Editor’s Note Santa baby, fill my stocking with a Rolex and cheques. It’s clear what Marilyn thought of Christmas, but we think it’s the season to feel joy, reflect and be humble. Don’t panic about the goals you haven’t met and instead reflect back on a year full of things that you have done and what you have accomplished. Remember it’s that fire in your belly and that motivational hunger which makes you set your alarm each day; that passion, those goals and those reasons why you have pushed yourself this far. Our AW14 fashion editorial was our most ambitious and challenging yet. 18 months ago we would have never of thought we would be dragging half of the contents of Oxfam across London to style our shoot with a beautiful Royal Ballet dancer, a body builder, a fire breather and a married couple from the cast of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, plus a whole team of passionate creatives. To grow you need to keep outdoing what you thought was your maximum. Our cover star MNEK is the perfect example of a guy who continues to push himself, rolling on that snowball of success. Starting to produce music at the tender age of 14 MNEK has since gone on to collaborate with the likes of Gorgon City, Disclosure and now going it alone in his much anticipated solo career. Read from page 64 to see his full interview and first fashion collaboration with legendary street wear label B-Side by Walé, exclusively for BeExposed. If you are a regular reader you will know that we pride ourselves with showcasing the freshest designers and emerging talent. We caught up with our featured designers on page 42 to get the low down on their inspirations to design and what success means to them. Whether we like to admit it or not, we all have a kinky side and who fascinates us more with fetishism than our much loved fashion industry. Features writer Kevin Hunter explores sex in its most alluring fashionable form. Whips, gags, graduates, Madonna and magazines all to be read from page 16 Our generation is forming a new wave of aesthetically conscious entrepreneurs and their lust to have the "power couple" status. Features writer Harriet Dixon discusses the notion of the modern "Kooples Couple" and what ideologies they have on relationships, is the modern man rejecting being the hunter gatherer or are we expecting too much from our women? Is disco here to stay? Or has it never left? In Lawrence’s analysis on page 70 we learn why "Let’s get Happy" was such a phenomenal hit. As we listen to DJs frequently dropping infectious groovy beats, we pray the disco ball is here to stay. We hope that this little lot will ignite your fire.
Tiffany & Helen xxx
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Contents BeInStyle: Get the look
Pg. 10
Fashion editorial: Molly’s House
Pg. 24
Meet the designers
Pg. 46
BeBeautiful: Get the look
BeHeard:
Pg. 42
Meeting MNEK
Pg. 68
MNEK’s Soundcloud playlist
Pg. 76
Disco Inferno
Pg. 78
Ones to watch
Pg. 80
BeGourmet: Rabbit: A Review
Pg. 90
Wine to watch
Pg. 94
Young British Chef: An interview with Georgina Dent
Pg. 96
BeInspired: An interview with B-Side by Walé
Pg. 62
Bleach
Pg. 66
Features: I didn’t know I could talk about sex
Pg. 16
Ugly beauty
Pg. 44
Are you part of a ‘Koople’?
Pg. 98
Talking with THRDSTV
Pg. 102
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Contributors
01 James Hutchins aka Hutch - We are lucky to have our favorite DJ /i-Ds assistant music editor to interview our cover star MNEK. Read about his journey through music and what would be inside his dream burger.
07 Sherida Kuffour - If you have noticed a change in our layout then you’re keeping up with us. This facelift is down to the graphic skills of our new contributor and talented graphic designer, Sherida.
02 Harriet Dixon - Are you a Kooples couple? Harriet explores the views on modern couples and the pressures they face. Have our roles reversed?
08 Kevin Hunter - Never a dull moment after reading one of Kevin’s pieces. He’s back again to talk fetish, fashion and gags galore in "Oops I didn’t know I couldn’t talk about sex." 09 Jolanda Coetzer - Back with our crew again, this talented makeup artist transformed the models for our "Molly’s House" shoot into works of art.
03 Jacob Clark - For our first food section, who better to contribute than an experienced food and wine connoisseur/restaurant manager. Jake has written a review on new Chelsea restaurant Rabbit along with some top wine tips. 04 Klaudijus Kairys - Crazy talented photographer, who shot our vibrant fashion editorial "Molly’s house" in film! That’s right, old school film. 05 Marine Boissard - Ugly Beauty in all its glory, read from page 40 Marine discusses how fashion is breaking the mould of conventional beauty and modelling. 06 Lawrence Linnell - Our new music writer takes us on a journey through the dance floor and how disco is rapidly becoming a popular go to set for DJs. Lawrence catches up with Ralph, label owner of Nixwax for his views.
10 Will Harper aka Fashion Bear- Our shoots are so much more enjoyable with our fashion assistant on board. Will contributed to the styling and production of our latest fashion editorial. 11 Mel Dawson - read Mel’s "Ones to Watch" on page 72 for the top 10 artists to stick on your radar for 2015. 12 Stew Capper - Amazing at portraits, recently shooting Jhene Aiko for Wonderland magazine. Stew came down to shoot our cover star MNEK and what a fab job he did.
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Christmas gift guide
For Girls...
Lady Liberty: Travel home for Christmas in style with this paisley print holdall from the Mipac x Liberty collaboration. Liberty x Mipac Felix and Isabelle Liberty Duffle £70.00 www.mi-pac.com
Heart and head warming: By buying one of these hats you are supporting a women’s empowerment project around the world. Gudrun & Gudrun £88.00 www.gudrungudrun.com
Star of the future: We have fallen for emerging talent Lisa King’s new ‘study of stars’ collection; this zodiac scarf is just one of several beautiful prints to choose from. Lisa King £220.00 www.lisakinglondon.com
Hiking hottie: These Sophia Webster Katy shoes may act tough but the pom poms, ric rac detailing and super soft sheep fur mean they are more suited to a cosy pub night. The ultimate present to yourself...well it’s been a long year. Sophia Webster £595.00 www.sophiawebster.com
S.W.A.L.K: Christmas party confidence comes from a bright lippy, stash your collection in this cute embroidered Sew Lomax make up bag. Sew Lomax £20.00 www.sewlomax.com
Heavy Metal: This super embellished leather biker will really glam up that LBD this Christmas, wear with attitude. Superdry £374.99 www.superdry.com
Razzle Dazzle: These Second Female sequin joggers are disco pants if ever we saw them, team with a silky top, tuxedo jacket and sky scrapper heels for New Years Eve dancing. Second Female £93.00 www.secondfemale.com
Waxing Lyrical: We adore Jessica De Lotz and her beautiful hand stamped bangles. Start with one and add more initials, zodiac signs and love hearts each special occassion. Jessica de Lotz, £249.00 www.jessicadelotz.co.uk
An heir of sophistication: The Mac Heirloom collection is made up of rich, royal colours that exude an aristocratic allure. This is about high drama so don’t be afraid to go more sultry than usual. Mac, www.maccosmetics.co.uk
Where fashion and music meet: Molami incorporate the process of fashion design to make their headphones fit and flatter the face. Molami £250.00 www.molami.com
Boom boom shake shake the room: The Kakkoii WOW wireless speaker is small in size but big on sound. Portable, intuitive and compact it’s perfect to bring the fun from house to house this Christmas. Kakkoii £50.00 www.kakkoii-me.com
To friends near and far: Artist Kristjana S William’s inspiration lies heavily with layering nature upon nature and ‘the symmetry in all things living’ which stems from her childhood in Iceland. We love this beautiful Globe, a real forever piece. Kristjana S Williams £570.00 www.kristjanaswilliams.com
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For Guys...
