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OLIVER STONE INTERVIEW - DAZED DIGITAL

2010-07-30T20:45:00.001+01:00

http://www.dazeddigital.com/ArtsAndCulture/article/8031/1/Oliver_Stone_South_of_the_Border

OLIVER STONE: SOUTH OF THE BORDER
Dazed Digital sits down with the controversial director to talk about his two polar opposite films of 2010 and who the funniest politician in South America is
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 28 July 2010

"And this is where we're building the Iranian atomic bomb" President Hugo Chavez says smiling, pointing at a building in Venezuela's capital Caracas. For a man who's sincerely disliked by a big portion of Western society, Chavez has a great sense of humour. And when he's not hanging out with super model Naomi Campbell, he's showing American film director Oliver Stone where the army officer come politician grew up (hilariously, Chavez's weight breaks the BMX kid bicycle he sits on while riding around the spot where his childhood house used to stand). The chat, plus Stone's trip to a handful of other socialist countries on the continent, is part of the filmmaker's second 2010 cinema release, South of the Border. After interviewing Fidel Castro in 2003, Stone must have felt like infuriating right wing America even more, and went to Venezuela to find out for himself what was going on 'down south'.

Only months after the release of Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Stone is back in the headlines with South of the Border, which he pitches somewhere between a documentary and a feature film. The first half an hour is a collage of comments from US news readers and opinion makers. No matter what side you agree with, it is painstakingly clear that there's a high level of media ignorance towards both Chavez as a person and the beliefs he, together with a few other South American politicians, stand for. Like many other Stone films, this one will evoke emotions. Not everyone, many Europeans included, have failed to be impressed by Chavez and his political comrades. In the film, this suspicon is dealt with by the former Argentinean president, Néstor Kirchner, who said he "hadn't seen any other dictators win as many elections". Dazed sat down with Oliver Stone and fellow film maker and South American expert Tariq Ali...

Dazed Digital: What was the main ambition, the main thought behind making the film? Did you want to show Americans and Europeans a different side to South American politics?
Oliver Stone: Yeah, I did. I think that was the motivation, I think Chavez made it possible because I went and interviewed him, he was very accessible and open and he said 'don’t just believe in me, ask others', He sent us to six of his neighbours and we heard it from them too that there’s a change going on in this continent. I’ve obviously heard huge criticisms of Chavez that seemed to focus on him as another dictator. It’s a real 'right' versus 'left' battle in the sense that it’s been focused on Chavez and his personality cult as opposed it being about a real structural reform.

DD: So you went down there to see Chavez and you ended up seeing all these other guys…
Oliver Stone: More importantly, we went to see the economy, to see the change in the mentality, the concept of independence from the United States!

DD: The change of mentalities in their own countries?
Oliver Stone: Yes, the mentalities in their countries. Independence from the United States, not a fear of mutual respect. This is a very important concept that we have not, that the United States, have not learnt. Mutual respect. If the guy from Ecuador says to the US 'I will give you a base in my country, but I want a base in Miami', he’s saying it very clearly, why should you have a base, why should we have six or seven bases in Columbia, why? We should ask ourselves what gives us the right to interdict our point of view on their situation.

DD: But did you feel that also want to show the American audience what was going on in South America?
Oliver Stone: I wanted to show them enough already, can’t you wake up? Is this Empire completely insane? That we are actually harming the people in the world, we’re constantly fighting against the people that are trying to help them.

DD: I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but there were scenes that were actually quite funny, we found ourselves laughing in the audience.
Oliver Stone: No, I think we took the approach to keep it relaxed - which we don’t do, we don’t get that in our country, but I don’t know about England.

DD: On that note, where did you have the most fun, where did you enjoy yourself the most - who was the funniest President to hang out with?
Oliver Stone: I think they're all very honest people, they’re people from the people. They represent their countries, they want change so they tend to be serious reformers. It’s a hard job because they’re always being criticised. Evo Morales [Bolivia's President] is an Indian, he doesn’t laugh very much…
Tariq Ali: He can be lighthearted but he’s very restrained whereas Chavez has an enormous sense of humour.
Oliver Stone: Yeah, I’d say Chavez is probably the funniest out them all!

DD: Is it a coincidence that you’ve released two films this year that are about financial opposites in a way? There’s one about capitalism and one about socialism?
Oliver Stone: Yeah, there’s a lot of truth to the fact that Wall Street is responsible for a lot of the economic misery of South America. But Wall Street is a dual use system, like nuclear weapons, and it is an engine for much good in the world. The movie is a different beast altogether, because it’s an entertainment vehicle. But in that movie, Shia LaBeouf is a young man who is an idealist trying to good with capitalism. He’s basically working for advancement of a clean energy company.

DD: So you’ve managed to find an angle in that as well?
Oliver Stone: Oh, Wall Street does a lot of good, my father worked there. I’m not condemning everyone at Wall Street.

DD: And, obviously with the first bit in South of the Border with the news collage showing news readers and so on…
Oliver Stone: It’s a matrix. The reality has been flipped on its head. They really have achieved an Orwellian world where peace is war and freedom is slavery, kind of concept. [Laughs]. Think about it - Orwell couldn’t have written it. Orwell would think this is a nightmare. If you confuse people if you say the earth is flat and the earth is circular, well it can’t be both therefore the earth is going to be kind of a combination. The concept of the earth is flat is acceptable. No?

DD: Do you think that the political landscape has change greatly since Obama took over? I mean the American attitudes towards Latin America?
Oliver Stone: No! [laughs]

DD: But is that because you think he hasn’t done enough?
Oliver Stone: No, it’s the same state department down there, the same group of people, there’s been no reform. Obama has kept the same people in power. Hilary Clinton has gone down there several times. She’s been more to the right than Obama has. [Bold] She’s been critical of Chavez, she’s been trying to divide these people from each other.

DD: Can you see any change on the horizon?
Oliver Stone: No, not yet, but Obama did shake their hands, and that gave them hope.

DD: What was the reaction to the film in the United States?
Oliver Stone: At best they said ‘Oh, I like the film, it’s engaging, I follow it’. But it’s obviously not true!

DD: Looking at the films you’ve done over the years – both feature and documentaries – there are often political undertones. Are you driven by a social or political agenda?
Oliver Stone: No, I think for me it’s been a personal journey towards enlightenment or trying to find out what happened. I was raised completely on the other side, in a republican, ethno centric American privileged school. Castro was a bad guy, communism was monolithic, I grew up with the standard clichés. And in the 60s I went to war in Vietnam, as a willing soldier. And I don’t think my education really began till I got brain washed in the 70s.

DD: So you wouldn’t say that you have some sort of radical plan?
Oliver Stone: No, I’m trying to find out what works. I mean I didn’t know about South America till I went there. You have to find your way in this life. Castro is a monster in the united states, what I did with Castro is amazing because I still can’t believe I did it. I didn’t realise I’d get in to such hot water. I am rather naïve.

DD: What's next for you?
Oliver Stone: We’re doing a 'Secret History of the United States'. It's a ten hour long documentary. I’m trying to show the bigger patterns, the story and the things that were reported but unremembered. And im trying to go into the whole issue of how the US shaped itself from 1900 to 2010 into this empire...

DD: Wow, and when is that due?
Oliver Stone: It comes out in the cinemas next year hopefully...

Louis Vuitton - Interview with Pietro Beccari

2010-07-30T10:19:00.004+01:00

The new Louis Vuitton store in London boasts three mighty floors, plus a top apartment where special customers are ushered in. When you enter the premises, which you will able to do from tomorrow Friday, you are greeted by the smell of quality. It's everywhere you turn; the building, staff, interiors and, of course, the products. We already knew what levels of luxury Louis Vuitton are capable of reaching, but this new 'Maison', as it's referred to, ups the ante - not only in London but for the rest of the world. And it isn't only the clothes and accessories that will blow you away. There's an amazing array of art that would make the most avid art collector envious. Jeff Koon, Damien Hirst and Gilbert & George, to mention but a few, makes the store a cultural joy to visit.

Moving drawers, floating Louis Vuitton planets, a Katie Grand curated Vuitton parade and a book shop covering all the literal ground between Walter Benjamin's art theory and Don McCullin's war photography are only a few of the things that will keep customers entertained. That's without even starting on the first floor women's wear, a ground floor full of hand bags and accessories, and the men's collection in the basement. Someone who's had a pretty big hand in making all of this happen over the past 18 months is Louis Vuitton's Vice President Pietro Beccari, who kindly sat down with Dazed Digital for a few minutes to talk about this new chapter in Louis Vuitton's long history with London...

Dazed Digital: This refurbishment is an amazing statement of intent when it comes to Louis Vuitton's relationship to London. What role do you think London plays in worldwide fashion?
Pietro Beccari: London plays an amazing role in fashion. It’s not an English city, it’s a city of the world, just like New York and Paris, and our relationship with London is very old: our first store outside France was in London’s Oxford Street 1885.

DD: If anything, London is famous for young, exciting and avant-garde fashion - what is Louis Vuitton's role in that style environment?
Pietro Beccari: There is a little a bit of everything for everyone in here. We mix tradition and modernity. For us, it’s a natural but powerful mix. Our brand roots are so strong that we can play around. At the end o f the day, both mature and young customer can discover something.

DD: How would you describe the core values of Louis Vuitton, what's the brand's USP?
Pietro Beccari: I recently had lunch with Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Graydon Carter, and he was telling me that he sees Louis Vuitton as a life style, not only a brand. We offer a world of Louis Vuitton, touching on art, books, fashion, sport, so it is difficult to mention one USP. Graydon said that the only other brand that influences contemporary culture in the same way is Apple, which is a great compliment. We inspire with our lifestyle, not only our products.

DD: You have great art collaborators in the store - what's the relation between art and fashion for Louis Vuitton?
Pietro Beccari: Marc always says we are doing nothing else but reinventing what our ancestors did. The Vuitton family was friends with impressionist painters and bought their art, which was outrageous a the time. Our recent collaborations with Stephen Sprouse, Richard Prince, Takashi Murakami are all examples of what was done in the past. And except for product collaborations we also work with art in our shop windows.

DD: You have also worked with FIFA on designing the travel case for the World Cup trophy. How does Louis Vuitton fit into such a sporty and athletic environment?
Pietro Beccari: We are perhaps more associated with sailing through the Louis Vuitton Cup. But we have worked with football stars before, like Maradona, Zidane and Pelé. In this case the angle was that we are experts of packaging and shipping, and making sure that the most precious things travel in secure elegance. That’s what we bring to the FIFA collaboration because, for the next two months, what is more precious to the world than the trophy?

DD: Who do you think will win the World Cup?
Pietro Beccari: Spain or England, maybe?

DD: You have an amazing selection of people as the face of your campaign - everyone from Andre Agassi to Keith Richards - how do you choose them?
Pietro Beccari: It’s a celebration of great personalities and encounters in life. We sit down with a couple bottles of wine and think about who we want to work with and try to figure out who most fits with the brand.

DD: The one that stood out the most for me was Mikhail Gorbachev. How did that come about?
Pietro Beccari: I met him in Geneva, I still remember the encounter. He said ‘no’ first, but he changed his mind in the spirit of celebrating life. He agreed on the condition that he was photographed in front of the Berlin Wall, because it had changed his life and that of many others. It’s maybe our most impressive campaign.

DD: I always think there's a sense of understated luxury and beauty in a Louis Vuitton collection - did you take the same approach when designing the store interiors?
Pietro Beccari: There is a parallel in the sense of obsession for quality and materials. An obsession for details characterise both, a certain degree of simplicity and pureness.

DD: You have worked with the architect Peter Marino on the New Bond Street store - what brought you two together?
Pietro Beccari: Peter understands luxury and he manages to translate that sense of luxury to the stores he has worked with, through the artists, pieces and materials he chooses to work.

DD: There have been a clear focus on Eastern markets in the last years across the fashion market, does this new store signal the return of LV's mighty fashion force to Europe?
Pietro Beccari: We never abandoned Europe, because that’s where the luxury world was born and belong. This store doesn’t counter balance our presence in Asia because both are important.

DD: Any favourite rooms, details or artworks in the store?
Pietro Beccari: I especially like the light and roominess in the upstairs Apartment for special customers, and there's an amazing Jeff Koon piece there as well...

Grazia Fashion Jury - July 2010

2010-07-18T13:01:00.000+01:00

UNDER THE INFLUENCE MAGAZINE - THATCHERISM ISSUE - ROMINA KARAMANEA

2010-07-12T20:15:00.001+01:00

PR WEEK INTERVIEW

2010-07-06T23:43:00.000+01:00

http://www.prweek.com/uk/news/1011567/Editors-Desk-David-Hellqvist-Dazed-Digital/

Dazed Digital, the online sister of monthly magazine Dazed and Confused, has just hired David Hellqvist to be its commissioning editor. Dazed Digital posts exclusive videos interviews, behind-the-scenes fashion reportage and exclusive features. PRWeek catches up with Hellqvist to find out what he wants from PROs.

David Hellqvist: Dazed Digital editor
Describe Dazed Digital
Dazed Digital is a unique editorial platform; a web-based magazine with daily updates of original content. Like the Dazed & Confused magazine, we focus on in-depth and intelligent coverage of worldwide fashion, music, art and photography, using our network of contributors throughout the world.

You have just joined. Are you planning any changes?
There will be a Dazed Digital design overhaul later on this year, but in terms of editorial coverage it won’t change a great deal.

Who are your competitors and what makes you different?
There isn't really any direct competition. Other sites might have either a bigger audience or a more niche expert area, but we cover our brief in an insightful way with original content. This means no one else can claim the same authority in our line of work. We have made it our job to unearth worldwide talent using all the means that make the digital presence our strongest asset.

What makes a good story for you?
A new angle, an interesting person, a boundary-pushing brand or an exciting event.

Of which story are you most proud?
Personally, I like the stories with a slight current affairs angle. I was happy with our election coverage, because we made it appeal to a younger audience. I’m also pleased when we can give a young designer, musician or artist his or her first bit of press and media attention.

What tips can you give PROs to get coverage?
Try to imagine if it would fit our audience. Often PROs just take a chance and email over completely irrelevant issue, events and brands and end up wasting both mine and their own time.

What are your own personal media must-haves?
Dazed & Confused, The Guardian, Twitter, Fantastic Man, Monocle, Fashion in Politics.com, AnOther Man and Nowness.

What is your latest circulation figure?
We have 2.5 million page views a month and 200,000 unique visitors, but we also use our ever-growing social media network to communiacte with our audience. Currently, the Dazed Twitter following is 102,000 and the Facebook page have 46,000 fans.

What is the best contact email for the editorial staff?
David.h@dazedgroup.com

Subversive Glamour & James Gardner on Dazed Digital

2010-05-24T17:17:00.001+01:00

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Photography/article/7500/1/James_Gardner_Subversive_Glamour

JAMES GARDNER: SUBVERSIVE GLAMOUR
The New York City-based digital media entrepreneur might very well be the best connected photo blogger ever as his Subersive Glamour site shows...
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 24 May 2010
Photo by James Gardner

Who's the most connected New Yorker? Who goes to all the best shows and the most exclusive parties? Well, that's impossible to say, but James Gardner, AKA Subversive Glamour, sure is a contender to the title. Born in the UK, Gardner has been NYC-based for many years, and when setting up the photo blog two years ago he made it his mission to get all his famous friends - and celebrities he just bumped into - to pose with him in front of his Blackberry phone. That's right, Subversive Glamour isn't fed by some state-of-the-art technology, just a normal camera phone. But the low-fi feeling of the equipment is easily matched by the glamour and flamboyant hedonism that Gardner documents by night. During the day though, Gardner is busy setting the agenda of digital media and opening up the boundaries of internet consumerism through his work at Createthe Group, a creative and interactive web agency that Gardner founded and is now the CEO of. So whatever time of the day you find him, Gardner is always tinkering away in cyberspace, working hard to entertain you. Dazed Digital spoke to him about Subversive Glamour...

Dazed Digital: How would you explain Subversive Glamour to an outsider?
James Gardner: Subversive Glamour is an alter-ego that has become a caricature of myself.

DD: What is the main objective behind Subversive Glamour?
James Gardner: To entertain!

DD: Do you take all your images on your Blackberry? Why?
James Gardner: Yes! Always with me, instantaneous, intimate... And that's my thing!

DD: How, When and Why did you start Subversive Glamour?
James Gardner: I was at my upstate house one weekend in late 2008 and set up Tumblr and Twitter accounts. I quickly became obsessed, and it gave birth to Subversive Glamour. We talk about the power of social media to our clients and my Creative Director, Diana Hong, said I had to embrace it. It turned into something that is a lot of fun and people seem to enjoy it...

DD: A lot of images feature yourself - do you treat it as a diary blog?
James Gardner: I guess I would call it a tongue-in-cheek diary blog, I know it's a little ridiculous... especially the Subversive Glamour 'Blue Steel' pout!

