Kitten Magazine / K31 / Fling by Kitten Magazine

KITTEN* FRESH FACES IN FASHION K31 SPRING FLING FRESH 4 CONTENTS 5 MASTHEAD 6 LETTERS FACES 10 GODDOLLARS 12 SOCIETY FOR RATIONAL DRESS 14 NOLINA BURGE 16 DESANKA 18 MADREPORE 20 LOCKING SHOCKING 22 VAGENIUS 24 OSMAN YOUSEFZADA FASHION 26 OSMAN YOUSEFZADA 34 SOCIETY FOR RATIONAL DRESS 44 DESANKA 50 LOCKING SHOCKING RUNWAYS 58 CORI 60 CAVALERA 62 ERIKA IKEZILI 64 LORENZO MERLINO 66 EDUARDO LUCERO 68 SAJA 70 OLIGO TISSEW 72 BRADLEY BAYOU RADAR 74 SPRING STREET FASHION READERS 82 KITTEN* WINTER BUZZ PARTY WEEKEND Main Cover Image: Fashion * Society For Rational Dress Photographer * Mike Vensel Model * Hollie / Photogenics Hair and Makeup * Netwerk.org Back Cover Image: Fashion * Locking Shocking Photographer * Mike Vensel Model * Elena / Group

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Fresh Faces in Fashion Publisher & Editor in Chief Mike Vensel Fashion Features Runways Radar Associate

Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor

Senior Editor NYC Senior Editor Paris Senior Editor London Senior Editor Sao Paulo

Kat Turner Veronica Chanel Amy Nichols Tiffany Lee Brisida Mema Erna Bersegian Sandy Lakdar Holly Albright Ariadna Ledesema

Special Thanks Photogenics Media, Next LA, Isis Models, Group Models Judy Vensel, Andrew Dutkowsky, Chris Dutkowsky Humana Group, EM Productions, Mute Abuse Media West Coast Office Kitten Magazine 1725 Ocean Front Walk Suite 614 Los Angeles CA 90401 info@kittenmag.com Subscription Inquiries / Customer Service http://www.kittenmag.com/subscribe subscribe@kittenmag.com, Kitten is printed in the U.S. and published by Sevense Inc. 1725 Ocean Front Walk Suite 614 Los Angeles CA 90401 Copyright 2006 Kitten Magazine Kitten is a registered trademark of Sevense Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or in full is prohibited. Kitten* welcomes contributions. Kitten assumes no responsibility for content of advertisements. For more information please visit: http://www.kittenmag.com

Photo * Mike Vensel

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR * SPRING FLING Mike Vensel / Editor in Chief Welcome to Kitten* K31 Spring Fling. Our newest issue kicks off our third year of publication with some exciting new changes. We have reformatted and expanded existing content, added new content and moved into the realm of video. We are excited about our future in video as a pioneer of fashion publication with many firsts in the industry; we lead the way on the bleeding edge of ideas, individuality, expression and innovation. We hope you will find these changes to your liking and we encourage you to make full use of our new rich full features. In this issue we explore fashion on three continents and four countries to break down the borders of regional fashion and show a common thread in new designers worldwide, the need to innovate and bring forth new ideas. Our first story originates in England with a designer with origins back to Afghanistan; Osman Yousefzada is quickly making a name for himself in the London Fashion scene with razor sharp silhouettes rooted in both history and the future. Our second story falls close to home with a favorite young star of mine and a line that cant be denied, Society for Rational Dress is a force to be reckoned with and as you can see the clothing speaks for itself withy its sharp contrast and organic color palate.

Our Desanka story takes a turn in which we have created another new fist with the production of a short film â&#x20AC;&#x153;travelerâ&#x20AC;? by independent film maker Matt Epler, we move off the editorial page onto the big screen and explore fashion in multiple dimensions. And lastly we explore a hot new design duo out of Madrid Locking Shocking! For our runways we travel to Sao Paulo Brazil for some wild innovation and strong use of color in design. We also come back home to LA to look at four local designers all with different unique visions. For 2006 we double our coverage of runways and continue scouring the globe for the best new designers and ideas which influence them. Our newest section Radar hits the streets to see what people are wearing and where the influence comes from so we can start to see how design originates and mutates on the streets of major cities worldwide. We are excited about this new year and feel it will be our best yet. We hope you agree. We love our readers and are always looking for new ways to please you and involve you in our development. So if there is anything you would like to see in future issues or hot new faces in the fashion industry we would love to hear from you. Please feel free to drop me a line. Mike Vensel / Editor in Chief: mike@kittenmag.com

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Photo * Mike Vensel

NEWS * RADAR

Tiffany Lee / Radar Editor In celebration of our first issue of 2006, we introduce the very first release of our Radar section, a now regular feature completely and utterly dedicated to those who inspire the designers, musicians and artists presented within our digital and tactile pages: YOU; the Kitten Magazine reader, viewer, and fashion savant. No one is more ahead of the scene than you who rely on heir own intuition for eccentric style and creative tastes. We want to take the opportunity to present the most outstanding of these innovative but underappreciated individuals for the admiration of all. Some could be designers who have just started their lines, some could be musicians or artists who are seeking to get a little notice, but all are real and genuinely interesting people who don’t allow their fashion insights to be sedated by the aesthetically vacant boundaries of mainstream culture. In this issue, the hot tickets in the Radar interviews are altered thrift store pieces, cheap chic stores, skinny jeans, mother’s jewelry and the influence of decades past. While most of these girls may not be professionally trained or directly related to the fashion industry, they still take the time to sit behind a sewing machine—even with a needle and dental floss—to create something that no one else on the street has.

