FRECKLED
SPRING 2012
FRECKLED MAGAZINE Issue #4 Spring 2012 FEATURING
WRITING 51 SHINJI MOON 39 REBEKAH SEOK
ARTWORK 59 LEAH GOREN 31 BEN GILES 73 AMBER SEEGMILLER 81 KALOS
PHOTOGRAPHY 21 HEDDA SELDER 53 YULI SATO 41 KEVIN KUNSTADT 03 SHIRI LEE WEBB 67 LAURENCE PHILOMÉNE OLIVIER
MUSIC 88 WE ARE THE CITY
FASHION 106 TYRONE WILLIAMS 102 STEFFY KUNCMAN 110 ISAAC HINDIN-MILLER 98 CUP OF COUPLE 114 DIANA NGUYEN 118 REBECCA STICE
COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTINA RAYMOND http://www.flickr.com/photos/ohdoiloveyou/
TABLE OF CONTENTS PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHELLE LEE http://www.flickr.com/photos/michellerlee/
BACK COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY FFION ATKINSON http://www.flickr.com/photos/neonfear
ISSUE EDITORIAL PHOTOGRAPHS BY TING SHUEN http://www.flickr.com/photos/oceanfragrances
Hello Everyone! We hope that you’ve all had a wonderful Spring. This issue features an abundance of talented artists who have managed to take their penchant for art and devote their entire lives according to their medium of choice. For some, it is a small, yet impressive business that revolves around their specific craft and for others, it is a passion that has captured the attention of photography, writing or fashion enthusiasts worldwide. Whatever your interests may be, we hope that you will find inspiration from the dedication and creativity of these artists and can achieve whatever aspirations and dreams you may have. Thank you so much for reading and we really hope that you’ll enjoy the issue! Ting & Shanene
Want to stay updated? Find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/freckledmagazine!
Shiri lee webb My body of work captures observations and spectacles of the everyday that measure as an infinite series; documents of adventures, excursions through light and reflections of a state of mind. Sheer spontaneity and enduring moments.
http://www.shiriwebb.com/
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Hedda Selder
I am shooting to remember, to be able to tell you what I've experienced, seen or felt at a particular moment. Photography is such great way to express both things you see and to capture moods. I want my pictures to be both beautiful to look at and thoughtful, I think that the best photos can be watched in more than one way, and the ones who want to should be able to see a depth, of a feeling or a state of mind in them.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/heddaselder
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My name is Ben Giles, I’m an artist currently living in Bury St. Edmunds. The themes behind my work explore Memory, Parallel worlds, Flowers, Mutations, Dreams, Loss, Celebration, Freak Accidents and Time. The process of creating what I do can differ greatly, but it is always a constant thing - it’s a compulsion or a snowball that I cant control. Often cutting up a book to use makes me feel what I imagine a serial killer feels when they claim their next victim. I take inspiration from everywhere: from music, tv, film and the internet. Sometimes I create a piece in 10 minutes, other times I’ll be attacking it for weeks until it’s right. Collage is just a branch of what I do, one that seems to have blossomed out of control. I also paint and draw among other things, and am currently about to start exploring sculpture using wax and flowers.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/ben_giles/
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The Labor Written by Rebekah Seok http://www.rebekahseok.tumblr.com
How must you anticipate for her arrival! Why? Don’t you know she will only disembody you: she loves me, she loves me not, she loves, she loves not, she loves you not. She loves you not… There was a time when Spring made an appalling mistake. Spring opened her legs, Reeked of youth and morning eyelids, A stain of blood-red roses, Men waited for the blowing delicate dandelion seeds, women to turn on the morning fires, But her windows lie dim, Envious of their bug stained skins and vain grins, Despondently green she cannot abandon him, Eve’s first thorn and Eden’s last sin, Spring’s greatest loss, the fleeting birth of our brief moss. She throws bouquets in the air, but the wind never dares to catch it. We watched the roots grow, milk and soil. Climbed her playground limbs and ashy birch legs. Made pearl earrings of the morning dew. Butterflies made war with the green blades while our talons charmed the weeds to grow. Plucked on the first hairs of the willows, a comb they can tolerate, but not scissors. When the wasps wail, we cut the cord; but she refuses to hear. Spring whispered to me last night, I do not want to be remembered. Nobody knows, but once upon a time, I had a lover.