DD: What's Subversive Glamour's USP compared to all other blogs out there?
James Gardner: I'd like to think that there aren’t too many CEOs with an alter-ego, a micro blog and a fashion addiction out there.

DD: Sometime I get the feeling I'm flicking through a magazine when I look at Subversive Glamour - is that the reaction you want?
James Gardner: Sure... if it’s digital, glamorous, glossy and a little naughty...

DD: You work with digital pioneers CTG; do you think the future of media is totally and unconditionally digital?
James Gardner: Not totally, but it's certainly a huge part, as I think people now realise.

DD: As a Brit living in NYC, what do you miss the most with the UK?
James Gardner: I'm very lucky to have clients like Burberry and Dunhill in the UK that require frequent trips back so I don't miss too much...but my family of course...

DD: And the least?
James Gardner: Grey skies!

DD: A lot of your images are party snaps - how does NYC compare to London (and other world cities) in regards to their party scene?
James Gardner: NYC is high-glamour-cool-downtown-strong-cocktails, London is high-fashion-street-looks-hot-music-lots-of-not-so-strong-cocktails, Paris is tres Gay and Milano will not be the same without Plastic!

DD: Do you see yourself as a photo journalist, a fashion observer or more of a business man?
James Gardner: Can I be all three?

DD: What's next for Subversive Glamour and James Gardner?
James Gardner: For Subversive Glamour, a cocktail and some BB snaps.... for James Gardner & CTG, lots more exciting digital innovations!

Catch Subversive Glamour on the blog, Twitter, Vimeo and Blip FM

Richard Kern interview for PONYSTEP

2010-05-24T17:14:00.000+01:00

http://www.ponystep.com/art/article/RichardKernSternstuff_454.aspx

PONYSTEP
ART
5/20/2010
Richard Kern: Stern stuff!
by David Hellqvist
Photo by Richard Kern

Photographer slash filmmaker slash pornographer; New York-based artist Richard Kern can proudly raise his hand and claim all three titles. From the 1980’s and onwards, Kern made his name mixing the true original rock ‘n’ roll ingredients of sex, music and drugs in his work.

Kern’s bi-monthly fanzine ‘The Heroin Addict’ and collaborations with Sonic Youth, Black Flag’s Henry Rollins and poet Lydia Lunch set the tone for his future work. Since then, Kern’s photos have been synonymous with nude, honest and semi-sexual material. For the last few years Kern has been most prolific as a photographer, and his work has more often than not been appearing in Vice Magazine – a match made in heaven, as anyone familiar with Vice’s relaxed attitude towards undressed models will know. ‘Shot by Kern Europe’, a documentary-style film and accompanying photo exhibition of Kern travelling around Europe shooting naked girls, is now being released in conjunction with Vice, and Ponystep spoke to Kern in the run up to the London-leg premiere of the exposition.

David Hellqvist: Why did you focus this expo/book on Europe?

Richard Kern: I shoot in Europe all the time so it was no stretch, and in this case it was organised by the UK office of Vice. I have worked with Vice all over the world – Mexico, Brazil – but the UK wanted to take it a step further and make a film about it. I was happy, I got loads of content out of it!

DH: The film revolves around London, Barcelona, Paris, Milan, Antwerp and Berlin. How and why did you choose these cities?

RK: Well, it was because Vice, as a multi national organisation, has offices in all of these countries, and they sorted out all locations and the girls. But the project was originated by the UK branch of Vice. It turned really well, and I’m happy with the result.

DH: What city did you like the best and why?

RK: Two things decided what city I liked: the girls and the food! In Italy, the food was great and the girls were good – but it was hot and dirty and I didn’t like the hotel. Paris was good across the board but I had one very good girl. I suppose each city had its moments and places. In Barcelona, for example, we found a perfectly empty pool that we shot a girl in. Antwerp had amazing light, so now I know why there are so many great painters from that region.

DH: What did you set out to explore with the film and do you think it was successful?

RK: I was just along for the ride. I wanted great photos, which I got, so in that sense it was a success. I got maybe 10-15 good photos from the trip. We were on the road for 14 days, so that’s one a day!

DH: What’s the relationship between art and photography?

RK: Artists watch pornography bur pornographers don’t look at art!

DH: Why do you think that people are so fascinated with sex and porn?

RK: Well, I know exactly why guys are; they just want to masturbate. I don’t know about girls, but for me porn serves that purpose. But my work is not about jerking off, my stuff is soft-core compared to what’s out there.

DH: Is your work seen differently in the US compared to the UK?

RK: It used to be, but now everything is more unified. But there are still some differences – in Italy and France, for example, they don’t think twice about nudity. In Europe in general, except for maybe the UK, it’s to easier to talk about nudity and sex compared to in the US.

DH: Is your work a form of rebellion towards conservative views of what art is supposed to be about?

RK: Perhaps, but art history is full of nudity: always have been and always will be!

DH: Is punk still alive and prosperous?

RK: It still exists, I hear the music occasionally, and in one way the attitude is still the same. After all, an 18-year old acts the same whatever year it is! But at the same time I’m not sure if the Sex Pistols would have been as controversial today as they were when they launched back then. All I know is that they were a big deal for me when I was 18 anyway!

DH: I have seen your work in Vice for many years – is there a special Kern/Vice relationship?

RK: I just like Vice and it has been a good collaboration ever since they first asked me to shoot for them. Vice is the kinda publication that doesn’t step back from my ideas but instead are keen on realising them.

DH: ‘Shot by Kern’ has been an ongoing project since 2007: is there more or was the book and expo the culmination?

RK: Hopefully not. I know Vice in Berlin wants me back, so I’m hoping it can generate some more trips.

DH: Are there any other photographers whose work you rate?

RK: I like Ryan McGinley and Terry Richardson. I also like some of the new and young ones out there, but I couldn’t tell you their names: I look at the images, not the signatures! In the last issue of Vice there was a shoot with hypnotised girls that was great – I wish I had come up with that idea…

www.richardkern.com

DH.

Jacob Zuma / The Spin / AnOther Mag

2010-05-19T20:28:00.000+01:00

http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/239/Jacob_Zuma

The Spin | Jacob Zuma
— May 11, 2010—
David Hellqvist tries to make sense of the sartorial choices of World Leaders in his fortnightly column The Spin

South Africa has a long tradition of charismatic and colourful leaders. Everyone knows Nelson Mandela; and FW de Klerk has also gone straight into the history books. But both men can learn a thing or two from the current South African President Jacob Zuma when it comes to making the most of an entrance.

The 68-year-old Zuma took power exactly a year ago and visited the UK only a few weeks ago. Zuma, like Mandela, represents the African National Congress (ANC) which not that long ago brought out their own line of fluorescent leather jackets. The collection brought on a fashionable media storm, that is until punters noticed the jackets were by ANC, not APC.

Zuma’s own personal style is best described as eclectic. When he got married in January – to his third wife – Zuma was pictured performing the ritual dance moves of his Zulu tribe, wearing a leopard skin, several animal tails as a skirt and a leopard head band. To enable the dancing, Zuma wore fresh-from-the-box Reebok trainers and Reactolite glasses.

The President is an avid believer in frequent reproduction, and has fathered 20 kids. Open about his polygamy, he says: “There are plenty of politicians who have mistresses and children who they hide so as to pretend they are monogamous. I prefer to be open. I love my wives and I am proud of my children.”

During his political career, Zuma has been accused of racketeering, corruption and rape. No charges have been pinned on him and he was acquitted in the rape case. In fact, the only thing Zuma has ever served time for was his attempt to overthrow apartheid, which in 1963 resulted in a 10-year prison sentence that he served on Robben Island, together with Mandela. Still, he should have been sent down for those leather jackets.

David Hellqvist is a freelance journalist for AnOther Man, Dazed & Confused, i-D, ZOO and a Contributing Editor to American website JC Report

Chinese Men's Vogue - High Tech Fabrics article

2010-05-08T20:11:00.002+01:00

2010-05-05T23:33:00.000+01:00

http://www.dazeddigital.com/ArtsAndCulture/article/7425/1/Turi_Munthes_Demotix

TURI MUNTHE'S DEMOTIX
Citizen Journalism crusader Munthe defends free speech but worry about the future of media ....from a plane to Kazakhstan...
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 30 April 2010

Sometimes you can't trust anyone but yourself. Everyone has agendas, even major news organisations. Why are they telling us this, but avoiding saying that? News, like everything else, can be angled and made to sound and look a certain way. Who better to tell the world of events but us, the people. Now, in our technologically advanced world, this has been made possible. High speed internet, digital cameras, mobile phone videos, constant travelling - those are the means by which Citizen Journalism is created. But the will, determination, stubbornness and courage must come from inside us. Turi Munthe not only have those qualities himself, but also the ability to help others develop their own Citizen Journalism skills. Through his Demotix news organisation, thousands of people are now able to tell their version of what's happening around us....

Dazed Digital: What's the purpose of Demotix?
Turi Munthe: Demotix is an open news wire: it connects freelance reporters, photo journalists and video makers, as well as amateurs and activists, with the global media. Demotix was established to do two things: 1). Create a free-speech platform where anyone anywhere can safely upload their news stories, photographs, video and soon audio. 2). Provide a truly global, instant, multi-media, 2.0, collaborative, alternative newswire service to the mainstream media. We want to massively expand the pool of news sources available to the global news media.

DD: When and how did you set it up?
Turi Munthe: Demotix launched in January 2009, from an attic (rather than the proverbial garage). I set it up with my partner, Jonathan Tepper. I had the journalism and politics background, and Jonathan had years of finance and banking behind him. Since then, we've won and been nominated for about a dozen international awards and have seen our contributors' stories on the front pages of the New York Times, Guardian, Wall Street Journal and around the world. It's been an extraordinary ride.

DD: Where did the name come from?
Turi Munthe: 'Demos' means people in Greek. It's where we get the word democracy from. 'Demotic' simply means 'of the people' - and that, of course, is what our newswire intends to be. 'Demotic' is most commonly used to describe demotic Greek and demotic Egyptian - the languages of the street in ancient Athens and ancient Thebes. It was using these 'street languages' that Champollion was able to read the Rosetta Stone and ultimately decode hieroglyphics. We loved the idea of a language of the people - a 'street language' - that opens up the world, and that's how we got to Demotix. The final 'x' was a nod to the web (and to Asterix, Jonathan and my favourite cartoon as kids).

DD: Citizen journalism - what's the biggest Pro compared to 'normal' media?
Turi Munthe: I think there are three massive Pros to citizen journalism - and they are the reasons citizen journalism will continue to be a critical resource to news gathering going forward.

- 1. Accidental News:
No professional journalism organisation can pretend to be everywhere at once. In fact, most of the big organisations are stripping back. An open platform like Demotix is able to cover the 'accidents' of news in a way no mainstream news organisation could cover - like the now infamous picture of Henry Louis Gates being arrested in front of his home. That image made the front cover of Time Magazine, and the snapper (who made many $1000s from it) was a neighbour who just happened to be look out of his window at the right time.

- 2. Censorship:
Whether it's because of violence, or political crack-downs or simple logistics, there are a lot of critical news stories that professional journalists just can't get to. We saw it in Iran in June 09, in Haiti with the earthquake, in Afghanistan with the elections in Taliban-held country: in each case, Demotix had local reporters and courageous amateurs on the ground sending us stories and images.

- 3. Collaboration:
We love this shift in the way news is reported. Before the web, you could write in to your local paper on the off-chance they'd publish your letter. Today, the comments stream of any halfway decent article is crammed with information, and all serious media has realised how important 'civilian' participation can be. One of my favourite examples is the Guardian's treatment of the expenses scandal: where the Telegraph trickled the information out drip-by-drip, the Guardian put it all online and built a widget so that everyone could get stuck into deciphering the mess. The advantages for us at Demotix in having dozens of contributors in every city is that, with big news stories, we get a 360 degree view and a collaborative news story.

DD: Any Cons?
Turi Munthe: Most of the news on Demotix is produced by local freelancers, professionals and a few highly dedicated amateur news reporters. It takes a certain eye both to find a story and to tell it properly (not to mention the time and dedication), and these are skills that most people do not have.

DD: Where are getting most reports from right now? What's the Number One hot spot on the globe?
Turi Munthe: It changes with the news stories of course. As I type, Demotix is deep in the thick of Thailand's Red-Shirt movement, all over the troubles in Greece and of course the UK election. Last week it was Iceland, next week who knows. But, I suppose we have really particularly good coverage from Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Africa is difficult for us because of internet connectivity, and Latin America is slower because we haven't yet launched in Spanish.

DD: Do you travel around yourself?
Turi Munthe: I'm typing this response in a plane to Almaty, Kazakhstan, where I'll be talking at the Eurasia Media Forum. Next week, I'll be in Caracas talking at a Digital News conference, the following week in Thessaloniki to talk about innovation, and the week after that in Rio where I'm moderating a big UN conference on cross-cultural dialogue and new media. So yes. I tend to spend 3-4 days in a country, trying to meet as many journalists, photojournalists, editors and political activists/opposition figures as possible. We're not trying to tell the official story. We are always looking for the underbelly.

DD: It's mostly picture based, or do you have pure copy journalists working for you?
Turi Munthe: All our stories are picture of video led for two reasons: multimedia is much easier to verify than text, and it's also far easier to licence. We will get to text, but that will be after audio. Text is, as you suggest, the trickiest element in the equation because it's so difficult to verify.

DD: Your aim is to 'rescue journalism' - from who?
Turi Munthe: Today, only four US newspapers even have a foreign desk (NYT, WSJ, LA Times and Washington Post). The BBC doesn't have single staffer in Latin America. Industry reports suggest that over 100,000 journalism jobs were lost in the UK and US in 2008-2009 alone. The same picture emerges all over the news world. Who is responsible? - some combination of the recession, and an advertising nose-dive, but most of all the internet and free content: in other words, money. Demotix, which already has 3,000 active contributors in 190 countries around the world, runs on almost nothing and is based on a variable cost model, unlike all the big legacy players out there. We have broken stories from Gaza to Ghana, and we think we have found part of the solution.

DD: Is this the future of journalism?
Turi Munthe: The future of journalism, in our view, is collaborative. I see professional journalists becoming more and more independent, newspapers and broadcasters run by editors more than by journalists, and I see a huge role for participative media like Demotix. Our aim is to become the 'AP' of freelancers, only bigger, deeper, quicker, more local and more global, and a lot more democratic. That we can only do because of forces - economic and technical - that are revolutionising the news media today. It's an extremely exciting time to be involved in the news.

DD: You want to promote individual citizen journalism - do you think that the mass media today is too closed and reliant on only a few key players?
Turi Munthe: Read Nick Davies' Flat Earth News and you'll see how reliant today's media is not only on a few key journalistic players but on the gigantic machine that is PR. Yes - definitely - there are far too few players in news media today and they give a monolithic view of the world. In the hard news space today, only AP and Reuters (with Agence France Presse a poor man's third) even pretend to cover global news and the two big players don't have anyone in over 40% of the world's countries. That's appalling in a 21st century that is supposed to be defined by connectedness and information overload.

DD: What's next for you and Demotix?
Turi Munthe: From a media perspective, we're launching Video, Audio, and eventually text. From a business perspective, we're looking at a number of really interesting partnerships now around the world (from South Africa to Latin America to Egypt to the US) which will give us access to reporters and distribution all over the world. And from a personal perspective, more travelling and talking. Demotix is activist on free speech and civil liberties issues, so it's good to get out and shout about it. Plus I seem to get in the way in the office...

Fashion Jury in Grazia

2010-05-05T20:46:00.000+01:00

Steve Mason interview on Dazed Digital

2010-05-05T20:43:00.000+01:00

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Music/article/7360/1/Amazing_Steve_Mason

AMAZING STEVE MASON
Former Beta Band singer launch eponymous and career-best solo project in collaboration with pop producer Richard X
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 28 April 2010

For the lucky ones to catch it, Beta Band's Farewell tour in 2004 was a sad moment. The UK lost one of its finest, daring and experimental bands, but gained - as it turned out - several musical offspring in the Scottish band's immediate break-up period. The other Beta Band members formed The Aliens whilst singer Steve Mason started up a handful of solo projects; Black Affair and King Biscuit Time being the most successful ones. All good, but Mason, and his fans, were missing something. That little extra ounce of confidence that Beta Band had when they were at the top. Along the way, it seems, that missing piece of brilliance found its way back home and now, recording under his own name (always a good sign), Steve Mason presents 'Boys Outside', an album that distinctively leaves you with that great Beta Band taste in the mouth, but still manages to push on through to the other side, ie forward pushing music and new grounds to explore for Mason. Produced by Richard X, of Girls Aloud and Rachel Stevens' fame, it has just enough pure pop ingredients in it to melt perfectly with the experimental sound craze that Steve Mason is finally serving up.