The people featured range from a graduate school student to an avid videogame enthusiast to a professional model. But as different as their lives may be, fashion plays an integral part of how they express their distinct attitudes and personalities. So how can you get involved? We are always looking for more fashionable, eclectic and creative individuals from our international audience to feature in our magazine. Anyone of any age, race, style, gender (or lack thereof) can directly contact me with a picture of yourself and a short description of what makes you who you are and why. E-mail me below and let us know if you’d like to be in Radar! So shag up that hair, cut up those clothes and sew them back together, write that song, paint that portrait, combine colors and patterns and textures in the way you’ve always wanted to but popular media always frowned upon. Dress yourself how YOU want and be proud, and we’ll be here to cheer you on and recognize efforts made to never be like anyone but your own selves. So we hope you all enjoy the premiere of Radar and get inspired to get out there, get awesome, and who knows, we may just get you famous! Tiffany Lee / Radar Editor: tiffany@kittenmag.com

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Photo * Benjy Russell / Makeup by Veronica Chanel and Kimi

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Photo * Benjy Russell / Styling Nina Tahash

GODDOLLARS * DESIGN

Interview by Veronica Chanel GD: We are Loren Granic & Gregori Nuñez and we are Goddollars. VC: How long have you been designing jewelry together? GD: About a year. VC: How did you come up with your name Goddollars? GD: Its what’s really important to you, it’s more of a feeling we feel “Goddollars”. We didn’t sit down and come up with the name it came to us at the same time, because we said it at the same time. VC: How would you describe your designs to someone whom has never seen them? GD: We have heard a lot of things I’ve heard visceral, savage, ferocious, raw but really its just an expression of devotion, it shows both religion and money. VC: What inspires each new piece? GD: That’s a difficult question to answer because we are so bombarded with culture. We are more inspired with people directly around me you know there are a few shining stars in LA that we know and it’s those kinds of people that really carry themselves and really apply themselves to what they are doing and its those kinds of people that inspire us. Tristan Tzara, Hugo Ball, those kinds of people but made modern in all of our friends. VC: Do you have any fashion icons? GD: We believe a lot of fashion is ridiculous. The fact that a lot of it doesn’t take it self seriously is beautiful, fashion shouldn’t be taken seriously I mean it hurts when it does. I have a few icons who I think are amazing but why should

We have a few icons who I think are amazing but why should we name them they are just speaking on a different level. We aspire to them and to name them would be to like sacrilegious in away. VC: How would you describe your personal style? GD: Our personal style hurts mainly, its bringing together hedonism and education, both smarts and party together as one. VC: Where do you see yourselves in seven years? GD: On the top of the world! Maybe Mount Kilimanjaro. VC: Where can people buy your pieces? GD: This is actually the first collection we have ever done, we do a lot of different things and we did this line for us and our friends to wear and we didn’t expect to get the kind of feed back that we have and we were kind of thrust onto actually shopping the line around. We’ve been talking to people in NY and LA we are just starting to shop out or line and are getting really good response so far. We didn’t mean to start a line this is Goddollars!... its more of our feeling, next we will be moving on to more ambitious things such as parties I don’t know how much longer we will be doing jewelry. VC: How do you guys work on the designs together? GD: We actually hate each other. It’s a hate love relationship, we don’t love it each other very much but we hate each other very much. For more visit: www.goddollars.com

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Photo * Mike Vensel

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Photo * Mike Vensel

SOCIETY FOR RATIONAL DRESS * FASHION Interview by Kat Turner

CG: I am Corinne Grassini, the designer of Society for Rational Dress. KT: Where does the name Society for Rational Dress come from? CG: I like to have it open to interpretation because everyone I meet has a different interpretation of what it means. It’s an actual society back the late 1800’s, the rational dress society. These women were considered social dress reformers they started wearing pants instead of corsets in order to be more functional in society and eventually they failed because it was too much for people to handle at that time, so I like that its based on a society of strong women that were trying to do something different but I also kind of like the fact that it didn’t work out because society kind of shunned them KT: Where are you from? CG: I grew up in Los Angeles Do you feel it has had a bearing on your designs? Not at all, when I say Los Angeles I mean back in the valley, I grew up back in the hills, with zip lines and horses and goats and stuff like that, my childhood was so fun, there was a stream in the backyard so we just rode horses and ran around and had mud fights. So when I say I grew up in LA people have a different idea. I feel like I grew up somewhere else. KT: Where did you study? CG: I went to school in LA just for a year to get a well rounded view of fashion and how it works, pattern making, draping, just the basics, and I went with that for a while and I had a freelance pattern making and design company and then I started my business. Then I went back to school at Central St. Martins in London for innovative pattern making.

