COTTON ISSUE 01 by Kjaer Global ltd

ISSUE #1 NEW LUXURY & WILD WHITE BEAUTY 10 EUROS

#01

NA TIVI TY

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Birth is the sudden opening of a window, through which you look out upon a stupendous prospect. For what has happened? A miracle. You have exchanged nothing for the possibility of everything.

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William MacNeile Dixon

COLOPHON

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A C H RO N I CLE OF NAT URAL LUXURY

Cotton magazine is a curated on-line & art copy publication Limited edition prints 10€ Cotton Magazine Copenhagen contact@cotton-magazine.com www.cotton-magazine.com Subscription www.cotton-magazine.com Contributors this issue M. Lewandowski, New Mexico Anne Lise Kjaer, London Aurélie Garnier, Paris Tobias Tanner, Berlin Proofreading Anne Pedersen Thank you The Botanical Library, Copenhagen Art Direction & Publisher Spread Studio www.spreadstudio.com

ISSN 2245-3687 Reproduction of contents is strictly prohibited without prior permission from the publisher. All content remains editorially independent. All rights reserved © 2012 All inquiries about content and contributors contact@cotton-magazine.com

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there is a place for volunteer labor for mutual aid for inhouse work for healings that require sympathetic contact or a cohesive support group for strengthening the bounds of kinship for intellectual community for creative idleness for the slow maturation of talent for the creation and dissemination of culture “

CREDO

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PHOTOGRAPH the courtesy of Malick SidibĂŠ

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People are like flowers. They need the right cultivation to unfold with beauty.

ENTRY

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NATIvITY MAIN ENTRY: bir th, cra dle, cr eation, or igin

Table of

CONTENTS

DEFINITION: becoming alive, ear ly childhood; or igins, beginning, inceptio n

10 ENTRY/Nativity

SYNONYMS: beginning, childbir th, cr eation, delive r y, labor, nascenc y, par t ur ition, a ct of god, bir thpla ce, conception, constit ution, establishment, f or mation, f or mulation, f oundation, gene ration, genesis, imagination, making, alpha, bir th, blast off, commencement, or igination, r ise

13 WELCOME/ Foreword 14 ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES/ Plates 20 WILDFLOWERS/Art 30 INCEPTION/Art 40 NEW LUXURY/Consumerism 46 THE FUTURIST/Q&A 48 LOVECHILD/Photography

COvER St udy of the male and f emale f e r tilit y ma de by l ’instit ut national pour l ’ét ude ag r onomique du Congo (I.N.È.A.C)

54 THINGS/Shopping 56 ENFLEUR/Art 66 WHITE ESCAPES/Travel 88 THE INTERNATIONALIST/Q&A 90 NIGHTSHADE/Survey

WELCOME

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FOREWORD Welcome to a journey of wild white beauty The Editors Cotton is white gold, said the Balylonians, and rightly so. Since its domestication about seven thousand years ago, cotton has been refined into the continental crop we know today, and for the past two and a half thousand years it has been exploited commercially. Through centuries, this once wild plant has established itself as the principal raw material for the world’s textile industry. Thus, with its natural qualities such as softness, comfort, durability, and versatility, cotton has indeed earned its iconic status as the ‘fabric of our lives’. Recently, the global economy has witnessed unprecedented high prices on the cotton market. Paired with an increasing focus on the value chain of modern consumer society, sustainability, natural resources, and fair-trade being the new buzz words, the currency of cotton as a raw material, as well as its position as the luxury resource of the future, has been strengthened. Cotton Magazine is a modern tribute to the flower and raw material that has brought wealth to civilizations for more than two thousand years, portraying the role of the life-giving plant in terms of art, culture, and trade. Committed to long-lasting values and sustainable content, Cotton is a trans-seasonal magazine with a global outlook and cultural directory, aimed at the lifestyle-consumer who longs to bridge ethics with aesthetics. Launched as a visual tonic in an age dominated by rapid media streams, Cotton provides a peaceful place for personal discovery—a chronicle for collectors of natural luxury. In this first issue, we travel to Africa, the birthplace of our species, where seven thousand years ago, the wild cotton flower grew in open forests and grasslands. Starting with the botanical origin of the cotton families that today are being used for farming purposes, we have dedicated the first issue to an exploration of nativity. Celebrating birth and fertility, life and growth, and adjusting our minds to wind and change, we welcome you to our beginning and the first issue of Cotton Magazine. We hope you will join us on our future exploration of wild white beauty.

