LUCY’S
MAGAZINE V.14
OBSESSION
RAMONA ATKIN
Editor in Chief & Publisher * ISSIE CAREY PR Director/Writing * RAMONA ATKIN Graphic Design * JESS MEDEROS Fashion Director * GAVIN ATKIN Editor Assistant
CONTENTS ANASTASIA SOLODOVNIKOVA p.4 NYFW p.14 MONICA TRUE p.26 KIM MESCHES p.32 PATRICK POSTLE p.36 & p.46 ERIKA ASTRID HENDRIX p.52 ROXANA ENACHE p.68 THE FABULOUS MUSES p.78 MAE RICHARDS p.84 ANGELA MARKLEW p.96 JOY WONG p.102 Contributors COVER CREDITS Photography & Art direction ROXANA ENACHE Model ANDREEA MATEI @ IMC MODELS Wardrobestyling & Hair ELENA IONITA * BACKCOVER CREDITS Photographer ANASTASIA SOLODOVNIKOVA Style POLINA ZHELEZNIKOVA Make up and hair ANASTASIA ZAHAROVA Model ANGELA FILIPPOVA @ ANDY FIORD MODELS Special thanks for clothing to RUSSIAN ROOM, WOOW STORE & FRIENDS STORE
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Spring is here and I can’t be more excited! The 70 degree weather has been amazing because it gave me the opportunity to wear my favorite dresses and sandals! LUCY’S Magazine is growing fast and we have many exciting collaborations for the upcoming volumes. In this volume we have interviewed some amazing people, Gabriel Trivelas, Erika Astrid Hendrix, The Fabulous Muses and Kim Mesches. I was very impressed by Gabriel’s story and his vintage collection! I have been running LUCY’S for over 15 months and it taught me important things. I learned to push myself and my limits to places that seemed scary but turned out to be very rewarding. The more important thing is to not think of what could go wrong. When I used to do that, it would scare me. Just forget about it, go out and do your thing. Nothing else matters. You won’t fail if you don’t stop trying! I am so grateful for all the help and support I have! Thank you for supporting
LUCY’S Magazine!
Ramona
WARM UP
Photographer ANASTASIA SOLODOVNIKOVA Style POLINA ZHELEZNIKOVA Make up and hair ANASTASIA ZAHAROVA Model ANGELA FILIPPOVA @ ANDY FIORD MODELS Special thanks for clothing to RUSSIAN ROOM, WOOW STORE & FRIENDS STORE
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LUCY’S 6
Dress VILLA TURGENEV Sweater LEONID ALEXEEV Shoes HAVVA OPPOSITE PAGE Dress VILLA TURGENEV Shoes ANNE THOMAS Scarf OYSHO
LUCY’S 8
Sweater KAZYMOV GRACHEVA
LUCY’S 10 Jacket LEONID ALEXEEV Sweater H&M OPPOSITE PAGE Sweater KAZYMOV GRACHEVA
LUCY’S 12
Dress VILLA TURGENEV Sweater LEONID ALEXEEV OPPOSITE PAGE Sweater CUSTOMMADE
NYFW THE RAW LENS OF SASKIA KOERNER’S CAMERA CAPTURE THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE INDIVIDUALISTIC COLLECTIONS OFFERED BY 6 OF NEW YORK FASHION WEEK’S MOST INNOVATIVE DESIGNERS.
WELCOME TO THE STYLE CIRCUS… WE MUST SAY, WE ARE OBSESSED.
F/W15
LUCY’S 16
A DÉTACHER NYFW F/W15 DESIGNER’S CHAIR
LUCKY NUMBER 13 The eloquent seamstress behind A DÉTACHER, Monika Kowalska flashes a priceless smile while exemplifying
both
the
modesty of a kindred spirit and the dedication of a businesswoman.
The eloquent seamstress behind A DÉTACHER, Monika Kowalska flashes a priceless smile while exemplifying both the modesty of a kindred spirit and the dedication of a businesswoman.
MAKING TIME FLY While waiting to be clothed and when balancing such elaborate hairstyles, one’s choices are narrowed down to flipping through pages of perennial magazines and surfing the multidimensional web.
A strawberry blonde mystery transitions from a lost angel to an self-indulgent shadow before our very eyes.
LET DOWN YOUR HAIR
MA CHERI AMOUR
Within the white walls of a well-lit room, hair and makeup artists work their magic, sculpting the sundry hair textures of contrastive girls into the subjects of their visions.
While it snows outside, A DÉTACHER belles appear lovely as a summer’s day in their spellbinding scarves providing comfort to all in the frostiest depths of wintertime.
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MODERN RAPUNZEL MODEL MAGIC
Two brunettes saunter down the runway in various shades of knitted off-whites, filling the audience with awe. PLAYING COY
After undergoing the exposition stages of beauty styling and before making an entrance onto the runway, these princesses find themselves in the substance of the rising action-anticipating the climax: Departure from the tower - where they will finally come out of hiding, transformed into poised queens.
Low necklines are tasteful so long as they are sustained within a free and easy context or held in place by a contemporary belt. The royals waltz in an orderly fashion, dancing in complementary hues ... the other high-borns look up at these princesses-turned- queens... and the collection lived happily ever after...
MULTI FACETED Meanwhile, the graceful Monika Kowalska sports a classic blouse with cuffed sleeves and a mid-waist skirt, paired effortlessly with simple, yet maverick necklaces... and stylish glasses - indicating her ardent work ethic!
While sticking to the same theme, A DÉTACHER manages to experiment with neutral variations of hues - constructing a broadened range of appealing pieces, each enriched with their own personality and mundane flare.
Stylist, Haidee Findlay-Levin embodies the edgier side of A DÉTACHER... keeping her chic specs on the bridge of her nose, wearing darker tones, and smiling for the camera - with a fierce twinkle in her eyes.
LUCY’S 18
NOLCHA NYFW F/W15 SWAN OF THE MORNING
Elsewhere
in
the
city,
the
individually managed NOLCHA Fashion Week showcases the works
of
independent
artists.
Amongst their designers is Yvette Hass,
revealing
a
collection
that will endear you to pearly dewdrops... and even a few thunderstorms.
Although these exotic beauties wear synonymous face paint, the characters they portray while in costume therefore recite them as polar opposites.
With a swan’s graceful neck, the hair of an angel, and the relaxed eyes of a beautiful demon, a gentlewoman of NOLCHA wears the jacket of the evening.
As her elegant models line up like demure-embodying swans, we learn that Yvette Hass did not invent the rainy day; she simply has the best umbrella.
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OVADIA & SONS NYFW F/W15 BUNDLE UP
THE MEN NEXT DOOR
You can never go wrong with all black, but if you’re looking for the perfect medium between blending in and standing out, this is the look for you.
Utilizing the juxtaposition of universally regarded colors, textures, and patterns, the Ovadia brothers have composed an originally unique series of looks - seen on the runway and examined up- close off the runway!
SUGAR COATED
As we are all familiar with various plaid styles, Ovadia & Sons reinvents these acclaimed templates, shining their features in a newer light.
A model glances at the camera - and in this coat, the remainder of his setting is put out of focus.
AZUL
In its quintessence, this collection goes to show that blue is perhaps the most gratifying of all colors.
LUCY’S 20
The Ovadia twins, Ariel and Shimon put themselves to work.
OVADIA & SONS NYFW F/W15
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Ariel and Shimon Ovadia stride onto the runway in sync as their audience applauds a job well-done.
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BRANDON SUN NYFW F/W15 THIS VAMPIRE BAT
YOU COME TO REALIZE... YOU’VE SEEN HER KIND OF EYES... WATCHING YOU FROM UNDERNEATH A ROCK... Have you ever encountered a woman with eyes this ice cold? Neither have we. The edgy smoke of the lids flawlessly shadow frozen
blues
and
crocodile
greens. While the face glows clean, it is garnished by rosy bronze powders, brushed along the lower cheekbones.
Moments
before
the
alluring chill of Brandon Sun’s Fall Collection is released unto public eyes like the prepossessing winds of Autumn unto The comparison of shimmery metallic patterns is tamed by simple black outlining as the winged collar dignifies a polished essence, creating a winsome - yet intimidating character.
fading Summer air.
