M
A
G
A
Z
I
N
E
FUSION
i s s u e - t w o OCTOBER-2013
2
F U S I O Noctober
3
4
F U S I O Noctober
5
Heavenly Hosting School
Enrolling students now Contact Kitty Teixeira or Keith Bernitz
6
F U S I O Noctober
7
P U B L I S H E R S Libby Brayden
Farleigh
Thirdborn
L E A D - D E S I G N Libby Farleigh
FA S H I O N - E D I T O R Daija Arida
FUSION S t a f f contributors
8
9
W Rylan
R
I
T
E
R
S Bliss
Carling
Windlow
Caduceus
Chaotic
Lorakeet
Monday
PHOTOGRAPHERS Harvest Oakley Dezno
Foxtrot
Rylan
Kaelyn
Alecto
On this month's cover:
Photography by Kallisto Destiny Modeled by Mikel Monk
F U S I O Noctober
Carling
10
Page 16
Publishers Notes
Page 18
Customer Dis-service?
Page 20
For the Love: Boobies
Page 24
Pretty Places
Page 34
Parish Sims
Page 42
Builders Brewery
Page 50
Dutchie Furniture
Page 58
Fusion Cover: Mikel Monk
Page 62
Fashion Editor Note
Page 64
The Season of the Witches
Page 68
Shoe Trends
Page 72
Get That Style!
Page 76
1 Item, 3 Outfits
Page 80
Look of the Month
Page 84
Inventory, A Dark & Scary Place
O
N
T
E
N
T
S
F U S I O Noctober
C
11
12
F U S I O Noctober
13
14
F U S I O Noctober
15
NOTE-FROM-THE-PUBLISHERS 16
O
ctober is Breast Cancer Awareness month so we are honouring boobs this issue! We wanted to do something that was relevant to Second Life, while advocating the steps every woman can take to reduce her risk factors, so I hope you'll enjoy our homage to the boobage. Our cover photographer this issue is Kallisto Destiny. While Kalli isn't creating beautiful pictures she has a lovely store called Drift where you're able to pick up a range of chic casuals. Earlier in the month I was given a tour of The Mens Dept. by its founder (and our cover model) Mikel Monk. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of non guy stuff available. Loads of unisex options as well as furniture and decor so if you're a girl and haven't been to The Mens Dept. because you figured there wouldn't be anything there for you to splurge on, do visit!
The second reason is breast cancer. Being a child of a survivor has been something I have had to handle for many, many years, but as happy as I am that this nasty, unapologetic, uncaring, nonprejudicial destroyer of lives and family did not take away mine, I also have the utmost sympathy and compassion for those who have lost their loved ones. Thank you again for coming along on this journey with us, and buckle up cause it’s gonna be a fun, wild, never been done before ride.
F U S I O Nseptember october
A
nother month is here, and that means that another issue has come and gone. This edition is very close to my heart, for two reasons. For one, I love Halloween and I love male fashion, so to me the cover was a no brainer with style and the participant. Thank you Mikel for offering up your time.
NOTE-FROM-THE-PUBLISHERS
17
Custom er Dis-service? by Bliss windlow
W
ithin the real estate market we refer to two types of environments, a ‘sellers market’ and a ‘buyer’s market’. A ‘seller’s market’ refers to a shortage of houses, where there are so many buyers and so few houses that a seller can pretty much ask any price, make any other demands they want, and still be guaranteed a sale. A ‘buyer’s market’ refers to a surplus of houses, cheap prices, and a buyer can easily walk away from a sale without worry if they decide a seller is rude or being unreasonable. For years in Second Life, designers have been in the driver’s seat. Some have been able to set high prices and make all the rules, even tough and seemingly unfair rules, for anyone wanting to buy their designs.
18
“I am grateful for the designers who are willing to actually talk to their customers’’
“No-one is making money hand over fist in SL anymore’’
I’ve heard customers complain it can be next to impossible to get a reply when something goes wrong with a purchase at particular stores. There have been residents that have fallen victim to groups that charge you to join them and then there are never any notices, any special sales, or any ‘gifts’, as promised.
Today we have a very different situation. The world economy has tanked and people are not spending their Lindens as freely. People are not as willing to pay 1000 Lindens or more for a dress as they might have once been. Most of us are shopping around before we buy and are no longer willing to put up with unrealistic demands or lack of customer service from designers.
“People are not as willing to pay 1000 Lindens or more for a dress as they might have once been’’
Those designers who really understand business are taking down the razor wire and calling back the Dobermans. I know I have started to pay a lot of attention to those who go out of their way to provide good customer service. I have seen some who have brought their prices down, or upped the benefits for joining their group.
