HYPEBEAST Magazine Issue 14: The Artisanal Issue

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JOHN MAYER, DR. WOO, LQQK STUDIO, TERRY RICHARDSON

A - 1 F, 2 F M i n a m i a oya m a C i t y H o u s e, 5 - 4 - 4 4 M i n a m i a oya m a , M i n a t o - ku , To k yo w w w. s a c a i . j p

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jörg Haas SENIOR EDITOR Cody Horne EDITOR Kevin Wong DESIGN Nathalie Heider Florian Hettenbach Louisa Hölker CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Arthur Bray Petar Kujundzic Arby Li Andrew Pulig Daniel Sandison EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Zarah Cheng Hasse Lemola Gavin Yeung Helena Yeung COORDINATOR Kate Yeung COPY EDITOR Peter Suh GUEST EDITORS Ted Gushue Young Lee Tyler Madden Jonathan Poh James Shorrock ADVERTISING Paul Le Fevre Charles Gorra Gems Ip Huan Nguyen Josh Parker Jacqueline Ruggiero Tiffany Shum Blane Snyder Stephen Yu

SPECIAL THANKS Naomi Accardi Gary Aspden Afshin Behnia Nick Butterfield Thomas Chabaud Mike Chetcuti Kenneth Deng Shiori Etsugu Kurumi Fukutsu Samuel de Goede Grace Hwang Johan Lam Oscar Law Heloise Le Carvennec Derrick Leung Naomi Lyon Saori Ohara James Paik Brandon Phelps Moritz Schürmann Yusuke Takahashi Alana Tsui Stan Tsui Charlene Wong CONTACT magazine@hypebeast.com 12th Floor 10-16 Kwai Ting Road Kwai Chung Hong Kong Tel: +852 3563 9035 PRINTING Asia One Printing Limited 13/F, Asia One Tower 8 Fung Yip Street Chai Wan Hong Kong All Rights Reserved.

ISSN 977-230412500-0 HYPEBEAST.COM PUBLISHER 101 Media Lab Limited © 2016 101 Media Lab, Ltd.

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WHAT’S NEXT With its modern, striking lines, a futuristic interior and uncompromising sense of style, the 2016 Prius has an edge at every angle. toyota.com/prius Prototype shown with options. Production model may vary. Š2015 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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HENDER SCHEME

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HUSSEIN CHALAYAN

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EIICHIRO HOMMA

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JOHN MAYER

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WOODTURNER

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DR. WOO

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THEM & ME

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LQQK STUDIO

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TERRY RICHARDSON

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1UP X JUNYA WATANABE MAN

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MADE IN AMERICA DENIM

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LOT STOCK & BARREL

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EAMES LOUNGE CHAIR AND OTTOMAN

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LOS PADRINOS

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BUNNEY

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PORSCHE 550 SPYDER

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SPECIALTY COFFEE IN THE U.S.

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BULY 1803

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GUIDE TO MILAN

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DIRECTORY

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3/16/2016

HBM#14-Editor's Letter

EDITOR'S LETTER

In this digital age, penmanship is a long lost art. While we’ve abandoned writing instruments for keyboards and touchscreens, I much prefer handwriting with my

Montblanc Meisterstück ballpoint pen. The simple reason being, I enjoy using the pen. There is a certain feeling you get when using a product that you know has been carefully considered and crafted with the highest quality in mind. This feeling is one of satisfaction – made up of one-part appreciation, one-part admiration, and one-part excitement.

For our 14th issue, we decided to chase down this exact feeling. Led by our collective interest and respect for quality product, we decided to explore the concept of “artisanal.” The concept, while inherently referring to craftsmanship, also denotes the long journey towards perfection. Behind every well-made product is a process, one that has taken time to develop. And behind each process is an individual who has committed considerable effort, sometimes devoting their entire lives, to refine the craft they have chosen. But in an age where speed and ease trumps all, and instant gratification is the ultimate goal, these artisans are few and far between.

In the ensuing pages, we not only seek to highlight the products and works we deem

worthy of the “artisanal” label, we explore the concept further, to find out what it means and what it takes to become a true artisan.

Jörg Haas Creative Director

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KAPITAL 8OZ INDIGO JUBBHAN SHIRT "DOTERA REMAKE"

Kapital’s high-end Kountry imprint offers its same brand of denim from Kojima, the “Denim Capital” of Japan, along the lines of more premium construction. While the brand is normally inspired by vintage Americana featuring some of Japan’s most impressive denim, this particular piece has its roots in a Japanese staple. Reimagining the undershirt traditionally worn with the yukata summer kimono, this contemporary denim iteration boasts accents of corduroy and brings the piece right into modern day.

The 8oz Indigo Jubbhan Shirt Dotera Remake retails for approximately $5,000 USD.

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DA R I A W E R B O W Y W E A R I N G AG M E N S W E A R

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MAAPS PREMIUM HANDMADE INCENSE

The billowing smoke and earthy scents of incense sticks may conjure up images of distant temples rather than of your own home, but the fragrant material deserves a place on your mantle. Enhancing your olfactory senses with a natural and handmade edge is MAAPS, a Los Angeles-based brand that offers premium incense sticks made of bamboo, organic essential oils and natural resins. A pack of 15 incense sticks retail for $18 USD.

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YUKETEN “BLANKET STRIPE” TOTE BAG

Yuketen “Blanket Stripe” tote bag makes a simple statement with its pared-down pattern and humble construction. A carry-all for anyone in need of something functional yet stylish, the tote bag is comprised of a colorful striped wool exterior, bolstered by canvas lining and bound by rolled leather handles. An adjustable buckle allows you to carry as much as you wish, while a detachable shoulder strap offers versatility for your needs.

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Hender Scheme The Modern Shokunin WORDS BY GAVIN YEUNG INTERVIEW BY HASSE LEMOLA PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAIGO YAMAMOTO

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The Japanese do not take the title of shokunin lightly. Its direct English translation is ‘craftsman’ or ‘artisan,’ but to call a shokunin merely that would be to ignore the deep and nuanced meanings af fixed to the term. Historically conferred upon those who had reached the absolute pinnacle of their chosen discipline through a lifetime of unwavering persistence and dedication, the shokunin is effectively wedded to their profession and in return find their life purpose through practicing their craft. A concept borne out of Japan’s traditional fascination with worldly beauty and its perfection through the guidance of human hands, the shokunin appears often throughout the island nation’s history, immortalized in everything from the 14th-century Tohoku’in Shokunin Uta-Awase picture scroll, to the modern-day designation of Living National Treasure that is bestowed by the government upon the foremost keepers of Japan’s traditional artistic and artisanal crafts.

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That same shokunin spirit can be found in a pair of Nike Air Force 1s. However, while almost indistinguishable in profile from any other pair that sits on the shelves of countless sneaker stores worldwide, a quick assessment of the premium, vegetable-tanned pigskin leather iteration will reveal that its provenance lies not in a subcontracted factory in Vietnam, but in the Tokyo atelier of one Ryo Kashiwazaki, whose Hender Scheme brand has carved out a surprising niche for itself in the world of footwear.

Hailed as one of the most innovative and exciting brands to come out of Japan in recent years, Hender Scheme was founded in 2010 after Kashiwazaki ended his tenure at a shoe repair shop, where he learned the trade of shoemaking firsthand.

Taking its name from psychologist Sandra Bem’s pivotal ‘gender schema’ theory – “Our designs reflect the absence of gender and the separation between the male and female,” he explains – Hender Scheme has garnered the adoration of a certain crowd of monied design enthusiasts who appreciate the brand’s thoughtful, gender-fluid products that range from eclectic reinterpretations of soccer balls and traditional uchiwa fans, to bike lock chains and setta sandals. These faithful leather reproductions fall under the brand’s Manual Industrial Products (MIP) line, the purpose of which is to compel the consumer to examine and to reflect on the often overlooked design and manufacturing process of common everyday objects. Within this range, Hender Scheme’s most popular products are undisputably its rose-tinted pastiches of iconic sneakers. “By bringing well-known shoe models and paying homage to the industrial and hand manufacturing processes with my design, we can really compare the regular product and the manual industrial version,” says the designer. The act of reproducing these designs by hand in rarefied leather thus preserves the spirit of the mass-produced products in a more durable vessel, replacing mesh that stains, suede that frays, and EVA soles that crumble, with the enduring properties of leather that only reveal themselves over time and repeated wear, in the process becoming imbued with the unique properties of the owner.

This is as succinct an expression of the shokunin philosophy as any.

They act not only as a platform to exhibit the single-mindedness of Kashiwazaki’s hand – the production of a pair of sneakers requires treating the leathers for up to eight months, before a three-month long assembly period – but Hender Scheme’s products only reach their most sublime state with sustained dedication from the wearer too. And what dedication they inspire in the brand’s avid supporters, unfazed by prices that consistently exceed $1,000 USD for a pair of shoes. In the same vein of logo-scarce labels such as visvim and Common Projects, one does not simply buy a Hender Scheme-branded product as much as they become inducted into an exclusive community that revolves around a reverence of inconspicuous luxury. Its motto: if you know, you know.

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To hear the soft-spoken Kashiwazaki describe the modus operandi of Hender Scheme, however, one would be inclined to believe that the brand came about in a purely serendipitous manner.

Why does he work only with leather?

“The reason is pretty simple: we are quite skilled at constructing products from leather.”

What inspires you?

“Just everyday occurrences.”

Why the exclusivity?

“That’s not necessarily my goal, but I just want to make goods that reflect the honest manufacturing and design processes that we utilize.”

How do you choose what to design?

“It’s just a sense of judgment. It’s hard to put into words but about half of it are logical decisions and the other half is just impulsive.”

And what of the worldwide attention given to his MIP line?

“To be honest, I was really surprised with the positive reaction and attention the products received. However, we will continue to produce the products at our own pace and philosophy, regardless of what the reactions may have been.We are not necessarily making these shoes to impact sneaker culture, but it’s more important for us to do it the way we like.”

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This humility and disregard for external validation characterizes a timeless hallmark of the shokunin. Ultimately, the artisan’s ego and others’ opinions are irrelevant in the context of the dialogue between the shokunin and his craft, and the endless pursuit of absolute perfection. However, in the larger scheme of things, Kashiwazaki’s work can be said to draw on the centuries-old discourse of Japanese aesthetics which are grounded in philosophies of Shinto-Buddhism. Take, for example, the concept of wabi-sabi, the celebration of “perfect imperfection,” which can be more specifically dissected into two ideals – wabi is rustic beauty, and sabi, the sublime story of an object’s life that unfurls over time as told by its natural patina. Hender Scheme’s MIP series displays wabi-sabi in abundance, as leather is considered more beautiful in its aged form, having taken on the characteristics of the wearer’s habits and transforming into a unique object unto itself over time.

Another ideal that can be attributed to Hender Scheme’s creations is shibui, or elegant, unobtrusive simplicity. The pieces themselves are meditations on the form of the “industrial product,” and strip away all color and excess ornamentation to leave only the purest line and form. In his book The Unknown Craftsman, prominent philosopher Soetsu Yanagi equated shibui to “beauty with inner implications,” a beauty that is not imbued in the object by its creator, but instead drawn out by the viewer themselves. What better expression of shibui, in this case, than an all-leather basketball sneaker that is effectively only half-finished at the time of retail, patiently awaiting its future owner to complete its beauty by endowing it with a patina?

As a vessel for wabi-sabi and shibui, Hender Scheme is therefore the latest incarnation in a long and storied lineage of shokunin, among contemporaries such as Hiroki Nakamura and the late Goro Takahashi.

Situating the brand’s showroom and studio in Tokyo’s historic Asakusa district is an act of inheritance of the famed local traditions of knifesmiths, carpenters, confectionery makers and Edo-period kabuki thespians. “It’s been slowly decreasing year by year, but there are still a lot of very talented craftsmen,” says Kashiwazaki. “We have been able to learn some of their techniques and combine them with our own ideas and vision.”

Meanwhile, the brand’s location in Tokyo directly connects it with international influences and emerging trends at one of the world’s foremost fashion capitals and a thriving hotspot for street culture, thus setting the stage for an unrepeatable amalgamation of ideas old and new.

In the end, however, all that really matters is the craftsman, his craft, and the pride he finds from it. This is largely why Kashiwazaki would never contemplate outsourcing the production to overseas. “Perhaps it would decrease our costs. However, we want to make sure that our handmade goods are produced in a harmonious manner and with lots of passion.” And with luck, that’s exactly what he will continue to do from his atelier, stitch by stitch, each one an addition to the age-old patina of Japan’s perennial shokunin tradition.

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Defining

Hussein Chalayan

Photography by JULIA GRASSI

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Hussein Chalayan is of British/Turkish Cypriot descent. He has two British Designer of the Year awards to his name, and was awarded an MBE by The Queen in 2006. He graduated from Central Saint Martins in 1993 and turns 46 on August 12 this year. These are all facts. Indisputable. Unequivocal.

It’s when you begin to talk about Chalayan’s work that the lines start to blur, however.

Things become a little more grey, and even with an armory of interview questions and backstory at your disposal, you are met with an impenetrable wall. Perhaps it’s selfcurated mystique; perhaps he’s just difficult.

Regardless, defining his craft is a chore.

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He designs clothes and is universally acknowledged as a fashion designer but also seems keen to let you know he has more strings to his bow. He’s not just a designer. He doesn’t just work in fashion. That much is clear from the moment you attempt to label him.

“I have a general world view which is ultimately led by clothes” he strains to explain, as we discuss his most recent conceptual and experimental work. “However, the ideas can often also be expressed by other mediums which can help me take what I am trying to convey further.”

Chalayan’s latest evocative contribution to the worlds of both fashion and performance art involved a runway display in which two models stood under a shower that completely dissolved their first layer of clothing. In his words at the time, it was “Swarovski crystals under a structure which created a composition with the final embroidered dresses.” To those familiar with his work since the 1990s, it was yet another stroke of creative genius. Speaking to Chalayan later, it was predictably revealed to be so much more again.

“It was about the transformation of Cuba and the opening up of its political and economic borders – marked in this show “Pasatiempo” with female guards’ uniform transforming into evening dresses through contact with water. All inspired by the presence of water in Cuba” he claims, adding yet further layers of politics and drama to the narrative.

“The melting material was experimented with for months as I wanted it to behave in conjunction with the undergarment in a certain way.”

To the casual observer, an ultra-modern pseudo-striptease that doubled as a commentary on Cuban politics would have seemed, at best, peculiar. To long-term followers of Chalayan, whose graduate collection in 1993 consisted of clothing he had buried underground and exhumed weeks later, it fitted neatly into his canon of work. It added to the aura of an artist who is keen for his runway shows to be seen as performances, but also hints that perhaps the clothes are secondary to him.