Dazed Digital: What’s the main difference between this album and your previous solo project under different names?
Steve Mason: On my previous records I was unfocused, it was me trying to find a sound I felt comfortable with. I enjoyed Black Affair, but for a while there I had five or six MySpace accounts going. Way too many to keep track of…

DD: Are you using your own name now because you have finally found a sound you’re comfortable with?
Steve Mason: Yeah, I wanted to bring it all together. I feel comfortable with this sound, it’s almost like I’ve grown up. I have no longer any pseudonyms to hide behind and I take full responsibly myself for this album.

DD: How did this change come about?
Steve Mason: Age, I suppose, and I was running out of band names…

DD: Isn’t Richard X an odd producer choice for a predominantly acoustic album?
Steve Mason: Well, it’s not all acoustic - half of it is electronic. It’s also piano led and inspired by R’n’B music. The aim was to make seamless and forward thinking music, so Richard fitted perfectly in! This is my most complete solo album - it feels properly finished.

DD: How did you two meet?
Steve Mason: Richard came to see Black Affair play live and said he’d be interested in working together. I had always wanted to use a proper pop producer, even when I was in Beta Band; high glossed pop mixed with very experimental music.

DD: Is the collaboration continual?
Steve Mason: Yeah, I would like it to be, but next time he might charge me for it!

DD: What influenced the album?
Steve Mason: Me, how I feel, my relationships. People I meet and see. Things I hear, politics and the state of the country.

DD: There are definitely similarities between 'Boys Outside' and older Beta Band stuff - Do you miss the band?
Steve Mason: I don’t think it sounds like Beta band, it might have echoes of it, but that makes sense since I wrote the music for Beta Band. But I want to go forward, not backwards. I would be ashamed if I had to go back in time to find inspiration for my music

DD: Any chance of a Beta Band reunion?
Steve Mason: Yes, when hell freezes over! You should never say never, but I would have to be a madman to reform Beta Band now….but then again, I am quite mad…

DD: What do you reckon about The Aliens?
Steve Mason: It’s not bad but it’s not my bag.

DD: Lost & Found is a great single, tell me about the video!
Steve Mason: It’s not about me as you might think. It’s a about a dream I had where a suicide pact between a boy and a girl goes wrong. It’s directed by a couple of guys who call themselves John Major’s Daughters. They showed me some French films with a hint of slight danger in them as inspiration. I just love the old man in it – no one has old men in their videos these days!

DD: Someone labeled the album ‘electronic soul’ – what would you call it?
Steve Mason: I don’t agree or disagree with that. Journalists love making up names for different kinds of music. They called Bets Band’s music for Folktronica. This album is me, it’s Steve Mason. That has always been the thread running through my music.

DD: You have fought off depression several times, is music a good or bad weapon for that? There is that age old question if ‘we listen to pop music because we’re sad or are we sad because we listen to pop music…
Steve Mason: Dunno if it helps, but what I do know is that there is an enormous feeling of satisfaction after finishing off an album. There’s a feeling of not having wasted away my entire life…

DD: Favourite track from the album?
Steve Mason: It has to be Stress Position!

'Boys Outside' is out Monday 3 May on Domino/Double Six

2010-04-19T19:23:00.001+01:00

http://www.dazeddigital.com/ArtsAndCulture/article/7276/1/Pharrell_Williams_Tank_Furniture

PHARRELL WILLIAMS' TANK FURNITURE
US rapper and producer takes on furniture design in chair collaboration with the Emmanuel Perrotin Gallery in Paris
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 16 April 2010
Photo by Guillaume Ziccarelli Courtesy Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, Paris & Miami

When super producer and big time rapper Pharrell Williams suddenly got an urge to design furniture, there was no stopping him. Thanks to his friendship with Parisian gallery owner Emmanuel Perrotin, Williams has been able to see his design ambitions come true. The chairs presented at the Emmanuel Perrotin Gallery are actually Williams' second batch. They were preceded by a chair inspired by Love and a sculpture in collaboration with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. This time around, Williams looked towards War for inspiration. Dazed Digital spoke to the multi-talented creative....

Dazed Digital: Is the War theme a natural progression on from Love, which was the theme for your last furniture project, or were you just influenced by the state of the world we live in?
Pharrell Williams: I don't think that it's a natural progression, the series is called Perspective and they were both based on the way I felt at the moment I designed them. My inspiration and ideas are often based on curiosity stemming from things that I don't know about, or things I like to explore.

DD: Is it an 'angry' chair then?
Pharrell Williams: No, not at all. I'm not angry about anything. The Tank Chair follows the first design concept of me putting myself in someone else's shoes to understand what and how they are feeling. Here I focused on young men and women who join the military and put themselves in a position that can not be reversed, and end up in wars far from home, often not understanding why. The chairs are also in baby colours which clearly steers away from anger on purpose.

DD: How does the War theme show itself in the chair?
Pharrell Williams: Hmmm, the tank tracks?

DD: Are you moving on to other interior design ventures?
Pharrell Williams: Yes, I'm willing to accept any challenge that I'm curious about, especially artistically. I have been blessed to be introduced to people who believe in me and give me the opportunity to challenge myself.

DD: How did this project come about in the first place?
Pharrell Williams: A good friend of mine, Sabina Belli, introduced me to Emmanuel Perrotin. When I explained to him the ideas I had, he was very supportive and after teaming up with Domeau & Pérès, we created the first Perspective chair which was shown at Emmanuel's Paris gallery. The rest is history, as they say...

DD: Your 'main job' as a musician is creative as it is - does your creativity know no bounds?
Pharrell Williams: I don't believe that there should be any boundaries to creativity. If that was true, I would not be where I am today.

DD: Any new music coming our way?
Pharrell Williams: Sure, I'm basically in the studio everyday. I recently switched over to Logic which allows me to keep working while I'm on the road or at home so I'm never away from creating music. Besides working with other artists, we are putting the finishing touched on the new N*E*R*D album "Nothing" which will be out late spring. I'm really excited about the album: Shae, Chad and I are ready to take N*E*R*D to the next level!

Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin
76 rue de Turenne, Paris, 75003

Charlie Casely-Hayford interview in Dazed & Confused's May Issue

2010-04-19T19:17:00.000+01:00

2010-04-13T22:08:00.000+01:00

http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/211/David_Cameron_Fashion_Face_Off

The Spin | David Cameron: Fashion Face Off
— April 13, 2010—
David Hellqvist tries to make sense of the sartorial choices of World Leaders in his fortnightly column The Spin

Three things come to mind when thinking of David Cameron and his style: a bicycle helmet; the rolled-up sleeves of a tie-less white shirt; and his puffed-up baby face. Two of these are manufactured elements and part ofthe current election campaign: the third is just the way he is. What you see is what you get.

No one can have missed the General Election campaign in the UK. Since last week, and until May 6, Britain’s roads and doorsteps will be crowded with politicians, and Dave’s one of them. More than likely, you’ll see him without a suit jacket or tie and with rolled-up sleeves. If you didn’t know, that’s because he is one of us: Dave isn’t afraid of getting his Thomas Pink shirt dirty. With the collar unbuttoned, Dave is able to relax with the common people.

The bicycle helmet is obvious. The Tories used to be Blue, now they’re Green. The helmet shows how engaged Dave is with environmental issues. He really cares about global warming, even enough to catch a flight to the Norwegian archipelago to see the icebergs melt for himself. Dave rides his bike to work, at least before it got stolen because Dave failed to grasp the elementary function of a bike lock. This way Dave gets his exercise AND helps reducing carbon monoxide. It’s just a shame that his PA was caught driving behind him with his briefcase…

The baby face, lastly. How can we have missed it? For a while it was plastered on every single wall and billboard throughout the country. At least that’s how it felt. Had he been airbrushed or not? That was the question on everyone’s lips. But if he had been polished, it only made his baby cheeks even more pinchable. But that makes sense because, in political terms at least, Dave is just a puppy. At 43 we would be one of Britain’s youngest Prime Ministers ever.

I’m just waiting for Gordon Brown to walk up to Dave during PMQ one day, put a bicycle helmet on him, roll up his sleeves, and pinch those cheeks, so that Dave can go out and play with the other kids.

David Hellqvist is a freelance journalist for AnOther Man, Dazed & Confused, i-D,ZOO and a Contributing Editor to American website JC Report

Duggie Fields interview for Dazed Digital

2010-04-13T00:17:00.000+01:00

http://www.dazeddigital.com/ArtsAndCulture/article/7204/1/Duggie_Fields_in_Broken_Hearts_Appeal

DUGGIE FIELDS IN BROKEN HEARTS APPEAL
Colourful and quirky artist joins impressive art line up for British Heart Foundation gala
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 12 April 2010

To raise some well-deserved money for a great cause, the British Heart Foundation is holding an art auction at The Dorchester hotel in association with Christie's auction house on Wednesday the 14th of April. The event, entitled The Mending Broken Hearts Appeal, hopes to raise £50 million by selling off donated artwork by the likes of Damien Hirst, Sir Peter Blake, Gavin Turk, Jonathan Yeo and Duggie Fields, who Dazed Digital stole a quick chat with...

Dazed Digital: How did you get involved?
Duggie Fields: Brad Faine asked if I would. I have worked with him over many yers and happened to bump in to him when he was on his way to a meeting about the project.

DD: Tell us about your art piece?
Duggie Fields: It's a digital work drawn with a mouse, but using the computer to produce a virtual image in as close a way as I would make something with a paintbrush on a canvas.

DD: Did you produce several pieces?
Duggie Fields: I worked on three or four other ideas first that got quite over complicated before I decided something simpler would be more effective. I came up with the concept of this combination as I was going to bed one night, tired and frustrated with way the earlier ideas were going.

DD: You're in fine company. who's art piece would you buy and why?
Duggie Fields: I haven't seen most of them yet, but indeed it is quite an impressive array of artists. There are quite a few that I am looking forward to discovering when I get to see them.

DD: Who's the lady in the image?
Duggie Fields: She is possibly based on Raphael Madonna, but I have forgetten! I have been working on a series of Madonnas for some years now. I started this version a couple of years ago, she was originally looking at the child. I did a version first without it, and then this one with the anatomic heart where the child's head would have been.

DD: What are you up to otherwise?
Duggie Fields: I'm currently working on a landscape canvas based on views along the road the castle of Sezzate, an area in Tuscany, Italy, that I have been visiting and painting over the last few years.

Hedi Slimane x Rolls Royce on Dazed Digital

2010-04-11T12:52:00.000+01:00

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Photography/article/7214/1/Hedi_Slimane_x_Rolls_Royce

HEDI SLIMANE X ROLLS ROYCE
Photographer Slimane turns his eye and camera lens towards Rolls Royce, while Beck records the car engine for a Dazed Digital Exclusive
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 09 April 2010

He might have been far too young to drive one, but Hedi Slimane's obsession with the affluent car make Rolls Royce started when the photographer was only six years old. Sketching the car over and over in his note pad, little did young Slimane know that the car epitomises everything he would later on in life be known for, both as a fashion designer and as a photographer; pure luxury, explicit shapes and superior quality. Whether documenting London's rock scene for a photo book, or rewriting the the rules of menswear as Creative Director of Dior Homme, Slimane has always brought those exact qualities to his work. Add to that his adolescent Rolls Royce fascination - which resulted in the purchase of two 'Triple Black' RR models - and the photographic collaboration between the two was just a question of time. Here, and on Nowness, we bring you the evidence of Hedi Slimane's life long love affair with Rolls Royce. His attention to detail and way of transforming ordinary car details into objects of desire is not only a testament to his skills as a photographer, but also shows that it is difficult to make a Rolls Royce car look bad...

Sang Bleu Issue 5 interview on Dazed Digital

2010-04-08T20:21:00.000+01:00

http://www.dazeddigital.com/ArtsAndCulture/article/7196/1/Sang_Bleu_Issue_5

SANG BLEU ISSUE 5
Tattoo slash fashion magazine launches new issue with European tour of parties
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 08 April 2010

New magazines hit the shelves every other week, it seems like. Most of them are gone by the next. Sang Bleu was founded in 2004 so it isn't exactly new (although still young), but it proves that a good idea and hard work will get you through a tough financial climate and an equally difficult publishing business. The magazine was launched as a tattoo magazine, but Sang Bleu will aesthetically please whether you believe in the power of ink or not. Founder and editor-in-chief Maxime Buchi is just about to drop issue 5 of Sang Bleu on his faithfull readership. The content ranges from features on "contemporary art, fashion, and humanities to tattooing, body modification, fetish and BDSM" and totals an impressive 308 pages. As always, the Sang Bleu style has attracted not only the finest photo subjects and text topics, but also excellent contributors. As a massive Thank You to the readers, Maxime will not have just one launch party, but four. Check out the Sang Bleu Facebook page for details on the London edition.

Dazed Digital: Sang Bleu started out as a tattoo/fashion publication - was there a gap in the market?
Maxime Büchi: I wouldn't speak in terms of market. I didn't have a notion of what the market was, really. I just catalyzed a certain spirit I could experience on a daily basis at that time. There turned out to be a relevant market though.

DD: Do you still have a strong tattoo angle?
Maxime Büchi: Of course. Though I wouldn't say the tattoos are an angle; they're a necessity. From my point of view, it simply has to be addressed if I want to continue to depict what is the most advanced and experimental in today's artistic culture.

DD: Is the new issue also a double issue?
Maxime Büchi: In one sense it is. This time, literally. It is only issue 5, but separated in 2 volumes, wrapped together.

DD: Who's on the cover?
Maxime Büchi: Cedric.

DD: What else is good in this issue?
Maxime Büchi: Haha, what a tough question. If it is inside, it has to be good! Really, what is good is the general spirit, the overall quality of the material and the organisation of it all as an editorial object. There has been a long road between issue 3/4 and issue 5. The editorial team is getting more coherent, I don't always have to explain what I am trying to do, which saves me a lot of time that I can instead dedicate to creative aspects & reflection.

DD: You are doing launch parties all over Europe - Are you turning into a touring party organiser?
Maxime Büchi: Haha. Really, what we're doing is closer to gypsies endlessly roaming the world than some kind of Rock tour. I couldn't care less about filling clubs, what I like is to meet the contributors, the followers, have a chat if I can, create bounds, exchange smiles. That's what I feed myself on.

DD: Do you have many tattoos yourself?
Maxime Büchi: I do. Many. Some big ones, some small ones.

DD: A particular favourite ?
Maxime Büchi: Not really. They all relate to different times and events. They are me, my past, my present.

DD: What's next for Sang Bleu?
Maxime Büchi: We are developing the publishing house with Jeanne-Salomé Rochat. It is called "Sang Bleu éditeurs" (pretty straight-forward innit?). Under this label, we have started to publish art books, essays. There are many things we want to do. Sang Bleu magazine also has to evolve, because for now, we are still investing in it, and we would like to find a way to make it financially self-sufficient so that we can start to invest in these other projects. Among others, I am also working on one called 'Monographies' which consists of a series of experimental "sex-movies", uniquely published on internet. We just finished the first one in collaboration with Emmanuelle Antille.

Want to get hold of a copy? It's available at Oki-Ni

London Launch Party:
Saturday 10th of April
8pm - 3am
The Alibi, 91 Kingsland Road High Street
London E8 2PB

Friedrich Gray film and interview on Dazed Digital

2010-04-07T21:52:00.001+01:00

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/7133/1/Friedrich_Gray_Spring_Summer_2010_Film

FRIEDRICH GRAY SPRING SUMMER 2010 FILM
Designer Ben Pollitt collaborates with photographer Tim Richardson on an atmospheric fashion film
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 23 March 2010

The Australian label Friedrich Gray, AKA designer Ben Pollitt, tells the sartorial story of an atypical neo-gothic hero. Silhouettes are slim and dark, often in leather and denim. Now based in the southern hemisphere, Pollitt has spent time in New York and his travelling experiences shine through his tough and moody designs. At the same time, the local and native influences are equally important. That's all obvious when looking at the film Pollitt has produced in collaboration with film maker and photographer Tim Richardson. The result is an eerie but beautiful art piece, boosted by Richardson's cinematography and Pollitt's sharp tailoring. Dazed Digital spoke to both...

Dazed Digital: Why use an alias, and where did Friedrich Gray come from?
Ben Pollitt: I figured the label shouldn't be based around my name, but that of a character who's story becomes the enigma of the brand. The literal references were Caspar David Friedrich and the experimental band "Gray".

DD: You mostly use dark and monochrome colours - is that why you don’t ‘believe’ in seasons?
Ben Pollitt: I use that palette to provide continuity amongst collections, the garments can then be mixed and layered. I feel the darker colours are easier to wear and add an anonymous element. So yes, the palette compliments the longevity of a garment's relevance.

DD: Often we see you using tight bottoms and loose tops – do you like playing around with proportions?
Ben Pollitt: I like the idea of distorting the silhouettes. Framing the contours of the legs, letting the upper body float on it its plinth.

