FLAUNT by Kristin Terrana

THE

DISPLACED ISSUE

THE

DISPLACED ISSUE

Tommy MAY, Raquel REYES, Olivia LATINOVICH, Eny LEE PARKER, Spencer MALINSKI, Jacqueline GARRITY & HOUSE OF GUNT, DENIM and SAVANNAH

CONTENTS

74 SAVANNAH Wait, they filmed Magic Mike Here? 76 TOMMY MAY I’d Rather Die in Forsyth Park 85 OLIVIA LATINOVICH She Wears Really Nice Lady Shoes, But Carries a Switch Blade 88 RAQUEL REYES Electrostatic Encounter 92 DENIM, REVISITED DIY American Classic 94 SPENCER Better Than Manny and Floyd 104 JACQUELINE GARRITY Distinctly Defined By The Multitude of Details 109 SPENCER MALINSKY Social Etiquette Versus Underlying Chaos 114 THE GUT & THE CUNT Not Everyone Is Satisfied Lip Syncing 118 ENY LEE PARKER All Prim and Proper (On the Outside) 122 HENRY MCGEHEE & MAHIMA DHESI Punk Rock In the Dirty South 128 JACQUIE A Tale of Raids and Battles 135 RAQUEL Lightning Never Strikes The Same Face Twice 140 THE FUTURE OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY The New Phenomenon 143 SAFE LEE When You’re Young Nothing Matters 154 ACCESSORY DEPARTMENT I’ve Stolen a Garden 160 OLI Do You Suffer From Freckles?

COVERS: Artwork by Tommy May. Photographed by Shayna Clovin. Clothing by Olivia Latinovich. Photographed by Shayna Colvin. Clockwise from left: Influenza Muehler & LaZanya Ontre photographed by Maxine Fishpaw Intimacy 2.0 Dress by Studio Roosegaarde John La Porta & Joel Ax Photographed by Molly Strohl. Bags by Spencer Malinski.

FLAUNT THE DISPLACED ISSUE

EDITOR IN CHIEF SARAH PARIS CREATIVE DIRECTOR ROSE STEVENSON ART DIRECTOR KAREN KRIEGEL STYLE DIRECTOR HEATHER DUNDEY EDITORIAL DIRECTOR KRISTIN TERRANA

WRITERS Karen Kriegel Kristin Terrana

DIGITAL FLAUNT.COM

PHOTOGRAPHERS Shayna Clovin Kristopher Dobbins Francisco Gonzalez Parker Stewart Molly Strohl ARTISTS Max Armisen Rebecca Bungarz Mahima Dhesi Ryan Eickhoff Jacqueline Garrity Will Kramer Andree Kong Oli Latinovich Tommy May Henry Mcgehee Spencer Malinski Eny Lee Parker Rayne Rayne Raquel Reyes Alan Slattery MODELS Tenielle Adderley Gabriela Alvergue Joel Ax Shannon Brouk Coral Hamilton Ginx Hudgins John La Porta Kharlybia Roane Allie Sherman Devon Storm

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EDITOR’S LETTER

DIS·PLACE /dis`plās/ cause (something) to move from its proper or usual place.

Enjoy the displaced issue. Best, Sarah

SAVANNAH WAIT, THEY FILMED MAGIC MIKE HERE?

Written by Kristin Terrana

Displaced, to move something from its original home or place. Sitting in an Amtrak station on the outskirts of Savannah, technically, I am going home. In reality, after four years living in this strange and beautiful little town, I feel as though I am leaving it. Although only for a few days, this break feels both necessary and a little doleful. The idea of displacing myself from a town where I have never felt more at home, to visiting a hometown I have never felt at home carries an odd sense of nostalgia. But, absence makes the heart grow fonder, doesn’t it? In three days I will return refreshed and full of new ideas and a new outlook on Savannah. I think that is what draws a lot of people to stay in Savannah, and by people, I mean students. Savannah College of Art and Design has about 10,000 of them. While not all of them are here, a large portion of this city carries an artistic millennial influence. All of them, displaced and oddly loving it. In fact, many love it enough to stay after graduation. While

most students’ senioritis kicks in along with the old standby quote, “I can’t wait to get out of here”, many carry a different tune, “I don’t think I want to leave”. Savannah has a draw unlike any town you have been to, unless you have been to Savannah, and then, you’ll understand what I’m talking about. It’s no wonder that over the last century, it has been home to countless movies, ghost encounters, concerts, film festivals, food, and an art culture surprisingly vast for such a small area. We are famous, we are haunted, we are hungry. Savannah in a nutshell would be Forest Gump’s ghost serving you Mrs. Wilkes fried chicken, essentially. While many tourists come to Savannah for its beauty and southern charm, artists are finding a more permanent home, and adore not only the charm, but the mystery of the strange little town. This city is rich in history, but I won’t dare spoil it, or possibly bore you away with it. Instead, come to Savannah and see for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.

SAVANNAH CITYPLAN 1818.