TO SEE HER IS TO TAKE A SUDDEN CHILL
The classic quintessence of leather jackets and animaltexture coats are accentuated by fabulous overzealous shoulders, personifying the epitome of a merciless and powerful woman. Modeling garment textures inspired by Pierre Soulages, the legendary artist of France, these women seem to be saucy, slim, daring, and wrapped in furs from head to toe... Does a particular persona come to mind? Perhaps from a 1961 Disney animated film starring a pack of spotted canines... Amongst many other roles, there are 101 title characters of 101 Dalmatians, but there is only one whose name we can remember: Cruella De Vil. Although we all rooted against her malicious intent, we could not help but wonder how her style could be readapted for the role of a fierce heroine rather than an evil villain... and fifty-four years later, we catch glimpses of a refined Ms. De Vil in Brandon Sun’s superb Fall 2015 collection.
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ROBERT GELLER NYFW F/W15 NEON GLAM
PICTURESQUE Whether holding a pose or being documented in a moment of laughs, the charismatic synergy these boys hold with the camera is more powerful than a makeup mirror’s lighting.
Revamping the image of a gentleman during an assemblage of times - the iconic era of 1920’s fashion, trends of the 1950’s, and the concurrent world of bulky hoodies - bright orange paint isn’t the only thing hot about Robert Geller’s 2015 Menswear collection.
GREASE LIGHTNING
POCKET MAN
Jet black coats make the dauntless paint stand out in classic, slicked back hair.
Mr. Geller rolls up his sleeves, puts a hand in his pocket, and spends a second with the camera.
The comfort of roll-up sleeves, easygoing pockets, and winged fleece collars enhances the relaxed but lavish composure of Geller’s attire. BLUE’S CLUES
Camouflage button-downs and sweaters heighten boyish charm.
yale
blue
KAREN WALKER NYFW F/W15
The final act to The Greatest Show on Earth is Karen Walker, a fashion ring-master from New Zealand. Although her Fall/Winter collection is destined to succeed as 2015 meets its end and 2016 makes its entrance, these are not the only years in which its aesthetic is seen. Walker was influenced by Joanna Lumley’s Sapphire and Steel (1979 - 1983), the science fiction series regarding time travel, as well as many other sought-after psychedelic concepts of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. During the Fashion Circus - referred to as New York Fashion Week, Walker exhibited the authenticity of fashion derived by history’s sociocultural context of innovation brought about by these times. However, by incorporating her own personal flare and components of today’s sociocultural context into its production, she managed to not only produce an added variation to the fashion circus, but to thoughtfully and imaginatively remind us where this circus began.
Unconventional wide leg
Wearing
quaint
bangs
trousers drift down the
down her forehead and a
the ‘lost decade’, where
catwalk, enlightening the
brown leather topcoat on
topcoats
Woodstock
generation
her back, model #2 enters
and pockets are sewn into
with an unfamiliar feeling of
a traveling migrant and
a-line skirts.
nostalgia.
in her turn, walks away a twentieth-century fox.
Welcome
to are
the
1971,
shortened
25 LUCY’S In the heart of rebellious youth culture, the mini-skirt heightened above the knee, exasperating the generations before it and setting the foundation for those after it.
From late-60’s psychedelia, we gravitate forward, into years of pink meeting blue and further outer-space exploration.
As the show continues, fashion progresses along the lines historical appropriations, bringing about an attitude of change - while preserving constituents from looks of the past.
These eyelids are painted the Brandeis tint of New Zealand’s tranquil waters. While reminiscent of retro beauty fads of the 1970’s, the twee nature of blue shadows are consummated by the dark wine-colored powders blended in from the outer crease. The sorcery of cosmetology has just transformed the naiveté of a kitten hypnotized by a ball of yarn into the jaded arch of a Siberian Tiger - about to break down the doors of its cage at the circus.
LUCY’S 26
PINK OBSESSION THEY SAY PINK LOOKS GOOD WITH EVERYTHING -BLAZERS, JACKETS, JEANS, SKIRTS, YOU NAME IT BUT THE SECRET IS THAT IT LOOKS BEST WITH THE SIMPLEST OF ALL CLOTHING.
Eyes MAC mineralize skin finish in medium & Mixing Medium in Shine. Makeup Forever Flash Palette in Fuscia was used for graphic line. Lips L’OREAL Collection Prive in Jennifer Nude. OPPOSITE PAGE Skin MAC face and body in C2. Brows Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Caramel. Eyes NARS Europa dual intensity eyeshadow. Lips/ cheeks Makeup Forever Flash Palette in Fuscia. Model Ksenyia @ Re:Direct NY Hair and Makeup Myken Garcia Nails CHEREE WAIGNE Special thank you to Graphic Designer Thiago Christo Photography and Art Direction Monica True
LUCY’S 28 Eyes MAC All that Glitters and NARS Himalaya. Lips Makeup Forever Flash Palette in Fuscia and Blue. OPPOSITE PAGE Eyes NARS Dual intensity. Eyeshadow in Phoebe, Desdemona, Subra & MAC Mixing Medium in Shine.
LUCY’S 30
Eyes NARS Dual intensity. Eyeshadow in Phoebe, Desdemona, Subra & MAC Mixing Medium in Shine. OPPOSITE PAGE Eyes MAC mineralize skin finish in medium & Mixing Medium in Shine.
LUCY’S 32
an interview with
KIM MESCHES by Issie Carey You pushed yourself through high school, hoping to get into a university... and it did... but once you got there, you had to stay there... you spent many nights in college binge studying and sipping caffeinated drinks. After earning your degree, you wanted to venture off and experience something new... but you needed a job. To compromise, you moved to New York City. The problem was competition. You had this great education, but it didn’t do you any good in a place where you were nothing but a needle in a haystack. You got a job eventually... you still have it and it pays well, but the city is not what you thought it would be. You have spent your entire life wanting to see the world... and despite your efforts to do so, you still wind up sitting in a cubicle every day and taking the same subway route home every evening.
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THE PURPLE AND GREEN VELVET UNDERGROUND Perched on a window seat, with your headphones in and your eyes fixed on your smartphone, you just want to get home to your crummy apartmentand sleep... but you won’t be able to. All the unanswered emails and unfinished work is following you home. Actually, you’re following it because it’s ahead of you. In front of your face, you hold a gadget with access to the entire universe. One may say it isolates you, but it’s really the other way around: In reality, nothing sets you apart from every other passenger on this train, because their eyes are fixed on screens as well, cruising down the rabbit hole we call the internet. All of the sudden, something breaks this virtual trance. Taking out one of your headphones, a voice is projected by an overhead speaker: “Ladies and Gentlemen...” you still have one headphone in, so you don’t process the whole thing, but the man speaking introduces himself as “Kim Mesches.”. Taking out the second headphone, he announces, “If you have never seen a runway show... then you’re about to.” Coincidentally, you have never been dignitary enough to attend a runway show in the flesh. Models prance down the aisle of the boxcar, dressed in hues of olive greens and plums. They display the same confidence they would on the catwalk, but grab onto the bars of the subway above them as if they are mundanely passing by and just so happen to be wearing this simplistically unforeseen assemblage of garments. These clothes were made for the practicality of the setting, but contained a futuristic edge, implying a mysterious hidden message. “I used technical fabrics, and mixed them with organic looking fabric treatments and natural fibers. A little nod to the need for an organic feeling through art and living.”, the designer would say a few days later, during an interview for Lucy’s Magazine. This is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Sure, you’ve seen countless billboards and have even read your share of fashion magazines, but there is this undeniable force of innovation generated by the authentic realism in this guy... the designer, Kim Mesches’ choice. You hold up your phone, which is conveniently in your hands already and document by taking pictures. This is the moment which you have been searching for since you moved here: you are finally seeing the world. “[It brought about] new attention and made people pay attention”. Mesches revealed to Lucy’s Magazine,“My inspiration for this [ U nder the Ground]collection came from being in the city and noticing how amazing it is that everybody is so connected to their phones and modern technology and misses what’s going on around them.” Prior to interviewing Kim Mesches, I thought I was the only one who really saw
that. People talk about the paradox of technology and the internet all the time. When they do, it typically regards interaction with those you already know and lack of inperson socializing, though... how it’s rude for one to be on their phone, texting people who aren’t there when they could be talking to those who are. One day, when waiting for a train, I realized how much that statement applies to not just our relationships with acquaintances, but also our relationships with strangers. Standing on the platform, I looked around at each person and was hit with the realization that not one passenger tobe was not completely possessed by their technological device. Each stood next to each other, physically breathing the same air in one place, but mentally in a nonexistent abyss, virtually living in another. Years later, I am relieved to learn that Mesches not only saw the same thing, but utilized this observation as the source of his inspiration. “Icame up with the idea when I was riding the subway with my brother, and we both thought it was totally insane.” He recalls, “So I thought, why not?! I’ve produced major runway shows, I can do this.” LUCY’S Aside from the whole piece about technology, what else drove you to put on this Under the Groundproduction? KIM I wanted to do the show because fashion week... and fashion in general [nowadays] is all about being seen at events and then posting something. It’s not about the clothes anymore, it’s about the “likes”. I
LUCY’S 34 It’s fearlessness and creativity like this which has driven Mesches’ career... “I was considering going into biology at a time.” he mentioned
models), my photographer (Spencer Kohn) and video team (Zach Jopling) and everybody was on board, including Deluxe Salon in Williamsburg who allowed us to set up there for hair and makeup (Kelly Paulson).
