MANUSCRIPT Seidler on Seidler : The stories of Australia’s most famous residential design icon as retold by an insider. Man in the Mirror : In the case of Jordan and Zac Stenmark, it takes two.
Rebel Youth : A small Swiss subculture's fashion dominance. Also : Ben Quilty Crane Brothers Feit & Tom Ford
AUS/NZ $5.00
Dancer in the Dark The Australian Ballet’s Rohan Furnell Photographed by Justin Cooper
MANUSCRIPT
Issue VI Autumn 13 04 Editor’s Letter | 06 Contributors 08 Grooming A study in long locks and mane maintenance. Photography Bowen Arico
13 Introducing Murray Crane, Josh & Tull Price & Ben Quilty. Photography Guy Coombes, Jordan Graham, Sam Hendel
20 Underground Australian denim label Nobody eschews convention in favour of design integrity and wearability. Photography Paul Scala
28 Man in the Mirror In a candid profile, twin models Jordan and Zac Stenmark reveal their business ambitions and level-headed approach to the industry. Photography Paul Scala
32 Rebel Youth A tiny Swiss subculture captured by photographer Karlheinz Weinberger is recreated by a brand that shares its heritage. Photography Sam Hendel
40 Seidler on Seidler Writer Jonathan Seidler pens a deeply personal account of the Rose Seidler House. Photography Saskia Wilson
46 Brit Fit Burberry, that stalwart of British design, introduces a tailoring service that nods to the London’s suiting heritage but feels entirely modern. Photography Anna Pogossova
50 The Ford Formula As a designer, Tom Ford needs no introduction, such is his fame. And now, Australians can enter his highly polished world. 52 Dancer in the Dark Dancer Rohan Furnell showcases the workmanship inherent in a well-tailored suit in an extensive photographic series. Photography Justin Cooper
70 Stockists
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MANUSCRIPT
From the Editor
I
am honoured that Rohan Furnell, a dancer in the Australian Ballet, graces our autumn 2013 cover. While not an obvious choice for a cover, Mr Furnell is a creative artist whose dedication to and passion for his
craft is plainly evident in our extensive photographic series [page 52], captured by Australian-born, Paris-based photographer Justin Cooper. For this shoot, we invited some of the country’s leading tailors to deconstruct
their suiting – or rather, stop mid-way through creating it – so that we might visually document the craftsmanship behind these complex garments. With Mr Furnell’s skill, we’re able to see suiting – that timeless cornerstone of a man’s wardrobe – in an entirely new light. And after all, isn’t that what a fashion magazine is supposed to do? Dance, as any punter that has witnessed a ballet company in action knows, is a highly rigorous activity, requiring absolute physical and mental dedication. Modeling, on the other hand, often gets a bad rap, deemed a frivolous activity and its subjects vague, to put it kindly. But in exploring what goes into certain crafts, we profile leading Australian models Jordan and Zac Stenmark [page 28] who, as a dual force, are evidence to the contrary. Having worked solidly for close to two years with a schedule that requires them near seven days a week year-round and to be on planes for a serious portion of their waking hours, Messrs Stenmark challenge the theory that modeling is an air-headed business. The Sydney-born twin brothers are keenly aware of fashion’s big-business potential, and in cleverly employing social media platforms to raise their profile, have every chance of carving themselves a big piece of that pie. In a special feature, writer Jonathan Seidler pens a personal account of the famed Rose Seidler House [page 40], the Wahroonga residence that Australia’s most famous architect, Harry Seidler, built for his parents over 1949 and 1950, and in which Jonathan’s father lived as a child. Photographer Saskia Wilson’s similarly personal documentation of the building, which remains a tourist attraction and design benchmark, makes this feature one for the archives. Photo: Bowen Arico
Until next time-
Mitchell Oakley Smith twitter.com/MrOakleySmith
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MANUSCRIPT
Issue VI Autumn 13 Editor & Publisher Mitchell Oakley Smith Creative Director Jolyon Mason
Art Director Elliott Bryce Foulkes Contributors Bowen Arico,Paul Barbera, Guy Coombes, Justin Cooper,
Kimberley Forbes, Jordan Graham, Sam Hendel, Jenny Kim, Anna Pogossova, Amanda Reardon, Sophie Roberts, Paul Scala, Jonathan Seidler, Saskia Wilson Special Thanks 2c Management, The Agency Models, The Artist Group,
The Australian Ballet, Carrera Press Agency, Carriageworks, Chadwick Models, Chic Management, Company1, EMG Models, Historic Houses Trust, Oneninetynine Management, Viviens Creative Manuscript is owned published by Mitchell Oakley Smith (ABN 67 212 902 027), 8/2 Wellington Street, Woollahra NSW 2025, manuscript@mitchelloakleysmith.com. Printed by MPD, Unit E1 46-62 Maddox Street, Alexandria NSW 2015. © 2013 All Rights Reserved. ISSN 2201-0815.
Cover Mr Furnell wears Vanishing Elephant shirt. manuscriptdaily.com facebook.com/manuscriptdaily twitter.com/manuscriptdaily instagram/manuscriptdaily
Contributors Elliott Bryce Foulkes
Saskia Wilson
Justin Cooper
As an associate at Sydney-based creative agency Leuver Design and Spacelab, Elliott Bryce Foulkes works on campaigns and publications for the Australian arts-sector including the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, and Sydney Film Festival. Since issue 03 of Manuscript, Mr Foulkes has been responsible for the design of this publication’s pages and helped to refine its artistic vision, a role he has held in addition to art directing quarterly arts journal Das SuperPaper.
When it came to documenting what is probably the most photographed home in Australia, the Seidler House in Sydney’s Wahroonga, Saskia Wilson was an obvious choice. Ms Wilson’s aesthetic, developed largely as a fashion photographer, is distinctly personal as a result of her lack of digital manipulation and unique ability to capture light.
