lush. & Culture
No. 7| May 2021
TALOU GALANOU RECREATING "LISA" ALBER ELBAZ
lush. & Culture
Editor-in-chief Iason Raissis
Managing Editor Fivos Raissis EDITORS Laura Lamberti Athina Krizel Ece Zeynep Ozyalcin Iris Zimble
ART DEPARTEMENT In-House Photographers Irini Z. Charitopoulou, Elisabetta Mako Videographer Stelios Zachariou
COMMERCIAL DEPARTEMENT Marketing Director Terry Raissis Digital Marketing Manager Alessandra Proietti
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THE SPRING SELECTION
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Alber Elbaz- A Legend of the Modern Fashion Era By Iason Raissis
O
n April 24, the fashion world lost one of the most brilliant designers of the modern era, Alber Elbaz. As confirmed by the Compagnie Financière Richemont group where the designer has been working lately, Alber Elbaz has died at the age of 59 from the Covid19 virus. Given the enormous and deeply substantial work of the designer, we remember all that make him one of the most innovative and emblematic people in the artistic field. Alber Elbaz, undoubtedly one of the most important designers of our time, was born in Casablanca in 1961, and moved to Israel in 1971 where he studied Engineering and Design. In 1985, with the help of his mother, he left for New York to pursue his career as a fashion designer, a dream he had as early as the young age of 7. Arriving in the great metropolis of fashion, he began working in Geoffrey Beene's atelier, and his next job was head designer at Guy Laroche's atelier in Paris in 1996. He then took another hierarchical step as artistic director of Yves Saint Laurent in 1998, where he stayed for three seasons. Although his career was already impressive given his age and background, it was his next work that would make him a landmark designer, the assignment of the artistic direction of Lanvin. In 2001, he takes over the reins of a small French house, and within the next 14 years turns it into one of the most important houses in the modern fashion industry. "Coming from Jeoffrey Beene, my main design axis was design, and then we took this axis and pushed it towards desire, women, in fact, in contact with the now. I would say that my toil keeping up with the times is the story of my life," Elbaz said. And it is true that his work on Lanvin was just that, he listened to the needs of the women in today’s world, their desires, their femininity, and adapted his designs on them. But he didn't stay there. Unlike most designers, Elbaz cared not only about appearance, but also about practicality and comfort. Looking at his work at Lanvin from a distance, we now understand that his success lies in the fact that he built the brand by putting the woman and her needs first. Although the fashion industry mourns a great artist, with the essential meaning of the word, and a work that stopped long before his time, Alber Elbaz made sure to leave us a wonderful legacy, both moral and creative. His last artistic child was AZ Factory, the new brand of the Compagnie Financière Richemont group, for which he was able to design the first collection. Referring to the collection, he described it as "dresses that embrace you," reflecting on his creations once again what he knows how to do best. To love and take care of women.
EDITORIAL
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Talou Galanou- Colorful Tales on Canvas
Editor: Iason Raissis Media: Talou Galanou Archive
H
enri Matisse once said, “It has bothered me all my life that I do not paint like everybody else”. These are the words that come to mind as I sit across Talou Galanou in her apartment in suburban Athens, setting up my notes for what I believe to be her first interview. Talou is indeed a unique painter especially for the Greek scene; and quite visibly influenced by the creations of Matisse and Basquiat. She has managed only in a few years to develop a portfolio of artworks that are uniquely colorful, bright, and balanced both on canvas and ceramic materials.
Thank you for agreeing to this interview. I would like us to begin by you telling us who is Talou? Thank you too for the interview. Let me begin by saying that I’m a very creative person; I studied Graphic Design and worked as a designer. Although, what I’m really passionate about are colors, and painting. I never stop dreaming, setting new goals and grow personally and artistically.
Where does your inspiration come from, and what specifically inspires your drawings? Inspiration often comes from unusual sources, from everyday objects, it could be a children’s toy, a building or even a piece of clothing. Objects that I give an abstract dimension to, thus creating new shapes. I also devote a great amount of time to the combination of colors, which is the dominant element in my paintings. I am very interested in the game between colors but also the balance between bold shapes, bright colors and sketches I usually give a humorous character to. The harmonious bonding of all the elements gives a pleasant aesthetic to my creations. It is a process I never plan beforehand but it builds upon the materials I use every time.
COVER STORY
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Of all the things you've painted which would you say is your favorite and why? I'd say it's a ceramic platter I painted in 2019, it was my first contact with ceramics, and I've loved it ever since.
