GLAMCULT / 2017 / ISSUE 3 / #124 / EU by Glamcult

FREE 2017—Issue 3 #124

“How do you love?”

Glamcult worldwide underground

Issue 3 #124 Interviews

Kacy Hill 22 Daniel 26 W. Fletcher Jamie 34 Hawkesworth Ibeyi 48 Thomas Azier 50 Open Letter

Wolfgang Tillmans

Talent

Update

Visual Essays

I, you, he... Je me... Hips or lips... Dress me... Plus

Stockists

42 10 52 60 68 79

Colophon Editor-in-Chief Leendert Sonnevelt leendert@glamcultstudio.com Creative Director Rogier Vlaming rogier@glamcultstudio.com Head of Marketing and Creative Projects Milou van Poortvliet milou@glamcultstudio.com Art Director Marline Bakker marline@glamcultstudio.com Graphic Design Glamcult Studio: Karen van de Kraats Anne van Bokhoven Graphic Design Intern Torren Tripp

Contributing Writers Laura Bonne Lottie Hodson Rebecca Nevins Wolfgang Tillmans Contributing Photographers Barrie Hullegie Jamie Hawkesworth Jasper Rens van Es Jun Yasui Lucie Rox Maxime Cardol Michelle Helena Janssen Riccardo Dubitante Yaël Temminck Cover Kacy Hill Photography: Lucie Rox Styling: Grace Joel Hair: Tomoko Fushimi Make-up: Ksenia Galina Set design: Hatty Ellis-Coward

Quotes How do you love? —Kacy Hill, Like A Woman I, you, he. I, you, she. —Peaches, I U She Je me changerai en or pour que tu m’aimes encore. — C éline Dion, Pour que tu m’aimes encore Hips or lips? —William Friedkin, Cruising Dress me up. Wind me up. —FKA twigs, I’m Your Doll

Publisher Rogier Vlaming / Glamcult Studio P.O. Box 14535, 1001 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands T +31 (0)20 419 41 32 rogier@glamcultstudio.com www.glamcultstudio.com Distribution distribution@glamcult.com For all subscriptions please contact Abonnementenland P.O. Box 20, 1910 AA Uitgeest, The Netherlands T +31 (0)251 313 939 F +31 (0)251 31 04 05 For subscriptions www.bladenbox.nl For address changes and cancellations www.aboland.nl Four issues a year The Netherlands € 37 Europe € 59,50 Rest of the world € 79,50

Kacy Hill wears Marine Serre

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Subscriptions can start at any time during the year. Subscriptions need to be closed for at least one year and will be automatically renewed until further notice. Cancellations must be submitted written and at least six weeks before the expiry of the subscription period to Abonnementenland. Changes of address must be submitted written at least three weeks in advance to Abonnementenland. © All rights reserved. Nothing from this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher and other copyright holders. The publisher cannot be held responsible for damage done by incorrect provision of information in the magazine. The views expressed in the magazine are those of our contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of Glamcult or its staff. ISSN: 1874 1932

Open Letter Dear Reader, Glamcult asked me to write an open letter to you. There is an encouraging and more vocal response these days to the political shifts and challenges we’ve experienced in the last few years. I could add a spirited and sensual visual statement, but I want to use this as an opportunity to write simply about the one thing that really matters. Take part in democracy! They decide for you, if you don’t. Political catastrophes happen because of two things, either a coup—a violent power grab, usually by the military. Or by good people staying home on polling day. Many dictators came to initial and critical power, because their fired-up supporters went to vote, whilst non-radical people stayed at home. Once an extreme movement gathers 25% support of the “electorate� (the people that are allowed to vote), gravitational shifts and changes and specific voting rules can bring them to power. So the important thing is to vote at every election, local, national and European. Do so even when radical opponents just seem small at the time. The European Parliament has over 80 radical right-wing members, because non-radical people stayed home, thinking the European elections are not important. I always feel concerned when friends say: “Oh it doesn’t really matter. They are all the same,” or, “The system is corrupt and needs changing all together,” or, “My vote doesn’t matter anyway. They won’t listen.” There may be reasons for why one feels this way. But the only way to change the system is to get involved, and if you don’t want to join politics or activism, then please be aware that your gesture of not voting actively helps radical people and their parties. Not voting is not neutral. It is like giving a vote to your worst opponent. In recent years there were so many close election results. If only 600,000 more people out of the 41 million eligible British voters had voted for staying in the EU, the whole Brexit nightmare would not have happened. Donald Trump won the US Electoral College by just getting 75,000 more votes in only three states combined. Erdogan’s power grab in Turkey passed this year by a thin margin of less than 2%. Thanks for reading. Let’s live our lives to the fullest. Party on. And maybe consider joining a party. —Wolfgang Tillmans, September 2017

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ASCU LINITIES Photographed by Barrie Hullegie Presented by Glamcult

AN EXHIBITION 22 24 09 17 As part of Unseen City Programme Dr. Jan van Breemenstraat 1A, Amsterdam (De School) Hours: Fri 12.00-19.00, Sat 12.00-19.00 and 20:00-22:00 Sun 12.00-17.00 – Free entrance

Glamcult

Autumn/Winter 2017

Shirt and tank Kenzo

Autumn/Winter 2017

Shirt and tie Xander Zhou

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Autumn/Winter 2017

Shirt and skirt Kenzo

Autumn/Winter 2017

Charles: jeans Xander Zhou Lea: dress Wendy Jim

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Autumn/Winter 2017

Trousers Craig Green

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Jacket Wendy Jim, goggles stylist’s own

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Autumn/Winter 2017

All clothes and shoes Acne Studios, sunglasses Gentle Monster

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Autumn/Winter 2017

Jacket and skirt Chanel, helmet and shoes Costume Studio, tights stylist’s own

Autumn/Winter 2017

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Autumn/Winter 2017

All clothes and shoes Y/PROJECT

Autumn/Winter 2017

All clothes Lazoschmidl, shoes Acne Studios

Photography: Jun Yasui—The Jaunties Styling: Priscilla Kwateng Hair: Sachi Yamashita Make-up: Asami Kawai Models: Charles Davin—Rockmen, Lea Hayat—GIRL mgmt Styling assistant: Grazziella Nyamsi