F U S I O Noctober
I have seen designers who set up special deals each month, or have a monthly gift. I am especially grateful for the designers who are willing to actually talk to their customers, making us feel like more than just another Linden in their pockets. What I would like to see in Second Life is some recognition and appreciation for those designers who not only deliver a great product, but who also appreciate their customers and take care of them with respect. There are a number of designers who have built their career on that kind of service, and not just now that their livelihood depends on the change. No-one is making money hand over fist in SL anymore. People have choices and they are being much more careful with their money. I know it matters to me and I will support any effort by designers to bridge that gap with my Lindens. I love to shop.
19
p
for love
boobies photography by Jada Tigerpaw & modeled by Danica Saerwen
T
hey personify the best of what it is to be a woman. Tenderness, nurturing, and of course, a helluva lot of fun. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and at Fusion we wanted to celebrate boobs in honour of every woman touched by this disease.
20
21
'Of every 100 women who are diagnosed with breast cancer, more than 80 will survive.' flf f lf
F U S I O Noctober
'6.4% of female breast cancer diagnoses are attributed to alcohol intake.' flf flf
'Experts estimate that a third of breast cancer deaths could be prevented by earlier detection' lflf flfl
22
'Any changes in how your boobs normally feel or look should be looked into. Get to know what's normal for you.' lfl lfl
23
F U S I O Noctober
For a comprehensive list of where you can find more worldwide information about breast cancer, including symptoms and lifestyle changes you can make to decrease your risk level, please click the INFO button on the right of this page for a notecard. fl lf
24
Pretty Places PHOTOGRAPHY BY LIBBY FARLEIGH
F U S I O Noctober
25
26
F U S I O Noctober
27
28
F U S I O Noctober
29
30
F U S I O Noctober
31
32
All photography taken at The Celestial Realm Click this page for a TP
F U S I O Noctober
33
Parish Article by Caduceus Lorakeet -
34
Sims
Photography by Libby Farleigh
F U S I O Noctober
35
W
hile Second Life is often about sheer fantasy, it can also be about ‘hyper-reality’. From my arrival at Parish Sims, I was struck by how many memories of travels in beautiful parts of RL USA it brought to mind. Kent Hutchinson says this is intentional “They are designed to evoke the feeling of several places in RL but not copy any one of them in particular” He mentions the varying urban chic of Brooklyn, Seattle and San Francisco as well as the seaside calm of Carmel and Cape Cod. While the initial build back in 2010 took Kent two months of careful planning, the tweaking never stops. In 2011 Jorge Petlyakov got involved and Gayhaven Parish was added as a joint project between the two.
36
I am a particular fan of the Old Town area with its cobbles, gas lamps and brownstone buildings. Kent feels
proudest of the work done by the pair in landscaping Gayhaven – it’s residential and yet artfully landscaped in the vein of sims like Calas Galadhon. Parish Sims also hosts the Purple Prose project, which aims to offer a cultural revolution within the gay social scene in Second Life. I spoke with Garrett Ceriano about it, asking whether there is a need for a gay arts event in SL? “Yes, definitely! Gay people have always made their mark in the Arts, but there seemed to be this unfilled space in Second Life” says Garrett “We have our beach parties, dance clubs, but we need something that nourishes and speaks to the intellect as well.” Purple Prose is loosely inspired by the RL speakeasy concept; back in 2005 Domch Raymaker created the ContraDiction event in RL, the first gay spoken word/ poetry event in Singapore which still runs today.
37
“With Purple Prose, we hope to reach people looking for something new. Reading tends to take a bit of backseat these days because Facebook has so drastically reduced our collective attention span, but we’re hoping to get SLers interested in gay lit and perhaps intrigued enough to spend more time with books”
When I asked friends about Parish Sims, there was a common response: “It’s like a thinking man’s BoysTown”. Not that they mean BT is superficial, but that Parish could offer somewhere just a little bit more thoughtful…
Visit here: http://secondlife.com/destination/ hutchinson-parish
F U S I O Noctober
And in the future? “We would like more people involved; we’d like to screen films, run chat sessions or workshops with creators, bloggers and thinkers in SL’s gay community as well as SL at large. Imagine being able to put Apple Fall or CheerNo Destiny on the couch (literally!) and delve deep into....their minds“ says Garrett with a wry grin.
For more information, contact: Kent Hutchison, Jorge Petlyakov, Garrett Ceriano or Domch Raymaker.