PLATES

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ORIGIN OF T H E S P E C I E S THE WILD SPECIES of gossypium by J. H. Saunders, Oxford University Press

GOSSYPIUM TRIPHYLLUM Hochreutiner DISTRIBUTION S.W. Africa from Southern Angola to Damaraland FLOWERS turbular PETAL narrow, basically creamy-white with a lavendar flush, numerous pigmented glands. Large dark magenta spot 1/3-1/2 length of the petal.

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GOSSYPIUM ANOMALUM Wawra and Peyr

GOSSYPIUM SOMALENSE (G端rke)

DISTRIBUTION S.W. Africa, Angola, Lake Chad, Sudan, Eritrea and Somaliland. FLOWER funnelshaped. PETAL broad, creamy white or magenta ranging from a pink flush to a deep red. Pigmented glands confined to one edge. Large dark magenta spot usually 1/2 length of the petal.

DISTRIBUTION Somaliland, south to the Tana river Kenya. FLOWERS campanulate. PETAL moderately wide, yellow. Large magena spot 2/5 length of the petal.

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GOSSYPIUM HERBECACEUM Race Africanum

GOSSYPIUM LONGICALYX Hutchinson and Lee

DISTRIBUTION bushveld regions of South Africa from Bechuanaland to Mo莽ambique FLOWER campanulate, deep yellow, about 4路5 cm long PETAL bears deep magenta spot at base

DISTRIBUTION Tanganyika, Uganda and the Sudan.

ART

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I l l u s t ra t i o n by M . L E WA N D O W S K I

WILDFLOWERS “None can have a healthy love for flowers unless he loves the wild ones.” -

Forbes Watson

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Picking Flowers

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In the flowers *

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“May all your weeds be wildflowers.” -

Native American Proverb

Execution*

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Birth

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Untitled

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“Men do change, and change comes like a little wind that ruffles the curtains at dawn, and it comes like the stealthy perfume of wildflowers hidden in the grass.” -

John Steinbeck

Gemini

ART

IN CEPT ION PHOTOGRAPHS f r om a st udy of the male and f emale f e r tilit y of Goss ypoium Hirsut um L. P ma de by l ’instit ut national pour l ’ét ude ag r onomique du Congo (I.N.È.A.C)

CONSUMERISM

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N E W LUXURY WORDS by Sidsel Solmer Eriksen

Luxury—seeking out the unusual or the exotic for its rarity and prestige —has always been a global affair. International trading in luxury goods is an ancient practice that dates back as early as the first century BC when textiles and other goods were brought to Europe from China. But as globalization has made lifestyle luxuries faster, cheaper, and accessible to everyone, we are witnessing a new consumer mindset that challenges the definition of the luxury, and creates entirely new categories of modern distinction. We have selected 3 lifestyle trends, we think will lead the way for the 21st century.

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Luxury—the quest for exotic and prestigious products—has always been a global affair. International trading in luxury goods is an ancient practice. As early as the first century BC, textiles and other goods were brought to Europe from China. By Medieval times, precious commodities such as cotton, silk, spices, and coffee were traded to the West by a complex sequence of international transactions with merchants of the Byzantine Empire at its centre. Since globalization has made lifestyle commodities faster, cheaper, and most importantly, accessible to everyone, the majority of people in the Western world currently live a life of ‘democratic luxury’. The developments of global trade during the past decades has helped bring significant economic benefits to consumers worldwide with lowered prices on goods once considered luxuries—from big screen TVs to peaches during winter—and increased the purchasing power of low-income consumers. For the Western world, trade has helped keep inflation in check, provided new markets for goods and services, and allowed countries such as China and India to dramatically reduce poverty. Yet, along with the positive effects on the economic scale, the luxury-for-everybody economy has also raised the issues of meaning and value. First of all, the impact of global brand communications and marketing with its ready-made brand experiences has challenged the very definition of luxury as a concept - luxury is no longer for the chosen few. Secondly, increased competition has resulted in higher consumer expectations, faster fashion cycles, and shorter product lifetime—leaving conspicuous consumption in an unstable position only heading towards confusion, exhaustion, and ultimately collapse. The Western world has already witnessed the first consequence —a crash fuelled by the global financial crisis—and now faces the challenges of a new reality where natural resources have become severely limited. Suddenly, the Western world is at a turning point in consumer history, where there simply is not enough supply. After fifty years of enjoying a seemingly endless supply

of lifestyle commodities, Western consumers have to deal with the complex consequences of their former patterns of consumption.

