Haute Magazine Spring 2019 Issue (Mock-Up) by Diana Fonte

HAUTE â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;19: ISSUE 01 MOCK-UP

Letter From the Editor

T K

his project came into fruition as a culmination of my love for the written word; specifically, for the French written word. Haute, in French, means “high, tall, lofty” – in English, it means monied, luxurious, and well, high. Art here, whether that be at USC, in Los Angeles or in California as a whole, spans far beyond the conventional terminology of the word “haute”. The title is an ironic take on the down-to-Earth, passionate, visceral art that people here make with their beautiful hands and their beautiful minds, and an homage to their craft in its varied shapes and sizes.

eep in mind that, albeit cherished, this issue is nothing more than a mock-up, something to show people when they ask the question that you may be asking yourself right now: “What the hell is Haute and why the hell should I keep reading it?” There is no clear-cut answer. I made the magazine as a response to the overflow of art in Los Angeles that I felt I went without in my hometown. It was also a response to life, the people it handed me and the stories that demanded to be told. It was the weird ideas that manifested themselves without a moment for me to object. It’s a brainchild.

T H

hus, this issue does not have one set theme. Some of it is art in its purest and finest form, other parts are beautifully fashioned critiques of society and institutions by which we may otherwise abide. It’s a mixed bag with a lot of heart, which is symbolic of the many directions that future issues could take, from hard-hitting investigative pieces, to political protest artwork, to photos on film that speak for themselves, no words required.

aute represents a place for everyone and a space for anyone. Say anything, do anything, show up and be loud here. All that is certain is that it feels liberating to be comfortably loud. It feels good to be heard. Oftentimes, we do not recognize the beauty that lives right under our noses. Haute is a testament to the elegant beauty that lives within everyone, within the everyday. I truly hope you enjoy it. All

the

love,

(PHOTO)

HAUTE MAGAZINE

FRONT COVER: VALENTINA

‘‘10 Feet Tall” Now Available on Spotify & Apple Music

Instagram @hauteusc

MGMT Valentinamusicmgmt@gmail.com Instagram @valentinaaa Courtesy of Riley Taylor.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Submissions hauteusc@gmail.com Web hauteusc.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

BACK COVER: DEVON CARLSON

Diana Fonte dfonte@usc.edu Instagram @dianaafonte

Founder & Designer, Wildflower Cases

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Instagram @devonleecarlson

Jason Cerin cerin@usc.edu Instagram: @okayjason

Courtesy of Riley Taylor.

Black Freckles Jean (Chaz) Carter Andrea Marin Lewis Caldwell Boma Iluma Lauren Riley Taylor Gulet Isse Lillian Dessine Edouard Baribeaud Sofia Andreotti THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOU.

by Lewis Caldwell HAUTE MAGAZINE

in this issue

Letter the Editor: Letter From from The Editor Thank You

The Pheromone Project & The New Sex Revolution

Boma Iluma’s “Negus”

Feature: Photographer Riley Taylor

Hermes Artist Edouard Baribeaud: Intersectionality of Style

19 31

Haute Magazine University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089 Editor in Chief Diana Fonte Creative Director Jason Cerin Commercial 1+(727)-623-5839 haute usc@gmail.com HAUTEUSC.COM

NEWS MAGAZINE

Riley Taylor

NEWS MAGAZINE

THE PHEROMONE PROJECT & THE NEW SEX REVOLUTION THE PHEROMONE PROJECT & THE NEW SEX REVOLUTION THE PHEROMONE PROJECT & THE NEW SEX REVOLUTION THE PHEROMONE PROJECT & THE NEW SEX REVOLUTION THE PHEROMONE PROJECT & THE NEW SEX REVOLUTION THE PHEROMONE PROJECT & THE NEW SEX REVOLUTION NEWS MAGAZINE

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O T F A

n September 22nd of 2018, R&B artist Black Freckles launched the Pheromone Project at the intersection of music, video and sex positivity. The Pheromone project centers on the beauty of sexuality and sensuality in love and in lust. In conjunction with artists Jelani, Shaolin and Jean Carter (Chaz), Freckles captured the timelessly unabashed adoration of not only one’s body as a sexual being, but the lust of physical touch, desire, and eroticism as a part of the human condition. he project consists of two songs by Black Freckles – Pheromone and Audacity – both of which are lo-fi, smooth and sensual tracks. He asserts that this was the goal of the songs, as an expression of admiration for sexual freedom that rids it of labels like disg race and inappropriation. reckles explains that the project stemmed from the titular song, Pheromone: “I made the song one night at like 5 am. I was on my way home one day & saw the image in my mind of honey dripping onto my tongue while I stared the camera down. The rest of the ideas for pheromone came all at the same time. I knew the pheromone project had to be expressed with music, photos and videos.” longside the songs are brief interviews from the main characters involved in the project, Shaolin, Jelani and Jean Carter. The three of them take different approaches to the issues surrounding intimacy and sexual freedom in society today.

