6397 would like you to meet Vrn Powell. She personifies our brand through her own personal style, but more importantly, through just who she is. We met Vrn through Brendon Babenzian, a close friend of 6397 and of Stella Ishii, founder of 6397. Brendon is Founder and Creative Director of Noah, the New York City-based menswear label known for its authenticity. Through Noah, Brendon celebrates individuals from all walks of life who are inspired by surf, skate and music cultures. Stella was immediately drawn to Vrn’s beauty – cool, calm and mystical. In our story, she wears some of her own picks from our Spring 18 collection. We also got to know Vrn just a little bit more…
How old are you and where are you from?
I am 26 years old and have been living in NYC for 10 years. I grew up in Hare Krishna Ashrams on the East Coast and moved to New York from Gainesville, Florida when I was 17.
How did you start working for Brendon/Noah?
I started to really follow Noah when they released the Krishna Long Sleeve. That really peaked my curiosity because, to my knowledge, no one was really doing stuff like that. Brendon also presented the image in such a respectful and cool way. I also had an old friend who was a manager at Noah at the time. He had reached out to me that they had an opening, and I went in to interview with Brendon, fell in love with the ethos of the brand and was surprised with how much it aligned with my core values, as well as from a cultural aspect.
How long have you been working there?
A little over 1 year.
What do you do in your spare time? You have a real passion for music...tell us about that.
In my spare time I sing in a band called Super Natural Psycho. I’m also a member of a writing collective and independent publishing company called Easy Village . In addition to this, I am training to become a yoga and meditation teacher which has been incredibly transformative. Music is a big part of my life and serves as bridge from material to spiritual and is a unifying presence.
My experience growing up in the Hare Krishna community showed me a world of diverse musical tastes, as it is a melting pot of subcultures. Baby Boomers, Hippies, Punks, literally everybody was represented in some way or another from all walks of life. This deeply impacted my knowledge of music being surrounded by people who knew world music, hardcore, 70’s rock, psychedelic rock, folk to Bollywood music - and while they identified with the cultures surrounding these kinds of music, their spiritual identity always remained the focus in how they presented themselves. I think this has always been very inspirational to me.
What and who inspires you in life?
Female leadership in organizations, bands, in art and fashion. My sister and my mother.
People that push social boundaries, question everything, form their own opinions and live from their heart.
Nature in all of its subtle glory…
