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WELCOME
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CONTENTS
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SPOTLIGHT
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THE INTERVIEW
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EXHIBITION 18 
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FASHION NEWS
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TRENDS REPORT
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THE MUSIC 19 
EDITOR’S LETTER
From: Kwang Kha To: Readers Date: April 21, 2018 Subject: Editor’s Letter Dear my readers With the launch of Nobrand Paper’s first issue 001, we are eagerly discussing and choosing the right kind of design to show our readers. On the 2018 catwalk, more than 300 brands have released their latest collection. Readers will see interesting interactions between styles, textures and multicolor palettes. The issue 001 highlights are the following: Gucci models holding their heads on the runway which simulate the operating room with blue PVC-plated walls and floors or the interview of pop star Troye Sivan who is “gay symbol” of the youth. On April 21, 2018, the Nobrand fashion brand cooperate with DPI CENTER to host an art exhibition entitled “Discover Your New Vision Of Fashion“. Want to give people a fresh look at fashion - messages about the right to live with true sex, the femininity of modern life and call on everyone to say no to using animals in fashion. Thank you so much. Kwang Kha
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ACKNOWLEDGEMINTS
FOUNDER KWANG KHA
PUBLISHER KWANG KHA
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF KWANG KHA
CONCEPT KWANG KHA
STYLIST KWANG KHA
DESIGNER KWANG KHA
CONTRIBUTORS MR. NGUYEN TRI THONG MR. NGUYEN NHAT MINH MR. ANH NGUYEN MR. VO HOANG VIET MR. NGUYEN QUANG DINH MR. NGHIA NGUYEN MR. DAC THANG MR. NGUYEN HOANG TU MR. NHAT ANH MR. DUONG TRONG DUC MR. PHAN TRUNG HAU MR. NGUYEN VIET QUOC MR. DANG VI CO MR. QUOC CUONG MS. PHAM NGOC LUU UYEN MS. NGOC NGUYEN MS. DUONG PHI MS. NGUYEN MAI ANH MS. TRAM TRAN
GET IN TOUCH getintouch@nobrandpaper.com
SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES subscribe@nobrandpaper.com
GENERAL ENQUIRIES general@nobrandpaper.com
SUBMISSIONS submissions@nobrand.com
NOBRAND COMPANY 12 Yersin, Ward 8, District 1, HCMC +84.936.888.121 All content is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Opinions represented in Nobrand Paper Magazine are not necessarily those of the pubisher. For more Nobrand Paper goodness, giveaways, news, free sewing patterns and events. www.nobrandpaper.com
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SPOTLIGHT
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SPOTLIGHT
RICCARDO TISCI IS GOING TO BURBERRY AND NO ONE SAW IT COMING We’re excited!
RICCARDO TISCI
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Following Christopher Bailey’s last show for Burberry only two weeks ago, today the brand’s new chief creative officer has been named in the form of Riccardo Tisci. The former 12-year creative director at Givenchy left his position at the Parisian house last year. Since being appointed as a relative unknown in 2005, he masterfully navigated between streetwise menswear, brilliantly crafted couture and a darkly glamorous women’s ready-to-wear line. He can certainly be credited with being one of the first and most successful designers to introduce graphic pieces and high fashion trainers to the runway, elevating these staples into luxury must-haves. After his exit from Givenchy, Tisci has been working on his ongoing collaboration with Nike, but his debut collection in September will be his first venture into ready-to-wear since Spring/Summer 17. “I am honoured and delighted to be joining Burberry as its new Chief Creative Officer,” Tisci said in a statement. “I have an enormous respect for Burberry’s British heritage and I am excited about the potential of this exceptional brand.” Other names tapped for the role had included Phoebe Philo and Kim Jones, both Brits. Tisci’s announcement, like that of Hedi Slimane at Céline, comes as something of a surprise – albeit a very welcome one. And although an Italian at the head of a very British label isn’t what many were expecting, England isn’t unfamiliar to him – Tisci spent years living, studying, and partying in London. After all, sometimes it takes an outsider’s distance to truly be able to see what makes a place unique. Congratulations Riccardo – we can’t wait to see what you do!
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SPOTLIGHT
DEMNA GVASALIA CREATED A FAKE BALENCIAGA HOTLINE YOU CAN ACTUALLY CALL Booty call, but make it fashion
Earlier today, Demna Gvasalia presented his AW18 collection for Balenciaga. We already told you everything you needed to know: it was the first co-ed show, there was a partnership with the World Food Programme, and oversized, layered silhouettes that have already been turned into memes featuring Friends’ Joey Tribbiani (you know, the one where he wears all of Chandler’s clothes). However, one detail you might have missed was on looks 33 and 35 of the 72 look strong collection – not to mention on the giant, graffitied mountain that made up the set. The outfits – blue/ white pinstripe, and black and white grid-pattern shirts – came printed with a French phone number across the front (+33 156 528 799) that Demna told us backstage after the show would connect you to an actual fake Balenciaga hotline. Because sure, why not? (“I was tired of making prints!” the designer explained.)
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BALENCIAGA AW18
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SPOTLIGHT
GUCCI AW18
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GUCCI MODELS CARRIED THEIR OWN SEVERED HEADS DOWN THE RUNWAY How’s your head?
