Arts Fashion Magazine - Issue 1 by Diana Tleuliyeva

ANTICIPATE FASCINATION

ARTS FASHION magazine

YOUTH IN REVOLT

Issue 1 - Spring Summer 2014 - 10.00 POUNDS

ARTS FASHION magazine

DIANA TLEULIYEVA Editor-in-Chief ANNA ABATELILLO Creative Director SEBASTIAN MOSS Sub-Editor JASMINE PERKINS Fashion Editor JACQUELINE OWUSU Contributing Fashion Writer ELVIRA NURIAKHMETOVA Style Editor THUVIKA GANESHLINGAM Features Editor SRISHTI JHA Contributing Features Writer ASTRID MADBERG Lifestyle Editor CAMILLE PERCHERON & ANAB YUSUF Contributing Lifestyle Writers MEERA PATEL & GABRIELLA SÖDERLING Interactive Editors

ANTICIPATE FASCINATION 3

ARTSFASHION.CO.UK

From fashion news to profiles of creative individuals to various inspiring features

Contents

HIGHLIGHTS ARTS FASHION by Diana Tleuliyeva

8-9

42-43

FACE TO FACE

TIPS FROM A VOGUE INTERN by Anna Abatelillo & Diana Tleuliyeva INTERVIEW WITH EDD LI by Jasmine Perkins

A CONVERSATION WITH ANISA SOJKA, FASHION BLOGGER By Elvira Nuriakhmetova

18-19

FOCUS ON

ISABELLA BLOW: THE STORY OF THE FASHION LEGEND by Diana Tleuliyeva YOUNG DESIGNERS by Thuvika Ganeshalingam

FASHION EDITORIAL JEAN PAUL GAULTIER EXHIBITION by Jasmine Perkins

14-16 22-23 26-39

WELCOME TO MY WORLD by Jacqueline Owusu

48-49 12-13

TRAVEL

OUT & ABOUT IN LONDON by Astrid Madberg LOS ANGELES, THE CITY OF ANGELS by Anab Yusuf SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA by Camille Percheron

50-51 52 53

TECHNOLOGY FASHION & INSTAGRAM by Srishti Jha

FASHION’S FUTURE by Sebastian Moss

GET INSPIRED UNI STYLE by Elvira Nuriakhmetova

44-45 46

20-21 5

EDITOR’S LETTER I remember myself flipping through my Mum’s fashion magazines when I was a kid. Ever since I was drawn into the glamour of glossy pages, I’ve wanted to work in a fashion magazine. I’d like to thank our university for presenting us this exceptional opportunity to realise our dreams. I have to admit it’s been very hectic few months since we started working on the magazine. Contacting people across the globe for collaborations, long nights working on the website, building a creative team for the photoshoots… Finally, here it is – the issue of ARTS FASHION MAGAZINE. I wanted it to be a magazine that talked to students about fashion in a way that it would inspire them to achieve their goals and fulfill their potential. I hope that the stories featured in this magazine will inspire you like they inspired me. Whether you start with our interview with Edd Li or the fashion shoot featuring thirteen stunning designers, you’ll find an exciting variety of writing and photography in the following pages. I’d like to wish everyone an amazing holiday. If you are staying in London, Astrid Madberg, our Lifestyle Editor, has shared her favourite spots you’d want to check out. If you are lucky to travel abroad like Anab and Camille, see page 44-45 to find out what they have chosen as their main destination for this summer. Finally, I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to the magazine… Without you, this would never happen. Have a good summer everyone! And don’t forget to use the QRReader app to get the most of the magazine. Diana Tleuliyeva This summer I look forward to:

HIGHLIGHTS

ARTS FASHION

HIGHLIGHTS

Photographers: Adina Issenzhulova for NYFW. Filipe Phitzgerard for LFW. Victor Kruit for PFW.

HIGHLIGHTS

ARTS FASHION Lisa Armstrong, fashion editor of The Daily Telegraph gives advice on how to break into the fashion industry. As told at Vogue Festival. Text by Diana Tleuliyeva Photography by ZAC FRACKELTON

She has previously worked at British Elle, Vogue, The Independent and The Times. Lisa strongly believes in hard work to break into the industry: before she got her first job at Fitness Magazine, she applied to lots of different publications. Even though her first job was in a small publication in the Docklands, Lisa worked really, really hard. And it paid off.

“Don’t be grand about your first job – go and work wherever they take you. “I’d die for a Chanel dress’ is not something I look for. I look for people who can write.” “It’s amazing how interns come with an attitude; they don’t want to do this, and they sigh. You can’t be like that. You got to be talented but niceness is terrifically underrated.” “Willingness to listen and take on constructive criticism” “No waffle, no clichés, no fashion-speak. Ever. If you want to learn how to write, read good writers and try to work out how they do it.”

Breaking into the creative industry is difficult and takes a lot of time. We talked to Duanne Marques Bruno, former Italian Vogue intern, to find out how she got her internship and what advice she can give for people who want to work in the magazine. When did you first decide that working in fashion was what you wanted to do? First of all, I understood I had a very strong creative flair, which allowed me to choose Graphic Design and Art Direction as an academic path in order to develop my ideas within fashion publishing.

ing with well-known editors and writers? Did it confirm that this is the career you want? It has been an incredibly exciting and very educational experience. Worldknown people had a very simple and genuine approach towards the whole Vogue staff, interns included. I am sure this is going to be the right career path Did you find it difficult to secure an for me. internship in the fashion magazine industry? How did you score your What’s the most valuable lesson internship at Vogue? you learnt while interning? My personal and academic growth start- Definitely teamwork. It is essential for a ed at Naba (Nuova Accademia di Belle good final outcome. It has been incredArti, in Milan, Italy). There I have been ibly exciting and very educational expeable to overcome many professional rience. World-known people had very steps, including collaboration with 55DSL simple and genuine approach towards and the L’Oreal campaign contest which the whole Vogue staff, interns included. I I won. These participations helped me to am sure this is going to be the right caget such an amazing opportunity, that is reer path for me. working for one of the most important titles in the world. What’s the most valuable lesson you learnt while interning? What was a typical day like? Are Definitely teamwork. It is essential for a the fashion stereotypes true like in good final outcome. The Devil Wears Prada? It is essential to schedule various reports What was the best part of your inand pieces that have to be done for the ternship? following issue; this schedule becomes Personally, the best moment has been busier and more hectic when clos- being asked to create some illustrations er to the deadline. Despite that, seeing for the team, which have been published the whole project turning into an actual in various issues. On a professional levVogue issue, ready to read through, is el, the best moment has been when I unpriceless. derstood the importance of every single role within the creation of an issue. It is really just a stereotype. The team is made up of people who are professional, cordial and honest. My experience has been very constructive: I have met real mentors, who helped me through my professional path and cleared every single doubt I had.