TOMMY MAY I’D RATHER DIE IN FORSYTH PARK

Written by Kristin Terrana

Photographed by Parker Stewart

Meet Tommy Lee, otherwise known as Safe Lee. Surprisingly enough, his collection of names is actually less in amount than his jobs and talents. A mini legend among the young and hip of Savannah, Georgia, Tommy, whatever you would call him, is a serious ingenue. Although originally a photography major, he felt unsatisfied with the choice and reverted to painting, one of his first loves. “I’m a photo student...sort of... but within a month of the major I realized I couldn’t say enough of the content I wanted to. It’s been a search since then to find what works best to express it. But right now, painting works. It’s like a drug for me. I get antsy if I’m not painting. I always want to do more. I paint because I have to. To feel alive.” It seems as though Tommy’s true talent lies in finding the soul and humor in his work. He is charismatic, witty, funny and incredibly smart. His scattered house, covered floor to ceiling in art, reflects his chaotic painting style. There is barely room to stand, but he manages to find new places to doodle every time he has an idea. It is the most artistic tornado you could ever imagine, and it seems to reflect his head perfectly. Tommy is always thinking and observing new things, his head never seems to rest. It’s fitting that when asked what he couldn’t live

without, he answered almost instantly, “my dog”, other necessities? His books and other forms of reading material. “It’s very hectic. This is it,” He motions to the madness surrounding him, “It used to be better, I lived across the train tracks but I had to move because of black mold. I’m just starting here, but it always will look messed up. I never throw anything out, and I’m careless. I wreck paintbrushes a lot. Even with my work. Half my stuff doesn’t even stretch to the end of the canvas. My work responds to my working environment. I don’t care if I’ve painted in the lines. If I drag a brush from one painting and it gets onto another, so be it. I love this mess.” Tommy’s talents began to shine when he started painting his ideas out in large scale, abstract murals. His concepts include quotes, sometimes making fun of artists. His recent favorite? Andy Warhol. He’s even been compared to Basquiat “I like to communicate with other painters in my work”, he says, pointing to a painting that resembles Matisse, and then Basquiat to the side of that. “I’m actually trying to do a series, sort of mocking a lot of different artists work, Van Gogh, some Dada, just being funny and childish,” It’s apparent that Lee’s mind wanders to the side of humor and curiosity often, and it is what makes his work so fabulous. One

of his most common re-occurring symbols is the ladder, another reflection of his mind. “I love ladders, the idea of reaching for something, climbing. But to me, every symbol has a meaning. Some of it may be vague to other people, but to me, some of the most abstract ones have more meaning to me personally. But I have to be in a separate mindset to paint say, a saw, and some words on a painting, then when I do clothes.” Now, Tommy is more than a canvas painter, having found a new surface by way of fashion. “I was in Marthas Vineyard, and I was showing at a gallery and high end clothing store, called Michael Hunters, and featured a shoe designer, Ruthie Davis’s shoes, right in front of one of my paintings in the window. So I contacted her and said we should collaborate, but that never came to fruition.” The idea stuck in his head, and he worked to find a new means to incorporate his art with clothing. “I started painting on my friends clothes at a party, and everyone loved them. It basically came out of nowhere, but then I started to sell the pants. The dresses are from Jes-

sica Daly. Now I’m working on denim jackets. I just always want to do something new. I even painted on a trampoline yesterday, not fashion related but, you know. I love fashion though. I’m not a designer, but I just think my linework can go anywhere. Levis jeans, bags, dresses, whatever.” Lee is currently working on his collaborations with Joshua Cloud, who does bags, Jessica Daly, and Charlie Yams, who is responsible for the denim. There’s even a collaboration with Barneys for a Swedish trench coat company. He says hes closing in on something “big”, but his lips are sealed. According to Tommy, it takes about 10 or 15 minutes to finish painting on a garment. In terms of locale, Tommy is excited to stay in the sleepy south for the time being, hoping to stay in Savannah for the foreseeable future. “I’m actually in the process of signing a lease for a gallery I’m starting here, it’s going to be awesome. I love Savannah, it’s cheap and it’s beautiful. I want to get a bigger studio eventually, but Savannah is so inspirational, I’m going to be here for awhile. I have two shows in New York this summer, one in Austin, and one in DC. With the

internet I have so much going on without having to be in a major city. You don’t have to go be poor in New York. You can live a rich lifestyle somewhere like Savannah and live a really cool life. You could walk out of the subway and get shot, but I’d rather die in Forsyth Park.” Seeing this sort of desire to stay in a place like Savannah is inspiring. Tommy is right. In the art world, and many other professions, it’s becoming less and less necessary to be stuck in a large city. Social media, the digital world, and more technological advancements are bringing the world closer together than ever before. This allows for mobility, and the fact that Tommy is

picking Savannah is a sign it’s a place to think about. Maybe even to relocate to. Tommy is embodying this issues theme of displacement in such a perfect way. He is a gift to us, leading by example. Proving it is more than okay to displace yourself from the bustle of mass transit, competition, miscommunications and disconnect that cities like Los Angeles and New York have become. Living in Savannah, communicating through other outlets allows Tommy to have a closer connection with his patrons than two people pushed together on the subway, and that is pretty beautiful.

OLIVIA LATINOVICH

“SHE WEARS REALLY NICE-LADY SHOES, BUT CARRIES A SWITCH BLADE.” 62

Written by Kristin Terrana

Photographed by Parker Stewart

With an aesthetic unlike anything we’ve seen as of late, Oli Latinovich is one of our featured designers this month. We sat down with Oli to take a look inside her technicolor pastel brain, and see where she got her inspiration for this awesome collection. Not even 24 yet, Oli has accomplished a lot, and is developing a style signature to her. Whether she decides to stay in Savannah is undecided, but wherever she goes, she’s sure to be out of place...in a very, very good way.

pattern pieces. F: Who is the girl in your head that you design for? O: The girl I design for is in a creative field and she likes small art driven fashion magazines. She writes really cool angsty poetry. I imagine her in a city where she wears really nice-lady shoes, but like carries a switch blade.

