ODDA 11 - M

SPACES

11

GB

11

HANNE GABY

FALL / WINTER 2016-17

£15 · EUROPE 15€ · AUS·DE·FR 15€ · USA $28,99

UDO BREGER

GERI HORNER

PRESLEY GERBER

ALEXANDER WANG

SPACES

11

11

PEYTON KNIGHT


GB £15 · EUROPE 15€ · AUS·DE·FR 15€ · USA $28,99

JASON WU

KARL LAGERFELD

ROBERTA MELONI

DRIES KREIJKAMP

SPACES

11

11

ALINE WEBER



BOB GRUEN

LUIGI COLANI

PRADA MARFA

RICCARDO TISCI

SPACES

11

11

PRESLEY GERBER



RYAN GANDER

ALICE SPRINGS

DYLAN BROSNAN

ALESSANDRO MENDINI

SPACES

11

11

GERI



BLANCA LI

BILLY NAME

PETER DUNDAS

FLORIANE DE SAINT PIERRE

SPACES

11

11

MADISON STUBBINGTON



ADRIAN JOFFE

JOHN LAUTNER

PAT CLEVELAND

BERNARD DUBOIS

O

D

D

A

SPACES

11

11

VILLE SYDFORS



ERWIN WURM

PETER SHIRE

BARBARA & LEILA

LORENZO SERAFINI

SPACES

11

11

KASIA STRUSS



SHONA HEATH

ISABEL COIXET

ETTORE SOTTSASS

MASSIMO GIORGETTI

SPACES

As far as I can remember, I’ve always seem to have had that prevailing type of fascination with this concept of space, the unavoidable

aspect of nature binding all things together that is somehow described very well physically and at the same time completely ephemeral

and related above all to psyche. From some gas station in the middle of nowhere, found easily in my origin country of Spain, to the many

airports of enchanting design sprinkled across the world… Space at its best has ceaselessly been a matter of purpose meeting the mirror of

our collective tastes over time.

Since meeting this sphere that is Fashion, I can recall very well the sensations I felt upon discovering those atmospheres created by the

World’s brands to showcase their collections, oftentimes absolute worlds in themselves. Before embarking on this adventure called ODDA I

had not been too familiar with such, as the Fashion Week in Spain consists of a more traditional setting of all shows occurring in one venue

on the same runway. I found the sheer magnificence of these mini realms to both nourish my mind and provide for my sense of tastes year

after year and still so. And this I should not expect to change anytime ever soon, with consistently profound surprises from Prada by way

of their collaborations with Mr. Rem Koolhaas, or Dior’s astounding sets in alliance with Bureau Betak.

These Creative minds in the shape of architects, interior and set designers, sculptors, and our cherished scholars of fashion have continually

been the light to my passions and as well the theme of our 11th issue. They are a part of our cultural and communal DNA and we are more

than pleased to be able to dedicate these 576 pages of the issue to them.

They give us the opportunity to realise that there is a vision, ever so well endowed and intricate, behind that boutique’s design or otherwise,

creating your experience within the space by way of it’s floor plans, endless properties of dimension, aesthetic impression and suggestion

of what is, is altogether otherworldly an idea. Fashion is just so this, on every scale and at every level.

While researching the endless possibilities of spaces and ideas to include within this issue, we realised even more so just how important

the theme itself was. A sense of gratitude and appreciation came over, wave upon wave, understanding just how significant each of these

individuals have been impacting our culture and providing each their own ultra unique contribution to how we see things and what we

experience. To once again regard that and those which are different as a pinnacle that leads the way.

To have the opportunity of shooting a story at the iconic The Sheats Goldstein Residence in Los Angeles was something surreal, it’s designer

Mr. John Lautner a staple in that grand assortment of whose vision we so highly regard, from his UFO-inspired Chemosphere house

to every bit of work he has created executed and even that perhaps unseen.

In earlier history it may not have been cared for how functional or aesthetically suggestive a house was. For Mr. Dries Kreijkamp? Well, why

not live in a sphere? And he made this possible, by way of the Bolwoningen in The Netherlands - able to speak to the individual residing

and as a work of Art in full.

If you take a look at the works of Iris Van Herpen or Mr. Chalayan you can immediately catch some semblance of their inspirations, or so

in the least the feeling behind them, followed by a hundred thousand other possible references that flood the human mind.

From my humble and personal point of view, there should be no limitation in one’s experimentation, as all of this we experience now as

the seen, felt, heard and understood, have all been birthed of some particular experiment, some seed of one’s mind influenced by all of the

other seeds that have been of our unified, glorious history.

A space is whatsoever you wish it to be and is not ever as obvious as it may initially seem. I have enjoyed a great deal working on this issue,

from shooting at Prada Marfa to discovering the likes of Mario Botta, Alice Springs with Helmut Newton, Billy Name and his beloved The

Factory with Mr Warhol and all else which excites us quite personally to no end.

David Martin

Editor in Chief

CONTENTS

SPACES

Odda 11

24

DRIES KREIJKAMP

By Peter Gasher

116

MIU MIU

By Perwana

242

CROWNED

By Masha Mel

320

ANTONINO CARDILLO

By Zurain Imam

426

PUUC

Special Alexander Wang F/W 16-17

508

MASSIMO GIORGETTI

By Maggie Kelly

26

STEEL SLUDGE

Collection Menswear

118

WUNDERKAMMER

By Taylor Tupy

244

GERI

By Jason Guronen

328

ALEXANDER WANG

By Maggie Kelly

518

BRIAN ATWOOD

By Jason Yesten

28

LUIGI COLANI

By Taylor Edward

130

PETER SHIRE

By Kyle Johnson

254

ROBERTA MELONI

By Kyle Johnson

330

JASON WU

By Adrian de Banville

520

LUKE MEIER

By Jason Yesten

30

SURFACE

By Magdalena Lawniczak

132

BLANCA LI

By Isaac Pérez Solano

256

PHILOSOPHY

By Perwana

334

BALUSTER

By Virginie Khateeb

524

BARBARA & LEIA

By Ebonie Ray

32

KARL LAGERFELD

Casa Malaparte

140

DYLAN BROSNAN

By Marlo Saalmink

260

DIAZOMA

Special Philosophy F/W 2016-17

336

MANUEL OUTUMURO

By Eduardo Gión

534


By Pierre A.M.

34

GOLDEN RATIO

By Raúl Hidalgo

146

BLINDING GLARE

Special Marc Jacobs F/W 16-17

264

LORENZO SERAFINI

By Lily Templeton

346

BERNARD DUBOIS

By Skye Grayson

428

MODILLION

By Ferry Van Der Nat

536

SIMON COSTIN

By Petra Desentia

36

GAUDÍ

La Pedrera Foundation

156

CARLO MOLLINO

By Isaac Pérez Solano

348

STOEL

By Alice Schillaci

430

FERRAN ADRIÀ

By Eduardo Gión

546

MARTIN ANDERSSON

By Zurain Imam

38

PRADA

By Perwana

158

STOLARKA

By Sonia Szóstak

350

RYAN GANDER

By Harold Jenkins

440

NANGA MAI

By Harold Jenkins

554

SHIRLEY MULDOWNEY

By Ebonie Ray

40

4,6 m x 7,6 m

Special Prada F/W 2016-17

160

THE BUNKER

By Eduardo Gión

360

ADRIAN JOFFE

By Zurain Imam

444

TREND PANEL WOMEN

Resort 2017

550

OUTDOOR

By Kyle Johnson

42

PRADA MARFA

By Peter Gasher

176

SPALIER

By Rene Fietzek

364

GINGERBREAD

By Takahito Sasaki

448

CASTING & FITTINGS

Givenchy By Riccardo Tisci

554

APSE

By Aaron Michael

44

LOOPHOLE

By Taylor Tupy

178

ALICE SPRINGS

By Eduardo Gión

372

BILLY NAME

By Eduardo Gión

458

BACKSTAGE

By Kyle Johnson

564

ETTORE SOTTSASS

By Taylor Edward

56

PRESLEY GERBER

By Harold Jenkins

188

ISABEL COIXET

By Eduardo Gión

374

DAGON JAMES

By Eduardo Gión

462

PRADA

S/S 2017

566

THERMAE

By Jorge Pérez Ortiz

58

ROBERTO CAVALLI

By Harold Jenkins

190

SCOTT HOVE

By Jessica Cooper

378

MINDS IN HISTORY

By Jason Yestenia

464

MARNI

S/S 2017

568

MARIO BOTTA

By Ebonie Ray

72

LIMESTONE

Special Roberto Cavalli F/W 16-17

192

BOB GRUEN

By Eduardo Gión

276

COMPASS TOOL

By Joaquin Laguinge

382

PAT CLEVELAND

By Bradley Higgenbottom

468

TREND PANEL MEN

S/S 2017

570

TRABEATED

By Philip Meech

76

PETER DUNDAS

By Bradley Higgenbottom

202

CAULICULUS

By Rebekah Campbell

280

ALESSANDRO MENDIDNI

By Kyle Johnson

392

R. ARAD & S. MARICH

Talks

474

THE OFFICE

Farida Khelfa

574

NICOLAS ANDRÉ

By Natasha Gunaratna

86

MINDS OUT OF LIMITS

By Jason Yesten

204

MONCLER

By Jason Guronen

290

MARISCAL

By Eduardo Gión

396

THE BUNNY MUSEUM

By Stephanie Summers

478

MARNI

By Perwana

88

MATEO THUN

By Stephanie Summers

208

REBAR

Special Moncler & Friendswithyou

292

SOAKED

By Sophie Mayanne

400

CROCKET

By Taylor Tupy

480

RUBBERS

Special Marni F/W 2016-17

90

TALBOT

By Oliver Lee Shipton

210

FRIENDSWITHYOU

By Maggie Kelly

302

ZAHA HADID

By Adrian de Banville

410

SCOTT BROMLEY

By Eduardo Gión

490

SHONA HEATH

By Zurain Imam

100

IN & OUT

By Kyle Johnson

220

CELLA

By Minoru Kaburagi

304

750 SKYLIGHTS

Collections Womenswear

412

PENUMBRA

By Jack Waterlot

492

IRIS VAN HERPEN

By Petra Desentia

104

SIDELIGHT

By Paul Mclean

222

ERWIN WURM

By Kyle Johnson

314

JAMES GOLDSTEIN

By Harold Jenkins

422

MARIPOL

By Ilapnyc.com

502

PEEK-A-BOO

Special Iris V. Herpen Archives

106

ETENDUE

Special Still Life F/W 2016-17

232

INDOOR

By Kyle Johnson

318

JOHN LAUTNER

By Peter Gasher

424

ALEXANDER WANG

By Perwana

506

O

D

DA

ALBA MELENDO

Fashion Director

alba-melendo@oddamagazine.com

ALVA GALIM

Art Director

alva-galim@oddamagazine.com

ELIO ABASS

Creative Consultant

elio-abass@oddamagazine.com

ALEJANDRO CRUZ-MAYOR

NYC Head Editor

alejandro-cruzmayor@oddamagazine.com

LISA JARVIS

NYC Fashion Editor

lisa-jarvis@oddamagazine.com

HOPE VON JOEL

London Fashion Editor

hope-vonjoel@oddamagazine.com

MARTA REGIDOR

Fashion Assistant

marta-regidor@oddamagazine.com

DAVID MARTIN

Editor in Chief / Creative Director

david-martin@oddamagazine.com

CRISTINA ORTIZ DE DIEGO

Creative Design Director

cristina-ortiz@oddamagazine.com

EDUARDO GIÓN

Features Editor

eduardo-gion@oddamagazine.com

KYLE JOHNSON

Senior Editor

kyle-johnson@oddamagazine.com

MAGGIE KELLY

Writer

maggie-kelly@oddamagazine.com

JESSICA COOPER

Writer

jessica-cooper@oddamagazine.com

PERWANA

Writer

perwana@oddamagazine.com

ADRIAN DE BANVILLE

Contributor Editor

pierre-am@oddamagazine.com

VICTORIA STEFANELLI

PR, Marketing and Manager

victoria-stefanelli@oddamagazine.com

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR

Gabrielle Sauvé

WRITERS

Ebonie Ray · Natasha Gunaratna · Marlo Saalmink · Caitlin King · Jason Yesten · Harold Jenkins · Pierre A.M. · Zurain Imam

Bradley Higgenbottom · Stephanie Summers · Isaac Pérez Solano · Lily Templeton · Skye Grayson

oddamagazine.com

Facebook Odda Magazine · Twitter @ODDAmagazine · Instagram @ODDAmagazine

ISSN 2050 -1382

COVERS

Hanne Gaby

in Marc Jacobs

Peyton Knight

in Moschino & Blumarine

Aline Weber

in Prada

Presley Gerber

in Coach

Geri Horner

in Temperley

Madison Stubbington

in Gucci & Marc Jacobs

Ville Sydfors

in J.W. Anderson

Kasia Struss

in Acne Studios

CARVEN.COM

SPACES

by Kyle Johnson

For many years, artists, fashion designers and architects alike, have longed for a way to represent their

thoughts and feelings in a deeply realistic and entertaining manner. And, we as observers, take comfort

in the spaces, ideas and accompanying environments they use to represent this. Whether it’s an object’s

physical appearance or its interaction with its surroundings, we see a colourful set of expressions present

throughout each season, which illustrates the intense connection between the fields of fashion,

art and architecture almost as if it were embedded in their DNA. With each providing a set of dreams

by selling a lifestyle through the cunning manipulation of words and lasting images of power, lust

and intrigue, the highly persuasive art forms are 100% connected with Fashion and the manners in

which you live. So, join for this issue, where we have gotten together with set designer Simon Costin,

architect Mario Botta, contemporary artist Erwin Wurm and Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci, just to name

a few, to collect a manuscript of ideas and processes to help you understand what each holds dear to

their philosophy of creation.

“ONCE WE ACCEPT OUR LIMITS, WE GO BEYOND THEM”

ALBERT EINSTEIN

240v Outlet

Drop Outlet

Multi-outlet Assembly

Data/voice, Power Floor mounted Outlet

25

DESIGNER

MASSIMO GIORGETTI

It is the curious case of Massimo Giorgetti: an accounting student with a love of Blink 182, who somehow went on to take out the top brass as Pucci’s creative

director. We find out what this music-loving maestro’s midas touch really is.

“Creativity is just connecting things” - Steve Jobs

Interviewed by Maggie Kelly

Portrait by Emilio Tini

L: 20,252 mm

Massimo, you are the creative director of both

Pucci and your own label, MSGM. Is there ever

an internal conflict of where to devote your

time? Surely there’s a natural inclination to invest

in your own projects?

Working with 2 brands in 2 different cities with 2

different teams helps me a lot to give to MSGM

and Pucci the same time and the same energy.

There are no conflicts: when I’m in Milano I

work on MSGM, when I’m in Florence I work on

Pucci. The two cities themselves inspire me a lot,

they’re very different, even if they’re very close.

Every time I travel from a city to the other I discover

new places and I fall in love with art pieces,

landscapes, monuments. I think this situation gives

me even more points to think about and helps

me to do a better job with both brands.

Almost every profile written about you mentions

your love of music, with the MSGM website

naming MGMT and The Strokes as two of

your favourites. Do you find different types of

music influences different collections of yours?

Music has always influenced my design, starting

from the inspiration of my brand name: the

group MGMT. I like to think that my collections

are a material interpretation of the sound: music

for your eyes! So I’d say yes: different types of music

influence different collections.

I noticed on your Instagram account you’re a

Blink 182 fan. I’m a die-hard lover of Blink,

but can’t help but feel like their new album is

reheating old material. Is there the same pressure

in fashion, to keep creating, to remain relevant,

without being perceived as passé?

I was also disappointed by the last Blink 182 album,

as well as by other albums of the band I

always loved, because I found it too close to their

original style. In my opinion is fundamental

questioning yourself, evolving, changing, accepting

challenges, working with a young and stimulating

team, and I think it’s important in music

as well as in fashion. I constantly ask myself if

something is new or old. The concept of new is

an obsession for me!

Whilst we’re talking about the 90’s, your latest

S/S ‘16 Collection for MSGM features punkinspired

tartan, crop tops, heavy metal detailing:

was this inspired by your taste in music? I

feel like I might have worn something similar

to my first Blink 182 concert as a teenager...

Even if music is all way present in my creations,

the S/S 2016 women’s collection was inspired

by movie Lords of Dogtown: empty swimming

pools of the villas in Beverly Hills crossed by the

wheels of skates; the revolutionary contamination

between surfing and skateboarding; a men’s world

seen from the female eye of Director Katherine

Hardwicke.

Founder Emilio Pucci studied social sciences

in America and was on the Olympic ski team

before he started in fashion. Similarly, you studied

accounting at university before your career

as a designer, did you always feel this was

your ‘calling’?

I always loved fashion, but of course I didn’t imagine

I was going to build a brand like MSGM

and to become the Creative Director of Pucci at

the beginning! In the second year of accounting

school, at the age of sixteen, I had already figured

out it was the wrong school. The math books

and banking were really a nightmare. I always

waited impatiently for Saturday to arrive to go to

the newsstand and buy all the newspapers possible

fashion: Vogue, L’Uomo Vogue, Harper’s

Bazaar, Elle, etc.. I wanted them all. And I read

them all. Then at the age of seventeen I was asked

to make the male model for fittings and in a few

months I learned all the technical aspect of modeling,

packaging, stitching, etc. Once finished

my exams I started out as a sales man in a dear

friend’s boutique. From sales in store I past at sales

in showrooms and two years later I was already

facing problems and responsibilities of a product

design department of a large company. There I

had the good fortune to find Paoloni group that

believed in me from the beginning, so much that

at twenty-four years old I was already responsible

for two clothing lines. At that moment I realized

that maybe this was going to be my future and

in 2009 the adventure began. My past experience

helped me a lot: when I imagine MSGM collections

I try to figure them first in the showrooms

and then in stores.

Is designing a continuous process for you, or

do you sit down at the start of each season in a

conscious effort to create? What’s your process?

My creative process is very particular. I never start

with a specific idea or a theme. I find this system

outdated. I start putting together (and putting on

paper) a collage that has been created in my head

during the past months. Photos, newspapers, internet,

blog, Facebook, Instagram, artworks, frame

of videos and movies. Then I start thinking

about the prints that would fit with all these pictures,

the colors, the silhouettes… and of course

listening to music while I’m working! My favourite

artists are MGMT, Strokes, Blur, Radiohead,

Oasis, Bjork, Nirvana, Florence and Machine. I

always listed to them!

L: 26,49 mm

You worked as a DJ for many years, and have

described your collections as “music for your

eyes.” Do you feel like clothing can communicate

a mood or spirit in the same way that

music can?

I think that clothes can communicate a state of

mind, a mood, a desire, they can attract or push

away people as well as music does. Anyway music

is made by words, notes, emotions, it can be

everywhere in the same moment, it’s eternal.

Clothes are more personal: you have to wear

them, they have to fit you well, you can modify

and style them in different ways. You’ll probably

have a favourite song for ages, while you’ll have

a different favourite outfit a season. Even if there

are common points between music and arts there

are also a lot of differences in my opinion.

Italians seem to be born with an innate sense

of style and polish. What is your greatest tip

to men and women when it comes to dressing?

BE MODERN!

For an artist, it’s impossible to think too far

ahead, for one is only successful for as long

as they’re relevant. But looking at some of the

fashion industry’s stalwarts like Karl Lagerfeld

or Valentino Garavani, what do you think the

secret is behind staying in the game?

I think the secret is always being modern without

losing your curiosity, determination and passion.

“Working with

2 brands in 2 different

cities with

2 different teams

helps me a lot to

give to MSGM

and Pucci the

same time and

the same energy.

There are no conflicts:

when I’m in

Milano I work on

MSGM, when I’m

in Florence I work

on Pucci. The

two cities themselves

inspire me

a lot, they’re very

different, even if

they’re very close.”

27

DESIGNER

BRIAN ATWOOD

Brian Atwood is a designer of many obsessions. Initially student of Architecture and after a successful designer, Brian has delighted to all women with the

exaltation of their beauty through shoes and also now a new line B Brian Atwood including Handbags and a contemporary collection.

Since 2001, born of the brand, he has been recognized as one of the most influent designer in the US .

“Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world” - Marilyn Monroe

Interviewed by Jason Yesten

Portrait courtesy of Brian Atwood

Your connection with Art and Architecture is

well known since the very beginning of your

career and also they both are part of your personal

obsessions.

Can you tell us who or what made you take the

decision of taking this career as your personal

way in life?

Design, regardless of the field, is fascinating to

me… art, architecture and fashion. To be a designer

and create something that evokes emotion

in people is one of the most rewarding feelings.

I am beyond lucky that my career allows me to

do that everyday. A shoe has the power to change

someone’s attitude; the moment they slide their

foot into a pair of heels is magical! Seeing what a

shoe can do to someone’s confidence is inspiring;

it keeps me going and motivates me. Designing is

not my career, it is my way of life.

Once you moved to NYC your passion for Fashion

was stronger than your studies in architecture

and art… how do you remember the

decision to follow your feelings for Fashion?

Did you think about connect them both at that

time?

I have always loved fashion, from a very early age;

my first obsession with shoes started as a child,

watching my mom walk around in heels. She was

my muse and still is to this day. My mom’s heels

put her on a pedestal and today I keep that in

mind when designing. I like to think of myself as

a shoe architect… you need the correct foundation

or the shoe cannot support the wearer.

You were the first American Designer to be part

of Versace family hired by Mr Gianni Versace

“Design, regardless

of the field,

is fascinating to

me… art, architecture

and fashion.

To be a designer

and create

something that

evokes emotion in

people is one of

the most rewarding

feelings.”

in 1996. How do you remember your beginning

at the emblematic house and your own

development as designer, as person?

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was the only

person in the design studio who spoke English

and Mr. Versace, called me Brianino! I loved it.

He started me off working on Ready to Wear but

not long after that I was asked to work on accessories

and the rest is history. I was eventually

promoted to Chief designer of Versace’s shoes and

accessories.

The crazy thing about it is, as a kid, some of my

first sketches were of shoes and actually just before

I moved to Milan for the Versace job, a psychic

told me “I see you being famous for something to

do with feet.” Imagine that!

In 2001, your brand came alive and the name

of Brian Atwood to be part of the Fashion Industry

forever. How was the decision to create

your own label and how it all started?

I learned, from working at Versace, to never compromise

on what I believe in. By 2001, I was

ready to start my own business, so I didn’t hold

back. I spoke to Donatella about it, she thought

I was going to quit, but I actually stayed on and

did both for five years… worked for Versace and

started Brian Atwood.

I learned, there is never a right time to start a

business, but if you have passion and dedication,

you have to go after what you believe in. I am so

thankful I did.

An architect´s mind and a fashion designer…

How do you divide and at the same time connect

both fields in order to create the best shoe

for women who are looking for enhance their

silouhette and femininity?

Oh, that is simple! I connect the fields though

color, proportion and originality. Three very important

qualities across all areas of design.

The celebrities are a singular part of your

brand. How this all started? Is this part of your

business, something you learnt from the years

spent at Versace?

It started organically and it has been so much fun!

You know though, I get just as excited seeing

Brian Atwood shoes on the red carpet, as I do

when I see a customer walking down the street

in them.

We would like to know more about your obsessions:

The coast, Italy, sparkling colors, the

female definition, strong characters, summer,

the silence… What have they all in common

for you and why are them your “Obsessions”?

Emotion. They all bring out a different emotions

for me.

And at the end of the day, that is what inspires us

all right? Emotions.

Fashion is living a change in some of its rules.

How do you think the industry is adapting to

“I am beyond

lucky that my career

allows me to

do that everyday.

A shoe has the

power to change

someone’s attitude;

the moment

they slide their

foot into a pair

of heels is magical!

Seeing what

a shoe can do to

someone’s confidence

is inspiring;

it keeps me going

and motivates me.

Designing is not

my career, it is my

way of life.”

the present and future of the new generation to

come and their tastes?

That is what I love about the fashion industry… it

always finds a way to adapt to whatever comes its

way. Each generation has something to teach us.

We just have to embrace it and listen.

What Brian Atwood means for consumers and

what they can expect from you?

Brian Atwood is a sexy shoe that gives the wearer

confidence, and that will never change.

A question connected to your roots: An architect

to admire, follow and study?

Richard Neutra

John Lautner

Mies Van Der Rohe

Oscar Neimeyer

Frank Lloyd Wright

29

DESIGNER

L: 153,293 mm

LUKE MEIERX: 80,705 mm

Y: 216,161 mm

Former head designer of Supreme, Luke Meier (alongside Carhartt’s Arnaud Faeh) have launched menswear label OAMC. Since 2013, the label has subsequently

developed a cult following with its street-style aesthetics.

“The primary factor is proportions” - Arne Jacobsen

Introduction by Jessica Cooper

Interviewed by Jason Yesten

Portrait courtesy of Lucien Pages

2013 is the year OAMC born and re-wrote the

codes of the street elegance. Can you tell us

which were the codes to follow from the start

point of OAMC and the message you want to

provide to the consumers of your brand?

OAMC was created simply because I wanted to

make a luxury product that I could relate to. It is

a very personal project and design exercise for me.

The message is simple: high quality and relevant

design.

What Street elegance means for you and also,

how do you think the street wear is doing to

make fashion change the perception of luxury?

I don’t really care about categorizations like ‘street

wear’.

Fashion inherently is a reflection of culture, and

now youth culture is powerful.

There is nothing new about this concept as luxury

brands have always taken inspiration from

the street.

Some of your collections are trips to countries

and the perception of the season through their

vibes, style of life, textures… Example of this

is Tanzania.

Which connection do you get between a country

and what you create?

The trip I took to Tanzania had a significant effect

on me, and how I understand human vulnerability.

Clothing is an integral part of survival there, and

is not only functional but very beautiful. The experience

was an obvious inspiration for a collection.

“OAMC was

created simply

because I wanted

to make a luxury

product that I

could relate to. It

is a very personal

project and design

exercise for me.

The message is

simple: high quality

and relevant

design.”

Imagine a concept and make it happen with

street codes, is not that easy, as street wear is

in a constant change sometimes more than the

“typical” luxury fashion. How do you work in

term of timing and the constant evolution?

I really only design what I like. The evolution of

OAMC is simply what feels right to make at the

time.

Fashion is an industry has been growing with

not so many changes during decades. After

Mr Thierry Mugler, Mr Martin Margiela, Mr

Alexander McQueen or Mr Tom Ford with the

different styles and perception of what fashion

should be, now we are experimenting a newborn.

What is the direction, under your point

of view, fashion is taking or should take in the

near future?

Menswear specifically is getting more interesting.

People are embracing new ideas, new shapes, and

new fabrications. It makes creating more satisfying

because there is a wider possibility of ideas

that will be embraced. Fashion will continue to

change and I think people will continue to expect

a higher level of quality.

“I really only design

what I like.

The evolution of

OAMC is simply

what feels right to

The mix of cultures, traditional menswear and

functional design are codes of your brand. Do

you see yourself reflected in every piece designed?

Do you wear before to introduce or sale

some pieces to be sure is what you are looking

for?

I approach the design each season with the simple

question of what I would want to wear, and I

like to pull references from different things I have

experienced.

I fit many of the pieces on myself when they are

developed, and always wear our products to see

how they perform when incorporated into daily

life. I believe that it is important to feel how a

product moves and wears.

What is talking about the Fall/Winter 2016-17

collection and how long took the process from

the first concept to the backstage of the show?

The collection for Fall/Winter 2016 is based on

the concept of ‘Flight’, and it was realized over the

course of six months.

I incorporated both nature and manmade themes

and imagery into the collection, and it has a pre-

“The collection

for Fall/Winter

2016 is based on

the concept of

‘Flight’, and it

was realized over

the course of 6

months. I incorporated

both

nature and manmade

themes and

imagery into the

collection, and it

has a predominantly

military

aesthetic.”

make at the time.” dominantly military aesthetic. Some of the ideas

and developments were started much earlier than

six months, since the typical six month calendar

is not enough time for some ideas to manifest in

the right way.

We are always working on concepts that have no

particular time schedule and when they’re right,

we incorporate them into the collections.

Do you develop sketches and draw your

thoughts and ideas or you are more into the

digital era and the concepts are done via digital

references and mood boards?

I use many forms of media in the design process.

Often it will be analog, hand sketching or manipulating

fabric or an old reference sample. Other

times I will work with digital applications to get

the idea across. Everything is simply a tool and

whichever one helps to articulate the concept the

best is used.

What advice would you like to tell to all people

interested to create their own brand straight after

finish the university/school?

Only two words matter: minimum and calendar.

All the rest is up to your creativity. Have a clear

vision and do something original!

31

CASTING DIRECTORS

BARBARA & LEILA

Named by WWD as part of the five most authoritative casting duos in the industry Barbara Nicoli and Leila Ananna are responsible for launching countless

models careers and have collaborated with some of the biggest brands, stylists and photographers on the planet. Burberry, Gucci, David Sim, Versace and

Saint Laurent to utter a mere few names the pair have worked alongside, from catwalk to advertising and everything in between their client list reads like a

who’s who of the fashion world. Based in between two of the major fashion capitals, Milan and Paris, we sat down with the duo to find out more about what

goes into this elusive world of casting directors.

“Casting directors tend to be the unsung heroes in this business” - Brent Sexton

Interviewed by Ebonie Ray

Portrait of Leila by Jose Castellar

Portrait of Barbara by Zelinda Zanichelli

L: 65,35 mm

Let’s reminisce about the beginning and how

you two first began collaborating together?

Barbara: It was around eight or nine years ago

or perhaps even 10; I can’t remember exactly, it

seems to be so long long ago. I was working as

a casting director in a production company called

‘Without Production’, and Leila was assisting

John Pfeiffer for ‘Fashion Rocks’ (the annual international

charity fundraiser event, which features

fashions by the world’s top designers being

presented to live performances by popular music

acts) in Monaco organized by Bureau Betak. A

friend of mine, a really good producer who at

that time was collaborating with both production

companies introduced us to each other, thinking

we could be good ‘partners in crime’ and she was

so right! We had an immediate bonding and from

there on we never stopped working together.

What were the first jobs you worked on together

as casting directors?

Leila: It would be the casting for Gianfranco Ferré’s

womenswear collection presentation with its then

creative directors Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto

Rimondi (who later began their own Made in Italy

label Aquilano.Rimondi) with Camilla Nickerson

doing the styling.

Is it advantageous working as a team rather

than as a solo act casting agent? Do you usually

share the same tastes and vision during your

castings?

Barbara: For us it’s a total ‘plus’ and for the client

as well. We of course almost have the same aesthetic

vision, but the fact that there are two of us,

lends our castings more versatility and more personalized

attention for each client. Each of us

brings part of our personalities into the castings.

We complete each other.

Can you please describe the process of casting.

How much influence do brands and designers

have? Who has the final say and what are challenges?

Barbara: We never have the final say. No casting

director ever does. The client decides and selects

his own casting picks. We first select girls and suggest

the ones we think could be a good fit for the

client. The selection is based first and foremost

on the client’s aesthetic vision and secondly on

the budget for the show or campaign, this secondary

aspect might sound boring but it s also very

important. When we have a small budget we try

to make things interesting by telling a new story

with a new casting made of fresh faces. We like

to work with new faces which is often very challenging

but also stimulating. And of course the

most satisfying part of our job is to see the girls

we supported a lot beginning from a position

of being ‘completely unknown’ to becoming a

super-requested model in just a couple of seasons.

The industry has changed so much over the last

few years with the influence of social media

and increasing demands on designers. What

have been some of the most significant transitions

in the industry and how have they affected

your work as casting directors?

Leila: If you want to be good at your job, whatever

the job is, you have to remain updated . You cannot

base everything on your experience. Experience is

very important in helping one perform one’s job properly

and making your client very happy, but it’s not

enough. You always have to have a third eye which

makes you discover new visions and new fields. You

also have to accept that you can learn from kids and

you must never stop researching. I like to keep an eye

on young kids and see what they like, not only in

fashion, but in design and cinema. Through social

media and in general it’s easy to have a huge worldview.

You just have to decide from which side to

look at it all. So basically, our job has not changed

because of the brisk changes in fashion industry, I

think our job is naturally influenced by changes in

general. The important thing it’s to accept continual

change and remain contemporary and not be stuck

in a previous position just because it was working at

a certain moment. The power of social media and

economic crises, are constantly sending us signals

which one can’t ignore. You have to be able to take it

in the right way and in one’s stride.

How do you feel about the trend of casting

“models” from the streets and the casting of

celebrities? Do you think this preoccupation

will last?

Barbara: It’s just a way for casting directors to

express themselves. Some creative directors feel

better represented if they include a big or small

celebrity or million of followers/bloggers and this

is why they decide to have a show casting or a

campaign casting with either of them. Others are

more comfortable casting a ‘character’ because

they represent their vision better. In our opinion

what creates the best result is the consistency of

the decision taken. If the creative director trusts

in his/her decision the final result will be good.

“If you want to be

good at your job,

whatever the job

is, you have to

remain updated.”

These days, in each show season, so many new

faces are seen on the runways. It seems like the

demand for new models is only rising.

Do you think this is a positive occurrence or

do you prefer to work with familiar models repetitively?

Leila: We like working with both. The search for new

faces is one of the most important parts of our job

“We never have

the final say. No

casting director

ever does. The

client decides and

selects his own

casting picks.”

But of course we like to create a continuity with the

girls we really like and consider them part of our

team.

How important is it for you as casting directors

to discover the “next big thing” among models?

How do you know when you have found someone

exceptional?

Barbara: Finding the next big thing is the most satisfying

part of our job. The more clients request

a new face we discovered and support, the more

we are considered ‘good casting directors’. Sometimes

we are just lucky when we find an exceptional

beauty who it would be impossible not to

appreciate. Sometimes a face is just the right interpretation

of a specific moment in fashion. One

has to be quite sensitive to understand properly

what is considered beautiful and what it’s not...

Gucci is one of your most buzzed about clients

since the arrival of Alessandro Michele as the

label’s new creative director. What is it like to

work with a brand which is responsible for

strongly shaping new trends both in fashion

and model-casting?

Leila: It is definitely a huge challenge every season

and of course at the same time very stimulating.

A.M. knows what he wants. He has a very precise

vision which is very consistent, and that is the reason

why he is so successful.

What are the current or rising model-trends?

Barbara: It is more about personality, it could be

very good model; a famous blogger, a good artist,

a girl/boy followed by millions. It’s all about personality.

Finally, can you describe a day in the life of

Barbara and Leila during show season?

Barbara: It’s non-stop work for long and neverending

weeks. It’s like living in a sort of aquarium

that contains ‘fashion fishes’ and wherever you are

whether New York, London, Milan and finally

Paris always meeting the same people. It’s about

forgetting completely about ‘normal’ life. It’s true

that it’s difficult and sometimes very stressful

but it’s still also very very exciting, thank God,

otherwise we would be doing something else!

Line Nº: 10

Line Nº: 40

33

BUSINESSWOMAN

L: 60,178 mm


L: 8,908 mm L: 4,116 mm

L: 9,072 mm

L: 8,046 mm

Floriane de Saint Pierre is easily fashions most famous and in-demand headhunter. She’s responsible for hiring the greatest designers for the job: she’s placed

Christopher Bailey at Burberry, Alber Elbaz at Guy Laroche and Christophe Lemaire at Lacoste to say a few… Full of entrepreneurial spirit, she started her

own firm (Floriane de Saint Pierre et Associés) at the age of 26 and has been going on strong since.

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader” - John Quincy Adams


Interviewed by Pierre A.M

Portrait by J. Piatti

Can you tell us about yourself and how your career

evolved?

I am an entrepreneur, passionate about innovation

and the times I live in. I always wanted to work in

fashion and was closely exposed to creativity since

childhood as my parents loved contemporary art,

but I also realized early on that I was not a creative

talent. So I graduated from the ESSEC Business

School with a major in finance and joined Christian

Dior Couture right after it was acquired by

Mr. Arnault. I learned so much there, from working

with creatives and the Retail and International

departments.

After six years, I was approached by an executive

search firm and joined them with Christian Dior

Couture as my first client. Today, we work globally

with presence in Paris, Milan and New York

making brands ready for the 21st century from a

leadership standpoint.

I am also the founder of two digital platforms:

‘Ethics & Boards’ dedicated to governance of listed

companies and ‘Eyes on Talents’; the first platform

dedicated to connecting global innovative

brands with the best talent and giving professional

visibility to them. Among recent projects, we have

just given an Innovation Award at Parsons (School

of Design) to Angela Luna, who also won Parsons

Women’s Wear Designer of the Year. In design, we

present during D’Days the work of seven Eyes on

Talents Designers and all award-winners so that

people can view and access their work directly.

Why did you decide to focus on creative recruitment?

We work on recruiting brand leaders whether they

are CEOs or Creative Directors and their direct

reports. At the end of the day, a CEO must be a

creative thinker and leader, so must be a Creative

Director.

What skills are necessary to become a good

head-hunter?

It includes being passionate and curious about

the times; being a good listener and having the

intuition to view the evolution of society and its

impact on brands and organizations. In addition

an interest in people, a problem-solving mindset;

being precise, resilient, agile and able to work under

pressure. A doctor’s skill sets I guess!

What elements come into consideration when

you are looking for a designer to fill in an open

position?

The cultural fit with the spirit of the brand and

connection with the times. For a designer just as

for any position.

You were involved in the hiring of Alexander

Wang at Balenciaga. It lasted three years, the

duration of a contract. With hindsight, what do

you think went wrong?

Nothing went wrong! It worked on both sides;

both brands grew and both brands benefited in

terms of image. Brands always intend to grow further

and when a contract is up for renewal, there

may be new parameters to take into account: i.e.

being fully dedicated to your eponymous brand

when you are a designer or wanting to have more

time from a designer if you are a brand.

The same thing was true for Dior. Raf Simons for

Dior was a huge success for both parties, even if it

just lasted the time of the contract.

Why do you think the fashion industry feels

like a constant creative directors’ musical chair

game? What makes it so challenging for a designer

to renew a contract?

I am not sure about this. Yes, parties may decide

not to renew a contract but there are many

examples of longevity: Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy,

Tomas Maier at Bottega Veneta, Phoebe Philo at

Céline, Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri

at Valentino, etc.

The question is something else: will the luxury

brands continue building their activation on a

long-term relationship with a Creative Director or

will the Nike model of brand activation become

the new paradigm?

The industry is changing and the era of the superstar

over-the-top-persona designer is on the

decline. Now, the industry seems to be fond of

more anonymous ad oftentimes timid types,

with the collective being a very popular form

too. Is this something you and your clients find

difficult to adapt to?

It is not at all about being anonymous or timid. A

successful creative director doesn’t stay anonymous

long!

Shareholders and CEOs are mature enough to

choose or promote unknown talent, such as Alessandro

Michele at Gucci or an emerging collective

such as Vêtements at Balenciaga, Phoebe Philo at

the time at Chloé, or Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria

Grazia Chiuri at Valentino, and trust their inner

conviction.

It is always a success, and it has always been when

the creative mind expresses an individual and

inclusive expression of the spirit of the brand in

today’s times.

Do you believe in a single designer/CEO helming

a brand? Is the Burberry model started

by Christopher Bailey the way to protect both

creativity and commercial facets of a business?

What are your thoughts on this?

I do believe in Creative Leadership, whether the

creative leader is a trained designer or a business

mind with strong creative views. In my views, there

is no difference between Mark Parker, CEO of

Nike, a former Footwear designer and Steve Jobs,

who was not trained in design but had strong creative

cultural instincts and views.

Today, no brand is successful with poorly-designed

products, in any category, including basic products

such as water, think Evian, or in any services,

think Airbnb. Today, where the excellence and the

integrity of a product or a service is a given, design

content makes the difference for the audience. It

creates empathy.

Going back to Paris, what in your opinion is

the relevance of Haute Couture today? Does

it remain important for the city as a point of

influence? Is it an obsolete form of business as

some have said?

I do believe in fundamental research, I do believe

in innovation and I do believe in creativity that

is in synchrony with the times. Haute Couture is

relevant as long as this is the case. I also do believe

that ‘luxury’ products always have a dimension of

societal innovation, and I am convinced that this

dimension of societal innovation has been put

aside for too many years and now will be pivotal

again.

You are also an advocate of women, pointing out

their underrepresentation in the CAC40, the

Parisian stock exchange, grouping the country’s

Top Forty companies. Considering the fact that

women represent the lion’s share of the fashion

industry, why are so few in positions of power?

I am the Founder of Ethics & Boards, the first digital

platform that produces instant rankings on

any criteria of board composition to help strategize

and monitor governance. Rankings are namely on

gender, nationalities, independence, busy directorships,

as well as board on members’ fees and

CEO’s compensation. We monitor stock market

indexes as well as our own E&B indexes, including

the E&B Fashion & Luxury Index.

What initiatives have you launched to help better

the situation of women in the fashion industry?

Moreover, what do you think still needs to

be done?

We have launched a Governance index, “Ethics &

Boards Fashion & Luxury,” that ranks listed companies

by gender, among other criteria. I strongly

believe that the visibility of data makes leaders take

decisions. Ethics & Boards is the partner of the

French Government to monitor the application

of the Copé Zimmermann Law (law for quotas of

women on Boards).

At the end of May 2016, 38,7% of women were

sitting in CAC40 boards but only 27,4% in the

33 listed companies of the E&B Fashion & Luxury

Index. However, it is interesting to see that

CAC40 companies have only 13,5% of women

at the Executive Committee level, while E&B

Fashion & Luxury Executive Committees have

23,3%.

And of course, we also increase leader’s awareness

when we work on board or senior management

teams that are unbalanced gender-wise.

On a more personal note, as a Collector of Contemporary

Art and Photography, a few years ago I

decided to dedicate my collection to Women Artists.

It is a fascinating journey!

I am also the President of the Benefactors of

AWARE (Archives for Women Artists Research

& Exhibitions), a non-profit organization to provide

knowledge and visibility on women’s artists,

through a dedicated website. I am not a feminist,

I am a humanist, passionate about talent and its

recognition!

35

SET DESIGNER

R

SIMON COSTIN

Simon Costin is a legendary Art Director and Set Designer known for creating some of the most infamous show spaces. He has worked with the likes of

Alexander McQueen to Givenchy to Hermès and more. Currently, Costin is busy working with Gareth Pugh as his set designer, designing Pugh’s last eight

shows.

“You have to dream before your dreams can come true” - A.P. J. Abdul Kalam


Interviewed by Petra Desentia

Portrait by Luke Stephenson

What is your favourite story of British folklore

and does your own personal wardrobe and house

décor reflect your passion for this topic?

There are so many fantastic seasonal customs in the

UK but one of my favourite has to be the Barrel

Burning in Ottery St Mary, East Devon. It is a tradition

dating from the 17th century. The residents

of the village run through the streets with wooden

barrels, which have been soaked in tar and set

alight. What I like about it is that it involves the

whole village, from youth’s aged from 11 years to

16 years, women and men. Also, it retains a genuine

sense of danger, as the barrels are big, burning

and hurled through the crowds on the backs of the

runners. It really has the sense of something ancient

and primordial.

You’re the Founder of the Museum of British

Folklore, the Director of the Museum of Witchcraft,

involved in undisclosed other projects

with world-famous fashion houses, involved in

two books, and numerous exhibitions , how do

you find time to do all this? When do you sleep?

I’ve always thrived on doing. As a child I was

constantly making and drawing and as an adult

nothing has changed. I think if you have a creative

mind, it can be both a blessing and a curse.

On the one hand you are always excited by new

projects and striving to work in new ways. On the

other hand it can be very frustrating when things

don’t move as quickly as you might like them to.

I’m generally a very calm person and I thrive on

working. The difference being is that when you are

doing something that really excites you, it is never

a chore only a pleasure.

Do you prefer indoor or outdoor fashion sets?

Where would you love to do one that you’ve not

done already?

I’ve no preference as to whether a fashion shoot

is indoors or out. The key thing is to select the

environment that best suits the story. Obviously,

when shooting outdoors anywhere, the weather

will always present challenges but that can be exciting

in itself and lead to unexpected results which

would never happen in the controlled environment

of the studio.

You’ve spoken before about the need for artists

to work within budgets and creativity being

uninhibited by funds, but if you did have an

unlimited budget, and could go as all-out crazy

as you wanted, what would you design?

There is an appalling amount of waste within the

fashion industry. With unlimited funds it would

be good to create a sustainable sculpture park,

where marginalised and disadvantaged groups

would have access to all the wood, paper, fabric,

paint etc which is left after a fashion show or shoot

and to be able to work with artists to create new

works.

Despite the initiatives such as the Museum of

British Folklore, do you think it is a segment of

the cultural spectrum that is being increasingly

marginalised and seen as trivial in this digital,

scientific age?

I think it depends on what you presume folklore

to be. Is the Notting Hill Carnival trivial? I don’t

think so. Groups of people create folklore all the

time. Children’s playground games, online conspiracy

theories, forms of behaviour and language

created by various social groups, all these things

can be seen as being folkloric. Professor Ronald

Hutton summed up the meaning of folklore very

well when he said that, ‘Folklore is the record of

what ordinary people have believed. And so it gives

us a totally unique insight into the way in which

people have felt, feared, loved, explored, speculated

and thought in general’.

You’ve said that one of the purposes of the Impossible

Catwalk Shows exhibition at the Fashion

Space Gallery is to dream and speculate.

Do you think that in this modern non-stop age

of ever faster transfers of information, money

and emotion not enough people stop and do

this?

To dream and speculate is a luxury. Most people

are busy simply trying to survive in these harsh times.

For creative people it is a vital part of what we

do, or at least it should be. I’m about to run a week

long workshop at Boisbuchet in France looking at

ways of Magical Thinking and dreaming will play

a big part in that.

Can you remember one of the best daydream

moments that led to one of your most feted creations,

and where were you when it happened?

I was in Florence some years ago, sitting with a

sketch book in the Boboli Gardens when a producer

friend called me to ask if I would design a Ball

on the theme of Cinderella. I happened to have

been reading Bruno Bettleheim’s, ‘The Uses of

Enchantment’ which outlines this. It would have

been so easy to have made the ball simply pretty

and classically ‘fairytale’ like. Instead I mused

about taking the guests on a journey, one which

drew from the original story, which is far darker

than you might imagine. What might happen if,

when the guests arrived, they were denied entry to

the party but were shown into the kitchen instead

and served fruit juices out of earthenware mugs

instead of champagne from fine stemmed glasses?

What might happen if guests found a room filled

with blood filled trays and knives as a reference to

the step-mother encouraging her two daughters

to cut their toes and heels off to fit into the glass

slipper? What might happen if guests came upon

a beautiful, ornate hallway which was filled with

trees to create a forest, where everything on a long

central table, which appeared to be forest mushrooms,

acorns and moss, was all actually made

from chocolate and edible? What might happen

if... In the end all these things did happen but I

wonder if I would have thought of them had I

not been dreaming in the Boboli Gardens on that

spring afternoon.

Before you were well-known, or before people

recognised your talent, did you ever come up

against severe criticism, and how did you react?

Do you have any other life hack tips for other

unique-thinking creatives out there?

Thankfully I have never had any severe criticism,

other than the sort I give myself. When I’m talking

to students I always try to get them to stay

true to themselves. Don’t create work because you

think other people will like it. Create it because it

speaks to you, however strange and uncommercial

that might seem at the time. Creativity values the

unconventional.

Working and moving in a world where so much

is larger than life, if you could be any of the

characters from Alice in Wonderland which one

would you be, and why?

I know it’s predictable but I’d have to say the Hatter.

I always loved his bizarre turn of phrase and his

dippiness. He is not a terribly good time-keeper,

which is a very bad fault of mine too.

From an early age when you were burying your

brother to film his zombie-resurrection and making

fires, you’ve been unconventional, which

has been mirrored in your career, challenging

the ‘standard’ format of catwalks, wanting to do

street casting, impromptu shows in shopping

centers; did you set out to be a revolutionary, or

did it just happen?

Have you ever wanted to be more “mainstream”

because swimming against the tide can be hard

work?

Never. For a start I don’t really know any other

way to conduct myself. As you mention, I was

never one to be out playing football in a gang, I

was far too busy with my little, somewhat bizarre,

projects. If you have all these ideas buzzing away

in your head as a child, the only way to get rid

of them is to live them out. It wasn’t until much

later that I discovered, much to my surprise, that it

might just be possible to make a living from swimming

against the tide.

You like to design your sets to be fully immersive

experiences for the audience; any thoughts

of what might come next? Something using 3D

technology? Models moving through the crowd

rather than on a catwalk? Silent disco style fashion

shows?

I tend to live in the moment and am always happy

to embrace new technology. I recently worked on

a show where I had to learn the fundamentals of

video mapping, a form of 3D projection. It was

something which I’ve only ever seen before and

have never used personally. It opened up all sorts

of ideas as to other ways it could be used but it has

it’s limitations, as the minute you turn any other

light source on it vanishes.

As for what’s coming next, who knows but it

would be nice to find a client who would let me

introduce some new ideas in terms of how fashion

could be presented.

L: 21,3 mm

37

DESIGNER

MARTIN ANDERSSON

Mr Andersson has been the Head of Menswear design at COS from 2008. Since graduating from Central Saint Martins, he worked at a number of other

British brands and even started his own label. Now his power is to build a stronger concept for COS year by year.