Were there any bad parts to your internships? I would say that a bad part has been that, in these difficult times, it is actually very hard to get a long-term placement in the publishing world, at least in Italy. You get many opportunities, but no certainties. Any tips/advice you have for people who want to get an internship in the magazine? Always remember that humility, strong willpower and commitment will lead to rewards. What are your plans for the future? My plans for the future will be keeping on realising my graphic works as a freelancer and also developing a range of T-shirts, phone cases and accessories featured with my own illustrations. DUANNE MARQUES BRUNO GRAPHIC DESIGNER

DOES THE D E V I L W E A R P R A DA ? By Anna Abatelillo & Diana Tleuliyeva

What did you tend to wear in the office? Was there a pressure to look good? It is important to keep in mind that every type of job has its own appropriate attire. I had pressured myself a lot, because I was trying to keep up with every single aspect of the internship, apparel included. I usually created my outfits starting from the shoes (a great passion of mine) and making them always original but also comfortable and never gross. What was it like going to work at such popular magazines and work-

EXPLORE FOCUS ON

A gush of warm air hits my face as I rush through the staff entrance of the building. 6:56AM. I have 4 minutes left to swipe my card through the electronic barrier, dash down the stairs and scan in. I have made it. I walk along into the changing room. Whilst attempting to catch my breath, I scan around for an empty locker to put my bag in for the day. Empty lockers are not hard to find in the morning, which is a good thing, as you will be very lucky to find an empty locker within 10 minutes when working a late shift. “ID card please”, says the security guard. Our security is tight. Before any staff member is allowed onto the shop floor, we must present our ID cards. No ID, no entry. Selfridges’ rules. “Morning”, this word is constantly uttered as I make my way up the escalators to my department. There awaits three cages of stock ready to be pulled apart, priced and put out on display. I work in the Selfridges Confectionery Department, part time. I have been working for Selfridges for 6 months and I like it. My department is quite chilled compared to other departments, but I am not planning to stay here for too long. I want to work upstairs, in our Ralph Lauren concession before I graduate from university. There are usually two people working in the mornings; myself and my colleague Sarah on Fridays. One person prices and the other person puts out the stock. “Good Morning Darlings.” That is my Manager Mathieu. “Morning Mathieu”, we respond as we watch him catwalk across our department floor and disappear into the food court, where his office is based. The shop floor is usually quiet in the mornings unless we have a launch, which can be very manic. Although Sarah and I take it easy, chit chatting along the way as we update each other on our life affairs, we do get the work done. Briefing guys, a constant echo in the distance. The sound gets closer and closer, until my manager is stood before us.

Welcome to my working world... A brief look at the life behind the till, in a fashionable, thrilling and cosmopolitan store such as Selfridges! By Jacqueline Owusu “Guys it is 9 o’clock. Could you please make your way up to the food court, we are just by Lola’s cupcakes, thanks.” Our briefing consists of two major parts: The first part is where we are updated with sales figures and are made aware of which brands are doing well and what needs an extra boost. We are then reminded of the company’s ethos and what our role as sales assistants are. We are told the daily target and are encouraged to meet them. My manager will then normally make a ‘joke’ and burst out laughing, whilst we all gaze at each other as if +to say “seriously?”. 9:15 am. Music, lights, and action, the show begins. Well, not really, it is just the store opening, although it does feel like a performance is about to begin. Well, not really, it is just the store opening, although it does feel like a performance is about to begin.

We all head back to our bases as we rush around making sure everything is put away and the shop floor is neat and tidy and ready for our customers. 9:30 am. The store is officially open. The shop floor is quiet up until 12:00 midday. Within that time, we are able to do some paper work and some quick dusting before we see a wave of customers from all over the world, strolling around the shop floor demanding our attention. We usually have at least one celebrity pass by. This always excites me but, of course, I have to compose myself accordingly. Then we get to try some lovely gourmet jelly belly beans, which are all natural, gluten and gelatine free. One sampler voices as crowds gather to taste. The shop floor is in full swing. The atmosphere is buzzing!

FOCUS ON

It was 4 years ago, on the 11th of February, when I was on my holiday in London. I was in my hotel room, dressing up to leave to meet my friends. The TV was on, it was probably BBC News, but I didn’t pay attention to it. Then I heard that they were talking about Alexander McQueen and, in a split second, the TV had grabbed my attention fully. The images of McQueen and his collections followed one another. I was paralysed by the news – the King of British fashion was found dead in his apartment. Suddenly, the image of a quite eccentric woman wearing an unusual hat was on the TV – I had never seen such a flamboyant woman in my life before. As I found out later, it was Isabella Blow, the fashion icon who ‘discovered’ Alexander McQueen in the 1990s. Intrigued by her extraordinary persona, I was curious to know more about her. Typing ‘Isabella Blow’ into Google’s search bar, I instantly got breathtaking images of her whimsical hats: a Chinese garden hat, a ship hat, a jewel-encrusted lobster hat and even a hat with her last name spelled in feathers. The way Isabella Blow dressed in unique clothes from up-and-coming designers was as mesmerising as her headgear. Her daring style, often accompanied by a gash of blood-red lipstick and Manolo Blahniks, was gothic and romantic at the same time. Isabella Blow wasn’t just a ‘fashion victim’ as many newspapers named her. She was a fashion role model, discoverer of fashion talent, mentor, stylist and editor. It seemed like there were no boundaries to her creativity: her fashion photoshoots reflected her character and often were compared with Dali’s surreal work. Her unconventional way of thinking and ‘dressing to kill’ ended in a tragic way of taking her own life. I was excited about the Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! exhibition for months as I could witness Blow’s dazzling style in Alexander McQueen’s collections, Philip Treacy’s hats and Manolo Blahnik’s shoes. But it wasn’t just an exhibition of iconic clothes and accessories – it was the life story of Isabella Blow. As soon as I entered the first room of the exhibition, I was invited into Isabella Blow’s fantasy world. The first room was dark which brought mystery to Isabella Blow’s life that I wanted to discover. An infamous sculpture and a light projection by Tim Noble and Sue Webster of Isabella Blow grabbed my attention. This unusual sculpture made of taxidermy animals,

wall and fake moss with a heel from Isabella Blow’s own Manolo Blahnik shoes and her lipstick was quite disturbing and dramatic as it depicted Issie’s head as if on a stake. Yet when I looked at the light projection, I no longer could see a raven, a rat and a snake – I saw Isabella Blow’s profile with a feather hat on the head.

morphine overdose after being charged with the murder of the Earl of Errol, who had an affair with Jock’s second wife, Diana Caldwell. Although born in an aristocratic family, Issie’s family was still defined by the economic anxiety, which haunted Blow until the last day of her life. When Issie was four, her little brother,

FASHION WAS HER REASON FOR LIVING By Diana Tleuliyeva

It was beautiful and romantic – it showed a different side of her personality. Issie Blow was born Isabella Delves Broughton in 1958 on the grounds of her family estate, Doddington, in Cheshire. The family history and Issie’s childhood imprinted on Issie’s personality, influencing her future work. Doddington Hall, where Issie always wanted to live, had been let to a girls’ school when gambling by her grandfather, Jock Delves Broughton, ended in the family’s bankruptcy. Jock, himself, committed suicide with a

brother, aged 2, died in an accident when he fell into a swimming pool. The family never recovered from this tragedy, resulting in her parents’ separation when Issie was 14. Isabella’s husband, Detmar Blow, wrote in Blow by Blow: The story of Isabella Blow: “It was literally a handshake and then she was off.” Photographs and newspaper cuttings of the young Issie in the first room showed that her innate style was present even at a young age. Even when she was little, she used to wear hats, and Issie’s love

seen this room before. Looking closely at the garments presented, I recognised McQueen’s 1996 Dante collection: absolutely beautiful and romantic in comparison to previous collections. The room was referencing the place where the fashion show took place – Christ Church in Spitalfields. McQueen was already under Isabella Blow’s wing after his graduate show but his early collections like Highland Rape were receiving negative responses from fashion press. Isabella Blow never gave up supporting on Alexander: she knew that he would be the next best fashion designer. As I walked through the upper galleries, incredibly beautiful Philip Treacy’s hats were on display – Isabella Blow’s iconic symbol of style. 3 years before Blow discovered McQueen, she discovered Philip Treacy atTatler, carrying a green hat he made. He eventually made her a hat for her wedding and the friendship between two was born. Isabella Blow used to say that she used to wear hats as an armour to protect her from the world.