Time for change: Make sure he’s not late for that New Year’s kiss with this slick and sophisticated Triwa leather watch. Triwa, £230.00 www.triwa.com
Not for puddles: This is one for the fashion savvy men; these slick and subtle patina leather boots have a wedge sole for muddy walks, but in reality will be worn to walk around the bars in Shoreditch. A.Sauvage £380.00 www.asauvage.com
Turntable treats: From professional DJ’s to drunken living room dancing everyone’s getting back on the vinyl trend so why not store them in a stylish leather record box? Tuktuk £70.00 www.wearetuktuk.com
Happy go lucky: In a whole rainbow of colours, prints and metals these small but powerful headphones will put a smile on your face. Happy Plugs, £34.99 www.happyplugs.com
Flash of brilliance: If you are jetting off for some winter sun we recommend packing these super cool wooden frames with just a flash of colour to brighten up the day. Finlay & Co £120.00 www.finlayandco.com
Don’t blend in: Perfect for Christmas dates, understated yet cool, mix this grey Edwin camouflage jacket with dark jeans and rich coloured jumper. Edwin Europe 260.00 euros www.edwin-europe.com
Cocktail hour: Black tie dinner? Or just trying to impress the mother in law? A Sean Christopher bow tie will keep you dapper throughout the festive season. Sean Christopher £120.00 www.seanchristopher.com
Tick tock, click clock: This stylish little sound sensitive wooden click clock means no more fumbling for alarm off buttons in the dark...or throwing it against the wall, just us? Gingko £29.99 www.ging-ko.co.uk
Instant Christmas selfies: Get you Gran, best mate and dog involved in some family pics and print them instantly onto Polaroid’s from your phone. Impossible £129.00 www.the-impossible-project.com
Skater Boy: These Vans Sk8-Hi Reissue are made from an Italian weave giving them a classic, luxury quality, the perfect gift for smartening up an outdoorsy boyfriend or brother. Vans £65.00 www.vans.co.uk
Orange is the new black: This stand out Bellfield jacket is a great alternative to all the winter grey; pop your (fur) collar and strut the street in style. Bellfield clothing £85.00 www.bellfieldclothing.com
Absolut-ely eye catching: A limited edition bottle from Absolut introduces the Andy Warhol edition. Available exclusively at Selfridges and Harvey Nichols
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BeInstyle
Camilla Elphick Having worked with some big names such as Nicholas Kirkwood, Sophia Webster and Charlotte Olympia during and after her degree, Camilla’s graduate shoe collection ‘So Bad, It’s Good’ gained widespread press coverage last year. She has now launched her own eponymous shoe brand starting with her collection for SS15, ‘You got the Luck’, inspired by all things lucky. ‘I was given a necklace featuring the word ‘lucky’ which always makes me feel special, the way shoes should do too! I wanted to create lucky shoes for women with this in mind.’ Key pieces from the collection include the ‘Lucky 7’ high-heel sandal (as featured in our editorial on p 26), great for making an entrance. www.camillaelphick.com
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YVY The YVY brand uses quality materials for all of its collections, for example the Sin & Spirit collections are entirely handmade from Italian vegetable tanned leather, proving how seductive sustainability can be. YVY believe in creating carefully crafted pieces of art using details such as lacing and delicate rivets combined with skilfully developed cuts which fit the female form perfectly.These pieces are surprisingly versatile and look great layered over simple silhouettes for an edgy look. www.yvy.ch
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Still Waters Still Waters is a brand imagined by two sisters who went travelling the world to find inspiration. Now back in their London studio they spend their evenings sewing beautiful kimonos and hand crafting unique tassels. Nearly all of the kimonos are one a kind, whether they are velour, silky, bright or classic, we particularly like the long coral piece, perfect for brightening up dull winter days. www.stillwatersstudio.co.uk
Pasionae Pasionae use the raw, natural forms of precious stones and mixes them with elements such as wood, glass and silver to produce individual, handcrafted and contemporary looking pieces. Based in New York their designs include one of a kind pieces using experimental shape and texture. We love the Murano glass range which comes in a wide variety of colours; stack them up for dramatic effect. www.pasionae.com
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Harem Royal Harem Royal manages to create a fine balance between fragility and strength with their beautifully engineered jewellery. By using laser cutting, repetition and multiple layers, flat pieces are built up into delicate 3D forms. The use of taxidermy in the pieces such as butterfly wings and fur could be controversial to some, but as all of the natural materials are sourced from ethical outlets it keeps things as cruelty free as possible and we can enjoy the butterfly’s natural beauty. www.haremroyal.com
Helen Lawrence Helen graduated with an MA in fashion from central St Martins and cut her teeth working with Craig Green, Mark Fast and Alexander McQueen. Now a part of Fashion East her signature style includes handmade knits and scribbled embroideries. www.helen-lawrence.co.uk
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Klements scarves Every one of Klements scarves has its own story to tell and this collection charts an adventure through Narnia. Drawing inspiration from the natural world in all its glory and cruelty, there is a touch of the macabre to this collection, yet it remains sumptuous and beautiful. All prints are hand illustrated or worked into photography making these scarves affordable pieces of art. www.klements.co.uk
Domingo Rodriguez Born to a Dominican father and Liverpudlian Mother, menswear designer Domingo moved to Liverpool at an early age and later attended John Moore’s university for his BA degree. He won the prestigious menswear award at Graduate Fashion week and won a scholarship to study an MA at the London College of fashion. This was followed by several accolades such as a presentation during Paris Fashion Week in 2010 as one of Esquire magazines ‘7 brilliant Brits’. Using deceptively simple techniques, Domingo has developed signature shapes and pattern cutting to create a contemporary menswear brand. Taking a luxury angle on an everyday wardrobe there is a sense of sophistication with a sportswear edge. www.domingorodriguez.co.uk 14
Calla Calla Haynes was born in Toronto and has been living in Paris for the past 10 years. After attending Parsons School of Design in New York and Paris, she worked with Olivier Theyskens at Rochas and Nina Ricci where she honed her textile and print design skills. This collection is based on Haynes’ idea of ‘relaxed luxury’ a brand that is unique and crafted, while at the same time modern and easy to wear. Her strong print designs are the foundation of each collection. www.calla.fr
Huishan Zhang Huishan Zhang had an impressive education; while studying at St Martin’s he also found time to work at Dior for a year, including 6 months in the couture atelier. His work is all about East meets West, drawing on his Chinese heritage. A key piece that is recurring in his collections is the ‘Cheongsam’ dress which he says ‘embodies everything that is sexy and feminine about the Chinese culture and tradition, yet it remains very adaptable to Western society and easy to embellish with a modern twist each season.’ www.huishanzhang.com
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“Oops I didn’t know I couldn’t talk about sex” Text: Kevin Hunter
I’m sitting here watching as a woman is tied to a chair, groping hands grabbing at her PVC clad body, the words "express your self don’t repress your self" resonating through me like some kind of breathless Buddhist mantra. No unfortunately I’m not in some kinky sex dungeon in Knightsbridge, although give me time all in the name of research. I’m watching Madonna’s “Human Nature” video and I’ve got to say even twenty years on this video is still boss. Love her or hate her M knows how to cause a stir. Remember how much controversy the "SEX" book caused back in the day? I have always been fascinated by fetishism in fashion and POP culture. I love it when photographers, stylists and designers reference what would be considered by most to be perverse and subversive and make it into something more than just "kinky sex". To use bondage as an example, the act of dominating another person sexually is undoubtedly one of the most powerful acts one human can do to another; to take away another person’s control and harnesses that sexual energy is a carnal act like no other. Make this not only a sexual act but also an artistic one and we have taken things to a whole different level of expression. There’s something darkly poetic; the dance between the dominant and the submissive, the latex, the leather, the rope, the chains, the bull whips, the paddles, the gag balls – well, you get my drift. Some of the most powerful images in fashion and POP culture in the 20th and 21st centuries are ones that contain a fetish undercurrent. So while I’m minding my own business browsing pictures of Lady Gaga tied naked in nothing but a pair of platform shoes, it got me thinking (well actually firstly it got me thinking I wonder where those shoes are from?) is high fashion a form of fetishism in itself? Caught up in desire, lusting after "objects". Do we not get a thrill from dressing up? Playing a "role"? You’ve
only got to flick through the pages of any major fashion magazine to see that a lot of editorial and advertising is set up so the reader becomes somewhat of a voyeur. Men and women draped over one another in various states of undress. Models like capitalist prostitutes with lingering stares that say "look at me" "I’m beautiful", "buy me", "I’m the best you’ll ever have". It’s like looking through a Gucci sponsored window in the red light district of Amsterdam. We’ve all heard it a thousand times "sex sells" but vanilla sex is erm... boring as fuck so the industry looks for more extreme versions to sell their "product". Maybe made more palatable for the "mainstream" (if there is such a thing) because it’s now under the guise of "art" but nonetheless powerful. As we evolve as humans, so will our tastes, desires and therefore our fetishes: anything can and will be fetishized - the exploration has only just begun. At Graduate Fashion Week this year myself and a stylist friend of mine were trying to establish what trends were running through this year’s shows and one trend that ran through most of the shows was fetishism. Graduate Fashion Week was a kinky as fuck. It was like they’d all been to the Cynthia Payne school of arts. However these were not your ordinary references; this was a new kinkiness in sickly-sweet sorbet coloured latex leggings worn under baby doll dresses, woolen gimp masks, Naziesc models in petrol blue PVC macs. Are the new school about to unleash a new wave a fetishism on us? I know I certainly hope so. If there’s one place there should always be freedom of expression that is in fashion and in my opinion if that means Madonna’s got to get tied up with a gag ball in her mouth well so be it, all in the name of art dhhaaaling.
“Express yourself don’t repress yourself ”
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Designer Beth Sharman, Image Tristian Fewings, Getty images Europe
Designer Beth Sharman, Image Tristian Fewings, Getty images Europe 2
“There’s something darkly poetic; the dance between the dominant and the submissive, the latex, the leather, the rope� 17
Velwyn Yossy Illustrator and motion design artist Velwyn Yossy has recently moved to the UK from the US, we caught up with her to talk fashion, illustration and inspiration. Text – Helen Butcher
I didn’t really know how fashion illustration would take off during my time at school. There didn’t seem, to my awareness, be much of a creative fashion scene in Los Angeles so I ended up studying Entertainment Design; merely because I thought it was a broad and diverse field of study. I learnt a lot during my time working in motion design after graduation, the projects are varied and since I get easily bored, it works. However, after a year, I relocated to London to be with my partner and now I have more free time to develop my personal work. My goal is to combine what I learnt in motion with fashion illustration in the future. I enjoy creating fashion illustration the most because I think the pieces are more personal. My favorite works so far are my Comme des Garons illustrations and Two Truths because they are the most intense collaborative project I’ve done. I have many favorite designers but I think Rei Kawakubo is still at the top of my list. I love her gutsy, uncompromised artistic values and the way she continually explores forms and deconstructs clothing. Many would find her work to be challenging yet there’s something really beautiful, dark, and poetic about her vision. I would describe my own work as being surreal, gestural, and minimal. I think we should try to listen to our own voice more. Being different shouldn’t be a bad thing because not fitting into a certain box makes you more unique. There is so much noise outside, we should stay focused on our work and try to ignore everything else. Creatives have to be willing to work very hard, because at the end of the day, what you get out is how much effort you put into it. My inspiration list is truly endless. I love musicians like Rei Harakami, Erykah Badu and Bjork, photographers like Sarah Moon, dance choreographers like Akram Khan and Jiri Kylian and designers like Hussein Chalayan and Gareth Pugh. Then there are the illustrators like Yoshitaka Amano, Laura Laine and Lola Dupre. There is so much inspiration out there; many of my talented friends inspire me every day as well.
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‘Rei Kawakubo is still at the top of my list. I love her gutsy, uncompromised artistic values and the way she continually explores forms and deconstructs clothing’
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Mollys House Credits: Photographer: Klaudijus Kairys Art Direction and styling: BeExposed Assistant: Kevin Hunter Stylists Assistant: Will Harper Hair and Make up: Jolanda Coetzer Models: Alexandra Grace, Llewy Davies, Karen Anderson Laird, Maxwell Laird Fire breather: Tori Grace Kingsbury Neon Signs: Supplied by Banana signs
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Bra and Kimono: Stylists own, Trousers and shoes: Gabriella Palermo, Necklace: Tatty Devine
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Shoes: Camilla Elphick 26
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Alexandra wears: Bodysuit and tights: Krasimira Ivanova Stoyneva, Leather head piece: Anita Nemkyova, Necklace: Tatty Devine, Tutu: Models own. Louis wears: Hat: Hannah Fickling
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Jacket: Mia Vannelli, Top and trousers: Gabriella Palermo, Shoes: Camilla Elphick
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Shoes: Camilla Elphick
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Molly’s House
Shoes: Camilla Elphick 32
Molly’s House
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From Left to right: Alexandra wears: Dress and shirt: Lisa Machin, Leather cuff bag: Anita Nemkyova, Boots: Miista, Tori wears: Ponytail hair piece: YVY x PKHC, Body: stylists own, Leather jacket: Maison Scotch, Thigh high boots: Miista.
