from the publisher
Welcome. It is with great honor and pleasure to once again bring you LX Okemos, an artistic, one-of-a-kind, coffee table magazine. This is such an exciting issue, as we feature exquisite jewelry, artistic photography and stories that captivate you, educate you and also pull at your heart strings. In this issue, we are excited to share “The Roberto Coin Story,” about the history of Roberto Coin. I am proud to say my daughter Kaila and I were recently invited to Venice Italy for the Roberto Coin retailer’s summit! We are excited to be able attend such an amazing event for an outstanding company. Also, Sharon Naylor shares a story, “I Still Choose You,” about renewing your wedding vows. On the fashion front, leading UK fashion photographer, Zena Holloway, graces this issue with a beauty story entitled “Mermaiden.” Holloway sets her work apart from other fashion photographers by shooting exclusively underwater. We have an exclusive interview with Stevie Boi, who has designed glasses for celebrities like Lady Gaga and Beyonce. We’ve included, “My Mother’s Wedding Dress” a beautifully written story about memory, reflection, loss and looking to the future. Also in this issue, “pARTners a love story” about artists Christo and Jeanne Claude and how their love and collaboration literally changed the “landscape” of art. I am honored that you have let me be a part of your lives and your celebrations. We love hearing your stories and sharing in your special moments. As always, you know you can count on us to help you choose that perfect gift. Be sure to visit us often throughout the year at Becky Beauchine Kulka Diamonds and Fine Jewelry Enjoy this issue of LX Okemos, with our compliments. Our best to you,
Becky Beauchine Kulka 4
105 west 23rd street panama city, florida 32405 850.763.4224 • myfloridajeweler.com
OFFICIAL LICENSED JEWELER OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Features
inside
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Lifestyle 19 I Still Choose You Wealth 23 Longevity and the
Value of College
Photography 28 Honey Moon and Stars 50 Mermaiden: Photos by
Zena Holloway
Arts & Culture 11 The Color of Opera 26 My Mother’s Wedding Dress 46 pARTners Spotlight:
Christo and Jeanne Claude
The Roberto Coin Story Women’s Runway Report: Bridal
Fashion 39 Runway Report: Bridal 43 Runway Report: Men’s 57 Runway Report: Women’s 61 Behind Rose Colored
Glasses: An Interview with Stevie Boi
Jewelry 15 The Roberto Coin Story
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pARTners Spotlight: Christo and Jeanne Claude
on the cover
Publisher BECKY BEAUCHINE KULKA Editor JON ROBERTS Art Director CHELSIE ROBERTS Graphic Designer ANGIE HALTER Featured on the cover is the talented photographer Monica Eng. She says, “Growing up in Singapore was a gateway for me to experience the multitudes of cultures and utilize those who surround me to layer my photography. I do not claim to inspire those who stand before my lens, for they are my greatest inspiration. I see her biting her lips and I see someone who has the years ahead running amok in her head. I see him shy away from her gaze and I see the beginning of a new life that is as delicate as it is dedicated.”
Graphic Designer MIGUEL SALGADO
LX: a coffeetable magazine LX® Magazine is published by Luxury Avenue, LLC, 500 N. Michigan Avenue, Ste. 300, Chicago, Illinois 60611. LX® accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. LX® reserves the right to edit, rewrite, refuse or reuse material, is not responsible for errors or omissions and may feature the same content on lxmagazine.com, as well as other mediums for any and all purposes. Copyright © 2012 Luxury Avenue, LLC. All rights reserved. The entire contents of LX® are protected by copyright© and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Reproduction in whole or in part or storage in any data retrieval system or any transmission by any means therefrom without prior written permission is prohibited. LX® and LX® Magazine are trademarks™ of Luxury Avenue, LLC. 8
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heartsonfire.com
food
Opera
The Color of
BY SANAA ABOUREZK
R
ed is the color of passion, of powerful emotions that affect us all in our daily lives. It is a color that stands out, that doesn’t hide, that boldly announces itself. Nowhere is the power and drama of red clearer than in Italian opera, where the color explains all of the lofty feelings present in almost every libretto. Opera stories are never told without adding love, innocence, war and death. Innocence is displayed by the blush of the first kiss. A red heart is emblematic of love. Revolutionary wars are led by red-colored flags, the symbols of revolution. And operatic death makes scarlet blood flow on the stage. Red was the color used by the artists of ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians, who employed it to emphasize chapter headings on the writings found on their papyrus, as well as to color the three thousand year old royal robes discovered in the tombs of the kings. Henna was used by the Pharaohs to stain fingers and toes to improve their awareness of the earth’s energies. www.lxmagazine.com
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When Julius Caesar sought to distinguish himself as first among equals in the Roman Senate, he wore a red toga, angering the other, white-clad Senators. The power of his red toga was part of the cause of his death at their hands. In a more recent political venue, the wives of American presidents and female U.S. Senators often wear dresses of a shocking red color in public appearances as a way of standing apart from the boring black and grey suits worn by their male colleagues. Never mind that a fighting bull is color blind, Spanish toreadors use a red cape to invite it to charge, creating the excitement and drama that has made bullfighting the country’s national sport. Red also adds drama and interest to food. Try to imagine a meal being served that is uniformly brown in color, a meal without some red vegetables garnishing a plate of otherwise possibly delicious but boring looking food. Food that is red not only enlivens the presentation of the dish but also adds powerfully to its taste and nutrition. Tomatoes spend most of their lives growing up green, but it is when they turn red that they are in great demand by food lovers. Similarly, scientists have discovered the gene present in apples that makes them a perfect red color, a color that, according to surveys, increases the purchaser’s desire to buy. The compound that gives vegetables their red
“Cherries & strawberries contain ‘phytochemicals’ that have been shown to improve memory.” color is also an anti-oxidant, which helps resist cancer while maintaining healthy cell life in humans. Cherries and strawberries contain “phytochemicals” that have been shown to improve memory. Nutritionists and medical researchers constantly urge people to eat several servings of vegetables each day, and it is no accident that vegetables that are red in color are the ones most frequently suggested, such as cherries, red kidney beans, tomatoes, red peppers, watermelons, apples, beets, radishes, and strawberries. Growing up in Syria, my sister and I were forbidden to wear makeup. We found a way around this rule, however, by employing a flower that grows in many countries, including Syria. Before bedtime, we rubbed it on our lips and added a smaller amount to our cheeks. We protected the pillow from the color with a special towel we kept hidden, and the next morning both our parents and our teachers tried in vain to erase the red color that we had applied the night before. We were ordered to wash our faces, but the pigment would not come off, and we explained to our teachers that the reason was because it was our natural color.