Given his schedule, Tasmaniaborn, Paris-and-Beijing-based photographer Justin Cooper is rarely in Australia, so Manuscript is very lucky that he took time out of his summer vacation to shoot Dancer in the Dark [page 52]. Mr Cooper’s ability to thwart contemporary photography practice gives his shoot in this issue a timeless quality, and has seen him shoot for international titles such as Vogue China, Harper’s Bazaar Australia and Elle France.
6
GROOMING
up Up dn
Photography Bowen Arico Grooming & Hair Kimberley Forbes As winter draws near, it is important to maintain your skin’s health as the cooler air can dry its natural oils. Mr Pestalozzi cleansed his skin with Giorgio Armani Cleanser Skin Minerals Men, a mineral-enriched cream foam, and followed it with an oil-free Dermalogica Active Moist moisturiser. Occasional use of an SK-II Facial Treatment Mask soaks skin with Pitera’s fusion of vitamins, amino acids, minerals and organic acids, providing intense hydration. The application of Ren Active 7 Radiant eye gel, available at Mecca Cosmetica, cools and refreshes the delicate eye area, reducing the appearance of puffiness and dark circles.
8
GROOMING
up Down dn
Nicolas Pestalozzi/The Agency Models Post Production Cara O’Dowd Mr Pestalozzi used O&M Conquer Blonde Silver Shampoo to prevent his naturally blonde hair yellowing or dulling. Given the length of his hair, a Power Base Protein Masque helps to restore broken strands with wheat protein. A Know Knott Detangling Spray, with its combination of Australian natives and argan and macadamia oils reconditions hair to leave it glossy and knot-free without adding heaviness to its texture. Using heat protectant Kevin Murphy Heated Defence, Mr Pestalozzi’s hair was blow-dried and then straightened using a Cloud Nine straightening iron. A Mason Pearson brush gives hair extra sheen by evening distributing natural oils, while regular haircuts stop hair from splitting.
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social
12
INTRODUCING
I N T∏O DUCING JOSH & TULL PRICE BEN QUILTY MURRAY CRANE 13
MANUSCRIPT
Mr Josh & Tull Price photographed by Sam Hendel on 20 December 2012 at the office of Golightly PR, Darlinghurst, Australia.
14
INTRODUCING
JOSH & TULL PRICE Co-Directors, Feit
T
he greatest sign of a brand’s worth is that
In contrast, Feit predominantly uses cow
produced, and you can’t destroy these things.
without any marketing, seasonal sales
and kudu leather – the latter a South African
They end up in landfill sitting there. Over-
or special promotions it can develop and
deer – sourced and produced in Florence, Italy,
production is killing the planet, but also the
maintain a database of recurring clients. In today’s
and employ vegetable dyes (colour obtained
industry.” In response, Tull co-founded Feit
over-saturated market that has seen numerous
from mimosa and grapes, for example) rather
with three things in mind: “good construction,
fashion-based labels shutter their operations, Feit
than synthetic forms that prevent the shoe from
natural materials and time-honoured, handmade
has, since 2005, continued to grow from a modest
breathing naturally. “Shoes [created from that
construction.”
store in Sydney’s Darlinghurst. So small, in fact,
process] can look OK to begin with, but they
that modest is a modest way of putting it. The
have all of these other negative traits that present
day-to-day operation of the retail outpost, Josh
leather footwear label, founded by brothers Josh
themselves later,” says Tull. Feit shoes, on the
is based in New York, where he also serves as
and Tull Price, now reaches a global audience via
other hand, are designed to be worn barefoot,
president and creative director of Rag & Bone
online sales and, more recently, a partnership with
despite a large portion of the brand’s customer
Footwear, splitting his time between the two.
Dover Street Market’s London and Tokyo outposts.
base being based in warm climates, such as
With online retail the largest form of sales for the
Australia. Unlike a synethically-treated leather
business – and a system of pre-ordering so that
to create high quality leather-based products,”
shoe, Feit’s use of a vegetable-based treatment
pieces are sent direct from the brand’s factory
explains Tull Price, the label’s co-founder.
ensures the leather’s pores – it is, after all, the
in Italy, reducing excess stock and the end-price
“Throughout the process we have learnt more
skin of an animal – remain open, allowing the
for customers – the split-city approach works
and more about the materials we are using and
shoes to breathe naturally. “They don’t end up
well for the brothers. And in expanding their
really understand what a difference it can make
smelling like other leather shoes,” he says.
reach, they’ve recently introduced leathergoods,
Feit’s difference? “The aim has always been
While Josh is based in Sydney and runs the
for the wearer and, ultimately, the planet, too.”
From where did the environmental stance
As is now reasonably known within the fashion
evolve? Not from a marketing plan, unlike many
range, employing an ancient, Florentine method
industry, many leathers used by designers,
other brands pushing their eco wares. Having
of construction that eschews sewing and uses
particularly high street label and mass retailers,
established the casual footwear brand Royal
heat and natural glues to create joins and folds.
contain high levels of chrome as a result of the
Elastics – at age 20, no less – and fast witnessing
“The thing, as with the shoes, is that it’s of good
leather being treated and dyed, which is not only
the sheer output of a company that had, after six
construction, natural material and is handmade,”
toxic for those crafting the shoes, but don’t wear
years in independent operation, been purchased
says Josh.
as well for the customer, either. Additionally, they
by American public company K-Swiss, Tull felt a
take longer to break down, making them bad for
personal disconnection from the industry’s mass
the environment.