“I think it’s really important to design things with a kind of personality” - Marc Newson


Interviewed by Zurain Imam

Portrait courtesy of Area Comunicación

2

To begin, please elaborate on the genesis of COS

(Collection of Style); how it developed into fruition

and describe your role and that of your design

partner, Karin Gustafsson.

COS was created through the H&M Group,

who discovered a gap in the market for a brand

which focused on quality designs at acceptable

“high-street” prices. Since 2007, COS has stood

for creating collections that are understated rather

than showy, functional instead of overly styled and

timeless as opposed to seasonal. Karin (Gustafsson,

COS Creative Director and head of women’s wear

design) and I work closely together with our design

team to ensure that both the men’s and women’s

collection complement each other. We often take

trips together; for inspiration or to discover new

fabrics, followed by a brainstorming session to discuss

the direction for each season.

As head of menswear, what are your sources of

inspiration and how are they incorporated into

your design aesthetic at COS?

When designing a collection, the design team go

on a series of inspiration trips, where we collate

various books, images of artworks, fabric cuttings

and a range of other objects that inspire us. Our

inspiration can truly be sourced from anywhere!

Managing Director, Marie Honda has said the

brand “is heavily influenced by architecture and

design.” From your perspective, please explain

how these concepts are integrated into the creation

of each of your collections.

Since the inception of COS, we have always looked

to create collections and garments which are modern,

timeless, functional and tactile by choosing

not to look at classic definitions of trends, but

instead allowing ourselves to be influenced by different

and sometimes surprising sources of inspiration.

These sources tend to stem from the worlds

of art and design. Karin and I, along with the COS

design team, are all heavily inspired by what we see

around us and this is largely from the art and design

world. We’re lucky enough to be based in a

city (Stockholm) which provides us with so much

culture and design at our fingertips.

Which four words would you use to describe

your collections?

We’ve always used the words tactile, modern,

functional and timeless to describe all areas of the

brand, from the collections to the interiors of our

stores.

As a subsidiary of H&M, COS caters to a market

between high-street and high fashion. What design

fundamentals are required to develop such

an aesthetic? And, how would you describe the

clientele of this market?

We have always wanted to offer high end design

and high quality at an affordable price. We put a

great deal of time and effort into researching our

best production options and we review garments’

fit, style and fabric numerous times in order to get

the best result possible for the customer. Our customers

should feel they are purchasing garments

that offer the best quality for the price point. From

our collections to our store design, we ensure that

the attention to detail is a priority and that we

are consistent in our approach to all facets of the

brand. We have been told in the past that customers

see us as filling a gap between designer brands

and the high street.

Since joining COS in 2008, what has been your

biggest contribution to the brand as a designer?

And, how do you see this creative input developing

over the next five years?

For me, it has been such an exciting journey to

have grown and developed with the brand, and to

see the menswear collection mature each season. As

a designer, it’s very rare to have the opportunity to

help shape and mould a brand from its beginnings.

I’m proud of our design team and the collections

we are able to produce each season and we have

been very fortunate that the brand has received

a positive response in each market we have entered

to date. Earlier in the year we continued our

European expansion with the opening of our first

store in Prague. This autumn we are excited to add

a further four new markets, including Romania,

Latvia and Malaysia. For us, being able to continue

our expansion into new markets and grow in our

existing markets is what we hope to achieve each

year. In terms of our design and our collections, we

continually strive to explore new fabrications and

finishes season upon season. The COS brand ethos

has always been to create modern, timeless, tactile

and functional collections and it is our hope to

hold on to this direction and continue to maintain

and evolve this ethos and aesthetic.

As a brand that defies industry standards;

doesn’t hold fashion shows and is detached from

advertising, what three forms of communicating

the brand’s ethos does COS find most indispensable?

And, in what innovative ways does the

brand interact with its consumers?

We maintain a dialogue with the customer through

the COS magazine, where we communicate our

personality through imagery, features and interviews

with people and places that we feel have a

synergy with COS values. We believe that our customer

shares our interests in art and design and we

value the opportunity to give something back to

our customers.

With an affinity for collaboration, what are

some of COS’ most memorable collaborations

to date? And, how will these design partnerships,

as well as those that are forthcoming, shape

the brands future?

For us, our collaborations with institutions, designers

and artists has been our way of giving back,

not only to our customers, but also to those who

have inspired us. It is very exciting and humbling

that we have these ongoing relationships with organisations

such as the Serpentine Galleries or

fairs such as Salone as it enables us to strengthen

our bond with the worlds of art and design and

share our enthusiasm for both with our customers.

This year at Salone it was great to see Sou Fujimoto

create a ‘Forest of Light’. It was such an interesting

installation and it was inspiring to see visitors interact

with it. This year has also seen us work locally

in both Germany and Sweden, working with artist

Michael Sailstorfer who created the installation

‘Silver Cloud’ ahead of Gallery Weekend Berlin,

and partnering with Market Art Fair, where we

created the social meeting space ‘Scenery’, which

has been a great way for us to continue to support

local talent.

In terms of innovation and brand development,

what is COS’ contribution to fashion, its brand

objectives and overall message?

At COS we have always been a brand that has put

our ethos of timeless design over anything trenddriven.

We have always striven to create collections which

last beyond the season, focusing on giving our

customers essential pieces to complement their

everyday wardrobes. We also work hard to constantly

develop new fabrics that are technologically

progressive while reinventing the silhouettes of

‘traditional’ or ‘classic’ garment styles such as the

white shirt.

Please highlight your relationship with the Serpentine

Galleries Park Nights in London and

explain your involvement, if any, with Bjarke

Ingels (BIG), the Danish architect, who recently

designed a three-dimensional space featuring an

‘unzipped wall’ for the gallery called, the Serpentine

Pavilion.

This year will be our fifth year working with the

Serpentine Galleries sponsoring the Park Nights,

which sees the Pavilion, this year created by Bjarke

Ingels Group (BIG), act as a concert venue, auditorium,

screen space and forum for political debate;

all the while proffering the audience with a new

way in which to encounter architecture. Supporting

emerging artists has always been important

to us and through this partnership we continue to

support new and established artists from the fields

of art, architecture, dance, music, film, poetry and

performance.

Although we do not have a direct relationship with

the Pavilion itself, we are always excited each year

to see how different architects interpret the space at

Kensington Gardens!

Outside of your role for COS, how would you

define your personal style? And, what is your favourite

item of clothing?

My wardrobe is mostly comprised of black and

white! I like to dress-down formal tailoring pieces

with T-shirts and slip-on sneakers or a pair of

boots; or alternatively dress-up a pair of beaten-up

denims with dress shoes and a crisp white shirt. I

buy a lot of military surplus; parkas and bomber

jackets and otherwise I tend to buy classic brands

with a modern twist.

39

ICON

SHIRLEY MULDOWNEY

L: 160,187 mm

Shirley Muldowney, also professionally known as “Cha Cha” and “The First Lady of Drag Racing” is by all accounts the most badass woman to ever grace the

American auto racing circuit and sporting arena in general. Shirley quite literally blazed the trail for woman in competitive sports by out toughing the men

of her generation. NHRA has ranked her number five on its permanent list of the sport’s 50 all-time greatest drivers, and inducted her into the International

Motorsports Hall of Fame. With a duel desire to not only compete and win, but to break down any barrier stereotypes “The First Lady of Drag racing”

continues to race well in her sixties and remains a fan favorite of racing and history maker in her field.

“There is more to life than increasing its speed” - Mahatma Gandhi


Portrait courtesy of Ron Geiger

Hi Shirley. You’ve have had such an amazing

life. What was growing up in New York like and

what were your interests back then before you

ventured into motorsports?

I grew up in New York in the ‘40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s,

other than the time I spent on the farm in Vermont

in my early years. I didn’t like school very much

and I am realizing now that was a mistake. Well

I realized a long time ago, it would have come in

handy, I must say. I liked horses. I would venture

out to the outskirts of the city hitchhiking to get

a chance to ride the horses at the horse barn. We

would make trades. We could ride if we mucked

stalls, that sort of thing. I was more or less a street

kid. I had part-time jobs. I worked at Kresge’s Five

and Dime. I worked at the Dutch Boy car hop.

That’s where I met Jack Muldowney. We would go

street-racing. The two of us worked in the kitchen.

It was a car hop type place where they had waitresses.

I can’t remember if the waitresses were on roller

skates or not, but the food was really good and it

attracted a lot of hot rodders, (classic American car

enthusiasts) so that’s how I got introduced to the

local hot rodders. Jack Muldowney would give me

a ride home from work and we would go racing up

and down the city streets as a form of recreation,

and that’s really how it started. He was a post-graduate

and I was getting ready to drop out, I figured

that’s what I wanted to do. I finished my junior

year and we got married. I was 16 and he was 19.

How influential was Jack, an avid hot rod racer

and mechanic, in your choice of venturing into

drag racing?

Jack was very instrumental in forming my career,

he taught me how to drive a car. We worked together

on cars. He would teach me. If he was doing

something that was obviously not something I was

familiar with, he would stop what he was doing

and take the time to show me what he was doing

and why he was doing it He taught me. So I learned

pretty much how to save myself if I was on

the road without him, which didn’t happen until

later years. We raced together and that’s how it all

began. We moved from Schenectady up to, around

the Adirondack mountains, north of Lake George,

in a small town, Chesterfield, NY and we lived there

for a year. Our son John was born in February

1958 and we moved back down to Schenectady. It

was just much too cold to live up north like that.

We ventured out and we decided to come back

home. I went back to work at the Dutch Boy and

he went to work at a car dealership. We would race

our street cars at Fonda and that’s how I went to

my first organized drag strip in 1958.

You paved the way not only for female drivers

but female athletes in all sports. How difficult

was it being a woman in such a male-dominated

industry during that era?

Well I don’t know if it was an industry; it was a

hell hole. Very, very tough. There was no acceptance

whatsoever. If Jack Muldowney hadn’t been

the one to push me and allow me to do the driving

while he tuned the car that beat the boys, I would

have never gone on from there. Everyone gives different

people credit for my career, but the only

one that deserves real credit is Jack Muldowney.

Absolutely Jack Muldowney.

How did you deal with the inherent sexism in

the racing culture of that time? Did it bother

you?

Yes it did and I just fought back. Since my youngest

years in school I had had to be a fighter. I went to

a pretty rough school in downtown Schenectady. I

had some good friends though that protected me.

I was tiny, very little; 100 lbs. I wasn’t much of a

fighter but I could hold my own. My father was

good at showing me the ropes and what I could do

to get the upper hand. Street kids are street kids’

you do whatever you can to save your ass. Without

Jack, I would have never made it. We went to organized

drag strips on Wednesday nights and that’s

where I encountered a lot of hostility.

In 1984 you experienced a near-fatal crash in

Montreal when your vehicle spun out of control.

Would you kindly recount that terrifying

experience?

Well, it was series of things that happened. It was

all because of a failure in the high-speed parts. It

was sort of like a domino effect. We were very accustomed

to losing front rubber off the cars because,

first of all, Goodyear, who supplied all of the

rear tires, you know the big slicks, they were the

tire to run.

They had no front tire effort in the sport. So everybody

relied on a European motorcycle type tire.

I can’t think of the name of it but that’s what we

used. They were tube type tires and this time the

tube came out of the tire at 250 mph. I was in

the left lane at Montreal qualifying at a national

event and the tire didn’t leave the car like it always

did 100% of the time. It stayed with the car and

the tube came from the inside of the set-up and it

wrapped itself around the steering arm and around

the spindle and it became tighter and tighter. So

tight that I could not hang on to it. It became

so tight and heavy and I had to make a decision

whether to go for the chutes or not and I went

for the chutes to get them out. I came back to the

front wheel and it jerked it out of my hands to the

left and the car went at a 90 degree angle off the

racetrack and impacted an embankment that was

off to the left of the pavement so I really didn’t

have a chance.

When it did that, it tore my right thumb off, it did

it with such force. I have a picture of the car, which

had already veered to the left and straightened itself

out. It was already over a big embankment and the

car simply fell into the embankment and you could

see my white glove. I’m holding my right hand

up. It’s weird but I have that picture. The white

object was my glove. (I always wore white gloves

for a number of reasons. They were easy to see on

the starting line at night if I wanted to call a crew

member back over to the car, since when the cars

care running, you can’t hear. That was a way of

getting the crew members attention). So, the car

disintegrated when it hit. The car had been sandblasted

twice for paint and as a result of that (we

figured out later) it made it brittle. The car simply

disintegrated. The tubing just shattered like glass

and it broke off at the top of my hips. The front

end of the car was gone and my legs were exposed

for about the 300 feet that I tumbled from point

of impact. So as a result it beat me up pretty bad. I

took an awfully big ride.

Your rivalries with Don Garlits and Connie

Kalitta are legendary. How intense were those

relationships and how important were they in

fueling your desire to be the best?

Don and I continued to be fierce competitors right

up until we both retired, he before I did. Looking

back I believe, knowing what I know now, and

knowing 99.9% of what most people don’t know,

I believe that Connie Kalitta was very detrimental

to my career. Extremely detrimental. He got way

more credit than he deserved and he stole the credit

from Jack Muldowney. One of the biggest mistake

I made in my career, was getting hooked up

with Connie Kalitta.

Have you kept in touch with any of your competitive

rivals from those days?

Some of them. Garlits and I talk. And I keep up

with people though the sport. But I’m pretty much

a loner. I’m pretty happy with my life the way it is.

I would love to be driving but the accident took a

lot out of me two; knee replacements and a fused

ankle. Even though I drove 19 more years, still the

wear and tear took a lot out of me.

Finally, Shirley can you tell ODDA who was responsible

for giving you the nickname Cha Cha

and what is its significance?

I can’t tell you the guy’s name. I think it was sort

of that guy’s “opinion.” The car I was driving was a

‘58 red Chevrolet convertible with a white top and

it was lowered all the way. It was really “swoopy”

and I would take it up to Sanford, Maine and dragrace

up there up in the northeast and that’s where I

acquired the name.

The guy that put your number on your car window,

in terms of what class you were going to fall

into at that particular race, he wrote Cha Cha on

the side window my car with shoe polish. It was

really cute how he did it. He separated one Cha

from the other Cha and it just stuck. Nicknames

were very much synonymous with the sport in

the early days... Big Daddy, Don the Snake, Tom

Mongoose, TV Tommy Ivo. Ivo told me I was making

a big mistake not promoting that nickname

and the best thing I could do was paint the car

pink and that is exactly what I did. And that’s how

it all began. There’s really no story behind it. But

my fans loved it, they really loved it. The name was

a lot shorter than Shirley Muldowney and it got a

lot of attention, so that’s why I used the moniker

for a number of years.

L: 103,087 mm

41

OUTDOOR

by Kyle Johnson

Taking our efforts outside, this issue embarks upon a process of creative discovery through the interpretation

of visual stimuli we find exterior to our world inside. We discover the process of perception

and travel through a thematic journey, taking in our surroundings and reflecting on what we see and

how it makes us feel. It’s a journey of interviews, fashion stories and artwork, revealing the nature of

an innate environment, where manmade objects like architecture and sculpture coexist with the pure,

raw underpinnings of a native landscape. Emphasizing fashion’s connection to the outdoors, we visit

the Iris Van Herpen Archives at Bolwoningen by Dries Kreijkamp in The Netherlands, Special Prada at

Prada Marfa in Texas, and the unique fast food structures in LA with Presley Gerber. At every angle, the

stories draw inspiration, as does fashion, from the essential, fundamental and indigenous, by paying

homage to the fashion industries visceral connection to open-air environments.

“I THINK ARCHITECTURE HAS TO BE A GIFT”

JEAN NOUVEL

Heavy Duty Outlet with Convenience Outlet

Local Area Network Outlet

Triplex Outlet

Special purpose connection or provision for connection

Electrical Outlet

43

APSE

Photographer AARON MICHAEL · Fashion Editor KYLE LUU · Art Director ALVA GALIM · Model MADISON STUBBINGTON @IMG Models

Location FLUSHING MEADOWS - CORONA PARK, NYC

Total look GUCCI

Dress KENZO

Hand Ties MIU MIU

Boots MARC JACOBS

Bonnet STYLIST´S OWN

Dress KENZO

Hand Ties MIU MIU


Sunglasses PRADA S/S 2010 ARCHIVE

Hat CHANEL

Necklace DRIES VAN NOTEN

Belt worn as top and trousers RODARTE

Boots MARC JACOBS

Dress, corset, belt and necklace PRADA

Necktie, earring and gloves RODARTE

Belt worn as top and trousers MIU MIU

Boots FENDI

Dress LOEWE

Sunglasses CHRISTIAN DIOR 2005 ARCHIVE

Belt PRADA

Skirt and top JIL SANDER

Necklace DRIES VAN NOTEN

Make-up Artist DEANNA MELLUSO for BOBBI BROWN @The Wall Group · Hair Stylist SABRINA SZINAY @The Wall Group · Photographer Assistant GRACE ANN LEADBEA-

TER · Fashion Assistants BEN ACHILLES, SASHON BURTON

Boots FENDI

Top and skirt J.W. ANDERSON

Corset PRADA

Boots and coat FENDI


ETTORE SOTTSASS

THE MOST CURIOUS ONE

by Taylor Edward

For Ettore Sottsass, the process of design went eye to eye with an outlook on one’s life, a perception and concept of the

World-ultimately that abstract yet powerfully determining factor, whether learned or decided, that inevitably inform

one’s knowledge, opinions, desires, and therefore the behaviour and circumstances of the individual.

Essentially we speak of a self-direction, something he had encouraged as one finding his own way, not in following

of a status quo or reliance upon hierarchal structures, himself neither in favour of institutions nor institutional ideas.

It is similarly this guidance of one’s singular autonomy, and where that might lie collectively, that the highly regarded

movement of Memphis Group, originally founded by Sottsass, seems to have approached questions of design next to.

Sottsass is oftentimes associated with a few superstar designs that have went on to be iconic, serving now as reference

point to him or introduction to his work.

There was the wildly popular Olivetti Valentine Typewriter come seeming fashion statement, the impeccable Torino

Esposizioni in Turin, the Carlton Room Divider, an idea he sketched that came to him while on a telephone call,

Telefono Enorme, and Rodeo Drive’s Mayer-Schwartz Gallery, to name few.

His process is said to have always began with drawing, one rather attuned to something instinctual, with the span of

his interests and work far in reach and variability. Having designed everything from buildings to products to furniture,

and working with a number of other varied mediums such as photography, writing, painting and ceramics, Sottsass

was in every way a reservoir of full fledged expressiveness, resilient to much if any definition, and rejoiced in himself

as an accumulation of all of these things.

A most devoted architect however, he has many a time described himself primarily as such, with everything else under

the term’s umbrella or no term at all. For Mr Sottsass, in any case, life was not a compartmentalised happening, and

all was considered to be continuous, fair game, occurring in the now, and of a larger idea without limit nor pause.

Sottsass’ attitude consisted of the idea that design itself had a great purpose in assisting people become more aware of

their lives and how they interacted with space on a daily basis or in any given scenario. He designed with this in mind,

understanding that the factor of design itself could reshape one’s habits and perceptions of particular things- most

importantly the way something could be done.

That is to say, it was Sottsass who was led by a process realising that the design of a chair could suggest a new way of

sitting, that a utensil could propose the individual a new take on how even to eat.

The possibilities go on and endlessly on, mild to wild and all in between, the intention itself unlocking the vast potential

in reinterpretation.

An expansion or redefinition of perception perhaps, or anything at all the person may please would seem to be a very

deliverable idea from the late, great Sottsass.

57

Shirt PRADA

THERMAE

Photographer JORGE PÉREZ ORTIZ · Fashion Editor ALBA MELENDO

Special thanks DEMETRIO BAFFA TRASCI AMALFITANI & GIOVANNI CHIANESE CARACCIOLO

Gianluca di Gennaro wears

Sneakers NIKE

Sweater Z ZEGNA

Trousers SANKUANZ

Jacket DIESEL BLACK GOLD

Shirt KAPPA

Sneakers ADIDAS

Trousers SEAN SUEN

T-shirt VINTAGE

Jacket MOSCHINO

Trousers DIESEL

Shirt SEAN SUEN

Jacket ACNE STUDIOS

Trousers

CANALI

Jacket

TOMMY HILFIGER

Shirt MSGM

T-shirt YAMAHA

Sandals BIRKENSTOCK

Trousers MAISON MARGIELA

Total look GIVENCHY BY RICCARDO TISCI

ARCHITECT

MARIO BOTTA

Mario Botta’s is considered by many, some what of an architectural anomaly. Not one to be defined, he is without question a constructive master. Having

opened his first studio in Lugano, Switzerland at the tender age of 27, Botto’s trademark sober and powerful geometric style can be seen on display widely

throughout Switzerland and the world over. Being dubbed as a genius of “postmodern classicism” in his early years, the Swiss born doyen has since been

commissioned on dozens of internationally renowned structures and, is today among the most noted architects of our generation. With a career spanning

over 50 years we were curious to know what makes Mario Botta’s work stand the test of time.

“It is not possible to live in this age if you don’t have a sense of many contradictory forces” - Rem Koolhaas


Portrait by Markus Bühler-Rasom

Mario, you’ve had an amazing career and lived

such an interesting life. What influence did

being “schooled” among three of the giants of

the architectural world, Le Corbusier, Louis

Kahn and Carlo Scarpa have on your own vision?

The city of Venice was the link with these three

masters. I was a student at the Università Iuav

di Venezia (IUAV) at the time of their involvement

in some projects for the city. Carlo Scarpa

was also my professor at the University. They

were epic characters who witnessed the changes in

20th, century culture; who savoured the achievements

of the Avant-Garde and placed themselves

in the wake of the new revolutions of electronics

and of the globalized world. Their teachings and

their ethical behaviour have profoundly influenced

my choice to undertake this extraordinary job

that transforms a condition of nature into a condition

of culture.

You have been described as ‘Neo-realist’ and

a ‘Fundamentalistic Classicist’. Do you think

these labels are accurate or is your process and

style ever-changing?

All labels are approximate and sometimes even

useless. When I am faced with a piece of blank

paper on the drawing table all definitions disappear;

they do not help me to develop the project.

The constant is the ethical tension that sustains

me in the search of living values for people.

Can you briefly describe your works’ creative

process? Does it differ each time, or do you

have a formula you like to follow when creating

something new?

The constant element in the creative process is the

seizure of the place, of the context. The knowledge

of the site is the first action. Then, after its interpretation,

the architect starts a process (sometimes

a slow one) in the search for a new quality

of environmental balances.

Your designs are distinctively simplistic. Why

is this such an important feature in your architecture?

Is it simply your personal taste or does

“When I am faced

with a piece

of blank paper on

the drawing table

all definitions disappear;

they do

not help me to develop

the project”

it have more to do with functionality or some

other purposeful component?

I prefer primary and simple shapes. I believe they

can be easily read and understood and the presence

of recognizable points of reference and images

is certainly a value for man’s living space.

What are the fundamental elements of contemporary

architecture today? Are there any guiding

constituents for developing and creating a

beautiful and contemporary structure?

Like many other expressive forms, architecture

witnesses the spirit and the behaviours of a community.

There is a direct relationship between the culture

of an epoch and its buildings. For this reason we

can interpret architecture as the formal expression

of history. Contemporary architecture is the

mirror of the great possibilities and of the great

contradictions that characterize today’s life. Each

architect looks for his/her own spatial, formal and

poetic values. The guiding constituent is that of

finding a balance and a quality of the spaces that

can still render emotions.

Readers may be curious to know how the surrounding

environment affects your approach

to a design? Is this something you need to consider

greatly at the onset of each project or is

the environment secondary to the design?

As already stated above, I think that the site is

an integral part of the architectural work. I don’t

think that architecture can be limited to the built

work. On the contrary, its essential values are in

the spatial relationships that the building establishes

with the site.

Are there any particular countries, sites or cultures

that have had a major impact or influence

on you and your work?

The history, the culture, the geography of the places

where I live (the Lakes region or the Prealps)

have a series of living values that only require to

be reinterpreted.

I think that in our time the territory of memory is

a privileged space of interpretation and research,

which is still able to nurture thoughts and hopes

in the world of architecture. Resorting to memory

enables one to establish a relation between the

new reality and a history that belongs to us.

Why do you frequently use brick in your work

and are there other materials you like to work

with?

Do the materials in your designs intentionally

correspond with their geographical environment?

I always try to use natural materials: stone, brick,

and sometimes concrete. Every material has an

expressive strength I try to capture and connect

with the territory where I work. I love materials

that endure.

Healthy ageing of materials is an important value

in architecture.

“What has excited

me are building

types that have

allowed me to

investigate some

major topics such

as the quality of

space, the importance

of light and

of silence”

You have worked on a very varied range of

projects. Are there any particular types of buildings

that you get exceptionally excited about?

Architects do not choose what to do. They have

to comply with the clients’ requests. This is a paradoxical

but also charming aspect of our job. In

any case, I have had the privilege of dealing with

sacred spaces (churches, synagogues, and mosques).

What has excited me are building types

that have allowed me to investigate some major

topics such as the quality of space, the importance

of light and of silence.

You once said architecture gives shape to history.

What did you mean by that? And to what

extent does history influence your work?

Architecture cannot but be the witness of the history

of one’s time: the materials, the technologies,

the expectations and hopes of a community. In

this respect history comes into my job with force

and continuity.

Where do you see the future of architecture

heading, in terms of approach to design and

the advances in modern technology?

As long as there will be men on earth, there will

be also the need of refuge, of protection, of a

suitable living space, and hence architecture will

keep on existing. The problem is finding a balance

between the incessant change in the conditions of

“Nature” and the aspirations of “Culture”.

Finally how you would describe your work in

your own words?

It is impossible to describe oneself. I can only say

that I’m sustained by a passion and a constant

tension towards the construction of man’s living

space. A space where the light plays an important

role, as without it there isn’t either time or space.

There is also the awareness that my job can affect

emotions. I’d like that my work reflect a continuous

but natural transformation of history.

L: 82,532 mm

73

L: 107,834 mm

L: 125,229 mm

Wellness centre “Tschuggen Berg Oase”, Arosa, Switzerland (2003-2006)

Photo Enrico Cano

Restaurant “Vetta”, Mount Generoso, Switzerland (2013 - under construction)

Render Arch. Mario Botta

74

75

Jacket and shirt LOU DALTON

Waistcoat and necklace VIVIENNE WESTWOOD MAN

TRABEATED

Photographer PHILIP MEECH · Fashion Editor HOPE VON JOEL · Casting Director DAVID MARTIN

Model GABRIEL CURRY @Supa London · Grooming ANN-MARIE LAWSON using MAC cosmetics & UNITE haircare · Location KENT, UK

Shirt DIOR HOMME

Coat NEIL BARRETT

Trousers MSGM

Coat NINA RICCI

T-shirt & Top N21

Shoes Jumpsuit ACNE STUDIOS

Coat NEIL BARRETT

Shirt and trousers DIOR HOMME

Coat KTZ

Shoes MOSCHINO

Suit VIVIENNE WESTWOOD MAN

Total look MOSCHINO

Trench BURBERRY PRORSUM

Suit TOPMAN

Jumper NEIL BARRETT

Trainers BUSCEMI MEN

Total look NEIL BARRETT

Necklaces GREAT FROG and VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

Shoes MOSCHINO

Suit VIVIENNE WESTWOOD MAN

ARCHITECT

NICOLAS ANDRÉ

Nicolas André has been a freelance architect and lecturer at the ENSAPB since 2005. From crafting furniture to designing shops for Isabel Marant, his

portfolio is varied and bursting with creativity.

“Architecture is the will of an epoch translated into space” - Ludwig Mies van der Rohe


Interviewed by Natasha Gunaratna

Portrait courtesy of Nicolas André

Architecture in itself is a very specialised field.

How were you drawn to it and what led you to

become an architect?

In fact I really do not have ever thought to do something

else…

Some may describe architecture as being a balance

of art and business. What is your take on

this statement?

Even art is a state of equilibrium. Money is obviously

important for making things possible or

not, but it can also be a trap when it prevents thinking.

There are two situations where the architecture

is impossible: when there is not enough money

or when there is too much money.

The type of projects you do range from pavilions,

furniture, boutiques, stands, extensions

and interior fit outs. You seem to take on a soft

yet very contemporary, minimalistic approach

towards the majority of your designs. Is it a conscious

effort that you strive towards in producing

the final true form or is the aesthetic and brand

identity always made conscious when designing?

I never try to think in terms of marketing or « identity

»: it’s not my skill. I just need to understand

and appreciate the products that are introduced

to try to do the best to present them. What is on

is that it is absolutely free them from this type of

constraint to accurately respond with originality

and fundamental design issues. When clients have

too precise idea of what they wants, I feel a bit sad...

You have done quite a few fashion boutique

designs for Isabel Marant and Jerome Dreyfus,

both acclaimed fashion brands. How did they

approach you? And how did you start to conceptualise

and design for two brands that have a

totally unique brand identity?

I have met first Isabel Marant through my wife,

Emilie Faïf, who has worked from an artistic point

of view with her. The important point was that it

was at the beginning of the carreer of Isabel, as Jerome,

and they agreed with my desire to create for

them always different spaces, and to leave me the

necessary freedom.

Where do you derive your artistic tastes and influences

for projects?

Mainly from rationalist architects, in particular

those of the 30’, 40’ and 50’. I have a real admiration

for functional thinking when it is actually

applied in all its dimensions. This has often been

the case in the Nordic architects... from Asplund

to Utzon...

The Soho Boutique in New York that you designed

for Isabel Marant is very unique due to the

structure of the piece. It is a space within a space,

as you stated, which consist of freestanding

wood columns, resonating a sculptural

tree house. The idea towards this was to enhance

the avantgarde cuts. What was the inspiration

and influences towards this design? Were you taking

into account the fashion collection at the

time or was it fully embodied artistic approach?

I always start to work from existing spaces and their

specificities. In the case of Isabel Marant store in

Soho, this is a place particularly inspiring and characteristic

of this historic area. The idea of wooden

columns is simply came from my admiration for

the construction of these prefabricated cast iron

building. I first did not hide the magnificent ceilings

clad metal stamped patterns, and secondly, I

wanted to express the form of frenzy that had the

build to be that of the district in 1870. The idea of

the wooden pattern is totally independent of fashion

design.

Fashion and architecture are two very different

fields altogether; where fashion can be seen as

very experimental and dynamic. Architecture

on the other hand is detail orientated and precise.

What did you like most when designing for

Isabel Marant, Jerome Dreyfus and like-minded

fashion brands?

I do not think that clothing design requires less precision

that drawing a building. It is precisely this

very detailed research aspect that I think brings architecture

and design in general. At the end, we all

need to draw details at scale 1 with a simple pen. I

appreciate the meaning of work, patient and sincere

research by designers like Isabel and Jerome. Like

them, I look for simple shapes but it’s not as easy as

it sounds. I think we share the same idea that nobody

should ever see the effort. The goal is to make

design obvious and natural.

There is a natural sense of kinetics and fluidity

in your work. An example is the Isabel Marant

stand in Paris. The whole concept is raw, organic

yet precise and functional for the customer and

client. Another sense of mobility in your work is

the mobile pavilion in Essonne a couple of years

ago. Does integrating the idea of movement

make you feel like pushing your work further?

I never really theorized that attraction for movement.

However, it is true that I always design the

spaces in a dynamic perspective. As an engineer, I

think I’m actually pretty bad because I always manage

to make a bit unstable structures... I’m not at

all attracted by unstable architectures, but I think a

lot the expression of a form of tension that I took

for a form of vitality.

Experimentation is something very vital to most

designers and architects. Especially because we

live in a time where everything can be cut, copied

and pasted in a matter of hours. What do you

think of experimentation in general and how do

you strive to be unique?

In fact, I approached my job with a real passion

for drawing. Drawing obsesses me and I also practice

many of real model studies. I have an absolute

distrust for computers that are mostly a terrifying

impoverishment form of the ability to experiment.

The experience need time, a form of availability

and a part of chance. Those three concepts are not

configurable on a computer. In fact it is simply

agreeing to play a game, which we invent and change

the rules in a measuring portion. The pleasure of

experimentation is actually in the game rather than

knowing who won.

This part of the work is actually the most exciting

part and, strangely, the one with the least ego. When

you are sincerely trying to find the right form, it is

a kind of self-vacancy. The question seeking to be

original, unique, etc... then has no meaning.

It’s very reassuring for me to discover few hours,

months or years after, that other people, architects

or not, have done similar things in the past. This

gives more meaning to that work. It’s very different

to discover after that experience this kind of connivance

than copying.

When designing for clients do you find yourself

in full creative freedom? Or is there always some

form of compromise?

I always try to keep a large freedom. This does not

mean that there is no compromise. These so-called

« compromise » in the project development are often

simply some misunderstandings. This kind of «

compromise » are often interesting.

When you’re not designing what do you enjoy

doing?

I love tinker.

Can you tell me what you are currently working

on?

We are working on few interiors design for

apartments, a little housing project, a little market

place.

“Even art is a state

of equilibrium.

Money is obviously

important

for making things

possible or not,

but it can also be

a trap when it prevents

thinking.”

87

MARNI

Backstage

Shot in Ukraine by social media favorite photographers, Synchrodogs, we bring you the Fall Winter 2016/2017 Marni

collection. Known for their nude photographs set against nature and their magnetism toward organic environments,

Synchrodogs mixes it up for their latest Marni editorial with a more industrial look. Consuelo Castiglioni’s revolutionary

vision continues to break boundaries in her latest collection for the brand, showcasing romantic silhouettes

in a roundabout method. Set against an industrial environment by famed set designer Shona Heath, Marni weaves in

between art, architecture and design in a delicate, yet tough manner. This season, Castiglioni takes experimentation

to new heights, emphasizing and exaggerating forms that ultimately define elegance with a hint of charisma. Marni

has always been and will be the go-to for the style rebels who aren’t quite outsiders nor insiders to the fashion world,

but rather, are floating in an equilibrium of the two.

by Perwana

Floor Plan Marni showspace Womenswear F/W 2016-17 courtesy of Marni

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RUBBERS

SPECIAL MARNI WOMENSWEAR FALL / WINTER 2016-17

Photographer SYNCHRODOGS · Model VIKTORIA VIKTORENKOVA @Mzm · Location IVANO-FRANKIVSK, UKRAINE

Grooming STUDIO OF T. GRYSHCHENKO · Photographer Assistant KASHCHEIEVA ANASTASIA · Special thanks KARLA OTTO MILAN

SET DESIGNER

SHONA HEATH

Her vision is one-of-a-kind. Shona Heath is easily fashions most celebrated set designer. Mostly known for her work with Marni and with photographer

Tim Walker, Heath is a pro at creating dreamy and incredibly memorable sets. From providing editorial sceneries for publications such as Vogue and Dazed,

fashion labels Dior and Valentino are just some of many that are enchanted by her vision.

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work” - Colin Powell



Portrait by Tim Gutt

It’s well-known that you don’t hoard the items

you use or archive your tableau set-creations.

Where does it all go? And have you ever toyed

with the idea of organizing a retrospective exhibition

of your work?

I feel my work in its best state is photographic,

therefore I would be more interested in a photographic

exhibition of my work which might

include some of the process pictures, preparatory

stages, rather than any of the finished objects

which I feel really only come alive in relation to

other objects, a human form or architecture.

“I love the craziness

when there

is creativity going

on; the craziness

with a creativity

lacking is ultimately

draining,

but no I wouldn’t

change it, as I

know that easier

isn’t necessarily

happier.”

Tell us about the moment you decided on this

career path; your educational and work background,

including internships and the circuitous

course you have run to get to this point.

I studied fashion at Brighton University. I did an

internship making costumes for pop videos and

commercials, and I loved the throwaway nature

of costumes; props; cobbling things together for

a picture, and the magic that the photographic

medium or film added to what you put in front

of the camera. I then became really interested in

image-making primarily and how to make the biggest

impact on an image... building something

that takes up the whole frame! Window displays

also played a part in getting my foot in the door

with great fashion brands. I feel I was lucky and

work snow balled organically and quite fast.

Your fairy tale, out-of-the-box set and prop

designs for fashion pictorials, campaigns and

window displays are admired worldwide. Do

you ever use your talent domestically, for example

creating tableaux for your own birthday

parties or for family and friends? Or do you

prefer handing over that type of thing to other

people with little interference on your part?

I did my own wedding which was definitely to

the detriment of my makeup and the possibility

of ever painting my nails, but it was worth it! But

in general I buy Spiderman plates from the supermarket

and crap balloons from the corner shop.

Sometimes there is more fun when things aren’t so

considered. I am a bit of an all or nothing person.

What inspires your creative process and what

tools are indispensable to its fruition? Does

music help inspire you and is specific music

played according to the theme and mood of

the set?

Materials, colour and physicality inspire my creative

process. A pencil, some masking tape, paper

and a glue gun are indispensable. Music does not

affect my creativity… unless it’s Techno, then it

makes me nervous. Oh, and a good pair of shoes

in which I can go up a ladder fast!

You have a frenetically hectic lifestyle with

your around-the-clock schedule, an occupational

hazard of a successful person. Do you revel

in the craziness and the challenges or are there

times you wish you had an easier career?

I love the craziness when there is creativity going

on; the craziness with a creativity lacking is ultimately

draining, but no I wouldn’t change it, as I

know that easier isn’t necessarily happier.

Your flexibility and one might say humility,

when it comes to your creations, being able to

take criticism, is admirable and clearly a key

factor why so many people love working with

you. How does the process work in pitching

ideas to clients and them to be accepted?

I think it’s all down to confidence and believing it

yourself , which is in turn down to research and

really thinking something through.

“I do stand my

ground for as

long as I possibly

can which is quite

long and I am

quite persuasive

but I can also see

when the fight is

over!”

“My childhood

definitely programmed

me:

Children’s books;

The Flower Fairies

(illustrations

by Cicely Mary

Barker); open

horizon and my

mum’s flair and

style and can-do

attitude...”

And has there ever been an occasion when

you’ve stood your ground when a client has

opined that something didn’t work?

I do stand my ground for as long as I possibly can

which is quite long and I am quite persuasive but

I can also see when the fight is over!

Working through the night is a common work

hazard for you, J. Crew’s fiberglass taxis reportedly

kept you up for two days. Do you follow

such moments of sleeplessness with down time

and recuperation or do you straightaway throw

yourself into the next project?

It depends if I have the choice! Sometimes I just

keep going but a bit slower and with shorter hours

it feels a bit better as to just give into the crash

often feels a bit depressing. Also with a child, the

full recharge now never happens.

How do you relax?

This is something I am not great at! Even if I

potter around at home, I turn it into a mission

to achieve something, and I tire myself as much

with that! I relax by making a cushion or sitting

on my garden-step with a cup of coffee; or taking

my son to football; or going to see my mum and

dad; really simple things that don’t involve many

people or airplanes.

How do you maintain your energy? What are

some of the things you do or ingest to stay

afloat?

I am lucky to have a strong constitution and good

stamina. As long as I remember to drink water

and eat green things I am fine. In addition I make

sure never to eat meat on shoots or have

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Marni showspace Menswear S/S 2017 Marni showspace Womenswear F/W 2016-17

“I actually fear the lack of a

platform for the creativity

I have to offer and not the

creativity running out. Each

project in some way inspires

the next, even if it is a lack

of colour or texture. That

will make me obsessed with

colour and texture, or using

nothing interesting will

make me so annoyed I will

have a crazy idea.”

fashion editorials of the last decade. Can you explain the success of your

creative synergy and the possible reasons you two often have a similar

vision?

We definitely share the same kind of childhood references and inspiration,

and I think we share a kind of thought process. We are both fantasists and

yet very practical which makes shooting with him so much more about pictures

than politics or ego, as we don’t have to explain much to each other

and so there is more time to create! He is also a great friend and a wonderful

person.

Do you have an agent or an assistant and what tools do you use to compile

all the props you need for a particular fashion pictorial or campaign?

I have an agent, CLM who manage my diary; all financial liaisons with clients,

which is a huge, complicated job. The budgets I work with are huge,

and I can spend so much money in a day without trying, it’s frightening !

The scale, improbability and lack of time of what I do makes it an expensive

exercise. There are many people involved on my side; up to 15 per job who

all need direction, getting paid and being kept happy. I like a happy team.

In fact I insist on it !

I have a large chaotic studio with everything I need to create smaller things

and two full-time employees who run the studio and keep it up-to-date

with the technology we need. They are creative and organized and ultimately

practical which is the most important thing .

What advice would you give any young person who wanted to enter your

unique field?

Make yourself unique. Do what you feel like and step out of any boundaries

or anyone’s shadows. Make bold moves. There is serious competition in this

field now.

When I started I was one of a handful. Now, this is a most sought after career

and therefore harder to stand out in, so stand out you must! And a successful

career in this field will only come with a lot of hard work, some sacrifice,

and passion .

pudding, as then all I want to do is curl up and go to sleep! But I think I

have a good dose of adrenalin running through my veins which I am glad

of. It helps!

For you, the glamour of fashion isn’t the main appeal, as you’ve alluded

to in the past, but rather the thrill of creating something that has never

been seen before. Do you ever fear running out of original ideas; a form

of creative block?

I actually fear the lack of a platform for the creativity I have to offer and not

the creativity running out. Each project in some way inspires the next, even

if it is a lack of colour or texture. That will make me obsessed with colour

and texture, or using nothing interesting will make me so annoyed I will

have a crazy idea. Conversely, working on a high-end luxury project makes

me want to produce something really gritty, raw and confident. I fear the

“image” in the world becoming a postage stamp on someone’s phone screen

that they swipe by in less than a second. I mourn this.

Hailing originally from leafy and green Worcestershire, do you ever miss

its more tranquil ambience amidst the hustle and bustle of London, and

how much of an influence has your childhood played on your work?

My childhood definitely programmed me: Children’s books; The Flower Fairies

(illustrations by Cicely Mary Barker); open horizon and my mum’s flair

and style and can-do attitude... I miss open space around me, but I can zone

out of the hustle and bustle with a task. It’s just a small hill, a muddy patch

to get over, or a couple of gates to open.

You seem to revel in making the absurd appear hyper-real, creating a

child-like acceptance of the fantastical; achieving what every child wish

es, making real your unfettered imagination as you did with the bread

airplane and propellers for Hermès. Tell us the genesis of that campaign

and what was used to create the prop?

That idea came very directly from a book, “In the Night Kitchen” by Maurice

Sendak whom I love that my sister gave me and he makes a soft airplane

out of dough. I have always loved the surreal object of a French stick so viola’s

giant bread airplane! Oh and a very talented sculptor, a team of amazing

set-builders and getting the van stuck in the mud!

You’re a great believer in improvising, as evidenced by the construction

of the golden bulrushes for the amazing Mulberry window sets in Harrods’

front windows commissioned by Mulberry where its bags sprouted

from the ground to be inspected by curious badgers and foxes. Has there

been another moment of absolute genius when under deadline duress

you managed to create similar magic?

It happens all the time, and I cannot for the life of me remember one other

thing at this moment!

Have you ever been asked to offer your exemplary talents on any film set?

I have done two short films with Tim Walker: ‘The Lost Explorer’ and ‘The

Magic Paintbrush’ for both of which I did the costumes and the sets, which

I love!

What about sets for runway shows?

I have worked on a few shows: for Lanvin A/W 2012 and Prada and I have

been working with Marni exclusively on their menswear and women’s wear

shows since A/W 2015, which I absolutely love! The creative process there is

how it should be; it is overwhelmingly positive, open and they are not afraid

of ideas. They love colour and have a sense of humour which somehow is

able to come through in the sets. I am really proud of the work I have done

with Marni.

Arguably your work with photographer Tim Walker has earned you the

most recognition, the pair of you creating some of the most thrilling

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Marni showspace Womenswear F/W 2016-17

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IRIS VAN HERPEN

As a pioneer in fashion, the highly innovative Dutch fashion designer, marries fashion and technology

to tell a unique and personal story. By using 3D printing, laser cutting, ultrasonic welding and magnetized

fibers while incorporating her love of texture into her work, she creates dynamic wearable pieces

of art, setting new trends. Each, giving rise to a new direction and a growing root to follow from the

past, present and now the future.

Since the arrival of her Ready to Wear collections, along with the always nonstop Haute Couture pieces

we’ve seen featured on Bjork, Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian... We’ve watched her loyal fan base

continually attract a larger crowd. With each season, she invokes a strong connection to architecture

and the surrounding environment, while championing her ability to present magnificent and masterful

collections.

In a special story of Archives and Haute Couture shot in The Netherlands at the unique and emblematic

Bolwoningen, we have captured where shape and life comes together, paying homage to the iconic

woman that dresses cleverly in IVH style.

by Petra Desentia

Floor Plan Iris Van Herpen showspace S/S 2016 courtesy of Karla Otto Paris

105

PEEK-A-BOO

SPECIAL IRIS VAN HERPEN ARCHIVES & HAUTE COUTURE

Photographer MARIE-FLEUR CHARLESWORTH @The Jaunties · Fashion Editor ALBA MELENDO · Creative Director ALVA GALIM

Casting Director DAVID MARTIN · Model ESTELLA BRONS @Ulla models · Location BOLWONINGEN, THE NETHERLANDS

Grooming MASCHA @House of Orange · Special thanks KARLA OTTO PARIS and IRIS VAN HERPEN TEAM

DRIES KREIJKAMP

WHY NOT LIVE IN A SPHERE?

by Peter Gasher

“We live in a sphere, we are born out of a sphere… Why not live in a sphere?”

In the quaint Dutch town of Den Bosch, amongst typical brick-clad homes and winding canals, sits the odd community

of Bolwoningen: a cluster of globe-shaped stilt houses punctuated with round windows in a sea of wild

vegetation. In fact, three decades ago, the municipality of ’s-Hertogenbosch received a large subsidy from the national

government for the purpose of experimental living, so architect Dries Kreijkamp designed these amazing futuristic

globes: The Bolwoningen Complex or Ball Houses.

Built in 1984, these oversized “golf balls” are, in fact, homes: an eccentric product of a relatively unknown architectural

experiment conducted by a visionary architect, attempting to impose a new morphological dwelling solution,

and hoping to generate a new residential typology. Instead, the bizarre neighborhood remains a secluded, momentary

anecdote in architectural history, and today, provides a glimpse into an age of praised radicalism and irrepressible

imagination.

The idea behind these unusual cement and fiberglass buildings sprang not from the architect’s leap of madness, but in

the ‘optimal experience of nature in all its facets’, Mr. Kreijkamp claimed.

Should somebody ever think of making a Dutch version of Star Wars, the ’s-Hertogenbosch neighborhood of Maasport

(The Netherlands) would be an ideal scenario. Fifty white ‘spaceships’ shaped like giant golf balls landed here at

the beginning of the 1980’s and have since served as housing for the ordinary humans of this city.

Supposedly residents feel much closer to nature, because it can be seen from all directions within each one of the globes.

The unusual shape of the buildings is accented all the more because they are located next to ‘normal’ houses. Each

one offers bedrooms on the ground floor, sanitation in the middle and living rooms on the top floor, which have the

best views. As the houses are rather small by Dutch standards, having a diameter of only 5.5 meters, most globe houses

are inhabited by just one or two people. (In past years there have been frequent rumors that the buildings contained

too many construction flaws, but after a thorough renovation the science fiction globes seem prepared for the future).

Kreijkamp’s vision was never entirely fulfilled; according to him, the Bolwonings have an enormous potential and

endless applications, including linking the spheres together, designing custom-made accessories, mobile prototypes

and even floating and hovering globes. Unfortunately, he passed away before convincing the world of the merit of his

ideas and the materialization of his visions were put to rest. Nevertheless, the ambition, innovation and imagination

inherent in the project will continue to inspire architects and designers to constantly challenge the existing paradigms.

He was not only formally poetic, he was also a rationalist who boasted the sustainable advantages offered by spheres:

the assembly of the homes, composed entirely of prefabricated parts, could be carried out in a single day, and with a

low energy consumption and easy maintenance, the houses were highly economical, with a weigh of only 1250 kg.

Dries Kreijkamp, who died on November 26, 2014, was totally convinced by his creation. Born in 1937, he developed

a fascination for spheres as an art student in the 1950s and 60s. In 1964, while employed by The Royal Dutch

Glassworks making crystal spheres, he argued that round shapes are the most organic form of living: “The Eskimos

really knew what they were doing, with their igloos. And so do African tribes who build round clay huts”, he once said

in an interview. “The globe-shape is totally self-evident. It’s the most organic and natural shape possible. The sphere

combines the biggest possible volume with the smallest possible surface area, so you need minimum material for it.

It’s space saving, very ecological and nearly maintenance-free. Need I say more?”