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Open Ad
The Story Journey to Vicenza, a city in the north east part of Italy, which is just about 37 miles from Venice and you will find beautiful palaces that were created by Andrea Palladio in the 16th century, as well as beautiful villas like the Basilica Palladiana and Villa Almerico Capra. The city is also known for its thriving industrial exchange and for its contribution to Italy’s jewelry industry. In fact, 1/5 of all of the jewelry that is created in Italy, comes from Vicenza and the city has been coined “The City of Gold”. Keep in mind that Italy is the birthplace of the Renaissance and has been a home some of history’s most brilliant and renowned artists. With all of the beauty, art, culture and fine metals associated with the area — it’s no wonder that a young passionate entrepreneur (who was born in Venice) chose to make it the base for both his home and his jewelry enterprise, which bears his name, Roberto Coin. Before his jewelry company was realized Roberto spent time in Switzerland learning the catering industry where he developed a keen eye for detail and the finer things in life. This aptitude earned him a diploma in management from L’Ecole Hotelier, a hospitality management school in Switzerland. Although he was successful in the hotel industry, at the age of 32 he decided to take a new career path. Jewelry design
and manufacturing quickly became his passion. Early on in the jewelry venture he and his partner Peter Webster created jewelry for high-end jewelry brands across Europe, which later grew into an international business that officially launched the Roberto Coin brand in 1994. Roberto was a forerunner for many imaginative and au courant concepts that had never been used in jewelry design up to that point. He was the first to use white gold in designs as well as use gold in two and three colors. He followed and created fashion trends and incorporated different cultures into his creations, which helped to quite quickly expand the company internationally. It is said that Roberto pours his personality into all of the artwork he creates. Lisa Ganch, senior vice president of sales for the
“It is said that Roberto pours his personality into all of the artwork he creates.”
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“According to Roberto, ‘Fashion should represent freedom, freedom for the person who wears jewelry and freedom for the person who creates it.’ ” 16
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“The Roberto Coin brand calls their signature inset ruby “a secret gift of good wishes to every woman lucky enough to wear one of his exclusive creations.” brand says, “The thing about Roberto is that you know he loves nature. He loves flowers. He loves animals; everything he loves really comes across in his jewelry. It comes through when you see his different lines like Cobra. This year—it was the year of the dragon—he created one of the most unbelievable dragon bracelets. It’s amazing. The flowers that he puts into his jewelry, everything that he does has a sense of who he is. […] I mean I’ve met a lot of people in my life, but when you spend time with Roberto you realize when you see his jewelry exactly why he does what he does. He is awesome.“ And this passion as well as some thoughtful consideration of what jewelry should be has set the company apart from the crowd. According to Roberto, “Fashion should represent freedom, freedom for the person who wears jewelry and freedom for the person who creates it. Fashion should enhance the personality of everybody; it is an art, but the art of being different and should increase the ability of today’s women to feel more comfortable in their own role” Speaking of different, it is one thing that Roberto Coin jewelry definitely is. One of the eccentricities that makes it so unique is a signature ruby (conflict free) that is placed on the inside of every piece of Roberto Coin jewelry. The ruby, according to ancient belief, possesses magical powers that are bestowed upon the wearer when contact is made with the skin. These powers include, long life, happiness, health and the ability to create peace. The Roberto Coin brand calls their signature inset ruby “a secret gift of good wishes to every woman lucky enough to wear one of his exclusive creations.” Roberto truly believes that the jewelry he creates should be fashion forward. “This is the beginning of a new game, where fashion will clash with style. Where really beauty will clash against...? Where innovation will clash with tradition.” Roberto Coin is a brand that really loves everything about their jewelry, and they go to great lengths to let other’s know. “It’s essential to us to really share our passion and have our clients really share our passion for Italian jewelry,” says Lisa. Each year they have a retailer’s summit where they bring some of their brightest and best jewelers to Italy to share what they do with them. “When we bring someone to Italy we can really share our roots […] with our key partners. We bring them to Vicenza and to Venice; we bring them into our factories and show them our manufacturing techniques. They see people in these factories sitting at tables putting pieces of jewelry together by hand. I think it really brings a new level to it, really focusing on the quality of our brand, so that they can see what we stand for, who we are. […] What we really want them to do is to leave and to further develop their love for Roberto Coin’s creations,” says Lisa.
