Blum Magazine: Volume One Issue Three by Blūm Magazine

letter from the editor Welcome to our third issue! It has been an honor to continue with this publication and amazing to watch it grow. We are still working out some kinks in the process and we will be more involved with the readers within the coming months! Thank you most to our contrinutors. You are all so talented and we appreciate your patience with us. The layout has changed, and we'll be developing a new website to coincide with a new aesthetic. Once again, thank you all for sticking with us. we can't wait to see what the future has in store. Travis Seale

Contributors (in no particular order)

2w studio • Ariana Gillrie Atcha Kim • Blake ballard Crystallee farris • dinara zhumazhanova gavin poh/bride zilla events • Graham yelton jaime chan • jennifer mills lizeth diaz • marie weikopf naelia salas amner • nicola pani rachel & noah ray • tommy wharfe travis seale • zaheer sukhnandan an interview with mars meusic by vara ayanna with video stills by Shanice malakai and part one of a three-part short story by van hobbes

red

Photographer - Dinara Zhumazhanova Photographer’s Assistant – Katarína Raus Models (in order of appearance) - Christina Gigliotti, Alina Iljina, Diana Doskumbaeva, Yana Kim, Il´ya Guzikevich, Dinara Kairzhanova, Masha Bustriskay, Gulsana Turekhanova, Irina Leps

designer (pages 4-6) - KATEŘINA HYNKOVÁ

designer (pages 8-11) - ADILYA ZHUMABAEVA

just being modest Photographer/Creative Director - Jaime Chan Model - Kelsey @ Rogue Management Makeup - Susannah Kent Hair -Allyson Nimoy Styling - Jihane Sy Location - Mini Main Studios | Alhambra, CA

coat - WAREHOUSE trousers (left page) - DSQUARED2 pumps - CASADEI

shirt - MELROSE peg pants - SOAKED IN LUXURY

blouse - SONIA RYKIEL turtleneck sweater - NEIMAN MARCUS trousers - RALPH LAUREN BLACK LABEL pumps (right page) - DOLCE VITA

muted

Photographer - Ariana Gillrie Models - Tylani Stokes/Alivia Townsend @ Asha Model Management Stylist - Jordan Boorman Makeup - Lizzy Poole Assistant - Steph Vanneste

coat (pages 18 -19) - DJUR sweater/skirt (page 20) - DJUR dress/purse (pages 21-22) - DJUR neckalce (page 21) - STYLIST’S OWN shirts/skirt (page 23) - DJUR shorts (page 23) MODEL’S OWN

marešková Photographer - Nicola Pani Model - Aňa Hübsch @ 2W Scout Makeup - Alžběta Fleglová Clothing Designs - Anna Marešková

anoxia

Photographer - Jenny Mills Model - Holly Ardron Makeup - Rosie Nicholson Styling/Concept - Lizzie Orwin

blue district Photographer - Atcha Kim Model - Darian @ Key Model Management Makeup/Hair - Zaheer Sukhnandan Stylist - Carolina Siulin

nude bodysuit – CALVIN KLEIN leopard print leather jacket – JUST CAVALLI pearl ring – ZARA knot ring – H&M black booties – BCBG

sequin denim jacket – SAM EDELMAN beaded tank top – H&M grey skirt – ZARA booties – MARK FISHER

croptop – CLOVER CANYON lace skirt – BEBE

red printed coat – PHYLOSIPHIL body suit – DKNY stockings – TOPSHOP

ginger ale

Photographer - 2W Studio Model - Johana K @ 2W Scout Makeup/Hair - Andrea Ciganekova Stylist - Veronika Metz Coats - Nikola Zezulova Lingerie - Tereza Vu Shoes - Marketa Sohajova & Garage Store Prague Jewelry - Bijou Briggitte

cream

Photographer - Graham Yelton Model - Jessica Middleton Hair/Makeup - Helen Walker Stylist - Andy Smith @ Mr. Smith Styling

dress - DIANE VON FURSTENBURG necklace - SHALLA WISTA

top - THEORY pink pants - AMERICAN APPAREL jewelry - SHALLA WISTA

Photographer - Blake Ballard Model - Kyra Saffran @ Salt Models and Talent Makeup and Hair: Erikka Hart Fashion Editor - Blaire Ballard

blouse/bralette - ASOS

dress - VS rose gold stud earring - MARC BY MARC JACOBS bracelet/necklace - H&M midi ring - FRANCHESCAS

lace black maxi dress - VS rose gold stud earring - MARC BY MARC JACOBSÂ cz stud earring - BOUTIQUE 9 bauble bracelet - JCREW midi ring - FRANCHESCAS

sirens

Photographer - Gavin Poh Models - Chloe Hunt & Sian Murray Campaign Management & Flower Crowns - Bride Zilla Events Makeup - The Doll Project Hair - Groomed by Gwen Designer - Vicoola Fashionista

Houston, we have

with a fresh outlook or a certain genuineness which shines through the noise of what everybody else is doing. Those are the musicians that catch my attention; you pry won’t catch me shuffling anybody else. Disclaimer though: appreciation of music is very subjective and you can’t take that away from anybody’s art.

