BITE Magazine Issue 09 | Verve

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IS S U E IX

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IS S U E IX

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IS S U E IX

COVERS

Mikhail D. @ ADAM Models Photographed by HADAR Phillip K. @ SOUL Models Photographed by Jeiroh Yanga Louis Steyaert @ Elite Paris Photographed by Mia Dabrowski Louis Steyaert @ Elite Paris & Nadine Strittmatter @ Next Paris Photographed by Mia Dabrowski

Nadirah Nazaraly Editor in Chief Daniel Griffiths Features Editor Michael Brambila Fashion and Art Director

Contributing Writers Hung Tran Erich Kessel Jr. Contributing Artists Martin Niklas Wieser Jessica Wohl Contributing Photographers Adam Peter Johnson Alina Asmus Donald Gjoka Emma Krist Hadar Pitchon Jeiroh Yanga Lara Giliberto Lydia Georges & Jens Schmidt Marco van Rijt Mia Dabrowski Sy Delorme Syed Munawir Winter VandenBrink

image by HADAR

verve images by HADAR & Emma Krist

contents

DYNAMISM

010 Water Me Photography by Mia Dabrowski 020 Earthboy Photography by Jeiroh Yanga 030 Sexotheque Photography by Marco Van Rijt 038 Shapeshifter Photography by Donald Gjoka 048 The Rise of “Personal” Fashion and the Return of Optimism Text by Erich Kessel Jr.

VIGOUR

054 Lydia, The Forest, My Studio, And A Squirrel Photography by Winter VandenBrink 064 King Night Photography by Sy Delorme 076 The Flipside Photography by Schmidt&Gorges 084 Martin Niklas Wieser Text by Hung Tran

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SPIRIT

090 PMS 1235 Photography by Emma Krist 098 Performance Photography by Syed Munawir 106 Relativity Photography by Adam Peter Johnson 116 Jessica Wohl Text by Nadirah Nazaraly

FERVOUR

124 A Classic Grid Photography by Lara Giliberto 134 Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Photography by Alina Asmus 142 Male Model as Muse Photography by HADAR

editor’s letter Our ninth issue, VERVE, captures the energetic spirit within the budding talents of today’s creative industry by allowing the contributors’ enthusiasm to speak for themselves and to flourish on these pages.

From Tel Aviv to Melbourne, the work of these young creatives employs a spectrum of both modern and traditional methods in realising their vision. Through exploring the possibilities within the given theme, the dynamism of their creativity is shown through the striking balance between the old and the new.

We hope the vigour of creative spirit resonates throughout VERVE, and we thank you for your tremendous support in giving us the opportunity to showcase a new group of photographers, writers, stylists and more.

image by HADAR

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dynam

mism

water me

photography by Mia Dabrowski

on Nadine, tank by Amerian Apparel, jeans by Levi’s, belt by Bless on Louis jeans by Bless, belt from Espace Kiliwatch BITE Pre Fall 2014

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shirt by Bless BITE Pre Fall 2014

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jacket by Amerian Apparel, trousers by Steven Tai BITE Pre Fall 2014

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dress by Lea Peckre pour Maison Lejaby BITE Pre Fall 2014

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bag from Espace Kiliwatch, trousers by Dries Van Noten BITE Pre Fall 2014

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coat by Jean Paul Gaultier, jeans by Bless BITE Pre Fall 2014

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on Nadine, shirt by Veronique Branquinho on Louis, turtleneck by Nicomede Talavera BITE Pre Fall 2014

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Photography by Mia Dabrowski Art Direction by Florence Tetier Styling by Lu Philippe Guilmette Hair by Gilles Degivry @ ArtList Beauty by Satoko Watanabe Models Louis Steyaert @ Elite Paris & Nadine Strittmatter @ Next Paris Assistance by Marisa Makin BITE Pre Fall 2014

