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autumn / winter 2013
lifestyle magazine of inspired images
stories making the city buzz and more
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No.11 Cadogan Gardens, London, SW3 2RJ Reservations on 020 7730 7000 or visit www.no11cadogangardens.com @No11CG www.facebook.com/No11CadoganGardens
Hedonist Magazine | hedonistmagazine.co.uk
autumn / winter 2013 Editor-in-chief
All enquiries and contributions to
Samuel Afadama
the magazine should be addressed to
Art director
info@hedonistmagazine.co.uk
Maria Mokina
Fashon editor Minna Attalla
Deputy editor Chloe Sachdev
Published in London by Hedonist Magazine London Ltd. 2013 Printed by Azimuth Print Ltd. Find us on: hedonistmagazine.co.uk hedonistmagazine.tumblr.com
The previous issue â„–2
Copyright Š Hedonist Magazine London 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.
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content
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photography: Faces & places
43 50 54
music: The Voice of Emmy J Mac The Forgotten Princess of R&B Let’s Party and Bullshit: Spring Break in Croatia
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Love bit: Till the Death Do Us Part
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96 108 116 136 144
Fashion: Hotel California Consanguine Mythical Cycle Enduring Rising in the East
156 160
Art: Beyond the Building Prano Bailey-Bond
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Interior: Outstanding People and their Spaces
editor’s letter
This is interesting: Typoglycemia
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photography: one day in a small town Mods Back in Town
186
This is interesting: Do You Know That
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Art Comes First: A Collective Bringing back
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Urban Business Success
Core: Live story Aliens In my Mothers Clothes
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Somebody Said that
86 94
p. 13
p. 43
p. 54
p. 63
p. 86
p. 96
p. 162
p. 188
Editor’s Letter
W
e love a good story. Everyone does. Be it misery loves company syndrome, inspirational anecdotes, love stories (good and bad) or just some page turning drama – why? Because life is a story, therefore every life is a story waiting to be told. Plain and simple. It is with that sentiment that we created The Personal Issue. Because we want to hear the stories of the people we see everyday stamping the pavement with us. We want to see inside their homes; their artistic expressions, learn their love stories, and witness their failures and successes. Because it’s not buildings or landmarks that make up London, it’s people. The stories, experiences, talents, opportunities and failures is what makes this city tick, it’s what makes us tick and we hope it’s what make you tick. Thank you to everybody involved in this issue. The team at Hedonist Magazine
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faces & places
Photo Simone Lezzi
Photo Ronya Galka
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Photo (left & right) Claudia Mcdade. Left: model Brittney Crowder, make-up and hair Candice Holloway, wardrobe Samantha Paez
Photo (left & right) Claudia Mcdade. Right: model Brelan Jarvis, make-up and hair Dawn Johnson
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Photo (left & right) Claudia Mcdade. Right: model Tove Holen, make-up and hair Saj Von Mack, wardrobe Samantha Paez 20
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Photo Karl Axon 22
Photo Freddie Bonfanti 23
Photo (left & right) Freddie Bonfanti
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Photo (left & right) Ronya Galka
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Photo (left & right) Ronya Galka
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Photo Ronya Galka
Photo Ronya Galka
Photo Simone Lezzi
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Photo (left & right) Simone Lezzi 37
Photo (left & right) Dmitriy Chyornyy, model Alim Khokonov
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Rose Adrien
Jeannie
Desiree
Sarah
Colin
Lili
Brittany
Ailin 40
Laura
Kat
Kirsty
T&N Photo (left & right) Anthony Gerace
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Photos by Oscar May
the
e c i o V of...
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music
‘It’s back to the nursery rhymes if this doesn’t work out for me’ background
My Name is Emmy J Mac, I’m 22, I was born it Mitcham and now spend my time in between London and the Isle of Wight, where I work part time as a singing teacher at Platform One Music College. about The Voice, the experience
I recently took part in the BBC One show The Voice. It was an amazing experience of highs and lows. I saw the cut - throat side of the industry, and the reality of TV talent shows, I learnt a lot, and it gave me the drive and determination to try and reach my goals and live my dream. I met some great people whilst on the show, and was fortunate to work with an amazing vocal coach, who really helped me, and played with an amazing band. There were some fantastically talented people, and although it was an emotional and surreal experience, I think it gave me an invaluable insight into an industry that can be both cruel and amazing, and really helped me to focus on my ambitions. I’m now more motivated and determined than ever was before. A story of my past, my history of singing
I grew up in Mitcham with my Mum who is an artist, and my Dad, who at the time was trying to build a career in acting (you can see where I get my creative side from). My parents loved music and I grew up listening to the Monkeys, Billy Joel, Bob Marley, Elvis Presley, to name a few, their taste was eclectic. The first time I ever performed in public I was 6, I entered a talent
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show at my local town hall. My mum dressed me as an orphan girl and I performed ‘Castle On a Cloud’ from Les Misērables. When I was a teenager my family moved to the Isle of Wight, which although was very beautiful, was worlds away from the hustle and bustle of London. I remember screaming my head off that I didn’t want to move! But life goes on and so must you, and I ended up studying at Platform One Music College, which I loved. It was here that I was first introduced to recording studios, music lessons, great teachers, and other like-minded young musicians. I got heavily involved with the festival scene and became a regular performer at both the Isle of Wight Festival and Bestival. After college I left the island to study commercial music at Bath Spa University. I had an amazing three years, performing in several different bands, including a funk band, an electro pop band, and a folk group. I also spent time in my last year writing a series of children’s music books and CDs. I now work part time as a singing teacher at Platform One; and run ‘Stand Up For Lyricism’ song writing, poetry, MC, and spoken word workshops with a young writer called Buddy Carson. We run the workshops at the Rob Da Bank (Radio One DJ and Bestival organiser) Music Club for young aspiring talent on the IOW and I spend the rest of my time in London trying to promote and perform my own music, and chasing my dreams. I am currently recording at The BGM studios in Farringdon.
I have studied and worked hard over the years and finally feel totally happy with the people I am working with; I have a guitarist called Chris Newnham (who we call Silent Chris), and a great writer/spoken word artist, Buddy Carson, both of whom I write with. I feel like I’ve really found my sound, and am confident, sure, and proud of the music I am making, now more so than ever. I’m currently recording my EP, The first single ‘Useless Shade of Man’, will be out this month, and the video will be released very soon. I recorded the video with Burning Reel Productions who did an amazing job. I’m so excited for everyone to see it; it’s going to be amazing. This year is all about promoting myself, gigging, writing, recording, performing, and really getting myself, and my music out there and noticed. I’m currently not signed to a label and am doing everything independently. If I had any OTHER career
If I did anything else for a career I would either be a children’s writer, or do something in fashion. I spent last summer in India teaching music in an orphanage, and had the most incredible time. It was a very eye-opening, humbling experience, and I would like to spend more time travelling and meeting people from different cultures and religions, that kind of thing fascinates me. I knew I was going to be singer when
I’ve always loved singing, but it was in my teens that I started to take it very seriously, which
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is why I chose to go to Platform One Music College, which was the catalyst for my musical ambition.
from East London, has added a whole new, and very exciting dimension to my music. My favourite part of the process is that fire of excitement that roars in your belly after you write a new song, when you just want to sing it to the whole world. When you’ve created something you are really proud of, and are just eager for people to hear it.
What makes me different
I’m highly motivated, and I wholeheartedly believe in the music I am making. I think this is vitally important, you have to be confident, and have unrelenting belief in yourself and your music. If people are going to believe you and your music, you have toas well. I think that translates into your music, or in any creative medium, if you are passionate and honest in your belief of your craft, you can instil others with that same belief and confidence. I’m certainly going to give it my all, my greatest fear, no matter what happens in my life and career, is growing old and regretting the fact that I didn’t do everything I could have, that I didn’t try my very best.
Other than singing my creativity is
As well as singing I am very into fashion. I also write children’s musical sing-a-long books and would love to get them published one day. Nervous
I get so nervous. Before going on stage I sometimes get so nervous I feel like I’m going to faint or throw up and have to take myself off to get into my little focussed bubble, but as soon as I get on stage I feel a transformation. In that instance I fall in love with performing all over again, and realise every time why I keep getting up there. It’s thrilling, and the nerves are all part of it. To do this thing I love so much makes me feel very lucky, it’s invigorating. I can’t imagine not being nervous, that pressure you put on yourself, that desire to always impress, that buzz you float on after a good gig, it’s the reason I do it. I performed at the London Olympics this year and was on a high for so long after, it was the most thrilling experience to be able to perform to so many different people from so many walks of life, so many different countries and different cultures. Even thinking
The person who believes in me the most
My Mum; she has sacrificed so much, and for me to do what I love. She worked hard so that I could have singing lessons, and has spent half her life running around, driving me from gig to gig, audition to audition. I owe her pretty much everything. She has made so many of my opportunities possible. Inspirations, writing, and the creative process
For years I wrote all on my own, I looked for inspiration in relationships, break-ups, friends, family, dreams and aspirations. I have recently started co writing and have loved it. It’s been great to feed off another writer, to combine ideas and imaginings. It’s great that you can often be each others answer creatively, say for an elusive chorus melody, or that powerful lyric unreachable. Working with buddy Carson, a writer
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about it fills me with motivation and desire to have more experiences like it.