It was amazing, I just felt I was lacking a lot of technical skill that is not available Los Angeles, it not offered, because here we make patterns for mass production a lot of times and in London at least in this program it was the complete opposite the more complicated the better, as if they are puzzles, it allowed me top open my mind up a bit creatively. KT: What is the signature look of Society for Rational Dress? CG: Through every collection we use a lot of leather, one of the first things I designed was a harness based on an old army surplus harness and I re draped it to fit the body around the chest and i draped that with good nice soft silk so that’s sort of the recurring theme. Is something hard and touch with something a little bit softer so it balances out. KT: Can you tell me about your current collection? CG: We did a little dance flat, based on Serge Gainsbourg’s jazz flats, but for women, we put a nice natural leather sole antique brass hardware, this collection for fall was pretty 60’s based, a little bit of dirt and grit, we used a lot of leather again and did a few harness dresses, and sort of the same recurring theme from other collections. KT: What advice would you give to emerging designers? CG: If someone wants to do what I am doing, i think the best way is to learn from the bottom up and intern somewhere and be really aware of all the ins and outs of having a business, because it is a business after all. For more visit: www.societyforrationaldress.com

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NOLINA BURGE * ART Interview by Mike Vensel

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NB: My name is Nolina Burge and I am painter, I paint contemporary landscapes. MV: How long have you been painting? NB: Pretty much my whole life I’ve been painting, seriously for the last 10 years. MV: What inspires you? NB: I started off being inspired by art history and that what i was first going to school for, I was inspired by painting, and with my recent interesting landscapes I would look at the backgrounds in paintings and I was intrigued with the landscapes in the backgrounds as being the main subject, so I used to do snippets of backgrounds of paintings and then i started doing my own landscape paintings using a little Polaroid to capture the little bit of landscape that I wanted to paint. MV: Can you tell us about the process about how you go from an original idea to a painting? NB: All of my paintings are from Polaroid’s, so I almost consider myself a photographer because that’s how I work, I see something I want to take a picture of and through doing that it transforms my image to one that I want to paint, I am not a plain air painter, I would never go outside and paint, that’s just not what I do I use the camera to transform the landscape into the image I want and then I use that image in my painting. MV: Why do you choose paint your photographs instead of showing the photographs themselves?

NB: I have shown my Polaroid’s, and somehow its so small that people don’t respond as much to it, they respond more to the painting when I bring attention to the things that \respond as much to it, they respond more to the painting when I bring attention to the things that are interesting to me. It’s hard for people to notice those details in such a small format. I really use the photograph as my transformative medium to take the landscape from the word into the painting. MV: What do you like most about being an artist? NB: I don’t know, I’ve always done it so I don’t know, its an interesting way to look at the world, I guess I’ve never been motivated to go for the big job or the big money, its just what I like to do and how I see the world MV: What do you like least about being an artist? NB: I miss interacting with people a lot, I like to socialize and when you are painting its kind of lonely sitting there day after day kind of working by yourself. MV: What advice can you give to an artist starting off? NB: Find out what interests you about your subject and what you want to present, and stick to that which is hard to do if you are an artist because you want to explore different routes, if you work at it for a while and get to know your subject and your medium and it will come through that you are interested and serious about it.

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Photo * Mike Vensel

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Photo * Mike Vensel

DESANKA * FASHION

Interview by Mike Vensel DF: I am Desanka Fasiska and I am a designer. MV: How long have you been designing? DF: I guess all my life, professionally for about 3 or 4 years MV: Where are you from? DF: Los Angeles MV: How has growing up in Los Angeles affected your design? DF: It’s a mixture of growing up in Los Angeles and I’ve lived a lot of other places, I went to school for design in San Francisco and I lived for a little bit in Paris and New York so I cant pigeonhole myself as an LA designer because I feel I was influenced by living a lot of different places. MV: How do you feel about the LA fashion scene? DF: I don’t really feel its so much a of a scene here as it in is other places like Paris and New York or even San Francisco, I feel like LA is more about business and actually making your craft work for you and Becoming a professional designer as opposed to the struggle that you have to endure living and working in other cities. MV: When did you decide you wanted to be a designer? DF: It’s hard to say, I toyed around with it in high school, my mom really pushed me towards going to fashion school. At the time I didn’t know what to do and she decided to send me to fashion school and I realized I really loved it. MV: What makes Desanka unique? DF: I feel like every designer no matter what they do will put themselves into what they do. I am not trying to be the most original designer in the world I just want to make beautiful clothes that girls want to wear.

MV: Can you tell us about your spring collection? DF: Spring 06 was great, it was African safari inspired, I had the idea of a little English girl traveling on a safari in Africa. That’s what it was inspired by. MV: Can you tell us about your fall collection? DF: I am Polish and Serbian, so it’s inspired by the eastern European heritage, I took inspiration from it but its really translated into something modern. MV:What inspires you? DF: Everything inspires me; I don’t want to say there is one particular thing. I really like mystical kind of things, I like traveling but I cant travel as much now that I have this business its always going and going, but I kind of let me design take me on trips that I would like to go on. MV:Who is your customer? DF: My customer is a boutique girl, that likes to shop in boutiques as opposed to department stores, who wants to find something a bit different and a bit more edgy as opposed to what they would find in a department store, but also wants something wearable, something they can wear everyday as opposed to just once and then throw it away MV: What can we expect to see next from you? DF: That’s a secret. MV: What advice can you give to a designer just starting out? DF: Don’t think that is a glamorous life, its really the least glamorous life. It’s a lot of struggle and a lot of money that you have to put out, if you have the talent and you really want to do it then do it For more visit: www.desanka.com

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Photo * Bradley Mienz / bradleymienz.com

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Photo * Bradley Mienz / bradleymienz.com

MADREPORE * MUSIC

Interview by Veronica Chanel KG: My name is Kinski Gallo (vocals) of Madrepore. VC: How long as Madrepore been together? KG: Um as a band we started with our new drummer Javier two years ago but Jason (guitar), my brother Rodax (bass) and I have been together for seven years. Before that Rodax and I were in a Spanish rock band for 10 years, yea we’ve been doing this for a long time we are true pioneers. VC: How would you describe your music to anyone who hasn’t heard you before? KG: Someone said it really good before, Rock and Roll with a splash of eclecticism. I would say our music is very deceiving because you listen to it in the beginning and it comes out like a hard sound you know because of all the distorted guitars, but underneath all that there is a real layer of melody and sense of deep lyrics and well crafted music you know its not just noise. So people need to be a little bit more open minded. VC: Where did the name Madrepore derive from? KG: I think I was reading Henry Miller’s The Tropic of Capricorn, and I read that word and thought it was really beautiful. Our old band was called Idle and we got sued for the name, at that same time we were parting ways with our old drummer so it was a new beginning for us. The word means coral but people have a hard time with it, which I like because the same thing with our music it’s not easy you’re not going to get it in the first try. VC: What is the most important about playing live? KG: I think the most important thing is to play and Create an experience, we leave a little imprint in your life you know like “That band was fucking amazing!” Or “Oh that band really sucked”. I would rather have somebody hate us than walk away and not remember us at all.