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MAISON MARGIELA

STEEL SLUDGE

COLLECTIONS MENSWEAR FALL / WINTER 2016-17

Photographer ALINE & JACQUELINE TAPPIA · Fashion Editor DAVID MARTIN · Creative Director ALVA GALIM

Model VILLE SYDFORS @Diva models · Location MADRID, SPAIN

LOEWE

ROBERTO CAVALLI

RAF SIMONS

J. W. ANDERSON

PRADA

ACNE STUDIOS

DOLCE & GABBANA

KENZO

Grooming LEYRE T.BALLESTEROS @Cool producciones · Photographers Assistant JAVI TORRENTE · Fashion Assistant MARTA REGIDOR · Lighting DAYLIGHT STUDIOS

Post-production MARCO SALA · Special thanks CHRISTIAN, MARIOLA, VICTORIA and JESUS at LEGEND MOTOR

VERSACE

GIVENCHY

by RICCARDO TISCI

LUIGI COLANI

THE PHILOSOPHER OF FORMS WHO SEES ACROSS TIME

by Taylor Edward

Luigi Colani, The multi-dimensional philosopher, as has been so fantastically described by himself and inquisitive onlookers,

is something of a force beyond the bounds, a seer of special sorts whose ultra-animated, otherworldly designs

describe to no end a form of the future and very much so the now. The range and capacity of his work has proven him

a special breed of influential, a creator who has perpetually reinterpreted the scape of design in service of the human

body, our cognitive ability, and the natural world at large.

These days Colani can be found at his design studio in Germany where he works closely with a team who research,

plan and realise projects for both the nearest and furthest futures, void of conventional design method and, opting

instead for that which they discover as ecologically efficient and sustainable. It should be recognised fully Colani’s

devotion to such ideals, facilitating even the farming of bamboo, whose naturally abundant growth rate has the architectural

forecaster citing it as ‘the building material of the future’.

It is by these means precisely that Colani creates, ceaselessly recognising the sublime authority of nature itself and

constantly looking to it for the answer to any question of design, function, and human direction overall. He is after

all very well known for his attention and yielding to ergonomics, referring to his specifically instinctual system of

forms as ‘Biodynamic’.

It is often felt by those, whether familiar admirers of his legacy or more recent discoverers of his exceptional design

philosophy, that Colani’s surplus of creations can be seen now as a peculiarly prophetic premonition of the digital age

we live by currently, most often discussed next to his aircraft and automobile designs: those magnificent and intoxicatingly

exciting creations that have broken world records of speed and brought forth inevitable sensations of a pulsing,

throbbing glimpse of what can be.

Though profoundly visual and made specific for the human and organic function, Colani’s work is by no means even

just so. It is he after all who designed and built the first ever streamline truck, circa 1971, in reaction to the world’s oil

crisis, a suggestion, if you will, in sought of environmental solutions via superior and innovative design.

It is this hunt of solution in name of human progress and the cultivation of sustainability that the ever-perceptive

Colani has always created- beginning especially so in the Era of the Fifties when he designed the world’s first-ever Kit

car, an open 2-seater sports vehicle that was subsequently produced by the thousands upon it’s conception. Having

experienced such early success with the designing of cars, he’s said to have begun creating them ‘like a madman’ from

then on.

It is sculpture in fact that led him to the design of the Automobile, and all else, having originally studied in his hometown

of Berlin at the Akademie der Künst, upon whence he left for Paris at 19 years to further discover Aerodynamics

at the École Polytechnique. It had been there he felt his knowledge already quite adequate of the aircraft and moved

forward with the subject of Analytic Philosophy at the Sorbonne. Colani can be understood, as being one who is very

intuitive to the direction his life must undertake, absolutely in alignment with nature’s own congruency, with the way,

as an Eastern philosophy such as Daoism could mysteriously define it. It is interesting in that the man’s designs most

definitely entail a distinct sense of what one would easily refer to as Futurism and are, at the same time, evocative of

and entirely resonant upon the ‘natural environment’, that which brings to mind the colour green over the infinity of

futurism’s outer space. The two are of course of the same source however, and it is via such mind-abolishing ideas of

what something may instead be that his works absolutely breathe and beat to.

He furthermore believes that all great design in general is by nature erotic and advocates very much the thousandsof-years-old

answers present at all times in that of any and every environment, himself a trained diver most devilishly

inspired by his relationship with the ocean and observing the shapes and functions it’s creatures.

131

Belt PRADA

Vest ACNE STUDIOS

Shoes LOUIS VUITTON

Trousers ANN DEMEULEMEESTER

SURFACE

Photographer MAGDALENA LAWNICZAK · Fashion Editor SAMIA GIOBELLINA · Model FELIX SUEUR @16Men Paris

Location NOISY LE GRAND, PARIS

Coat JUUN J

Trousers VINTAGE

Shoes DSQUARED2

Turtleneck jumper THE WHITE BRIEFS

Shoes LOUIS VUITTON

Turtleneck jumper JUUN J

Coat and trousers CRAIG GREEN

Socks FALKE

Trench coat HED MAYNER

Turtleneck jumper THE WHITE BRIEFS

Oversize vest, trousers and boots RAF SIMONS

T-shirt CALVIN KLEIN

Trousers J.W. ANDERSON

Boots MAISON MARGIELA

Turtleneck jumper DRIES VAN NOTEN

Vest LEMAIRE

Trousers DRIES VAN NOTEN

Shoes ANN DEMEULEMEESTER

Jacket and neckscarf LOUIS VUITTON

Top HED MAYNER

Jacket DSQUARED2

Collar VICTORIA/TOMAS

Trousers HAIDER ACKERMANN

Shoes JUUN J

Trousers YANG LI

T-shirt CHAMPION

Zip-up hoodie SACAI

Long waistcoat ANN DEMEULEMEESTER

Grooming YOSHIKO HARUKI · Photographer Assistant ANTOINE GUILLOTEAU

SPRING / SUMMER 2007

Trousers PRADA

Bomber YANG LI

Shirt Y/PROJECT

Slashed jacket worn around waist MAISON MARGIELA

KARL LAGERFELD

CASA MALAPARTE

Photos by Karl Lagerfeld

Book published by Steidl 2015

Text by Curzio Malaparte and Karl Lagerfeld

“There was something in Capri, in its most wild, most solitary, most dramatic part, where

the island, nearly human, becomes ferocious, where nature expresses itself with a cruel and

incomparable strength, an extremely pure and linear promontory, which tore up the sea with

its cutting claw.

No place in Italy has such a wide horizon to stare at, nor such a depth of feeling. A site only

for strong men and for free spirits... Here, in this wilderness, I am the first one who will build

a house.”

Curzio Malaparte

Few modern buildings embody antique beauty and mythical magic like Casa Malaparte, designed

by the controversial Italian journalist, poet and novelist Curzio Malaparte in 1937 as a

home for himself.

Karl Lagerfeld visited the site for five days in November 1997 and took a series of Polaroids,

which were subsequently transferred to Arches mold-made paper and published in book form

by Steidl in 1998. This sought-after classic is finally available again in a new edition.

Karl Lagerfeld

© Karl Lagerfeld 2015

143

© Karl Lagerfeld 2015 © Karl Lagerfeld 2015

GOLDEN RATIO

Photographer RAÚL HIDALGO · Fashion Editor MARTA REGIDOR · Creative Director DAVID MARTIN · Art Director ALVA GALIM

Model MAJA SALAMON @Next Paris · Producer EDUARDO GIÓN · Grooming ALEX ALBA @Cool producciones

Location LA PEDRERA, BARCELONA · Special thanks GAUDI FOUNDATION and LA PEDRERA crew

Earring CÉLINE

Boots ROGER VIVIER

Jumpsuit, turtleneck and sleeves MM6 MAISON MARGIELA

Trousers PINKO

Boots ROGER VIVIER

T-shirt STYLIST´S OWN

Dress ZANA BAYNE for & Other Stories

Dress CÉLINE

Total look PRADA

Coat PRADA

Blouse MANÉ MANÉ

Boots JIMMY CHOO

Skirt ANA LOCKING

Sweatshirt PALOMO SPAIN

Trousers MM6 MAISON MARGIELA

Dress and trousers CÉLINE

Shirt MM6 MAISON MARGIELA

Coat MANÉ MANÉ

Jumper POLO RALPH LAUREN

GAUDÍ

LA PEDRERA FOUNDATION

Photo by Raúl Hidalgo

Special thanks to Lluisa Oller

In his professional fulfillment, at age 54, Gaudí projected Casa Milà (know as La Pedrera) house between 1906 and

1912, which would become his last civil work and, simultaneously, one of the most innovative in the functional aspects,

the distribution of spaces in the structural system and the construction methods and ornamentals. In fact, for

its artistic and technical proposals it has always been considered a work break, outside the schemes of his time, a rara

avis within modernism itself and especially anticipatory regarding the architecture of the twentieth century.

The mature stage of Gaudi’s work is motivated by the search for new structures that allow you to configure large

spaces. His career was a process of reflection and analysis of different architectural styles (Gothic, Oriental and Baroque)

in preparation for its new architecture, between tradition and modernity, born of the creative independence

and a vision that emerged outside the contemporary conventions. In short, in search of his own formal language,

including the use of traditional materials (bricks, ceramics, tiles and stone), the curve on the line, dynamic shapes and

asymmetry, rich decoration and the use of organic motifs. La Pedrera responds perfectly to all being considered his

masterpiece, the cosmos of its civil architecture.

Gaudí said, “The great book, always open which is necessary to strive to read, is that of nature.” “Everything comes

from the great book of nature”. All styles are related with nature organisms’. And this applied contemplation of nature

shows where his sense of color was derived, because the Mediterranean is essentially light and color.

For Gaudí, the human being is inseparable from nature and has to live harmoniously with it. The undulating and

sinuous forms of the facade, clear geological inspiration, complement each other in the balconies with railings worked

from recycled iron (grilles, railings, drums, etc.) which, in the manner of a modern collage, Gaudí riveted to build

some forms also inspired by the vegetation of the sea or the mountain. Speaking of these abstract forms, often referred

to the world of algae, as if Gaudí had wanted to get out of the rocks that make up the facade natural vegetation.

The symbolic passion of Gaudí could not allow the Pedrera be limited to presenting a formal daring rhythms, but

provides needed special significance to this landmark building. If we look carefully at the boundary point between

the facade and the beginning of the cover we can read inscriptions of religious inspiration from Passeig de Gràcia to

the street Provença, the words “Ave”, “Gratia”, “M” (accompanied by the relief of a rose, symbol of Mary), “Full”,

“Dominus” and “Tecum”, a reference to the invocation of the Angelus, and a clear allusion to the Virgen del Roser, as

well as a way to remember the name of the owner of the building. On the terrace, Gaudí ends in the top of the stair

towers with crosses of four faces.

On the one hand, Gaudí wanted to bring order to the excess of elements that finished off the buildings of that era.

Then the roof was understood as a kind of no man’s land, an area for tackle. Stairwells, fireplaces, storage rooms,

ventilation towers, ports, water tanks, poultry houses and dovecotes were about arbitrarily on top of the building.

The symbolism of the roof has been much talk from own abstract sculpture, a recreation wonderland of references to

megalithic cultures, a parade of Knights Templar, a large medieval castle, an art forms replica mountain of Montserrat,

giant fossilized gigantas of a petrified maze, a surreal version of architecture, an anticipation of science fiction and

comics, a procession of masked men and a garden of warriors by a poet.

The visit to La Pedrera, allows us to know and understand in depth the work of Antoni Gaudí, it includes two different

museum spaces: Espai Gaudí and one floor of La Pedrera, which together with the patios, the Exhibition Hall

and roof, complete the visit. On November 2, 1984, UNESCO declared Cultural World Heritage the Casa Mila “La

Pedrera”, along with the Parc Güell and Palau Güell for their outstanding universal value.

157

PRADA

Prada Marfa is bringing a key statement on art, fashion, and architecture to the Texan town of Marfa. The work

highlights Prada’s sleek minimalism with its site to Marfa, a town known for the location of minimalist artist Donald

Judd’s large-scale works and his legacy to create sustainable and permanent art houses. Prada’s Fall/Winter 2016 Men

and Women collections highlighted a connection to Prada Marfa with homage to the Southwest and emphasized

voyage and travel with a Texan-rugged style. A mix of the nostalgic westerns and today’s sleek looks, Prada’s latest

collection evokes all that is Prada Marfa: tangible Texan roots, art and design. In recent years, Marfa has become a sort

of art mecca and Prada has played an important role in this transformation. The work celebrates Prada’s dedication to

art, as is reflected by Miuccia Prada, who owns Fondazione Prada and is an avid art collector. Prada Marfa recognizes

Prada’s artistic value through its play on location, nature, and minimalistic style. The Pop culture exhibit generates a

loud, clever statement and calls into question our interactivity with the exhibit: What is Prada Marfa? Is it a boutique?

A cube? A tourist point? A sculpture?...

by Perwana

Floor Plan Prada showspace Womenswear F/W 2016-17 courtesy of Prada

159

4,6 m x 7,6 m

SPECIAL PRADA WOMENSWEAR AND MENSWEAR FALL / WINTER 2016-17

Photographer MARC PILARO · Fashion Editor ALVA GALIM · Creative Director DAVID MARTIN

Casting Director SEONA TAYLOR BELL · Model ALINE WEBER @Next London · Location PRADA MARFA, TEXAS

Producer LISA JARVIS · Grooming HOLLY SILIUS · Special thanks MICHAEL HERBERT, NEXT LONDON, IMG NYC and ANITA BITTON

PRADA MARFA

US-90, VALENTINE, TX

by Peter Gasher

A permanently installed sculpture by artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, situated 1.4 miles (2.3 km) northwest

of Valentine, Texas, and about 26 miles (42 km) northwest of the city of Marfa. The installation was inaugurated

on first October 2005. The artists called the work a “Pop Architectural Land art project”. It was realized with the

assistance of American architects Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello, cost $80,000 and it was intended to never be

repaired, so it might slowly degrade back into the natural landscape.

Designed to resemble a Prada store, the building is a one-roomwith white stucco wall made of adobe bricks, plaster,

paint, glass pane, aluminium frame, MDF and carpet; replica of the kind of real Prada stores one can find in select

and, well, more populated parts of the world, everywhere from Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue to Tokyo’s Shinjuku.

The installation’s door is non-functional. On the front of the structure there are two large windows displaying actual

Prada wares, shoes and handbags, picked out and provided by Miuccia Prada herself from the Fall/Winter 2005 collection;

Prada allowed Elmgreen and Dragset to use the Prada trademark for this work; and it was financed by the

APT (Art Production Fund) and Ballroom Marfa (centre of contemporary art and culture).

The site-specific of Prada Marfa invites for a comparison with other art movements such as minimalism and land

art, which are equally dependent on the site where they are placed. Prada Marfa relies almost entirely on its context

for its critical effect. The “Sculptural Intervention” can be interpreted as criticism of consumerism, luxury branding

and gentrification, but whether intentionally or not, it reinforces the capitalist values it criticizes. Therefore, this work

of art experienced a change of meaning and gained an ambivalent moment that the artists did not expect. Along a

ledge that runs around the base of the building, hundreds of people have left business cards, weighed down by small

rocks.

The genesis of Prada Marfa came about years back while Elmgreen & Dragset were in Chelsea, where the art world

had decamped after SoHo was overrun with luxury boutiques. The two affixed signs to the windows of a Chelsea

gallery that read Prada, Coming Soon. Their signage caught the eye of Yvonne Force Villarreal and Doreen Remen,

who, with their nonprofit the Art Production Fund and its Texan satellite, Ballroom Marfa, helped bring Prada Marfa

into existence. Miuccia Prada got involved, approving the use of her label’s trademarked logo and selecting the proper

merchandise to be used on location. “The installation was initially meant as a sort of an experiment,” Elmgreen &

Dragset explained “We really wanted to see what could happen if one would make a fusion of Pop and Land art. It

was also meant as a comment on branding and consumerist culture.

The original plan was deviated from when, six days after the sculpture was completed and Prada Marfa officially debuted,

some vandals graphitised the exterior, and broke into the building stealing handbags and shoes (six handbags

and 14 right footed shoes), and the word “Dumb” as well as the phrase “Dum Dum” were spray painted on the sides

of the structure. The sculpture was quickly repaired, repainted, and restocked. The new Prada purses do not have

bottoms and instead hide parts of a security system that alerts authorities if the bags are moved. The vandalism shows

the strong reaction and interaction between the sculpture and the viewers, the direct physical relationship between the

sculpture and the viewers achieved extensive local and international press coverage. But as the years have passed, the

back of the building has slowly been covered in the tags of various graffiti artists and punks who have passed through

West Texas.

In a way, this all seemed manageable, when a serious act of vandalism wrecked the sculpture. Prada Marfa was haphazardly

splashed in blue paint on either side; its awning was slashed; and the vandal tacked on incomprehensible signs

with strong adhesive glue that ruined the storefront’s Plexiglas. “We had just read about the artist who destroyed Ai

Weiwei’s vases in Miami so we were not totally surprised by the news,” Elmgreen & Dragset said. “It seems to be some

kind of a syndrome potentially caused by the power of social media.

The Texan desert stretched wide on either side of the U.S. Highway 90, as we are driving back to LA at, of course,

70 miles per hour.

Floor Plan sections Prada Marfa by Virginia San Fratello © Rael San Fratello

177

Total look DOLCE & GABBANA

LOOPHOLE

Photographer TAYLOR TUPY · Fashion Editor LISA JARVIS · Model PRESLEY GERBER @IMG · Location LOS ANGELES, CA

T-shirt CALVIN KLEIN

Suit EMPORIO ARMANI

Shirt PRADA

Trousers GIORGIO ARMANI

Jacket and shirt CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION

Total look ROBERTO CAVALLI

Coat COACH

Make-up Artist ABRAHAM JESPARZA · Hair Stylist MIRA CHAI HYDE using Imperial Barber Pomade @The Wall Group · Special thanks GERBER-CRAWFORD FAMILY

Sweater PRADA

Shorts STYLIST´S OWN

Trousers PRADA

Sweater RICK OWENS

Shoes DOLCE & GABBANA

R

MODEL

PRESLEY GERBER

17 years old and already stealing hearts, Presley Gerber follows in the footsteps of his supermodel mum, Cindy Crawford. Born in California, Gerber is

model and aspiring photographer with a dedicated Instagram (kbyp) where he takes photos of his equally gorgeous sister, Kaia Gerber. His own Instagram,

boasts over 135k followers and features photos from his latest campaigns and runway appearances.

2

“Youth is beautiful” - Indira Varma


Interviewed by Harold Jenkins

Portrait by Taylor Tupy

Jacket DOLCE & GABBANA

Fashion is part of the DNA of your family.

When did you start to realize it is an industry

you wanted be part of?

Even though I grew up seeing my mom in magazines,

I never really thought about wanting to

model.

But after doing my first real shoot with Bruce

Weber and Carine Rotfield for CR Magazine, I

realized how fun it could be. I also really enjoy the

people and the travel!

“My parents expect

me to always

try my hardest

and be respectful

to everyone. I

know they want

me to be happy

and help guide

me to make good

decisions.”

When you were born, your mother was already

a model, part of the history of fashion and protagonist

of some of the most important campaigns

in the world.

What is she teaching you about Fashion, and

what advice do you take from her and never

forget?

My mom and I don’t really talk too much about

fashion but she has always encouraged me to be

myself.

“I am interested

in studying business

in a university,

hopefully

either in LA or

NY.”

You and your sister, Kaia, lately have been named

as the future of the catwalks and faces of

s

this industry.

What do you both think about this fact and

how do you live with this?

Kaia and I are having fun getting our feet wet in

the fashion industry. It’s cool knowing our mom

is a good guide for us.

Leaving fashion for the moment... I´d like to

know more about you as Presley Gerber. Are

you interested in studying any career or a different

way in life?

As of right now, I am interested in studying business

in a university, hopefully either in LA or NY.

I think your family is very important for you.

Also, your parents are strong references of suppuration,

hard work… What do you think they

think about you and what they expect from

you?

My parents expect me to always try my hardest

and be respectful to everyone. I know they want

me to be happy and help guide me to make good

decisions.

“I hope people see

me as trustworthy,

fun and a good

guy. When people

see pictures of

me, I hope people

feel like they see

me being me.

Authentic.”

Past June, you opened the Dolce & Gabbana

show in Milan. How was your feeling opening

one of the most important shows of the Fashion

calendar?

Opening the Dolce & Gabbana show was a definite

highlight of my year. I didn’t realize I was

opening the show until about 15 minutes before

the show started.

Another model asked me what number I was in

the line-up and my card said zero so I thought

they were still deciding where to put me.

I asked someone from Dolce and they said “You’re

opening!” I barely had time to be nervous.

What is your motto?

v

2

“I never really

thought about

wanting to model.

But after doing

my first real shoot

with Bruce Weber

and Carine Rotfield,

I realized

how fun it could

be. I also really

enjoy the people

and the travel!”

My motto is “Be Grateful”, so much so that I had

it tattooed on my arm.

Do you believe in destiny or energy? If so, do

you think it influences on you and your decisions?

I believe my efforts will determine where I end

up in life. This motivates me to give everything

my all.

To finish… how would you like people see you

and for what reason you want people recognize

your work?

I hope people see me as trustworthy, fun and a

good guy. When people see pictures of me, I hope

people feel like they see me being me. Authentic.

“Kaia and I are

having fun getting

our feet wet in the

fashion industry.

It’s cool knowing

our mom is a

good guide for

us.”

L: 1,89 mm

189

ROBERTO CAVALLI

Now in the hands of Peter Dundas, head of an international fashion house known for luxury and elegance, the Fall/

Winter 2016-17 collection is a letter to the sexy but refined women. Emphasizing their power and control, each piece

lends a tribute to the designers respect for femininity and his love for women.

Highlighting their beauty and accentuating their sultry figures with dominance and a slight air of caution, he connects

day and night with a unique style, blending what you wear in daily life or on a special occasion, with different

elements of the female persona.

Through reading and following this special story, you will realize the attraction of Roberto Cavalli. With each garment,

you’ll never fail in your pursuit for luxury, reminding you that each place you wear it becomes yours.

by Harold Jenkins

Floor Plan Roberto Cavalli showspace Womenswear F/W 2016 -17 courtesy of Karla Otto NYC

191

LIMESTONE

SPECIAL ROBERTO CAVALLI WOMENSWEAR FALL / WINTER 2016-17

Photographer JULIETTE CASSIDY · Fashion Editor MAR PEIDRO · Creative Director ALVA GALIM

Casting Directors STEVEN WILLIAMS & CHRISTIAN MESHESHA @x2production · Model LISA VERBERGHT @Photogenics LA

Grooming MATISSE @The Wall Group · Location SALTON SEA, LA

DESIGNER

PETER DUNDAS

Since graduating from Parson’s, Dundas served as assistant to Jean Paul Gaultier for over eight years. Since then he’s worked for Christian Lacroix, Cavalli,

Emanuel Ungaro and Pucci. Only just last year, Peter Dundas was appointed as the Artistic Director at Roberto Cavalli.

“I love being a fashion designer” - Roberto Cavalli


Interviewed by Bradley Higgenbottom

Portrait by Bruce Weber

Pucci, (whose Creative Director you were from

2008-2015) and Cavalli are both iconic brands

and your return to the latter in March 2015 after

having been its Chief Designer from 2002- 2005

was heralded as a “homecoming.” Since both

houses have distinctive aesthetics, has your approach

with each been the same in terms of the

creative process or were there unique and individual

challenges with either of them?

The creative responsibility of a fashion house with a

strong identity is special because you have to balance

the past with the future. I call my approach being

respectfully disrespectful. This means having an appreciation

for the brand history but never forgetting

that your job is to take it forward.

What compelled you to accept the role at Cavalli

once again?

I feel very at home in the Cavalli World so accepting

the challenge was not a difficult decision.

Who is the modern-day Cavalli woman and in

what ways do you feel she has evolved?

I think the modern day Cavalli woman has evolved

in her love of glamour. She has a rock and roll edge

which give an ease to her vibe.

How is the Cavalli woman different from the

Pucci woman, for example and how difficult is

it for you to make the distinction in your head

when designing?

I think that the Cavalli woman is unapologetically

sensual.

What are the intrinsic standards a Creative Director

must uphold when fostering his/her creativity

while trying to build a successful brand?

What are these principles for Cavalli?

I think the mere size of the project, a.i the brand requires

you to be as true as possible to your personal

esthetic in order to maintain maximum clarity of vision

towards your team and of course to the medias.

You have always been fascinated with the female

body much like Azzedine Alaïa and had an opportunity

to explore its complexities during your

stint at Jean Paul Gaultier. What initially drew

you to a life in Fashion and what one moment

absolutely sealed the deal ?

I think necessity drew me to fashion. As a child I

had to fend for myself as far as dressing went, so

I began customizing vintage and my fathers castaways.

Later realizing that I would most likely be an unhappy

doctor (as originally planned) it forced me to

admit that what I really loved was fashion.

You have had access to some amazing archives including

during your tenure as Creative Director

at Emanuel Ungaro from 2005-2007. Has there

been a particular era, piece or technique which

has impacted and left a lasting impression and

which you always incorporate into your designs ?

I think the Gaultier archive left an impression for

life. He has an amazing body of work and was

one of my reasons for entering into this field. Certainly

for starting my career in Paris.

How did each of these following experiences

shape your aesthetic:

A) Beginning your career as an assistant costume

designer for the Comedie Française in Paris.

La Comedie Francaise taught me to be aware of

the message clothes send.

B) Your stint with Christian Lacroix in 2000.

Christian Lacroix opened the world of evening

wear to me. Two weeks ago during a Couture

Week dinner in Paris he actually pointed out to

me a woman wearing one of the dresses I had designed

for him. It is still beyond graceful.

C) Working in Florence (with Roberto Cavalli

from 2002 to 2005)

Cavalli taught me how to have fun with fashion

and to celebrate beauty.

You seem to strive on spontaneity. Is there a

particular environment that allows your creativity

to come to life when designing a new

collection?

Many of my bests ideas come into my mind in

bed. I keep pen and paper on my nightstand so

I don’t forget.

How large is your immediate creative team. Is

there any one person on your team who inspires,

influences and who you ultimately depend

on towards creating the finished product?

Between the different lines there are about a

dozen designers I actively work with which is a

minimum necessary considering the size of the

brand. I also have a friend which is a sort of muse

who I crosscheck certain ideas with. She knows

me very well, which is a great support, and mirrors

and steers me back on track if I should veer

away from it.

Roberto Cavalli’s chairman Francesco Trapani

has said the brand needs to move away from

being predominantly known for its dramatic

evening-wear and have more of a focus on accessories

whose performance he has described

as “catastrophic”. How much involvement do

you have within this sector including shoes,

handbags, eye-wear and fragrances etc.?

Accessories is today a vital part of any fashion

brands survival. Of course I am very involved in

this sector. There needs too be a coherence with

the Ready to Wear, and my role is to maintain

this link.

Ready to Wear seems to be the immense opportunity

Trapani wants to target. How confident

do you feel in being able to bring that category

to the same levels you have done with cocktail

and evening-wear for the brand in the past?

I think Cavalli is a lifestyle brand and of course

the Ready to Wear is part of this. The Cavalli

customer needs to find a wardrobe that takes him

or her from day to night.

6068

Describe your personal style and what are your

five-must-have travel essentials ?

Difficult to describe one’s own style but maybe a bit

70’s rock and roll.

Travel essentials: charger bag with adapters (my

iPhone is my office), cashmere scarf (air travel),

swimsuit (I would rather go naked than borrow

one), cufflinks (annoying to use emergency safety

pins although it has happened), sunglasses (they are

always handy). Anything else is easily replaceable.

Where would one find you and what might you

be doing during a day when there is a total respite

from work?

I think there is a perception that I spend my time at

parties, but although there’s a lot of fun these events

are work related. My way of truly relaxing is much

more Nordic. Any physical activity helps me “turn

off” and recharges my batteries. It can be skiing, diving,

kiting or simply a run in the gym. For me a

healthy body means a healthy mind.

How influenced are you by social media, fashion

trends and the desires of your prospective clients?

Although social media has a huge influence on

today’s communication, and as a consequence the

increasing rapidity of our work, I find more and

more that what really matters to me is giving my

girls what they need and desire to look and feel

their best. I think understanding your client is part

of growing up as a designer.

Which social network applications do you find

most useful and use most often?

I still mainly use Instagram but I am slowly getting

used to Snapchat.

The industry has a need to constantly reinvent

and re-brand with a revolving cast of creative directors

being appointed to distinguished fashion

houses. What do you think is the main reason for

this often swift turnover ?

It is true that the shelf life of designers seems to be

reducing and becoming almost like dog years. It

is a real pity as I think that the key to a designers

success is time. Thinking a designer will do his best

work at the first collections is unrealistic. You spend

a disproportionate amount of time putting together

your teams and organizing a structure that can deliver

what you need.

This requires time that is rarely taken into consideration.

6068

What are some of the upcoming new developments

you are responsible for introducing to

Roberto Cavalli during your second tenure as

Creative Director.

Giving Cavalli a fresh take will mean a makeover

for the shops starting with our flagships. Within

the year a new logo will be introduced and the first

mens fragrance Cavalli Uomo is imminent. I am already

wearing it.

203

MINDS OUT OF LIMITS

OUTER PERPLEXITY

Are they interested in images? Whether they are or not, sure you can tell. Unsettling,

unconventional, witty, full of humor, varied and with no limits is how the art scene’s

joker’s work could be described. Their buildings are for the staging of art, and whilst

provocative at many levels, their projects show a calmness that belies the complexities

of its forms and organization, which could be described as mature pieces of arts and

architecture, the distillation of years of experimentation, only a fraction of which ever

got built.

by Jason Yesten

Illustrations by Natalia Jhete

FRANK LLOYD

June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959

Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer, and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures, 532 of which were completed.

He believed in designing structures that were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture. This

philosophy was best exemplified by Fallingwater (1935), which has been called “the best all-time work of American architecture”. His work includes original

and innovative examples of many building types, including offices, churches, schools, skyscrapers, hotels, and museums. Wright also designed many of the

interior elements of his buildings, such as the furniture and stained glass. Wright wrote 20 books and many articles and was a popular lecturer in the United

States and in Europe. Already well known during his lifetime, Wright was recognized in 1991 by the American Institute of Architects as “the greatest

American architect of all time.”

“The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes. If you foolishly ignore beauty, you will soon find yourself without it. Your life will be impoverished. But if you invest

in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life.”

205

LE CORBUSIER

October 6, 1887 – August 27, 1965

REM KOOLHAAS

November 17, 1944 - Present

Architect, designer, painter, urban planner, writer, and one of the

pioneers of what is now called modern architecture. His career spanned

five decades, with his buildings constructed throughout Europe,

India, and the Americas.

Dedicated to providing better living conditions for the residents of

crowded cities, Le Corbusier was influential in urban planning, and

was a founding member of the Congrès international d’architecture

moderne (CIAM). After World War II, Le Corbusier attempted to

realize his urban planning schemes on a small scale by constructing a

series of “unités” (the housing block unit of the Radiant City) around

France. The most famous of these was the Unité d’Habitation of

Marseille (1946–52). In the 1950s, a unique opportunity to translate

the Radiant City on a grand scale presented itself in the construction

of the Union Territory Chandigarh, the new capital for the

Indian states of Punjab and Haryana and India’s first planned city.

Le Corbusier designed many administration buildings, including a

courthouse, parliament building, and a university. He also designed

the general layout of the city, dividing it into sectors.

Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and Professor in

Practice of Architecture and Urban Design at the Graduate School

of Design at Harvard University.

Koolhaas studied at the Architectural Association School of Architecture

in London and at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

He is the founding partner of OMA, and of its research-oriented

counterpart AMO based in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. In 2005,

he co-founded Volume Magazine together with Mark Wigley and

Ole Bouman.

He is widely regarded as one of the most important architectural

thinkers and urbanists of his generation. In 2000, he won the Pritzker

Prize. In 2008, Time put him in their top 100 of The World’s Most

Influential People

“The luxury of our position now is that we can almost assemble any team

to address any issue.”

“I prefer drawing to talking. Drawing is faster, and leaves less room for

lies.”

RICHARD SERRA

November 2, 1939 – Present

OSCAR NIEMEYER

December 15, 1907 – December 5, 2012

American minimalist sculptor and video artist known for working

with large-scale assemblies of sheet metal. Serra was involved in the

Process Art Movement.

He lives and works in Tribeca, NY, and on Cape Breton Island in

Nova Scotia. Fellow Yale Art and Architecture alumni of the 1960s

include the painters, photographers, and sculptors Brice Marden,

Chuck Close, Nancy Graves, Gary Hudson and Robert Mangold.

He claims to have taken most of his inspiration from the artists who

taught there, most notably Philip Guston and the experimental composer

Morton Feldman.

He continued his training abroad, spending a year each in Florence

and Paris. In 1964, he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for

Rome, where he lived and worked with his first wife, sculptor Nancy

Graves. Since then, he has lived in New York, where he first used

rubber in 1966 and began applying his characteristic work material

lead in 1968. At one point, to fund his art, Serra started a furnitureremovals

business, Low-Rate Movers.

“Your eye is a muscle, you have to keep it in shape and the more you

draw, the more you see”

Brazilian architect who is considered to be one of the key figures in

the development of modern architecture, he was best known for his

design of civic buildings for Brasília, as well as his collaboration with

other architects on the Headquarters of the United Nations in NY.

His exploration of the aesthetic possibilities of reinforced concrete

was highly influential in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Both lauded and criticized for being a “sculptor of monuments”,

Niemeyer was hailed as a great artist and one of the greatest architects

of his generation by his supporters. He said his architecture was

strongly influenced by Le Corbusier, but in an interview, assured

that this “didn’t prevent his architecture from going in a different

direction”. Niemeyer was most famous for his use of abstract forms

and curves and wrote in his memoirs:

I am not attracted to straight angles or to the straight line, hard and

inflexible, created by man. I am attracted to free-flowing, sensual

curves that I find in the mountains of my country, in the sinuousness

of its rivers, in the waves of the ocean, and on the body of the

beloved woman. Curves make up the entire Universe, the curved

Universe of Einstein

“Humanity needs dreams to be able to survive the miseries of daily existence,

even if only for an instant.”

206

207

ARCHITECT

L: 172,365 mm

MATTEO THUN

Renowned Italian architect and designer, Matteo Thun has an extensive designing portfolio: from designing watches for Bulgari and Swatch to creating the

espresso cups for Illy to the Hotel Missoni Edinburgh, the first Hotel Missoni property in the world. It seems like this three-time winner of the prestigious

ADI Compasso d’Oro Award can do anything.

“Architecture is basically the design of interiors, the art of organizing interior space” - Philip Johnson


Interviewed by Stephanie Summers

Portrait by Nacho Alegre

L: 83,05 mm

The creative process comes differently to everyone,

how does it usually work for you? A

steady drip-drip of inspiration or a blinding

eureka moment?

Both of it. Mostly I visualize my ideas in watercolours

to not just express forms or proportions

but also communicate emotional point of views.

Given the range of items you can take credit

for creating for the world to admire and enjoy,

amongst which are watches, glasses, cups,

lighting systems, faucets, carpets, hotels... is

there anything you would want to turn down

if asked?

Not really, since every single design represents a

certain time and thought. Maybe I have another

view of things today than back in the 80s when

I was the Art Director of Swatch, and produced

tons of plastic watches…

What is your favourite piece of work? If you

could save only one thing from the apocalypse,

what would you choose?

A tiny sculpture from clad that I formed in my

childhood. My mother was a ceramic artist and

gave me lumps of clay to play with…

Do you ever have crazy new ideas that you don’t

dare tell anyone or attempt to create, or do you

always attempt to follow through on what your

brain comes up with?

Actually ideas are coming quite constantly to me,

especially when I am traveling. Of course a lot of

them are not realisable and my teams at the offices

are getting nervous when I return from trips. But

often we pick up the initial idea, we start to discuss

and a project might start from there.

Over the last sixty or so years you must have

seen plenty of change taking place in the world

around us, and change in how we live, let alone

“Customization is

a tool to express

individuality, but I

do not go as far to

have a personalised

phone cover. My

cellphone is normal

black iphone

used for sms and

to do calls.”

“Actually ideas

are coming quite

constantly to me,

especially when I

am traveling.”

in the art of design. One of the key issues of the

Matteo Thun Atelier brand is sustainability; do

you see this as one of the biggest challenges facing

society as a whole as we move further into

the 21st century?

Sustainability is key to my work in every aspect

of my work, it always was. I think creating sustainable,

long-lasting projects and products is the

responsibility of an architect ever since. Acting

as a lifecycle engineer, I follow the principal of

the three zeros: zero kilometres, zero CO2, zero

waste.

In the same vein, what advice would you give to

an aspiring designer leaving art college hoping

to follow in your foot steps?

Look for a master and learn ‘by doing’.

The Memphis Group in the 1980s was an

amazing melting pot of ideas from some great

minds that produced some truly iconic design

concepts. Have you ever thought of creating a

similar group now, just to see what might happen?

With Memphis Group we approached design in

a different way, finding a new emotional language

as an alternative to the unimaginative functionalism

at that time. We wanted to break the rules…

Memphis was a manifesto and left a legacy.

Today, there is no need for a movement such as

Memphis, we are facing other problems worldwide.

Today we must learn from the mistakes of the

past and have to find innovating and long lasting

solutions to face an over populated and polluted

planet.

Your friend and once-colleague, Ettore

Sottsass, is a recognised talent in his own right,

having worked with the big names of the day

during his lifetime, but turned away from big

companies and consumerism later in his career.

Was his attitude an inspiration to how you

approached your own career, and what do you

think he would have said about the Matteo

Thun Atelier brand launch?

I am still true to what I believed in when starting

out and enjoy challenges of innovation and differentiation.

This is how Matteo Thun Atelier was

born: There is a huge expertise in Italy for handcrafted

products. The workshops for hand-blown

glass, ceramics or joineries are about to disappear

since they have not access to the industry. For

Matteo Thun Atelier we took existing forms,

changed proportions slightly to make them easier

to produce, suggest specific colours and link the

craftsmanship with the industry professionals and

consumer.

Ettore might have loved the idea of Manus x Machina.

You’ve worked with businesses internationally,

and travelled around the world but you

still have strong feelings for home, in Italy. Do

projects based in Italy fill you with more excitement

or does your love for Italy provide you

with added passion whatever the project?

Italians have a strong sense for quality and are,

once enthusiastic about an idea, very creative and

driven to realise the impossible.

The Matteo Thun Atelier project has a huge

focus put on the issue of customisation, and

used smartphones as an example of how much

people like to add such detail to their possessions.

Do you have a love or hate relationship

with your smartphone (assuming you have

one) and do you have a personalised phone

cover?

Customization is a tool to express individuality,

but I do not go as far to have a personalised phone

cover. My cellphone is normal black iPhone used

for sms and to do calls. (ONLY!)

The JW Marriott Venice Resort and Spa was a

ruin you transformed into something beautiful

and luxurious, complete with MediSpa suites,

yoga and meditation gardens.

You’ve also reportedly worked on a wellness

hotel in Burgenstock in Switzerland. Is physical

mindful wellbeing a particular passion that

gives you an added interest in these projects,

and do you do yoga?

Both projects are about wellbeing, the Waldhotel

at Bürgenstock is a medical hotel, a modern version

of the Davos sanatorium in Thomas Mann’s,

The Magic Mountain. Architecture should convey

physical mindfull wellbeing, no matter what

kind of use it was planned for. I do Yoga and Pilates

every morning at 7.30 am.

If you could pick a designer from any time or

place to make you a present for your next birthday,

who would it be and why?

A day with Brunelleschi…

You’ve said in the past you wanted to be a

doctor, not a designer or an architect. Do you

think you still apply the same mentality, by

using your creativity as a ‘cure’ and a means

of putting more beauty and wellbeing into the

world?

I am happy to have the chance to be creative in

many different segments within my profession.

Matteo Thun Atelier is our latest ‘baby’, in a way

I sometimes feel like a obstetrician.

209

TALBOT

Felix wears

Total look CRAIG GREEN

Bracelet and ring ALAN CROCETTI

Earrings GILLIAN HORSUP VINTAGE

Boots McQ by ALEXANDER McQUEEN

Photographer OLIVER LEE SHIPTON · Fashion Editor MATT KING · Casting Director THEO SPENCER

Models JOE K @Models1, FELIX @Storm · Location LONDON, UK

Joseph wears

Trousers BRACKMAN

Boots SAINT LAURENT


Sweatshirt and bracelet ALAN CROCETTI

Top NASIR MAZHAR

Boots SAINT LAURENT

Trousers DIESEL BLACK GOLD

Coat CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION




Jacket and coat GIVENCHY by RICCARDO TISCI

Earring GILLIAN HORSUP VINTAGE

Earring GILLIAN HORSUP VINTAGE

Sweater GIVENCHY by RICCARDO TISCI

Coat BRACKMAN

Jacket DIESEL BLACK GOLD



Coat MARTINE ROSE

Tracksuit COTTWEILER

Underwear CALVIN KLEIN



Make-up Artist MONA LEANNE for MAC Cosmetics · Hair Stylist JONATHAN DE FRANCESCO · Photographer Assistants MATT KELLY and DAN @ProLighting · Fashion Assistant NADIA DAHAN

Felix wears

Top and trousers CRAIG GREEN


Coat DKNY

Jacket MISBHV



Joseph wears

Trousers NASIR MAZHAR

T-shirt and bracelet ALAN CROCETTI


IN & OUT

by Kyle Johnson

Crossing boundaries to intertwine both inside and outside spaces, we find fashion and its inspiration

from both worlds in a place where there are no formal limits. As an industry, fashion plays on the

notion of building a brand through connecting the spheres of influence allowing it to showcase its

merchandise through mixed media channels, bringing the dream it creates to life for the consumer. To

highlight this, we have explored the immensity of Yoro Park in Japan, the desert houses in California

with Angela Lindvall, Marc Jacobs special in his beloved NYC with Hanne Gaby Odiele and even

featured several still life’s represented in buildings by Le Corbusier, Ricardo Boffil and others. It is here

that we mix fashion with other forms of visual expression, representing structures, art and artists working

with both inside and outside views expanding on the idea of what the designer/creative provides

to its consumers.

“I WORK FROM THE INSIDE OUT”

FRANK GEHRY

Thermostat

Security Alarm

Audio Amplifier

Phone Feed

Wall Mounted Data Outlet

221

SIDELIGHT

Photographer PAUL MCLEAN · Fashion Editor GEORGIA TAL · Model ANGELA LINDVALL @IMG

Location SADDLE PEAK HOUSE, TOPANGA - CA

Coat GIVENCHY by RICCARDO TISCI

Top FENDI

Dress BREELAYNE

Choacker BREELAYNE

Top and skirt STELLA McCARTNEY

Total look CÉLINE

Trousers CÉLINE

Top and shirt BREELAYNE

Dress BREELAYNE

Charm worn as necklace PRADA

Producer FLOWER AVE · Make-up Artist SILVER BRANHAM @Art Dept · Hair Stylist SAMI KNIGHT @Carter Crosby

Total look PRADA

ETENDUE

STILL LIFE FALL / WINTER 2016-17

Photographer LEONARDO SCOTTI · Fashion Editor GEORGIA TAL

Black off white leather ankle bootie with metal heel PROENZA SCHOULER

Location: Pershing square by Ricardo Legorreta, Los Angeles - USA

City calf and saffiano leather Cahier bag with bronze coloured metal elements PRADA

Location: Walden 7 by Ricardo Bofill, Sant Just Desvern - SPAIN

White small trotteur bag in grained calfskin CÉLINE

Location: Monumento al Campesino by César Manrique, Lanzarote - SPAIN

Leather pump with wooden heel and metallic details MARNI

Location: Walden 7 by Ricardo Bofill, Sant Just Desvern - SPAIN

Silver sequin slippers LOEWE

Location: Unité d´Habitation by Le Corbusier, Marseille - FRANCE

MIU MIU

Miu Miu is one of those brands that is akin to taking a breath of fresh air with an invigorating, youthful aftertaste.

Launched in 1993 by Miuccia Prada, Miu Miu has always been the edgy reference in Fashion with muses from the

likes of Vanessa Paradis and Chloë Sevigny. We have kept up with Miu Miu’s cheekiness with a play on colours and

shapes set against the backdrop of Peter Shire’s home in Los Angeles. Shire is known for his sculptures and his membership

of The Memphis Group, an Italian design and architecture group infamous for its postmodern objects. The

artist and designer’s whimsical works align with Miu Miu’s jovial spirit.

by Perwana

Floor Plan Miu Miu showspace F/W 2016-17 courtesy of Miu Miu

243

wUNDERKAMMER

SPECIAL MIU MIU WOMENSWEAR FALL / WINTER 2016-17

All furnitures by Peter Shire / Memphis

Photographer TAYLOR TUPY · Fashion Editor LISA JARVIS · Creative Director DAVID MARTIN

Art Director ALVA GALIM · Model AVERY BLANCHARD @IMG · Location PETER SHIRE´S HOUSE, LA

Make-up Artist NATHAN HEJL · Hair Stylist MICHAEL LONG · Special thanks DONNA & PETER SHIRE

ARTIST

PETER SHIRE

Born in Echo Park, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, the postmodern artist is most often associated with the Memphis Group, a design collective founded by

international architect Ettore Sottsass. Known for crossing boundaries and breaking down barriers, he considers his position in the industry to be extremely

mobile. With exhibitions in the United States, Italy, France, Japan and Poland, his art reaches an international audience while continuing to be a cultural

force throughout the City of LA.

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand” - Confucius

Interviewed by Kyle Johnson

Portrait by Alva Galim

You’ve said that “the art world likes to categorize

artists. When I think about my position in the

art world, I realize it is extremely mobile because

I include and cross over so many boundaries.”

How has this philosophy helped stimulate you

as an artist? And which crossed boundaries do

you find to be most abundant in your work?

On all levels, people categorize and rate other

people. Consider that there are two realities. The

accountants’ reality, and the artists’ reality, which

is the ecstatic. By not sitting in one category, or

one medium, further enforces and leads me to the

ecstatic.

Much like the other designers who claim membership

or credit their inspiration to the Memphis

group of Postmodernist designers, your art

dismisses a facile linear trajectory and replaces

nostalgic connotations with eclectic playfulness

and subtle irony. What attracted you to this design

style? And, how has it been instrumental in

progressing art and design throughout its history?

It looks like it can’t be avoided. The “P” word.

Somehow Charles Jencks “bumper-sticker/soundbyte”

transcended from a Neo-classical architecture

style, into the world at large. If the industrial era

took us into modernism, perhaps the information

age is what we are referring to when we use the

word postmodern, and the way it is changing, and

changes are perception. MEMPHIS “guys and

dolls” were involved and bringing information in

the manner that would come to pass before computers

hit the PC phenomena.

As an essential part of the postmodern critical

debate, what sets your work apart from other

postmodernist artists? And, how has your individual

style influenced the movement?

Ceramics and furniture are objects that are part of

people’s lives and that concern people’s movement

and become synonymous with life itself. By bringing

this information and intention to this format

in a popular way and not as an information for the

ultra-rich or royalty... we completely change the

playing field. Aldo Cibic, recognised that I brought

the California colours to the movement. It should

be noted that ALL of us were already working

towards these goals and Ettore Sottsass, brought us

all together.

Name four key characteristics describing the

Milan-based Memphis group.

Four characteristics of the Milano-based MEM-

PHIS group: incorrigible, popping, playing-to-theback-row

and cazzo (Italian for penis).

Your father’s concern with craftsmanship had

a powerful impact on your later artistic views.

What three skills did he teaches you? And, how

are those skills interpreted into your work?

I’ve never been amazing as my dad Hank. I continue

to endeavour. Every day I think of him in some

way. With sadness that he is gone and happiness

that I did have him for the time I did.

From Christian Dior, to Missoni and even Karl

Lagerfeld, Memphis design has influenced fashion

in myriad ways. What is your take on how

design and art influence fashion? And, do you

feel that the two would exist without each other?

Fashion, design and art. Their relationship is complex

and very involved with what we (MEMPHIS)

were doing; and now they are very much involved

with what we are doing. The difference seems that

we were intrigued by the concept of their fashion

existence and intrigued with the look that came out

of that.

Terence Conran, an English designer and friend

of Ettore Sottsass, (Founder of the Memphis

Group) once said that Memphis design was

“funny, peculiar and rather like the emperor’s

new clothes. It was not to be taken seriously.”

What is your rejoinder to this statement? And

why should the movement be taken seriously?

Conran was taking every day objects and making

them stylish in a very practical way; and I believe

making a lot of money doing it. MEMPHIS’ concern

was elevating everyday objects to the exquisite

and esoteric even, thereby raising the expectations

of a culture. But not making anywhere near as

much money...

Auffen Gile and Gile Kilns were fundamental

pieces of work in establishing a formal personal

style at the start of your career and even garnered

the attention of Sottsass himself who labelled

them “fresh, witty, and full of information for

the future.” What were your sources of inspiration

for these modern depictions of the traditional

teapot? And, how have you reinvented and

used this style throughout your body of work?

This is an interesting bridge, because Auffen Gile

kilns were break-through pieces that were based on

my love of Bauhaus; cone-sphere-cube; red-yellowblue

with a lot of pastel thrown in... I couldn’t help

it. Again, MEMPHIS embraced a concept reminiscent

of the Bauhaus idea that good design would

find its way into people’s lives and inform a good

life. Important humanistic, optimistic, enthusiastic

concepts and feelings hold through the ages.

What three things bring you the most happiness?