Mars Meusic

How can you provide a safe platform for other artist to make your kind of music ? Being vocal in organic publications like Blūm Magazine, really connecting with appreciators of your music, collaborating with other musicians who value the art as well, and partnering with visualizers [e.g. Malakai Creative producing my creative visuals] to accentuate the music. It’s really about the community of creators and appreciators working together. A lot of people don’t realize yet but we’re actually in one of the best eras for music right now. Fans can directly support their choice artists; therefore musicians don’t have to go to a label and be coerced in to sounding/ looking a certain way. With the support of the fans the artist doesn’t need a record deal but if one is offered to the artist/fans partnership they have leverage they need still do their thing and stay true to themselves while enjoying the benefits of being on a bigger platform. Everybody can win, fans, artists, and labels! I feel like we can help each other and life doesn’t have to be as versus as it’s often portrayed to be.

Interview by Vara Ayanna Video stills provided by Shanice Malakai What is your go to for musical inspiration (I.e. When you can’t find any inspiration)? Just Life. Also stuff that is happening to me currently but cereal is very inspiring as well. FR it depends though; inspiration can be triggered by seeing an awesome live musical performance or hearing a tight record for the first time. Or just listening to your inner emojis. The randomness and unpredictability is part of the charm in the process and I think that’s really reflected in mi musica. How can you bring inspiration to the world with your music? I tend to pen music about happy stuff because things that make me smile motivate me to write most. My hope is that the listener on the receiving end of what moved me enough to put pencil to paper can feel those positive vibrations as well. Side-note music is technically the vibration of air so that’s a literal thing, not just hippie talk. lol What’s your favorite song at the moment ? Tamelli Ma’ak by Amr Diab tied with Daft Punk’s Discovery album (not technically a song but I always listen through as if it were a single track), tied with some random Rich Homie Quan record while I lift weights. The French sound is so attractive I’ve also been bumping a production duo called The French Dose as well as Soundcloud of a super vibey producer named Teddy Walton. I’m too indecisive and music is too good to just pick one. Do you like the direction hip-hop and r&b is going? I hear it but I don’t really pay attention to industry direction because direction follows trends. The music I prefer doesn’t tend to fit that mold; I prefer evaluating artists individually. I feel like there’s always innovators

If you could travel anywhere right now where would it be and why? Charles City, IA because I miss my mom lol. What’s your most embarrassing moment? My entire life is perpetually embarrassing so idk if stratification into individual intstances of abashment is even humanly possible. Would you rather get shot in the foot or eat dog food lol? Case in point for last question; already done both lmao. •••

Pictured: Mars with Alesha Bush

holly

Photographer - Tommy Wharfe Model - Holly Horne @ Milk Management Makeup/Hair - Monica Rossi

pizza top (left page) - O-MIGHTY bottoms - ASOS

coca cola top - WILDFOX bottoms - ASOS

bacon top - O-MIGHTY bottoms - ASOS

long beach blues Photographer - CrystalLee Farris Model - Bleu Archbold

leather hat - VOLCOM satin jacket - AMERICAN APPAREL denim - LEVI’S shoes - CONVERSE

leather crop - AMERICAN APPAREL

velvet turtleneck crop/skirt - AMERICAN APPAREL sunglasses (right) - VINTAGE

urbeon

Photographer - Marie Weikopf Models - Marko Berghoff & Christian Birkelbach Designer - Natacha Aedo Duran Stylist - Natacha Voranger Hair/ Makeup - Natalie Kรถppe

spring fever Photographs/Styling - Rachel & Noah Ray Model - Rebecca Ryan Hair/Makeup - Natalie Stewart @ Salon JuNa

trenches

Photographer – Naelia Salas Amner Photographer Assistant – Carlos Otero Model – Erika Butautaite @ Blow Models Designer – Zara Stylist – Naelia Salas Amner Hair/Makeup – Hrönn Blöndal Birgisdottir

mesh top - ANTIQUE SUGAR denim - THRIFTQUEENED glasses - VINTAGE

summer love Photographer - Travis Seale Model - Courtney Dickerson Stylist - Vara Ayanna Makeup/Hair - Stacy Albright Location - The Hive

body suit - ANTIQUE SUGAR

pop art dress - ANTIQUE SUGAR

romper - THRIFTQUEENED glasses - VINTAGE

sequin top - ANTIQUE SUGAR denim - THRIFTQUEENED

button down dress - THRIFTQUEENED

friday lovers Photographer: Lizeth DĂaz Model: Fannie Berber

100

101

kambeitz

Photographer/Grooming - Zaheer Sukhnandan Model - Logan Kambeitz @ DEJAVU Model Management Styling - Stephanie Coombs