Milan Fashion Week is here and with it, the moment a lot of you have been waiting for, Gucci’s latest collection. The invite for the AW18 show was a timer in a plastic bag, slowly counting down. To what, we still aren’t sure. Upon entering the show space – which had been transformed into an operating room – guests waited for the show to begin. Featuring the expected fabulous fashions that we know connote with Alessandro Michele’s Gucci, there was one accessory that was very unexpected. Rounding the corner, the model looked like she could be carrying a small bag, but it was, in fact, a severed head – a replica of her own. Another model followed, carrying a replica of his head too – as you do. The title of the collection was ‘Cyborg’ with the notes explaining that the Gucci Cyborg is “posthuman”. Is that the future we are heading towards? A world where we are all Michele’s cyborgs. Only he can answer that. As for our head? We haven’t had any complaints.
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SPOTLIGHT
HUBERT DE GIVENCHY
HUBERT DE GIVENCHY HAS DIED AT 91 The legendary designer was best known for his work with Audrey Hepburn
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AUDREY HEPBURN WEARING GIVENCHY
Hubert de Givenchy, founder of the house of Givenchy, passed away at the age of 91 years old. The designer worked for Pierre Balmain, Christian Dior and Elsa Schiaparelli before founding his own fashion house in 1952. Soon after starting his own label, he met Audrey Hepburn, who became his lifelong muse and shaped the future of Givenchy’s fashion legacy. Givenchy famously designed the famous little black dress Hepburn wore in the opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany’s and also created looked for her roles in Funny Face and Sabrina—paving the way for future designers’ role in cinematic fashion. Throughout his career, the designer went on to dress a string of elegant, esteemed women including Jacqueline Kennedy, Grace Kelly, Greta Garbo and more. After debuting his first couture collection in 1952, Givenchy launched a ready-to-wear label just two years later and then a menswear collection in 1969. The French designer’s work was marked by its Parisian elegance and sophistication that saw its impact in the cinema, on the red carpet, and on the chicest of women. Givenchy stepped down as the head of design in 1995. Since his departure from the fashion house, an array of designers have taken reins of the label, including Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Riccardo Tisci and, currently, Clare Waight Keller, the house’s first female creative director.
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THE INTERVIEW
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THE INTERVIEW
KIRA GOODEY’S BESPOKE FOOTWEAR IS INSPIRED BY DRAGONS AND VAGINAS The London-based designer’s elaborate creations take on the virgin vs. whore dichotomy. They’ve made fans of Brooke Candy, Erykah Badu, and Britney Spears
KIRA GOODEY X NAMILIA
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People don’t generally think of “feminist footwear” as towering stiletto heels. Unless, perhaps, they’re adorned with sculptural hand-embroidered vulvas, each finished with a shiny clitoris pearl. Kira Goodey’s empowering pussy shoes — made in collaboration with Namilia for the Berlin-based brand’s spring/summer 18 collection — were a commentary on the false dichotomy of braburning feminist and straight-laced housewife. “You see dicks everywhere, but there’s still so much taboo with the vagina,” Kira tells NOBRAND. “I really wanted to show it in all its beauty and celebrate these two archetypes of womanhood — the virgin versus the whore, the princess versus the pornstar — and to show that as women we are both of these things and so many other things.” In a world where grimy dad sneakers and actual orthopedic shoes are runway mainstays, the Londonbased designer’s bespoke footwear feels even more subversively sexy. Kira’s recent creations include literal cage shoes and holographic peplum platforms, for two fellow students from the Royal College of Art grad show. She collaborated with Australian designer Jamie Lee on an intense pair of dragon boots endorsed by Brooke Candy, and flowing ponytail pumps worn by Britney Spears. It’s a far cry from Western Australia, where Kira grew up before landing an internship under late legend Alexander McQueen. As London Fashion Week wrapped up, Kira spoke to NOBRAND about feminism and fantasy.
You interned at Alexander McQueen after moving from Australia to London. It was a weird time. It was his last year before he died. I left literally two weeks before he passed away. I went back a few weeks later to pick up my reference letter, and it was a very sad, weird time. But I felt so lucky that I got to work under him. What was the experience like while you were there? It was amazing, but very eye-opening in terms of how much work there is involved in this industry. People in fashion work so hard. It’s ridiculous. It was very challenging, but completely inspiring and mesmerizing. Equal parts hard and amazing. Most people associate Western Australia with Uggs and flip-flops. What drew you to bespoke footwear? I always had a real passion for craft. I’ve always made things, I’ve always worked with my hands. I got to a point in my career where I’d worked in womenswear, accessories, and all the various elements of clothing except shoes. Then I found this guy, sadly he’s closed his studio now,
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but he had this gorgeous studio and gave lessons in bespoke footwear. I was like, “This is one part of the process I haven’t tried.” It seemed like such a mystery. Where do you begin with shoes? I had absolutely no clue. It sounded really fun, and I wanted try it. I just got hooked. You were speaking earlier about the stereotype of virgin vs whore. Is that false dichotomy something that runs through all of your work? 100%. I’m both drawn to these overly sexualized female archetypes, and at the same time, appalled by them. There’s a bizarre power that comes through footwear. As a woman, when I put on a pair of amazing heels, I feel this height, I feel like I tower above people, I feel like I have a presence. But at the same time, obviously, it’s something that’s painful and uncomfortable and makes life impractical. It’s tied to things that make people think of women as being less capable in the workforce. I’m definitely a feminist, but there’s so much complexity to it. I’m doing something that’s quite a male trade. Bespoke shoemaking is very much something that’s been all-male guilds for centuries. The fact that I’m doing this but then really fetishizing the female form — I know it’s a bit of a contradiction, but we all are contradictions. What else inspires your work? I’m really into cartoons, so there’s always a cartoony element to everything I do. One of the big draws for me moving to London was that I’ve always been really passionate about history. I love beautiful old buildings and old architecture. I go to a lot of galleries and a lot of stately homes and castles.