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“Bringing Becky, selecting her and just knowing her is great.” Being invited to the summit is quite an honor for retailers, which is why Becky Beauchine Kulka and her daughter Kaila (Becky’s top Roberto Coin sales person) were picked to attend. “We picked Becky […] because of the way she embraces our brand, the way she treats her clients, her enthusiasm really for everything that she does. Becky is a wonderful businesswoman. She is an incredible mother and she is a great friend. I can’t say enough for how she is respected in the arena and in her town. And every time I walk into the store she makes me feel like family,” says Lisa. She also had some wonderful words to say about Kaila, “Kaila is fantastic. It’s fun because she first started coming into the business a couple of years ago. I’ve known Kaila for 9 years—gosh before she could even drive. She’s turned into this business woman, […] Not only are we bringing her to the summit but we also picked Kaila to be a Roberto Coin ambassador, so we are also sending her on a cruise in June. What she’ll be doing is really learning about the merchandising and the marketing. Kaila is going to get a huge dose of Roberto Coin this year. I can’t think of a better person coming in to represent our line. She’s wonderful.“ The summit is a great way to ensure that US retailers can really see what Roberto Coin stands for, how the jewelry is created and the quality and detail that goes into each piece. It’s also a great way for those of them that have never experienced Italy to have some fun and gain appreciation for the region where the pieces are created. Becky said that she is very excited about the summit. “Kaila and I have always wanted to go to Italy and my business, hard work, and Roberto Coin made it possible.” The experience consists of what Lisa calls “Literally the most important thing, how the jewelry is created.” She says, “You see the equipment and the people, and you see a piece being sketched on a piece of paper and then being created in front of you, people taking the gold by hand and putting it together. I think it gives a new sense of really loving jewelry. The thing about Roberto Coin, what we really love is that Roberto’s very adamant about the jewelry being and feeling like fabric. To him if a woman has to wear it, it’s key that it feels great against the skin. We really want people to see the attention to detail of what goes into making a piece that beautiful and feel that wonderful. Between the dinners and the camaraderie and being with Roberto every day — which is a treat. Every time I get to even have coffee with him I walk away energized and I realize why I do what I do—they get a sense of it all. When people spend four or five days with this man, I think they have a huge sense of who he is as a designer, who he is as a family man and really why this brand has been named one of the top brands in the world. […] Bringing Becky, selecting her and just knowing her is great. I’ve known her over the years and she truly is a friend. I think she’s a wonderful person. I’m so excited for her and her daughter to see this, because they are the type of people who bring it back and really share the enthusiasm with the customers. And you know what? at the end of the day that’s what we at Roberto Coin all want, everyone feeling great about what they represent.”
I Still Cho o se yo u.
} or Writte n by Sharon Nayl os Images by MC Studi
Recapture the magic of your wedding day and tell your beloved “I still choose you” with a romantic wedding vow renewal celebration. Standing before one another, whether in a stylish designer gown and suit, or in bathing suits on a tropical beach, and speaking from the heart—telling your mate just how much more in love you are, how much you appreciate every moment, every gesture, every morning kiss and kindness—adds a depth to your marriage.
More wedding couples are choosing to renew their vows their way, whether in a grand wedding re-do at the country club with 150 guests and a masterpiece of a wedding cake, in their own backyard with their closest family and friends, or just the two of them at the ocean’s edge or in the church, synagogue or garden where they originally said their vows. They’re re-living the excitement of the wedding-planning (perhaps more enjoyably this time, without the input of ‘helpful’ parents,) touring ceremony sites together, tasting delectable cake sample bites, designing lovely bouquets and florals, selecting elegant invitations and of course, choosing their wedding vow renewal dresses and suits. A big trend now is to incorporate some element of the original wedding day into this celebration. Cher Floyd, who with her husband John has renewed their vows several times over the past twenty years, says of one celebration, “I used my original wedding veil, and had our original florist send similar flowers for us.” No matter the grandiosity of their plans, or the intimacy of a small affair, vow renewal couples experience that heart-flutter of excitement as they write new vows reflecting the bright points of the life they’ve lived together. They might repeat the same vows they spoke years ago, add new thoughts to that vow script, add their signature style and sense of
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“Most wedding couples say they haven’t felt as connected to one another in years as they do on this day.” humor this time around, and speak so sentimentally that tears come to their eyes. This is a moment dedicated to expressing appreciation and admiration for everything their partner does to enrich their life together, and to enrich their children. Most wedding couples say they haven’t felt as connected to one another in years as they do on this day. As an added bonus, wedding vow renewal couples say they love setting an inspiring example for their children and grandchildren, showing them that this is what a solid, loving and supportive marriage looks like, not the turbulent relationships they see on television reality shows and in celebrity gossip magazines.