Words by Laura Bonne Photography: Lucie Rox

Styling: Grace Joel Hair: Tomoko Fushimi Make-up: Ksenia Galina Set design: Hatty Ellis-Coward

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Dress Saint Laurent

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Kacy Hill, freshly minted singer-songwriter under the patronage of Kanye himself, has a lot to love these days. With her ruminations on affection and womanhood, the Gucci muse and former American Apparel model has written her way into the hearts of many, sealing the deal with her aesthetically bold videos. Reclining on Twin Peaks-red bed sheets her colour-matched lips form the sentence: “What makes you make me feel like a woman?” In short, there’s no one better to make an observation on modern love. 23

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Dress, bra and belt Alessandra Rich

Kacy Hill

What is “modern love” for you? Modern love for me is all about being supportive, feeling love for a person yet sustaining your own independence. It’s nurturing and caring for the other, without losing interest in your own life. In the music video for Like a Woman you touch yourself while sitting at the back of a bus. Can we see this as a contemporary statement meant to set people free? The biggest thing for me in music videos is that I just want to make something really beautiful. When I first started doing music, there were already images of me online, from the time I was modelling for American

Apparel. People basically had seen me half naked already, and it formed the idea they had of me. As a musician, I decided to show myself in my own narrative. That doesn’t mean I would want to change anything about the fact that those other photos are online. It’s more about now having the freedom to do things in a way that comes from my own point of view, instead of from that of a company. What role do you think social media and online dating play in the exploration of love today? I believe it depends on how you use them, but they can create expectations of what something or someone should look like. Especially of what a woman should look like, what sex

should look like or what compassion should look like. Online dating and social media seem to form a definition of these things. The more you become engrossed in them, the easier it gets to lose touch with real feelings of companionship, because it affects what it feels like to really be in a moment and to explore things. There is of course a commonplace for everything, and as long as people feel comfortable doing what they want and what feels authentic to them, that’s great. But from the moment you’re ingrained with expectations, it’s always going to be as if someone was inauthentic.

Have you ever tried Tinder? I did, long ago, when I was

super single. I think almost everyone has done it—at least in terms of being bored and thinking, “What am I going to do? Let’s just swipe through people!” That, as an act in itself, is already very ambivalent; we’re not even looking for someone, it’s just about the act of being able to swipe through people. It’s really strange if you look at it from that angle… How was your experience? I went on one weird date with someone. We went to a concert, and it was all very uncomfortable. But I’m interested in making connections with people I don’t know yet. Even if you meet someone at a party or in some other sort of non-romantic setting, there’s still something really cool and

Dress Alessandra Rich

Kacy Hill

intriguing about being around new, different people. Your music is very much about femininity. Do you think there’s as much (sexual) freedom for women as there is for men? We’re definitely working towards it, but there’s still very much a gap between how much sexual freedom a man gets and how much there is for a woman. And even if we try to be very level about how much freedom a woman has, the situation is still suppressed. It’s almost like we haven’t decided yet whether a woman should be able to use her sexual power or not and what it means if she does. At the end of the day it’s about having the choice how you want to

use your sexuality as a woman: do you want to use it publicly, do you want to use it in your personal life, or do you not want to use it at all? It doesn’t matter what your choice is; the key thing is allowing women to have that option and to use it. How is being a woman in the fashion world different than in the music industry? There are a lot of similarities between fashion and music, but some crucial differences as well. When you’re working in fashion, especially as a model, a lot of the girls you see are so young that they’re deprived of their own ability to choose what they want to do with their body. As a model, you’re

adjusted to someone’s vision. Next to that, the fashion industry is also still incredibly male-dominated and can be quite suppressive. [Thinking] But mainly, it’s about whom you decide to work with and what you decide to do for yourself. Obviously the music industry is also maledominated, but there are a lot of good-intentioned men as well, who create so many opportunities to be inventive, let you have an opinion and let you take control of what you want to do. That’s why I don’t see myself leaving music very soon. I’m working on some new things already and want to make as much good music as I possibly can. I’m very happy doing what I do.

Can we conclude that you’re going to dive deeper into making music in the future? Definitely! At this point I have the feeling that it’s become an essential part of who I am. Next to that, the beauty of it is that I have so many different avenues to work with, I can try out a lot of different ideas and I’m supported at many different levels. I don’t see myself leaving the music industry anytime soon. www.kacyhill.com

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Sunglasses Linda Farrow for Ann Demeulemeester

Words and styling by Leendert Sonnevelt Photography: Jasper Rens van Es

Hair: Siko van Berkel—House of Orange Make-up: Kathinka Gernant for Chanel—UNSPOKEN Models: Martin—Alpha Model Management, Twan—Known Model Management, Willem—Max Models, Boy Buurmeijer, Kris van der Waag Hair assistant: Bastien Zorzetto Make-up assistant: Atifa Sealiti All clothes: Daniel W. Fletcher A/W2017

He’s the young British designer who contested Brexit the loudest. And though his statement couldn’t sway the popular vote, it did speak strongly for a generation feeling unheard or even silenced. He’s Daniel W. Fletcher, rising creator of menswear with a refined, modern message and aesthetic. Glamcult met the Louis Vuitton favourite to talk clothes, politics, protest and coming of age. 27

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When you’re chatting with Daniel W. Fletcher and he skips from Mick Jagger to Victoria Beckham in a matter of seconds, it somehow doesn’t come as a surprise. The designer is a child of his times, unafraid to jumble the ’70s with the ’10s, sportswear with traditional tailoring, and clothes with politics. Graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2015, the now 26-year-old talent impressed with a boyish, London-inspired collection named Peckham Pony Club. Picked up exclusively by Opening Ceremony before Fletcher had even decided to start a label, the grad collection was (partly) produced, sent to stores and picked up with applause. Now, four collections later and two years after talking to Glamcult for the first time, the design talent has been honoured with several awards and sponsorships, and his current collection is sold in 16 stores around the world. In other words: “It’s been a steep learning curve!” Sudden success comes with sudden responsibilities, however, and so we find Fletcher in the frenzy of finalizing the production of his autumn/winter collection. “At the moment it’s bit… well, all guns blazing,” he honestly reveals. “Trying to get my head around the [production] process, managing all of that as been quite hectic. So that’s where I am right now; it’s the nature of the way I went into this on my own, straight out of university. I do have a lot of help, working with a good sales agent, PR and people who freelance with me. But in terms of management and keeping everything on track: that’s down to me.” In the past years, that’s meant splitting his weekly hours between London and Paris, establishing his own label four days a week while designing leather goods for Louis Vuitton the other three. Describing his (now former) employer as “the perfect place to learn how to design a product that people will buy”, it is exactly this challenge that the designer has set for himself. “When I’m designing now, I’m thinking a lot about who the customer is. I’m thinking more about fit and how men wear clothes. When I was designing my graduate collection—especially at CSM—it was about telling a story and putting out there what I felt at the time. And there is still a huge element of that; I’m always trying to tell a story and convey a message with the collection. But now it’s more focused; this is what I want to say and this is what I need to do to say it. I don’t need to make endless amounts of garments to convey a lot of different points.” For Fletcher, filtering his story has resulted in more buyers, more buys, more press

