Fuse Magazine by AshleyAshcroft

FUSE 15

AUTUMN/WIN TER

The genesis issue

F US E H CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aoife Currie-Daley ART DIRECTOR Ashley Ashcroft FEATURES EDITOR Thalia Williams

T EA M

EDITOR IN CHIEF Chelsea Wallis

EDITORS LETTER

Welcome to the debut issue of FUSE magazine; a hybrid of trend concepts and future innovation. We believe that behind every creative’s there is a community of enthusiastic individuals who feed and nourish small thoughts that grow and prosper into exciting ideas. Our bi-annual ‘journal’ aims to feed your creativity, your small thoughts and allow you to challenge your potential. In this issue of FUSE magazine we take a journey into the vision of tomorrow; from exploring the cultural secrets of Berlin, to delving into northern street style and most notably an exclusive interview with Lizzie Harrison, founder of Leeds based independent label Antiform. Alongside retail insights and industry news are pages bursting with innovative concepts across all spectrums of design, to inform your next surge of creative genius. Each leaf is the result of intense research by our team of industry professionals; who have roamed the streets, gone behind the scenes and have their fingers well and truly on the pulse to present you with a publication that you can feel, touch and believe in, whether it’s now or five years into the future; Especially in a world that has become so dominated by the realms of the internet, one where ideas are no longer personal but viral – we hope that FUSE becomes a partnership you trust and rely on.

INDUSTRY NEWS BAILEY NAMED CEO Christopher Bailey has been named Burberry Chief Executive, replacing Angela Ahrendts who has left to become senior vice president for retail and online stores at Apple. Bailey will retain his position as chief creative director; speaking of his new role he said, “I am profoundly moved and humbled to take on the CEO role at this company that means so much to me, I also feel privileged to be keeping my role as chief creative officer, as I believe that creativity and innovation have been at the heart of our success in the last 10 years and will be even more so in the decade ahead.”

FORMER INTERN ANNOUNCED AS CREATIVE DIRECTOR EMERGING TALENT AWARD WOMENSWEAR Marques’Almeida, Simone Rocha, Thomas Tait EMERGING TALENT AWARD MENSWEAR Agi & Same, Christopher Shannon, Craig Green EMERGING TALENT AWARD ACCESSORIES Dominic Jones, Mr Hare, Sophia Webster ACCESSORY DESIGNER OF THE YEAR Anya Hindmarch, Charlotte Olympia, Nicholas Kirkwood RED CARPET AWARD Antonio Berardi, Victoria Beckham, Erdem MODEL OF THE YEAR AWARD Cara Delevingne, Edie Campbell, Sam Rollinson BRAND OF THE YEAR Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Victoria Beckham INTERNATIONAL DESIGNER OF THE YEAR Marc Jacobs, Prada, Dior NEW ESTABLISHMENT AWARD J.W Anderson, Mery Katrantzou, Peter Pilotto MENSWEAR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford WOMENSWEAR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR Christopher Kane, Celine, Alexander McQueen.

Former intern, Jeremy Scott has been announced as the new creative director of Moschino Spa. His first collection for the Italian fashion house will be presented during Milan Fashion Week in February 2014. Famous for his daring attitude to fashion, the American designer is hoped to reinterpret the identity and essence of Moschino.

ALL SAINTS TO RELEASE A FILM British fashion retailer All Saints is launching a film production company; set to produce several projects a year focusing on music, style and street influences. Under chief creative director Wil Beedle, the company will premiere a documentary based around the Kings of Leon record label. The brand says it is committed to working with young, innovative filmmakers as part of the project. Beedle says that the film is “perhaps the most exciting and accessible medium with which to capture the spirit of the All Saints DNA.” The news comes after the retailer handpicked a selection of musicians, artists and image-makers to model their A/W 2013 collection.

BFA NOMINEES ANNOUNCED The nominees for the British Fashion Awards 2013 have been unveiled with Christopher Kane, Celine and Alexander McQueen going head to head for Womenswear Designer of the Year accolade. As always the one-off awards (the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator, the BFC Outstanding Achievement Award and Best Creative Campaign Award, selected by the British Fashion Council press committee) are not announced until the night.