Why Renew Now? It doesn’t have to be a 5th, 10th, or 25th milestone anniversary for you to renew your vows. Some couples do so on their very first anniversary, their 7th, their 12th—whenever the time feels right. A couple may wish to re-cement their bond after an extremely challenging year, such as one partner’s illness or job search struggles, or a military deployment. Or, they might re-new their vows in a joyful year, such as after their first child is born, and again when each additional child arrives. Some couples return to their original destination wedding resort each time, bringing their children with them to participate in their vow renewal celebration. It’s also become a trend to surprise a spouse with the “wedding re-do” she’s always wanted. If parents controlled the wedding plans, or if finances didn’t allow for that masterpiece wedding cake, the garden wedding, the sea of roses, if it rained on her dream garden wedding, she now gets the surprise of a lifetime: “Will you plan our wedding vow renewal celebration with me?” Tears will certainly flow with that romantic offer. She gets the do-over she’s always wanted, made all the sweeter by the fact that her partner suggested it.
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“Surprise ring upgrades are rising in popularity.”
The Wedding Ring Gets a Do-Over As Well
replaced by a new ring. She’s lived for years with, and cherished, the wedding ring placed on her finger at her wedding, and she would be disheartened to ‘trade it in’ for a newer model. A solution: take the stones from the original band and include them in the new band’s design, perhaps as stones embedded in the anniversary band. Or, the stones from the original band can be re-set as a new diamond pendant she can wear every day now and forever.
Open Editorial
, When Dr. Chris Kammer
planned a surprise vow renewal for his wife Jean Marie on their twentieth wedding anniversary, he also added a dazzling gift: “I had her wedding ring upgraded to a new platinum setting, and I also surprised her with a new anniversary band with twenty diamonds around the circle to wear with it.” Dr. Kammer’s present stunned not only his bride, but all of their family and friends in attendance.
Renewing your vows
Surprise ring upgrades are rising in popularity, and many husbands are giving an added thrill: they’re bringing their wives to the jewelry store to let them pick out their new, upgraded style elements. The shopping experience in itself adds wow factor to the gift, with the wife treated as a VIP by the jewelry shop staff. Some jewelry experts say they bring out a bottle of sparkling cider or Prosecco for these special couples, just as they do for their about-to-be-engaged couples shopping for the engagement ring. “Love should be celebrated,” says one jewelry store manager. “And we like to make their moment extra-special.” Dr. Kammer represents the high-end ring upgrade client who shops for finer metals, and a diamond-encircled anniversary band, perhaps an upgrade to larger wedding band stones with greater fire. Which brings up an important issue: the wife might not wish to have her wedding band 22
Great solutions if the original ring will remain untouched: get her a dazzling right-hand diamond or gemstone ring, or simply surround the original band with two new, stackable diamond-encircled bands. Perhaps each band can symbolize five years of marital bliss, perfect for a tenth wedding anniversary, or symbolizing each of the couple’s two children. When you add an element from the marriage to the ring upgrade, even a subtler design becomes priceless.
Other choices include adding gemstones to the new design, embedding larger diamonds, and adding personalized engravings (sometimes as a surprise.) And don’t forget that the husband’s wedding band can be upgraded as well; he may prefer a different style (such as hammered metals or diamond chips) than he chose in his younger years. Many couples with children love to include their kids in their vow renewals, expressing their love and admiration for the wonderful people their sons and daughters have grown to be, and promising to always support their dreams. As part of the renewal, it’s lovely to present diamond pendants, gemstone earrings or other precious gifts to the girls, as well as meaningful gifts to the boys. Grandchildren may be included in this gift presentation as well, for all to share in the joy of the day.
HOW MUCH MORE WILL YOUR DEGREE BE WORTH? By Lyndon Conrad Bell
In 1934, when Norman Rockwell painted this image, the cost of an undergraduate degree was $400.00 per year.
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With college tuitions steadily rising, an economy rebounding from the great recession, and the life expectancy of the average American steadily increasing, a question on the minds of many people—simply put—is it worth it? Conventional wisdom says absolutely, unequivocally, without a doubt, yes it is. After all, hundreds, if not thousands of studies have found the lifetime earnings potential of a college graduate is almost always significantly greater than that of an individual with no secondary education. Add to that, the fact that today’s college preps will potentially be in the workforce twenty more years than today’s retirees which only increases the value of a college education. In 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey started asking people with a bachelor’s degree to list their undergraduate major course of study. This enabled, for the first time, the ability to place a specific value on a particular major. For workers whose highest degree was a bachelor’s, incomes ranged from $29,000 for counseling-psychology majors to $120,000 for petroleum-engineering majors. However, the study also showed the median income for people with just a high-school diploma was about $32,000 vs. $55,000 for those whose highest degree was a bachelor’s. In other words, an individual with no college at all could potentially make more money over the course of their lifetime than an individual with a college degree—in some fields. There is another set of aspects of this discussion to consider though; the social attributes demonstrated by academically-oriented people, the value of the lifelong learning traits instilled in college graduates, and the broader perspectives afforded those with a college degree. A 2007 study by the College Board, New York found college graduates, regardless of major, are involved in the community and engage in charitable giving at more than twice the rate of high-school only graduates. Further, they live healthier lives and are more likely to experience increased longevity. 24
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“college graduates, regardless of major, are involved in the community and engage in charitable giving at more than twice the rate of high-school only graduates.” painting: Judy Palermo www.judypalermo.com
When this is considered along with the fact people are living longer in general, with all this added longevity will come significant earning potential. Further, as we move forward as a society, the best jobs will either be more technologically dependent or technologically oriented.