to LUCY’S,but he’s always embraced his artistic side. Evidently, his love
LUCY’S The collection has a modern, yet simple and sophisticated mood. How long did it take to create a whole collection?
us through his creative process; outlining the choices he has made as
KIM My collection is small because I am very realistic about what it’s like to be a fashion designer in New York City. I wanted to really focus on the details, hand painting fabrics, leather piping, hand dyeing, weaving etc. To make a full collection takes a good amount of money and time, and the truth is most of it doesn’t sell, so you have to think about it that way.
for design will always reign supreme. In modesty, Kim Mesches walked
a designer, the heart of his inspiration, events of the past, and what we should expect to see in the future.
LUCY’S What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of being a fashion designer? KIM My favorite part of being a designer is creating a collection and seeing it on the model. By far, the best feeling in the world for me. Worst, is all the money it takes. Fashion is about the PR and marketing, which without a financial backer is very difficult. You can be the most talented person, but without PR or getting attention no one will know you or buy your clothes, which is the end point anyway, isn’t it? LUCY’S W e read about your position at Access Bag ‘n’ Packand and your collaborations with designer Anne Bowen. How did you transition from backpacks to bridal gowns? That is impressive! Was it easy or difficult for you?
thought, why not give people something to post about to make people see the clothes and bring fashion to everybody. LUCY’S Usually, invitation to a runway event requires some sort of title or connection to the fashion industry and attendance is often a matter of choice. Do you feel like this production allowed the general population to be more involved and become exposed to what your style has to offer? KIM Yes to the general population question. [Fashion Week is] more exclusive; Fashion week and everything in general is just to take a picture and show that you were there. LUCY’S How did you go about finding a cooperative team for such an event? KIM I partnered with my friend who owns a modeling agency (Anomaly
KIM I started working for Anne Bowen when I came back to [New York] city from [Washington] DC. I got an internship with her from craigslist believe it or not, and I worked there on and off for four years. By the time I left, I was in charge of both her Readytowear and bridal line, helping her from concept to sketch to production. I worked full time for a bit, while going to night school and consulting on occasion for the backpack company, helping with graphics etc. I switched back and forth between the two for periods of time. Very opposite but amazing experiences. LUCY’S Are you still designing backpacks for Access Bag ‘n’ Pack? KIM Currently, no. I worked with them as a graphic designer. I used to draw graffiti on sneakers and tshirts a long time ago, which was a means for me to make extra money. Access started buying graphics from me when I was 17, and then I ended up working with them for a bit. They’re still friends of mine, maybe a collaboration is in the works soon! Hopefully, actually. LUCY’S W hat led you to start your own brand? KIM I wanted to see if I could do it. I also don’t like working for people. I like working w ith people but I’m sick of working for somebody. With wearable art, I wanted to say something and show my point of view on an evergrowing everchanging industry.
Photos SPENCER KOHN Designer KIM MESCHES www.kimmesches.com @kimmesches Makeup KELLY PAULSON Hair BIG DELUXE WILLIAMSBURG Models @ ANOMALY MODELS
35 LUCY’S
With his industry connections, Kim Mesches assembled his troops and made his vision come true on 3 February 2015. Clearing out one of the subway boxcars, he set up camp, preparing photographer Spencer Kohn and the video team, led by Zach Jopling to capture the models as they rambled out into the turbid black walkway. Then, he somehow managed to do something which I a nd probably every other subway passenger s ecretly want to do every time I ride a train: he spoke into the loudspeaker and made an announcement. There was a hint of jovial amusement in his voice when he spoke about that, which turned into a chuckle when he told me, “ After making the announcement , I was like , now you can use your phones , t o take pictures! LUCY’S When did you start playing with fashion and clothing? KIM Playing, since I was very young, I used to make clothes out of socks and sleeves from tshirts for beanie babies. I was always sketching clothes in my notebooks and drawing all the time in school. I started taking it seriously when I decided to come back to NYC after being at American University for a year and a half, where I started working in the industry and going to night school at FIT. LUCY’S Where does your inspiration come from? KIM I’m always inspired by my life, my friends, my experiences. Meeting people with different point of views and experiences. Traveling, which I need to do more, is always an incredible source of inspiration for me, seeing different cultures. Brooklyn, where I live, is inspiring and always growing and changing (kind of). LUCY’S Is there anyone whom you would consider to be your role model? KIM From a designer’s perspective, [Alexander] McQueen. I think he was such a creative genius and really pushed the envelope. He wasn’t afraid to shock people and I think people nowadays need to be shocked more or wake up a bit. LUCY’S If you could spend one day with anyone in the world, who would that person be? KIM Probably Olivier Rousteing, of Balmain. I think his style is amazing and I would love to pick his brain. He’s so young and has done so much, and I would just love to grab lunch and talk, I may have to learn French though. LUCY’S What are your g oals for the future? KIM I would love to grow my business, selling internationally. I think [Kim Mesches]has something for everybody. Right now, I sell through amazon, through their independent designer section [h ttp://www. amazon.com/kimmesches]I would love to keep growing the business specifically in ecommerce, I think that’s the sad future, but it’s true. Major shifts in the industry, but I would love to grow it to a global brand with licenses. Hopefully, one day soon!
P
RISMATIC
Photographer PATRICK POSTLE Stylist LAUREN TEMPLE Hair BRITT WHITE MUA PAIGE CAMPBELL Set Designer ALEX ROYLE Model CALLUM ROCKALL @ NEW YORK MODEL MANAGEMENT
Yellow pants ALEX MILL Brown trench ETRO Oatmeal Henley ALEX MILL
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Bandana BRUNELLO CUCINELLI White button up BRUNELLO CUCINELLI Navy cardigan BRUNELLO CUCINELLI OPPOSITE PAGE Brown cuffed pants BRUNELLO CUCINELLI Brown Jacket BRUNELLO CUCINELLI Navy patterned button up ALEX MILL
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Yellow sweater ALEX MILL Aqua pants ETRO Black hat KANGOL OPPOSITE PAGE Beige suede motorcycle jacket BRUNELLO CUCINELLI Chambray button up ALEX MILL Blue chino shorts BRUNELLO CUCINELLI
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White linen jacket SEAN JOHN Red board shorts ALEX MILL OPPOSITE PAGE White linen jacket SEAN JOHN Red board shorts ALEX MILL Black laced dress shoes DR MARTENS
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45 LUCY’S
Green jacket ALEX MILL Green shorts ALEX MILL Baby Blue button up BRUNELLO CUCINELLI Brown loafers DR MARTENS OPPOSITE PAGE White shirt with blue details ALEX MILL Light yellow pants ALEX MILL Blue hat GL NYC
LUCY’S 46
an interview with
GABRIEL TRIVELAS by Kavita Kaul
Photographed by Patrick Postle Somewhere in Bushwick I stand in the suitably dingy hallway of a loft building, knock on a door and wait to meet Gabriel Trivelas. I’m greeted by a surprising blast of sunlight streaming from living room windows, an equally bright smile and an unplaceable accent indicative of travels and stories I’ve yet to learn. With warm ease, I’m invited to perch at the kitchen island as Gabriel puts some nibbles together for us. He potters about to that dingly-dangly, Zen, spa-type music that puts one in state of calm, and makes me a cup of Pur-eh tea aged since 1992; my first clue as to the extent of Gabriel’s reverence for all things vintage. My eyes clock a delicate bracelet, his tribal necklace of bone and turquoise and a pair of Yuketen shoes with Beaver fur; like his home, Gabriel is consciously and impeccably put together. I pitch in by chopping carrots and so begins our afternoon.