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“YOU SEE DICKS EVERYWHERE, BUT THERE’S STILL SO MUCH TABOO WITH THE VAGINA”
BROOKE CAND
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KIRA GOODEY X NAMILIA
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I’m really inspired by the craftspeople of the past — people like Wedgwood, for instance, who were amazing social pioneers and amazing entrepreneurs, but also were the absolute best at their craft. Music also definitely drives what I do. But my primary inspiration would be materiality. I always find my process through playing with materials, and I like to let materials govern the forms that come out of it. One of the most impressive things to me, about your work, is that all the shoes are actually wearable. You even collaborated with Adidas. That was a while ago — I did a special project with Adidas Football. They got a few young designers from various disciplines to play around with the football boot. I don’t like football, I have no interest in football, so I had to come from a completely different angle
and try to find something I could grasp that interested me. It was more like the space around football — showing the movement and the aerodynamics. It ended up being something completely non-functional, just decorative. I like the irony of that. A football boot is supposed to be about function, and I made something completely unwearable that just looked cool. Where do you stand on fashion’s obsession with ugly-cool, orthopediclooking shoes? It’s not for me. I don’t want to disparage anyone’s craft, because I know there are a lot of amazing designers behind those pieces. But I’m in fashion for the fantasy. Normal life is a drag. The world is terrible, reality is awful. I want fashion that takes me somewhere far away, somewhere magical, where I feel glamor and excitement and escape.
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CATCHING UP WITH DRAG SUPERSTAR DETOX ON THE WESTWOOD FROW
THE INTERVIEW
We talk fashion, tucking, and the latest Drag Race season
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DETOX AT VIVIENNE WESTWOOD SS18
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Detox. Yes, the process of ridding the body of toxic or unhealthy substances, but also a drag queen. One of the drag queens, in fact – full name Detox Icunt. She appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race (season 5) and RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars (season 2), and is as known for her wicked sense of humour as she is for her silicone implants and immortal catchphrases like “I’ve had it, officially!” and “Sorry ‘bout it!” Yesterday, Detox made an appearance at Vivienne Westwood’s SS18 runway show at London Fashion Week Men’s, where she perched on the front row alongside fellow (but not quite as fierce) stars including Ezra Miller and Alice Dellal. Titled We are Motherfucker, the show saw a stream of models and circus performers walk, dance and cartwheel down the runway, dressed in explosive tailoring and playing cards make-up. The show climaxed with the whole cast taking to the
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catwalk, with the godmother of punk herself perched on the shoulder of one particularly beefy circus man. As the show finished, we grabbed Detox for a quick chat to find out what she thought about the show, what pieces she wants to buy and about her relationship with fashion. And yes, don’t worry, we also asked her who she thinks is going to win season 9 and what she thinks about Valentina’s elimination (we’re still shook too). Like what? The huge backpack, the shoes, and I love all the deconstructed gowns on the men with the huge shoulders. That beautiful navy gown was stunning… Everything, it was really amazing. The knitwear was amazing. What did you think of the dance elements of the show? I loved it! You never know what to expect with the Vivienne show. And
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD SS18
I love that she came out riding on some motherfucker’s shoulders. And looking like a million dollars. I thought that was really fun and lighthearted because you don’t really see a lot of lighthearted shows anymore.
“YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT WITH THE VIVIENNE SHOW. AND I LOVE THAT SHE CAME OUT RIDING ON SOME MOTHERFUCKER’S SHOULDERS”
And what do you make of Vivienne Westwood as a designer? I mean, what’s not to make of her? She’s classic. Classic punk, which I think is what I am. Have you met her before? I have, yes. I met her at the last show here, had some champs. What was it like meeting her? Bizarre, crazy. What does she call me again? ‘That gorgeous lady?’ (laughs) which I don’t know what she’s looking at, but… I’m pretty sure I gave the front row across from me a nice shot of my balls earlier because I didn’t tuck that well. But she’s amazing!