ASOS ENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH PRIMARK Following a ‘phenomenal start’ when value fashion retailer Primark trialled on ASOS in June 2013. Primark stated in September that is was set to end, causing speculation that the brand were about to launch their own e-commerce website. However ASOS and Primark still hope that their online trial will become a long-term arrangement as the fashion retailers try to make it profitable. Primark’s low price points posed difficulty for ASOS, which operates a free delivery and return model. The online stockist has also set eyes for Topshop and H&M to join the abundance of high street brands it stocks online.

FLORENCE & FRED NEW STORE Supermarket Tesco has introduced its Florence & Fred range to London with a dedicated boutique -feel space in its West Kensington store. Located on the first floor mezzanine level, the store design binds together elements of F&F’s next generation store concept designed by Tesco’s long-time architecture partner Four IV. The concept features a corner dedicated to an online kiosk, from where customers can process a transaction or have products delivered to home or in-store the following day for free.

TOPSHOP GOES TO PARIS Following Topshop’s entry to the European market with recent launches in Amsterdam, Berlin and Munich in 2013, the UK fashion chain has opened in France with a concession in the upscale Galeries Lafayette department store in Paris. The 1.938sq ft unit will house Topshop’s core fashion collections, shoes and make-up alongside premium lines and designer collaborations. Arcadia boss Sir Philip Green said: “We are hopeful that this opening will be the jewel in the crown, and the start of the journey to bring Topshop to even more fashion lovers with our partners at Galeries Lafayette.

YSL SUES COLLETTE Hedi Slimane is taking action against the infamous T-shirts that parody the luxury brand he helms. Saint Laurent has decided to pull all business from Collette after they sold a t-shirt mocking the brand; the t-shirt that reads “Ain’t Laurent Without Yves”. The design takes reference to new creative director Hedi Slimane’s decision to rechristen the ready-to-wear line simply Saint Laurent. Sarah Andelman, Collette’s creative director has assumed responsibility and has agreed not to re-order the t-shirt. Saint Laurent cancelled the boutiques spring 2014 orders for the Saint Laurent collections, severing a 15-year business relationship with the quirky Parisian retailer.

WORDS: CHELSEA WALLIS

L E E D S Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial heart of West Yorkshire with 2013 seeing Leeds offer more as a city than ever before. New openings and events happening across the town Centre, has cemented the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reputation as the up and coming area, the place to see and be seen. From stylish shopping and decadent dining, to contemporary arts and vibrant nightlife, Leeds has a variety of activities to appeal to even the most varied of interests.

Leeds has recently seen the opening of Trinity Leeds; a shopping and leisure Centre in the heart of the city. The opening ceremony took place in March and saw fashion designer Henry Holland curating the opening, and unveiling of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest designer dress, with the whole day drawing in over 130,000 recorded visitors.

The shopping Centre not only boasts both national and international retailers but features an engaging interior, with things to look at, play with and sit on. These interactive and functional areas were brought in by specially commissioned artists, who were tasked with bringing playful, informative and impressive features to Leeds Trinity, a direct reflection of the nature of the city.

words by Aoife Currie-Daley and Thalia Williams

STREET TRENDS

Image Credits: aoife currie-daley,

THE NEW OLD The wardrobes of Leeds’ style innovators are a personal time machine; with vintage pieces being styled against the new, allowing a fresh lease of life for old favourite’s denim, leather, fur and velvet. The uniformity of black against the city’s visible history reinforces the successful combination of past and present; set off by a minimalism within personal styling, a slick of eyeliner and a coloured lip are the techniques favoured by the style savvy in this city.

M A N C H E S T E R Steeped in a long standing rich history, Manchester has been at the forefront of innovative culture for decades. As the city that gave the world ‘Madchester’ and the home of not one but two internationally successful football teams, this city has Northern Soul pouring through the streets.

Manchester is a melting pot of old and new, with Victorian architecture and remnants of the cities industrial past working seamlessly alongside contemporary builds. The eclectic mishmash of opposites is obvious in every street of Manchester; from the vintage paradise of the Northern Quarter standing proudly next to shopping mecca, The Arndale Centre, and The famous Palace theatre opposing the independent Cornerhouse Theatre.

Shortly outside the city, Trafford park hosts a variety of attractions, sports fans can find themselves losing their afternoons in the Old Trafford ‘Theatre of Dreams Tour’; for twelve weeks a year, Victoria Warehouse is claimed by The Warehouse Project, a series of nights showcasing the best DJs and musical talent. Shoppers can once again find themselves immersed in The Trafford Centre, a one stop shop of hundreds of stores, from Vivienne Westwood to Kiehls; with a food court to soothe even the most sophisticated pangs of post-purchase hunger.