KAVITA With your already established online presence at www.trivelas.com you present a carefully curated collection of vintage, and vintage inspired garments, products and designs from the late 1800’s to early 1940’s; talk to me about the word “vintage” and what that means to you. GABRIEL I guess that goes back quite a ways; I’ve always loved history…I get that from my Mom and really, vintage has been with me my whole life, it’s a part of me. I’m the second youngest of six siblings, so I never had “stylish” things, I always had hand-me-downs and we shopped at the Goodwill so I learned thrifting very early on. My first job outside the family business, which was carpentry and hardwood floors, was in an antiques shop and that really solidified everything for me; I learned so much there…I learned what to look for in antiques and vintage. So with what I picked up through years of thrifting, and then with antiques and vintage, it was a perfect mix. I really felt that I’d come across someone within myself, something that was fulfilling for me…just for me; it was an aesthetic I could really believe in and I feel it represents a part of my family’s history…and a part of me. It’s something through which I can connect with my ancestors.
KAVITA You’re known for your unique style; where does your inspiration come from and how did you first discover your style? GABRIEL That’s a great question! I grew up in the woods in the foothills of Mt. Rainier building houses and working the land, so we needed things that were functional. I also grew up partly in the theater world, in the wardrobe and costume departments, and my Mother always pushed me in that direction too because she saw that I had a sensitivity for it. When I was 18 I moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, so I was away from my family, from everything I knew and I was really able to explore who I was, or rather who I wanted to be for the first time. The weather is of course very different to Seattle, so I started buying vintage t-shirts and distressing them myself or sewing patches onto jackets, stuff like that, and figuring out my style there ended up really being due to the different temperature and climate; when I moved back to Seattle my wardrobe had to totally change again. LA was my first city, and I was in Hollywood doing some amazing things like meeting Sir Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder…things I never thought I would do as a homeschooled kid growing up in the woods, but coming back to Seattle I really started getting back in touch with WWW.KAVITAKAUL.COM
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my roots again which I felt I’d taken a break from. When I started to reconnect with my family’s Italian and Greek history, and asked questions about where everyone came from I learned they came over in the early 1900’s to build the railroad through eastern Washington to Seattle. My ancestors worked in the mines and they always had gardens; they worked with the land and with their hands and I feel it’s very soulful, working with your hands…it’s very fulfilling, there’s something spiritual about it. So through accepting my heritage I found vintage again. KAVITA So how did you move from customizing vintage T-shirts into Styling? GABRIEL I was actually building homes in Seattle when someone I knew who was a Stylist, called me because she needed an Assistant. She knew I’d been in Production and on sets in LA, so she knew I could interact with clients etc.; and by that point I had a point of view when it came to style…it’s not where I’m at …but I had a point of view. I said yes, went on a week long location shoot and then she started passing my name around the studios in Seattle. Things went from there and a year and half later I started testing and producing my own images and then, another opportunity presented itself and I quit assisting and started styling for Amazon; that’s what initially moved me to New York. Working full time was great but challenging because I had never done it, so I always took time off after consistently working to take a drive somewhere to camp and hike; my truck still has dents and scratches from a bear’s paws from one trip. I love being on the open road, I love the outdoors and that’s where a lot of my aesthetic comes from too. When I first moved I was trying to figure out how I fit into New York City without losing who I am. Once I realized that I was looking at it the wrong way, I figured out how New York fits in with me and my plans; after I had that realization, all the difficulties of adjusting to a new place subsided. For the first year and a half I couldn’t hear myself, I couldn’t hear my thoughts; now there’s peace and calm, and I can hear myself again. KAVITA Over the years, how has your style evolved and how do you live the aesthetic you love? GABRIEL My style is very connected to what’s happening around me and I’ve always felt like a chameleon; I’ve always been able to run in multiple circles of people. New York is a completely different city to Seattle, so my aesthetic has been evolving to my new habitat. In Seattle there’s a lot of outdoors stuff, so dressing in more of a woodsman way, works, but in New York I felt like I was wearing a costume. I mean there isn’t much logging happening here y’know? When I first started collecting garments I was very literal, everything in one look had to be from the same era, out of my need for authenticity; it didn’t feel right wearing 1890’s denim with suspenders and…sneakers, and at first there were a lot of pieces that I put on hold until I could find and curate the rest of that look. These days it’s less literal, I think my mind is more open and I’m more interested in telling a story. Having garments from a certain time, and a background in theater, I learned there’s always a backstory; with each piece of clothing, or each outfit, I try to create and tell a story. There’s sustainability and authenticity in my aesthetic that compliments my interests and the things I do whether I’m currently pursuing them or not; I see it as an expression of art for myself, a manifestation of where I’ve gone and of where I want to go next. When you pursue your interests, purpose is fulfilled at some point KAVITA You also collect textiles; are you looking at moving into designing? GABRIEL Very much so! That’s definitely where I’m going with this. I’ve been collecting antique and vintage textiles and I want to reproduce some pieces in my archive with those fabrics. I want to go and find cultures that are still living in their traditions, like the Hmong tribe with their hand-weaving, and work with them to develop textiles using their old ways, specifically for me for create with. Last Summer I started exploring a Western theme and I also love Native American culture, textiles and patterns, so I started mixing those in. Then I got this whole idea for a story to do with a Native American Princess and a Cowboy; they meet, she opens his mind and then he travels the world with a new perspective, which is something I’m definitely interested in doing. I’m planning some trips to Africa, Asia and South America; I love handmade textiles. That’s the direction my eye is going towards these days, a more international, multicultural aesthetic.
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KAVITA How are you using your collection to realize your travel? GABRIEL I’m selling a lot of it, and have wanted to for a while; a lot was purchased for the intent of sale. That was a hard thing back in Seattle, I only had that one store to go to, so I would buy a lot on clearance to experience a garment and get to know a brand. I’ve always put off having an online store because it’s so much more when you can touch an item and experience the quality of a piece, but where I’m at now with the amount of pieces I have, and I’ve had this collection for a while, I’ve moved on to a different aesthetic, so this doesn’t fit for me anymore; they’re amazing, beautiful pieces, but my mind is just in a different place. I’ve moved on to supporting smaller companies with handcrafted garments. Pieces that I’ve bought before, don’t have a place with me anymore so I want them to go to a good home, and I know that the store will afford me the opportunity to travel and adventure into the next chapter. KAVITA Will it be difficult to part with what’s taken you years to collect? GABRIEL That’s what life’s about! You can’t hold onto things; you can never move forward if you’re holding onto something that’s ready to be let go. That goes for relationships, bitterness, confusions and frustrations…y’know? Holding onto things only holds me back because they end up holding onto you. You think you’re in control but… everything has its natural course and some things you work to sustain and some things you can’t. You’ve got to be honest with yourself and see what’s really important to you, see what is really benefitting you. Sometimes we stay in situations because we think we can make something better, but we’ve got to realize when it’s taking more from us than we’re actually giving it. And sometimes, separation is all that’s needed to gain a new perspective, then you can come back and revisit that thing, but it’s in a different way at that point. KAVITA What are you looking for to take your aesthetic to the next level?