The combination of wealth and ecoawareness of the Western World is creating entirely new categories of consciencedriven luxury The Western world needs to find ways to embrace conspicuous consumption. According to the Financial Times, a Citigroup report says that American consumers are turning towards conscientious consumption and focusing much more on thrift. 1 Further, during the past ten years there has been a massive move towards consumer concepts that are taking this change of conscience into account. With markets such as the food, skincare, and travel industry as frontrunners, it is clear that the combination of wealth and eco-awareness of the Western world is creating entirely new categories of conscience-driven luxury that allow individuals to solve the complexity of their lifestyle and find a new balance of living. We have taken a look at the emerging lifestyle trends we think will lead the way for the 21st century and redefine the concept of luxury.

POST-MATERIALISM THE 21st CENTURY MINDSET ’Postmaterialism’ is known as a value orientation that emphasizes self-expression and quality of life over financial and physical security, gradually liberating individuals from the stress of basic acquisitive or materialistic needs. Postmaterialism places little emphasis on traditional cultural norms, especially those that limit individual self-expression and well-being,

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including both religious and bureaucratic authority. Instead, top priority is given to goals such as environmental protection, freedom of speech, and gender equality. In the early 1970s, political scientist Ronald Inglehart developed the notorious theory of Postmaterialism. Prior to that, consumers in general tended to prioritize so-called materialist values such as economic growth, individual security, and maintaining order. However, the introduction of the welfare state and levels of prosperity that were unprecedented in human history, lead to a feeling of security that caused an intergenerational value change, particularly among citizens living in Western countries. The shift towards Post-Materialism, also referred to by Ronald Inglehart as “the silent revolution”, has occurred as a gradual process in which the materialistic values of industrial society that tend to focus on economic accumulation, social advancement, and prestige have been replaced with post-materialistic values that stress the importance of self-development, quality of life, civic participation and meaningful work.

“When the current recession is over, the luxury market is going to be very different from the way it was before the current crisis. The next generation of affluent consumers are thinking about the impact of their consumption on future generations and learning that conspicuous consumption is not the way to grow wealth, to achieve happiness or to make their lives more meaningful.” Christopher H. Cordey Swiss lecturer and business consultant

In his blog, Swiss lecturer and business consultant Christopher H. Cordey describes the profound changes that the Post-Materialist culture shift has created in the luxury market. Quoting a report from 2009 with surveys conducted among affluent luxury consumers, Cordey describes how the lifestyle of luxury indulgence synonymous with self-gratification, excessiveness, and wastefulness is no longer the American ideal. Luxury consumers now subscribe to a desire to do good and give back, often taking concrete steps to make the world a better place. “When the current recession is over, the luxury market is going to be very different from the way it was before the current crisis. The next generation of affluent consumers are thinking about the impact of their consumption on future generations and learning that conspicuous consumption is not the way to grow wealth, to achieve happiness or to make their lives more meaningful.” 2 According to Cordey, luxury brands must understand and address the needs of new affluent ethical consumers. They cannot afford not too. “The question is not to make profit, but rather how they make profit.” Adding an extra P to the triple bottom line, future luxury, Cordey states, is about Prestige, People, Planet, Profit.