With this in mind, choosing a major should be about finding something you love to do. One should try to find something they love that will either (a) still be in demand many years from now, or (b) give them a foundation from which they can continue to evolve their skills and expertise as times change.
Maura Kastberg, executive director of Student Services at RSC: Your College Prep Expert in Schenectady, New York says; “In the high-tech world we live in, which is steadily becoming increasingly so, technology has replaced many jobs that are repetitive in nature. Plus, businesses are always looking for ways to do things more efficiently, more cheaply, and more safely. Companies are also looking to make their products and services easier for their customers to use. More and more, technology is the answer to those concerns.”
Which brings us to another hidden asset of a college education—the flexibility it gives people to evolve with the progression of their careers. Says Kastberg; “Most people today will have three to five different jobs over the course of their working lives. College lets people change their career focus more easily and is a foundation to build upon as technology advances. Taking additional courses to keep up with changes is much easier than having to start from scratch in a quickly changing world.”
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My MOTHER’S
Wedding
dress By Elizabeth Fergus-Jean Photos submitted
I found my mother’s wedding dress, sealed in a plastic bag, stuffed into an old tattered leather suitcase just a few months after my mother had passed away. At first I had no idea what it was, for it appeared to be a crumpled mass of old tulle and lace. Clearly it had not been thoughtfully stored away for safekeeping; it had been jammed into a bag and sealed away where it did not hold the power to stir up old memories. Yet when I unzipped the bag, wisps of the past seeped into the air. This wrinkled, slightly torn dress had once been beautiful; I knew this because I also found my mother’s wedding photos. She was stunning with her lace gloves and soft hopeful gaze. I wish my mother was with me so I could ask about her dress, her wedding and honeymoon; all stories I never heard yet longed to hear. I slipped on her dress, careful to not tear the aging lace. It fit; my body now as my mother’s, and I felt her presence around me. At first I felt a deep longing, and then curiosity washed over me as I began to slowly move this way and that, feeling the scratchy material brush against my skin. I lifted her veil to inhale her memory, dreaming of her, when she wore the dress on her wedding day. 26
I peered through the veil, seeking answers of her story, and finding those of my own imaginings-My daughter is getting married next year. Unlike my mother, I carefully sealed my wedding dress in the hopes that one day my daughter would want to wear it. But, she is indeed her mother’s daughter, for she too,
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showed no interest in wearing her mother’s wedding dress. And that is fine with me. A mother’s gift is sharing her love and supporting the choices her daughter makes. Dresses and fashion may come and go, but the memories that cling to their fabric transport us to rekindle our love of our past and our hope for the future.,
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Photographed By Monica Eng Interview By Chelsie Roberts
Photography & Styling Monica Eng www.vividshots.com Third Eye Brian Fisher make-up & Hair Jyue Huey from The Make-Up Room Wedding gowns from The Wedding Present model Daria Popova
C. When you are photographing a subject, what kind of transformation happens in you? How do you become part of the artistry that you are creating, and how is it different or the same as who you are in regular day to day life?
M. I am curious by nature. Whenever I meet someone interesting, get caught in a unique situation or watch a really nice movie. I often wonder how it feels to be in someone else’s situation—imagining the multitudes of emotions surrounding that situation. I later translate them into little stories through my lens.
C. Other than the art of photography, what other art forms do you incorporate into your work, or what meaning do you derive from other art forms?
M. I love music and dance. Whenever possible I try to incorporate them into my works. Almost all the time, I will have a certain song
in my mind that I would almost play on a loop during my shoot to get everyone into that mood during the shoot; sometimes we all get so sick of that song after the shoot, we never want to hear it again. I have done shoots based on the ballet, Giselle and the Moonlight Sonata, all with my own interpretation from a different view point. Next, I would love to do a shoot based on Tango; it’s the one dance I find absolutely enchanting. I would love to be able to master Tango one day and translate it into my photography.
“colour and light is basically like a life partner to a visual artist. You have to understand every intricate aspect to make the relationship work” 30
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C. Describe how you feel about color and light? M. Colours and light are inseparable. To see a full spectrum of colours you’ll need an adequate amount of light. To set the right
mood and message in an image, you’ll need to understand them well. Metaphorically speaking, colour and light is basically like a life partner to a visual artist. You have to understand every intricate aspect to make the relationship work as you would understand your life partner—what makes them tick, what makes them happy or sad.
C. How do you feel about love, life and one’s mark that they make on the world through imagination and imagery?
M. I think life is short and we should love and live to the fullest; always fight for your dreams and do what you love most. You don’t need a lot to live fully because the simplest things are the most wonderful. I think imagination and fantasy are the necessities of life; it’s a way of looking at life through the eccentric side and laughing at life’s realities.
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517.332.1080 . copperdine.com
Open to Non-Members . Located at Walnut Hills 2874 Lake Lansing Rd . East Lansing, Michigan 48823
www.cricketshomefurnishings.com 9755 Woodlane drive ~ Dimondale, MI 48821 Phone: 517-646-8870
OSCAR DE LA RENTA
The Long and Short of It
Bridal
Spring 2012
Oscar de la Renta’s Garden Tea Party By Simone Goller
There was something enchanting in the air at the Oscar de la Renta showroom where he presented his Spring 2012 bridal collection on Monday, April 11, in New York. Always one to put on a show and create something awe-inspiring, de la Renta this season set the scene to something you would expect little girls to conjure up if they let their young and vivid imaginations run free. Always refined of course, these little women could be found hosting a tea party in the garden out back
Womens Runway Report Bridal
Designer Spotlight
surrounded by freesia and lavender scents as they sip tea, or at least gesture as such, in little white gloves and paint pictures for each other envisioning their fantastical wedding dreams.