lipsticks was inherited from her mother, Helen Broughton. She often recalled the day when Johnny died: “My mother went upstairs to put her lipstick on…that explains my obsession with lipstick.” Issie’s innate sense of style secured her work for the designer Guy Laroche and at American Vogue, where she was Anna Wintour’s assistant. In 1986, Isabella Blow returned to London to work for Tatler. My journey continued to the next room where the clothes took a central part of Isabella Blow’s life. Her eye for talent was remarkable. She was always on the lookout for something new and exciting that no one had ever seen before. She understood fashion like no one did. I was excited to see Alexander McQueen’s first collection from the St Martins graduate show, “Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims”: a pink frock coat and tailored black silk jackets with blood-red linings. It was in 1992 when Isabella Blow discovered McQueen and introduced him to the fashion world. She bought the entire collection for £5,000 (paying in instalments over the year) and wore his pieces for a self-styled fashion shoot that appeared in Vogue in November 1992. Walking into another room, I felt I had

Isabella Blow wasn’t just about clothes and hats. Under fancy dress, there was a romantic and sensitive persona who used a pink pen to write. Video footages of Isabella Blow and editorial work in magazines were scattered throughout

the exhibition. Although many used to say that Isabella Blow was quite dramatic and depressive, these video footages show the opposite: she was fun and exuberant. Isabella Blow was working in different fashion publications but one of the most remarkable examples is Sunday Times. She brought “drama” to the conservative newspaper: she styled the photo-shoots in a way no one did in Sunday Times. Alexander McQueen and Philip Treacy were not the only designers Blow discovered. She is credited for spotting the talents of Hussein Chalayan and Julien Macdonald. Other discoveries included fashion models like Stella Tennant and Sophie Dahl. As I was leaving the exhibition, I stopped to watch Nick Knight’s short movie featuring Isabella Blow’s wardrobe worn by new fashion models, which was shot in Doddington Hall. The movie was accompanied by Bryan Ferry’s song When she walks in the room. At the end of her life, Isabella Blow thought she didn’t matter in the fashion world and felt underappreciated but this beautiful tribute to her proves it wrong. She was passionate about fashion and she is a huge inspiration for anyone who wants to be in the fashion industry.

FACE TO FACE

Ever since she exploded into the fashion-blog scene in August 2013 – with a seamless blend of style reporting, personal reflections, and social commentary, all infused with the high quality pictures - Anisa Sojka has made a name for herself as the style person in social media. Today, the 23-year-old fashionista sat down with us to discuss fashion, inspiration, and trends of season. Anisa Sojka is half Moroccan, half Czech, currently living and studying in London. She is doing her Master’s in Fashion Marketing at the London College of Fashion, however grew up in The Gambia and spent her teen years in Sweden. Her education has been extremely beneficial, as it has given her a business mindset. Anisa went to high school in Stockholm where she studied a business-based program. Afterwards, she studied Business & Economics for 3 years, receiving her Bachelor’s degree in June 2013. She directly started with her Master’s in September 2013. Studying Fashion Marketing at LCF has been of great use to the establishment of her blog, she has acquired in-depth knowledge of this sector as well as having been exposed to how it works.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ANISA SOJKA: STYLE, SUCCESS & FUTURE By Elvira Nuriakhmetova

Anisa found herself spending hours simply observing and admiring the different ways women put their looks together, as she found it fascinating and really enjoyed taking note of the detail they put into it. She thought about it for several months, contemplating how she would go about it. Then came a day last summer, in August 2013, when she finally decided that she wanted to share her ideas, while learning along the way. Raising awareness from scratch wasn’t easy, it came with a lot of time, effort, patience, and hunger to succeed. Marketing her blog and Anisa Sojka as a brand is something she spent a lot of time doing: education and work experience is the biggest contribution to making this possible to do all on her own. Eager to find out more about how she managed to be successful, and her thoughts on fashion, we asked her more: How much time do you spend for blogging daily? Along with the blog comes social media, and that I can spend up to 2 hours a day

on. I try and post a minimum of 2 blog posts a week, and each post takes about an hour to make, considering the attention to detail I like to include. What is fashion for you? Fashion is my biggest crush, it’s a part of who I am. What’s great is my everyday life is full of fashion, whether it be at home, on the go, during leisure activities or in university. As I’m doing my Master’s in Fashion Marketing, I’m surrounded by fashion day-in and day-out and I love it! I spend most of my free time browsing fashion inspiration, not because I feel like I should, but because it really does give me satisfaction. Who is your idol and gives you inspiration? When it comes to fashion, there are so many iconic women who inspire me, the top 3 are Anna Dello Russo, Miroslava Duma and Olivia Palermo. They are so fashion forward in the most amusing way: it’s entertaining to see what they’ll put together. There are several bloggers that I admire for their sense of style but also their attitudes and ways of branding themselves. For example, Kenza Zouiten, Song of Style and Ashley Madekwe. Describe your personal style and its influences / inspiration. I would classify my personal style as clean and neat, but yet there is always a glimpse of edge added to the mix. You could say that my style is bipolar – the outfits that I wear from one day to the next can really vary depending on my mood. There are days where I like to be quite minimal- a pair of loose trousers, a T-shirt and sneakers would make me happy. While there are other days where I feel like being more elegant, chic and pulled together. I get my inspiration from almost everywhere: magazines, the streets, television, blogs. To me, attention grabbers are women that dare to dare. Colour, contrast in patterns and proportions is art to me. Mary Katrantzou and Peter Pilotto cater to this exquisitely. I believe I use influences as such to add my own touch and create my own style. What are some of your favorite boutiques that you must visit in London? Favorite designers and places to shop? My favorite designers are Mary Katrantzou and Peter Pilotto, their use of col-

ors and patterns is just remarkable. In regards to boutiques, I love concept stores, I find them so much more amusing. There are really cool concept stores on Carnaby Street. Additionally, I love the Alexander McQueen store on Old Bond Street. What fall trends do you love and which do you hate? I’m really crushing on the over-sized coat trend, the bigger the better this fall. Along with that, I like the trend of pairing of a really dressy garment with a completely casual garment, for instance a gown with a pair of converse: edgy chic - my fave. On the other hand, I’m not so keen about velvet making a comeback. Along with velvet, denim skirts are not my favorite either. The first thing you look at in another person’s outfit is? Bag and shoes, always. There’s something about a person’s choice of bag and shoes that says so much.

A fashion rule you never break? A presentable manicure, nails are so important. You could be dressed astonishingly, but chipped nail polish will completely ruin it for me. What is your next “must have” purchase? A pair of hi-top sneakers! But not simple ones, I want them to be out of the norm, sort of like Giuseppe Zanotti’s London Donna leather hi-top trainers. What do you think will be the big hits fashion-wise for next season? Wild & colourful furs, sports gear, and tailored suits – definitely a big hit for me! Who does your amazing photography? I have worked with several photographers, but the majority of my photos are done by Cristiana Malcica. She’s amazingly talented, as you can see. She’s actually also a student at LCF, studying BA Fashion Photography. What are your future plans and how are you going to achieve them? At the moment my goal is to receive my Master’s degree in Fashion Marketing this December, and to engage in this sector after graduation. I also aim to continue my favourite hobby of blogging, sharing my style and infatuation for fashion further. I intend on doing so with a lot of hard work, dedication and determination. Time management is also vital when juggling many things at once, planning my time well is key. How long do you think you’ll keep up the site? I have no plans to stop blogging, it is such a passion and there’s nothing I enjoy more doing than sharing my love for fashion. Fashion Advice for Arts Fashion magazine readers. A fashion quote I admire is “Forget the rules, if you like it, wear it.” Fashion is about feeling comfortable in your own skin: your style represents who you are and what you want to say. Whatever your choice, I say go for it.

GET INSPIRED

Aselya, 20, University of Arts, LCC “I don’t usually think about the way I dress, I can’t even define the style of my clothes. All I can say, I want to look nice and feel comfortable in clothes that I am wearing. Sometimes, when I am in the mood, I am trying to experiment with different styles (Instagram inspiration usually forces me).”

