An outfit says a lot about a person. Sometimes a make or break. Always a first impression. Whatever fashion is for you–an armour, a way of expressing, an art form–it reflects the deepest parts of our personalities. For Claudia Fersanch, better known as toccororo the way she dresses plays an essential part in how she carries herself as an artist. Born in the Canary Islands (fun fact: her alias is the name of the national bird of Cuba), the DJ is known for her eclectic sets and memorable performances at Sonar, Prima Vera, Unsound and Boiler Room. Her energy is infectious (and very Libra), whether she’s making the crowd dance, serving looks or yapping.
If the Cuban-Spanish powerhouse isn’t behind the decks, you most likely find her at fashion week, showing the world how fun dressing up really is. Mickey Mouse ears at Coperni’s DisneyLand? Sign us up. Mix and match with LSDXOXO at Courrège? Paris chic meets Berlin underground. No matter where toccororo puts her mind, one thing is for sure: You’ll never know her next move.
“You’ll never know what I’m going to serve, but you know I will be serving.“
Claudia, what makes a really good outfit?
First of all, an outfit has to represent you. You have to feel that it’s you and not a costume. I always look at the shoes first. If you’re giving me boots, I’m going to be like ‘I got you, I can see who you are’. An outfit should also make you feel sexy because it means you feel confident–when you’re not pretentious, but you know you’re slaying.
“Dark, sexy and fun” are not only words that describe your music but also your style. How did you first get interested in fashion?
My mum, who used to be a model in Cuba, told me that I always loved to steal her boots when I was a kid. I love how people get into characters and personalities when they get dressed. If you put me in Margiela I’m going to be more dramatic, if you put me in Rick [Owens], I’m going to be more nostalgic yet strong. I’m also obsessed with John Galliano’s Dior from the late 90s and early 2000s or Tom Ford’s Gucci. It’s all about embracing your whole persona!
Imagine your favourite piece of clothing has a customised care label tag, what would it say?
This is made for you babes, you ate!
In an interview, you once said, “Fashion is fantasy”. Are you picturing different characters and alter egos when putting on an outfit? What does the process of choosing look like?
In the beginning, I felt like it's alter egos on stage, but now I feel more comfortable being myself. It’s beautiful to see my evolution, and I love getting into different eras of myself. toccororo and Claudia are the same person. I know I'm a DJ, but I love to perform, pulling my hair like a helicopter and going crazy. When I think about it, I’ve been performing my whole life–it’s like an armour. Even before my career in music, I used to be a dancer. I’m sharing a part of me, it’s so intimate. I want people to feel the same way about the music I’m playing. It’s a gift from me to you. Every show is a whole experience. If you expect me to be feminine, I'm going to wear a hoodie. Right now, I'm wearing braids, but I might be wearing a wig next time. You'll never know what I'm going to serve, but you know I will be serving.
“My confidence kick-started when I found my place in arts and performing“
Your musical style is also very broad, including a lot of your Caribbean and ballroom culture. You can go from tribal and house to acid, trance and hardstyle. Whatever it is, it embodies a very strong identity. Tell me a bit about that strong identity within yourself. Have you always been that confident?
I think low-key, yes. I have been a really outspoken kid. My mum always told me I never shut up. But I'm also a Libra sun, Virgo moon and Gemini rising. People say I’m a walking red flag [laughs]. My confidence kick-started when I found my place in arts and performing. I did everything from Spanish modern dance and ballet to hip-hop and jazz heels. The dancing was going really seriously, but my mum wanted me to go to college, so she took me out. There's this Spanish saying, “La cabra tira al monte”, which means the goat always heads to the mountains. Even when I became a DJ, I started to perform again. I just couldn’t shake it off.
What’s your dream brand to score the runway music for?
I love so many brands, but it needs to fit my sound, too. I’d probably go for Mugler. They opened this door to have these cunty shows in the last four years. Also, Total Freedom paved the way to do this, it's dark, sexy and fun [laughs].
Every track you play had an impact on you in some way or another. You not only share what you like, but also how it makes you feel. Would you consider yourself a nostalgic person?
100%. I love to look back and realise “OMG, we did all of this”. I love being nostalgic because sometimes you have to remind yourself and the people on the dance floor that you're living a really good life. Last year was so tough mentally that I didn't grasp that I played Herrensauna and the most important PAN night at Berghain. I did all of that.