Photograph by Kåre Gade http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaaregade
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Kevin Kunstadt creates images which depict the natural world, the built environment, and the relationship between the two. He is based in New York City. + http://www.kevinkunstadt.com/
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Are You in Love with Anyone? Written by Shinji Moon http://www.clavicola.tumblr.com/
No. I’m in love with the pallid moon-washed reflections off the water I cup between my palms. I hold the sky to my chest and inhale its exhales, listen to its soft cries, return to it the love that it gives out so plentifully, a love that goes unrequited. I’m in love with the belief that the night is a dreamcatcher, that these stars are dream weavers, that our liquid lives hang in vials from the tinsels of constellations. I’m in love with back porches when words cling like dew to my skin, in the moment where shadows don’t triumph and moonlight and daybreak coexist in a way that renders me speechless. I’m in love with etches left in library cubbies, of thoughts in anonymity keyed into places where people refuse to be forgotten. I’m in love with leather-bound journals and the first violet flowers that push, so courageously, through the frost, (the one that I’ve pressed between pages sixty-eight and sixty-nine, and will continue to do so till the day I die), to preserve the hope that I feel so clearly. I’m in love with each breath of the sea, of the rivers that run through the veins of Gaea. I’m in love with the idea of love, of the idea of humans, of the idea of the universes and silky cobwebs that we’ve all spun (so delicately) in the folds of our minds. I’m in love with possibilities and daydreams, with the strings that keep us all knotted together, with the fragility of the shells that we walk on. I’m in love with Neptune’s pull, of bleeding reds and light caught through crystals. I’m in love with light that leaks through blinds, of the warmth of its shadow on the wooden floors, of doggy-eared pages, underlined and struck-through, of letters written in the margins, of thoughts pertaining to no one and someone and all of us and none of us.
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Photograph by Elias and Theresa Carlson
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eccarlson
I’m in love with pendants with secret notes locked between its hinges, of the stars that I see being different from the stars that you see. I’m in love with the waxing and waning of limbs in the sanctity of night, of leaving my heart in the folds of its moonlit cloak. I’m in love with the ebb and flow of the tide that I’ve caught between scales, of the hands of humanity, of all our heartbeats beating one in the same, of the freckle of hope that I seek for in the darkness of beings, the darkness that I wish to light up with pocket matches, of lights that guide you home. I’m in love with believing in only what I choose to believe, of catching freedom on my lips, of stretching out my limbs after being caged in for sixteen years. I’m in love with those quiet, static moments when all you need are two heartbeats, two breaths, two bodies, two minds. Wordless words, they call it. I’m in love with knowing that something has been treasured, so dearly loved, before it reached my arms. I’m in love with it all, with all of this, with all of that. A love of the purest sort. But am I in love with anyone? I pulled my knees to my chest and folded myself into my words. “No, I don’t believe I am.”
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yuli sato http://yulisato.com/
Over the past few years I have been reflecting on the loss of my childhood, the fear of growing up, and the increasing pressure of becoming an adult. My photographic practice in turn has increasingly become more and more about escapism and the desire to transform the real world into one of fiction. The female protagonists in my images reject mundane reality, reflect strong melancholic emotions and nostalgia through a particular aesthetic of soft colour, movement, and blurry atmosphere. I continue to employ these aesthetics in my fashion work, using dress and wardrobe to express feelings of melancholy and fantasy.