VC: Tell me about your new albums. KG: Our newest album “Overblown” just came out in Japan and Oslo, it will also be released in the US this May. The album is just a selection of different songs; it’s about politics and love. Our next album which we are working on right now will be 50% Spanish and 50% English and its going to be really hard because its not something we’ve done before. There are not many bands in LA that play rock and are exploring those avenues; I lived in Mexico till I was ten so I have that culture in me I think it will be interesting to bring that culture into LA. VC: Do you think fashion is important for musicians? KG: I think fashion and music are interwoven its like a marriage if you’re a rock star and you don’t look sheik or have your own style no body buys it. I remember someone asked me “Why do you think its so important to look good?” and I was thinking think about why you like any band, the first thing you see is how cool those mother fuckers are. I remember seeing a picture of Jimmy Paige and thinking man I want to look like that! Then eventually it was Robert Smith from the Cure you know its all fashion. I love clothes, I love dressing up for photo shoots and live shows. VC: How would you describe your personal style? KG: I go back in forth, I’m very gothic at heart but I really like 60’s and 70’s fashion. Onstage I try and blend 60’s through the 90’s all mixed together but I try to look comfortable. I just like to combine all styles into one, that’s my style. For more visit: www.madrepore.com

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Photo * Mike Vensel

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Photo * Mike Vensel

LOCKING SHOCKING * FASHION Interview by Mike Vensel

LS: We are Ana and Oscar and we design Locking Shocking in Spain. MV: Where did you come up with the name locking shocking? LS: It’s a mix of a Dada concept and a word game, when we started to study fine art in Madrid, we used Locking Shocking for our artist projects, on video and photography and later when we started with fashion, the same name was the same. We started with accessories in 1997 and later with clothing. MV: Where did you meet? LS: In Madrid in a fine arts university Did you design clothing individually before you met each other? LS: Before locking shocking we were graphic designers MV: What is the signature look of locking shocking? LS: It’s a look that’s very coherent base, there is always a lot of mix in the clothing, we mix colors, materials and styles of dressing , can be something dressy or something sporty with a lot of expression in the clothes always. MV: What inspires you? LS: Everything, our lives, one film, one book, one exhibition. Locking Shocking for us is a platform for us to express our cultural biography; always before our fashion show we present a video that explains the collection which is always quite autobiographical. MV: Can you talk about the spring summer collection?

LS: The name of the collection is exit and its a metaphor about the roads we take in our lives and the different exits, in our work, in, personal lives, in all senses. When you layer the clothing it looks for its own way or its own road. its, in our work, in, personal lives, in all senses. When you layer the clothing it looks for its own way or its own road. MV: What do you like most about fashion design? LS: It’s a very pure way of expression, fashion is very old, but to use it as way of expression is very young. In this moment a designer can use the clothing to speak about his own life. MV: What is unique about fashion in Spain? LS: Spanish fashion is much unknown, the big names are known but what’s going on the Spanish catwalks is relatively unknown. There is a new order here in Spain with young fashion designers that try to make ourselves known the rest of the world. MV: What is future of locking shocking? LS: The future is the rest of the world, we started in Spain, when we made accessories, we traveled to Paris and sold in showrooms and it was a big success. We haven’t been designing clothing that long and what we plan to do with the next collection is to return to those international showrooms as we feel we have more future internationally than nationally. For more visit: www.lockingshocking.com

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Photo * Joe Miller / Makeup * Veronica Chanel

VAGENIUS * MUSIC

Interview by Veronica Chanel

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Photo * Joe Miller / Makeup * Veronica Chanel

VA: We are Juliette (Vocals & Keytar), Jared (Guitar & Keyboards), Robert (Bass) Joachim (Drums) of Vagenius. VC: How would you describe your sound? Joachim: I really like it when people say we are the next Fleetwood Mac… that always excites me. VC: When can we expect your album to come out? Juliette: This May, it will be a mixture of old and new material. VC: Can you describe Vagenius in three words? Robert: Rock and Roll! VC: What has been the best show so far? Joachim: Well there have been two, the first was Weslien College in Connecticut we played there twice and the first time we played was early on when nobody really knew who we were… Jared: Somebody had gotten our CD, so when we played there everybody knew the words to our songs and they were climbing all over our gear it was just crazy! The second was at the 930 Club in DC, is just a great place to play at... Juliette: We were opening for Kings of Leon and it was a very different kind of crowd than we are used too, it was a little scary at first because they were yelling at me like “Take it off!” or “Keytar!” but by the third or forth song people really started to get into it. VC: What do you do when guys yell out to you? Juliette: I tend to ignore it; It’s just so strange I don’t know how to respond. Or I’ll just sing the song to them because they are usually right up in the front it just makes them uncomfortable when I start singing to them. VC: Where do you see yourselves in 7 years? Jared: Lets see, well we will have just paid off the van. Juliette: In seven years we will have tons of money and we’ll buy a house and start having babies. Joachim: Robert can baby-sit.