LUCY’S 50 GABRIEL I’m open! I’m interested in spending time with indigenous cultures and artisans. My hope is to build a relationship and collaborate with them, not just to go in as a tourist and buy things really cheap. I want a story behind what I come back with; if I bring something beautiful back from Africa, it will tell a story about those people and I want part of the proceeds to go to those people. I think there’s so many people, especially in America, who travel to third world countries and go in saying “you need to be Americanized” like we have it all figured out! “You need computers, and our religion and our this and that”; a lot of these people have been doing what they do for so long, I want to go and learn from them…that’s what I want, conservation! We need people living in the Bush, the Hmong tribe; we need original Americans. We need those cultures to thrive again to bring balance and perspective; that’s something that’s missing I think. We focus so much on this *he gestures at the urban sprawl through his windows* how can we build more, and we’re not even doing it in a sustainable way. We’re making things that are built to fail for Capitalization. At some point it’s going to come crumbling down…it’s almost did with the housing crash. Everything is cyclical, so next time it happens, maybe we will come back to a more basic way of life and we will need people already living that life, to show us the way. At some point it’s going to fail; pride goes before a fall. KAVITA How important is collaboration for you? GABRIEL It’s key! First you have to have individual points of view and then when you can set things aside and come together, that’s when beautiful things happen; working with someone, side by side, and leaving egos at the door, working for the good of one thing…that’s peace, and that’s spiritual. So my line will have a spiritual aspect to it in that regard. There will be soul…you’ll be able to see it and feel it. That’s what I search for and seek out in the clothing I purchase, and when I see it and I feel it, I think it’s really special; I think that’s something lacking in current fashion. It started with the jewelry brand Amoshu by my friend Shane Tamoshunas; I never wore much jewelry until he came back from a trip through 12 countries in Asia where he sourced beads, and started hand-making pieces; he gave me a couple *gesturing at the necklace and bracelet that caught my eye in the beginning* and I realized this was something I could really believe in. I mean, I’m wearing buffalo horn beads from the Philippines, brass from Nepal, turquoise from Tibet, camel bone from India and pearl from Thailand! So, yeah we’ve been talking about collaborating on a line. KAVITA Speaking of collaboration, and how long it took you to prepare for this photo-shoot? GABRIEL The collection has been an ongoing thing for 4/5 years now, and every piece that I purchased I intended to be photographed; I had only shot little things for still life purposes but had never planned anything like this, and it’s been a courtship. Who I worked with on this was very important. There had been talk with people before, but I’m not one to force timing; if it feels forced, then I’m not interested in pursuing it. I think time is nothing more than a unit of measurement; timing is an expression of purpose. It was just the right timing with Patrick to shoot this now and the energy on the shoot was amazing. There was a lot of excitement, and everything was inspired by the looks I created; the whole day everything came together in complete harmony. We all respected each other in their roles; there was no friction, no competition, and just beautiful collaboration. It’s like that Lao Tzu quote, “nature doesn’t hurry, yet everything is accomplished”. KAVITA Tell me about your store and your vision for Trivelas. GABRIEL I’m keeping the name of my line under wraps for now, *he smiles broadly* but I’m super excited about it. Eventually I’ll move to a brick and mortar base, but for now, the store online, www.trivelas.com has a blog and I also share work from friends of mine. You can shop at the “Shed”, where you go to get your tools, the blog is “Maintain Man”, and that name came from a conversation I had with myself to do with holding onto to things, habits, routines; it’s easy to come home from work and do the same things everyday; I realized when I took a break from certain old habits, I created new ones that were more productive that I wanted to maintain… they brought progress; so it’s a voice within myself to tell me to “maintain man”, and to do with menswear, to maintain what it means to be a man. Through time the role of the man has always been of the Supporter and Provider, and I think that stills holds true but it’s evolved into something different. Women are in the workplace and there’s more equality, which is great, we need more of that, but the role of the Provider needs to shift into providing space for your family and wife, your husband, whomever it is, to be whoever they are...that’s really the thing about being a man, being spacious. That’s leadership in a sense too; it’s time to make a shift. I turned 30 this year and I feel like I’ve been waiting for the last few years to get here. It’s been fantastic so far and I’ve a feeling it’s going to be a really good year *he smiles* I’m ready.
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And with that, he pours me another cup of Pur’eh tea, this time from 1970. I inhale its earthy aroma, take a smoky sip and walk past the coffee table he and his Father made from a solid piece of Maple they fell together. We wind up a staircase into his den where we talk of his Japanese Boro wall hanging from the 1900’s with mysterious burn marks on it. As he walks me through his meticulously curated collection, I look up to see an old crosscut saw belonging to his Great Grandfather. I learn about Game Pockets and glass buttons, the Civilian Conservation Corps from the 1930’s, and I lose my heart to a pair of Lee jeans from the 1940’s. With both feet in the present, his eyes on the past, and his mind wandering into the future, it’s clear Gabriel Trivelas is not a Fashion Stylist; he is conservationist, a collaborator, a storyteller, a creator, and above all, he is a time-traveler. After adventuring the world, you will find him happily sitting in his shop, talking to those who venture in, telling stories of people and places past and bringing integrity and history to modern men’s fashion.
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DIFFRACTION
Photographer ERIKA ASTRID HENDRIX Model VIVIEN JAMES Hair + Makeup CRYSTAL LIZ Styling EBONY CAMPBELL Top N12H THE LUXE URBANITE Skirt AMERICAN APPAREL Shoes ALEXANDER MC QUEEN Earrings H&M Ring VINTAGE
The very way she has arranged herself in a series of facets casts intricate waves of light upon all with which she comes into contact. Speaking with her you get the sense that your words are immersed in a swath of crystalline patterns, unique to her, rare to all. As even a small mirror at great distances can gleam a signal with the simple flick of a wrist, she at once illuminates her surroundings and diffracts her environment as only the prisms of a diamond can. Though immediately she is beautiful, it is only upon closer inspection through an equally sufficing lens that the intricate and strange details can be appreciated. Though as solid as a diamond, the way she has woven her facets and edges of her being gives off a patterned and gradual softness that only careful construction can afford.
Dress H&M Shoes TED BAKER Choker TOP SHOP Rings SOLE SOCIETY
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE INSIDE OF A MELTING ORANGE DREAMSICLE? AS THE TEMPERATURE INCREASES, POLLEN AND SPRINGTIME FILL THE AIR, SPROUTING WARM COLORS AND OPENING BRIGHT YELLOW DOORS.
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Skirt CALVIN RUCKER Top N12H THE LUXE URBANITE Shoes TOP SHOP Head piece OLENA DATS OPPOSITE PAGE Dress EKATERINA KUKHAREVA Jewelry PUSHMATAAHA
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Skirt CALVIN RUCKER Top N12H THE LUXE URBANITE Shoes TOP SHOP Head piece OLENA DATS
“BEFORE EACH SHOOT, I MAKE A MOODBOARD, THEN I GET THE TEAM TOGETHER [BY] CONTACTING MODEL AGENCIES, HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTISTS, AND STYLISTS AND [THEN] GO LOCATION SCOUTING. SO, YES I DO HAVE A PLAN, BUT I AM ALSO VERY FLEXIBLE; IF MY PLAN [WERE] TOO SET-IN-STONE, IT WOULD ALMOST BE LIKE FIGHTING IT. SO, I HAVE A PLAN AND THEN GO WITH THE FLOW.” -ERIKA
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Skirt AMERICAN APPAREL Top VINTAGE Shoes ALEXANDRA G Earrings SOLE SOCIETY OPPOSITE PAGE Dress DAR SARA Cuff CHARLES ALBERT
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Skirt AMERICAN APPAREL Top FAUBOURGDU TEMPLE Glasses WILD FOX Shoes CHRISTIAN LOUBITAN Necklace TOPSHOP
an interview with
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ERIKA ASTRID HENDRIX by Issie Carey The Bambi eyes of a rover open on an idle afternoon. Rising, her fawn-like legs prop her up - supported by a pair of inexplicably exquisite heels, destined to break through the mattress. Moments later, the woman finds herself wide awake on the ground with her hair - the color of grapefruit peels - spread out, playing dead on her tribal carpet.
If you think you have met this dazed wanderer before, think again; her presence is not one which you have felt before. In fact, it’s not a presence which anyone else has felt before, either. “I am not interested in shooting just pretty faces,” The photographer said of her preferences when choosing the subjects of her photographs, “They have to speak to me on a different level.” It was not too long ago when German-native, Erika Astrid Hendrix thought she had her career penciled out like a gown in a designer’s sketchbook. She never questioned that her artistic taste was meant to steer her career as a fashion designer; on German tracks, she was the conductor, running the train and her passengers were the photographers who longed to take the journey with her, as they knew that she would take them to their destination. In the United States, however, she found herself back at square one. Although she was used to creating the subject matter of German photographers, she had always been “too intimidated” to take on the profession. In attempt to solve her problem of being unacquainted with American photographers, Hendrix resorted to the unthought of: picking up the camera herself. While undergoing this pivotal transition, she found that she could have saved room in her suitcase by leaving her designer’s portfolio in Germany... all she really needed to bring with her to Idaho was a camera. Three years later, after shifting her focal point from capturing visions using photography tools rather than a sewing machine, finding artists to collaborate with is no longer an issue for Hendrix. “I loved working with Vivien, she really brought the shoot to life...” She told LUCY’S in recollection of the ‘Diffraction’ model - then added, “also, the rest of the team did an amazing job and I couldn’t have done it without them!”