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When you were Drag Race (and All Stars), the judges always said you were very fashionable. So can you talk about your relationship with fashion, how long have you loved clothes? God, forever. A life changing moment for me was watching the Vogue Fashion Awards, I think it was like ’93 or ’94. There was a huge Thierry Mugler retrospective, and I was just blown away by it. I’ve been obsessed with fashion ever since. I’m a luxury whore. So being here is very exciting, and also about Drag Race – it’s the opportunity to do things like this, things that I’m so passionate about and love so much. I’m very lucky. Can you tell us about your look today? I’m wearing Westwood, of course! It was handpainted and – oh you’re not filming any of this so can’t get a look of it can you? I look amazing – that’s all I can say. My flight was today and I got ready really quickly and rolled over here looking like a billion dollars. And I also want to ask you about Drag Race – we’re nearing the final now, who’s your money on? I don’t know, but I also know that there’s some kind of crazy stunts that were pulled at the finale, so it’ll be very interesting to see. I’ve been going on team Shea Couleé from the start because I love her. But honestly this year,
I wouldn’t be surprised if anyone took it. Because it’s such an amazing top four. So I’m very excited to see Peppermint as the first trans-woman contestant on there making it to the final four. It’s amazing. Sasha is such an artist when it comes to her interpretation of what drag is, and Trinity – you can’t get a more classic pageant girl. But she’s broken the mould when it comes to pageantry because she’s hilarious. She takes the piss out of herself and I really appreciate that. Plus we’re made of the same parts (laughs). And what do you make of Valentina’s elimination? Erm… I mean, I wasn’t really shocked. If you’re gonna piss an opportunity like that away, it’s time for you to go. I mean I think she’s very beautiful and talented. But she wasn’t like my cup of tea for this season. Got you. Thank you so much. You’re welcome!
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VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
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THE INTERVIEW
CHRISTIAN LACROIX
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IT’S A LACROIX Christian Lacroix reignites Schiaparelli, creating a one-off couture collection for the maison
This July, maison Schiaparelli draws back the curtain once again as Christian Lacroix returns to couture, creating a one-off collection of fifteen pieces for the artistic fashion house – which might have the best view in Paris, overlooking the Place Vendôme. Ahead of the firebrand union, igniting the haute schedule we spoke to Lacroix, who, like Schiaparelli herself has a thing for shocking pink.
since my childhood! I have always been very inspired by her work, mixing past and modernity, high and low, elegance and eccentricity. Schiap made clever clothes with a twist of spirit. Her heritage is much too often reduced and simplified with the surrealistic and caricatural side of her clothes. But she made practical and modern clothes that have inspired many couturiers.
Lacroix and Schiaparelli are both celebrated as iconic couturiers. But what about Lacroix for Schiaparelli, can you tell us about how you begin to approach that? I don’t want to sound pretentious, but this seems natural to me, almost obvious. I do feel a link with her through many signs since I was a child. In my approach, I will for sure not do a caricature of her work, but will create a reflection about how the past and the future are connected in the present.
How does Schiaparelli contextualise itself in the digital age? In an era when everything is hyper-diffused and shared, so short-lived, we’ll need more and more “one of a kind” objects, contemporary concepts or projects deeply rooted in a timeless strong story, with a unique touch – and Schiap was a very special one – based on innovation, surrealism, inspiration; so different from the other couture houses of her time. The project is not to copy vintage clothes or being stuck in her past for the sake of being part of red carpet wars but keeping her spirit, which was very future minded and not nostalgic at all. Totally connected with the most whimsical, baroque or fancy style and allure of our time using her style in a contemporary way, which does not mean worldwide diffused or mainstream as too many supposedly luxury labels do but with the same individuality and sense of rarity. Her atypical and unusual touch as paradoxically as she and her work were.
Is it nourishing to be creating couture again? It’s all very natural. This kind of project that links history of costume and fashion really appeals to me. When I was young, I had planned on being a fashion museum curator… I became a stage designer after 25 years of couture! What from the Schiaparelli archive do you find most inspiring? Her modernity with a twist. I have adored Schiap
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EXHIBITION
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EXHIBITION
HOW ABOUT #NO Join us to discover your new vision of fashion. And do not forget the hashtag How about #no on instagram to get people to have a fresh look on the future
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Nobrand will launch the art exhibition at DPI CENTER, 13h30, April 21, 2018. Let everyone Discover Your New Vision Of Fashion. Our brand Nobrand is a fashion brand created by Kwang Kha, presented in 2018. With the minimalism design, Nobrand doesn’t use fur and leather of animals. Our value Nobrand’s commitment to subtainability is evident throughout all our collections and is part of the brand’s ethos to being a responsible, honest, and moderns company.
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No Animal Every year, millions of individual animals are killed for fur and leather for the fashion industry. Let us say no with using animals in fashion and replace with artificial and plant materials instead, combined with symbolic animal prints.
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No Materialism Fashion does not necessarily come from the label. Fashion comes from the things hidden in your soul, your personality. The essence of choosing an outfit, it’s not about the brand, it’s about making your self more beautiful.
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No Despise Woman Self-strengthening, self-reliant are qualities of a beautiful and bravery woman. Never let fear stop you from doing what you know is right because the future is ours.
No Sex Discrimination Birth is the limitation but your formation is unlimited. Believe in yourself. Heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, rich, poor, skinny, fat, black, white. We are all human beings.