To eschew and destroy creations the very moment they hit the runway seems to go against the principles that most other fashion designers follow. Was this his showing of discomfort with designing clothes, with being pigeonholed as a manufacturer of garments? Would he rather be considered an artist?

His talk of ‘wearable art’ in the past would seem to confirm this but, ever the enigma, this idea is shot down when presented. “I thought from day one that I wanted the shows to be experienced as cultural events rather than only fashion shows. Even so, the clothes are what makes up the event and therefore are the most important part of any show we do.”

If this were a quote from a new, young fashion graduate, you would be forgiven for brushing it aside as pompous naivety, or pseudo-intellectual affectation. New designers, spurred by Instagram fame and the increasingly disposable nature of the industry, are eager to embrace a similarly complex

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�I have a general world view which is ultimately led by clothes, however, the ideas can often also be expressed by other mediums which can help me take what I am trying to convey further.�

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ethos. Chalayan, however, is quick to distance himself from this new wave.

On his frequent lectures to young audiences, he claims that “the millennial generation at times wants status without wanting to put the hard work in,” adding that “that’s something that is hard to shift.”

With Chalayan there can be no doubt that he has put in the hard work. Before reaching his position of influence and authority, the 45-yearold has struggled and strived in an industry often not ready for his innovative and experimental style. After beating over 100 competitors to claim the London Fashion Design Award in 1995, and claiming the £28,000 GBP prize in the process, Chalayan worked closely with Icelandic avant-garde pop star Bjork on a series of projects. He has sent models down the runway in chadors, dresses inspired by car and aeroplane interiors, wireless remote control garments, and consistently toyed with sociopolitical themes inspired by his childhood and upbringing between Istanbul and England. When confronted with financial difficulty, the enterprising designer took on projects at Marks & Spencer, Gibo and British jewellery label Asprey, applying his unique aesthetic to more accessible, mainstream products.

Expanding his portfolio into menswear in 2002 resulted in yet further monetary issues, and forced Chalayan to relocate his fashion shows to Paris and to work from his home for a short period of time. By this time he had been crowned British Designer of the Year twice and was still fighting an uphill battle commercially. By 2008, two years after his MBE acknowledgement from the British monarch, Chalayan took on projects at Falke and Swarovski, also becoming German sportswear giant PUMA’s creative director in the same year. An undulating and, at times, stricken career appears to have evened out in more recent years, and he seems glad of the experience. “I wanted to be able to pursue ideas but to also have a good business,” he explains. “There is a lot of trial and error until the idea is right and we are always trying to solve problems which we create in the first place.”

Problems of his own creation are what have kept Chalayan’s work as fresh and innovative as the day he graduated. In an evolving arena, in which his Central Saint Martins contemporaries are happy to rest on laurels, Hussein continues to take risks and fight the status quo. It is perhaps this which makes him so difficult to pin down, to pigeonhole, to define. This is difficult for the modern psyche. We have an in-built desire for title, status and biography, but speaking to Chalayan is refreshing. There’s no Twitter one-liner, or LinkedIn status required. It seems more complex than that, and that’s why it’s important to allow him the last word on his craft. “Was there always a desire to do something unconventional and interesting for you creatively?” we ask, in more hope than expectation. “Yes, otherwise I think there is no point in being a designer.”

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TOOLS FOR LIFE A Conversation with Eiichiro Homma

Words by Jonathan Poh Photography by Shouta Kikuchi

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Like “less is more,” the modernist maxim “form follows function” has become one of the design world’s most popular mantras. It was coined by the American architect Louis Sullivan as “form ever follows function” and, while often misquoted and attributed to 20th-century luminaries like Le Corbusier, the adage has nevertheless come to represent the ideal marriage of aesthetics and practicality.

Where clothing is concerned, the collision of style and utility has become a specialty of Eiichiro Homma, co-founder of nanamica and mastermind behind the almost mythical line, THE NORTH FACE PURPLE LABEL. Homma, a sailing enthusiast, gave the former a name that roughly translates to “house of the seven seas,” and the brand’s mix of classic styling and cutting-edge fabrics has established the designer as one of Japan’s brightest fashion innovators. Homma’s much sought-after, Japan-only collaboration with The North Face, meanwhile, has become something of a white whale for clothing aficionados in the West, and channels the legendary American company’s adventurous spirit for a more style-savvy audience. Remarkably, neither line eschews craftsmanship in the name of progressive design and though concessions to performance are made in each of Homma’s collections, they also exhibit a near-fetishistic attention to quality, detail, and patina more commonly associated with artisanal denim or vintage workwear.

Unlike the brands and designers who have jumped on the “techwear” bandwagon, Homma’s roots in performance clothing run deep. At the heart of the designer’s work is a lifelong obsession with classic outdoor garments, workwear and military gear, along with a hard-earned technical expertise that was forged over 18 years in the business. As a young man, Homma cut his teeth in the Outdoor Sportswear Division of Japanese clothing distributor GOLDWIN INC., and was involved in the marketing of technical garments before making the transition to designing them. It’s an experience that paved the way for the launch of nanamica in 2003, while also providing the impetus for relationships with some of Japan’s top fabric mills, including production facilities for GORE-TEX, INVISTA and HASETORA SPINNING CO. Today, Homma continues to champion the latest textile technologies and, despite the classically-inspired aesthetic of his garments, cutting-edge materials such

as COOLMAX and Cordura nylon feature prominently alongside natural cottons and wools. “I always tell my design team that we should use the most authentic and highly-functional fabrics unless they don’t fit the fashion aspect,” he explained to us with some pride, revealing a stubborn insistence on quality, craftsmanship and authenticity that is easily appreciated by those in and outside of Japan. Not surprisingly, nanamica has been met with substantial success on the international scene, and staying true to the brand’s globally-minded “house of the seven seas” moniker – a reference to the bodies of water that link the entire world – Homma has expressed a desire to expand beyond Japan while also becoming the industry leader in “high-level fashion and function.”

It’s a grand, continent-spanning ethos that is appropriately reflected in nanamica’s Fall/Winter 2016 collection, which channels the “travel style of creators who work in the city,” as well as the jet-setting individuals who regularly traverse the globe. Consisting of stylishly subdued, multifunctional travel garments – think boardroom-ready suits made from ALPHADRY fabrics or packable GORE-TEX anoraks – the collection is classic nanamica in its execution, and its trend-resistant combination of classic hand-tailoring and high technology continues to distinguish Homma’s work from that of his contemporaries. “The brands moving into this current ‘techwear’ area are just following a trend,” he told us of the industry’s recent shift towards technical fabrics and performance-ready silhouettes. “Once the trend shifts, they will change and follow a new trend. In our case, we don’t just produce fashion clothing, but we produce good looking, comfortable tools for life.”

We sat down with nanamica’s designer to discuss the ideal sportswear design, the influence of sailing on his clothing, his favorite fabric mills, and why Japan’s tradition of craftsmanship is second to none.

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What was your first significant experience with clothing growing up?

In my generation, all primary school boys wore shorts all year round. When I was nine years old, I thought that shorts symbolized “children” and decided never to wear shorts. I made my three close friends promise not to wear shorts – even in the summer – until we graduated from primary school. That was the first time that I thought of clothing as fashion.

Then, I started to look at fashion trends of those at least three years older than I was in order to stand out from others.

You spent 18 years working for the clothing distributor GOLDWIN INC. What was your first experience with actually constructing a piece of clothing?

It was in 1983. I was appointed as a designer and merchandiser for HELLY HANSEN at GOLDWIN, where I started my career in the garment business. HELLY HANSEN launched in Japan as a licensed business selling technical sailing wear at that time. Before I started working in design, all of my interests and career experiences were in marketing, so I had a hard time studying design.

Fortunately, there was an experienced designer in a different section of the same company and I received a lot of technical know-how from her.

The first thing I learned, which I still remember today, was that a pattern maker should be the most important person for a designer. Designers can’t make good clothing without a good pattern maker. Around the same time, the runway shows of the second generation of Japanese designers like Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto started to become recognized for their Japanese aesthetic.

Their “Japanized” clothing, in turn, inspired me to want to amaze people through clothing designs with a Japanese essence.

You are known to be an avid sailor and you have designed gear for professional sailing competitions in the past. What has sailing taught you about design

and the use of technical fabrics?

It is often very humid when we sail in Japan. The seawater and sunshine destroy fabrics, and their color fades more easily. This is my personal opinion, but I also learned that a “dry hand feel” fabric is often more comfortable than a fabric with a softer hand feel, so a “dry hand feel” might be one of the characteristics I consider when I produce marine-inspired clothing. A slightly faded color is also a typical characteristic of nautical wear. As such, our cotton GORE-TEX outerwear has both a dry and slightly stiff hand feel, and its color fades nicely after a few years.

What typically inspires your work? Is it a specific function, look or fabric?

Obviously, my background was in marine and outdoor clothing, and both my partner Takashi – co-founder and designer of nanamica – and I love the sea.

That is why our name is ‘nanamica,’ which means “house of the seven seas.” Every bottom-line idea comes from marine and outdoor sports, though functional garments like workwear and military wear also inspire us.

The use of high-tech fabrics is something that characterizes much of what you do with nanamica and THE NORTH FACE PURPLE LABEL. How do you generally decide on an appropriate fabric for a garment?

I always tell my design team that we should use the most authentic and highly functional fabrics, unless they don’t fit the fashion aspect of a design.

Also, if a garment’s design is intended to be classic sportswear, a fabric could have a more fashionable appearance. If a garment’s design is not typical sportswear, a fabric should have more of a technical appearance. However, the most important thing is to be easily understood, in addition to having a good mix of fashion and function.

You have mentioned the importance of the “emotional” aspect of clothing before; it’s something that you feel is often lacking in outdoor or sportswear.

What do you mean by the “emotional” quality of clothing and why is it important to what you do?

Sportswear is developed for the specific purposes of movement and protection. Hence, its design should be rational. The most rational solution, in my opinion, is a tight-fitting, one-piece suit. Downhill skiing suits, speed-skating suits, wet suits, yoga

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one-pieces and running one-pieces all look the same. On the other hand, people expect character and good looks in addition to a garment’s practical benefits. Since performance sportswear tends to have less personal character, we always try to integrate a more “emotional” aspect that our customers would expect.

One thing that has always impressed us is the way you manage to use high-tech fabrics and construction techniques without making the garments look too futuristic or machine-made. How do you implement a progressive and functional aspect to your designs while retaining some sense of craftsmanship?

In the past, sportswear was always just sportswear, fashion was fashion, and business suits were just business suits. When I was young, I saw only a few very smartly dressed top athletes. However, today’s top athletes are all very smart and good looking, so our essential policy is to provide a “hybrid” value. In other words, we combine two things into one product. The latest technology also enables us to make classic hand-tailored clothing with highly functional fabrics.

Speaking of highly functional fabrics, you’re a big fan of textiles by GORE-TEX and you’ve had a long relationship with the company. You launched nanamica’s first collection in the West with only a range of GORE-TEX outerwear and packs, for example.

What are some of the other functional materials that you enjoy working with now, and how do you incorporate them into your designs?

COOLMAX® from INVISTA is the second most important functional fabric for us, which is unique UFO shape of polyester yarn for moisture-wicking and quick drying. We use it for jacket linings, trousers, fabric shirt, sweaters and tees. Cotton-blended COOLMAX® gives us ample comfort with a very natural appearance and hand feel.

Japan is known for being one of the best places to source fabrics and skilled production. What are some of your favorite mills or craftspeople to work with?

Obviously GORE-TEX Japan was the first partner for us when we launched in the West. There’s also INVISTA, which I just mentioned. In addition, there are many good mills in Japan such as Toray, KOMATSU SEIREN and HASETORA SPINNING.

In your opinion, what makes Japan so special when it comes to quality materials and craftsmanship?

Is there an inherent connection to some aspect of Japanese culture?

It is rooted in our mentality and the geographical background of our lives. Since Japan is an island country and we Japanese were an agricultural tribe, we typically live in the same place for many years, almost for life. So we continuously give our best effort to improving everything that surrounds our lives.

How can we expect your work to evolve in the future?

As nanamica means “house of the seven seas,” we would like to have seven nanamica stores in the world where we could have good “face-to-face” communications with people around the globe.

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John Mayer The Passionate Collector

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He is arguably the greatest guitarist of our generation — do not let his pop music fool you. Already a subject of intense debate with each ensuing album release, it is becoming increasingly apparent that John Mayer is slowly but surely carving out a body of work destined to put him amongst the Mount Rushmore of guitarists.

The seven-time GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter effortlessly maneuvers between blues, folk and old-school rock ‘n’ roll, with his signature melodic licks, riffs and trance-like facial expressions.

For over a decade, music aficionados have recognized John for his electrifying belters such as “Gravity,” “Neon” or “Covered in Rain.” However, it is his standout wardrobe that has caught the meticulous eye of fashion heads around the world. Within the industry, it is widely known that visvim — the holy grail of our fashion culture — is the cornerstone of John’s collection. Akin to A$AP Rocky being synonymous with brands like Rick Owens, Raf Simons and GUESS; Pharrell with adidas, Billionaire Boys Club and ICECREAM, and Kanye with A.P.C., Maison Margiela and Yeezy, John’s extensive visvim collection has propelled him to comparable status as a style icon, albeit with one glaring difference. Unlike these fashionable musicians who have endorsement deals or vested interests, John’s passion for the Japanese cult label unfolded in a way that many folks reading this magazine can relate to — a compulsion to learn about handcrafted products that many people can only afford to read about on the Internet.

“It couldn’t have been more organic,” says the 38-yearold collector-turned-brand ambassador. “I won’t get high and mighty about how long it’s been, because the fact of the matter is that everyone who wants to be into it should be into it. Someone turned me onto it, and I turned someone else onto it.”

In fact, it was fellow guitarist, soloist and threetime Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Eric Clapton who initially pointed John towards visvim by introducing him to legendary designer Hiroshi Fujiwara. The Godfather of Harajuku who is also a musician in his own right, took the time to show John around Tokyo, introducing him to key influencers within the tight-knit Japanese streetwear community. “I remember meeting Kazuki Kuraishi (formerly of A Bathing Ape, fragment design and adidas, and founder of THE FOURNESS), who walked me into F.I.L. and introduced the brand

to me. That was 2005, and that started me on the path I’ve been on for over a decade now.”

Since then, John has not looked back, and understandably so. His love for visvim’s intricate, vintage aesthetic, combined with his “collector’s gene,” has seen him forge a lasting friendship with the brand’s founder — a denim-whisperer and collector of worldly artifacts, Hiroki Nakamura. John’s storage space in California, which he also refers to as his “personal streetwear museum,” houses many of his priceless possessions from years past. This includes his well-documented collection of rare vintage watches and modern timepieces from esteemed brands such as Audemars Piguet, IWC, Rolex and Patek Philippe.