UNI STYLE Our Style Editor, Elvira Nuriakhmetova, scouted around London to bring you the most stylish students in the capital By Elvira Nuriakhmetova

Misha, 25, Regents University “I don’t think a lot what to buy, my clothes should just match and be comfy. And I will never go out without my ray-ban sunglasses!”

T-shirt, D&G. Jacket, River Island. Jeans, Diesel. Skaters, Kenzo. Sunglasses, Ray-ban. Backpack, Eastpack

Stasia, 19, Istituto Marangoni “I don’t have a special style. I just like to mix and match different brands and new designers, and create something my own. I get inspiration from ordinary people on the streets whose style is unusual.”

Shoes, Carvella. Jeans, Tripp. T-shirt, Zara. Jacket, Cos. Hat, H&M. Sunglasses, Rayban

Ruslan, 21, University of East London I just put on what I like. I never had any particular style.. It all depends on the day really. This outfit was chosen before trip to Geneva so I could feel comfortable but still look good while travelling. George Clooney is an icon of Men’s look.

YOUTH IN REVOLT:

HOW YOUNG DESIGNERS ARE REVOLUTIONISING FASHION

Thuvika Ganeshalingam, our Features Editor, talks to up and coming fashion designers about what it By Thuvika Ganeshalingam takes to compete with established brands. out knowing the industry so well are more adventurous and unique, trying to do something different in each project and season. She added: “That‘s why fashion designers, by challenging themselves all the time, might have the ‘X –factor’ / ‘the thing’ to compete with established design ers”. Having the X-factor is essential to fashion designers as many don’t make it in the industry because it’s such a competitive trade. Adade Cecilia, who likes Stella McCartney and Miuccia Prada for Miu Miu, believes that the reason why young designers are becoming successful and popular is because they are young, unique, willing to learn from others, open minded and extremely talented, with fresh ideas and new ways to see things.

Fashion has always been at the heart of youth culture, so it’s no wonder that there are so many young designers changing the game and making history. Alexander Wang, Olivier Rousteing, Esteban Cortarzar, Dion Lee, Barbara Casasola, Thomas Tait, Mary Katrantzou and Michael van der Ham are all big names in the fashion industry that are under the age of forty. This means that young designers are competing with established designers and are taking the fashion world by storm. No one knows more about fashion designers than designers themselves, so we talked to young designers establishing themselves in the industry.” Adade Cecilia, a fashion design student at Central Saint Martins, said: “I think established designers know how the fashion industry works and have lots of experience, in contrast to young designers who are less familiar with the fashion world. I think that young designers learn a lot from the more experienced ones, but I still think that young designers withented, with fresh ideas and new ways to see things.

Lei He, who is studying fashion design at London College of Fashion, believes that it is becoming a trend for young designers to vie with established designers, as she said that“It’s a trend in the fashion industry, as young designers want to grow up and learn eagerly. Competing with established designers can make them walk far from the starting point.” The fashion designer, who admires Alexander Wang, supposes that young designers are becoming successful and popular because they are interesting and create bold designs. The fashion designer, who considers travelling as an important aspect of fashion design, also said that competitive price and consumers’ desire to be special and fashion-forward plays a role in making young designers prosperous. Wen-Hsin Hsieh, a fashion design student at University of the Arts London, explained what she thinks of young designers competing with more established ones. Wen-Hsin said, “It’s challenging, and I have learned that it’s not that easy to be outstanding in fashion, but we all need to keep learning, improving, be prepared, and have faith in ourselves.”

The aspiring fashion designer added: “At the same time, that could be both bitter and sweet. Before you get fame, the hard work and efforts you put on the progresses could be bitter, but once you get recognized, I can imagine myself when I look back, I’ll appreciate all the difficulties that I have encountered, as I’ll know I have learned something, and that it has made me grow.” When asked what the reason is behind young designers’ growing popularity, the designer said: “I guess those successful and popular ones might have brought something interesting to the trend and the industry. Their forward thinking, their creativity that has refreshed the industry and their design match the taste of the market, as these are the factors that would make me like one’s design.” Young designers are not only establishing their own brands, but some are so successful that they are being appointed to work with popular luxury brands. For example, Jason Wu, whose designs have been worn by Michelle Obama, has been appointed as the Art Creator for Hugo Boss and Olivier Rousteing was chosen to run Balmain at just age 25.

FOCUS ON

Adade Cecilia, who wanted to become a designer since the age of six, shared her views with us about young designers being associated with luxury brands. She said: “Our world develops so fast and fashion goes even faster. Young designers are strong and smart: they are quick and efficient for finding new ideas, new techniques, new materials and new everything. The luxury brands are faithful to the past or (their past) and therefore don’t have as much freedom as young designers. In our world everyone wants to feel young, confident, happy, enthusiastic and well with our bodies and that’s exactly what young designers give to the customers within their garments, unlike luxury brands, who have different values and aims.”

ool, reckons that upcoming designers are becoming popular and are able to take over luxury brands by expressing their individuality and personal style in their work. Established designers have their own signature style, which makes their designs stand out, more appealing and recognised. For example, Burberry is known for its mac coats and iconic check design. Another example is Chanel, which is recognised for its quilted bags, two-tone pumps, tailored suits and elegant style. Wen-Hsin said: “Their designs are more individual and showing personality. People want to be different, extraordinary, and don’t want to see the same accessories/ garments to be worn by someone else at the same spot. The design student, who loves to mix & match and try different materials, continued: “Choosing young designers’ designs is one way to avoid this. Also to some people, established luxury brands means old-fashioned, less creativity, more boundaries, etc, as big companies have more policies and politics to follow, so they might be more restricted.”

Lei He deems that young designers are becoming successful and taking over established luxury brands by making their collections more affordable and creating exceptional designs. Luxury brands are known to be very expensive and exclusive, so terrific designs that are inexpensive will definitely attract price conscious consumers. This could be one of the reasons why Alexander Wang is so successful, as he once said that “There’s a tendency to think that young designers only do fantasy fashion, but I’m more interested in making clothes that women can afford.” Wen-Hsin Hsieh, who wanted to become a fashion designer since secondary sch-

FOCUS ON

THIRTEEN THRIVING DESIGNERS JOIN FORCES

to illuminate fashionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future!

Fashion Director: Diana Tleuliyeva Photographers: Marco Torri and Filipe Phitzgerard Stylist: Tamima Karim El Narsh MUA and Hair Stylist: Jiyeon Kim 26

Shirt, Magdalena Dudarska Overalls and shoes, Yes Ji Lee Model: Yen Hui-Chieh

Top, Sofia Ilmonen Skirt, Magdalena Dudarska Shoes, Valentini Argyropoulou Veil, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

Top and skirt, Kirada Jitngamsujarit Necklace, Ek Thongprasert, from fashion directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s archive Model, Edyta Wilim

Coat, Ellie Calder Dress, Sofia Ilmonen

Coat, Haili Jin Dress, Ellie Calder

Hairpiece, Sihua Ariel Chen Top, Makhabba Aimukhamedova Photographed by Filipe Phitzgerard Edited by Samm Bate

Goggles, Sihua Ariel Chen Coat and trousers, Xian Li Skaters, Topshop

Jacket, Jifan Park Top and jeans, modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Shoes (from left), Anna Domnich and Valentini Argyropoulou

Shirt, Jifan Park Trousers, Suan Kim Shoes (worn throughout), Nike

Top, Jifan Park Jeans, Suan Kim

Waistcoat, Suan Kim Jeans, Jifan Park

Backpack (worn as jacket), Suan Kim Jeans, Jifan Park

FACE TO FACE On the surface, Edd Li is your typical 22-year-old. Dressed smartly but casually, in Nike and Uniqlo, he appears relaxed but confident upon our meeting. Hailing from North London, he currently studies Dentistry at Kings College, London, and tells me he is aiming to settle into this field in the future. However, Li is not your run-of-the-mill student: he is also the founder of the up-and-coming independent street wear fashion label, ‘Victate’. Created in 2009 – whilst Li was still a sixth form student – Victate has been seen on icons such as Example and Labrinth, and his designs are popular with teenagers and students alike.