SLOW FASHION —THE ANTIDOTE Sandy Black, author of the extensive volume ‘Ecochic- the Fashion Paradox’, envisions a world of ‘slowing’ fashion that chimes with the slow-movement in the food industry and in culture generally, as an antidote to our consumer- and technologically-driven society. Black states that the clash of the fast fashion paradigm of cheaper and faster clothes has called into question the fashion industry as a whole as well as consumer practices that enable the situation to perpetuate. Thanks to fast fashion such as the two dollar t-shirt or six pounds jeans, ‘Disposable’, Black says, is becoming a euphemism for ‘use once and throw

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away’ in contemporary society, describing items that are made from cheap materials, but which have lasting impact on landfill waste. Black’s fashion vision resonates in the industry with a new focus on today’s value chain and a strong desire to do things differently. Similarly, in an interview, Leyla Piedasyesh, the designer behind German label Lala Berlin, proclaims that she hopes fashion consumers will demand quality and treat their clothes better. “Right now, the masses don’t care, and labels supply a market of overproduction in order to offer cheaper prices. The situation is similar to the financial crisis. At some point it will crash, and something has to happen to the fashion industry. I just don’t know what exactly.”3

“Right now, the masses don’t care, and labels supply a market of overproduction in order to offer cheaper prices. The situation is similar to the financial crisis. At some point it will crash, and something has to happen to the fashion industry. I just don’t know what exactly.” Leyla Piedasyesh, Lala Berlin

According to Black, the emerging concepts of ‘slow fashion’, presented by bespoke and longer-life products, new definitions of luxury, and appreciations of craftsmanship directly contrast fast and cheap ‘no value’ disposable fashion. In ‘Eco-chic- the Fashion Paradox’, Black takes a look at the UK fashion market and uses casestudies to prove how conscience consumption and responsible luxury are now buzz words in the fashion arena. The mainstream fashion industry, she claims, has recognized the need to adopt a more transparent and philanthropic attitude to its indulgent lifestyle in tandem with the

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luxury sector. The fashion sector has been somewhat slow to respond to the zeitgeist and to the potential influence of luxury brands in terms of responsibility, integrity, morality, and ethics. The only threat, Black argues, is that having previously been associated with excess rather than discreet consumption, the concept of responsible and conscientious luxury consumption is somewhat paradoxical in itself. The hard part is separating superficial conscience from a genuine change in attitude from the super rich minority—a ‘green is the new gold’ attitude. However, according to Black, renewed consumer expectations and a general demand for durability put a new perspective on things. In the ‘90s, people were willing to compromise durability for style. Things have changed: even if the Slow Fashion movement does represent a lifestyle trend rather than a long-term consumer paradigm, buying long-lasting craftsmanship, high quality, and unique items means they will be treasured for a long time and become heirlooms of the future. In that way, the movement contributes to a lower rate of consumption and waste and has thus served its purpose.

tels, organic lodges, and Agro-ecotourism are all new categories of a green travel trend. This trend serves as a post-materialist rebellion against a homogenized high-end travel style with impersonal white-onwhite minimalist hotels. Ecotourism is rooted in the environmental movement of the late 1970s. By the early 1990s, it was the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry, expanding globally between 20 and 34 per cent per year. In 2004, eco- and nature tourism were growing three times faster than the global tourism industry as a whole.4 According to Travel Weekly, sustainable tourism could grow to 25 per cent of the world’s travel market by 2012, and UNCTAD—the UN United Nations Conference on Trade and Development—estimates the value of the sector to be approximately $240 billion.

GREEN ESCAPES - TIME TO GROW

The Travel Philanthropy trend strongly indicates that time and personal space have become the ultimate post-materialist luxuries. With inspiration from Mother Nature and the process of the naturally ripened crop, post-materialist consumers are striving towards a more balanced way of living, favouring the pace of quality and dedicating spaces for growth. Whether going to remote eco-islands or stepping into the green bounty of our own back garden, travelling has become a mental journey with an inner destination and a catalyst for finding peace. On the individual level, it means nurturing our instincts and dedicating time to reflect, mature, and grow. A process that enables us to set down roots and embrace the joys of simply—living.

The shift in consumer focus—from the ostentatious high-speed lifestyle to superb quality and long-lasting values—shows that luxury in the 21st century foregrounds the appreciation for intangible qualities that stem from experimental and sensory experiences. The new mindset among Western countries, and the fact that materialist luxury is gradually being replaced by a post-materialist consumer movement focused on sustainable living, social justice, and personal development, affects most global industries. During the last decade, Ecotourism proved itself to be a growing industry with room for supreme personal luxury and unique experiences. Voluntourism, Zero Carbon Ho-

Whether going to remote eco-islands or stepping into the green bounty of our own back garden, travelling has become a mental journey with an inner destination and a catalyst for finding peace.