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FASHION NEWS
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FASHION NEWS
AMQ 18
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AMQ 18
SARAH BURTON CREATED NATURE-INSPIRED ARMOUR FOR POST #METOO WOMEN AT ALEXANDER MCQUEEN AMQ 18
McQueen has always been about powerful women, it has to be about empowering women 67 
AMQ 18
If ever there were a demonstration of soft power in action, Sarah Burton is it. Eight years into her role as Creative Director of Alexander McQueen she remains quietly spoken and on the surface at least, reticent, all the while pulling off a quite extraordinary feat of ensuring both a sense of continuity and continuous change. Who? Ever since his untimely passing in 2010, Sarah Burton has quietly, softly and confidently guided the British luxury house that Lee McQueen built through times of tremendous change. Right from her emotional debut, she answered the question of ‘how do you follow Lee?’ Sarah has now been at Alexander McQueen for more than two decades. Starting as Lee’s personal assistant in 1997, she worked her way up to a position where she was his natural successor and now, where she’s able to push the house forward. Perhaps justifiably, there will always be comparisons between the two creative visions. Initially, Burton was celebrated for taking McQueen out of the darkness thanks to her softer approach, but this isn’t necessarily true and certainly over simplifies her work and world. What she has always done is look to many of the same themes that inspired Lee — the natural world, the rise of technology, history — but moved the house into a more universal celebration of tradition and craftsmanship, alongside a deep desire to flatter modern woman. Against a moodboard backdrop of butterflies and
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AMQ 18
AMQ 18
AMQ 18
beetles, Burton described her autumn/winter 18 collection as being about “extreme nature, metamorphosis and a soft armor for women.” As the images behind her hinted, her point was thinking about “butterflies, bugs and and a paradise found, rather than lost.” Rooted in nature, Burton found hope in a collection that celebrated the magical transformations of femininity. “McQueen has always been about powerful women, it has to be about empowering women,” she explained. What? Heritage McQueen tailoring — strong shoulders, narrow waists and exaggerated hips — formed the backbone of the collection but soon shapeshifted as fragile fringes, drapes and curves softened ever. Throughout, Burton played with the idea of cocoon and butterfly. In i-D cover star Binx Walton’s powersuit opening look, a cocoon was subtly hinted at in a peeledaway tailcoat. As the collection evolved, the use of butterfly motifs and shredded fil coupé jacquards were much more explicit and culminated in wings being attached to tailoring. The circle of life in motion. Wow! Oversized butterfly wings in flamingo pink silk taffeta were crafted onto a tuxedo jacket in NOBRAND cover star Adut Akech’s standout look. Who doesn’t want to transform into a kickass butterfly and take on this post-Trump, post-Brexit, post #MeToo world.
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FASHION NEWS
SHAYNE OLIVER
DIESEL AS SEEN BY SHAYNE OLIVER
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SHAYNE OLIVER IS DESIGNING A COLLECTION FOR DIESEL The newly launched Red Tag Project – launching at Paris Fashion Week – will see three designers create oneoff collections for the label
Since he presented the SS18 collection at Helmut Lang, things have been relatively quiet with designer Shayne Oliver. He skipped the AW18 show at NYFW and has put his own brand, Hood By Air, on a brief hiatus while acting as guest designer at the revived iteration of the iconic brand. Now, it has been announced that Oliver is designing a capsule for Diesel. While the mainline doesn’t currently have a creative director – after the exit of Nicola Formichetti at the end of last year – brand founder Renzo Rosso created the Red Tag Project as a three-part series, enlisting designers to come and create one-off capsule collections.
DIESEL AS SEEN BY SHAYNE OLIVER
“This capsule is really the language of Renzo, the brand founder. Refined razorsharp denim aesthetics that devours the excesses of trendiness,” Oliver told WWD. Little is known about what the collection will entail, other than it will be made up of ten looks and will reinterpret denim – something the label is known for. The best part about the news is that you won’t have long to wait: the collection will debut at Paris Fashion Week on March 3. There will even be a special performance in addition to the collection. Keep an eye out for more details.
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FASHION NEWS
LARRY CLARK SHOOTS THE NEW JW ANDERSON X CONVERSE COLLAB
JW ANDERSON X CONVERSE
The designer dropped the new collection at his recent AW18 co-ed show
Is there any stopping Jonathan Anderson? Last year alone saw him stage an exhibition at the Hepworth Wakefield, collaborate with Uniqlo and Converse – all while designing collections for both Loewe and his own eponymous label. This year Anderson decided to combine his menswear and womenswear collections into one co-ed show, he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. At the recent AW18 collection he unexpectedly dropped his latest collection for the ongoing partnership with Converse.
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While last year’s collection drew from John Waters films to bring us All-American, glitter-coated Chuck 70s, this season is comparatively pared down. Adding formal details to streetwear styles and sticking to a camel and navy blue colour palette, the shoes are in Anderson’s words been “reconstructed with nuance to create provoking designs.” Fancy. The collection’s reimagined Thunderbolt, Chuck 70 and Chuck 70 XX Hi models can be seen in the accompanying campaign images and video, shot by Larry Clark on a Marseille beach with Insta-girls-of-themoment Celia and Camille epitomising casual cool. This is the first time Clark has worked with Anderson, but it isn’t his first fashion appearance. He previously shot a short film for Dior Homme and also starred in the first campaign for the newly revived Helmut Lang. Watch his latest fashion film below.