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I P I T

n her brief documentar y, Jelani comments on the damaging effects of a double standard. She states, “The stuff I say isn’t even that R-Rated… but because my voice is sultry, and I have sex appeal, whatever I say is just like ‘woah woah woah’”... “I can compose myself, but guys… y’all can’t compose yourselves!” heromone strips sex of the inherent stereotypes of shame or distaste that have been implanted into it by society, and goes even further to emphasize the double standard regarding such behavior for women. Shaolin: “Sex is for women too, it’s not just a male-dominated world. Every time I have sex, it’s a spiritual act. It’s using all of your senses, all of you craving someone else.” he smooth vocalist depicts what it was like coming into the music industr y all on his own just two years ago. “It started ‘cause I knew I wanted to make an EP when I was 16, but nobody around me wanted to help me with the process – production, mixing, mastering, et cetera – so I took a couple years to learn how to do all of that.It’s like my superpower now, just being able to do everything myself. It’s really rare right now, but I predict it won’t be in a few years. Hella happy I’m a bit ahead of the wave, though.”

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moving to california by andrea marin

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2018 in Film by Lewis Caldwell

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Riley taylor

(PHOTO) NEWS MAGAZINE

FEATURE

pon first glance, first scroll down his Instagram feed, or first YouTube video, no one would expect photographer Riley Taylor to be a Cinema and Media studies major at the University of Southern California. The Newbury Park native latched onto photography early in high school, and the rest was history. The photographer-turned-lifestyle-vlogger has a large following on Instagram and YouTube from aspiring photographers, fellow YouTubers and brands that have commissioned him in the past. At the same time, he would go to biology class with me every week and juggle midterms, assignments, projects; you know, the usual. 1. How long have you been doing photography for? How did you discover it & when did you start taking it seriously? Was there a moment when you thought to yourself, â&#x20AC;&#x153;this could actually go somewhere,â&#x20AC;? or did it happen all at once? I have had a lot of creative energy since a very young age and loved to paint, draw and play the piano. I discovered photography in high school when I was around 14 or 15 years old and would love to just take photos with friends. I took a couple darkroom and digital photo classes in high school which taught me so much more about the art of photography and helped me begin to take it more seriously. My se-

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nior year of high school I quit the track team and would leave school everyday at lunch and plan tons of shoots, I guess that is when things really began to become “serious” you could say. I had a couple jobs through out high school that I didn’t enjoy and I would always wish I could be shooting instead, so that really motivated me to try to work towards a point where I could make a living doing something creative. 2. Anyone who visits your Instagram for more than five minutes can see that you’re a huge advocate of film (hence your other Instagram account, @filmbyriley). But, what do you enjoy photographing the most – is it [abnormally stunning and usually female] people, places, moments – and is there anything you’d wish to shoot more often?

I loooove film! There’s something so special about shooting on something physical in a time where everything exists almost exclusively digital. I have so much fun and I’m always surprised with how they come out which I think is my favorite part. It is a really different way of shooting that is more minimalistic and forces you to be more careful with the images you take. I love taking photos of almost anything that catches my eye, but I do really love portraits and fashion editorial photos. That is probably what I wish I shot more of. I really want to be able to shoot for more magazines and brands that give me the creative freedom to make images that feel as if they exist in an alternate world.

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3. What is/are some of the coolest oppotunit[ies] that your job has given you? What’s your favorite part of doing this? I have been so lucky and gotten a lot of really amazing opportunities because of what I do. I went to Costa Rica last summer with a makeup brand and travelled around Europe right after graduating high school and I really love traveling so those opportunities have been really special and exciting for me. 4. You also have an immense following on your YouTube channel; how was that created? Do you consider vlogging a side gig or do you enjoy it just as much as shoots? I started my YouTube channel my senior year of high school, but started posting more regularly after graduating because I was very scared of what people at my school thought of me, which in hindsight I really regret. I started it mainly out of my desire to document the things I was doing at this place in my life so I could look back on it later and remember. I had a lot of friends who had YouTube channels which I think really inspired me, but also intimidated me a bit. I also have always loved the idea of filming, directing and editing, so it allows me to combine all that to create a final product that I am really proud of. My videos do take me a while to film and edit just because I am so meticulous and get overwhelmed with how many ideas I have, which I need to get better about. 5. How would you describe your photography style? Do you find that it’s ever-changing or do you like to stick to a specific look? Are you willing to try styles that are different from yours? My style is always changing depending on the media I have been consuming and favoring most recently. I tend to like darker and more stylized imagery like fashion editorials, but also very natural and raw portraiture. I am a very indecisive person. I don’t like the idea of cementing myself to a specific style and look for too long.