“What things bring the most happiness?” A) Imagining

that I’m attractive to women. B) Making

works, especially when I’m sad or angry, because

simply making things make me happy. C) Making

ridiculous custom parts for my new “old” truck

(1989 Toyota one-ton long frame flat-bed).

Although the Memphis Movement was largely

created during the 1980’s and popular during

the 1990’s, what advancements in technology

have helped develop the movement into what

it is known as today? And, what three pieces of

technology would have been helpful to have had

during the high point of the movement?

“Ceramics and

furniture are objects

that are part

of people’s lives

and that concern

people’s movement

and become

synonymous with

life itself.”

This question reminds me of a saying that I heard

when I was a kid and we were completely charmed

by its working-class logic. And it is as follows: “If

we had some ham, we could have some ham n’

eggs, if we had some eggs.”

What impact, if any, has the Memphis style and

Postmodernism had on political and social culture

in the United States and specifically your

hometown of Los Angeles?

God only knows what impact MEMPHIS has had

on the social culture of the U.S. One thing I’m certain...

it has nothing to do with Donald Trump! In

commenting about Los Angeles, there isn’t enough

room...

Los Angeles is about all of the concepts that gave

rise to so-called Postmodernism.

“Love it or loathe it, Memphis style with its colour

and kitsch is back,” opined one journalist

in reference to the movement’s influence and

contributions to today’s modern design aesthetic.

Given that, where do you believe the Memphis

movement is today in terms of design and modern

architecture? And, where do you see it 10

years from now?

Where do I see MEMPHIS today and in 10 years??

If Postmodernism is analogous to computers,

MEMPHIS is the universal program.

With an impressive exhibition record, having

had shows in Los Angeles and other cities

throughout the country, and even internationally

in Milan, Tokyo and Sapporo, what’s next for

the artist who “rejects the limitations and proper

techniques” traditionally defined as the Fine

Arts?

What’s next? In my mind, and in my heart... there

is always an image that seems to be around the corner,

just out of view but I feel its presence. I continue

to strive and seek, and give it a physical reality.

L: 73,754 mm

255

DANCER

L: 172,365 mm

BLANCA LI

When culture is growing and growing, one most decide to experience the essence of beautiful while overcoming conventional tecniques. Blanca Li, the

choreographer and muse, steps towards the mastery of movement as a contemporary artist without boundaries.

“Everything must come from the heart, must be lived” - Pina Bausch

Interviewed by Isaac Pérez Solano

Portrait by Sonia Szóstak

Dress ALAïA

L: 83,05 mm

Which do you think is the choreography’s mission

beyond the show itself?

The choreography is the score of a dance piece.

It is a transcription of the piece. It has to include

all the information and everything you want the

artist to know in order to perform. I think choreography

is one of the key elements in a show: it

may bring emotion, energy, and a real discourse.

Dancing is not only about moves; it is also a universal

language and an amazingly poetic way of

expression.

Usually, I try not to rely on personal theories,

but I’ve always been fascinated about the idea

of breaking the rules in order to make something

beautiful, true to yourself and your

beliefs. Your range in dance is very wide and

specific at the same time. Seems like a movement

of precision and freedom. How do you

see the objective of creating such style in contemporary

culture?

I love to bring many different things together and

try to find the right harmony in it. My style is

all about mixing cultures, experiences and styles.

This mix of inspirations gives me a wider range of

possibilities to express my ideas.

At what point of your career did you come

across with this idea?

It is just the natural way of working for me. I am

very curious with everything I see, and I use all

the interesting things I have encountered to create

something new and personal.

Has to do with your passion for all kinds of art

or something that you always wanted to explore

a little more?

Of course! I am interested in all kinds of arts

and expressions. I like the fresh energy some new

forms of contemporary expressions have like electro

dance and urban arts.

“I am interested

in all kinds of arts

and expressions.

I like the fresh

energy some new

forms of contemporary

expressions

have like electro

dance and urban

arts.”

“Choreographing

is a construction

of the whole

scenic space,

including lights,

costumes, music

choices, decors,

etc. It is like constructing

a house:

you have to think

of everything.”

But I may also be moved and impressed by the

intensity of certain authors or painters from the

past. Everyday life is also a great source of inspiration

for me.

Your experience with Daft Punk, Pedro Almodovar,

Beyoncé, Stella McCartney, Jean Paul

Gaultier, among other artists; has been talked

about in the past, but what can you tell us

about your experience blooming in the studio

of Martha Graham?

It has been one of the most fantastic experiences

of my life. Martha Graham was an amazing person

and artist. Being there and see her working

was a dream, and I enjoyed every moment I spent

in her school. I have been very lucky.

And what’s the story behind your friendship

with Azzedine Alaïa?

We met several times, and the more we got to

know each other, the more we liked each other.

We became very good friends little by little.

How can anyone cross the fine and fashionable

line between muse and friend of such legend?

We are very good friends above all. Azzedine is

not only an amazing artist, but also a fantastic

person and a great friend. I love him because of

his personality and who he is as an artist but also

as a human being. It has always been very natural

and pleasant for us to share moments together.

What’s innovation for you?

Innovation is a very important challenge today: in

the arts, we can sometimes think everything has

already been done. Of course it is not the only

motivation to create, but when you get to create

and be innovator at the same time, then it is even

better. Innovation requires audacity and imagination,

creating something new or different out of

what already exists is always a good challenge.

Is this a way to make your choreographies

more democratic for the public to understand?

When I start a creation process, I never ask myself

what the result will be. I work in a very instinctive

way, and I would not be able to say if a piece is

democratic or not until it is finished. Some of my

pieces are easier to understand than others but I

am happy when a large public likes my work.

In previous interviews you said that there’s

always a sense of wit and weirdness in your

work. How can you manage to transform this

rigorous process into an effortless result?

The preparation of a show is indeed very complex

and rigorous.

But I always try to work with artists with whom

I have a good relationship. A creation is both a

very intense and a very fun moment thanks to

my team.

I think the humour and that “effortless” feel come

from the good time we are having while we are

creating.

It seems that your references are like a field

without restrictions. For example, in architecture,

are you interested in creating shapes with

your dancers or the space between them and

the scene?

Both: choreographing is a construction of the

whole scenic space, including lights, costumes,

music choices, decors, etc. It is like constructing a

house: you have to think of everything.

If all experiences are good and you have to take

one to name your biography, what would it be?

Dance, dance, until you die!

Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, has called you

“a sentinel against totalitarianism and hatred.”

Have you ever felt like you’re not going to accomplish

your mission as an artist?

I think we are going through a difficult moment

and it is hard not to think of all that is happening

when I am in a creation process. The terrible

events that have happened in Paris and all around

the world have made me think about what I am

doing, and I have been questioning myself about

my place and my mission. As an artist, I should

bring beauty to this world, make people reflect on

the world, on themselves...

With the work you’ve developed for more than

20 years, what’s on the to-do list before heading

to 2020?

I have no to-do list... But I have lots of ideas in

mind! I just need to find the right opportunity

to realise each of them. My next creation will be

for September 2017 in the National Theatre of

Chaillot in Paris.

Right now I have a film going out in theatres called

Elektro Mathematrix.

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“The choreography is the score of a dance piece. It is a

transcription of the piece. It has to include all the

information and everything you want the artist to know

in order to perform.”

All clothes ALAïA archives and F/W 2016-17

Photographer SONIA SZÓSTAK · Talent BLANCA LI @Next Paris · Fashion Editor ALBA MELENDO · Make-up Artist STEPHANIE JAQUET

Hair Stylist YUMIKO HIKAGE · Location Mr ALAïA ATELIER, PARIS · Post-production DOMINIK HERMAN

Special thanks MR ALAïA, OLIVIER COLLINET, ANTONIN and IBRAHIM TAROUHIT

MUSICIAN

DYLAN BROSNAN

Nowness, in its rawest form. It enthralls us all, the complete and profound beauty of unspoiled creativity. To make it your own way; unconditionally Dylan

Brosnan, in case you had not noticed yet, is a true starlet in the making, a calm, well-spoken young gentleman, ready to share his unique sound with the

world. Here, he speaks to us about the importance of close friendships, some spot-on thrift shopping and the good ole’ Beach Boys, whilst dousing us with

a hefty dose of pepped up psychedelia.

“Music and fashion are connected genetically” - Hedi Slimane

Interviewed by Marlo Saalmink

Portrait by Brad Elterman

Bomber LOUIS VUITTON

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You-ism. Hi Dylan, welcome! Let us begin,

where we all have to start, our youth. Were you

a curious youngling?

Hey! Yeah, you could say so. As far as I recall, I

was definitely more of a creatively inclined kid.

When growing up, I was simply terrible at sports.

Therefore, I just spent most of my time reading,

building stuff, or by just picking up instruments

here and there.

True-ism. What first intrigued you musically

and which artists paved the way for your own

musical explorations?

To me music is just the easiest art form to connect

to emotionally and the only one I feel the

need to constantly consume. “The Beach Boys’’

were definitely a big influence on me because I

loved the idea of making a really timeless album

and putting in the hours in the studio to make

something perfect. This band ‘‘Girls’’, I also really

like because everything they did was just so simple

in an amazing way. Their work is incredibly

honest and easy to connect when one is growing

up. There are a lot of other bands I could talk

about as well but I think those two are the most

relevant in comparison to my music.

Sartorial Man. You also appear to be an avid

fashion observer and runway trotter. Which

designer fits your personal aesthetics best?

“From when I was

young, I think I

just figured out

that I always liked

to dress weird. If I

had to pick a creator,

I would definitely

say Hedi

Slimane is my

favourite. When

it comes to venturing

out for my

own finds, I really

like thrift shopping

for clothes.”

From when I was young, I think I just figured out

that I always liked to dress weird. If I had to pick a

creator, I would definitely say Hedi Slimane is my

favourite. When it comes to venturing out for my

own finds, I really like thrift shopping for clothes.

When you look at Hedi’s work, the collections

often also appear as if they were thrifting for cool

old vintage stuff, pieces that not everyone would

wear, clothes with a true identity.

Fashion 2.0. As an inside-outsider, what would

be your statement on this industry of ours?

Well, I would say that at its best the fashion industry

remains strongly linked to the arts scene.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise to me, that a lot

of brands simply look to artists to decide what is

intriguing and cool.

Daddy-O. Perhaps we should also mention

your father, Pierce, a great Thespian indeed.

How do you relate to each other creatively?

When it comes to our approach to live, I think

we are actually quite similar. We are both artists

in some form or another.

This makes us naturally inclined to look at the

world through a more creative or eclectic lens. My

father can be quite musical as well, dabbling on

flutes, ukuleles and guitars. On the other hand,

I remain open to the idea of trying acting if that

opportunity would ever come around in a natural

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manner.

Guitar-ism. Over the past month, I have been

quite fondly listening to some of your songs,

under your sleek ‘’Raspberry Blonde’’ moniker.

Could you tell us more about the set-up

and sound?

Thanks! I always love to hear that people have

checked out my music. Basically, there is going to

be a twelve-track album coming out in the next

month or two ideally. I have the artwork and already

made the music video for the title track/

lead single.

So now all I need to do is finalize the mixing

and mastering stuff, which as you might know

is pretty technical at this point. This whole first

album has just been done by a super small set up.

It is my friend Jeffertitti Moon producing and

me writing/performing because there is not really

a cohesive band behind my music, for the time

being.

For the live shows, I just get my friends to help

out and usually it takes about four people to set

up and play. As for the sound, I really wanted to

realize my idea of a pop album with some psychedelia

thrown in. I used to just make droning guitar

stuff or mess around with effects pedals, but I

wanted make something that I would be proud

of and that other people would like. I also feel

like everyone is doing a lot of garage rock or heavy

sounding music. Therefore I chose to make

something sweet and perhaps a little uncool. After

all, I was definitely not trying to make a rock

album.

“To me music is

just the easiest art

form to connect

to emotionally

and the only one

I feel the need

to constantly

consume.”

Elemental Parts. Your music rings with a subtle

hint of eclectic-ness, you surely must be open

to new experiences. Next to fashion and music,

do you relate to other art-forms?

Yeah, I very much do. For me music is definitely

my main focus and passion but I used to do more

visual art when I was younger. It was mainly photography,

weird stuff I could make or manipulate

in Photoshop and endless amounts of loose doodles.

Recently, I have gotten some movie offers and I

would be open to doing this at some point. I feel

this could work in the same way as I was initially

open to modeling. It kind of just sort of happened.

In general, I feel drawn to most artistic

opportunities because they all compliment each

other, which enriches my world in the end.

Wayfaring Man. Are there any place you have

encountered on your travels that have made

an everlasting mark? And are there some you

would love to visit?

Of course, as a youngster, I spent a lot of time

going to school on Kauai. This will therefore

always be a very special place to me. It is kind of

funny because I do not surf nor do I really swim

actively, but I still love it there. There are just

many memories. When it comes to exploring new

places, I would really love to visit Japan someday

because I appreciate their approach towards art

and architecture.

LA-LA LAND. You are based in LA. What does

this city bring to the table?

First and foremost, I am based in LA because of

music.

It is as simple as that. I know so many people who

are also involved with music here that I would

love to work with. That is why it does not seem

right to go anywhere else right now. In general, I

feel it is a really great city for the arts. I just came

back from Chicago too so I am quickly realizing

how great the weather is, as well as the fact that

you have access to some pretty beautiful landscapes

here.

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Heritage 2.0. To just ask once more; so if that perfect film opportunity

came, would you consider it?

It is funny now because I already mentioned it but yeah I am definitely open

s

to film work or acting. It has to be the right moment. And it should definitely

not conflict with my music.

-

Pseudo-Politics. A lot of things are happening in the US now, when it

comes to the new presidency next year.

s

Do you have a take on this?

Unfortunately, I think I might pass on that. Recently, I have seen some political

conversations get way too intense.

Dreamer. I can fully understand your clever pass on the previous question.

Let us instead speak of the future. What are some of the things you

would like to achieve in the coming years?

It is quite simple actually for me. In the end, I think my ultimate dream is to

just make really good music that people love and to be able to support myself

by doing that. In the short term, I am going to keep recording, slowly release

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more work and will continue by playing more live shows.

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Friendships. To me, we are only as great as the people we surround ourselves

with. And what is important to you when it comes to friends?

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I feel definitely drawn to just having a few very close friends. Most of them

are musicians or artists and not really party people. At the end of the day, it

is important to me to surround myself with people that I can connect with

-

“My father and I are both

artists in some form or

another. This makes us naturally

inclined to look at

the world through a more

creative or eclectic lens”

and who care about me. They are people with whom we do not have to go

anywhere with to have a good time. We can just be!

Fade to Glory. Dylan, let us end with a bang, and I truly hope nothing

stops you from chasing your dreams. What pointers could you give to

aspiring young musicians across the globe?

As scliché as it sounds, I would just like to tell them to make good stuff that

lasts and to never get discouraged if you think you are bad at it. Just make it

anyways. I spent years not making music just because I thought I could not

do it. This was definitely not the right way to go about making art!

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All clothes LOUIS VUITTON Menswear F/W 2016-17

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Photographer BRAD ELTERMAN · Talent DYLAN BROSNAN · Fashion Editor ALVA GALIM · Grooming HOLLY SILIUS

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Producer RICHIE DAVIS · Location ROOSEVELT HOTEL, LA

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BLINDING GLARE

SPECIAL MARC JACOBS WOMENSWEAR FALL / WINTER 2016-17

Photographer MARK LUCKASAVAGE · Fashion Editor LISA JARVIS · Model HANNE GABY ODIELE @Women Management

Location BUSHWICK, BROOKLYN

Make-up Artist YUKI HAYASHI @Streeters · Hair Stylist HIRO + MARI @Bryan Bantry · Photographer Assistants KIRI WAWATAI and KWAME KORKOR · Digital tech TADAAKI

SHIBUYA · Post-production THERESA HONG · Special thanks MICHAEL BRUNO, BROOKLYN BALL FACTORY, POPULAR FURNITURE and NELLY´S FLOWER SHOP

PHOTOGRAPHER

L: 165,8 mm

BOB GRUEN

MAX’S KANSAS CITY

Bob Gruen is one of the best known and respected photographers in Rock ‘n’ Roll. From Muddy Waters to the Rolling Stones; Elvis to Madonna; Bob

Dylan to Bob Marley; John Lennon to Johnny Rotten… He began his career taking pictures of rock stars thirty years ago, and today his work is known and

recognized worldwide.

“Rock ‘n’ roll is not just a fashion statement; it is the attitude, and it has a political posturing as well” - Cee Lo Green

Interviewed by Eduardo Gión

Portrait by Raúl Hidalgo

What was the first camera you owned?

Kodak Brownie Hawkeye… it’s not the camera

that’s important, it’s what you do with it.

How did your career as a photographer begin?

Photography was my mother’s hobby and she

taught me to develop and print my photos... after

High School I lived with a Rock band and took

photos of them and when they got a record deal

they used my photos and I started to meet people

in the business.

The Bee Gees were really one of the first bands

you shot and then later Ike and Tina Turner

and the New York Dolls of all your earliest

work. Which experiences really shaped your

visual aesthetic the most?

It’s hard to say which shaped me ‘the most’.

Everything I’ve done has added to who I am.

“Photography has

now become so accessible

with practically

every mobile

phone having

a camera, which

means that concert

photos can also be

uploaded online

within seconds.”

You’re credited with the now iconic shot of

John Lennon in that New York City t-shirt how

did you come to forge such a good friendship

with him and Yoko that they decided to make

you their personal photographer?

I was comfortable with them so they were comfortable

with me and we develop a friendship as time

went on as people who like each other do.

That picture was also displayed during John’s

public memorial in 1980, why that shot? Was

it to reinforce his love of the city despite something

so horrible happening there?

I chose that photo because John had become very

comfortable in New York, and yes, not to blame

New York for that.

You were the chief photographer for Rock Scene

magazine which celebrated many of your

candid, behind the scenes shots and tour imagery

for artists/bands such as: Blondie, Patti

Smith, Led Zeppelin, Ramones, Alice Cooper,

The Who... Was it really Rock ‘n’ Roll all the

“I don’t think

punk was radically

different from

what came before.

It was a natural

progression as

music has gotten

louder and faster.”

time, or did Alice Cooper for example; ever

put his feet up with a cup of tea in his dressing

room?!

It was rock’n’roll most of the time… Alice didn’t

put his feet up with a cup of tea, he put his feet

up and had a beer.

You photographed The Sex Pistols too, was Sid

really as vicious as the public part he liked to

play?

Sid wasn’t vicious, that was a role he played and

he was a good actor… Sid was a pretty nice guy

to his friends.

And you played bugle for The Clash on stage a

few times as well, is that true?

Yes, one of the highlights of my life was to play a

‘call to arms’ and ‘charge’ for the Clash, at Hammersmith

Odeon and in New York at Bonds…

You were one of the photographers to make

that cross over from the 60s/70s rock scene

into punk during the 70s.

I don’t think punk was radically different from

what came before. It was a natural progression as

music has gotten louder and faster.

Do you think a lot of your success was down

to being in the right place at the right time, or

did you deliberately seek out people you were

interested in shooting?

I sought out people I was interested in and had

the good fortune to find them at the right place

at the right time and then I did the right things.

Do you ever look back at your work and feel

nostalgic for the past, with the way that social

attitudes and behaviour have changed in the

present? Was there more fun and freedom then?

I learn from the past, look to the future and live

in the present…

Though I have many happy memories, I don’t

miss the past, and I still find fun and freedom

now. Photography has now become so accessible

with practically every mobile phone having a camera,

which means that concert photos can also

be uploaded online within seconds.

Do you enjoy seeing how the medium has evolved

to capture that magical moment and connection

between audience and performer?

Yes, I enjoyed photography all my life and now

that it is so accessible I think it’s good that so

many more people can enjoy what I did.

There is always an artsy edge to your work,

which is why so many homes probably have

one of your pictures framed on the wall. What

are the key elements involved when shooting?

I try to capture a moment to show what the feeling

and passion of the moment is, not just the

facts. I think I use my subjects to create a feeling

of freedom and excitement in the viewer.

As the song goes, you were definitely ’In with

the Incrowd such as Andy Warhol and Mick

Jagger of all those experiences. What are your

favorite up close and personal moment?

I have had so many good times, I don’t list them

as 1,2 or 3 favorite.

Your ROCKSEEN exhibition includes unseen

works, such as the Alice Cooper and Salvador

Dalí ‘Brain of a Popstar’ shot by 1973. Can you

tell me more about how cooper and Dalí came

to be in the same room together?

Salvador Dalí thought Alice Cooper’s act was Surreal

and similar to his art in that way, so he chose

Alice as the subject for his 3D hologram ‘The Brain

of a Pop Star’.

“Photography was

my mother’s hobby

and she taught

me to develop and

print my photos...

after High School

I lived with a Rock

band and took

photos of them

and when they got

a record deal they

used my photos

and I started to

meet people in the

business.”

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Max´s Kansas City at day © Bob Gruen

Debbie Harry © Bob Gruen

Max´s Kansas City at night © Bob Gruen

David Johansen and David Bowie © Bob Gruen

Total look DOLCE & GABBANA

CAULICULUS

Photographer REBEKAH CAMPBELL · Fashion Editor LISA JARVIS · Model JULIA CUMMING @Marilyn NYC · Location UPSTATE, NYC

Suit MAX MARA

Top DRIES VAN NOTEN

Shoes ROBERTO CAVALLI

Jacket and shoes MIU MIU

Gloves DRIES VAN NOTEN

Tights FOGAL

Dress BLUMARINE

Bodysuit TABLEAUX VIVANTS

Dress PRADA

Photographer Assistant MARCEL CASTENMILLER · Make-up Artist YUKI HAYASHI @Streeters · Hair Stylist BLAKE ERIK @Jed Root · Special thanks JOYCE FROST for her wonderful

home and CHLOE CAILLET for putting us in touch

Dress GUCCI

Total look RODARTE

MONCLER

Designed for the sportswear enthusiast facing inclement weather while traversing the Alpine slopes, the company

named after Monestier-de-Clermont, outside of Grenoble in France, now finds itself headquartered in Milan, Italy

after the 2003 buyout by current Creative Director, Remo Ruffini. With innovation and luxury as hallmarks of the

house, their ongoing collaborations constitute a statement in what you wear - always appreciated by the industry and

the public in general.

For this next season, the collaboration between Moncler and FriendsWithYou, gives birth to some of the brands most

iconic pieces, resulting in a collection of classics that wink of youth, happiness and life. After all, there is nothing

better than to capture a brands DNA through the unique lens of dispensable cameras relishing a life with Moncler.

by Jason Guronen

Floor Plan Moncler Gamme Bleu showspace F/W 2016-17 courtesy of Moncler

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SPECIAL MONCLER & FRIENDSWITHYOU

Photographer ARGUEDAS · Production ALVA GALIM & DAVID MARTIN · Models ZARINA NARES @Vision LA, ROBBIE DAVIDSON

@Vision LA · Location FRIENDSWITHYOU STUDIO, LA

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ARTISTS

FRIENDSWITHYOU

Cult duo FriendsWithYou are artists on a mission. But forget the postmodern anger: these two cheery Italian chaps are all about magic, love, and friendship

as they dose audiences up on hyped-out-happy with their latest quirky range for Moncler.

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see” - Edgar Degas


Portrait courtesy of Moncler

L: 67,28 mm

Samuel, thanks for talking with us. When did

you decide to work together as an art collective?

Did either of you ever image a solo career,

or did you always enjoy working as a duo?

We been working together about 15 years, it’s

pretty amazing what we have achieved and continue

to achieve together. I personally feel I have

always been solo and choose to combine forces

with my buddy and partner Tury, and other

people that help us create our dreams larger than

any solo person can create.

We may do more solo things in our life but for

now we love the journey. We are able to step outside

our ego and create something with its own

life, and a power bestowed by us and the people

who encounter it.

FriendsWithYou have a distinct aesthetic of

neon colours, cartoon-like imagery, and enormous

Pop-art sculptures. It’s almost impossible

not to feel happy when viewing your work, was

this always your intended experience? How did

you arrive at this style of creating art?

Thank you for the compliment. We are not looking

to only harness the feeling of happiness, we

want to explore the emotional spectrum, and I

think in the pursuit of that unknown, happiness

is ever-present on that free-form journey.

We always try to change and create new visions

and as we evolve, so does our work and what we

are wanting to achieve from an active, as well as

a reactive goal. We see how people approach the

art and create their own experience. We are always

learning on the job and in constant process.

Your artist’s motto is “Magic, Luck, and

Friendship.” Were you tripping on mushrooms

when you wrote that?

Probably gonna be tripping for life. Why not?

Truly I feel everyone is tripping... the speed of

our lives and information is awesome in a sense

we can’t even understand.

‘Magic’ meaning the metaphysical realm where

anything is possible, ‘Luck’ being grateful

and prepared for any and all opportunities, and

‘Friendship’ because that’s what we all are, a giant

connected organism.

In October 2015, your collaboration with

Moncler was launched in Ginza, Tokyo. A collection

of t-shirts, puffer jackets, and sweatshirts...

it’s just about the most unexpected partnership

we can think of.

How did that working relationship come

about?

Perfect opposites attract! Their beautiful cleanliness

with our playful art attached to it was a perfect

project for us!

What was your process of adapting your art to

fashion? Was it similar to creating an artwork,

or was it a whole new experience?

Yes, we came about the line conceptually like our

work; we wanted to give each item an experience

so we did that through archetypes. Building in a

personality to the items that would empower the

user to take on this persona, and be a character

themselves.

Do you plan on working with Moncler again

in the future?

Yes! We like them very much.

Moncler was founded all the way back in

1952 as a manufacturer of quilted jackets and

sportswear. Like an artist, they have had to

search for new ways to remain relevant in the

competitive luxury market. Do you feel like

you will have to ‘reinvent’ the FriendsWithYou

style in years to come?

It’s always reinventing itself, we let it grow and

change, and we have more fun as it takes on its

strange life. We learn so much.

At first glance, your artworks are startlingly

simplistic. Bold symbols, bright colours. Do

you try and encourage your viewer to see beyond,

say, the cloud, and find the narrative

behind it?

Yes and no, some people get it simply and some

need to look further, both ways of viewing our art

are acceptable.

Because inside the cloud we have so many

thoughts and ideas, but so does everyone, so it’s

kind of a compilation of all that.

You have worked together since 2002, which

is a remarkably long time for two creatives to

endure each other! Has there been any major

artistic disagreements that have threatened

the FriendsWithYou enterprise? Any paint

throwing?

Ha, sure it’s been everything. Each day we can

mirror each other and help each other and the

overall goals. It’s really beautiful to be open and

adapt, it lets us dream as large as possible. It’s our

own unique science, we are always in the process

of developing and fine-tuning and expressing.

FriendsWithYou have worked in painting,

sculpture, massive installations, film, live performance,

architecture, and of course, fashion.

Is there anything even left to cross off your list?

What’s next?

We will be doing this as long as we both live so

yes, there are so many more things for us to achieve,

and we are excited to explore every medium

that we dream of or learn about…

You forgot to mention we also created one of our

most powerful works last year called “Light Spirit”,

it’s a Virtual Reality experience.

We are also working on a kids animation series,

and so much more. The series will be on Netflix

teaching children about compassion for the planet

and all the creatures in it; and so many more

dreams and ideas.

“We always try to

change and create

new visions and as

we evolve, so does

our work and

what we are wanting

to achieve

from an active, as

well as a reactive

goal. We see how

people approach

the art and create

their own experience.

We are

always learning

on the job and in

constant process”

There is a distinct trend of luxury fashion houses

collaborating with artists to breathe some

new life into their collections.

Do you think the role of the artist is changing

in the 21st century? Are they more valued than

before?

I’m not really sure, each artistic practice is so different.

We are happy to reach as many people as

possible.

We are so happy to be artists in this moment and

that we can talk to so many people.

After over 14 years working together, what’s

one thing you’ve learnt about each other as

creatives? Who makes the better coffee?

Tury definitely makes the better coffee, I don’t

even drink it!

But more than that, I always know that with Tury

by my side we can truly achieve anything.

There is nothing we are afraid to take on or create

and we always push ourselves as far and as great

as we can.

I’m really honored to be working with someone

as talented as him.

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Coat 3.1 PHILLIP LIM

Tops and trousers PIGALLE

Shoes ISSEY MIYAKE MEN

CELLA

Photographer MINORU KABURAGI · Fashion Editor YOSHIKI · Model HUGO PUVION @Exiles Models · Location YORO PARK, JAPAN

Tops PIGALLE

Coat, shirt and trousers LOEWE

Jacket and trousers PIGALLE

Coat and shoes JULIEN DAVID

Total look ISSEY MIYAKE MEN

Total look DSQUARED2

Total look 3.1 PHILLIP LIM

Make-up Artist YOSHi.T for Mondo · Hair Stylist EIJI SATO · Special thanks SITE OF REVERSIBLE DESTINY-YORO PARK, GIFU. CREATED IN 1997 BY ARAKAWA AND MA-

DELINE GINS, © 1997 ESTATE OF MADELEINE GINS

Coat CHLOE

Bra & Briefs DAMARIS

Total look GUCCI

ARTIST

ERWIN WURM

Famous for his “One Minute Sculptures” where temporary sculptural pieces are captured on film, the Austrian-born contemporary artist speaks to the world

with philosophical poise and a cunning sense of humor. His criticism of everyday objects illustrating life in postwar Austria take the commonly understood

rebirthing it with the cleverly unexpected. In a narrative that manifests his continued cultural influences, his works featured in collections at the Guggenheim,

the Walker Art Center and Museum Ludwig to name just a few, continue to question how one sees themselves in relation to the world, making for a

slightly unconventional and whimsical approach to formalism.

“Rules and models destroy genius and art” - William Hazlitt


Portrait by Inge Prader

Your artwork inspires inquiries into the meaning

of life and the power of perception. What

is your philosophy of life and how did you

come about it?

My perception of life is well, everybody’s perception.

I’m happy to handle it in a good, positive

way.

When you came to realise people could be

sculptures as realised in your “One Minute

Sculptures” series, how did your understanding

of sculpture and your work as an artist

change?

My understanding changed quite dramatically,

because before I had the notion that sculpture

that we have become to know, had to be five centuries

old, so the sculpture had to be so strong

that you could roll it down the mountain and it

would still be okay, and that it could exist for eternity.

But I thought it would be interesting to create

something short in itself , as a way to mirror

our short lives. And so I found different things

to collect and I made pieces that had a beginning

like every artwork but also an end. I found different

pieces that had a short period of time of existence

in the beginning, one month, but it became

shorter and shorter and finally at a certain point

I realised it’s so short it needed something to define

its specialty, it’s shortness. So ‘One Minute’

came into being.

One minute can be endless, one minute can be

an eternity, depending on what you’re doing.

For a creature which lives for a short period of

life, it’s longer. For us it’s quite short. But on the

other hand one minute can be ten seconds or five

minutes.

It is your perception of that one minute isn’t it?

Exactly, exactly, absolutely.

“It’s not the heroic that elevates us, it’s conceding

and accepting what’s embarrassing and

ridiculous that truly gives us certainty and

grounds us.” Looking back, what is your most

embarrassing moment and why?

Oh my God I have several embarrassing moments.

You know answering these questions!

Perhaps we can talk about the ‘Banana Man’.

The banana itself is harmless. It depends on the

culture. I’m very amazed that the ‘Banana Man

‘itself is not forbidden in the United States in its

most provocative form. We ask these questions

very seriously. We think we’re getting to this point

and some people say, “wow it’s provocative!” We

have to get it out in reality.

Do you think most artists want to provoke

because that’s the way the public notices and

that’s the way to make a statement?

No, I never wanted to provoke. It’s interesting to

look from a different perspective, perception is

relative. And then all of a sudden you come to

another point, a surprising perspective which

creates a new reality, which is interesting, a bit

not provocative.

But, going back to the ‘Banana Man’ was the

huge reaction because of its simplicity?

It’s the simplicity that I like. Simplicity does not

mean to talk about something very complicated

in a ‘simple or a ‘stupid way’ It also doesn’t mean

to shorten its complexities but to offer the possibility

of clarity about something. That is simplicity

for me. Understanding something correctly.

Sometimes it is very complicated to speak about

the myriad complexities in a simple way and sometimes

it is just not possible because there are

too many perspectives and complexities. But sometimes

it happens in a quite good way and then

we can use it.

An overtly present theme in your work is the

Zeitgeist and the icons of our time and our society,

illustrating their brash and in-your-face

aggressiveness. For you, what are those beliefs

and who are three icons in society today?

You know, I would say the term ‘Icon’ is an invention

of the twenty-first century.

It is related to mass-media because all of a sudden

normal people began dreaming about a certain

identity that they would like to emulate and

transferring their own identities onto another

person from another field. It began within the

fashion industry and Pop music but this idea of

icons is getting bigger and growing. Now people

talk about philosophical icons, car icons or image

icons and things like that. This means many

people have expectations; because it perpetuates

and preserves the dreams of so many people, I

think that’s fascinating. Let’s say the notion of having

icons is a kind of a dream-catcher.

I like that. A ‘dream-catcher.’ It’s because

people feel the need to identify with something

or somebody instead of just being an individual

and being themselves.

Yes, and it relates not only to ourselves but to a

better us, and a possibly better existence.

Maybe people are just too afraid to look at

themselves.

Of course I mean to look at us. We are now seven

or eight billion individuals and for every individual

there is their own personality. So we live

among eight billion universes.

In creating your work you like to reach as

many people as possible, making it generally

accessible and easily understood. As an artist,

how is this done?

Well, it’s not always about as many as possible.

It’s how many people want to come on board and

relate to the art as well. The reach may be diverse

but the interest is very low and that is also a trap.

There might be a second truth or a third truth

about what is going on but it’s absolutely necessary

to go deeper, and create an understanding.

But sometimes the understanding and reach is

based on the surface which is also a danger for

the work.

As an artist, what are your sources of inspiration

and how do you interpret that to as many

people as possible?

Well, sometimes my sources for inspiration are

good interviews, but there are not many good

interviews. Sometimes it’s you know, separate

things that surround me; sometimes it’s more

complicated things and sometimes ideas come by

themselves and sometimes you have to look for

them. So it’s never a set formula or recipe but sometimes

it’s an idea and it changes continuously.

Yes you could’ve just said, ‘I get influenced

from travelling,’ or sometimes just meeting

people and having conversations with

them. Or you could just sit there and close your

eyes and meditate.

I mean, inspiration can happen at any time. It is

something which can also come from outer space.

Who knows? All my inspiration comes from

Mars, or Venus, or… who knows? Some famous

person said that Pluto was his inspiration. You

know, in this case it was Pluto the dog in the Disney

series, the extreme of Donald Duck and of

Mickey Mouse.

I like the way you think to make that comparison...

You have a fascination with the darker

aspects of human nature, how individuals see

themselves in relation to the greater world,

asking the questions: “Where do I fit into the

scheme of things? Can I find a niche, or is it

futile to even try?” You go on to say that “when

you see all these heroic figures, in philosophy,

the sciences, politics, the arts, and God knows

where… it’s enough to drive you to despair.”

Given that, what is the darkest aspect of human

nature and what was the most wretched

moment in your past and how did you deal

with it?

Yes, I mean, oh my God there are so many things

about it. The dark nature, the dark side, the dunkel…

Whenever I want the dark side, the dunkel,

do I find it in religion, is it in kindness, is it

in people’s stupidity, is it in philosophy, is it in

politics; it’s a big question... I suffer with these

questions. I have another 50 years to hopefully

find the answer. I mean, I can manage it.

Yes, I can see that because everything is energy.

I always say that energy means positive and

negative; white and black and yin and yang. So

you can see both in everything.

The people who wrote the Perry Rhodan (eponymous

hero of a German science fiction novel

series which has been published each week since

8 September 1961 in the ‘Hefte’ format by Pabel-Moewig

Verlag, a subsidiary of Bauer Media

W: 0,25 mm

H: 41,3 mm

315

Group) books spoke the truth which was written 50 years ago. As one can

see nowadays, all the new scientific inventions were written down in literature

in the nineteenth and twentieth century. Some smart philosopher said,

“Everything that we have written is possible; everything that we can imagine

is possible in reality.” That is so exciting.

It really is.

Wow, this is really something exciting. Everything that we are able to think

of can happen, that’s a totally different approach to reality. I like that very

much!

So despite your fascination with the darker aspects of human nature,

what makes you smile?

As we all know, as I’ve heard this in many conversations and seen in movies

and read in many intelligent books, that women, are mostly interested in

the bad man and not the good man. They marry the good man but they’re

interested and much more attracted to the bad guy. And I think it’s the same

with men. This makes me smile.

Perhaps it’s because women are looking for masculinity, you know “a

protector.”

Is being masculine the same as being bad?

What is good what is bad... I believe that a man can be very masculine,

and be in touch with their feminine side. That’s what I like. A balance.

I like that.

of insecurity. And that’s the interesting part.

Yes, because you sometimes engage in spontaneous work when you use

people as part of your exhibition, or part of a piece of art. Do audience

members try to make those who are standing there trying to stay

still move by poking fun at them?

No, I tell them very strictly that they have to take this very very seriously.

They have to perform not like actors nor actresses; but just as a person

who realises a certain responsibility to culture which is about following instructions.

One has to do it with seriousness and strength with no laughing or making

fun of it. Art is always a serious thing.

Even your Fat Car?

Absolutely. It was a most serious thing.

So tell me about the Fat Car?

The Fat Car is a combination of two things. On the one side it’s the biological

construction of something that can grow. It has a biological aspect. On

the other side it has a technical aspect, of a machine, and of all these constructions

that machine have. Bringing these two aspects together to create

this strange object, which is half biological and half technical actually leads

to our future because our scientists and industry are working strongly on the

idea of connecting us with computers and machines. So in the near future,

we’ll be like, we’re moving towards the Fat Car. So perhaps we’ll end up

being fat cars... Perhaps then we’ll have reached a better future.

L: 77,65 mm

You have said that “if you approach things with a sense of humor people

immediately assume you’re not to be taken seriously… but truths about

society and human existence can be approached in different ways” How

has this influenced your artwork? And, what is your most humorous

piece?

As another joke teller, I cannot say. The only reason why people think I make

funny or humorous work is because I try to look from a different angle from

their reality. I’m just addressing certain aspects of the fact which concerns

me. And for some reason, some people love it. “The Convertible Fat Car

Porsche (2005) was not meant as a funny piece. It’s frightening and people

don’t get it, and therefore it’s funny. If something is out of people’s under

standing they either say nothing or laugh. Expressions are quite often a sign

Definitely a better future.

Makes sense, no? And then we’ll be a planet of fat cars and everybody’s

happy!

Yes and one can bounce of the walls; not get hurt and feel safe.

Cushioned from the troubles of the outside world. Now, looking back

at history, you don’t sometimes know whether you should laugh or cry.

What are the two most memorable moments when you have laughed and

cried simultaneously?

Well, let’s say that the first footsteps of my daughter made me cry and laugh

at the same time. It made me cry because it passed by so quickly.

That’s really sweet. That’s a good answer; I like that. And if you could

choose only three tools to create your art, what would they be?

The tools I most value: are my brain and my hands… that’s it. I only need

two tools not three!

Now, a bit of a longer question but don’t worry about it. People in positions

of power whether political, military or economic have always taken

themselves very seriously. I think it’s absolutely necessary to regard

these people with a jaundiced eye.

You have to portray them with a cynical, mocking wit to reveal them as

the ridiculous frauds and hypocrites they

are. With that understanding, what three names or ideas come to mind?

And, do you think you learned to be suspicious of these people and/or

ideas from the suspicions your father had about artists and criminals as

a police detective?

That’s a good question. Yes it’s true. as many people have problems and

suspicions about all the “serious” politicians, scientists and especially economists

which creates a certain insecurity and a black energy which is frightening

and makes me critical and makes other people cynical. When you feel

locked and overwhelmed, one’s reaction is to be cynical. It is a way to protect

and defend oneself in a way.

How would you observe the difference between smart and simple-minded

people and how would you incorporate this into your work?

I think there is no difference between smart and simple minded people.

For example now in Austria we have election time for a not very important

position but there’s a big fight going on because of it. One candidate calls

the other simple-minded because they don’t think the way they think and so

they use this as a tool to repress the others.

To put them down?

Yes to put them down they say, “this guy is just damned stupid!” But perhaps

they are stupid themselves.

We’re all parts of humanity. We live and die. Perhaps some are born less

smarter. But there is some stupid in all of us. How we handle this...that’s

a controversial aspect in our personality.

Fat car courtesy of Studio Erwin Wurm

they live away from modernity. They’re not primitive, they’re just different.

I absolutely agree.

As the author of several books including: “I Love My Time, I Don’t Like

My Time,” “The Artist Who Swallowed the World” and “Wear Me Out,”

you have challenged traditional notions of sculpture, photography, performance

art and drawing.

Taking those experiences and reflecting on them, what is the most important

conclusion you have drawn while challenging those notions?

Yes well as it is my personality to be introspective. I ask myself these questions.

Perhaps it’s risky to try and find a better way of understanding people, and

to try to make things right. I do many things wrong Like everybody, but I

would perhaps like to just find “the right way” to tackle many issues and

things.

It’s perhaps just a tool to help and psychoanalyse myself. Who knows?

Psychoanalysis. I like that. Are there any more books in the works?

Well, I had so many books, that all the books went out of my brain and

they’re all on my bookshelves.

I have no time to make sense of the so many thoughts in my head frankly.

Some years ago, I also gave up reading, I don’t know why but I can’t read

anymore. I also have no interest in stories which are created, by other people.

I don’t know but I’m now more of an observer I look at art and I look at

people.

Are you planning any exhibitions in the near future?

Oh yes, so many! I have many solo shows ahead of me and many group

shows as well. At the moment we’ve created a very interesting piece, maybe

one of my most interesting pieces, both political, cynical, and very critical,

but I can’t tell you any more about it!

Fantastic! Finally, if you had one minute to create or say something profound

to the world, what would it be?

I would lean back and take a big breath!

316

Fat house by Jesse Willems

It reminds me of the way people automatically call indigenous people

primitive just because they have a completely different lifestyle and

317

I like that!. Okay, Erwin, that was the conclusion to our interview. I’d really

like to thank you so much. Danke.

INDOOR

by Kyle Johnson

We believe fashion is always connected to a space, a unique, although sometimes familiar environment.

For years, fashion houses have created stunning sets with elaborate details and deliberate story

lines. Whether it be their remarkable runway shows where sophistry and creative direction bring the

unattainable to life, or perhaps the meticulously designed stores with captivating window displays,

every detail seems to be orchestrated to entice consumer engagement. For example, we visit set designer

Shona Heath, who emphasizes the work put into creating world-renowned fashion shows, even Adrian

Joffe, president of Comme de Garcons, talks about the new DSM London and what this emblematic

boutique provides. Here, we also speak with the architect of Studio 54, Scott Bromley, and spend

time with the Iconic Pat Cleveland at an apartment in NY, each illustrating the dreams and lifestyles

portrayed by brands and their influences and experiences enjoyed by everyone. Hopefully, bringing art

and fashion closer together.

“FIND A PLACE INSIDE WHERE THERE’S JOY, AND THE JOY WILL BURN OUT THE PAIN”

JOSEPH CAMPBELL

Light Point - Pendant Holder (6 inch)

TV and Phone Outlet

Radiator

Computer Data Outlet

319

CROwNED

Photographer MASHA MEL · Talent GERI HORNER · Fashion Editor HOPE VON JOEL

Creative Director DAVID MARTIN · Location ROUGH LUXE HOTEL, LONDON

Dress TEMPERLEY London

Shoes MARNI

Trouser MAX MARA

Total look MARNI

Dress TEMPERLEY London

Make-up Artist REBEKAH LIDSTONE @Stella Creative Artists · Hair Stylist NAT VAN ZEE using Wam & Rahua · Fashion Assistants CHARLOTTE

VIKTORIA AND JAMES O. SULLIVAN · Special thanks EMILY BALL and GIUSEPPE from ROUGH LUXE HOTEL

Dress DOLCE & GABBANA

Dress KENZO

Shoes MIU MIU

SINGER

GERI

6068

She is the Spice Girl turned fitness enthusiast and children’s book author, the inimitable Geri Horner. We peel back the layers on Ginger Spice to see just

how spicy she is twenty years after we first met her with that hair, those shoes, and that Union Jack dress. Zig-a-zig-ahhh...

“I like to change. A new lamp, a piece of art, can transform a room” - Madonna Ciccone


Interviewed by Jason Guronen

Portrait by Masha Mel

You are a part of popular music history, your

essence, your style and your evolution as a

woman, as a professional and as an icon, have

been followed by millions in the last 20 years.

How does that make you feel?

It’s something I don’t really think about. I never

think of myself as a fashionista or icon. I never

chase the latest trend. I tend to be in my own

lane. I think it takes confidence to stay true to

what feels right to you, if anyone connects to me,

then that’s very flattering. Regarding my career, I

consider what I create ultimately is more important

than what I look like. The music I write or

have written I’ve tried to come from an authentic

and real place, very much from what I feel about

things, so I get more satisfaction when people

connect with it. Although I can be vain of course!

How do you think you have evolved as a person

and as an artist?

When I was younger a lot of self-confidence was

youthful bravado. It makes me smile when I think

about it. A lot of it was “war paint.” Costume to

empower how I felt. Today how I dress still influences

how I feel, but my other choices in life

are probably much less spontaneous and selfish. I

try to consider more than just my own desires and

ambitions. Actually, I feel like I have very much

come full circle. I feel very connected, and probably

always have, to the idea of solidarity in a

group, society and throughout the world. I think

it’s incredibly satisfying when one is contributing

positively to the world. I hope to continue to do

that in big and little ways. I think I’m a little more

self-assured. I chase validation less. Maybe it’s a

natural part of growing up, but I’m less drawn

into the drama of things. In situations I keep asking

myself, ‘how important is it?’ There are bigger

things to worry about. I really value my relationships

more, both with loved ones and friends.

I’m not so black and white about things. There

isn’t a perfect way to do things. I don’t think I’m

as hard on myself but contrary to that, perhaps I

consider my actions more and the implications

they have on others. Lately, I’ve tried to be really

honest with myself in my decision making,

asking myself ‘Is this what I really want?’, especially

career wise, is this a legacy I’m proud to leave

behind?

Spice Girls and fashion, Geri Horner and fashion…

you have always been connected to the

fashion industry and a lot of people are excited

to style you for events and performances.

How do you think your style has changed in

20 years?

I try to go for what suits me, that’s stylish and

what is comfortable, as I’ve gotten older.

You have had a successful career in the public

eye, but would you agree that fame is sometimes

not as glamorous as some people may

think it is? What are some down sides to it?

Everyone’s careers have a different path. Mine has

had extreme ups and some disappointing lows.

I’m extremely grateful for the success I’ve had, of

course. Like anything, it has its moments where

you realise it isn’t all sparkly. It’s a bit like the Wizard

of Oz when Dorothy pulls back the curtain

and she realises it’s just some old man. And if I’m

in a cynical mood, the glittery bits, I find rather

unsatisfying long term. It’s the creating, when I’m

making something, is what I find most rewarding.

I’m not really into the whole showbiz world. Now

and then, it’s funny but if I’m honest I like more

of a one-on-one conversation. I’d rather be silly

and not think about whether I’m posing right in

front of the camera. I guess I’m a contradiction as

saying all this I’m completely guilty of being vain

and enjoying the spotlight at certain moments

but I just laugh at it more now and don’t take it

seriously.

What advice would you give somebody wanting

to pursue a music career?

I’m cautious about advice giving to who really has

the answers. The music industry is ever changing

all I can share is my experience; I think trying

to be as authentic as possible to oneself works.

I’ve had experiences where I had to really stand

up for what I believe in but equally; staying open

to people I trust is important. I’ve had great results

when I’ve swallowed my pride and taken

a different path than I originally planned when

I took suggestions from others. Also it’s important

to put your heart into something as well as

your head. It’s you that has to totally really feel

connected to what you’re doing, so the more

authentic the better you feel when performing it.

I also say, get a good lawyer and accountant, it’s

easy to get intoxicated by the opportunities when

you’re hungry but proceeding with both courage

and caution has served me. Of course I’ve made

a few mistakes along the way. I could kick myself

in hindsight.

We are all anticipating a new album from you.

Can you tell us anything about the new music

from Geri? We have heard there is a country

vibe?

I’m proud of the songs I’ve written and I was feeling

frustrated with not having released the material,

but I listened to my gut and I wasn’t feeling

100% happy with the production, I’m now back

in the studio writing again. This album will come

when it is ready. I’m still exploring creatively. My

own personal solo music definitely has some country

influence in there I’ve always loved the simplicity

of the message and melody, but I like all

sorts of music.

Your charity work is well known and something

you really care about. How important

do you think charity work is? And what are the

initiatives you are working on at the moment?

I’ve been a patron for Breast Cancer Care for 18

years. It’s such a wonderful organisation, really

caring for others. I’ve also been a longstanding

ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, what they do

is remarkable in empowering people. I also work

with Starlight; this helps sick children to fulfil

their wishes. These children and their families are

so inspiring. It puts everything into perspective.

They’re suffering yet they just persevere. I think

every charity has its merit. For me, it’s about giving

something back and being reminded I have a

blessed life. It’s important to be thankful.