and not unimportantly, more selfconfidence. “I’m no longer a student who’s making it up… although I do still feel like one sometimes.” This autumn, one could describe the designer’s collection, named Let It Bleed, as a sequel. For spring, Fletcher—who describes himself as “quite a political person”—took a squad of boys to the streets of the UK capital during London Fashion Week, protesting Brexit with a loud and clear “STAY” spelled out across their chests. This season, his drive is once again a political message, be it one that’s much less overt. “I think it’s still as important to engage people in politics, but I wanted to refine that a little bit.” Fletcher’s A/W17 statement is a layered one, shining through only if you pay close attention. “I love how sports teams have kits and uniforms to bring people together, so there is a sportswear theme running through it. I blended this with a ’70s feeling, as that was a time with a lot of political unrest. People were unhappy and making their voices heard. That’s the spirit I wanted to reflect. After 2016 I felt that young people’s opinions are being completely overlooked. With the Brexit vote, overwhelmingly young people voted to remain—and yet we’re leaving!” But as Fletcher’s A/W17 collection retorts, “We are not prepared to accept that.” Looking at the clothes, subtle elements of protest can be found in linings turned inside out—“If I have to wear a suit to be taken seriously, I’ll do it my own way”—and pieces covered in leather tabs. “There is so much negativity around, I wanted this to be something positive. The pieces with the tabs come from me looking at images of big athletes with medals pinned all over them. I wanted to recreate that feeing of celebration, pride and happiness.” Fletcher’s work is not necessarily about spreading one message, however. More importantly, it’s about encouraging conversation and debate. “One of my good friends, who’s originally Italian and lives in the UK, told me he was voting ‘leave’ during the Brexit vote. I was like: ‘Hang on, you’re taking away that opportunity from your fellow Italians because they won’t be able to do exactly what you did when you settled here.’ Unbelievably he didn’t change his mind, but I was able to have that conversation with him and that’s what it’s about. When I was a kid, I remember my parents saying that you shouldn’t talk about politics. I think it’s the opposite now; people want to talk about it and they should.” Speaking of parents, something the designer did adopt is that rooted fascination with the ’70s. “My dad

Loafers Marko Baković

Daniel W. Fletcher

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Daniel W. Fletcher made me listen to The Rolling Stones a lot while growing up. And it wasn’t forced: I enjoyed it! I was 12 years old when he took me to their concert, it was my first gig. So there are still always pictures of Mick Jagger on my mood boards. There was a real style back then: a mix between something that feels very flamboyant and something very street or urban.” In his own way, mixing and matching or even clashing references is what Fletcher does best. He builds his clothes on a firm sports-inspired foundation but also infuses a strong sense of traditional British heritage and tailoring, subsequently twisting it to match his personal, contemporary vision. “My asymmetrical trench coat, for instance, is reminiscent of something we all know, but it’s young and modern.” As a result, Fletcher’s audience can’t quite be pinned down. “It’s quite cross-generational,” he explains. “From eighteen-year-olds up to men in their fifties, the customer is quite spread.” Next to running his own e-commerce platform and constantly keeping a good relationship with his buyers, last year the designer got to meet his followers when he hosted a pop-up shop in Covent Garden. “I actually got to interact with the people who were buying the product,” he says with a smile. “It gave me the opportunity to let them come see it, try it on and feel the quality. That was really beneficial.” Not unimportantly, the acclaimed architect Farshid Moussavi designed his striped shop. “I met her while I was still at university and working for Victoria Beckham as a Saturday job. I looked after Farshid when she came into the store and we got on really well. When I graduated and left Victoria Beckham, she told me that if I ever did anything, she’d love to work with me. So when I found this shop space that was a real wreck, I called her and asked if she would like to help me out. She came down with an entire team, taking photos and measurements and drawing up plans. And next thing you know, we’re creating this immersive store— it was amazing. I’ve been very lucky to have people like her behind me from the very beginning.” Scrolling through images of Fletcher’s collections, there’s a visual ingredient here yet unmentioned. It’s key to his authentic aesthetic and goes hand in hand with his political prowess. At plain sight it can be described, very simply, as “British boyhood”. When asked about this, he thinks aloud: “If you look at all of my collections so far, you really start to see it come through since the second one. You know, I’m still figuring out where this is all going and that

has made me reflect on my childhood. What does it mean to be young and British? What are the challenges faced by people growing up today? I’m constantly responding to the things happening around me, and often that’s political. I’m thinking about how younger generations and future generations will respond to current events. So thinking about that, and thinking about my own future, is in turn reflected by this boyish, British feeling.” In all its aspects, Fletcher’s work is about growing up, looking back, looking forward and celebrating every step of that process. “Yes, definitely,” he confirms. “It’s all about finding your feet in the world.” With that said, Glamcult is convinced this heart will remain forever young. And that’s hopeful news for fashion’s future. www.danielwfletcher.com

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The Thinleys, 2015, courtesy of the artist

Words by Lottie Hodson

Standing out in the ever-changing fashion industry is a challenge for most, but not for Jamie Hawkesworth. Renowned for his street-cast models, unglamorous locations and documentary aesthetic, the young photographer is subtly spearheading change for fashion photography. Chatting to Glamcult, the artist reveals all behind his notorious collaborations, his upcoming Amsterdam show and how he’s taking fashion back to the streets. 35

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Adam, 2016, courtesy of the artist