Which artist do you think has affected you the most in the way you are influenced artistically? I always find inspiration in Henri Matisse's paintings and collages. He was an incredibly talented artist. The clean lines, patterns and color palette were and will be an inexhaustible source of inspiration to me. I also greatly admire the work of Keith Haring and Basquiat. I really like Pop art and the street art scene of the 80s.
How hard is it to succeed in the field of art in Greece, and therefore to be able to make a living from it? What would you say are the difficulties faced by a young artist in Greece? Unfortunately, these are difficult times for a young artist to live exclusively from his art, in Greece. Fortunately, however, the art market has no borders, there are many platforms and many international artistic events that an artist can seek and participate in, which will enable him to show his works to a wide audience.
A piece of advice you'd give to a young person who wants to be professionally involved in art and, painting in particular? My advice to a young artist is never to stop expressing oneself through art, every day; to paint and maintain one’s passion and enthusiasm for what one does, constantly seeking new sources of inspiration. It is loyalty and dedication to your art that will slowly bring you closer to recognition and reward. Success is when your works of art are loved as much as you love them.
To conclude, I'd like you to tell me if you've thought about working perhaps in the future, with other aspects of art, whether in combination with painting or not? Yes, I love ceramic art very much and I would like to be more involved in the future but always in combination with painting.
Feel free to visit Talou's Instagram Profile @talougalanou and personal website at www.talougalanou.com
COVER STORY
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ÉTUDES PARIS – OUT OF THE BLUE
Editor: Athina Krizel Media: etudes.com
T
he Parisian brand Études introduces its new collection F/W 2021, “Out of the Blue” with a performance of non-professional dancers shot at the streets of urban Paris. Nostalgia has infiltrated the latest collection by the heavy influence of the nineties post grunge era. The collection strongly carries the aesthetic of the nineties as it incorporates updated styles of the fashion trends that the American pop culture created during that point in time. The color palette and the fabrics are a refined choice for this selection, as the muted autumn hues and textiles radiate a modernized thrift-store character which is gradually spreading by the present mass media. Nonetheless, there is also a sense of laid-back sophistication, which is apparent from the use of formal wear in a nonchalant way. The mix of jewel tones and burnt shades of orange and red, as well as the use of corduroy, denim, silk, and velvet fabrics emit a versatile trait to this collection. The duality of “Out of the Blue” is very apparent as the followers of Études can seek out to either one of the aesthetics that are most suitable to them or both.
The designer trio, Aurélien Arbet , Jérémie Egry and José Lamali is always keen to highlight art and subcultures through their label, Études. "We don't want to limit ourselves to being just a fashion brand", they said. Hence, why they have collaborated with several artists in most of their fashion work along with a production of photobooks. It is essential for the brand to promote and encourage creators to keep establishing their own attitudes and qualities, just like the founders of Études have managed to do so from their early days of artistry in doing graffiti and photography. Therefore, for the latest collection and for the making of the photobook N°23, they joined forces with the conceptual artist Martine Syms. Her work mainly encompasses around creating meaning through representation. Syms primarily takes the language and references of television and films that are unorthodox or outcasted by the mass media. This was an ideal opportunity for both creators, Syms and the trio, to bring to light and convey the idea of black-themed films to a wider community.
STREET STYLE
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The similarities between the two counterparts made their connection even stronger and full of meaning, as their love for colors and the utilization of different elements were shown evidently on the colorful garments and accessories, printed with her found and original content from the poem “Lessons I–CLXXX” and her other creations. A collaboration with the MTV’s show, Beavis and Butthead is the icing on the cake, as the two satirical characters are particularly printed on a pair of black jeans, a tie-dyed t-shirt, and accessories. The merging of the nineties cartoon program and the brand is the ideal concept for this collection, considering that the show was a pop culture staple for the era that Études is trying to embody.
STREET STYLE
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RECREATING "LISA"
Media: Irene Z. Charitopoulou Model: Elisavet Antali
oke up in a hurry. I don’t know what the world will come up with today. I open my eyes and see the the yellow walls around me. At the corner, there is a big dog. Is this real? Usually there is a big plant over there, it must be an illusion. I brush my teeth, dress up, ignore the strangely big dog in the corner and I head outside. Outside everything is loud. Loud cars , loud people and I hate loud noises. After walking a few blocks I find a girl laid down at the street. She doesn’t wear shoes and has a sign that says “help”. This must be like the dog, definitely this is an illusion , don’t look (I say to myself). Walking down the street I find some more people laid down there , their clothes are dirty and there is a big line of people waiting in front of a table with two big pots of food. This must be an illusion again, but is it? It seems so real. What is happening in my brain? Is this the real world? Or just a fantasy? Now ,I’m confused... Photography inspired by Girl Interrupted movie.