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Leah Goren Leah Goren is an illustrator from Southern California, now living in Brooklyn, New York. She lives with her boyfriend Dylan Ousely, and together they chronicle their life as designers on the blog A Future Present. Leah's work is colorful and feminine, with a focus on surface pattern and textiles. Her clients include Evian, Etsy, and DailyCandy, and her work has been featured in numerous online and print publications including Frankie Magazine, Huffington Post, and Refinery29. More of her work can be seen on her portfolio site and blog.
http://www.leahgoren.com
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http://www.etsy.com/shop/leahgoren
What themes and ideas do you work with? Childhood & the emotions that go along with that: happiness, sadness, nostalgia, sunlight. I think some of it makes more sense in my head. Memories of pretty places, like California. Flowers, plants, and the sun. Beautiful things, because there are lots of terrible hard things in the world that we think about enough of the time, and I want to share beautiful things with everyone. What inspires you? Plants, flowers, the coastline and foliage of California the way it still exists in my head, and my kitchen that’s full of plants and flowers. Looking at people’s outfits and homes. Cluttered corners of the world with lots of patterns and textures crammed in them all at once. The internet.
Do you make a lot of clothing pieces for friends and family? Occasionally, when there are birthdays and holidays and such. My grandma got a silk scarf for her birthday, and I made my favorite 9-year-old a couple t-shirts for Christmas. I don't think she really understood the value, though. We had a long texting conversation beforehand where she asked if I could make her jean shorts with small black bows or a jean-material dance outfit. What's your favorite thing you've ever made? That's a hard one! The newest thing I've made that I like is usually always my favorite. But, the girls faces print is something that has stuck with me for a while now. I have it printed on a small silk scarf that I hemmed by hand (it took so long) and I really love it - I plan on having it framed soon. The lovely cat dress seems to be a most popular item! How many total do you think you've made? I counted at the end of last summer, and it was 60 or so, and then I took a break for a while. I fill a few orders for cat dresses every week now, so maybe we're over 100 already!
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1. California Poems Silk Scarf, 96$. Available on Etsy. 2. Painting Pink Floral Patterns. 3. Bows Print, 24$. Available on Etsy. 4. ‘Girls’ pattern watercolor painting. Girls tank, 110$ available on Etsy. 5. Inspiration.
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Who are some of your favorite artists? Niki de Saint Phalle, Sonia Delaunay, Vera Newmann, Matisse, Maira Kalman, Leanne Shapton. Is New York the place to be? Where else would you like to go to be an artist in? So many of the people I look up to in the illustration and graphic arts field are here, and tons of people who are making amazing things in general. The city also seems so vast compared to where I’ve lived previously, and with so much going on everywhere. In California, cities like San Diego and LA cover a lot of land, but a lot of it is the same thing over and over again. Here there is so much to explore just neighborhoods away, and there are always museums and art shows to visit for inspiration. I feel like the future is so big in New York, because I could live a totally different life just by moving to a different neighborhood.
Scarf 02, Silk Habotai Scarf and Painting. Various Silk Scarves Available on Etsy.
How has your aesthetic developed since you've started painting? I used to think that all I wanted to do was detailed pencil drawings - that's how the Foundation year of art school said was how you got an A. But then I had a teacher who told me to go out and buy a brush - a Windsor Newton scepter series No. 2, aka the best brush you can get - and it changed everything. It was really awkward at first, for a long time, and it still kind of is but in a good way. The tip is so tiny and pointed but then it gets much wider, so you can get varying line weights. And also weird wobbly lines if, like me, you're not very careful. I like that, it's fun and weird and freeing. Are the clothes that you make also a large part of your own wardrobe? Not really, I only have a few dresses I have made myself. I guess I rarely feel like ordering fabric and making myself something, because I spend so much time making things for other people. I actually just ordered fabric today to make myself a new dress, but I think I'm going to ask a friend to sew it! Can you reveal any upcoming plans for spring / summer / future in general patterns and merchandise? I’m having some summery totes and tees printed soon. They should be the perfect, easy pieces to throw on with denim shorts and worn-in sandals. I’m also working with a friend right now developing a line for spring/ summer that combines her silhouettes with my prints. She’s also from Southern California and it’s going to be southwestern-inspired: bandanas and cacti and stuff. She’s an amazing designer, and you can see more of her work on peeps.org.
