Influentials Interviews July 2011 Influential: Didier Rascon
Written by Lacy Muircastle Friday, 22 July 2011 18:27
Hello everyone,
It was pleasure for me to take a peek into the life of this month’s Costa Rica Sims Influential Mr. Didier Rascon. Curiosity brought the gorgeous and highly talented Didier Rascon to Second Life for the first time in 2006, but not having a powerful enough computer at the time he soon left.
Luckily for us in 2008 he was reminded once more of Second Life when watching a TV program and now having a much more suitable computer, he decided to give it another try. Today 3 years later after the second time around, Didier is an accomplished model and fashion designer owner of House of Europe and someone who says Second Life is more than just a game.
Hello Didier and congratulations on being Costa Rica Sims July 2011 Influential! I want to start by asking you why do you feel Second Life is more than just a game?
Merci Lacy thank you very much. It is quite an honor for me to be this month’s Costa Rica Sims Influential. To answer you question, after playing the Sims 2 game for a while, Second Life fascinated me from the point of view that real time interaction was possible with people from all around the world. Second Life stopped being a game for me when I realized that it helped me a lot to be who I am now in my real life.
Do you remember your first thoughts when you started to explore Second Life?
Oh do I? On arriving in Second Life I felt somewhat lost. Fortunately I found a Help Sim with some French-speaking people, which was a significant step for me in finding my way around. After feeling whole lot more confident I started exploring as much as I could, meeting great people along the way, one in particular that come to mind is Ben Sass, who to this day has a special place in my heart. This Scotsman spent many hours explaining the ins and outs of Second Life to me.
Was there a the turning point in your Second Life that made you decide you wanted to create items in here?
Well Lacy we all know that money makes the world go round, and that includes this virtual world. When I first got here I had no money. I could not afford to buy clothes for my avatar much less a house or a piece of land, so one day I said to myself why not trying to build everything on my own?
As an architect in real life building a house was no big deal, but creating clothes was something else altogether. After falling in love with the fashion side of Second Life, I made a concerted effort to make clothes and to the best of my ability. It wasn’t long before I had enough clothes designed and created to open my own store and earn some money. In 2010 a started a new brand House of Europe.
What are your views on fashion and the industry in Second Life from both a designer and a model’s point of view?
My views on the fashion industry here in Second Life are the same both as a model and as a designer: I truly think that all designers and models are great artists. No matter if they are beginners or confirmed in their skills, they are building and creating amazing things. For me, fashion is a real art, and Second Life is full of amazing artists. For example I was really amazed by the 5 national outfits that another French designer created for the Mr. Virtual World. Mr. Enzo Champagne.
Oh yes you were one of the finalists for this year’s pageant correct? How was the Mr. Virtual World experience?
I waited in great anticipation for over a year now for this pageant to arrive, and I was so happy to be selected as a finalist and especially as Mr. France since that is my real life country. It was a great moment for me and I really gave my best in all the challenges we had during the month of June. The final result was of course not the one I had hoped for, not only for me but also for all the friends, but I have no regrets and I am really proud of all that I achieved. I also want to congratulate all my friends and especially my husband Angelik Lavecchia who was really amazing and professional, and a huge hug to Mikey Batriani, Mr. Virtual World 2010, who was a true inspiration to me during this past year.
Is it true that you were the only contestant who designed his own clothes?
Yes I think I was the only one. I designed my own national outfit based on the Napoleon look and also my formal outfit based on a suit design by the great Jean-Paul Gaultier in his spring/summer 2011 collection. Those 2 outfits are now for sale in my House of Europe main store.
What are your plans going forward from MR. Virtual World?
Now that Mr. Virtual World is done, I have the feeling that a page has turned. It was my last pageant and I really want to do something else now. Of course I will stay in the fashion industry as a model and a designer. I am thinking of opening a new brand, idea it's too fresh to tell you more about it, but you will know soon what it is about. I also own the Ms. and Mr. Europe contest the winners of which will be crowned in September 2011.
Talking about pageants, I understand you are designing an evening gown for the upcoming Miss Costa Rica Sims can you tell me about the design, what inspired it, what color will it be?
Actually I still have to talk with Reign Congrejo Costa Rica Sims Pageants Director and current Miss Costa Rica Sims about this design and if she has a special request. But as usual I will get my inspiration from the real life fashion industry and from my preferred designers like Christian Lacroix, Karl Lagerfeld, Yves Saint Laurent, or Dior. I want those girls to feel like real beauty I will do my best to make them look gorgeous.
How did you come to be resident of Costa Rica Sims?
One of my friends in Second Life is from Costa Rica in real life and he brought me to see the sims. He spent a bit of time telling me about his beautiful country. I fell in love with Costa Rica Sims so naturally I decided to make it my Second Life home. I was even able to buy a piece of land in the area where my friend lives in real life.
What impresses you most about the CRS?
The amazing work around how was landscaped. Every time I go to the nature areas like the rain forest or anywhere else on Costa Rica Sims I find myself saying "Wow, I wonder how much time did they spend creating this amazing place?" And I think it's impossible to find out. But what is true for sure is that they did it with passion! As a resident I can feel it.
How do you describe Second Life to your real life friends and family?
Well, I must admit that I don't talk too much about Second Life with my family or friends. They are just impressed with my good English now! LOL
LOL! Any final words you want to say?
I want to thank Costa Rica Sims for choosing me as this month’s Influential, wish all the best to all the residents of Second Life and invite them to visit the House Of Europe store at the Costa Rica Sims Colonial Shopping District.!
After wrapping up our tête-à-tête, I ask Didier about the theme for his Influential party and he responded “I want to see everyone in super heroes costumes”.
So there you have it another month and another fabulous resident of Costa Rica Sims that have contributed to the world of Second Life fashion. Don’t forget to join us this coming Sunday, July 31, 2011 at 12 noon slt at The Influentials Lounge as Costa Rica Sims pays tribute to a noble French man who discovered that Second Life can be more than just a game.
Finally I would like to remind all of you, to join our social networks to share photos, keep in touch with your friends and up to date with everything related to Costa Rica Sims.
Until next time,
Lacy Muircaslte
Costa Rica Sims Estate Blogger