JW ANDERSON X CONVERSE
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FASHION NEWS
ALEXANDER WANG DROPS NEW CAMPAIGN THAT DOESN’T FEATURE ANY MODELS
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EX A NDER WANG S S18
The designer wanted to capture the energy of the clothes instead of his usual army of models 74
“JUST ME AND MY MAN BY THE FIRE”
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EX A NDER WANG S S18
Last month Alexander Wang presented his last NYFW show. Holding his AW18 presentation in the old Vogue office on Times Square, the designer showed leather skirt suits, long coats, and tiny sunglasses that wouldn’t look out of place worn by The Matrix’s Trinity. Wang has now released his SS18 campaign, which forgoes the usual gang of models to focus on pieces worn by the likes of Kaia Gerber, Zoë Kravitz and Behati Prinsloo. Photographed by Albert Watson, who is known for his black and white portraits of icons like Kate Moss, Tupac, and David Bowie, the images feature quotes from those involved next to the items they have worn. From a deconstructed t-shirt dress and a cropped tank top stretched out by clips, to a pair of stilettos wrapped in barbed wire, the images are shot in the black and white style that Albert Watson is known for. “To photograph the clothing or item as a study after the subject wore it felt especially timely, removing her from the photograph but retaining her vibrant spirit,” Wang said on his idea for the campaign. In similar non-traditional fashion to the model-less campaign, Wang will no longer present his collections alongside his New York peers but will instead show in line with precollection presentations in June and December.
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TRENDS REPORT
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TRENDS REPORT
BROCK COLLECTION
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PUFFED SHOULERS CHRISTIAN SIRIANO
EMILIA WICKSTEAD
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TRENDS REPORT
RUBBER
BALENCIAGA
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ACNE STUDIOS
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TRENDS REPORT
HERMÈS
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SQUARE
CUSHNIE ET OCHS
NECKLINES
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TRENDS REPORT
ASYMMETRICAL NECKLINES
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CALVIN KLEIN
PRABAL GURUNG
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TRENDS REPORT
ELLERY
TOM FORD
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WHITE SUITING
RACHEL ZOE
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TRENDS REPORT
JW ANDERSON
LAVENDER 88 
VICTORIA BECKHAM
MICHAEL KORS
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TRENDS REPORT
LUCIO VANOTTI
NOBRAND
NOBRAND
TRUSSARDI
TOD’S
TOD’S
FENDI
TRUSSARDI
GIORGIO ARMANI
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THE BEST SHOES FROM MILAN FASHION WEEK
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THE BEST BAGS FROM PARIS FASHION WEEK
TRENDS REPORT
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ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
LOEWE
LOEWE
VALENTINO
BALMAIN
STELLA MCCARTNEY
LOUIS VUITTON
DRIES VAN NOTEN
ACNE STUDIOS
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TRENDS REPORT
LE SPECS X ADAM SELMAN THE FLEX
ILLESTEVA VINYL MATTE RECTANGULAR
ELIZABETH AND JAMES MCKINLEY
ROBERI & FRAUD GOLD DORIS
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X-GIRL SUNGLASSES GEORGE KEBURIA WHITE MARBLE
SLIM RETRO ACETATE BY BALENCIAGA
GEORGE KEBURIA BLACK CAT EYE
POPPY LISSIMAN LE SKINNY
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THE MUSIC
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THE MUSIC MUSIC
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TROYE SIVAN’S TIPS FOR STAYING QUEER AND HAPPY IN 2018 Recognise those who fought for equality, take regular social media breaks, go dancing with your best gay friends, etc 99
TROYE SIVAN
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Calling the 22-year-old pop star Troye Sivan a “gay icon” at such a young age might seem like a grandiose statement to some, but he’s part of a generation that’s making sense of their sexuality in new ways. As they frantically look for “Coming Out” videos on YouTube, and scour online forums in search of morsels of information that make them feel like they’re a part of a bigger community, there’s comfort in the fact that, not long ago, Troye was doing that himself.
musical careers of the past decade. His debut album Blue Neighborhood was a boldly produced headrush of electropop that gained him some serious critical love from important broadsheets like The Guardian. Returning a few years later with a new head of bleach blonde hair, an acting career, and more bangers to bless us with, it’s his sophomore effort, headed up by the sensual and anthemic My, My, My that’s set to break Troye into the mainstream.