F: Where do you get your inspiration?

F: There’s a great sense of humor in your collection. Are all of your pieces like that?

O: I don’t have a specific place for inspiration. A lot of the time I have to wonder- whether that’s across the Internet or downtown, it depends.

O: There is a sense of humor there. The randomness of humor makes things fresh. This is my first collection, so we will see if the humor sticks.

F: What is your process like? Is it neat or messy?

F: Your work has so much character. What images did you draw from?

O: My process begins by sitting on the floor and collaging in my sketchbook. Then, I trace over my favorite parts and try to mock it up on the stand. Then I take photos of different drapes on the stand, and bring everything back to my sketchbook next to the original collage. The process is my favorite part.

O: I don’t necessarily draw from imagery. The character you see is part of a story. I make up an actual story that this girl is a part of. For Pippi Longstocking it was easy because she already is a story.

F: When did you start sewing?

O: I cannot work with other people around. I have to have my door shut and music on.

O: When I was 17 I was in sewing boot camp with “ Sewin’ Sue”. Sewing Sue is an old lady that teaches young girls how to sew in her basement. Basically it was me and 7 year olds. No one told me that at the end of the summer you had to model what you made- I made a gold lame two-piece…Prior to being 16-17 I would do small sewing projects with my grandmother, she can sew anything. I remember being very frustrated by the tissue paper

F: How do you work best, chaos or silence?

F: What do you listen to when you work? O: I have found music to be an important part of my process because music is a story too, listening to it helps carry the story on, keep the process up. Lately, I have been only listening to this playlist called “lush life”? [Laughs] one of my favorite songs is Poetic Justice by Kendrick Lamar ft.

Drake, on and also Whats Up by 4 Non Blondes.

O: One time I painted this horrible green face. It’s a green face with a big pink tongue coming out of it and he’s wearing a plaid beret? I still can’t decide if it’s ugly or good.

F: So this collection was inspired by Pippi Longstocking, are you often inspired by movies? O: I actually have never been inspired by another character from a pre-existing story. Pippi Longstocking was fitting. She is a strong female character- a child- lives on her own- super human strength- unabashed personality- perfect garden-spotted horse. F: What can’t you live or work without? O: A shut door. F: What is one thing you’ve made that you totally hate?

F: What is your favorite piece in this collection? O: My favorite piece is the long pink nightgown. I love how simple it is. And aside that, that hats! The hats are collaboration with Spencer Malinski. Getting to work with someone on something other than clothing is fun and refreshing- we are great friends so we really vibed together, her style is more sleek and sophisticated where mine is more whimsy, a good combo.

RAQUEL REYES ELECTROSTATIC ENCOUNTER

Written by Kristin Terrana

Photographed by Pablo Serrano

Sitting drinking coffee with Raquel Reyes feels like chatting with an old friend. The minute we sat down we instinctively complained about Savannah’s little grievances, the bugs, the heat, the tourists. It was clear to see that she was another displaced Savannah resident, happy to be there, slowly becoming a “townie” as many of the college students would call it. The reason Reyes stayed isn’t as steadfast as others, but it makes more sense to a twenty-something millennial than any other reason you could name. What is most important is although scared, she doesn’t seem too worried, and she shouldn’t be. Her talent will take her anywhere she wants to go. We talked about her Lightening collection, as seen in this issue, her feelings on Savannah, moving on, and her ideal, perfectly messy woman. F: How were you inspired to do this collection? R: Well, just going on a general background of what inspires me, I’m always inspired by things that people categorize as phenomena. Like things you can’t really explain. I mean technically there’s a scientific explanation for everything, lightening, obviously, it’s weather! But to me the inexplicable part about it is the way that a person reacts to it. Kind of like when you go to a museum and you look at art it’s not really what you’re looking at its what reaction it causes you to have. That’s why it’s art. So it’s not really the phenomena itself, it’s how it makes me feel. So for that collection specifically it came about my first summer in Savannah, right before my senior year. I’m from LA, so I’ve never experienced thunder and lightening storms at that time of year, and it kind of did something to me mentally, where I was very much in that stormy mindset. I wanted to portray the idea of someone being surrounded by it. That’s what caused the explosiveness of the prints in terms of size and proportion, so it wasn’t just a placed print, it enveloped the wearer. F: Are you often inspired by these phenomena? R: This was the first time I was inspired by natural elements, before it was similar ideas, but more concrete, like architecture, which is surprising, because I’ve been obsessed with weather since I was little. F: What was your favorite piece? R: The finale look from that collection, the white floor length gown. It was about the reaction. It’s not that its my favorite thing, but the first time I presented it, my critique was at 5 o

“... AND IT’S TWENTY MINUTES LATER AND IT’S BEEN TWO HOURS AND I’M STILL IN BED, HAVING A PANIC ATTACK” 68

clock on the third floor [of the fashion building], so I was the last to go and I rolled it to the center of the room, all of the curtains were up, and the sunlight hit it perfectly. Everyone was ooh-ing and awe-ing, and that moment just made it my favorite.

I try detail, I spend longer on the sketch than the garment. The piece always seems to look better in my head than when I sketch it. I’ll just start draping and patterning. But it’s very messy, I don’t clean my apartment when I’m working. The thread, the muslin, the broken needles, that’s my life. When I’m finished that’s when I’ll clean it up.