She stands, feet unseen, camouflaging with the tinges of expression encased on the canvas behind her. In a blink, she finds herself on the edge of a cement wall - a barrier between herself and the earth below her, seen through the rounded filter of her juice-tinted sunglasses. She then dawdles down a fragmented path of fallen leaves. She would picket the fading fence beside her if it were not under the ascendancy of overflowing collections of ivy. In spite of the flawless synthesis of teamwork - a model’s effervescent silent acting, the encapsulation of internal curiosity through the simplicity of innovative makeup, and the clothes chosen to vividly mark the steps of a hazy adventure - we were beguiled by style, an element which sets this story apart from others. The foundation of Hendrix’s personal touch on this tale is not entirely one derived by her own tactics, but is more-so a manifestation of combined elements from her own engaging story. LUCY’S Tell us the story behind ‘Diffraction’? ERIKA The very way she has arranged herself in a series of facets casts intricate waves of light upon all with which she comes into contact. Speaking with her you get the sense that the your words are immersed
in a swath of crystalline patterns, unique to her, rare to all. As even a small mirror at great distances can gleam a signal with the simple flick of a wrist, she - at once - illuminates her surroundings and diffracts her environment as only the prisms of a diamond can. Though immediately she is beautiful, it is only upon closer inspection through an equally sufficing lens that the intricate and strange details can be appreciated. Though as solid as a diamond, the way she has woven her facets and edges of her being gives off a patterned and gradual softness that only careful construction can afford. LUCY’S Why did you choose the title “Diffraction” to describe this editorial? ERIKA Actually, my boyfriend and I brainstormed the title. We were bouncing around ideas with the theme of color, the prismatic quality of personality, and different ways to split actual light - Diffraction was born! The look of the shoot fit well with the actual diffraction of light concept. LUCY’S Your photography is very unique; a mixture of vintage and modern techniques. The colors combinations look so incredible and really make you stand out - that is what we love so much about ‘Diffraction’! What tools do you utilize to capture these colors? ERIKA I was inspired by colors, Winter is over and with Spring everything is starting to come alive again. Colors are exploding everywhere. I love to play with natural light and the contrast between light and shadows.
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Then I do the rest in Lightroom - just a little color correction. I love the feel of film, so I edit to make it look like film. LUCY’S Is the editing process your favorite thing about photography? ERIKA My least favorite thing is probably editing and waiting for images to get published. My favorite thing is working with amazing people... bringing my ideas and inspirations to life. It’s creating art for me... bringing all these different elements together in one shot. LUCY’S What else is your work influenced by? ERIKA My work is definitely influenced by my surroundings, I do listen to a lot of music, especially while editing, I love looking at art, and I love movies and traveling. I could be walking down the street, see a
broken brick, and be inspired or I get inspired by people - what they are wearing, colors, textures etc. LUCY’S What are your favorite movies and television shows? Do you admire any particular stylistic choices made in cinema? ERIKA I love Wes Anderson and Woody Allen movies for their colors and style. A show I love is Art:21 on PBS, hearing other artists talk about their work and seeing their processes is so enriching and inspiring. Also, I can’t get enough of documentaries on artists, like Basquiat, Diana Vreeland and Unzipped. LUCY’S Do you have an explicit, set-in-stone plan when going into a shoot or do you like to go with the flow and live in the moment when shooting? ERIKA Before each shoot, I make a moodboard, then I get the team together [by] contacting model agencies, hair and makeup artists, and stylists and [then] go location scouting. So, yes I do have a plan, but I am also very flexible; If my plan [were] too set-in-stone, it would almost be like fighting it. So, I have a plan and then go with the flow.
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The path of ivy leads her through the garden, past the dying leaves and onto the walkway of flowers, compressed by nature’s intuition. She finds herself leaned up against a yellow door, which she perceives as gold. A set of flashbacks are projected only by her imagination on the grass which grows everywhere. Only she can see herself - she is trapped inside, curious to escape. Hypnotized by intuition, she follows the transparent cement stairway, circumscribed by the patterns of the entrance. As the clouds above cast a canted shadow, the girl vanishes with the face of the afternoon sun. LUCY’S What drove you to begin your career as a photographer? ERIKA I have always been in love with the art of photography and the feeling that one single image can provoke, but I was always too intimidated to pick up a camera and actually take images. I am a perfectionist at heart and don’t want to do anything that I am not perfect at, but I moved to the United States 3 years ago and [coming] from Germany, I still had my clothing label and needed images of my collections. I worked with the best photographers in Germany, so I never had to worry about having good images of my work. Moving to Boise [Idaho], I didn’t know anyone and couldn’t find anyone to shoot my pieces. I decided to just give it a try and it all went from there. People loved my images and I got amazing feedback. That was also during a time when I wasn’t enjoying [designing] clothes anymore; It felt more like a chore than something I used to enjoy so much. I decided to devote my time to perfecting [the art of] taking pictures and I have been in love with it ever since. I learn new things every day. LUCY’S Is there anything about the fashion industry or the photography world that you wish you could change? ERIKA Yes, but it’s a very ingrained field. I think the sweatshop aspect of clothing manufacturing must change. It’s the ugly underbelly that is portrayed as distant and not-so-bad. Other than that, more of my photography - wink, wink! smile, smile! LUCY’S How do your family members and friends in Germany react to your Photography? How is it different from their response to your work when you were a designer? ERIKA They support everything I do. It’s not much different. LUCY’S What do you miss most about Germany? ERIKA My family and good bread. LUCY’S What do you like about the US? ERIKA I do like the open land and beautiful skies. The sky seems endless. Oh, and donuts! I love those! LUCY’S Tell us more about your life as a fashion designer! How did it prepare you for your shift to becoming a photographer?
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ERIKA When I was living in Germany and had my own label, called ASUYETA I worked with amazing photographers to shoot my pieces. So, when I couldn’t find photographers to work with [in the United States], I decided to just do it myself. When I started shooting, I fell in love immediately and haven’t stopped since. LUCY’S Did you study photography in order to undergo this transition or did it come second nature to you? ERIKA I haven’t studied it in a traditional sense, [as in] going to school for it, if that is what you mean. I have been studying it forever by looking at magazines, reading books, and watching videos. Thats the best way of learning for me, trial and error... and doing that over and over and over. LUCY’S If you were to use your self-taught knowledge and understanding to teach newer, emerging photographers, what advice would you give to them? ERIKA Play around with different lights (outdoor and studio). Figure out what you like best, but always push yourself and try new things. Shoot, shoot, shoot! Collaborate with stylists and hair and makeup artists! Also, don’t be afraid to ask more experienced photographers questions. LUCY’S Outside the realm of photography, do you have any unique personality quirks that you would like to tell us about? ERIKA Currently, my passenger seat is stuck all the way forward so whenever I drive around I feel like I am chauffeuring people, including my artist boyfriend and my polydactyl cat [named] Willy Wonka. I’m an aggressive but safe driver. People have to get used to how I drive. Not because it’s dangerous, just because they’re not used to such high levels of efficiency. I’m only half-joking, here. LUCY’S Did your cat’s name come from your love for movies? ERIKA When I first saw him, I fell in love with him and the love was mutual. He is a little orange long hair polydactyl cat - he has 2 extra toes on each paw! He reminded me of Willy Wonka - the original one - because of his fur color and his paws are all wonky. He also goes by ‘Majestic Buttercat’, which is also his Instagram name - yes, he has his own Instagram account. LUCY’S How do you and your artist boyfriend inspire each other and appreciate one another’s work? ERIKA We are both full time artists, which can be really though. You can’t rely on a steady 9-5 income, no one tells you what to do or when to show up, so we motivate and inspire each other every second of every day by talking about our ideas, our frustrations and brainstorming solutions. Also, artists are very strange people, with all their neurosis and ticks so we just get each other without words. Currently he is using some of my images and layering his fractal work over them, putting it on canvas and painting it. I started painting with watercolors and he is showing me all kinds of tricks. It’s a dream.