Moreover, the space that was originally reserved for instruments and music gear, also boasts an assortment of visvim pieces from every collection ever posted on our online blog — just take a second to imagine that. “One year I just gave myself permission that if this is what I really love dealing in and thinking about, then I’ll go hard twice a year on visvim seasons, and really just keep alive the idea of being someone 10 years from now who can understand and represent the history of the brand.”

This inclination to collect is very much part of John’s identity. When asked about his “collector’s gene,” he confides, “I’ve got it bad! I collect a lot of different things that I can see and feel value in. And you don’t always have to have these things in your hands to enjoy them. You just know you have them in the stash, and for some people like myself there’s a mental geometry that’s very satisfying” — reminiscent of the “one to rock, one to stock” concept that many sneakerheads are familiar with.

Much like his music, John’s style has undergone a transformation over the years. Prior to being a household name, John’s interests were firmly entrenched in the street culture, just like many kids growing up during the ‘90s. When his music career first began to gain traction, he took full advantage of his celebrity status by collaborating with brands like ALIFE, Reigning Champ and KAWS to name but a few. This was of course before he traded everything in for head-to-toe visvim ensembles. Nevertheless, John will forever have a soft spot for streetwear and still keeps select sneakers as a tangible reminder of his formative years. “I still really respect the ‘sneakerhead' culture, and I still appreciate

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what I see. I think we’re in a new generation of that culture, and it’s important to hand youth culture off to the actual youth and let it be their thing,” says the wiser, more seasoned John. “I still have what I consider the timeless stuff to be. A KAWS collab Nike Air Force 1 is like a Nirvana demo cassette. It’s a huge part of an artist’s history, and that’s valuable for life.”

After much discussion, John opened up his collection to us, hand carrying a selection of his most prized possessions — the rest was transported by his assistant in a van from his aforementioned storage space to a photo shoot in LA. We were taken aback by the sheer amount of product before us — and that says a lot. Never have we experienced or seen a collection like this, and to think this was only a portion of his full collections was mind-boggling. While we were struggling to figure out where to begin, John immediately began digging through suitcase upon suitcase, pulling out pieces that he seemed to not have seen in years. There was a genuine sense of excitement in the air and not only did he want the upcoming looks for the shoot to be great, but we could tell that he cared dearly about these products themselves. It was as if this whole experience was simply an excuse for him to relive certain memories from his archive.

Curious to find out more about his fashion knowledge and collection, we sat down with John to talk more about visvim, his superior watch collection, as well as his very own eyewear line.

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What was the first piece that you purchased from visvim?

I remember the first piece I bought was a fishing vest. I got it in khaki and black. And I still have them. Looking back on them now, there are some early pieces that are really fascinating when you show them to people who didn’t even know these pieces existed.

Google’s image search for visvim only goes back to about 2008 or 2009. It’s that earlier stuff that’s so special because you “had to be there.” Anybody who remembers the G-Line will know what I mean. If I rock a G-Line sweatshirt with polka dots and the word “visvim” repeated all over it, you’d be confused!

Describe your relationship with Hiroki Nakamura to our readers. When did you first meet? And has he made any unique garments for you?

I met Hiroki in Japan probably 10 years ago. We went out to dinner where he showed me how ripped up his feet were from testing boots that he was designing. I thought, self-aware or not, this is the kind of dude I like hanging out with. Even just wanting to be that kind of devoted to an ideal is enough for me to want to get to know you. And yes, I do get unique pieces made. I’ll stay mysterious about that.

How do you think visvim has evolved over the years?

Hiroki has done a brilliant job of keeping the core identity locked in and then feature just enough playfulness from season to season that you can’t quit on it. If you look at the FBT, that’s been around for 13 years, and it’s still available. But if you put even an FBT from five years ago next to one from today, they look totally different. And the newer one is what the old ones should have always looked like, but that’s the journey. Also, you’ll see things that become classics, and you really can’t tell sometimes what it’s going to be. 7-Hole Folk boots were introduced in 2009 and they’re 059

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a cornerstone, and Brigadier Boots were only introduced in ’13 or so, and it’s like they were always in the line. It’s the stuff that falls by the wayside that I love. If you caught the Tracker Boots in ’12, they’re one of the best boots ever made, and they’re gone now. Wabanaki Blanket boots from ’11, I only wish I had known they weren’t coming back. If you caught the tiger camo Nomad jacket in ’08 or so, there were only a handful that were made and Hiroki washed the material in his home washer.

Are there other Japanese labels with a similar aesthetic to visvim that interest you?

I like what Kapital is doing right now. They’ve really found their stride. Their aesthetic is naturalistic, but it’s like they’re inside a fever dream or something.

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How would you describe your current watch collection versus the collection you amassed while learning about vintage watches?

I put together a really strong vintage collection years ago, and I haven’t really added to it, for several reasons — one of them being that the prices have skyrocketed, and I was buying them at a different price than they sell for now. I’m more interested in new pieces. I’m even more interested in new guitars than old these days, too. I think what brands like Audemars Piguet, IWC, Rolex and Patek Philippe are doing could be considered some of their best stuff so far. It’s fun to watch something become vintage when you bought it new and know the provenance of it.

How has the landscape of vintage watch collecting changed since you started?

Well, there are a lot more sharks swimming around now. And the way I see it, by virtue of it being vintage, it’s already happened. There’s a great joy in collecting vintage pieces, but dealers, and to a certain extent collectors, just want to believe that it’s all still fluid and current. So they just keep inventing new scholarship, and some of it is real, but a lot of it is just a branding free-for-all. They’ll try to come up with six new types of one type of Submariner they stopped making decades ago, all to create new divisions of value. I don’t love it.

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Moving onto your own ventures, what inspired you to start your own eyewear line, Max Pittion?

The brand started in the most organic way possible. I was collecting vintage eyewear frames when I came across these amazing frames from the ‘40s by a brand called Max Pittion, and I knew that if they fit me, I would never take them off. Of course, they didn’t, and I just couldn’t give up on the challenge to make a pair that fit my giant head. So in the effort to get a pair made, I met Tommy Ogara who works with Shinsuke Takizawa at NEIGHBORHOOD on his line Native Sons, and asked him if he would inspect the frames and make a pair that fit me. It was then that I started wondering if the brand was even around anymore, which it very much wasn’t. So Tommy and I set out to get as much information and tap into the spirit of the brand and bring it back to life, and so here we are now. It’s a small brand, but it’s right on. This is one of the few times that I’ll even admit having a connection with it, because in my mind it shouldn’t take me being well-known to make something like this successful. The frames have this classic French DNA from the ‘40s and ‘50s, but we’ve updated them a little.

They’re the kind of product that you can appreciate as an accessory, but also as a design and make unto themselves.

You can feel it when you hold them that we’re not messing around!

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Embracing Imperfection

The Woodturner

WORDS BY JAMES SHORROCK PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES SHORROCK AND KENNETH DENG

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It’s 7:30 a.m. on a cold, windy morning in Northern England’s West Pennine Moors when I arrive at the Shorrock family farm where I’m to spend the next week documenting my uncle’s work. Tucked away at the edge of the property is his workshop, housed in a simple, unassuming building that belies the nature of the work that goes on within. For in what was formerly the farm’s workshop, John Shorrock takes dead, rotten wood — what many would deem fit only for burning — and turns it into vases and bowls of striking natural beauty.

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John’s first encounter with woodturning was at the age of 14 but it wasn’t until he and his father called time on their farming that John was able to start woodturning full-time. Largely self-taught, John started off making a variety of small turned pieces from wooden tops to egg cups and the like. It was a couple of years later that he hit on the idea of embracing the imperfections of wood and making them the hallmarks of his work.

That was almost 20 years ago and in the time since, John has worked tirelessly to hone his craft, and in the process, he has created a remarkable body of work.

It all starts with death and disease. Wood from ailing or dead trees are his medium of choice. John sources wood from local tree surgeons and typically works with native hardwoods such as burr elm, yew, sycamore and oak. He buys whole trees when possible and looks for woods with interesting grain patterns and other distinctive traits. These trees then end up in the woodshed next to his workshop, where they’ll age until he’s ready to start his next piece.

When it comes time to start a new piece, he selects a piece of wood based on what he wants to make. Usually this will be dependent on the size and style of piece, with larger vases and bowls requiring larger pieces of wood. The piece that I observed him making started off as a large section of wood from the middle of a tree trunk and required first a tractor to move it into place and then a chainsaw to cut it to size. Once cut to size, he takes the section of wood back to his workshop where he does the final trimming with a chainsaw to ensure the piece fits on his lathe, and what a lathe it is.

Custom-built, the lathe is powered by a 6.5 horsepower motor and is large enough to turn sections of wood up to 42 inches in diameter — far larger than a typical lathe would permit.

With the wood mounted, John begins the task of turning this large, ungainly mass into a work of art using simple hand tools. When I think of an artisan, I imagine a person sitting in their workshop, quietly toiling away. In the case of John, that could not be further from the truth. His craft is a physical one; equal parts strength, endurance and creative vision.

As he starts the piece, I ask if he knows what it will look like at the end. “Of course I have an idea of what it will look like and what I’d like it to look like, but you just never know.” Wood is a curious material in that it’s always changing. “Dead” wood is never really dead. Temperature, humidity, the wood’s moisture content, the way in which parts of it have decomposed, these all affect the way a piece develops as it’s being turned on the lathe, and these factors all vary from piece to piece. All this is to say that woodturning for John is both give and take. It’s not about imposing your will upon the wood but understanding how to get what you want within the limits of what it will give you.

Half a day in and the previously substantial chunk of wood has taken on the beginnings of a large vase. At this point, much of the bark has been removed, revealing some beautiful grain underneath. Over the next eight 070

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hours, the vase silhouette becomes readily apparent.

The next day’s work is to hollow out the piece. When you consider that the original piece of wood weighed in excess of several hundred pounds and the large majority of the weight still remains, it becomes clear that the hollowing process is a laborious one. It starts with the hollowing out of a central core using what looks like a large drill bit. From there, John painstakingly hollows out the piece using custom tools made from concrete reinforced bars. They’re big, unwieldy and can weigh up to 90 pounds (approximately 40 kilograms), but they’re also the best way for him to hollow out pieces that can reach upwards of 3 feet (approximately 1 meter) tall.

And as big and unwieldy as these tools are, John is able to shave the walls of his pieces down to as little as 3 mm. After the better part of a day's work, what’s left is a hollow vase that’s ready for sanding. If a piece is too wet, as is the case here, he’ll leave it to dry for several days and start work on something new in the meantime.

After the drama of the turning and hollowing, sanding seems anticlimactic but it’s this penultimate step that reveals the final look of a piece.

For this particular piece, it starts with a dramatically flared neck that gives way to a shapely body punctuated by some dramatic natural-edged holes.

It’s a stark contrast — the soft, sensual shape interrupted by large gashes and rough bark.

Having experienced the process from start to finish, it’s clear to me that what John does makes him an artisan in every sense of the word. He’s not the kind of person to call himself a craftsman or a master of his craft, and you certainly won’t find him talking about himself or how great he is at what he does. Instead, he keeps himself busy in his workshop refining and perfecting his craft. And in the end, isn’t that the mark of a true artisan?

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Dr. WOO A DETAILED CRAFT

WORDS BY KEVIN WONG PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW ARTHUR

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It was a warm night in Los Angeles, 2012; it must have been summer, but it could just as easily have been the dead of winter. My roommate at the time, Casey was heading to West Hollywood to get tattooed by his buddy, another Morrissey piece. I had never been to the famed Shamrock Social Club, so I decided to tag along. Pulling up to the green neon signs, I recall Casey going on and on about how amazing of an artist his friend was, simply referring to him as Woo.

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This was four years after Brian, or “Dr. Woo” as the world knows him, began tattooing as an apprentice under legendary artist Mark Mahoney. This was also long before most of his 850,000-plus fans, including myself, began following and admiring his work on Instagram.

As we stepped into the loud buzz of the typically intimidating tattoo studio, we were greeted by a soft-spoken and visibly humble dude. This may be difficult to imagine now from arguably the hottest tattoo artist at the moment, boasting the largest celebrity clientele from Drake to Cara Delevingne, Rihanna and Johnny Depp – the list goes on.

Masses have flocked to Dr. Woo, celebrities or otherwise, for his detailed designs and intricate artwork. Thanks to social media, we’ve been given the opportunity to watch his unique style develop with each subsequent tattoo, and with it, the colossal success and widespread praise from the public – typically unseen by tattoo artists.

His signature style consists of compact and extremely detailed fine-line work, performed on a microscopic scale. This delicate style is achieved through the use of the single-needle technique – contrary to the traditional eight needles used in tattooing. Woo’s pieces leave you in awe, fitting an entire lion’s head on a single finger and a full-length LA skyline on the palm of one hand. His work, though a far deviation from the bold lines, bright colors and recognizable imagery of traditional tattoos, is equally distinct.

This modern style brings something fresh to the age-old art form, and its impact on the tattoo world is obvious, garnering scores of admirers around the globe, from diehard tattoo enthusiast to those entirely new to the art form. More and more, I run into fans of Woo's work who express passionately that they want their first tattoo to be a piece by the man himself. Woo is not only broadening the art by adding his own unique style, but he is also making a clear impact on tattoo culture as a whole. The reach of his work has inadvertently served in tearing down some of the stigma associated with tattooing, making the art form more open, accessible and appreciated by the masses. And while traditional styles will always remain the cornerstone of tattooing, it is exciting to see an art form and a craft as old as tattooing continue to grow and progress.

We caught up with Dr. Woo to talk about his journey and personal relationship with his craft, as well as what's ahead for him and for the art of tattooing.

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It seems everyone can spot a Dr. Woo tattoo nowadays, but for those who aren't familiar with your artwork, how do you describe your style?

I guess the easiest way to answer that is to say that my tattoos don’t really look like the typical “tattoo” tattoo. The lines are finer and the detail is magnified.

Some would say it looks like a pencil drawing on skin.

How did you decide to get into tattooing?

Well, initially, I didn't think I wanted to get into tattooing. I was a huge fan of the craft and receiving tattoos, but was very intimidated by the fact that I would be held responsible for permanently marking someone's skin forever. After years of being Mark Mahoney’s client, he eventually asked me if I wanted to apprentice for him. This was huge especially with Mark being one of my biggest influences and role models… How could I say no? I quit my job the next day and started picking up a few shifts here and there at Shamrock. From there, the grueling years of apprenticeship started (laughs).

Tattooing has been around for centuries. How do you approach bringing something new to such a traditional art form?

Honestly, it was such a daunting thought when I first got into tattooing. I asked myself, “How do I stand out and bring something new amid years and years of history?” To forget about all that, I just put my head down and worked and worked to better my craft.