Jamie Hawkesworth

When traipsing through worthwhile fashion publications, it’s hard to find one Jamie Hawkesworth hasn’t shot for. At only 29 years old he’s played a huge role in forming the visual identity of J.W.Anderson and worked on innovative projects with the likes of Miu Miu, Loewe and Alexander McQueen—let alone having shot editorials for Dazed, AnOther, W Magazine and Vogue (US, UK and Paris) to name just a few. But Hawkesworth’s soaring success doesn’t end there. In fact, this British talent has injected a new lease of life into fashion photography; while gazing into his images you’ll find yourself swept away into a dreamy, pastelcoloured haze. Fashion photography is evolving hand-in-hand with fashion itself; gone are the tedious days of in-your-face consumerist photography, it’s time to revel in the documentarycome-fashion aesthetic. As Hawkesworth says, “It’s nice to reflect on the diversity of people.” The British photographer comes as a breath of fresh air with his soft and sunlit portraits offering a dose of authenticity to fashion campaigns. Whether he shoots kids picked off the street dressed in designer labels or candids of models in juxtaposing

diptychs, Hawkesworth’s images are bursting with originality and character. Using analogue processes, each poetic image has a refreshing depth and rawness that separates it from a cluster of “classic” fashion shots. Swapping out over-edited, overstylized adverts, the London-based photographer delivers romanticized tableau-style images, giving consumers a snapshot of (dreamy) realness. “It’s a reflection of our time, what people’s aspirations are and what people find interesting. It’s nice to have your head in the clouds, it’s a case of mixing that fantasy with realism.” Shockingly, Hawkesworth didn’t initially set out to be a photographer. But despite beginning a course in forensic science at the University of Central Lancashire in 2007, the Suffolkborn talent was always destined for a different path. Upon discovering a love for the medium when taking photos of reconstructed crime scenes, he found his passion in documentary photography. Grabbing his camera and shooting street-style photography was where the budding artist really found happiness: “I felt like I could do it all day…” Which is exactly what he did, as well as transferring

to the university’s photography department. Sitting in Preston Bus Station, some days 12 hours at a time, Hawkesworth captured striking characters that travelled through. Four years later these images were published in an exhibition at the same bus station and soon will mark the pages of his first book, Preston Bus Station. Primarily catching the industry’s attention—especially that of Julie Brown, who later signed him to her influential MAP agency—with this reflective portfolio, Hawkesworth quickly became one of the fashion world’s most sought-after photographers. Unlike too many of us, the photographer never fails to see the small details and the beauty in otherwise mundane aspects of life, which is a trait that has fared him well. Known for his contemporary tableau-style shots and suspended landscapes, Hawkesworth, like many other talented practitioners of our generation—think: Mel Bles, Harley Weir, Masha Mel and Daisy Walker— stands as a figurehead of change while embracing a renewed form of nostalgia. With their ethereal aesthetic, natural tones and unglamorous locations, these new-gen

photographers rewrite the rules of capturing fashion. When asked how he perfected his documentary-comefashion style, Hakesworth responds: “I moved to London to start assisting as well as doing documentary stuff so I could pay my rent. I started assisting fashion photographers because there was a lot more of them. I was simultaneously learning about fashion while also doing documentary work so they naturally merged together.” A key ingredient to Hawkesworth’s majestic imagery is his unique preferences when it comes to models. Using street-cast models enables him to bring his signature documentary style into the fashion world as much as possible: “When you’re taking pictures by yourself, it’s an incredibly different experience to taking fashion images. I like using a street cast because the models have a certain sense of authenticity and it keeps my head in the same world as what I used to do by myself. It helps articulate the photograph into something that looks like an image I would take alone.” Turning his lens to these (unique) subjects— picture eccentric red hair, gorgeous “imperfections” and the best-

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Russia, Endless Rhythm, 2015, courtesy of the artist

J.W.Anderson A/W2016 campaign, courtesy of J.W.Anderson

Russia, Endless Rhythm, 2015, courtesy of the artist

Jamie Hawkesworth

dressed youth—is exactly what makes Hawkesworth’s images so compelling and surely a pivotal quality in regards to his enigmatic success. Despite being at the top of his game, seducing us with candid portraits, the British talent hesitates when discussing the (glamorous) world of fashion. When asked what the best thing about being in the fashion industry is, he pauses and indirectly confesses that his heart still belongs to documentary photography, but then continues to admit some perks of the fashion world. “The level of creativity is amazing. You’re given the ability to do whatever your mind can imagine and it’s out in the world very quickly. In that respect it’s quite investing.” It comes as no surprise that there are hang-ups to the ever-changing industry: “It can be hard to continue to grow and articulate your vision in a way that works with other people and what they want to do. Some brands want it a lot more commercial than others, sometimes it’s a struggle to keep your grip on things.” Collaborating with some of fashion’s biggest and most creative names is a regular occurrence for this photography sensation. When quizzed

on his high-end collaborations, Hawkesworth candidly discusses his long-term partnership with man-ofthe-moment—and forever a Glamcult favourite—Jonathan Anderson (of J.W.Anderson), referring to him, of course, on a first name basis. “It’s one that’s grown very much from the start— I did a campaign with Jonathan right from the beginning and it’s a relationship that’s built from the there, it’s very natural. In the case of something like Miu Miu, that’s such an established house and you come in to do your thing but you don’t really have a close relationship with the designer.” He continues to divulge a recent project with one of the most influential stylists of all time, explaining, “I just did a story with Joe McKenna! He’s quite a formidable character and he’s very strong-minded so it’s very lovely when you do something that works well with him.” A ploy, as we all know, that is often used in media and advertising is the romanticized notion of modern love. When you look at Calvin Klein’s notorious campaign images of Kate Moss and Mark Wahlberg—and let’s be honest, most of the brand’s adverts to date—it’s clear that love sells. “It’s the most universal thing. Everyone at

some point has felt love (well, I hope so) and advertising tries to focus on something familiar, they are trying to tap into the idea of love.” This notion seems to be a shared theme within contemporary fashion culture, perhaps because it adds that second dimension to the image, alluring us with a sense of familiarity but also teasing us with something we all long for. Speaking of modern love, the ever-humble photographer—obviously a romantic at heart—reveals how he dedicated a section of his upcoming solo exhibition to his girlfriend and top model Mica Arganaraz: “There is one room dedicated Mica. What’s so lovely about Huis Marseille is that (as its name suggests) it feels very much like a house. There are really small rooms up at the top and big rooms in the middle. One of the smaller, more intimate rooms contains all the work I did of Mica.” [Swoon.] In the early days of September, Hawkesworth will unveil Landscape with Tree in Amsterdam. When we ask him what visitors can expect, the photographer concludes: “It fills the whole museum so you navigate yourself through 14 (!) rooms. Each room is very much its own experience and has its own project. One room presents

all the images I did in Russia and then you walk through to the Congo and then to India…” We, for one, are more than ready to embark on Hawkesworth’s expedition—inimitably blurring the line between fact and fiction, and promising to be much more than a fashion, photography or fashion-photography exhibition. Landscape with Tree is on from 9 September until 3 December 2017 at Huis Marseille, Amsterdam