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bodysuit by American Apparel, necklace by Arielle de Pinto

earth boy

photography by Jeiroh Yanga

top by Givenchy, trousers by Y-3 BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by Y-3 BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by Gypsy Sport, trousers by Givenchy BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by Givenchy BITE Pre Fall 2014

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jumpsuit by Rick Owens, shirt and trousers by Issey Miyake, shoes by Givenchy, bracelets by i.b. Designs BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top, briefs & trousers by Eckhaus Latta, shoes by Givenchy BITE Pre Fall 2014

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sweatshirt & trousers by Hood by Air BITE Pre Fall 2014

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sweatshirt by Calvin Klein, Shorts by Osklen BITE Pre Fall 2014

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poncho by Issey Miyake BITE Pre Fall 2014

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Photography by Jeiroh Yanga Styling by Julien Alleyne Grooming by Malika Belfor Model Philip K. @ SOUL BITE Pre Fall 2014

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vest by Rick Owens, shorts by Osklen, trousers by Issey Miyake, shoes by Dries Van Noten

sexotheque

photography by Marco Van Rijt

necklace by Alexandre Vauthier, t-shirt by Givenchy, gloves b Veronique Branquinho, top bracelets by Juun.J, lower bracelets Stylist’s Own BITE Pre Fall 2014

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necklace Model’s Own, jacket by Alexander Vauthier, t shirt by Givenchy, top cuffs Stylist’s Own, lower cuffs by Juun.J, skirt by Véronique Branquinho BITE Pre Fall 2014

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jacket by Alexander Vauthier, skirt by VĂŠronique Branquinho BITE Pre Fall 2014

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cap by Nike, scarf by Givenchy, top & trousers by Jacquemus, gloves by VĂŠronique Branquinho BITE Pre Fall 2014

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vest & skirt by Alexandre Vauthier, denim jacket by Levi’s, key chain by Givenchy, arm sleeves by Nike, boots by Dsquared BITE Pre Fall 2014

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hat Vintage, nose ring & scarf by Givenchy, coat, top, gloves, skirt & trousers by Veronique Branquinho, bracelets by Juun.J, shoes by Nike x Riccardo Tisci BITE Pre Fall 2014

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necklace Model’s Own, scarf by Givenchy, coat, skirt & gloves by Véronique Branquinho, t-shirt Vintage, top bracelets by Juun.J, lower bracelets Stylist’s Own BITE Pre Fall 2014

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Photography by Marco Van Rijt Styling by JeanPaul Paula Model Sunny Janssen BITE Pre Fall 2014

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cap by Nike, nose ring by Givenchy, necklace Model’s Own, vest by Cheap Monday, robe, top and shorts by Nike x Pigalle, bracelets Stylist’s Own, shoes Model’s Own

shapeshifter

photography by Donald Gjoka

coat by Albino, pants by Sansovino 6, sandals (worn throughout) by Dr. Martens BITE Pre Fall 2014

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coat by Albino BITE Pre Fall 2014

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jacket & trousers by Acne Studios, neckpiece by Sansovino 6 BITE Pre Fall 2014

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coat, belt & skirt by Aquilano Rimondi BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by MSGM, trousers by Pleats Please BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by Acne Studios, shorts by Pleats Please BITE Pre Fall 2014

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dress by Acne Studios, jacket by Diesel

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Photography by Donald Gjoka Styling by Noey Park Beauty by Alice @ MKS Model Kotryna @ IMG Models Project Calabinana Milan, via Calabiana 6, is a multifunctional space dedicated to the developement of international business, born from a ‘creative ideas and entrepreneurial M.Seventy involving Marina Salomon as a partner, entrusting the desiging’s skills and opening projects to four different creatives: Antonio Hats (theatrical organizer), Carlo Mariani (owner designer), Massimiliano Bizzi (creator of White), and Mirko Rizzi (entrepeneur and artistic director Marsèlleria).