OSCAR DE LA RENTA
With the youthfulness to the collection came an understated elegance that only de la Renta could pervade. Long silhouettes with bodacious skirts composed of ruffles and organza florets gave the illusion of a woman running through a patch of petals as they joined together to adorn her body. Rabbit hair on a white feathered bolero and scarf meshed perfectly with the springtime garden fauna. Offering something novel to the bridal repertoire, de la Renta utilized the neckline in square shapes and more angular cuts. All 37 designs were white except for a couple of degrade silk organza gowns in pink and a tea length version in pale blue.
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sJLM COUTURE Womens Runway Report Bridal
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Pnina Tornai
Womens Runway Report Bridal
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Alexander McQueen Mens Runway Report
The Long and Short of It Men’s
Spring 2012
McQueen’s Brit Rock Hall of Fame By Godfrey Deeny
Though rock ‘n’ roll is an American term, when it comes to its iconography, it’s our British rock star cousins who occupy far more of the music’s visual history. The accepted wisdom is that the Cleveland, Ohio DJ Alan Freed first popularized “rock and roll,” on radio and that the first true record in the genre is “Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, an alias for Ike Turner. However, the first true rock gods, when it comes to fashion, are legends like the Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who. And that remained true through many decades, when UK stars as diverse as Joe Strummer, Bryan Ferry or Pete Doherty set
Alexander McQueen
Designer Spotlight
the sartorial agenda more than their colleagues across The Pond. Which brings us to the latest menswear collection from the house of Alexander McQueen. Sarah Burton put it, “a history of a baby band, from their early shows, to more self-indulgence and on to huge mega stadium concerts.” Burton’s spring 2012 collection for McQueen was a tour de force of tailoring, a witty understanding of sartorial rock imagery and a counter blast to the self-indulgent whimsy. The true cool of these clothes was the way she could riff through all sorts of rock legend moments-spiffy mod hounds’ tooth suits, Chelsea spiv rocker, eighties synthesizer pop star, poetic new romantic and aristocratic country house amateur rocker to legend entering the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in, but of course, Cleveland, Ohio. Whether flame printed jackets, Edwardian tails, revolutionary dandy striped pants or sleek gangster singer double-breasted jackets it was all pretty brilliant. So, Brit rockers, raise your hands in applause for Burton, few designers will ever dress 44
you quite so well.
Armani
Gucci
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pARTners The Love Story
Christo & Jeanne Claude By Lyndon Conrad Bell
Imagine having the following conversation with your spouse/significant other; “Hon, I have a great idea. I want to take 150 oil barrels and use them to block off a street downtown. When the police show up to clear them, I’m going to need you to hold them off so the press can document it while I attend a gallery opening in another part of the city. Do you think you can do that my love?” How well do you think that a question like that would be received? In the case of Christo Vladimirov Javacheff and JeanneClaude Marie Denat, her answer was, “Yes darling, of course I can.” That positive response enabled a seminal event in the life of their career, which ultimately attracted the pair enough notoriety to sustain a forty-eight year creative collaboration—which continues to birth some of the most monumental works of art the world has ever known. Seemingly pre-destined to meet and fall in love, Jeanne-Claude and Christo were both born on June 13, 1935—Jeanne-Claude in Morocco, Christo in Bulgaria. The two met in Paris in 1958, when, as a young artist, Christo was commissioned to produce a portrait of Jeanne-Claude’s mother, Précilda de Guillebon. Jeanne-Claude once said her life began the day Christo walked into her family’s home. And while Cyril, their son, born May 11, 1960, was the couple’s first collaboration, the pair went on to literally redefine the work of art. For many years, the fruitions of their efforts were credited only to Christo. And while it is true the overtly creative aspects of their projects sprang from Christo’s imagination, the real work of transforming the work from the firing of synapses in Christo’s brain to a tangible artifact capable of triggering responses in the brains of others fell largely to Jeanne-Claude. In 1994, the couple announced they would henceforth be known as a single entity, and further, all projects they’d created since 1964 would be retroactively labeled as the work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude. The announcement drew considerable criticism, as her role was perceived by many in the art world to be “merely” administrative. In response, Christo said, “The drawings are but the scheme for the project, after that, we do everything together. Everybody knows we’ve worked together for over 30 years. There’s no point in arguing about who does what. The work is all that matters.” In fact, the couple never flew together so in the event of a tragedy, their work could continue unabated.