THOUGHTS Photography & Art direction ROXANA ENACHE Model ANDREEA MATEI @ IMC MODELS Wardrobestyling & Hair ELENA IONITA
THE COLD RIPPLES OF THE PALE GREEN SEA ARE CONFINED WITHIN HER EYES ... THE JET BLACK SPIRITS OF CIVILIZATION’S CONTEMPORARY STATE HAUNT THE NARROW STAIRWAY ... TRUDGING DOWN, SHE CHARGES AFTER THE DISTANT SOUNDS OF TIME...
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Lingerie COMMANDO Jacket VINTAGE OPPOSITE PAGE Jacket VINTAGE Dress ZEE LANE
LUCY’S 70 Lingerie COMMANDO Jacket VINTAGE OPPOSITE PAGE Kimono H&M Lingerie TRIUMPH
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Jacket VERO MODA Lingerie COMMANDO OPPOSITE PAGE Lingerie INTIMISSIMI
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Jumpsuit SPLENDID
Sweater SAINT LAURENT OPPOSITE PAGE Dress ZEE LANE
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an interview with
The FABULOUS MUSES by Issie Carey
Photo STEFAN DANI
At the same age when it was fashionable to lose teeth and to keep dolls in the floral basket of a trainingwheeledbike, little girls best friends forever mapped out a limitless future together in crayon. By day, these inseparable friends killed trees graffitiing pairs of cartoon princesses, astronauts, mermaids, and superheroes on pads of wasted construction paper. By night, they ruled the kingdom, walked on the moon, lived underwater, and saved the world together, becoming these characters in their dreams. A child’s imagination runs away with them until the day when they can no longer catch up... and that day comes when they learn the truth about the tooth fairy and are told they need to get a job. There are, of course, the luck of the draw... those who are fortunate enough to find their dream job and never let it go.
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wo stunning women enthrall the canted lens of a camera as they stand before an enchanting painting in Florence Italy. The platinum blonde is positioned slightly forward, her navy blue hat encompassing a carefully woven garden of velvet roses, perpendicular to the metal-lined, dark indigo jacket worn by her companion. The dark brunette peers from behind, smiling with her painted brown eyes. Both are holding drinks, the blonde’s garnished by the silver-framed ring resting on her finger and the brunette’s underpinned by her contrasting nails, well manicured with black polish. The differing looks of these two woman are neutralized and made complementary by the ruby tint of classic red lipstick and the midnight black structure of their winged eyeliner. If you were unaware of the close friendship between Diana Enciu and Alina Tanasa, you would presume that these were two models, handpicked for the sake of a photographer’s vision, but that is evidently not the case. These two beauties toldLUCY’S that it was “a mutual friend who introduced us to one another and somehow we felt that we could do great things together.” Remarkably, they added, “We didn’t [even] know each other before we started the PR business. We were super lucky to find each other.” Outside of the photograph, Tanasa and Enciu work in company, performing as personal shoppers, stylists, and fashion consultants to universally acknowledged names. At the end of these long days, they come home to a computer, maintaining an acclaimed blog called “Absolutely Fabulous” to not only express their gratitude for the splendid life in which fashion has enabled them to lead, but also to share glimpses of it with others. Although their entrance into the public’s eye was brought about by attending Fashion events (consisting of Milan Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, and New York Fashion Week), they launched quite a few events of their own before they got there. As I interviewed these fashion intuitives from B ucharest, they walked me through the elements of spontaneity and order sheathed within their years together. As two entrepreneurs, with a name soaring across the blogosphere, it would be expected that individuals of their traveling capacity would have difficulty defining themost exciting moment of their career. Awaiting multiple answers enriched with a variety of experiences, I was caught off guard as they limited their most riveting moment down to “[Visiting] the Louis Vuitton factory and house in Asnieres.” I inherently envision these two welcomed by the angelic greenery of the setting, entrapped its surreality, exchanging overjoyed glances as they come closer to entering and gracing the presence of the elegant Louis Vuitton Museum. “It was an amazing and magical weekend.” After they shared this highlight from their journey’s peak, we came to find that Alina Tanasa and Diana Enciu are not in it for the fame and wealth; they are merely two friends who are bonded not only to each other, but to the art of fashion and the ways in which it brings them even closer together. For most, fulfillment brought about along the lines of business is determined and cherished by publicity, recognition, and wealth. Although these web spinners behind A bsolutely Fabulousexpress undying gratitude for those components to their success and never take it for granted, they continue to prioritize their genuine infatuation with fashion an interest they have been feeding and thriving off of since their business began 7 years ago. “In the beginning, we were just partners, but after a while, our friendship came as a bonus.” Alina grinned, “We are now best friends and we complete each other.” Using the experience which both women had collected from years of working apart in similar PR and publishing fields, they found that they could build something entirely new together. “So we started a PR
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Photo TIA MARIA archive agency,” they said with pride, “Fabulous PR & Events... As we both love fashion, our clients were mainly from the fashion field.” A year after launching Fabulous PR & Events,Alina and Diana recall that they “developed the Absolutely Fabulous Fashion & Vintage Fair,an event that was and still is very popular amongst fashion lovers.” They wanted to spread this passion shared between the two of them with others and together decided that social events were the best way to do so. “We had an e-zine, the first fashion e-zine in Romania, [www.absolutelyfabulous.ro],” Diana explains, both herself and her partner equally proud of their accomplishments, “and after came [www.fabulousmuses.net], Absolutely Fabulous ...” What followed this manifestation “became a serious project and business 3 years ago... and was a dream come true.” Revisiting the scenario of a wideeyed child, hopeful to one day obtain a dream job. Of course, I don’t suppose most or any child foresees a career in fashion with the same bubbly vision as they would the position as a princess or an astronaut, but somewhere along the way, what they later develop and typify as their “dream job” remains of the same, or perhaps of even a greater personal value to them. As they have professionally matured, they have decided more of the information about themselves lying within. In the respective follow through of achieving what has become their dream, they have sought to absorb newer insight regarding the subject, therefore making it easier to execute. For Diana and Alina, this process was similar; Somewhere down the road which eventually led them to each other, they built and structured their origins based on their individual relationships with fashion. The label to best summarize this background would be ‘Absolutely Fabulous’, which they decided to use in the heat of creative synergy, as they believed that they were the first to do so. “The name was a coincidence...” They tell us, “We didn’t know back then about the famous TV series [Absolutely Fabulous] with the same name.” If their‘Absolutely Fabulous’ were a television show however, we cannot help but ponder if there would be a pinpointed location from the quaint streets of London to the gleaming skyline of Dubai, these two have seen more of what the world has to offer over the course of seven fruitful years than most see in their entire lives. “We love to travel and it’s amazing that we have the chance to discover so many nice places.” Says Alina, as they themselves wonder if they have a declarative favorite. While they find the candid urban setting of New York fun and spontaneous, Milan’s atmosphere is of a greater sentimental value. The two, however, come to the agreement that they cannot see any of these places ever surpassing the fashion capital; “We will always love Paris. It’s still our number one.” We are now brought to “A Slice of Happiness” a rather exceptional entry to their travel journal on the Fabulous Museswebsite. It is my favorite not for the photos, but for the words accompanying them:“If you asked us a couple of years ago to pick randomly a destination, we would’ve said modestly Paris. Now as we sit comfortably on our chairs at the office, while our faces are glued to our smartphones while we schedule the next meetings for the spectacular New York, we realize how important is to dream big and to believe in your every single step.” In the visuals it supports, provided by Mike Quyen and inspired by a set ofAir Francecampaigns, we see the same girls who stood before a painting, wearing red lipstick in Florence. This time, they play with Air France props in their hands and accessories by Letlet NYand Zara in their hair. Diana is in a pale lilac gown as Alina