DD: There is menswear in the film as well – where do you feel most at home?
Ben Pollitt: I move through both in a natural way, what's happening around me shapes where I want to be, it shifts daily. They have different meanings to me. Menswear is a little more self indulgent as I can wear the garments, where as women's its more conceptual.

DD: A favourite piece in the collection?
Ben Pollitt: The full length digital printed Merino wool dress with the leather arms. Emma wears this while traversing the rocks.

DD: Is leather, which you call "the second skin", your preferred fabric?
Ben Pollitt: It is the real skin in our garments. I like to experiment with washes, finishes, mixing it with contrasting weights and textures, and using it tightly and draping it off the body.

DD: There are some haunting and eerie nature shots in the film – is nature a big influence on you?
Ben Pollitt: It was for this collection. I visited an Edward Burtynsky photo exhibition and I was moved by the natural composition forms in his rock quarry series. We used the ridge lines to create interesting shapes and contours. The film was shot on the location of an old quarry by the coast, a truly mystical and voluminous place.

DD: What else inspired the collection?
Ben Pollitt: Leading up to the filming of the collection, we played the DJ Hell album Teufelswerk on high rotation to keep us moving. It has some really great tracks that helped drive the creative and allowed for a journey under pressure. I always have an album for a collection.

Tim Richardson is a New York-based photographer and film director. His work have been seen in, among others, V Magazine, Interview and Dazed & Confused. Of late, Richardson has also published several books, including the recent Physical Frequencies. His second film, Procession, was shown at the Strasbourg Film Festival.

Dazed Digital: You both photograph and shoot film – where are you creatively at home?
Tim Richardson: Recent projects like my Augmented Reality shoot with Katie Shillingford have become about integrating both mediums - sometimes simultaneously. The beauty of film is that it allows a more flowing connection to the model. It's more like visual choreography and has evolved to influence the way I shoot stills. So my way of working - my creative home - has really shifted to cover both mediums.

DD: Do you often work with fashion designers, such as Friedrich Gray?
Tim Richardson: I've worked with several fashion brands in the past. My relationship with Friedrich Gray is unique in that the project evolved from a my long term friendship with Ben. Knowing one another for several years meant that the project was a free creative exchange and that Ben trusted me that much more to interpret Friedrich Gray on to film.

DD: What’s the Pros with such a collaboration, compared to the bigger Nike and YSL jobs you also have done?
Tim Richardson: A young label like Friedrich Gray is a far more personal kind of project - both for Ben and myself. The smaller scale of the brand means that Ben and I worked very closely on the film from beginning to end. Also by nature of having a smaller budget the creative process is focused more on innovation and experimental approaches to achieve a clear aesthetic statement.

DD: Any Cons?
Tim Richardson: The budget is usually the biggest Con, which is no surprise. It just forces you to be more resourceful.

DD: Do you have any formal photo/film training?
Tim Richardson: I was an art director for four years, working with both photographers and film makers. So my training was 'on the job'.

DD: Where did you shoot this film?
Tim Richardson: We were looking for a location with an epic, almost 'science fiction' terrain. The extreme 'geology' and sun blasted coastline of Kiama, just outside Sydney, was perfect. To me, the location is really the third character in the film.

DD: Was there any obstacles during the filming?
Tim Richardson: The main obstacle was the landscape. Our shot list was very ambitious - which meant constant movement - a lot of climbing and heavy lifting to get around the terrain. The blasting sun also took its toll on the crew, giving most of us a tan of the very red variety...

DD: How does working with fashion aesthetics compare to commercial and art work?
Tim Richardson: I've always felt like fashion is an aesthetic collision point. Historical and contemporary cultural references meet within the creative process of designers and image makers in a way that is unlike any other medium. By its very nature fashion photography and film demand a kind of constant visual innovation. Other fields like art and commercial work require a progressive aesthetics - but not at the same heightened speed.

DD: Can you give any examples?
Tim Richardson: I just finished a film for installation at the Venice Biennale - a collaboration with UK choreographer Rafael Bonachela. We started work in August 2009 and the work is showing in Venice in June 2010. For me art means I stay with a project for so much longer, its demands a different kind of attention. What attracts me to fashion is a sense of constant evolution.

Evisu / Scott Morrison interview for Dazed Digital

2010-04-07T21:46:00.000+01:00

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/7174/1/Scott_Morrison_at_Evisu

SCOTT MORRISON AT EVISU
Paper Denim founder takes job at Japanse jeans giant Evisu to regain denim supremacy
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 30 March 2010

In terms of cultural importance and geographical retail spread, Levi’s jeans are petty far ahead. Ironically, though, one of the labels chasing the American denim giant's tail is a brand that started out making jeans that obsessively referenced the 1944 Levi’s 501 XX jean. Japanese Evisu, with its new CEO Scott Morrison, acknowledges the impact of Levi’s (even Evisu’s name is a wordplay on Levi’s) but makes a valid point about Evisu being a denim and fashion brand on its own merits with kudos, history and heritage. Today, the worldwide focus is on the seagull branded denim and its new found denim expert designer. Morrison, who you will know as the founder and of Paper Denim & Cloth and Earnest Sewn, took up his design residence with Evisu last year, tasked with breathing new life into a label that have of late struggled to regain its original influence.

Now, with its Autumn Winter 2010 collection hanging in an East London showroom, Scott Morrison has flown over from his New York studio for a quick visit. Dazed Digital met up with him to talk about the re-branding, an Americana inspired collection and Evisu’s 20th anniversary next year. With the hiring of Morrison, Evisu and its founder Hidehiko Yamane has truly tracked down an equal denim connoisseur. With Paper and Earnest Sewn, Morrison revolutionised how denim was conceived and bought. Both Evisu and Morrison’s previous fashion ventures pay homage to Levi’s, and Yamane built his professional career on just that. So who could be more suitable than Scott Morrison to continue Evisu’s legacy?

Dazed Digital: How did the collaboration between you and Evisu come about?
Scott Morrison: After having started and worked with both Paper Denim and Earnest Sewn since 1997, I felt I wanted to do something a bit different. It didn’t have to be denim related, but the day I left Earnest Sewn I got the call from Evisu. At first I wasn’t sure, but we had some great meetings and I agreed to come on board. It’s certainly been a challenging eight, nine months but it has worked out beautifully so far.

DD: What would you say are the biggest differences between running your own company and working for a giant such as Evisu?
Scott Morrison: Well, this is a unique opportunity for me to work with a global brand. Like it or not, everyone knows of it and has an opinion on it. I mean, Paper Denim was sold throughout the world, but Evisu is one of the best denim brands in the world. I suppose the biggest difference is that I now have to balance my personal views with that of Evisu’s commercial needs.

DD: How does consumers view the brand?
Scott Morrison: Interestingly enough, people see the brand very differently depending on where they live. The US, for example, is very focused on the Evisu product, whereas Asia looks more to the logo. The Europe is a mixture of the two.

DD: And you personally, what’s your Evisu relationship like?
Scott Morrison: I recently found a picture of myself from 1997, wearing an Evisu raw denim jacket. I was obsessed, you couldn’t get in the States at the time, but I bought it when I was travelling. I must have had dozens of Evisu jeans at the time!

DD: Does the production take place in Japan?
Scott Morrison: No, we do a lot of fabric sourcing in Japan and manufacture mostly in the US and Italy. But in time for our 20th anniversary next year, we will produce 20 special items per season, each one a replica from every year of Evisu’s history, and a few of those will probably come from Japan.

DD: What was the main inspiration for the Autumn Winter collection?
Scott Morrison: We used the word ‘reference’ as a starting point. It’s obviously a broad term, but the idea was to go back to Evisu’s love affair with Levi’s, Americana and especially the 1944 Levi’s 501 XX. The history is that during the war, the US government forbade all use of unnecessary fabrics. So Levi’s had to stop sew on the thread on the back of each jeans back pocket, and they painted them on instead. Hence the Evisu painted on seagull logo! There’s a great 'reference' tradition within Evisu and we took that thought process and applied to key items from history. We wanted to start re-telling the origins of how Evisu came into being.

DD: Yes, there’s a strong sense of work wear in the collection…
Scott Morrison: Yeah, but that was Yamane’s original vision, so most Evisu clothes were work wear inspired classics done with his twist.

DD: Speaking of Yamane, what’s he like?
Scott Morrison: He’s a wild and crazy guy! He still runs Evisu Japan, and he’s quite a character. He has lots of views and opinions on all sorts of matters, but I think what’s most important about him is his great sense of humour.

DD: What sort of silhouettes are you working around?
Scott Morrison: There are a lot more slim jeans now than what Evisu used to make, especially on the European market. Short and boxy is still popular in Japan, they like the over sized look. The women’s wear can be quite loose because of how it’s draped.

DD: The logo is toned down a bit, isn’t it?
Scott Morrison: Yes, we have streamlined the seagull, it’s smaller now and we just it in a tonal way – it’s about more than contrasts now! I don’t feel it needs to be shown four times on a t-shirt because it shouldn’t be our selling point.

DD: What’s Private Stock?
Scott Morrison: It’s about retelling the history of jeans. We release three styles of denim each season that pays homage to how it used to be done or specific items we have found in the archives.

DD: What would you say is the USP of Evisu today?
Scott Morrison: We have an amazing product with a great history, and one that represents quality!

DD: Do you have a favourite piece from the AW collection?
Scott Morrison: Well, of course I’m very happy with the denim, but I also really like the deck jacket. It’s a replica a US Navy jacket from 1941 in khaki corded cotton.

Tamsin Omond & The Commons interview on Dazed Digital

2010-04-07T21:38:00.000+01:00

http://www.dazeddigital.com/ArtsAndCulture/article/7221/1/Tamsin_Omond_for_Prime_Minister

TAMSIN OMOND FOR PRIME MINISTER!
New party The Commons is fed up with politicians and campaign to get 25-year-old Tamsin elected in the general election
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 06 April 2010

The UK's next general election is only weeks away, and the three main parties have launched their election campaigns. Or was it smear campaigns they started? The Blame Game is effective as repetitive propaganda but it bores the voters since it's not very constructive. Politicians, tell us what you will do, not what you wouldn't do! Some people, like Tamsin Omond, has taken offence to the state of modern politics, but instead of just talking about it, she started new political party The Commons. Together with like minded people, Omond and her party is campaigning to get her elected MP for Hampstead and Kilburn. On the 6th of May this year, people throughout the UK go to the polls, and here Tamsin Omond explains to Dazed Digital why people in this North London constituency should vote for her and The Commons.

Dazed Digital: Have you always been interested in politics?
Tamsin Omond: No. Really - not at all! I think that to most young people, politics seems irrelevant and boring. But when I found out about climate change, I suddenly realised that the decisions these suits are making in Westminster will have a big impact on all of our futures, and that inspired me to get involved.

DD: I'm guessing you lean towards left, so what's wrong with Labour?
Tamsin Omond: Is that a serious question? Try spending a day on the street asking people what they think of politics. Labour, Lib Dem, Tories - they're all fighting over the same middle ground. If there was a clear choice between left and right, I'd probably vote left. But what we've got is people who think they know best, think that they can sit removed from society and shove policy on us. Then there's the people who know that the solutions come from the grass roots and up - and that's The Commons!

DD: Do you have enough political experience to work effectively in Parliament?
Tamsin Omond: I'm not sure what you mean by 'political'. For the past four years, I've acted as a representative for the environmental movement. I've spoken to thousands of people. I've written a book. I've even been on women's hour. I've lived in this area all my life, know its problems and its potential - I'm more than ready to represent Hampstead and Kilburn.

DD: How old are you and what did you do before starting The Commons?
Tamsin Omond: I'm 25 years old, and since leaving university in 2007, everything I've done has been to draw attention to climate change. For a year, I was co-ordinator of the activist group Plane Stupid, before launching my own group - Climate Rush. Both of these drew a lot of media to climate activism. I guess you could say I'm a protest entrepreneur.

DD: Can you explain the name?
Tamsin Omond: The Commons is you and me. It's our high street. It's the water that comes out of our tap. It's the air we breathe. It's all of us, and it's everything. That's why we're going to win!

DD: What's the first thing you would do if you were elected?
Tamsin Omond: If I were to be elected, the first thing I would do is to hold a big party for my constituency to thank them for voting me in.

DD: What upsets you the most with politics and politicians today?
Tamsin Omond: I don't think politics represents the people they're supposed to serve. The MP from my constituency, Glenda Jackson, has spoken in Parliament only 40 times over the past four years, whereas most London MP's will speak 1000 times. She's not around in the constituency, she's not working hard for us. Politics isn't about democracy any more - it's about climbing a career path, being in the pocket of lobby groups and big business'. I want to renew politics and make it about people again.

DD: Tony Blair once had three words for us (Education! Education! Education!) - what are yours?
Tamsin Omond: 'Enough meaningless slogans!'...or, 'People not politics'.

DD: What's the biggest danger we face today in Britain and what's the biggest thing we have going for us?
Tamsin Omond: The biggest danger we have facing us, is a lack of community. The best thing about us is our multi-culturilsm, if we could only make the most of it.

DD: You will "stand your principles" and "won't be whipped", but isn't politics a lot about compromising?
Tamsin Omond: Politics, like life, involves compromise. What's important is that when we make a compromise, everyone involved understands why we're making it, that they feel involved in the discussion and that 'compromising' doesn't mean selling out to whichever special interest group pays us the most.

DD: Fancy going for the PM's job?
Tamsin Omond: Let's see how I do with Hampstead and Kilburn - but yes, I believe a young, energetic and honest Prime Minister is better than the options traditional politics gives us.

To find out more about the Commons, contact Tamsin Omond through the website, or visit one their Reclaim The Night marches through Hampstead. More info on the next event, The Big Gay Flashmob, here.

Lina Scheynius interview on Dazed Digital

2010-04-07T21:35:00.000+01:00

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Photography/article/7134/1/Lina_Scheynius_Solo_Show

LINA SCHEYNIUS SOLO SHOW
Swedish former top model show cases photography with first London solo exhibition
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 24 March 2010

It's easy to be cynical when models become actresses or musicians start up an acting career. Mostly this is because there is no real talent, just celebrity, behind the swap. That's why it's so refreshing with people such as artist Lina Scheynius, a former Swedish top model who's now equally respected for her photography. With fashion shoots in AnOther Magazine, to mention just one publication, and several published photo books, Scheynius has already proven her skills with the camera. But to really hammer it home, Scheynius launched her first ever solo exhibition in London town.

In the back room of a shop on Hackney's Mare Street that sell jars with snakes and decorated monkey skulls, Scheynius' highly personal photography stands out. The store, Viktor Wynd's The Last Tuesday Society, provides a sheltered home for Lina's honest and humble work. But the show, which previewed last week but continues on to the 25th of April, has already provoked high emotions in the community. Lina, who started taking photos at an early aged, shot her undressed little sister who was eight at the time. This upset a gallery visitor who notified the police. The photo has since been taken down, leaving an empty hole in Lina Scheynuis wall collage. Both the artist and proprietor Wynd - plus all other guests - were left surprised and dumbfounded. But, as they say, the show must go on. Before the preview, Dazed Digital sat down with Scheynius.

DD: Was there a general theme behind the exhibition?
Lina Scheynius: The main part of the exhibition is a collage of prints - most of them i had kept in shoeboxes in my wardrobe in my parents house. the oldest picture is a photo of my little sister posing half naked with teddies in sweden that i took 16 years ago the newest one i took from a plane flying over america a couple of weeks ago.
my wish was to make an exhibition that people could return to a couple of times and always find something new.

DD: It was your first solo show. How did it feel, were you nervous?
Lina Scheynius: I didn't actually have any time to be nervous before the opening started. but as soon as people arrived and I had to stop working the nervousness arrived along with them. I had fun though.

DD: The work is exhibited as a series of pages from an open diary – tell us about that concept?
Lina Scheynius: It's not a specific concept just for this exhibition. Documenting my own life and presenting it as a diary is something I have been doing since I started my website in 2007. And documenting my life without presenting it at all and just keeping it for myself is something I've done since I was 10. It's what I love working on the most.

DD: How long have you taken photographs?
Lina Scheynius: I started when i was 10, when my dad bought me a second-hand automatic Kodak camera.

DD: Did your years as a model put you off or interest you in fashion photography?
Lina Scheynius: A bit of both. I think I probably wouldn't have had the idea to work with fashion unless I was familiar with the fashion world. But at the same time I developed a very critical eye to how fashion photography is structured in general, and I didn't want to work the way I saw that most photographers did.

DD: Has there ever been a downside to having a ‘past’ in the industry?
Lina Scheynius: No, I don't think so…

DD: You call he photos ‘Truth as fantasy’ – would you say your photos are honest about reality?
Lina Scheynius: I would say that they are honest about my reality.