saturation. “There was and is so much trash being
15
such as wallets, iPad cases and belts, to the
MANUSCRIPT
BEN QUILTY Artist
I
f there is a living artist capable of communicating the experience of soldiers at war, it’s Ben Quilty. Save of arming a member of the Australian Defence Force with a paintbrush or camera, the Australian War Memorial enlisted Quilty in 2011 to spend one month with
a group of soldiers in Kabul, Kandahar and Tain Kowt where he was provided no special treatment. Indeed, within 24 hours of arriving the sand-bag-shelter in which the group were stationed was bombed. Quilty’s expressive strokes of his oil-paints and brush is a far cry from the realism of photography, film or even charcoal drawings, but his unique ability to capture a mood and emotion – think of his 2011 Archibald-winning portrait of fellow artist Margaret Olley, before she passed away – is, in this case, far more telling. Of what, exactly? That being at war is terrible, mostly. When we meet at the studio of photographer Jordan Graham in Sydney’s Redfern in late January, Mr Quilty is in good spirits. The 39-year artist is in town from Robertson, a few hours south of Sydney, where he lives with his wife, Kylie Needham, and two children, preparing for his exhibition, After Afghanistan, at the National Art School in Darlinghurst. It’s a long time in the making but the process of creating the portraiture series, mostly of soldiers photographed in his studio after returning to Australia, was a harrowing one for the artist. “No one should have to go through it,” explains Mr Quilty of being miles from home in an arid Afghanistan desert in the heart of Taliban-controlled land. That’s not mentioning the constant mental and physical stress. “It was the most intense experience of my life. I wouldn’t do it again if you paid me. Never.” Some kind of macabre contemporary dance is how the artist described the experience to Good Weekend journalist Janet Hawley last year. After Afghanistan, scheduled as part of Art Month Sydney, is an exhibition jointly presented by the National Art School and the Australian War Memorial, and comprises sketches made by the artist during his stay abroad and 21 studio paintings made at his Robertson studio. A selection of the paintings will automatically become part of the Australian War Memorial’s permanent art collection in Canberra, Quilty joining the ranks of such artists as Arthur Streeton, George Lambert and Frederick McCubbin. And while the paintings form the major part of the commission, the sketches provide context, a reminder of the intense reality of war for whom the subjects, many of whom were present at the exhibition’s opening, are very familiar. Ben Quilty After Afghanistan runs until 13 April 2013 at the National Art School, Darlinghurst, Australia
16
INTRODUCING
Mr Quilty photographed by Jordan Graham on 24 January 2013 at the studio of Mr Graham, Redfern, Australia.
17
MANUSCRIPT
Mr Crane photographed by Guy Coombes on 27 September 2012 at the Rat’s Nest Studio, East Sydney, Australia.
18
INTRODUCING
shirts are assembled by hand in New Zealand using Italian cottons. As with online retail and the speed of the contemporary fashion system, a ready-to-wear collection is designed seasonally and, apart from slight alterations, can be worn straight from the rack. Of the move into the Australian market, Mr Crane explains: “I never say never on retail, and quite simply the time was right to be here.” Following the drift of “young, high-flying guys” relocating from the Land of the Long White Cloud to Sin City, Crane Brothers’ increased local presence – Mr Crane previously made periodic trips to fit Sydney-based clients in a trunkshow format – taps into an expat community, but on a broader level represents the changing dynamic of Sydney’s retail culture.
Murray Crane
“Five years ago Prada and Louis Vuitton sold barely any men’s ready-to-wear [in Sydney] but today the city feels like the best place for men to be shopping with all of the brands and options on offer.” Indeed, the January opening of a Dior Homme store, the country’s first, in the old site of Louis Vuitton marked what has been a significant year for the city. “I started looking for a space about a year ago and at that time it felt as though the city was revitalising itself, which gave
Founder & Designer, Crane Brothers
me confidence. That and the way guys are dressing today, which is far better than a few years ago.” But in contrast to larger suiting outfitters, Crane Brothers’ retail format is more representative of traditional bespoke tailors, with a by-appointment suite
D
within a heritage-listed office building and no streetfrontage display. “We want to be in this particular area o one thing well seems to be the mantra of
[Crane Brothers is located on George Street near the
tailor Murray Crane. That’s not to say he’s
corner of Martin Place, within eight minutes walk of
incapable of anything else – as an avid
60% of the CBD], but of course the cost for retail stores
contemporary art collector, his interests are many –
is enormous, and through the quieter months like
but by resisting to diversify his business, Crane
January we would have just been sitting there whilst
Brothers, into avenues beyond tailored menswear he
everyone was away,” explains Mr Crane. “Maybe there’s
has been able to build a loyal (and growing) clientele
less turnover in the way we do it, but we attract the
that spans the Tasman Sea. “You need to know what
right customers and it feels right, and that’s the most
your brand stands for,” explains Mr Crane over morning
important thing.”
tea at a café near his recently opened Sydney outpost in the heart of the central business district. “We don’t want to be everywhere but rather build our brand and our clientele slowly.” Mr Crane, previously a designer for the likes of Terra Firma and Zambesi, established his made-tomeasure tailoring business in Auckland in 1999. From the beginning, he explains, the focus was maintaining a boutique-style business selling handmade suiting, and in decade-and-a-half since, little has changed. That is, of course, if you don’t count the expansion into Australia and introduction of a casual ready-towear line, Gubb & Mackie, but that said, both feel so intrinsically in tune with the Crane Brothers ethos and thus natural developments. As befits an appointment-only operation, Crane Brothers’ suits match the quality of London’s Savile Row but with cuts and styles that suit local wearers. Indeed, each suit is based on a minimum of 40 individual measurements. Cloths, too, are of the highest quality: the tailoring house predominantly uses Fox Flannels, Holland & Sherry and Escorial, while
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MANUSCRIPT
Nobody denim jeans and jacket, Akubra hat from Strand Hatters, Bally belt, worn throughout, Windsor Smith shoes, stylist's own undershirt
and socks worn throughout.