The other would be Jonny Depp as he was my first love. Haha!
The song I love at a karaoke
I would like to open for
At the moment it would have to be either ‘DNA’ by Little Mix, or you cant beat ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ or even (a guilty pleasure) ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’.
Plan B or Maverick Sabre. That would be unreal. I would duet with
I would absolutely love to perform a duet with Plan B, I think he is such an amazingly talented and provocative artist. Or Kanye West, performing with Kanye would be insane.
Getting in the way
Singers are always ill; if ever I’m poorly it will go straight to my throat. I swear by Manuka honey and pomegranate juice. Plenty of rest and sleep (though I rarely get this) and constantly drinking warm fluids. It’s vital for me to stay well and look after my voice.
Traditions
We didn’t have many traditions as such, but they have always been so supportive and have always believed in me. Family is very important to me. My music in 5 (ish) words
FRESH, CONTEMPORARY, DRIVEN, SOULFUL, HONEST.
The song I would sing in front of a worldwide audience would be
If I have to choose any song it would be my song ‘Feels Like Home’. It’s a strong and confident song about never giving up, overcoming obstacles, ignoring those who doubt you, and persevering until you get where you want. It’s a head bopping feet shifter too!
BEAT-
Looking Back
When I look back the things that will matter most to me will be my family and loved ones. I think it’s the relationships you have with those around you that brings you true happiness in life. I hope to look back and see that all my hard work paid off and that I will be able to repay the people that have supported and believed in me. I want to be able to look back and be proud of my efforts.
My inspiration
I would have to say my Mum; she inspires me every day to be the best I can be and to always believe in myself. But inspiration can be from anywhere, and anything, the first song I ever wrote was about a man at a bus stop I used to see every day.
Christmas & New Year
I spent Christmas with my family, it was just nice for everyone to be together, watching films, walking the dog, and relaxing. Unfortunately I caught the horrid fever that was going around so couldn’t party with my friends, and had to spend
Two people to sing to sleep
The Queen! That would be an amazing story to tell! and probably the most surreal experience.
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my new year poorly in bed which was very un rock and roll of me so I’m hoping next new year will be more eventful. My favourite Christmas present was a whole year’s worth of unlimited cinema tickets, which I’m so excited about, as films are another source of inspiration, and I am going to be able to see all of them!
make people dance and feel good, but I want my music to have a message, and to make people think. If I reached №1!
I think I would scream, and dance, and go crazy, and cry and scream some more, cry more, dance more. It would be so overwhelming, a dream come true. It would be the vindication of all the hard work, and effort. There would be lots of hugging, kissing, phone calls from family members who would also be screaming and crying. It would be frantic chaos.
Love Life
My love life has been a rollercoaster but I’m actually grateful to have already experienced both the good and the bad. I’m glad I have those experiences to reflect on, they come in handy when it comes to writing. And while I’m sure I will have many more turbulent/ terrific/tragic times ahead of me, right now… I’m happy, and in a very good place.
What I’m about in 2013
2013 is all about getting my new music out there. I’m going to keep writing, recording, gigging, promoting, performing, and producing new material. 2013 is going to be a huge year; I can’t wait to get my teeth into it! I’m relishing this year, it is going to be a lot of hardwork, a lot of hustle and grind, a lot of stiff lip, and perseverance, but I wouldn’t have it any other way, I just want to make music I am proud of, and for as many people as possible to enjoy listening to it.
My advice
Work hard, and surround yourself with positive people who will give you confidence and encouragement in the times you feel like giving up. Be prepared to get knocked down 100 times, 100 times again, and 100 times more before someone takes a chance on you. Failure is not in the falling down, failure is in not getting back up! Never give up, and make sure you always remember that you love what you do and you’re blessed to have such a great talent. Why I’m different
It’s hard to say, there is so much amazing and different music out there and music is so accessible. I guess it would be extremely hard to create something so truly unique and individual that it couldn’t be compared to something else. But I believe that the music I am making is fresh and honest and I’m really excited about it. I have tried to combine catchy melodies, and cool and original production, with sincere and honest lyricism, I want to
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pokitstyle.tumblr.com 132 Wardour Street London W1F 8ZW
T. +44 (0) 20 7434 2875 49
E. info@pokit.co.uk
Words by Clara Tait
When the teenage Rihanna warbled her way through Pon
de
Replay
her debut single in 2005, no one could have known the extraordinary power this eighteen-year old ingénue would one day have. Before Rude Boy, Chris Brown, and Instagram, she was just another princess-in-waiting in the R&B world, no different from the dozens of other starlets crowding the pages of Elle Girl and Teen Vogue. Eight years and seven Grammys later, RiRi has firmly established her place in history. There will never be another Rihanna (no matter how hard you might try, Rita Ora). But what happened to those other young ‘n’ sexy singers that got left by the wayside when Rihanna rose to superstardom? We take a look at her closest competition back in those early days and where it all went wrong for the would-be Rihannas.
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Filipino/African-American born Cassie’s big hit Me & U came in 2006, complete with a video that made most teenage girls the world over want to gouge their eyes out in jealousy (myself included). Her pretty face also caught the eye of none other than P Diddy, who tracked her down after hearing Me & U in a club. The rest, as they say is history… or is it? It all began to go wrong for Cassie with live performances that were, in her own words, “pretty bad”, and a second album (in production since 2007) that never materialised: according to sources, Cassie recorded over fifty songs for it, before abandoning it entirely. Still, it’s not all bad news: she and P Diddy have confirmed their couple status (via Twitter- where else?) and the 26-year old can be found dressing up as Wonder Woman at one of P Diddy’s lavish yacht parties.
Keyshia Cole discovered the bottle of red hair dye about 7 years before Rihanna tried it out, sporting the look for her debut album, The Way It Is, in 2005. Released just two months before Rihanna’s debut album, Music of the Sun, it instantly went platinum and things were looking rosy for Keyshia, thanks to her fiercely powerful vocals and biting lyrics about female empowerment. She had a succession of successful albums, but her questionable decision to appear in a reality television programme about her family life possibly had something to do with her dwindling credibility as a recording artist. A word of advice, Keyshia. If it didn’t work for Jessica Simpson, it is NOT going to work for you.
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Ciara’s career began with a flying start when she was named the Princess of Crunk’n’B (for those not in the know, Crunk = crazy and drunk) after her first album, Goodies was released in 2004. Fresh out of high school, the singer wowed the world with her astonishingly accomplished dance moves and athletic body. The title track featured dazzlingly cryptic lyrical metaphors like “you want the goodies… but they stay in the jar”, and it became an instant worldwide number one. Things started to go wrong when her second album, Ciara: The Evolution was accompanied by vicious sex-change rumours, and her subsequent two albums quickly nosedived, before Ciara publically asked to be released from her contract with Jive Records. CiCi hasn’t given up the fight for Rihanna’s crown: her next album, One Woman Army is out in June and she’s already had Twitter beef with RiRi after implying that Rihanna was a “bitch” on the Joan Rivers’ television show. Oh, and her middle name - her ACTUAL MIDDLE NAME- is Princess. I rest my case. Watch out Rihanna, Ciara’s coming for that crown.
Before launching her singing career, Christina wrote songs for other pop stars, like Jennifer Lopez’s Play before, aged 19, signing a recording contract with Def Jam and releasing her self-titled debut album in 2001. Her somewhat-insipid singles, AM to PM and When You Look At Me never really made much of a stir- peaking only somewhere insignificant on the Billboard Top 40. So for her second album Christina amped up the raunchy factor: the video for Dip it Low- the first single from her second album- features Christina dressed in latex lingerie, writhing about in black paint. (It was so racy that my dad used to make me turn it off when it came up on Channel U.) In 2009, Christina eloped with R&B singer The-Dream and had a daughter, splitting up a year later. She then took to acting and even tried her hand at managing, before finding her calling as the Social Media Correspondent on The Voice. What dreams are made of, Christina.