DD: You have shot for Another Magazine – any other dream jobs?
Lina Scheynius: Well, I don't know if it can be called a job, but I had so much fun pinning these pictures on the walls for the exhibition that my dream now is to pin even more of them on even bigger walls!

DD: You have done a ‘Polaroid project’ – do you feel comfortable using that type of photography?
Lina Scheynius: I love using this type of photography! I love anything where the result can surprise you. I just wish it wasn't so bloody expensive and hard to hunt down the Polaroids.

DD: Are you more of a documentary photographer of life, rather than fashion stills?
Lina Scheynius: I like doing both, and i like mixing them up to the point where not even I remember what was what.

DD: Any exciting plans for the future?
Lina Scheynius: I'm releasing a book about Sarajevo in Paris this week through these guys: www.be-poles.com/en/magasin.php

The Last Tuesday Society, 11 Mare Street, London E8 4RP

ZOO MAGAZINE #26 - Onitsuka Tiger article

2010-04-07T20:23:00.000+01:00

The Spin/Hugo Chavez column for Anothermag.com

2010-04-01T00:24:00.000+01:00

The Spin | Hugo Chávez

— March 30, 2010—

David Hellqvist tries to make sense of the sartorial choices of

World Leaders in his fortnightly column The Spin

There can be no doubt that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has friends in high places. Actor Sean Penn seems to be constantly defending Chavez, American film director Olive Stone has made a documentary about him, and – to top it off – British Super model Naomi Campbell once interviewed President Chávez for GQ Magazine. Not bad for a man most people struggle to label a dictator or a socialist hero.

Chávez, a former Lieutenant Colonel in the Venezuelan army, divides opinion wherever he goes. We know for sure that the US doesn’t like him – and vice versa. Of course Chávez is more friendly towards Obama than he was with Bush, and Chávez has even claimed that POTUS Obama is more left wing than himself; a statement Obama probably wasn’t too happy with.

Hugo Chávez might be on fairly good terms with Obama, but his real political and fashion hero is Cuba’s Fidel Castro. The socialist regime of Castro’s island and the length of Fidel’s presidential tenure are both major sources of inspiration for Chávez. The Venezuelan president has been in power for more than 10 years, and it’s safe to say that he wouldn’t mind doubling that.

The strongest sartorial point to Chávez’s political wardrobe is his consistent colour coding. On that point he even outdoes Castro, who always wore a khaki uniform. But Chávez and his stylist have gone for a more Communist approach through ALWAYS making sure the colour red is part of his outfit. Be it a beret, a tie, a t-shirt, or several of them at the same time, blood red is his constant fashion friend.

As we all know, red is a difficult colour to pull off. Its strength and connotations threatens to out manoeuvre the wearer. Therefore it’s a testament to Hugo Chávez’s political charisma and fashion courage that he pulls it off. And who am I to tell Venezuela’s President that blue is actually his colour…

David Hellqvist is a freelance journalist for AnOther Man, Dazed & Confused, i-D,ZOO and a Contributing Editor to American website JC Report

Dazed & Confused Issue with Rachael Barrett article

2010-03-23T19:37:00.000Z

The Spin/Barack Obama column for Anothermag.com

2010-03-16T19:43:00.000Z

http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/184/POTUS_Style

The Spin | POTUS Style
David Hellqvist tries to make sense of the sartorial choices of World Leaders in his fortnightly column The Spin

Like many powerful men on the international political stage, President of the United States, Barack Obama is often upstaged by his wife. This is in no condemnation of the President’s personal style, more a testament to Michelle Obama’s glowing personality, colourful wardrobe and sartorial freedom. Quite often the American leader is even pushed out of the fashion limelight by his two daughters, Malia and Sasha.

Nevertheless, we have a high and mighty POTUS: his slender 6”1 frame makes him stick out in a crowd, and simplifies the process of making him look fashionably presidential. Consider the facts: tall and slim is ALWAYS better than short and stubby. Of course, POTUS also has facial advantages, and there is no doubt that – if there ever were to be one – Obama would score highly in a US Presidential beauty pageant.

Certainly, Obama is better known for his rhetorical skills than his personal style – the compulsory suit offers harsh boundaries in terms of imaginative sartorial adventures. But in his spare time, Obama has both impressed and let down his dedicated following. Recent holiday snaps revealed the president sporting beige slacks and a simple yet stylish navy polo shirt. Less is more, and this guy knows it. Simple colour combinations; easy on the details: let the authority of the office do the talking!

On the other hand, we have seen Obama on stylistic crash courses. Especially in his far too modern wraparound Ray Ban sunglasses, and last year when he pitched the obligatory first baseball throw in the NBA league: he stepped up to the plate in ill-fitting and stonewashed jeans, teamed up with the wrong kind of Nike trainer. Not a good a look for anyone, let alone the Leader of the Free World.

David Hellqvist is a freelance journalist for AnOther Man, Dazed & Confused, i-D,ZOO and a Contributing Editor to American website JC Report

Dharma Taylor interview for Dazed Digital AW10

2010-03-01T18:28:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6902/1/Dharma_Taylor_AW_10-11

DHARMA TAYLOR AW 10-11
The London designer stays true to the city's quirkyness with her 'Knock Out' collection

All major fashon cities throughout the world have their own style identity; it’s almost like designers flock to different countries in order to fit in with what’s genreally perceived as the common aesthetic idea of either London, Paris, New York or Milan. The UK capital has always been the avant garde and forward pushing little sister to the bigger, more grown up cities, and even though the recent edition of LFW was applauded for its maturity, there are thankfully plenty of up-and-coming designers in London ready to question any widespread notion of ‘settling down’.

Dharma Taylor, for example, has since graduating from Rochester University in 2007 kept to her vision of a dark – yet surpsringly colourful – vision of the future. Through previous collections such as Purple Haze and the current AW10 Knock Out, Taylor has pushed her charecterostic style of graphic prints and loud colour schemes.

This exactly why London continues to breed the next generation of fashion super stars; a never ending ambition to pursue dreams and not giving up. If we’re lucky, they will take after Taylor and cite literary heroes – like Kafka in this case – rather than Banksy, glow sticks or Snow Patrol. With imaginative videos and breath taking head pieces, Dharma Taylor challenges our prepackaged of what a modern day fashion collection should look like. Just the way we like it in London.

Dazed Digital: What inspired Knock Out? You mention the author Franz Kafka - anything else?
Dharma Taylor: I looked at how Franz Kafka, in ‘Metamorphosis’, illuminated the state of captivity of creative artists in society was the ultimate inspiration for the Knock Out collection. Knockout goes with the times. I’ve been also been reading a lot of Carlos Castenada and have been influenced by his writings and the notion that a separate reality can be created, a brand new world, but is probably already there.

DD: You’ve talked about “Subwoofing elements of Hyperreality” - are your clothes part of those elements?
Dharma Taylor: Of course they are. They definatly play a part in trying to communicate with the nation. In communicating, a subwoofing language is creating a new and subversive one. This language can be coded and can be found in the garments themselves, but also in the supporting graphic animations and sound.

DD: There is something quite Bernhard Willhelm-esque about your collections – has he been an influence on you?
Dharma Taylor: It’s more like an admiration I have for his early work than it is an influence. My favourite was his AW 07-08 collection - it was the head pieces that did it! I havnt really looked to his stuff of late.

DD: How come you ended up designing menswear, and would you consider trying out womenswear?
Dharma Taylor: Menswear is where I feel most comfortable, I’ve always designed for the boys in mind. I think I’ve always seized that style like a bit boyish since I was little. The pieces do have a unisex quality though, girls can wear it too. I haven’t yet considered designing womenswear simply because I have a lot of respect for the aesthetics in menswear. But never say never!

DD: You use many graphic prints. Do you do them all yourself?
Dharma Taylor: Yeah, all the graphics you see associated with Dharma Taylor are designed and produced by myself. Lately I’ve been using 3D design softwares such as 3D studio max, Maya and Zbrush.

DD: When do they come to you – in dreams?
Dharma Taylor: Unfortunatly not - if they did I’d be on to an easy winner!

DD: You graduated in 2007, did you set up Dharma Taylor straight away? Would you have done it differently today?
Dharma Taylor: After graduating in July 2007 I sort of rested for six months then showed my Purple Haze AW 08 collection at London Fashion Week via SuperSuper. This led to the ilil guerilla boutique in Tokyo showing interest in my work. I can’t think of any other way I would have done it... The only thing that I keep coming back to is the idea that perhaps I could have a different name to represent the brand.

DD: What are the Pros and Cons with setting up your own label?
Dharma Taylor: Starting a label with empty pockets has been a struggle. Nevertheless that gives you a drive and determination to develop it further.

DD: What do you say to people who automatically assume you are part of a New Rave design genre?
Dharma Taylor: People really don’t assume I’m a part of that New Rave design genre. I think their broadminded enough to know it’s not that. New rave’s been dead in the ground a long time, it died even before I’d finished my BA. But it did have a little influence on some of my early work. Right now Dharma Taylor is a part of a new void in time, a new genre. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is. It’s definatley digital though, and dark.

DD: You studied at Rochester University – was it a good or bad thing to learn fashion outside the insular London fashion world?
Dharma Taylor: I was definately a good thing - simply because all of us there knew no different and we created our own world of insulation, a good environment for bouncing ideas... some of us branched out occasionally to go see what the city was saying. Despite that I’ve just completed my Masters in Digital Fashion through the menswear pathway at the London College of Fashion. And even though the faculty was in the centre of London, I felt I lost touch with the London fashion scene. I’m back now.

Carolyn Massey London AW10 Menswear coverage for Dazed Digital

2010-02-26T13:12:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6832/1/Carolyn_Massey_AW_10-11

CAROLYN MASSEY AW 10-11
The East London-based designer kicks off the menswear shows at LFW
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 26 February 2010

First out on London Fashion Week’s busy menswear schedule was Carolyn Massey. The East London based designer has carved out a nice niche for herself during the last few seasons as a subtle and formal tailor, often evoking army influences and monochrome shades.

This AW10 show was a successful follow-up on past achievements. Citing an anonymous donor, Massey went on to darker and moodier military elements, some dating back as far as the Second World War. Massey’s ‘Obsolete Prototype C53’ collection saw her mix staple pieces – such as her collarless shirts and flowing wool coats – with extensive use of leather. Over sized T-shirts, some with big chest pockets, come out in both black and a light pink shade, apparently inspired by “the muted hues of a Tokyo morning”.

The army influences were quite subtle though, which was refreshing in a scenario where epaulettes, bomber jackets and chunky boots often pop up. 1940s inspired stripy tops featured heavily, and generally speaking knits and shirts came either slightly over sized or very long in the body. All in all, a pukka Carolyn Massey show. As usual.

Dazed Digital: What was the main influence behind the collection?
Carolyn Massey: The initial inspiration came from the patterns. We toiled them up and fitted them, whilst editing into a more contemporary story. With this, my Tokyo travels inspired the colour pallete. It feels like cities have different colours, these were the colours of my jet lagged mornings. That and the word ‘elegance’. It’s haunting me at the moment - a desire for elegance in my work. Sometimes a feeling can be more inspiring than an image.

DD: Could you say anything about the 'donor'? Has he in the war?
Carolyn Massey: I have been asked not to - for security reasons.

DD: It isn't often we see prints in your collection - how did they come about?
Carolyn Massey: It’s about making the garments mine, developing a deeper aesthetic story with the line up, and on the rail. The prints were designed in collaboration with print designer Sam Cotton. I’d been to see the Ray Johnston exhibition at the Raven Row gallery and was inspired to create postal prints. The faded agedness of them was reflected in the silk twill.

DD: There were a lot of loose tops and tighter bottoms - did you just feel like playing around with proportions?
Carolyn Massey: The looser looks came from a military smock, I love the contrast of silhouettes, it seems somehow refreshing at the moment when collections can look so straight up and down skinny.

DD: Congratulations on being selected for the Unica On Stage project - are you coming back to London, or are you planning to show in Milan from now?
Carolyn Massey: The award is to work with Italian mills and be sponsored for next season. It involves a show in Milan during Unica. It couldn’t replace London!

DD: What was your favourite piece from the show?
Carolyn Massey: The sleeveless tailored jacket. And yes, I’m having one.

Tim Soar London Menswear AW10 for Dazed Digital

2010-02-26T13:09:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6828/1/Tim_Soar_AW_10-11

TIM SOAR AW 10-11
Tim Soar dresses for London's modern gentlemen
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 26 February 2010

London doesn’t have that many menswear designers dealing in smart luxury design. Sure, they know how to cut a suit and how to make a trainers look a million dollars, but there is something to be said for oozing qualitative luxury - and still being part of a fairly small click of British menswear designer.

This time around Tim Soar managed to crack that nut. He sent out a predominately beige and camel coloured collection – a colour that says wealth more than most. Add to that double-breasted jackets, formal loose pants and a pinstriped coat. This is not a city uniform, more a London dandy look. What gave away the Britishness was an umbrella and sou’wester hats. Explicit eveningwear came in the form of a sheer see-through shirt, paired up with tuxedo belt and smart pants.

Soar also showed a black biker jacket over a cashmere coat, but his strangest moment probably came when a model donned an electric blue wig. That was only made up for when he showed off a turtleneck jumper in the same excellent colour. Tim Soar not only showed away from everyone else at Somerset House in his Soho location, but also distinctively put a stamp of decadence on his show and, looking back at the menswear day, also on the entire LFW proceedings.

Dazed Digital: What was the main idea behind the show?
Tim Soar: It was a sort of Greatest Hits of Menswear idea. I used different influences, cuts and techniques from the Victorian period and onwards. I also wanted each piece to work on its own, with the context of the show and even the look.

DD: Anything else you looked at? 
Tim Soar: There was definitely a 1970s Parisian vibe in there as well!

DD: There was a distinct feeling of luxury as well in the collection!
Tim Soar: Yeah, I wanted to explore that side of menswear without the clothes being about bling.

DD: Almost an understated luxurious feeling even?
Tim Soar: Well, I’m certainly not one for loading on too much detailing; I rather keep it slightly understated.

DD: There was also a clear British feeling to the collection!
Tim Soar: You mean with the umbrella and fisherman’s hat? Yeah, I looked to the fashion of the 1940s and 50s for that as a reference.

DD: Favourite piece from the show?
Tim Soar: I’m going to be wearing the flares for next season, they feel very right for me!

James Small London Menswear AW10 for Dazed Digital

2010-02-26T13:06:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/view/default.aspx?Category=34&ArticleID=6838&PageNum=1

JAMES SMALL AW 10-11
Russian cosmonauts and military paraphernalia inspires Small's collection
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 26 February 2010

Even from the very start of the James Small show, deep down in the Somerset House catacombs (at least that’s how it felt), it was clear what the ‘Ground Control’ collection was all about. Small, a long time associate of Kim Jones, sent out model after model in refined, altered and deconstructed formal wear. Short-sleeved suit jackets and fusions between waistcoats and tailored jackets were just two examples of the 29-year-old’s obsession.

But denim wasn’t left alone; he used panelling and patchwork to make them stand out, and also basic white shirts were given the Small treatment. Often he didn’t use other colours than black and white, although a few navy, beige and grey pieces crept out. Sometimes the contrasts between his formal and casual wear took the spectators with surprise; a check shirt and a silver puffa jacket (think a futuristic version of MJ’s Thriller jacket) kept everyone on their toes.

It’s always good with new blood on the fashion circuit, and Small has quietly been around for ages. This – a collection inspired by Russian Cosmonauts, military uniforms, evening and work wear – left most people hungry for more. Starting with a re-make of eveningwear is a bold move, but James Small pulled it off, and even if it was a small step for James, it turned out to be a bigger one for London’s menswear scene.

J.W. Anderson London Menswear AW10 for Dazed Digital

2010-02-25T21:22:00.001Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6785/1/JW_Anderson_AW_10-11

J.W. ANDERSON AW 10-11
Sophisticated punks walked down the runway for J.W. Anderson's heavy military range
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 25 February 2010

In the early hours of Wednesday, J.W. Anderson brought out the heavy artillery to start off the last day of London Fashion week. The Irish designer started with a full frontal punk attack, billed by the man himself as “Saints or assassins with a cross-country paramilitary vibe”. But it wasn’t all about leather jackets and safety pins. Instead the focus lay on a beautiful tartan patterns – often in red or yellow shades – which screamed Highlands heritage as much as the Sex Pistols.

But no one could miss the overly loud detailing, such as the belt necklaces, studded belts and over decorated boots. Ripped jeans completed the Sid Vicious look. Luckily, J.W. Anderson had a lot more to show for himself than just your standard punk gear.

Modified Donkey jackets impressed, casual tailoring showed another Anderson side. Beige shades mixed with red, navy and green testified to an advanced AW colour palette. But all was promptly placed in the shadows by Anderson’s highly intricate and stud adorned boots – a real show stomper!