STREET TRENDS

QUIETLY COOL

Image Credits: ashley ashcroft

The style of Manchester is typically a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;quieter coolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; than its northern counterparts; the key focus being a more dressed down look, with the underlying presence of Manchester style still existent. Masculinity meets heritage, with skinny jeans combined with laid back white shirts, wool textured jumpers and trainers or boots. In comparison, the women of the city combine sheepskin coats, shirts and trousers to make heavy layering the order of the day, preparing them for the harsh northern winds.

L I V E R P O O L the official capital of culture 2008, and the unofficial capital of the northwest. Taking a walk down any one of the city’s cobbled streets will surely result in the discovery of something unexpected; from the vintage boutiques of Bold Street, to the vinyl stores of School Lane and bars of Seel Street, Liverpool is a bustling hive of creativity. The recently built Liverpool One shopping experience boasts two floors of shops; from Debenhams to Disney and everything in between, with another floor dedicated to dining. Liverpool is a city known for its nightlife, and the home of the Iconic ‘Cream’ as well as DJ night Chibuku, and for the more sentimental, the famous Cavern Club AKA the first official gig of The Beatles) is nestled within the cultural heart of the city, the Matthew Street Quarter.

WOMENSWEAR TRENDS By Aoife Currie-Daley

trend direction

MENSWEAR TRENDS By Aoife Currie-Daley

Q&A WHAT DO YOU AS A SUSTAINABLE FASHION BRAND REPRESENT ? Antiform represents a modern take on the English Heritage trend. Our aim is to showcase local textiles, local skills, and to show what you can make from waste.

WHAT DO ANTFORM STAND FOR ? We believe in making clothes that really stand the test of time, we consider our designs to be real future vintage pieces that will forever be styled in different ways by our customers.

WHERE DO YOU POSITION THE ANTIFORM BRAND ? I feel that we started as a fun festival wear brand, but after a slight re think we realized that our customer demographic was a more mid-market scale fashion consumer, so we now focus on creating affordable clothes that arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cheap.

HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER FASHION BRAND ? Unlike other fashion brands or companies out there we are trying to grow slowly and sustainably. We believe our brand to be really transparent, we enjoy sharing the story of Antiform and the story of how ethical fashion is produced.

photography by charly murgatroyd

MADE

ENGLAND

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IDIOS YNCRA S Y WORDS BY THALIA WILLIAMS

Art and design has always been at the forefront of innovation when it comes to use of materials, recently, certain artists have been taking the vision to new heights. These artists aren’t trying to be crazy or clever, most are trying to change the common conception of the way people view the limitations of everyday objects; Liza Lou spent five years covering a kitchen in beads, and was rewarded for her vision and patience with a coveted McArthur ‘Genius’ Grant. Collaborative minds have fused together to create some thought provoking pieces; Guerra de la Paz (a name that represents the team of Cuban artists, Alain Guerra and Neraldo de la Paz-) who have worked together since 1996- have access to discarded clothing, which they have used to produce a series of scenes including ‘Ring Around the Rosy’, depicting camouflage clad figures dancing around a bomb. Taking the concept to new levels raises eyebrows as well as praise; Chris Ofili received criticism from New York politicians, who described his depiction of the Virgin Mary (complete with elephant dung) as ‘sick’. This specific trend continues across the spectrum, especially within fashion. Old reliable textiles such as lace and organza take on a new age facelift; the techniques used to make the materials have advanced tremendously, allowing the fabrics to be used in the production of more innovative pieces. The duo of Léa Peckre and Elisa Strozyk combined high fashion and high lands in 2012, creating their wooden textile dress; a piece made from variations of laser cut wood, formed into a tulip skirted dress. At the more delicate end of the fabric scale, Ying Gao fulfilled the unconventional vision; fashioning a dress made entirely from the worlds lightest organza, a feat that, due to the lightness of the organza, has resulted in the dress not being recognized by the average camera lens. The relationship between this concept and fashion has been taken to new levels, casting a new perspective on the matrimony between the spiritual mind and the physical body. The ‘Infinity Burial Project’ was born by Jae Rhim Lee, with the idea of committing the body to a greener earth. This would be achieved with the use of a burial suit, lined with mushrooms, with the eventual prospect of food growth. Whether accepted or scorned, the use of unconventional materials to create visually dynamic and inspiring pieces is a process taken up by an increasing amount of disciplines, and one that doesn’t seem to be forgotten any time soon.