Poor Teairra Marí. Her career started off with so much promise: when Jay-Z was named president of Def Jam in 2004, his first collaboration project was with the sixteen yearold Teairra from Detroit. She was sexy, sassy and she could sing. Jay-Z even made a cameo appearance in the video for her debut single, Make Her Feel Good, christening her with his diamond-studded chain (Woah, guys… Symbolic.) Things took a turn for the worse when her accompanying album, Roc-A-Fella Presents: Teairra Marí failed to chart, and she was unceremoniously dropped in the middle of recording her second album. Teairra refuses to accept defeat: she has continued to swing from label to label, releasing a haphazard collection of mixtapes, videos and singles, for over seven years. In 2011, she was arrested for drunk driving and assault after crashing her car in L.A and beating up the officer that arrested her. See, she’s a born fighter. Go Teairra!
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Let’s party & bullshit
Top party promoter Marusic
Vladimir CEO of Novalja.com talks to Hedonist about one of
the biggest parties in- Europe Zrce Spring Break
So tell us about the parties on the island and which one’s you promote? We promote Zrce Spring Break, which is the biggest spring break in this part of the world. This year it was from June 6th-9th and we had about 3000 people from 25 countries all over the globe such as Australia, Brazil, Spain and UK, last year it was 1700. So we are growing. Do you target these people from those countries or do you just target everywhere? In each country we have various promoters and because Zrce Beach is very famous it goes crazy. When we first started we did not expect so much diversity from all over the world but we are really pleased with it. As I mentioned we had 3000 people at the last party. So tell us a bit about your background. How did you get into promoting? I was working in a ICT company (AmdoSoft, Alarm Automatika) for ten years in Croatia as a system administrator. I decided to quit but continued to work on an IT construction website so I was able to head hunt people who knew about tourism and started setting up Novalja.com firstly as a normal travel agency and then we expanded into promotions.
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‘‘
We don’t want it to be as famous as Ibiza because we don’t want crowds of 50,000 people
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Tell us a bit about yourself. What exactly is it that you do and what does your company provide? We are essentially a travel agency. We provide accommodation (we have about 3000 beds in Novalja) but we also do contracts with clubs to host parties – some of the best in the world.
Why did you pick Novalja? My grandmother was from there and I love the island, plus it was becoming one of the top party zones in Europe. We have some of the top DJs from around the world like Swedish house Mafia, Paul van Dyk from Poland, Armin van Buuren and Niki Belucci all playing here. Did Zrce beach already have a name before you got there? We helped make it what is today. We have been here organising parties since 1997 and I would say things really started to kick off after 2000. So were you part of the expansion of Zrce Beach? Yeah, I mean we were here before the clubs Papaya and Aquarius, so we grew with Kalypso club which was the first club on Zrce beach. Your party is the first party of the opening season, when does it finish up? We go non-stop until the closing parties in the middle of September. Re-Union is the closing party and Zrce Spring Break is the opening party.
commission from the groups that have been organised through those managers. In the beginning of the party season lots of our groups are Germans and Austrians. And than the English start to flock in. The first week of July is basically 100% British. And Croatians? Because of the high prices, it’s mostly tourists that buy tickets. For example Hide Out festival costs £100. How much is the Zrce Spring Break opening party? €165 per person or approximately £132 pounds and that includes accommodation for 3 nights, entrance to clubs, discounts, and local transfers. Where do you see the party in five years time? Do you see it evolving? We don’t want it to be as famous as Ibiza because we don’t want crowds of 50,000 people. What we want is to focus is the quality. This year at Zrce Spring Break we had 3000 people because we stopped booking and decided to have all the parties in one club and it was just crazy.
Do you personally work with these promoters? Of course, and we provide them with accommodation.
What is the overall feeling of the Croatians who live here when they see thouthands of ravers turn up to their small village? It’s the same as any party town. The season only lasts 3 months but because the home owners are aged between 50- 60 they do sometimes get tired of the crowds. But once the season is over the island is empty.
What other aspects do you cover throughout the 3 months of the party season? We sell all the tickets online at Novlja.com and we also have groups organising the managers of various clubs so we get a
How do you avoid having the island turned into a mini England with foreigners taking over the island like some other parts of Europe? During the big seasons although you will find 90% of the
Do you have things happening all the time? Yes. For 7 straight days we have top DJs from around the world playing here brought in by different promoters.
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‘‘
Going back to the parties, what is the average age? Between 25 to 40. 18 to 22 are mainly Italians and as the season goes on you have the average go up to about 25 to 30. Tell us about the Boat Party? This season we had them going all weekend, twice a day. 400 people, DJs, and dancers. Is it safe? Yes, of course. We have security on all corners making sure nothing happens or if it does to fix the situation. What can people expect when they book the Zrce Spring Break opening party? Three nights and four days of a non-stop party. The first night there is a welcome party at Cocomo in the centre of Novalja Island until 1am. They then get shuttled to Zrce beach to the beach clubs where the parties go ‘till 6am. The next day, the beach party starts at 4pm ‘till 8pm and then it’s back to the clubs for all night parties. And finally, at 10am the boat party starts. It’s pretty crazy. What would you say to someone who had never heard of Zrce Spring Break? How would you convince them to book it? V: Go to YouTube and check out Zrce Spring Break 2013. It really is one of the world’s best party scenes.
Information: Bookings for Novalja are for seven nights. For more information, visit: www.novalja.com/zrcespringbreak2013
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islands are foreigners they don’t take over the domestic rules and regulations. For example, if an apartment owner says they don’t want music after midnight, the occupants have to respect the wishes, or they will get kicked out.
We have some of the top DJs from around the world like Swedish house Mafia, Paul van Dyk from Poland, Armin van Buuren and Niki Belucci all playing here
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love bit
photo by Mikael B
How long have you two been together? Ayda: We have been together for six years.
So how do you find that balance? Ayda: It’s not a conscious thing. It happens everyday all day. We constantly communicate during the day, and we are always learning from one another. It’s a subconscious kind of thing.
How long were you engaged for? Yemi: Six months and we planned our dream wedding during that time.
Where did you guys meet? Yemi: We met at a club called Play Room. Ayda: I used to think you could never meet someone of significance in a club, so I was never on the look out for anyone. So I guess that’s how destiny works, it just creeps up on you. Never say never.
And what kind of wedding did you guys want? Ayda: We both take pride in our culture and background , but we did not want it to be the only focus of the wedding , as we are young modern couple. We wanted the wedding to represent both of us and we managed to do that.
What was the first thing that attracted you to your husband? Ayda: I actually think it was love at first sight. We both looked at each other at the same time and we had a connection. Yemi: When I first saw my wife, I found
Was it difficult planning the wedding? Yemi: To be honest, organising a wedding wasn’t as difficult as we thought it would be, considering we only had six month’s it all went relatively smoothly.
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her very attractive with her Iranian look. Growing up in London I saw the English, the Asian and black girls, but Ayada was a whole different calibre. She looked so great and interesting, and I knew I had to talk to her. And has it been smooth sailing since then? Yemi: No, we actually split up for a year before getting married. We didn’t fully understand what we wanted and
we didn’t communicate well. But we got back together and we are so much stronger because now we know how to communicate our wants, needs and desires. How would you describe the love you feel today? Yemi: To be honest we are best friends and our romance is unstoppable. We constantly show our love through our passion so we have a really healthy relationship. Do you think having children will change the marriage? Ayda: I think anything can change a marriage. But I do feel like children or no children you should always keep a balance between work, love and party. Hopefully we will one day be able to squeeze children into that equation. Do you think your different cultures will effect how you raise children, or even the size of your family? Ayda: I think just like our wedding our
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children will have to represent us, and the reasons we do it has to be for our reasons and not because of our different cultures. For example in Nigeria it’s quite common for women to stay home while men continue on with their jobs and social lives. But in Iranian culture, they say children are necessary to keep the love alive so big families are encouraged with involvement from both parents. But with us, we will do it our way.
Any advice for young couples? Yemi: I think no matter what struggles you have, you have to keep saying to yourself “ I am in love with this woman and she is in love with me”, because times will get tough, and you will feel heartbreak but as long as you remember that mantra it will keep you going.
this is interesring
I cdn’uolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg: the phaonmneel pweor of the hmuan mnid. Aoccdrnig to a rseearch taem at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Read more about Typoglycemia at hedonistmagazine.co.uk in ‘Matters’ blog
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one day in a small town
Mods back
in town Photos by Ronya Galka 63
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A Collective bringing back the art of craft
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published on a commercial basis. PThis page: photo by David Pattinson
ART COMES FIRST :
Photo by Rei Moon
Art Comes First (ACF), a collective with on aim to bring style and tailoring back into the masculine wardrobe. Founders Sam Lambert and Shaka Maidoh are the pioneers of the group, and together their style channels of the gentlemen from yesteryear but with a decidedly current vibe.