VC: Juliette do you have a favorite fashion designers? Juliette: Hussein Chalayan that’s my favorite designer every time I see his stuff in a magazine I say one day I will meet that person. VC: How would you describe each other’s personal style? Lets start with Robert. Robert: I’m pretty chill; I wear the same jeans everyday. Juliette: He goes hiking in his cowboy boots… Joachim: Robert looks like a traveling 60’s musician who just walked into town. Jared: Joachim is like a marshal in a small town, early John Bonham. Joachim: I really like vests. Joachim: Jared revolutionized his style on tour he got really super rock’n’roll. Robert: Like this elephant necklace he’s wearing… its really cool. Juliette: Jared is the only one I will trust going shopping with. Robert: Juliette is on the cutting edge of fashion. She will never do anything twice. Joachim: Juliette has a 70’s thing and a Beyond Thunderdome thing going on. Robert: Mad Max meets Snow White. Juliette: I just know that the keytar makes me look so 80’s and everybody keeps writing about us as an 80’s band. It kind of drives me a little crazy sometimes. If I buy something that’s too 80’s looking I’m like ‘I can’t wear that on stage’ even if I love it. I like 60’s mod and 70’s, with a little bit of future weird. For more visit: www.totallyvagenius.com

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Photo * Mike Vensel

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Photo * Mike Vensel

OSMAN YOUSEFZADA * FASHION Interview by Mike Vensel

OY: My name is Osman Yousefzada and I am a designer. MV: How long have you been designing? OY: Just over a year and a half. MV: Where are you from? OY: I was born in London but my parents are originally from Afghanistan. MV: What are your signature designs? OY: I try to work with looking at ethnic costumes and making it into a couture garments, it looks quite effortless but its really quite complicated as well, what people achieve with yards and yard of fabric I try to condense it into something quite small and that’s what my work is all about really. MV: Can you tell us about your current collection? OY: The current collection is called renaissance its all about fresh hope and new light. I don’t have your typical background I did economics at Cambridge, I am not necessarily political but i am quite politically aware, so in the political climate its all about new beginnings along those lines and I try to make iconic clothes, clothes that would be quite timeless, what would be fine 20 years ago, now and 20 years later, so along those lines it really wouldn’t seem out of place, so I don’t really choose a theme each season, every new collection will be a development of the last collections, and hence create a real signature Yousefzada style. MV: Who is your customer?

OY: Women who want to be actually be different, I think my clothes actually do squeeze you in basically, some of my clothes really work on even sizes 12 to 14, I don’t really work completely on having only clothes for miniscule thin like rake people. I think any women who are who are creative, who actually want to be quite different who want to be revered more than anything else should wear my clothes MV: What do you like most about fashion design? OY: I do what I want, and it’s the only thing in my life I don’t get bored with and I have a very small attention span so I can work all night on something and it doesn’t really phase me that much MV: What do you like least about fashion design? OY: I think some of the people can be quite different, quite weird, not the most genuine people really Has your background influenced your design? OY: Yes definitely, it a part of me and living in Britain, where my parents come from, travels, stuff I’ve seen, everything, I am a bit of a sponge really more than anything else It’s me, it’s that sort melting pot MV: What advice would give to up and coming designers? OY: If you really want it, and you feel you’ve really got something you should give it a go. For more visit: www.osmanyousefzada.com

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FASHION * OSMAN YOUSEFZADA PHOTOGRAPHER * MIKE VENSEL MODEL * STEPHANIE / ISIS LONDON HAIR AND MAKEUP * ANDREA DUCHESNEAU LOCATION * TATE MODERN / LONDON

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FASHION * SOCIETY FOR RATIONAL DRESS PHOTOGRAPHER * MIKE VENSEL MODEL * HOLLIE / PHOTOGENICS HAIR AND MAKEUP * NETWERK.ORG LOCATION * VASQUEZ ROCKS / LOS ANGELES

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DESANKA

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FASHION * DESANKA PHOTOGRAPHER * MIKE VENSEL MODEL * SUSAN / NEXT LA HAIR AND MAKEUP * VERONICA CHANEL LOCATION * GRAPEVINE / CALIFORNIA

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LOCKING SHOCKING

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FASHION * LOCKING SHOCKING PHOTOGRAPHER * MIKE VENSEL MODEL * ELENA / GROUP MADRID HAIR AND MAKEUP * MODEL LOCATION * ATOCHA TRAIN STATION / MADRID

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CORI * SAO PAULO FASHION WEEK

SPRING / SUMMER 2006 Photos by Edward Jahn

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SPRING / SUMMER 2006 Photos by Edward Jahn

CAVALERA * SAO PAULO FASHION WEEK

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SPRING / SUMMER 2006 Photos by Edward Jahn

ERIKA IKEZILI * SAO PAULO FASHION WEEK

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SPRING / SUMMER 2006 Photos by Edward Jahn

LORENZO MERLINO * SAO PAULO FASHION WEEK

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SPRING / SUMMER 2006 Photos by Mike Vensel

EDUARDO LUCERO * LOS ANGELES FASHION WEEK

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SPRING / SUMMER 2006 Photos by Mike Vensel

SAJA * LOS ANGELES FASHION WEEK

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SPRING / SUMMER 2006 Photos by Mike Vensel

OLIGO TISSEW * LOS ANGELES FASHION WEEK

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SPRING / SUMMER 2006 Photos by Mike Vensel

