Starlight – Eric Blanc

Eric Blanc

Stylist / Designer

May 3, 2025

ERIC BLANC is so cool he makes everyone “brrrr” (you’ll get the reference later) but the Samoan ancestry, NZ born, Sunshine Coast based Blanc’s personality is pure tropical warmth

Winner of the PAC Gala 2025 Fashion Stylist Award held in Sydney earlier this year, Blanc is a perfect embodiment of “troppo-politan”*.

Troppo-politan style is an elegant and eloquent** cultural fusion that cleverly showcases cultural origins and influences, presented in modern (some would say colonised hey-hey) silhouettes, retaining the sartorial flamboyance of tradition, somehow making it all look very futuristic…

You could totally see the Rebel leaders in some epic sci-fi film-opera resplendent in an ERIC BLANC creation, which is why this is the perfect issue*** for STARLIGHT on ERIC BLANC. Progressive Stylist. PacFuturistic Designer.

[*the term I coined years ago to describe urban-Pacific style and fashion ethos.

**fashion being a language.

***You’ve seen our current cover, it’s no secret we are Star Wars fans around here, SCI-FI and SCI-FACT.

Questions

1. If you had an alter ego, what would the name be?
King

2. Please share a quote that resonates.
This quote resonates deeply with me, I believe it’s a call to our shared purpose.

“Surround yourself with people who make you hungry for life, touch your heart, and nourish your soul.” – Dr. Maya Angelou.

3. What’s something that takes up way too much of your time?
Social Media

4. How do you prefer to spend your free time?
Immersed in Mother Nature. Relaxing at the beach, finding a quiet spot along the coast to sit and listen to music and just rest and be still.

5. What colour would you use to describe yourself?

Green. Growth, renewal, nature, life, and I feel in this chapter of my life, the colour green is a great description of me.

6. Name a book that had an impact on you and why.
I’m not much of a reader but I love poems. Beau Taplin is one of my favourites.

Whatever it is I’m going through in life I just grab one of his books and read through poem after poem. It centres me, helps me refocus, which helps in a chaotic or busy situation.

7. Do you align with Astrological insight aka… do you believe in Astrology? If so, are you typical of your star sign?
I am a Sagittarius all through lol

8. What thing keeps you going on hard days? What is Faith to you?
My family keeps me going. When I’m struggling I pray, and think about my parents and my siblings.

The journey to here reminds me that I can overcome any obstacle that comes my way, and God will never give you a challenge that he knows you can’t overcome.

9. What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done (so far)?
Moved out of home lol, I’m such a mummy’s boy, and if I could have it I’d still be living at home with my parents happily haha.

I moved out of home and moved down the road 2-5 minutes… so it wasn’t too bad but moving from Brisbane to the Sunny [Sunshine] Coast now, that is crazy to me! To most of my family and friends as well, but I wanted something different and something new, so we sold up in Brisbane, moved to Sunny Coast and built a home here.

I get home sick but I’m on the phone to my family everyday and they’re all happy for me and proud of me.

10. What’s your idea of a perfect holiday?

Where things are effortless, pre planned and going with the flow. Relaxation is the ultimate goal.

11. What’s something you hope will never change?
Family, flaws and all I love them all! We are chaotic, we are jokesters, we fight and annoy the shit out of each other but God has blessed me with a family dynamic that I hope will never change.

12. Do you have tattoos? Do they mean anything?
I have a tattoo of my Grandad’s name “KALOLO” and that’s all I wanted but then my partner begged me to get matching palm trees when we were in Bali.

I’m not big on tattoos but I love the two I have and open to more.

13. What’s your biggest indulgence?
My wardrobe is my biggest indulgence, clothes, shoes, bags! My wardrobe covers a lot of area in my house including my bedroom and my parents house.

[Ed’s notes: I can relate ]

14. Who is your Star? [role model / inspiration]
This is an interesting question…. The older I get, I don’t find myself inspired by any one person nor do I necessarily have role models. Life is the star in my story.

The challenges that taught me resilience and perseverance; the good times gave me peace and happiness and the importance of family and love

…. so life is the star in my journey. Life is forever changing as are we as human beings.

15. Is there a movie you could watch over and over again?
I love movies, but there’s not one movie that I could watch over and over again… wait. The first ‘Bring It On‘!

16. What is your personal style signature/ your favourite look?
My signature look is The Suit. I love a tailored look but I like to take what would be normal and find a way to elevate it, reconstruct it and bring new life and vision to what a Suit can look like.

I love the classic Suit and I also love to push the boundaries. That’s my style, polished elegant and ready to make a statement.

17. What is an ERIC BLANC signature look for clients?
I don’t have a signature look for clients because everybody’s style is different and depending on the occasion again the style can vary, … but my number one rule when it comes to styling others is how they feel in the clothes. I want the clothes they wear to be an extension of them, I want the person wearing the clothes to exude the confidence and power of the clothes.

18. Who would you most like to style?… and why?
I would love to style Paris Goebel or Drew Afualo or any Pacific Islander that I know would be willing to push the boundaries of what a Pacific Islander should look like. I’m all about trying to create timeless looks that are edgy and fun as well as elegant, and that it fits the brief of the event.

19. What do you want to be remembered for?
I want to be remembered for my successful collection ‘Masiofo‘ in collaboration with Sofia Moreno Marcos.

[Masiofo is Samoan for “queen”, and the collection uses royal tapa.]

[I can safely say] this is the most globally visible Pacific collection to date, featured in Vogue Italia and on 2 magazine covers, as well as an ad campaign, and most incredibly, the collection’s pieces were acquired by the Uebersee Museum in Germany.

Yes a museum acquired the collection, which was always my goal.

‘Masiofo‘ is my contribution to the Pacific legacy.

20. THREE things you love about yourself…. and ONE thing you would change.
– I love that I am cool, calm and collected. I try not to let anyone see me sweat.
– I’m not influenced by outside factors. I create what I want because I want to and because I can. There are no rules when it comes to creativity.
– I love my ambition and my intuition when it comes to projects I want to work on. My attention to detail is my secret weapon, I can see it in my head and I can execute it. That’s the part that matters the execution.

I believe everything happens for a reason, so I wouldn’t change anything. ~

Images courtesy of Eric Blanc

The Übersee-Museum, for exhibition The Blue Continent – Islands in the Pacific, new permanent exhibition from March 29, 2025.
PAC Gala 2025 images by Shalamah Tautaiolefue
The ‘Masiofo‘ collection photographed by Mike Mikha
Angela Clark seen in Vogue Italia, photographed by Stewart Douglas

Eric Blanc

Stylist / Designer

Questions

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