Photography Paul Scala Styling Jolyon Mason Grooming Kimberley Forbes 20
F AS HIO N
UNDE∏ G∏OUND While the success of fashion designers ebbs and flows, a Melbourne-based denim label has maintained steady development by eschewing the popular concept of designer-as-hero, writes Mitchell Oakley Smith. All too often, large fashion houses put their
addition to a team with over thirty years
its customers have forged with its jeans by
faith in a designer, a single creative entity, to
experience in producing unique denim washes.
maintaining popular fits, cuts and styles, evolving
fulfill their expectations. As has been well
The brand’s studio-cum-laundry in Melbourne’s
them seasonally with the addition of new pieces.
demonstrated by John Galliano at Christian
Fitzroy, credited by Ethical Clothing Australia
For autumn/winter 2013, the creative team was
Dior, amongst others, such expectations in the
and home to 100% of its production, is akin to
keen to explore the different men that make up
incredibly fast-paced fashion industry are
Willy Wonka’s plant. There’s vivid blue water
the brand’s clientele. As such, three distinct styles
somewhat unachievable season after season,
underfoot, stained blue pipes tangling overhead
emerged in the collection: the first, Gentleman,
and thus a designer has the capacity to make –
and odd-looking contraptions parked around
a range inspired by the Prohibition Era of the
and simultaneously break – the label by which
the warehouse. Walking through puffs of steam
1920s, offers seasonally-relevant colours and
they are employed. The PPR group’s appointment
coming from industrial-sized tumble dryers I
fabrics. Sportsman, another range, offers easy-
of Hedi Slimane as creative director of Saint
half expect to see Augustus Gloop scooping blue
wearing, contemporary pieces that fit seamlessly
Laurent, and the subsequent negative reactions
water into his mouth before being sucked up a
into a man’s existing wardrobe. While Workman,
to his rebranding exercise and first men’s and
pipe to emerge as a large pair of dungarees. My
a homage to the workers that use denim as a daily
women’s offerings, further demonstrate the
vision doesn’t eventuate, but there are dungarees,
tool for protection, is made distinct by the unique
eclipsing of an established brand by its of-the-
and countless other styles of denim jeans, piled
washes applied to the jeans.
moment designer, and the ramifications this
high all around.
can have on both the designer and the business.
Additionally, a limited edition four-piece
Nobody was established in 1999 by two
capsule collection in partnership with Nobody’s
Fashion’s fortunes fluctuate, with a brand’s
brothers at a time when Australian fashion was
wash designer Troy Strebe and Jim Thompson
creative head steering the wind.
distancing itself from the corporate companies
of Australian menswear label Three Over One
Melbourne-based denim label Nobody has,
that held it captive and limited creativity for
is to be released this winter, with all pieces made
from its earliest incarnation as a producer of
many years before. The family had been
in the company’s Melbourne factory using high
jeans for other brands, eschewed this notion, its
manufacturing denim for 20 years, having built
quality Japanese selvage.
namesake a reflection of the creative individual
a reputation for their innovative methods. A
But of course, Mr Thompson’s involvement
at its head: nobody. Created without a singular
basic pair of Nobody jeans, for example, goes
is merely one-off, for while Nobody aims to offer
design hero, Nobody’s wares are free of a fixed
through 14 steps, including washing, sanding,
its customers what they desire within the fast-
message, the brand’s focus on ensuring the
spraying, detailing, piercing, fraying and stone
moving fashion world, it is keenly aware that
integrity and wearability of its products – largely
washing. Beyond the machine washes, all
its core product – denim – is something of a
denim jeans – rather than providing a platform
processes are by hand, lending each pair of
timeless product. As such, and in line with its
to express the whims of a creative director. In
jeans an artisan feel of individuality.
creative ethos, it cares more for maintaining
the case of Nobody, its creative division is made up of a team of denim design specialists in
Despite the brand’s eschewing of a single
long-held relationships than reinventing the
design hero, Nobody honours the relationship
wheel, a notion most pleasing for its customers.
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MANUSCRIPT
Zambesi top, Skin & Threads skivvy, Nobody jeans, Kaminski hat, Windsor Smith shoes.
22
F AS HIO N
Nobody denim overalls, Zambesi jacket, Akubra hat from Strand Hatters.
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MANUSCRIPT
Nobody denim jeans and jacket, Akubra hat from Strand Hatters.
24
F AS HIO N
From Britten top, Just Cavalli jacket, Nobody jeans, Akubra hat from Strand Hatters, Thom Browne eyewear, Windsor Smith shoes.
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MANUSCRIPT
Zambesi mesh top, Nobody denim jeans, Kaminski hat, Windsor Smith shoes.
26
F AS HIO N
Orlebar Brown shirt, Ellery bomber jacket, Nobody denim jeans, Kaminski hat, Windsor Smith shoes.