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Russia, Endless Rhythm, 2015, courtesy of the artist

Jamie Hawkesworth

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Mica, 2016, courtesy of the artist

Modern Love Noga Erez Political pop promise Electrified by the tension in the air, the ingenious and furious sound of this Israeli-born artist’s tracks, which she produces with her selfproclaimed “other half”, mixes experimental pop with enlightening lyrical tales that punch far above their weight. The ascending artist sends out hard-hitting messages addressing the concealed chauvinism of the prevailing patriarchy. Her stellar debut, Off the Radar, features sounds so intense they positively vibrate and a magical, deeply felt urgency lingers long after the songs have ended. You’re invited to find some clarity, if not a gasp of fresh air, in these fucked-up times of socio-political tumult. Modern Love: “How can something so raw and primal be affected by a time or a period?”

@nogaerez

Gents Millennial soundscapers As you’d expect from two Generation Y gentlemen, Gents’ synthpop sound is polished, slick and charismatic. Quite unlike being shipwrecked on a loveless island, the music of this Danish duo “sends you off on a ferry to catch rays (and a break) on the island of Ibiza, where you end up reconciling with your long lost childhood love”—smoke machines included. Romantics at heart, Niels Fejrskov Juhls and Theis Vesterløkke produce a retro dreamland comprising soft, crooning vocals paired with electronic and buoyant synthpop beats, fully embracing cliché as they pen lyrics against the backdrop of a gloaming sunset. Modern Love: “It’s never easy to talk about emotions and feelings. It’s very personal but sometimes there aren’t exactly words for it.”

@g_e_n_t_s

Modern Love Ruben Baart Utopian conversationalist This Sandberg graduate, writer and visual artist proclaims he “was in the future yesterday”. Which is fitting for someone who is exploring alternate realities with a utopian sensibility, creating installations such as a “body mist healing salon” that aims to foster gender neutrality. But just as we feel we’ve escaped the familiar for the fantastical in his experimental art, the pressing question that guides it pulls us right back. And perhaps that’s what it is meant to be: in transit. The more important question is: who holds power over our bodies? Watch his space, as he’ll be working to push the second sexual revolution over the edge, reminding us all to never limit the scope of our fantasies. Modern Love: “Love is now subjected to a new emotional culture driven by fast-paced romantic transactions, which in a way have marketed our feelings and our very existence.”

Rafael Kouto Sustainable garmentologist Fashioned by industry—not the fashion industry— the forward-looking designs of this Swiss-born Sandberg graduate reveal his infatuation with a Western consumer society and how it has swallowed up cultural expression, ultimately challenging the idea that “another man’s trash is another man’s stash”. The talented designer has a knack for seamlessly melding disparate cultures in a single garment, stitching a predominantly African narrative back into fashion. Through up-cycling mass-produced discarded garments and transforming waste material into luxurious, well-crafted items, Rafael Kouto holds true to a more romanticized conception of fashion—one that has a certain lunar roundness to it, operating according to natural tides instead of man-made ones. Modern Love: “Fashion is always referring to its ability to make people dream, but whose dream are we referring to?”

@rafaelkouto

#generationglamcult

Modern Love Bo Hanna Love-binding wordsmith

This young, multilingual wordsmith is bursting with insight, using it to mould and meld together a new narrative—one that allows us to love whomever we want to love. Born out of his own struggles with identity, ethnicity, sexuality and the pressure to conform, Bo Hanna writes critical, thought provoking and confronting pieces. Dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s with concern about the prevailing hegemonic discourse, he believes that language has the power to shape and re-shape a new way of thinking—turning every (web)page into a small, furious spaceship that sends readers off into an eye-opening and all-accepting realm. Modern Love: “I hope my work inspires people to be themselves.”

@bdmhanna

Sofie Nieuwborg Rising fashion master Intuitively mapping out everything the “L” word evokes, this emerging multidisciplinary Belgian designer and Antwerp Fashion Masters graduate crafts the colourful magic that is her eponymous label. In spite of having only produced two collections, it feels like she must be on her tenth, considering the talent she’s shown in her diaphanous creations of mesh and tulle. Forging a new fashion identity that is grounded in her fascination with the intricate workings of time, Nieuwborg stitches and embroiders age without secrecy. She packages and preserves delicate and dried flowers in fabrics as if to say, “Handle with care” and, “It will endure.” In the end, Nieuwborg crafts masterly and ever-relevant pieces that encapsulate all the themes that have fuelled her tactile creativity. Modern Love: “My most romantic vision of the fashion industry would be an industry with a lot more respect for craft, creativity and durability.”

@snieuwborg

Modern Love Mats Rombaut Eco-driven footwear designer The honest hands of Belgian designer Mats Rombaut have drawn up a durable blueprint that defines his ethical unisex fashion label. His deceptively simple and innovative shoe designs crafted from the most uncanny but clever and biodegradable materials—think: fig tree bark and potato starch—marks this inventive creative as a major new talent. Who would have thought “vegan” could equal “street-infused”? Having collaborated with brands such as the gender-bending fashion label Barragán, with results that are equally united in fresh purpose, clever concept and convincing delivery, we’re bound to say that as a streamlined, luxury and eco-friendly label, Rombaut is a generous treasure of a find. Modern Love: “I’m a bit old-fashioned; I think to make love work you need to make sacrifices and take care of each other (and your environment).”