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Their recent project under ACF coined COAL is the epitome of this. The COAL project involved a network of artists from different fields, joining forces to create the Artistic Craftmans Freedom (ACF, again). Together they negotiated craftsmanship, function and elegance – all in one tastefully packed suitcase. The concept of the packed suitcase embodied the romantic notion of the sartorial traveller. The essentials needed for a man living the life of perpetual wanderlust and never-ending nomadic research. Each of the respective designers; Aroun Ducrox from Lotho Eyewear, Kalaf Angelo a poet/ writer, Matteo Gioli from Superduper Hats, Sebastian Dollinger from Eton Shirts, and T-Michael a leather-goods maker, produced the ACF travel staples. Each item in the suitcase, including the travel bag, were created with the concepts of utility, function and style – the requirements for travel AND impeccable grooming (a cause Lambert and Maidoh are totally devoted to).
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Photo by Bent Rene Synnevag
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Photo by David Pattinson
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The ‘essentials’; eyewear, a hat, a shirt, a tie, a pair of shoes, socks and a scrapbook are all uniformed black, a simple colour which glossed the ‘ travel pack ‘ with artistic attitude. Attitude that saw the pack exhibited at Pitti Uomo, earlier this year, cementing the ACF with fashion kudos and proving the ethos of Lambert and Maidoh –that style isn’t just about fashion but rather about elegance and simplicity.
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www.artcomesfirst.com ◆ +44 783 824 6100
CORE {life story}
alienS Immigration has been one of the most popular topics in current affairs. There are figures, statistics and endless streams of debates on the topic. Here, we leave behind all of that and present stories. Lives of people, whose ways and origins are different, with only one commonality there are all aliens.
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To seem the stranger lies my lot, my life
Among strangers.
Gerard Manley Hopkins
‘Nationality’
An Anthropologist’s view
Words by Luci Attala, award winning teacher, anthropologist and body language expert
In many ways imagining you have a nationality is a rather bizarre thing to do. The idea of a ‘nationality’ is one of those structural abstractions that probably only exists because of the human mind’s insistence on categorising and labelling the world into chunks of difference. Having a nationality does this by establishing how people are different, not how they are the same. In other words: I am I, therefore you are not I – therefore we are different. However, despite the
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human propensity to create a world full of ‘them and us’, the fact is that the specific idea of being connected to a nation is a relatively new thing in human history. For example, only about 250 years ago the inhabitants of rural Spain, France or India, would not have aligned themselves with the Spanish, French or Indian administrations. They would, instead, have rooted themselves into the traditional methods of the location they found themselves in paying little attention to, or
creating difference is as old as the hills, but nations,and the idea of having a nationality, is a new thing
even knowledge of, a wider authority’s ideas and laws. In short, creating difference is as old as the hills, but nations, and the idea of having a nationality, is a new thing. According to social thinker Gellner, state provided education is the driver of the nation. The rationale: to create allegiance from early on, belonging - potent stuff that taps into all social animals’ sense of security, not least because ostracism from ‘the group’ is experienced psychologically as life threatening. So what then of those people who move from one location to another on the planet? What happens to their sense of belonging? Having fostered a sense of allegiance to a flag how can people move without engendering discomfort, not only in
themselves but also in the group they are moving in to? I was born in Ndola, Zambia. My mother is German, my father Lebanese. I am British because I have a British passport. My parents divorced when I was 3. They both remarried and began to create new families. They both set up homes in different countries prompting a decision to send both my sister and myself to boarding school in England. Moving to be schooled in Britain dramatically altered life, but as I was only eight years old I wasn’t aware that I was migrating – I was simply living the life my parents had created for me.
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Interestingly, despite calling myself British, I have always felt ‘a bit different’. I think this sense of difference is in part connected to not having a place called home. I have felt proud of being a mixture of different bloods, seeing this like being a sparky mongrel, as a strength and a place creativity, but, if I am honest, have also always felt relieved that I can say I have a British passport. I wonder if I hadn’t had the security of that would I have felt so proud of being a bit different.
Among strangers?..
Words by Natalia Morari, columnist, founder and director of tv production company
When you are 18 you believe are indestructible. Leaving home isn’t something that you fear, but something that excites. Being a girl from Moldova, people are always warning you about the ‘hard life in the big city’, stories about human cruelty are a dime a dozen. But you’re 18. You don’t care. So with a sense of adventure, I packed my bags, moved to Moscow, and started my
life as a student at its biggest university. People warned me about the ruthlessness of Moscow, the hardships endured by people with no money or connections, but I was adamant to live life in the big smoke. What followed were some of the happiest days of my life. Between meeting new people and studying, my life was a constant flurry of activity, and I loved it. During
my stint at university, I developed a political curiosity, which grew into full-blown activism – a reaction to the government’s impingement on civil rights. By my fourth year at university, my political activity started to turn heads and I was head hunted by one of the largest non- profit organisations in Moscow. In my mind, this was great; I was 21 with a full-time job. Naïve, I know.
I was declared a ‘threat to national security’ and banned from Russia for a minimum of 5 years 89
But I continued to wear my rose-tinted glasses. I delved deeper into my political career, crossing the path into journalism, where my final job in Moscow was as a political reporter for “The New Times”, a paper that was considered to be part of the ‘free media’. However, it was by this stage, that I knew I was being watched. I started to get ‘hints’ which in any other country would be considered threats. It got to the point where I had to keep getting new phones, and disabling old ones, as I knew my phones were constantly monitored. But I persevered. The day my life changed was after “The New Times” published my article about the illegally rigged elections. I was in a conference in Georgia,
and on my return I was denied entry. I was given two options stay in Georgia or go back to Moldova. I declined both options and sat on an airport bench for days, stuck between two
countries, being constantly questioned and interrogated. My situation went public thanks to my fellow journalists, but unfortunately this only set fuel to the fire, and at the age of 23, I was declared a ‘threat to national security’ and banned from Russia for a minimum of 5 years.
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So, this country where I was dreaming to live and work, where I got my new family my close friends, everything, had shut that doors. So I went back to Moldova, where I still am. People tell me I am lucky to be able to have a home, and know this to be true, I could be calling prison home. However, I spent my first year living in a deep, dark depression. I felt lost. But life goes on and I have started afresh. I have my own political TV show, and I still lead the life of a political activist—trying to change the country but this time it’s my country to change.
I am here to take your job,
but you don’t have one
Words by Aleksandra Peneva, HR manager at an international charity organization
Plenty has been written and said about immigration. Different points of view, hundreds of sob stories, thousands of good reasons, millions of opportunities, but all I have to say is that being an outsider has given me experiences like no other. First of all, let me just start by saying that my story of immigration is a little bit different. I wasn’t born in an impoverished little village in Bangladesh or a war torn African state. If you had, you might have a different outlook on life and a different set of motivations. My origins do not stem from poverty, I never had to struggle for a job in my homeland, begging the question on most people’s lips, why leave? I fell in love. Packed up and followed my love to ‘the land of the free’. I thought by
leaving my homeland for love and starting afresh without the restraints from my past I would find something better, what exactly, I’m not sure, I’ll tell you once I find it. But right now, what I do have is my experience, stories and I hate to say it but a shit load of street smarts. I learned, felt, tried and experienced things I had never and would never have done back ‘home’. I travelled through eight states in less than twenty hours, ate deer jerky, tried my hand at being ghetto, danced with my first black guy (something I can’t do back in my country), got hired, fired, helped a neighbor steal from Walmart, ate the most amazing Tex-Mex grilled cheese sandwich, made friends, made enemies and even some frenemies, got engaged, had sex in a tee-pee,
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got married, bought a sex swing (which I didn’t fit in to), saw Buzz Aldrin, and was homeless. The list continues but the point being – from the first steps taken as an ‘immigrant’ all five senses were given a dose of the magic that is America. And surprisingly, it was an easy transition. I loved every minute of life in the new lane and was high on adrenaline for most of it The first few years I met fascinating people, achieved the near impossible in my personal life, developed a deep love for the region and was lucky enough to have and be held in so many people’s hearts. However, even though my American chapter ended four years ago, the adventure changed me beyond recognition – in my own eyes of course, others just think I got a little bit more annoying.