You have always been a creative. As well as

music, you are also known for writing books.

Where do you get your inspiration? How do

you spend your day writing?

I love writing. The power of words, whether it’s

music or books, it’s all storytelling. I love getting

lost in creating the characters. I’ve written many

things, yet to see the light of day. My inspiration

is a mixture of reality with a wild imagination.

I’m an avid reader so I’m enthralled by the power

of great storytelling, especially when the character

stays with you after you’ve finished reading.

Writing is a discipline. I’ve taken tips from others

like Dawn French, Jacqui Wilson. Dawn says the

phone is a killer to a writer. So when writing a

book, I tend to get up early, switch off my phone

and write for a few hours. But when I’m really on

it, I’ll go back into it later that evening, motherhood

permitting.

Writing a song is different. It has many paths.

There’s this song that I am particularly proud of, I

sang it into the recorder on my phone when I was

walking in the park. Sometimes a few lyric ideas

pop into my head and I just note them down. I

love it because it’s such a direct way to communicate.

Music, architecture, fashion, art… we feel they

are all connected in a way or another. How

would you define ‘creativity’?

They are all forms of expression. They’re creators,

all inspiring. I’m in awe of people who not only

have the vision but the drive and follow through.

Sharing your creativity is a brave thing. You’re exposing

your vision vulnerable to both praise and

criticism. It’s a powerful tool that sometimes gives

people the words or vision they feel but couldn’t

find themselves.

Is there a particular artist that inspires you?

Who are your favourite artists to listen to at

the moment?

There isn’t one particular artist; there is so many to

choose from; probably the ones who are free and

authentic in their being. Adele comes to mind.

Beyond her voice and songs, her personality is a

breath of fresh air. I love Pharrell Williams, the

last album was very creative with all the strings, it

was very dynamic.

My daughter brings a new generation of music

to my lap. Sia, she is fresh and exciting. It’s hard

to be original. She reminds me of Gaga, who I

heard live at a very intimate gig just with a piano

without all the frills, and she was absolutely outstanding.

But the best artist of all that just creates

and creates is the original Mother Nature. Take a

walk in the park and you’ll see what I mean.

329

ARTIST

ROBERTA MELONI

Since taking over the company in 2002, the intellect behind the company’s continued survival has made way for a list of collaborators and design pieces

most would be jealous of. By embracing a rich history of Italian design led by a desire to push boundaries, she builds on Tuscan traditions with a sense of

curiosity and interest. Creating monumental works of art, the company’s roster of masterpieces can be found in an exhaustive archive called the Centro Studi

Poltronova as well as in many homes across the globe.

“The details are not the details. They make the design” - Charles Eames


Portrait courtesy of Poltronova

To start, please tell us about Poltronova and its

rich tuscan history?

The story of Poltronova begins in the Tuscan countryside,

a destination not found randomly but

through sheer determination, along a road that

twist and winds through fields and towns. This

story fluoresced with the enthusiasm of chance

encounters between uncommon people.

Founded in 1957, the company is quickly recognized

for its avant-garde approach lead by the artistic

direction of Ettore Sottsass, whom in a 15

year span signs over 50 projects in collaboration

with Archizoom and Superstudio. During the

creative wave of the 60’s Poltronova hosts a series

of memorable events on its grounds amongst hills

and vineyards where Allen Ginsberg’s poetry reading

attracted crowds of youthful admirers eager

to witness one of the most recognizable characters

of the beat generation... It was this vivacious climate

that inspired the creation of the Mies armchair,

the Safari couch and the Sanremo lamp

by Archizoom Associates, the Sofo sofa and the

Luxor series by Superstudio, and the Mobili Grigi

by Ettore Sottsass. Other collaborators included:

Gae Aulenty, Giovanni Michelucci, Angelo

Mangirotti, Elena e Massimo Vignette, and Paolo

Portoghesi: all of whom represent different tendencies.

Compiling the information in a single

catalogue was a novelty and the strength of the

company.

For many, the company you have previously

described is known as a place for researching

and experimenting with new forms, new materials

and new styles. Since your take over in

2002, how has this tradition been kept alive? In

what new ways are you directing the company?

The founder of Poltronova came from an artistic

background; my experience is founded in

architecture at the University of Florence where

Gianni Petunia, an influential protagonist of the

radical movement, was amongst my teachers. Collecting

and compiling all of the information for

the catalogue was not just a matter of listing the

projects that have been materialized, but an indepth

search for those projects that having been

found on the bottom of a drawer, were never realized

and until now had never even seen the light

of day.

Technological experimentation is quite simple

in comparison to ideological experimentation

where the concept is at the mercy of the publics

understanding and acceptance. Ours is a catalogue

of iconic objects: timeless, rich in emotional

strength, free expressions of the will to create an

environment where we can live better.

Henceforth, today being innovative means choosing

to be free of marketing rules. When we decide

to republish a project is because it is still relevant,

research and experimentation are elements that a

project embodies regardless of its age. Currently

we are witnessing a substantial interest in the Radical

movement, this is because the theories created

by groups such as Archizoom and Superstudio

are still absolutely relevant both for their critical

analysis of society and their vision for the future.

Having worked with many talented and worldrenowned

designers and design studios: Archizoom

Associati, who designed the Superonda

sofa in 1967, Vignelli Associates, responsible

for creating the Saratoga sofa in 1964, and

Ettore Sottsass, with his Ultrafragola from the

“Mobili Grigi” collection designed in 1970

just to name a few. What is the companies process

of collaboration? And, how has it influenced

its growth over the years?

Let me start by saying that: Poltronova was original

in comparison to its colleagues in northern

Italy. It was born in a small Tuscan town and

by then end of the 50’s in Tuscany, many small

companies were born after the war settled by

coincidence in the Tuscan countryside. The designers

you mention have all had strong ties to

the founder of Poltronova, Sergio Camilli and his

collaborations went off for many years because of

the strong friendship and mutual respect. In those

years architecture, art and music collided without

restrictions and not having a specific strategy Poltronova

was influenced by all. Its single objective

was to bring a strong creative component to

home furnishings, revolutionizing conventional

spaces and by extension the meaning of life. With

many of them I have had and still have today a

very strong relationship, and I am proud of the

bond forged in the mutual respect and esteem

that we share and that fuels with enthusiasm our

collaborations.

This year I worked closely with Cristiano Toraldo

di Francia and Adolfo Natalini (Superstudio) on

the new edition of several Superstudio projects

currently on view as part of the “Superstudio 50”

exhibition at the Maxxi Museum in Rome. Again

with Toraldo di Francia and Dario Bartolini (Archizoom)

we worked on the publication of “Poltronova

Backstage” edited by Fortino Editions

and curated by Francesca B.Arista.

Still today we live our collaborations with the

same spirit, the tie they create goes beyond the

material product. Together we develop projects

for exhibitions, re-editions, publications, but

we also come together to share a meal or a stroll

through a museum.

Out of the collection of monumental design

pieces the company has created, which three

were the most instrumental in helping to establish

the brand, Poltronova?

The objects that today are considered iconic designs

where a total commercial “fiasco” at the

time of their creation. They were ahead of their

own time and consequently completely misunderstood.

On an international scale amongst the

most important projects are certainly the Safari

sofa by Archizoom Associates, the oversized glove

Joe by De Pas D’Urbino Lomazzi, and the Mobili

Grigi bedroom furnishings made of fiberglass

such as the Ultrafragola mirror by Ettore Sottsass,

the latter being the only object that was ever

put in multiple productions. These furnishings

offered a new way of living the domestic environment,

but the idea was too provocative and

innovative and the public was basically shocked.

What three characteristics or words best illustrate

the companies design style?

Creative freedom, foresight and pluralism, at a

time when design tries to be interpreted as a unifying

culture in Poltronova’s catalogue in contrast

presents products and personal identities, strongly

characterized by their individuality. Ettore

Sottsass best captures this concept in this quote

“I need to surround myself with objects that help me

live better, conductors of energy, a reciprocal exchange.”

This was and is today the soul of Poltronova.

As a company that seems to approach Italian

design with a sense of curiosity and interest,

what is your mission? What statement are you

trying to make as you create new products and

work the designers you represent?

The mission has not changed, I continue the edition

of very personal objects, ideas and languages,

free and autonomous, often strongly critical of

the society and world we live in. The fact that these

objects were thought of 40 or 50 years ago is, in

my opinion, a negligible detail given the originality

and creativity they still evoke in the present.

“Founded in

1957, the company

is quickly

recognized for its

avant-garde approach

lead by the

artistic direction

of Ettore Sottsass,

whom in a 15

year span signs

over 50 projects

in collaboration

with Archizoom

and Superstudio.”

331

Name three company values that best describe Poltronova.

Enthusiasm in respect to our projects, quality of the projects we produce and

tenacity in the approach of our objectives.

In 2005 you created the Centro Studi Poltronova, a living archive of

Poltronova’s past as well as a community responsible for cultural and

educational activities. What was your inspiration for creating such an

institution? And, how does that help translate into a sense of social responsibility,

from Poltronova’s perspective, to the community of design

and its fellow patrons?

Until recently Italian companies, Poltronova included, did not feel the need

to create a historical record. However, given my architectural studies, which

included historical arts at the University of Florence, I recognized the importance

of and need for a record of the companies history.

A record that would serve the dual purpose of creating a memory of the

company’s history and the basis for the company on going and future philosophy;

our archive is situated in our Florentine headquarters where it is

sought out by students, researchers and critics. We also host internships for

long-term research projects.

Poltronova promotes and encourages designer’s search of their own message,

a purely creative space, autonomous and free from limits that a supply

and demand market imposes. I am often asked by Universities to share

Poltronova’s story. I welcome these invitations as an opportunity to encourage

students to create designs for the sole purpose of satisfying first their

personal needs through an alphabet and language of their own.

“On these pages you won’t find the elaborate ranges of most other design

companies; what you will find is a roster of masterpieces, axiomatic

products from the role call of design.” Please list 3 masterpieces one will

“The objects that today are

considered iconic designs

where a total commercial

“fiasco” at the time of their

creation. They were ahead

of their own time and consequently

completely misunderstood.”

find at the Centro Studi Poltronova, including their influences on

Poltronova’s history as well as their historical significance on design.

Certainly the Superonda sofa, the Ultrafragola mirror and the Joe armchair.

Superonda is a brilliant seating arrangement. The sofa is composed by

a mattress, which is split in two pieces with a curved cut simulating an ondulating

line, which creates one fluid 5 meters wave when aligned together

along their length. Superonda can be assembled as a mattress, as a sofa or as

a chaise longue... its an ode to liberty and colour.

The Ultrafragola mirror is part of the “Mobili Grigi” project by Ettore

Sottsass. A project that includes furnishings for an entire bedroom: bed,

armoire, corner piece, record holder and the above-mentioned mirror.

Ultrafragola mirror by Ettore Sottsass

“Poltronova promotes and

encourages designer’s search

of their own message, a purely

creative space, autonomous

and free from limits

that a supply and demand

market imposes.”

Technically speaking this a very complex project to develop. Because of the

materials, mostly glass resin and coloured neon, perhaps it is even the most

complicated project ever realized by Poltronova. Sottsass said “I was trying

to bring colour to the environment, but my furniture was not designed for the

middle classes, but for those who are conscious of the existential disaster”. It

was a very controversial project and Sottsass chose the grey colour precisely

because he considered it the least attractive colour, most commonly used for

office furniture.

With the exception of the mirror, all the other pieces were very limited productions

but as a whole this stands as the most important Design project

ever.

Briefly describe some of the projects and/or exhibitions organized by

Centro Studi Poltronova.

I will mention two to which I am particularly attached: Superbox In 2005,

we produced for the first time 5 different pieces designed by Sottsass for

Poltronova in 1967. These pieces have a dual functionality as both furniture

and containers.

They are placed on large bases like pedestals; they are totems, with an anthropomorphic

presence, objects with a sensorial purpose. We worked side by

Safari sofa by Archizoom,1968. Photo by Dario Bartolini

side with Ettore Sottsass and his studio in order to give the proper philological

interpretation of his project. They were shown for the first time at

the “Sottsass 45...” exhibit. Since then they have been present at important

exhibits around the world. The Superarchitettura. In 2007 we rebuilt the celebrated

Archizoom and Superstudio exhibits, organized originally in 1967

by two groups it is considered a manifest for Italian Radical Design. For the

reconstruction we relied on the few available documents in existence: black

and white pictures, a few in colour slides, and the memories of the designers,

all information that was not very useful in regards to measurements and

proportions of the objects.

Consequently we adapted photometric techniques and applied them to the

pictures available.

We were able to identify details in the pictures, such as floor tiles for which

we had reliable measurement knowledge, to calculate the accurate measurements

of the furniture pieces. This process took 2 months of work by a

research team of 15 lead by Gilberto Corretti (Archizoom).

Since 2007 this exhibit has been hosted by several important museums, and

for the last two years at the Museo Novecento in Florence.

In a few words, what advice would you give to designers looking to collaborate

with Poltornova?

Think about what character is expressed by the iconic pieces of Poltronova.

Those which today are defined as masterpieces where created by young designers

that wanted to change the world.

They were totally oblivious to the success that their designs could and would

have gained. Be sincere; express yourself with the most personal, free and

powerful language possible.

When your are not working, how do you like to spend your free time?

I have many interests, unfortunately too many, and not enough time to properly

cultivate all of them, therefore it depends on my emotional state. I am

a very curious person and find stimulation in the continuous apprehension

of knowledge. I need to stay current with what is happening in the world

so I read and study a lot. Sometimes I need to take on a manual activity,

others I need to take a long walk in my countryside surrounded by silence,

and sometimes I like to wake up early pick fruit from the garden and make

my marmalades.

Mobili Grigi by Ettore Sottsass, 1970

332

333

PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy is the epitome of femininity and grace with a light airy touch to it. Appointed in October 2014 as the

Creative Director, replacing founder Alberta Ferretti, Lorenzo Serafini has maintained Philosophy’s soft and smart

aesthetic and elevated it to modern standards of what it is to be feminine. We have shot pieces from Philosophy’s

latest collection in Turin’s famed and epic Teatro Regio, demonstrating the immense power and luxury also associated

with the brand.

Rebuilt in 1967 under architect Carlo Mollino, Teatro Regio has housed many shows, including both contemporary

and 19th century operas. Mollino successfully incorporated both modern, artistic elements and extravagant, Baroqueinspired

components to the new Teatro. This harmonious design fits Serafini’s Philosophy well, the Philosophy that

embraces the modern, resilient woman, yet still allows for a chic and sophisticated look.

by Perwana

Floor Plan Philosophy showspace F/W 2016-17 courtesy of AEFFE

335

DIAZOMA

SPECIAL PHILOSOPHY BY LORENZO SERAFINI FALL / WINTER 2016-17

Photographer CARLIJN JACOBS @Unit · Fashion Editor GEORGIA TAL · Casting Director DAVID MARTIN

Model CAROLINE SCHURCH @Women Paris · Location TEATRO REGIO, TORINO

Make-up Artist TANJA FRISCIC @Atomo Management · Hair Stylist DANIELA MAGGINETTI @ CloseUp Milano · Photographer Assistant THOMAS CARLÀ · Fashion Assistant

VALERIA SEMUSHINA · Special thanks MATTEO PETRUCCI

DESIGNER

LORENZO SERAFINI

The Italian designer has the enviable luxury of having been given free reign, as well as his name, with Philosophy, the offshoot brand created by Alberta

Ferretti two decades ago. Coincidentally, that’s how long Serafini has been designing womenswear (and the odd menswear stint at Dolce & Gabbana). “A

perfect match” was how he described the position he was offered, in a brand whose DNA matches his own design sensibilities down to a romantic, feminine,

glamorous T.

“Do right” - Jeffrey Brown

Interviewed by Lily Templeton

Portrait by Ezra Petronio

Would you say that you built a career or that

you let chance guide you?

To be honest, it’s a mix of the two. I’ve always

been someone who was determined to achieve

their dream but at the same time, I’ve never

looked for my next position. I’ve always been happy

in my positions and not asking for anything

else. So actually most of my experiences have

come to me. So in a way, I tend to follow fate.

Ever since I was a child, I dreamt of being a designer.

I feel very lucky to be doing now what I’d

always desired but it came down to working hard

to achieve my dreams. After studying fashion in

Milan, I went straight into work. From Blumarine,

my very first experience, to Roberto Cavalli

where I spent 10 years and Dolce & Gabbana

where I spent 5, I worked nonstop. And now it’s

my turn to go solo and here I am.

Is there a secret to getting the right opportunities?

Without a doubt, working hard. No matter what

you’re doing, you have to be really focused and

prepared to give your all. Fashion really needs

hard workers. Forget the glamorous life, and be

prepared to work hard.

Are there golden rules in designing womenswear?

I’ve always felt that the only rule was not to follow

the rules, but follow your instinct. In my opinion,

that’s the last privilege of the designer, to be able

to follow their own pull instead of outside forces.

Maybe that’s one of the issues in today’s industry?

Maybe. We’re following too many rules, too

much data, too many things that are leading too

far astray from the real purpose of fashion: to be

amusing, allowing you a freedom of choice. Actually,

we are too concerned with prices, timing…

You can’t avoid them but they are leading us to a

wrong territory.

Every decade has a silhouette, so what is this

decade’s?

I’ve always liked strong women with a strong

point of view and sensibility for fashion, regardless

of whether they’re a radical romantic or stern

masculine. I don’t even think about fashion, I

think about personal style. That’s also I tend to

mix men’s tailoring, trousers for example, with

very feminine blouses. We are approaching a

genderless silhouette nowadays. The line between

female and male are really getting thinner. It’s almost

pure reality. On the street, you see guys that

are let’s say very gentle and women with a very

toned, worked out more boyish body shape. Boymeet-girl,

girl-meet-boy shapes. It’s even more

evident on menswear rather than women’s fashion

that we’re approaching a completely gender fluid

wardrobe. Eventually, this will become really neutral,

a truly mixed wardrobe. This is to me what’s

going on radically in fashion.

But ultimately, what seems strange on a catwalk,

or challenges your perception becomes accepted

and a reality for everyone incredibly fast. So this

impression of shock when seeing these strong silhouettes,

different shapes and attitudes, a brand

like Vetements who is so radical and stands different

from the rest, just means that changes are

happening.

What is the challenge of Ready to Wear?

It is actually to find your own way of billions of

different options. There are more designers than

ever, with new generations approaching the business

in increasing numbers. So staying true to

yourself and not to follow any other path is actually

the challenge of Ready to Wear today.

So again, breaking the rules.

Exactly. Breaking the rules, making your own,

trying to follow to your instinct, your own point

of view. In fact, that’s the only rule that you can

actually follow today.

Vintage is having a moment in fashion now.

Why?

Vintage fashion reassures in a way. We end up

being attracted to pieces that seem to have a previous

life because it’s a reassuring process. Today,

thanks to Gucci who has a strong vision and the

power to communicate it, vintage has come back

strong. But if you remember, in the early 90s with

everyone going mad about grunge, this feeling of

rediscovering things by mixing them in a fresh

way was already present. Everything comes full

circle.

Do you have any garments that stand out in

your mind?

So many. (Laughs) There was this Ossie Clark

dress that I found in a London flea market in my

very first job at Blumarine. It was a printed Ossie

Clark, and I truly fell in love with it. It was so

sensual, so devastatingly glamorous and so easy

to wear, everything that I’d always loved and that

was revealed to me in that dress. My feelings embodied

in one dress.

What is your signature approach in developing

your designs?

That feeling of meeting these clothes again is actually

my strongest intent. With my Philosophy

project, I try to design something that has familiarity.

When I designed the Melody bag, I wanted something

that looked like it had a previous life, for

it to look like a vintage treasure you might have

found in a market, not something glaringly new.

There are so many options in accessories that I

wanted to approach it in a very personal way, something

that might be subtle and that when you

first put it on, might look like you’ve actually had

it forever. That’s my approach in all my design actually.

It becomes an empowering sentiment because

that sense of belonging of not pushing too

hard gives you the freedom to be yourself. The

clothes become really personal clothes. I would

love for women wearing my clothes to feel like

they’ve had these clothes forever. I hate it when someone

pushes too hard to have an attitude and do

a fashion statement.

Do you think people are trying too hard today?

You can see that so clearly, no? Everyone is a star

with Instagram, trying to push their own image.

It’s something a bit difficult for me, because I’m

really shy so it’s even harder to think about taking

selfies. In general, people are really trying hard, way

too hard.

What is the latest thing you bought for yourself?

A pair of Comme des Garçons trousers, like most

of my wardrobe. I love that once you put these

pieces on, they become part of you, you feel like

they’re already blended in with your identity. The

wearability, the feeling of a real piece of clothing.

Even the more extreme ones have a feeling of being

real clothes. It’s a matter of fabric, color, cut…

Once you put the hands in the pocket, you feel

the toile of the inside pocket, like something that

belonged in your grandparents’ clothing.

Many brands are obsessed renewing clothes,

with making sure customers...

Keep buying? (Laughs.) I actually love that our

customers wear dresses or other items many times,

from last season, any past season. Once you’ve

bought a dress you love, why not wear it again?

If it’s well cut, if you feel good, it gets better and

better the more you wear it. To me, that’s what’s

interesting to me, that approach where you design

something that will follow your customer for a

long time. It’s about being less trendy and more

timeless.

“No matter what

you’re doing, you

have to be really

focused and prepared

to give your

all. Fashion really

needs hard workers.

Forget the

glamorous life,

and be prepared to

work hard.”

347

CARLO MOLLINO

PERMISSIBLE E FANTASTICO

by Isaac Pérez Solano

Photo by Carlijn Jacobs

Carlo Mollino is one of the key elements that form the continuity of the architectural movement in midtwentieth

century in Italy. Mollino, with a career equal to that of the famous Giò Ponti, but perhaps less

known, was like those of his time: that kind of architect able to do everything, to create everything. Furniture

and textiles were of course part of his legacy, this being the beginning of his indoor work or iconic

buildings that still mark the Italian urban landscape, from a time when Italy made us dream so much

with the movement that began with the ways of filmmaking, up to what they are known today… fashion.

With a unique style of his era, very different from the functionalist, rationalistic or historicist style that was

governing Italian architecture; Carlo Mollino’s times, the possible father of Neoliberty, were defined by

creations loaded with a one-of-a-kind sensuality and a masterful command of proportions -two characters

extracted from the depths of the creative essence of the peninsula-.

No one can forget Kristen McMenamy, immortalized by Juergen Teller in the Mollino House, located in

Via Giovanni Francesco Napione, 2, 10124 Turin, Italy.

The Regio Theatre (Turin), highlighting its sensory plastic and unique environments, has currently held

the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the magicians of

ODDA, who have taken it as the setting for one of our stories. The famous Turin theatre stands out as

one of the major works of Carlo Mollino, for all its spaces this master piece of his own belong to the most

contemporary creations of today’s architecture. A sharp and vibrant atmosphere dominates the stage set,

the work of domes and interior drive us into a chromatic light and highly stimulating atmosphere that

comes with verve gestures of each staging, making them more extraordinary.

Cesar Silva Urdaneta, Co-Founder of the French brand De Gris says “This architect is also one of the

pioneers of the dialogue we live today between architecture and fashion,” and “in an unprecedented act,

his erotic photographs, discovered post mortem, are a mix of aesthetics, architectural technique and art.

It’s a delicious combination that directly reminds us of his style. It is also undoubtedly one of the most

original for Carlo Mollino’s interest in the occultism, one of the mysteries hidden behind the talent of this

great Italian architect- “.

349

Dress COURRÈGES

STOLARKA

Photographer SONIA SZÓSTAK · Fashion Editor ALBA MELENDO · Creative Director KADURI ELYASHAR

Model OLA RUDNICKA @Model plus · Location WARSAW, POLAND

Total look GIVENCHY BY RICCARDO TISCI

Dress BALMAIN

Dress PRADA

Shoes MIU MIU

Shirt EMANUEL UNGARO

Skirt MIU MIU

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Jumper STYLIST’S OWN

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Make-up Artist MARIANNA YURKIEWICZ · Hair Stylist GOR DURYAN · Post-production GRZEGORZ SKONIECZNY / COLOR - WORKZ · Special thanks DAYLIGHT STU-

DIO WARSAW and PIOTR SPODNIK / AFPHOTO Agency

Shirt NINA RICCI

Coat and Skirt GARETH PUGH

Skirt VINTAGE

Jacket MIU MIU

Shoes GIORGIO ARMANI

THE BUNKER

BY UDO BREGER

Photos by Udo Breger


Special thanks to Raúl Hidalgo

Bunker scene with painter Christof Kohlhofer, 1980 © Udo Breger

Udo Breger is a writer, photographer and publisher. He was a friend of William Burroughs and

Brion Gysin.

Located at 222 Bowery “The Bunker”, as Burroughs affectionately dubbed it, was a windowless

locker room of a defunct YMCA in a building that dates to 1885, sounds cozy. Inside was a

hodgepodge of things you’d expect along with the unexpected, along with the usual Burroughs

gear like a typewriter, shoe shine kit and a pistol were blow darts, pinwheels and books. There

the poet wrote several of his books as well as voice recordings for their records.

In the photographs that gives us Udo, we can see Burroughs in their privacy, totally unknown.

We have been able to talk to Udo about that time in The Bunker. Currently The Bunker is the

home of writer and friend of Williams, the poet John Giorno. That keeps intact Burroghs rooms.

How did you meet W. Burroughs?

Our first meeting took place on an extremely cold winter afternoon at 8, Duke Street (St.

James’s) in London, in January 1972. He is a perfect gentleman.

How was that space, The Bunker?

Simply beautiful. After closing the Bunker’s steel door behind, New York was out: not a single

sound of its traffic, its big city hum, just neon lights and silence.

How do you remember the years at The Bunker?

Many fine encounters with WSB and personal friends, as well as a number of artist personalities

who have shaped our times.

What other artists lived or frequented The Bunker?

Anne Waldman, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Howard Brookner, John Cage, Allen Ginsberg, Peter

Orlovsky, Mick Jagger, John Giorno, Patti Smith, Laurie Anderson, Gerard Malanga, Andy

Warhol, Gregory Corso among others.

Have you returned to The Bunker after those years?

Last New York meeting with WSB in The Bunker was in November 1981 and I returned there

almost seventeen years later. Apart from John Giorno’s Buddhist Corner nothing seemed to

have changed. This is what I call time travel...

Road Stops is your next book, let’s talk about it!

Wait and see for yourself. The book will be out for a few months while you read this.

Burroughs´ bedroom chest, 1979 © Udo Breger

361

Burroughs´ bedroom, 1981 © Udo Breger

Burroughs´ listening to a radio reading out of Cities of the Red Night, 1980 © Udo Breger

SPALIER

Photographer RENE FIETZEK · Fashion Editor INGO NAHRWOLD @Bigoudi · Model JUSTIN WUNSCH @Izaio Management

Location BERLIN, GERMANY

T-shirt MAISON MARGIELA



Top junior JEAN PAUL GAULTIER ARCHIVES 1990

Shoes DRIES VAN NOTEN

Socks GOSHA RUBCHINSKIY

Shirt and vest ANNE DEMEULEMEESTER

Grooming TRICIA LEHANNE · Fashion Assistants ALICIA ELLIS and ULI SEMMLER

Socks GOSHA RUBCHINSKIY

Coat, shirt, vest and trousers RAF SIMONS

PHOTOGRAPHER

ALICE SPRINGS

BY DR. MATTHIAS HARDER

Under the pseudonym Alice Springs, June Newton, the widow of the legendary photographer of fashion and nudes, Helmut Newton, also worked as a

photographer, with focus on portraiture owners. Helmut Newton and Alice Springs often exhibited their work together, most notably is their joint project

“Us and Them.” The first Alice Springs retrospective was presented at the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin in 2010. In this issue we can talk exclusively

with its curator Dr. Matthias Harder.

“The first 10.000 shots are the worst” - Helmut Newton


Photo by Alice Spring © Helmut Foundation

Helmut Newton with Lisa Lyon in Venice, California, 1981

by Alice Spring © Helmut Foundation

Alice Springs has a particular and personal approach

to photographic portraiture. Can you

describe her way of working?

All photographers have their own individual

approach, Alice Springs included. Her portraits

are direct and intense. The subjects usually look

straight into the camera, with an expression that

is both open and neutral. We encounter poses

that subtly convey natural self-confidence or vanity,

as well as shy glances. As far as I know, she is

quite selective in the number of photographs she

takes during a session. June Newton a.k.a. Alice

Springs likes it “short and simple” and works with

concentration and precision.

“She works with

natural light; for

interiors as well,

she prefers to

use the existing

lighting situation

instead of adding

artificial light.”

She seems to work a lot in black & white; does

she shoot on film or digital?

Alice Springs works with analogic photography.

And in addition to her black & white photographs

there are also portraits and street scenes in

color, as one can see in the current show at the

Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin, and in

the accompanying book of her works published

by Taschen.

How about her use of lighting?

She works with natural light; for interiors as well,

she prefers to use the existing lighting situation

instead of adding artificial light.

Alice Springs has portrayed a range of prominent

artists, like Yves Saint Laurent, William

Burroughs, and Robert Mapplethorpe, what

is the secret behind their emotional intensity?

You can feel and see both sincerity and soul in her

portraits, which capture both the outer appearance

of her subjects and their aura. Her keen ability

to reveal as well as penetrate a person’s façade

might be traced to her solid foundation in acting.

Alice Springs is also personally a strong and decisive

character, and I can imagine that the people

she portrays, mostly celebrities, perceive that. She

is good at handling all these very different (sometimes

large) egos, and can bring them to the same

level through these individual portraits.

How do you know her husband, Mr. Helmut

Newton?

I knew him as one of the most famous photographers

of the 20th century, before I met him personally

in Berlin in 2003. He hired me to be the

curator of his own brand-new foundation. Tragically,

he passed away just a few weeks later, before

he could see the foundation’s beautiful historical

building after its restoration.

What was the first official picture shot by June

Newton as Alice Springs?

Helmut Newton was supposed to shoot an advertisement

for Gitanes cigarettes, but was sick

in bed with the flu. He prepped June with brief

instructions on the lighting and camera, and then

she took his place.

Her photo of a man with a cigarette dangling

from his mouth, was published in 1970, and signaled

the start of June Newton’s career behind the

camera under the pseudonym Alice Springs. She

went on to become a commercial and editorial

photographer for French fashion magazines before

she concentrated on portraiture.

In 2004 the Newton Foundation in Berlin opened

with the joint exhibition “Us and Them,”

which included some very poignant, personal

photographs…

“We encounter

poses that subtly

convey natural

self-confidence or

vanity, as well as

shy glances. She

is quite selective

in the number of

photographs she

takes during a session.

June Newton

a.k.a. Alice

Springs likes it

“short and simple”

and works with

concentration and

precision.”

“All photographers

have their own individual

approach,

Alice Springs included.

Her portraits

are direct

and intense. The

subjects usually

look straight into

the camera, with

an expression that

is both open and

neutral.”

The show “Us and Them” features self-portraits,

reciprocal portraits, and portraits of friends and

celebrities taken by Helmut Newton and Alice

Springs was compiled by the two photographers

in 1998, and shown in several cities. It was also

the inaugural exhibition at the Helmut Newton

Foundation in June 2004, but here augmented by

the famous final portrait that Alice Springs took

at Helmut Newton’s deathbed in January 2004.

This photograph will now be on display again, as

part of “The MEP Show”.

What else can we see in “The MEP Show” exhibition?

Visitors will encounter numerous portraits of her

fellow photographers, such as Richard Avedon,

Brassaï, Ralph Gibson, and of course, Helmut

Newton, and of celebrities like Nicole Kidman,

Audrey Hepburn, Christopher Lambert and

Claude Chabrol. They seem to be engaged in a

sort of wordless dialogue with the photographer,

stemming from a kind of spiritual rapport that

Alice Springs shares with each of her subjects.

These powerful images in both black & white and

color are complemented by an extensive street

photography series that she shot along Melrose

Avenue in Los Angeles during the 1980s. In

her attentive documentation of California’s punk

and hip-hop scenes we find proponents of anarchic

youth culture, marked by radical hairstyles

and shrill body piercings, rejecting the notion of

capitalist society. While this wave of music and

fashion-oriented protest subsided just a few years

later, what remains is Alice Springs’s artistic inventory

of the spirit of the times. It’s a feast for

the eyes.

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373

FILM DIRECTOR

ISABEL COIXET

Her cinema is pure art. Every word of her characters touches your heart. Everyone looks to the soul. Isabel Coixet tells of her beginnings in film and her

passion for photography. She is pure love.

“I have always thought that of all the arts, the cinema is the most complete art” - Alejandro Jodorowsky



You started in the world of cinema with a Super8

film, right?

Yes, I started in Super8. My short films were

always about dark things, I began working on Super8

at school.

We were three freaks at school who gathered to go

to cemetery. There was a lot of cemetery stuff in

my films. It was all very dark.

I can remember this black velvet cloak of my

mother’s. I grabbed it and we made something

with it. I had recently seen “Nosferatu” and I had

an idea about someone going to the cemetery and

becoming Nosferatu.

My parents gave me a Super8 camera, and my

father gave me this second hand camera.

Tell us about your beginnings in cinema?

Let’s see, it was a mix of many things. When I

made my first films there was a law in Spain,

which promoted debut features: The last throes

of the Miró Act.

Everybody talks about fraud at box office results,

but I’ve been talking about it for years.

Everything necessary for my film “Demasiado

Viejo para morir joven” already paid-promotion,

etc… So there was nothing beyond. It was shot in

Spain. There is a gap of years between that film

and my second film: “Cosas que nunca te dije”.

There’s an attempt of doing something different

which ends up in foiled plans, but at least there’s

an attempt of talking about new things from

another point of view.

In that moment I added some influences I had to

the film. But there’s a gap of 7 years.

During those years I made advertising. I worked

a lot in the USA.

By the way, we think your characters express

much more by means of their eyes than by

means of their works. For instances at the end

“I began working

on super8 at

school. We were

three freaks at

school who gathered

to go to cemetery.

There was

a lot of cemetery

stuff in my films.

It was all very

dark.”

of “Mapa de los sonidos de Tokio” when she

is shot to death, that final face that look in her

eyes is overwhelming. It explains everything.

That’s curious Eduardo. Today in the morning I

was thinking a lot about that.

I call myself SpongeBob, because I am like a

sponge to other people’s feelings, and yes I think

that can be seen in my films.

The look Riko’s eye is sublime to me, something

innocent and naive, but mature at the same time.

I also like Sergi López’s look at the end of the film,

the look of a destroyed man. He probably succeeds,

but he is definitely a loser and Sergi is superb

in that film.

There’s a shot in one of my favourite films “A

los que aman”, when they are by the river, so

Mizoguchi. I love that shot.

You’re one of those who love “A los que aman”.

Ah ah. You all are a minority, but you’re good.

Well, dear Eduardo that is certainly an homage to

Mizoguchi, but it`s a secret. That film is a product

of my stubbornness. It was clear to me that it was

a difficult film, and it was going to be difficult to

the audience, but I didn’t care.

We’re also fascinated by the music in your

films.

The soundtrack is just one more character; it expresses

what is not expressed by the real characters.

I’ve always been brutally influenced by songs

when making a script.

One of the songs I loved from the very first time

I went to Japan was “La Vie en Rose” by Ihbani

Sora. It is the best version.

I can remember the channels of Tokyo being seen

in the credits the film.

Then, at the staging I need to put the songs I’ve

heard in the script. I have different influences,

such as Anthony and the Johnson who put two

songs in my films.

We’d also like you tell us about one of your interests:

Photography. You are great collector.

I love it. If I had money I would spend it all in

photographs.

What are your preferences in photography?

Well, I buy everything I’m interested. I don´t

have a preference but I love analogue photography.

I’ve recently bought about ten Vivian Maier.

I like Phillip-Lorca Dicorcia. You must meet him.

In addition, you worked with one of the photographers

we love, who was also an actor in your

film: Dennis Hopper.

I’m working on an exhibition in Paris, with very

specific things of Cinema, about black and white

portraits made by me. The exhibition’s name will

be “Faces”, and it’s about the faces of the people

I’ve worked with and this is Dennis Hopper and

Ben’s. A wonder, I’m fond of it.

Header Photographers?

“I like Phillip-

Lorca Dicorcia, an

incredible guy. I

love Vivien Maier.

Another one I like

very much is Lorena

Ros, a very

powerful photographer.

I own several

pieces of her.

She has published

about sexual victims

during childhood.”

I like Phillip-Lorca Dicorcia, an incredible guy. I

love Vivien Maier.

Another one I like very much is Lorena Ros, a

very powerful photographer. I own several pieces

of her. She has published about sexual victims during

childhood.

I have portraits about Araki. I love his style. Not

the sexual thing, which I don’t care about, but the

series of portraits she made about his wife throughout

a year, ill until she died. It’s a book of photos

of diagnosis of the disease, the agony, the suffering,

the death and the funeral.

I’ve read you don’t like happy endings.

When I was young, if I went to see a Happy ending

film, went out to the street and I got depressed,

but I liked when it was a sad ending.

“One of the songs

I loved from the

very first time I

went to Japan was

“La Vie en Rose”

by Ihbani Sora. It

is the best version.”

W: 02,54 mm

H: 118,254 mm

375

John Berger © Isabel Coixet

Tilda Swinton © Isabel Coixet

Debbie Harry © Isabel Coixet

Dennis Hopper & Ben Kinglsey © Isabel Coixet

ARTIST

SCOTT HOVE

Scott Hove is a San Francisco born, self-taught artist living in Los Angeles who loves cake, apparently. Images from his latest art installation Cakeland exploded

all over social media as people were seduced by a room filled with sculptures of realistic-looking cakes. But while the frosting and sugared fruits looks

good enough to eat, step closer and you’ll find taxidermy jaws, blades and stilettos hidden within. Deep beneath the layers of cake and pastel-pretty frosting,

Hove explores the opposing relationship between light and dark.

“Some people say that less is more. But I think more is more” - Dolly Parton


Interviewed by Skye Grayson

Portrait courtesy of HIJINX Artist Management

How does the process of transcendence in your

work relate to your experiences as a child?

Looking at the work creates a transcendent experience

for the viewers, an immersion into an

artificial fantasy of safety, beauty, and endless perfection.

This is of course not possible in the real

world but that is ok. Depictions of transcendence

in art are nothing new. Finding safety and beauty

in the world is something that I’ve sought out since

I was a child, and the installations help dampen

the effects of the inevitable traumas we experience

growing up. Many of my most loyal followers are

in the process of recovery from trauma.

“The light and

dark must both

be present for my

works to feel legitimate.”

You’ve spoken about how you “lure people in

with the beauty” and then “clobber them with

the scary stuff” in order to illicit a strong reaction.

How does this relate to your sense of

humor and world outlook?

‘Luring people in with beauty’ is a polite way of

explaining seduction. I am intrigued with the use

of seduction as an artistic tool. Once you have

an art viewer pleasantly seduced you can then

introduce concepts that push the boundaries of

their comfort. This is of course manipulative but

many people enjoy the aesthetic and intellectual

challenge and in the end it can not be forgotten,

which is important in a competitive art world. It

also has a sense of reality: We are eventually horrified

by that which seduces us. The use of humor

is so important in processing the facts of our terrifying

world. Without the humor the points I’m

trying to convey could come across as cruel, and

there is enough of that going around already.

In the past, people have left “Cakeland” in a

state of discomfort and dislike. Did you anticipate

this reaction? How does this reaction

make you feel?

People are going to have their experience looking

through the lens of their individual perspective,

this is a fact beyond my control. Most people are

in fact left with a feeling of stimulation and satisfaction,

but others feel a sense of claustrophobia.

This reaction is great as far as I’m concerned. In

my installations I often incorporate dark narrow

passages, flaming hell pits and piles of bones that

are obviously intended to provoke discomfort.

The discomfort in turn heightens the transcendental

quality of the uplifting bright aspects. The

light and dark must both be present for my works

to feel legitimate.

In the near future, do you see yourself working

with new materials, mediums or collaborate

with other artists?

I am always looking for new ways to convey my

message. My last installation incorporated a largescale

interactive video screen, which was fun. Collaboration

with other artists is a possibility but

I’m such a control freak with my installations,

they had better be able to deliver something

strong enough to improve the experience or it is

just not worth it.

You’ve remarked that you discovered your artistic

calling during your school years. Was there

a particular moment that truly influenced your

decision to aspire to be a career artist?

It was during the summer before I started the 4th

grade in elementary school that I was captured

by the obsession to create. I had a babysitter who

could draw excellent expressive faces and that was

it. I have been chasing that feeling ever since.

“I feel sad for

people who deny

the presence of

death. I have

people asking me

to do art without

the dark aspects,

and in doing so

they unwittingly

expose themselves

as spiritually conflicted.”

You recently unveiled your “Guns and Ecstasy”

solo-exhibition at “Cakeland.” What is your

stance on weapons culture in the United States?

Why do you think people (specially Americans)

have an arguable affinity with guns?

“Looking at the

work creates a

transcendent experience

for the

viewers, an immersion

into an

artificial fantasy of

safety, beauty, and

endless perfection.

This is of course

not possible in

the real world but

that is ok.”

The purpose of the ‘Guns and Ecstasy’ show was

to highlight the absurdity of our gun-fetishizing

culture here in the states. It arises from a sense of

paranoia and I like to make fun of people who

spread fear, like the spokesmen for the NRA.

The show also had a freestanding cake infinity

chamber which was intended to be a forced paranoia

deleting chamber which would deprogram

you from the culturally-applied anxiety many of

us have, and replace it with a sense of ecstasic

transcendence. I believe that Americans have an

affinity for our guns because of a tribal distrust

of multiculturalism and also a distrust of a controlling

government. If there is a time of serious

unrest people want to feel self sufficient enough

to take care of themselves. This is an aspect of the

American psyche that goes back to the Revolutionary

war which our friends from the UK should

be very familiar with.

“Many of my

most loyal followers

are in the

process of recovery

from trauma.”

379

“I am always looking for

new ways to convey my

message. My last installation

incorporated a large-scale

interactive video

screen, which was fun.”

You’ve remarked that your intimate interaction with nature and graveyards

as a child has influenced your outlook; which ties directly with

your work’s dualistic character. Beauty and monstrosity, sensuality and

violence, life and death are inextricable. What do you think of people

who take serious issue with, and consequently attempt to avoid, monstrosity,

violence and death?

I feel sad for people who deny the presence of death. I have people asking me

to do art without the dark aspects, and in doing so they unwittingly expose

themselves as spiritually conflicted. Denial does nothing to deepen the meaning

and mystery of life and our consciousness. Art that embraces the full

spectrum of life is lasting and true, the joy more heartfelt.

You keep your taxidermy work in a personal “Cabinet of Atrocities.” Do

L: 92,376 mm

you have any other quirky storage places or personal items?

In the absence of any conventional living arrangement, I am left with storing

strange items alongside normal items.

I have a whole pallet of cow bones next to my dining table, which is problematic,

but I added hundreds of pretty fake flowers to the heap so it ends up

fitting quite nicely.

Do you actually like eating cake? What’s your favorite dessert?

I’m not a big fan of sugar because it makes me sleepy. I’d rather experiment

with trying rare and exotic fruits.

You have a number of pets, including Kona the dog, Bugsy the bunny

and Lil’ Squeak the cat. What is your ideal day out with your pets, or do

you like their companionship in-studio?

In my fantasy life I would be raising orphaned bears, porcupines and bobcats,

letting them come and go as they please. I live in a place where my dog

and cat can safely go in and outside on their own free will, which feels nice

and free. The rabbit took a couple of trips outside and almost immediately

had the call of the wild and took off to do bunny stuff on his own. I hope

he is happy out there, though I am keenly aware that his disappearance was

a result of my own stupidity.

Do you ever plan to design edible cakes? How do you think they would

be received?

I have no interest in making my own cakes, but I would love to be a guest

pastry and cake decorator for high-end restaurants. That would be a blast to

work with real chefs.

L: 115,99 mm

L: 125,739 mm

Scott Hove Cakeland, Oakland

Scott Hove Self Objectification Strategy

“I have no interest in making

my own cakes, but I

would love to be a guest

pastry and cake decorator

for high end restaurants.

That would be a blast to

work with real chefs.”

What about fake confectionary intrigues you? How does this relate to

your personality?

I am attracted to the absurd spectacle of artifice. It exposes our willingness

to be manipulated by our fantasy version of the world… this is beautiful and

kind of sick at the same time.

What other binary materials could you conceive of using, other than

cake with teeth & guns?

You will get your answer soon if you follow my work closely.

You’ve moved your exhibitions from a modest storefront (“Cakeland”)

to a much larger venue (“Think Tank Gallery”). Do you have any plans

Scott Hove Break Bread, Los Angeles

to move again?

Think Tank was the venue for my latest and largest temporary installation

to date. I have a full version of my installation here at my LA studio, forever

sparkling into infinity, where I occasionally allow visits. I sleep in there sometimes

because I can.

Do you see yourself moving outside of Los Angeles? how do you feel

about the city and its influence on your work?

I moved to Los Angeles from my home city of San Francisco about two years

ago, and I have no plans to leave any time soon. This place is exploding with

potential and real opportunity. And the evenings are so warm and pleasant,

the people friendly and accessible. I do miss the beauty of home, though.

“I am attracted to the absurd

spectacle of artifice. It

exposes our willingness to

be manipulated by our fantasy

version of the world…

this is beautiful and kind of

sick at the same time.”

380

381

Coat BALLY

Shoes PRADA

Socks FOGAL

Earrings TOPSHOP

Skirt NATASHA ZINKO

Top ERMANNO SCERVINO

COMPASS TOOL

Photographer JOAQUIN LAGUINGE · Fashion Editor HOPE VON JOEL · Casting Director BARBARA PFISTER

Model MAYKA MERINO @IMG · Location THE SKETCH, LONDON

Earrings TOPSHOP

Coat and top BALLY

Trousers and belt KENZO

Socks FOGAL

Shoes NATASHA ZINKO


Jumper N21

Earrings TOPSHOP

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Shoes NATASHA ZINKO

Bracelet PEBBLE LONDON


Collar ETRO

Socks FOGAL

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Dress, top, shoes and belt PRADA

Earrings TOPSHOP

Top CHRISTOPHER KANE

Necklace PEBBLE LONDON

Jacket and sunglasses HOUSE OF HOLLAND

Make-up Artist ADAM DE CRUZ · Hair Stylist ERNESTO MONTENOVO @David Artists UK · Fashion Assistant DILLION DRUSUS GERMANICUS · Special thanks SYLVAIN

CHEVELU

Jacket KENZO

Dress TEMPERLEY LONDON

ARTIST

ALESSANDRO MENDINI

Having once said “that everything has already

been invented and used,” which three things in

your opinion have been reprocessed the most

in design and modern culture?

Firstly, the chair, then the bicycle, and thirdly, the

vase. These are eternal objects.

“My style is

eclectic because it

creates combinations

between types

and materials

and also between

myriad arts and

disciplines.”

When you embark on the process of redesign,

where is your favorite place to do so?

It is necessary that there be smooth surfaces suitable

to receive my decorations.

With neither the traditional, hierarchical dictates

of art, nor any historical division into

time and place in your work, how do you define

your artistic style?

My style is eclectic because it creates combinations

between types and materials and also between

myriad arts and disciplines.

Tell us about your love for collaboration and

how it has affected you as an artist?

In order to work well, I need two opposite situations

contemporaneously. On one side, moments

of solitude to think and draw; on the other side,

the presence of a group to discuss, design and

make things.

What were your sources of inspiration for the

Supreme Mendini Skateboards? And, why did

you choose to collaborate with a brand that caters

to youth culture?

Supreme is a wonderful brand that young people

love, and I like that. They contacted me to ask

if they could use some patterns I had designed

about 30 years ago. They represent the context

when skateboards were first born.

For your collaboration with Samsung on the

Gear S2 watchband you said, “I believe the

watch is one of the most precise and valuable

devices that mankind has ever made.” How do

you see your art without the concept of time?

And is the process of creation possible without

it?

I’m not quite able to answer this question, but I

think that my activity could be independent from

time.

“I am always

struck by the phenomenon

of poverty

and by the

violence of the

world. Often these

subjects appear

in my work.”

“The signs of my

projects have a

continuous dynamic

and vary

constantly in the

same way as my

life changes.”

“Supreme is a

wonderful brand

that young people

love, and I like

that. They contacted

me to ask

if they could use

some patterns

I had designed

about 30 years

ago. They represent

the context

when skateboards

were first born.”

wanted it to not be anything: not a painting, not

design, not craft, not sculpture. From this was

born “a literary work” dedicated to Proust.

In your words, your projects are the linguistic

components of an ongoing puzzle that is never

completed. As more and more pieces are added

to that puzzle, what are you trying to say? And,

why is the creative process of reaching an impossible

synthesis important to you?

The signs of my projects have a continuous dynamic

and vary constantly in the same way as my

life changes.

What is your most marked characteristic? And,

how is that interpreted throughout your work?

It might be that my personality is the opposite of

how it appears in my work.