In what category of style would you place your garments? At first it was very much street wear, very… [looks away, pensively]… very U.S. urban street wear. Slowly, as I learnt more, the aesthetics of it has kept changing as I’ve changed. I’ve been trying to play with different items. Each season, I’ll release something that I haven’t released before, to try and establish new connections with a different manufacturer or tailor. I think a lot of people will put my creations under street wear or street sports wear, whereas, for me, it’s shifting rapidly behind the scenes. What inspired you to name your brand, ‘Victate’? It started from a project back in sixth form, when I was eighteen. There were two guys in the year below me and they wanted to create their own menswear collection. I was helping them brainstorm ideas to find a name for their brand. About a month later, we were combining words together and one morning I got to the letter ‘V’ and I ended up combining the word ‘victorious’ and ‘dictation’. I really liked how it looked and straight away had an idea for the logo. I sketched it and showed the guys. One of them liked it,

but the other was unsure and had another name he preferred. So I left it at that, but the name ‘Victate’ played on my mind, so I thought I would just try to start the brand myself. From where do you get inspiration for your collections? I’ve been creating products that I feel is missing from my wardrobe. I’ll develop something that will fit the niche that I want. [breaks into a grin] In a way, I guess it’s a bit selfish in that I’ll create things that I want. Although, I do hope my visions and designs are things that others would also appreciate. What’s interesting is, as I change what I like, my aesthetics change and the products that I develop

also keep transforming. When I look back, my designs have evolved quite drastically over the last couple of years, although all my designs tend to be very functional. You can see my approach is more product design as opposed to fashion design. My designs aren’t really art. I’m not a couture designer. Although those skills are amazing, I don’t think I work that way and I don’t have any intention of making those sorts of things. I think my aesthetic tapers more towards a consciously reduced design. So, like minimalism, in a way, but more for dayto-day wear, silhouette and function adding to the aesthetics. I don’t like the idea of making something functional but f***ing ugly, which a lot of things are, or making it look great but uncomfortable.

T H E TA L E N T CORNER An interview with Edd Li, Creative Director and Owner of ‘Victate’ By Jasmine Perkins

For me, designing is a way to solve these issues in my own way. Were there any difficulties in building your brand, and if so, what were they? Sometimes you make mistakes with your designs. This is one of the things that I recently made (Opens his jacket to reveal a half-lace, half-cotton t-shirt). I realise that this design would probably only work in Asia, as (Chuckles) western people have chest hair. Unless they wax, which not all of them are willing to do. So that was a mistake on my part. It looks good in photo shoots because all the models are f***ing bare-naked anyway. Sewing, also, has been a bit of a challenge from the beginning, because you realise the fabrics have their own characteristics in the way they stretch, cut and sew together. However, trying new things is important and talking to professionals is really important. You receive a lot of knowledge from them. Oh, and organising photo shoots is stressful. The UK weather is sh*t and it’s difficult coordinating with people in fashion. Designing literally takes up only around 1/4 of the work; the rest is management of your stock, management of your team, management of online things, management of your customers, management of the bills, marketing and selling of your items, shipment of products and packaging… it’s a lot of work. Who buys your clothing and what’s your target audience? A lot of my audience is made up of teenagers aged from 15 to 16, who can’t afford it. This group generally buys small items and I have a few loyal customers. Then, I have the audience that does buy a lot of my things, and they tend to be in their mid-twenties. University students don’t have a lot of money, but we do have a disposable income because we don’t have families, we don’t have tax, we don’t have bills. That’s my core audience.

happening at the moment, the ‘oversize’ look. But, I do tend towards menswear because I’m selfish and if I can make it; it means I can wear it. However, there are a lot of great things that I see on women that I wish men could wear – lace is one of the big things that I want to work with. I think, if executed properly, it can be very masculine. You need to be a bit brave to try it and once you wear it, I think men will realise it’s not that strange. It’s all about the execution and how you make it masculine enough for people to accept it.

‘‘

I’ve never had any formal training. [...] I approach the design much like product design as a whole.

”

I advertise ‘Victate’ as menswear but a lot of my customers are female. I have started creating extra-small sizes. Girls do buy my tops – I think they like it because of the androgynous fashion that is

the design much like product design as a whole. Right now, it is a hard balance to do both. A fun balance, but hard.

Would you call yourself a fashion designer? No, I’m not very much of a fashion person, in terms of the generic image you get from “fashion cool kids” who come out every fashion week wearing the most ridiculous things just for an ‘outfit of the day’ shot. I just enjoy the design process. I love making it and I love having the final piece when it’s made. This brand is much like an extended hobby for me, that also happens to bring in a bit of pocket money. This means I’m not relying on it at the moment, and I can create freely. I’m not pressured to make certain amount of things. I’m busy with university, so until I finish that, I’ll most likely work full time/part time dentistry. I can use that money to fund projects and run the business in the way I’d like to see it in the future. Did you ever study fashion?

Are your designs primarily for men?

feel intimidating to try. I never thought I’d do fashion. I’ve always enjoyed being a consumer to it and curating my consumerism to what I want. You do get to a point, though, when you feel like, actually, there are some things you can’t find or I think every designer will think, I can do it better and then realise that sometimes, you can’t. But it is interesting to try and to learn how to create the clothes. I’ve never had any formal training, but I’ve had the chance to keep trying and learning different techniques in fashion. I approach

[Laughs] I’m a dentist student. I studied dentistry straight after leaving sixth form. I had access to the fashion world, though. My mum did fashion, so it wasn’t foreign to me. I didn’t feel as if it was difficult to understand. [He pauses] I guess it just didn’t

So, would you say that your mother was your greatest inspiration? My upbringing would be a big part of it. I have a different aesthetic to my mum, though. She loves bright colours and has a very expressionistic vibe. I would say it was a natural progression. Step by step, as a kid being around what my mum does, I began to really like drawing and I also loved engineering, mechanics and car design. Clothing was just a great avenue for that mindset. How would you like people to interpret your designs? I just want people to wear it. I want people to enjoy what they have. Finally… Dentistry and Fashion? What’s the connection? [Laughs] I personally think its fun doing both. I have passion in both areas. If I get tired of dentistry, I have a creative outlet that I can work on. I think that my OCD and keen eye for detail and proportions really help in dentistry as well as fashion.