Zach McPherson/Chadwick Models Photographic Assistance Matteo Macri Styling Assistance Sarah Ibrahim 27
MANUSCRIPT
28
F E A TU R E
Man in the Mirror
The power of two proves beneficial for these aspiring fashion icons , writes Mitchell Oakley Smith. Photography Paul Scala | Styling Jolyon Mason Grooming Sophie Roberts 29
MANUSCRIPT
In ancient mythology, twins were said to be particularly auspicious. When you consider the success of identical twin models Jordan and Zac Stenmark, such a myth seems to ring true. But successful as they may be, fate has little to do with it. Having grown up in Clifton Gardens on Sydney's north shore, Jordan and Zac were aware of fashion – indeed, their aunt, Susie Stenmark, was until recently the head of communications for Chanel’s Australian office – but it wasn’t on their radar as far as a career. Graduates from St Ignatius' College in 2010, the twins both enrolled to study a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics at Sydney University – a course that, it should be noted, typically requires a NSW score of around 80 – and, having only attended classes for a few months before beginning modeling fulltime, are both keen to complete the degree when time permits. But despite their obvious zeal for and success modeling today, Messrs Stenmark were initially skeptical of making it. “We didn’t have a clue what would happen,” says Jordan of signing to Viviens Model Management’s Sydney division in early 2010 at the suggestion of a friend. “We went in wanting to do it part time for a bit of fun, to learn a bit about another industry. I don’t think either of us thought we would have done some of the things we have since then. It just wasn’t on our radar.” Messrs Stenmark have, by and large, impressed the photographers they have since worked with, which today includes Bruce Weber and Terry Richardson. As Australianborn, London-based photographer Paul Scala, who shot the twins for this feature, says: “The unique thing about the Stenmark twins is the extra element they bring to the camera when they interact with one another.” It was Mr Scala’s first time shooting Messrs Stenmark, “but I now see what all the fuss is about. It goes beyond their big smiles and towering frames.” “They’re twins, yes, but the fact that they are also so well-educated, disciplined and easy-going, [and thus] represent my clothes very well, is what makes them special,” says Italo Zucchelli, the creative director of menswear for Calvin Klein Collection, the upper-tier, runway line of the American fashion giant. For the brand’s fall 2012 and spring 2013 presentations at Milan Fashion Week, Mr Zucchelli booked Messrs Stenmark exclusively for his show – that is, they are forbidden to walk for any other designers, exponentially increasing the brands’ industry credibility for the market power that such arrangements wield – and since, has forged a strong relationship with the models that has seen them invited as guests to its special events, including one atop the Duomo in Milan, Italy, in 2012. “We have always been open-minded to the situation we're in and approached [modeling] with the mindset that we had nothing to lose,” says Jordan. “Obviously we get nervous, but working [with one another] makes it easier.” That they are identical twins is, of course, part of the Stenmarks’ broad appeal to photographers and clients, for the rarity of having not one, but two genetically gifted men is certainly attractive. But aesthetics aside, the twins’ familial chemistry is evident in the ease with which they work together and positively impacts the images they create. “We grew up playing so much sport together and just know what the other is thinking, so there’s great chemistry before you even get on set,” explains Zac. “It’s great because you’re able to work with your brother and your best mate and have some really funny times while you’re at work.”
The average age and length of career of a high-end fashion model is not exactly an enticing prospect for those aspiring to enter the industry, and with the arduous hours and constant physical requirements, there is little wonder that many fizzle out after a few seasons on the runway circuit, whether out of physical or mental exhaustion. Messrs Stenmark concede that the challenges are many. “You come straight of school and thrown into the deep end, travelling and working around the clock,” says Jordan. But as a dual force, Messrs Stenmark have their sights set far beyond next season’s campaign, though if anyone’s asking, they’re keen to bag one with the likes of Tom Ford, Hermes or a skincare label. “We want to make this experience as beneficial as possible,” explains Zac of their plans in the industry. “At the same time, it’s about taking each thing as it comes and having fun with it, because it’s such a dynamic and ever-changing industry.” In terms of their longevity, however, there are whispers of moving beyond the photographic studio and into a role that allows them to show a little more of their own personalities. A talk show? Maybe not just yet, but with an extensive social media following – the pair took to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram early on, amassing a continuallygrowing following – it’s certainly not out of the question. Explaining the use of social media, Zac says it was about delineating their private lives from their public profile. “So many people tried to contact us on Facebook after we started [modeling] and were interested in who we are and what we’re doing, so we thought if they’re interested, let’s give it to them, and it’s only gotten bigger and bigger.” Adds Jordan: “As much as people can see you in print, there are things that we’re personally passionate about and interested in, and I think this gives insight into who we are as people.” As a result of their recent contract with modeling powerhouse IMG – both locally and in New York – Messrs Stenmark have been playing the social circuit, appearing at launch events, movie premieres and as ambassadors for various organisations. While in Sydney for the summer break, they attended the Australians in New York Fashion Foundation finalist event, having met its founder Malcolm Carfrae through their business relationship with Calvin Klein, where he serves as Vice President of Global Communications. This, they tell, is something they’re interested in helping promote. “We have been part of the industry a short time,” says Zac, “but if we can help anyone, like by supporting this program, then that’s great. We’re honoured to do so.” Does modeling still give them the same thrill as it did on those first few test shoots? “Every day is different and as we do more and more it becomes easier and in some ways more fun,” says Jordan. “I’ve learnt so much about all of these cities and cultures at such a young age,” adds Zac, “and that’s really an incredible privilege. You have to be organised and focused and prepared 100% of the time, but I think we have both matured in a really good way and have a much stronger sense of the world today.”
30
F E A TU R E
Photographic Assistance Matteo Macri Post Production Postmen 31
MANUSCRIPT
REBEL YOUTH A small Swiss subculture continues to influence contemporary fashion. But for the first time, writes Mitchell Oakley Smith, its context makes the re-appropriation successful. In the foreword to the 2011-released Karlheinz
of it through his subjects then in the effect his
but of the design houses that have looked to the
Weinberger monograph Rebel Youth, a compilation
photographs later had on the fashion world.
subculture, Bally’s Swiss heritage makes it uniquely
of photographs of a Zurich subculture in the late
Like the astonishingly ostentatious belts of
placed to capitalise on the style, which it did in its
1950s, film director John Waters wrote that “these
Weinberger’s Teddy Boys that were later copied
spring/summer 2013 menswear collection, unveiled
Teddy Boys and Teddy Girls had no idea at the
by Italian and French fashion houses Versace
at Milan Fashion Week last year. As its press notes
time how beautiful they were, which only made
and Maison Martin Margiela for the runway, it
state: “[the collection] is imbued with
them more stunning to Mr Weinberger. He may
highlights the cyclical nature of fashion. Neither
a nostalgic spirit that speaks of luxurious outdoor
have encouraged the gang of malcontents to be
Versace nor Margiela boasted any existing
adventures aligning perfectly with the Swiss
aggressive for his camera but only he was aware
connection to the subculture Weinberger
leathergoods house’s pioneer heritage.”
that his shabbily magnificent cast of characters
captured, and recreated the now-iconic style in
To the credit of Mr Fidler – the menswear
was also trangressive. It took fifty years for the
the same way they previously had mined others.
half of the creative duo – his sartorial take on
rest of the art world to finally catch up.”