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Photographed by Laurence Philomène Olivier I'm a 19 year-old photographer from Montreal who spends her time napping, playing with dolls and watching Toddlers and Tiaras. Lately I've been really interested in the idea of reclaiming femininity as a way to empower yourself so a lot of my photography (as well as my personal style which I've incorporated in this series) has been about that. All girls are princesses!!!!
http:/www.laurencephilomene.com
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Clothes from : Citizen Vintage Model : Marie-Jeanne Gagnon Photographer : Laurènce Philomene Olivier
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WELCOME TO VANITY Amber Seegmiller
HTTP://WWW.AMBIRD.TUMBLR.COM
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KALOS AN INTERVIEW WITH BETHANY
Kalos is a company created by Bethany Menzel, Lindsay Sjoberg and Tegan Klenner. You might even recognize Lindsay from our Winter issue feature on Behind Sapphire, which is how we originally stumbled upon Kalos’ blog “Treasures and Travels.” The blog consists of creative DIY projects, delicious recipes, hair and make-up tutorials, giveaways (you don’t want to miss those), blogger features, as well as colourful snapshots of their lives. In addition to running the blog, they craft feather earrings/accessories, recreate vintage jewelry and clothing and sell their products in select stores. http://treasuresandtravels.squarespace.com/ http://kalos.bigcartel.com/
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Where does the name Kalos come from? The name Kalos is Tegan's name in Greek, it is tattooed on her foot. We were sitting outside Folk Festival 2009 when we decided to make it a business and give it a name, and we went with what was right in front of us! Kalos means God’s eminent beauty. I love the word and meaning for our business!
How did Kalos begin? We were at Sasquatch in 2009 and saw some hippie girls from Whistler making feather earrings and headbands. We gave them what was left of our cash for their creative accessories! This was before feather earrings were really popular and we thought it was a brilliant idea! That's what inspired it all.
What are everybodys roles in Kalos?
Tegan keeps us alive, we wouldn't be a business without her. She does all the "admin" work: contacting people, going to stores, assembling our packaging - she's so good at being organized and keeps us in line! Teg also has great style, she loved bows and pastels before they were cool, and she's great at coming up with new ideas for our products! Lindsay is the thrifting queen. She finds so many cool clothes, I’m pretty sure she has bought every single ite for our spring collection. Without Lindsay we would have nothing to sell. Linds is one of a kind, in the most amazing way! She is so creative and always coming up with plans for events we could throw. The sky is limit with Lindsay, I love it!
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how do you describe KALos' look? Our style was originally very hippie inspired: feathers, hemp, leather... but I think over the years it has evolved as trends have. Right now we’re really pumped on colorful pieces, with a retro feel - but still staying a bit boho with the whole 70's feel of denim, crocheted tops, & round sunglasses. I guess a bit "Free People".
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Kalos roles continued..
I'm the online one, I love to do anything on the computer. The blog is my baby, I love it! If I could, I would change our layout every other week, and I definitely went through a phase where I did! I'm holding myself back now... it's tough. Making blog posts, getting to know other bloggers and getting connected on the Internet is definitely my favourite part of Kalos. We all have our own roles that we’re passionate about and now that we've found those it works really well.
What do you like mak ing the most? Hmm, I like making everything!! Haha. But, since I just moved into my own home this summer, right now it's making things for my house. But when it comes to things for our online store, I think it`s making one of a kind jewelry. You can be as creative as you want because you don't have to re-create 10 duplicates of it!
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Where do you get your inspiration from? Lately, Pinterest. Who doesn't though, right? I also love looking through catalogs from places like J.Crew, Madewell, Free People, Kate Spade. I think we often start with a vision for a photoshoot and base our collection off that style... Maybe a little backwards, but it works!
Favorite DIY blogs? I have a lot. A few are: Bleubird, Rockstar Diaries, Oh Happy Day, Muchomuchobuenobueno, Carly Kmyta, Ascot Friday...