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The phrase “Work Of Art” typically applies only to a finished piece. In the case of Jeanne-Claude and Christo’s installations, the “work of art” involves so much more than just the piece itself. A good example of this is the ground work laid for their seminal installation, Running Fence. Flowing gracefully across 24.5 miles of northern California’s Sonoma and Marin counties, Running Fence began near the town of Petaluma, before crossing U.S. Highway 101 as well as 14 roads in both counties. At its terminus, the fence slipped fluidly into the Pacific Ocean at Bodega Bay. The project required a 400-page Environmental Impact Study, hearings with both county’s commissioners, numerous city council meetings and individual permission from each of the 59 ranchers whose lands the fence would cross. The “work” of this art piece began in 1972. The actual physical installation process began four years later in April of 1976. Running Fence was completed on September 10, 1976 and stood for just under two weeks, before being removed on September 21, 1976. The scale of the work is almost unimaginable. The eighteen foot high fence was composed of 2,050 panels of white nylon fabric measuring eighteen feet wide by sixty-eight feet long. The fabric was suspended between a pair of steel cables by means of 350,000 hooks. The cables were in turn supported by 2,050 steel poles placed sixty-two feet apart and anchored three feet into the ground. Steel guy wires braced each of the steel poles. And while Running Fence is rightfully considered one of history’s most extraordinary works of art, getting the clearance to build it in the first place was the “work” of art too. Her husband’s most ardent supporter, Jeanne-Claude’s machinations behind the scenes—doing the “work” of art— are what ultimately saw their projects realized. An oft-overlooked aspect of Jeanne-Claude and Christo’s work is the fact it has always been entirely self-funded. All the related expenses, including the engineers, lawyers, installers, environmental analysis, traffic control, trash removal and sanitation at the sites have been borne by the artists without viewing fees, sponsorships or outside investments of any kind. Jeanne-Claude once quoted the cost of producing Running Fence at some 21 million (1970’s) dollars. That would be well over 60 million dollars today. The funding of their projects comes from the sales of smaller pieces of art created by the couple, as well as selling the preliminary sketches, renderings and models of the ultimate work. Eschewing the traditional artist/agency relationship, Jeanne-Claude fulfilled that role as well. Arguably, Christo would not be Christo without the efforts of Jeanne-Claude. And while she had no significant interest in art before Christo, she often said she would do whatever it took to ensure their success. If Christo had been a plumber, Jeanne-Claude is quoted as having said she’d have learned everything she needed to know about becoming a successful plumber. www.lxmagazine.com
Images top to bottom: Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin, Germany, 1971-95 Running Fence, Sonoma and Marin Counties, California, 1972-76
photos: Wolfgang Volz
Their next work, called Over The River is a plan to build a semi-translucent canopy some 5.9 miles long over a stretch of the Arkansas River between the towns of Salida and Ca単on City in south-central Colorado. The idea for Over The River was planted as Jeanne-Claude and Christo watched the fabric of their Pont Neuf bridge-wrapping project being hoisted into place above the River Seine in Paris together. Although Jeanne-Claude has passed away, before she departed, she set into motion the realization of this work. Christo is continuing their artistic legacy and love story by continuing the plans for Over The River, with the spirit of Jeanne-Claude at his side.
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The Umbrellas, Japan-USA, 1984-91 photos: Wolfgang Volz
Surrounded Islands, Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida, 1980-83 photo: Wolfgang Volz
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oo o
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Mermaiden
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Photographer Zena Holloway Story by Chelsie Roberts Fashion Thea Lewis Hair Michael Jones using Bumble and Bumble Make up, Phyllis Cohen at DWM using Shu Uemura Model Lydia Beesley at Storm. Photographers Assistants Angela Neil and Greg Hardes Diving Assistant Phil Richards. Fashion Assistant Ashley-Gianna Hallett.
Photographer Zena Holloway, born in Bahrain, now working and living in London is rumored to be able to hold her breath for three full minutes; which is a good thing, because her art is not only awe inspiring—it is literally breathtaking. Why literally? because, her scenes are shot exclusively underwater. In fact, whether it is in an ocean, a swimming pool or a water tank, Zena doesn’t photograph outside of the water at all. When she expresses how she felt the first time she went into the sea, she says “I loved the sense of being deep underwater, on borrowed time, experiencing a new world and having access to an environment that was so divine.” And her passion for the deep blue shows in her work. She has photographed images across all genres, ranging from the images for Charles Kingsley’s children’s book “Waterbabies” where she not only worked with children, but also animals to images for Nike and Olay campaigns. However she says, “I’m still waiting for the phone to ring for an underwater car commercial.”
previous page: White halter-neck dress Hugo Boss Headpiece Basia Zarzycka this page: Cream net and silk slip dress Calvin Klein 52
It all began when Zena was traveling the world as a scuba dive instructor. She was in Egypt, working as a guide when her mother purchased an underwater motor marine camera for her 18th birthday present. She says it, “looked far more like a children’s toy than a camera.”
She started to experiment with techniques that she learned in underwater photography books and through trial and error she taught herself. And, her first subject was not a mermaid, but a blue spotted ray, who Zena says, “Kindly sat for me for about twenty minutes as I fumbled with the settings.” When asked why she shoots underwater and how she came up with the idea, it’s a no brainer for her. “It was the water that came first rather than the photography and now that I’m a photographer it’s hard to extract the water… I like the magic that I find underwater which is very hard to achieve on land.”
Jade, white and black print chiffon dress with solid gold collar Just Cavalli Headpiece Basia Zarzycka 53
“Mermaiden” definitely captures this magic. Not only do the images capture the beauty and color of the water, but also this is paired with the intricacy and on-point aspect of the styling. “The inspiration from the shoot came from seeing the magnificent clothes hanging on the rail that Thea Lewis had gathered …The long flowing dresses, shells and long hair of the model all had a very mermaid feel…which was reflected in the style of the photography,” says Zena. Now, looking forward, admiring her art and drinking it all in, I wonder what will swim next in front of her lens? I am no longer wondering what is in Davy Jones’ Locker, but rather in Zena Holloway’s.