I have since hotfooted it to London. I am classified as a level 85 immigrant and can survive on pretty much no income (so basically a true Londoner). I know everything about being cheap; shop clearance dates, discounts and much more. I found a job as a booker/ pimp, that has turned into a career, a job I would NEVER have considered if I was back home. I also mind the gap. Living in UK has taught me how to use public transport with confidence even when half-drunk or half-asleep. I’ve learnt that it’s not really okay if you’re an Eastern European citizen, no matter what. I have made new friends. Touched a dinosaur bone (don’t tell the National History Museum). I have a pet teenage fox that eats my Nando’s leftovers and lives in my garden. I share a house with four men from all over the world. They cook their traditional dishes for me—think Uzbekistan vodka and Algerian Samosa and that is my kinda dinner. I met Annie Lennox the first week I arrived. We had a quick chat; I
told her I was one of her biggest fans. Can you believe I actually had the opportunity to lie to Annie Lennox! And I stalked Lenny Kravitz (a story for another time, perhaps). I feel free as a bird and I thank ol’ Blighty for that. I feel like I have almost reached the point of being a ‘ free bird’, with no moral cages. Learning you can hit rock bottom helps you learn that you can shoot up to the sky. I had ten or so different jobs in the first 15 months of getting to London from working as a host for luxurious penthouses to being hired as a busty secretary for an insane man. I have suited it in an office (HR coordinator for a charity organization) to scrubbing floors as a cleaner for a Nude SPA center—random jobs, yes, but that is how I roll, and I love it. I live the hard life of an immigrant but it’s my life, my choice, and my freedom. Next stop maybe Uganda.
Can you believe I actually had the opportunity to lie to Annie Lennox! 92
Spring brings a revelation of design at Clae for Spring/Summer 2013. Revolving around the everyday essentials, reinterpreted classics are made new again with an assortment of inspired materials, while an array of innovative silhouettes embody the effortless ease of the season. Blending notes from the past with possibilities of the present, Clae have come full circle. Join Hedonist and Clae on an adventure of discovery.
www.clae.eu
Portrait Gold by Karl Ohiri
words by Loren Hansi Momodu
Throughout the history of images the female figure in the landscape has provided a familiar short hand for sentiments about nationalism. Inseparable from the earth, a part of the landscape the woman present becomes a symbol of national identity, the mother of the nation. Yet the familiar aspects of the composition in Karl Ohiri’s Portrait Gold from In My Mother’s Clothes 2010 are each elements of a larger more complex story. A story of migration, a questioning of what it means to be ‘native’ or indeed to wear ‘native’, what it means to settle in a country that is not that of
your origin, and how it feels to be surrounded by land that is unfamiliar, perhaps even hostile. Floating on an island, in the centre of this image the female figure holds a gaze directly out to the viewer. Her relaxed, confident posture is wrapped from waist to ankle in a brightly coloured, geometric print. Nails painted pillar-box red compliment the gold shoes that are equally unfit for purpose, given the surroundings. Crowning her head is a ‘Gele’, Nigerian head tie created with layers of gold fabric fanning and folding. When
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we read all these signs of ‘native’ African dress what we expect to see underneath these clothes is a ‘native’ African woman, but what Ohiri presents us with is a woman who looks distinctly European. Suddenly the ability to fall back on presumptions of race, belonging and identity is taken away. In each of the six prints that comprise In My Mother’s Clothes 2010 this striking, brightly adorned woman is located in various semi urban wastelands. The solitary figure set in sharp contrast to the landscape she inhabits is not even at one with herself, as collaged pieces of common identities butt up against each other. The inspiration for this series of prints was a photograph Ohiri found of his mother wearing traditional Nigerian dress. Photographed for a special occasion, her posture was proud but also pensive. In a subtle yet powerful gesture it is Ohiri’s partner Riikka Kassinen who wear’s these clothes in Portrait Gold. It is Riikka Kassinen here wearing African clothes, in an English landscape, yet from a name unfamiliar to the English language it appears this woman is not a ‘native’ either, but has her own story of travel and relocation to another land. It is migration that has made this image possible, and that brings its impossibilities into question.
portrait gold
By employing both the over familiar and the unexpected Orihi opens up questions relating to our contemporary existence, as movement across the globe becomes second nature to a proportion of its inhabitants. Is it possible or even desirable to be ‘native’ of a particular land and what are the possibilities that open up when elements of cultural identity can be swapped and shared at will? Two generations of women, both with individual stories of migration, both perhaps historically would be recognised as symbolic of their nation of origin, but in this series this female figure in the landscape becomes symbolic of so much more. Not only of where we have come from, but also of where we are today.
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fashion
Hotel california WELCOME TO THE HOTEL CALIFORNIA YOU CAN CHECK OUT ANY TIME YOU LIKE BUT YOU CAN NEVER LEAVE Photographed by
Amberly Valentine
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Styled by
Minna Attala
welcome to the hotel california
such a lovely place
such a lovely face ACNE patti degrade shirt ÂŁ240
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plenty of the room at the hotel california
any time of year
you can find it here Willow corset body suit £435, BOY by band of outsiders leather skirt £420, camilla skovgaard suede boots £405
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mirrors on the ceiling
the pink champagne on ice
and she said ‘we are all just prisoners here. on our own device’ Versus sequin twill coat ÂŁ895
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she got a lot of pretty,
pretty boys she calls
friends Asos satin bra ÂŁ20 and knickers ÂŁ14
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last thing i remember, i was running for th
the passage back to the 104
the door i had to find
e place i was
kimberly ovitz japanese ponte dress ÂŁ395, asos shoes ÂŁ90, versace sunglasses ÂŁ160
before 105
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hotel california
such a lovely place
such a lovely face they livin’ it up at the hotel california what a nice surprise
bring your alibis H&M knickers ÂŁ14
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CONSANGUINE
Photography Fashion Hair Makeup Models
Iakovos Kalaizakis Minna Attala John Mullan Vivien Katsari Emmanuel @ AMCK Kelly @ Leni’s
Kelly (Left) wears silk scarf as a top by Scarfface, Necklace from Zara, Knitted skirt by Makbule Yanar, Resin Bangle by Liron Kliger, woven bracelet by Lilla Balasz Emmanuel wears turban made by stylist, Tuxedo cape by Scarfface, embellished fabric (worn as a skirt) from Berwick Silks Kelly (right) wears cape by Scarfface, skirt, jewellery and belt stylist’s own
Kelly wears cape by Scarfface, neckpiece from Zara, woven bracelets by Lilla Balasz
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Kelly wears cotton scarves as a belt and bracelet by Scarfface, Necklace from Zara, Knitted dress by Makbule Yanar Emmanuel wears scarf by Scarfface, trousers from Urban Outfitters and jewellery stylist’s own
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Kelly (Left) wears gilet from Urban Outfitters, mesh scarf worn as a skirt by Scarfface, Resin Bangle by Liron Kliger, all other jewellery stylist’s own Emmanuel wears cotton scarf (as a turban) by Scarfface, plaid shirt (worn as a skirt) from Urban Outfitters, jewellery made by stykists from trimmings purchased in Klein’s Haberdashery Kelly (right) wears scarf (as a dress) by Scarfface and jewellery stylist’s own
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Cape by Scarfface, knitwear and jewellery stylist’s own
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Emmanuel wears silk scarves (worn as a turban) and dress scarf both by Scarfface
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Emmanuel wears cape by Scarfface, cotton scarf (worn as a skirt) by Scarfface, all accessories stylist’s own Kelly wears cape, silk headscarf and shawl (worn as a skirt) by Scarfface, feather headdress from the stylist’s studio
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MYTHIC CYCLE Photography Anna Feneberg Fashion Minna Attala Hair and Makeup Daniela Koller Models Eline and Mari at Premier
CAL E
Dress by Nikita Karizma
Dress by Silvina Maestro
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Leather harness, helmet and dress by Nikita Karizma
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Leather corset and briefs by Una Burke
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Dress by Nikita Karizma
Jewellery by Bianca Laporta Paper collar by Raphaele Helmore
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Leather laser cut dress, capelet and gloves by Lydia Freeborn
Leather and feather shoulder harness by Nikita Karizma
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Hand-crocheted dress by Nadia Farrington
Dress by Yaya Yang
Jewellery by Bianca Laporta Dress and veil from the stylist’s studio
Enduring Photography Iakovos Kalaitzakis Fashion Minna Attala Model Asher Flowers @ AMCK
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Arm piece by Annelie Gross
Briefs by Sloggi Jacket by Dagmar Kestner
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Necklace (worn as a mask) by Mala Siamptani
Vest and briefs by Sloggi Cane by Annelie Gross
Shorts by Sloggi Necklace by Mala Siamptani
Amberly Valentine Minna Attala John Mullan Vimal Chavda Akari Sugino using Mac Laura Sawyer Jacob Lewis @ Republik Agency Sarah Johnston @ Republik Agency Dahlia @ Select Sasha @ Select Asia @ M+P Photographer’s assistants Josh Payne, Eden Edenski and Bart Staszowski Hair assistant Vimal Chavda Make-up assistant Vivien Katsari Photography Fashion Hair Hair Assistant Make-up Set/Props Digital operations Production Models
Special thanks to Luxe Pr and No.11 Cadogan Gardens Hotel
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Asia wears Waistcoat by Spei Dress by Ashley Isham
Asia wears Corset by Sian Hoffman Jewellery stylist’s own Shoes by YSL
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Sasha wears Headpiece by Melissanthi Spei, Shawl (worn as an Obi Belt) by Melissanthis Spei, Shorts by Gilda & Pearl, Stockings by Aristoc, Shoes by Inbar Spector
Sasha wears Headpiece by Clea Broad, Earrings by Fichittida Finch, Dress by Ashley Isham, Knickers by Gilda & Pearl, Shoes stylist’s own
Sasha wears Dress and shoes by Inbar Spector
Dahlia wears Corset by Sian Hoffman, Shoes by Inbar Spector, Necklace stylist’s own
Asia wears Dress by Halston Heritage Gold trimming (worn as achoker) from Klein’s Shoes by YSL Dahlia wears Bra by Dentelle Etc. Skirt by Roberto Piqueras
Sasha wears Choker by Fichittida Finch Dress by M Missoni Cuff by Sara Gunn
Asia wears Dress by Phisit & Saxit Belt by Ashley Isham
Sasha wears Jacket by Amen Necklace by Finchittida Finch Dahlia wears Corset by Sian Hoffman Knickers by Dentelle etc. Stockings by Aristoc Shoes by Prada
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Sasha wears Collar by Clea Broad Corset stylist’s own Knickers by Parfait
art
Beyond the building
Hanhsaio discusses his passion for architectural spaces and what he sees beyond the bricks and mortar. Article by Hanhsaio
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I have always looked at interior spaces with complete fascination. The initial impression you get from a space and the whole experience of wandering through the building have been pre-conceived from the design stages — known to designers as spatial manipulation. Buildings are an art form. For centuries, buildings have been used to propagate emotions. As you begin to explore a building and weave through the space, you are navigating through the ‘system’ formulated by the architects and designers. Every route you take, every corner, every corridor chosen, and the feelings they evoke, are a direct consequence of the purposeful design.
