l Ferrari
l Fear of God
l Ginaissance
l Converse
l Renault
l Swatch
l Kindness
The healing component.
l Ferrari SF90 Power reimagined.
l Fear of God Fashion as cfaft.
l Ginaissance The love of gin.
l A Classic evolution Converse update.
l Real Talk The art of speech.
AThe new dawn evokes a new awareness for kindness.
‘If you can be anything, be kind’ – A sentence that has been prominent throughout the last 12 months for reasons close to our hearts and also presented to us from around the world. It's been a tough time for many, but kindness has become the key.
The quote ‘If you can be anything, be kind’ originates from the last social media post that Caroline Flack made before her death. It was simple but significant. It was a cry for help due to the tabloid war she found herself in regarding her relationship and TV career. She tragically took her own life on the 15th of February 2020 after leaving the world with a strong message. As a result, it has become the mantra within the social media world to remind people that their words do hold meaning and do have consequences. No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
The world has changed a lot, and so have we. The things people used to consider little are now the big things that make a
Be kind to yourselves and others.
difference. Political conflict in the UK and around the world, topics of saving our natural environments for ourselves and the animals and ecosystems we live alongside; followed by the social unrest of race relations, and the tragic deaths of many people from George Floyd to Sarah Everard have sparked a new awareness of kindness and its importance.
The list of unfortunate events goes on, however. They have all triggered a response in kindness. It's a tragedy in itself that incidents have to occur for kindness to be highlighted globally in this way. Kindness is a positive
and must be used to learn from as well as for comfort.
When the pandemic put the world on pause, it's been a time of reflection. We have come to notice the effects our everyday lives have on the planet, from CO2 emissions to the importance of becoming more eco-friendly and sustainable. Environmental activists such as Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, have captured the importance of these issues and have actively spoken about how the importance of kindness towards our planet needs to be a priority as it also contributes to our overall wellbeing.
Throughout the turbulent year of 2020, we also stood up and took note when it came to race relations, due to many deaths and the heavily documented unlawful death of George Floyd. The incident which occurred in Minneapolis, Minnesota, made headlines around the world. It was only taken seriously due to mobile video footage taken by a teenager at the time of the scene. There was a huge uproar regarding the death of an innocent black American man and people globally protested in their millions for justice
Empathylet it be our future guide.
and police reform. Due to the continued support, justice was made and changes within police departments and society have become prevalent. ‘The death of George Floyds will not be in vain.
The same stance was taken when the tragic news of Sarah Everard's awful death was made public. Women in their thousands gathered for a vigil in commemoration of Sarah and to show support for women everywhere and their right to feel and be safe wherever they may be. The phrase, ‘text me when you’re home’ trended as women around the world resonated with the very real risks of being a woman on their own. There is a fine line when it comes to all of these topics. As people often want to show their support, however, this can easily turn into passion and sometimes anger; which in turn depicts the aim to show solidarity and kindness. This has been noticeable throughout many protests which people relate to as it's important to them. However, there does seem to be a turning of the tide, which suggests that people are actually being understood and not just heard.
The hope is that all negative aspects that occur within the world encourage a fresh beginning for engaging a new relationship with the world and each other. Most importantly, that kindness is considered a key trait that we should all be compelled to portray in our lives whenever and wherever we are..
Quotes - You cannot do kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Be kind whenevr possible. It is always possible
The 14th Dalai
Lama.
The car’s name encapsulates the true significance of all that has been achieved in terms of performance. The reference to the 90th anniversary of the foundation of Scuderia Ferrari underscores the strong link that has always existed between Ferrari’s track and road cars. A brilliant encapsulation of the most advanced technologies developed in Maranello, the SF90 Stradale is also the perfect demonstration of how Ferrari immediately transitions the knowledge and skills it acquires in competition with its production cars.