Where do you do your shopping? I'm an online shopper! I like be able to see all my options because I usually have an item in mind that I'm looking for. One of my favourites is Brandy Melville, which is opening on Granville in Vancouver!!! So that will definitely be my favourite place to shop locally!
Whats something you love about Spring? SUN!! I hate the dark winters so just having more daylight is the best!! I'm one of those people that dress for summer all year round, which in Vancouver doesn't work so well. Spring time is so exciting cause you know summer is coming.. The birds are chirping, flowers start popping up, bunny rabbits are hopping around our backyard again!
What music will you be listening to this season? Not gonna lie, I have my favourites and they sit in my car’s disc changer for months. Right now it's Manchester Orchestra- Simple Math & Everything to Nothing, Radiohead- In Rainbows, Arcade Fire- Neon Bible, Jesus Culture- Come Away, and The Killers- Hot Fuss.
All photographs are from DIY projects featured on Treasures and Travels!
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WE ARE THE CITY In March, Freckled ventured out to White Rock to meet up with Andy, Cayne and David of We Are The City. We visited them at their home (the one featured in their Magic House series), took photos at White Rock Beach and were lucky enough to hear them play a song!
Photographs by Ting http://www.wearethecity.ca http://www.wearethecity.bandcamp.com
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Could you introduce yourselves to us? My name is Andy, I play drums in the band alongside my friends Cayne, who sings and plays keys, and David, who plays guitar. We have been playing together since secondary school. What was it like starting a band in Kelowna? We played a lot of shows, close to a hundred, in Kelowna during the first year or two of the band’s life, when the band was really just a baby and we had no idea what we were doing. I think because we lived in Kelowna we had this sort of disconnect from watching a lot of bands live and being influenced that way. There was this one band named Alphababy, who are now Yukon Blonde, who really inspired us but apart from them there wasn’t any desire to fit in by playing music that was a part of any “scene”. It was an accidental lesson that we took with us. What was your first show in Vancouver like? Our first show was on June 19th, 2008 at The Media Club with Alphababy and Bend Sinister. We were too young to be in the main room so when we finished our set we had to go and sit in the back for the rest of the night. We were these three eager boys peeking through this small window at the top of the door while Bend Sinister played their set, and then about halfway through a bartender spotted us and told us that we could watch the show if we promised not to drink. So, we went to the very front and I was completely blown away by Bend Sinister. It was amazing. How would you describe your sound? Dynamic and otherwise experimentations in alternative music, mainly rock.
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Can you give us any info on your upcoming album? Well we're recording at the beginning of June, and approaching the studio with less complete songs than ever before, but also with more bits and pieces than ever before, which I feel really good about. I feel really good about what we've written, too. It seems to be shaping up to be the most comprehensive work we've ever created, and definitely the most challenging, both for us and the listener. It's louder and quieter. It's simpler and more complicated. In a lot of ways the conception of the album has come from playing tug of war with different ideas and exploring where we can take them that we have never taken songs before, and wrestling with when to restrain and when not to. We're also working right now on creating an accompaniment to the album, a sibling so to speak. But I can't say too much about that. Other than we're working on it. What is your favourite song that you've written? What does it mean to you? I feel like what we're writing right now will be my favourite songs that we've written, but I can't really talk about them yet because you won't have any context! Where are some of your fav ourite places to hang out in Vancouver? I like our house. I like restaurants and grocery stores. I like music venues. I like Granville Street and Commercial Drive. I like anywhere that friends are.
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If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing? I’ve always romanticized night shift jobs. Maybe I would do that for a few months. I used to romanticize office jobs, and so I got one three years ago and worked there for about six months. That was the perfect amount of time needed to realize that my cravings for data-entry and small “hi there how are you doing” interactions had been satisfied. And then after that maybe I’d be a teacher like my high school drama teacher and start smoking so I could smoke cigarettes in my office and go by my own book of rules. Or maybe I’d make films. I’d like to do that last one though, regardless of music making. Describe your craziest fan encounter/experience We’ve been lucky so far as to not have any outrageous encounters with fans. Or maybe we’re too naive to recognize the signs of craziness, but lucky enough to have not gotten into any trouble.