1 2 3

Financial Times, April 8, 2009 Post-Materialism and Socially Conscious Affluents US Consumers On The Rise, Sustainable Luxury Forum Fashionforum.dk , Novermber 11, 2011

4 UNWTO, 2011

INTERVIEW

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Q& A w ith

THE FUTURIST

“The last century was the lonely pursuit for materials goods —I believe the 21st century will be a journey of reconnecting with nature and finding inner peace.”

A nne Lise Kja e r Futurist & Founder of Kjaer Global, a trend forecasting agency specialised in mapping future trends and consumer mindsets for corporations like Sony, Nokia, Swarovski, IKEA, Gap and Toyota. Anne Lise is a regular Key-Note Speaker at International conferences and works across the world out of her base in London.

Anne Lise Kjaer WHEN I WAS A CHILD I WANTED TO BE

An archaeologist, a designer or an air-hostess. At 13 my teacher said: “Well you have to be smart to be an archaeologist, beautiful to be an air-hostess – so that really only leaves you with one thing to chose”. I never regretted not challenging his statement. My journey in the creative universe has been very rewarding indeed and it keeps opening new doors for me. MY FAvOURITE FLOWER

Coming to think about it we never really had flowers at the seaside where grew up. But when I was five I fell in love with ‘Forget me Not’ at my grandmothers house. MOST TREASURED QUALITY IN LIFE

Always taking my thinking to the next level by challenging the conventional way of doing things. MY GREATEST INSPIRATION IS

Authentic people with soul and calming energies—my father is such a person. MY MOST TREASURED vINTAGE ITEM

I am not really attached to things but I ‘treasure’ hearth-felt stories. Flea markets are a great source - they make me dream and inspire storytelling.

THE HABIT IN MY DAILY LIFE I AM MOST PROUD OF

Everyday I set out to make an extra effort whether it is my thinking, work life, family life or friends - I never give up – I guess it’s my mantra turned into a good habit. THE MOST INFLUENTIAL LIFESTYLE TREND OF THE 21ST CENTURY WILL BE

Soulful Storytelling MY FOUR FAvOURITE WORDS

A Perfect Balance, Multidimensional Thinking, The Real Thing and Authentic Wellbeing. THE LUXURY OF TOMORROW WILL BE DEFINED BY

The last century was the lonely pursuit for materials goods – I believe the 21st century will be a journey of reconnecting with nature and finding inner peace. It is perhaps not so much a luxury but more a real need for people to understand ‘real values’. IN 10 YEARS TIME I HOPE TO BE

I guess a lot can happen in 10 years. My life has never been a destination but more a journey and life has always thrown the right opportunities at me at the right time. So I shall keep on visualizing for that to continue.

PHOTO David Lundberg

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LOVE CHILD AND SO LOVE GREW A FLOWER A F L O W E R T H AT I S Y O U

P h o to g ra h y f r o m a bap t i s m i n M a l i 1 9 6 8 by M a l i c k S i d i bé

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P h o to g raph e r

MALICK SIDIBÉ Malick Sidibé (born 1935 or 1936) is Malian photographer notorious for his black-and-white studies of popular culture in the 1960s in Bamako. He was born in Soloba, Mali and completed his studies in design and jewelry in the École des Artisans Soudanais (now the Institut National des Arts) in Bamako. In 1958, he opened his own studio (Studio Malick) in Bamako and specialized in documentary photography, focusing particularly on the youth culture of the Malian capital. In the 1970s, he turned towards the making of studio portraits. His work is now exhibited in Europe by Fondation Cartier in Paris, as well as in the United States and Japan. In 2003, Malick Sidibé received the Hasselblad Award for photography, and in 2007, Sidibé was awarded the Venice Biennale’s Golden Lion for lifetime achievement award—the first time it has been presented to a photographer. © Malick Sidibé for all images

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THE

SCENT OF POPLIN

Byredo is a Swedish brand of perfumes headed by the creative professional Ben Gorham who graduated from the Stockholm Art School with a degree in fine arts. A chance meeting with perfumer Pierre Wulff convinced him that he’d rather create fragrances than paintings. “I have always been fascinated by the world of fragrance and its effect on my memories and impressions. Through BYREDO I want to communicate my own personal experiences—to contribute to an almost collective memory of time and place. I also believe in a modern approach without losing olfactory techniques —simply bringing together the best of old and new.” With a distinct focus on craft and quality, all products are manufactured in Sweden. The collection includes perfume, home fragrance and body care. The Cotton Poplin home fragrance has captured the ephemeral scent of fresh, crisp linen with a top note of blue chamomile, heart notes of linen and white cedar wood and base note of sweet musk.