Dynamics in view
Depending on how you see Ferrari, the SF90 is potentially controversial. It’s the firm’s new flagship, but isn’t powered by a seminal V12. Nor is it an only-available-to-collectors limited edition. It’s 4wd. There are three electric motors. You can plug it in. It starts silently, and it can drive silently. There’s never been a
Ferrari that can do that before. Nor has there been one where the brake pedal isn’t directly connected to the callipers. Or one without a mechanical rev counter behind the steering wheel. There isn’t even a reverse gear in the gearbox – but relax, there is one elsewhere. And yet this is Ferrari’s fastest, most powerful road car ever. Quicker around the Fiorano home circuit than the LaFerrari, delivering 986bhp (that’s a metric 1,000hp) to the road – the same as a Bugatti Veyron, but with basically half the engine capacity and turbos, and weighing several hundred kilos less. So yes, it’s fast – 0-62mph in 2.5secs, 124mph in 6.7secs.
The SF90 Stradale is the first ever Ferrari to feature PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) architecture which sees the internal combustion engine integrated with three electric motors, two of which are independent and located on the front axle, with the third at the rear between the engine and the gearbox.
For the first time on a Ferrari, clients can choose between the standard car and a version with a more sports-oriented specification.
Interior:
A 16-inch curved display located behind the steering wheel displays various vital statistics of the car to the driver. The car also employs a new head-up display that would reconfigure itself according to the selected driving mode. The steering wheel is carried over from the 488 but now features multiple capacitive touch interfaces to control the various functions of the car. Other conventional levers and buttons are retained. The interior will also channel sound of the engine to the driver according to the manufacturer
The internal combustion engine, gearbox, turbo-charged air, battery pack and electric motors, the inverters and charging systems and brakes all need cooling. Meticulous attention was paid to the design of the engine bay which houses both the usual internal combustion engine systems that generate temperatures of nearly 900°C, and highly temperature-sensitive electronic components.
Handling:
The SF90 Stradale employs eSSC (electric Side Slip Control) which controls the torque distribution to all four wheels of the car. The eSSC is combined with eTC (electric Tractional Control), a new brake-by-wire system which combines the traditional hydraulic braking system and electric motors to provide optimal regenerative braking and torque vectoring.
Performance feels every bit as towering as Ferrari’s claimed 6.7sec 0-124mph time suggests it should.
The brand’s new hypercar comes standard with all-wheel drive and is capable of traveling for up to 16 miles using only electric power. The SF90 Stradale is motivated by three electric motors and a potent V-8, and they combine to produce a staggering 986 horsepower.
Performance:
Ferrari states that the SF90 Stradale is capable of accelerating from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.5 seconds, 0–200 km/h (124 mph) in 6.7 seconds and can attain a top speed of 340 km/h (211 mph).[13] It is the fastest Ferrari road car on their Fiorano Circuit as of 2020, seven tenths of a second faster than the LaFerrari.
Despite their stratospheric performance, the SF90 models don’t skimp on driver-and-passenger comfort, and both provide an impressive list of standard features including a reconfigurable digital gauge display, automatic climate control, and a leather-lined cabin.
This plug-in hybrid Ferrari hypercar’s uncompromising performance gives us both a taste of the storied Italian automaker’s future and a tantalizing car for the present.
It’s a crossover, bridging the gap between supercar and hypercar. Hypercar performance, supercar price.
Fear of God is an independent American luxury fashion label, founded in 2013 in Los Angeles by Jerry Lorenzo. Crafting timeless, wearable garments, the brand’s distinct interpretation of the American expression has become an emblem of contemporary culture.
Paying homage to the unique heritage with a contemplated and sophisticated fusion through high-grade materials and fine craftsmanship.
The brand name Fear of God stems from Lorenzo’s deep religious background and is inspired explicitly by Oswald Chambers’ devotional book My Utmost for His Highest.
Jerry Lorenzo was interested in how the book ‘Utmost for His Highest’ described a God surrounded by darkness, which made the entire concept aesthetic by nature.
