style? "Im a bum in combat boots and old jeans who drives a 1956 Buick Special," she says. Kim has plastered her sewing machine with fortunes from cookies. One she's fond of reads: "Keep alive the dreams of your youth." And that she has.

Philadelphia Style May/June 2002