What advice would you give to other musicians starting out on the west coast? Advice to artists everywhere: make music that you want to make, go with your gut, and be open for everything to change. All business aside, it’s about the art. What’s the best compliment or response that the band has received? Whenever we play a show and if at the end of the show, people clap, that is the best response I could ask for. If you were to relocate the band, what city would you choose to relocate to and why? Maybe somewhere drastic like London and start completely fresh. That’s if we were to relocate. We’ve been told “move to Nashville!” or “move to Toronto!” but to be honest we’re completely happy here in Vancouver. We have everything we need.
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Who are your main musical inspirations/influences? We all are in love with this Finnish band called Rubik. We can agree on them. We can agree on Mew, on Radiohead, on Björk. For me, I am really inspired hearing something I’ve never heard before, even if it doesn’t sound pretty or whole.
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What has been your most memorable touring experience so far? Our tour of America with Said The Whale last fall was amazing. I don’t know how we’re going to top seeing a country as grandiose as America for the first time with so many of our best friends in tow. From spending a week in New York, to staying with who we suspected was CIA in Washington, to driving the Outer Banks, to hot and humid nights in Florida, to deep-fried avocado in Austin, and getting food poisoning in San Francisco. It was unbelievable. Ah. I’m getting nostalgic.
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CUPOF COUPLE
Mike Madrid & Gabriel GarcĂa
We usually trust our instincts. We are eclectic boys and so we want to be able to adapt to any sort of situation.
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How did you initially become interested in fashion?
We love fashion photography so we have always been connected to our interest in the fashion world. Now our job is our passion. We are so lucky! What are some of your favourite trends and styles for spring?
We are kind of obsessed with printed clothes and military print. But for sure we will hate it soon. That’s fashion! What was your first-ever experience of getting to see a runway show live?
It’s hard to describe! It’s an amazing feeling! When the lights are off and the show starts you can feel the magic and it’s so exciting. You feel you are a part of something important, and that’s beautiful. The best part is that you can feel that same feeling every season. What is your favourite place that you’ve visited so far?
Out last trip to Rome was fantastic and now we are planning the trip of our lives for this summer. We want to go to NY, Las Vegas and LA. For now it’s just a thought, so fingers crossed! If you could go to any runway show in the world, what would it be?
We would love to go to Paris Fashion Week, the city is magical and we are sure it must be super cool. And, of course, Stockholm Fashion Week in always in our minds. What are some of your other interests?
Taking pictures, making fashion films, traveling, drinking mojitos in the springtime and eating! (yes!) haha. What kind of opportunities have you experienced as a result of being bloggers?
Being bloggers is one of the best things we have done in our lives! We have worked for Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, H&M, Lacoste… and we had the amazing opportunity to travel to Rome with Louis Vuitton. It’s like a dream! http://www.cupofcouple.com
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Steffy Kuncm
of Steffy’s Pros & Cons | stef
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ffysprosandcons.blogspot.com
How would you describe your sense of style? Vintage inspired, girly and quirky! Who or what inspires your style? I am most inspired by color, and the seasons. of course the entire online blogging community, runway shows, etc are always constant sources of inspiration. What is your favourite decade in terms of fashion? The 60's, hands down!
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What are some of your favourite fashion blogs? All time favorite is Flashes of Style. I've been loving all of the romantic outfits from Two Happy Hearts, I always enjoy the photography in Lost in the Haze, Calivintage, Jen loves Kev, Orchid Grey, my fellow Miami bloggers Nany's Klozet and Vintage Mavens. I read way too many :) What are some of your favourite pieces to wear for spring? I have been addicted to colorblocking bold pastels for spring. any piece that is bright, I will be wearing. my favorite of all are shorter pleated skirts!
shop steffy's vintage picks at: http://teaandtulips.bigcartel.com/
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http://www.lookbook.nu/tytys
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TYRONE WILLIAMS How would you describe your sense of style?