A unique exploration of fashion subcultures blending with a grunge and hip hop aesthetic.
Jerry Lorenzo tells a multidimensional story through its distinctive style.
Aiming to strike the perfect balance between effortless and appropriate
Lorenzo started in fashion late with a few looks for Justin Bieber’s Purpose world tour, and has gone on to partner with Italian menswear brand Zegna and sportswear giant Adidas.
Approximately 300 years ago Gin made its first appearance (in a primitive form) here in England. In 1714 it made it into the Oxford dictionary.
Since its humble beginnings, it has enjoyed a chequered history and conjures up many images. For some, it will forever be synonymous with the debauched Hogarth painting. Others see the glamour of Martinis in the Savoy. It has dipped in and out of fashion with reliable frequency.
Up until just before the start of this century, there were just 3 main brands. Beefeater, at the time the only gin distillery within the City of London, Gordons and Bombay Sapphire. During the 80s and 90s Gin was down on its luck and Vodka was calling all the shots (pardon the pun).
Then, in 1999, along came Hendricks with its soft rose and green notes. Served with cucumber and not the obligatory lemon wedge. Martin Millers with its secret ingredient (cucumber) and distilled using pure Icelandic water followed
soon after. Hendricks with its apothecarystyle bottle was popular with bartenders but it was not until 2008 that it took off with the general public. At this time, Gin had not yet experienced its renaissance period. This was to come in 2009, when a small relatively unknown micro-distillery challenged the current law of not allowing the use of a still that had a capacity lower than 1800lts. This law had been in place for nearly 200 years, created because British tax officials were fed up with illegal distillers who would use small portable stills to make a quick getaway if needed. Sipsmith’s, a 3-man band, decided this should change, and in 2009, after 2 years of lobbying HMRC they were granted a licence to create their gin using the 300lt copper pot still that they named Prudence. The rest is history and the reason here in the UK we are now littered with micro-distilleries and have hundreds of gins to choose from.
I first became interested in Gin back in 2007 when I began working as a taster for the
u
Gin note: Gin is English, not Dutch. Genever, a malted spirit that is essentially light whisky with juniper, is the juniper distillate of the Netherlands. Gin was developed in London and is a unique and much purer spirit.
Our gin connoisseur speaks...
In 1714 ‘Gin’ it made it into the Oxford dictionary.
multinational beverage company, Diageo. During the 7 years I worked for them, I saw the gin market explode from literally a handful of brands, to the 100s we can buy today. It is hard to believe how quickly things changed. Gin itself has evolved beyond recognition. I watched with amusement when marketing experts, on an episode of The Apprentice, stated coloured gin was an absolute non-starter, it would never catch on. Magellan Gin is blue, naturally coloured with iris flowers. Some years ago, the distillers decided to omit the colour and sales dropped dramatically. Unsurprisingly it was reintroduced quickly. You can now buy Yellow, Pink, Green, Violet and, even colour changing Gin. Some, gimmicky but others, delectable. I am a sucker for a delicately coloured Gin in a beautiful glass bottle.
