Mademoiselle of the Sea | Clara Mokri
This month’s spotlight goes to the girl who was behind the camera for most of my Indonesia trip: Clara Mokri.
Meet Clara
Clara grew up surfing in LA and now splits her time between Santa Cruz and the Mentawais. She’s a photographer and documentary filmmaker, with work published in The New York Times and TIME, among others. And wherever she’s shooting, the ocean is never far away.The trip
She wore our MACUMBA Crop Top in Noir all trip, surfing early and shooting the rest of the day. I designed it for exactly that: to stay put through every session and feel good from the first wave to the last. Honestly, she shoots waves as well as she rides them.
Between sets, she’d swim out with her camera and find angles the rest of us never thought of. That’s Clara. Always in the water, always finding the shot.
A few questions for Clara
-
How did you start surfing?
I grew up in a family of surfers in Southern California and I started surfing once my uncles decided I was a strong enough swimmer. We surfed beach breaks so I took a lot of beatings until I learned to duck dive and read the ocean. Their tough love mixed with encouragement made me into a stronger surfer, both physically and mentally. From that point on I was hooked!
-
What’s it like shooting from the water?
Because of how much I love surfing, I want to be as close to the action as I can, otherwise I feel like I’m having FOMO! Visually, I feel most creative shooting surfing from the water too.
-
What’s your favourite memory from the trip?
My favorite memories from our time in Telo was laughing with Laure until our stomachs hurt and we lost our voices! Those types of friendships are special and those moments make everyday surf sessions so much more memorable.
-
What do you love about the pieces you picked?
The best thing about the Lore of the Sea pieces that I have are that they are both cute and functional. The neck line on the rashie is so stylish and elegant. The boardies fit really nicely and the stretchy fabric is really comfortable. I don’t want to have to worry about my suit staying on when I’m working or surfing, so that’s the most important thing for me. Both of the pieces do just that :)
-
What’s next for you?
Next is some much needed time at home in California, reconnecting with family and friends and trying to reset my roots. In December I’ll be heading back to Indonesia, where I’ll be shooting a documentary in Sulawesi and getting ready for another season of surf shooting in Sumatra and beyond!
Clara’s favourites
A few pieces she loves from Lore of the Sea:
Through Clara’s lens
You might have already seen some of Clara’s work on our Instagram. She shot me surfing in Indonesia, and these shots are some of my favourites.
Wearing some suits from our latest collection!
Explore the Collection
Follow Clara
See more of her work on her website and on Instagram at @claramokriphoto. Give her a follow, you won’t regret it.