300 g/burning time 60h 55 EUR 80 g/burning time 14h 25 EUR BYREDO.COM

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DESIGNER DOLLS The French maison LANVIN directed by Alber Elbaz has teamed up with charity Dessine L’Espoir to create four limited edition figurines in combination with the launch of its debut girls wear range, Lanvin Petite. The collaboration has been made in the spirit of founder Jeanne Lanvin, focusing on one of her passions—dolls. Each of the stylish dolls wears an outfit from the Lanvin Petite line, and the figurines are hand-embroidered by women from Swaziland diagnosed with HIV. Through their employment, the charity aims to enhance their quality of life so they are better fit to support their families. The chic little dolls are collectible pieces that each donates a percentage of the sales to Dessine L’Espoir. Available at Net-a-porter & Lanvin.com. Photo from Lanvin

250 EUR LANVIN.COM

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Photo Monta ge b y A U R É L I E G A R N I E R

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EN FLEUR

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WHITE ESCAPES

G E TAWAY S E C R E T S From the medina of Mar rakech to the coast of Tanzania

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REMOTE PRIVACY White Quarz Luxury Shompole Lodge is a luxury eco-lodge situated on the edge of the Nguruman Escarpment overlooking the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. It is 120 miles south of Nairobi near Lake Natron on a large conservancy surrounded by a ranch that provides a dispersal area for wildlife. The variety of landscapes available suggest many different activities, including morning and afternoon game drives, picnics, sundowner visits to Lake Natron to see the flamingos, night drives, and guided mountain biking. The lodge consists of six stylishly furnished minimalist rooms appealing to anyone looking for remote luxury. All of the rooms are looking out over the valley and Lake Natron in the distance and incorporate elements of nature such as white quartz stone, thatch, fig wood and flowing water. The use of smooth white shapes and water blend effortlessly with the natural surroundings and create a fresh and unusual approach to the bush. Each of the en-suite rooms has its own uniquely shaped “cool pool” and informal seating area with roll up canvas windows on all sides with spectacular views of the local scenery to make the most of both the incredible view and the cool breeze. The food is prepared from the finest fresh ingredients, and you can enjoy your dinner either in the main thatched dining room built under a high thatch roof overlooking Mount Shompole, or in the privacy of your own room under the stars. The only way in is by private charter. From Nairobi it is a 35 minute flight —a spectacular one as you fly over the Ngong Hills and down the escarpment into the Great Rift Valley. As you might imagine, this does increase the costs associated with Shompole, but for the additional costs for the flights, you’ll be rewarded by one of the most private and unusual locations in the world.

PHOTOGRAPHY by Niels Rasmussen

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AWAY HOME

Fresh linen & Orange Scented Dreams Intimate and refined, Dar Kawa is a traditional riad with a contemporary soul in the heart of Marrakechâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medina. A minimalist colour scheme compliments the Saadian 17th-century architecture, and the textiles and linens are designed by your host, Valerie Barkowski. Inspired by the Moroccan way of living, Dar Kawa is a house of comfortable luxury that plays with your senses. A smell of jasmine or orange greets you when you enter and invites you to live a slow life inspired by the seasons. Inside the house, life revolves around the patio and terrace with a relaxed invitation to nomadic living. Summers are spent with day time freshness in the patio and terrace-dinners in the evening. Winters with lunch on the terrace in the sun and evening fires or baths in the room. Any time of the year, you can be sure to enjoy excellent cuisine with seasonal fruits and vegetables, and homemade jams. Or reside to a personal massage with argan oil, fresh herbs and a tea. With just 3 suites and 1 room, each individually-styled with a blend of contemporary international and traditional Moroccan design, the atmosphere is relaxed with plenty of space to find yourself completely at home. The unique combination of privacy and personality makes Dar Kawa the perfect choice for a soulful holiday. It is a great starting point for a day of exploring in the maze of souks, where the city was born, and much-needed end point for an adventurous day in the medina. Because somewhere between the square of spices, the public bread oven and the hammam, you will long to hit home again for peaceful and sensory dreams in the orange-blossom-water scented beds, while the shadows play on the walls at night in the light of lanterns. www.darkawa.net