38
F U S I O Noctober
39
40
F U S I O Noctober
41
42
Rylan Carling discovers
builders brewery
F U S I O Noctober
43
T
o those who might not know, and, until recently, this included me, Builders Brewery is a well established virtual school founded by Supremius and Sensuous Maximus. Since 2008, it has offered classes, events, group support, products and so much more to both experienced and non-experienced content creators alike. Builders Brewery spans two sims and is quite an inviting locale for exploration. More history and information can be found on the website: www.buildersbrewery.com Perusing the class calendar is inspiring and makes a basic beginner feel they can jump right in and make something! Classes cover topics such as Blender, mesh studio basics, Photoshop, and scripting, to name a few. Ones that really caught my eye, a novice when it comes to anything, included: jewelry (a three part class), building, cake workshop, and shadows. I chose to sit in on a shadows class, to gain a better understanding of creating prim shadows in world. This is especially helpful to those who might not have the capabilities of using the viewer shadows but would still like to create that extra dimension. The two part class was led by Granelda OH and was very well constructed. With a slide show presentation, and clear directions, the class was shown every step needed to create a prim shadow. A class runs about 2 hours and at the end, attendees are given a copy of the lecture and pictures, as well as given time for a question/answer session. All of this is very helpful when standing back up at a personal platform looking through the notes, trying to duplicate what seemed so easy when sitting in that classroom chair. 44
F U S I O Noctober
45
46
F U S I O Noctober
47
Other than attending a class or working in the sandbox, students can walk around, enjoy the scenery, participate in the one of the sim events, and shop. There are study corners perfect for tutoring, going over the day’s notes as a refresher, or, simply, hanging out. Whether an experienced avatar or one who has just begun, Builders Brewery offers something for everyone and is a terrific resource for all. How did I fare when I returned to my platform? I’m still trying to figure out where to place the stick for setting the natural shadow path...check back in with me maybe in a month! ď Ž
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Builders%20 Brewery/131/149/23 48
F U S I O Noctober
49
50
D1utchie furniture the face behind
by Rylan Carling
F U S I O Noctober
51
F
roukje Hoorenbeek, the creative genius behind Dutchie Furniture, is a guru on the sensual and exquisite needs of avatars across the grid, in varying genres. In the last 6 years, she has become an architect, builder, sculptor, and designer of home furnishings, houses, skyboxes, and clothing. However, above all of these, Froukje Hoorenbeek is a story teller.
…
When asked about her humble beginnings, Froukje laughs and states that she had her first house within three weeks of joining SL. She quickly realized when shopping for furniture, that it was either really great looking but high prim or low prim and “not-so-good looking.” Motivated by her own style and need, Froukje bought mod/ copy furniture, stripped it down to the basics and learned by seeing what and how others created pieces. The same was true of the adult furniture she found; good animations were often stuck in ugly furnishings that made the avatar look ridiculous, with repetitive movements, degrading actions, etc. However, in Froukje’s mind, why not have both high-quality furniture with equally well done animations?
…
The storyteller was born. There’s no doubt that Dutchie Furniture is one of the leading establishments of adult furniture. Froukje’s designs can be found in some of the sexiest clubs on the grid, including, but not limited to: The Library, Ēlýsion Adult Lounge and The Chamber Society. Include the countless home-owners that enjoy the addition of Duthie Furniture to their decor, and you’ve got hours of role play possibilities, both public or private. 52
F U S I O Noctober
53
54
The tale drives the piece for Froukje, “I imagine the people on the furniture, who they are, what they think. My menus have a logical order, full of small steps to increase the tension, or to take a step back with foreplay and afterplay!” For her, it’s comparable to writing love letters or hot emails, telling a story between the members involved. The goal is to give the owner a platform to be creative, have fun, and generate excitement in a safe, clean environment (unless the RP calls for dirty, then the floor mattress is a perfect choice). “Women look good doing it, and they don't have to shave their legs!” No truer words have ever been spoken!
55
…
What can we look forward to in the future? Froukje is working on the laundry room, one in which the help will be slaving away and never be quite sure when the master will stop by to check on things. It promises to be quite naughty! Follow Froukje Hoorenbeek and Dutchie Furniture at these sites: Marketplace: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/15057 SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Dutchie%20furniture/102/146/22
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/dutchiessecondlife Google+: http://gplusid.com/Dutchie
F U S I O Noctober
Plurk: http://www.plurk.com/FroukjeHoorenbeek
56
F U S I O Noctober
57
FUSION
COVER
Mikel Monk
58
article by Chaotic Monday & photography by Kallisto Destiny
F U S I O Noctober
59
M
ikel Monk came onto the SL scene back in April of 2010. Looking for a way to distract himself from a recent first life break up with his live-in girlfriend, a friend told him about Second Life and he quickly became sucked into the many forms of expression available to him here. Always having been a shopper, he quickly grew bored and disappointed with the choices for men in Second Life, and started talking to many creators and feeling out the possibility for a male-centric shopping event.