Now out and proud about his gay identity, nobody represents pop’s new era as well as he does. Hailing from small town suburban Australia, he cut his teeth as a crazy popular YouTuber, spending his time teaching an attentive audience of millions about the pangs of Instagram and how to practice safe sex. In the midst of it all, he unleashed what would become one of the most exciting
There’s a moment in Troye’s Saturday Night Live performance where his shirt falls off his shoulder and he smiles for a second. He campishly sits his hand on his hip, struts, grinds, and flips his hair back like he truly doesn’t give a fuck what people think of him. Now we’re seeing so many of the world’s teen idols feel comfortable enough to come out of the closet, the fact that Troye’s songs
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are beamed straight into a million homes across America — queerness unfiltered — makes us super, super happy. When we meet in the lounge of his hotel, Troye is modest, warm, and ceaselessly lovely. He’s the kind of person you hope he’d be, considering how strong an impact he’s had on queer people his age. Often, he’s labeled a voice for the LGBTQ+ community, and while he politely rejects that idea (“It’s so complex, diverse, and large that we need as many voices as we can”), his success still marks a huge lunge forward in radio’s palatability for stars that don’t fit inside the heteronormative shoebox. With all of this insane attention, how does a young guy with the weight of the pop world on his shoulders manage to stay focused and content with himself? Sipping from a cup of miso soup, Troye Sivan gave us his own tips on the best ways to stay queer and happy in 2018. Go dancing (a lot) with like-minded people “Especially in queer spaces. I’ll never forget the feeling of walking into a gay club for the first time and realiszing that, no matter how “gay” you feel, there will be people who feel more gay! No matter how crazy you dress, there’s someone dressing crazier than you! Being able to blend in and not feel like you’re sticking out like a sore thumb is such a relief.” Take social media breaks “It’s important for everybody’s mental health. The internet is responsible for so many brilliant things, and we’re more empathetic now having met a lot of really diverse people online who are going through different experiences to our own. But remember that there’s definitely a ‘too much’. Keep a good balance. If you’re being stressed out by your phone, turn it off. Social media exists in a separate world than the real one.” Go to Pride “Feeling a sense of community in something that was once so isolating is really liberating.” Make sure your friends are the real deal “Deep, long and loyal friendships are important. People i consider friends are the kind of people i can call when the shit hits the fan; the ones that are funny, and make me laugh
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TROYE SIVAN
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“I REALLY JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP OTHERS. I’M SO LUDICROUSLY LUCKY, IT WOULD BE DISGUSTING IF I DIDN’T ACKNOWLEDGE IT”
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all the time! I’ve only got three or four people i speak to on a daily basis, but i need them.” If you’re young and lonely, remember that people will love you for you “The world you exist in — whether that’s your school or your town or your family — it’s easy to feel like that’s the whole world. I can say with complete confidence that no matter who you are or how you identify or who you love, there’s a community of people out there who won’t only tolerate you, but will celebrate you, and love you for who you are.” Self care is key! “Build time into your schedule to recharge. I try and get away from everything. I won’t answer my phone, or will hole myself up in my house. Spend time with people you love — or don’t spend time with people you love! Watch movies by yourself. Just do whatever you’ve got to do.” Recognize those who fought for equality “I had a really big moment watching How to Survive a Plague. It’s a movie about the AIDS crisis in New York City and the activism group Act Up who highlighted it. They were throwing
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the ashes of their dead boyfriends on the lawn of the White House. Lying in bed watching it being like, “Holy shit. They did this for us” — it really rocked my world. I was so grateful in that moment to see these people that reminded me of myself and my friends doing something so selfless and brave.” Go outside! “Go pick up a coffee or something! Getting outside for five minutes keeps me really happy.” Get to a point where you enjoy being alone “You want to be able to sit with yourself and feel good about it. I’ve had trouble with that in the past, but now I feel like I’m in a good space where I can be alone and feel fine. It takes off the pressure and urgency of finding a partner, and keeps you out of trouble.” Remember that the queer experience is the most beautiful one “The only set requirement of being part of the LGBTQ+ community is that you’re unique; you’re your own person who’s gone off the familiar trail. I feel like I’ve found a family in that community, and I’m so, so happy to be gay!”
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How club nights like Fuse, Peach, and Nightrave are shaking up the after hours party landscape
THE PARTIES PUSHING GLASGOW’S CLUB SCENE FORWARD
THE MUSIC
GLASGOW PROMOTERS
Cities undergoing change often produce the most era-defining music scenes. The Madchester movement emerged from the smokestack city’s 1980s deindustrialisation, and Berlin’s techno explosion followed the fall of the East and West dividing wall. While Glasgow has long been heralded as a musical innovator, with partyslash-record labels Numbers and LuckyMe now regarded as among the best in the world, the next generation of DJs and promoters are ushering in a new phase of progress. For this new wave, broadening the landscape with new genres, trying out niche concepts as well as pushing for diversity, inclusivity, and clubber safety are top of the agenda. But for all the good work that organisations such as PoC and LGBTQ-supporting Grassroots Glasgow is doing, enacting change in a city with a history of a laddish ‘taps aff’ mentality has perhaps been a slower slog than elsewhere. “When I started running nights, no one was having these conversations in Glasgow,” says Catriona Reilly, booker at the ten-year-old live music and club space Stereo, and promoter of a variety of events including nostalgic R&B-focused Push It and femme-centric queer night Grind Your Axe. “It was really difficult to get people to take it seriously, and a lot of venues were scared because they felt like it might negatively impact their business.” For a taste of the ever-expanding musical horizons, check out the underground queer stalwart Shoot Your Shot or the new wave, cold wave, post-punk, and industrial night So Low. Glasgow’s unwaveringly strict licensing laws, where nightclubs must close at 3am, have also created a unique after hours party scene. “There are various venues across the city where you can go and you pay £10 in, just like you do at a club and you can stay until ten in the morning,” DJ/ producer Rebecca Vasmant, whose decade-long career has included promoting Modal, a night at the city’s iconic Sub Club fusing electronic music with jazz, explains. Perhaps because of this extra competition, venues such as The Art School, La Cheetah, Broadcast, and Stereo are especially supportive of the city’s subcultural innovation, and it’s across these spaces where some of Glasgow’s most exciting promoters host their events. These are just a few of them. Nightrave DJ/producer Nightwave is busy with a lot of things: releasing on esteemed labels like Fool’s Gold and Unknown to the Unknown, running her own imprint Heka Trax, organising and teaching music workshops for women with Producergirls, and scoring films. As a promoter, she’s also introduced more sounds to Glasgow’s techno and house
