MANUSCRIPT State of the Arts : Hats off to our best and brightest in art, design, music and culture.
Budgie Smugglers : 100 years of Australia's iconic bathing suit. The Future Is Now : A retail model for the 21st century. City Limits : A critical questioning of the NGV 's enormous art exhibition Melbourne Now.
Renaissance Man Actor, musician and artist Noah Taylor claims the spotlight. Again. Photographed by Paul Scala.
Also : Ben Briand, Paul Smith, George Livissianis,
Dion Horstmans & Craig & Karl
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MANUSCRIPT
Issue VIII Summer 14
44 Hello, My Name is Paul Smith British design legend Paul Smith is honoured with a retrospective exhibition for the second time, offering insight into his process.
04 Editor’s Letter 06 Contributors 08 News
11 Introducing Ben Briand, Dion Horstmans & George Livissianis
Story Mitchell Oakley Smith
48 Face Off A look into the successful collaboration between graphic artists Craig Redman and Karl Meier.
Photography Jordan Graham, Sam Hendel & Christopher Morris
18 The Long And Short Of It Four experimental ways with your short back and sides.
Story Mitchell Oakley Smith
52 Cool Rider Paris’ most unassuming designer, Veronique Nichanian, has outfitted the world’s most luxurious men for a quarter-century.
Photography Kylie Coutts
22 State of the Arts The country's best and brightest take to the spotlight in Dior Homme.
Story Mitchell Oakley Smith
56 Winter Is Coming Cover star Noah Taylor invites Manuscript to his hometown, Brighton, and discusses his recent film, music and art renaissance.
Photography Guy Coombes
34 What Even Is Melbourne Now? An attempt to unpackage the all-encompassing exhibition/ biennale/festival taking over our southern capital.
Photography Paul Scala | Story Jemima Sissons
64 Mr Sandman Soft, voluminous shapes make for perfect summertime wear.
Story Sam Twyford-Moore
38 Wouldn’t Be Caught Dead In ‘Em, Mate Dick stickers, budgie smugglers, nut huggers… whether you loathe them or not, Speedos have become an iconic part of Australian culture.
Photography Troyt Coburn
76 Avenue Marceau Travis Smith takes to the streets of Paris in modern updates on the timeless Le Smoking tuxedo.
Story Jonathan Seidler
Photography Paul Scala
40 Who Said You Can’t Walk Into An Online Store? Sneaker aficionado Chris Kyvetos sets a new benchmark for retail innovation with his latest multiplatform venture.
88 Black Hole Sun A sleepy holiday village is interrupted by fetishistic leathers. Photography Liz Ham
110 Stockists
Story Mitchell Oakley Smith
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From the Editor
design and writing. Included are some familiar faces – ex-Van She member Tomek Archer and previous Manuscript cover star, Australian Ballet’s Rohan Furnell among them – but also some names that we’re certain are to be the next big things. Thomas Cocquerel, a 24-year-old NIDA graduate, left the day after our shoot for Amsterdam, where he’s currently filming a part in The Kidnapping of Freddy Heineken, a film based on a true story told in
F
its literal title, opposite Anthony Hopkins and fellow Australian licking through the proofs of this issue prior to
Sam Worthington. Movement, meanwhile, is an electronic
it hitting the printing press, I’m thoroughly
band to have emerged from Sydney’s west and recently
impressed. Not so much by the issue itself – I
signed with hit-after-hit record label Modular People.
think it’s wonderful, of course, but I’m not so narcissistic
I’m personally honoured that these very talented men
as to think the work I produce is definitive in its approach –
grace our pages, made possible with the support of Dior
but by the people in it. We often give Australia’s cultural
Homme, whose spring collection is worn throughout. There’s also some incredible people on the other
landscape a bad rap, deeming it a cottage industry, lacking in depth, and with a serious case of Tall Poppy Syndrome.
end of these pages: the creative teams that work on our
It might be small, and certainly we don’t like to prop
shoots and stories, and I think we’ve hit some new highs
ourselves up too high, but I challenge you to flick through
this issue, welcoming to our family talented writers
this issue and tell me there’s not brilliant talent emerging
Jemima Sissons and Sam Twyford-Moore. Two years
from our country. You need only look at Hollywood,
in – yes, this marks something of a celebration for us at
dominated as it is by the Kidmans and Crowes.