At the end of the day, for me, Juniper should always be the dominant flavour with supporting botanicals like Coriander, Angelica Liquorice, Orris root, and Citrus just behind and then, a hint of the more unique or unusual additions. Hendricks and Millers have got this right, as have Brockmans (berry), Tanqueray Rangpur (lime), Malfy Rosa (grapefruit), and Opihr (spice). Sacred Spirits also have a range of spotlight gins. They are also superb. The Cardamom variant, my particular favourite. One, that in my opinion has got it wrong, is Hoxton. Its heavy coconut and vanilla profile has more in common with a bottle of Malibu. This is, I must emphasize, just my opinion. It
is very drinkable as a stand-alone spirit, but the juniper is hard to find. It does not have the expected aroma or flavour of a Gin. Many of the fruity pink Gins have also gone down this route, almost evolving from the alcopops of the 90s. They have their place, but they are not for me. Tanqueray No Ten will always be in my top 3 ‘real’ Gins. The vibrant green Art Deco bottle is simply stunning. It would look right at home in an episode of Agatha Christie’s Poirot. It makes the absolute best Martinis. Distilled 4 times with a Juniper lead, Coriander, Liquorice, earthy Angelica, Citrus, and Chamomile. So much going on; all in perfect harmony. Multiaward-winning No.3 London Gin is up there too. A beautifully designed turquoise bottle, with the iconic key, smooth enough to drink on its own. Finally, the one that challenged the law and paved the way for all the craft/micro-distilleries we have now, Sipsmith. Like Tanqueray Ten and No.3 London Gin, it is another multi-awardwinning, classic Gin, with its almost unique ‘One Shot’ distillation method. Dominant, dry Juniper closely followed by bold citrus, then spice. What more could you wish for?
This current Gin craze shows no signs of slowing and in 2019 sales were predicted to increase by 37% by the start of this year. I think we will see Gins with more unusual flavour profiles arriving from faraway lands, and, maybe some of the less popular or Gimmicky Gins disappearing altogether as distilleries decide which to keep and which to cull. I can’t wait to see what surprises this year will bring.
do you know your gin facts? From the origin of the spirit to its most famous imbibers, there’s much to know about this beguiling beverage. www.sipsmith.com
This current Gin craze shows no signs of slowing.
Founded in 1908 by Mr Marquis Mills Converse in Malden, Massachusetts, the Converse Rubber Company spent its formative years doing what most of the industry were doing at the time - Really anything you could make out of rubber.
An American classic with no limits.
A chunky platform and jagged rubber sole put an unexpected twist on your everyday Chucks. Details like a canvas build, rubber toe cap and Chuck Taylor ankle patch stay true to the original, while a molded platform, two-tone outsole and rounded heel give off futuristic vibes.
The most iconic, ever – now available in wide width. The OG basketball shoe, created over 100 years ago. Converse’s Chuck Taylor All Star is the original basketball sneaker, adored by players and punks, style savants and street urchins alike. It’s also a silhouette that has branched out into many different models, all of which share classic Chuck DNA but add their own performance features.
Currently, there are three
These Chuck Taylor All Star Easy-On for toddlers come in Pikachu and Jigglypuff options.
To create the ultimate pair of Wedding Converse, add Swarovski jewels to the toes. Each jewel to applied by hand to the Converse to create your perfect wedding Converse!
ULTIMATE UTILITY. An evolution of the most popular platform ever, the Run Star Hike, the new Run Star Motion takes your style even further. Extra durable fabrics like ballistic nylon and ripstop come together with a bold, exaggerated midsole and wavy midsole detailing for a truly unique look.
Ultra-comfortable CX foam cushioning provides premium comfort and support, while heritage elements like the unmistakable All Star ankle patch nod to the Converse legacy.
The art of conversation, like any art, combines practiced skill, style, and a certain elegance of delivery. Thirty years after the invention of the world wide web, it is evident that this art has but a tenuous online presence.
The digital age of texting has not ushered in a renaissance of brilliant conversation. Instead, social media has created a stupefying disconnect resulting in a poverty of nuance and decorum.
While some connoisseurs of conversation have adapted, as seen with cleverly crafted tweets, scroll to the comment section, and find swarms of frightfully ill-thought-out replies. It is as if “thinking before you speak” has not made it into the texting sphere.
Social media has become a world where shorthand shock value is valued over meaning. Elegant conversation has been reduced to a meme to be laughed over. Even more concerning, digital natives aren’t cognizant of the conversational skills they lack.
Without practice, the art of conversation is lost
Generation Z and Millenials are boldly building our world, inviting an epidemic of one-sided conversations trapped in a vacuumous echo chamber. A strong case can be made for digital natives to return to real life interactions, preferably with those fluent in body language, gesture, tone, timing. With time, perhaps, dignified conversation can make a comeback or at least bleed into the digital sphere.