Now, years later, I think my style and aesthetic have found its own route. I think the novelty might only be the content itself. The actual craft of it all has been, and always will be, synergistic to the past and future.

What compelled you to this single-needle style?

Did you specifically choose it or did it kind of just come to you?

It was definitely not a direct choice. When I started, I was very heavily influenced by the bold traditional tattoo style. But, being in the presence of Mark – the single needle king – Freddy, and the other fellas at the shop who all were very well-versed in fine-line tattooing, I just absorbed it and it became my "go-to"

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style. For what I wanted to accomplish in a tattoo, the single needle was my best weapon.

How have you seen this style progress through your own work and the work of others since you started tattooing?

In the beginning, I was using the single needle style solely for the fine-line classic Southern California style like roses, calligraphic script, portraits and Catholic religious themes. Because I was a walk-in artist, I was constantly challenged with tattooing whatever people wanted outside of my comfort zone. After a while, I just applied the single needle to everything because not much was offered out there aside from our shop for super fine-line, detailed, smaller tattoos. I guess I just developed a certain recognizable style and it kept evolving. Now, I see some of the same aesthetic being done more often and it's cool to see some direct influence among those.

Especially since I was so influenced by Mark and Freddy and my tattoo lineage, it’s kind of cool to see the preservation of tattoo culture.

Did you find it difficult to distinguish yourself as an artist, and to find your own personal style?

That was my biggest goal. All the guys I worked with and under were legendary – they each had such a distinct style. I just wanted to create my own thing that was quintessentially me and projected my vibe and what I was into. There are so many insanely talented artists out there and it's crazy to try and compete, so to be the best wasn't ever a goal. It was more to just hone in on making my style recognizable and true to what I loved about tattooing.

How many years were you an apprentice and how did that process mold you and set you up for this extremely successful career?

I would say somewhere between two to three years. I was the first one there, the last one to leave and did everything that needed to be done for Mark and the guys. I started at the bottom of the totem pole and put my head down and put in work to earn my place and respect, as well as paying homage and respect to those above me. I think it turned out great for me because I never wanted to have fame or notoriety.

I wasn't trying to live up to some end result. I just put in 100 percent day in, day out, and had faith that putting in hard work gets you the results you

deserve. Nowadays, these wannabes just buy a machine online and copy popular tattoo styles and call themselves tattoo masters overnight. It makes me laugh.

In your opinion, what is it about apprenticeship that makes it a necessary process for the art of tattooing?

The apprenticeship is so important because not only does it instill the pride and ethos of this culture you are contributing to, but it also passes along the roots and history of those before you – passing the torch down the lineage and preserving something sacred. I mean it sounds cliché, but it rings very true: pay your dues, earn your place. I still consider myself an apprentice. I learn new things all the time and feel humbled by what I see others doing. There are so many culture vultures that see something shiny and want to be a part of it without having helped it stay pristine. They seem to overlook what makes this art so special.

As one of the most sought-after tattoo artists in the world, how humbling is it for you to know that you’ve only been doing this for seven years? What’s next for Dr. Woo? It’s surreal. I’m humbled and thankful for everything in my life. I also feel like I’ve only just begun. There is so much more on the horizon in terms of evolving my brand and working on very select projects that are an extension of what I’m most passionate about outside of tattooing. You’ll just have to wait and see…

What can we expect for the future of tattooing?

Are there any other tattoo artists that our readers should keep an eye out for over the next couple years?

One thing I've seen with tattooing over the years is that it moves and contorts with the times and always stays relevant. Different styles and trends come and go, but artists will always ride along and adapt with it and keep it going. Plus, the fanbase only grows and grows. There are so many incredible artists out there emerging daily that my mind is constantly blown. I'd rather keep an eye on those who got us here like Freddy Negrete, Mark Mahoney, Rick Walters and Mike Brown, just to name a few.

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MATI - Tank Dress, Poncho, Sandals: Y-3, Socks: CALVIN KLEIN ANDERSON - Jacket, Shorts: LIAM HODGES, T-Shirt: Y-3, Jacket: STONE ISLAND, Shoes: CALVIN KLEIN

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Pants: MAN CANDY, Mesh Shirt: TULLY LOU, Shorts: JUNYA WATANABE, Jacket: PROFOUND AESTHETIC

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MATI - Tank Dress, Poncho & Sandals: Y-3, Socks: CALVIN KLEIN ANDERSON - Jacket, Shorts: LIAM HODGES, T-Shirt: Y-3, Jacket: STONE ISLAND, Shoes: CALVIN KLEIN

T shirt: OFF WHITE, Sweatpants, Shoes & Hat: Y-3, Jacket: CAITLIN PRICE

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MATI - Compression Shorts: ADIDAS, Shorts,Jacket, Shoes: KOLOR X ADIDAS, Sports Bra: TULLY LOU, Socks: CALVIN KLEIN ANDERSON - Pants: Y-3, Hoodie: ASTRID ANDERSEN, Zip Hoodie, Coat: STONE ISLAND, Shoes: APL

MATI - Shorts, Jacket: LONGJOURNEY, Sports Bra: TULLY LOU, Shoes: KOLOR X ADIDAS, Socks: CALVIN KLEIN ANDERSON - Grey Hoodie: JOHN ELLIOT, Shorts: NIKE, Speckled Jacket: KENZO, Coat: ASTRID ANDERSEN, Shoes: RAF SIMONS BY ADIDAS

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MATI - Shorts, Jacket: LONGJOURNEY, Sports Bra: TULLY LOU, Shoes: KOLOR X ADIDAS, Socks: CALVIN KLEIN ANDERSON - Hoodie: JOHN ELLIOT, Shorts: NIKE, Jacket: KENZO,Coat: ASTRID ANDERSEN, Shoes: RAF SIMONS BY ADIDAS

MATI - Tunic, Coat: OPENING CEREMONY, Shoes: NIKE, Socks: CALVIN KLEIN ANDERSON - Pants: Y-3, Shoes: ASICS, Long Sleeve Shirt, Parka: OFF WHITE

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Tank Top: LONGJOURNEY, Pants: Y-3, Jacket: STONE ISLAND, Hat: LONGJOURNEY, Shoes: JUNYA WATANABE

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Photographer: CHRISTINA PAIK Portrait Photography: ALEXANDER LENDRUM

STYLISTS

MODEL CREDITS

DIANNE GARCIA ALEJANDRA HERNANDEZ

ANDERSON PAAK MATI SHAW

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Staying True to Your Craft WORDS BY KEVIN WONG PHOTOGRAPHY BY JERRY BUTTLES

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There has always been something polarizing about New York. Beyond the flashing lights and high rises, local New Yorkers have a certain realness to them, an authenticity that at times is difficult to find anywhere else in the world. This New York state of mind, known to be synonymous with the hustle and grind of its residents, is a valid depiction of the folks out there, and this idea has become inherent in the deep-rooted culture. To survive in the “concrete jungle,” let alone be successful, it takes true grit. So when brands choose to clearly associate themselves with the area, imparting the taglines “Made in New York” or “Product of NYC,” it comes with heavy connotations that they grew out of the bustle of constant competition. For brands or individuals to have been bred and stationed in New York, having a cultural appreciation for the area, despite the challenges it brings, tells a lot about their drive as well as their mindset of staying authentic.

For the LQQK Studio crew based out of Brooklyn, this sentiment of genuineness is apparent in their craft as well as their products. Four friends and a humble studio where all their output comes from. Based around the centuries-old craft of screen printing, LQQK is best known for their print work on the Yeezy Season 1 Tyvek anoraks and Drake’s now infamous If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late album artwork, as well as their extensive work with fellow New York-based label, ICNY. While they work on amazing product with some of the biggest names around, screen printing itself is an old process that is far from glamorous. It is a trade, like any other, that takes practice, time and physical repetition to perfect. From the outside looking in, it is baffling that a group of young men living in this digital age – where millennials constantly seek instant gratification – have latched onto a craft like screen printing and have devoted themselves to succeed in it. In an industry where companies are flocking overseas for quick and cheap mass production, LQQK Studio has gone against the grain in propelling well-crafted, made in America products. They are staying true to the fashion and culture of New York, working with local brands and collaborating with like-minded individuals, all the while honing their own craft. While admittedly not a large business, their value of quality and of culture has allowed them the success we see today.

We caught up with one of LQQK’s founders, Alex Dondero, to gain more insight into the unique establishment that he and his friends have built from the ground up.

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AD

What first brought you into this age-old craft of screen-printing? How long have you been in the trade?

Each one of us has a different story of how we got introduced to screen-printing, but all of us have the same cultural appreciation to its dynamic applications. Being able to work with different fashion designers, graphic designers, musicians, artists, is why we love what we do. We work with different people doing very different projects, which is always exciting. The industry experience of those in the studio ranges from two to 10 years and counting.

For those who don’t know what screen-printing is, can you quickly describe what this process entails, and what type of items you typically produce?

Essentially, screen-printing is a very complex stencil. Mesh screens are coated with a photo-sensitive emulsion that holds the image. Ink is forced through the screen in the open areas of the stencil and that is how the print is produced. Screen-printing is the most versatile method of printing, and you can virtually print on any surface. At LQQK we tend to print on shirts and paper. The studio is split into a few different categories: T-shirt printing, art printing and production, and oddball projects.

In the current age of automation, that emphasizes speed and ease, why would you open a screenprinting studio? Did you see a market or demand there, or was it purely out of interest?

We didn't pick screen-printing as a career, it just happened that way. We believe it's important to offer a craft, especially if you have a passion for it. Momentum is what turned it into a full-time job. Word of mouth is a crazy marketing tool, and we take that to heart. Having a solid reputation is crucial, so when we hand off a final product we assume this person is going to tell other people if we did a good or bad job. So maintaining a high level of expectations is what allows us to keep getting clients.

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People will always appreciate quality. LQQK is trying to be honest with our approach and offer quality services. Demand is tough to predict for printmaking, but it is important to surround yourself with people who are connected to the scene you want to work in. NYC just happens to be an insane place that has its own economy that can support the most specialized markets. Regardless, it is the process we all enjoy and pay close attention to its capabilities and we are constantly learning how to be better especially when people want things faster and cheaper. It’s not a large business so we have always taken our time with projects and building relationships with our clients.

We know there will always be a factory that can do things bigger, faster, and in larger quantities.

Why do you think artists and brands choose your small Brooklyn studio over larger, more established manufacturers and factories?

A majority of our clients are connected to us through personal relationships, or by word of mouth. The larger manufacturers try to pump out larger quantities of one thing. Since we are a smaller studio, we have the capacity to work on smaller, more eccentric projects than the larger manufacturers.

Also, since we are in Brooklyn, we are a walk or a train ride away from most of the people that work with us, so they can always come in and work on getting the specifics down and really getting what they want. We also have a great lounge area!

What was the most technically difficult project you guys have collectively worked on here at LQQK Studio technically?

The most recent one that comes to mind are a few 6-by6-inch multicolor Aaron Young paintings where some of the layers used a disperse agent to have the ink do some wild streaking and running. It was pretty crazy trying to control the dispersion, but we got a nice handle on it, and we were very pleased with how the paintings turned out Boasting some huge name clients like ICNY, Theory, Drake and Kanye, how do you guys decide what projects to take on?

They contact us, we quote them and then we print the goods. Mike Cherman at ICNY has been a good friend and we used to share a space. We don't do much production for him, but he has always had

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our back. With our other clients, that just goes back to what I was saying about NYC being a cultural hub, and we happen to know people who work with a lot of brands. We are definitely not the exclusive printer for these brands and we don't let big name clients get to our head because you never know when those big jobs are going to come around.

How is it collaborating directly with brands as designers and consultants, then also being able to physically create, adjust and refine the product yourself as the manufacturers?

Collaborating with people we respect is why we do what we do. True collaboration allows everyone to gain from the experience, so naturally we are going to apply our experience to our personal projects.

Also, having a strong opinion can often help. We know what we like, and we like to help a specific brand get what they need. Oftentimes people don't have a strong opinion or an eye, and need to be nudged in a certain direction.

Tell us about your clothes, and the motivation behind your branded products.

It's a collective energy to produce quality products. We all have different outside interests that we are able to bring into our brand that we can connect with. At LQQK, we see other brands and designers’ ideas all day long. This becomes a strange version of research and development. We apply what we like to our products. We try and make things that hopefully have the ability to stand the test of time. Our core principle is to always ask ourselves, would we wear or use this? LQQK doesn't feel a strong connection to streetwear because we are not focused on trends and fast fashion. Although our products may be slower to appreciate, we hope to make things that have a long life span.

How have you been able to use the things you have learned from the years of screen-printing for others and implement that into your own gear?

The hardest part about making gear is not going overboard. We have the ability to make some ridiculous clothing, but we find it harder to not just place prints all over everything. That’s not to say we are above crazy prints, we just made a UV-sensitive, color-changing shirt that also glows in the dark. We just needed to get that out of our system.

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stop-shop for when you guys come up with your own ideas for products or designs. How quickly are you able to turn an idea around and bring it to fruition?

Well for a sample, we can pump it out the same day. But you have to understand if all of us don't like the idea for something, it either gets revised until we are all happy, or it doesn't get done. We all have to be vibing in order to feel good about making something. This can take time which is OK with us. Fast output isn't the priority with our product.

You’ve followed your collective interest in music to creating record weights and holding events, how much of what you choose to do is based solely on interest?

We definitely have a strong tie to music, especially dance and electronic music. All of us collect vinyl, and use records when we play out. Music is one of those things that has always been a great outlet for us. We would always meet up and bring a small stack of records that we wanted everyone else to hear. We would DJ small house parties for just our friends, and it was totally loose and casual. This energy spilled over into our Know Wave radio show “LQQK 4 Know Wave.” This became the house party. Every week we could blow off some steam on the airwaves and play the music we were vibing with. This also became a great platform to promote some of our favorite artists and hopefully expose local artists to a wider audience. We generally think that following your interest leads to better results. If you don't have a passion for what you are doing, it shows. That’s why we are making objects like the marble record weight, and pressing records is so important because we care about the results. It’s worth just rolling the dice and hoping for the best results.

With this strong base of knowledge, creativity and hands-on production experience, what is next for LQQK? Fuck, if we knew that would be amazing. We live day-by-day.

No business plan, no budget, loud music. Printing ‘till our hands fall off.

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EXPLICITLY IMPROMPTU WORDS BY ARTHUR BRAY PORTRAITS BY SIMKY CHEUNG IMAGES COURTESY OF TERRY RICHARDSON AND GALERIE PERROTIN

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Porn stars, politicians, hillbillies and celebrities.