Manuscript, which we’ll be toasting to as soon as the issue hits newsstands – I again thank the people that
What’s interesting about our artistic exports is that the world is beginning to see a different side to our culture
make this magazine possible, from the artistic vision of
as new talent emerges and existing icons stake a return.
our fashion director Jolyon Mason to the photography
Case in point: Noah Taylor, a Melbourne rocker who
assistants and agents that work behind-the-scenes. Until next time-
disappeared to Brighton two decades ago only to emerge with a slew of forthcoming film releases and a scary-as-fuck role in hit show Game of Thrones. When I first saw Mr Taylor in that role of Locke, and soon after caught his brilliant sell-out show at Olsen Irwin, I knew we needed him on our cover. I admire the art of reinvention, of examining and rediscovering what it is that drives you to create, and with his many projects on the go, Mr Taylor is an inspiring talent. adding some diversity and interest to our screens, but simultaneously it’s thrilling to see fresh blood, too. In State of the Arts [page 22] we profile some of Australia’s brightest
Mitchell Oakley Smith
emerging talent across the fields of acting, music, dance,
twitter.com/MrOakleySmith
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Photo: Bowen Arico
It’s excellent that Mr Taylor returns to the spotlight,
LIF G N RT I O P A S
E!
Sydney Surfers Paradise Melbourne Marina Mirage Brisbane Tel. 1300 728 807 Hermes.com
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Issue VIII Summer 14
Editor & Publisher Mitchell Oakley Smith Creative Director Jolyon Mason
Art Director Elliott Bryce Foulkes
Contributing Features Editor Jonathan Seidler Fashion Assistant Alex Rost
Contributors Jonathan Ailwood, Troyt Coburn, Guy Coombes, Kylie Coutts,
Kimberley Forbes, Jordan Graham, Liz Ham, Sam Hendel, Jenny Kim, Michele McQuillan, Vincent de Moro, Christopher Morris, Sasha Nilsson, Joel Phillips, Paul Scala, Jemima Sissons, Sam Twyford-Moore Special Thanks London Management, MAP, Priscillas Model Management,
Shooting Birds Studio, Supa Model 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.
Contributors Sam Twyford-Moore
Jonathan Ailwood
Michele McQuillan
A writer of both fiction and non-fiction and the director of the Emerging Writers’ Festival, Melbournebased Sam Twyford-Moore pens a precursory account of the National Gallery of Victoria’s hugely ambitious Melbourne Now exhibition/biennale/ festival [page 34]. Having also contributed to The Australian and the Los Angeles Review of Books, Twyford-Moore’s writing is a welcome addition to Manuscript.
A Paris resident for the last seven years, Sydney-born designer and stylist Jonathan Ailwood was primed to hit the streets of the French capital for this issue of Manuscript. Fashion is what lead Mr Ailwood — who has worked for Christian Dior and John Galliano — to Paris in the first place. “The elegance of Le Smoking for eveningwear is a staple of Parisian style and a constant inspiration, but mixing it with the attitude of Los Angeles gave it the freshness that keeps it relevant,” he says of the shoot [page 76]. “Paris the city plays the opposing lead in our narrative”
Hair stylist Michele McQuillan has built an international reputation for innovative, directional concepts, which we’re thrilled to have in the pages of Manuscript. A member of Guido Palau’s styling team, Ms McQuillan has worked on the shows of Versace, Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, to name but a few. Locally, her work is regularly published by Vogue Australia and Harper’s Bazaar.