102

windbreaker (left) - RVCA t-shirt - TOMMY HILFIGER cardigan - MEXX

103

denim jacket - LEVIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S sweater (pages 104 -105) - RW&CO jeans - TOPMAN

104

105

t-shirt - URBAN OUTFITTERS watch - HUGO BOSS

106

WAR ON POOR A three part short by van Hobbes - Part ONE -

The four of them sat around a conference table. Ensel, the boss sat back in his chair with a slight slouch and his legs outstretched. He slid a packet of paperwork across the table, to the lead on this case, Nelson Silma. “Nels,” he said quickly, “what can you tell me about what Sarvecta is up to?” Nels took the sheets, flipped through them casually. Same old information, the front office always had it wrong. Nothing replaces being in the field, he thought. “Well, what I can tell you is that they are definitely in the Lowers. Talked to a few witnesses, seen their med team there. Think they’re - ” “Uninterested in what they think.What have they seen?” Typical Ensel. “They tracked them - ” “Tracked?” “That’s correct, sir.” He began again but was cut off. “Christ, be careful. May be too soon for that. Can’t have them getting spooked.” Nels continued, not missing a beat. “They’re far too inexperienced in the ghettos of our urban jungle to pick up such subtleties.” He gave a brief look over either shoulder to his peers, Schumer and Arriçon. They both just eyed him back, a bit nervously. “Scientists Omar Akbullah and Denin Reimereiner have been followed into the Lower District,” he let this sink in for just a moment, and Ensel considered it and nodded once it registered. “In addition, the voice of this not-so-underground movement, Sarvecta public relations senior generalist Dara Helspfond is on record saying they are ‘looking for new ways to reach out.’ How far their alleged ‘reach,’ we do not yet know. What they mean plan to do with that reach, we’re going to figure out.” Nelson then casually flipped through the printout, knowing full well the information the packet contained. Ensel noticed his indifference to the information provided by the staff secretary for this meeting, and said “So Sarvecta has corporate imps and a doll to spread the word and win favor in the Lowers for a taskforce reboot operation to give their company a new name and new reputation. How are they going to accomplish this?” In his most bureaucratically correct version of I don’t know yet Nelson said that his team will have the answers soon. Ensel seemed un-optimistic. “What do you need? And before you answer keep two things in mind, kid: “One. You know if they brought their little PR slut and some all-star scientists to the Lowers, they definitely brought corporate goons to watch their backs. In a place that bad, you can bet they’re well paid and Sarvecta expects great results from the investment in their rent-a-cops. “You got it.” “Shut up, I’m not finished yet. “Two. You have three weeks to get me results on their activity. I’m keeping you with Schumer and Arriçon. You’re on this one as the lead though, so divert your resources wisely. “Now, I’ll ask again, what do you need?” He eyed the two of them, breathing deeply, preparing himself and hoping they’d do the same for this next request. Schumer seemed to get it but Arriçon only looked more concerned. Typical female. I’ll keep her at the office here so her motherly instincts don’t kick in and lock us down in the middle of the chase. “I’d like, sir, to be frontline on this one.” He noticed right away that Ensel’s already ugly face twisted, to display a bitter look of confusion. “As you know, sir, we’ve struggled with getting the timely results we need from our informants in the past. Seems some of them are almost too eager to help because of the added security they get from us when they do and I’m sure the payout helps them talk. “But not this time. I need Sarvecta to stay put and I need the exact players involved, no wrong addresses or bad leads this time. No mis-identifying. They get word we’re raiding for a Food/Drug/Water/Administration search they’ll be gone faster than Terrasis left their claims in the Badlands when EPEA botched the raid on their equipment prior to any excavation.” “I see your point. But it’s awfully risky, Nels.” He began shaking his head, and looked at the worry on Arraçon’s face. “And what about your associates here?” “Well, I know they’re just as capable as I am of keeping a low profile during the investigation into the Lowers, but I’d prefer if Arraçon ran analytics on the intel gathered and Schumer acted sort of as a halfway point, watching my back, extra set of eyes, positioned right on the outskirts of the Lowers.” “Midtown, say?” Offered Schumer. “Midtown, that might work,” Ensel tossed this around and stared out into space. “That just might work.” He penned something down on paper and before he began to speak, Nelson thought he knew what that was and -