F: What do you listen to when you work? R: Um...it depends. I listen to everything. I really like acoustic things. If I hear a song and I like it, I’ll go to youtube and see if I can find a live version, and that’s what I’ll loop endlessly, not the song itself. I do that with all of my favorite songs. Acoustic or live. This morning it was Layla and Laurel. I’m into young British girls who sing about assholes.

F: Why do you choose to stay in Savannah?

F: Who is the girl in your head that you design for? R: I would say she’s a better version of me. I don’t wanna say she’s me because I don’t wear the things I design, unless I make them specifically for me. She’s kind of...has her life together, but not entirely. She’s timeless. A woman who is in command of herself, and wear whatever she wants to wear, and not care. Whether or not she’s kind of a mess is her prerogative. F: What is your process like? R: It’s very messy. I don’t sketch, which people may hate to hear, I mean when I think of a shape I’ll sketch a silhouette, but I don’t go into a lot of detail. Mainly because I’m a perfectionist, and so when

R: It kind of goes back and forth. Some days I wake up and think, “This is where I want to be right now, this feels right” and then, twenty minutes later, I’ll think that I need to get out of here and be a grown up and start working in New York, and sometimes I think I need to not go to New York, and apply to grad schools and move abroad, and twenty minutes later I think I should move to the West Coast, and it’s twenty minutes later and it’s been two hours and I’m still in bed, having a panic attack. I don’t know, I originally stayed because I wanted to further explore knitwear, I did a few knitwear accessory collections that sold well in the winter, but the shop I worked at [Wild Fibre], closed, and I was in the middle of the lease, so I got another job, and then I just...stayed. I love Savannah. I wanted to come here because in pictures it looked so different from anything I’d ever experienced. By the time graduation came, I didn’t want to move because it felt like home.

DENIM, REVISITED DIY AMERICAN CLASSIC

Written by Kristin Terrana

IMAGE FROM WGSN.

While some may argue that an avant garde trend is occurring in the big wide world of denim, it seems unlikely that it will develop in the masses. Instead, look for DIY style denim, taking a turn off the beaten path. While denim is an American classic, watching it’s evolution has always been fascinating. I love watching what will happen to this textile next, and this coming year will be no exception. The iconic fabric is being poked and prodded like never before, and while beautiful, I doubt that the full aesthetic of this more advanced version of denim will take hold among the masses. It feels as though designers are push- ing so hard for denim to become a new textile, and it looks incredible. However, aside from a small piece, I feel this trend is not profitable enough to take off for the mass market. WGSN states that one of the biggest trends for denim will be Elemental, but I happen to prefer the Offbeat. I love the frayed, self done, Americana aspect to the Offbeat. “As all-American styles gain traction within denim, designers explore more classic vintage casts. Vintage character, slubby defects and orange-peel effects reference 1970s fabrics, while super washed-out blues with subtle grey casts reference 1990s stonewashed looks.” (WGSN) It’s combination of classic and modern is just enough to be accepted by not only visionaries and trendsetters, but even late adopters. Denim seems to be boiled down to each wearers opinion and style, and just like it’s American roots, is a melting pot of differences. There is a human aspect to denim, as if it lives and breathes.

It deserves personality. This home grown denim trend adds an element of displacement to the normally plain Americana style denim. Offbeat denim has a sense of do-it-yourself/DIY character that is quirky, lively, and fun. Denim should never be snobby, but just because it is funky, it does not have to look home made. In fact, this youthful, fun denim trend can still use elements of the experimental that designers such as Ximon Lee demonstrated so successfully in his Parsons Graduate collection. Denim can and should be fused to neoprene, coated with shiny plasticine paints and dyes, cut and diced and spliced, but in a wearable way, and possibly even in accessories. What Ximon Lee did so perfectly was create bags so far from the average tacky denim purse that they hardly looked like denim at all. Accessories are always more easily adopted by mass market buyers, proving there is a gap there of the denim variety. Another great aspect of this denim trend is its heterosexuality. As pictured, it seems as though men can adopt this trend just as quickly, if not more, than women. Imagine Ximon Lee’s take on denim fused neoprene in a fresh and modern utility back- pack. Any man would buy that for his subway treks, and many women would as well. It is safe to say denim will be in our closets and our hearts for decades to come, but at least for now, in a safer, more home grown variety than the grand ideas had by the incredibly talented designers, looking a little too far into the future for most wearers.

AsiCus. Ad ut que nonseque min erunt et omnis sunt pos non possum fugitatias 72

BAGS BY SPENCER MALINSKI

BETTER THAN MANNY AND FLOYD Photographed by Molly Strohl

JACQUELINE GARRITY

DISTINCTLY DEFINED BY THE MULTITUDE OF DETAILS 86

Written by Kristin Terrana

Photographed by Parker Stewart

Jacquie Garrity, straight and to the point while still being perfectly poetic. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like if Hemingway designed jewelry, without the doily-fragile women. Her work is both delicate and strong, effortlessly capturing the image of the women she knows to be in this world. No one dimensional females in sight, and Jacquie is leading the way. F: What was your inspiration for this collection and what inspires you as an artist? J: My senior thesis was inspired by the variety of strong, independent, elegant and beautiful woman that have impacted my life. As my artist statement states: Essence by definition is the individual, a real or ultimate nature of a thing and all or any of the elements that make up the essential nature of its being. There are an innumerable number of elements that attribute to the remarkable spirit, courage, strength, and essence of a woman. Women are often told they either have to be feminine and sexy or strong and bold. Women are not black and white. Women are distinctly defined by the multitude of details that make up who they are. I am inspired by the women who have truly added to the