6. Do you have any particular inspirations or muses that you draw from in your work? Is your style based on any specific artists you admire? I am really inspired by 90s/00s fashion and designers like Alexander McQueen. I also drew a lot of inspiration from films, my favorite directors being Stanley Kubrick, Tom Ford, and Luca Guadagnino. Recently I have been so inspired by his remake of Suspiria, I really like darker films like this. Other than that there are so many other artists and photographers that have inspired me, too many to name. 7. You have an infinite amount on your plate – how do you balance everything? What must you sacrifice? I think it will probably be impossible for me to balance my time between all the things I want to be doing. I try to take it one step at a time and make sure I keep hitting my smaller goals, which I’ve realized help me reach my larger goals in the long run without getting too overwhelmed. 8. What would you do if you weren’t behind a camera? I think I would be making music or writing. Definitely something creative. I played the piano and guitar through out middle school and high school and loved the creative expression that making music allows you. I also filmmaking/directing, fashion and styling, graphic design, and writing horror novels and poetry. I’m really all over the place haha. 9. I hate to ask the daunting question that everyone hates answering, but there’s no use in delaying the inevitable. What comes next? Where do you see yourself in five years, or even ten? Ahhh I have no clue! Definitely still shooting, but hopefully working for different publications and creative directing. I also really want to start writing and directing films and working on music.

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RILEY TAYLOR

“ I am a very indecisive person. I don’t like the idea of cementing myself to a specific style and look for too long. ”

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10. Do you have any words of wisdom for photographers who are just starting out? Don’t be afraid and just have fun with it. Shoot a lot, but also don’t be afraid to be picky with what/who you choose to shoot in order to develop your unique style as an artist. Being a photographer or any type of artist is not easy, especially turning your passion into your job, it is very easy to feel burnt out.

NEWS MAGAZINE

YET, despite Taylor’s immense success as a photographer across an array of mediums, he remains committed to earning his degree at the University of Southern California. He is currently majoring in Cinema and Media Studies at the School of Cinematic Arts and minoring in Photography at the Roski School of Art and Design. “Some people drop out when there’s like, a small opportunity and they have full faith that it’s going to work out. For me, it is in the process of working out, and so I could drop out. But there are so many opportunities here, too. So I won’t,” Taylor says. However, the 19-year-old prodigy does mention the possibility of semesterlong leave of absence to fully focus on photography jobs and develop his brand as an artist.

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an examination of white suburbia by Gulet Isse

The typical white American family, within the confines of an affluent living situation, becomes so engrossed in their liberal views that they discard the idea of prejudice entirely. They delude themselves into thinking that because they vote on blue party lines, deep-rooted hatred and casual forms of discrimination do not play a factor in their everyday lives. This creates a suburban bubble which touts liberalism while engaging in casual prejudice. There is a front of acceptance that, while to a certain degree does exist, comes with the microaggressions that stem from invasive familiarity. The majority begins to envelop the minority until a monotonous culture of pampered self-indulgence forms. Coming from such a background, it is easy to see how one would lack self-awareness. There is a fine line between selfishness and self-indulgence. When one gets too caught up in their own world, it becomes harder to empathize with the struggles of others. Their utopian view of the world leaves them unable to recognize, let alone address, basic instances of prejudice. Failure to recognize prejudice in its most common forms has made a surface-level understanding of it the standard. The [white] upper middle-class clings to their limited ideal of what racism is not to better understand the struggle of those around them, but rather to rid themselves of the inherent guilt that whiteness and affluence brings. They turn a blind eye to the mistreatment of minorities even though their complacency lends to that treatment.

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When a member of the minority addresses a grievance, the delicate balance of white suburbia is thrown off. The gut reaction is not apologetic, it is defensive. “Why are you being so sensitive?” By making the minority out to be irrational, the majority rationalizes their own behavior. This serves two purposes. The first is to reaffirm the image they have built of themselves. That is, the well-off yet charitably sympathetic member of society who is incapable of exhibiting prejudicial behavior. This self-perception allows them to live their lives without concerning themselves with issues plaguing the marginalized. The second is to maintain their reputation. They must not only be polite but also “P.C.” (politically correct) to exist in the community. Ironically, deflection is a tactic that plays into oppressive ideals which silence the minority while pushing the agenda of the majority. Deflection is often followed by erasure, which disregards someone’s cultural experience by grouping them with the privileged majority. “What authority do you have to speak on these issues? How would you know?” Condescending statements such as these assume what kind of life one has lived. When a person of color finds themselves doing well, possibly for the first time in their lives, they are suddenly seen as separate from the experience of a PoC living in a third world country, or a PoC who was born and raised in the projects. This practice of weaponizing one’s capital is commonplace in white suburbia. Diversity is championed for the sole purpose of showing the world how “open-minded” a community is (cue the token black person).