@matsrombaut @rombautofficial

Emma Westenberg Spellbinding cinematographer

Blessed with the gift to visually transform any setting, Dutch filmmaker and visual storyteller Emma Westenberg crafts cinematic creations imbued with a happy-go-lucky and wry aesthetic that aims to un-riddle life’s manifold mysteries. Building characters and storylines that unfold in exceptionally surprising and unconventional ways, the HALAL-represented cinematographer has collaborated with fellow Rietveld graduate and boundary-testing designer Sophie Hardeman to further enable her moving, whimsical images and pull reality out from under us—only to then go and offer a bird’s-eye view of it. Modern Love: “On an intimate level, the characters I depict are all parts of me.”

@emma.westenberg

#generationglamcult

Modern Love Miro Aleksei Hämäläinen Category-transgressing creator

From the dizzying heights of fashion walking the Balenciaga catwalk to something a little more down to earth, presenting his delightfully outlandish graduate collection: this Rietveld alumnus and part-time model is explicitly and implicitly exploring gender as a fluid concept. In his graduate collection, aptly titled Venus as a Boy, we are met with loving, sexually tinged creations that highlight all the right places— from belly buttons all the way down to the scrotum. With cropped jumpers and yoga pants that have scooping waistlines, he’s hoping to strike a balance between masculinity and femininity, eluding categorization and disregarding static tropes and gender conventions. Modern Love: “My work is an advocate for deep self-love.”

@miroaleksei

Philou Louzolo Afro-centric electronic music maker Cutting through geographical borders and preconceptions, this Rotterdam-based electronic music producer-slash-DJ is “doing his own thing”: enlivening African culture in enthralling and embalming beats. Preaching the power of music while issuing a euphoric playlist that thrums with ambient, warm, high-spirited rhythms that resonate with the African diaspora, his playful mixes are never dull. Transmitting a contemporary, Afro-centric sound, Philippe—alias Philou Louzolo—displays his roots with a sound that’s ever relevant, allowing a sky full of love to wash over hearts. His powerful tunes also make an ideal audible resting/raving place and counter club culture’s Euro-centric status quo. Modern Love: “Nightlife is a place where people’s masks fall off and feel free enough to connect with their inner desires.”

@philouzolo

Modern Love Martijn Mendel Raw visual poet Fresh from his undergraduate studies at the acclaimed Royal Academy of Art in the Hague, this budding photographer expertly balances his own coming-of-age tale with that of fashion, honouring his past while provoking the future. Acknowledging the shrouded mystery of fashion but never wallowing in it, Martijn Mendel is framing spaces charged with intimacy and fantasy. It is in his clever, polished yet inherently raw stills that the worlds of documentary and fashion photography meet. And in that encounter, an intriguing visual language emerges in the often-stale market of fashion visuals. Refuting conventional ways of looking and encouraging a poetic reactivation of an alternate gender conception, the close-up quietness paired with powerful long shots intelligently enhances all the stories that linger in each and every mute but full photographic piece. Modern Love: “The stories I tell in my work are personal and are based on true experiences, yet they’re universal since everybody can relate to and interpret them in their own way.”

@martijnmendel

Ogènda ter Haar Abundant styling alchemist

Adding some spark to the world of styling, this Amsterdam-based young visionary is orchestrating exciting, quirky and inspiring fashion imagery. Despite the fact that styling is a profession that doesn’t lend itself to easy definition, judging from the abundant frenzy of her IG account, Ogènda ter Haar is outlining her own skill set and unprecedented space at the heart of fashion. It is her love for people that defines her aesthetic, through which she’s striving for unity in all senses of the word. In this process the stylist transforms “mere” clothes into entrancing visions, through which she’s serendipitously changing the way people dress while breathing a gush of optimism into today’s culture. Modern Love: “I absolutely believe my work is an expression of love, simply because I love what I do.”

@otothegtotheeto thentothedanda

#generationglamcult

Words by Rebecca Nevins Photography: Maxime Cardol

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Gc Interview

Ibeyi Like a bittersweet love letter, Ibeyi’s forthcoming album leads with hard-hitting sonic punches that are quickly superseded by harmonies that induce the warm feeling of a loving hug. Having already won over the hearts of big industry names including Beyoncé, the French-Cuban twins are producing music so arrestingly beautiful it tugs at the heartstrings, awakens kindred spirits and forces one to ponder whether love has perhaps outrun one.

Artists and twin sisters Lisa-Kaindé Diaz and Naomi Diaz, aka Ibeyi, speak with a mild French lilt, which breaks into a rush of words—often ending in singing—when they chat about their sophomore album. Titled Ash and set for release in late September, the album expels the hopeful air of fertile earth but hasn’t quite forsaken life’s bitter side, which dominated Ibeyi’s self-titled debut back in 2015. Whereas that first album gave space to mourn the loss of loved ones, the women’s highly anticipated new record conjures up promises of better days ahead. With a brisk energy—or a self-described “energy of life”—Ibeyi send an intricate love letter dedicated to “the human race, to us, to every girl and woman, to all of our differences and to the ones that feel weak for a moment”. So, how should Ibeyi’s new album make one feel? “Like a punch in the face, followed by a warm and loving embrace,” Lisa proclaims, holding her clenched fist high in the air. Teasing out their visceral, electric second album, the sisters, who made an appearance on Beyoncé’s visual album Lemonade, sent out an early release of their uplifting single Away Away last spring. Carrying an empowering female narrative, they hope the song will get hazy heads back into gear. “It’s about a girl gazing out the window, seeing a world falling down and not doing anything about it. She’s going to have a fire

start building inside her. And the first thing she’s going to do is stand up and say, ‘Away, away’—” in mid-sentence they break into song; Lisa resumes— “This album is our way to become active, to do something.” Of the carefully thought-out track list of Ash, they say: “We wanted it to be smooth. So, the places of the songs are very important on the album. We feel it’s so rare to put on a record and listen to it from start to finish.” Consequently, listeners are ushered into a way of listening that pulls them along a sonic, raging journey past love’s many crossroads, testing musical expectations on rhythm-less tracks such as Waves, and soothing souls with soft-spoken lullabies on tracks like Vale. “It was a conscious decision not to put rhythm on it [Waves],” says Lisa. “Especially because everyone waits for the rhythm. At one point you’re abandoning yourself to the fact that the rhythm isn’t coming. And that was interesting and beautiful—to just abandon yourself to Naomi’s voice.” Pairing electronic and organic soundscapes—more so than before—just made sense, says Lisa. Naomi concurs: “On the first album we were singing without any effects on our voices. But we love Auto-Tune!” For those hoping there might be a repeatable recipe to all this sonic splendour and sibling success, you’re out of luck. Ibeyi—Yoruba for “twins”— believe in the spontaneity of following