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Jacket: Mia Vannelli, Leggings and t-shirt: Stylists own 36
Both sets of Earrings: Tatty Devine
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From Left to right: Alexandra wears: Jacket: Mia Vannelli, body and stockings: Stylists own, shoes: Carolin Holzhuber. Karen wears: Leather head piece: Anita Nemkyova, Leather top: Pritch London, Max wears: Tassel jacket: Pritch London
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Alexandra wears: Jacket: Mia Vannelli, body and stockings: Stylists own, shoes: Carolin Holzhuber 40
Top, skirt and shoes: Krasimira Ivanova Stoyneva 41
BeBeautiful
Get the look
MAC Platinum Pigment over the whole lid MAC Paint Stick -Pure White
MAC Superslick Eye Liner for long
MAC Chromaline Black Black in a rectangular shape on eyelids to mimic the lips and brushed through brows
MAC Set Powder
MAC Lipmix Blac
Barry M Fine Glitter Dust from the lash to the brow line MAC Lipstick Candy Yum Yum
MAC Dolly Mix Powder blush high on the cheekbone and temple
Eyelure Dramatic Lashes
MAC false Lashes Waterproof Mascara
look 1
look 2
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The changing face of fashion Text: Marine Boissard
Plato said ‘Beauty is the splendor of truth’ and he couldn’t be more right. The fashion industry is often criticised for molding beauty around it’s designs but fashion needs to be seen through role models and no longer just through catwalk models. Ordinary people wear fashion and women need clothes to fit them and not the opposite. But fortunately fashion is evolving as fashion designers are trying to improve the way we perceive fashion. Most people don’t look like models. And we are, mostly ‘Most people’. We all have ‘imperfections’; we are real and not standardised for runways. However we love fashion. Fashion designers have finally started to introduce ‘real’ people to the runway, including more and more plus-sized models and ethnic models. Marc French is the owner of a modeling agency ‘Ugly Models’. Behind this We asked the super stylish Victoria characteristic name you can find an alternative agency, which Villasana aka Stylemarmalade.com for practices managing models that are completely distinguished her thoughts on alternative models. Style from the image we have of conventional beauty. None of the models are ugly; they simply are on the fringes of stereotyped marmalade was recently shortlisted by beauty. Proof that this direction is working is that Selfridges Cosmopolitan as one of the best new recently launched an alternative beauty campaign. But this fashion blogs so Victoria clearly knows a is not the only thing changing in the fashion industry. Even if thing or two about what’s going on in the natural models are now starting to be recognized, people with World of fashion. physical disabilities have, for a long time, been disregarded in terms of fashion. They read magazines and do shopping like + What do you think about new types of models being introduced to the everybody else, but it seemed nothing was ever targeted to them. runway? Nevertheless The Raw Beauty Project created a collaboration I believe this is the way it should between photographers and women with disabilities and it be. Having diversity on the runway has raised a new awareness regarding disabilities particularly is vital and should not be seen as concerning women with physical challenges. On February 2014, a novelty. What Rick Owens did New York Fashion Week brought the first model in a wheelchair for his SS14 catwalk show was on the runway; other Fashion weeks then followed suit and a bold statement and was so revealed creations designed for people with disabilities. A few refreshing not only because he months ago, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Moscow hosted the used real people but also the ‘Models Without Borders’ show. This event presented clothing for way he presented the show was people with physical disabilities through dozens of models that revolutionary. We should see more have diverse disabilities. Chelsey Jay, who suffers from a rare of this not only on the runways but neurological condition -POTs- was the ambassador for disabled also in publications and editorials. models and is also the Director of ‘Models of diversity’. She + How do you think using these revealed ‘The public are definitely ready to see disabled models ‘alternative’ models could influence in the fashion industry’. Psychologist Danielle Sheypuk declared the way we perceive fashion? ‘Ready-to-wear and standard sizing were a good idea initially, Fashion should be about selfbut I think it’s screwing with a woman’s body image’ after expression for everybody not only rolling down the catwalk at New York Fashion Week. The fashion for an elite group of people who industry is finally recognising that models should be the mirror have to look a certain way. Real of customers and that beauty standards shouldn’t be stuck on people can wear high fashion too the definition of aesthetics that we have all been lead to believe and not only a single stereotype of in the norm. Those amazing models definitely exemplify what is beauty which has been created by true beauty. the media. 44
“Having diversity on the runway is vital and should not be seen as a novelty�
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Carolin Holzhuber
Place of study: BA Fashion Institute Vienna/ MA UAL London College of Fashion Location: London If you had one wish: There would be no money in the world. Back to barter trade. 46
+ Tell us about the inspiration behind your latest collection? The footwear collection ‘Conjoined Illusion’ is based on reflection, mirroring, visual illusions and conjoined twins. Every pair of shoes consists of four carbon fiber soles that are connected, conjoined in different ways. The idea of reflection, mirroring and optical illusions can be seen in the design of the uppers respectively in the design of the heels/ platforms. Visual illusions and mirroring are arduously to understand for our brain. Our cognitive faculty gets irritated. If we look at objects from different perspectives they seem to change their shape, but they are still the same. The intention behind the designs is to somehow confuse, or disturb, or grasp the spectator for a long time. With my work I want to challenge the eyes and the mind. The collection ‘Conjoined Illusion’ shows that footwear can be a work of art but nevertheless conveys clearly the grace of a shoe. Footwear is not just about being wearable. It is about the wonderful material leather, all the little steps and details that make a pair of shoe to a wonderful luxury product. My designs are complex, dynamic constructions mixed with the typical aesthetic and grace of a shoe. I adore the traditional way of making footwear and for my products I combine the handcraft work with new and innovative materials such as carbon fiber.
co-curator for the exhibition SHOEting Stars in the Kunsthaus Wien Museum Hundertwasser. + Who in your eyes is the most admired entrepreneur? Coco Chanel + What does fire mean to you? I adore fire, the warmness and calm, but at the same time it scares me. It is very powerful and like everything powerful it can be misused. For some projects I also worked with fire, for example I heated the leather with fire to get a certain structure. + Name a power couple that you admire My parents. + At what point have you felt true success? That is a hard question, maybe because I did not feel it yet. I had some little successes, for example being exhibited with my work or also being a finalist for the International Talent Support 2014, it is also always a successful feeling when I finished a pair of shoes. But I am just at the beginning and I am working enthusiastically for my brand to get to the point of true success.
+ How has social media affected your designing/ brand? In regards to my design, not at all; but it has helped me make my brand known and has helped me network. I have met some very interesting people who have helped me to exhibit my work in a museum. Liza Snook, the owner of the Virtual Shoe Museum contacted me the first time via Facebook and she was the
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“Visual illusions and mirroring are arduous for our brains to understand.�
Mia Vannelli
Age: 22 Place of study: De Montfort University, Leicester Occupation: Stylist Location: Birmingham 50
+ If you had one wish: To find the perfect career for me. I want to see where opportunities take me and will always have the saying in my head "find a job you love, and you will never work a day in your life". + Tell us about the inspiration behind your collection? The Bohemian revolution in Paris around the 1900’s. This movement attracted all the writers, poets, artists and musicians who wanted to liberate themselves, living an unorthodox life considered sinful at the time. I have generally looked to the past for inspiration and have always appreciated the bohemian aesthetic, and wanted to mix that with Parisian Chic. In order to keep my collection from looking dated I looked at sportswear to give a modern twist and the over all effect of my collection to be unconventional. + What three key fabrics have you used in your collection? I used a lot of light flowing fabrics such as chiffon, which I printed and then had pleated to make trousers and jumpsuits with graceful movement when the models walked. I also used a lot of swede in various colours and black patent leather appears throughout the collection.
change it for the better. I think the industry being challenged can lead on to new and interesting things. + What does fire mean to you? It means the passion and drive that pushes us to work hard and achieve our goals. That inner fire is what continuously motivates me to be a success. + Name a power couple that you admire and why? Jayz and Beyonce are a power couple I admire. I have followed and respected Beyonce and all she has done for women since I began my interest in music at a young age. Together her and Jayz have created an empire together which shows the capability of a powerful woman and a powerful man when they come together. + At what point have you felt true success? My most recent point of true success was the completion of my degree and showing my collection on the runway at Graduate Fashion Week 2014 in London. Being selected as one of 18 from my year group by a panel of judges, including designer Louise Gray, felt like a huge achievement. When watching my collection go down the catwalk I could confidently say that I was proud of what I have achieved and look forward to take what I’ve learnt and move forward into industry.
+ Who in your eyes is the most admired entrepreneur? I have always loved and respected Tyra Banks. Having come from a fashion model background her insight to the industry is first hand and what I respect most is how she is trying to
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“When watching my collection go down the catwalk I could confidently say that I was proud of what I have achieved.�
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Lisa Machin
Occupation:Â Â Retail Assistant Place of study: Nottingham Trent University Location: Nottingham If you had one wish: To design for Alexander Wang.
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Tell us about the inspiration behind your latest collection? I went on a University trip to Paris whilst I was there I took a particular interest in the renaissance churches and their graveyards that we saw. I fell in love with the stained glass images of the Virgin Mary and drew my inspiration from the photo’s I had taken during the visit. How has social media affected your designing? Social Media plays a massive part in my designing. It is the easiest way for me to keep up with current and future trends by reading blogs, using my Instagram as visual inspiration and Facebook to follow designers I aspire to. Who in your eyes is the most admired entrepreneur? Alexander Wang is by far the entrepreneur I admire the most. He is now one of the most coveted designers around and his critical acclaim and the awards he’s won speak for themselves. What does fire mean to you? Dangerously destructive Name a power couple that you admire and why? Victoria and David Beckham are such an inspirational power couple. They have accomplished so much on top of their original talents in music and football. Victoria’s fashion label success and David’s fashion icon status are unbelievably admirable. At what point have you felt true success? So far my greatest success was having my white wool dress that you have featured this month, on the stand for graduate fashion week, I’m extremely proud of this achievement.