L: 117,529 mm

Known as the godfather of Italian postmodernism and a man of many talents, he forged a lasting impression on the ever challenging landscape of modern

design. His work as a designer, architect and magazine editor gave birth to the Groninger Museum in The Netherlands, a memorial tower in Hiroshima

called the Forum Museum Di Omegna, and his most famous piece, the Proust chair. Wrought with experimental and tempestuous overtones, his work embraces

a cunning mix of highbrow and lowbrow art, and perhaps more importantly, a visceral and intellectually stimulating critique on commercial design

and modern culture.

“Chairs are architecture, sofas are bourgeois” - Le Corbusier


Portrait courtesy of Atelier Mendini

“I am someone

who is able to live

during the day,

not during the

night.”

Many have argued that the ‘Proust’ chair, created

in 1978, is your most acclaimed piece of

art. Do you agree? And, what was your creative

process in bringing to life Proust’s literary

works, mixing that work with Signac’s paintings,

and then bringing into fruition the end

product?

Yes, perhaps the Proust armchair is my most acclaimed

piece. When I designed it in 1978, I wan

ted to obtain a ready-made, meaning without making

a drawing, only thinking it up in my mind. I

Do you have a sense of humor?

Yes, I have a good sense of humor, also directed at

myself, and I do not adhere to rhetoric.

What are your favorite social causes?

I am always struck by the phenomenon of poverty

and by the violence of the world. Often these

subjects appear in my work.

Why do you get out of bed in the morning?

I am someone who is able to live during the day,

not during the night.

393

L: 79,375 mm

L: 36,701 mm

Cavallino by Alessandro Mendini, 2008

Poltrona di Proust by Alessandro Mendini, 2009

ARTIST

MARISCAL

He is Cobi’s father, the most famous mascot of the Spain Olympic Games. But before and after that pet, Mariscal is much more; painter, graphic designer,

cartoonist, and above all an artist.

“If you can dream it, you can do it” - Walt Disney



He arrives in Barcelona in the 70s, and he starts

making comics , for contracultural magazines.

When we started we were a Group called “El royo

enmascarado”, a name I never liked.

And I began drawing because a cartoonist from

Seville called Nazario joined the Group. He had

a folder full of fascinating drawings. He was fascinated

by American comics and Crumb, the cartoonists.

Then, a new underground magazine called “Star”

came out, personally, I don’t think it was very underground,

but published our work.

“I began drawing

because a cartoonist

from Seville

called Nazario

joined the Group.

He had a folder

full of fascinating

drawings. He

was fascinated by

American comics

and Crumb, the

cartoonists.”

Exactly! That magazine was a bridge to artists

from Madrid such as Ouka Lele.

Of course!, Ceesepe or Hortelano were over here,

too. It was 1975, and I remember that Nazario

came up and said: “I’ve this boy from Madrid

who makes wonderful movies”. We went to a

happening and he played his Films. He was Pedro

Almodovar.

Pedro was broke and his Films were silent. He

made the sound himself with a microphone while

the Films were being played, and that was a

revelation.

You have cooperated with Almodóvar in severals

projects, right?

Yes, In fact I used to say: “Pedro, you must leave

Telefónica. You must make cinema. Your movies

are cool!”. One day he told me about the script of

a movie, very good narrative, and funny. I used to

say: “You must do it. Don’t give up”.

And one year later, that script became “Pepi, Luci

y Boom”. My first cooperation with Pedro was after

democracy came back to Spain. A book called

“Fuego en las Entrañas”.

It was a very funny story by Pedro, and I made

the cartoons.

Tell us about Los Garriris, your first characters.

They were created from my first influence by early

Disney, the Disney I grew with. They were these

little rats.

I also used to read old books and tales, and rats

were in them all.

So I had and acid trip, and started to draw that

kind of characters, those rats.

In the 80s your worked together with your

friend Miquel Barceló very often.

We used to draw on the Beach, and Miquel loved

to put sand between the paint and the wall. He

still works on his own materials.

He’s always liked material and is constantly reinventing.

He made an impressive work for the

U.N. in Geneva.

He found, together with a chemist, how to make

consistent stalactites.

From his very early exhibition he worked with

materials that rotted gradually, he discovered these

termites that destroyer paper.

You are Cobi’s Father.

Yes, I am. But I don’t think he’s the most famous

olympic mascot ever.

“I used to say to

Pedro Almodóvar:

“Pedro, you must

leave Telefónica.

You must make

cinema. Your movies

are cool!”.

One day he told

me about the

script of a movie,

very good narrative,

and funny. I

used to say: “You

must do it.

Don’t give up”

“My first cooperation

with Pedro

was after democracy

came back

to Spain. A book

called “Fuego en

las Entrañas”. It

was a very funny

story by Pedro,

and I made the

cartoons.”

It is curious, but I tried not to be commissioned

to create that mascot. Creating a mascot was not

in my plans.

What I really felt like doing was creating a mascot

with a disruptive component, making something

really new. It was not my merit but the ones who

chose the mascot.

Cobi was chosen in 1988. It was really wonderful

to see the level of risk that Pasqual Maragall -The

mayor of Barcelona- and his team had when organizing

such disruptive Olimpics.

When was Mariscal Studio created?

After the election of Cobi, I travelled to Africa,

and when I was back they had already made the

official presentation of Cobi, but in a way I didn’t

like. That famous naked Cobi, with this open

arms, locking crucified. I met this horror. Then

I decided to set up my own Studio to develop

Cobi.

Where was the first Mariscal Studio?

Here, where we are at the moment, in Palo Alto.

This was an abandoned factory with a chimney,

full of pigeons and rats.

The first thing we did was restoring the interior

and then the outdoors. We planted trees, plants,

etc.

What are the conditions of a commission work

for Mariscal to be accepted?

Above all, that it fits you like a glove, and to be a

challenge. And I wouldn’t do anything immoral,

such as designing a weapon.

What is the next Mariscal’s Project?

I am beginning to work on a book, a graphic

novel. A comic, a long story with both text and

cartoons of mine.

397

Cobi’s Gallery by Mariscal

Drawing Life by Mariscal

Shoes FENDI

Top JAMES LONG

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SOAKER

Photographer SOPHIE MAYANNE · Fashion Editor LEE TRIGG · Casting Director DAVID MARTIN

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Coat FENDI

Denim top ALEX MULLINS

Hoodie BLOOD BROTHER

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Jumper AGI & SAM

Denim jacket JOSEPH STANDISH

Denim jacket around waist ALEX MULLINS

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Shirt ED LEE

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ZAHA HADID interior design ROCA GALLERY LONDON

Skirt ASHISH

Long sleeve and leggings BARBARA GONGINI

Make-up Artist KSENIA GALINA using MAC Cosmetics · Hair Stylist LIAM CURRAN using American Crew · Fashion Assistant LUCY ADDY · Special thanks ROCA GALLERY TEAM:

DAMI and SUE

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Necklace VICKI SARGE

Jumpsuit ISSEY MIYAKE

ZAHA HADID

OFF BEATEN CURVES

by Adrian de Banville

Zaha Hadid’s passing in March this year was widely seen as one of the great losses in the history of contemporary

architecture. The Iraqi-British pioneer left this world with her tab still full of pending projects and major commissions

all over the world, among them the massive rebuilding of Istanbul’s old Kartal district and a stadium for the Qatar

World Cup in 2022, just to mention a few. But what exactly made Dame Zaha Hadid (created Commander of the

Order of the British Empire in 2012) stand out from her peers? Her status as an Arab and a woman might have had

an influence in her peculiar trajectory and rise to fame within an industry that was, up until recent decades, overwhelmingly

white and masculine. But throughout her career, she always refused to allow discrimination to hold her back

and seldom blamed her few failures to win a design contest or score a major contract on misogyny or racism. Instead,

she put all of her life’s effort into fashioning a distinctive aesthetic for herself, which would set her apart as the avantgarde

dauntless designer that she eventually became in the eyes of the world.

To polish her unmistakable visual identity, she combined “her own force of spirit, distinct vision and indomitable

character, all of which are present in her buildings”, Tanzanian-British architect David Adjaye told The New York

Post a month after her death. Hadid was a strong-willed, chin-up kind of woman, extremely confident in her own

talent and hell-bent on defending her work against criticism in the media or the skepticism of politicians. This aura

of intimidation and unrelenting self-conviction created many a strain in her work relations, and even caused her to

walk out of an interview she was giving to the BBC in September 2015, arguing that the journalist was relaying false

information over the alleged death of several construction workers in her stadium site in Qatar. The energy and charisma

of her work earned her a plethora of awards since the early 2000s, turning her into the first individual female

recipient of a Pritzker Prize in 2004 and of a Royal Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects, the latter

of which was given to her a month before her passing. World recognition, however, was not only the crowning of

her breakthrough as a peer to the likes of Frank Gehry and Daniel Libeskind in her own right, but more particularly

the embracing of her cutting-edge aesthetics as the architectural language of the future. The vertiginous angularity of

the MAXXI in Rome, the astonishing granite and glass anthill she designed for the Guangzhou Opera house or the

graceful petal-like ondulations of the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku (Azerbaijan) are all coherent elements in Hadid’s

signature repertoire, a “virtual dance”, according to fellow architect Peter Cook, of shapes and lines whose swift angles

and curves propel dynamism and spatiality into her buildings.

Described as “neo-futuristic”, “Deconstructivist” or more relatably, as the most eloquent architectural reflection of a

“sci-fi” Utopian future, Hadid’s works left no one indifferent, and her sophisticated aesthetics were channelled into

interior, furniture, sculpture, clothing and jewellery design as well. Zaha’s liquid-like Mesa table for Vitra was one of

the highlights of the 2007 Design Miami/Basel edition, and her art commissions, which included acrylic paintings

and sculptures, were featured at the Victoria & Albert Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the

High Line in New York City, among others. Her frequent cross-over projects in fashion earned her the respect and

admiration of many in the industry. Who indeed has forgotten her Mobile Art museum pavilion for Chanel, which

toured the world in 2007-8 inspired by the French house’s trademark 2.55 quilted bag? In addition to her collaborations

with both luxury and mainstream brands such as Louis Vuitton, Lacoste, Fendi, Lalique and Adidas, she was

chosen to oversee the design of Women Fashion Power, a 2014 exhibition at the London Design Museum featuring

outfits donated by 25 powerful female leaders all over the planet. Seems only fitting for a woman whose life was driven

to mold the world and lay bare the power of her craft, which is certain to keep garnering admiration for yet a long

time to come.

411

750 SKYLIGHTS

COLLECTIONS WOMENSWEAR FALL / WINTER 2016-17

Photographer DAVID GOMEZ MAESTRE @7Artist Mgmt · Fashion Editor ALVA GALIM · Model REESE ROBERT @Fusion Models

Location THE SHEATS GOLDSTEIN HOUSE, LA

Sunglasses KENZO VANS

GUCCI

Shoes MELISSA

Sunglasses LINDA FARROW for AGENT PROVOCATEUR

DEREK LAM

VERA WANG

BOSS

Sunglasses COURRÈGES VANS

Make-up Artist KALE TETER @The Wall Group · Hair Stylist EDDIE COOK @The Wall Group · Special thanks JAMES GOLDSTEIN and KRISTIN FLIEHLER

DOLCE & GABBANA

ALEXANDER WANG

BUSINESSMAN

JAMES GOLDSTEIN

NBA superfan, multi-millionaire businessman James Goldstein is delightfully eccentric, to say the least. He’s famous for attending over one hundred NBA

games each season and also for owning one of the coolest homes in the US: The Sheats Goldstein Residence, which has been featured in the press and movies

such as The Big Lebowski and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.

“I love this game” - NBA’s slogan



Portrait by Kobi Gulianni

You are a man of many interests, talents and

hobbies. Some of them being architecture, real

estate development, basketball and fashion.

Have you always been interested in design?

How has it allowed you to evolve as an individual

and as a designer?

My interest for architecture started when I was a

teenager, also influenced by a school mate; I have

also studied on my own buying architecture magazines

and travelling around the world; when I

worked with Lautner I already had all the ideas

in my mind.

You have a tremendous amount of interest and

influence in fashion and architecture. They are

drastically different industries but, how do you

find yourself adapting the two different mediums?

They are very different in my mind, but both have

always interested me since ever.

I was interested in fashion at a very young age,

wanting to have brilliant colours, for example, before

than nobody else. I got to be very inspired in

my travels to Paris, also in the recent years.

The house you currently own in L.A. was designed

by John Lautner. It has become a legendary

residential property and a landmark, which

has been featured in multiple films such as The

Big Lebowski, French Exit, and Charlie’s Angels,

among others. It has a very distinct style

and personality to it.

What do you like most about the house?

The clean lines, the dynamic triangular roof lines

and walls of glass with no barriers between inside

and outside; my master bedroom feature of a glass

sink with no faucets; the fantastic view over L.A.

and the ocean; the tropical garden/jungle with

path trails that can be seen…

I worked together with Lautner to complete the

rebuilt and make it much better than it was, also

the tennis court was rearranged as one of the walls

was completely collapsed.

“My legacy could

be my house to be

part of the

future.”

What was it about that house that you initiated

to purchase it and how connected have you become

over the years?

I liked John Lautner, he was the designer; also

since my youth I loved having a pool in the house

that would stand over the years… together with

my wife we did amazing improvements, the house

was completely rebuilt…

“I liked John

Lautner, he was

the designer; also

since my youth

I loved having a

pool in the house

that would stand

over the years…”

It was much better than it was.

Originally built by Lautner in 1963, you

bought the place in 1972 and have been renovating,

updating, and expanding it since 1980.

Was it an organic process and how well did you

collaborate with Lautner back then?

Lautner did not ask for any suggestion, only

from time to time offered me several alternatives

and sketches and I choose the ones I liked more,

everything in a very professional way.

The Lautner house is an icon in itself, a figure

of post-war American architecture. It is said

Lautner buildings are original, dramatic and a

wonder of architecture.

Did you ever think it would gain that much attention

and notoriety?

I never thought about it; it was after many years

that I realised it would have architectural attention.

Have you planned any more mega projects on

the house?

A third level, that would consist in a mega terrace.

It was mentioned that you would be donating

your LA house to the Los Angeles Country Museum

of Art, after you have been perfecting it

and adjusting it for 35 years, what is the reason?

Well, my friend Michael is a very dynamic person

and has big plans for the future and I think

the use of the house could be well profited by the

community of the Country.

You also threw many grand parties and birthdays

for celebrities such as Jay Z, Rihanna,

Mick Jagger and so forth.

What is your most memorable experience/moment

in that house?

I can’t really pick one. I never celebrated my

birthday there… but recently I have celebrated

Rihanna’s birthday in my own club: ‘Club James’

(inaugurated one year and a half ago).

Your sense of style is very eccentric and unique.

It is easy to spot you out in a crowd or a photograph

with your iconic python hats and leather

jacket, not to mention that you have your own

fashion label. You are spotted at many fashion

shows and seasons.

What is it about fashion that you adore?

I wear my python hat, as sets me apart from the

crowd and wear things nobody else wears, also because

it matches with many garments and outfits.

You know, I don’t wear clothes for more than 6

months, but I keep the old clothing this, perhaps

could be my archive…

Besides architecture, basketball and fashion

what else are you passionate about?

Gardening, I hired a gardening architect to discuss

and decide what is needed, he comes from

the last 25 years once a week.

What do you want your legacy to be?

The legacy could be my house to be part of the

future.

“My interest for

architecture started

when I was

a teenager, also

influenced by a

school mate; I

have also studied

on my own buying

architecture

magazines and

travelling around

the world; when

I worked with

Lautner I already

had all the ideas

in my mind.”

423

JOHN LAUTNER

HOLLYWOOD´S FAVOURITE ARCHITECT

by Peter Gasher

“The purpose of Architecture is to improve human life. Create timeless, free, joyous spaces for all activities in life. The

infinite variety of these spaces can be as varied as life itself and they must be as sensible as nature in deriving from a main

idea and flowering into a beautiful entity.” - John Lautner

One can always recognize a building by Architect John Lautner, not because it looks like any other Lautner building,

but because it looks like nothing that has ever stood before on the face of the Earth: functional and logical, original

while dramatic… in one word wonders of engineering.

When clients come to him with an impossible, “unbuildable” site, like Chemosphere narrow 45-degree sloping lot,

he can devise the new structural principles and elements required to built on it. He could also invent new building

methods. He attached the steel girders supporting Chemosphere to the central concrete column with epoxy… in

1960! A four-bedroom house shaped like an hexagonal flying saucer perched high atop a single hollow concrete

column.

He also designed the Carling House whose living room pivots on a turntable to transform itself into an outdoor patio

overlooking the lights of the city; The Sheats Goldstein House with dynamic triangular roof lines and walls of glass

that place no barrier between the shelter within and the outside world at your feet; the sensuously curving cast concrete

Arango House surrounded and embraced by a pool than flows through it and then flows out to and over the edge

of the structure to reflect the serene and unobstructed beauty of the blue sky and waters of Acapulco Bay; a Motel that

steadfastly stands up to the brutal winds of the desert, a heat-conserving solar home in Alaska, and a ground-hugging,

snow-insulated ski home in Colorado. He suspended a multi-story structure from two interlocking cast concrete sine

waves to create a comfortable, private, airy, 5-bedroom ocean-view home on a long and narrow Malibu loft; among

others, in a career that has spanned over fifty years, Lautner has never deviated from his principles nor allowed fashion

or cliché or anything other than the logic and beauty of a his own vision to be built.

His buildings have been featured on “The Outer Limits” TV show, in the movies “Moonraker”, “Lethal Weapon 2”,

“Diamonds are Forever” and “Body Double,” and have been featured, in a documentary film and in photo spreads in

Architectural Digest and in Playboy, in countless publications around the world…

After six years studying with Frank Lloyd Wright and two decades of building extraordinary structures, he was still

known as “John Lautner, Designer.” Since he had never graduated from a school of architecture, and the AIA would

not grant him the title of “Architect”… but as well as by over a hundred buildings which will serve as his monument

and as his testament to what a man can achieve on Earth. A perfect example of what Ayn Rand meant when

she said (in the Romantic Manifesto) that “he who fights for the future lives in it today.” But later on, the AIA and

the critics, who at first referred to him as “Designer” and withheld the title “architect,” eventually recognized him.

In 1970 Lautner was made Fellow of the American Institute of Architects for Excellence of Design, and was given

many other awards as well. In 1993 he received the Gold Medal from the Los Angeles AIA Chapter for his lifetime

of achievement.

425

ARCHITECT

ANTONINO CARDILLO

Born in Sicily, Antonino Cardillo is considered one of the most important Architects of our era. After going to Rome and study Classical architecture, he has

developed significant architectural works such as Nomura House in Japan or connected with Fashion as the boutique of Sergio Rossi in Milan. Antonino´s

vision has been showcased in different museums worldwide such as V&A in London.

“Light is architectural. It is sculptural” - Robert Wilson


Portrait by Mimo Visconti

Initially, what drove you to become an architect?

Did you always see yourself designing and

creating structures?

I spent my adolescence playing fantasy video games

such as Labyrinth, Zac McKraken, Ultima

IV, Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance. These

fictional worlds opened up my imagination, creating

the premise to see architecture as a narrative.

But at a certain point, I recognized video games

as a distraction that were passive, and I suppose I

was attracted by architecture for its concurrence

between magic and reality.

You are originally from Sicily. When one looks

at Sicily’s architectural heritage and culture,

it is very eclectic, spanning from decorative

structures, elaborate architectural forms, use

of myriad materials and iconic mosaics. Did

growing up there have a large influence in the

way you design and view spaces?

My youth was populated with symbols which

came from an ancient past. My imagination was

also moulded by the desires of people that inhabited

the island long time ago. I think Sicily is more

syncretic than eclectic. Since Greek colonization,

the island society was an idiosyncratic representation

of the complexity of the ancient world, a

blend of far away cultures. I think that such a

Dionysian setting specifically influenced my personal

way of interpreting the classical epoch.

What is your most marked characteristic?

I see architecture as an attempt to investigate forgotten

meanings from the past. I am currently

constructing an architectural codex which references

to ideas of protection (the grotto) and

eroticism (the arch). The grotto alludes to uterine

protection and the arch to the phallus; both sacred

origins of life. Thus such classical references, unconsciously

seeded in the imaginations of people

admonish us that other worlds also existed.

How would you describe your work process

when you approach a project? Do you focus

particularly on certain aspects of a project or is

it an overall organic approach?

Architecture should aim to interact with anthropological

values, unveiling the stories concealed

in places. Thus for me, the deepest sense of architecture

is in its philosophical and literal connotations

rather than technical or functional achievements.

From your drawing board to the final execution

of construction, installation and production,

what is the most challenging aspect in

creating your final vision?

It would be finding producers to make the architecture.

Nowadays enlightened clients are rare

since culture and wealth seem divorced. Moreover,

since the final aim of the global market is the

business exploitation of ideas, culture is continuously

banalized. Thus the difficult challenge for

an architect today is to find sensitive producers

inside such a confused and superficial society.

Your work spans several countries such as the

United Kingdom, Japan and Italy, which ushers

the issue of context. How do you focus on

adapting a design or building to its surrounding

cultural context?

As I said before, in most of the cases, the place

guides my work’s sensibility. I would say that

each work of mine is the consequence of the place

where it was constructed. Each work represents

an investigation and emotional interpretation of

the anthropological values of the site.

The aesthetic and formation of your designs

simultaneously have a classical and minimalist

touch. Do you purposely try to contrast these

two together or is it an organic process?

I spent nine years studying classic architecture in

Rome and once there I wondered how I could

convey the significance of classic heritage to our

present day. For this reason I am currently engaged

in defining an architectural codex compatible

with the things we have at our disposal nowadays.

Perhaps for such a reason you can recognize a minimalistic

touch in my work. But I see minimalism

just as a syntax, not as a style.

In your work and designs you heavily introduce

the theme and essence of the grotto, an

almost experimental volcanic after-touch. The

span of your work seems to dwell in the sensory:

touch, smell and acoustics, the primal

instincts of man. What are you trying to achieve

when you create such spaces and textures?

Since 2013, by constructing the House of Dust

in Rome, I renounced the mise-en-scène of my

narcissism that was characterized by the earlier

computer-made projects of mine. Thus the House

of Dust reminds us that architecture is mostly a

physical experience. For such a reason its vault refers

to the grotto as a remembrance of the primordial

home where our senses were refined. Grotto

is also a constant of past architecture. It unveils to

us symbols that are able to bring back the timeless

space of myth into the present day.

“My idea of style

is a consequence

of the sense of

time; and the sense

of time expresses

the idea of the

permanence of life

across the ages.”

“I see architecture

as an attempt to

investigate forgotten

meanings

from the past.”

There is a strong sense of a cultural backdrop

and narrative when one views your architecture.

In essence there is also an innate sense of

time and journey when one looks at the spaces

in your designs. Do you think it’s significant to

vocalize the concept of narrative and the original

idea of inspiration in the space in order

to make it memorable and significant to the

viewer?

Architecture is a narrative. It should open up the

imaginations of individuals by establishing a durable

dialogue, in the same way it happens with a

novel, music or cinema. Actually, architecture is

more rich as it includes symbolism and subtexts

and architecture survives the times only if it succeeds

in inhabiting the imaginations of people.

Good architecture reflects purpose; style; a sense

of time and emotion. What type of architecture

do you strive to create?

Style, sense of time and emotion are aspects of

the same singularity. My idea of style is a consequence

of the sense of time; and the sense of time

expresses the idea of the permanence of life across

the ages. What matters to me is why the elegance

of architecture is able to survive beyond the ages.

Your work is quite distinctive, garnering success

along with international acclaim and expansion.

What do you make of it all and how

do you envision the future of your company?

If architecture is poetry then the lifestyle of an

architect conditions the work he makes. I do not

own an office. I am used to designing alone in

beautiful places. I do not want to alter my freedom

for a bourgeois status. The financial achievements

of the company are irrelevant to me.

What do you think there is too much of or too

little of?

Architecture is a balance of parts. I do not see a

place as having too little or too much.

What is your life mantra that you live by?

When I am in doubt about something I often ask

myself: ‘Would a countryman do it?’.

“Architecture

should aim to interact

with anthropological

values.”

427

ARCHITECT

BERNARD DUBOIS

Graduating from L’École de la Chambre in 2009, Dubois might be considered a newcomer to the design world. But his unique aesthetic and talent has made

him an important figure in the industry, in 2014. He curated the Belgian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, but this year marks his most notable project to

date, designing Valextra’s Milan store and boutique at Galleries Lafayette.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” - Leonardo Da Vinci


Interviewed by Skye Grayson

Portrait courtesy of Karla Otto NYC

You graduated in 2009 from the prestigious École

de La Chambre and five years later you were

asked to co-curate the Belgian Pavilion for the

14th Venice Biennale after being recognised for

your work at prestigious architectural firms. How

did that event change the course of your career?

This event was a great opportunity which I think

helped me gain some visibility and credibility.

Thanks to this event, some friends decided to trust

me with projects that were important for them. For

example, it is within this moment I began to work

with Nicolas Andreas Taralis on the design of his

offices in Shanghai and his first store in Beijing. But

most importantly, this research and analytic project

for the Belgian Pavilion was a founding moment in

my practice of architecture.

In regards to your ongoing collaboration with

VALEXTRA, what were the initial challenges you

faced when you began to work with the brand?

As soon as I started working with Valextra, the collaboration

was very productive and interesting as

we shared common aesthetics and expectations. The

most challenging aspects were technical. Valextra

and myself both wanted to experiment with construction

materials used in another way that they’re

usually meant to be used. The furniture in Ceppo di

Grè for Galeries Lafayette is heavy and fragile and

it was a very technical process to get it there. Same

thing for the brick counters in Milan’s flagship.

We developed a special kind of concrete brick that

would have the proper weight and dimension, the

expected concrete color and density of stone, and

one’s that would not scratch the leather goods. This

was very challenging, since the main point was precisely

about the contrast between a raw construction

material and precious leather products.

Interpreting and respecting the DNA of the brand

may have been one of the key aspects you considered

when VALEXTRA, offered you the latest

project. How different is the thought and creative

processes when it comes to Pop-up stores?

In both Galeries Lafayette and the Milan flagship

project, I played with identity elements that were

common for Valextra and myself. A taste for monumentality,

austerity, rigor, with also a certain pop of

ambiguity, and a playfulnes. They express differently

for both projects but, I think, with coherence. The

pop-up projects develop the concept of the flagship

store, but enhancing the pop part of it, since the

context and the short lifetime of the project gears

towards that.

When one observes your work, what becomes

clear is that you enjoy playing with materials, textures

and proportions in order to produce a final

product that is essentially minimalistic. What or

who have been the strongest influences that have

helped you develop your individual architectural

style and how would you yourself describe it?

For this project we worked on a set of very diverse

references, such as Archizoom, Superstudio, Donald

Judd, Carl André, James Wines, Carlo Scarpa,

Denys Lasdun, Adalberto Libera, Ettore Sottsass,

Ludwig Hilberseimer, Giuseppe Terragni, Per Kirkeby.

I wouldn’t describe my architectural production

as purely minimalist, although it has this

context. It as also ambiguous, playful, and mixed.

Individually people could read the same project

very differently.

What would your response be to people who insist

that contemporary architecture is becoming

“flatter” than ever? And is that a bad thing?

I wouldn’t know exactly. It depends who calls it that

way, what kind of architecture they refer to, and

what they mean by flat. So many different «styles»

and generations co-exist for the moment, probably

more than ever before. I think it’s very interesting. I

wouldn’t call it flat. It’s a moment of great eclectism.

Which one project absolutely cemented your

passion in a special and memorable way for the

field you pursue ?

Each project cements my passion more and more. I

am always very happy and grateful that new clients

and new projects allow me to develop different directions

and enrich my practice.

It is a well known fact that for you. What is encapsulated

within the spaces you create is equally

important and plays a fundamental role in your

creative process. The same can be said about the

importance of the contents of one’s bag or wallet.

Which FIVE objects can one always find in

your bag or wallet and are your carry-alls from

VALEXTRA?

I carry everywhere my Premier briefcase as well a

little card holder, both from Valextra. They both

are extremely simple and functional. You can actually

put more cards in a small card holder than

in a whole wallet. And the Premier briefcase is the

perfect companion for a one day work trip between

Brussels and Paris or Milan for example. I also like

the versatile travel bag, the Avietta and the portfolio.

With the continual onslaught of information

and the influence of social media affecting our

thought-processes and decision-making, how do

you think creativity will evolve and somehow remain

pure and authentic?

I think it’s interesting that architecture or design

references are available to everyone everywhere.

The difference used to be between the people who

had access and people who didn’t have access to the

knowledge or the references. People who had access

were the ones that studied, traveled and collected

books and photos. Now everyone can find a lot on

the internet. But one needs to know where to look,

and how to read and interpret what one sees. Taste

and critical thinking make a big influence. The

beauty of the world doesn’t increase because everyone

has access to beautiful things. Maybe they don’t

see them, maybe they don’t consider them beautiful.

Nowadays, I think creativity and critical thinking

are needed more than ever before.

What are some of the major impediments that the

young generation of architects are facing as far as

economic opportunities or lack of artistic inspiration

are concerned? Do you think we live in an

age and environment that could inspire another

Le Corbusier, for example?

I think that today is a age of fluidity. On one hand

we are required to be more and more specialized, but

on the other hand architects must develop so many

different competences that it’s almost impossible to

acquire them all. Many architects work with external

resources, when they need 3D renderings, site surveys,

energy and structural studies, etc. People can

also work from anywhere, since all they need is usally

a laptop and a wifi connection to be able to communicate

with each other. The shared economy is a

characteristic in this day and age. People don’t need

to own everything they use.

They can also borrow it, rent it, and therefore increase

their consumption in a more sustainable way and

without fixed costs. Work organizes itself nowadays

in a similar way. This has an influence on spaces. Spaces

are less and less determined by precise functions.

Any place where you can sit and have a table could

be a dining room or an office space. All you need is

a wifi connection. The laptop can be used to produce

work, to communicate or to entertain oneself

watching a film. The function of the same space can

switch from office to living-room at the moment you

close your emails and you open Netflix. In terms on

design, this is very important to consider. As an architect,

I tend to design spaces that are as fluid and as

multi-functional as possible.

You conducted and published a comprehensive

and detailed empirical study on the Belgian architectural

landscape and ‘Belgian Identity’ called

‘Interiors, Notes and Figures’ in conclusion to the

Biennale Architettura 2014: Belgian Pavilion 14th

International Architecture Exhibition from June

till November 2014. Please highlight some of the

key findings of the study

and how these may help you to approach other architectural

milieus?

The opportunity to make a project for the Belgian

Pavillion in Venice was of great importance for me.

It was the occasion to develop with the 3 other curators,

a photographer (and a whole team we gathered)

a research project for over a year, on the subject of

vernacular residential interiors. How people modify,

transform or adapt their interiors. After hundreds of

sites visited and countless photos, we defined what

we called Figures (in French). These figures, either

typologies or attitudes towards the living space, are

recurring elements.

The idea was that vernacular architecture, architecture

without architects, could inform the architects in

their practice. This project was a founding moment

in my career. Being trained as an architect, I felt I

needed more references and theoretical tools to learn

how to make interiors. Tools coming from outside

the sophisticated and polished interior culture could

be used and readapted within a more «informed»

context.

429

STOEL

Photographer ALICE SCHILLACI · Fashion Editor FRANCESCA CEFIS · Model MAREN @Monster · Location MILAN, ITALY

Shirt MIU MIU

Shoes VINTAGE

Skirt, belt and socks PRADA

Shoes VINTAGE

Tights STYLIST´S OWN

Earrings and printed dress MARNI

Sweater and turtleneck BLUMARINE

Trousers FILIPPA K


Shoes STELLA McCARTNEY

463

Sweater CARVEN


Jacket and trousers FILIPPA K

Shoes STELLA McCARTNEY

Shirt MARCO DE VINCENZO

Socks PRADA

Dress CÉLINE

Shoes VINTAGE

Dress FENDI

Blue shirt Nº21

Shoes CÉLINE

Ring VIONNET

Top SANSOVINO 6

Jacket and trousers STELLA McCARTNEY

Make-up Artist AUGUSTO PICERNI @W-M management · Hair Stylist DAVIDE ASQUINI @Green Apple · Photographer Assistant GABRIELE LODA · Fashion Assistant LUCREZIA

CUCCAGNA

Shoes FENDI

Turtleneck MSGM


Jacket and skirt JIL SANDER

Dress TIBI

Shoes CÉLINE

R

ARTIST

RYAN GANDER

Ryan Gander is an English conceptual artist and architect with a difference: he has a long-term disability and is a wheelchair user, physically incapable of

making of the work himself. But this small detail does not stop Gander who is celebrated within the art world with works included in collections around the

globe including the Tate in London, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and the Museum Moderner Kunst in Vienna.

“If you don’t have an imagination to use the knowledge, civilization is nowhere” - Ray Bradbury



Portrait by Kristine Hvid Petersen

L: 91,313 mm

Conceptual artist, from the UK, working with

a big range of materials. How did your career

start and which was the first piece you remember

to show someone and get a comment about

it?

I became an artist by happenstance, I was drawn

to it by friends who were interested in art, growing

up where I did and when I did, art was a pursuit

of the mad, the eccentric and only political lefties,

but I wasn’t drawn to those things, I was drawn

to the organization and instigation of projects.

I liked the idea that an artist could achieve anything

and that the goal and path to that goal was

self defined… It wasn’t a life style choice, like it

seems to be for many kids today, and why not,

after all being an artist is the coolest job on the

planet, it was a decision made by a process of eliminating

the things I didn’t want to spend the rest

of my life doing. Early on I remember making

small plasticine figures of old ladies walking dogs

and drawings of the forms of napkins thrown on a

table… These ‘works’ if you could call them that,

were received with grunts and shrugs, but strangely

I still repeat these exercises today.

“I liked the idea

that an artist

could achieve anything

and that

the goal and path

to that goal was

self defined…”

How much your life changed from working in

a carpet shop to study art in The Netherlands?

At what point you decided to leave your country

and follow your dreams?

A friend, who is an exceptional artist, Ben Cain

went to Jan Van Eyck Academy before me, he sort

of paved the way, and again in a free-fall of happenstance

I just sort of followed him. Going to

The Netherlands, when I think back, was a very

para-possible moment, I categorically know that

I wouldn’t be making art today if I hadn’t left Britain.

Manchester was too small, everyone in Glasgow

seemed to suffer from a contagious aesthetic

epidemic and London was full of bloodthirstily

ambitious kids with money, who made ‘retinal

art’ (art for the eye not the mind) that looked like

art but seemed to mean very little, I wouldn’t have

survived in London, financially or intellectually.

“I use to teach

full-time in the

beginning. That

was my job. Now

due to the size of

the infrastructure

around me and

the scale and velocity

of my commitments

to my

work, teaching is

uneconomical.”

Some opinions say your perception of art, your

work and your way is an open landscape where

people can really feel how an artist really is.

How do you describe yourself and your attitude

towards work?

It has to be open to be generous. People often

mistake a lack of information that comes with

openness, with artistic elitism, it’s a precarious

balancing act.

I truly don’t want anyone to feel like they are left

out or excluded, but generally giving answers destroys

the work. It has to remain light on its feet,

full of magic dust and it has to resist closure. In

terms of practice, I am a believer in the idea that

all great art is an experiment, and investigation or

an educational exercise, which is why I am often

frustrated with artists that repeat the same exercise

again and again for the market,

like a one trick pony jumping through hoops. I

like trying to make things that take me to a place

where I didn’t expect to end up, a practice that

develops me as a human being, this is really challenging

and of course I don’t necessarily always

achieve it.

You always try to inform and show people the

difficulties of people with disabilities and they

still have to suffer every day in a world where

everything is advancing so fast.

What would you like to say to all the people

who think we are improving in this world, and

yet the feelings and most basic rights have not

been on a proper consideration and sufficient

care of the basic needs that we all deserve, since

we are all have the same rights, no matter what

is our condition?

I’m not sure personalized scenarios are interesting

for art making. I’ve never made art about the fact

that I happen to use a wheelchair to get around,

it’s not interesting.

In general I’m not into identity as a subject, I

don’t like feminist work or black work etc., similarly

I am not interested in politically motivated

work. Generally work about the ‘self’ or ‘difference’

often comes off as feeble and needy. I’m of the

opinion that individuals should strengthen their

situations by occupying a position of power, not

by highlighting the very thing that makes them

different.

I’m a better role model to a young kid who happens

to use a wheelchair, by not talking about it,

but just by being a great artist. That’s not to say

I’m making art to be a role model… the objective

is to be the best artist/visual linguist that ever

lived. Obviously I don’t work as hard as I have to

just to make a living or because you get to go to

lots of dinners.

I do it because I want to execute amazing works

that show how fluent, economical and eloquent

I am in visual language. It’s a game yes, but it’s a

serious game.

“I’ve never made

art about the fact

that I happen to

use a wheelchair

to get around, it’s

not interesting.

In general I’m not

into identity as

a subject, I don’t

like feminist work

or black work

etc., similarly I

am not interested

in politically motivated

work.”

R

441

You also teach at some institutions. How did it start and when? Did

you accept the first time the proposal came to you or your decision was

taking longer than expected?

I use to teach full-time in the beginning. That was my job. Now due to the

size of the infrastructure around me and the scale and velocity of my commitments

to my work, teaching is uneconomical.

That sound egocentric, but it’s just a fact. So now I teach at places where I

feel the students most benefit from my time. I rarely agree to teach in art

schools in London purely because all those kids have a massive head start

anyway.

I do however teach in Northern towns and cities, like Manchester, Leeds,

Liverpool, Sheffield, Huddersfield, essentially the kids are more motivated

by ideas than success there and generally in many of them I see a reflection

of myself as a younger person.

There is a strange romanticism to resurrecting ghosts and investing in your

roots. I would be very happy to win the lottery and to build a world-class

art academy in Manchester, for kids who were interesting and genuinely

nice people.

You think Brexit is the result of poor and bad education... Do you think

this connotes directly from how people understand art and other creative

careers as fashion?

No. I think Brexit is a product of the contemporary condition where everyone

thinks they are an expert and know best, regardless of their education

or investment in a subject. If I have a headache I wouldn’t go to the doctor

and tell him to drill a hole in my head, because I haven’t spend two decade

learning about the brain.

We are living in a non-factual era. Facts no longer matter, facts are invented

to prove or disprove any hypothetical objective. British people aren’t evil or

bad, they’re just ill-informed because they spend too much time involved in

present time orientation, they think they can prescribe their own medicine,

which unfortunately and fatally, mixed with a government of categorical

idiots has turned into a melting pot of tragedy. Everything will be fine, Brexit

will probably never happen and if it does it will be so diluted it will be

gestural. Even idiots can only watch their entire country fall to pieces in

front of their eyes for so long without having to put the brakes on a terrible

idea.

Ryan Gander at Esther Schipper in Berlin, 2016

live in London there are too many distractions for me, and I would inevitably

see too much art, which would not be good for my own work. Sometimes

it’s best not to know what is going on around you, reactionary art is

sometimes inevitable, but art that seemingly comes out of nowhere is much

more appealing.

I often think that the worst quality of an artwork, is an artwork that confirms

to expectation.

What other exhibitions or upcoming projects are you working on?

Is there at least one city, a gallery or a space that would you like to present

an exhibition and develop doing people be part of it?

There are many on going projects, lots of shows in China, Korea and Japan

next year and aside from shows, we are working on a company for a kitchen

sink I have designed, a new book I’ve just written, a football kit for a Chinese

soccer team, a Kimono collaboration with the Japan’s oldest Kimono maker,

quite a few public commissions and we are building a new studio. Strangely,

in relation to what I would like to do… I have a list; I would love a show in

Iceland and would love to visit Gander in Newfoundland.

Do you have any advice for people who are disabled and hidden dreams

are connected to large projects?

In addition, any word for ignorant people thinking the world is limited

and no one can achieve their dreams although if you are able and you

can to fight for them?

Not really, some people can’t think big, can’t be illogically ambitious, and

that’s ok, the world is full of difference, that’s what makes it great.

“People often mistake a lack

of information that comes

with openness, with artistic

elitism, it’s a precarious

balancing act, I truly don’t

want anyone to feel like

they are left out or excluded,

but generally giving

answers destroys the work.

It has to remain light on its

feet, full of magic dust and

it has to resist closure.”

We would like to know more about “The Connectivity Suite (and other

places)”. How magic or illusion nourish is your work?

Magic and Imagination are very similar, they are both states in which anything

is possible, the illogical and the irrational can actually happen. Magic

is interesting to me because it is in the same realms as the hidden, the

cloaked, the invisible and the latent.

Magic is a framework for the absent, and the absent is something the human

psyche is deeply troubled or interested by. In the construction of artworks,

it feels to me that the framework is more important that the content, if you

allow the spectator to bring their own content along with them and merely

allow a framework for it to fit into, then the work will always have greater

value to individuals.

Do you consider your work and mind are connected to any other type

of expression, which society should be more connected to and in need of

support and acceptance for others?

Is there any town you consider has got an advantage over the other and

where the world should put their eyes on?

I don’t entirely understand the question. I live in the countryside in England

by the sea.

I go to London maybe once or twice a month, but I spend half my time traveling,

I am lucky enough to have the best of both worlds. I lived in London

for years, struggling to find time and cash to make art between teaching,

then I wanted to be surrounded by everything related to art. Now I couldn’t

“I became an artist by happenstance,

I was drawn to

it by friends who were interested

in art, growing up

where I did and when I

did, art was a pursuit of the

mad, the eccentric and only

political lefties, but I wasn’t

drawn to those things, I was

drawn to the organization

and instigation of projects.”

Ryan Gander at Esther Schipper in Berlin, 2016

442

443

BUSINESSMAN

ADRIAN JOFFE

Adrian Joffe is a very powerful man. He is the co-founder and CEO of Dover Street Market and president of Comme des Garçons. He is also sharing his life

with designer, Rei Kawakubo. Adrian´s vision is different as his support to new designers and brands, with something strong to say and show to the world.

“My energy comes from freedom and a rebellious spirit” - Rei Kawakubo



Portrait by Thomas Lohr

Dover Street Market is one of the most poignant

and recognizable names in fashion retail

today, but originally you started out with “guerrilla

shops”. Can you tell us a bit about those

days and then how eventually Dover Street

Market came about?

Guerrilla shops were one thing and Dover Street

Market was something completely different. Guerrilla

shops was an idea to do temporary one year

shops using our vintage stock with non fashion

people in non fashion districts of mostly unfashionable

cities. The first one opened 14th February

2004 in Berlin and the last one (the 32nd

one) closed in July 2009 in Glasgow. Dover Street

Market was an entirely different project which

began as the desire for a new and permanent presence

of CDG in London was born. Instead of

the usual mono mark store, we had the idea to

share our space with other brands and to create

a new kind of retail experience. We opened on

10th September 2004, and moved from Haymarket

to a much bigger place on 19th March 2016.

A lot of people unsurprisingly thought DSM was

another guerrilla shop even though we told everybody

it wasn’t. I guess the spirit was similar as it

is with everything CDG does, but guerrilla stores

were all tiny, about 40-50 squared meters at most,

and cost about $2000 to fit out, whereas DSM

was 1000 squared meters and cost about $2m to

make. Also DSM didn’t close after one year and

London is quite fashionable!

“We just do what

we believe in, never

wavering from

our core values,

take risks, follow

our instincts. We

can’t work any

other way and still

be ourselves.”

Dover Street Market has since left its namesake

location and relocated to Haymarket, was that

a sad moment for you to have to leave the place

where it all began or are you happy with the

change?

We never look back, always forward... It’s true we

loved the Dover Street location, we had so many

amazing experiences there, but we are very happy

with the new location and memories last forever...

6068

“We never look

back, always

forward... It’s

true we loved the

Dover Street location,

we had

so many amazing

experiences there,

but we are very

happy with the

new location and

memories last forever...”

DSM has brilliantly balanced the fine line between

concept and consumption, how do you

think you have managed to achieve this so well?

I have no idea how to answer such questions. We

just do what we believe in, never wavering from

our core values, take risks, follow our instincts.

We can’t work any other way and still be ourselves.

Yourself and Rei are both ardent supporters of

fashion’s next generations, why is this so important

to you both?

I wouldn’t say we are supporters of the next generation

as such. We like and identify with all designers

that work with their heart and soul and have

a vision. A lot of the young designers around today

have that spirit, and thanks to DSM, we have

the possibility to buy their collections, and give

some of them spaces to express their vision. We

like to share our space, physically and metaphorically

with like minded people. If this means we

are “patrons” of the “creative class”, then ok but I

think people get the wrong idea of the nature of

the support. I think it is just that we encourage,

by example, hard work and creative thinking and

where possible we like to share and collaborate

when the feeling is right.

You have an extraordinary track record of supporting

new designers, from Gosha Rubchinskiy

to Jacquemus. When you get behind a

young new brand, how do you know you are

onto something special? Are there certain ele-

ments that you are looking for in particular or

is it more about gut instinct?

Again, the support is more moral and emotional.

We encouraged for sure Jacquemus to be free and

independent but that’s what he wanted anyway,

and when he started making collections, we liked

them and bought them for DSM. As for Gosha,

I met him in Moscow, knew immediately he has

talent and a vision, and started helping him make

his collections. It grew from there, and yes, I guess

it is all about gut instinct...

“Guerrilla shops

were one thing

and Dover Street

Market was something

completely

different.

Guerrilla shops

was an idea to do

temporary one

year shops using

our vintage stock

with non fashion

people in non fashion

districts of

mostly unfashionable

cities.”

6068

What have been some of the most exciting

events or collaborations for you?

There have been so many amazing ones, I don’t

see the need to single any out.

With so many achievements under your belt, I

dare ask what is the next step for you?

Are there any projects that you want to accomplish

with the next phase of your career? If so

can you share them with us?

In the first part of next year we are going to open

DSM Singapore...

445

DOVER STREET MARKET

- Second Floor -

Gucci

DOVER STREET MARKET

- First Floor -

J.W. Anderson

446

447

Cap M+RC NOIR

Trousers CHALAYAN

Jumper RICK OWENS

Boots SAINT LAURENT

GINGERBREAD

Photographer TAKAHITO SASAKI · Fashion Editor MARINA GERMAN · Creative Director JENNIFER AVINS

Casting Director SARAH BUNTER · Model CLEMENT LETEXIER @16men Paris · Location LONDON, UK

Trousers CHALAYAN

Jumper J.W. ANDERSON

Total look CHALAYAN

Boots PRADA

Trousers NEIL BARRETT

Top and scarf ACNE STUDIOS

Total look ACNE STUDIOS

Jeans CMMN SWDN

Boots SAINT LAURENT

Make-up Artist PHILIPPE MILETTO · Hair Stylist YOSHITAKA MIYAZAKI · Set Designer CIARAN BEALE

Total look PRADA

Shirt QASIMI

Trousers CMMN SWDN

ICON

BILLY NAME

THE FACTORY

R.I.P. July 18, 2016

He invented the silver color of the walls of The Factory. Billy was the real star of this generation. A genius. We are honored that days before his death spoke

with Raul Hidalgo and Eduardo Gion of his life in The Factory. I always appreciate your last interview is for us. We love Billy Name.

“An artist is somebody who produces things that people don’t need to have” - Andy Warhol


Reportage by Raúl Hidalgo

Portrait © Billy Name, Reel Art Press

What do you remember of the day you where

together with Andy Warhol on Serendipity?

I was working at Serendipity. Andy would come

in and sit at the front table and work on his

drawings like the Miller shoes ads. He was going

by the name Andrew Warhola at that point. I met

Andy and he took me to a muscle building party

in Brooklyn, we ended up meeting artist Ray Johnson

there who I already knew. We stayed there

a while and had a nice time together. Andy and

I ended up becoming close friends. I was easy for

him to find at Serendipity and I would go to his

before work almost every day, we would sit in his

house and gossip about our friends. I would see

his mother there, she was very quiet and small,

she didn’t say much other than “Hi Billy, you

are like Andy, very young.” He had a work space

upstairs with a drawing board he worked on. I

remember there were shoes all around the place.

You were the lighting designer at the theatre

and one day, Warhol went to your house to get

a new hair cut where he went crazy when he

saw the Silver Apartment. How was it?

I was the lighting designer for the Judson Church

Dance company and Johnny Dodd. I took some

photos there of people like Robert Raschenberg

and Robert Whitman and his wife Simone Forti

who was working there a lot. I remember Whitman

had built this huge sleeping section above

and installed a clear toilet. He would ask people

to use the toilet because he thought it was funny

to see people going to the bathroom in a transparent

toilet. I would design the lights and figure

out how to light the performances in the space,

I installed about 400 lights overhead. I would

watch rehearsals and take notes about the movements

of the dancers. During the performances

I would follow their movements with the lights

using only white lights for the performances, never

colored lighting. The performance that stands

out the most was a young pretty girl, she entered

through a side door, I caught her with my

light, she walked out halfway and spoke... “I am

an ordinary girl in an ordinary job in an ordinary

show but I seem to be an extraordinary girl who’s

walking in an extraordinary space and performing

an extraordinary task. The task is over now so I’m

an extraordinary girl walking out.” That impressed

me. The audience took it as a peer audience, they

accepted her statement and applauded.