result may have its inaccuracies, as I must imagine the ‘hiding’ or ‘behind closed doors’ parts of the building. This is how I comprehend a building and through my own manipulation, I get to trace the work of great designers, while adding my own touch to it. The Tate Modern is a great example of spatial manipulation. When you arrive at the main entrance you are in a wide and open space. Visitors then walk down a stark elongated concrete incline, emphasising the raw physicality and grandeur of the building. As you proceed down the ramp, the building opens up into an immense space. The dense, black entrance creates an uninterrupted focal point for visitors
To understand a space, I draw an anatomical image of everything I see, and anticipate what I cannot. The end
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— an introduction to the ‘influence’ of the Tate Modern as a structure. The ramp stops short before the ‘real’ entrance to the exhibition, creating a dense interior square, with the darkness serving to illuminate and construct a sense of mystery of what hangs on the other side. The metal hallway above creates a hardened line in the air, and the columns, which support the hallway,
and also, act as an enclosure of sorts. People automatically migrate towards this area as the combination of darkness and columns create a sense of perceived shelter, providing comfort and ease in the stark space. The only lighting emanates from the gift shop, providing not only a sense of warmth through the colours and details of the books but also guiding visitors to the store.
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I particularly love sketching the main exhibition space. A playful juxtaposition of light and laminated glass versus brick walls, leading my sight uninterrupted from the entrance to the end of the hall. These materials and the lighting emphasises the actual exhibitions and allows people to experience the building as an art form. Sketching a building such as
the Tate Modern not only inspires me as a designer, allowing me to draw a ‘database’, but also develops my understanding of a space as a form of art, that can be felt, illustrated and reacted upon.
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Prano Bailey-Bond
is an inspiringly creative new music video
director who has been described as
“original, exciting and downright weird� Minna Attala had a chat with Prano about her work so far
What made you decide to become a director? I studied performing arts after leaving school and originally thought I wanted to go into acting. I realized through the course that performing wasn’t totally for me – I didn’t feel fluent in adopting different characters, although I was a confident performer; I was best just being me. I became really interested in directing and in the overview and vision of productions. Then I started using film within the theatre work because it gave me more control, I suppose, of the audiences’ point of view, the locations and so on. I became pretty obsessed with filmmaking, again, for the level of control you have and the detail you can go into with things like sound and atmosphere; I found it more sculpted than theatre. From then I was committed to film and wanted to direct, because I’m a control freak (laughs). So far, in your directing career, what do you feel is your greatest achievement? When you work creatively each thing often leads to the next, so I couldn’t necessarily isolate and say that one thing is ‘the best’, plus I like all of my work for different reasons. My latest short film for example is probably my most grown up piece of work yet – it’s all development, experience, learning. I think the piece that got me the most exposure by elevating me, getting me signed and winning awards and attention was a music video called ‘House’ for the band Cool Fun. It got me signed with Gas & Electric, who represent me for music videos and commercials. It’s also won eight awards and has led me to be on the jury for the UK Music Video Awards and the European Independent Film Festival, so that’s obviously been a great success. There are other things I’ve worked on though that have got me recognized in other areas such as ‘Short Lease’, a short film I co-directed with Jennifer Eiss, that got us a fair amount of attention in the horror world and won a few awards too. We’re planning to make ‘Short Lease’ available online soon, so keep an eye out for it.
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When you were studying and starting out in the industry did you aspire to work in music videos? When I was studying I was much more interested in making fiction, features or drama. In fact, at university I remember a teacher telling us that we wouldn’t all go on to direct feature films and that if we were offered a role directing ‘The Bill’ in the future we would most likely end up snapping it up. I suppose she was trying to express the realities of the industry to this class of fresh, wide-eyed students. We all sniggered at the idea of working on TV programmes like that, probably imagining that we’d go out and start making feature films straight away – and some people do – but the majority of people have a journey to that point. The stepping-stone to making features is often short films and getting funding even for these can be difficult; more and more people are crowd funding nowadays. But with music videos I guess I saw an opportunity to work on a professional level, with a supplied budget. I also find music videos a really creative medium where you’re often free to be quite abstract with the form. My first music video came out of the blue, but since then I’d always had them on my mind – I was keen to get representation – it became something I strove for, and I got it. Now that I’m in that loop I find myself hoping for interesting artists to work with, because good music really helps to make good music videos! Where do you see your career taking you in the future? I’m developing a few ideas for feature films at the moment and have a couple of short films in the pipeline too, both very different to each other. I’m kind of greedy though – I want to do everything! I’d like to keep making more music videos and hopefully on a bigger scale – I’ve got loads of ideas up my sleeve for when the right tracks and budgets come along – I want to work with musicians who I find really inspiring. I’d love to make some fashion films too, which I think will happen soon. I wouldn’t say no to doing TV dramas either… but ultimately feature films are the goal, always have been, always will be…
interior
outstanding people and their spaces Photos & words by Penny Blood
David Carter, Interior Designer Stepney Green, London
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his is David Carter, an interior designer and hotelier of sorts, he runs his home, 40 Winks as a B&B, albeit the most glamorous B&B you will find anywhere on the planet and a storytelling night, Bedtime stories, an elegant gin fuelled affair. Do you have a favourite quote? ❝Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead ❞ - Oscar Wilde What is your favourite quality in a person? like people who are passionate about things... unless it is something I disagree with ❞
❝I
If you could be anywhere else right now where would you be? bed with someone I love ❞
❝In
What was the last film you watched and loved? Atlas ❞
❝Cloud
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? ❝ Oxford Street on a Saturday afternoon, or probably at any time of day ❞ ➫
Carolinda Tolstoy, Ceramicist London
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his is Carolinda Tolstoy. Carolinda is a ceramicist with an incredible body of work. Everything in her house is in-keeping with her unique style, from the walls to the plates and dishes, right down to her shoes. Her home is so distracting. I can’t carry on a conversation without looking around the room as her work is displayed everywhere in bespoke cabinets and shelves. Everything is a gorgeous shade of fuchsia pink and purple, it’s like being in a Persian palace. What is your favourite past time? ❝Creating ❞ If you could live anywhere else in the world where would it be? particular Greek Island ❞
❝A
What quality do you most admire in a person? of spirit ❞
❝Lightness
What was the last film you watched and loved? ❝Django Unchained ❞ Do you like liquorice, Turkish delight, marmite and marzipan? ❝Yes, all ❞ ➫
David Shillinglaw, Artist High Barnet, London
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his is my friend David. We went to Central Saint Martins together in London and he is one of the few who has survived and is making his living as an artist. He is the most energetic person I’ve ever met, seriously I don’t know what fuels this guy. He is so passionate about his work and ideas and he talks all the time, just try and stop him. His painting is time consuming and detailed and has gotten consistently better since I’ve known him. Like many other great artists before him, such as Barry McGee and Harmony Korine, he’s been taken under the wing of Agnes B, one of the original champions of street art before it all got cheesy as hell. His home, a giant old warehouse in High Barnet, North London, where he has lived for 7 years, is a great example of someone inflicting their personality on every bit of the space making it a truly original and inspiring place. ➫
Tessa Farmer, Artist Tottenham, London
T
essa Farmer is one of my favourite artists. She creates incredible installations using animal and bird skeletons, taxidermy, dead insects, leaves and branches to create either simple pieces or epic battle scenes. But it’s the tiny ‘fairies’ which look like miniature human skeletons which blow me away. They are so small yet so detailed, you can virtually see the expressions on their faces. To make the fairies, Tessa uses a particular type of plant root from her mother’s garden for the bones and bits of soil to make the skulls. The crazy thing is, that even knowing how she makes them, I find it even more mind boggling, watching her haphazardly stab a tiny piece of soil which miraculously seems to take the form of a perfect microscopic face. Her studio is full of tiny drawers labelled ‘Leps’ (butterflies), frogs, crickets and a stuffed swan covered with ants hanging to the ceiling and snake skins tanning in buckets on the floor. What’s funny is how normal the rest of her flat is. What is your favourite character from fiction? ❝Thumbelina ❞ If you could eat anything right now what would it be? ❝Lindt milk chocolate. Lots of it ❞ What is your favourite quote? the fear and do it anyway ❞
