Meet BJ Panda Bear | Writer, Fashion Editor, Creative Consultant, & DJ

We had the good fortune of connecting with BJ Panda Bear and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi BJ, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I bounce back between the worlds of creativity and corporate. I enjoy the corporate structure but can not deal with having boundaries with innovation. likewise I thrive off of the most chaotic and transgressive artistic synergy but often get derailed from the lack of execution. I will always choose to get back to the artistic and creative careers because it will always serve to embrace a chance to place a greater idea into the world.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I live and work in LA with Reserved Magazine and often my work might be relatively anonymous, but it holds a ongoing dialog between beauty and the beast of Hollywood romanticism and the despair of isolation.

I like to lean into the more somber, as it grounds whatever writing, imagery, or video I make, how ever whimsical the circumstance is.

I currently don’t have a goal on what to convey in my brand or story.

I just know it’s a reflection of an LA story I would like to tell that bridges some sardonic tropes with a heavy handed touch of worldliness and an embrace of eccentric bohemianism that comes from constant traveling, collecting, and filtering through the LA guise.

In my workings with events and production I aim to always tell a story that will last a while, of that one night XYZ had so much fun at an event surrounded by assorted characters that linked the brilliant with the brash and opened up other world views to magick and conversation surrounding a tapestry of figures that would one day hold its own gravitas.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We can start the day with a hike up Beachwood to the Hollywood sign, a must.

Brekkie on Larchmont, Sam’s Bagels as well as a Almond Macadamia latte from Go Get Em Tiger.

Friends of mine will want to shop… Vintage.
I would point them in the way of Replika Vintage, James Veloria, maybe we can stop by Squaresville so we can lunch at Figaro next door.

We can gallery hop on Western but I think I would rather shuffle them to the Academy Museum or LACMA or MOCA or Hauser & Wirth so we can go to Dover Street Market.

Night comes and we can eat at whatever restaurant they are looking to vibe with. Most likely something old school like Musso and Frank or Dan Tana’s or something so new it will be irrelevant by the time my friend goes back home.

We can get a cocktail at either Sunset Tower or Chateau Marmont cause it is always fun to bump into friends and/or friends of friends, or end up in mild chaos at some event happening in the city, 1000 openings are happening an hour.

We will hunt down a party in the hills. It will either be a glass box or haunted Spanish revival, the view will be a stunner and if that doesn’t fulfill the need, the party will have some hilarious controversy I’ll hear about later.

I will leave early but expect some funny call the next day.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Creative work in a time thats digital and in a town like LA is an exhausting world to navigate.

There are many women in my life that have always cared to push me to better my work and the direction I go in.

Ana Calderon, Ann Binlot, Dana Boulos, Janelle Zara, Jen Piejko, Jules Wood, Marcella Zimmermann, Maya Korn, Rio Warner, Samira Larouci, Shab Mohammad, Tea Hacic, Yana Kamps, Zana Bayne.

BOOK | Joan Juliet Buck’s Price of Illusion for being a template to understanding that there is more to life than pretty objects to live a pretty life.

Website: bjpandabear.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bjpandabear

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bjpandabear

Image Credits
Courtesy BJ Panda Bear