vitality, depth, and diversity of the world by empowering other women to be bold. Empowered women are beautiful women. Zanobia is a collection of jewelry that embraces the allure, charm, strength, intelligence, and beauty of being a woman. Zanobia is meant to empower women as it encapsulates the vivacity of women through bold colors, daring line work, and alluring details. F: What motivates you to keep going? J: What motivates me to keep going is my constant pursuit of a challenge. With everything I do, I consistently look for an obstacle and contemplate the various way I can overcome and conquer each challenge that is put forth. I am inspired by the variety of artists and influences that I come across in my daily life and in art, international and political culture. F: What does your studio process look like? J: My studio process goes through waves of artistic production. I can be working one day on a specific piece and the next a

variety of different pieces. I work with a variety of different materials and processes---from fabrication, casting, digital designing and chemical bonding. F: Did your collection look like what you envisioned it to be? J: Yes, of course, nothing comes out exactly how you first envisioned it but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the beauty of creating. Things are constantly changing, nothing is static and to me I think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what truly makes art. art. F: If you could change or alter anything on it, what would it be? J: Nothing. F: How did you source your materials? J: Difficult question to answer, I used a variety of different stores and resources, the materials I used never came from the same place but being an artist of any kind, you do your research and decide one what suits what you are doing the best. F: What would be the next step for you? J: I hopefully plan on living in the UK or New York, going through the application process is a never ending waiting game but I am excited for what is to come next. F: What do you love about living in Savannah? J: The rain.

SPENCER MALINSKI SOCIAL ETIQUETTE VERSUS UNDERLYING CHAOS

Written by Kristin Terrana

Photographed by Parker Stewart

“Quirky” perfectly describes the aesthetic of Spencer Malinski, a Savannah based bag designer. Taking the extraordinary and making it wearable, not the other way around, Spencer uses materials as odd as the fur originally marketed for Troll Doll hair. What she does with it however, is far from ghoulish. Taking neon furs and creating luxury bags inspired by human nature, Spencer is fresh, unique, and so, so cool. We sat down with Ms. Malinski in her oddly pristine studio space to understand her creative psyche.

This one was the social cues collection [mentioned earlier], I started from that and then was inspired by certain parts of social cues. Handshakes, eye contact, just simple nuances in conversation and then translating that into the bags, so each bag is a different social cue. F: When did you decide that handbags would be your niche?

F: What makes your handbags unique? I treat the process more like a sculpture. I normally start with paper or plastic sculptures, and then turn it down when I make the bag. It helps me make better shapes, I think. F: What is your biggest inspiration? I think my biggest inspiration is really human interaction. Right now I’ve been dealing with social etiquette versus underlying chaos. Like...how you’re supposed to act in comparison to what is really going on underneath. It’s a lot about tension or contrasting elements. A lot of them are expandable or can change, but some are soft and others are very hard.

I’m a fibres major, but my mom is an interior designer. She has a store and she was about to throw away all of these leather samples from companies, but instead she gave them to me. So I started just making simple color blocked clutches from the samples, and I fell in love with it. I didn’t know anything about leather so I took an accessories class to learn how to work with the leather, and I just loved it. A while later I took some time off, and then I got my own machine and did some freelance for my mom, I did some commissions, and I think that’s when I got serious about it, but by then it was too late to switch [majors], but now I’m melding the two of them together, which is also fun. It’s been two and a half years now. F: Describe your creative process

F: Who do you design for? Who do you imagine with your bags? I design for luxury companies. I always think its easier to start at the most expensive or most conceptual, but then tone it down from there. It’s better than starting from something very simple and trying to enhance it. Always try to have the biggest and best ideas and then bring it down if you need to. F: What inspired this specific collection?

When I’m working, it gets really chaotic. I try to keep a clean surface though, for the leather. I’m naturally a messy worker, but because the studio is my room I try to keep it clean. I always start with folding paper, and then I go from there. The paper folding makes it much easier to visualize. Folds can become pockets and I just sculpt it and start sketching. I get inspired by shapes a lot, proportions really intrigue me. F: What is your favorite current trend?

I really love bags that look seamless. Not being able to tell where the handle is coming from, not seeing seams on the outside. I think Prada did some over the summer, they were so cool.

Anything small. They’re so precise and they have so many layers. A lot of people think it’s easier to make a wallet, but to me its the hardest thing to make. F: Where do you get your materials?

F: How do you get your ideas?

I shop around. I’m addicted to buying leather. It’s a problem, I need to stop. It’s kind of difficult here because there aren’t many leather houses, but I shop on Ebay, I go to New York and shop there, I’ll find people selling it on Facebook, but the most important part is the feel of it before you buy it. The weight, how it lays, so its tricky. Sometimes things will come in the mail and I’ll be disappointed, but it’s a part of it.

I’m a bit of a nerd. Before art school I wanted to be an archeologist or a scientist, but I’m not very good at it. Science has always interested me, though. Different organisms, human interaction, those things are endless sources of inspiration for me. Nature and people keep evolving, so it’s impossible to run out of inspiration to draw from them. F: What is your favorite bag that you’ve done?

F: What is one thing you can’t live without?

I really love this one, [the small fur bucket bag], I would carry it, I want it in a ton of colors.

I think it’s open space...and a strong community of people. That’s really important. For creating? My sewing machine.