Otherwise, technology will continue to be a poor substitute. For example, texting while useful for speedy notifications, is a disastrous main conversation medium. How I would trade in a good conversation over texting anyday!
Although new audio-discussion platforms like Clubhouse are fast appearing on the digital landscape. The opportunity to converse with others is again eclipsed by the middle man of a screen, microphones, and delay. I fear users will be so far removed from real life interactions that the art of conversation could be lost on an entire generation.
So, in the name of preservation of all things artful and pleasing, have a real life conversation today.
The art of conversation isn’t online...
‘I fear users will be so far removed from real life interactions that the art of conversation could be lost on an entire generation.’
Imagine a city with smaller traffic jams, where users share the roads intelligently and life is quieter and more eco-friendly. Now imagine there is a modular car in this city. It gives you a warm welcome to its spacious interior. This is a car that can take you beyond the city, and even far beyond… This is 2025, and you’ve just climbed into MORPHOZ.
Getting around isn’t all about high-tech gadgets, it’s about being efficient, quieter and cleaner. It’s about cities becoming gradually less congested, with better air quality, and smarter management of the planet’s energy.
Above: With the MORPHOZ concept car, Renault have captured the mobility of the world 5 years hence. It’s a clean, modular vehicle. It’s bespoke and adapts just as well to everyday journeys as it does to long-distance trips. It’s a passenger car that you share when you’re not using it. You can drive it, or it can drive you.
Practical note: Mobility isn’t all about high-tech gadgets, it’s about being efficient, quieter and cleaner. It’s about cities becoming gradually less congested, better air quality, and smarter management of the planet’s energy. When the vehicle isn’t in motion, its batteries can power equipment in the house or local area (using Vehicle to Grid technology).
A family vehicle, where the word ‘family’ extends to the community.
Travel Extender: MORPHOZ outlines the vision and business, design and product orientation of the Renault of the future. It’s a modular car which can physically transform according to your needs, either as a short City version or a long Travel version, with the appropriate battery capacity. MORPHOZ might set you daydreaming, but that’s not its main aim. Concept cars are first and foremost innovation labs where we can test technologies and steer the design of our future models. MORPHOZ is another perfect illustration of this.
In its long version, MORPHOZ offers more legroom for passengers and space for additional luggage. On board, everything is centered on the occupants and their interactions.
Energize: The car batteries can also be stored in a charging station for use in other vehicles, or else supply equipment such as self-service cycle recharging stations and street lighting. The more batteries are shared, leads to less production and reduced carbon footprint.
This concept anticipates the disappearance of car keys and key cards, as well as legislation which could one day gradually enforce car sharing on all private vehicles.
ARussian-born, London-based film director, Alicia Maksimova, takes us on her most exciting journey ever - it took 28 flights to far away locations (not to mention trains, boats and taxis) to complete “No Need of Paradise” (Не надо рая) - a film about the Russian world which includes 200 nationalities - as it was before, on the territory of the Russian Empire, later in the USSR and as it is now. Film heroes and heroines in Lithuania, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Georgia and Russia speak about their feeling of belonging to the united culture and system of traditional values. The multinational unity of the Russian world is still very much alive.
Fresheye asks Alicia Maksimova
10 quick fire questions:
1) How long have you been making films? If not to count teenage experimentation, I have actively worked as an independent film director since my Italian debut in 2008. I’ve been making films in Italian language with
English subtitles, but my last two films are in Russian.
2) What’s the biggest inspiration you’ve gained from travel?
It was last year - flying to Kamchatka in the Far East of Russia, on the Pacific coast (12 time zones away from London). I found paradise there - magnificent nature and amazing people.
3) What’s your favourite film?