“Alexander Wang is by far the entrepreneur I admire the most. He is now one of the most coveted designers around.” 55
Gabriella Palermo
Age: 21 Place of study: De Montfort university Occupation: Unemployed Location: West Midlands Birmingham
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Tell us about the inspiration behind your collection? The emphasis of my final collection involved mixing unusual fabrics and combine them to create a lavish over the top vibrate couture collection. This came from my research inspiration of looking in to my Italian heritage. Looking at black and white photos of my grandparents and family while still living in Italy in the 30’s. I was successful to gain sponsorship from Sophie Hallette lace, which I combined with modern and traditional fabrics like brightly coloured devores, double sided fleece felt and my own geometric printed design in silk jerseys What three key fabrics have you used in your collection? Lace, Neoprene and Jersey. How has social media affected your designing/ brand? It was great to see the comments, press and feedback after my collection showed at graduate fashion week. I truly believe social media and the Internet in general is the way forward hence why I focused my dissertation on this subject titled ‘How has fashion been influenced by new media’. Who in your eyes is the most admired entrepreneur? I’m fascinated by anyone that has achieved their goals of producing a business. You can’t better how Coco Chanel came from a dancing showgirl to the world’s most renowned designer. What does fire mean to you? The fire in your stomach making you achieve. Who is your muse? Anna Della Rosso, I love how she isn’t scared of wearing an over load of colour fabric and accessories. At what point have you felt true success? My most recent point of feeling success was when I was selected for Graduate Fashion Week in London where I saw my collection go down a catwalk and have my family in the audience watching.
“I’m fascinated by anyone that has achieved their goals of producing a business.” 57
Krasimira Ivanova Stoyneva
Place of study: BA Fashion Institute Vienna/ MA UAL London College of Fashion Location: London If you had one wish: There would be no money in the world. Back to barter trade. 58
If you had one wish: To see happier faces everywhere I go. Tell us about the inspiration behind your collection? My inspiration came from exploring London; all of the madness and creativity that collide together and the mixture of cultures. It`s so colorful and varied. I researched a lot of different cultures for print and silhouette ides and decided to focus on layer development in textiles to reflect my observations.
Who is your muse? Normally I don’t design with only one muse in mind, I have many muses. Every collection has it`s own muse that portrays a character or emotion that I am looking for at that particular moment. For this one I started with Cara Delevigne and ended up with Rihanna.
What fabrics have you used in your collection? Mixing fabrics is key to my design process. It is more to create something I haven`t explored previously, new textures that keep me motivated and excited to work harder. Key fabrics are Polar fleece, power mesh, cottons and a lot of synthetic hair! Who in your eyes is the most admired entrepreneur? Steve Jobs. I remember watching every single interview he did on TED Talks or YouTube. He is very inspiring and has a great sense of humor. What does fire mean to you? I used to love playing with fire so maybe heat, danger and colour.
At what point have you felt true success? Firstly, marrying my husband, he is such a great man, always very supportive and a great father to our two children. Secondly, having children is a blessing; even though it can be very hard at times. Design wise, it’s seeing my collection at Graduate Fashion Week, it was an amazing experience. Hopefully I will get many more experiences like this. Wining Vogue & Muuse Young Vision Award 2014 was an experience like no other; it made all the hard work worth it. I felt super proud and excited as I got the chance to do my new capsule collection straight after graduating. I felt so happy and blessed to have such a variety of people recognising and understanding my work.
Name a power couple that you admire and why? Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, because they are both hot (haha) and I like the values they share.
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“When watching my collection go down the catwalk I could confidently say that I was proud of what I have achieved.�
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Knowing the man behind the brand
B-Side by Walé Text: Kevin Hunter
With a career spanning almost two decades from creative director, industry spokesperson, entrepreneur, Prince’s Trust ambassador and celebrity stylist, Walé’s journey has without a doubt spawned an endless list of talents. But the thing that stood out most when I met him was how grounded he was; he had a laid back coolness and an openness often lacking in fashion these days. Not what you’d expect from a designer with a list of celebrity clients as long as your arm including the Supa Dupa Fly Missy Elliot and one of my favorites Mos Def. In the 90s Walé brought Street style to the fashion pack with his somewhere between the kerb and the boutique ethos. Eventually earning him a place in the V&A and an MBE to boot. These days Walé can be found in the East End in his flagship B-side store on Hanbury Street. I caught up with Walé to get the skinny...
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"Everybody has had to up their game.There are so many amazingly talented creative people doing really cool stuff"
+ In the 90s, your own label was one of the first that began to blur the lines between what was considered high fashion and street fashion, do you think there is a distinction anymore? I think now the two have merged together, It’s gone from urban to streetwear to high-end. + So tell us about B-Side By Walé, how did the concept come about? The concept came from the essence of music, meaning it’s always been a part of the brand’s. B-SIDE was a reference to the B-Side of a Vinyl track. The B-Side of a song was always the better track, hence the word B-Side. + What was the inspiration behind your AW14 collection? For the season change, I wanted to make the collection contemporary and also wanted to stay relevant to the roots of the brand, There are elements and soft tailoring influences with a mix of animal prints and technical fabrics. + You recently did collaboration with the artist Loren Juan – Which was sick by the way. Do you think it is important for the artistic community to collaborate? I think it’s really important. I’ve always been inspired by new talent and new heat, I feel it’s essential to always understand both new and old creatives.
“I’ve always been inspired by new talent and new heat - I feel it’s essential to always understand both new and old creatives” + You mentioned you had been in this east end of London for about 15 years. What do you think it is about this part of London that draws you in? I just love East! When I first came here it was super cheap and super rough, it was full of factories and fabric suppliers. It was a very unique experience, it was full of creatives, artists, designers etc. Rent was so cheap back then. I paid £75.00 a week on Brick Lane. What I like about East is that there are people from all walks of like. You will find wealth and broke all eating at the same café. + With the rise of online shopping and social media, and designers choosing to show their garments in more diverse ways, how do you stay ahead of the curve? Everybody has had to up their game. There are so many amazingly talented creative people doing really cool stuff. Now they can express themselves freely and through their own channels. It can be shown exactly how they want things to be shown. It doesn’t need to be a huge fashion house with massive marketing budgets to start the heat. + After designing for so long under your own name why did you decide to change your brand? I always like to keep it moving and evolve. I may do it again soon, who knows? + What was the defining moment when you decided; I need to do this I need to design clothes? When I worked at a tailors over the summer and constructed my first tailored garment. + You interned with Jo Caseely-Hayford what did you take from that time that you still use today? So many things, but Joe and Maria (Joe’s Wife), their work ethic is next level - so everything really prepared me.
+ You’ve always designed on your terms; do you think this has stood you in good stead in the industry? In some ways, but as a business, trends tend to play a large part in what you do, which is a difficult thing to do sometimes. + As lists of achievements go you have a pretty cool one, what has been your proudest moment to date? I think the MBE is pretty up there for me. I felt so honoured and proud as a designer to be there at the palace (same day as Anna Wintour by the way), especially because I’m known for streetwear, not couture, + Do you have any advice to young designers who want to go it alone and launch their own brand? Learn your craft, be patient and enjoy what you do as much as possible, because it’s a lifestyle, not just a job. + This is our Fire issue what does fire mean to you? Fire, I use this phrase all the time for somebody who is passionate about their craft. + What’s next for Walé and B-Side By Walé? It’s the 20 year anniversary so we are working on celebrating that milestone.
To bleach is to burn: An interview with Loren Juan Text: Kevin Hunter
+ You recently collaborated with B-side by Walé. Can you tell us about this, what were your expectations? I call this collaboration with B-side by Walé, ‘LET IT BE’, because it came very naturally. Walé has a very open and creative mind, I feel that allows him to associate what is going around him and create all kind of happenings. I thought that hand painted garments and canvas inspired by the brand would make an interesting connection. I think that in a world of massive production limited editions and colabs bring back some exclusive features. + You have a very unusual technique. What inspired you to start using bleach to paint with? Selling tees painted by hand at Sunday markets made me want to paint canvases too. My favourite was the black cotton canvas because I loved the way bleach offered me a wide range of orange tones, which has always been one of my favourite colours. Looking at the negatives of this colour turquoise and white became apparent. Is kind of interesting to me understanding why turquoise is my other favourite colour, they’re complementary. I thought it was because of fire and water, which also are kind of complementary in a natural way. My craft comes with a short theory; ‘’everything can be an art, style is everything ‘’I think everything you do can be done with your own style, I believe personal experiences influence and define this. You can’t choose your style, that’s what I call it original. I believe art is always the result of an
“I use bleach to burn the colour out of the fabric.”
accident, of a violent lapse between feelings, acquired habits and those yet to be acquired. + If you could paint anyone from history who would it be and why? Rembrandt van Rijn master of light, because when you use bleach on black cotton you create light, and that is what you have, shadows are already there. My second choice would be M.C.Esher because of his brilliant perception and impossible perspectives. + The theme of this issue is Fire, what does fire mean to you? Passion, light, heat. I am a Sagittarius, a fire sign. I use bleach to burn the colour out of the fabric, and there is a tradition in Spain the night of 23-24th of June called ‘’San Juan’’ where they burn a pile of old stuff they won’t need anymore to say hi to a new stage and then they throw fireworks to end a night full of beauty. You love, you learn, you burn. What’s next for Loren Juan? Like for everyone else, I keep fighting for new limits, exploring the infinite possibilities of relating lifestyle with art. Life itself can be a work of art.