artwork by thalia williams

WILLIAMS For a recent graduate at the prestigous University of Creative Arts, and just beginning what is destined to be a glittering career in Fashion, Hannah Williams boasts an illustrious CV. Her graduate collection showcasing unconventional textiles

sent

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interional

Fashion

media

flurry;

which

saw

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shortlisted on Vogue’s infamous ‘One’s to Watch’ list; the same accolade that designers including Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and Matthew Williamson all claimed. Hannah was crowned winner for Graduate Fashion Week Innovation and Womenswear Awards for her 1920’s inspired Silicone designs. We caught up with Hannah to find out how her life has changed since her Graduate Showcase and what’s in the pipeline for the future.

SOFTENING OF THE LENS

words by thalia williams Since the turn of the 20th century, modern art has been on a track of metamorphosis; seemingly taking the typical values of what was considered to be ‘art’, and turning it on its head. Current art encompasses a variety of means and inspirations, typically becoming more of an outlet for the artist than a piece created for the pleasure of the viewer.

Photography has been a long standing channel of visual communication, enabling a multitude of subjects to be captured in one moment, rather than taking hour’s long sittings with a painter. The discipline has been favoured by the fashion industry for decades, giving companies the chance to communicate the key ideals of their brand and product in one impacting image. Taking this notion into his most recent project, world renowned photographer Rankin explored possibly the most taboo subject we face daily; the concept of death. His ‘ALIVE: In the face of death’ exhibition challenged the typical perception of the subject, showcasing portraits of those who have come into close contact with it and telling their stories. Rankin’s usual creative flair is prominent within the images, each one takes an indirect approach in telling its own story, with the livelier images showcasing a direct opposition (and to some extent lack of fear) for its key theme, death. “Whether it’s visual art or whether it’s written, art is a very good way of processing your thoughts. And making you laugh and making you cry..”

Image Credits: walker art gallery

Recently, an emerging trend showcases certain individuals who have been using a decades old method to communicate much more than their personal feelings; photographers have been using their images to tell stories, from love to war and everything in between. Above all, these images have the power to evoke the strongest emotions within the viewer. By softening the lens, the focus increases on the message within the photograph.

i n t e r i o rs i n t e r i o rs i n t e r i o rs i n t e r i o rs i n t e r i o rs i n t e r i o rs i n t e r i o rs i n t e r i o rs i n t e r i o rs i n t e r i o rs i n t e r i o rs i n t e r i o rs i n t e r i o r

Image Credits: studio325, pinterest, wgsn

& Other stories

Image Credits: Pinterest, david dersen, marremoerel, svpply, john lewis, uo, blood+champagne,

product focus

LIGHTING TRENDS Lighting receives the industrial treatment for A/W 14. Geometric shapes and structures in copper hues. David Daerkshenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s copper

lampshades inspired by origami will inspire retail

chains, who will try to encapture his design in their own. Cable lighting is no longer reserved for classroom and retail, choose neon cables for a alternate take on the trend.

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travel is the o n ly t h i n g you buy that makes you

richer -anon

VISIT THE UNKNOWN

S I N G A P O R E

Words by Ashley Ashcroft

Recently Singapore has been at the core of innovation, no longer stuck in its colonial past. The growth of the city has seen new heights, leading change in the 21st Century and showcasing their strong sense of direction. Its location in South East Asia makes Singapore the perfect platform to delve into the rich culture and history of the nation. Being one of only three sovereign city-states, this multi racial city provides more diversity than most; with endless amounts of shops, eateries and events, as well as the constantly flourishing surroundings of the city and love for contemporary art. The inspired minds altering Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future thrive on modernisation and an outlook that dares them to be different, building a city that is more dynamic and personal. Advancements in technology and education have helped to construct a city, where its people are united in creating a platform of contemporary vision and creative success. The developments within the city are attracting creative professionals, immigrating to the city in search of a society that combines a rich history with innovative advancements. The future of Singapore seems clear for this city led by innovation.

Graffiti by ; Billy and Alex, HRVB, The Weird, Schade and Decycle. Further information on artist can be found on www.berlinstreetart.com