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wears an azure mist one both by Maria Lucia Hohan. “Who would’ve thought that wearing a pair of comfortable jeans or wearing a super comfy hoodie will become a real luxury?”the passage continues, “But now since we can basically wear an Oscar dress wherever we want (because we have the perfect excuse – we do it for the job – Thank God we have it!) and since we’ve been inspired by the last Air FranceCampaign we said that it is mandatory to make the impossible possible. So...Voila!” Everyday, airplanes everywhere fill with travelers bound to land somewhere. We were curious for what lies ahead in the years to come, asking Alina and Diana where they plan to land: “Hard to say... We don’t know. We don’t like to anticipate. We prefer to let the life surprise us.” When they began however, they did have a landing in mind. After all, they as well as their supporters and followers acknowledge that this was “the life” they were always meant to have, but we must ask: Did they encounter any difficulties in the beginning? Were there any complications as the plane took off for this journey? “It was difficult, but, we were patient and we made everything with love and passion. We believed in ourselves... Hard work. This is the key.. And small but safe steps.” and most importantly “never lose your drive. When you feel you lose it, find a way to revitalize.” Many spend years pursuing a passion, lose their drive, and later on discover that it was not for them; as it becomes more of an obligation and less of a free-willed aspiration, they learn that this after all might not be passion, but more of a phase. Nothing is wrong with this; it is like a young child playing hopscotch with the millions of possibilities which they believe the future has to offer. There many cases when destinations change, as do passions. Diana’s and Alina’s, however, is not one of them. Refusing to step too far outside the realm of fashion, they add onto their predictions for the future, depicting their own destination: “We will be together, with kids,” Alina foresees, indicating their nonchalant yet appreciative perspective of their success. She then remembers who they are: “but we will still be into fashion and events.” Upon being asked with whom they would like to spend a day with if they could, these Fabulous Musesenthusiastically tell us of their own
muses. “We’d like to go back in time and spend at least a day with Elsa Schiaparelli and Diana Vreeland . ” Diana proclaims with admiration. “But if we talk about [the] present,” Alina includes, “We choose Anna Wintour because we are so very curious about the backstage reality behind this character [who is] so well studied.” “What inspires you most in your career?” I ask. “We like what Olivier Rousteing does for Balmain or Raf Simons for Dior, Stephane Rolland and Maticevski” Alina answers, speaking highly of their role models and inspiring figures in the industry. “... and fashion weeks,” Diana announces, “We love the fashion circus!” Indeed they do. While awaiting the debut of spring trends blossomed by changing seasons and currently reflecting on the Fall trends introduced during New York Fashion Week, Absolutely Fabulous has provided commentary on a vast spectrum of aesthetics. Fashion is their soulmate. In their eyes, it is not just about how something looks nor is it about how it was made. It is about the dynamics of the industry as a whole... and while “another inspiration [for us] would be the fashion photographers Tim Walker or Helmut Newton,” Diana Enciu and Alina Tanasa will never let the primary root of their inspiration be forgotten: “We inspire each other.” As two friends who found success themselves, they wound up with their desired occupations and mastered the realistic equivalent of living inside of a childhood fantasy. Their imagination came running back to them, as it was now allowed to be utilised under professional circumstances. Before Diana Enciu and Alina Tanasa met, they were two princesses, raised in separate, independent castles of this kingdom we call fashion. Once they met, neither of them returned home, to their own distinct castles, but began constructing an entirely new one together, called Fabulous PR & Events... and continued to build off of it, adding newer components over time ... and they still have not finished. Each day, new rooms are added to this castle like journal entries to their blog. As they still live in it, they examine and reminisce each image, each experience, and sit back with an immense reflection of gratitude. They explore this castle each day, but are never weary to open the gates, off to airports w here together, they depart for far away lands: Paris, Milan, New York, and all places in between...
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WHISPER
Knit Turtleneck Dress BIG PARK Pineapple Earrings HARRISON MORGAN OPPOSITE PAGE Pink Leather Dress YEOYO YUN Gold Stud Earrings HARRISON MORGAN Orchid Pink Socks WE LOVE COLORS Metal Plate Mule THE MODE COLLECTIVE Assorted Gold Rings LARUICCI
Photographer MAE RICHARDS Stylist JESS MEDEROS Assistant Stylist LAUREN TANCHUM Makeup SOPHIE HAIG Hair EROL KARADAG
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Pink Leather Dress YEOYO YUN Gold Stud Earrings HARRISON MORGAN Orchid Pink Socks WE LOVE COLORS Metal Plate Mule THE MODE COLLECTIVE Assorted Gold Rings LARUICCI OPPOSITE PAGE White Crop Top NIGHTWALKER Anuket Earrings MONICA SORDO White Mesh Pant LINIE NYC Light Blue Jett Boots MODERN VICE
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Black Cap BROOKES BOSWELL Dress, Top, and Boots WENQI WU Sky Blue Socks WE LOVE COLORS OPPOSITE PAGE Leather Overall Dress YEOYO YUN Lightning Bolt Shirt RELIGION
Blue Felt Hat BROOKES BOSWELL Black and White Choker I STILL LOVE YOU NYC Blue Open Sided Dress NOVIS Plaid Evening Skirt NOVIS Pineapple Earrings HARRISON MORGAN Ivory Jett Boot MODERN VICE
IN ITS LUSH TONALITY, LUXURY’S RHAPSODY EVER-SO-SOFTLY TRAVELS THROUGH THE DARK, ENCAPSULATING A GLOW IN PINK FABRICS AND MYSTIQUE THROUGH BLACK AND ROYAL BLUE CAPS.
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Empire Choker MONICA SORDO Black and White Agate Necklaces HAUS OF TOPPER Door Knocker Earrings HARRISON MORGAN Strapless Leather Bralette JENNIFER KATE Stripe Pant MAURIE & EVE Triple Strap Platform THE MODE COLLECTIVE OPPOSITE PAGE Black Cap BROOKES BOSWELL Dress, Top, and Boots WENQI WU Sky Blue Socks WE LOVE COLORS
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Print Knit Pants BIG PARK White Tank MAURIE & EVE Kimono Sleeve Top YEOYO YUN Time Traveler Collar PSYCHE JEWELRY OPPOSITE PAGE Blue Felt Hat BROOKES BOSWELL Black and White Choker I STILL LOVE YOU NYC Blue Open Sided Dress NOVIS Plaid Evening Skirt NOVIS Pineapple Earrings HARRISON MORGAN Ivory Jett Boot MODERN VICE
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THE EXPLICIT RAGE OF ORDERLY DISFUNCTION IS PRONOUNCED BY THE WARRIOR BEYOND THE PAPER WALLS AND SUSPENDED BY THE UNASSAILABLE SILENCE OF A PHOTOGRAPH.
Photography ANGELA MARKLEW Makeup ASHLEY JOY BECK Styling JOEY THAO @ ONE REPRESENTS Manicurist PILAR LAFARGUE Model GUETCHA TONDREAU @ WILD MODELS
Top INDER DILION Chain Holster OPUS PRIME STUDIO Pants CINDY + JOHNNY Shoes CARLO PAZOLINI OPPOSITE PAGE Hat STYLIST’S Jumper G-STAR RAW
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Hat KANGOL Jacket JARLO Jeans G-STAR RAW Suspenders VINTAGE Bracelet & Rings STYLIST’S OPPOSITE PAGE Shoe CARLO PAZOLINI Jacket G-STAR RAW Button up G-STAR RAW
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Hat KANGOL Necklace & Rings STYLIST’S Blazer STYLESTALKER Pants
TART
Shoes CARLO PAZOLINI Belt STYLESTALKER OPPOSITE PAGE Hat KANGOL Necklace & Rings STYLIST’S Blazer STYLESTALKER
Hat STYLIST’S Jumper G-STAR RAW Gloves ALEXANDER WANG X H&M Shoes ACNE STUDIO
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Photographer JOY WONG joywongphotography.com Model ASPEN GERASIMOVA @ PHOTOGENICS LA Makeup Artist LEIBI CARIAS leibicarias.com Hair Stylist VERONICA NUNEZ veronicajnunez.com
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PULSE ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GOLD... OR IS IT SILVER, PURPLE, AND GREEN? JOY WONG CAPTURES THE FORMALISTIC JOURNEY OF A WOMAN WHO BLEEDS PIXIE DUST. LAVENDER AND EMERALD SNOWFLAKES STAIN HER PLATINUM BLONDE HAIR. DISCO BALLS GLEAM UNDER HER EYES, ABOVE THE ENCHANTED FOREST GROWING BELOW HER CHEEKBONES.
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