❝Feel
What was the last film you watched and loved? Svankmajer’s Alice ❞
❝ Jan
If you could be anywhere else right now where would you be? ❝ On my honemoon ❞ ➫
Marcelle Hanselaar, Artist Pimlico, London
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arcelle Hanselaar is an artist living in London of original Dutch decent and is one of the most interesting people I have ever met. She seems to have lived many different lives according to her own rules and appears totally ageless. She has resided in her home and studio for over 30 years, a gorgeous flat perfect for a painting studio, previously inhabited by a well known sculpter. What is your favourite quote? ❝You never know how a cow catches a hare ❞ (dutch proverb) What is your idea of earthly happiness? a painter ❞
❝Being
If you could be anywhere else right now where would you be? Kailash ❞
❝Mount
What is your favourite past time? ❝ Reflecting ❞ What quality do you most admire in a person? ❝Integrity ❞ ➫
Alex Shipp, Creative Mum Hackney Wick, East London
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used to live next door to Alex and Oliver and the first time I saw their place I thought it was the most amazing flat I’d ever been too. It used to be where a porn company stored all their films (mine was where the filming used to take place). It’s a great open plan space in an old warehouse building in East London, home to many creative people. Oliver is an Art Director, working on films, dressing the sets, so he takes the opportunity to bring back many of the props with him when the shoot is over, hence the amazing collection of stuff. He would always be coming home with something random and cool like an old record player or ventriloquist dummy. Oliver was working on a film in Guadeloupe when I took these photos, but Alex and Lyra were there to show me around. Which country do you think has the best food? ❝I like a mixed bag but where’s that Ottolenghi guy from? I love his food ❞ What is your idea of perfect hapiness? ❝I’m living it! I could be philosophical about it but to be honest this is it, if
you’d ask me a few years ago I’d have said sex, drugs & roll! ❞ What was the last film you watched and loved? ❝ Machete, it’s all guns and shooting things ❞ Where does your collection of stuff come from? ❝It’s mainly Oliver’s, things he picked up on different film shoots, the rest
is found or bought ❞
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this is interesting dreamt is the only word that ends in mt
macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs
Ralph Lauren’s original name was Ralph Lifshitz
the average person falls asleep in 7 minutes
reindeer like bananas
8% of people have an extra rib
Percent of penalty that is applied to women for every shout giving birth in hospitals in Zimbabwe is 5%
the names of all continents both start and end with the same letter*
cats spend 66% of their life asleep
money is the number one thing that couples argue about
each time you see a full moon you always see the same side
there is no such thing as a naturally blue food
M&M’s chocolate stands for the initials for its inventors Mars and Murrie
you burn more calories eating celery than it contains (the more you eat the thinner you become)
do you kn sound travels almost 5 times faster under water than in air
the fortune cookie was invented in San Francisco
55% Japanese couples are living without sex
a giraffe can clean its ears with its 21 inch tongue
Australia was originally called New Holland
women blink twice as much as men
the longest street in the world is Yonge street in Toronto Canada measuring 1,896 km (1,178 miles)
Coca-Cola originally contained cocaine
the sentence «the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog» uses every letter in the English alphabet
camel’s milk doesn’t curdle
the average human brain contains around 78% water
a 1/4 of your bones are in your feet
a 1 minute kiss burns 26 calories
frogs can’t swallow with their eyes open
there is a town in Newfoundland, Canada called Dildo
hummingbirds are the only bird that can fly backwards
an average person will spend 25 years asleep
popcorn was invented by the Aztec Indians
the first Burger King was opened in Florida Miami in 1954
a strawberry is the only fruit which seeds grow on the outside
only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older
pearls melt in vinegar
42% of men and 25% of women don’t wash their hands after using a public toilet
the coins thrown into the Trevi fountain in Italy are collected for charity
the safest car color is white
it’s physically impossible for pigs to look up at the sky
your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks otherwise it will digest itself
the oldest word in the English language is ‘town’
grapes explode when you put them in the microwave
apples are more effective at waking you up in the morning than coffee
a 70 kg human body contains 0.2mg of gold
25% of people under 25 think that texting during sex is acceptable
unless food is mixed with saliva you can’t taste it
at birth dalmations are always white
black on yellow are the 2 colors with the tronges impact
now that the brand Nokia is named after a place in Southern Finland
the first MTV video played was ‘Video killed the radio star’ by the Buggles
Monopoly is the most played board game in the world
Brazil is named after a tree
a cats urine glows under a blacklight
hippopotamuses have killed more people in Africa than any other animal
elephants are the only mammal that can’t jump
in 1878 the first telephone book contained only 50 names
peanuts are one of the ingridients of dynamite
the electric chair was invented by a dentist
there are more chickens than people
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
recycling one glass jar saves enough enrgy to watch tv for 3 hours
Porsche also builds tractors
90% of all zippers in the world are produced by YKK Japanese company
ants stretch when they wake up in the morning
Buckingham Palace has over 600 rooms
more people die from falling coconuts then from shark attacks
over 2,500 left handed people are killed a year from using right handed products
a cockroach can live for several weeks with its head cut off
URBAN
BUSINESS
SUCCESS
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hat happens when you mix passion, creativity, a huge dose of persistence, and a smidge of crazy? You get two young German entrepreneurs, Marvin Amberg and Klaus Wegener, the co-founders of ‘Caseable’. The young company gives people the ability to create their own cases for laptops, iPads, Kindles, smartphones, e-Readers, tablets, and more. With our electronics constantly in our hands it makes sense to have a case that offers protection and creative expression at the same time. Caseable wants consumers to create a case that has a personal value to them - just as its slogan says: products that matter to you. uriously enough, the idea of caseable was born in an environment not commonly associated to individual creativity and uniqueness: a Colombian military base. Klaus and Marvin were invited to pitch their idea of PatchPeople, a business venture selling anti-mosquito patches, which the two founded while still studying at university. As soldiers often have to march through jungle and subtropical areas, the military had to deal with the problem of mosquitotransmitted diseases. When Klaus met Marvin at Bógota, they thought about various possibilities on how to appear as experienced highly professional businessmen when facing the tough guys of the Ejercito Nácional de Colombia. Klaus argued that printing their corporate symbol on their laptop sleeve would help strengthen Pacth People’s reputation. After researching for solutions, the former
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roommates realised, there wasn’t a single company out there offering a service of selling personalised cases in relatively small amounts. t 2,625 metres above sea level, Marvin was feeling a bit too dizzy and exhausted to realise this vague idea could become something big and life altering for the both of them. While heading back to Germany, they didn’t have a million-dollar-deal on board but a great idea to put an end to the dull, monotonous cases offered in stores worldwide. The fledgling co-founders realised that there was a real lack of emotions and personal creativity concerning such products. The idea of offering people to create their individual customized laptop sleeves was born. In the end, it all started with a simple anti-mosquito patch: a customizable one, of course. tarting a new business venture is never easy. But it gets even more complicated, if you decide to leave the well-known structures of your home country. On the spur of the moment, Marvin and Klaus decided to move to New York and set up their company in the vibrant and urban neighbourhood, Brooklyn. Marvin and Klaus knew the difficulties and obstacles they would face. “We always wanted to make it in America and expand from there, although we noticed right from the beginning that it wouldn’t be easy at all”, said Wegener. Before the big move, there was a frenzy to send over hundreds of documents filled with contracts, letters of recommendations,