F: Is there an item you regret making?

THE GUT & THE CUNT NOT EVERYONE IS SATISFIED LIPSYNCING TO BEYONCE

Written by Kristin Terrana

Taking my cab to the official House of Gunt, I really didn’t know what to expect. Like many people in Savannah, I’ve been lucky enough to see The House of Gunt perform a few times, and letting my brain separate their performance personas for the interview was something that initially left me apprehensive. Rest assured, the minute Max Armisen (Maxine Fishpaw on Social Media, and Influenza Muehler for Gunt), opened his door to me, I immediately knew that this was a great place to be. Max introduced me to two other members, Will Kramer, and Renee, and we began our chat. The House of Gunt was less the idea of one person, but more the shared desire of many. It was always about performance for Max/Influenza and his co founder, Monster Cunt. “The house of gunt has [been performing] almost two years. We started on October fourth of 2013, and by started, I mean that that was the first time we had a show or

a party. That was about five of us.” Will interjects, “I think there were more?” Max tries to count, “Me [Influenza], Monster Cunt, who is the other co founder along with myself, then there was...Toyota, Rachel Fauxrelle, Princess Shay Shay, Lavender Mist...oh wait, there were six!” I was interested to hear the stellar confidence from all the members I met about performing in a town like Savannah. Here, it’s them or what they refer to as “the pageant circuit”, polar opposites, and because of that, The House of Gunt draws quite a crowd, a crowd of people who want more than the norm of drag, if there is such a thing. “A lot of people come to Savannah to see Lady Chablis, who is a big trans performer in the south here, so I think in Savannah, people are almost expecting it [drag and performers]”, Max stated. It’s true. Savannah is home to an iconic trans performer, and the state of Georgia is no stranger to drag, he adds, “But in terms

MAX ARMISEN MAXINE FISHPAW INFLUENZA MUEHLER

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WILL KRAMER TOYOTA MITSUBISHI RAYNE RAINE´ RAINE´

PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAX EXCLAMATIONPOINT

IMAGES BY PAOLA TRUSENDI

of the whole south, drag is like an age old tradition. Ru Paul got her start here [in Atlanta], Lady Bunny got her start here, there’s a big drag pageantry. So I don’t think drag in the south is particularly hard, but I think the fact that what we’re doing isn’t necessarily drag, it makes it different.”

So, it seems the House of Gunt is less beauty and grace, more in your face.

However, there does tend to be some difficulty in progression, as Savannah is a tiny town. While there are advantages to being a major portion of the performance circuit, Rayne said it does have it’s downsides. “I think if we were somewhere else we would be competing with a different set of performers, but the fact that Savannah is sleepy, I think makes it a little harder because things aren’t happening as quickly or as fast. There’s not as many things to participate in. It’s a smaller town scenario. Its also an art school thing, Savannah is smaller than the smallest town I grew up in, but there are so many people who want this.” “With drag for a long time here, it was only female impersonators, it was Club One, Lady Chablis, in the 90s it was huge”, Max adds. Its apparent The House of Gunt is a change well needed, but there’s a time and a place for all drag and performing. Some prefer to lipsync Beyonce, some sew dozens of knick knacks into a giant wig, like Influenza, and both are inherently fabulous. Max and the rest of the House aren’t necessarily queens, he said, “Drag sort of puts the house of gunt in a box. I think we’re informed by drag history, drag techniques, drag etiquette, but I think Drag as an aesthetic, Georgia drag has always been a pageantry, and I think the house of gunt is a reaction to that drag. The values that those queens have, looking so flawless and walking around in the ballroom scene, having a talent.”

“I don’t know what you consider art or culture, but I feel like we’re influenced by culture, but also like... not giving a fuck about culture, but not about other peoples culture, but about the culture I’m in, as an assigned female white trans person”, Rayne stated confidently. “It’s interesting, its like an equal interest in the culture but also a big fuck this to culture, art, drag. All those things are interesting but it comes down to having a space to not give a shit. Have full reign and a blank canvas.” added Will, while performing, Toyota Mitsubishi uses everything under the sun in her costumes. Fanta cans, packs of cigarettes, and trash bags as wigs. Creativity is key when performing in the House of Gunt, and always having something new to share, whether emotional or physical. Max ends with some words of gunt wisdom. “It’s always really great, because a good way to describe the performances is that we’re ‘gunt’, the house of gunt, is definitely a combination of … well.. it comes from a personal space. The gunt, you have those two spaces, the gut and the cunt, essentially, which to me is like...those insecurities clashing. To me, when I’m doing performances, it’s like, how personal can I get? Sometimes when I feel like I’m my least impressive is when I’m not going that deep. Then at the same time it’s so public, because you’re performing live. So the gut is that insecurity, and the cunt is a social insecurity, to the public, that word makes you cringe. That’s the cruder side of gunt.”

