catching up with youtuber and vintage reseller, cavina
interview BY KIANA MORIDI
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Meet Cavina--a YouTuber with a keen eye for fashion, food, and all things lifestyle. Born in Bangkok, Thailand, Cavina incorporates her culture and background throughout her content, offering videos in Thai. Equal parts transparent as she is stylish, the YouTuber takes her subscribers along for thrift hauls, tasty eats, and more.
Now, a new chapter approaches as Cavina prepares to return to Thailand. Here, we chat about things to come with her YouTube channel, creativity through culture, and what she most looks forward to about this new chapter.
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When did you begin your YouTube channel? What sparked the idea to begin that?
I didn't tell anyone about it until my first video went live on my 28th birthday this year on January 2nd, 2021! I never planned on starting a YouTube channel but one day in December, while I was watching one of my favorite Thai YouTubers (will mention who later), I thought to myself "where are all the half- Thai YouTubers talking about their cross-cultural life?" There wasn't much of this out there and I began to think that I could maybe fill this gap. It made it much easier for me to just give it a try because my husband, Drew Willson, is a professional videographer/video editor and promised to help get my channel off the ground. I had nothing to lose!
What do you hope to create for your viewers?
I want to create a space where people are encouraged to be themselves because I'm bent on staying true to myself, no matter if some people may not like or understand me, I know that there are MY PEOPLE out there somewhere. We just have to find each other. I want to create content that is full of value, playfulness, truth, and inspiration!
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How would you describe your style?
Comfy street-style with a hint of color!
If you could shop from anyone's closet, whose would it be?
Michelle Nielsen (@stonemuse) all the way!! It's my dream wardrobe.
What's the most rewarding part of creating YouTube content? Most challenging?
The most rewarding thing about creating YouTube videos so far has to be my creative growth. My husband has been teaching me how to edit my own videos and so now that's a new skill set I can take anywhere in life! The most challenging thing would have to be my schedule. I work full time, and so trying to get a video out once a week has been way harder than I expected. Definitely have so much to learn!
How often do you typically post new content to your YouTube channel?
Once a week, typically on Wednesdays, and sometimes twice depending on if I have a collaboration!
How does your culture play a role into who you are as a woman, and as a creative?
A huge role! The culture I have found myself in most is the secondhand/sustainable fashion world and I feel like I am truly at home there. The ladies I have met online have helped me with feeling more confident as a lady striving for a more sustainable lifestyle and they encourage me to be more comfortable in my own skin as a half white/half asian. But of course culture has its dark side when it comes to influencing my creativity (in bad ways). I feel like there is such a cloud of comparison and competition and I absolutely hate it. I want nothing to do with it and it totally steals from creating freely, without having to look over your shoulder at every turn. I want our creative community to shift this atmosphere and truly, I mean from the inside-out, make this space more supportive, free, and inclusive - with no strings attached! We need to feed off of each other in order to create beautiful and meaningful things!
What new content do you plan to create in Thailand?
My husband and I plan on living there long-term, so I'm hoping I can create all kinds of content to help people feel and see what we are experiencing. To be more specific, I would like to focus on secondhand fashion and sustainable living in Thailand, getting into the film industry and that whole process and journey, and just everyday life with family and friends - oh and of course, THAI FOOD!!
Will secondhand reselling still be a part of your video content, or will the purpose of your content shift?
Sadly I will have to move on from reselling clothes because I won't be able to do that from Thailand (shipping is far too expensive) and I also want to focus my energy on my film production career and YouTube channel!
Fill in the blank. If I'm not thrifting, I'm probably ______.
Snacking on a bag of something crunchy and spicy.
If you had to eat one food every day for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
My mom's Thai cooking ALL THE WAY! She is just so good with favors and she sticks to the old school way of cooking Thai food. My mouth is watering just thinking about it as we speak. Alternate answer: just one "dish"? I would have to choose Thai basil shrimp fried rice!
What's something most people don't know about you?
I am a true 2000s RnB/rap fan, I can rap the entire "Kick Push" song by Lupe Fiasco, and I am an introvert.
Are there any YouTubers you look up to?
My #1 fav is "PROUD ORANICHA", her content is just so high-quality and that girl can dress. And I also love anything done by Alexa Chung!
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Follow Cavina on Instagram @cavina and check out her YouTube channel