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the rise of “personal” fashion and the return of optimism text by Erich Kessel Jr.

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The French theorist Roland Barthes’ liked fashion a great deal. He liked it so much that he authored an experiment in semiology called The Fashion System in 1967. Semiology, in layman’s terms, is the study of how meaning is made. For example, a semiotician’s question might be, “How do red, white and blue connote ‘American’”? Barthes argues that the transition of clothes into words is what produces fashion. Clothes alone are just clothes, he believes. Once a garment is hooked up to language, it becomes Fashion. In this spirit, Barthes dives into editions of French Elle from the late 1950s, showing, with scrupulous detail, what makes fashion tick.

But fashion is only an entrée into a much deeper analysis of language. The New York Times, in its 1983 review of the English translation, called the book “semiology with a vengeance.” Despite this ulterior goal, The Fashion System still has a lot to say about fashion itself. In its brilliant section entitled “Rhetoric,” the book discusses the world that fashion constructs through language.

Barthes deftly explains the way fashion presents and maintains its ideas about identity, femininity, race, and life; fashion paints a “representation of the world.” The language of fashion is so powerful, Barthes argues, that it comes up with its own definitions of Woman and Man. It can articulate its own universe.

The world has changed, however, since the era of Barthes and the height of structuralist thinking. Of course Barthes anticipated this and understood

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that his theoretical pursuits would lose relevance with the tide of fashion: “This venture, it must be admitted, is already dated,” he writes in the foreword. Not only does fashion’s rhetoric change, but there have been new dimensions added to the world it depicts. There is a rhetoric that gives women access to suits and men access to skirts, which we label “androgynous” and “post-gender.”

Similarly, we have a method for categorizing and talking about clothes as “Lolita” or “modern.”

Looking back on the fall 2014 season, we see designers providing us fodder for a new discussion: one that hones in on function, everyday practicality, and privacy. Perhaps it all started in New York, with Joseph Altuzarra’s exciting collection of coats and woven artisan tops worn with smart slacks. In essence, the collection was a study in how to make what was once private very public.

Clothes usually function by having a clearly defined exterior and interior, which is why one wears her shirt “right side out” or “inside out.” Altuzarra’s brilliance was to confound this separation.

Coats were made to be reversible by employing two-face cashmere; dresses and blouses featured glimpses of neon pink and orange, which made fugitive appearances in somber black and gray garments. Even the woven tops confused outside and inside, miming the unfinished edge of a seam or an undone sweater. The reversible nature of the coats provided a sense of practicality, while the pops of color suggested that there was something more than just the exterior.

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This conversation was continued by the time fashion month reached Paris. At Ghesquière’s return debut at Louis Vuitton, skirts pockets appeared in the collection as a rhythm, one after the other on the runway. The pockets were not on the side, nor were they small. Rather, they stood out as a key visual feature of the entire collection.

There is perhaps nothing more important about a pocket than its function. Thus, the decision to put them on so many garments in such a large proportion suggests their symbolic importance, and Ghesquière used them to draw specific attention to use-value they’d provide.

inspired by early German Surrealism or that Altuzarra took a page from American craft tradition.

However, the core focus and intent was shifted dramatically. We might call this the rise of “personal” fashion, not in the sense that it expresses some “essence” of who we are, but rather that it is intended for who we are. This moves beyond the sentiment that drives Barthes’ work. While he presents us with a meticulous, scientific work on fashion, his semiotic attentions leave the romance of fashion by the wayside. What we can now look for, I hope, is the return of this romance, albeit quietly.

This conversation reached its highest point of sophistication in the small accessories that were shown at Céline and Maison Martin Margiela, which might’ve been the most interesting pieces all season. They were hangbags, meant to be carried at the hip. At Céline, they were held to the body by means of a leather hand strap, and the logic of the bags was not vertical but, rather, horizontal. It was designed to be held on its side.