THE NEW EYE ON FASHION How fashion fell in love with Instagram

Instagram has altered the wide platform of fashion into small screens on a smartphone. This social networking app is a big deal to fashion now. By Srishti Jha What is common between a fashion editor, a photographer, a stylist, a designer, a model and a make-up artist these days? The much talked about and used online photo and video sharing app Instagram, of course. They are all mad about it currently, and the future also looks greatly inspired by this trend. This digital media app has reduced fashion to a small screen on the smartphone and the interdependence is worth a thought. This love affair began a couple of years ago, but the fervour is truly visible now. Instagram has not only taken over fashion weeks this year like the New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Mercedes-Benz Fashion

Week, and a lot more but also has a devout following from the fashion designers and labels across the world. Before any glossy magazine prints the visual saga of a fashion event, it is already all over the social media courtesy of this app. Rosie Swash, Online Fashion Editor, The Guardian says:“It’s not hard to see why fashion loves it; it’s about presenting an appealing aesthetic that suits the version of life you wish to be true. The only difference is that those who use it, the likes of Cara Delevingne and Rihanna, had influenced fashion to adopt a more relaxed, informal aesthetic, because Instagram projects the idea of intimacy and

realness over airbrushed photoshoots. That’s one reason why you’re seeing trends like normcore, the return of trainers over high heels and so on.” Instagram now is much more than a tailored public relations medium for anyone who wishes to catalogue their life for public consumption. It’s a big canvass now where imagery is a major source of inspiration. Designers are realising that they can grant controlled access to the consumers and in return the get generous free marketing. It’s hard to push away the viewers and consumers of fashion now. The fashion cycle has everyone in the drill because of Instagram. Fashion from a product and a culture has become something which you talk, tweet, and Instagram about. Prerika Rao, who worked as a communication consultant and currently studying strategic fashion marketing at London College of Fashion, says: “Since Instagram is primarily image driven and the fashion community speaks through images, right from runways, look books and print campaigns to magazine photo shoots, it is a match made in heaven. Designers, fashion brands and artists can engage on a deeper, more aesthetic manner with their target audience through strong visuals that speak the brand story better than wordy press notes and self boasting product write ups.

When Instagram came up and started getting famous we saw that a hurdle between professional photographers and the rest of the world was brought down, people had the access to tools from capturing an image to editing and making it look cooler and aesthetic by just choosing a colour palate. The #hashtag culture brought everyone in

TECHNOLOGY

the fashion industry closer and accessible from top to bottom. Photographer and stylist Filipe Phitzgerard who currently works with The Designers Archive confesses: “As a photographer I had a huge problem with Instagram at the beginning of its life among us. In the fashion industry, Instagram was turned into an ally to spread trends, collections and creativity.” It made fashion trends, tips and concepts more accessible to everyone as anyone anywhere could see a photo taken in Paris, London, New York or anywhere else during a Fashion Week. Instagram gave people access to the backstage of Vivienne Westwood, Gucci, Prada, Mulberry and many others in real time and this is actually good if you think of it as a “wall breaker”. He adds, “There is no more excuse not to know about fashion as in a simple click anyone can see everything going on in the designers’ studios, fashion photographers’ shoots or even shops as Instagram is also used to advertise products.” With the app reaching 150 million monthly users since its inception two years ago, its aesthetics and colour palate is not only pleasing the masses but also inspiring the work and presentation of the fashion designers and fashion events across the world. Says trend forecaster, creative strategist Ankit Sood, who is currently working with dutch.co: “Timing. This was the birth of instant fashion. Also, this is placing the importance of visual element to the highest degree, a decree that no other context is necessary. Same as above, stripped down bare bones visual and the ability to spread a (potentially) context less image in viral format. Platforms like Instagram have the power to make fashion irrelevant in real life. New and old happens in a split second.”

Communication has developed inside and outside the fashion industry. The creative control that used to be one of the most important factors in the fashion industry has more users now. Designer Tommy Hilfiger explained in a video interview to a media house, during the New York Fashion Week: “Everything is in real time now. Everyone tweets everything that happens in fashion whether it is backstage or the front stage. I want to be the designer with the strengthening social media.” With Instagram so much ‘in vogue’, now everything that will reach a store in the approaching months is already seen, loved, criticized and opined about. It is all over the place in the media and the market a million times before it actually comes within reach. Trend forecaster Kalra Carerra, adds: “Instagram reaches people at an instant level; however I do believe that editors and bloggers should be more respectful of fashion shows as sometimes they don’t depict clothes in a clear image all we see at times is blurred images of catwalks across the world.” With famous fashion celebrities and prominent fashion labels all over Instagram, the medium has become a big deal for everyone in fashion. This fancy app also provides fashion aspirants to live their dream in the famous fashion houses. As Instagram is followed by all, including the popular stars on the app, a hashtag might end up getting you an opportunity with the big leagues. Emma Steele, a fashion student, at University of the Arts London, and a fashion blogger said that “Social media helps to spread the word quicker. It’s good for the fashion business to spread around the news about themselves via social media. Visuals are quite important in the fashion world.” Emma, who regularly blogs about fashion events and is a religious visitor at

fashion shows, explained how designers sometimes try to control the spread of information: “Designers like Tom Ford and Alexander Wang tried to choose locations without good coverage/wi-fi so the photos would be restricted to exclusive photographers. But you have to admit that Instagram indeed helps fashion houses to promote the brand but maybe it will die out soon.” The future seems bright and the love affair seems to getting stronger. But with the changing times, it’s a bit difficult to say that how this trend is carried forward and what are the chances of survival. With a new app coming everyday and intriguing the fashion world, with this app hold the ground or will get phased out? Will the runways and the fashion shoots continue to worship this aesthetically developed app or the personal fashion experience will bore people after some is what we have to keep a watch on.

HOW TECHNOLOGY IS REVOLUTIONISING FASHION Sub-Editor Sebastian Moss gives the low-down on how technology will change fashion forever. By Sebastian Moss

Fashion is inherently linked with time – clothes either reference older styles, or predict the future, helping shape it along the way. With the rapid rise and advance of technology impacting our lives fundamentally in countless different ways, it’s therefore no surprise that fashion has equally begun to change as a result of technological advancement. While integrating fashion with technology is an idea that has occurred to numerous fashion designers, one of the teams that has managed to do it most successfully is undoubtedly the London-based Studio XO. Founded by Nancy Tilbury and Benjamin Males, the studio formed after Lady Gaga fell in love with the Bubelle emotion-sensing dress Tilbury helped make for Philips Electronics. From there, the fame of Studio XO began to snowball after celebrity after celebrity challenged them to make clothes of the future, including the Black Eyed Peas, Azealia Banks and Wayne McGregor – along with lots of Gaga, of course.

For Gaga alone, XO has created ‘Anemone’ a 3D-printed bubble machine dress, ‘Parametric Sculpture Dress’ a Jeff Koons inspired design, ‘Cipher’ a dress with moving black mirrors, and Volantis, a dress that has built in drones that give Lady Gaga the ability to fly. XO has now expressed an interest in bringing their ideas to the mass market, so hopefully we will all be able to try on their vision of the future soon. Meanwhile, Lucy McRae (who was the head of the Bubelle project) also explored other ways in which fashion and technology can merge. She’s made a name for herself in the fashion industry with her futuristic concepts – such as a smart watches and Google Glass, these companies are desperate to make their products appear fashionable. Google, in particular, has worked aggressively to be accepted by fashionistas, bringing on icon Diane von Furstenberg to incorporate their Glass smart eyewear in her runway show during the New York Fashion week in 2012. The rise of tech is set to drastically change what we wear, and, perhaps most interestingly, it could also change how much control we have over our clothing. While creating your own clothes is possible currently (again thanks to technological advancements), it still can require a lot of time, skill and energy. But in the world of tomorrow? Just print it! 3D printing is all the rage in the tech world, with some declaring that it will completely overthrow the normal consumerist paradigm. With our own personal printing machines, we will theoretically be able to design and create our own products, including

fashion items. Using current technology, Shapeways, designer Michael Schmidt and architect Francis Bitonti were able to 3D print a dress for Dita von Teese, while fashion brand Pringle of Scotland have mixed 3D printing with knitwear to create new clothes. The impact of 3D printing is yet to be truly understood, but the ability to design and tweak your own clothing means that it can be created to perfectly fit your body (simply by scanning yourself in with a 3D camera). Not only that, but everyone will be able to share their designs and download each other’s, allowing for a huge shift in the variety of fashion products and the speed of fashion’s evolution. Fashion has never been static, it is always in a state of change, but the upcoming technological revolution could well be the biggest shake-up the industry has ever seen.