one’s intuition. Their music features complex vocal harmonies that blend, fall perfectly in-sync and create gliding waves of sound—but even these come surprisingly easily, they confess. “Creating harmonies has become second nature to us, because we’ve been doing it for so long,” says Lisa, before continuing: “We always know which parts are going to have harmonies and which aren’t. It’s very intuitive. But it’s also about trying things out. When you’re in a studio and you want to create a choir with just two voices, you layer and layer and then you listen back to the layer you just did.” Underlining the importance of cultural heritage to their music, and having lived between two landscapes, Ibeyi paint lyrical pictures with soft, loving brushstrokes of the place they were born—Paris, France— and the place their parents left behind years earlier, on the island of Cuba. “We’ve always felt committed to Cuba—Havana is like Paris,” they say. Not needing to travel as far as the Caribbean to enjoy the colours and rhythms of Cuba, the music that draws from personal narratives hits closer to home than you’d expect from such far-flung sounds. On their background and the intimacy of their music, the sisters reveal: “It’s intimate because it’s truthful and there’s no pretending; it’s us. What we write is us. And in a way it’s a miracle that it gets to people, because they somehow hear their own story in our

songs.” Agreeing that this is what makes it all worthwhile, they reflect: “There are songs we wrote in our rooms when we were 16, which people still feel connected to today. How did that happen? It’s so humbling and so powerful.” To paraphrase Michelle Obama, one of Ibeyi’s resounding inspirations on Ash, their story is your story. Although they say they “love love” when asked about the theme of our Modern Love issue, the twins admit, “We’re still figuring it out! We’re trying to sort our own lives out. So we can’t possibly give you the truth to a better world. What we can do is share; share in our emotions and share in our thoughts.” Ibeyi believe that anno 2017, “love is still here. If you think you lost love, you have to do what we say in Ashes: see through the walls.” Offering refuge in sound, Ibeyi allow the flame within us to burn more intensely. Their final note to everybody listening? “Hope is the most important thing in the world today. You have to dream big and have this energy in your guts, telling you that you can reach success and that you can do it.” From Ibeyi, with love. www.ibeyi.fr

Gc Interview

Words and styling by Leendert Sonnevelt Photography: Yaël Temminck Hair and make-up: David Koppelaar— House of Orange All clothes: Hugo Boss A/W2017

Thomas Azier From synthpop superlatives to petite pop, there’s been a noticeable shift in the sound of Thomas Azier. Releasing his sophomore album last spring, the Dutch artist revealed a side of himself that’s softer but just as sincere; often straightforward, often heart-breaking. Glamcult met the gifted songwriter and performer to discuss the many shades of a black-and-white world.

Your latest album, Rouge, instantly stands out because of its artwork. The initial idea was that the fil rouge of this album would be my voice. Rouge is also the colour I would give to the voice. I find it interesting how it’s such a versatile instrument, and how we use it in the most interesting way when we experience intense emotions—from screaming when we’re mad or moaning when having sex to crying. […] All these contrasting emotions are represented in the colour red too, so I thought it would be nice to simply call the album Rouge. Do you see colour in music? No, I don’t. And I suspect there are fakers out there because lately everyone and their grandmothers are claiming they have synaesthesia. So, what would you dream of seeing? What I do is dream up melodies. I have a thing called rocking syndrome, which means I rock my head back and forth quite violently in this half sleep right before the deep sleep. I also hum loudly with it, which drove my brother crazy when we were kids and sleeping in the same room. Most people lose it when they get older, but somehow I didn’t and I really like it,

it makes me calm—even though it sounds a bit freaky. I usually put my phone next to my bed and just let the recorder run. When it’s really good I can wake up from this half sleep and drag myself to the piano or computer to really work things out. But usually I’m lazy and figure it out the day after (if I can still make sense of it). Listening to songs like Gold and Talk To Me, it feels like a new sense of warmth and vulnerability has entered your music. For me, making music is just a reflection of what I see around me. I’m trying to make sense of the chaos of our times. Everything is so divided; it’s all black and white with no colour or shades in between. You’re either gay or straight, a hater or lover on the internet, an influencer on Instagram—fucking hell, that fucks me up. I was longing for something softer, poetic and intense. I wanted to explore the many shades we all carry inside of us with attention to detail, sometimes with contradiction and multiple truths… You worked on your debut, Hylas, for five years, and on Rouge for three. Do you feel more skilled as an artist today? We learn and change every

day, and somehow I feel we unlearn a lot by simplifying and going back to a childlike essence. I love that process and I’m a student of it; how the brain works, how it fools you, how external factors like success, opinions and money fuck with you, and how to keep them away from your creative process. That’s the real skill, in my opinion. You recently mentioned that hip hop inspires you. Does this perhaps have to do with its urgent, often political character? Hip hop is community-based music. I grew up in a small village in the Netherlands, so I don’t have that feeling of community. It was just quite isolated, I guess. When Wu-Tang Clan arrived on my first Discman, it was quite abstract but somehow I connected to it, listening to a completely other culture in the fields. It taught me about authenticity and how to escape the copycat culture we sometimes have music-wise in the Netherlands and Germany. I knew I needed to live a bit and explore a lot more before releasing something. That’s when I left for Berlin at around the age of 19.