ENY LEE PARKER ALL PRIM AND PROPER (ON THE OUTSIDE)

Written by Kristin Terrana

Photographed by Parker Stewart

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Reading this, it’s more than likely you’re sitting. On a chair, a couch, a bench, a bus seat. But who made it that seat? Did they care about it? How many prototypes were there? Was the concept masculine or feminine? Before meeting with furniture designer Eny Lee Parker, I hardly questioned where my butt went. Eny’s thoughtful execution in her artistry makes her furniture comfortable and unique. It isn’t the hard minimalist trends all over Pinterest right now, its something greater. Eny takes shape and form and creates something that has a character and life, just like her. Eny welcomed us into her house with instant conversation. “I can make tea! Are you hungry? I can boil some eggs, too.” Immediately it was clear that her personality reflected her furniture, or rather the other way around. Warm, inviting, comfortable.

like picking pieces that I didn’t know. I didn’t know the details of the furniture. I was more interested in the furniture than how it effected the space.” Eny’s picky personality sparked her interest in furniture. Ever specific, Eny found herself wanting to change things about the pieces of furniture she was choosing for clients. In addition, she thrives on connections with other artists just as much as her connections with her furniture. “I love having my peers around me, bouncing off ideas, working as a team. Some guys like building things alone, I’m not the carpenter in the shop alone with his headphones. I solving problems and figuring out ergonomics and asking furniture peers for help.” But she was quick to add how much she loved the power of furniture design, as well.

An Interior Design major as an undergrad, Eny moved towards furniture in her graduate studies and never looked back.

“Building of course, is fun! It’s really awesome to be a girl and use all of the power tools.” She chuckles, “I really enjoy giving human characteristics to furniture,” she points to her signature chair, the Honest, “I wanted to give a warmth to the person using it, as if it was embracing them. To me, a piece of furniture has

“I’ve always liked the making things and creating things...I worked for a residential company. Even though I loved it [interior design], I didn’t necessarily

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to grow and live and give and die and be reborn, it should be human, it should grow and age.” Rose, with me at the interview, became curious and went to the chair. “It’s gunna give a little bit, don’t be scared! It’s supposed to.” Roses face lit up with contentment as she sat down. It was obvious how comfortable she felt. “It was really difficult to do the ergonomics on that chair. It was a lot of paper modeling. I had no idea what I was getting into with wood bending, thinking it would work like paper. It just doesn’t. Pinewood prefers to bend in one direction, but obviously this chair has two curves. That’s what the relief in the center is for.” Eny ran into her back room and comes out with a bundle of paper models. Her original concept came from a famous chair known as “The Coconut Chair”. Some of the paper models were more benches, we all imagined them in a museum. “I spent about 400 hours on this chair, it was my first piece. So I think I have to love it. I steamed a lot, and steamed some more, and put it in a pink foam mold. I made the mold mirrored and by hand. Figuring out the inverse of the chair for the mold was pretty mind boggling.” On her design process, Eny uses the tried and true university method, which she lovingly referred to as “The SCAD Way”, an idea that thousands of Savannah College of Art and Design students are familiar with. It all starts with a concept. “To me, I always imagine the object featured in my favorite magazine, or something I’d want in my own home, or even the end user. Would they want it in your own home? I always struggle with my creativity because you want to do so much but then it doesn’t fit in the end users home.” For now, like many other artists, Eny is very content in her beautiful Savannah, Georgia carriage house apartment. Places like these, seemingly impossible to find elsewhere, are easily accessible for less than what Craigslist would describe as “cozy” in New York City. Here, Eny has a place for her furniture to flow cohesively throughout the space with other works and pieces, and an entire room devoted to her work, something many artists only dream of. Practical, poignant, and passionate. Eny Lee Parker is always thinking, moving, doing. Wise beyond her years, her sense of warmth and practicality allows for products made for living and looking. The perfect combination of necessities, if you count an aesthetic as a necessity (which you should). Parker is certainly a name to look for in the upcoming years. Her design is something the industry is craving right now, more than form meeting function, it’s life meeting art.

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Written by Kristin Terrana

Photographed by Parker Stewart

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HENRY MCGEHEE & MAHIMA DHESI PUNK ROCK IN THE DIRTY SOUTH

Upon first meeting, Henry McGehee seems like an average 22 year old. Just wait. After only a few minutes, you will have wished you took notes from the beginning of your conversation. McGehee knows more good bands than you ever could have time for. And yet, he has time for all of those bands, running a music venue, playing in two bands, editing sound for a handful of films and tv pilots, oh, and starting a DIY music record label with fellow sound design major at the Savannah College of Art and Design, Mahima Dhesi. The DIY music scene has grown in popularity, and is coming out of the woodwork after a long spell underground. Concerts are no longer just about gigantic arenas and multi platinum bands. Thanks to books like Free Pizza For Life by notable DIY musician Chris Clavin, member of band Ghost Mice and founder of Plan-It-X records, musicians everywhere are looking to enhance the scenes in their own towns, and Henry is one of them. F: What is The Bomb Shelter? How did it start up? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The bomb shelter is a DIY space in Savannah

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Georgia. [At first] my roommate, Danielle, started having bands come play in the side yard, on top of the old bomb shelter. It didn’t last very long because it was pretty loud and reckless, so it got shut down. But when I moved in we soundproofed the living room and started booking bands from out of town, that started last May.”

girl band punk so good, you’ll never want them to stop playing...if that’s what you’re into, of course. F: With all these bands you have to have seen some pretty crazy stuff, right? “Not as many as you’d think, but still, we’ve witnessed some crazy stuff,” Henry says, “Actually, a few weeks ago this kid crowd surfed non stop. [The room the bands play in] is so small, I actually think he hit the ceiling a few times. It was awesome. He was having such a great time.” McGehee is making reference to one of their bigger shows, a tape release party celebrating the sales of Generation Pills cassette, the first on Bomb Shelter Records.