Dazed Digital: What influenced you? It was sort of sophisticated punk!
J.W. Anderson: Yes of course it was quite punky, but I also wanted to make it a bit futuristic.

DD: What were the futuristic elements of the collection?
J.W. Anderson: The boots I think. If you look close it looks like they are growing from the ground, kind of manipulating it.

DD: How would you describe the collection?
J.W. Anderson: It was about breaking it apart and putting it together again. I wanted it to be a compact look!

DD: There was a nice contrast between the harshness of punk and soft details, like hearts and flowers!
J.W. Anderson: I love hearts. They're big but they mean something. At first I was scared of using them, but I'm glad I did it in the end.

DD: The boots looks like hard work!
J.W. Anderson: We bought 1,200 belts when we did them so it took a while, yes.

DD: Any favourite pieces?
J.W. Anderson: The boots and I love the last look with the simple tartan and cycling gloves!

James Long London Menswear AW10 for Dazed Digital

2010-02-25T21:19:00.002Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6827/1/James_Long_AW_10-11

JAMES LONG AW 10-11
Navy leathers and fur detailing kept the hardcore James Long fans happy
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 25 February 2010

James Long has a long-standing love affair with leather and their mutual affectionate relationship blossomed also this winter collection. But there was another factor – call it the third wheel, if you like - in the partnership this time around: blue - and lots of it!

As far as colour choices go, it was an effective one. Most menswear pieces tend to look good in shades of navy. Long tried it on biker jackets, trousers and cardigans. Another James Long newcomer was corduroy. It infiltrated the whole collection, but was at its strongest as a boiler suit. That specific garment very much summed up the collection as it was christened 'Boiler Room Boys'. But it seems opposites attracts. Except for denim work wear, there were the odd “promiscuous boys” outfit as well. Leather jackets with generous fur detailing kept hardcore James Long fans happy. But more than preaching to the converted, Long reached out and designed a wearable and commercial collection.

Dazed Digital: What inspired the collection?
James Long: The models were Boiler Room Boys. The heat of a boiler room influenced the main print of the show.

DD: What was the red print al about?
James Long: It’s hot and sweaty in the boiler room and the print is a zoomed-in microscope version of fever particles. And the boiler work wear inspired all the denim.

DD: Were the cardigans made out of mohair?
James Long: Yes, and that represented mould growing on the fever.

DD: It feels a bit bionic!
James Long: Yeah, also because the corduroy is treated to be shower proof

DD: A favourite piece from the show? 
James Long: Well, I’m already wearing the jump suit.

Pringle of Scotland London Fashion Week AW10 for Dazed Digital

2010-02-25T21:15:00.001Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6760/1/Pringle_of_Scotland_AW_10-11

PRINGLE OF SCOTLAND AW 10-11
Creative Director Clare Waight Keller brings us another, of course Scottish-inspired show
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 24 February 2010

Old timers Pringle are currently one of Scotland’s most attractive and popular exports. With Fife-born Prime Minister Gordon Brown in constant foul mood, it seems Pringle’s role as Highland Ambassador have doubled – or even trebled – in importance. Luckily, Creative Director Clare Waight Keller shows no signs of disappointing press, buyers, customers, or Scots in general.

Celebrating 195 years of Argyle patterns and twinsets with actress Tilda Swinton as honour model was not a bad start to their anniversary year. Add to that a heavily cemented ‘Special Relationship’ with Hyde Park’s Serpentine Gallery, and Pringle was in a good position as they showed their AW1011 collection on Monday evening.

As icing on the cake, Keller sent out an accomplished set of clothes, making the heart of each present Scot beat slightly harder and faster. Native staple pieces, like sheepskin, kilt-esque skirts and heavy knitwear, shared the stage with an eye-catching and fresh silhouette in the shape of very loose trousers with over sized pockets.

Flight jackets adorned in massive amounts of beautiful fur, cable knit tops and angularly cut evening dresses came out in black, grey, beige and moss green colours. Towards the end, the more formal pieces even dared emerald green and shimmering gold shades. One of the many catwalk hits included knit duffel coats sitting on top of double-breasted coats. Simply draped dresses flowed freely in the Serpentine gallery; fashion and art in perfect harmony!

Dazed Digital: What was your main inspiration behind the show?
Clare Waight Keller: A lot of Scottish influences of course, but it was also about pairing it down and playing with proportions. Small tops and bigger bottoms!
I also wanted to mix up textures, so we used tweed and tartans, but mixed it with leathers and shearling.

DD: Did you have any other points of reference other than general Scottishness?
Clare Waight Keller: More than a theme it was a statement of cleanliness and structure.

DD: The wide bottoms, were they also an attempt to get away from the skinny silhouette?
Clare Waight Keller: Yes, I wanted to bring some new dimensions onto the catwalk, because there has been so much of the other fit. I wanted it to be extreme in a completely different way.

DD: Were the skirt pleats a reference to kilts?
Clare Waight Keller: Yeah, but also a way of breaking up and deconstructing the kilt into many layers to give it more movement and abstract quality.

DD: Lots of knitwear – you must love the AW collections?
Clare Waight Keller: Yes absolutely! It’s our key season!

DD: Any favourite pieces from the collection?
Clare Waight Keller: Many – especially the sweater dresses with the velvet back and the big pants

Maria Francesca Pepe London Fashion Week AW10 for Dazed Digital

2010-02-25T21:12:00.001Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6698/1/Maria_Francesca_Pepe_AW_10-11

MARIA FRANCESCA PEPE A/W 10-11
Maria Francesca Pepe takes us into the woods.
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 21 February 2010

Maria Francesca Pepe, a London based Italian designer, have managed to merge the best of those two worlds. Whereas her fabrics and fundamental view of fashion very much is coloured by her Italian heritage, the attitude and colours in the MFP collection are distinctively British, or at least have the characteristic of London. This was very much on show at her London Fashion Week autumn winter presentation. Housed in BFC’s Somerset House campus, the 30-year-old Central Saint Martins MA graduate impressed with a relatively small – but focused – collection, called ‘In the Woods’.

A few of MFP’s signature pieces – like tailored jackets and Tubular jewellery – had survived the trip to the forest, but emerged looking slightly different. The necklaces and some rings, for example, bore traces of blood. This was all in the name of Maria Francesca Pepe’s ambition to explore the “state of transition from human to animal and from life to death”. Even it doesn’t sounds too joyous, MFP created a beautiful but scary vision where opposites meet. Dark and light colours: black and dark purple mixed with white and cream shades. Hard and soft: a sheer georgette fabric shared the floor with leather, velvet and fur. See-through materials highlighted the evolution from human to animal, “baring the soul of its wearer”.

Jewellery has always been a MFP staple piece, proven by her collaboration track record (Roksanda Ilincic, Amanda Wakeley, Louise Gray etc). This season saw a strong continuation on accessories, with wolves teeth inspired belts, necklaces and buckles. Also crosses featured heavily, as both accessories and applied on t-shirts. Maria Francesca Pepe toughened up for her AW1011 collection, gave herself a tighter and less fluid look compared to earlier outings, once and for all showing that she’s a high-octane player on the London Fashion Week playground. Dazed Digital quickly quizzed her after the presentation:

Dazed Digital: There were a lot of crosses - are they the antidote to the wolves and werewolf theme?
Maria Francesca Pepe: More than a symbol of fight, I see the cross as a symbol of acceptation. It's that moment between life and death when they connect - I have always been fascinated by the cross as a powerful pop image.

DD: This was a quite hard and dark collection - have you toughened up?
Maria Francesca Pepe: I guess so. There have been times in my life where I’ve had to face some hardcore stuff, and I guess it has made my bones stronger. Nevertheless, I’ve always had a quiet dark side of me evident behind the surface, but I see this as a quality to look deeper and feel stronger. And I'm not afraid of it anymore. I guess this collection it's reflecting a grown-up Maria Francesca.

DD: There were quite a few angular shoulder shapes - is that a standard MFP shape?
Maria Francesca Pepe: I love the art of reshaping the body adding volume where needed. I've been quite obsessed by geometries all my life. And beside that I've always thought you can truly adjust your figure through shoulders. My mum always used to repeat to me to stand straight!

DD: This was about the transformation from man and animal - who's the stronger one?
Maria Francesca Pepe: I believe it's the combination of the two. And the awareness that we can be one or the other through times.

DD: What's your favourite piece?
Maria Francesca Pepe: The jackets and coats, as I am a jacket freak, and the wool jersey, leather cups and wolf fur - like the velvet shoulder dress. Obviously, I will wear it opened as a coat

Christopher Shannon London Menswear AW10 for Dazed Digital

2010-02-25T21:09:00.001Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6822/1/Christopher_Shannon_AW_10-11

CHRISTOPHER SHANNON A/W 10-11
Pixelated paisley prints makes surprisingly sleek and stylish sportswear
Text by David Hellqvist | Published 25 February 2010

The King of London sportswear has far from abdicated; Christopher Shannon still rules the world of clever, functional and athletic fashion. If anything, his AW10 collection was a testament to what every one already knows: the future is all about hi tech fabrics, practical details and an eye for street wear.

We saw nylon shirt jackets, cargo shorts (always an odd one at winter shows) and loads of trackie bottoms. Shannon also expanded in denim wear and showed white jeans with contrast pockets and denim jackets. Proper running shoes shared the stage with hiking boots. Beautiful blue and grey colour combinations dominated, but what also caught our attention was the intricate paisley pattern on tops and bottoms, pierced by a subtle CS logo. As expected we saw a loose and comfortable silhouette. Why change a winning team? Christopher Shannon is still London’s best link between sportswear and luxury menswear. Nuff said.

Dazed Digital: Was there a red thread running through the collection?
Christopher Shannon: I always start with individual pieces, rather than themes.

DD: And what were those key pieces for the AW10 show?
Christopher Shannon: It began with the patchwork denim. I wanted to do a jean I had not seen around. The print was also one of the starting points.

DD: How did the print come about?
Christopher Shannon: It’s an old paisley print I found. I wanted to use it for last Spring Summer show, but it didn’t work so I used it now instead. I like working with classic prints in general – we just updated it and pixelated it!

DD: And there was a CS logo in there as well!
Christopher Shannon: Yeah, I like a bit of logo mania - as long as it’s not done in a garish way.

DD: There were a few contrast pieces as well – mesh mixed with warm winter fabrics!
Christopher Shannon: I like using fabrics on the outside that are usually on the inside, like mesh. It makes it more interesting. I don’t want to spell it out for people, I want them to read into it whatever they want to!

DD: Do you have a favourite piece from the collection?
Christopher Shannon: I love the anorak shirts with hoods!

Onitsuka Tiger article for i-D Magazine Pre-Spring 2010

2010-02-12T21:29:00.000Z

Jil Sander / Leonard Tsuguharu article for i-D Magazine Pre-Spring 2010

2010-02-12T21:27:00.001Z

Karol Radziszewski / MARIOS DIK article for i-D Magazine Pre-Spring 2010

2010-02-12T19:26:00.000Z

FiP on Twit

2010-02-08T17:41:00.001Z

WWW.TWITTER.COM/FASHIONPOLITICS

Matt Stuart Exhibition interview for Dazed Digital

2010-02-08T17:39:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Photography/article/6478/1/Happy_Accidents

HAPPY ACCIDENTS
Photographer Matt Stuart is exhibiting nearly a decade worth of accidental moments captured in London.

In the midst of Hoxton Square - once the epitome of Shoreditch cool – photographer Matt Stuart is showing off nearly a decade worth of work. Not everything made it of course - only a few and well-selected images hang on the walls of the KK Outlet. But this isn’t your average East London cooler-than-thou fashion exhibition. This is about more than avant garde jewelry and ripped stockings. Go and see Stuart’s street photography and you will find yourself smiling and nodding in approval in regards to his humorous touch, and impressing patience.

Stuart has perfected the art of snapping the fleeting moments of everyday big city life. The sidewalks, the tube parks, shops – nowhere is safe from Stuart’s lurking lens. The result is an honest – and often amusing – take on the absurdity in which we live. Whether in black and white or using colour, Matt Stuart puts the fun back into photography. As he prepared his London solo show, Dazed Digital got a quick chat with him.

Dazed Digital: These photos are staged surely!
Matt Stuart: All of the pictures are real moments taken over an eight-year period. None of them are staged. If they were staged it wouldn't have taken me eight years to take them!

DD: Have you not even moved anything?
Matt Stuart: Nope, not a thing. Those are the rules that I abide by.

DD: Do you shoot fashion, or other types of photography as well?
Matt Stuart: No, I haven't shot fashion, but I have an urge to shoot some fashion work that resembles my street work. I think that might be fun.

DD: What camera do you use - is it better with digital in these cases?
Matt Stuart: I use a Leica MP on the street with a 35mm lens. I like film as I am still in love with the process of waiting to see what you may or may not have got. For my commissioned work I use a Canon 5D Mk2, which is a great camera.
I like to keep commercial work and my street photography passion separate by using different cameras.

DD: Do you EVER leave your house without a camera?
Matt Stuart: Very very rarely.

DD: Often I look at the pictures and smile - is humour an important factor for you?
Matt Stuart: Humor is important to me. I also like images that engage and reward.
Anyone that knows me would say I am a pretty upbeat kind of guy. I don't think there are many people who shoot successful humorous pictures - it is harder than it looks.

DD: What's more important for you; photographic skill or patience?
Matt Stuart: Photographic skill. You can be as patient as you like but if you don't have any photographic skill you'll be waiting a long time...

DD: Have you ever been negatively approached by one of your subjects, or questioned by police?
Matt Stuart: Very rarely. The police have asked me what I was up to a few times. I'm not that keen on confrontation and just reply politely and move on.

DD: These are all about street photography - are you more comfortable on the street than in a studio?
Matt Stuart: Really good question. Technically I am more comfortable in the street. I know what the exposure is, I know how to blend into a crowd and I know how to see what I want to see. The studio is trickier technically, but you have all the time in the world to shoot and shoot again. It is a comfortable environment to work in once the technical side of things is sorted out. So in answer to your question, I would prefer to shoot in the street, but I’m comfortable in both scenarios.

DD: How long have you been photographing and how did you start?
Matt Stuart: I have been taking photos for 12 years. I started because my dad bought me two books; one by Henri Cartier-Bresson and one by Robert Frank. My dad has great taste!

DD: Which one is your favourite?
Matt Stuart: My favourite photograph is probably the one in Hyde Park with the Rabbit Balloon. I still remember the feeling when everything came together in one frame. I would like to get another one of those quite soon…please!

The Matt Stuart exhibition is on at KK Outlet 4th to 26th of February. 42 Hoxton Square, London N1 6P

LADY GAGA article for JC Report

2010-02-02T18:11:00.000Z

http://jcreport.com/features/fashion-features/2010/01/27/lady-gagas-fantastic-fashions/#comments

Love her or hate her, there’s no disputing that 2009 belonged Lady Gaga. With a theatrical persona inspired by the likes of Madonna, Prince and Freddie Mercury, the name “Gaga”—taken from a song by the latter’s band, Queen—has acquired a meaning all its own, simultaneously evoking catchy pop music and avant-garde fashion (as well as a growing army of imitative fans). But Lady Gaga’s forward-pushing fad is not a fleeting one. Thanks to two back-to-back albums—the first aimed at the fans, the second aimed at the critics—she has shown that her music and revolutionary style are here to stay into the new decade and beyond.

Backed by designers like Alexander McQueen, Romain Kremer and Gareth Pugh, Lady Gaga (aka Stefani Germanotta) has helped lead a fashion transformation among today’s female artists. Everyone from Beyoncé to Rihanna has now recognized the marketing value of outlandish designer outfits, but they are all still dressing in Gaga’s shadow. Music and fashion have always gone hand in hand, but the classic creative pairing is now joined by a necessary business sense—even Forbes proclaimed that Lady Gaga is the music industry’s new business model.

These days, a budding diva can’t expect to just get by with good songs. Instead, the audience requires—at times even demands—a fascinating visual spectacles as well. And that is precisely what Lady Gaga both provides and inspires among them.

The lead single from her latest album The Fame Monster, “Bad Romance,” is a case in point. When the song’s video debuted as the soundtrack to Alexander McQueen’s spring/summer ‘10 collection, her fans flooded and subsequently crashed the ShowStudio site due to the surge in interest. Meanwhile, The Business of Fashion reported at the end of 2009 that her videos had been watched more than 500 million times on YouTube (with 50 million “Bad Romance” views within the first month alone and now at just over 93 million) and those numbers have continued to rapidly rise into the new year.