“Parisian album”? And how do you look back on your time in Berlin now? I consider it a European album, which is more of a spirit thing for me than borders or rules on paper. Young people might not necessarily feel European, but I guess we have a European spirit of working together, talking and exchanging ideas. I just really immerse myself in different cities and learn from their rich cultures to make something that connects. France, for example, has such a rich culture in arrangement—think of Brel and Gainsbourg. It has real singers and performers, deep songwriting and orchestration, and of course changed electronic music for ever with the French touch. Rouge was written in my own little holy trinity of Amsterdam, Berlin and Paris. What’s the best setting to listen to the new Thomas Azier? I like travelling, so I’d say walking, sitting on a train, plane or metro. Or early in the morning when the day beats the darkness and the first rays of lights are coming in. I love that moment. www.thomasazier.com

What do you think of people describing Rouge as your

Gc Interview

Visual essays

Photography: Jun Yasui

Photography: Barrie Hullegie

60 Photography: Riccardo Dubitante

Photography: Michelle Helena Janssen

Ram: necklace Lyppens

Niklas: harness Chin Mens, trousers Ninamounah, boots Dior Homme

Ram: jacket and jeans Chin Mens, shirt Dior Homme

Tuomas: suit, shirts and boots John Lawrence Sullivan

Niklas: trench and harness Chin Mens, bracelet worn as choker Pig & Hen

Tuomas: jacket and chaps Ninamounah, trousers Paul Smith, boots Won Hundred

Tuomas: trousers Dior Homme, boots Won Hundred

Photography: Barrie Hullegie—HALAL Styling and casting: Leendert Sonnevelt Hair: Daan Kneppers for RAW—NCL Representation Make-up: Carlos Saidel for NARS Cosmetics— House of Orange Models: Niklas—Known Models, Tuomas—Rebel Management, Ram—Republic Men Photography assistant: Thijs Jagers

Edwin: top Kenzo, earrings model’s own

Franceska: dress Dior

Frank: jumper Chanel

Nika: dress Salvatore Ferragamo, earring Dior

Larissa: shirt Mila Schön

Daniel: cardigan Kenzo, underwear model’s own Katie: underwear Rosamosario

Photography: Riccardo Dubitante Styling: Özge Efek Hair and make-up: Serena Congiu Casting: Greta Brunelli—Simo Bart Casting Models: Daniel—Independent Model Management, Edwin—D’Management Group, Franceska—Independent Model Management, Frank Roskam—Elite Milano, Katie Cook—WhyNot Models, Larissa Schumacher—Elite Milano, Nika—The Lab Models Set design: Greta Cevenini

Section

Joey: jacket and jeans Hardeman

Gc Interview

Bernardo: dress and shirt Victor Klijsen

Bernardo: sweater Balenciaga via FOUR Joey: top Hardeman

Bernardo: jacket MISBHV, jeans Y/PROJECT via Ménage à Trois Joey: jacket Victor Klijsen

Bernardo: dress and shirt Victor Klijsen, boots Hardeman Joey: skirt and jeans Hardeman, boots model’s own

Bernardo: jacket Hardeman, briefs models’ own Joey: top Raf Simons via Lenodara

Bernardo: bomber Alexander McQueen, necklace model’s own

Photography: Michelle Helena Janssen Styling: Ali Javaid Hair and make-up: Bas Cornelis Aarts Models: Bernardo & Joey—Ford Models Brasil Styling assistant: La-isla Thies

The WorldSection Needs Originals What defines a real pioneer? That’s the question persistently asked by the time-tested shoemakers of Clarks Originals. On a steady quest to rewrite rules and free minds, the innovative footwear brand is at all times pushing the development of its own concepts, creating shoes for curious minds.

For this season, Clarks Originals has brought its already dynamic Trigenic back into the lab for a subtle revamp, entering the next stage of the sneaker’s evolution. The resulting design, aptly named Trigenic Evo, is based on the Trigenic’s defining principles—including a three-part outsole and asymmetric last—but these elements have been transformed into a more contemporary silhouette.

In terms of comfort, the Trigenic has also undergone a big boost. A dual density footbed now supports the areas where the foot needs it most. The outsole features a linear map of the human gait cycle, which aesthetically emphasizes the stress areas of the foot. And on the upper, elastic is used to reflect the natural muscle tendons found within the foot.

With a moccasin construction that stays close to Clars Originals’ signature style, we’re pretty sure this is autumn’s ultimate mix of comfy and cool. The Trigenic Evo is now available in black, white, grey and cola for men, as well as black and white for women.

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Trigenic Evo Section

@ClarksOriginals #TrigenicEvo 77

Gc Interview

DUTCH DESIGN AWARDS 2017

EXHIBITION 21-29 OCTOBER During Dutch Design Week Daily 11:00 – 18:00 hours Location: Veemgebouw, Torenallee 80, Eindhoven

The best of Dutch design

AWARDS SHOW 28 OCTOBER Presentation: Clarice Gargard Music: OIJ Doors open: 20:15 Start: 21:00 Location: Effenaar, Dommelstraat 2, Eindhoven

PRESENTED BY:

PUBLIC PARTNER:

PARTNERS:

MEDIA PARTNERS:

Stockists Acne Studios www.acnestudios.com

John Lawrence Sullivan www.john-lawrence-sullivan.com

Sies Marjan www.siesmarjan.com

Alessandra Rich www.alessandrarich.com

Kenzo www.kenzo.com

SOS Steve Smith www.sosstevesmith.com

Alexander McQueen www.alexandermcqueen.com

Lazoschmidl www.lazoschmidl.tictail.com

Wendy Jim www.wendyjim.com

Ann Demeulemeester www.anndemeulemeester.com

Linda Farrow www.lindafarrow.com

Won Hundred www.wonhundred.com

Balenciaga www.balenciaga.com

Maison Margiela www.maisonmargiela.com

Xander Zhou www.xanderzhou.com

Chanel www.chanel.com

Marine Serre www.marineserre.com

Y/PROJECT www.yproject.fr

Chin Men’s www.chinmens.com

Mila Schön www.milaschon.com

Clarks Originals www.clarks.com

MISBHV www.misbhv.com

Costume Studio www.costumestudio.co.uk

NARS Cosmetics www.narscosmetics.eu

Craig Green www.craig-green.com

Ninamounah www.ninamounah.com

Daniel W. Fletcher www.danielwfletcher.com

Pig & Hen www.pigandhen.nl

Dior / Dior Homme www.dior.com

Raf Simons www.rafsimons.com

Gentle Monster www.gentlemonster.com

Rosamosario www.rosamosario.com

Hardeman www.hardemanonline.com

Saint Laurent www.ysl.com

Hugo Boss www.hugoboss.com

Salvatore Ferragamo www.ferragamo.com

I want Glamcult Glamcult takes you to the global frontlines of fashion, art and music. We aim to tell you what’s good, but you probably know better.

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GLAMCULT / 2017 / ISSUE 3 / #124 / EU

Articles inside

Ibeyi

Kacy Hill