BRADLEY BAYOU * LOS ANGELES FASHION WEEK

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RADAR * AGNESA / MELROSE Interview by Tiffany Lee

AM: May name is Agnesa and I am from originally from Russia TL: How old are you? AM: 23 TL: What are you wearing and where did you get it? AM: Right now I am wearing boots from New York I got from them at a store called the boutique that’s hot, a Hudson skirt which I cut myself to make shorter and a Betsey Johnson top. TL: What do you do? AM: I am a professional model TL: How would you define your personal style? AM: I am very girlie and unique, I love lace, I love silk, I love denim TL: What influences your style? Any style icons or particular eras? AM:I’m just a mutt I like everything, a little bit of every style, I don’t have a particular style at all times I get bored easily every other month it’s a different style for me. TL: Who are your favorite designers? AM: Definitely Betsey Johnson, I am a huge fan, Dolce and Gabanna , I love because they use a lot of lace, and they are very sexy and form fitting clothes. I like a lot of LA based designers as well such as Petro Zillia she is very girly and very unique and she uses a lot of color which I love. TL: What’s your favorite stores to shop in? AM: Cheesy enough I would have to say Bloomingdales. TL: What’s your favorite piece of clothing? AM: Definitely my denim skirts, because you can wear them up you can wear them down TL: What’s a piece that you’d really like to own? AM: I would love to own a red carpet dress, a 10 or 20 thousand dollar dress. TL: What’s a big fashion no-no? AM: I think that fashion should be used to your advantage, so if you are short you should use something to elongate you, If you have great breasts you should definitely show them off, If you have a great booty you should show it off, You should basically know what your best assets are and how to show then off basically know what your best assets are and know how to show them off TL: Is there anything else that you want to add? AM: Shoes are very important to the outfit. No matter what you have one top, or how cheap it is you should always invest in your shoes.

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Photo * Mike Vensel

RADAR * KATIE / MELROSE Interview by Tiffany Lee

KM: My name is Katie and I’m from Philadelphia. TL: How old are you? KM: I’m 19 TL: What are you wearing and where did you get it? KM: I’m wearing a slip that I got at a thrift store in the south of France, an old slip and some Jane’s jeans and some boots I got at a thrift store. I found this [beaded necklace] on the street, and this [charm necklace] was a gift from my boyfriend and these [horn necklaces] I got at a thrift store. TL: And what do you do? KM: I’m a student. TL: Where at? KM: The University of San Diego. TL: How would you define your personal style? KM: My personal style is a lot of jeans, very comfortable, but I like to do things that other people might not try. TL: What influences your style? KM: Definitely the path of the past, things that are vintage, comfortable, things that are a little different and fun. TL: Do you have a style icon? KM: I really don’t, I like to take the best things out of a lot of people and kinda mix it together. TL: What are your favorite designers? KM: I’ll always love Marc Jacobs, I think the things that he does are really interesting. TL: What are you favorite stores? KM: I like to make the rounds on the thrift stores obviously like anybody else, but I love H&M, and I’m always willing to pick through Forever 21, its really cheap. TL: What is your favorite piece of clothing that you own? KM: The favorite piece of clothing that I own are definitely these jeans, I couldn’t live without my Jane’s jeans. TL: What’s a piece of clothing that you really want to own? KM: A piece I really want to own? I’ll know it when I see it and I’ll buy it [laughs]. TL: What a trend you’re really into right now? KM: The trend I’m really into is just sort of like layering different lines of the body and putting it all together, and definitely high boots. TL: Do you foresee any trends in the future? KM: I think the next big thing, I dunno, people are always looking to the past, and getting out of the 70s thing and getting more into 50s, 60s kind of style. TL: Do you have any fashion no-nos? KM: Just if you’re not just jogging or not at home, the sweat suit? Just don’t do it!

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Photo * Mike Vensel

RADAR * WHITNEY / MELROSE Interview by Tiffany Lee

WM: My name is Whitney Fierce and I’m from Seal Beach, California. TL: And how old are you? WM: I’m 19…Oh no wait, my birthday was yesterday I’m 20. TL: Happy Birthday! WM: Thanks TL: So what are you wearing and where did you get it? WM: I’m wearing a bit of a hodge-podge of things, some sweet Forever 21 pants, my little garage sale find [sweater vest] I believe it was a dime, and some of my mom’s vintage Avon jewelry, and my favorite Stuart Weitzman shoes. TL: And what do you do? WM: I do a lot of things. I’m a model, a party promoter, and the North American sales director for Lick My Label. TL: How would you define your personal style? WM: Something kind of different I like classic looks but with a twist, so the taken in pants or the large men’s vest on the little girl, its fun. TL: What kinds of things influence your style? WM: Things like how much money I have in my wallet influence it a lot. Depends on if I’ll be shopping at Forever 21, a garage sale, or ya know, the Beverly Center. TL: Do you have any style icons, or any particular period that you like? WM: I like the late 70s to the early 80s, I’m doing high-waisted jeans a lot and straight legs as opposed to flared or even tapered. TL: What are your favorite designers? WM: Hmm, I dunno, I’m into different pieces from different collections, of course I’m really into Chanel, Dior fan. I like couture, but I like to wear it on the street. TL: What are your favorite stores? WM: Goodwill. I’m a big goodwill fan quite frankly, it takes a little of time but its something I’m willing to do. TL: What is your favorite piece of clothing or accessory? WM: My favorite piece of clothing is…Well, I have six of the same dress in all different colors and its and empire waist, spaghetti strap, comes down to here [mid-calf] kind of deal. I wear it every day—well, one of six colors. TL: Where did you get those? WM: Right down the street, I think its called June or something? Its kind of Forever 21, but a different name. TL: And what’s a piece of clothing that you really want to own, your dream? WM: I really, really want to own the Chanel silk running suit, because its so unnecessary. If I’m gonna own something that costs that much I might as well not ever need to wear it, so I think that would be a good choice. TL: What trend are you really into right now? WM: I really like the pants tucked in the boots thing, but they have to tuck well and the boots have to be amazing. I’m not into the mediocre stuff. So if you can pull it off and not just following the trend and you have your own style mixed in with it, I like it a lot.