I had an apartment on the 7th street between

Avenues C and D Alphabet City. The apartment

was painted mostly blue and orange which was

getting on my nerves so I decided to do something

about it. I went to the hardware store on

the corner and bought a couple of colors of spray

paint like red, blue and green and I tried them in

different places on the walls alone and in combination

with each other. The colors didn’t appeal

to me so I went back and was looking at the other

colors and some chrome paint caught my eye, I

decided to try that with chrome being the basis

of all color in my mind. I bought a few cans and

sprayed them on the wall, it looked so fabulous,

glamorous, I loved it! I bought more cans and

sprayed the apartment, and that was the initiation

of my installation. Next I got some aluminum

foil and covered other things and they went

very well together, the foil and the paint. I painted

everything in the kitchen and bathroom first,

I even painted the toilet, the refrigerator, the silverware,

everything…

I would give haircutting parties for my friends

like people at the Judson church. People like Ray

Johnson, Charles Morgan, artists, dancers and

other interesting people, usually about 20 people

would come to my parties. Johnny Dodd would

come and sit in the middle of the room under a

spotlight and I would take out my scissors, put

a towel around his neck and start trimming. Johnny

had ideal hair to trim, it was thick but loose

and I could work it in strands. I cut out pictures

of food from magazines and place them around

the apartment and they would make believe they

were eating them. It was a performance piece and

everyone was involved. The parties would last until

about 11pm, then we would all go out after

that, usually to the Naples restaurant near the

Judson church and order big bottles of wine usually

both red and white. One night Ray Johnson

brought Andy to one of my parties and when

Andy walked in he said “Wow, this is fabulous. Hey

Billy I just got a new loft, would you want to do as

you’ve done to your apartment?” I said I would go

and to look at it. He said I should come tomorrow

afternoon. I went up and saw the space, it

was raw with crumbling walls but thought I could

transform. I went out and bought silver paint and

foil and started transforming his space into my

silver installation. Andy was moved by the silverness

of it all and it became a part of his persona

and his art. He was happy with the effect and felt

it worthy of what he was doing at the time.

How was the original Factory and why it was

called The Factory?

One day Andy, Ondine (aka Robert Olivo) and

I were going out, we were walking towards the

freight elevator which I had also painted totally

silver. Before we got on, we stood for a moment

and pondered, “Now where are we going and where

are we coming back to?” We talked about what the

space was.

We didn’t want to refer to it as a studio or a loft.

It was originally a hat factory and the hooks were

still in the walls and the ceiling for the hats that

were made there before. I don’t remember which

of us said, but one of us said “Lets call it The Factory”

and the space was reborn.

You moved to The Factory and you build your

own photography Studio there, how was your

space?

My space was in the corner of The Factory. Andy

and I each had a desk and we placed the desks

facing each other. I had a rack that I hung my

clothes on and I turned one of the bathrooms into

my darkroom where I processed and developed

my film and photos. I slept in that area away from

where Andy made his paintings. I didn’t have

many possessions or anything so I didn’t really

need much space.

You said goodbye to The Factory and Andy

with a brief note. Is it right?

One day I just decided it was time to leave, I didn’t

think about it or plan it. I felt it was time for me

to go. I was over saturated with The Factory. I

had to get it out of my skin. One morning before

anyone arrived, I tore a page out of a catalog and

with a red marker I wrote “Andy, I am not here anymore

but I am fine. Love, Billy.” I walked out onto

the street in Union Square and it was still dark

out, the sun had not come up yet. I looked up at

the street lights and the buildings, then I walked

up to the United Nations building and looked at

all the flags as the sun came up. I was friends with

the ambassador to Peru who lived near there so I

went to his apartment. He had once tried to lick

my toes and I walked out on him but I figured I

could take a toe licking this day.

I stayed with him a couple of nights and then

I went back downtown to Washington Square

Park. I got in with a group of black people who

were going to Georgia to work on a farm, they

invited me to go with them and I said “Sure, I’ll

give it a try.”

I was the only white person in their group but it

was cool and we were all happy to be together.

When we got to Georgia I picked cucumbers on

a farm for a while but I said “No this is not the life

for me.” I hitchhiked to Tallahassee, Florida but

that wasn’t for me either. I met some people who

were going to New Orleans and I went with them

in a Pontiac.

When we got to New Orleans I got out and

thanked them for the ride and I took off. I didn’t

stay long and then went to Topanga Canyon where

I lived with poet Diane di Prima who I knew

from New York. There were a lot of interesting

people around Topanga at the time, people like

George Herms and Wallace Berman, it was a vibrant

group of people all creating things. After

a few months I went to San Francisco and that’s

where I stayed through the 1970’s.

“I was working

at Serendipity.

Andy would

come in and sit

at the front table

and work on his

drawings like the

Miller shoes ads.”

459

MY DEAR BILLY...

Floor Plan The Factory drawn by Billy Name © Reel Art Press

LETTER TO BILLY NAME BY BIBBE HANSEN

It was fun. Life was a lot of fun back then. It was a time of tremendous energy all over the world. Everything felt so new and fresh and modern.

There were more young people than had ever existed at one time before and with our numbers, for a brief time anyway, we were able

to tilt the world off its axis. As we became teens and young adults we were making a prodigious impact on many different aspects of culture

and politics. It was an exhilarating time to be alive and every day was filled to the brim with marvelous promise. The Factory reflected that,

not only in the work that Andy did there, but in the people he gathered about him and the activities they pursued in and out of The Factory.

The Factory was, as its name implies, primarily a place of work. It was the center of Andy's daily art practice, the location for the manufacture

and realization of his fecund art output. Towards the middle of the 60's Andy's practice expanded into filmmaking and intermedia spectacle.

The collaborative nature of these invited many more participants than his drawings, paintings and silkscreen work had previously required.

As more people were brought into The Factory, it began to mirror the grand social 60's experiment beginning to unfold outside. Until that

point, individuals had tended to only associate with others from their own general upbringing and class. Andy welcomed people of vastly

different backgrounds to The Factory. They came from the worlds of art and theater, music and commerce, politics and publishing, high

society matrons and opera singers dined and danced with Times Square hustlers, rock stars and street kids. It was not a traditional melting

pot which seeks to remove any unique and identifying cultural aspects in order to create a homogenous mixture of acceptable middle-class

behavior. No, The Factory was more like a carnival ride, a Tilt-A-Whirl, or Carousel, with people from all walks of life jumping in and out

of the various rides every night as they worked and played, creating together something astonishing and sublime that had never existed before.

Billy Name was the heartbeat of the Silver Factory. He was primarily in charge of running The Factory space, its security and access. He was

Andy's lover for a while and his long-time confidant. Billy ran the portable record player at The Factory and was responsible for the varied

music soundtrack we lived, danced and worked to there.

Perhaps, most famously it was he who created the Silver Factory's iconic silver surface.

Early in their relationship, Andy visited the apartment of a lighting designer named Billy Linich. Billy had covered his entire apartment in

silver tin foil. When Andy saw it he was in awe and asked if Billy would do that to his studio. Billy agreed. Soon after Billy Linich became

Billy Name and the Silver Factory was born.

Contrary to much I have read and heard, I have always thought Andy quite generous though, certainly, it was always on his own terms. I

think everyone who came in contact with Andy in those days, came away with some special gift from him.

Towards the end of her life Holly Woodlawn was asked if Andy ever paid her to be in his films. She answered, “He gave me more than money.

He gave me immortality.”

Andy taught me about the advantages of inclusion vs exclusion, and tons about art process and art practice. He also helped me understand

that the very things people might deride and try to put you down for can be turned around and become your greatest strengths. I am personally

grateful to Andy on so many counts. Perhaps most of all I appreciate his vote of confidence, to collaborate with a 14-year old me; it meant a

lot then as well as now.

One day Andy gave Billy Name a camera with its instruction book and Billy learned how to shoot pictures. Photography is famously referred

to as "painting with light". As Billy was a lighting designer for several cutting edge avant garde theaters downtown he already was three steps

ahead in his primary understanding of light and shadow.

Whether they shoot a leg of a rock band's tour, travel to some far-off little known part of the world, or drop into a clown cult, documentary

photographers are often interlopers. Billy wasn't an outsider come to shoot the freaks, he was one of the family. Perhaps that is why looking

over his pictures in the Dagon James book of magnificent Billy Name pictures ("The Silver Age" Reel Art Press ) feels like leafing through

a family album. His beautiful photographs are also the most thorough ongoing documents of the Silver Factory world and its inhabitants.

Through his marvelous images Edie, Chuck, Gerard, Andy and The Factory live forever as new generations discover their timeless allure.

After The Factory, I went on to do many other things in my life and along the way I was privileged to collaborate with many terrific artists,

performers and art groups, but to this day, my time at The Factory remains always apart and special. Thanks to Andy, I had the great good

fortune to meet and work with some of the most brilliant Factory artists whose abundant contributions to the fabric of our culture are still

being assessed and appreciated. Edie Sedgwick, Gerard Malanga, Marie Menken, Ondine, Brigid Berlin, Freddy Herko, Pat Hartley, Mario

Montez, Chuck Wein, Taylor Mead, Billy Name, what an amazing array of rare and splendid talents! Just the roll call takes one's breath

away.

I left NYC in 1970 and returned 34 years later. One of the first people I met when I got back into town was Billy Name. When he saw me

after all those years he threw his arms around me and I felt enveloped in his warmth and tender affection. It was like not a day had passed.

Andy Warhol, Brillo © Billy Name, Reel Art Press

Edie Wall, Shadows © Billy Name, Reel Art Press

DAGON JAMES


Reportage by Raúl Hidalgo

You are editor and curator of artists such

Kate Simon, Gerard Malanga, Brigid Berlin

or Billy Name. How did you contact with

these wonderful artists?

All of these artists that I work with are my

friends so working with them is natural and

enjoyable. They give me access to their work

and archives that maybe most other people

wouldn’t normally get and I tend to work in a

more collaborative way with them.

You create RAP (Reel Art Press), one of the

most interesting art book publishers worldwide.

How you start on this work and what

are the main qualities required an artist to be

edited by you?

RAP publisher Tony Nourmand is a close

friend, we have made many books together.

Our relationship is unique in that I develop

book ideas and bring them to him.

Tony and I have a trusting work relationship

and he leaves me to do just about anything I

feel with these books. My criteria for making

a book is simply that I must feel a passion for

the artists and their work, otherwise what’s the

point? If it isn’t enjoyable I won’t do it.

You convince artists like Brigid Berlin or Billy

Name to send their photographic archive,

never seen before.

I formally represent Billy Name and his photographs,

he’s also one of my closest friends in

life. Billy trusted me to make the book worthy

of his work. He was closely involved in the style

and look of his book ‘Silver Age’.

Brigid was a little bit different. I used to publish

a magazine called ‘Lid’ and in issue #8 I

published a portfolio of Brigid’s Polaroids so

I was aware of them long before we made her

book.

While working on Billy’s ‘Silver Age’ book I

conducted some interviews with Brigid and

during one of our meetings I suggested making

a book of her Polaroids. She was happy to do it

and with Vincent Fremont and Anastasia Rygle

we looked through thousands of Polaroids that

she had in shoe boxes. It was like discovering

buried treasure, seeing all of these wonderful

artists and moments in time, many of them she

had forgotten. That was a difficult book to edit

mainly because there were so many Polaroids

we wanted to include but didn’t have the space.

Tell us about the book “The Silver Age.”

The Silver Age was a 5 year journey for me.

Originally I wanted to publish a Catalogue raisonné

of every photograph Billy took during

his Warhol/Factory years. After 5 years it was

apparent that I would need more time to do

this. Instead I decided to make a comprehensive

overview of Billy’s time at The Factory. I conducted

interviews with most of the surviving

Factory regulars and presented Billy’s photos

chronologically by year. I wanted to present a

little bit of everything, the films, the art, the

people, the parties, the quiet moments. I did

not want to make just another Andy Warhol

book, I wanted this to be something deeper,

something with more lasting value. At the end

I showed it to John Cale and he wrote the touching,

perfect foreword for his dear friend Billy.

You also published one of the most powerful

photo magazines, LID Magazine. How was

this magazine created?

I created Lid because at the time (2004) I felt

there were very few magazines being published

that I actually enjoyed. At that point most magazines

were very commercial and there were

few independent experimental magazines. Of

course now there are so many wonderful independent

magazines to choose from but in 2004

there were not. There was no real cohesive idea

or planning, Lid was not about pleasing anyone

in particular, it was not about any singular style

or subject, just people, photos, art and ideas

that I liked myself. My thinking was if I like it

maybe someone else will feel the same. I closed

Lid in 2014 but since then a lot of people have

contacted me saying how much they like Lid

and that they collected and saved all the issues.

It seems to have become something of a collectors

item in recent years.

One of RAP’s works is “The 2001 File” Harry

Lange design. This issue is dedicated to

the spaces and places. Could you explain

about these spaces?

Well, you would have to speak with Tony Nourmand

about the 2001 book. I didn’t work on

that one but I have seen several early drafts and

I am as excited as anyone to see it. 2001 is a

masterpiece and seeing how the design of the

film came together is just what I love!

Where is gonna be the next exhibition or

edit book?

I just finished the first of at least 3 books I am

doing with San Francisco photographer Michael

Zagaris. Michael has one of the last great

unseen archives in the world. This first book is

photos of the rock groups that performed in

and around San Francisco in the late 1960’s

through the 1980’s at the Fillmore, Winterland,

Cow Palace and other legendary venues. Everyone

from Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Lou

Reed, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, The Clash, Patti

Smith, Bill Graham, Grateful Dead, Doors…

so many great artists. Just as important as the

photos are Michael’s stories.

He is a master storyteller and somehow he

remembers every moment, the colors, the

sounds, the smells, the way everything felt…

his sensory memory is unlike anything I have

ever encountered.

His rich stories accompany the photos making

this book far more than just another picture

book. Michael and I started planning this book

in 2009 and now it’s finally finished and comes

out in November 2016. This one won’t disappoint!

I am also working on a book of Polaroids

and currently finishing the first issue of my new

magazine which will be out in early 2017. The

new magazine is an evolutionary leap from Lid

but the DNA is the same.

Polaroids © Billy Name, Reel Art Press

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MINDS IN HISTORY

INNER FEELINGS

The art-world architect opens up on architecture, craft, design, sculpture, photography,

film, textiles and fashion… addressing applied arts to architecture and vice versa, content

and subject matter relating to abstraction or realism.

A famous fashion designer shared her admiration for the work of artist Louise Bourgeois,

whose sculptures inspired her to use new forms and materials in her garments,

using their art to think about ideas of texture, materiality, and how works of art can

relate to the human body establishing a sense of movement in the artwork.

by Jason Yestenia

Illustrations by Natalia Jhete

ZAHA HADID

October 31, 1950 - March 31, 2016

Dame Zaha Mohammad Hadid, DBE was an Iraqi-born British architect. She was the first Arab woman who received the Pritzker Architecture Prize, winning

it in 2004. She received the Stirling Prize in 2010 and 2011.

Hadid established her own London-based architecture practice in 1980. Her international reputation was greatly enhanced in 1988 by a showing of impressive

architecture drawings as part of the ground-breaking exhibition “Deconstructivism in Architecture” curated by Philip Johnson and Mark Wigley at New

York’s Museum of Modern Art, and was named an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and an honorary fellow of the American

Institute of Architects. She was on the board of trustees of The Architecture Foundation.

In 2009 she worked with the clothing brand Lacoste, to create a new, high fashion, and advanced boot. In the same year, she also collaborated with the

brassware manufacturer Triflow Concepts to produce two new designs in her signature parametric architectural style.

“Architecture is how the person places herself in the space. Fashion is about how you place the object on the person.”

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LOUISE BOURGEOIS

December 25, 1911 – May 31, 2010

EILEEN GRAY

August 9, 1878 – October 31, 1976

Best known for her large-scale sculpture and installation art, Bourgeois

was also a prolific painter and printmaker. She explored a variety

of themes over the course of her long career including domesticity

and the family, sexuality and the body, as well as death and the subconscious.

Although Bourgeois exhibited with the Abstract Expressionists

and her work has much in common with Surrealism and

Feminist Art, she was not formally affiliated with a particular artistic

movement.

Her art serves as a bridge from Modernism and continues to exert its

influence on contemporary artistic practices today.

“Art is a guaranty of sanity. That is the most important thing I have said”

Furniture designer, architect and a pioneer of the architecture Modern

Movement. After World War II, Gray returned to Paris and

led a reclusive life. She continued to work on new projects, but was

almost forgotten by the design industry. In 1968, a complimentary

magazine article drew attention to her accomplishments, and Gray

agreed to production of her Bibendum chair and E-1027 table as

well as numerous other pieces with Zeev Aram. They were soon to

become modern furniture classics.

Following the purchase of her archive in 2002, the National Museum

of Ireland in Dublin, opened a permanent exhibition of her

work. On 8 November 1972, the Doucet sale added to the interest,

which continues to this day in the ‘antiques’ of the twentieth

century. Gray’s ‘Le Destin’ screen was featured in the sale and went

for $36,000. Collectors entered the chase, and Yves Saint Laurent’s

interest completed the mystification of her image.

“A house is not a machine to live in. It is the shell of man, his extension,

his release, his spiritual emanation…”

MAURIZIO CATTELAN

September 21, 1960 - Present

ALLEN JONES

September 1, 1937 - Present

Italian artist known for his satirical sculptures, particularly La Nona

Ora, depicting Pope John Paul II struck down by a meteorite, and

highly recognized for several works that utilize taxidermy, a practice

of his that flourished during the mid-1990s.

Cattelan started his career in the 1980s making wooden furniture

in Forlì (Italy), where he came to know some designers, like Ettore

Sottsass. He made a catalogue of his work, which he sent to galleries.

This promotion gave him an opening in design and contemporary

art. He created a sculpture of an ostrich with its head

buried in the ground, wore a costume of a figurine with a giant

head of Picasso, and affixed a Milanese gallerist to a wall with tape.

He has been described by Jonathan P. Binstock, curator of contemporary

art at the Corcoran Gallery of Art “as one of the great

post-Duchampian artists and a smartass, too”. Discussing the topic

of originality with sociologist, Sarah Thornton, Cattelan explained,

“Originality doesn’t exist by itself. It is an evolution of what is produced.

[...] Originality is about your capacity to add.”

Intrigued by the “toughness” of American Pop art, Jones moved to

Manhattan in 1964. In New York City, Jones recollects learning to

“present what you were saying as clearly as possible,” and he developed

an interest in making his images tangible. For the year Jones remained

in the city, he “discovered a rich fund of imagery in sexually

motivated popular illustration of the 1940s and 1950s”.

According to Jones, about his art of the time: Fetishism and the

transgressive world produced images that I liked because they were

dangerous. They were about personal obsessions. They stood outside

the accepted canons of artistic expression and they suggested new

ways of depicting the figure that weren’t dressed up for public consumption.”

“I wanted to kick over the traces of what was considered acceptable in

art. I wanted to find a new language for representation... to get away

from the idea that figurative art was romantic, that it wasn’t tough.”

“I don’t design. I don’t paint. I absolutely never touch my works...”

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ICON

PAT CLEVELAND

Icon and model, Pat Cleveland shook the fashion industry in the 1960s and 70s as one of the first African-American models who achieved massive prominence

and high demand. She has been photographed by the likes of Andy Warhol, Steven Meisel and was even a muse to Salvador Dalí.

“Attitude is everything” - Diane von Fürstenberg


Interviewed by Bradley Higgenbottom

Portrait by Taylor Edward

Coat VERSACE

W: 1,873 mm

H: 23,615 mm

You had your big break with non other than

Vogue, while wearing one of your own designs.

Do you feel this scenario of success is still possible

given the current system of today’s fashion

industry?

Of course! There’s always the possibility

Its quite daring to be one of the first to affect

change; you’ve had a huge influence on the

modern idea of what modeling can entail, were

you aware you were making a difference at the

time? What was that moment of defiance like?

No I wasn’t aware at that time.

I remember I was young and energetic and that

was my best asset.

You’ve worked on some pretty exciting ventures

with stylist Patricia Field, from The Devil

Wears Prada to Sex And The City. Can we look

forward to any new projects between you and

Patricia Field in the future?

It was amazing working with her… it could be

a dream come true, I would like… yes, perhaps

a movie.

Your dynamic with your daughter is really something

to aspire towards, you’ve mentioned

before the benefits of her pulling you into the

future of fashion.

What are some things from the past you’ve

instilled in your daughter? Any Cleveland family

modeling tips you want to share with the

world?

Yes, definitely.

Look at people always as part of yourself.

You are one of the charmed few to say they have

been able to work with artist Andy Warhol,

what was that like?

Oh, he was so gentle, Andy was often on his

terms, like an invisible presence observing in the

room.

Models who were discovered during the 60’s

70’s and 80’s have a classicism to them that

seems to ascend generations, these were the

eras of Supermodels.

Fashion today is fast and populous, much like

reality TV stars there seems to be a 15 minutes

agenda within the modeling industry. What are

your thoughts on Supermodels today, do they

still exist?

Of course they do exist!

“Let it go and

keep moving

forward…”

“I feel now like

things are moving

too quickly, I

think it shouldn’t

be like that, corporate

industry of

fashion is moving

too fast.”

You have built quite a requiem of achievements

and ventures throughout your career and now

you can add author to the list, what was the

process like when creating your memoire?

This process came to me like remembering a love

story.

Every Supermodel has a trademark, what

would you consider your most marked characteristic,

physical or not?

I always moved like smiling around and giving

sense of peace and calm.

You were a part of the H&M Studio show in

Paris; a maven when it comes to diversity and

equality.

Despite its success, many feel the romanticism

of the industry is built on a sense of pretension,

do you feel a small level of exclusivity will

always be present/important in the fashion

world?

No, I feel now like things are moving too quickly,

I think it shouldn’t be like that, corporate industry

of fashion is moving too fast.

What is one of your KEY skin beauty secrets

you can share with us?

Cleanliness and wipe off and wipe off again.

It’s such a staple city within this industry and

many others, but during the 1970’s it became

your new home.

What was it like the first time you went to Paris?

Oh, I remember what others told me about this

city, in my imagination it was like I saw in films,

but it was really amazing.

I met such interesting nice people… and men,

men were so educated

Now that we have France on the brain, tell us...

Are the pastries really better in Paris?

Oh my God, they are not afraid to be sexy, and

the pastries are la crème de la crème.

The Battle of Versailles was such an iconic moment

in the fashion world for its unprecedented

usage of black models, did this moment

play a part in your passion to increase the

amount of black and ethnic models? how does

it feel to be a representation of change?

Yes, I enjoy the energy that comes from women of

different cultures, the beauties coming from Africa

and other countries.

I really did not realise that it will represent a change

Tell us something people may not know about

you?

My father lives in Sweden... I’m working on this

now.

You’ve amassed not only industry followers,

but many through your social media; we were

so excited to discover your youtube and Instagram;

both depict an amazing life of acceptance

and forward thinking.

What are five words that describe the Pat Cleveland

lifestyle?

I am what I am.

You’ve accomplished so much; success, family,

friends, and a hand in genuine social changewe

have to ask, what’s next for the woman who

seemingly has everything?

Let it go and keep moving forward…

“I am what I am.

I enjoy the energy

that comes from

women of different

cultures, the

beauties coming

from Africa and

other countries. I

really did not realise

that it will represent

a change.”

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Shoes MIU MIU

Coat and tights GUCCI

Corset PERIOD CORSETS

Total look MARC JACOBS

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Belt RODARTE

Dress and shoes LOEWE

Dress MOSCHINO

Briefs, shoes and necklace MIU MIU

Photographer TAYLOR EDWARD · Talent PAT CLEVELAND @Trump models · Fashion Editor RON HARTLEBEN

Producer LISA JARVIS · Location FLATBUSH, BROOKLYN - NYC · Make-up Artist YUKI HAYASHI @Streeters

Hair Stylist ERIC WILLIAMS @MAM · Special thanks CORINNE NICOLAS, BRENT CHUA & DMITRY BRYLEV

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RON ARAD

TALKS WITH

SVETLANA MARICH

from Phillips Gallery

Blurring the lines between art and commercialism, the Israeli born artist,

Ron Arad, trained at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem

and the Architectural Association in London defies classification and undermines

the traditional. A staple collaborator to companies spanning across

industries throughout Europe and America. Artemide, Kartell and Swarovski

to name a few. He’s designed everything from bookcases to chandeliers

and even perfume bottles. For example, the Bookworm Bookshelf, a

flexible bookshelf designed using extrusion technology; a LED chandelier

that displays text messages; and finally, a perfume bottle for French luxury

fashion house, KENZO. With work spread across the globe, his art has been

featured at the Design Museum Holon, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and the

MoMA. And finally, as the co-founder of One-Off, an experimental design

gallery, founder of Arad Associates, an architecture and design firm in London.

Last but not least, former head of design at the Royal College of Art.

His avant-garde designs using unorthodox combinations of materials and

concepts, have, and will continue to leave a lasting impression on art and

design for years to come. Continuing our journey into his life, the following

is a brief conversation between the talented artist and Svetlana Marich, Head

of Moscow Office and International Director at Phillips Auctioneers.

SM - So let’s begin by talking about how you came into being as a designer

and architect, followed by your design philosophy, illustrating your

experience in the industry as a professional.

ARAD - I’m not a methodical person, I never have plans. I will do this

and I will do that. I’m more like a creative. That’s a symbol that is hit by things.

I do things and get ideas as I observe something or something happens. I never

chose to study architecture for example. I just walked around in London and they

were interviewing people for a place at the AA, the Architectural Association. It

looked like an exciting place to me. At that time in the early 70s in London when

nobody was building anything, architecture was more like fine arts than fine arts.

The AA in Bedford Square was more exciting than the Royal College in Hyde

Park. I mean there was more freedom there, so I joined. It wasn’t part of a master

plan it wasn’t part of choice. I mean, oh, what should I do? Should I study art, or

what I study? I do it as I go. This thing (idea) is still with me today. People want

to know. What are you? An artist or a designer or are you whatever? I never made

the choice and I think it’s not up to me to make a choice. I do what I am excited

about doing, what I’m curious about and what I can do.

SM - You have no doubts in what you follow?

ARAD - No. When you are involved in something you’re so intensely in

it that there is no time to question if I should do it at all.

SM - So you just go for it and have an inner understanding?

ARAD - To say to go for it is too much. I’m in it. I don’t go and then go

for it. In my life I’m always with a pencil, drawing and doing things. It hasn’t

changed since I was eight.

I consider myself very lucky like that. That I got away with it. And that’s what

it is probably about with me. Getting away with what I was not supposed to be

doing or what I am expected to be doing. The whole thing about not doing what

you are expected to do and getting applauded for it.

SM - That’s interesting because I think to go with the flow, you are very

lucky. If you go with the flow and you feel this flow is the right thing.

Usually a flow is itself considered to be the wrong thing. The western

culture is always teaching us not to go with the flow but to fight for

something.

Try to become yourself; don’t go with the flow, something else in determination

of contemporary culture, right? What you are explaining is a

very Buddhist type of attitude. Something you haven’t chosen, but you

just do it.

ARAD - Right. This is your observation. I’ve never thought of it as a

Buddhist thing. It was never part of a manifesto. It was never part of a decision

of knowing what is the right thing to do. I don’t know what the right thing to

do is. I can’t give anyone else advice on how to do and not do things. I don’t have

any advice.

When I taught at the Royal College of Art one word I never used is “should.”

The word “should.” You “should” do it like this or you “should” try that. Or you

“should”… “should” did not exist for me and it did not exist I’m my expectations

for other people.

SM - When did you teach at the Royal College and for how long?

was always an interesting conversation. You could say “why don’t you do this?”

and he would say “yeah, do it.” Those days are gone. Now there’s another rector

that basically tries to correct what they see as the anarchy that I introduced there.

SM – OK, so no free ride.

ARAD - It’s more structured, more business based. They know what people

should do or not do. What should be taught and what should not be taught. The

things I generally didn’t know.

SM - Well, this is a very popular business model today in creative spheres.

What do you think it leads to?

ARAD - Uhm, I think that you come from a place where there is a direct

translation of art to business. I mean the model of what the auction houses do is

exactly that. There is an enlightened way of doing it and there’s a way that allows

things to happen. Unfortunately, things are judged.

SM - The main difference is that the auction house is not set in the taste.

As any business model it is not really set in the taste, but it is reflecting

the taste. And here is the thing. What should creative spheres do? Obviously

they need to influence the taste but also show a good expertise,

and not just to fulfill mass expectations. At least this is what we see in Art

History, this is good, genuine and what it should be, isn’t it?

I mean, in the old days painters relied on the church, and the church sort

of paid for the paint.

ARAD- Obviously it was commission, but also the place of personal choice

for the artist.

SM - Yeah, what I’m saying is, it did change slightly from where it’s not

the church, it’s not the heads of state that commissioned wonderful art.

We can’t complain if we look at the legacy that we left. Now it’s moved to

the market, whoever is controlling and representing the market. It can

be the auction house, the gallery, or the newspaper that is very popular

and whose views are sort of influential. We know that in good cases, it

picks up good things. A lot is lost by this big mechanism that is making

and breaking things.

We also see a lot of ridiculous things that are sort of embraced and celebrated

by ridiculousness… I could be so wrong to be so sublime - but I

can only rely on my point of view. And yes, sometimes you see ridiculous

things and sublime things being missed, but generally not, if someone

has something to say or some sort of tradition that it will not be overlooked.

Thinking about commissions. I think in architecture it’s a slightly different

situation because you can’t just build buildings.

ARAD - Someone has to ask you to do it. And that someone, whether it’s a

mayor, the government, the state or anyone else trying to commission these things,

we either have a lot of respect for them or maybe not. Yes, that is the big problem

with architecture. Because when you study architecture, you design museums and

theaters and you’re creative.

When you graduate: A.) You have to work for someone else and, B.) You can’t

just wake up in the morning and say, “today I will design an opera house.” No,

someone has to select you.

things happened; this is before computers, airbrushing and stuff. The drawing

was the outcome of all the hard work.

And I loved it and was very good at it. And, if you talk about people like the

late Zaha, I mean that’s what she did. She did all of these canvases, a bit like

Malevich or Russian constructivists.

I mean, they were sort of the holy grail of that group of people. No one ever considered

that anything would be built. Later, things stayed as they are and people

started building things. Some were good, some bad…

SM – So, we were speaking about happiness and commissions from governments

…

ARAD - Yes, in architecture you have to be asked to do things. Even then,

there are lots of negotiations, compromises with projects, with rules, with regulations,

with the clients. It’s not like when you are doing a painting, there’s no one

else on the other side.

SM – Usually, sometimes there are different types of situations. Lets face

it.

ARAD - I was there for 12 years, until about three years ago.

SM - You can design it, but you can’t build it.

SM - Do you follow your students? What do they do?

ARAD - Yeah, you can design it, but you can‘t build it.

Ron Arad is wearing own clothes

ARAD - A lot of them are doing really well. Now when you look at it it’s

been a good crop of students. The Royal College is changing now. It used to be

run by someone called Christopher Frayling. He was delightful, interesting and

there was never a dull moment with him. You met him in the corridor and there

SM - Person Paper Architecture…

ARAD - Yeah, yeah. That’s what I said. When I was a young, person paper

architecture was it. If someone built that, I apologize. I mean all of the exciting

Svetlana Marich is wearing total look Dolce & Gabbana

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sophisticated the machine becomes, the less machine-like the product is”.

SM - Do you think it’s possible? Or do you miss the hand-made crafts?

ARAD - I need to do whatever I love, whatever I make up. But, I also love

this. I’ll show you.

SM - You rely a lot on hope when choosing by random this guys quote?

ARAD - I made the rule. I didn’t have a contract with anything. If I didn’t

like it, maybe I would go along with it. It helped me.

SM - That’s nice. It’s very fair.

ARAD- I’m looking to show you Joseph. See what happened to the love

here. It’s crossed!

SM - Beautiful.

ARAD - So, now we are doing an exhibition on the 21st of June in Ben

Brown.

SM - Here in London?

ARAD - Yeah, I had a cheeky name for it. I called it “Summer Exhibition.”

SM - Oh, that’s nice.

ARAD - Let me show you. It’s going to be through the summer.

SM - I like it. It’s such a long period with the right timing… it’s beautiful.

ARAD - This is the invite.

SM - It’s nice.

ARAD - “Summer Exhibition.” That’s the other side of doing the tower

that I love doing. But, it’s a different process. I accept it. That’s how you do things

if you want it to happen.

ARAD - Sometimes you do things and you don’t have to negotiate, you don’t

have to compromise. You have lots of conversations with people you like to have

conversations with or with yourself. It’s a different thing. The work exists when

you finish it. You’re not doing it as part of the problem.

SM - Yeah.

ARAD - Generally, sometimes yes. You can’t generalize. But generally, if

you want to sort of understand the difference… but here I do both. We do architecture

and we do things that are completely without reason.

SM - When you work with the government or some kind of official commission,

how do these people usually make choices? Where do they get

their advice from? Is it from professional expertise like the Board of Architects,

their own choice?

ARAD - Well, some people rely on experts. I mean like the museum I did

outside Tel Aviv. I mean the mayor relied on some person that did all the cultural

decisions for them.

At that time, she decided I should do the museum. That was a fantastic decision,

but there were so many bad decisions after that. People rely on themselves and

their understandings and the people they believe to be experts. And you know

believe to be, you know it’s their belief. It can be right or it can be wrong. Uh,

the last piece I did is the opposite example of doing a building. Maybe I showed

it to you.

SM - Ah, yes, yes!

ARAD - You know it’s finished now.

SM - It’s wonderful. I remember.

ARAD - And it is… you know I had blind date with a sentence. I had

to write something. I’ll show it to you. OK. This is a render. This is not real it’s

fiction. Like if you go back to the analogy of the buildings… this is the paper

architecture. I needed to write something here. So, I looked for a sentence that I

wrote and I was not happy with anything that I wrote. At home I had a book

called “British Wit”. And that book was in a little library in the toilet. So I said,

“Oh, I’m going to pick up this book now. I’m going to pull it out. Open it. And,

whatever type of sentence I find I will have no argument with it. That’s a blind

date. I was so lucky! The sentence I found said “you have nothing in your house

that you know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” It’s by William Morris.

It’s not me. So, I had to subvert it a little bit.

SM - Adjust.

SM - Yeah.

ARAD - Sorry, adjust it.

ARAD - I didn’t touch it, but I edited “all of.” So I said “you have

nothing in your house that you know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful, all

of.” That means everything. You can do whatever you want. No instructions. No

description. And this is so unique. Da, da, da, dum!

SM - And it moves.

ARAD - This is the real thing (show image).

SM - What kind of tree is that?

ARAD - Cedar. And this is another discussion here cause it’s my handwriting.

My sloppy handwriting, it was carved by a robot. You know, “the more

Photographer JOAQUIN LAGUINGE · Fashion Editor HOPE VON JOEL · Location RON ARAD STUDIO, LONDON

Special thanks ALEXANDER BLANAR

476

477

PHILANTHROPISTS

THE BUNNY MUSEUM

The USA is full of the weird, wacky and wonderful places and The Bunny Museum in Pasadena, California is no exception. Opened in 1998, the famously

odd museum is a world-record holder, owning the most bunny items in the world (more than 28,000 bunny-related items, to be exact). Run by Candace

Frazee and Steve Lubanski, the tradition of giving each other new bunny gifts everyday has grown into something of a legend.

“I have always wanted a bunny and I’ll always have a rabbit the rest of my life” - Amy Sedaris


Interviewed by Stephanie Summers

Portrait of Candace and Steve courtesy of The Bunny Museum

You are in the Guinness World Records for

your ever-growing rabbit themed collectibles.

What was the total at the last count and have

you thought about limiting yourself at some

point? In other words, to stop?

Currently 32,723 bunny artifacts.

Candace & Steve will never stop giving each

other bunny gifts. However, when one of them

dies, the collection is complete.

Do you see your house as a live-in museum, or

more of an extensive collection of bunny themed

items in a private house?

The Bunny Museum is the #2 living museum

in the world. The White House is #1. There are

thousands of home museums, private homes converted

into museums like Elvis Presley’s home or

Beatrix Potter’s home.

There are living history museums where actors

dress up in period clothes and re-enact previous

dwellers. But, a contemporary living museum is

quite rare. There are art colony museums with

occupants, but they have limited staying times.

In The Bunny Museum you are walking through

Candace & Steve’s kitchen, their dining room,

and their TV room, etc. The only room you don’t

see is their bedroom which is all bunny-themed,

too.

You have been dubbed the happiest couple in

the world; how did this all start?

Candace called her boyfriend, Steve, her “honey

bunny”. He liked that and on their first

Valentine’s Day he gave her a plush white bunny

holding a big red heart with “I Love You This

Much” written on it. They started to give each

other bunny gifts on holidays, but it soon became

a daily happening because Steve couldn’t wait for

the holidays. That was 23 years ago.

Your dedication to the theme of bunnies,

would you call an obsession?

The daily bunny gift giving is a love story. It

doesn’t matter how big or expensive the gift, it

just is a loving thing to do. Together. Steve likes

to mail Candace bunny greeting cards.

Your unique fascination with the logomorpha

species, or rabbit, to the lay person, has by the

look of it occupied your entire house to the last

corner; do you have plans to expand or move?

The Bunny Museum opened to the public on

March 20, 1998 and soon it became clear that

the museum had to move to a bigger location

because of its popularity and the need for public

restrooms. The museum received its 501(c) 3

non-profit status in 2014 and then the focus on

moving became a reality.

A property has been found 5 minutes from their

current site, a gorgeous mid-century modern

building with high-end finishes. Formerly an art

gallery. Property features skylights throughout,

22’ ceilings, two floors, two showrooms, eight

rooms, kitchen, three restrooms, outdoor patio,

10’x14’ loading door, basement storage, and underground

parking. The Grand Opening of the

new location of The Bunny Museum is Monday,

March 20, 2017. Check their website for updates.

www.thebunnymuseum.com

Your house is dedicated to the love of all things

bunny-related; have you ever found something

bunny-themed and not bought it for your collection?

Yes. Many bunny items such as this 18k yellow

gold rabbit pin with diamond accents and ruby

eyes.

It’s much more practical to put money into paying

the electricity bill, water bill, and trash removal

bill than one high-end item.

Regarding the freeze-dried pet bunnies, do visitors

to the museum find those a little creepy?

Some visitors are surprised to find our deceased

pet bunnies taxidermied. But, when we explain

that all natural history museums have preserved

animals in their collections from dinosaur bones

to stuffed coyotes, they then understand why we

have preserved bunnies on display, too. One visitor

from New York went home and mailed us

a taxidermied bunny she did herself with pearls

glued all over its fur.

We call it the Blinged Bunny. We also educate the

public that having preserved animals in private

homes, squirrels, cats, rabbits, birds, butterflies,

and skeletons, rocks, shells, was normal for the

rich and they called their collections “cabinets of

curiosity”. These types of collections were before

photographs.

Is there a logical order or layout to the bunnies

inside the museum?

Have you ever moved everything around in a

big spring-cleaning session? If so how long did

it take?

Bunny artifacts are grouped into categories such

as Bunnies with Carrots, Pretenders (humans or

animals dressed up as bunnies), Salt & Pepper

Shakers, Cookie Jars, Holidays, Famous Bunny

Characters, Chocolate Bunnies, Carousels, Jackalopes,

Tribal Masks, and Rose Parade Float Bunnies.

Over a 100 categories.

We clean daily, but dust bunnies do live at The

Bunny Museum! When a category becomes too

big, it’s put in a larger cabinet.

What is the nicest comment anyone has ever

left on your social media about the museum?

1) “Best museum in the world and I’ve been to

many!”

2) “I want to be buried there.”

3) Aubrey Plaza, actress and comedian tweeted:

“Best. Day. Ever. Just went to the terrifying, wonderful

Bunny Museum.”

“We only collect

cute bunnies.

Trust us, there are

some nasty bunnies

out there.”

The Bunny Museum has been voted Best Weird

museum in Los Angeles; how did this make

you feel? Did you take it as a compliment?

Yes. We get voted many odd titles because The

Bunny Museum is so unique and unusual. Museums

all start with private collections. The difference

with The Bunny Museum is that Candace

and Steve have shared their collection with the

public almost from the start. Usually a collection

is donated after the collector’s death or when the

collector can no longer manage it.

Have you ever surprised each other by wearing

a bunny costume in the bedroom?

No clothes necessary in the bedroom! Steve dressed

up as a bunny at their wedding reception and

surprised Candace. Then they and their guests

danced congo-line style to The Bunny Hop.

If you could take only 3 bunny themed items

in an emergency, what would they be?

The first bunny. The second bunny. Elvis Parsley.

Describe the strangest, weirdest or scariest

bunny item ever entering your bunny kingdom?

The visitors! Every week someone is brought as a

surprise. They don’t know where they have been

taken. Some come via scavenger hunt or blind

folded! Visitors often come in full bunny costumes,

bunny masks, or wearing bunny ears. Several

Lolita Groups have hopped over in full Lolita

fashion with everything they wore was bunny

themed from the shoes to the bows in their hair.

Strangest: Bunny Figurine made of Mt. St.

Helens’s ash.

Weirdest: Bunny Figurine made of cow poop, garden

fertilizer called “Poo-Doo”.

Scariest: Tiki Totem Pole.

What type of bunny would you say no to? Or is

that a stupid question because all bunnies are

welcome?

We only collect cute bunnies. Trust us, there are

some nasty bunnies out there. That said, we do

have a category called “Chamber of Hop Horrors”

which includes real photographs of bunnies

being experimented on, real lucky rabbit foot key

chains, real rabbit fur coats, etc. which demonstrate

the abuse of rabbits throughout history.

479

CROCKET

Photographer TAYLOR TUPY · Fashion Editor LISA JARVIS · Model PEYTON KNIGHT @IMG

Location PRINCE GEORGE BALLROOM, NYC

Dress DOLCE & GABBANA

Jacket PRADA

Heels PLEASER USA

Dress THOM BROWNE

Total look RODARTE

Total look MOSCHINO

Shirt NORISOL FERRARI

Coat & Skirt THOM BROWNE

Total look PRADA

Coat ALBERTA FERRETTI

Make-up Artist MATTHEW MONZON @Jed Root · Hair Stylist YUKI HAYASHI @Streerts · Special thanks PRINCE GEORGE BALLROOM

Dress GIVENCHY BY RICCARDO TISCI

Dress ACNE STUDIOS

R

R

ARCHITECT

SCOTT BROMLEY

STUDIO 54

Scott Bromley is mostly famous for having designed Studio 54, which was inaugurated on his birthday. He is a great architect and a wonderful person.

“We used to go to Studio 54, an amazing place” - Jerry Hall


Portrait courtesy of Studio Scott Bromley

You were the architect of the legendary nightclub

Studio 54, right?

Yes, I was the architect for Studio 54.

How was the space when you started working

on this project?

It was built as an Opera House but when I first

saw it was a TV studio and mostly the stage was

being used.

“I was the architect

for Studio 54.

It was built as an

Opera House but

when I first saw it

was a TV studio

and mostly the

stage was being

used.”

What was the inspiration or what references

you had to create this wonderful Disco?

As soon as I walked into the place the idea hit

me… everyone wants to be on stage the centre

of attraction... So the dance floor must be where

the stage is!!!

The idea was to level the orchestra floor (and remove

the seats) and where it met the stage (either

steps up or steps down) would be the separation

between dance floor and public space. As it turned

out the dance floor was one step down.

What elements were used?

Lighting was done with mostly motorcycle headlights

and neon, police car beacons and chase

lights.

All the furniture was made to be movable so it

could be used in many configurations; Industrial

silver lame vinyl and fabric packing tape were turned

into movable seating banquettes. Black Astro

Turf covered the public floor. The main bar and

DJ booth were made of reflective metal siding.

Every September we changed the décor; there

were four iterations.

In which year was designed and finished the

Studio 54?

“Studio” opened April 26 of 1977... two days before

my 36th birthday.

How was the opening night of the Studio 54?

Mobbed… there was nothing like it in the city…

it was an instant success.

What artists were going to these Parties?

You name them... they were all there… My father danced once with Liza Minelli… Liz Taylor, Halston,

Dianna Ross, Elton John, Bianca, Rollerena, Andy, Julian, Michael Jackson and the list goes on and

on…

How did you know that work was going to become something as Icon of an Era?

We didn’t… It was a little talent and a lot of luck.

“Lighting was done with mostly motorcycle

headlights and neon, police

car beacons and chase lights. All the

furniture was made to be movable so

it could be used in many configurations;

Industrial silver lame vinyl and

fabric packing tape were turned into

movable seating banquettes. Black Astro

Turf covered the public floor. The

main bar and DJ booth were made of

reflective metal siding. Every September

we changed the décor; there were

four iterations.”

Studio 54 NYC, the day of the opening

v

s

L: 107,96 mm

491

Total look CÉLINE

Belt ZANA BAYNE

PENUMBRA

Photographer JACK WATERLOT · Fashion Editor MATT BIDGOLI · Model KASIA STRUSS @Women Management

Location THE HANDY LIQUOR BAR, NYC

Coat HELEN YARMAK

Shoes ISABEL MARANT

Total look ACNE STUDIOS

Coat HELEN YARMAK

Dress, trousers and shoes DKNY

Shoes MIU MIU

Total look ISABEL MARANT

Choker ZANA BAYNE

Coat SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

Make-up Artist YACINE DIALLO / BRIDGET McKINNEY · Hair Stylist BRENT LAWLER @Streeters · Manicurist GERALDINE GOLDFORD @The Wall Group

Belt ZANA BAYNE

Coat CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION

Boots PAUL ANDREW

Total look BURBERRY PRORSUM

MARIPOL

by Ilapnyc.com

Photo of Maripol by Christine Hahn

My sweet Edwige,

Missing you? But, of course. Missing so many parts of you. Every day.

A muse to many. A singer. A model. A photographer. A jewelry designer. A sister. A friend. A lover.

That’s the kaleidoscope of your life. They say and write and paint you as The Queen of Punk.

Maybe you were. I was just born when the throne was thrown at your feet, so I wouldn’t know.

You also called yourself that, sometimes, with your inimitable detachment. But from the second

I met you at Maripol’s house almost seven years ago, and until our last night together in a snowy

New York, you made my heart whirl. Alongside you, problems seemed to disappear, and life

felt so motley.

Never have I seen you scared of speaking your truth, and, hell yeah, you delivered yours like it

was. Unvarnished. And now that you have gone to the stellar clouds or around there, the world,

that is, every single one of the tiny disconnected human beings that we are, will tremendously

be lacking something: your bravery, my sweet, sweet Edou. That’s what we must hold on to from

now on. Because that’s your most precious gift to us, the breathing pack.

You were so incredibly beautiful. And fearless. Acutely sensitive. Witty, caring, charmingly

awkward. And shy at times. Like that evening your grabbed my arm as you felt nervous, seconds

before giving Marina Abramović one of your feather necklaces. Your laughter. I think it’s your

laughter I miss the most right this second. That, and the strong grasp of your hands.

One day, we put aside our love and friendship, pretended we didn’t know each other, and as if

no conversation had happened before, as if no personal and intimate moment had been shared,

I interviewed you. So many renown figures were walking through your stories on that day. Helmut

Newton, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Iggy Pop, Nico...

Now that you too are ashes flowing with the wind, you will become the lead of many more stories.

They will name names, you know, the usual ghosts from pop culture, Warhol, Haring, Studio

54, Les Bains, Le Palace... and will place you in exotic locations or gloomy ones, depending

on their narratives. We won’t know for sure what’s a tale and what’s true. But it won’t matter.

Because that’s how legends live on.

You are The Queen, a Queen that can never die, a Queen whose heritage lives on forever, with

us simply saying...

Saying what? You’re gonna like the answer. With us saying, Fuck Off, and I Love You. Where it

ends, it also begins.

Adele Jancovici

Letter from Adele to Edwige

503

Edwige © Maripol

Madonna © Maripol

Joey Arias © Maripol

Gigi + Roonie Cutrone © Maripol

All photographs by Maripol, from “Maripola X” Published by Adele Jancovici for Le Livre Art Publishing

504

505

ALEXANDER WANG

Native to California, designer Alexander Wang goes back to his casual, laid-back roots with his Fall/Winter 2016-17

collection. The show was set at Saint Bartholomew’s Church in New York, offering a holy, yet almost divine experience.

Rebellious youth with an indifferent attitude ruled the show with equally relaxed and everyday wear. Wang’s Fall/

Winter collection work as transitional from day to night with a special attitude, including provocative words and Marijuana

leaves on the clothing worked as offerings to Wang’s easy Californian roots. Mr Wang has always been a go-to

for the people that defy labels, but have an innate sense of punk and cool. His pieces, allowing for more functionalism

and maintaining Alexander Wang as a subculture among Fashion’s elite.

by Perwana

Floor Plan Alexander Wang F/W 2016-17 courtesy of Alexander Wang

507

PUUC

SPECIAL ALEXANDER WANG WOMENSWEAR FALL / WINTER 2016-17

Photographer BON DUKE @Art + Commerce · Fashion Editor LISA JARVIS · Casting Director DAVID CHEN

Model JANE MOSELEY @Next LA · Location DESIGN & ESTATE by MATT WINTER, LA

Make-up Artist KRISTIN HILTON · Hair Stylist SHERIDAN WARD · Special thanks MATT LIEDERMAN

DESIGNER

ALEXANDER WANG

Boy genius Alexander Wang was sketching shoes and dresses on napkins before he even hit double figures. Now 32, Wang has flourished into a cult icon,

his urban devotion to all black things earning the hearts of fans worldwide. We ask what’s next in his post-Balenciaga universe, because whatever it is, we’ll

take two.