FOCUS ON Famously known for his iconic Breton stripes, conical bras and moulded, corset perfume bottles, Jean Paul Gaultier’s collection has come to London and, consequently, given us insight into his creative world. His designs embrace sexuality, embodying the power of the female form; he has often experimented with the masculine form by revealing its feminine graces, something initially thought of as taboo at the time of his fashion debut. This, ‘L’enfant Terrible’, a name affectionately given to him in the fashion world - constantly pushes the boundaries of style to its limits, and indeed, through our viewing of the exhibition, we can discover other boundaries he has broken, from his vibrant, humorous emergence into Eurotrash to his refined, detailed works in Haute Couture. Through an impressive collection spanning over forty years, his London exhibition provides us with a deeper un-

derstanding of what divulges in the mind of Jean Paul Gaultier. Early Beginnings From a young age, Gaultier was inspired by fashion. His first muse was a teddy bear called, ‘Nana’. Slapped with make up and hairs cut short, Nana acted as a model for the aspiring designer and still currently wears the first prototype of his famous cone bra, albeit made from newspaper. Growing up, Gaultier taught ___________

EXHIBITION ____________

L’ENFANT TERRIBLE RETURNS A brilliant new exhibition at Barbican celebrates four decades of Jean Paul Gaultier’s stunning designs. By Jasmine Perkins Photography by Diana Tleuliyeva

himself the basics of fashion through magazines; he once told ‘Herald Tribune’ reporter Suzy Menkes, “I was looking at advice in the magazines. How to wear particular clothes. I learnt from it.” In 1970, Gaultier discovered the skills of Haute Couture by working at the fashion houses of Pierre Cardin and Jean Patou, and this experience later provided him with the expertise needed to launch his own fashion label in 1976. Although many considered his work whimsical and decadent, others such as Melka Tréanton recognised his genius, and this, along with his re-introduction of Haute Couture in 1997, secured his status as a premier designer. Significant Collections and muses Over the years, Gaultier’s inspirations for his collections have come from childhood memories of various traditions and cultures. His famous ‘Sailor’ collection, which is typified by stripes and later became his trademark collection, was inspired by childhood memories of his grand-

FOCUS ON

mother and gives homage to his French heritage. In contrast, his 2014 London collection has given him freedom to create and experience, rather than return to his roots. Showcasing a mixture of punk-inspired aesthetics and pop culture, it is the epitome of modern, and is in line with his passion for the eclectic yet innovative; indeed, his diverse range of muses – which include the likes of Beth Ditto, Naomi Campbell and Madonna – are all known for their innovative styles and electric personalities. Gaultier’s credentials also extend to creating costumes for films directed by Luc Besson and Pedro Almodóvar.

“

I was looking at advice in the magazines. How to wear particular clothes. I learnt from it.

”

Modern Day Exhibition Gaultier has spoken of his love for London, asserting that, ‘It’s different from Paris.I loved the mentality and clothes”. And, without a doubt, his current London exhibition demonstrates the fondness for London he speaks of, as well as presenting us with everything we have grown to love about his style. Upon entrance, the viewer is immediately hit with archaic sounds of mermaid songs, angelic chanting and mannequins with projected faces, which – if you listen hard enough – seduce with hypnotic whispers. Amongst all this, a lone mannequin stands in a kilt and striped top. It is Jean Paul Gaultier, his face projected onto the mannequin and his loud, flamboyant voice greeting his guests. The exhibition exudes with his personality, the loudness and colourful humour, which separates him from other French designers such as Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent. Their designs resemble the elegant Parisian way of life; Gaultier’s rebellion against this life, oozing with the decadent playfulness and dark sexuality we have come to expect from his work.

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London is different from Paris. I loved the mentality and clothes.

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EXPLORE TRAVEL

LONDON OUT & ABOUT I N

Astrid Madberg is from Sweden but has been in London for six years – here she shares some of her favourite London spots with us. By Astrid Madberg

FOR A GOOD START TO THE DAY Pacific Social club, 8 Clarence Road, E5 8HB

For breakfast and brunch, this is a wonderful little place to chill out for a few hours! The food is inexpensive and tasteful. Inventive sandwiches, beautifully layered fruit and granola, healthy smoothies and great coffee, served in mismatched china. The walls are lined with vintage album inner sleeves and there’s a great collection of books and a good amount of kitsch all adding to the relaxed atmosphere. There’s always good music playing in the background too. They also host a great Japanese popup by Sho Foo Doh, serving japanese savoury pancakes and beer.

FOR YOUR ROMANCE Shane’s on Chatsworth, 62 Chatsworth RD E5 OLS Shane’s is a small restaurant on Chatsworth Road in Clapton doing British tapas from seasonal ingredients. Shane himself forages in Hackney marshes for nettles, dandelions, wild garlic, comfrey and elderflower and beautifully incorporates them into his menu, which is focused on British game and fish. It’s not the cheapest, but it’s good value, and perfect for a date. This restaurant is tiny so you might want to book ahead.

FOR A SUMMER RELIEF Hampstead Heath ponds A lido can provide much joy but sometimes it just won’t do. I love the Hampstead Heath swimming ponds after getting over the initial “yuck” feeling. Don’t worry, the ponds are actually cleaned by underwater streams! The ladies’ pond is the best and biggest, but the mixed one is great if you fancy a swim with the opposite sex. There’s also a male only pond.

FOR YOURSELF

Hula Nails, 203 – 205 Whitecross Street EC1Y 8QP

These burgers manage to be both dirty and fresh at the same time. They are addictive. When the staff is on first-name terms with you it is a bit worrying but when the burger are this good it’s acceptable. Perfect medium rare beef on a soft bun with cheese and pickle and tomato. It’s simple but done very well. They serve pale ale from Camden Brewery too, which goes great with the burgers. Perfect fries too.

This place is gorgeous! If you’re going to treat yourself you might as well do it properly. This is a place full of vintage, retro pin up girl vibes. It’s all about kitsch, pampering, and cocktails served in plastic pineapples. And getting your nails done. The staff is sweet, beautiful and the treatments are top-notch.

TRAVEL

FOR A BRITISH TASTE

Dirty Burger, 79 Highgate Road, London NW5 1TL

FOR A SWEET TOOTH

Cookies and Scream, Camden Lock Market, NW1 8AF After one too many dirty burgers, I sometimes feel the need to ease down on the animal intake. Well it’s just good then that this gluten free and vegan bakery and ice cream shop in Camden market exists. I don’t know how they can make their stuff taste so good without any butter but hey, I’m not sure I want to know. Their ice cream is divine, you can have it whatever you want, like cookie dough and salted caramel sauce with a cherry on top. Yum. If it’s vegan it’s like totally healthy right? Ok, maybe not, but it’s darn tasty!

FOR A GREAT WEEKEND

Biddle Brothers, 88 Lower Clapton Road, E5 0QR This East London gem is a great boozer and has been on Lower Clapton Road for ten years. Lots of trendy pubs have popped up in the area lately but Biddle’s keeps it charm and still has character and soul. It’s not fuzzy, it’s not fancy, so don’t come here expecting cocktails… or being able to pay for your drinks by card! But, you can expect a good night out and interesting people. And beer. The crowd is mixed to say the least. There’s live music and DJs several nights a week, ranging from Folk nights to spoken word to skateboard hangout. Great pizzas to order from the next door Italian restaurant for the hungry of you!