Originally, the plan was to pair up with an established hair designer and host the event on their sim, but with real life taking that creator away, he was forced to forge on and piece it together himself, learning along the way from people like Vixen
Thibedeau and Keira Seerose, as well as getting invaluable translation help from Tsugu Nirvana, the designer behind Pesca. Mikel likes to humbly point out that if it weren't for
those women, and also Cheeky Pea's Isla Gealach, who owns The Pea sim, where the event is held, it probably wouldn't be up and running today. Tsugu also gave him a leg up with Asian designers, bringing a fresh new side to this event that none have had before. The Men's Dept. is a veritable melting pot with designers from all over the world – Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, France, Japan, China, Canada and the United States. His attention to detail and dedication to the event that he calls his “child� is what sets this monthly sale apart, and he's particularly proud that content at this event is template 60
free and original.
Although such as any
61
sales event is work, he says that the good he finds in doing it outweighs the bad by far. Even after being around for a year and a half, he still gets the “thank you� messages from men and happy girlfriends thanking him for putting the event together. He's dedicated to finding new designers all the time and he prefers to seek out the designers he most admires. Once he gets them, he doesn't just let them flounder, he's constantly checking up on his participating designers, asking if there is anything they may need or want. He's building a tight knit community that he maintains by staying neutral. One of his secrets to his success is always staying out of the day to day controversies that pop up. Despite starting as a sales event solely geared towards male fashion, it goes without saying that The Men's Dept. has become so much more. Basically a
one-stop-shop, you can get everything that your avatar can wear to
update your look and even furniture and decor to enhance your environment. Women shopping for their m-alts, boyfriends, best friends, or husbands may also find something for themselves, as many of the designers put out the female versions of their sales items out, as well as many of the items being unisex.
participate, such as Tableau
and RonsEm.
Vivant, Slink, Del May,
His favorite SL photographer is Petra
Messioptra.
ď Ž
F U S I O Noctober
When pressed for his favorite things, he wouldn't name his number one designer. Instead he chose to name some that he would love to see
62
63
Fashion Editor N O T E
H
APPY HALLOWEEN!!! Have an awesome time and please, please be safe. Super excited about this issue (I know, I know. I say that all the time). But what can I say, I love my job.
The Style Feature this month is AH-mazing. Being Halloween and all, we had to do something a little special for you guys. It’s titled 'The Season of the Witches', if that peeks your curiosity at all.
F U S I O Noctober
There are also the other features coming back from last issue. So I hope that you enjoy! If you have any feedback that you would like to share with me, please contact me in world or email me at daijaarida@gmail.com.
64
65
THE
season OF THE
Witches Photographed by Oakley Foxtrot GModeled by Daija Arida & Oakley Foxtrot
On Oakley(L)Skin: Mya from Belleza V Hair: Ma-
ria from Amacci V Bodysuit: Bodysuit from Beetlebones V Cape: Wool Cape from Milk Motion V Eyepatch: Flower Eye Patch from Bird Next Door
Cape from Milk Motion V Lingerie: Lingerie Corset from Baiastice V Mask: Modesty Mask from Aesthetica
Inset pic Skin: Anais from Glance Skins V Hair: Franc-
esca from Truth V Mask & Horns: Alexandra from Diram V Bustier: KOKE bustier ISIS from [sYs] V Corset: Nathalia Body from Diram
F U S I O Noctober
On Daija(R)Hair: Witch from Lamb V Cape: Wool
Hair: Jordyn from Maitreya V Antlers: Cernos Antlers from Europa V Bodysuit: Kagaya from R2 (available at Collabor88)
Photographed by Diarmuid Miklos 66
F U S I O Noctober
67
Shoe TREND
Photography by Libby Farleigh - Modeled by Daija Arida
The
FALL
EDITION
Tis the season for BOOTS! Soooo excited that boot season is back and in “fall” effect! Here are two of my favorite finds for the month. 68
69
F U S I O Noctober
Skin: Anais from Glance Hair: Fix from Analog Dog Bag: Scout Boho Bag from ISON Shirt: Collared Shirt from {mon tissu} Pants: Ankle Skinny Jeans from *COCO* Boots: Cult Riding Boots from ISON
Skin: Anai from Glance Hair: BLYTHE from LeLutka Tights: Patterned Tights II from Izzie's Dress: Beige Dress from * Kitja Cherie * Boots: Carazon boot from ISON
70
F U S I O Noctober
71
G E T THAT STYLE!