ART EDITORIAL
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Who is Vivienne Westwood? A Mother, A Designer, An Icon, An Activist, A Punk Dame
Editor: Ece Zeynep Ozyalcin Media: getty.com
B
orn in 1941 in the village of Tintwistle, Derbyshire, Vivienne Westwood was the eldest daughter of Gordon and Dora. She was raised by a family far from the elites of England. When she was a little girl, she didn’t find herself beautiful- she had straight brown hair unlike Shirley Temple who had blonde curls and who was the model for children. Fortunately, she was raised as a confident young woman by her parents. By the time she was 16, she was already making her own clothes but never had the idea of becoming a fashion designer. “I didn’t know how a working class girl like me could possibly make a living in the art world”. That is why she left the Harrow Art School after one term of taking jewellery and silversmith courses. She started teacher training college when she was 18 and became a primary school teacher while continuing to make jewellery. She married her former husband Derek Wetwood, had a son, Ben, but left him after a couple months when Ben was born because she was not happy with her life as a wife.
GLOBAL INDUSTRY
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In 1965, her life changed completely when she met Malcolm Mclaren, a pale redhead man who offered to help her in crafting her jewellery. Right from the start, both of them were drawn to one another and started having an on and off relationship which did not end till the 1980s. Westwood was fascinated by Mclaren’s unique perspective on arts and disregarding authority. Her passion for arts and design and her rebellious spirit was evoked by him. The couple had a son in 1967. In 1971, together, they opened the famous and revolutionary boutique, which we know as of today as “The World’s End”, under the name “Let It Rock” on 430 Kings Road. During the 1970s, the hippie movement was still in effect in London, but the couple was not inspired by it. They rejected the hippie ethos and instead took a stance at the youth culture’s recent past which was rock and roll. They had their first “Teddy Boy Look” which meant tailored jackets, skin-tight trousers, and thick soled brothel creepers. The couple had many ideas and every time they got bored, they changed the shop as well. In 1972, the shop was renamed as “Too Fast To Live, Too Young to Die” and in 1974 it was renamed as “Sex” which meant the beginning of the punk era.
GLOBAL INDUSTRY
“Punk was an evolution, a synthesis of putting all these things together that we were interested in. I think that punk rock was the most heroic rock and roll movement that’s ever been… It was something I believed in at the time. Johnny Rotten really believed in it in the beginning. That somehow we were going to keep on attacking all the icons of the establishments because we wanted the world to be different. We were always literary and graphic about our ideas, we put them on tshirts…” “We were just saying to the older generation, we don’t accept your values or your taboos, and you’re all fascists” -Westwood
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Through the establishment of “Sex”, Malcolm and Vivienne attracted the growing anti-establishment youth group which were dissatisfied with the current political climate. They felt like they were not being considered and punk music and fashion were the perfect medium for them to raise their voice. For our tumultuous couple, punk meant anti-fashion, anti-establishment, anti-design, antibeauty. They managed to shock everyone with their provocative designs: rubber dresses, t-shirts with provocative images, fetish items such as zips and straps on clothes, stilettos with spikes, designs that referenced sexual practices...etc. What the people hated became immensely attractive for the younger generation because it gave them an opportunity to be rebels who could disrupt the status quo. In 1976, the shop was renamed again as “Seditionaries'' and the collection continued to stay in the unconventional, risky territory: unravelling mohair jumpers, torn-looking dresses, tops with metal chains and safety pins. Some of the most iconic garments of this collection were “God Save the Queen'' printed t-shirts with a safety pin through the Queen’s lip” and t-shirts with two bobble knots of fabric over the nipples. The tees of the band “Sex Pistols” which was managed by Mclaren, were designed by Westwood and Mclaren and that also gave them a huge success and recognition. They became the link between punk music and punk fashion. By 1977, the King’s Road was the place where everyone stopped by at the number 430. Punk culture which was supposed to be a counterculture, which was supposed to portray the dissatisfaction of the cultural zeitgeist of the era according to Vivienne Westwood, became mainstream and that left Vivienne Westwood disenchanted. It did not achieve its revolutionary battle cry Westwood hoped for therefore she lost her interest towards it. She wanted to achieve social change through taking concrete action and her designs were the tools to achieve this change. But she didn’t see this happening on the streets. Thus together with Mclaren, they renamed the boutique one final time in 1981 as “The World’s End” and Westwood turned to other areas to get inspiration from.