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“I keep fighting for new limits, exploring the infinite possibilities�
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MNEK
THE MAN WHO WROTE A SONG ABOUT YOU LAST NIGHT. Text: James Hutchins / Photography:Stewart Capper
Amongst SoundCloud’s cacophony of noise, Catford born and raised Uzo Emenike burst onto our radar with his sincere and impassioned renditions of classic 90s R&B jams; deconstructed and reworked with his own beats and a heart full of his own style. Racking up thousands of plays, the self-confessed Janet Jackson superfan signed a publishing deal at the age of 14, resulting in No.1s with Little Mix, Duke Dumont and Oliver Heldens, as well as writing and fronting one of the most memorable singles of 2014, Gorgon City’s Ready For Your Love. Charismatic and resplendent with an air of endearing shyness, 20-year-old Kufi hat donning MNEK regularly writes with
best friend and member of the self-dubbed ‘1994 Club’ Becky Hill, with his talents leading to a debut performance at the 2014 MOBOS and, most recently, studio time with Madonna to work on a Diplo collab for her forthcoming album. Clearly a man well versed in designers, it seemed only fitting that we approached musicengrained brand B-side by Walé to create a oneoff custom collaborative piece for MNEK for his his BeExposed cover shoot. Join us as we delve into the mind of The Fire Issue’s cover star and discover the first lyric he ever wrote, how he feels to have finally moved out, and why he still can’t ride a bike.
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“Some people wanted to ride bikes, I wanted to make beats.”
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MNEK
THE MAN WHO WROTE A SONG ABOUT YOU LAST NIGHT.
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Clothing: B-Side by Walé x Loren – Exclusive custom piece for MNEK x BeExposed. 71
“You know how you say ‘you are what you eat’? Well that applies to music too.”
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t’s been a mad few years for you. How many tunes have you written or been involved with in the last year? I don’t know, I think about 20 that have come out. As far as hits go, Oliver Helden’s, Ready For Your Love, Here For You, I’m on this new track Koala by Oliver Helden too. So yeah, a number 1 and three top 5s! How did it feel when you got the first number 1? It was awesome; I mean Gecko was actually the second of mine after Need You 100, which is all my co-writing and everything. I’m really thankful I’ve been able to do so well with my production and writing, because it’s something I love to do. When’s the album coming and can we expect any collabs? It’s out next year and right now there’s one feature I can tell you about - a song called Judgement Day with Moko. I’m open to collaborations but at the same time, I want it to be all about what I do by myself. I think the issue is that with all my writing and the producing there are so many different interpretations of what people think I do, so it’s important to have one channel that I can show people. Was it difficult coming from House music features to pushing your own sound and being taken seriously as an artist? Well it’s still happening and I’m in the middle of it! People still only really know me for Ready For Your Love but I think when the album comes out it will set me apart and people will focus on me.
One of your old tracks that really stood out was your Rosie Gaines Closer Than Close cover. What’s your favourite cover that you’ve ever done? Ooo, that’s really hard. I really love the Janet Jackson That’s The Way Love Goes one, and Jenifer Lopez Waiting For Tonight with Sweet Female Attitude’s Flowers. Also ‘Never Leave You’ the one I did of Lumidee; I thought about putting that on my album... Which lyrics that you’ve written are you most proud of? There’s a lyric on a track on the album called ‘Suddenly’ that I’m really proud of, probably one of the best I’ve written. It only took about 10 minutes but it kind of just poured out. The lyric was ‘can you afford to be a chord or are we drifting melodies?’ It’s a way of saying ‘can we be together or are we just going to be apart?’ Do you remember the first lyric you wrote? I think it might have been ‘Paper and pen, write the first thing on my mind’, it just had two chords, so that was literally just that. But that was when I was 9 and I’ve just kind of carried on and here I am. What made you pick up that pen? I suppose I just love music and as a young kid I read poetry and I really got into English at school. I was analysing songs so much and was like ‘you know what, I would really like to make my own songs. So then I just started writing my own songs. I remember once you said, Some people wanted to ride bikes, I wanted to make beats... That’s like a tagline of my life basically.
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And now can you ride a bike? I can’t ride a bike; I haven’t put that energy into riding a bike. You know that really is a tagline of my life like most kids wanted to ride a bike and do kind of normal stuff and be kids but I wasn’t good at that [laughs] so I was like, let’s try making songs and beats and stuff. I think I alienated myself a bit because I loved what I did so much and I knew what I wanted to do from such a young age. But oh well I’m doing alright now, I think? Do you look back and wish you hadn’t alienated yourself so much? I can’t have any regrets because I think everything I did happened for a reason. Now I’m with friends who are my age and get what I do and I love being around them, I’m at the right place. How important is style to you? Style is really important because I really didn’t want to be that artist, or as far as male pop artists who want to be either really casual or like be in a suit and I didn’t really want to be either of those. I love experimenting with different fashions and working with my stylist. I have worked with Jeko (?) who have designed me a lot of different African print pieces, I think my style sets me apart. So how did you feel when BeExposed asked you about working with them on the B-side collaboration? It looks so dope, because we thought about can we do this, can we do that but seeing it in person it makes it real. What’s your earliest memory of music at home? You know how you say ‘you are what you eat’? Well that applies to music too. I grew up around a lot of 90’s R&B, 80’s pop and reggae, so my Dad had all the pure swing CD’s, he would drive us to school every morning and we knew all the words to the songs back to back, like there was Edina Howard My Up and Down, even though we were 5 years old we would listen to that. Then there was R.Kelly Bump and Grind, SWV Right Here, Mary J Blige All Night Long. Songs like that
were like staples and when I hear songs like that now I remember being in that car. So if there was one song that would remind you of your parents what would it be? I’m going to say Eternal I Wanna Be The Only One; I remember we went to this party and they just played that song on repeat, like just that, for a good hour, I was about 4 years old and thought ‘what is going on’!? You’ve just moved out to your own place How does it feel to finally flee the nest? I felt like it was time. You know sometimes when you are born and raised in that area and you are still living there, when you’ve now got a life elsewhere you can feel a bit held back in some ways. I felt like I was ready to move on, be by myself and kind of learn how to get ready to have my own place. I love it. Unpacking my shit was great; I had my playlist on and everything, I know where my socks are, it’s great! I’m so messy but having a clean slate is good for me. Have you written anything in there yet? I haven’t because I’m just adjusting to it. To be honest it’s never really me writing in my room, songs on my new album have been written in various places like The Rhythm this new song was written on the train from Wood Green. All of a sudden I was on this train and I had this melody in my head and so I just got out my phone and then did the lyrics on my way. Who’s been your favourite person to collaborate with so far? When I worked with Becky or A.M.E. or Karen Harding and the Rudimental guys; these were people where they were up and coming and there wasn’t pressure for them to feel like ‘oh my God I have to get this and that’ it was simply for the love of music and then we became friends. Obviously I have been really thankful to write with Madonna and that was an awesome experience. She was really nice and gave me lemons, honey and throat sweets so she was looking after me, she was very motherly.
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“I can’t have any regrets because I think everything I did happened for a reason.”
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MNEk Selection
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Disco Inferno Text: Lawrence Linnell Emerging out of an urban subculture in the early 1970s, Disco originated in underground settings where crowds could dance to recorded music, with the deejay typically deploying a single turntable, a mike, and a PA system. Ed Ward, in The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll (2nd edition), notes that, in this setting, who was playing the records was often more important than what the records were. Disco spawned the DJ and also the remix, which began the slow and steady path to where the dance music industry is today. But the modern ‘Nu Disco’ revival seems to stem from social recoil to the idolisation of DJs, the democratisation of music (and the fact that anyone can ‘put a donk on it’), and a push back from the lack of musicality and focus on drops of EDM. We must ask ourselves, has dance music started to lose its way? If so, could this musical movement be the answer? After peaking as the top pop music genre in 1978-1979, disco began to lose its popularity and it’s cool. It was a victim of its own success and like most things that surface into the mainstream, it became over played, over made, and inevitably over time - unfashionable. This stimulated a cultural backlash from the more reactionary elements of the white establishment. "Disco sucks" bumper stickers and graffiti were everywhere and there were even disco record bonfires and anti-disco protests that occasionally degenerated into riots. By 1980, the finest dance music was stemming from black pop again. Disco lost its edge and was absorbed back into the underground, to be resurrected in the 1980s in new formats. The original four-to-the-floor/ strings/bass line/vocal medium evolved into different subgenres around the world such as: dance-oriented rock (DOR), alternative dance, house, go-go, electronic dance music, Eurodisco, hi-NRG and techno. However we owe
so much to disco – DJs, Club culture, remixes, progressive ethics and the idea of going to a club to see the DJ all originated from Disco culture. The way records were made had also changed, with album sized ‘disco singles’ of popular tracks and new arrangements, remixes and re-rubs of older classics being made into contemporary dance versions which were often produced on a wide scale. Disco also fashioned a paradigmatic shift in how people engaged with music in public settings. Attitudes at Disco nights were progressive and carefree, with any race, colour or creed being accepted. The gay community in particular embraced disco as a social outlet; difference wasn’t just tolerated, it was celebrated. (YMCA.) Back in the early noughties modern Disco hits started making their “Edits are playing an integral way into the charts such part in Disco’s comeback, as the as Justin Timberlake’s art of DJing has come a long – ‘Rock Your Body’ and way from flipping one single various releases from record to the next.” Chromeo, Jamiroquai and Scissor Sisters. Disco had an edge but it was seen merely as a refreshing alternative, which was bolstered by the talent or popularity of the artists making it. Daft Punk were the key catalysts with Disco’s re-emergence, epitomising Nu-Disco’s fusion of classic Disco music with modern technology. Their whole robotic style is a physical manifestation of the evolution from the glittery OTT outfits of the 70s. Their collaborative track with Pharrell and Nile Rodgers – ‘Get Lucky’ officially brought things back into the public eye. The track ended up second in the charts to Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’ which broadcasts Disco on a slightly more poppy level. Skream’s sudden jump from the Dubstep genre he helped define to disco/ house/techno is a prime example of how and why we are moving ‘back to the roots’ of dance music. In the Thump documentary ‘Come with
me’ released earlier this year, Skream states it just got to the point where it wasn’t exciting anymore. It was just all about drops. But originally it wasn’t, it was about a vibe, almost a meditation. The music scene consisted mainly of ‘filthy’ testosterone fuelled music, which lost a lot of its groove and every record started to sound similar. The resurgence of Disco seems to be a reaction to House music and EDM taking the mainstream stage and becoming overexposed. Popular charts are filled with synthetic generic dance beats with minimal musicality and variety. Many people are now starting to crave something musical, with a bit more soul. In an interview for Get Lucky Pharell declared that people have just lost respect for the groove, everything is so synthetic, it’s missing the gut. Disco is showing itself to be the next logical step as modern technological music re-grafts itself with physical music and live musicians. In the past, instrumental tracks and vocals were necessarily recorded live in the studio. Now technology has progressed to a point which has allowed us to make great dance music just using a laptop and some powerful audio software in our own homes. This has unfortunately boosted the amount of egocentric producers; inspired by DJs in the industry that have been made into pop stars (David Guetta, Disclosure etc) who are writing music for personal gain, something that will sell records and not for music’s sake. On the other hand it could be simply that trends come back around eventually. As Q-tip eloquently commentates on Hip-hop being a resurgence of Be-bop in A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Excursions’ –I said, well daddy don’t you know that things go in cycles, the way that Bobby Brown is just ampin like Michael. For one reason or another Disco is back in business and its popularity is being bolstered by old and new pioneering artists, striving to put funk and soul into music. Prince, Chic, Sister Sledge
and Earth Wind and Fire have all recently had successful comeback world tours and festival circuits alongside new artists and producers such as, Phoenix, Tropics, Letherette, Benoit and Sergio and Soulwax who are pioneering the modern electronic nuances to fuse with Disco’s traditional elements. Simon Rigg, the founder of Phonica records, has always had a new disco section on right of the counter and has been pushing it determinedly. Labels such as Future Classics and Nixwax are expanding their roster and managing DJs and producers that are influenced by dance music’s roots to bring back the funk, soul and life into dance music. Co-founder of Nixwax, Ralph ‘Hunter’ Giles comments "Edits are playing an integral part in Disco’s comeback, as the art of DJing has come a long way from flipping one single record to the next. Mixing old disco records can be problematic due to all the elements on the tracks being live."The live drumming and inconsistency in tempo can inhibit modern DJs from using original tracks to their full potential. As old tracks are rerubbed and reedited by producers such as Todd Terje, Louis La Roche and Jean Tonique, Disco suddenly becomes mixable and a lot more playable in modern club settings. As well as Disco nights put on by mentioned labels, there are fresh new nights popping up more frequently such as South London Soul Train in Peckham and Saints Don’t Sleep nights around London where the emphasis is on people who want to have fun and enjoy the music. Disco has never truly left us, but don’t be surprised if your favorite DJ’s set at your next music festival is dominated by Disco Fever. Culturally this movement seems to be stepping back to musicality, and the club mantra that people just want to be happy – as Pharell says, let’s go back to that magical time when music, and the liveliness of music was what moved people.