Much of Lady Gaga’s style can be credited to the people she works with. It certainly doesn’t hurt, for instance, that her stylist, Dazed & Confused’s creative director Nicola Formichetti, is on a first name basis with underground designers throughout the world. Thanks to him, Lady Gaga’s wardrobe is full of head pieces by milliners Nasir Mazhar and Alex Noble, clothes by emerging artists like Benjamin Cho and outfits by more established masters such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Donatella Versace. Even with this stylistic headstart, it’s Lady Gaga’s unstoppable attitude that makes these clothes and outlandish outfits really stand out. But with a rabid following of copycat dressers who routinely appear at her concerts, it’s no wonder that the next thing on the busy artist’s agenda is her very own fashion line, Haus of Gaga, as well as an impressive gig as Polaroid’s new creative director. This is only the beginning.

The Spin/Silvio Berlusconi column for Anothermag.com

2010-02-02T17:09:00.000Z

TYCOON TAILORING

David Hellqvist tries to make sense of the sartorial choices of World Leaders in his fortnightly

column The Spin

http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/74/Tycoon_Tailoring

Like many politicians, Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, is not known for his snappy fashion decisions. But, whether you like his style or not, there is a certain careful consideration to his sartorial approach, which derives perhaps from his being of the grand old age of 73.

However, more than a few fashion faux pas have blemished his career as a media tycoon and politician. He has, for example, the almost unforgivable habit of donning a bandana. And to make matters worse, it’s not even for the purpose of keeping sweat off his brow during exercise – which of course, was Boris Johnson’s defence when he was charged with the same fashion crime.

But Berlusconi has the advantage of his nationality. A wealthy Italian, he has unlimited access to his country’s fashion houses. (If he is an Armani, Versace or Prada man had not been confirmed at the time of going to press.) Whether in a navy blue double-breasted jacket, beige slacks and deck shoes, a light grey pinstriped three piece suit or a causal polo shirt and jeans, he has so far managed to keep the fashion conscious Italian public on his side. It will be interesting to see just how far a Fendi jacket and a Roberto Cavalli tie can carry this contentious dandy.

Romain Kremer Paris AW10 review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-27T12:16:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6396/1/Romain_Kremer_AW_10-11

Romain Kremer has made a name for himself during the last few Paris seasons as being just about as avant garde as anyone can be. A year or so ago we saw neon dresses on his catwalk, and his spring summer collection boasted body socks. So of course everyone was surprised when what came out on the Garage catwalk on Sunday afternoon was, you know, wearable!

Fairly sporty and casual fabrics and silhouettes in beige and black dominated. Sure, Kremer played with the length of his tops, making some of them very short. But that was adjusted with trousers with a high waist. After a while we launched into a section with stronger colours; turquoise and bright red shone a bright light from the catwalk. But the clothes were still not too extravagant. Mostly they were long jackets and coats, all of them collarless, track suit-looking bottoms and great jackets with subtle leather details.

Towards the end, though, Romain Kremer couldn’t resist the temptation to shock us a bit. Out came – first in the shape of jumpers – a plastic fur fabric. Soon the coat version followed. Most models also wore sunglasses that also functioned as a protective plate for their foreheads. Everyone – those who craved a more mainstream direction and the ones who cherish Romain’s undeniable individuality - left satisfied and fulfilled.

Dazed Digital: It was very wearable compared to previous collections!
Roman Kremer: Yeah, I was just in a situation where that was possible. I have always wanted to develop the collections in this way, and now I could!

DD: What inspired you?
Roman Kremer: The transformation from wool to plastic, from matte to shiny, human to robot and flesh to machine.

DD: What was that plastic fur on tops and coats?
Roman Kremer: It’s a special development we did for this season. It’s fake fur made out of Latex.

DD: What’s your favourite piece from the show?
Roman Kremer: The sunglasses!

Lanvin Paris AW10 interview and review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-27T12:13:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6393/1/Lanvin_Menswear_AW_10-11

Lucas Ossendrijver, under the influence of a certain Mr Elbaz, presented his autumn winter vision early on Sunday morning – the last day of the Paris menswear week. As usual it was one of the hottest tickets around, and Palais de Tokyo was bursting with people and excitement. Coats in navy wool and flowing nylon opened the show, which quickly moved into a section where deconstructed suits showed what they are really made out of!

Attention was early on drawn to the waist of the models through big leather belts, some of the over coats and jackets, others under tuxedo jackets. The colour palette changed widely, taking in brown, navy, grey and wine red. Many models had headbands, boots and rucksacks, giving the impression of a well-dressed urban hiker.

As usual, Lanvin went from effortlessly from casual to formal, even hanging their over sized rucksacks on formal tuxedo jackets. Other visual highlights included a strange hybrid of frilly knitwear and golden pants. Some biker jackets had survived last season’s drive of toughing up the Lanvin brand, but there were still traces the creased and casual boyish tailoring that we have come to associate Lanvin with.

Dazed Digital: What inspired the collection?
Lucas Ossendrijver: It was about a sense of protection, it’s rough for men out there and we need to be protected.

DD: How did that translate onto the catwalk?
Lucas Ossendrijver: When you feel good about yourself, you look assured. The coats were important – they were like cocoons with their big shapes and lots of volume.

DD: What’s the main objective behind a Lanvin collection?
Lucas Ossendrijver: That you can see the person behind the clothes!

DD: You mention volume, but you also worked a lot with proportions, didn’t you?
Lucas Ossendrijver: Yes, with the coats we had cut off, coats that were really long and coats that were quite slim fit. For us it’s about giving a choice and option because we don’t want to dictate to people what to wear - we want to offer alternatives!

DD: What was your favourite piece?
Lucas Ossendrijver: I want the first big coat in the very beginning of the show!

Paul Smith Paris AW10 review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-27T12:10:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6403/1/Paul_Smith_Menswear_AW_10-11

The last show of the week was our very own Paul Smith - a classic in every sense of the word. The length, depth and width of his shows are representative of his experience and longevity as a first class designer. You always sort of know what to expect when walking in to his show venue, and I mean that in a good way. How often do you see a bad Paul Smith collection? The man knows his strengths and plays the game the way it should be played – according to the rules.

The rules, since you ask, state that if you have a particular skill and a specific design direction that is proven right, your should stick to your guns and spend your time improving, rather than imploding. In his autumn winter collection, Sir Paul tried out quite a few styles in his fields of expertise. Starting with a subtle punk theme, we saw check trousers and jackets – often in size contrasts, with smaller checks on the pants than the top. Hoodies under the suit jackets continued that direction.

All of a sudden it turned smarter. Smith’s version of city chic included tuxedo jackets and coats, and the simple but beautiful colour combination of beige, light blue and grey.This was often accompanied by loafers and brogues. We then changed briefly to the uniform of a 19th Century gentleman, which meant black capes and bowler hats. But the real highlight – especially in a winter season dominated by grey and black – came when a handful of suits in purple, turqiose and electric blue entered. The audience lit up, and the menswear week in Paris ended on a positive and colourful note, thanks to Paul Smith.

Raf Simons Paris AW10 review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-27T12:07:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/view/default.aspx?Category=34&ArticleID=6402&PageNum=1

The prime time slot on late Saturday evening went to Raf Simons a while back. The Belgian mastermind has long been up there with the great, and his status was confirmed when he successfully took over the creative direction at Jil Sander. But tonight was all about indulging his own design visions – and what a vision it was. As we pleasantly have accepted, Simons’ collections these days are mostly about sharp tailoring.

But a lot of Raf Simons’ suits and formalwear was tweaked in his autumn winter show; some of his double-breasted suit jackets had Velcro details, others sported colour panelling and a few coats and jackets came with push buttons. Simons also sent out his suit jackets layered under bomber jackets.

The trench coat was singled out for extra attention and was either kept in the shape of a skirt or made out of three separate pieces. Also wool – tops and bottoms – had been experimented with. They appeared as slim tops, tucked into skirt-esque garments, which gave the models an unusual silhouette. All in all Raf Simons deconstructed an otherwise formal and classic design direction into a personal and forward pushing aesthetic.

Dunhill/Kim Jones Paris AW10 interview and review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-27T12:05:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6392/1/Dunhill_AW_10-11

Three seasons in and Kim Jones is on a flow, having successfully interpreted and presented yet another modern day version of Alfred Dunhill. Or, as it was in this case, a collection based around Clement Court, a one time Dunhill employee. Nevertheless, it was in true Dunhill spirit, and the gathered crowd at Palais de Tokyo saw an army grey suits, ties and coats. But far from being old-fashioned formal wear, Dunhill showed classic fashion and tailoring, designed in a highly satisfying way.

Grey club blazers and moss green crombie coats shared the stage with pinstriped suits and ties. More casual pieces, like cardigans and utility belts, also impressed amid all the tweed and Herringbone fabrics. Midnight blue tuxedo jackets finished of another well-made Kim Jones outing, and no one doubted that this was how a true gentleman should dress.

Dazed Digital: Who influenced the collection?
Kim Jones: Clement Court, who was general manager of a Dunhill store in Paris, and his travel experiences when he went from Europe to Japan. The journey influenced the colour palette, and, generally speaking, the spirit of his adventure inspired us.

DD: What are the three sections that the collection is divided into?
Kim Jones: The first one is daywear tailoring, the second is casual clothes and lastly there is formal eveningwear. It’s like a journey of the day.

DD: What was as your favourite piece from the collection?
Kim Jones: I love the jackets with ‘mix and match’ fabric, the patchwork ones with felt and leather.

Ann Demeulemeester Paris AW10 interview and review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-27T12:02:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6367/1/Ann_Demeulemeester_Menswear_AW_10-11

Ann’s AW10 show on Saturday took place in her usual choice of the Couvent des Cordeliers and was soundtracked by persistent rain from grey skies. The collection was suitably dark and black. But that’s of course standard procedure for this Belgian power designer.

The colour palette focused on black, white, light grey and skin tones. It had the normal Ann staple pieces, like skinny leather cargo pants, long wool suit jackets and sharp army boots. Heavy belts and chains accessories kept the clothes in place. A clear decadence was apparent. Feather boas flowed freely over waistcoats and shirt blouses. Fur – in both black and camel – testified to a sartorial feeling of supremacy.

Dazed Digital: What was your starting point for the collection?
Ann Demeulemeester: I started with a fantasy in my head - I was trying to make a character of my own. It’s a modern day Duke for 2010. His extravagant personality and artistic nobility led to the collection.

DD: What does the Duke represent for you?
Ann Demeulemeester: It represents something noble, but nothing to do with Bourgeois. My duke has edge and extravagance, he’s strange and not like everybody else.

DD: Who’s a modern day Duke for you?
Ann Demeulemeester: Someone like Robert Mapplethorpe or The Thin White Duke!

DD: So did you use Bowie for the show soundtrack?
Ann Demeulemeester: Yeah, some instrumental songs from his time in Berlin.

DD: In what way is the collection noble?
Ann Demeulemeester: I use black, which is a modern and noble shade, and my leather and fur fits into the Duke idea as well

Damir Doma Paris AW10 interview and review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-27T12:00:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/view/default.aspx?Category=34&ArticleID=6365&PageNum=1

On a smoke filled stage, Damir Doma’s intergalactic vision became clear. Or was it inspired by martial arts? Or maybe a show of quasi-religious outfits? Probably a combination of them all. What is clear, though, is that the menswear schedule in Paris has got itself a hot new name. A massive mob outside the show pushed and shouted to get in, but nothing worked…

But that can’t be said of Doma’s aesthetic vision. Grey and powerful, over sized and often bloc patterned, Damir Doma created a breathtaking show at the Garage on Rue de Turenne. Many models were hooded or wore turban-esque hats and both continued the feeling of having joined a secretive following. A few Feodora hats even had an Amish touch to them.

There is, of course, nothing secretive about Damir Doma, and neither is his clothes, for that matter, secretive. On the contrary, it was clear to many people leaving his show on Saturday evening that Doma will soon be a household name in fashion.

Dazed Digital: What inspired the collection?
Damir Doma: There was an poetic feeling to the collection, and about people coming from somewhere else, from another planet.

DD: Yes, it was almost a bit religious
Damir Doma: I agree, it is very monastic!

DD: Are you happy with the result?
Damir Doma: Yes. The collection is called 'Arrival', because it’s really the first time I feel settled, this is really me, and what I like. I have arrived to where I want to be!

DD: There were many loose silhouettes with lots of volume.
Damir Doma: Yeah, I have done that for a while now and I really enjoy it. It’s effortless and easy to wear.

DD: You showed a few female models at the end – are you working on a womenswear line?
Damir Doma: That was a teaser for the launch of my womenswear collection, which I will show in March during the prêt-a-porter in Paris! I just wanted to prepare people!

DD: Any favourite pieces from the collection?
Damir Doma: I liked the first outfit, two layered coats with different textures.

Viktor & Rolf Paris AW10 review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-27T11:57:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6412/1/Viktor__Rolf_Monsieur_AW_10-11

Viktor & Rolf launched their menswear line in 2003 – so don’t call it a comeback! The Dutch duo has always impressed with their quirky designs, but the collections have been low key and slightly kitsch, as proved by their comic and Hawaiian themes a while back. But now – for autumn winter 2010/2011 – Viktor & Rolf seems ready for a bigger audience, hence the catwalk show in their Paris office. The setting was still intimate, which allowed Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren to show off the delicate details of their Paint it Black collection up close.

And quite literally that’s what they have done; shirts, ties and trousers had been spattered in black paint, which made for eye-catching pieces. But also highlighted was the difference between shades of black in matt and shiny, and Lurex versus wool had a similar contrasting effect. The result was still a dark collection, but one that glimmers in the night-time. Midnight Blue shared the stage with wine red and green, often seen in a check print. Other tops had embroidered sequins details. Best described as a Neo Dandy, the Viktor & Rolf man appreciates small but clever details, and this collection catered for his every need.

Tillman Lauterbach Paris AW10 review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-26T13:19:00.001Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/gallery/34/6366/1/Tillmann_Lauterbach_Menswear_AW_10-11

Tillman Lauterbach was born in Germany, raised in Ibiza and educated in Switzerland and Paris. The result is a trans-European designer, and the collection Lauterbach showed in Paris on Saturday was thoroughly an international and accessible one. His strength lies in making a version of modern menswear that allows for individuality – this time through a series of abstract prints – but one that also works as a everyday wardrobe.

We saw a lot of beige tones and shades of green. Another theme was his well-executed collarless shirts, tops and jackets. His bottoms came in three versions; shortened and structured trousers, indigo jeans and wool leggings. What impressed the most, except for his extensive bag range, was a couple of one-piece collarless boiler suits in beige and navy blue. It’s been a good Saturday so far

Dior Homme Paris AW10 review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-26T13:17:00.001Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/view/default.aspx?Category=34&ArticleID=6376&PageNum=1

When Kris Van Assche showed his spring summer collection last June, it was all about the suits. He took them apart and showed everyone what a beautiful thing they are and how carefully the Dior studio constructs them. There were traces of the same philosophy in his new collection as well, but generally speaking van Assche had by now moved on to coats.

He showed dozens of coats: flowing trench coats, slim crombies and over sized pea coats. Sure, this was a winter collection, and there’s always heavy outer pieces, but van Assche went beyond the call of (coat) duty, and created a uniform silhouette for his Bercy based show.

Underneath we saw black and slim tailoring, sometimes with a tie in company. A few pants came in quite a loose fit – classic KvA territory. Other details worth noting include a Nehru collar jacket and a leather bomber jacket, shown over a suit jacket.

After a powerful black section came a similar block of coats, this time in beige and light grey colours – two shades we recognised from the previous show as well. Nevertheless Kris Van Assche has got into the swing of making impressive Dior Homme collections, and we hope he keeps up the good work!

Walter Van Beirendonck Paris AW10 interview and review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-26T13:13:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6364/1/Walter_Van_Beirendonck_AW_10-11

If there was a consistent theme at the Walter Van Beirendonck show on Friday it was the gigantic earmuffs that each and every model wore. That is, of course, until van Beirendonck brought in the heavy artillery in the form of boys and girls in over sized plastic riding helmets.

Yes, you’re never bored at a Beirendonck show: colours, prints, proportions and sizes are all taken to their extremes. But as always van Beirendonck isn’t just doing it to amuse us; there is a point to everything he does and this season it came in the form of printed guns. The machine guns printed tops and bottoms were meant to remind us of the fragile and dangerous world we live in.

Red, orange and yellow was his colours of choice this season, and they came out in the shape of boiler suits, Lycra tops and knitwear. A few suits also appeared, reminding us of Walter’s more serious sartorial side. Elaborate knitwear patterns continued to communicate van Beirendonck’s message, which shouted FIRE and FLY, at least on his utility bum bags. The grande finale contained skirts in the shapes of elephants, horses, rockets and – of course – guns!

DD: How did you come up with the idea for this show?
Walter Van Beirendonck: It’s basically a mirror to the world today, or at least how I see and feel it. It’s like someone is holding a gun to my head, the whole thing is ready to explode. That’s where the gun prints came from!

DD: You seemed to be playing around with – among many other things – the silhouette in this show!
Walter Van Beirendonck: Yeah, like in the world, there is tension in the silhoutte as well – so I had Lycra tops that are very tight, combined with loose trousers.