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News Neiman Marcus ships, Topshop opens,
Jac+Jack expands, Manuscript broadens
I
t’s exciting time for Australian shoppers with a slew of new store openings – both digital and physical – in recent months. Ken Downing, the fashion director of Neiman Marcus, was recently in town to spruik the upmarket department store’s new shipping
functionality that opens its doors to customers down under for the first time. With the likes of Mr Porter and Matches – the latter also recently in town to promote two of its star performers, Jonathan Saunders and Roksanda Illincic – already offering a host of otherwise unavailable brands, what’s Neiman Marcus’ point of difference? Its brand make-up, for one, is a little more mature than other stores, offering online access to Brunello Cucinelli, Kiton, Loro Piana
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and Tom Ford. n the ground, Topshop opens its third Australian store this December in Brisbane, its largest in the market to date at 2200square-metres over three levels, with one dedicated exclusively to Topman. Located at the former site of Borders
on the corner of Elizabeth and Albert Streets, the opening follows the announcement of a fourth store opening, in Perth, slated for late 2014, signaling the success of the brand in the local market. The Brisbane outpost will stock Topman’s main collection, as well as footwear, accessories, suiting and denim, along with its free-of-charge personal shopping service, which
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allows shoppers to be treated to the full VIP service by appointment.
M
t’s not just retailers with exciting growth on the horizon. In August, we’re launching a new annual magazine, Manuscript Art, dedicated
eanwhile, luxury knitwear label Jac+Jack opened its third Sydney store, this time in the CBD’s Strand Arcade, in November, which is certainly no minor feat considering the small size of the market.
exclusively to contemporary art with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Regular readers will know that visual art already plays an important
part in each issue’s content, with regular profiles, features and one-off commissions,
The store is designed by interior architect George Livissianis
but we’ve noticed a growing interest in contemporary art recently, evidenced by
[see page 14 for more], who also created the label’s award-winning store on
the incredible success of Sydney Contemporary art fair, that’s not being catered
Oxford Street, Paddington, using Carrara marble, concrete, steel and Belgian
to by the existing range of academic art journals. Our aim with Manuscript Art is
cotton linen – a pared-back design statement in line with Jac+Jack’s clothing
to present, package and promote the best of contemporary art that speaks to our
aesthetic. With Dion Lee opening his first flagship store in the Strand Arcade
readers in a way that’s engaging, informative and inspiring, and with art curator
this December, it seems the historic precinct is experiencing a retail revival.
and writer Alison Kubler joining the team as associate editor, it’s set to be an
↗ Topman suiting. ↓ Jac+Jack's new Sydney fitout.
exciting launch indeed.
A
long with editor Mitchell Oakley Smith, Ms Kubler authored the hardback tome Art / Fashion in the 21st Century, which
was recently published by Thames & Hudson. The book comprises a collection of profiles, essays and interviews that examines and
celebrates the crossover between art and fashion that has occurred so prolifically since the turn of the millennium, and features a foreword by inimitable fashion icon and philanthropist Daphne Guinness. The book’s local release was feted with a series of events around the country in partnership with Louis Vuitton,
Coach, the Queensland Art Gallery, Harrolds and the Art Gallery of South Australia.
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nterestingly, the latter gallery recently announced its major spring exhibition for 2014, Fashion Icons: From the Collection of the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, which further demonstrates the increasing presence of fashion within traditional fine arts museums. Fashion
Icons, curated by Pamela Golbin, will paint a unique picture of Parisian style within the context of contemporary fashion design since 1947, the year couturier Christian Dior reinvented fashion with the New Look. Over 100 haute couture garments from the likes of Cristobal Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent
will be presented in this chronological review, which cements the Art Gallery of South Australia as a destination for visual arts and design.
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WWW.SABA.COM.AU
farage
FAR AGE.COM.AU
INTRODUCING
Ben Briand, George LivissIanis, & Dion Horstmans
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12
INTRODUCING
Ben Briand Film Director “
I love shifting between narrative, commercial, photography and art projects,” says Ben Briand. “As a director I need to focus the thematics of the
intended work and develop a language to bring that to the screen.” The 33-year-old Sydney-based director is one of the most promising talents to have emerged in the local filmmaking industry in recent years, known for his delicate crafting of moving image that elicits honest, human performances. Mr Briand joined multidisciplinary creative collective Collider earlier this year, allowing him to shift seamlessly between creative and commercial projects. This, he says, is a delicate dance. “But I get to use a certain level level of creativity on a regular basis.