Varied as these characters may seem, when assembled they become somewhat of an ordered community. Each character exudes a persona one would imagine appropriate to their titles. In front of Terry Richardson’s lens, however, all preconceptions evaporate and something else emerges.

Esteemed talk show hosts and TV personalities slip out of their dresses, masculine actors swap their double-breasted biker jackets for lipstick and eyeshadow, and otherwise macho rappers and their girlfriends become sloppy lovers who exchange French kisses like nobody's watching. All shot against Terry’s trademark stark white backgrounds, the risqué images force you to rethink what you know about your idols, and fulfill fantasies via otherwise inaccessible, candid snaps.

“It’s not about the technique, it’s about the mystique,” said Terry when we caught up with him at “PORTRAITS,” his 20-year retrospective show in Hong Kong’s Galerie Perrotin. “Sometimes when you meet someone, the energy just flows. Other times it’s a little awkward, but some of the best shoots last just 10 minutes and you make the most out of the situation.

If all goes wrong, you just fall back on something really simple and direct.”

This type of spontaneity, and the ability to work off the cuff, has given the famed American photographer his unique aesthetic. “Even when shooting digital, I don’t look at the image right away. People always want to bring it up to the monitor, but I’m like, fuck that: we’ll look at it tomorrow.

Let’s take pictures now, because you’ll feel it when you have the shot.”

Mastering the approach to sprezzatura, a crafted careless aesthetic in which spontaneity overrides technicality, Terry’s work is a mélange of the commercial and the underground. Few photographers can triumph in both arenas – shooting covers for Vogue, Dazed & Confused, Harper's Bazaar and campaigns from esteemed brands like Supreme to Yves Saint Laurent, while releasing NSFW tomes filled with exhilarating X-rated content. In Terry’s world, they go hand-in-hand. Each shoot gets a director’s cut that departs from the regulated confines of fashion editorials. Displayed on Terry's Tumblr page, mischievous posing and debauchery is expected with every upload. Photos which would normally be edited out in behind-thescene shoots, Terry exhibits proudly. Aside from their sexual nature, his unmistakable portraits, accentuated via the use of a bright flash, allows the 114

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VIGGO MORTENSEN, ID 2003 © 2016 TERRY RICHARDSON, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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WILLEM DAFOE, VOGUE HOMMES INTERNATIONAL 2009 © 2016 TERRY RICHARDSON, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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audience to develop a personal rapport with subjects as far ranging as Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama. It is an aesthetic ignored by many, what Tom Ford refers to as “capturing the real moment.”

In the spacious exhibition room, 17 floors up, a glance at the walls shows a young Kate Moss kissing the televised face of Elvis Presley. Actor Dennis Hopper and rapper Lil Wayne blow smoke into the camera, Lady Gaga pees into a cup, and the late Amy Winehouse sings to a chicken.

Sometimes the roles reverse, with models leading the shoot and Terry becoming the target, at times, nude. Working off emotion rather than lights and angles, Terry suggests that the role swap is merely an extension of the job: “It doesn’t matter who clicks the shutter – they’re my images since I’ve created the picture.”

Dian Hanson, editor of the 2004 Terryworld book, described Richardson as an innovator of “fashion-porn/porn-fashion.” Hanson told the LA Times that “the guy excels in his fashion career and through sheer balls builds an equally admired side career casting himself in every man’s porn fantasies.” The book hit the art world shortly after the debut of Kibosh, the first accumulated collection of Terry’s raunchy, thought-provoking projects.

“Most people would edit out these urges; Terry just bulls ahead.”

But what of this bizarre yet endearing aesthetic? Where did it stem from? Son of Bob Richardson, famed fashion photographer of the ‘60s Blowup-era, and stylist and photographer Annie Lomax, Terry spent his formative years between Woodstock and Hollywood, submersed in the countercultures of America that his parents were so engulfed in. Despite suffering from schizophrenia and drug addiction, Terry’s father was highly acclaimed within the fashion world. As an underground photographer, Bob idolized emotions over clothes, creating radical pictures that showed youth liberated in a retorting way through drama and personal relationships. In a time of Warhol, sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, Terry oscillated between Paris and New York as his father shot for Vogue. After splitting with Bob, Annie dated Jimmy Hendrix, photographed Bob Dylan and the early signees of The Beatles’ Apple Records label, then remarried to Jackie Lomax.

Terry moved to California with his mother when his stepfather landed a deal with Capitol Records, but when Terry was nine, his mother became bedridden as a result of a brutal car accident. This added further strain to Terry’s already turbulent childhood, and required him to receive psychiatric counseling. Punk rock was an antidote to young Terry, helping to channel his anger. If New York hardcore soundtracked his later years, then SoCal’s punk scene was the early catalyst to his identity. The Germs and Black Flag opened him up to the local scene bubbling from Huntington Beach. He remembers moshing with surfer skinheads and playing in bands like SSA, Doggie Style and Baby Fist.

Instead of further pursuing his passion for punk rock, however, Terry began shooting, after his mother introduced him to family friend and fashion photographer Tony Kent for an apprenticeship. “I couldn’t 118

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play bass very well, and I’m tone deaf so I wasn’t a good singer either. I then picked up a camera and found another interest.” Switching mediums of expression, Terry’s early works were boisterous documentations of Hollywood's hustle, and the DIY spirit and musical virtuosity of Ojai punk.

In the early ‘90s, Terry and his father reunited after Bob was found homeless in San Francisco. Braving New York as a father-son duo, the dive bars of East Village, downtown street life and after-hours in defunct buildings became the subjects of Terry’s lens. Candid stills of party-goers and underground youth culture padded his portfolio at a time when the drug-addled, heroin-chic look exploded in the fashion industry. Informed by real life subjects of photo-journalists, Larry Clark in the ‘60s and Nan Goldin of the ‘70s, the industry yearned for an aesthetic that eloquently portrayed the desperation of drug addicts.

Terry’s upfront approach and eagerness to shoot based on feeling seamlessly fitted the new category embraced by fashion publications. This match was perhaps too close as Terry was an addict himself. His father mentored Terry a great deal but didn’t believe in his son’s full potential. Terry recalls his father saying, “You’ll never make it without me.” For Terry’s first shoot for VIBE, he triumphed alone, winning Best New Fashion Story of the Year at the Paris International Festival de la Mode. If his father's images were cinematic and cold with perfection, curated with direction, then Terry's work centers around improvisation and toys with the ebb and flow of emotions in the room. Eschewing post-production and retouching, the mistakes find their way into the frame to create energy that no set piece could portray in the same way.

Hot off the heels from his VIBE shoot, Terry landed a campaign with Katharine Hamnett. To blend irony and humor became his trademark, as he successfully straddled the line between the inappropriate and the seductive. i-D and Arena became clients alongside esoteric platforms such as George magazine where Terry shot a nudist camp in Florida. With the uproar of success, Terry also began crafting his public persona. During a shoot for Sisley, Terry used up the remainders of film by stepping in frame with a bottle of Heineken in hand. The image went on to become an ad in The Face, and springboarded the custom to include himself in photos.

His recognizable tatted arm has been featured in campaigns for Valentino and Evisu, and it’s a tradition for his protagonist, often playing self-cloned versions of Terry in a red flannel and glasses, to pose intimately with their photographer. Editors have described Terry as the creator of “goofy porn,” a sensibility which shows eroticism as nonchalant as friends exploring sex and pranking each other. “Nudity is what artists have worked with for centuries; it’s nice to do something provocative. If someone feels to be naked on a certain day, it’s amazing for us to capture this freedom,” said Terry.

Some artists’ work is heavily dependent on technology or on specific color palettes. For Terry Richardson, the complex spectrum of American 119

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contemporary culture is the only thing integral to each picture. The people in his frame are the canvas, his Yashica T4 the paint, his intuition the brush.

Terry once said his youth “attracted [him] to very dysfunctional, fucked up people.” The ability to interact with a diverse range of people, and have them do things they wouldn’t do otherwise, is grounded in his colorful youth running wild with people of all walks in life. His spontaneity and unapologetic approach run parallel with his aspirations as a rock star. His humor is a direct jeer at the laminations of glamorous fashion spreads. His filth – often echoed by descriptions of him by the media as a “proud pervert” – is his signature. Terry’s art is Terry.

In mid chatter, our conversation was cut short by the gallerist telling us to wrap up the interview as “Terry needs to rest.” Standing at over six feet, the photographer waved off the gallerist in an all too relaxed manner, one to match his untucked plaid shirt, washed denim jeans, New Balance sneakers and, of course, signature black frames: pieces which when paired with his trademark thumbs-up pose, make the bust of today’s most recognizable photographer. Rounding out our time, we requested a shot by his favorite photograph in the exhibition in which he gestures towards a blown-up image of his tattooed arm developed from a lost contact sheet.

“I was stoked when I found my lost arm! This is a photo of my old tattoo which I wish I didn’t cover up,” Terry says cheerfully. “When you cover up a tattoo, you’re covering up a moment. But really, what's better than being impromptu?”

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1UP X JUNYA WATANABE MAN THE UNLIKELY ALLIANCE WORDS BY CODY HORNE PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT BORZA AND 1UP 124

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1UP X JUNYA WATANABE MAN "CARHARTT POCKET T-SHIRT"

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1UP X JUNYA WATANABE MAN "LACOSTE POLOSHIRT"

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With a keen eye for detail, Japanese label JUNYA WATANABE MAN strikes a fine balance between progressive sensibilities and avant-garde details, infusing a signature aesthetic into the brand’s DNA. Since 2001, we’ve seen COMME des GARÇONS’ subsidiary experiment with Americana, sartorial, heritage and outdoor influences by incorporating traditional textures and patterns that ultimately elevate its entire offering. Spearheaded by CDG’s lead designer, Junya Watanabe, protégé of the brand’s legendary founder Rei Kawakubo, JUNYA WATANABE MAN constantly strives to stimulate itself with influences outside of the saturated fashion industry, often collaborating with parties at the forefront of their respective fields.

JUNYA WATANABE MAN's latest endeavor explores the often overlooked art of graffiti. In an age where clean architectural structures dominate our cityscapes, the stigma of graffiti is further magnified, and the technical skill involved with the age-old craft is ignored. JUNYA WATANABE MAN has turned to 1UP, the infamous Berlin-based graffiti collective, to embellish iconic silhouettes from brands it has collaborated with in years past. Utilizing Carhartt, Lacoste, Brooks Brothers, Saint James and Champion shirts as canvases, 1UP instinctually tagged fashion staples with distinct artwork that can also be found on the city walls of their hometown. In turn, these bold designs represent two powerhouses that have joined forces to create unique products that push boundaries and bridge the gap between art and fashion.

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MADE

IN AMERICA DENIM

Quality Across Trends

WORDS BY YOUNG LEE PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNA RAE

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It wasn’t long ago that the U.S. was a respected manufacturing giant where major companies employed millions of people to make everything from cars to clothing to household items. Many things, like the muscle car, became widely recognized as classically American, but arguably one of the biggest American-made goods was denim. Originally only a fabric worn by farm and factory workers, its popularity grew over the last century where it’s worn by people all around the world and prominently featured by brands of all kinds. Levi’s “501” jean eventually became the five-pocket jean that is still what most jeans are based off of today. Along with brands like Lee and Wrangler, they form the largest American clothing companies whose products became visual markers over the years for different time periods in the history of the United States.

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Manufacturing in the U.S. remained strong for many years, but as the world got smaller and smaller with each technological advance, companies began moving operations overseas in search of lower costs and increased production. It seemed like a win for everyone including consumers who rejoiced being able to buy more for less. The U.S. almost saw a mass exodus in the latter half of the century with even Levi’s closing down their remaining U.S. factories and shifting everything overseas. However, in the last 10-15 years, the attitude of quantity over quality seems to be reversing. Whether it’s a result of the dissatisfaction with the noticeable lower quality of clothing, or glaring truths about the human costs of insanely cheap clothing, or even a combination of both, there has been a small but burgeoning interest in better-made products especially with clothing. As such, people began searching for brands that focused on quality.

For many, denim (more specifically raw denim) is one of the first things that brought their attention back to American-made goods. While everyone’s obsession for cheap clothing shuttered many domestic factories and mills, there were still a handful of them making fabric and clothing under the radar. The increased attention on the handful of brands who were still making jeans in America led to a growth of small start-up denim brands in the last decade and phrases like “Made in America” quickly became increasingly commonplace thanks to these independently operated brands.

“Initially, we moved production back to the U.S. because our factory overseas grew tired of our demands and low quantities,” says Johan Lam, one of the owners of 3sixteen, a denim brand based in New York. “They wanted us to make more clothing and nitpick less about their work. When it came time to find a new denim factory, we chose one based in San Francisco that had a track record of producing really high quality pieces and had decades of expertise in cutting and sewing the types of garments that we wanted to produce. Having an experienced factory is the first line of quality control and the ability to visit often allows us to monitor our production closely.” Johan and his partner, Andrew Chen, started the brand about a decade ago and slowly grew their operation to include stockists all over the world while maintaining their unwavering standard of making their products in the U.S. They’ve gained a lot of respect from industry experts and customers for their consistently-made products which now include a full line of shirts, jackets, accessories and shoes. They are joined by brands like Tellason and Rogue Territory, whose founders share Johan and Andrew’s vision of creating high quality goods closer to home. There have also been a growing set of individuals who have taken an even more hands-on approach to the denim and jean production process, like Oakland-based Roy Slaper who creates his own custom fabrics, designs patterns, cuts and sews every single jean from start to finish for his eponymous brand, Roy.

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are cut so that they’ll shrink together at the same rate and direction – he’s demonstrated that is he is not only an expert sewer and a great pattern maker, but also a talented machinist who knows how to manipulate and modify machines to fit his needs. What started off as a hobby – to make himself and his friends some nice custom jeans – turned into a full-time passion project where, at one point, he found himself getting rid of all his furniture including his bed to make room for sewing machines. The knowledge and skill he’s amassed during that time has become a representation of this new wave of American production where people are taking more control of the production process, developing their skills and understanding, and showing the world the level of quality at which product (in this case jeans) can be made in the U.S. There also have been a number of brands like Shockoe in Virginia and Railcar in Los Angeles who have set up factories in their respective hometowns where they employ skilled workers to make their jeans and products. Every brand’s origin story of how and why they got started may vary, but the underlying theme is apparent. These brands took a look at the industry, and decided there was a need to hone in on creating goods that are actually well-made and not just marketed as such. As a result of this shift in emphasis, consumers are also beginning to recognize and talk amongst themselves about how garments are made, where the fabric comes from, and other additional construction details in interest of understanding products and know what there are paying for.

It might seem obvious but a good pair of jeans is more than just a sum of the fabric, thread and hardware. Everything prior to the jean construction, such as the sourcing and manufacturing quality fabric parts, can be a huge undertaking in itself. The decline of American manufacturing made it so that there is only one American mill left making selvedge denim.