What resulted was a sort of ergonomic day bag, designed for the body. If Céline suggested this concept, the Maison Martin Margiela actualized it in the most luxurious terms possible. The Céline bag was constructed loosely, but the Margiela bags were sculptural leather clutches; the concave sides were carved specifically to rest on the side of someone’s thigh, much like a Hip Hugger laundry baskets that became a domestic fixture in the mid-20th century.

During the genesis of this personal fashion on the runways, we also saw the announcement of another new rhetoric in fashion: normcore. The trend made its debut in the fashion press a few days before the Paris collections, actually, with an article in New York magazine. Allow me a moment to comment on this trend, as I think it provides an interesting counterpoint to the developments I’ve just discussed. The article, written by Fiona Duncan, investigate the trend in “stylized blandness.” The purpose of the style is to dress in the most normal clothes possible. “Normal,” however, doesn’t quite get at the militant boredom that the style induces. Normcore, furthermore, participates in the cynical irony of our generation. All I hear is a lame joke wrapped in suffocating nostalgia for the 90s and baggy jeans.

What is most interesting about these experiments at Altuzarra, Vuitton, Céline, and Margiela is their attempt to turn fashion’s creative focus inward.

Fashion, so often, looks outward for creative thrust. For example, the work of John Galliano relied on a vast array of cultural references; Raf Simons is known for quoting fine artists in his designs. Fashion’s ability to address and discuss the outside world—or create it, in Barthes’ terms—has basically been its cornerstone. I’m reminded of something Coco Chanel once said: “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

Chanel’s sentiment is that fashion reflects the universe around it. The proposal this past season, however, was a laser focus on the relationship between the wearer and the garment. It was a celebration of that relationship, an ode to the role that clothes play in our lives. This does not negate the fact that Céline’s Phoebe Philo was

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The intent, seemingly, is to separate oneself from fashion. In doing so, one aligns oneself with something that is very much part of fashion, for the attempt to make the uncool cool has always been part of making money and selling clothes.

Normcore also expresses a specific relationship between the wearer and the clothes, but it is not nearly as positive or earnest as the one achieved in “personal” fashion. Clothes for the normcorer are like a shroud or disguise; it’s as if the normcorer wants to hide himself from fashion. Not so on this season’s runways. Personal fashion is celebratory and rich. It’s about the idiosyncrasies of a double-faced cashmere coat or the caress of a leather bag. Finally, this past season was about people, at the end of the day: people who are proud to participate in fashion. In the years since the economic recessions of 2008, fashion was favored minimalism, and not just aesthetically. The affect and emotional richness of fashion has been reserved. Those who have lamented fashion’s dour flavor over the last five years can, at last, look forward to what next season holds. This, I argue, will be optimism’s comeback.

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photography by Winter VandenBrink

shirt by Comme des Garçons Archive, dress by Être Cécile BITE Pre Fall 2014

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blazer by Peir Wu, skirt by Être Cécile, sandals by Kay Kwok, scarf Stylist’s Own BITE Pre Fall 2014

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blazer by Alan Taylor, trousers by Peir Wu, sandals by Kay Kwok, scarf Stylist’s Own BITE Pre Fall 2014

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shirt by Jil Sander Archive, sweatshirt by Être Cécile BITE Pre Fall 2014

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shirt by Xander Zhou, Tshirt by Alex Mullins BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top and sandals by Kay Kwok, skirt by Gudrun & Gudrun, scarf Stylist’s Own BITE Pre Fall 2014

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jumper by Jil Sander Archive, shorts by Peir Wu, sandals by Kay Kwok, scarf Stylist’s Own BITE Pre Fall 2014

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shirt by Aqua, Tshirt by Être Cécile BITE Pre Fall 2014

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Photography by Winter Vandenbrink Styling by Shaun Kong Beauty by Maria Papadoploulou @ MAC Pro Hair by Chrysostomos Chamalidis Model, Lydia Graham @ Models1 BITE Pre Fall 2014