There are so many… from different countries. I’d say, the Oscar winning “War and Peace” by Sergei Bondarchuk - still the greatest screen version of all times!
4) Your favourite living artist?
Speaking of art in general, the genius ballet artist Nikolai Tsiskaridze, now the Rector of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg, as well as a famous cultural and social figure.
No need of paradiseA film by Alicia Maksimova.
5) What do you make of Cannes Film Festival?
I had my full length feature documentary “Was Shakespeare English?” at the Cannes Film Festival, and at the same time there was a screening of it at La Casa del Cinema in Venice. I chose to go to Venice, which I adore. That’s the reason I still have no personal opinion of Cannes Fest.
6) Favourite food?
Vegetarian version of borsch - how it’s made in Russia. Though I tried hard to cook it in England, it was really impossible, because vegetables here don’t taste the same, though one can find a resemblance of the Russian sour cream (that goes with the borsch) in the Polish or Moldavian version.
7) Your well-being regime?
Yoga, swimming in the sea, classical music and watching Russian melodramas on YouTube.
8) How many languages do you speak?
Six, but I have used them to a different extent at different times of my life. As a child and a teenager I spoke Russian, English and French, then I learnt some Portuguese, Spanish and Italian. At present my everyday languages are Italian, English and Russian.
9) Favourite music score?
This changes all the time. At present it’s Aram Khachaturian’s Waltz from the Masquerade Suite written for the Lermontov’s drama with the same title.
10) The last time you cried?
In the beginning of August when, after flying to Moscow via Turkey, I entered the Moscow underground. I was overwhelmed - not by the splendour of marble, granite and mosaics but by the so familiar indescribable smell in the air, which doesn’t exist anywhere else. It made me feel at home at once.
See film at https://rutube.ru/video/ ff893524c7b0486139ebac816368837f/
“No Need of Paradise” is not only a masterpiece. It’s a call to both faith and arms for anyone who responds to the belief tenets expressed so compellingly and passionately in every image.
Ken Trodd - Film Producer
“No Need of Paradise” is a complete and perfect work of art, which reaches the mind and heart of the viewer. Mother Russia is alive and vibrant in the voices of women and men of different nationalities that Moscow welcomes in a single affectionate and big embrace.
Prof. Matteo Maglia, vice-president of the European union of art experts
Derek Smith works mainly in wood making birds, fish and other animals, as well as box constructions usually with a nautical theme.
Sculptures carved in unusual Hardwoods from sustainable sources.
Cocobolo, Paduak, Purple Heart, Zebrano and Olivewood.
eye Craft
www.dereksmithsculpture.com
Your wall is simply naked without the perfect expression. Expand into a relationship of beauty. Open your eyes toward the domain of transcendant.
Blue seaside abstract art painting
www.amazon.com/abstract-painting-landscape-Unstretched-Frameless/dp/B0CDFKPZXH?th=1
www.etsy.com/shop/travelartclub
Swatch presents its latest innovation: BIOCERAMIC. Only few months after the first bio-sourced Swatch launched in September 2020, here comes a new and unique mix of ceramic and bio-sourced plasticmade by Swatch.
Two-thirds ceramic, one-third bio-sourced plastic, BIOCERAMIC is both resilient and resistant with a silk-like touch - uniting the best of both worlds. What better watch to showcase the brand’s newest material than the BIG BOLD? The 47 mm diameter case, deep and architecturally structured, provides plenty of room to appreciate the pure and refined BIOCERAMIC characteristics to the fullest.
There are five colors to choose from: the classic design statements black and white, the “color of the year” grey, optimistic sky-blue and new power-pink. BIG BOLD in BIOCERAMIC is a smooth, pure and substantial design piece, reduced to the max to allow the new material to be fully enjoyed thanks to the signature “see-through” Swatch attitude. The bracelet, glass and loops are made from biosourced plastic. www.swatch.com
An entirely new material, mixing ceramic with bio-sourced plastic.