Located in North Carolina, Cone Mills became well known for making the famous red lined selvedge denim, made on Draper shuttle looms for Levi’s since the early 1900s. They survived while other mills closed, and to this day, Cone Mills not only continues to make millions of yards of different denim fabrics but, interestingly enough, their denim was what many mills overseas set out to mimic. Eventually these mills, like Kuroki and Nihon Menpu in Japan, perfected denim making and grew to be big, respected denim manufacturers themselves. The option of working with Japanese mills has allowed American denim brands to expand on their fabric choices so that they can offer a wider variety of styles.

With the fabrics in hand, more hours and work are required to dial in patterns that ensure a comfortable and flattering fit while at the same time making sure construction details are planned out and executed correctly so that the jean can stand up to wear and tear. Even the subtler details like the rivets, buttons, leather and stitching requires equal attention to check that the quality is on par with the fabrics. Additionally, after years of ornate decorative stitching and exaggerated washes and distressing, the 140

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focus has shifted towards simple and functional details that serve a purpose.

“There are many other factors in creating a high quality garment, such as using the proper thread gauge to match the weight of fabric or cutting the pattern so that the piece fits as the designer intended, but none of these is as important as the fabric itself,” Johan explains. “Fit is very subjective and personal. It's impossible for a designer to account for every shape and size, so the real key is determining whether the garment fits the wearer as the designer intended.” All of this work results in a jean that takes more time and effort than what might be standard for larger brands, but it’s necessary to make sure that people can see and feel the value from the moment they pick up the jean to months and years down the line when they’ve broken them in. The end goal is always a jean that has longevity, but here, that does not necessarily mean that a particular jean is immune to wear and tear. Rather, it’s a jean that will age gracefully, transcend trends, and in the process not degrade in a way that makes it difficult to fix and wear again.

A brand’s extra efforts and attention to detail are also easily noticed by many shop owners who have built their stores not to push name brands, but to find quality products regardless of the name. “I hate brands that are lazy, lie to their customers, or coast along on early success,” says Jeremy Smith, one of the owners of Standard and Strange. “When someone comes to me, and they can talk about their product end-to-end, where it's made, how they chose to make it, and why, I'm pretty confident in having them in my store.” Jeremy adds, “High-quality construction can happen in a oneman workshop or in a factory. It's all about keeping an eye on production, understanding how a garment is made, and putting in the legwork to make sure your product is high-quality. I've seen horrifyingly bad quality construction from the U.S. as well – we have the best factories for denim in the world, and some of the absolute worst.”

Raw denim is really about the long game. As much as there is to gawk over with a new pair of well-made jeans, it’s how the jeans will look after years of wear that grabs people’s attention. It’s this aged and worn-in look that companies have tried to skip to directly with stone washing and hand distressing, but even the most carefully distressed jean can’t mimic the wear marks that come naturally. It’s always interesting to compare several worn-in jeans to a new pair and see how much the jean changes from its raw state. The fascination arises out of how one pair of jeans will differ from another based on who wore them – whether it’s the faded knees of a photographer constantly kneeling to get the shot, torn out pocket entries from carrying knives and phones, or wallet outlines in the back pocket.

Unlike most other garments, how a jean wears in can remind someone of specific stories or even be a part of the memories.

As American brands continue to grow and produce more in the U.S., it brings the question of what things will look like in the future for the industry. There is an element of rebuilding the infrastructure that was 141

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crippled over the last 50 years that still needs to be done, and also a need for more skilled and trained workers to match the growth. “As 3sixteen continues to grow and produce larger quantities of clothing, we hope our factory will grow with us and be able to provide more jobs to sewers, pattern makers and fabric cutters,” says Johan. We're still a long way from matching the heyday of American manufacturing, but any brand that has chosen to produce clothes here in the U.S. is helping to push things in the right direction.” The next decade is an important one as these brands who started initially as small independent makers become major influencers in how the denim and clothing industry will develop in the U.S. With the grimmer lessons of outsourcing still fresh, this generation of denim makers have a steadfast focus on growing not simply to make as much money as possible, but instead to continue to take pride in not only creating high quality goods but also to do so while paying their workers wages they deserve. By being transparent and honest, they’ve created a more knowledgeable customer base who can better discern quality from marketing.

There are definitely some big challenges ahead, but with the right mix of hard working and passionate people inspiring others around them to change the industry for the better, we’ll be seeing a lot more indigo in the future of the U.S.

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Restoring

History

Lot, Stock, & Barrel WORDS BY ANDREW PULIG PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID LEKACH

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Originally constructed with blue-collar workers in mind, workwear was designed to survive the everyday struggle of manual labor during the early 1900s. Starting with the mill from which the fabric was sourced, to the triple-stitched seams and reinforced rivets that hold it all together, these garments were crafted – from start to finish – to stand the test of time. The result was clothing with a lifespan long enough to outlive the wearer, leaving behind lasting rips, fades and repairs to tell a tale of true American hardship. For Los Angeles-based vintage retail concept Lot, Stock & Barrel, the rich history surrounding heritage clothing fuels its passion to keep Americana alive in the modern world.

Through many years of working for American staples such as Levi’s, Filson and Ralph Lauren, founders Benjamin Phillips and Florence Tang have acquired an immense amount of knowledge surrounding heritage goods, developing a taste for an era in which the aesthetic flourished. With a background in retail, marketing, design and branding, the space functions as a fully fledged design studio capable of executing any creative idea that comes through the door, in turn, collaborating with brands like Schott, Playboy and Feltraiger. However, for the design agency that can do it all, nothing is more important than ensuring the longevity of seasoned garbs.

When customers make their way into LS&B in hopes of finding vintage goods, they are often overwhelmed by the endless supply of options.

These garments are living relics of American history, serving as a blank canvas in need of personality. Through the sewing work of master tailor Elizabeth Valashinas, the restoration process begins with an updating the fit, incorporating textiles of the client’s choice. The process ends with vintage chain-stitched embroidery, a freehand method Tang learned as an apprentice tailor. LS&B’s goal is to create a platform “to present a unique take on classic American vintage from an outsider’s perspective.” Their unique design process involves close consultation with the client, with whom they work together to translate raw creative ideas into a one-of-akind products customers can cherish for a lifetime. To learn more about the process, LS&B gave us some insight to the steps necessary in restoring a garment.

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To restore this vintage USA military field shirt with wear and tear from the Vietnam era, we utilized both traditional and unique but unorthodox fabrics to restore in a functional and interesting way.

We chose a few materials for the restoration, including classic military herringbone twill material and cotton sateen. The final fabric, Japanese Boro cloth, was chosen for its color and texture – an inspiring fabric that had already seen years of wear and repair. Usage of vintage olive drab fabrics mixed with Japanese indigo presents a nice contrast and depth of color and texture.

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We exchanged standard twill tape nameplate with over-dyed indigo twill tape with a chain-stitched monogram for LS&B and Elizabeth Valashinas, founder of Mary James and Co. All repairs were sewn on a single-needle lockstitch machine, or hand-sewn and finished inside the LS&B tailor shop. The chain-stitch embroidery was composed on a vintage Singer chain-stitch embroidery machine from around the 1950s.

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Eames Lounge Chair & Ottoman 670/671

The Luxury Icon WORDS BY KEVIN WONG PHOTOGRAPHY BY HERMAN MILLER & KEVIN WONG

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Becoming an “icon” is perhaps the greatest achievement for any single entity. Regardless of subject or industry, it is the pinnacle of success.

An icon often exemplifies something larger and greater than the simple sum of its parts. It represents a certain idea or a concept, a state of being within our current culture. And for something to be truly iconic, it needs to uphold its meaning and relevance within our culture through an extended period of time.

But how is something deemed worthy of embarking on this long road to becoming an icon? For the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, it was the distinctive concept behind the modern design and the immense attention to detail in production that gave this piece of furniture a basis for its eventual development into its status as an icon. Impeccable design and craftsmanship alone, however, cannot drive the success of a product, and without context, it is very difficult to imagine or understand how an inanimate object can possibly embody anything beyond its form and function. The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, as it stands today, is undoubtedly a product of unique design, especially within the context of time and its place in the history of American culture. It is this particular combination of circumstances that helped catapult the now iconic Eames piece to its place as the de facto chair symbolizing both status and style.

Today, the name of Eames is synonymous with the lounge chair and ottoman combination, though Charles and Ray Eames have together designed an extensive collection of furniture as well as entire houses, exhibitions and films. Before all the notable pieces we know and love today was a breakthrough design that propelled the Eameses’ careers. In

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1942, in the midst of World War II, the couple developed a revolutionary splint for the U.S. Navy using their signature molded plywood. This was their first application of wood molding technology after years of experimenting with the material and developing the process. The pair not only helped in the development of the splint, but also played a major role in developing the manufacturing process. This thorough and hands-on approach to development and production of their designs remained true across all Eames products thereafter.

The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, known also by their product codes 670 and 671, utilizes the same wood molding technology as the leg splints. Coming almost a decade after Charles and Ray began experimenting with molded plywood – creating all sorts of unique pieces including children’s furniture and toy model elephants – pieces exhibit a seamless fusion of make and material. “The Eames Lounge and Ottoman, like most Eames products, are special in their uncommon use of natural materials and industrial processes that come together to support the user in a perfect marriage of engineering and art,” says Adam Call of Herman Miller, one of the two sole manufacturers of Eames furniture alongside Vitra. The Lounge and Ottoman pieces are hand-assembled, using then new and “magical” materials aluminum and molded plywood, and were designed to get better with age. Starting with the most recognizable component of the chair, the plywood shell is made up of a 7-ply veneer, fused together and molded at high heat to fit the perfect curve-shape design. The plush comfort of the chair can be attributed to the previously down-filled, now urethane foam cushions which are individually upholstered and are both replaceable and interchangeable. Even with its innovative build, a closer look at the lounge and ottoman shows that the design concept behind the two-piece set is still perhaps the most compelling aspect, and at the center of its cause for prominence.

In one word, the lounge chair can be described as truly “modern.” The design symbolizes who Ray and Charles were as painters and architects. The Eameses’ approach to design was ambitious in nature, and the pair sought to accomplish their creative visions by any means necessary. “With each of their major projects in furniture, they begin with an ambitious challenge that often required them to invent processes to accomplish the forms or contours they were after,” explains Call.

“They considered how the chairs would be made and experimented continuously with ways to iterate and improve minute details of their designs for years after they were first introduced.” This progressive attitude led them to conceive, design, and develop the Lounge Chair and Ottoman based on their visionary concept of making a chair that had a modern aesthetic for the 1950s, while still providing “welcoming comfort to the body.” Modeled after the “club chair,” Charles and Ray were also inspired by an unlikely object and sought to construct their lounge chair 159

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after the “warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman’s mitt.”

Clearly ahead of their time, the couple had all things considered when conceptualizing this specific piece of furniture, including culture and the state of society. “I think they were the first American designers to align their interests perfectly with the needs of their clients, and in some ways the needs of society as a whole.” Debuting in 1956, during the postWorld War II economic boom, the piece came at a time in history where Americans were looking forward – intrigued with the new and the fresh.

The term “lounge” itself delineated an air of modern luxury and suggested a lifestyle that afforded for relaxation and “lounging” – a phenomenon that was quite new to the general public in the ‘40s and ‘50s. Made to fit the Eameses’ own home, the chair itself became tied to certain values and stood for something more. The furniture set exemplified a specific way of life, one that valued visible status and a high regard for style. This symbolization of elevated taste has stuck with the lounge and ottoman to this day, and directly contributes to the veil of refinement that blankets the piece.

The Lounge Chair and Ottoman were set up for longstanding recognition from the start. As Charles and Ray Eames received high praise as designers, the piece debuted on national television on the NBC network during The Today Show in 1956. Since then, the lounge and ottoman have appeared everywhere in popular entertainment, including stylish movie and television sets. The chair is best known for being a permanent fixture in the popular television sitcom, Frasier. The set has played such a prominent role in both media and popular culture that as an ode to American life during the ‘40s and ‘50s, the New York MoMA and Art Institute of Chicago have included the pieces as a part of their permanent collection.

The same way the chair reflected the sentiment of many people during this particular period in the history of American design still stands true today for both owners and onlookers alike. “There was an optimism, freshness, and forward looking point of view that still resonates with many people,” says Call. “Designs originating from this period are still appealing because people still strive for those characteristics – optimism, energy and warmth in their daily lives.”

Though Herman Miller itself exclaims the chair to be “a special refuge from the strains of modern living,” it is quite apparent the lounge chair and ottoman has always existed as more than just a place to rest. And while the pioneering build of the chair and cutting-edge materials used on it has been unparalleled from day one, it is the perfect combination of product, time and place that allowed for its uncanny rise to superstar status in the world of furniture design. The genius of the Eameses was not only in conceiving the chair from design to production, but also in their ability to recognize and identify with the culture at the time, and further-

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more create a product that can represent an ideal that transcends time.

Today the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman still signifies all it did when it first released in 1956, but through the last half century it has accrued even more meaning and taken on an even greater persona. “Almost everybody owns some kind of lounge chair, and there are many valid and suitable lounge chairs out there. But there is something special about owning this particular chair, whether it is the design legacy, quality of materials, the iconic silhouette, the actual comfort, or a combination of all these factors,� explains Call. Its longevity as a well-made product and as a symbol in American culture is thus what has allowed the Eameses’ signature piece to be truly iconic.

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Los Padrinos

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Photographer: NEIL BEDFORD Retouching: OLIVER CARVER

MODEL CREDITS

IAN BROWN ROBERT BROOKES

SPECIAL THANK YOU TO: GARY ASPDEN AND MIKEY CHETCUTI

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WORDS BY GAVIN YEUNG PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAIGO YAMAMOTO AND CHRIS SEARLE

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Within our modern, forward-thinking culture, getting to where no man has been before is often seen as all-important, which at times puts tried-and-tested traditions at risk of being discarded. However, against those assails of modernity, an old guard of craftsmen are finding value in reaching back into history and introducing something into the current climate that is not only suitable, but can also prosper in a new light. Among them is one Andrew Bunney, who cut his teeth working for renowned British select shops and as a designer for Stussy amongst others, in the process playing no small part in shaping what was then a fledgling streetwear scene in the UK. His eponymous jewelry label, BUNNEY, is therefore a natural continuation of this mindset. Founded in 2009, BUNNEY grew from an initial offering of a set of three silver pyramid studs that could easily be fixed to the corner of one’s jacket lapel or on the points of a shirt collar. Both inconspicuous yet quietly rebellious, it was a marked and much appreciated addition that filled the void in the men’s jewelry market between brash, attention-grabbing pieces and, well, no jewelry at all.