DD: And why did you put girls on the catwalk?
Walter Van Beirendonck: I felt it was the right moment for that. I have more ambitions than menswear, I would like to do women’s couture one day.

DD: Who helped you with the hats? 
Walter Van Beirendonck: Stephen Jones – he’s my head master!

Cerruti Paris AW10 interview and review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-26T13:10:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6361/1/Cerruti_Menswear_AW_10-11

Cerruti has struggled for the past few years to find a new identity and a consistency in terms of its chief designer. The collections have never been bad; more lacked the unique personality that Paris demands of its designers on the menswear schedule. But all of that is about to change.

With the elevation from within of Jesper Börjesson to the top job, the brand is hoping to blow fresh air into the suit based brand. His style is a modern take on Cerruti’s heritage and could very well make Cerruti the fashion force it deserves to be. At Palais de Tokyo, Cerruti presented a tight and slim silhouette – bar a few loose pants – that impressed with elegant mohair knitwear under the traditionally brilliant suits. The colour palette was mostly sombre, but livened up by a couple of exciting check patterns.

Börjesson’s coats often came in a trench or biker format, and his ever-present bomber jackets were ‘glammed up’ through shimmering fabric. The choice of fabric is always a point of discussion after a Cerruti show, but this time we left talking about another detail as well: throughout the show Börjesson had cleverly layered his outer garments – a jacket over a coat, a waistcoat over a leather jacket and so on. One to watch, people!

Dazed Digital: What was the general theme behind the collection?
Jesper Börjesson: We wanted to create a new and modern army with a really rich fabrication. I don’t have a direct reference for the collection, but we did our fabric esearch in depth, and we have spent a lot of time with our tailor to define every seam and shape of the collection.

DD: What would you say is the Cerruti heritage and its strong points?
Jesper Börjesson: I would say it is the spirit of masculine elegance that Mr Nino Cerruti once created.

DD: How did the fabrics research process work?
Jesper Börjesson: I am lucky to start my first collection on a winter season where you have much more variety of fabric qualities and weights. The idea for the fabrics this season was to contrast the very textured and hairy fabrics in cashmere, mohair and alpaca on very sharp cut and linear clothes. We used some fabrics inside out, and we printed wool in a copper foil. The fabrics should be interesting for the eyes as well as the hands.

DD: Are biker and bomber jackets your staple pieces?
Jesper Börjesson: They are at the core of a man’s wardrobe and they are two of my personal favourite garments because they’re timeless. For this collection the biker jacket comes more in a flight jacket version in shearling, and the bomber jacket has a big wrapping collar.

DD: Will you take Cerruti in a younger and edgier direction?
Jesper Börjesson: The idea was to create pieces that are really well cut, and there are a lot of military and sub cultural references in the show - and I hope a younger crowd might find that attractive.

DD: What’s your favourite piece from the collection?
Jesper Börjesson: All the mohair knits with blown up butterfly wings patterns in black and pink, anise and grey.

Rick Owens Paris AW10 interview and review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-26T13:08:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6356/1/Rick_Owens_Menswear_AW_10-11

After last season’s mix of Russian techno and denim, the autumn winter collection from Rick Owens was a bit of a surprise, albeit a pleasant one. For his Friday lunchtime show just south of the Seine, the American designer tried out his tailoring skills. And even though he claims this was just a fad, it was an impressive suit effort from Owens.

His androgynous models wore formal coats, some in slight silver or golden shades, and often over a turtleneck jumper. Other models appeared to be wearing a male version of halter neck tops, and others preserved Owens’ mojo by showing a bare and sexy back.

Just because denim was out this season didn’t mean leather followed suit. We saw jackets and coats in leather - which is Rick Owens’ trademark material – and often they came out in brown, black or beige colours. Layering and Owens’ characteristic play with the length of garments also persisted, ditto his love for of fur. But even though we were treated to a surprisingly mature collection, there were clear signs of the old forward pushing designer we have come to love; duvet jackets and platform boots in snakeskin made everyone leave in an even better mood.

DD: What was your source of inspiration this time around?
Rick Owens: This season was about opulence for me. I’ve focused on austerity for the past men’s season, which I’ll probably go back to soon…

DD: It was rather a tailored collection for you, wasn’t it?
Rick Owens: Yes, last season was such and indulgence in denim, and this one was more of a library.

DD: Library?
Rick Owens: Tweeds and cigars. It had a country manor feeling to it.

DD: Do you feel it was a mature collection because of all the tailoring?
Rick Owens: It’s a mature option, not a mature direction. I will always have my leather! And also it’s a great challenge – you don’t normally think of Rick Owens when you see tailoring. A like a challenge to react to, it’s a good base for a collection.

DD: There were a few quite sexy pieces though – like the bare back tops…
Rick Owens: Yeah, well you know, tailoring can get boring. You gotta put a bit of sex into it!

DD: Any favourite pieces from the show?
Rick Owens: I’m going to be wearing the black tailored coat made out of silk and wool all winter long!

Blaak Paris AW10 interview and review for Dazed Digital

2010-01-26T13:06:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6355/1/Blaak_AW_10-11

As head masters of the British punk aesthetics – at least on the Paris menswear schedule – Blaak took to the stage Friday morning. The London duo is famous for its dark and punky outlook but have long ago showed that, unlike the actual punk movement, it will age nicely.

It was a good autumn offering, full of wool and tweed. Suits also came in velvet, and the silhouette was often slim, bar the odd over sized coat with leather details. In general, leather was quite big, even adorning t-shirts. The ever-present tartan checks drew appreciative looks from the crowd. They came in a black and grey version, but most people left talking about the gorgeous yellow and red combination.

The piece de resistance was a series of deconstructed shirts in a pinstriped fabric, which had been altered in shape, form and detailing. On top of that Aaron Sharif and Sachiko Okada showed an impressive range of over sized crucifix necklaces, which melted in perfectly with the rest of the Exodus collection.

Dazed Digital: What was your main bit of inspiration for the show?
Aaron Sharif: Filmmaker Derek Jarman – we watched everything from Jubilee to This is England, both of which are very punky. And then we moved on to Passolini, and that’s how we reached THX.

DD: Was London also an influence on you?
Aaron Sharif: I think so, yes. We’ve just spent the last six months there. It’s all from there – the fabrics, the crucifix accessories.

DD: Talking about crucifixes - there were a lot of big crosses in the show!
Aaron Sharif: It was about religion and whether religion is about consumption or is it about spirituality, and what do you get from it!

DD: Did you collaborate with someone on the accessories?
Aaron Sharif: Everything has to be done, in one way or another, by us. We’re doing bags with Head Porter for this season, but we still have great input on the end result.

DD: What are your favourite pieces from the show?
Aaron Sharif: I love the stuff that we re-modelled, like the shirts and pants.

DD: The shirts seemed quite deconstructed!
Aaron Sharif: Yes, I think you have to destroy the past in order to see the future!

Louis Vuitton AW10 Dazed Digital Review/Interview

2010-01-26T00:02:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6329/1/Louis_Vuitton_Menswear_AW_10-11

There was a massive shift back to a more classic Louis Vuitton at Marc Jacobs and chief designer Paul Helber’s Autumn Winter show today Thursday. And the audience seemed to like it, and why not? This – a formal, smart, slick and dark collection – is what LV does best. And why change a winning team? The previous collection looked towards New York’s bike messengers for inspiration, but this show was inspired by authors living in 20th century Vienna, and more specifically the likes of Franz Kafka and Egon Schiele. This wonderfully academic inspiration meant that an intellectual over coat matched each sporty nylon jacket we saw. But even the less organic fabrics had been treated with a more traditional array of detailing, such as felt, tweed or leather panelling.

The obligatory LV luggage came in a few monogrammed versions, but much nicer were the abstract prints that adorned a handful of bags and rucksacks (courtesy of artist Christian Schoeler), and no doubt a by product of Helbers’ interest in Vienna’s artist community. Brown – in a nice chocolate shade – and black were popular colours, together with grey and one little dose of neon yellow. Narrowly cut trousers were often tucked into boots, and more often than not were flat front ones without belt loops. We saw waterproof leather jackets in just every shape, form and length available to mankind.

Traditional and classic LV outfits dominated in a safe, but stunning, autumn collection. Once or twice did a younger and fresher look pop out, be it over sized shirts that were – stop the presses – not tucked into the trousers, or grey tracksuit bottoms. But Helbers and Jacobs nevertheless set the bar high for the rest of the designers on the Paris menswear schedule.

Dazed Digital: It was quite an intimate setting today, with little space between the audience and the catwalk!
Paul Helbers: I like that you get close to the models, it’s very critical. You have to see it close up to understand the clothes!

DD: Briefly, what inspired you this time around?
Paul Helbers: A 20th century Vienna artist and his wardrobe. They are prototypes for today’s lifestyle, which is all about blurring the boundaries between business and leisure, and making a combination of the two.

DD: It was fairly dark and moody – is that all to do with it being an A/W collection?
Paul Helbers: It’s got to do with the mood we were in. We’ve done a few seasons with colours, and we wanted a contrast for this one.

DD: Did I see clogs on the catwalk?
Paul Helbers: Yes you did! Austrian mountain clogs. Since it’s based around an artist’s wardrobe, I thought it’d be nice to have some free spirited shoes as well!

DD: Do you have a particular Franz Kafka book that you like?
Paul Helbers: Not really, we used quotes from several different ones, and they were incorporated into the music.

DD: What’s your favourite piece from this particular show?
Paul Helbers: A coat with satin sleeves with shearling body. It’s not sportswear, it’s not elegant – it’s a piece you can’t define.

Alexis Mabille AW10 Dazed Digital Review/Interview

2010-01-25T23:58:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6330/1/Alexis_Mabille_Menswear_AW_10-11

The privilege of opening the Paris menswear shows was once again awarded to French hot shot designer Alexis Mabille. In his second stand-alone menswear collection, the bow tie crazed Mabille continued his self-proclaimed mission to bring ‘Bourgeois with a Twist’ to the people. On the second floor of the Parisian Academy of Architecture – a fitting venue since Mabille’s clothes apparently has an “architectural outlining made out of piping, trimming and painted borders” – he suggested a somewhat sombre look for this autumn.

Luckily it wasn’t his take on the, by now boring, climate of financial doom and gloom, but merely a comment on the colour of the winter sky. And it isn’t just London that is dark and moody, because Mabille’s Paris-inspired collection was all about grey. And black, but mostly…grey! Nevertheless, Alexis being Alexis, there were signs of hope through sparkling and glimmering details that followed the show and, more importantly, the Alexis Mabille customer who went through his daily wardrobe on the catwalk; luxurious office wear to extravagant evening outfits.

His main silhouette was a tight top with loose bottoms, and we saw it in formal suits as well as more casual cords and cardigans. But, as you know, casual isn’t what Alexis does best. He excels at taking basic items – like his duffel coat – and re-making it with Persian lamb materials. Suits came in an interesting heavy wool mix, or as a black wool organza tuxedo and the knitwear came out elaborate, to say the least. And rather rebellious for Mabille, Bermuda shorts were shown on top of long johns.

Underwear collection ‘Zero’ launched with a parade of silk boxers and briefs, often with shirt collar details. The obligatory bow ties were shown in the form of minor details or accessories. All in all Alexis Mabille successfully continued his motto of luxurious menswear for everyday use; sexy AND comfortable!

Dazed Digital: What did you look to for inspiration?
Alexis Mabille: I was influenced by the greyness of the world, how the sky changes colour and how it affects the city. It was very urban, and about being comfortable in a big city – that’s why the collection is called Urban Greys!

DD: You’re always using Paris as your muse, aren’t you?
Alexis Mabille: I love the city – I wake up early when there is no one around, and I go to bed late. I’m not that crazy about travelling like many designers: I get my inspiration here. You won’t see me drawing influences from Africa or India any time soon!

DD: You’ve mentioned sexy and comfortable – aren’t they often opposites?
Alexis Mabille: Yes, but you can do sexy things with sweatshirts and t-shirts. For example, I use beautiful Swiss cotton and then I alter the proportions, and then you have a totally new garment…

DD: Yes, you played around with proportions quite a lot this time!
Alexis Mabille: That’s how I wear my clothes. Personally, I like buying over sized clothes, but I also like a tiny waist, so I change it around with safety pins to play with the volume of the silhouette.

DD: How did the underwear collection ‘Zero’ come about?
Alexis Mabille: Every time I wanted to buy underwear I could only find over-sexy or boring ones, nothing in between. They’re very comfortable and beautiful– for me it’s a question about sensibility.

DD: What’s your favourite piece from the collection?
Alexis Mabille: I love the cardigan with push buttons attached on it!

Henrik Vibskov AW10 Dazed Digital Review/Interview

2010-01-25T23:54:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Fashion/article/6333/1/Henrik_Vibskov_Menswear_AW_10-11

When you go to a Henrik Vibskov show you never really know what to expect, except, of course, for the unexpected! I’m not even sure Vibskov himself knows. By creating his own mini universe – this time called The Slippery Spiral Situation – Vibskov lets the audience into a world where fashion meets art and music, two of the Danish designer’s other main interests. Indeed, the wooden artwork that crowns the catwalk is his own work.

The Thursday night show was one of extra splendour. Firstly we saw a Scottish hiking theme develop, with kilts, boots and rucksacks. Cosy knitwear supported the theory that Vibskov was designing for a wanderer in the Highlands. But then came the white boiler suit. And the multi coloured patchwork trousers. And the customised-beyond-recognition Grenson boots. The hiking was halted.

There were occasional spots of conventional suiting, designed in his characteristically casual ways. All models appeared to be bearded, wearing extremely unpractical sunglasses, and, for some reason, they all had white fingertips. But that’s all in a days work for Henrik Vibskov…

Dazed Digital: How did you come up with the ideas for this show?
Henrik Vibskov: I wanted to create a scary and spooky film feeling, a bit like Sin City. But there is a bit of Malcolm X in there as well!

DD: Where did the white fingertips come from?
Henrik Vibskov: I came up with the idea when styling the show – I thought the hands were a bit naked and needed something extra.

DD: What sort of hats were they wearing?
Henrik Vibskov: Bathing hats and a wooden structure that looks like a brain.

DD: How would you describe what you do, since you’re an artist, designer and musician?
Henrik Vibskov: I like to play around with different universes and identities. But I don’t want to try to define it…

DD: What was your favourite piece from the show?
Henrik Vibskov: I like the Scottish kilts and the English shoes that I cut up!

Dries Van Noten AW10 Dazed Digital Review/Interview

2010-01-25T23:51:00.000Z

http://www.dazeddigital.com/view/default.aspx?Category=34&ArticleID=6331&PageNum=1

DRIES VAN NOTEN MENSWEAR A/W 10-11
Fresh-faced, uber-groomed models sauntered down in workwear heavy jackets and tailored trenche

Both designers and musicians face the same problem; the young ones have to come up with new and controversial ideas for each show or album, otherwise no one is bothered. There are countless of mediocre designers and musicians out there on the treadmill. The thing with the older and more experienced designer is that no one expects you to change much. And in the case of Dries Van Noten, people would be upset if he did change anything given the strength of the DvN brand!

The Belgian veteran didn’t disappoint when showing his A/W collection at la Bourse; an army of models – quite literally because military and cavalry was an ongoing theme – swarmed the place, all of them carrying their individual handheld stereo. A pot pourri of popular music met the audience, as they smiled at the heavy-duty canvas trousers, trench coats and Dries’ brilliantly casual suiting. Colourwise, he focused on white, navy, beige, grey with the odd touch of electric blue to keep us on our toes.

Many coats and jackets had sleeves in different fabric and colours, others heavily featured stripes and checks – often together on one piece. Tracksuit bottoms surprised a few, but mostly we were impressed by the beautiful colour combinations – just how we like our Dries!

DD: There were quite a few army influences in the show!
Dries Van Noten: Yes, it was very traditional in that sense. We worked with British manufactures, some old ideas and few new developments.

DD: Like what, for example?
Dries Van Noten: A double woven fabric from the 1930s which no one is making any more.

DD: Generally speaking what was the main influence?
Dries Van Noten: I wanted elegance, but also a dynamic elegance. And not so serious, more playful.

DD: Did you play around with print contrasts this time?
Dries Van Noten: Yeah, I love different fabric combinations, and then it becomes quite versatile.

DD: What was the idea behind the music?
Dries Van Noten: I wanted it to be a bit individual, and I thought about all the kids playing music from their phones on the bus.

DD: Are you still working towards a “sartorial feeling” which you mentioned after your summer show?
Dries Van Noten: Yes, It’s got to do with the shape of the jackets and the length of the pants. I work very hard to get the proportions right.

DD: A favourite piece from the show?
Dries Van Noten: It would be the khaki motorcycle pants with a beige double breasted jacket on top!