GLOBAL INDUSTRY
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“He said you’ve got to be at the front of this fashion business and what you need to do is you need to do a catwalk show and it should be under your own name... So I did. I thought I’ll do what other designers do. I started looking at history- french revolution, all those Merveilleuses, Les Incroyables from the french revolution… It was the idea of ‘let’s plunder the world’. That’s how the clothes became the ‘pirate’ idea. That we would get our ideas from history and from the third world” -Westwood The couple launched their first catwalk collection which was named “Pirate” in 1982. The collection consisted of wide-striped Buccaneer trousers and oversized shirts with draped sashes. Westwood was highly influenced by 17th and 18th century portrait painting and its silhouettes. The period between 1981-1985 was known as the “New Romantic” era for Vivienne Westwood’s career. The autumn/winter 1982 collection named as “Buffalo Girls/Nostalgia Mud” was inspired from the images of national geographic magazines. Her designs referenced the traditional South and North American cultures and Westwood was exploring how these cultures were rooted to the western cultures.The collection was all based on a softly tailored silhouettes: enormous tattered shirts, drop-shouldered sheepskin jackets saturated in muddy colors, woollen dresses and crumpled looking hats. Also the collection had a satin bra worn over dresses. This was the first time a designer turned an underwear piece into an outerwear garment. “Punkature” spring/summer 1983 got its inspiration from Ridley Scott’s dystopian sci-fi classic “Blade Runner” and this collection was established during Westwood and Mclaren was split up. According to Westwood, this collection was a turning point for her as this was the first time she felt free without Mclaren’s intervention of her designs and the way she did things. Later on, came the autumn/winter collection “Witches” which was the couple's last collection together. The design elements were inspired by the New York graffiti artist Keith Haring.
GLOBAL INDUSTRY
From then on Vivienne Westwood was alone, following her own path as a fashion designer, creating unique designs through the exploration of history, art, literature, philosophy.
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Years between 1993 to 1999 marked the period of “Anglomania”. Her fascination with both french and british cultures let her create many unique designs.. She put emphasis on the natural shape of the body with her tartan derriere padding and tight corsets which were a 17th century fashion practice of defining hips while minimizing the waist. She even added removable sleeves to her corsets as a reflection of the medieval armor. “Les Femmes ne Connaissent pas toute leur Coquetterie” spring/summer 1997 Paris fashion show portrayed many unconventional designs and unwearable pieces that emphasized the body extensions with the hourglass silhouette. Over the past decade, Vivienne Westwood has taken an active role as an activist, leading campaigns to draw attention to social issues such as climate change, ethical fashion, political prisoners, LGBTQ+ community rights, terrorism. Her runways are the platforms to give messages through her designs. Her determination to create awareness and to take action on climate change can be seen in her graphic poster that she created for the Visionaire Magazine’s celebration of the 68th issue in 2018. The magazine commissioned 10 artists to design a digital poster to point out the social issues the world is facing. Vivienne Westwood’s design was composed of a world map with most parts painted in red to show the inhabitable places if the world temperature rose by 5 degrees.
In 2018, Vivienne Westwood and Burberry collaborated to design a limited edition collection that emphasizes the British style and heritage. Vivienne Westwood and Riccardo Tisci, who is the chief creative officer of Burberry, had a shared vision for climate change. Thus the collection was done to support and promote “Cool Earth”, a UKbased non-profit organization that works to stop deforestation and climate change. The collection had a t-shirt with a handwritten message from Westwood herself saying “Cool Earth has a plan to save the rainforest”, mini skirts, cropped jackets frayed ties and many other gender fluid pieces that merged Burberry’s vintage deck and Westwood’’s punk style. So who is Vivienne Westwood? She is a mother, a designer, an icon, an activist, a punk dame. From the opening of “Let It Work” boutique in 1971 to today, we have witnessed many times how she weaves her rebellious soul on her designs to give a message that matters and that is what makes her the most inspirational designer of all the times.
"She is a rebel, a punk and an unrivalled creative British icon who has inspired and influenced legions of designers and artists over the last 50 years" -Riccardo Tisci
GLOBAL INDUSTRY
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Online Issue No.7: www.lushbyir.org May, 2021 Issued trimonthly Publisher: Iason Raissis lush. & culture Magazine
Cover Photograph: Irini Z. Charitopoulou / @irinizch Cover Model: Elisavet Antali /@batarolena
Appear in this issue Talou Galanou/ @talougalanou Elisavet Antali/ @batarolena Vivienne Westwood/ @viviennewestwood ETUDES PARIS/ @etudes LANVIN / @lanvinofficial
THE SPRING SELECTION
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