Quirky and Dapper.
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IF YOU COULD VISIT ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD YOU GO?
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE BANDS AND MUSICAL ARTISTS?
I'm going to have to say Japan, for me it's the culture and some of the street style out there is so unique, the creativity and innovation they have is amazing!
Chrome Sparks, Shlohmo, Teebs, Mister Lies, Flying Lotus and I still can’t get enough of Radiohead.
WHO’S ON YOUR FAVOURITE DESIGNER LIST? WHOSE SENSE OF STYLE DO YOU ADMIRE THE MOST?
Lee Alexander McQueen is at the top of my list.
Andre Judd. I think this guy has pulled off just about every style there is, as well as making his own.
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Isaac Hindin-Miller HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SENSE OF STYLE? I guess I kind of dress like a schoolboy. I basically have a uniform of chinos, button down oxfords, woolen sweaters, blazers and navy blue Chuck Taylors that I wear every day of the week. It’s always a variation on the same theme.
HTTP://WWW.ISAACLIKES.COM
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Photograph by Greg Lewis
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(Top left to right) Photographs by Greg Lewis, Katherine Lowe & Noah Emrich. (Middle and lower right) Taken by Noah Emrich.
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I LIKE YOU!
HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN FASHION? I remember being obsessed with this grey turtleneck long sleeve tee by Rip Curl as an 11 year old, and I was always really conscious of how my pants and shirts fit as a kid. When I was a teenager I used to buy every issue of Pavement Magazine (kind of like New Zealand’s answer to iD) just to look through the editorials in the well. So I guess I’ve always been interested, but it really kicked off when I discovered men.style.com as an 18 year old at Auckland University. That’s when I got a chance to see the menswear collections for the first time, when I learned about Raf Simons and Hedi Slimane and Jil Sander. I got a job as a driver for VIP guests at New Zealand Fashion Week that same year and I’d sneak into every show I could. I got a taste for the hype and spectacle of fashion shows and I was hooked.
WHERE ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE PLACES TO HANG OUT IN NYC? The Woods on a Tuesday night – best karaoke experience in New York City, The Box for a crazy night out, The Standard for dinner, Toby’s Estate café – it’s owned by Australians and they serve the greatest chicken sandwich of all time, Pho Grand in Chinatown for the best calamari in town, One Oak for hip hop, Café Gitane for the avocado toast, Café Habana for the chicken quesadilla, C’H’C’M’ for the best retail store staff in town, and you can’t beat the view of Manhattan walking across the Williamsburg Bridge on a sunny day.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE TRENDS/STYLES OF SPRING? I loved all the bold prints that Burberry showed, I am obsessed with Reyn Spooner’s Hawaiian shirts, I’ve been taking all my chinos to the tailor to get them cuffed above the ankles and obviously I’ll be wearing my THUGGED OUT SINCE CUB SCOUTS tees on the regular.
WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 FAVOURITE MENSWEAR DESIGNERS AND WHY? 1. Ovadia and Sons – they pretty much design a better version of what I wear every day. 2. Thom Browne – I always love seeing how he wears his own clothes. He’s a walking advertisement for his own brand, and one of these days I plan on owning one of his suits. 3. Zegna – Imagine having a wardrobe of Zegna suits. You’d be the smoothest dude out.
HOW DOES THE FASHION IN NEW ZEALAND DIFFER FROM THE FASHION IN NYC? DO YOU PREFER ONE OVER THE OTHER? Everyone wears a lot of black in New Zealand, and all the young people are way grungier than New Yorkers. I think as a general rule, your average kid in New Zealand dresses pretty well, but it’s very different from how they dress here. I love the menswear scene in New York, I think guys here dress better than anywhere else in the world. The biggest difference is that in New York you actually see people wearing the outfits that become trends in 6-12 months, and that’s pretty exciting. We don’t have a history of good dressing in New Zealand, so you see so many guys rocking jandals (flip flops), board shorts and tee shirts. I always think New Zealanders could put a bit more effort in, but it’s a cultural thing – Kiwis are the most relaxed people on the planet.