BeHeard
Ones to watch Text: Mel Dawson
2014 has seen the up rise of some undeniably exciting new talent, with artists such as Jess Glynne and MNEK, all propelling their way to the top of the UK charts over the past year. Music is starting to become more interesting. Musicians are exploring various ideas and are now showing they are not afraid to experiment with different sounds, therefore producing some new fresh beats, ready to unleash to the world. At BeExposed we are all about showcasing emerging creatives and their works, so for this issue we have scoured far and wide to find some of music’s hottest names who we are predicting big things for over the new year. So sit back and let us take you through some of this year’s most promising music artists.
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Sinead Harnett Full Name: Sinead Harnett Occupation: Female Vocalist Think you’ve heard the name before? Well you probably have as Sinead is shaping up to be one of dance music’s ultimate protégées. Appearing on the scene last summer and someone we have followed since her emergence. Sinead has featured on some rather largely known underground dance tracks, including Disclosure’s ‘Boiling’, ‘What’s in Your Head?’, and more recently working with Drum and Bass collective Rudimental on songs, ‘Hide’ and ‘Baby’. Now newly signed to Black Butter Records and already working with some big names in the music industry, Harnett is set to have a glittering career over the course of the coming year and one we intend to follow all the way.
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Nao Name: NAO Occupation: Singer Not just your average run of the mill singer, NAO is someone who is causing huge waves in the UK music scene right now. Combining her deliciously smooth gospel inspired tone, with some illustrious electronic beats, NAO is the new face of UK R&B music and is with no shadow of a doubt one of our BeExposed ‘One’s to Watch’. Currently supporting the likes of Little Dragon on the European leg of their latest tour, the R&B songstress is also ready to release her latest EP of which the title track ‘So Good’, has already notched up over an incredible 1 million plays on Soundcloud. She has also recently performed a sell out show at London’s illustrious venue, Corsica Studios. With her glorious anthemic interpretation of this ever-expanding genre, shown within her music, NAO is set to become one of the UK’s front-runners of R&B music.
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Azakel Full Name: Azekel Adesuyi, Occupation: Singer/Songwriter/Producer It’s not often you find artists nowadays who are as extremely diverse as that of one of London’s most promising newcomers AZEKEL. Not just a singer, AZEKEL also writes, produces and mixes all of his material by himself, a touch that adds a real uniqueness to his work. A beautifully warm, soulful tone, which depicts remnants of MNEK, Frank Ocean & The Weeknd, combined with some powerful vociferous beats, AZEKEL manages to capture any listener through his undeniably infectious music. 2013 saw the release of his remarkably captivating EP, ‘Circa’ which received much recognition around the globe and since then has released some solo tracks and is working on a full length project ready for 2015. AZEKEL is definitely someone worth keeping your eye on over the coming year.
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Bipolar Sunshine Full Name: Adio Marchant Occupation: Singer/Songwriter Manchester born Adio, known to many as alias Bipolar Sunshine is one of the UK’s most underrated music artists. With a wonderfully colourful, eccentric dress sense and an esteemed career in music, it seems Marchant is a very renowned individual. Signed to Polydor, he has released 3 EP’s, a handful of singles and is now working on some new material for release in the New Year. With a plethora of hits, including; ‘Love More Worry Less’, ‘Where did the love go?’ & of course ‘Deckchairs on the Moon’ (a favourite of Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac) plus a headline tour at the 02 Shepherds Bush Empire back in October, it would seem that Marchant is set to dominate the UK charts in 2015.
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Toyboy & Robin Full Names: Toyin Mustapha & Rob Drake Occupation: House DJ’s/Producers When we hear the names Chase & Status, it’s fair to say the boys are at the top of their game, when it comes to being one of the world’s pioneering Dance music duos. So when Ben and Saul discovered this next cheeky pair, signing them to their infamous ‘MTA Records’ roster, it was clear that Toyboy & Robin, were set to become their most recent protégées. Residing in London, ‘Toyboy & Robin’ are slowly becoming the new faces of UK house music. Lacing smooth R&B samples over some colossal House beats; the boys definitely understand what it takes to make a banging tune. With their humongous release ‘Jaded’ and other tracks featuring across various compilation CD’s from the likes of Ministry of Sound & Subsoul, as well as playing various gigs across the globe, it’s clear the only way is up for this almighty music duo.
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Rosie Lowe Full Name: Rosie Lowe Occupation: Singer/Songwriter Raw and Moody Electro Pop is something that this next artist know’s all too well. Hailing as the next ‘BANKS’, not only in style but music too and with elements similar to that of popstress’ ‘Lorde’, it would seem Rosie Lowe is set for a hugely colourful musical career in 2015. We are suckers when it comes to an emotionally charged electro-pop tune, so there was no doubt when we heard her stuff that Rosie was to make this issue’s ‘Ones to Watch List’. Lowe’s hugely personal lyrics, accompanied by some largely prevalent ‘church-like’ beats and soft piano sounds blend together perfectly, baring her heart and soul to anyone who choses to listen.
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Joel Compass Full Name: Joel Compass Occupation: Singer/Songwriter One name that you’re going to be hearing a lot more in 2015 is that of Soul/Pop singer, Joel Compass. Diversity is prevalent with this young artist, currently the UK’s answer to ‘The Weeknd’, Compass is able to effortlessly switch between different styles of music. With his insatiable buttery vocals unlike any other artist you will have heard. Joel is able to jump from track to track from dark, dramatic beats to more lively rhythmic-pop tunes with real ease. A force to be reckoned with and with some already ‘infectious’ releases including; ‘Forgive Me’, ‘F***ed Up’ and Girlfriends’ under his belt, we can only imagine what the following year is set to bring for this quirky soul singer.
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Malick Denton Full Name: Malick Denton Occupation: Rapper Birmingham born by way of London, Malick IV is looking to be one of the Capital’s most interesting new UK rappers. With one of 2014’s biggest underground releases under his belt, Mixtape; ‘Blood of a Matyr’, which received huge recognition from ‘The MOBO’s’ and notching up an impressive nomination from MTV as one of their ‘Unsigned Artists of 2014’, it would seem inevitable that the 24 year old wordsmith is destined for big things in the new year. Infusing melodic, anthemic slow jams, with samples from the likes of Shade and lacing these with his undeniably virulent bars, Malick’s fresh interpretation of UK rap music is quite extraordinary and sets to inspire a new generation of up and coming Hip Hop artists.
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Becky Hill Full Name: Becky Hill Occupation: Singer/Songwriter Saying you’ve worked with some of dance music’s most illustrious producers, including the likes of Wilkinson and Oliver Heldens, as well as featuring on one of this years biggest releases is not something many musicians can say, that is of course unless your name is Becky Hill. Emerging into the music scene after appearing on BBC 1’s ‘The Voice’, it was inevitable Becky was only destined for musical greatness. After laying down some insane vocals, over Oliver Helden’s colossal number 1 single, ‘Gecko’, it looks as though Becky is pushing her way through the music crowd, being hailed as one of the UK’s hottest leading female vocalists of 2014. Now with the release of some of her own solo material in the pipeline, we expect to be hearing Becky’s name everywhere very soon.