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and their business plan to the US embassy for their business visa. s luck would have it, Marvin and Klaus soon found the right location for setting up their office: a chemical company that produces emulsions for the screen print industry. In tiny, narrow rooms they set up the initial production. It was anything but fancy, their first production site gave off the sweet scent of inspiration and a true garage start-up feeling. With sourcing and the overall development of the Caseable website, the search for perfection in every detail began. “The process lasted approximately 10 months until the product was finally perfect. Although there had been a lot of pressure, we didn’t want to start with anything we weren’t totally satisfied with”, Amberg states. After countless hours of work, in November 2010 caseable.com went live and officially launched its online shop. From the start, the founders aimed high. Aside from the US market, they also wanted to offer their products in Europe. Therefore, they had to speed up their production turn around time to just 1-3 days, knowing that an extensive delivery period will cause a downwards shift in sales. With things going well, Caseable was able to expand their assortment and is now the only company worldwide, which offers such a wide array of products in custom products for electronics. lthough the main objective of every successful business consists in being profitable, sustainability and
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offering green products was always a major concern to the founders. In order to provide eco-friendly products, Caseable has adopted the use of recycled materials in its manufacturing process. Thit means
instead of sourcing it out to low-wage labor markets. “The in-house production is part of our philosophy. Every sleeve is a one of a kind piece, exclusively printed and handcrafted in Brooklyn, New York”, Wegener emphasises. Not only is Brooklyn the geographical location of Caseable’s head office but it’s also a second home and has special meaning for the two young entrepreneurs. Both of them have lived and worked in New York before and
and Soho used to be in Manhattan. In every part from Williamsburg to Dumbo you can watch people perform, painters selling their art to pedestrians, writers, graffiti artists – the Brooklyn streets are bursting with creativity. For Marvin and Klaus art is an essential part of their surroundings, which is why they have started a collaboration with several local artists. Amberg states, “This project allows us to support their work while providing our customers with innovative and creative products.” Indeed, for many unknown artists, it’s hard to make a living out of their work. Due to the company’s art project called ‘‘csbl x’’, upcoming artists benefit from another source of income. Furthermore, and maybe even more important, their work is presented to a
a laptop sleeve could have been a wetsuit in a past life or an iPhone case could be the reincarnation of a plastic bottle. “If everyday commodities also got Karma, our products must have a good one, I suppose”, says Marvin with a big grin on his face. As the increase in electronic devices that are improperly discarded is a growing issue, the company maintains a collaboration with the e-Steward program. In order to reduce toxic waste, this program allows customers to donate their old electronics, which will then be recycled properly. But Caseable’s commitment isn’t limited to environmental concerns but also takes into account the social aspects of modern entrepreneurship. Therefore, the co-founders decided to maintain their production in Brooklyn,
fell in love with the Big Apple’s spirit. “Brooklyn has become a major part of Caseable and everything we do. We are proud to be here and to manufacture locally”, endorses Amberg. s a huge melting pot of different cultures and ethnic groups, Brooklyn is formed by various communities and neighbourhoods, which are all different and special in their own way. Despite tendencies of gentrification and the influx of urban professionals, each one of the Brooklyn neighbourhoods has kept its own, very unique ethnic flavour. Being more than a simple place, each community stands for a certain kind of identity, philosophical background, and lifestyle. Due to its vast diversity, Brooklyn has become what The Village
wider audience through Caseable’s website, social media, and partnerships. he artist section has been in the making since the start of the company. Back in the late summer of 2009, Marvin was invited to an art exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany where he saw Tom Christopher’s paintings for the first time. “The idea of our custom cases just started and I knew that Tom’s art would look fantastic on them“, said Amberg. “So after we finally got our first cases in hand I just asked him, and luckily he said yes straight away”, he continues. Tom Christopher is an internationally renowned artist with frequent expositions in galleries from New York to Paris and Tokyo. The main theme of his paintings is capturing urban street sceneries in Manhattan. Armed
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with a camera he often strolls through the city and tries to picture the small characteristics, which are symptomatic of New York’s fast moving lifestyle. In contrast to his themes, Tom’s work mode on the streets consist in slowing down consciously, in order not to miss any single detail in front of his lens. Playing with perspectives and abstraction his subjects and colours create a vibrant energy very much like New York itself. Apparently a perfect match for Caseable products, which are made for the protagonists of Tom Christopher’s art – the urban and mobile society we live in. nother featured artist in the framework of “csbl x” is Brian Ermanski, who has been titled “the Bad Boy of the Art World”. Provocative and charismatic at the same time, he seems the perfect contrast to Tom, the silent observer. Brian questions the immanent rules of the art world, which establishes the seemingly insuperable difference between fame and artistic insignificance. Ironically he confronts the art scene with its own rigidity and disability to think beyond the settled establishment. The self-acclaimed Prince of Elizabeth Street’s style can be best described as autobiographical. Everything he experiences, loves or hates, is likely to be captured in his paintings. But there’s got to be a reason that New York City just can’t get enough of Soho’s enfant terrible and fellow citizen. Besides his collaboration with Caseable, who is currently working on a limited edition series with him, Ermanski’s work was recently published in the New York Times and Vogue. As Huffington Post concludes, “There is something so wrong about him, it’s right.” etting this section up and running took Marvin and Klaus months of preparation. “We are very happy to start and make true pieces of art available to our customers. It’s only the first step, but we hope there will be a lot more artistic collaborations in the future’’. Bringing together fashion and art obviously seems to be a huge trend nowadays. Even high
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for more info see www.caseable.com
fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and Dior can’t resist the vanguard attraction of the art world and maintain creative partnerships with well-known artists, e.g. Yayoi Kusama or Anselm Reyle. There has always been a mutual fascination of both worlds. Art as an epitome of crossing frontiers and breaking taboos, whereas the fashion world is commonly associated with beautiful appearances and flawless superficiality. More and more, both worlds are mixing together, and benefit from the strengths and liberties of one another. Fashion’s volatility meets artistic expression while the art world gets access to the hasty world of everyday consumption. e give collaborating artists the ‘‘ possibility to offer their work on our cases through many different channels including large e-commerce sites like Amazon’’, Klaus states specifying the economic dimensions of their latest coup. Besides Caseable is currently launching an exclusive partnership with one of Germany’s most important cell phone carriers. A clever step, considering that custom cell phone cases have been the latest addition to Caseable’s product line. And the guys still have to comply with a tough agenda. In 2011, they expanded to Berlin, in order to better cater for the needs of their European customers. A big objective of the two founders is to establish local production also on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. The decision where to open their European headquarters was a mutual and reasoned one. Berlin - like Brooklyn - is known as a gigantic artistic hub. It has been attracting a great deal
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of artists in the last few years not only for its inspirational energy and creative spirit, but also for its easy-going lifestyle and cheap living expenses. “Interestingly, artists used to live in Soho where rent was cheap. When the real estate investors saw the opportunity in this hip and artsy neighbourhood in the 70/80s, rent became too expensive and the artists moved east - to the cheaper Brooklyn. Same thing happened here and again, we are heading eastwards - to Berlin”, explains Amberg. Kreuzberg, which is also known as Berlin’s sizzling melting pot, seems just the perfect location for the two young founders to pursue their ambitious goals. Rebellious, fresh, and different it seemed to be the right place to experiment on new and groundbreaking concepts. Referring to Caseable’s near future, Klaus sums up, “We want to be more than a company with custom products. Brooklyn and Berlin compose just the right environment for us to figure out where the journey will lead us. Not only in the passion for design, the creative and diverse subcultures and the drive to do something right, but also in reaching out to local artists.” So, let´s see what happens next.
somebody said that
IF YOUR DREAMS DON’T SCARE YOU THEY ARE NOT BIG ENOUGH Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
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