PLATFORM 1 VISUAL ESSAY 1 PROFILE: MUSIC PROFILE: FASHION PLATFORM 2 PROFILE: MUSIC
PROFILE: ART VISUAL ESSAY 2 PROFILE: MUSIC PLATFORM 3 18
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CALEB FEMI
22
MORE OR LESS
26
JORJA SMITH OTTOLINGER SOPHIE VALCOUR X NINAMOUNAH SEAN NICHOLAS SAVAGE
40 50 62
KATE COOPER SNEAKER REAPER BLOOD ORANGE JOERI WOUDSTRA
76 86 98 110
GLAMCULT #128
68
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Top and trousers Steven Chevallier via Central Saint Martins, sunglasses Gentle Monster
Helmet and bustier Paolina Russo via Central Saint Martins, skirt MM6 Maison Margiela, tights Jie Wu via Central Saint Martins, vintage tabi boots stylist’s own
Photography: Eleanor Hardwick Styling: Caitlin Moriarty Models: Louis Chen—Anti-Agency, Nejilka—Nevs Models Hair: Hirokazu Endo Make-up: Lauren Reynolds Set design: Laura Little Photography assistant: Dragos Czinjepolschi Styling assistant: Mara Petrides Set design assistant: Jaclyn Papalardo
44
Faux fur coat Shrimps, earcuff and rings Maria Black, necklaces Jorja’s own
JORJA SMITH
45
Earring Peet Dullaert, boots Dennis Schreuder x Roel van Berkel, stockings Falke
56
GLAMCULT PROFILE
OTTOLINGER
Medicine and science privilege human beings above all others species in every aspect but one. Our minds, unapproachably vast, function by rationality alone, but our genitalia, uncontrollably thirsty, need restraint and discipline. White men in white coats tell us that our drive for sex is animalistic, uncontrollable, everyone wants it, everyone needs it. A degradation to animals and humans alike. This replete submission to the scientific demands that we fuck each other, disrupts all desire, dissociates person and body, body and feeling, genitalia and mind, penetration and violation. What do we want and furthermore, why are we put to such lengths: so chastised for trying to find unity, trying to find ourselves, our own desires. Animalism is used as a scientific universal, a prerequisite to oppression, labeling us as animals and constructing animalism as a sin, as abomination. The abject has no choice then but to let menstrual bloods run in the streets, staining the pornographic scripts of teenage romance.
SMELL MY PHEROMONES
62
GLAMCULT PLATFORM
SOPHIE VALCOUR X NINAMOUNAH
63
Trousers and belt Kenzo, top Sean’s own, shoes Acne Studios
70
GLAMCULT PROFILE
Jacket and turtleneck Calvin Klein Jeans, ring Sean’s own
SEAN NICHOLAS SAVAGE
71
Sweater Acne Studios, hat Kangol, jewellery and watch (worn throughout) Dev’s own
BLOOD ORANGE WORDS BY MATHYS RENNELA PHOTOGRAPHY BY RENATA RAKSHA 98
GLAMCULT SECTION MARKER PROFILE
With three albums as Blood Orange, a career spanning more than 14 years and countless collaborations with everyone from Solange to A$AP Rocky to Carly Rae Jepsen, Devonté Hynes is a musical polymath whose status as a multi-talented alt-pop visionary will surely be cemented with the release of his fourth album, Negro Swan. But Hynes’ true genius lies in his ability to capture a particular emotion or moment and transcribe it into high-fidelity, highly relatable music. Every Blood Orange song is anchored in reality through a careful use of field recordings, the integration of real life conversations and events, and elaborate references to the (musical) landscape in which Hynes continues to evolve. When an artist lives in the scrutiny of the public eye, authenticity can be difficult. It requires letting people in, revealing flaws that can be exploited. Every action is over-analysed, quoted, misquoted, interpreted, reinterpreted and misinterpreted in a 24/7 news cycle that feeds on anger, desperation and grief. While that may keep many musicians from revealing their political allegiances, opening up and describing the reality of the lives they live, that’s anything but true for Dev Hynes. When we meet, Hynes is about to release his fourth studio album under the Blood Orange moniker. Titled Negro Swan, it narrates the anxieties and struggles of the queer community and people of colour, focusing on hope, community building and solidarity. It’s an extremely personal album, in line with recent releases such as Solange’s A Sseat at the Table, Kendrick Lamar’s Damn and Jamila Woods’ HEAVN. And just as with those releases, it’s hard not to speculate on what is wishful thinking here and what’s actual peace of mind. It poses the question: when lyrics get so deep and personal, how do art and reality interact? And how much of the writing process is a coping mechanism? Sitting nonchalantly on a bench in New York’s Chinatown, Hynes makes it clear early in our conversation that he’s probably not going to answer that question, describing his process as much more organic: “[My music] is always kind of happening,” he says. “You know you can’t live without water. But you’re not necessarily running toward it. There might be times that you need it more than others, but most of the time it feels really natural. Life wouldn’t exist without water.” Yet Hynes’ lyrics seem so well-crafted there surely must be more personal meaning? “For the most part, I’m just trying to transcript something that I want to hear in that moment, something which peaks my interest,” he explains. “It’s more just things that I’ve elaborated in my head already, but I want to press play on”. He reflects for a moment. “I don’t think that I do it intentionally, it’s just something I do naturally. I talked about Sandra Bland because it was on my mind at the time. There’s not much calculation. It comes out as a natural extension of the state I’m in.” And yet, there is no catharsis for Hynes in this process: “I don’t really get peace of mind from writing. I don’t think that anyone does. I just try to let everything out and try to be super honest. My whole thing is that I wouldn’t put something out that I wouldn’t 100% stand behind. I often write my lyrics freestyle. I think there are two different types of honesty in my lyrics: sometimes I just sit down and think about how I want to put it out; other times I just let it all out, straight away”. SECTION MARKER BLOOD ORANGE
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