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BeGourmet Text: Jacob Clark
The Venue
The story and ethos behind Rabbit, the second restaurant from the Gladwin brothers, is as compelling and intriguing as any. They first found success with The Shed in Notting Hill where older brother Richard runs the restaurant, Oliver is the head chef and their chief supplier is youngest of the trio Gregory who runs the family farm in Nutbourne. The philosophy of the restaurant is based around seasonality, provenance and leaving nothing to waste. Every part of the animal is used, nothing The Gladwin brothers are by no means the first, or even the most gets thrown away a la Fergus Henfamous, family to put their heads together. The Roux Familyderson. Combine this with an outCulinary Royalty the Roux brothers (Albert and Michel) opened landish creativity and you end up le Gavroche in the sixties and shortly after the Waterside Inn in with things like mushroom marmBray. They have since handed over the running of the restaurants ite, lamb chips and beef cigars to their sons (Alain and Michel Jr) and also have the prestigious (oo-er). Located deep in Chelsea, Roux scholarship to their name.Galvin Brothers- Chris Galvin’s you could be forgiven for thinking CV reads like a London restaurant guide and in 2005, along with this sounds like a load of posh brother Jeff, opened Galvin Bistro de Luxe. Since then the pair twaddle that will cost you an arm have opened; Galvin at the Windows, La Chapelle, Cafe a Vin, The and a leg whilst you listen to some Pompadour and Galvin Braserrie. El Celler de Can Roca- Owned twat called Tarquin swoon over and operated by three brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi, this Girona ethical sourcing. However, a genstalwart first opened in the 80’s next door to their parents uinely cheery and helpful front of restaurant. In 2013 it was named as the best restaurant in the house team and a couple of G&T’s world, finally knocking Noma of the top spot. (Hereford based Chase of course) is enough to dispel any cynicism. Rabbit is a small restaurant, in keeping with its sister over in Notting Hill. It has a warm and vibrant atmosphere but, feels as if it is desperately trying to be fun and quirky; the stuffed and mounted rear end of a fox presiding over the dining room being exhibit ‘A’. The random nick-nacks and objet d’art littered around the restaurant put you in mind of a themed American restaurant, but I’m not quite sure what the theme is here.
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The Food The menu is divided into mouthfuls, slow cooking and fast cooking with an emphasis on sharing, so don’t hesitate to ask for some clarification. Almost every item on the menu raises an eyebrow. There is a smattering of not-on-thehighstreet ingredients and it doesn’t take a genius to work out that these guys are into foraging. While British produce is clearly high on the agenda, the kitchen isn’t slavish to classic British cooking (with many debating if the former
actually exists). A bandwagon is currently rolling through London restaurants where starter and main courses have been snubbed in favour of ‘social’ eating, where food leaves the kitchen as and when it’s ready. It’s a trend that divides opinion, and removes an element of theatre from dining which renders this style of restaurant inappropriate for special occasions. However, if venturing out with a group of adventurous and open minded friends, this style of venue works perfectly.
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The Booze In addition to using the family farm to supply the kitchen, the brothers use the family vineyards to stock the cellars. English wine has a mixed reputation but is generally regarded as being on the up. However, due to low yields on these shores, prices can be uncompetitive and it takes a certain kind of oenophile to turf over £40 for a bottle of Bacchus. If you are willing to order Brown Crab Bomb or Artichoke Ice Cream chances are you may be willing to stretch to £44 for a bottle of Nutty Brut, winner of an IWSC
Photos: All taken from www.rabbit-restaurant.com
gold medal. Everything about Rabbit, and indeed Shed, drips enthusiasm. Enthusiasm for the produce, creativity and at the risk of sounding a tad cheesy enthusiasm for having fun. You get the impression that the staff enjoy working there and it’s hard to imagine a stereotypical sociopathic bully presiding over a kitchen that produces venison stogies and sells his Mum’s cheese. Even if it is a bit hit and miss, Rabbit deserves no small amount of goodwill and enthusiasm from in return.
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Wine to watch:
Dry Furmint Ask most people about Hungarian wines and you are likely to be met with a few vacant stares. One or two slightly more informed individuals may know a thing or two about Tokaji, the country’s supreme dessert wine that for many is on a par or even better than Sauternes. But for most, that is about it. Eastern European wine is hardly in Vogue and isn’t exactly everywhere you look in the country. Hungary has been producing wine for millennia, not always a guarantee of quality I know but they have a wine culture that goes beyond sweet wines. There is one wine that is having a bit more time in the limelight and that is Furmint. Furmint is the grape variety that is the largest component in Tokaji and we are now seeing it on supermarket shelves and in restaurants where you will find dry, crisp wines that are a million miles away from its famous sweeter sister. The grape produces a wonderfully dry white wine with high acidity that is noted for its honeyed, green apple or pear notes and has also curiously nutty and green herb aspect. But even better than this, it is delightfully affordable and being stocked in more and more highstreet retailers. You can also pick up a decent Hungarian Pinot Grigio these days and will be able to find Furmint from other countries such as Austria (where is called Mosler) and Slovenia (which also produces its own high quality dessert wines that are a fraction of the price of Tokaji). Pictured: Dry Furmint 2011 Royal Tokaji £7.99 Majestic wine
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Minutes with emerging talent, chef Georgina Dent
We met up with emerging talent, chef Georgina Dent to talk about girl power in the kitchen, dealing with the boys banter and where we should go to eat.
+ How did you first get into cooking? Why did you decide to be a chef and once you had decided what did you do to get started? Well both of my parents were chefs so I suppose that was a big influence, I watched a lot of programmes and read a lot of cookery books. When it came to GCSEs, I took an NVQ level 2 in basic cookery, which meant I only went to school three days a week, then I did one day at Cornwall College and the other day at a work placement which gave me a great head start. + People in creative industries often say that you get the best chances at a career in London. You lived in Cornwall when you were younger, do you think that affected your early career in a negative or positive way? Why? I don’t think that’s true what so ever. I think people often say that because London is big
city and it has a lot more job opportunities but Cornwall was fantastic, we have the best fish, fresh as fresh comes and local ingredients. I can’t wait to return, and get out of the city. I worked with Nathan outlaw in Cornwall and I personally think I had an amazing start to my career. + Being a chef seems to be a male dominated career; obviously there are some amazing female chefs too but do you think your gender holds you back in any way? Yes I would say it is but I don’t think that being female holds me back, if you work just as hard as everyone else and show that you can do the job, it’s all about proving yourself. I work for Angela Hartnett and she’s been very successful! Then there is Clare Smyth who runs Gordon Ramsay’s 3 star, what an achievement. I also met Joyce Molyneux, she’s 80 and was the first British woman to have a Michelin star, she was so inspiring! Somebody I also admire is Nieves Barragan; her food is brilliant and she’s created something really special with Barrafina. + We hear that kitchen banter can be quite brutal, how do you deal with it? Ha, well yes but the best thing to do is join in otherwise you’ll be on the end of it. + You won the Observer food monthly Young chef of the year award in 2013; did that open any new doors for you? Do you think competitions and awards are important for young chefs? It was fantastic to win OFM Young chef of the year and I thank all the chefs for picking me, it gave me a lot of job opportunities but in general competitions aren’t important to me. I like to spend my time in the kitchen, focusing and learning. + You told me that some chefs draw pictures of their recipes to plan how they will look. How important do you think the appearance of a dish is? Well it’s very important as you see before you
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eat; if something looks messy you’re not going to want to eat it. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be simple. + What new food trends do you see emerging at the moment? I wouldn’t want to start a war, but I think fine dining is starting to go out of fashion a bit, there are so many new places opening, that are just chilled out, cool, and most importantly create good food that doesn’t break the bank. What type of food do you most enjoying eating? + Do you have a favourite restaurant? I enjoy eating simple and tasty food, not too many fussy ingredients but really fantastic flavours. I’m not sure about a favourite, but there is a restaurant in New York called the John Dory oyster bar, I had a great meal there. It’s owned by a female chef originally from London and she also a two more places out there, I think her food is brilliant! + What is next for you, do you have any exciting plans coming up? Well maybe, time will tell.
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Are you part of a ‘Koople’? Text: Harriet Dixon
Ah, to be one half of a The Kooples couple. How I wish I could stare down at the streets of London from my artfully-shot advert on a red bus, nonchalantly dressed in a burgundy trouser suit offset by my tousled bob and smoky eyes, clutching hands with my beautiful, bearded boyfriend in an outfit that perfectly complements mine. The Kooples have made couples cool. The Kooples boyfriend does not sit, bored, outside the changing room scrolling through the BBC Sport website, but instead he is just as passionate about sartorial expression as his well-dressed girlfriend. The brand articulates a very modern couple with a clear sense of equilibrium: matching style, the focus of the frame shared between them (none of the usual sexualisation of the woman against a fully-dressed man), and the simple act of holding hands conveys unity. It’s a strong message (and of course it is a particular ‘type’ of couple they are endorsing; cool, alternative, gorgeous), but is it an unrealistic ideal? Fashion is a powerful reflection (and expression) of society and the cultural zeitgeist, but I wonder if The Kooples’ brand message is a true picture of modern relationships, or if the majority are still encumbered by traditional gender roles and power struggles. How do men really feel about the prospect of their partners earning more than them? Let’s dive into the precarious world of the power balance... Money is never an easy subject. And never more so then when in a relationship when the two salaries are at opposite ends of the earning spectrum. Couples like the behemoths Beyonce and Jay-Z, The Beckhams, and the Jolie-Pitts are held up as examples of strong, attractive, power couples who enjoy both individual and collaborative success. Clearly these are extreme examples and they have a dedicated brand team perfectly orchestrating their every move and outfit, but the message of equality is still relevant and powerful. But for me, there is always a sense that only one
half of such a power couple can be in the spotlight at a time; Beyonce earned $115m in 2013, compared to Jay-Z’s paltry (!) $60m. Looking to Sex and the City, with its groundbreaking depiction of women remaining a cultural framework through which to ponder the many intricacies of relationships, I now feel somewhat uneasy with the series finale. In the end, each couple sat on opposing ends of the power spectrum: Carrie (the irritating poster girl for insecurities) succumbed to the rich, unreliable Mr. Big; Charlotte gave up her career to focus on having a family; Samantha and Miranda were financially superior to Steve and Jared and therefore painted as ‘Alpha females’. None of these conclusions depict equality; either the women had to be wholly submissive (in an emotional or financial sense) or overly dominant over their partners. Of course it isn’t just personal relationships where power struggles (can) exist; just watching any episode of The Apprentice is enough to demonstrate clear sexual stereotypes alive and well in the world of business. Take the odious little toad James in the current series; he doesn’t even attempt to veil his sexist, chauvinist ways as he alternates between either snarling through gritted teeth or aggressively shouting at the women to assert his power/penis ownership. Early in the series, Sarah encouraged her female colleagues to hitch up their dresses and pretty themselves up in order to succeed. This insinuation that women in business need to be dressed sexily is depressing in this modern age when women (like Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg) are trailblazers in a whole range of industries (I work in Media and am heartened to see so many senior positions filled by women). Without wanting to jump too high onto my feminist soapbox, this message that women must be sexually alluring in order to succeed in their careers is tiresome and unhelpful. However it’s not all doom and gloom; there are many examples
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Martell McFlyy Cambell & Donya-Patrice, Style Siblings.