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shirt by Xander Zhou, Tshirt by Alex Mullins

king night BITE Pre Fall 2014

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photography by Sy Delorme

top by Juun J, necklace by Uriel Salas BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by Anne Valerie Madsen, trousers by Songzio BITE Pre Fall 2014

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coat by Amaya Arzuaga, jumpsuit and leggings by Jean Paul Gaultier, sandals by Songzio BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by Anne Valerie Madsen, scarf by Alexis Reyna, trousers by Songzio BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by Jean Paul Gaultier, mask by Zana Bayne BITE Pre Fall 2014

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coat by Jean Paul Gaultier, headpiece (worn as a necklace) by Zana Bayne BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top and trousers byJean Paul Gaultier, trousers (worn underneath) by Anne Sofie Madsen, sunglasses by Cast BITE Pre Fall 2014

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jumpsuit by Anne Sofie Madsen, bracelets by Zana Bayne BITE Pre Fall 2014

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Photography by Sy Delorme Styling by Ignazio Arzimendi Beauty by Laure Dansou @ Walter Schupfer Hair by Takayuki Nukui Model Anthon Wellsjรถ Styling Assistance by Deak Rostochil BITE Pre Fall 2014

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hoodie by Jean Paul Gaultier, jacket by Songzio, mask by Aurelie Demel

the flipside

photography by Lydia Gorges & Jens Schmidt

coat & dungarees by JOSEPH, Necklace by Georg Jensen,shoes by Nike Air BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by talbot Runhof BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by Michael Kors, leggings by LaLa Berlin, socks by American Apparel, shoes by Adidas BITE Pre Fall 2014

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coat & trousers by Malene Birger, top by La Perla, wellington by Miu Miu, bracelet by Tiffany & Co. BITE Pre Fall 2014

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jacket and dress by Barbara Bui, bracelets by Malene Birger BITE Pre Fall 2014

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jumper by JOSEPH BITE Pre Fall 2014

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cardigan by Rika BITE Pre Fall 2014

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Photography by Lydia Gorges & Jens Schmidt Styling by Patrick Lief Hair & Beauty by Tricia Le Hanne @ Bigoudi Model Merilin Perli @ M4 Hamburg Styling Assistance by Matt Antasri BITE Pre Fall 2014

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coat by Sandro Paris

martin niklas wieser text by Hung Tran photography by Jonas Lindstrรถm

Martin Niklas Wieser launched his brand in 2009, and has worked with top contemporary designers, including Tim Hamilton and Proenza Schouler. From his roots in Vienna, with its steeple roofs and adorned architecture, to Berlin, of meandering stairwells and a thriving underground, his clothes are the technical, tangible convergence of his various references. BITE Magazine recently spoke to the Berlin-based designer about his latest collection.

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Tell us the inspiration behind your current collection.

I was inspired by a multitude of epochs and styles, so the collection is very much a mix of all kinds of influences and looks. There was the 70s woman, and a feeling of liberation and revolution; and then there is the 90s inspired “sofa” print, or the graffiti-style print; and then there are more modern, contemporary references.

You’ve described yourself as a bit of a nomad.

Creatively, where have you been and where are you going?

I am traveling a lot, and just recently came back from New York. I like to keep an open mind.

You’ve suggested that clothing can only be activated when it is worn. Which person—living or dead—embodies what your brand is all about? And if they don’t exist, describe them.

A person who is interested in art and

fashion is a tough business and you need to be prepared to work long hours and have a strong direction

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architecture, and has a decent sensitivity towards contemporary design.

What’s the most useful lesson you learned from Proenza Schouler? And from Tim Hamilton?

That fashion is a tough business and you need to be prepared to work long hours and have a strong direction.

There’s something synthetic and mechanic about your current work. What’s more fascinating to you: the human organism, or a robot?

The human body and personality by far.