1851-established Swiss leathergoods brand Bally,
Weinberger’s documentation isn’t entirely
on the other hand, boasts a history far greater
referential. Indeed, if you weren’t told of the
Weinberger’s photographs of the self-styled Swiss, ostracised in the press, offer a porthole to
than the majority of contemporary fashion
photographer serving as inspiration – and, in fact,
a time when defying convention was to do so
brands, and its co-creative directors Graeme
the press release mentions nothing of the designers’
without a return ticket. There’s nothing especially
Fidler and Michael Herz have, since taking its
influences – the thread isn’t an obvious one. But
significant or unique in the way this small group
reins in March 2010, made a significant step
unlike the houses of Versace and Margiela, Bally
formed their style – variations of American bikers
towards embracing its heritage, including, most
isn’t a brand that makes loud statements. Its
and rockers of the late 1950s and 1960s – and
recently, a capsule collection to mark 60 years
customer is one that invests in classics, and the
Weinberger, though sharing many commonalities
since the first ascent of Mount Everest, for
brand’s seasonal offerings are in their own right
with the likes of Diane Arbus and Larry Clark in
which Sherpa Tenzing Norgay took his final
timeless investments. It makes products to be
the discovery of something outside the norm, is
steps to the top of the world in a pair of the
worn for a lifetime, and while a suede leather round-
by no means the most prolific photographer to
brand’s Reindeer-Himalaya boots.
neck t-shirt or cable knit sweater can be seen in a
have mined outsider subcultures. But unlike Ms
Ready-to-wear was only introduced by
Weinberger context, as they are on the following
Arbus and Mr Clark, Mr Weinberger finds his
the company in 1979, thus missing the era of
pages, they’re nonetheless pieces that would easily
work rooted in fashion, if not in the documentation
Weinberger’s Teddy Boys by close to two decades,
slip into the existing wardrobe of a Bally customer.
Photography Sam Hendel | Styling Jolyon Mason Grooming & Hair Jenny Kim
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FASHION
Mr Armstrong wears James Perse shirt, Minty Meets Munt faux fur cardigan, Bally leather jacket, Levis jeans, vintage scarf. 33
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Mr Vanderhart wears customised Levis denim vest and jeans.
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FASHION
Mr Vanderhart wears Bally leather t-shirt, Levis jeans, Scanlan & Theodore fur peplum belt, The Costume Shop studded belt.
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Mr Keenan wears Bally leather t-shirt & suede leather jacket, James Perse shirt, Levis jeans, Loop Leather Co belt, vintage bandana, The Costume Shop belt buckle, Bally boots.
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FASHION
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Mr Vanderhart wears Zambesi sweater, customised Levis denim vest, Bally pants, Andy Henson necklace, Loop Leather Co belt, The Costume Shop buckle.
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FASHION
Sam Armstrong/Chic Management, Sean Keenan/Shanahan Management, Jack Vanderhart/EMG Models Photographic Assistance Rudolf Zverina | Styling Assistance Sarah Ibrahim, all additional accessories stylist’s own | Shot on location at Carriageworks, Eveleigh
Mr Armstrong wears Bally sweater, Scanlan & Theodore fur peplum belt, Levis jeans, The Costume Shop multi-pocket belt, Bally suede gloves, worn beneath belt, Andy Henson bore tooth earring.
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SEIDLE∏ ON SEIDLE∏ In an exclusive first, an Australian icon is recounted through the eyes of an insider. Story Jonathan Seidler | Photography Saskia Wilson
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FE CA OT VU ERE
← The facade of the Rose Seidler House in Wahroonga on Sydney's North Shore remains an outstanding example of modern architecture, designed by the late Harry Seidler and built between 1948 and 1950.
The Seidlers are a family of storytellers. There’s probably no other clan in this
↑ In a 1991 interview with the ABC, Harry Seidler
country that enjoys the sound of their own voice more than we do, and that extends
explained that the "house explodes the surfaces
to everyone from babies to grandparents. It doesn’t hurt that the story of how we
that enclose a normal house or spaces and turns
all landed in Australia is entangled in one of the country’s most startling pieces
it into a continuum of freestanding planes through
of architecture. And so it is that I find myself on the road with my father as he starts
which the eye can never see an end."
telling me his story of the Rose Seidler House, travelling back over half a century to when it was still called ‘Grandma’s.’ Nestled in the evergreen fringes of North Sydney, the iconic residence with which I share a surname was built in the ‘50s by Rose’s son, Harry, on commission. She challenged the then-fledgling architect to design her a grand estate worth living in, and ended up with a lot more than she had bargained for. Harry threw out all her furniture, filled the place with futuristic appliances and built a house so uncompromisingly modernist that Australians are still talking about it seventy years later. That’s another thing I should probably mention about the Seidlers. Our stories never end up anywhere near where they started. “There’s a wooden balcony with a ramp. I used to like to mow the lawn there, there was a hand mower and my grandmother kept it underneath the house and I would often push it up the ramp and roll it down again…”
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The outdoor wall of the sun-lit balcony is a mural painted by the author's grandather, Harry Seidler's brother Marcell.
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My father’s history is enmeshed in the history of this house and the people who lived here. Harry’s legacy does seem to be another filial bear hug from which he will never really escape, and nor does he want to. It’s certainly become more problematic for the Seidlers We’re walking through the light-soaked, open-plan property,
of my generation, constantly questioned about our name and our
and my father is checking to see if everything is still in order: the
relationship to someone who passed away when we were not yet old
Eames chairs, the outdoor mural painted by his father Marcell,
enough to appreciate his work.
one of the first dishwashers for private use in Australia, and so on.
“It was a fantastic place, full of excitement and wonder. There
He has an incredibly rich, photographic memory of this place, where
was so much space to run around in, which was a luxury you don’t
he spent much of his youth while his parents were overseas.
really have in a big city.”