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Photo * Mike Vensel

RADAR * TRICIA / MELROSE Interview by Tiffany Lee

TM: My name is Tricia and I’m from Cincinnati, Ohio. TL: And how old are you? TM: I’m 25 TL: What are you wearing and where did you get it? TM: I’m actually wearing a dress I found at this great $2.00 store so I don’t really know where it came from, and nice boots from another vintage store, and a necklace my grandma gave me. And my sunglasses, Venice Beach, $5.00, aviators. TL: So how would you define your personal style? TM: Kind of eccentric, retro, I like to find things that people don’t have, look different. TL: And what influences your style? TM: A lot of old fashion magazines. I like to collect them and go through them and find, again, like I said, look for things that not everyone is wearing on the streets, get that retro glam look. TL: Do you have a fashion icon? TM: Fashion icon…I like Twiggy a lot. TL: Who are your favorite designers? TM: I like Comme Des Garcons, Imitation of Christ, Chelsea Rubelle, Stella McCartney, Marc Jacobs. TL: What are you favorite stores? TM: H&M, Zara, I really like Fred Segal, Maxfield. TL: What your favorite piece of clothing or accessory you own? TM: I’d have to say this necklace from my great grandmother, it’s vintage diamonds; I love vintage jewelry. TL: What is a piece of clothing you wish you owned? TM: Right now I really want the new Louis Vuitton bag, the beach bag that’s all canvas with the bamboo handles. TL: And what trend are you really into right now? TM: I think grunge is gonna make a big comeback, the baby doll look, so I’m really excited about that. TL: What’s a big fashion no-no? TM: I hate Uggs, no matter what. I understand they’re comfortable, but there’s way cuter boots out there.

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Photo * Mike Vensel

RADAR * GIGI / HOLLYWOOD Interview by Tiffany Lee

GH: I am Gigi and this is Greg (From God Dollars). TL: Where are you from? GH: I’m from Norway, [to Greg] where you from? Alaska! TL: And what are you wearing and where did you get it? GH: [Dress] Vintage, [shoes] thrift store, [socks] Japan. Oh, [jeans] Miss Sixty. [To Greg] What are you wearing? GH: All trash. GH: [Necklace] Trina Tarantino, [purse] Chanel, [hat] Chanel. GH: Necklace] Goddollars. TL: What do you do? GH: [Points to self] Bum! [Points to Greg] Bum! TL: How would you define your personal style? GH: Eclectic. [Looks at Greg] How would you? GH: Hot. She’s hot. GH: Very hot. Super hot. TL: What influences your style? GH: Each other [hugs]. Of course! TL: Who’s your style icon? GH: Tiffany Lee! GH: Me TL: Who are your favorite designers? GH: Tiffany Lee! GH: Me GH: Karl [Lagerfeld] GH: Jeremy [Scott], Karl [Lagerfeld], Bernard [Wilhelm] GH: Stella [McCartney], me. TL: What are you favorite stores? GH: Top Shop! GH: Top Shop, H&M and all the thrift stores everywhere! TL: What is your favorite piece of clothing or accessory you own? GH: My pink Chanel purse. His [Greg’s] 80s headband. TL: What’s a piece of clothing that you would really like to own. GH: [Points at Tiffany] What you’re wearing right now. Your necklaces! GH: The Bernard Wilhelm Mickey jacket. GH: Chanel tweed jacket. I’m obsessed just a little bit. TL: What trends are you really into right now? GH: Hmm… Extremely skinny jeans like what he’s wearing right now [points to Greg]. And school girl uniforms, and anything by Chanel. TL: What’s a big trend you see in the future? GH: [Point at each other] Us! TL: What’s a big fashion no-no? GH: Ugg Boots! They’ve been so over for like, two years. Kill it! GH: Juicy! Ugh! GH: Juicy, yeah! Juicy cooter! TL: Anything else you would like to add? GH: I love her. GH: I love him [kisses].