Diana Nguyen http://www.fashioncandyfloss.blogspot.com
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Tell us a little about yourself and your interests Im Diana, a fashion blogger at Fashioncandyfloss, but everyone calls me Dina. I have a huge interest in fashion and Ive always loved fashion since I was little. I also swim twice a week and sometimes I play the piano. Other interests are: watching movies, listening to music, reading books, drawing, visiting art museums and collecting vintage things. I have been painting and drawing as long I can remember and I have won several drawing and painting competitions. I live in Norway, and there are a lot of beautiful landscapes. Sometimes some friends and i plan a day when we are styling a couple of outfits and take a long trip to forests and beaches to take outfit photos. How would you describe your sense of style? My style has been changing a lot, but when I got older I found out that my style was a mix between vintage and romantic. What items do you typically splurge on? Shoes and bags.
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Where are some of your favourite places to shop? In Norway I go to H&M, BikBok, Ginatricot and different Vintage shops. But I often travel to England, so when Im in England I like to go shopping at Primark, Topshop, River Island and unique Vintage shops. If you could raid one person's closet for a day, whose closet would you raid and why? If I could raid one persons closet for a day it would definitely be Alexa Chung. I really love her cute vintage style. I take a lot of inspiration from her.
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REBECCA ST CE of The Clothes Horse
http://www.theclothes.blogspot.com How would you describe your sense of style? Quirky ladylike is a term I keep coming back to; I think there's a bit of a ladylike and retro sensibility to most things I wear, but I try not to be quite as "done" as actually ladies in the past and add personal touches to my outfits with unique jewelry or flower wreaths in my hair.
Who are some of your style icons? I don't really have style icons, or at least not real people. I like Audrey Hepburn as her character in How To Steal A Million. In the movie she gets involved with a "thief" and plots to steal a piece of art and she goes from dressing as a wealthy young woman to these really ridiculous costumes of what she thinks a spy/thief would wear. It's that sort of fun approach of dressing like a character in a film that I really enjoy; it's also less restrictive than admiring the actual Audrey Hepburn who always looked a certain way.
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What are some of your favourite things about Spring? Rising temperatures! I hate the cold so I'm always super excited when spring finally arrives. It's also always so beautiful in spring; flowers and green trees--it's just lovely. How would you describe the fashion scene where you live? I live on a military base; people dress in uniform most of the time and when they don't have to wear a uniform it's very casual. But I grew up moving every three years (I've actually lived in 3 states in the past 4 years), so I don't really pay attention to what people around me are wearing unless I find it inspiring.
What were some of your highlights at NYFW last year? I've gone to NYFW every season for a few years now. My last visit was short because of a trip I had that overlapped, but the highlight was probably working with Polyvore and walking in their runway show. They turned my pixie cut into fishtail braids! Usually though my highlights are Rachel Antonoff's presentation and studio visits with Lauren Moffatt and Nina of Family Affairs. Gretchen Jone's presentation was fantastic. Also, seeing Oscar de la Renta's collection was so surreal.
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Rubik - Laws Of Gravity Deerhoof - Qui Dorm, Només Somia Radiohead - Separator Squarepusher - Tommib My Bloody Valentine - Blown A Wish Paul Simon - Graceland Björk - Cosmogony Kingdom Cloud - Electric Domain Said The Whale - Lover/Friend The Flaming Lips - A Spoonful Weighs A Ton Snoqualmie - The World Voice The Strokes - I’ll Try Anything Once Ryuichi Sakamoto - Bibo No Aozora Zach Hill - Burner In The Video Björk - Virus Radiohead - Let Down Mew - Silas The Magic Car Brian Eno - An Ending (Ascent)
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THANK YOU FOR
SPRING PLAYLIST Compiled by We Are The City
READING!
Photograph by Nick Lan http://www.flickr.com/photos/polaroidplus
Freckled Magazine Issue 4 Spring 2012 freckledmag@gmail.com