While BUNNEY initially trod unfamiliar ground, it was also firmly rooted in British artisanal tradition with its precious metal pieces hand-crafted by the finest jewelers and metalworkers from across the British Isles, and then hallmarked by the 700-year-old Assay Office of the Goldsmith’s Company in London.

Creating a variety of products from a sterling silver padlock in collaboration with Parisian boutique colette, and a Scottish oxhorn shoe horn inlaid with gemstones, to an exquisite, custom-designed Vespa scooter, BUNNEY is as versatile as its creator. For this reason, we spoke to Andrew Bunney on his adept incorporation of British influences into his work, the value of imperfection in a perfection-oriented medium, and navigating a new identity for unisex jewelry.

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Why did you make the jump from a job designing functional, no-frills product such as T-shirts and Doc Martens boots to making jewelry, and what did you learn in the process?

I’ve designed for many different companies, across different product categories, in the UK, Europe, U.S. and Japan, and I think a designer should be able to look at anything. As I worked as a creative director rather than a designer, it made sense to create more of a world around a product or brand.

I suppose an aspect that I like and am intrigued by are products that many different types of people can wear. Growing up in the UK, we are surrounded with a history of subcultures, and an important part of that is the clothing. Typically, subcultures take existing products and wear or claim them as their own. I like the idea that different groups can claim the same product but imbue it with their own meaning or relevance. In the U.S., one might see a pair of pants from a brand like Dickies worn as workwear uniform but also adopted by hip-hop fans or skaters, among others. In the UK, this is true of a brand like Dr. Martens too. As a creative director, one has to find ways to allow this careful balance. In creating new products for an existing brand, one cannot abandon the core fans, but must also move forward. As a designer, one has to create something that has a certain spirit and charm, yet still be “blank” enough that others can adopt it for themselves. With BUNNEY, one of the most important concepts from the beginning was to create something that the wearer could use in their own way – something that would be “special” beyond the materials itself. I’m excited to see different kinds of people wear and use our products in ways that mean something personal to them.

What do you feel are the main distinguishing features between men’s and women’s jewelry?

The approach for BUNNEY has always been as a unisex brand, so whilst in the market I do believe in general that there are differences – stylistically and shopping behaviours, for example – I’m not thinking of differences. There are certain considerations, such as dimensions or weight, but I want to offer something that can appeal to anyone, so I’m not thinking of a gender in particular. Before I began BUNNEY, I was interested in jewelry as a

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consumer, yet I rarely considered ”men’s” brands.

Female-focused brands were more intriguing, yet products were often too small or feminine, so I felt there was something that could be made in between.

Where and how do you find inspiration for your designs?

Ideas can come from anywhere of course. Often it is from a need or desire to create something that I believe is missing, or sometimes they can be from revisiting articles that were once useful yet lost their purpose, but have a reason to exist again. For example, we introduced atomizers for the first time last season, which was a popular product in the early part of last century but eventually fell out of favor. However, with the current restriction on liquids with air travel, they can become useful again for women or men that travel and use perfume.

Can you give us a lowdown on the state of the men's jewelry industry? What is the current state of craftsmanship in this field?

Well, I think the main difference is between precious metals and costume jewelry, and we are only using precious metals. On a much wider scale,

an interesting state are the materials themselves – prices are higher than ever before, which dictate the items that can be made, and this of course leads a drive to finding alternative materials. There are a lot of investigations into 3D printing and of course, these investigations will find a place and enable companies to produce articles which are impossible to produce by hand for cost reasons.

But this pursuit is nothing new – I’m sure Victorians were excited and conflicted by developments like electroforming in their day.

You're a big fan of watches. Are there any elements of watch design that you draw from to create your own pieces?

I’m mainly interested in vintage styles, although not much past the 1960s. I’m not sure that there is much that I draw upon from watch design, although I would love at some point to work with watches.

However, I am interested in a certain spirit or dynamic that exists, which is a subtle play between digital and analogue. I’m not referring to a watch with hands or a digital face. For most of the last century, watches were made with mechanized production techniques, and tools designed by man. To

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Why do you think men are becoming more concerned with their fashion and appearance in modern times?

There are many reasons, I suppose, but I don’t think it is anything new. Instead, there has been more of a gradual move towards this. Perhaps the most notable one is the spreading of cultures through improved communication – we are now able to understand and adopt aspects from other cultures and nationalities very easily. Just maybe, we are now heading toward a more universal idea of beauty.

create something as accurate as possible would have taken a tremendous effort. The advent of digital production or CAD meant that production could be more accurate than ever before – a necessity in watch making – yet subtle imperfections were lost. I think that watch collectors universally enjoy these gentle imperfections: the plastic crystal rather than the sapphire glass, or the printing method of the dial, for example. I want to make products for BUNNEY as well as possible, but it is important that they have a certain character or spirit in the product itself. Of course, we use computers in the office for designing but the process of marking the hallmarks or logos by hand gives a human touch to the work. This is often very subtle, almost imperceptible, but the weight of a human hand employs a very different character to the accuracy of a laser mark. The balance is very important to me.

Badges and pins are often mass-produced for little cost. Why do you feel the need to elevate them via the process of hand crafting?

Simply with BUNNEY, we are looking to make products as special or as beautiful as possible. Badges and pins were the first items that I made. Historically speaking there is little to no difference between a badge and a brooch, but one wouldn’t be surprised at a brooch made of precious metals. There are a number of reasons for wanting to make something as special as possible. In youth culture, simple objects or icons often hold a lot of power to the owner or wearer – it could be a slogan or message, or even a bond that the wearer cares strongly about, and so I think that a simple badge can hold an inordinate amount of power or currency. Having worked in fashion with clothing and footwear, I think the life cycle of products is very different between clothing and jewellery. Even with vintage clothing where I started my career, one would only really hope to have something truly wearable for 50 to 60 years, even if we are talking about something as hard-wearing as denim. This, however, is a key feature of jewelry – if made properly the pieces can last for generations, and beyond the value of the materials, and if given as a gift then they are imbued with nostalgic value, making them even more special.

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Some itches, no matter how hard to reach, demand scratching. Some cars, no matter how impractical, expensive or rare, demand owning. The Porsche 550 Spyder is without question one of these cars.

Porsche 550 Spyder

The Prodigious Pastiche Photography by Ted Gushue

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And so it was that in 1965 that a Parisian Porsche enthusiast got the itch, and instead of listening to his bank account, he immediately got to work in his garage. You see, the 550 you’re looking at is anything but factory stock. In fact, it’s never once even been to Stuttgart. It was made, by hand, in Paris.

Armed with a handful of drawings and specs of the original car, this man quite literally started hammering away. Genuine factory parts were ordered up from Germany, schematics were roughed out by hand, and a 1963 Porsche 1600 engine was purchased from a scrapyard. Dozens of square yards of aluminum alloy were acquired and wooden bucks were assembled in the vague shape of a 550 Spyder.

For months on end this plucky pioneer toiled away in his garage, tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding a lightweight monocoque frame, cobbling together suspension pieces, fumbling his way through the electrical wiring process. He would stretch great sheets of aluminum out before hammering away well into the evening till the rough curvature of a 550 would start to reveal itself (much to the chagris of his neighbors).

Throughout the process, box upon box would be delivered from Germany, each containing a tiny piece to his Porsche puzzle.

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It’s hard not to imagine the look on his face when, after an age of construction, the Frenchman raised his garage door one last time to find the 550 sitting happily where only months prior had been a pile of parts.

At this point, there was only one thing left to do: race it.

Through the early 1970s the car enjoyed a healthy racing career, bombing around the club tracks of Europe. As the builder entered old age, he moved his prized possession into storage, where it sat until it was acquired by the Hammer Collection around 2003. There, it was restored and hand-aged with the legendary livery of the Guatemalan team, piloted

by José Herrarte Ariano and Carlos González that competed in the 1953 Carrera Panamericana, winning its overall class. The race was somewhat legendary, pitting Juan Manuel Fangio, arguably the greatest driver of all time, against a litany of unknowns.

To drive the Porsche 550 is to be thrown back in time to when racing drivers had the masochistic tendencies of a Saw movie producer – the thing is rough, and unapologetically so. Loud, rambunctious, and a scream to drive. Each gearshift is a wormhole to another era – no synchromesh technology or rudimentary gearing ratios. The whole thing is, without question, an experience.

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It’s so rare to see the ingenuity and willingness from someone to toil away in a small garage, working tirelessly on something made from sheer passion.

Of course there are high-end manufacturers like Rod Emory or Singer Vehicle design that do incredible handmade work, but they do it on a grand scale.

What happened to the little guy?

The weekend warrior?

Where did he go?

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Specialty coffee finds its place in neighborhood cafés.

WORDS BY TYLER MADDEN PHOTOGRAPHY BY SASHA PUCHALLA

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Deciding where to go for morning coffee can be one of the most complex consumer decisions out there. Not only is it one that you face everyday if you aren’t resolved to be a regular at a specific establishment, but there are a handful of variables that must be weighed out. Do you prioritize strictly based on what is quickest, easiest and most efficient for your day, and your planned route of travel? Are you drawn to places based on the experience, and the unique brand of community that can exist within these coffee houses? Or are you an espresso connoisseur, waking up an hour earlier every morning just to drive to the spot that does it better than anywhere else in town?

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It wasn’t that long ago that in most American cities, if you placed the highest priority on the quality of your beverage, that your decision was limited to one, maybe two options; either a retail location for a roasting operation, or a café whose entire coffee program, from beans, to brewing practices and service, were established and informed by whatever roaster they were using. This seemed to stem largely from the correlation between average cup quality and overall awareness, and to a lesser degree, control of the four distinct crafts of growing/picking, processing, roasting and brewing that directly contribute to the quality of each beverage served. In the simplest terms, it’s most likely that a café will have consistently tasty drinks if the baristas working there are well-trained and are working with high quality beans that have been roasted in an optimal manner consistent with the method of preparation the barista employs. This proved a solid advantage to quality-focused roasting companies that had reached a point where they were routinely traveling to origin to source their coffees. Not only did this allow a measure of control over what coffees they were buying, but the notion that a company traveled to origin, or perhaps “bought direct,” certainly elevated the company’s esteem among prospective baristas. For a span of time, the result of this was a consolidation of the professionals most serious about quality coffee among a relatively small number of national or regional roaster retailers.

However, increased knowledge and skill within the industry, technology for analysis and communication, and an increasing base of savvy, enthusiastic customers have forced that pattern to be broken in all directions. This has allowed companies to simultaneously provide coffee that strives for the highest quality and best practices, while devoting a bulk of their attention to creating a coffee bar experience uniquely tailored to their target audience – a phenomena responsible for a new wave of shops that serve excellent coffee in unique and personal settings. This combination of increasing technical skill, greater communication among a wider swathe of industry professionals, and technology that allows for quantification of brewing attributes – previously described exclusively by taste and intuition – has spurred an explosion of shops serving exceptional coffee, and it seems that interesting shops and concepts that appear to take great care with beverage quality are opening and expanding at a healthy rate. It is safe to say that, at its highest level, there is more excellent coffee being served in the U.S. than ever before, from a wider range of geographic origins, and a richer host of cafes. These cafes reward the regulars that they attract by the unique experience they provide, which boils down to concocting the perfect flavor for each individual. At the same time, they managing to provide proactive new visitors with a one-of-a-kind coffee service unlike anything they’ve experienced before.

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itself in different ways. Pared down menus are commonplace among the upper echelon of quality-focused cafés. In contrast to the commonly held practice of offering a variety of dairy and non-dairy milk options, it’s not surprising now for a quality-focused shop to offer one dairy option, and one exclusive – or potentially house-made nut based milk – designed specifically as an ingredient to be combined with coffee as it is prepared by that specific shop. Also, in an effort to not come across strictly as purists or elitists, it’s now relatively common for good shops to offer one or more non-traditional or specialty drinks that serve the dual purposes of offering an appealing, yet accessible option to visitors who aren’t particularly taken with straightforward coffee beverages.

The evolution of quality-focused coffee bars and cafés is more apparent in Los Angeles than anywhere else in the country. Coffee in the City of Angels has evolved rapidly, from being one of America’s profound coffee deserts just a decade ago, to its current status as arguably the best, most expansive coffee city in the country. Emblematic of the evolution described, this transformation began when Chicago-based Intelligentsia enlisted Seattle coffee pros Kyle Glanville and Tony “Tonx” Konecny to establish a roasting and retail presence in the city, with hopes of establishing a foothold in a previously untapped market. This gambit was a wild success, and for a time, Intelligentsia’s Silver Lake Coffee Bar, and the subsequent expansion to Venice’s Abbot Kinney Boulevard were unequivocally head and shoulders above any of the competition in the city. Eventually, competition began to catch up, in the form of local companies upping their game, expansion from national or regional roaster-retailers into the Los Angeles market, and also from the ambitious cafes and roasting operations launched by a wide range of Intelligentsia alumni. There was even a confluence of these factors that contributed to the evolution of coffee in Los Angeles, when Bay Area’s Blue Bottle Coffee announced the acquisition of Konecny’s Tonx Coffee and Intelli-alumni founded fledgling roaster-retailer Handsome Coffee Roasters in April 2014. The Los Angeles coffee scene continues to explode and there is a multitude of excellent coffee to explore there, but one particular shop in Venice is as apt a sign of the times as any.

Menotti’s Coffee Stop just off Winward Circle, half a block from Venice Beach, is a world-class coffee bar wearing the clothing of a smartly appointed local beachside cafe. Menotti’s is run by Nicely Alameda, who is world famous for his latte art, and has spent over a decade working as a barista at a variety of industry innovators, resulting in a wide range of experience with a diverse group of world-class coffee services. The cafe uses coffee from Four Barrel in San Francisco to execute the simple and relatively traditional drinks on its small menu. In addition to the menu hanging above the bar, Menotti’s has a well-hidden but highly acclaimed secret menu with a selection of drinks that go beyond the straightforward 200

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main menu. One aspect of Menotti’s menu that is most telling of the ethos of the place is the sign adjacent that reads, “Don’t see what you are looking for? Let’s talk about it!” This is a great nod to Alameda’s industry-renowned on-bar loquaciousness as well as both the desire and ability amongst the staff to transform the desires of their clientele into a beverage that meets Menotti’s high standards. The same level of care given to customer interaction is put into each phase of beverage preparation, with meticulously crafted espresso drinks finished with free-poured milk making it clear that Alameda has been passing his latte art gifts onto his staff.