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Photo * Mike Vensel

RADAR * JESSICA / HOLLYWOOD Interview by Tiffany Lee

JH: I’m Jessica and I’m from Long Island but I’ve lived here for the past 14 years, so yeah. TL: What are you wearing and where did you get it? JH: Ok, these are shoes I got from the Goodwill. They’re kind of fucked up, but I like ‘em that way. These Jeans are 504 Levi’s, junior sized zero, yes. And my underwear is from Target. It’s Hanes, boy cut. And this [shirt] I got at a thrift store, I believe it was Squaresville on Vermont, I got it about four years ago maybe, and I altered it. And this [necklace] I got in Sacramento at a thrift store, and this [necklace] I stole off some drag queen, actually. Oh and the ring, Marc Jacobs store. Yes. I think that’s all…oh, and this is from a thrift store. TL: And what do you do usually? JH: …For fun? TL: Either way, any time of day. JH: I play video games; I really, really like RPG video games. I play them like, 70 hours at a time you know. I don’t eat I don’t sleep, its kind of a weird addiction. And I make clothes, and play Internet solitaire. TL: Tell us more about how you make clothes. JH: Well, I have a sewing machine, but a lot of times I like to make it by hand with dental floss because I like the way it looks, and that’s how punk kids used to do it back in the day and stuff. So I’m into making a lot of tank tops because I have a long torso so I like to make them very long and make them all razor back because it shows this part [gesturing to back of shoulders], which I always thought was very sexy. I also make dresses out of tablecloths. TL: How would you define your personal style? JH: Define my personal style? I’d call it tacky. I think I’d call it tacky, yeah. TL: What influences your style? Who’s your style icon? JH: Style icon? David Bowie, Audrey Hepburn, Gia. TL: Who are your favorite designers? JH: Marc Jacobs, I really like Helmut Lang, and ya know, I really like Micheal Kors, because it’s very elegant and simple, and I love Vera Wang and want her to design my wedding dress. TL: What are your favorite stores? JH: Um, H&M. Cause its really good and really cheap and it’s so cute! The Marc Jacobs store, I like Fornarina, the Goodwill, obviously. Ebay! where you can find everything including like, alligator boots. And I really like Target as well. TL: What is your favorite piece of clothing or accessory that you own? JH: …If I could narrow it down… I have a blue leather miniskirt. It’s amazing. Pair it with my Megadeth t-shirt. TL: What trend are you really into right now, or what trend do you foresee in the future? JH: Well, right now, it’s kind of more popular, but I’m into the skinny jeans because I like how they look on my body. I’m into the whole slouch boots stuff, and I’m into the whole, what it called, the proportional jackets that are really short and you wear something long underneath, I really like that.

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Photo * Mike Vensel

RADAR * DANIELLE / MELROSE Interview by Tiffany Lee

DM: My name’s Danielle and I’m from Los Angeles. TL: And how old are you? DM: I’m 22. TL: And what are you wearing and where did you get it? DM: I got these jeans at the Levi’s store, I got this shirt at a record store, and the pumps and the purse are from thrift stores. TL: And the earrings? DM: Thrift store as well actually. TL: And how about the sunglasses? DM: Actually, these are my ex boyfriend’s ex girlfriend’s sunglasses that she left over one day and are now mine. TL: So what do you do? DM: I’m in grad school TL: For what? DM: I’m getting my Master’s in urban planning TL: What school do you go to? DM: I go to UCLA. TL: How would you define your personal style? DM: Probably rock and roll glamour. TL: And what influences your style? DM: The past, the history surrounding fashion. TL: Do you have a style icon? DM: Um not really, whoever is fabulous and fabulous. TL: What are your favorite designers? DM: I really, really love Betsy Johnson, Zac Posen’s really good, and Dior. TL: What are your favorite stores? DM: I shop at thrift stores mostly, so any thrift store is awesome. TL: What is your favorite piece of clothing that you own? DM: Probably any of the fur jackets or wraps would be my favorite. TL: And what do you really want to own? DM: Everything. TL: What trend are you really into right now? DM: Probably the skinny pants, skinny jeans. TL: Do you see any trends coming in the future? DM: I think gloves are gonna make a big comeback and grunge is gonna make a big comeback as well.

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Photo * Mike Vensel

RADAR * ALI / MELROSE Interview by Tiffany Lee

AM: My name is Ali and I’m originally from Hawaii. TL: :How old are you? AM: I’m 21. TL: And what are you wearing and where did you get it? AM: These leggings are from Urban [Outfitters], these shoes and tunic thing are vintage, I cut it though because it was a little long, and now its too short. And my necklace is actually my mom’s so its kind of special to me. TL: How would you define your personal style? AM: Its kind of simply eclectic, my roommates are always saying that I’m a different person every day. I’m into a lot of mod and black and white, but I’m into a lot of classic styles too, just mix it up. TL: What influences your style, who’s your style icon? AM: I’m obsessed with Audrey Hepburn, I think she’s the epitome of class and glamour, I’m also a big fan of Twiggy. TL: What are you favorite designers? AM: I love Marc Jacobs, Chanel. Most of my clothes are vintage so they’re just random things. TL: And what are your favorite stores? AM: Recently I’ve been religiously going to Jet Rag on Sundays at 9 in the morning for their dollar sale, you find amazing things there. I also like forever 21 for the simple basics. TL: What is your favorite piece of clothing? AM: Actually, my sunglasses. I wear contacts and I have prescription Paul Frank sunglasses and whenever I don’t want to talk to people I like to hide under them. If I’m not wearing makeup or feeling cute I just like to throw them on and they cover your whole face. TL: What would you like to own? AM: I wish Chanel could design me a tailor-made dress, a little black dress. TL: What trend are you really into right now? AM: I’m really into boots, and the skinny tapered jeans and pants. TL: What do you see in the future are far as trends? AM: We always recycle trends, things from our past will definitely come back to haunt us. TL: What’s a big fashion no-no? AM: I think girls should really try to show their femininity, I don’t like baggy things to cover up a woman’s body, I think women should express themselves. TL: Anything else you would like to add? Any ongoing projects? AM: I’ve just been really busy. I’m in school, I work at Asia de Cuba, I’m working on Sean Lennon’s music video project. It was a month log project of every day shooting videos so, I’m a little worn out but its all fun.

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Photo * Mike Vensel

VINE BAR / BEAUTY BAR / MOUNTAIN BAR / LOS ANGELES

READERS * WINTER BUZZ LAUNCH PARTY WEEKEND

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Photos by Mike Vensel

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