“Style is a simple way of saying complicated things” - Jean Cocteau


Portrait by Steven Klein

X: 51,066 mm

Y: 215,163 mm

Alexander Wang, thank you so much for talking

with us. You moved to New York when you were

just 19 to attend the illustrious Parson’s School

of Design. How did you find such focus and determination

at an age when most of us were still

eating cereal for dinner?

When I started out, I didn’t have a specific plan to

be where I am today. I left Parsons to work on my

first collection. And at that point, in 2005, it seemed

more like an experiment; I thought I might go

back to school after a sabbatical. Things developed,

and the company grew quite quickly.

When you start in fashion one of the most important

things is clarity; clarity on what your objectives

are, and clarity to develop your own, distinct

voice.

Taking risks is equally important. You have to walk

away from the pack and make decisions that are

not safe, and make those decisions with confidence.

If it goes wrong, you learn from your mistakes

and the only thing you have to lose is time.

One other element is that you have to consistently

work very hard, and not become isolated by what

you have already accomplished, instead to always

be fully motivated to start and experience the next

thing.

From the beginning, I set out to make clothes that

weren’t defined by price point. Clothes that have

design value, but that are also approachable and

accessible and I maintain that sense of integrity in

every collection.

My style and designs have obviously evolved since

2005, but at the same time there is a core sensibility

that has remained consistent; I have always liked

the idea of mixing the refined with the imperfect;

creating items that are not precious. I love it when

an outfit looks as if it has been thrown together

quickly, even if in reality it took a lot of time to put

it together, the duality in the opposition is attractive

to me in many ways.

You once said that as a child, your mother would

take you to restaurants, and “...the first thing I’d

ask for would be a pen and a napkin, and I’d

sketch shoes and shoes and shoes.” Where did

this fascination for footwear come from? How

come you never pursued a career as a shoe designer?

Shoes are actually our fastest growing category, and

we treat and grow our shoe business as if it were a

stand-alone business.

Manufacturing-wise, we started with apparel, but

we introduced shoes as soon as our design and production

parameters allowed in 2009, not long after

the brand began.

I guess what I was drawing on the napkin is also

not so literal; I drew shoes, but I was always interested

in fashion overall; drawing shoes were simply

the first manifestations of that. People ask me sometimes

what else I would do if I weren’t a designer.

And to be honest, I am so passionate about

what I do. I could not imagine doing anything else.

Ahead of your uncharacteristically colourful

Spring 2009 collection you famously declared,

“They wanted colour, they got colour!” How do

you find a balance between your audience’s desires

and your own artistic vision?

Fashion is a business, and at the end of the day the

sell-through in the store is the real critic. A brand

has to have a strong visual identity and a singular

vision, but at its core, it’s a business that needs to

sell clothes. You have to convey an idea and create a

connection with your consumer. Fashion is storytelling

with commerce. I have a very balanced way

of implementing creative ideas to business, and I

approach creative decisions from a business perspective.

I try to cross-pollinate and balance both

when it comes to my day-to-day.

I have on good authority that you are a major

hip-hop fan. You were Apple Music’s first fashion

curator, and trap and bass producer Baauer, personally

created your 2016 show’s soundtracks.

In addition, your last Balenciaga show famously

opened with Notorious B.I.G.’s “Going Back to

Cali”.

I love hip-hop, but I’d say my taste is eclectic.

When I was starting to really get into music, as a

teenager in San Francisco, there was actually more

of a prevalent rock ‘n’ roll vibe. My earliest influences

were through my brother and my sister. In the

80s, they really introduced me to a lot of bands like

Depeche Mode, The Cure, and New Order. I feel

like those were probably my earliest influences. Obviously,

in the music industry different artists come

and go, and it changes.

In fashion, the biggest movements that I feel

connected to, have always been linked to music,

whether it’s grunge, punk, glam rock, R&B, or hiphop.

We like to work with a variety of musicians

and DJs. There’s nothing too predictable about the

music. You don’t know what’s coming and that’s

always the secret to having a good time.

Another thing is that I always like to feel that I’m

speaking to an audience beyond the fashion industry.

Even when we do our videos, sometimes they

have very little to do with fashion, actually, and I

think it’s much more about connecting with your

audience and building different emotions, whether

it’s humour or irony, or other things.

Like a bowerbird, designers gather inspiration

from the world around them: sight, sounds,

smells, people, music and even dreams. What is

the most unusual thing or experience that has

inspired your designs?

I talked a lot about music already, but it is a huge

source of inspiration. I love musicians because they

personify their work. It’s always exciting to see a

new, up-and-coming musician evolve and watch

how their physical appearance develops in parallel

with their music or because of who they’re collaborating

with, or what designers they start working

with. I’m attracted by how their appearance and

their style play such a big role in how they connect

to people.

And then there is social media; I love Instagram as

a source of inspiration and information. For me,

it is important to build a connection with people

who I ‘get’ and who get me; there’s no point in

trying to convince people who just don’t get you.

I want to connect with the people who buy my

product, who understand my story and who want

to be a part of that story; those are the ones I care

most about.

In 2008, you won the Council of Fashion Designers

of America (CFDA) & Vogue Fashion Fund

Award. How did this accolade help to launch

and further your career? Was there a lot of pressure

when you realized you had many influential

fashion folk watching you?

I don’t think that there was one single moment. It’s

really been a path of growth and evolution. Every

moment in my career is a highlight and it’s still a

journey. I’m so thankful for all the support I’ve received

throughout the years. I wouldn’t be where I

am without my family, mentors, friends and fans

of the brand.

I guess one moment that I remember, when I

thought ‘I am really doing this’ is when I was nominated

for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in

2009. You have to present the collection in front

of a jury which includes Anna Wintour and a few

other really high profile fashion industry people.

When I had shown the collection before, it was

always quite casual, in my apartment, or in an informal

setting. But for the fund you have to do it

very formally, the outfits are on models up in front

of the jury, explaining the inspiration and the techniques.

I remember that moment and thinking,

‘wow, this is really happening. I am not going back

to school.’

Mostly, I feel that you can never rest on your laurels,

never think ‘I made it.’ When we finish a collection,

I look at what we can make better next

time, where we can improve in terms of design,

quality, production process; I really thrive on that

challenge when moving on to the next thing.

We love your new range of accessories and jewellery,

but now you’re encouraging our greed to

covet a whole lot more of Wang: Wang phones.

Wang interiors. Wang dining sets! But, seriously,

what more do you plan to add to the Alexander

Wang empire? What do you see in the crystal

ball?

We have a few things in the pipeline that are still

confidential. Ultimately my objective is a wellrounded,

multi-layered lifestyle brand with different

product categories relevant to one’s day-to-day

life and with design integrity, excellent quality, and

accessibility from many tiers.

When I think about brands that I look up to, they

are all about storytelling. It’s not about what they

do, but why they do it. When you are able to define

your language so clearly, you can create any

product and there will be integrity behind it. Whatever

I do and design, I never want it to feel formulaic,

and it’s always about having an original point

of view and about conveying a strong message.

519

DESIGNER

L: 172, 284 mm

L: 111,253 mm

JASON WU

Jason Wu is a Canadian artist and fashion designer based in New York City. His pieces are elegant, refined and made with the most luxurious fabrics in the

world. Well-respected within the industry, Wu is most famous for designing the dresses of Michelle Obama on several occasions, including during the first

and second inauguration of Barack Obama.

“I don’t design clothes. I design dreams” - Ralph Lauren

Introduction by Jessica Cooper · Interviewed by Adrian de Banville

Photos by Michael Donovan · Location Jason Wu studio, NYC

You were born in Taiwan, raised in Canada,

and have studied in France and Japan before

settling in New York. How has your international

background informed your approach on

space in your day-to-day life?

My international background has definitely been

a huge inspiration not only for many collections,

but for my overall aesthetic as well. I think that

a cross-cultural approach to fashion, art and architecture

is really important although there isn’t

always a literal reference to my heritage, it plays a

huge role in my sensibility.

“I think my studio

would tell

you that I have a

great sense of humor

and can be a

bit silly as people

tend to think I

am more serious

in public.”

Is there a story to every object and piece of furniture

that you surround yourself with?

Yes, I really appreciate when something has a

story to tell, it’s more interesting to me to own

something that has history and character.

If you could define your aesthetics with 3 adjectives,

what would they be?

My design aesthetic is feminine, refined and sophisticated.

Give us 3 elements (fabrics, construction materials,

natural resources) that you couldn’t live

without.

Lace is one of my favorite textiles to work with,

it is an integral part of the Jason Wu DNA, I love

using this classic material in modern ways.

Stone is another; I love it on furniture pieces and

use it often in my jewelry collection.

I have also been obsessed with grey flannel ever

since I found Geoffrey Beene “Grey Flannel” perfume

from the eighties.

Would you call yourself a collector?

I would call myself a collector. I love collecting

mid century furniture and small objects from that

era. My dream piece is a polar bear sofa by Jean

Royere.

“I really appreciate

when something

has a

story to tell, it’s

more interesting

to me to own

something that

has history and

character.”

Do you think decoration and interior design

can be as empowering for individuals as fashion?

Absolutely, for me a beautiful space has as much

transformative power as a beautiful garment.

What place would you feature in your dream

advertising campaign?

The MET would be an amazing location for a

campaign shoot with Inez and Vinoodh!

Is your studio more of a strict workspace or a

boudoir?

It is a little bit of both, I am a super organized person

and I usually like the discipline of a structure

work environment, but during think tank sessions

with my team I love to get messy and play.

What can your studio tell us about you that we

“I am a super organized

person

and I usually like

the discipline of

a structure work

environment, but

during think tank

sessions with my

team I love to get

messy and play.”

don’t already know?

I think my studio would tell you that I have a

great sense of humor and can be a bit silly aspeople

tend to think I am more serious in public.

You lived in an old house with your family

once. What’s your approach on timeworn spaces,

places with a history?

I love to live in a space with a juxtaposition between

the old and the new, the mix is very must

within my personal esthetic and I love a cross cultural,

cross era mix in a place.

You used to design doll fashions early in your

career. Do you believe in a dreamhouse?

Of course, I have always been aware of the aesthetics

of my surroundings. I’m very detail oriented,

so I love to curate an incredible space wherever I

am. I love mid-century furniture and architecture

mixed with unexpected pieces from other eras; I

want everything to have personality and a point

of view.

“I think that a

cross-cultural approach

to fashion,

art and architecture

is really important

although

there isn’t always

a literal reference

to my heritage, it

plays a huge role

in my sensibility.”

Where does the ideal Jason Wu woman live?

She is definitely a global traveler. My designs reflect

my international background, that multicultural

influence paired with the timeless femininity

and a refined elegance defines the Jason Wu

women perfectly.

How useful is knowledge of architecture and

decoration in your work for your label?

I love to read and buy architectural magazines

and books as source of inspiration frequently. Something

as little as an etching on a piece of furniture

can turn into the theme behind an entire

collection.

521

How has sculpture contributed to your work in fashion?

Would you call yourself a sculptor-designer, like Alaïa?

My background in the doll industry, where I often worked on the actual

forms of the dolls with mannequin sculptors has helped lend a much more

sculptural component to my designs, I like to think three dimensionally.

One of the first things one notices in your studio is the wallpaper made

of newspaper clippings and old ads. Why did you choose it?

I love that NY Observer wallpaper for its unique color. When we moved

“I love to live in a space

with a juxtaposition between

the old and the new,

the mix is very must within

my personal esthetic and I

love a cross cultural, cross

era mix in a place.”

“My design aesthetic is

feminine, refined and

sophisticated.”

into this studio, I wanted to create a very personal space that had a sense of

history and character. I think it makes the room much more warm, inviting

and fun.

Fashion and taste shift quickly. Can space and interiors shift as easily?

Although trends and fads are always changing in the fashion industry but

I am less interested in being “cool” and more interested in creating things

that can be timeless. I think the same goes for my interior design aestheticsbeautiful

design will always stand the test of time.

How does living in New York City influence your vision of style in general

(fashion, architecture, design, etc.)?

New York is such an incredible place. There is nowhere more packed with art

and architecture, design and culture. I can walk down almost any street in

New York City and find things that are beautiful and inspiring. The energy

and liveliness of the city is incredible. I’ve moved around a lot, but New York

feels the most like home.

522 523

BALUSTER

Photographer VIRGINIE KHATEEB · Fashion Editor PAULINE COLLET · Model JOHANNES SPASS @Ulla models

Location ATELIER PHILIPPE MOREL, PARIS

Hat VINTAGE

Vintage Badges DARY´S

Scarf, coat, trousers and boots LOUIS VUITTON

Trench JITROIS

Black jacket AMI

Turtleneck top BALLY

Hat STYLIST´S OWN

Vintage badges DARY´S

Shirt COMME DES GARÇONS SHIRT

Total look PRADA

Vintage necklace DARY´S

Vintage badge DARY´S

Jacket DRIES VAN NOTEN

Trench JITROIS

Black jacket AMI

Turtleneck top BALLY

Vintage badges DARY´S

Trousers, socks and shoes PRADA

Shirt COMME DES GARÇONS SHIRT

Grooming MICHAEL DELMAS using BALMAIN hair · Set Designer ERIK KORUS · Special thanks PHILIPPE MOREL

Hat STYLIST´S OWN

Socks and shoes PRADA

Jacket and trousers GIVENCHY BY RICCARDO TISCI

Suit JIL SANDER

Vintage badge DARY´S

Boots LOUIS VUITTON

PHOTOGRAPHER

L: 4,242 mm

MANUEL OUTUMURO

He is one of the most renowned Spanish photographers. His images of Fashion are organized in an extensive personal archive of over 10.000 negatives as

well as digital material, represent a unique document, which reflects part of the History in Fashion in the last twenty years.

“Photography is an immediate reaction” - Henri Cartier-Bresson



Translation by Marta Fortes, first translation by Manuel Casero

L: 4,592 mm

Did you study Graphic Arts in Barcelona?

My parents drove me there from Ourense, and I

studied Graphic Design in Barcelona, at Massana

School. My first job was as illustrator for Bocaccio

magazine, the broadcasting arm of the Gauche

Divine, illustrating Vázquez Montalbán’s articles;

he was the one to offer me a collaboration with

Por Favor, the most protesting and aggressively

demanding publication of the transition.

So, we are talking about the times of the “Rogue

Barcelona”. Can you tell us about those

days?

The “Rogue” came a little later, the Bocaccio times

weren’t as Rogue, there were a series of characters,

most of them the offspring of well-off

families from uptown Barcelona, which expressed

their concerns, and defended the modernity

that they discovered when their privileged status

allowed them to travel abroad. Then there were

the rest: we were more gauche than divine, because

our financial standing wouldn’t let us. In my

case, I was also not of age, so I had to bent over

backwards in order to be admitted in Bocaccio.

The rogue era came a little later, and brought

much more freedom and creativity. That were the

years of publications such as El Víbora, Star, Ajoblanco,

etc. and characters such as Nazario, Mariscal,

and above all, Ocaña. Curiously enough,

almost all of them were children of immigration.

A whole series of artists that developed their activity

getting out in the streets, something the Gauche

Divine hadn’t done at the time.

I treasure a very special memory of Ocaña, apart

from several of his works. He was extremely generous;

whenever he was showing me his latest

work, I toned my praises down, fearing he would

give it to me as a present. I gave Ventura Pons the

idea of making a documentary on his life, which

they started filming when I moved to New York.

I’m very proud about that, because I found the

result magnificent.

Why did you move to New York?

After Franco’s death and with the transition already

made, I didn’t have too many things to

claim at that time in Barcelona. I decided it was

a good moment to step onto the dance-floor and

get down to anything they played, so I joined Elsa

Peretti’s group and made of Studio 54 my home

away from home.

When you’re trapped in a nightlife dynamics, you

ask yourself many times whether you’re losing

your time, but now, with the wisdom that comes

with age, I believe that those days were a great

development and learning therapy for me.

Not everything was “dance”, though; I was also

collaborating as an illustrator for “Punk Magazine”

and designing fabrics for different creators.

This activity allowed me to enter the world of

fashion, frequently visiting the studios of Oscar

de la Renta, Perry Ellis, Halston... but most of

all, it completely changed my perception of the

fashion culture.

It’s a case of opposite sides, coming from punk

and counter-culture, to start moving around

fashion studios. Did it come as a shock to you?

The fact is that I had always regarded fashion as

being something frivolous; I was one of those who

sported sweaters in Marcelino Camacho’s style, a

catwalk illiterate. When I visited the New York

Fashion Institute, and also the garment collection

of the Metropolitan, and then had the honor

of sharing extended conversations with Richard

Martin, which was one of the fathers of fashion,

I thought it was a fascinating world and I started

to grow an interest, not only in fashion itself, but

also in the history of clothing.

Do you still work with fabrics in those years?

I not only continue, but open my own studio in

Barcelona, specialized in visual communication

and aimed at fashion designers. It was a very exciting

time; our studio was in charge of the graphic

image of Manuel Piña, Gillermina Baeza,

Antonio Miró, Amaya Arzuaga, etc. This activity

gave me the opportunity to work alongside creative

and wonderful people, who used their drive

and everlasting energy, this is especially true in the

case of Manuel Piña - to amplify the absolute best

everyone could give.

On the other hand, I had the opportunity to

work with the best photographers, who took the

pictures for the catalogues that were made in the

studio, as well as the sessions commissioned by La

Vanguardia Mujer (the first female supplement of

a major newspaper), as I was their Art Director.

María Espeus, Ferrater, Toni Bernard, Javier Vallhonrat

and a young Steven Klein were some of

the names I commissioned pictures to.

How did you fall in love with photography?

It was almost accidental; we had a session, the

photographer didn’t show up, and I shot the pictures

with the small camera I had for doing the

making-of. That moment was a true eye-opener:

I discovered it wasn’t so hard, that the camera

did the pictures and that I was more talented for

photography than typography. I was so mesmerized

that I decided to do that for a living instead,

without sacrificing as much as I had to in my career

as a graphic designer.

In one year, the studio became a permanent production

of photographic sessions, until today, and

during all that process, we lived the transition

from analogical to digital.

Did you start working exclusively with natural

light?

Absolutely, I didn’t even know how to use a flash,

I had no technique at all. Despite having worked

with so many and such great photographers, I never

worried in the least about technique, the film,

the light or the camera they were using.

The first two years as a photographer I only took

pictures with day light, I couldn’t be bothered

with artificial light, you must bear in mind that

I’m someone with a struggling relationship with

technology. I’m passionate about machines, but

if my car stops, I don’t even know how to lift the

hood. I don’t share the mimesis my professional

colleagues feel about their cameras, “my Minolta”,

“my Leica”, “my Mamiya”… are terms I won’t

use, I just don’t feel like treating my camera as a

pet. More than once, I have left the studio and

once in the site, I’ve realized that I have forgotten

my camera home, but not the flowers I needed for

styling, though.

Are you a film lover? When I, for instance, see

some of your pictures, they remind me strongly

of the colors used by R. Wainer Fassbinder in

his films, such as “The bitter tears of Petra Von

Kant”, or “Veronika Voss”.

Well, that’s something nobody has told me before,

nor had I arrived yet to that conclusion… but

now that you mention it, I think you’re completely

right, Eduardo.

I love Fassbinder’s films and I’m truly delighted

with this parallelism you’ve established, because

I had always considered myself more of the Nouvelle

Vague and their black and white. There’s no

doubt that cinema is for me, together with painting,

a continuous source of inspiration.

I have read that you consider yourself “The

photographer without photographs”?

It’s not exactly a self-proclamation, during an interview

I said that I was a photographer without

photographs.

Let me explain this; my friend Publio López

Mondéjar, historian and father of the history of

Spanish photography, told me one day that he

would like to swing by my studio to see my work,

and in that moment I realized I had nothing to

show him. In the analogical era, you gave the

paper copies to the client, and in the digital era,

you delivered them in computer storage media,

so basically I had no properly printed “photographs”,

the kind with luxurious paper and edited

to perfection, something a photographer is supposed

to have.

From that moment on, I tried to edit those I love

the most from everything I work in.

Do you have personal works?

My personal works are the projects my clients asked

me to do.

Almost every session I’ve made has been ordered

for a particular end. I consider myself a craftsman.

I try to do my work the best I can, and make the

commissioner very happy, while at the same time

retaining my photographic style.

As years go by, my photographs have been revisited:

they have deserved a retrospective exhibition,

they hang in the walls of several museums and

have become part of public and private collections.

This is all very satisfying, but these images where

never conceived for that end. I’m startled and

very flattered by this phenomenon, and also very

grateful for it.

535

Coat DSQUARED2

MODILLION

Photographer FERRY VAN DER NAT · Fashion Editor KOEN T. HENDRIKS · Casting Director DAVID MARTIN

Model JELLE HAEN @Republic Men · Location THE DRAWING ROOM, AMSTERDAM

Cape DOLCE & GABBANA


Total look FENDI

Sweater MAISON DE FAUX

Trousers McQ by ALEXANDER McQUEEN

Sweater JUUN J


Total look RICK OWENS

Shirt VETEMENTS

Trousers BORIS BIDJAN SABERI

Necklace ALEXANDER McQUEEN

Shoes MIU MIU

Bag MOSCHINO

One piece OLYMPIA LE-TAN

Hair accessory 6% DOKIDOKI

Inner One piece JULIEN DAVID

Grooming DAAN KNEPPERS @NCL Representation · Fashion Assistants ROMY MESSAK & ROMY BOUFFAER · Digital Retouch SEBASTIEN GALTIER · Special thanks NIKON 4DS

Total look MAISON MARGIELA

CHEF

When did you start in the “World of Cooking”

and how it was?

When I was 18 years old, I wanted to go on

holidays to Ibiza, and my father told me that I

would have to pay for the trip... So I started as

dishwasher at the restaurant of a friend at the Hotel

Playafels in Castelldefels, near Barcelona. In

this way I made my entry into the World of Cooking,

which shows that all roads and all paths are

built equally by determination and willingness,

but also the chance.

Do you think that cooking is art or craft?

Surely the kitchen has components of both. The

everyday work is an eminently craft work, because

we are dedicated to reproduce as accurately as

possible a series of elaborations. This does not

preclude, as in certain circumstances, the work of

certain chefs can come to arouse similar emotions

that causes art.

You closed restaurant El Bulli in 2011 to reinvent

itself as “Bulli Foundation”. What is the

project about?

We like to say that “We closed El Bulli to open

El Bulli”, because the idea of the “Bulli Foundation”

is to extend our innovation work but from

new bases. In the Bulli Foundation we work on

innovation and knowledge in order to understand

what gastronomic restoration consists of; which is

the discipline we have been practising for twentyfive

years.

We were fascinated observing how the whole

team worked in the BulliLab.

Can you explain how was developed this project

and what is it about?

The Bullilab is where the investigation work of

the Bulli Fundation takes place. It consists of a

multidisciplinary team with more than fifty professionals

from different specialities: cooks, of

course, but also dieticians, designers, historians,

artists, architects, biologists... The purpose of this

team that works holistically, is to test a methodology,

which we call Sapiens, that allows us to understand

the processes of the gastronomic restoration

and how they interact with each other.

This issue theme is the artists’ workspace, how

was originally the Bullilab?

The BulliLab was initially the same space we have

today, but has been organically shaping, as the actual

multidisciplinary team joined the team, and

the different projects took shape and continue to

be developed.

What is Bullipedia?

Bullipedia is indispensable concept to develop

our project in El Bulli Foundation.

Bullipedia is the platform from which we shape

the contents we are developing; for spreading or

implementing in multiple formats: exhibitions,

books, applications, masters...

You joined Disney to make a book-story; how

was to make a story with Disney fantasy and

your creativity in the kitchen?

The project “I tell you in the kitchen” has been

“We like to say

that ‘We closed

El Bulli to open

El Bulli’.”

possible thanks to the great understanding met

with the Disney team and our team, which has

enabled us to find common ground to develop

an understandable language for the whole family.

This book also represents the first expression of

the Sapiens methodology for all audiences.

You have signed an agreement with the Atapuerca

Foundation for cooperation in studies

on the evolution of gastronomy.

Within the research we are doing to understand

what is gastronomy, it is evident that we want to

know how did cooking started, as this knowledge

framed us clearly what it means to cook. In

this sense, the Atapuerca Foundation is an excellent

partner who can support us from a scientific

point of view in our research.

Will we see Ferran Adrià in a kitchen?

I’ll be in a kitchen in a progressive manner from

January 2018, in Bulli1846, creating daily elaborations,

techniques and gastronomic concepts,

where certain days could be tasted through unique

experiences.

L: 32,052 mm

FERRAN ADRIÀ

Ferran Adrià began his famed culinary career washing dishes at the restaurant of Hotel Playafels in Castelldefels, Spain; to become the best chef in the

world… his cuisine is art and craft. Adrià invites us into his new lab without kitchen.

“Food can be expressive and therefore food can be art” - Grant Achatz


Photos by Raúl Hidalgo

Location The BulliLab

547

NANGA MAI

MASTERFUL DESIGN & ARTISAN TECHNIQUE LAB

by Harold Jenkins

Photo courtesy of Nanga Mai

For every uncharted path, every unpaved challenge, and every unexplored adventure that awaits,

Nanga Mai brings: the linen you can live in.

The 100% linen is lovingly crafted by hand into a statement piece that embodies the Italian

lifestyle. From its bespoke-inspired touches to its remarkable hand-feel, which only improves

with age, a Nanga Mai shirt brings all the beauty of the coastal culture to your scene, wherever

you may be.

The inspiration for this line came to Peter Elser on one summer evening on the Amalfi Coast,

while relishing its rich hues and singular sights and sounds. The belief it’s a lifestyle that everyone

should have the opportunity to experience - the vibrant color palette that only the Italian

landscape can produce, and the unmatched quality that Italian artistry has famously delivered

for centuries.

The obsession with the idea of bringing all of this together into one glorious garment with meticulous

detailing and unrivaled construction of hand-crafted in Italy from the finest linen, this

shirt’s unique design, luxurious hand-feel and bespoke-inspired details are sure to make it the

most extraordinary piece in your wardrobe.

The thought was to produce more than a simple sartorial experience: it is called Nanga Mai.

The excellence of this Made in Italy shirts and tunics has long been a proud part of its heritage.

It means superior quality and things made beautifully

549

TREND PANEL

WOMEN

RESORT 2017

Text by Maggie Kelly · Illustrations by Donato Vitone

Stepping out of the swinging 60’s and into something more slinky, the ladies of Hanna-Barbera are not afraid of fashion. From prehistoric Betty and Wilma

Flintstone to space-age sex bomb Jane Jetson, short and shapely was their M.O. Shoes? Optional.

When the Hanna-Barbera studio launched in 1957, the world was staring the future in the face: the space race was zooming in the stratosphere, hemlines

were shrinking, and “American Bandstand” was making teens scream and parents sweat.

Culture coloured cartoon fashion with bold palettes and bolder shapes. Mustard and hotdog-red were favourites for Scooby Doo’s Velma, whilst blocked-out,

Honolulu blue made Betty Rubble’s bouffant ‘do really pop.

The candy colour play of 60’s Hanna-Barbera is back in full force, with the Resort ‘17 collections sliding back to a time before black was the new black.

Chanel opted for pops of aquamarine, whilst Gucci and Givenchy got down and groovy with some pretty far out patterns.

VELMA DINKLEY

ACNE STUDIOS

Oil printing

Unexposed skin

Deconstructed tank

Leather arm stockings

551

BETTY RUBBLE

GUCCI

JANE JETSON

MARC JACOBS

JUDY JETSON

GIVENCHY BY RICCARDO TISCI

WILMA FLINTSTONE

CHANEL

Glittery bombers

Punk strapped shoes

Hyper colored Italian tones

Animal symbol embroidery

Zebra stripes

Leopard spots

Denim and camouflage

Tropical flowers and martinis

Neo baroque flair

Gumball size pearls

Skinhead romantic style

Vintage Givenchy codes

Flat brogues

Organza skirts

Macrame dresses

Wide-legged cuffed pants

TREND PANEL WOMEN

553

CASTING & FITTINGS

GIVENCHY

& RICCARD O TISCI

Since the arrival of Riccardo to Givenchy, the DNA of the brand has been following the powerful and

quality of its heritage plus an unique sense of beauty directed by Mr Tisci, doing of Givenchy a brand

where he shares his education, roots and perception of beauty.

Trough his eyes, the brand has always been a reference from different cultural movements where people

is looking for something different, able to self-express themselves through the new collections wearing

the pieces.

The intention is you feel special when you are wearing Givenchy, you understand the reason of that

special shape or texture and you feel different.

After his strong appearance and fierce eyes, Riccardo is a friend of his friends and a lover of his family.

From them he catches a big part of his energy, as the ideas, which nourishes the fashion world.

Since the iconic Doberman prints to the Virgin Mary, to all explorations of winks to different cultural

references from past and present, Riccardo has created a statement where the brand, keeps an eye in

the vintage high fashion to the present, of what people needs now.

Celebrities always support his special sensibility for beauty and critics always talk very positive about

the probably and unique style, the brand is following strongly growing year by year.

Givenchy got a strong amount of fans, people who started to wear Givenchy and understood the vision

of Riccardo now; they are waiting to see the new proposals and the new ideas season by season.

This unique aesthetic, directly or not, creates a trend to follow year by year.

What is clear at this perfect tandem: Riccardo Tisci - Givenchy / Givenchy - Riccardo Tisci is that it

works very good, they both are complimentary and it is now more his house and his world than a place

where to develop a work and finish at the end of the day.

Text by Peter Brokamann


Portrait by Maciek Kobielski

Photos courtesy of Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci

RICCARDO TISCI

555

Another important point to highlight is his strong participation in all creative fields when the image of Givenchy is going to be exposed. Models,

images of campaigns, the concepts… he is very close to all creative development and the choose of his collaborators, normally friends and close

to his ideals and what he wants to express.

When male models casting refers, Mr Riccardo Tisci is straight connected with his team in order to find those guys who really represent the brand

and his own vision.

Givenchy is not a normal brand, the exploration of a message behind the models and the clothing they are wearing, are a must show after show,

for the brand and the designer.

A 365 days casting, searching around the world, Givenchy is unique for its perception of beauty, mixing a multitude of different cultures on the

runway and always looking for exotic beauty and unique personalities.

Brazil, Africa, America, Asia, Europe… they all have their own identity and you can feel the different contrasts existing.

Every season the selection of male models is following a line where clothes, Riccardo´s mentality and the runway are connected and they get an

own DNA together.

For all clients of Givenchy, the strong definition of the meaning of the brand and the very well connection between the concept Riccardo´s create,

to the final product is essential for the good evolution to an industry is constantly changing nowadays and adapting to the freedom and no labels.

RICCARDO TISCI

557

Riccardo Tisci, thank you for talking with us. You have been the creative

director of Givenchy Haute Couture since 2005, and their menswear

since 2008. What has been the most crucial pillar of the Givenchy DNA

that you had to respect, when considering your own personal aesthetic

for the iconic French fashion house?

What we have tried to do here at Givenchy over the years is build a strong

identity. Elements that would make you recognize Givenchy between thousands

of other brands. It’s been a tricky operation of always mixing DNA

codes of the house and elements from my world, the metallic elements, the

black obsession, the street silhouettes, the ever presence of lace. Those are

signs of where our two worlds meet, the original Givenchy and the new, the

street and the Couture. We live in this tension here at Givenchy. Between

something that is very elevated and aristocratic and something that is very

urban and democratic. And we try to make our strength in everything we do.

Givenchy is very successful because it’s easy to wear. The power of Givenchy:

you can dress young urban and mature women at the same time. And this is

the same for men’s. This is my luck at Givenchy: I can do Couture (luxury,

sophistication) and I can do street wear. Also the street edge was important

to us at Givenchy, simply because it was a big part of who I am as a person,

it’s part of my own DNA and what I have given to Givenchy is that paradox,

that lasting tension between Haute Couture and Street style. We have built

our identity with this contrast in mind as a starting point, so we take it to a

merchandising level: we make sure every season that there is luxury clothes

but also pieces that are more affordable and real.

I want people to have access to Givenchy, to be a part of the Givenchy world.

This is the power of Givenchy today. It’s almost like a tribe.

We love your collaboration with musician and artist Anohni on her

powerful new single Drone Bomb Me earlier this year. Both Anohni and

Naomi Campbell, who stars in the clip, are good friends of yours, as

is Marina Abramovic, who you worked with last year for your S/S ‘16

parade. Do you see any more of these extremely dynamic artistic collaborations

in the future?

My gang is everything. I only work with people I love and respect. It makes

everything easier. It feels effortless… and the best results always come when

you feel like the creation process came from a place of love, and not work or

social interaction.

I’m into love, I’m into family, and I’m into gang. We all live for love; love is

the only thing that doesn’t have a prize, a religion. It’s what puts everybody

on the same level and that’s the point of family.

Of course, I get inspired by a lot of people. My friends, my family, my team,

and the people I see in the street. I’m a very opened person; I like to open

myself to the world, to new opportunities, to new relationships, cause they

feed me, emotionally and creatively. So whether I am on a beach in Brazil

with my best friends or on a vacation with Naomi Campbell, I’ll get equally

inspired, because the people is the core center of my creation.

RICCARDO TISCI

559

“My gang is everything. I only work with

people I love and respect. It makes everything

easier. It feels effortless… and the best results

always come when you feel like the creation

process came from a place of love, and not

work or social interaction.”

“When I started to do casting one year before

my first show, agencies were full of skinny

boys, beautiful, but it was not my type. I

wanted to make a real casting. I don’t like to

exclude people. So I started with men’s street

casting in America.”

561

You have expanded the historically very tight-knit, exclusive world of

Givenchy Haute Couture to loop in high profile fans such as Rihanna,

Julia Roberts, Madonna, Kim K, and more. As you said yourself, “When

I arrived we had five customers. Now we have 29.” Was this a deliberate

strategy?

I have learned that work and passion give you what you want in life. Sometimes

the hard way, but you can always get there.

And this is what we have all applied here at Givenchy. We have worked

relentlessly believing in our vision, and stone by stone we got there. And I

would say, we’re actually still on the way!

In the last 10 years, we did so much, the Couture collections, the concert

costumes, the Awards shows dresses, designing accessories, having so much

fun on both womenswear and menswear. It’s all in my head and in my heart.

The passion remains intact, thanks to the teams I am lucky to have been

working with for so long, our amazing couture atelier that relentlessly makes

everything possible and the beautiful results that we get on a daily basis.

As with many of your iconic Givenchy collections, your Spring/Summer

2017 menswear show played heavily on symbolism. We saw iconography

of dollar signs, slogans, and the classic Euro ‘Roadboy’ look, all of

this played out against the backdrop of the prestigious French public

high school, Janson-de-Sailly. How important is the narrative and theatrics

in your collections?

When you’re a designer, you have an influence on people. A lot of designers

just think about making clothes, which is good, we’re here for that. But, I’m

trying, next to that, to always give messages. Everyday, in everything I do.

That’s why scenography is also very important for me.

So I take in a lot of messages I see around me, from my friends, my family. A

lot from my trips, I get very inspired by travelling the world. And mostly, I

get a lot of inspiration from the people in the street. I always love seeing my

pieces worn in the street.

That’s the best feeling for a designer. When your vision comes to life. It’s very

interesting to see how people actually style the Givenchy pieces in real life.

It’s actually the most inspiring thing…

In regards to your most recent collection, you noted it was inspired by “...

this spiritual side of myself that I’m developing.” After using the Eye of

Providence symbol, the Internet is on fire with Illuminati conspiracies,

was this an intended correlation, or were you influenced by something

else? How does spirituality manifest itself in your life?

Spirituality is part of my life. And I wanted to express it through my last

collection.

For Spring-Summer 2017, the Givenchy man appears to have found his own

spiritual path.

Mixing precise tailoring to strong street orientated signature references; I

wanted my collection seeking serenity and eternal stability.

The biggest names in modelling have walked for Givenchy under

your direction, Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Natalia Vodianova, Joan

Smalls... how involved are you in the casting and styling of the models?

The slicked ‘chola’ style hairstyles of your recent Menswear 2017/Winter

2016 Haute Couture show in Paris (also featured in Givenchy Fall/Winter

2015) are now instantly recognisable and have inspired a worldwide

trend. Was this your vision, or did Guido Palau have a hand in it?

For me, models mean a lot because they’re not just presenting my collection;

they’re really giving it life. I’m deeply bound to that idea. I’ve always been

doing casting and I’m constantly looking for new girls. It is not that I want

to find a girl, and then have her become the girl of the season and drop her.

I’m building relationships for years and years. I have my family and gang,

which we carry on season after season.

For me, a really good model has got a personality. It’s about beauty, of course,

like a classic kind of beauty, but that isn’t the only factor. A girl can have an

unusual personality or a strange beauty. And for me, you see it, you feel it

in the moment you meet the girl, that she could be the girl. You know, at

the end of the day, a show is not just made out of the clothes; it’s made out

of emotion.

Look at the girls you just quoted, they are all incredibly beautiful, but above

all they are unbelievably strong and intelligent women who shine from

within, way beyond their physical beauty.

What is the most important characteristic for you for a Givenchy boy,

what they represent to the world?

When I started to do casting one year before my first show, agencies were full

of skinny boys, beautiful, but it was not my type. I wanted to make a real

casting. I don’t like to exclude people. So I started with men’s street casting in

America. I was travelling in Brazil, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Morocco, places

where I was going for holidays or work. And I found very strong boys with

very strong personalities. Not “canon” of beauty, but more for me the street

reality. With a street casting, you fall in love with a personality. The person

is coming with his art, his character, and also because a person from a street

casting is not supposed to do this, and you really get the personality of the

boy. I like people having character and personality. I fall in love with my boys

about sweetness. For me beauty is important but not fundamental, I met so

many beautiful people in my life but they didn’t make me emotional. I’m

obsessed with America and Latin America; it’s all about an American dream.

RICCARDO TISCI

563

BACKSTAGE

As the new season of fashion aficionados lined up to take their seats to watch this years collections

in full fan fare, the brands, their designers and their teams of creative influencers gathered backstage.

Illustrating a deep connection to architecture and interior design, stylists dressed models in garments

that pulled inspiration from both. In the manners of form and function, they were set to captivate the

audience hoping to leave the front row of editors, buyers and the like chock full of ideas bringing them

on trend with the “new cool.”

Painted with a childlike aesthetic, models gave nod to an urban culture of young city dwellers ready

to conquer the city. Set to grace the runways in a manner directed to a new pool of aspiring fashion

loyalists, every fashion house seemed to be an agent of culture. From Prada’s showspace designed by the

famed architect, Rem Koolhas, where design and style created a cohesive message of color and creative

genius, to Consuelo Castiglioni’s interpretation of Marni’s vision brought to life by Shona Heath at

their own Marni space in Milan. The casting of models, both new and old, along with rousing show

production and an ardent memorandum of fashions do’s and dont’s, they created a windstorm of energy

and teased of the thrilling moments to come.

by Kyle Johnson

Polaroids by Sara Cimino for Lomography

565

PRADA

S/S 2017

Inspired by a familiar theme of world travel, the S/S 2017 collection tells an inspiring

story of the brands far reaching tentacles. One where global influence and insight

into world culture gives rise to a labels style mantra. “The goal is to share with other

people, other cultures, other mentalities,” said Miuccia Prada. For her, living in the

present is essential. Designed for functionality and adventure, her models strutted

with ease and convenience as each Prada traveler carried everything on their back.

Adorned with lightweight anoraks, funky sandal-boot hybrids and boonie hats, the

collections slimmed down tailoring was classic Prada.

Each outfit sporting satellite images on digitally printed garments, loaded with

accessories made way for the androgynous climbers in bright colors and telling

patterns on their death defying trek of survival.

With amazing casting by Ashley Brokaw, backstage housed models like Ville

Sydfors and Piero Mendez. And, as in the past, the shows combination of both

men’s and women’s saw the inclusion of the women’s Resort 2017 collection, featuring

models Diane von Rompaey and Natalie Westling.

Text by Kyle Johnson · Photos by Sara Cimino

BACKSTAGE

567

MARNI

S/S 2017

For Marni, this season was about elegance. It was a nostalgic mix of 50s and 70s

traditional gear, an alluring array of exaggerated silhouettes featuring solid colored

pants with roomy jackets worn with pattern printed and striped oxford shirts that

emphasized modern sportswear. With each garment, an image of purity accentuated

with well defined lines gave the eclectic young men’s collection featuring velcro and

zip closures a neat and tidy touch. Men in thick-rimmed, amber colored glasses

sported widened collars with pointed tips, creating a look that was young, clean and

professional, yet mixed with a bit of vintage fun from the past. For the models,

this season saw the casting of strong faces such as Finnlay Davis, who has walked

for Paul Smith, Hermes and Sacai and who was the face of Coach’s F/W 2016

campaign, and Sven De Vries who has walked for Michael Kors, Acne Studios and

Timo Weiland and was the face for Bottega Veneta’s S/S 2016 campaign. For the

brand and it’s accessible and wearable collection, “it was about movement, fluidity,

and suspension,” said Consuelo Castiglioni.

Text by Kyle Johnson · Photos by Sara Cimino

BACKSTAGE

569

TREND PANEL

MEN

SPRING/SUMMER 2017

Text by Maggie Kelly · Illustrations by Donato Vitone

Before male beauty pouted into androgynous coquettes, the 60’s hunks of Hanna-Barbera strode forward with a fashion bravado that was all MAN. With a

handsome grin, they swore not to leave the sartorial study of groove to the girls, no sir. Fred Flintstone rocked leopard long before Joan Collins would, whilst

Fred Jones truly understood the power of a statement neck scarf.

What a time to be alive! The buttoned-up boredom of the Suit And Tie suddenly exploded into a playful array of shapes and patterns and styles. Roger Moore

cemented the safari suit, whilst Scooby-Doo’s Shaggy showed the fellas how to loosen up, man.

Psychedelia said it’s all gravy, baby to unexpected colour clashes, and Hanna-Barbera’s menfolk led the parade: George Jetson’s squeaky clean palette of juicy

orange, soapy blue, and space-age-shamrock-green still finds a place in modern menswear.

Menswear Spring/Summer 2017 did the twist all the back to bold colours (Balenciaga), high-waisted flair in flares (Kenzo), and garish colour (Fendi, Prada).

Yabba dabba dooo!

BARNEY RUBBLE

KENZO

90s club kids

Ecstasy flyers prints

Tribally-aligned suits

Sigh-stripe zip up boots

571

FRED FLINTSTONE

BALENCIAGA

GEORGE JETSON

FENDI

SHAGGY ROGERS

DIOR HOMME

FRED JONES

PRADA

Cocoon backs

Modern tailoring

Three-quarter sleeves

Architectural shoulders

Striped tees

Pablo Picasso

Cabana coats

Rich patterns

Metallic D-rings

Suits versus sport

New wave elements

Sneakers closed laces

Nylon Blousons

Climber elements

Knitted cycle pants

Color pumped gilets

TREND PANEL MEN

573

THE OFFICE

CREDITS

FARIDA KHELFA

3.1 PHILLIP LIM

31philliplim.com

CHRISTIAN DIOR

dior.com

HERMES

hermes.com

MARNI

marni.com

RALPH LAUREN

ralphlauren.com

ACNE STUDIOS

acnestudios.com

CRAIG GREEN

craig-green.com

HOUSE OF HOLLAND

houseofholland.co.uk

MAX MARA

maxmara.com

RAF SIMONS

rafsimons.com

ALAÏA

alaia.fr

DEREK LAM

dereklam.com

HUGO BOSS

hugoboss.com

MEMPHIS MILANO

memphis-milano.it

ROBERTO CAVALLI

robertocavalli.com

ALBERTA FERRETTI

albertaferretti.com

DOLCE & GABBANA

dolcegabbana.com

ISSEY MIYAKE

isseymiyake.com

MIU MIU

miumiu.com

RODARTE

rodarte.net rickowens.eu

ANA LOCKING

analocking.com

DIOR HOMME

dior.com

IRIS VAN HERPEN

irisvanherpen.com

MISSONI

missoni.com

RICK OWENS

rickowens.eu

ANN DEMEULEMEESTER

anndemeulemeester.be

DIESEL

diesel.com

JUUN J

juunj.com

MOSCHINO

moschino.com

SACAI

sacai.com

ALEXANDER McQUEEN

alexandermcqueen.com

DKNY

dkny.com

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

jeanpaulgaultier.com

MONCLER

moncler.com

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

ferragamo.com

ALEXANDER WANG

alexanderwang.com

DRIES VAN NOTEN

driesvannoten.be

JEREMY SCOTT

jeremyscott.com

MSGM

msgm.it

SAINT LAURENT

ysl.com

BALMAIN

balmain.com

DSQUARED2

dsquared2.com

JIL SANDER

jilsander.com

NEIL BARRETT

neilbarrett.com

SCHIAPARELLI

schiaparelli.com

BALLY

bally.com

DUCKIE BROWN

duckiebrown.com

JIMMY CHOO

jimmychoo.com

No21

numeroventuno.com

STELLA McCARTNEY

stellamccartney.com

BURBERRY PRORSUM

burberry.com

ETRO

etro.com

JW ANDERSON

j-w-anderson.com

NINA RICCI

ninaricci.com

TEMPERLEY

temperleylondon.com

BLUMARINE

blumarine.com

EMPORIO ARMANI

armani.com

KATIE EARY

katieeary.co.uk

OSCAR DE LA RENTA

oscardelarenta.com

THOM BROWNE

thombrowne.com

BOTTEGA VENETA

bottegaveneta.com

EMILIO PUCCI

emiliopucci.com

KENZO

kenzo.com

PAUL SMITH

paulsmith.co.uk

TOD’S

tods.com

CARVEN

carven.com

ERMANNO SCERVINO

ermannoscervino.com

KTZ

k-t-z.co.uk

PALOMO

palomospain.com

TOM FORD

tomford.com

CALVIN KLEIN

calvinklein.com

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA

zegna.com

LOU DALTON

loudalton.com

PHILIPP PLEIN

philipp-plein.com

TOPMAN

topman.com

CARUSO

under request

FENDI

fendi.com

LOUIS VUITTON

louisvuitton.com

PHILOSOPHY

philosophyofficial.com

VALENTINO

valentino.com

1) On the wall, a mirror made using a Venetian technique; 2) Black chair original from the Star Trek TV series

(1960´s); 3) Carpet and desk (1940´s); 4) Black lacquer console table (1960's); 5) Two green armchairs from Cassina;

6) A lamp, with double discs in glass, base and structure in brass, created in Murano (1970); 7) On the floor,

a black and white carpet by Calder (a nod to the circus collection); 8) Original drawing by Dalí, the "Skeleton

Woman" with a dedication to Elsa (1938, Schiaparelli archives); 9) Autoportrait of Boutet de Monvel.

CÉLINE

celine.com

CHANEL

chanel.com

COACH

coach.com

GARETH PUGH

garethpughstudio.com

GIORGIO ARMANI

armani.com

GIVENCHY

givenchy.com

LOEWE

loewe.com

MAISON MARGIELA

maisonmargiela.com

MANÈ MANÈ

manemane.es

PIGALLE

pigalle-paris.com

PORTS 1961

ports1961.com

PRADA

prada.com

VERA WANG

verawang.com

VERSACE

versace.com

VETEMENTS

vetementswebsite.com

COURREGES

courreges.com

GOSHA RUBCHINSKIY

gosharubchinskiy.com

MARC JACOBS

marcjacobs.com

PROENZA SCHOULER

proenzaschouler.com

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

viviennewestwood.co.uk

“I love the Dalí’s sketch in my office. I find it very inspiring. I look at it a lot and find each time new elements in it. Dalí was a genius. That version of Schiaparelli’s

skeleton dress and accessories are of a rare modernity. I love Dalí’s note to Elsa Schiaparelli next to the illustration saying “see you tonight”. I am also very fond of

the Calder rug showing trapeze artists on the wall opposite my desk. The autoportrait of Boutet de Monvel is quite moving. It shows another perspective of the Place

Vendôme and the Paris’ chic. I feel good in my office. The decor is quite sparse and a little masculine which fits me perfectly.”

COMME DES GARÇONS

comme-des-garçons.com

GUCCI

gucci.com

MARCO DE VINCENZO

marcodevincenzo.com

QASIMI

qasimi.com

Y/PROJECT

yproject.fr

Farida Khelfa

The Office of Farida Khelfa at Elsa Schiaparelli´s apartment, Paris. Photo by Sonia Szóstak

This Magazine was printed in the UK by Pureprint Group using its alcofree® and pureprint® environmental printing technologies. All inks

used are vegetable based, Pureprint Group are Carbon Neutral, ISO14001, Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) and EMAS accredited.

Brigid Berlin & Oscar Tusquets for ODDA 10 by Manuel Casero

ODDA 11 - M

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