F: So you got popular quickly? “Yeah, I guess,” he laughs, timidly “It’s pretty easy when you’re the only house venue around.” It’s also “pretty easy” when Savannah, Georgia has a strict 21 and up policy for all bars and music venues, regardless of whether a concert is taking place. Henry and the rest of the founders of The Bomb Shelter open their doors to listeners of all ages, and from all walks of life. The fact that The Bomb Shelter exists is a gift to many kids, under twenty one, who are sent away by bars when their favorite band is playing. Mahima, Henry’s girl Friday, is one of those unlucky underage kids, tired of missing out on seeing bands she loved. Now, she is a key piece to the DIY scene in Savannah, planning shows, dubbing tapes, and more.

“You got number 28 out of 50!” Henry said, excitedly, handing me quite the professional looking cassette. I may not have a tape player, but for the effort he and Mahima put into them, I just may buy one. “Actually there are 30...” Mahima mumbled under her breath. I look down at the ‘28/50’ on the tape case, imagining Henry at four in the morning hand writing the track lists and information on each tape. The sentiment is better than the accuracy. Oddly enough, that statement speaks volumes for the entirety of the Bomb Shelter. They may have issues, but man do they mean well. The people at the Bomb Shelter care so much, you look at them and wish you cared about something that much, too. They seem disconnected with the rest of Savannah, but proud of it. Still proud to be there, and full of love for the cool little town that they may be too cool for. But, heres hoping they don’t figure that out any time soon. Henry, Mahima, and the rest of the Bomb Shelter brigade are a slice of Savannah still slightly unknown, and that is what makes them so great for doing what they do.

“I just really like hanging out here, and I feel like this is what I should be doing. I want to help.” Her shy exterior is no mask for her truly cool and smart personality. While of little words, it’s clear she is a huge part of the Bomb Shelter. She and McGehee foil each other quite perfectly. Henry knows the bands, Mahima knows how to get the people to come see them. The dynamic is honest and simple, uncomplicated. But what it lacks in pizazz it makes up for in performance. Head to the Bomb Shelter on any given Thursday and you’ll be treated to anything from folk punk, techno, rap, acoustic, or Bikini Kill-esque, all

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JEWELRY BY JACQUELINE GARRITY

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A TALE OF RAIDS AND BATTLES Photographed by Kristopher Dobbins

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LIGHTNING NEVER STRIKES THE SAME FACE TWICE. Photographed by Francisco Gonzalez

CLOTHING BY RAQUEL REYES

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THE FUTURE OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY THE NEW PHENOMENON

Written by Karen Kriegel

Wearable technology might seem like a new phenomenon, but it originally started two centuries ago when pocket watches were reduced in size in the 19th century. This led to a German artillery officer deciding to strap a pocket watch to his wrist as he didn’t want to have to use both hands to tell the time. This was the first time a person had strapped or placed a machine to their bodies. However, the first true wearable technology only came in 1961 when Edward O. Thorp and Claude Shannon placed a small computer on one of their shoes and on a cigarette case in order to help them cheat while gambling at roulette. After this, wearable technology was mainly used by casino gamblers and eventually banned in 1985. It wasn’t until the 21st century that wearable technology started to take off. Smart watches such as Fitbit and Nike FuelBand and jewelry such as Ringly have become popular and easily accesible to all, but they are usually made out of plastic and rubber and occasionally very bulky. At this moment in time technology stands out and looks out of place in most situations, but there are artists currently working to seamlessly weave technology into our everyday lives from dresses that light up to wearable charging stations. Ying Gao, a Canadian artist has a collection called Incertitudes that is full of pins that move by being activated by the spectator’s voice. These pieces look beautiful while being static but also provides a relationship with the spectator by engaging with them on a conversational level. She has another collection called

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(No)where (Now)here that consists of two garments that are imbedded with an eye tracking technology and is activated by the spectator’s gaze and when the lights are turned off, the dress lights up. Studio Roosegaarde has a dress called Intimacy 2.0 that is opaque but becomes clear based on social interactions and heart rate. Another designer who is leading in this field is Pauline van Dongen. She is creating fashionable wear that is usefull for everyday life. In her Wearable Solar Shirt, the shirt seamlessly incorporates 120 film solar cells into standardized functional modules using Holst Centre’s stretchable interconnect technology for integrating electronics into fabric. This shirt is flexible and meant for everyday wear and it charges a smart phone or any USB compatible device using solar power captured by the shirt. If interactive wearables keep heading in this direction, everyone will be wearing practical items of clothing and jewelry that only makes their lives easier. Wearable tech should be fashion forward while still having good technology and purpose in order for people to wear and adapt this new trend. Designers and artists need to keep heading in this direction so we can see more of these developments in the near future.

SMART SPIDER DRESS, POWERED BY INTEL EDISON, DESIGNED BY ANOUK WIPPRECHT

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WHEN YOU’RE YOUNG NOTHING MATTERS. YOU FIND SOMETHING YOU LIKE AND IT’S ALL YOU’VE GOT. Photographed by Shayna Colvin

ARTWORK & CLOTHING BY TOMMY MAY

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I’VE STOLEN A GARDEN, IT MAY ALREADY BE DEAD, I DON’T KNOW Photographed by Francisco Gonzalez

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BAG BY RYAN EICKHOFF

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SHOES BY REBECCA BUNGARZ

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BAG BY ALAN SLATTERY

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BAG BY ANDREE KONG

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BAG BY RYAN EICKHOFF

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CLOTHING BY OLIVIA LATINOVICH

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DO YOU SUFFER FROM FRECKLES? Photographed by Shayna Colvin

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