The brilliance at play at Menotti’s goes beyond the exceptional drinks. The shop has become a community hub for an undeniably idiosyncratic segment of the Venice Beach community. Music in the shop is courtesy of vinyl played on a vintage hi-fi setup, and despite the limited seating that encourages baristas to suggest “the beach” as the best place to sit while enjoying your coffee, it’s more likely than not that, during your visit, you’ll encounter someone who has been getting their caffeine fix from Alameda for more than five years, since his early days at Intelligentsia’s Abbot Kinney outpost in Venice. This sense of community is underscored by the fact that staff and regulars alike routinely contribute foraged or exotically sourced specialty ingredients for drinks on the main and secret menus. That this community is palpable at first visit is what elevates Menotti’s beyond just a place to get a really tasty coffee. It’s when you can feel that the place you’re in is so revered by people who choose to patronize it every day, that you approach the counter with an implicit understanding of the special experience you are about to have.

The low-key existence of a place like Menotti’s is a sign of how far coffee has come in a relatively short timeframe, and provides a signpost for what ambitious shops can strive to achieve. The prospect of beautiful, unassuming coffee bars producing delicious drinks proliferating on a larger scale than ever before is an excellent one indeed.

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Scent of Nostalgia WORDS BY HELENA YEUNG PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZUILI LUDOVIC

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We have all experienced the sensation of being overcome by a familiar smell – a striking aromatic experience that imbues a flood of emotions instantly. Scents are power ful and can be memory-inducing, teleporting you to another time and place. Although it is an experience that everyone can relate to, it is a phenomenon barely understood. It is intangible and ephemeral, often described by how we experience it. These fleeting moments inexplicably tie together scent and memory.

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While the sense of smell is often taken for granted, the mission to create desirable scents has long existed, since the earliest of civilizations.

Perfumes, one of the most widely distributed scented products, have the power to inspire confidence for a night out, trigger memories with indelible clarity and even evoke strong emotions. As with anything else, power comes with responsibility. The masters behind scents are not simply constructing liquids with a scent, they are recreating memories and capturing short-lived moments in aromatic form.

One of these gatekeepers of memories is Ramdane Touhami, an eccentric Frenchman whose own curiosity in the art of creating scents has led him to become an expert in the field. Touhami is credited with revitalizing storied luxury candle brand Cire Trudon. He is a man with strong ideas on the state of fragrances, passionate about the relationship between scents and its ability to bring menial memories back into salience.

It is Touhami’s inquisitive nature that drives him as he states, “I hate perfumes, but I love smells. I’m very curious about different smells and I love traveling and discovering new scents, then recreating them very precisely.”

Having spent his childhood in the aroma-rich countryside in the south of France, Touhami’s olfactive memory has played a huge role in his position as a point of authority in fragrances, but his polarizing ideas about what fragrances should and should not be are what differentiate him from the rest. Working alongside his wife Victoire de Taillac-Touhami, who was previously the head of communications for colette, the stylish duo decided to bring their magic touch to the historic fragrance brand by bringing it into the 21st century.

Buly 1803 is a perfumes and cosmetics brand that creates unique smells you won’t find elsewhere. Its products consist of worldwide beauty essentials with an exotic and vintage touch. Taking on a very different ethos than the contemporary aesthetic of cosmetic brands currently in the market, Buly 1803 has a vintage feel, seemingly straight out of a period film. This shop offers a refreshing change of pace from the generic aromas that plague department stores.

Originally founded by Jean-Vincent Bully in the 19th century on the iconic rue Saint-Honoré in Paris, the brand became renowned for its perfumes and scented vinegars. At the time, the fragrance industry was still very exclusive, with trade secrets passed down from master craftsmen to their protégés. Touhami and his wife did not have grand plans to renew Buly or rebuild it from the ground up, but instead preserve its essence and find a place within today’s fragrance landscape. Taking out the extra consonant from the name and giving it a new home on Paris rue Bonaparte, the pair have revitalized Buly and proudly maintained its original and vintage aesthetic, all the while keeping innovation in its veins.

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Buly 1803 stays timeless and full of integrity. “I don’t like using words in describing scents. Words have too much freedom and I am precise. I like to take actual pieces of material so that the scent can be fully and accurately imagined.” Touhami looks far and wide for these unique scents. “The [fragrance] industry is pretty pathetic these days. They must make perfumes for ‘femme fatales’ that are ‘sexy.’” His apathy for current standards is what makes Buly 1803 stand out. Sourcing different ingredients from all around the world, its range of beauty products include scents such as “English Honey,” “Mexican Tuberose” and “Japanese Wood.” At its brick and mortar, visitors are offered a chance to expand their olfactory palate, via stocks oils, clays and incense pebbles. As Touhami says, “Buly is not only about smells, but about beauty secrets from around the world.”

Despite the aim to use raw materials to accurately recreate different scents, Buly has to rely on headspace technology for a lot of its rarer materials. Headspace technology refers to the elucidation of odor compounds, a method in which a contraption can detect and analyze gasses.

This data can then be used by perfumers to recreate special scents that are particular to a certain object. Indispensable to any perfumer, this technique has made it possible to analyze smells and to accurately share these unique scent-tinged memories among a slew of different consumers.

Aside from headspace technology, Buly 1803 is also home to one of the latest innovations in the realm of fragrances. Prior to Buly’s advancements in the craft, the latest step forward in the fragrance industry came in the mid-19th century with the introduction of synthetic aromas.

This move from nature to laboratory marked a shift that now sees much of today’s perfumes and beauty products contain ingredients that are not tangible. While these concoctions may be cheaper, it takes the integrity out of the scents, eschewing the simple beauty of natural fragrances for a world of novel, yet disconnected scents.

In an effort to break away from these practices, Buly’s craftsmen have uncovered a way to construct perfumes that are water-based instead of alcohol-based. “The most complicated part was discovering how to combine water and oil to create an emulsion that would retain its scent.”

Buly’s scents are able to unveil their “full breadth and purity” while adapting to your skin’s own makeup, in turn revolutionizing the fragrance industry.

While the formulas inside Buly 1803’s bottles spell a futuristic and innovative step in both fragrances and beauty products, these technically advanced products are housed inside pristine antique bottles that tell a completely different story. Taking a step into the humble shop feels like you have gone back in time. At first glance, the space resembles an apothecary – walls lined with glass jars of magical potions and mysterious concoctions. Cabinets of curiosities pique your interest, drawing you to the Directoire period aesthetic that Ramdane and his wife have so effectively emulated. Like Bully’s original officine, the space is clad with aged walnut 208

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burl and turquoise floor tiles, and upon a closer look you discern intricate beauty products such as body scrubs, washes and oils. To cap it off, shop associates encourage you to experience a range of smells in order to find one that is personal to you.

Buly 1803 is undeniably a rogue player in an industry with mammoth corporations that sell generic products to the masses. A self-professed loner, Touhami is bringing back perfumes as an art, with unique fragrances at the forefront. These scents are less so a statement and more a complement to your being. At the end of the day, scents are a personal story. They are an indelible aspect of experiences, and Touhami has made Buly 1803 a legacy of his own to be shared with the world. “My approach is very different. I’m not creating perfumes for you to wear for other people, I’m creating perfumes for you.”

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WORDS BY NAOMI ACCARDI PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEFANO CARLONI

GUIDE TO MILAN

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Known as the only city in Italy where public transport is accessible and WiFi works efficiently, Milan is the nation’s center for business innovation and creative development.

The city’s everyday scene might seem dormant and dull, but behind the serious faces of white-collar workers who mostly populate the ‘70s-era style concrete buildings, Milan hides some exciting gems. Here we list some of the most interesting up-and-coming spots that make Milan the place to be.

SPAZIO SUNNEI SLAM JAM STORE INNER ERAL 55 NIKELAB LNZ1 THE BOTANICAL CLUB BACKDOOR 43 NUN OTTO HAIR THE ART MARKETS PLUS DESIGN GALLERY SANTERIA PALADINI 8 211

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Via Vincenzo Vela 8 20133, Milan Italy sunnei.it

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The duo behind the young Italian menswear brand SUNNEI recently opened up their first flagship store and working studio to give a home to their creative pursuits. More than just a retail space, SPAZIO SUNNEI is often the stage for many events with the goal to create new creative synergies and collaborations.

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As the retail component of the eponymous online streetwear giant, the Slam Jam Store offers a wide selection of your favorite brands and magazines all compressed in no more than 40 square meters. Often assaulted by streetwear aficionados on special release days, Slam Jam is a must-visit when it comes to shopping in Milan.

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Via Pasquale Paoli 3/5 20143, Milan Italy slamjamsocialism.com

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Via Pasquale Paoli 4 20143, Milan Italy inner.eu

INNER

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As the little brother of Italian luxury fashion force Antonioli, INNER totally deserves to be among the country’s best streetwear stores. The concrete walls and stern industrial design are a subtle homage to Futurism, while the refined brand selection provides an interesting shopping experience.

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When it comes to vintage shopping in Milan, ERAL 55 is the only place you need to go. The store’s selection of rare secondhand pieces come from around the world through meticulous research conducted by its specialty buyer. It’s not by chance that ERAL 55 has been going 40 years strong with a loyal local clientele mixed with international visitors. The contemporary menswear selection is very well-curated with the aim to complement the vintage pieces.

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Piazza XXV Aprile 14 20124, Milan Italy eral55.com

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Via Giovanni Lanza 21 20121, Milan Italy nikelab.com

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Two floors of pure Nike essence: concrete walls and a big metal staircase make NikeLab LNZ1 a one of a kind experience for those who are looking to stay true to their favorite sportswear brand in Milan. The ever-changing merchandising displays, designed ad hoc for this location, create the perfect home for the namesake brand, not to mention the bourgeois building that hosts it. The perfect meeting point between Nike’s innovation and local elegance.

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The Botanical Club is a gin bar and micro distillery in the heart of Milan’s most dynamic and fastest-growing gentrified neighborhood. Decorated with many botanical elements to compliment the typical brownstone walls and marble tables, the bar offers a wide list of traditional and reimagined gin-based cocktails. The bistro’s menu presents international influences, disrupting the Italian culinary tradition. Ask the bartender for the house special gin.

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Via Pastrengo 11 20159, Milan Italy thebotanicalclub.com

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Ripa di Porta Ticinese 43 20143, Milan Italy backdoor43.com

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A small, very discreet door gives you access to the smallest bar in the world, Backdoor 43. Here, not only will you be served delicious whisky-based cocktails by a mysterious man in a mask through a small hole in the wall, but you can also reserve the room for up to four people. The music selection is up to you and the vintage dĂŠcor recalls old speakeasy bars from the Prohibition Era.

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Don’t be fooled by the neat Nordic design of its interiors, NUN offers some of the best Middle Eastern street food in the city. The white, tiled counters complemented by succulent plants and school-like chairs and tables create the perfect environment for a quick, tasty lunch.

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Via Lazzaro Spallanzani 36 20129, Milan Italy nunmilano.com

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Via Macedonio Melloni 4 20129, Milan Italy ottohair.it

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Led by Koichi Matsumoto, OTTO is a special hair salon in Milan. With a full roster of Japanese hairstylists in charge of taking care of your needs, you can make sure to step out perfectly groomed.

The interior murals depicting the Milan Cathedral’s exterior masonry are a tribute to the city; a way to integrate East and West much like a metaphor for the cultural clash between the hair dressers and their clientele.

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Born from art editor Ingrid Melano’s desire to finally settle down and elevate the Italian independent publishing scene, The Art Markets opened its doors in Milan just over one year ago. A gorgeous bookshop full of rare literary gems, The Art Markets aims to continuously push young artists to create and put their ideas on paper.

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Via Panfilo Castaldi 4 20124, Milan Italy the-art-markets.com

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Via Privata Giovanni Ventura 6, 20134, Milan, Italy plusdesigngallery.it

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Although architect Andrea Caputo took over PlusDesign Gallery a little less over two years ago, it already boasts successful collaborations with important names in the art and design world such as Caramel Bobby, Simone Tosca and Richard Hutten. The industrial yet refined atmosphere created by the glass and metal structure of the raised aquarium-like space makes for the perfect art experience.

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Hidden amongst the cream-colored buildings of a quiet residential area, Santeria Paladini 8 is a multipurpose space born to supply freelancers with unlimited free WiFi and a wide range of local beers, coffee, and a delicious menu. With a big focus on music, Santeria hosts industry workshops, musical brunches with live jazz sets, and music management/communication courses. A vinyl and bookstore is also part of the co-working cafeteria ensemble, where you can find rare records and riveting independent literature, which are curated and promoted weekly on the eating placemats.

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SANTERIA PALADINI 8 Via Ettore Paladini 8 20133, Milan Italy santeriamilano.it

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DIRECTORY 3SIXTEEN 3SIXTEEN.COM

MAAPS MAAPS.CO

ADIDAS ADIDAS.COM

MAX PITTION MAXPITTION.COM

ASICS ASICS.COM

MENOTTI’S COFFEE STOP COFFEEVENICACA.COM

ASTRID ANDERSEN ASTRIDANDERSEN.COM

NANAMICA NANAMICA.COM

ATHLETIC PROPULSION LABS ATHLETICPROPULSIONLABS.COM

NICOPANDA NICOPANDA.COM

BLUE BOTTLE COFFEE BLUEBOTTLECOFFEE.COM

NIKE NIKE.COM

BULY 1803 BULY1803.COM

THE NORTH FACE THENORTHFACE.COM

BUNNEY BUNNEY.CO.UK

OFF-WHITE OFF---WHITE.COM

CALVIN KLEIN CALVINKLEIN.COM

OPENING CEREMONY OPENINGCEREMONY.COM

CHALAYAN CHALAYAN.COM

PORSCHE PORSCHE.COM

DR. WOO DOCTOR-WOO.COM

PROFOUND AESTHETIC PROFOUNDCO.COM

HENDER SCHEME HENDERSCHEME.COM

RAF SIMONS RAFSIMONS.COM

HERMAN MILLER HERMANMILLER.COM

ROGUE TERRITORY ROGUETERRITORY.COM

INTELLIGENTSIA COFFEE INTELLIGENTSIACOFFEE.COM

ROY ROYDENIM.COM

J. SHORROCK JSHORROCK.COM

SHOCKOE ATELIER SHOCKOEATELIER.COM

JOHN ELLIOTT JOHNELLIOTT.CO

STANDARD & STRANGE STANDARDANDSTRANGE.COM

KAPITAL KAPITAL.JP

STONE ISLAND STONEISLAND.COM

KENZO KENZO.COM

TELLASON TELLASON.COM

KOLOR KOLOR.JP

TERRY RICHARDSON TERRYRICHARDSON.COM

LIAM HODGES LIAMHODGES.CO.UK

TULLY LOU TULLYLOU.COM

LONGJOURNEY LONGJOURNEY.COM

VISVIM VISVIM.TV

LOT, STOCK & BARREL LOTSTOCKANDBARREL.COM

YUKETEN YUKETEN.COM

LQQK STUDIO LQQKSTUDIO.COM

Y-3 Y-3.COM

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