PHOTOGRAPHY by Tania Panova

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FARM RETREAT A window to growth Kimango Farm, located in rural Tanzania, is owned and operated by a German family who operates two farms â&#x20AC;&#x201D;both organically certified since they were established in 1998. Producing and processing about 40.000 kg of herbal teas and spices annually, the farm have over the years planted more than 20.000 trees, mainly Neem, White Teak, Teak and African Blackwood. Kimango Farm employs 30-80 local workers depending on the season. At the Mbuyuni Farm, next to their own house, the family runs a relaxing Farm Retreat in three various cottages, located in a quiet and peaceful setting surrounded by beautiful gardens. You are welcome to stroll around the farm and watch the activities or explore animal life in the farmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forested areas. A day trip safari to the Mikumi National Park is a must as well as the candle light dinners exclusively served on the cottage veranda. Kimango is a place of tranquillity and balance where you can let the landscape of vast mountains in the horizon and vivid sounds from the nature around fill you with life. Enjoy the harmony and healthy foods, and let your mind wander together with the African breeze. This is a land to remember for its aboriginal beauty. The land will remember your visit for sure, as the farm plants one indigenous tree for every guest who visits. www.kimango.com

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THE COAST CLUB Indian Ocean mist & Boats of Pillows Mediterraneo Hotel and Restaurant is a unique resort style lounge and hotel located by the Indian Ocean in Tanzania. Set in a lush and tranquil garden on the coast, it is situated about 15km from Dar es Salaam city centre. The relaxing surroundings include a swimming pool located right by the sea, and an excellent restaurant serving an extremely good range of Italian and Continental dishes in a fantastic seaside location. The popular open-air restaurant has an Italian/Mediterranean theme and is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing dinner, with the Indian Ocean on one side, and candlelit gardens on the other. The Lounge Bar has a large collection of chill-out music and a well-stocked wine cellar where you will find the best brands of wines from Italy, South Africa and many other countries. Mediterraneo is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the fantastic view of the Indian Ocean while sipping your favourite drink, and listening to the best music in Tanzania Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss the monthly party every 3rd Saturday of the month with the best DJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s around.

www.mediterraneotanzania.com

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ECO EDEN Coral-ringed Paradise Chumbe Island is a small privately owned island a few kilometres off of the main island of Zanzibar. It is known among connoisseurs for its award-winning private nature reserve, sustainable design and exceptional coral reefs. One of the last pristine coral islands on the East African Coast, Chumbe Island Coral Park includes a fully protected coral reef sanctuary and forest reserve that harbour extremely rare and endangered animals. All together, it has more than 200 species of pristine stone corals, 400 species of fish and regularly visiting turtles and dolphins. The overall aim of the reserve is to create a model of financially and ecologically sustainable Park management, where ecotourism supports conservation, research and a comprehensive Environmental Education programs for local schools. A visit on Chumbe Island is in many aspects something really special. The reserve carefully manages the numbers of guests on the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;at any time a maximum of 14 guests only. The Eco-bungalows are perfectly blended with the surrounding nature. Situated between the beach and the forest, they are so brilliantly designed, that they provide both privacy and a sense of freedom of living in the open. They all incorporate state-of-the-art eco-architecture, like rainwater catchments, solar water heating and composting toilets, aiming at zero impact on the environment. Anyone with a passion for natural beauty will find Chumbe Island captivating beyond measure. With so many rare moments from world-class snorkelling, spending time on an empty beach or savouring Chumbeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most famous Zanzibarian cuisine, a visit on Chumbe is no more than the ultimate holiday experience. It lets you taste a life of simple luxury on this paradise island in the knowledge that you are supporting the protection of the environment of a spectacular nature reserve. www.chumbeisland.com

PHOTOGRAPHY by Monolo Yllera

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INTERVIEW

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Q &A w ith

THE INTERNATIONALIST Tobias Tanne r

A Marketing & Communications professional and former record label executive who is a constant traveller and people connector. Tobias has lived a decade between New York, Geneva and Berlin and is founder of an invitation-only network for innovative leaders of the creative class called Valise. Tobias currently resides in Berlin consulting for New Media strategies and oﬀers discerning visitors access to the city through the insider city service V Recommends that launched in 2012.