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TRAVEL

THE CITY OF ANGELS

LOS ANGELES Anab Yusuf, our contributing lifestyle writer, is on her PR internship in Los Angeles and she’s sharing with you some of the places that have added splendour to her American Dream. TO BE A TOURIST: DISNEYLAND (1313 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92802) No matter how old you are, you are never too old for a trip to the happiest place on Earth. Yeah, you guessed it: it’s DISNEYLAND! Now, never having experienced the magical world of Mickey and his mates, I wasn’t sure what to expect, I was left blown away by the amusement park. There are few things when you’re in your 20s that can take up an entire day and be fun without the presence of wine or Pimm’s. And Disney is most definitely one of them! Considering myself quite the adrenaline monkey, I went on all the biggest rides - Space Mountain was definitely a winner! Not to worry, if you aren’t fond of heights or extravagant rides there are plenty of variations around the 150 acres! Parking is a breeze or perhaps try the Metro system to Anaheim and grab a cab, travel should cost you roughly $40 for the day including cab fares and tips.

TO EAT: Craft (10100 Constellation Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90067) There’s more to American cuisine than hamburgers and fries so try this lovely restaurant with fantastic customer service! The food is mouth-wateringly good and prepared to perfection. It’s not too expensive from meals ranging from $30$50! Make sure you wear comfortable bottoms for this one, as the portions are extremely generous!

TO SHOP: Decades (8214 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood ) Hit the downtown for a more vintage or grunge feel. Loads of independent shops as well as a few cooler chains like Urban Outfitters (fun fact: the downtown LA store was converted from a cinema, the store windows still have the cinema feel!). Personally, I found an INCREDIBLE high-end thrift store on Melrose ave. called Decades, Possibly the bestknown high-end vintage store in LA. You can snag designer items discounted up to 80% off! If you’re into markets, the flea market at the Rose Bowl is held every second Sunday of the month and has up to 2,500 stalls. Keep an eye out for celebs as it’s often frequented by A-listers such as Rachel Zoe and Vanessa Hudgens!

TO EXERCISE: Run on Canyon (2000 N Fuller Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046) Obviously in the sunshine state there are plenty of new era forms of exercise. But if you want an incredible view as a support system, I must recommend Canyon Run in Hollywood. There are varying levels of difficulty so don’t worried if you aren’t Jessica Ennis! Some of the shorter hikes such as Indian Rock, take you to the highest point of the Canyon, are pretty easy and will actually give 360-degree views of the valley and the North side. You can also participate in free yoga classes on the green - just make sure you book online!

By Anab Yusuf

TO PARTY: Playhouse (6506 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028) We’ve all heard the stories about Hollywood clubbing! There’s a crazy selection of venues with new ones seemingly popping up weekly. Try Playhouse if you want your night full of current tunes and cute guys. Be careful though, drinks can be a bit pricey so either flirt your tab away or pre-drink. Entry should be no more than $30 but if you ring the club several hours in advance you’re likely to be able to join a guest list and get free entry before 11pm. Having an accent certainly doesn’t hurt ;-)

TO DRINK: High bar (1697 Pacific Ave, Venice Beach, CA 90291,) Los Angeles is a huge place so there are hundreds of bars to suit even the quirkiest of tastes. I chose High Bar because it’s a rooftop bar as it boasts spectacular views of Venice beach, Malibu mountains and there is always an encapsulating sunset. The DJ is always playing the hottest in chart music and there’s a happy summer vibe throughout the rooftop. The food is pretty incredible, but you’re probably better off calling in advance if you want a seating area to eat.

If you don’t like kimchi, you might as well stop here. Everything comes with kimchi: spicy or mild, salty or sour, crispy or soft, with mineral notes or the briny aroma of dried shrimp. The variations are endless, but all have one thing in common: ubiquity. Let’s begin with the familiar: barbecue. There is perhaps no food more accessible, in any culture, than meat grilled over an open flame, and in Seoul you can’t walk down a street, whether in the über-trendy Apgujeong neighbourhood or a greyer district like Dongdaemun, without inhaling the invigorating fumes of charcoal fires. It wafted up from dozens of small, round metal barbecue tables. After coming in, and getting a table, soon the house speciality arrives: chunks of well-marbled pork neck. The meat comes pargrilled, to cook faster. Afterwards, you have to wrap pork chunks in red-leaf lettuce leaves — along with spicy bean paste, shaved scallions and kkaennip, an anise-flavored leaf, similar to Japanese shiso. This is a typically gleeful night out in Seoul. The best place for serious pairings might be the Gaon, the city’s most refined Korean restaurant. Unlike the barbecue pits and soju tents, the Gaon is studiously designed (by the Japanese architects Super Potato), with one wall built from stacks of old newspapers, another of clear plastic cases holding dried beans, and another that was a frenzy of glowing colour bars. The menu consisted of Korean classics, gussied up with premium ingredients and presented on stunning custom ceramics. A tangle of radish kimchi came larded with fresh oysters. The haemool pajun, one of my favourite dishes, was a thicker-than-usual pancake chock-full of squid, scallops and octopus. And the Gaon’s kimchi jigae put the pojangmacha version to shame. The flavour was so pure and intense, the crimson broth so creamy, it could reminded you of tomato soup (albeit one whose depths hid rich, gelatinous nuggets of pig’s feet). This kitchen was traditionalist at heart, and such conservatism is common throughout Seoul, despite the city’s selfstyled sophistication. Restaurants advertise fusion cuisine, but simply serve two different kinds of food on a single plate. The phrase “well-being” has caught on as a trend, but it simply means adding green-tea powder to everything. For revolutionary food, one must hit the streets.

At a stand in busy Myeongdong, you can try the tornado potato, a single spud carved into a helix of starch, then skewered, deep-fried and sprinkled with salt and powdered cheese — an Iron Chef-worthy innovation. Just down the road was Balena, a storefront that whips up spaghetti with spicy chicken and steak-studded penne, and crams them into ice cream cones, to be eaten on the run with a fork. The strangest thing that could be found to eat, however, was far from newfangled. It was at Noryangjin, a cavernous marketplace that stocks virtually every creature in the oceans: stingrays, squids, oysters, snails, crabs and a host of scaly, slimy organisms that I had no name for. But at Jinnam, one of several restaurants on the market’s second floor, I knew the name of my lunch: sannakji. Commonly referred to as live octopus, sannakji isn’t really alive, but the raw tentacles writhing on the platter might lead you to think otherwise. Rather, it’s just some lingering electrochemical reaction that causes those thin strands to curl, stretch and attach their suction cups to your lips and gums as you try to ingest them. Rumor has it that people occasionally choke to death on sannakji, but a quick dip in sesame oil keeps the suckers from adhering too tightly. The most surprising thing about sannakji? It tasted good — clean and meaty — and once I’d gotten over the discombobulation that comes from eating something that most definitely does not want to be eaten, I was chopsticking tentacles into my mouth as if they were octo-popcorn. But such extreme dining is mostly a sideline.

More commonly, restaurants like New Andong Zzimdak, which serves a single dish: boneless chicken pieces sautéed at your table with mung-bean noodles, vegetables, and gochujang, a red-pepper paste that is to Korean cuisine what butter is to French. This is easy food, slightly spicy, with an unexpected sweetness from caramelized gochujang. Like most Korean food, it comes in massive quantities and is meant to be eaten by large groups of friends. Promiscuous eaters should wander around Kwangchang Market, a covered zone of stalls serving everything from bibimbap, the hot mix of rice and vegetables, to soondae, a blood sausage, to latke-like pancakes fried up before your eyes. Kimchi stalls offer samples of myriad chilli-flecked varieties, including one of kkaennip, the shiso-like leaf that was part of almost every meal, wrapped around grilled meat or embedded in pajun. Whatever your culinary desires may entail, Seoul will likely have what you need, and more. Much more. While we have picked out some of the biggest and best places to visit, nothing can beat simply walking down the street and trying some of the local cuisine.

TASTE OF THE EAST: DINING IN SEOUL By Camille Percheron

SEOUL SOUTH KOREA 53

ANTICIPATE FASCINATION

ISSUE 1 - SPRING/SUMMER 2014 - 10.00 POUNDS