Ultimately, that’s what it’s all about. I think fashion can only enhance what is there to begin with.

You trained as a carpenter before entering fashion. Carpentry requires a lot of cutting, shaping, and connecting. Has this influenced

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the way you make clothes?

It is very similar to the point where you create things with your hands, you visualize something and then you have to find ways to realize it.

The outcome and the usage, of course, is very different. Making fashion and furniture are two very different things for me.

A carpenter’s work, however, is designed to withstand the test of time. Clothing has become increasingly ephemeral. Do you see your clothes having lasting potential?

That’s the goal: to create something that can withstand the seasonal rhythm of fashion.

Where do see yourself in five hours, in five months, and in five years?

I am going to an art exhibition pretty soon.

Hopefully, five months from now I will have had a good spring/summer season. Five years from now I really hope to have a well-established label.

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spi

irit

pms 1235

photography by Emma Krist

turtleneck by John Smedley BITE Pre Fall 2014

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coat by Lacoste, jacket by Cottweiler, skirt by Shao Yen BITE Pre Fall 2014

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zip jacket by Cottweiler, coat by Na Di Studio, skirt by Wood Wood, belt Stylist’s Own BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top Stylist’s Own, belt by Daniel Pollitt, shorts by Na Di Studio, shoes by Palladium BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top Stylist’s Own, belt by Daniel Pollitt, shorts by Na Di Studio BITE Pre Fall 2014

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sweater by Julie Eilenberger, trousers by Matthew Miller BITE Pre Fall 2014

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Photography by Emma Krist Styling by Matt King Styling Assistance by Hannah Bent Beauty by Michaela Selway Hair by Mikio Alzawa Model, Baylee @ FM BITE Pre Fall 2014

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bomber jacket by Adyn, plastic jacket Stylist’s Own, turtleneck by John Smedley, skirt by Peter Jensen, shoes by Palladium

performance

photography by Syed Munawir

on Jean, sweater by Y-3, scarf Stylist’s Own, shorts by Volcom on Hannah, body by Wolford, top by Hanes, vest by Sea NY, cuff by Ambre & Louise, bracelets Stylist’s Own BITE Pre Fall 2014

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on Jean, sweater by Adidas x Opening Ceremony, trousers by From Bitten on Hannah, top by Shaun Samson, skirt by Banana Republic, necklace by Ambre & Louise BITE Pre Fall 2014

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polo Stylist’s Own, shirt by Gerard Darel, trousers by Smalto, shoes by Melinda Gloss BITE Pre Fall 2014

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on Jean, sweater by NUUR, trousers by Cerruti 1881, shoes by Adidas x Tom Dixon on Hannah, sweater by Wrangler, top by Sea NY, overalls by S. Oliver, shoes by Primark, necklace by Ambre & Louise BITE Pre Fall 2014

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polo Stylist’s Own, shirt by Gerard Darel, trousers by Smalto, shoes by Melinda Gloss BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by Adidas x Opening Ceremony, shorts by Banana Republic BITE Pre Fall 2014

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tank top by Issey Miyake, shirt by la Boutique de Fernande, skirt by Amaya Arzuaga, bracelet by 14C JWLS, jewelry Stylist’s Own BITE Pre Fall 2014

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Photography by Syed Munawir Styling by Andrea De Saint Andrieu Beauty by Jay Kwan Hair by Rimi Ura Styling Assistance by Alyzee De Saint Andrieu Hair Assistance by Sora Kuwata Models Jean Lemersre @ Bananas & Hannah Cassidy @ New Madison BITE Pre Fall 2014

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on Jean, Tshirt by Liquid Blue, shirt by From Bitten, trousers by Adidas x Opening Ceremony on Hannah, sweatshirt by Adidas x Opening Ceremony, shirt by Adrenaline, skirt by Vanity Fair, belt and necklace Stylist’s Own

relativity BITE Pre Fall 2014

photography by Adam Peter Johnson

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top and trousers by Nicomede Talavera

top by Andrew Crews, sunglasses by Mykita BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by Nicomede Talavera BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by John Lawrence Sullivan BITE Pre Fall 2014