“It was absolutely space age. People used to come on the
When my father was born, many of his extended family actually
weekend and gawk at the house,” he says of the dissected cube,
lived in the Rose Seidler House. By the time I entered the picture,
which won the first of Harry’s five John Sulman Medals for
it was already in the hands of the Historic Houses Trust, generously
Architecture in the year he was born. “I remember there being
bequeathed by Harry after his parents died. I couldn’t run up and
a small crowd at the top of the hill, some of them venturing down
down the ramp into the Bauhaus spaceship as my father had. Nobody
just to see the one house that didn’t have red tiles.”
sat with me on the Eames chairs and regaled me with stories of the
“I thought it was amazing. There was a big womb chair by the window, where I used to sit with my grandfather and he’d tell me
war. I was a visitor, just like everyone else. Now I walk slowly with my father through the house built for my
stories about ‘the old days’. He’d sort of repeat himself ad nauseum,
great-grandmother in an effort to understand how a dispersed group
wrapping me up in this bear hug that I couldn’t get away from.”
of Viennese Jews ended up having Sunday lunches in Wahroonga.
↑Inspired by the American way of life, where Harry had previously spent time, the dining setting adjoins the kitchen via a sliding window. ← Smooth lines and clean surfaces characterise Harry Seidler's architecture and interior design.
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→ The 1946-designed 'Womb' chair of Finnish architect Eero Saarinen (right) is an example of the furniture Harry Seidler installed in the house. ↓ The architect maximised light in the home with floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the leafy surrounds of the north shore suburb.
I learn that Rose was an avid gardener, just like my father is,
“This was Rose’s bedroom. I remember she had a Philips radio
tending to some forty or fifty orange and lemon trees built on the
here and it was the first transistor plug-in radio I’d ever seen. Everyone
five acre property alongside strawberry plantations. That Marcell
else had huge radios with valves.”
had to argue the case for zoning the property with the local council
Perhaps most refreshingly, in the caressing solitude of the
so his brother could build it in the first place and that Rose would
shrubland, far removed from the hyperactive suburbs that my family
often actually invite the staring neighbours in for tea rather than
now call home, I am struck by the notion that some attributes really
have them standing up at the gates.
do carry across generations. The house may now be a museum, but
I discover that my father’s borderline obsession with new and
in a way, it’s really an enduring exhibition of Seidler exhibitionism.
dazzling technology may well derive from having spent his summers
Harry designed this house for his mother, but also for Australian
at a house where every object was something that had hitherto not
society at large, as a means of announcing his arrival and an intention
existed in Australia. From the kitchenware to the crockery, the blinds
to do things his way. ‘I am a Seidler,’ Marcell’s Miro-esque mural
to the bathrooms, it was like having a new Apple toy in every corner
seems to shout, ‘And I will talk to you until you listen.’ It’s that same
of the house.
reason my father generates as much demand for his public speaking engagements as he does for his medical consultations, why I harbour hopes of a career in broadcast despite already working as a print journalist. Ours is a family that literally builds its own stories before we even have the opportunity to tell them. “Do you mind rolling up the shade over on the mural?” my father asks the attendant, who is now charged with looking after this splendid house. “My father painted this, you know…”
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FE CA OT VU ERE
The Rose Seidler House in Wahroonga NSW is managed by the Historic Houses Trust and can be visited between 11am and 4pm every Sunday. Visit hht.net.au for admission details and further information.
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FASHION
CUT & COLOUR, PLEASE In keeping with the mood for tailored, individualised garments that has dominated the menswear industry in recent years, Burberry Tailoring is a suit initiative with three cuts from slim through to classic. Although launched last year, as the winter draws near this services becomes ever more relevant for the Australian shopper, with a full selection available at the British brand’s grand Sydney store. "Burberry Tailoring is founded on a rich history of fabric innovation, inspired by the timeless style of the iconic trench coat," says the brand's chief creative officer Christopher Bailey of the offering, for which clients may select from a range of notch, fishmouth and peak lapels, all of which are lined at the shoulder, chest and lapels with traditional horse hair canvas. According to the brand, this material shapes to the wearer's body over time and reinforces the cut of the jacket for a sharp finish. "The modern sartorial design and traditional hand-finished details create an effortless and understated silhouette with a distinctly British attitude."
Photography Anna Pogossova
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THE FORD FORMULA When did Australian men become so stylish that the country is now home to two Tom Ford stores? Well, shop-in-shops to be official, but nonetheless, suiting wasn’t big business five years ago, while at the turn of the millennium men were still stuck in the sartorial nonchalance of the nineties. Harrolds, Australia’s bastion of good taste in menswear for a quarter of a century, has had a large hand in revolutionising the local industry, providing retail access to international brands otherwise unattainable and thus educating local men on the vast differences in quality. But far beyond this, the retailer – which boasts Sydney and Melbourne stores, both at over 1000sq metres – has elevated the shopping experience by making it a calm, gentlemanly pursuit, free of the chaos and disorder that so often beleaguers the larger department stores. In
turn, men have quickly adapted to shopping being a leisure activity, rather than a necessity, and so it is that a year after opening within the Sydney store, Harrolds opens the doors to a second Tom Ford shop-in-shop within its Melbourne store. Tom Ford, of course, needs no introduction. As one of the world’s most respected fashion designers with a CV that spans stints at Saint Laurent and Gucci, the latter which he revolutionised from staid Italian leathergoods house to the high fashion world’s sexiest brand, Mr Ford launched his namesake label, beginning with menswear, in 2006 after not being able to find anything to wear. As he told this journalist in a prior interview: “I was having my suits made on Savile Row but it was challenging to get them to do anything different – cut a lapel extra wide or give my jacket shoulder a bit of a roll. I realised that there was a big niche in the men’s market and decided to start my own menswear business.” Attention to detail, indeed. That same standard of quality is met by Mr Ford’s local retail partner, Harrolds, alongside Harrods in London, Isetan in Tokyo and Bergdorf
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Goodman in New York, with the shop-in-shops designed by Mr Ford and his longtime architectural collaborator Bill Sofield. With this personal attention to detail, all shop fittings – cabinetry, carpentry and stone masonry – have been hand-crafted in Europe, with the company dispatching craftsman to Australia to complete the installation. As they should. It’s not every store that is finished with ebony and marble. And like Mr Ford’s standalone stores in the northern hemisphere, Harrolds offers the full range of the designer’s seasonal menswear collections: madeto-measure tailoring, ready-to-wear, leathergoods, shoes, accessories, eyewear and fragrance. Mr Ford’s in-house master tailor, Antonio Blazevic, visits annually to personally fit Harrolds’ clients.