couldn’t help but break a smile, though he tightened his face to suppress it. “I don’t yet have money from the budget approvals for this quarter, Nelson. So I can’t offer you much in the way of support. No toys. Only what you can call in from the Enforcement group, and you’re at the mercy of their response time.” “I understand sir.” “Yeah, no toys, damn the luck. Least not yet. Maybe early next week. I’ll have to check on that. And we’ll have to see what we need short term. Anyway you’re without the protection I’d prefer and you represent not only the FDWA but indeed the State and everything we strive to keep from failing. You understand?” “Yes, sir.” “Good luck, then.” That evening Nelson Silma made his first appearance in the northern edge of the Lowers, dropping in using the public transit system from a run down bus stop located in the outskirts, in Midtown, not many blocks from the favourite pub of Eli Schumer. The bus stop had all but been eroded by the heavy handed and desperate vandalism that scarred most of Lower Midtown and the Lowers themselves. Rather than a street stop with a bench and a small enclosed booth to admit transit users and protect them from the elements, the stop consisted of nothing but heavily graffitied plywood that was pieced together from wood scraps of many other projects. Thank goodness these things are almost always on time, Nelson thought to himself. Once on the bus he hoped it traveled fast and made few stops to reach 23rd St. The smell of garbage and urine was so thick he was certain there was a mist of nearly microscopic particles that were coating themselves to the inside of his nose and mouth. He felt relieved to be off the bus, but knew that would fade as he walked along as a vulnerable stranger in perilous land. A strange nervousness began to creep in just then. A jittery feeling in the pit of his stomach, it felt warm, and it carried with it the weight of impending doom. He was here to work on his cover. To practice his ability to maneuver and be unseen, or at least un-noticed. This was his chance to work on trying to blend in before he got close enough to the Sarvecta team that they may see him and run. I never realised how short the buildings here are, he said. Rather than the massive glass and concrete structures that shot out of Downtown in modern, jagged spears, and sprinkled through parts of Midtown along with many older heavy, bulky structures, the Lowers seemed to be littered with ill-placed, squat, stone structures were breaking down in time as though they were made with water-soluble rocks that had given most of themselves up to act as warped bowls or channels for stormwater. And the stormwater was everywhere. Which gave rise to stagnation and breeding grounds for harmful insects. At least I hope that’s stagnant stormwater, Nelson thought. Recalling briefly then forcing himself to forget the reports he’d seen on sewage system performance that had run out of funding from the EPEA’s inner-city Storm Waste and Reusables Management Systems (SWaRMS) and had led to blocked sewers and backed up waste water areas, flooding parts of the Lowers. Yet another reason they need us, he thought as he walked along. Another reason for the Agency’s to be proactive, to punish those who think they can take advantage of public works by flushing the evidence of their crimes away and plugging our sewers. They must be punished, and we’ve had Agencies that track them down and do that for a long time. But now it’s time to find them before they succeed. He walked faster, his pace boosted by the pride of his noble occupation. He began making his way back to the bus stop he needed to reach to leave the Lowers for the night. The fear had seemed to have left him, being squeezed out of the soles of his shoes with every step. He felt comfortable here now. Not safe, but not afraid either. The following morning Schumer was first in the small trio of desks in the cuble. As he sat at his workstation with a headache and bloodshot, watery eyes, he stared longingly into a monitor that he hoped made him look busy. Where the fuck is Nelson? He didn’t feel dehydrated, by virtue of wanting nothing to do with the bottle of water on his desk, but he knew he was not going to bleed out even if he had his throat cut and he also knew that was nothing to be proud of. As he steadied himself and his belly to take pulls from the bottle of redistributed recycled organic natural spring -

water, Nelson came shuffling in. “Shit,” he said. “Sorry I’m late.” “Shit. I was late. Where the - ” “Had a late night in the Lowers. Where is Linda?” “Still not here?” “You’re sitting in an empty cube, Schume,” Nelson said. “Right,” he said. “Not here.” He rubbed his head and then looked up at Nelson Silma from the slouched position in his chair. “She say anything about being late this morning?” “No. Last I heard she was headed to the outskirts to look for you.” “Me? I was where I always am, she knew that. Last I heard she was worried sick about whether or not you were okay.” “Shit. Can you imagine her big clumsy ass heading down into the Lower District to be a hero? Goddammit.” “Yeah. This isn’t good, man.” “Not good? There is typically only one reason someone from the City doesn’t show up after a trip to the Lowers. It’s not because they’re lost. It’s not because they got tired out there and decided to find a place to stay.” “Right. Let’s get a team ready for investigation. Missing. Assumed dead.” This is already too much, Nelson Silma thought. What are we getting ourselves into here? ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.”

-Anne Frank