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But when a black youth vocalizes their perspective on an oppressive system, suddenly they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the authority to speak on that which directly concerns them. They are belittled to nothing more than an inexperienced child with no credibility. Despite the color of their skin, they no longer have a claim or connection to their roots. This facilitates the assimilation of these few black youths into the white suburban culture.

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EDOUARD BARIBEAUD: working in the largest fashion house in the world, Hermes

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Founded in 1837 by saddle and harness-maker Thierry Hermès, the Hermés fashion house has been a uniquely celebrated and respected brand around the world, famous for its specialty in leatherwear, staple accessories such as the Kelly and the Birkin, and of course, its silk-twill carrés. The Hermès Carré silk square was first invented in 1937 – since then, the luxury scarves have garnered a reputable name, with over 2,000 different styles and 94,000 colors. On November 8th, Hermès brought a new, modern debut to its new carré collection, in 18 varied designs and prices. The Hermès Carré Pop-Up shop featured this collection along with the opportunity to speak to the artists, several interactive art stations, and even a Carre Café to emulate its famous café in Paris, which has been standing alongside the house for hundreds of years. I had the opportunity to visit the gallery popup and hit it off with one of the designers, Edouard Baribeaud, and his partner/muse, Sofi. The Versailles-born ink and watercolor artist was responsible for six different scarves in this collection, named Acte III, Scene I, La Clairiere, after a scene from Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. I observed Baribeaud’s intricate pattern-painting on a canvas already full of infinite detail. There seemed to be no room to add anything more, yet somehow every stroke made the painting more alive and beautiful. Baribeaud’s style is deeply connected to the blend of French and German Haute couture, along with ancient Hindu inspirations, Greek mythology and ancient historical events.

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As a self-proclaimed Francophile, I had some questions myself about French culture and art. Baribeaud explained that Berlin is much friendlier towards artists than Paris, and the French-German, French-Italian pair enjoy their studio in the thriving Neukölln arts district. Sofi’s profession as a journalist in Paris was struggling, so she turned towards helping Baribeaud in his work in Germany. On the bright side, university is free for French residents, a stark contrast to the USC sticker price that naturally shocked them. In many ways, I realized the domestic issues in the United States highly reflect and exacerbate the issues abroad. Corruption and controversy are universal, as is art. Lunch ended, and so we made plans to continue our interview over breakfast at Joan’s on Third (insert shameless plug for Joan’s on Third, which is a must-have here in Los Angeles).

We sat down for lunch at a conveniently-placed French cafe on Melrose, where I learned that scarf-making at Hermès is a long and arduous venture. The process spans almost two years in total. It takes six months for an initial design to be approved – and it is not often approved – then, it takes at least 18 months for the scarf-makers to carefully develop the scarf and screen-print the 45 plus screens onto silk gauze. Baribeaud had to select and give names to every color and combination used in his six scarves. Once one scarf is approved, the process would repeat, and Baribeaud would prepare for proposing the next design. Lunch offered time to discuss the distinct contrast of American culture and art. Baribeaud questioned the political and social scene in the US, to which I recoiled slightly. “Who is that rapper, the one with the crazy girlfriend?” he asked, referring to Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. I had no curt response but I assured them that they had it more or less right.

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In the typical madness of running late, I irresponsibly abandoned my Latinx custom of never showing up empty-handed, but they certainly did not. Upon saying our goodbyes, the couple handed me a beautiful hard-bounded book with the word “BARIBEAUD” embossed into the front cover. This book is Baribeaud’s most recent self-titled art book, covering his life’s work, including his recent work with Hermès. To say I was flattered would be a gross understatement. I had nothing in common with these wonderful people – not age, ethnicity, or profession, but we connected through our passions. Sitting down with such incredible artists is a testament to the power of diversity and creativity on the universal spectrum. HAUTE MAGAZINE

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by Riley Taylor HAUTE MAGAZINE

BEFORE YOU GO! A PLAYLIST FOR YOU. west - prince leave me alone - flipp dinero LMK_WHATS REALLY GOOD REMIX - kelela self importance - kilo kish beauty & essex - free nationals ft daniel caesar cupid - alexandra savior queen - perfume genius talia - king princess class historian - BRONCHO first off - future ft travis scott recently played - crumb 1 4 2 - inner wave

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@hauteusc

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