Cream Grecian style dress Amanda Wakeley Harness Sergio Rossi Head piece Basia Zarzycka 54
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The Long and Short of It
Women’s Spring 2012
Alexander McQueen
Ralph Lauren
an interview with
Stevie Boi Through Rose
Colored Glasses Interview by Chelsie Roberts Model MC Kato
Stevie Boi (pictured right) sits in his Baltimore loft where he has been preparing for fashion week. Even his casual sense of style is dashing. He’s wearing a red shirt with an “M” emblem and a cowboy hat. C. I love your hat. SB. Thank you. I got it from a thrift store. C. Tell me a bit about where you come from. SB. I’m originally from Georgia. My parents are military so I got to travel the world. I kind of grew up everywhere, but this is now my home. This is where I became independent, got my own place. C. Why did you choose Baltimore? SB. I was living in Bel Air in Maryland and I decided to move to the city to get more into the artistic scene, because I heard the art scene down here was crazy. C. Were you already designing? SB. No I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was actually at the time in music, which was working really really well, but I just randomly got into design out of nowhere. I mean, I was designing beforehand but it wasn’t anything serious. I never physically sewed anything. It was done over the internet. It was shirts like this with the M (he points to the shirt he is wearing made by Rebel Youth.) Somebody made this for me. I was just doing stuff like that, screen printing online; then I decided that I was going to get into accessories and I created the eyewear. C. You’re designing clothing now as well as eyewear? SB. The clothing that I’m designing at the moment
—I’m doing work on a new collection entitled 54 which is basically staged after studio 54 and it’s really supposed to be club apparel—lots of glitter, lots of sparkles and spikes. It’s definitely like is very Grace Jones meets Richie Rich. It’s a lot of youthfulness and fun too. C. Back to your early designs, what was your ah ha moment? SB. I think honestly the first day I got my glasses featured in a magazine is when I knew that it was going to be something big, because it was on the person I always wanted it to be on. I was like, “I want to be on Eva Marcille Pigford.” Literally two weeks later it was on Eva Marcille Pigford. I had no connection with her; I knew none of her people. I just get a phone call overnight, literally as I was praying about it and someone was like “Hey, I’m doing a photo shoot. I want to use your stuff.” I sent it to him and he was like by the way it’s for Eva Marcille Pigford. On top of that, she was on the magazine cover with my stuff on. C. Did it just blow up from there? SB. It did. Everyone needed to know where to get them from. I had all of these random interviews and then Gaga contacted me and it went to a whole different level— hundreds and hundreds of sales just in one day.
Through Rose Colored Glasses Stevie Boi Interview C. Lady Gaga wears your designs. What other celebrities have worn them and who would you like to design for?
SB. I would love if Grace Jones wore my stuff. She’s my biggest inspiration; I just designed some stuff for Madonna, also Katy Perry, Elton John and Rihanna. I’ll always read the press and Gaga’s clearly the top person because she’s the easiest to work with in the aspect of letting me do what I want to do. and you have like rappers Mickey Manage, and Trina, Rick Ross. I have a whole list. Amber Rose, Kreayshawn, there’s lots of people.
C. There are many icons that are well known for their glasses: Jackie O, Iris Apfel, Carrie Donovan, have you thought about designing tribute glasses for anyone?
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Through Rose Colored Glasses Stevie Boi Interview
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SB. I already have, especially Jackie O, I definitely did some of those but of course I added a Stevie Boi twist to it. (A cat runs by.) Oh look at my cat! She’s really fat. I rescued her from the shelter.” Her name is Kuro. It means black in Japanese. (We talk for a bit about Kuro and then talk about the fact that he is very close with his family.) C. Have you designed any pieces of fashion for anyone in your family? Do they wear your designs? SB. I come from a very strict southern family. The answer is yeah, but you know they don’t really wear it. (He smirks) They don’t really have that factor that I have. Like I have that I’m not scared to walk down the street wearing a trash bag factor and I’ve done it before. They don’t have that. C. Has fame affected you? Do you think you’ve blossomed from it or has it been difficult at times? SB. I think my fame has affected other people. You know with fame comes so much. With the word fame itself people always just jump to conclusion of being popular when it doesn’t even really mean that. […] It’s just a lot of stress that comes with it. You lose a lot of great relationships. You lose bad relationships that you didn’t even realize were bad up until then. You learn a lot about yourself, but it definitely builds your character. Everyone knows that I want several Lamborghinis. (He chuckles and smiles) I’ve wanted that car ever since I was living in Germany. As a little kid I would see them all the time. By the way a Lamborghini in Germany is like a Porsche to America, I’ve always wanted one, but any who—as you can see I just really love Lamborghinis. I want an endorsement with Lamborghini. God please give me an endorsement deal with Lamborghini. Diablo edition please! (He puts his hands up and closes his eyes and then looks upward smiling and joking.) C. It seems like you’ve stayed very humble through all of this. SB. You gotta be. I’ve been around a lot of successful people that don’t have anything. They are not humble. No one wants to see that. You can’t lose that humbleness, a piece of that humble pie. You can learn more about Stevie’s designs at www.stevieboi.com 64
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