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trousers by Nicomede Talavera BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by 22/4_Hommes BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by Nike, trousers by John Lawrence Sullivan BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top and cap by Is Not Dead, parka Stylist’s Own BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by John Lawrence Sullivan, trousers by From Britten

Photography by Adam Peter Johnson Styling by Perceval Vincent Percevalties Beauty by Lisa Michalik Model Brieuc Larsonneur Photo Assistance by Jean Cynthia BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top and trousers by Nicomede Talavera

jessica wohl text by Nadirah Nazaraly

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Idioms such as “keeping up appearances” or “keeping up with the Joneses” demonstrate the ongoing desire to placate those outside of the domestic and internal environment. It is without question that the art of disguise and concealment is performed by the best of us to some degree, for personal benefit or in some instances, self-aggrandisement. Tennessee-based artist, Jessica Wohl, believes that this relentless need to prevent things from “ripping apart at the seams” speaks to the human need for connection, while simultaneously masking this vulnerability to appear composed in the eyes of others. Jessica employs sewing as a metaphor for the struggles of family units to “keep it together.” By distorting the faces of her subjects, that are essentially most telling of their present condition, she subjugates traditional notions of domestic or conjugal happiness. The result is a shocking yet compelling set of images that prompts us to question the authenticity of familial bliss.

Could you tell us more about the ideas and inspirations involved in producing Sewn Drawings?

I’m very much interested in the relationship between ourselves and the way we present ourselves to others. The idea that our own faces and actions may or may not deliberately mask that which we don’t want seen has inspired this work—as I tried to explore which “mask” is most real.

We assume that photographs document reality, and that if one’s smile is documented in a photograph, it implies that person’s happiness. However, when put against a stitch of thread, that photograph is suddenly much less real; it’s emulsion on paper, an image— not the person herself. The thread, and the mask made by the thread, is much more real than the image of the person it’s concealing. It exists in our space, it’s tangible. That mask becomes physical in a way that the photograph does not.

So I’m interested in playing with this dichotomy; what is more real? The emotional masks we wear or the person we are behind them?

What emotions do you intend to evoke from viewers’ of the series? Are they reflective of the reactions you’ve garnered in reality?

I would be pleased if a viewer was simultaneously allured and repelled by these drawings. I hope that viewers connect with the series because of their experience with the studio portrait, but that my handling of this familiar type of ephemera is off-putting and uncomfortable. I want people to feel that sense of the uncanny which may cause them to question what they are seeing. One word that viewers have often used to describe the works is “disturbing.” I’m happy with that.

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Where are some The White Family of the sources embroidery on found photograph of images you’ve 2011 utilized in Sewn opposite page Drawings? Do To Ed With Love, Rosie you plan to embroidery on found photograph incorporate 2012 personal photos in the future?

The photographs come from a variety of sources: thrift/antique stores, eBay and friends. One of my friends gave me a huge cache of photographs from his family that his grandmother didn’t want anymore, so some of the people in the works are actually related to each other, or are often

the same person at different times in their life.

In graduate school, I used images of my own family, but I’ve worked through the reasons I was doing that. I’ll probably stick to more anonymous people because there’s no conceptual reason to use personal photographs at this point.

Are there any reasons for using images from the yesteryears as compared to more current ones?

I’m particularly interested in portraits from the 50s through the early 2000s for their formal BITE Pre Fall 2014

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aesthetics, as well as for the adherence to this same mode of presentation, the individual or family in a studio setting, looking forward with a neutral background. This standard pose implies tradition, and tradition implies success. It worked then, it works now, so why change it? On a more logistical level, in order for me to get a hold of images, no one has to want them anymore.