Photography by Tristion Paine Modeled by Tristion Paine and Draakje Dailey
Get That Style is an original idea that takes real life styled outfits, and then replicates them with Second Life fashion and style. 72
Jacket: Leather Jacket from Kal Rau Pants: Straight Jeans from Ronsem Boots: Rang Boots from Leverocci
F U S I O Noctober
73
Skin: Lucy from Glam Affair Hair: Charlize from TRUTH Jeans: Boyfriend Jeans from .: ryvolter :. Top: Everyday Tank from *BOOM* Blazer: Structured Blazer from The Secret Store Clutch: Gia Clutch from Ricielli Necklace: Helen from LaGyo Shoes: Liaison from Maitreya Gold 74
F U S I O Noctober
75
item THREE outfits
ONE
Madeline Colored Jeans in Teal from Tulip
I love showing how different ways you can wear one item. So this section is just for that, to show how versatile one item in your wardrobe can be. Got something in your wardrobe you love but aren’t sure how to make it work in an outfit? Pop Daija a notecard in world with the details and see your piece featured here in an upcoming issue! 76
Top: Valerie Shirt from Overhigh Headphones: Megahertz Earphones from Remarkable Oblivion Necklace: Tundentable Headphones Necklace from Eclipse Bracelet: Star&Skull Bangles from :SEY Boots: Armarda from *Kookie*
F U S I O Noctober
77
Sweater: Cowl Neck Sweater from Coquet Belt: Lynx Skinny Belt from *BOOM* Necklace: Scilicet Chain Necklace from LaGyo Bag: Victoria Bag from Retro Scarf: Infinity Scarf from {mon tissu} Boots: Cult Riding Boots from ISON 78
79
F U S I O Noctober
Top: Mesh Striped Pocket Top Regina from Emery Bag: Fringe Bag from (Milk Motion) Shoes: Ankle Boots Agave from G&D
Look of G month This section is dedicated to looks that Daija has been obsessed with this month.
Photographed & Modeled by Miaa Rebane 80
www.miaarebane.com
F U S I O Noctober
81
www.threadline.org Photographed & Modeled by Attero Diavolo 82
F U S I O Noctober
83
by Bliss Windlow
INVENTORY A dark and scary Place
I
t should be the first class they offer to noobs who are about to start their sojourn into SL. Martha Stewart should be there directing traffic to the virtual container store. No-one should be allowed to purchase or pick up a darn thing until all the walk in closets are finished and shoe racks are in place.
It takes only a few weeks for people to realize they are never going to be able to find their $10,000 vagina in the mess that is their inventory. No-one tells anyone while they skip around picking up all those cool freebies and gifts from the many hunts that you have to open them and figure out what to do with them. No-one tells them that 5 years from now they will still be opening up boxes from their very first hunt and wondering what the heck it is and what they are supposed to do with it.
‌
No-one tells them you can only wear so many black t-shirts with 'Fuck You' written on them, no matter how cute the little kitties are on the back. No-one tells them 7 out of 10 free gifts are black t-shirts with 'Fuck You' written on them.
84
photography by Harvest Dezno
F U S I O Noctober
85
86
How do people deal with their out of control inventory? This is where we really find out who people are - deep down - when no-one is looking. You either:
1 2 3 4 5
87
Have a complete mental breakdown and are unable to ever come back into SL again. Close your eyes and just keep buying and picking up freebies, believing that the inventory fairy will appear one day and sort it all out, comforted in the fact that you know you have some great shit, you just don't know WHERE that great shit is, or you have 3 and 4 of the same great shit because you forgot you bought that great shit before. Make a new alt and start all over again. Disappear for a year while you sort it all out. Hope that one of those know-it-all types will befriend you and you can pass her your password when LL is not looking and she will do it for you.
F U S I O Noctober
I should put a word of caution in here that sorting through your inventory can cause epileptic seizures and hallucinations. I honestly cannot remember ever purchasing some of those things and WHY I would have purchased some of those things. The whole thing is strangely disturbing, especially as they are unpacked and filed. So I am just throwing out a broad but very sincere apology, just in case there are people out there who were injured in any way by me and the contents of my Appliances and HUDs folder. I think my mother in law hacked my password and is using Bliss to do unspeakable things. ď Ž