‘The Kooples boyfriend does not sit, bored, outside the changing room scrolling through the BBC Sport website, but instead he is just as passionate about sartorial expression as his well-dressed girlfriend’
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Photography – Ruth Richardson
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of male/female relationships where new, alternative ways of being have succeeded. Martell McFlyy Campbell, a designer/blogger, realised his brand would flourish by joining up with his equally cool, influential sister Donya-Patrice (see separate interview). And my friend Sally, who has always earned more than her partners, says "Traditionally the expectation is the men earn more than the women, however you can’t help who you fall in love with... Some men have struggled to accept it, but that’s down to their own insecurities - secure men who really love you find it attractive!" Amen to that! Relationships in any guise can be delicate and fluctuate with the distribution of power; as human beings we are biologically programmed to seek autonomy so it is natural that aggravation can arise when challenged by another’s attempt to assert their authority over us, be it through financial or any other means. I have chosen to approach this subject through the medium of fashion, but The Kooples example is proof of how influential and powerful it is to the dialogue of cultural debates and movements – just observe how hemlines go up and down depending on the economic health of the nation! You certainly wouldn’t find a The Kooples boyfriend calling it a fickle industry...
Martell McFlyy Campbell, a designer/blogger, realised his brand would flourish by joining up with his equally cool, influential sister Donya-Patrice. We spoke to Martell about how their relationship works. + Would you say you and Donya-Patrice have an equal relationship, or does one of your more naturally like to be in charge? In terms of your careers, what causes the most disagreements? Do you have similar ambitions? I would definitely say that my relationship with Donya-Patrice is very equal. It’s all I can remember when being brought up by our mother; she treated both of us equally. I wouldn’t say that I am naturally in charge as we both take charge within different sectors of what we do. I naturally take charge when it comes to doing more Graphic design or visual arts projects, where Donya takes charge when it comes to more fashion design projects; the great thing about that is that we learn things from each other. Working with my sibling is great; I wouldn’t change it for the world even though we do disagree at times. + You have a clear masculine, dapper style. Donya-Patrice perfectly compliments you with her feminine take on traditional masculine style like tailored suits and brogues. Is it important to your brand message that the 2 of you have a unified style?
Yes it is important that we have unified style as it is important to brand ourselves visually. We both believe if you are bloggers stylist and designers then you must look like bloggers stylist and designers. I remember once again my mother dressing us up in similar clothes, for example I remember a photo of us both in a stripy top and denim dungarees and people use to think we were twins. + What are the pros and cons of working together? It’s great working with Donya because I can trust her. We know each other really well which is why we make a good team. + How would you define a ‘modern couple’? Do you think most couples are still defined by traditional gender roles e.g. the man as the breadwinner? To me a modern couple today consists of two people whether they are boyfriend and girlfriend, boyfriend and boyfriend, brother and sister etc. I don’t think couples are as much defined by a traditional gender role nowadays as I feel things have changed and it is more equal today. + How important is style to your relationship? Style is very important to our relationship as we both have a strong interest and love for style, which is the reason why we work together.
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Talking to THRDS Text: Tiffany Baron
Meet Andre and Jay London, the two creative minds behind the popular fashion and lifestyle platform - THRDS. Four years ago these guys launched a platform for discovery, with a team of photographers, stylists, videographers, writers, and life enthusiasts. The THRDS team have now gone on to create content for the likes of Lacoste, New Era, Evisu and Topman to name a few. Excellence is at the core of everything we produce, and I cannot argue with that statement. Eager to know more about this slick site and stylish duo I caught up with the guys to learn more.
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+ Describe THRDS in 5 words. A - Leading fashion and lifestyle platform Why was the typical option 9-5 not for you? J - I get bored very quickly and hate routine. I tried the 9 - 5 thing after leaving college years ago and found myself doing the same thing on the same day of the same week. No disrespect to anyone happy with that but surely there’s more to life right? A - Right on! + What attracted you to this creative industry? J - Deep down we’ve always been creatives. My first passion was in art, which didn’t last very long. Once I found out urinals were being sold for thousands I decided it wasn’t for me. I then stepped into the entertainment industry finding my true passion in radio and presenting. If someone told me then that in years from now Dre and I would be running our own creative business, I probably would have choked on my packed lunch. + How did you gain the confidence to go it alone? A - THRDS was never set out to be a successful men’s publication and was more of a hobby when we first began. We always knew that we wanted to create something for people that were like us. Fashion focused content delivered in a non-pretentious way that everyone could enjoy. I guess the response that we received as the brand got bigger is what built our confidence. J - The fact that there are two of us also means we are never alone whether we like it or not. It’s pretty fair to say we spend more time together than with our girlfriends ha! + How did you guys decide on Jay being the face of the brand and how do your roles differ? A - With Jay being a presenter and co founder of the brand it was natural for him to be the face in front of it. I was a fan of his work and approached
him to start this journey with me before we even knew where it was going. A couple beers later in and old east London pub we had our brainchild. Three years after that with a lot of hard work from the entire team we have what we see in front of us today J - I guess our roles are pretty similar. We never make any decisions without consulting one another and our best creative ideas often come from hitting both our heads simultaneously. The only real difference is Dre is the guy that knows EVERYONE, and I’m the big head in front of the camera with no friends ha! + Describe a typical day for you at THRDS. J - Wow that’s a tricky one as no two days are the same. There’s a mixture of client meetings, visual shoots, planning sessions, concept preparation, photography shoots, team meetings, marketing and PR duties, writing proposals, events, editing and uploading content plus some more bits that I haven’t named off the top of my head. A - Take about 9 of those and you’ll probably get one day out of a typical week at THRDS. + Who was your first big client and how did that come about? A – Lacoste was probably the first big client. That really put us on the London/UK map. The partnership we had with them to support our first birthday event was massive exposure for us. We created one of our bespoke videos with the French brand showing the industry THRDS was no longer just a hobby. J – Our 6 week pop up store in East Londons Boxpark was also a pretty big deal. We introduced a cool new brand each week, making a lot of noise on the scene. Everything we do originates from our work ethic and I guess that’s how opportunities were presented to us. The number one rule is quality over everything, something that everyone can always relate too.
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“There will be times that people will not believe in you or the empire you are building, and that’s because they haven’t found an empire to build yet themselves”
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“Lacoste was probably the first big client. That really put us on the London/UK map. The partnership we had with them to support our first birthday event was massive exposure for us.�
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+ Would you ever want to take THRDS global or are you true to London? A - There’s a whole world out there so it would be crazy to say no. Some of our earliest work was over seas, filming for Bench in Berlin or covering festivals in Croatia and Portugal. I think for us now it’s all about focusing on the incredible scene we have here in the UK before we start to go global. J - London is an unbelievable city with so much to offer so we’re very lucky for that. Although we will always be expanding, we know where our home is + The best thing about THRDS is? A - We are always discovering new opportunities to deliver to our audience. We bring in members that have a great eye for creativity and goal/ vision for themselves, which makes them passionate about working with THRDS. We can’t just sit and wait for an opportunity to come to us. It’s all about going out there and creating your own. J - The website! We’re really proud of the content on there right now and it’s very humbling when strangers express their appreciation for all we create. Check out THRDS.co.uk to get your daily fix!
people, treat them like you would like to be treated and never think your worth is more than theirs. A - Making mistakes is important too, as it will or should only make you stronger. + You have clearly come a long way over the years. If you could look down at your younger self, what advice would you give knowing what you know now? J - Good question. "Young Jay...value your brand, keep the people that inspire you close and get ready for the longest journey of your life. There will be times that people will not believe in you or the empire you are building, and that’s because they haven’t found an empire to build yet themselves" + What’s the next step for THRDS? A - Continue our journey to become the UK’s number one men’s fashion and lifestyle platform by pushing the boundaries. More live events like our ‘Noteworthy Live’ intimate gig we put on in November. Also teaming up with some of our favorite brands, to create more stunning campaigns and concepts. J - All that plus outreach and discovery. We want the world to identify our hard working team and the incredible work they produce.
+ What’s the key to successful teamwork? J - Surround yourself with like-minded talented
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Eating: Marylebone high street is a Christmas shopping dream, everything is fanciful and desirable, and we are like kids in a candy store. What better sweet treats than tea at neighbourhood cafe Fischer’s, a new offering from Corbin and King. We will go for strudel, gingerbread and their delicious hot chocolate. https://www.fischers.co.uk/
Editors About Town
Drinking: T call for cockt bartending s a screw top in Camden. a small pr bartender special for ww
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Culture: Since we explored modern art in issue 5 we have been keeping a more cultured eye on the art world; now in its 30th year, the Turner Prize is exhibiting talent from 2014 winner Duncan Campbell and his nominated peers until 4th January 2015 at Tate Britain, £10 www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/turner-prize-2014
Pop up: Each weekend until March, Hush Mayfair will be hosting movie nights complete with blankets, cocktails and popcorn. There is something for everyone from classics like Fargo to love stories such as the Notebook on Valentine’s day. Tickets are £10. www.hush.co.uk/experiences/dining-experiences/classics
London Life
The festive celebrations tails, but if, like us, your skills extend to undoing p then check out BYOC . Bring a bottle and pay rice for a professional to whip up something r you and your friends. ww.byoc.co.uk/
Dancing: Tis the season of goodwill to all men, so how about Play it forward night at the Lock Tavern. Each artist picks an envelop pulled at random. To create a running order for the night; they then play 3 songs of their choice before collaborating with the artist before and after them to create something new and Play it Forward. Hosted by Carly Wilford of Rinse FM it promises to be a night of nonstop music. The Lock tavern, 22nd January, free entry. www.iammusic.tv/play-it-forward/
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