They have to have been discarded, lost and abandoned, and that quality is imbued in the work because of their age. People may wonder why this photograph isn’t with its family anymore,

Goldface

embroidery with gold thread on found photograph 2011 opposite page

White Mask

embroidery on found photograph 2012

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Golden Children

embroidery on found photograph 2012 opposite page

Masked

embroidery on found photograph 2011

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and those circumstances would be assumed to be melancholic—that inevitably affects the work. I would venture to say that I don’t use contemporary portraits because they’re still on people’s walls. But if I did, I think the works would function the same way because those too would have to be discarded.

Do you believe that the struggle for perfection and normality within the domestic environment is more pronounced in today’s society?

I think it’s human nature for people to pretend things are all right when they’re not—it’s a coping BITE Pre Fall 2014

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mechanism. Often, when we put on a mask to others that seems to conform to the masses, we are allowed to be individuals behind closed doors, or more internally. No one asks questions, so it’s a perfect way to be left alone. When someone constantly looks different, they draw attention to themselves. Sometimes, to be the person you want to be, conforming or putting on that happy face is what you need to do to survive.

So no, I don’t believe this struggle is more pronounced in today’s society, but I do believe it is quite American.

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photography by Lara Giliberto

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Photography by Lara Giliberto Styling by James V. Thomas Hair by Nori Takabayashi Beauty by Ai Cho Models Alexis Petit & Octave Durand @ Elite Paris Photo Assistance by Vito Fernicola & Violette Grognard Styling Assistance by Caroline Daniaud A special thanks to Lorenzo Gironzini for the car.

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don’t ask don’t tell

photography by Alina Asmus

top and skirt by Prada BITE Pre Fall 2014

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dress by Prada, trousers by Lanvin BITE Pre Fall 2014

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sweater and schoes by Acne Studios BITE Pre Fall 2014

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shirt Stylist’s Own, dress by Acne Studios BITE Pre Fall 2014

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shirt Stylist’s Own, dress by Acne Studios BITE Pre Fall 2014

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shirt by Alexander Wang BITE Pre Fall 2014

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shirt Stylist’s Own, dress by Acne Studios BITE Pre Fall 2014

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Photography & Styling by Alina Asmus Beauty by Yifat Ohayon Model Tanya James @ Yuli Group BITE Pre Fall 2014

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blazer by Acne Studios, shirt Stylist’s Own

male model as muse

photography by HADAR

top by Peter Do, trousers by Lydia Sukato BITE Pre Fall 2014

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BITE Pre Fall 2014

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total look by Peter Do BITE Pre Fall 2014

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BITE Pre Fall 2014

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hair by Clay Nielsen BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by Rik Villa top by Peter Do BITE Pre Fall 2014

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cage by Chromat BITE Pre Fall 2014

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BITE Pre Fall 2014

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hair by Clay Nielsen BITE Pre Fall 2014

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top by Ximon Lee trousers by Ian Milan BITE Pre Fall 2014

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BITE Pre Fall 2014

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total look by Peter Do BITE Pre Fall 2014

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headpiece by House of Malakai BITE Pre Fall 2014

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BITE Pre Fall 2014

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trousers by Madison Li, shirt Stylist’s Own BITE Pre Fall 2014

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coat by Ximon Lee BITE Pre Fall 2014

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shirt by Madison Li BITE Pre Fall 2014

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Photography & Styling by HADAR Models Alexander Erickson @ Boss Models Anthony White @ NY Models Dima Dionesov @ Fusion Models Egor Semenov @ Q Models GianLuca Disotto @ Q Models Gustav Morstad @ Request Models Jackson Verges James Gatenby @ Soul Models Jamie Wise @ NY Models Max Schlesinger @ DNA Models Max Von Isser @ Fusion Models Mikhail Dorfman @ Adam Models BITE Pre Fall 2014

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ver

rve images by HADAR & Jeiroh Yanga

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