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obsessed clubbers, with grime nights at Broadcast, an art exhibition by visual artist Ashes57 at SWG3, and a Skepta album listening party among her long list of successful achievements. Nightrave, her regular residency at basement club La Cheetah, is one of her most visible accomplishments, having now been running for five years. “I started the night to shake things up a bit in Glasgow, especially as there weren’t many women being booked or running nights,” Nightwave explains. “This has changed a lot now, and it’s amazing to see.” Having taken Nightrave to cities like Edinburgh, Venice, Vienna, and Ljubljana, Nightwave says that “Glasgow is extremely well-educated and the best crowd in the world. However, it can (rarely) also be the toughest and most judgemental. I’ve had people ‘complain’ about my music variety before – but people are increasingly open-minded, so the risks are worth taking.” Fuse Inspired by the work of post-humanist artists Pussykrew and digital futurist Hirad Sab, FUSE is an audio-visual club night created by VJs Sofya Staune and Holly McGowan, aka VAJ.Power. The pair got to know each other during 3am coffee breaks in Glasgow School of Art halls. “The underground club scene is very political – it’s doing a lot more than white-straight-male, institution-based fine art is doing overall,” Staune explains when asked what motivated her to get into promoting in December 2016. With beginnings that favoured grime, FUSE now curates lineups that “aim to be diverse in a sense that, if you book people who have different experiences in life, it’s going to show in their art, in their music.” The night also aims to “support those artists who might feel their experiences are overlooked.” In practice, this means the duo host VJing workshops, with resulting visuals shown during opening acts, before headliners such as Berlin
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NIGHTWAVE
FUSE
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TOMBOY
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CALM DOWN,DEAR!
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COURTESY OF PEACH
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experimentalist Ziúr and Manchester’s Riddim Rally champion Anz deliver genre-bashing sets that pay no heed to steady BPMs. “There were people behind me going ‘this is such a great night’, and then the people in front of me who were a bit confused,” Staune recalls of reactions to that particular event. “But we think it’s very important to take risks and trust our gut. We always try to bring something new to the table and make it a platform for our artists to feel free to experiment.” Tomboy “Female rap is like watching lesbian porn,” asserts Genoa-born Mara Bragagnolo. “It might be intense, but you just know that no guy is going to come up and make you feel degraded as a woman.” Bragagnolo started The Art School-based female rap night Tomboy in November 2016. “The biggest problem with women is a lack of confidence. Because society just grabs it away from you, insecurity is inside of us all the time. I’m not saying female rap will give (confidence) to all women, but it gives it to me, so I’m sure someone else will get that kind of same boost.” Bragagnolo feels rap and grime are still male-dominated genres, and so that it was important to offer emerging artists like Laughta and Lady Shocker a space where they could take centre stage. “A lot of female rappers, especially in London, are on support slots, and here they’re headlining – which is what they deserve,” she explains, adding that Glasgow is much more open to ideas that wouldn’t be possible in the capital. “Everybody in London is trying to compete and be the coolest or the most edgy, whereas if you do something in Glasgow people are like, ‘Yeah, let’s go to that.’” Peach Peach, the brainchild of Radar Radio DJ K4CIE, was born because the selector “felt that the urban scene was lacking female presence at club nights and events.” From the start, K4CIE wanted Peach to attract a more diverse crowd. “It was trial and error at the start, but we have our door girl Romi, who is a vital part of our team,” K4CIE explains. “She has the right to decline anyone, because our job is to help create a safer space – not only for females but for everyone, no matter race, sexual orientation, religious beliefs etc. Everyone’s welcome. We do not tolerate any hate. We make that crystal clear.” A Peach dancefloor is hot and heady with a typical night seeing UK trap artists such as IAMDDB getting wheeled up again and again for a closely packed crowd
dancing hard. “We don’t play music to fit in the box, just one room full of real people looking to have a good time,” K4CIE says. “The good thing is clubs are open to new ideas, they listen to you and, in our experience, are very supportive. Their willingness to try something new and expand is half the battle for new promoters.” Where People Sleep The Where People Sleep collective was born when three friends, Amy DG, Samantha Dick, and Shaheeda Sinckler, turned their West End flat into an event space. “Me and Samantha were at a bit of a loose end,” recalls founder Sinckler. “She didn’t get into art school that year and I’d dropped out of uni, so we kind of tried to look for something to do.” The trio’s events, which now also include club nights outside of the flat, explore themes as wide ranging as noise art and responses to the #MeToo movement. Their latest exhibition, a collaboration with artist Lucy Lamort titled Calm Down, Dear!, aimed to “create a space where the ‘voice’ and particularly the ‘collective voice’ is seen as this powerful and important tool,” as Samantha Dick explains. “We decided to fabricate a stage plinth for the centre of the biggest hallway so that each performer could fill the space with their own words during the opening and this alongside the all-female DJ lineup later, really helped to amplify this core idea.” The collective have found their events so popular, queues can go around the block. Amy DG, who studies Painting & Printmaking at Glasgow School of Art, says that they only found out how long their 2016 New Year’s Eve party went on for as “letters from the police said that the speakers were confiscated on January 2 at 2am.”
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THANK YOU
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