“the luxury of tomorrow will be defined by those who understand quality of life” Tobias Tanner

WHEN I WAS A CHILD I WANTED TO BE

A dog catcher MY FAvOURITE FLOWER

Lily MOST TREASURED QUALITY IN LIFE

The ability to make money MY GREATEST INSPIRATION IS

Accomplished friends & acquaintances MY MOST TREASURED vINTAGE ITEM

My gap sweater that hast lasted over a decade, and now has African fabrics on the elbow pads, there is no other like it in the world. THE HABIT IN MY DAILY LIFE I AM MOST PROUD OF

Focus THE MOST INFLUENTIAL LIFESTYLE TREND OF THE 21ST CENTURY WILL BE

Dinner tables & people MY FOUR FAvOURITE WORDS

Persistency is the key. THE LUXURY OF TOMORROW WILL BE DEFINED BY

Those who understand quality of life IN 10 YEARS TIME I HOPE TO BE

Smiling & happily married

PHOTO Fridolin Schoepper

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COTTON ISSUE #1

NIGHTSHADE Dressing for the dark The Copenhagen department store Magasin recently made a survey among 19.520 Danish women asking them out about their night wear preferences. What do you prefer to wear in bed? And how do you prefer your partner dressed under the sheets? ‘In pure cotton or bare skin.’ That’s how the majority of Danish women describe their modern sleeping style. According to the Magasin survey, the previous preferred night wear fashion consisting of decorated and silky garments. But now it has been replaced by cotton nightgown and pyjamas as the preferred choice of night wear by almost half the consulted women. Coming in 3rd on the answer list is sleeping skin naked—mostly popular among the 40-49 year olds. The survey also shows that the women also have a strong opinion about their partners dressing habits in bed. 36,7 pct. of the women fancy their husband or boyfriend in classic boxer shorts and bare chest, while 17,8 pct prefer him completely naked. Coming in 3rd is the combination of long pyjamas pants and bare chest. The survey is a strong reflection of the mindset of modern Scandinavian women who wish to express their confidence all the way to their bedroom with a naturally sexy sleeping fashion in a classic style that transgresses gender and time.

COTTON ISSUE #1

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A C H RO N I C LE O F NAT U RA L LU X U RY

Cotton Magazine is a community that grows out of the support of the people who share our sustainable approach and way of belief. Navigating a diverse media landscape, the publication is exploring various formatsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from a public online platform with selected stories to exclusive print-only art copies and artist commission work. Subscription is available for both private individuals as well as corporate organizations: ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION (Private & Business) Free of charge Online blog feed Selected editorials on contemporary culture & global lifestyle.

ISSUE #2 Pre-orders available at cotton-magazine.com

MAGAZINE Subscription (Private & Business) 15â&#x201A;Ź Single issue subscription Hard copy Magazine with unique editorial content Delivered to home or office address in Europe Advertisement (Business) Custommade agreements of advertisement or limited editions prints for corporate offices, summits, lobbies etc. Cotton Magazine holds the right to only work with advertisers that share our belief and help promote a sustainable value chain in their activities. Donations (Private & Business) Cotton Magazine is welcoming the help of philanthropists who are interested in joining us on our mission or support the artists involved in the publications. Custom made agreements include individual art commissions as well as board membership.

for all inquiries please contact us on contact@cotton-magazine.com

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Nature is evenly balanced. We cannot disturb her equilibrium, for we know that the law of Cause and Effect is the unerring and inexorable law of nature; but we do fail to find our own equilibrium as nations and individuals, because we have not yet learned that the same law works as inexorably in human life and in society as in nature –that what we sow, we must inevitably reap.

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Dr. Sidney Bremer Spirit of Apollo