Story Mitchell Oakley Smith Photography Paul Barbera
FASHION
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The capturing of movement in motion grants us an opportunity to visually unravel the art of tailoring. Photography Justin Cooper | Styling Jolyon Mason Grooming Amanda Reardon | Hair Jenny Kim
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Pistols at Dawn blazer, Three Over One pants. 53
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Three Over One shirt, Herringbone blazer. 54
COVER
MANUSCRIPT Issue VI Autumn 13 08 March 2013
Crane Brothers blazer. 55
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Lifewithbird sweater, Three Over One pants. 58
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Three Over One shirt, Herringbone blazer, Gucci belt. 59
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Rollas sweater, Farage blazer, Gucci belt. 60
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Stylist’s own shirts, Giorgio Armani tie,
TM Lewin blazer. 61
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Vanishing Elephant shirt. 62
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Three Over One pants, Vanishing Elephant shirt. 63
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Lifewithbird sweater. 64
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Vanishing Elephant shirt, Three Over One pants. 65
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Farage blazer, Gucci belt. 66
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Vanishing Elephant shirt. 67
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Pistols at Dawn blazer (top),
Farage blazer (worn beneath), Mr Furnell's own pants. 68
COVER
ROHAN Furnell is a Corps de Ballet within The Australian Ballet company, a role he has held since graduating from The Australian Ballet School at the close of 2006. In this position, Mr Furnell is one of 30 members that acts as a synchronised body to support the company’s soloists. “It’s very much an ensemble effort,” says Mr Furnell. Having grown up in Sydney’s Newtown in a
exercise, such as yoga, Pilates and gym conditioning.
creatively-minded family, his mother a visual arts
“It’s challenging,” says the dancer. “Physical and
teacher and his father a lawyer, Mr Furnell began
emotional stamina are required at all times. At the
attending dance classes as a young child in a bid
same time, it’s an amazing organisation to be a part
by his parents to channel his physical energy into
of, and really inspiring. I’ve been here nearly a
something constructive. Along with his younger
decade [collectively] and yet it feels like just
brother, Mr Furnell later attended McDonald
yesterday that I arrived. I’m conscious that dance
College, a specialist performing arts high school
is often a temporary career, and so my only real
in North Strathfield, before relocating interstate
intention is to make the most of it while I have it.”
to complete his training in Melbourne. Now 26, Mr Furnell spends the vast majority
Mr Furnell is, however, creative by nature, and finds the most rewarding experiences are those
of his waking hours dancing, with the company’s
which are collaborative, such as when the company
daily schedule divided between technique class,
invited contemporary and Indigenous choreographers
rehearsal, performance and extra-curricular
Gideon Obarzanek and Stephen Page, respectively, to create works for the company’s 50th anniversary in 2012. “I find it incredibly inspiring to work with people outside the classical ballet world, as the challenges they provide really help you to develop as a performer and an artist. In my position in the company we are mostly required to replicate choreography, so the potential to be involved in its creation is a special experience.” And his artistic interests stem far beyond the stage. As the partner of Melbourne-based fashion designer and couturier Toni Maticevski, Mr Furnell is, rather uniquely, exposed to two very different practices that sometimes have cross over, such as when Mr Maticevski was commissioned to design costumes for the company in 2010. “There are a lot of similarities within our two worlds, which helps us to understand each other better,” explains Mr Furnell of his relationship. “Being a ballet dancer requires you to commit yourself physically and emotionally, and sometimes it does take over your life, so that we both understand the process of being creative is very important.”
Rohan Furnell/The Australian Ballet Photographic Assistance Matteo Macri Shot on location at Carriageworks, Eveleigh
Lifewithbird sweater, Herringbone blazer. 69
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Stockists BALLY / bally.com
BURBERRY / burberry.com
CHEAP MONDAY / cheapmonday.com
CLOUD NINE / cloudninehair.com
CRANE BROTHERS / crane-brothers.com DERMALOGICA / dermalogica.com ELLERY / elleryland.com
FARAGE / farage.com.au
FEIT / feitdirect.com
FROM BRITTEN / frombritten.com.au
GIORGIO ARMANI / armani.com
HARROLDS / harrolds.com.au
HENSON / thisishenson.com
HERRINGBONE / herringbone.com
JAMES PERSE / jamesperse.com
JUST CAVALLI / justcavalli.com
KAMINSKI / helenkaminski.com.au
KEVIN MURPHY / kevinmurphy.com.au LEVIS / levis.com.au
LIFEWITHBIRD / lifewithbird.com
LOOP LEATHER CO / loopleather.co
MASON PEARSON / masonpearson.com
MECCA COSMETICA / meccacosmetica.com.au
MINTY MEETS MUNT / mintymeetsmunt.com NOBODY / nobody.com.au
O&M / originalmineral.com
ORLEBAR BROWN / orlebarbrown.com
PISTOLS AT DAWN / pistolsatdawn.com.au ROLLAS / rollas.com.au SK-II / sk-ii.com.au
SCANLAN & THEODORE / scanlanandtheodore.com.au SKIN & THREADS / skinandthreads.com
STRAND HATTERS / strandhatters.com.au THE CLOAKROOM / thecloakroom.com.au
THE COSTUME SHOP / thecostumeshop.com.au THREE OVER ONE / threeoverone.com THOM BROWNE / thombrowne.com T.M. LEWIN / tmlewin.com.au
VANISHING ELEPHANT / vanishingelephant.com WINDSOR SMITH / windsorsmith.com.au ZAMBESI / zambesi.co.nz
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