Mr Briand credits this opportunity – “to show
The commercial I am working on right now is visually
people something they might not know is there” – as
some of the most experimental work I have ever done.
his reason for becoming interested in moving image,
Sometimes you get lucky.” Indeed, Mr Briand’s work for
which he studied at the University of New South Wales,
clients such as Telstra, Westfield and Benah, the high-
graduating with first class honors. Apricot was followed
end accessories label of his wife, Brenda, maintain the
by Some Static Started and Castor & Pollux, each
cinematic quality of his independent productions, for
completed in fast succession, to soon be accompanied
which he has been awarded several awards, including
by Blood Pulls A Gun, a coming-of-age thriller about
the Silver Shots Young Director Award at the Cannes
a 14-year-old girl who becomes obsessed with the
Lions International Advertising Festival in 2009.
dangerous guests who have checked into her roadside
What ties Mr Briand’s work together is his
motel. “Working on a project that is homegrown is
preoccupation with the notion of memory and identity,
very fulfilling but also very exposing,” says the director.
themes which inevitably emerge in his work, whether
“There is no client or agency account manager for
subtly or as a central figure. “It is my favourite thing to
you to say that it was out of your hands. You need to
explore,” he explains, “and so because of that I play a
be really confident in the millions of little choices that
lot with timelines and abstracted imagery based within
were made along the way and that what you want to
a realistic premise.” It’s evident in the 2009 short film,
say is interesting.”
Apricot, which he wrote and directed. In the film, a
Was this film his dream project? Mr Briand holds
mysterious man with a fragmented memory, played
a theory that a director should never be allowed to make
brilliantly by Ewen Leslie, asks a beautiful woman very
the one film that they have always wanted to, as it never
personal questions, eliciting a melancholic sense of
turns out to be masterpiece they imagined. “I think it’s
belonging, or adversely disconnection, in the viewer.
important to be married to a script or idea that isn't
The film was rightfully voted Best Narrative Film at the
entirely a perfect fit, because it keeps some of the
Vimeo Awards in 2010 by the website’s three million
tension in the work between the creator and the idea,
users. “It seems to have had quite an affect on many
and that is always a recipe for something interesting,”
Mr Briand photographed by
people across the globe. It’s always nice to know that
he says, making it clear from where the tension in his
Sam Hendel on 10 October 2013 outside
so many people have responded to a work so deeply.”
own films stems.
his office, Rushcutters Bay, Australia.
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G
eorge Livissianis is a man of few words.
Mr Livissianis graduated with honours from
Softly spoken and very reserved, he
the University of New South Wales with a degree in
offers little insight into his design
interior architecture in 1998, and was subsequently
practice, and prefers to listen to others’
awarded the Herman Miller Design Prize. A stint in
interpretation of his projects rather than explain
the United Kingdom was followed by roles at design
what it is he sees in them. But then his design
firms Geyer and BKH before he finally launched his
aesthetic hardly screams for attention, either. To
namesake practice in 2007. As well as the high
flick through his portfolio – which, by the way, you
profile and award-winning projects for Jac+Jack
can’t do, as he doesn’t display a back catalogue of
and The Apollo, Mr Livissianis has created interiors
work on his website – is the best way to get a sense
for Café Paci, a pop-up restaurant by Pasi Petanen
of Mr Livissianis’ character.
in Darlinghurst shortly due to close, and Longrain
Largely grey in tone, his projects, such as
restaurant, Surry Hills, and residential projects for
interiors for The Apollo restaurant and knitwear
clients predominantly in Sydney. While he admits that
label Jac+Jack, are dappled with fresh, natural light,
there is an underlying approach that ties the various
multilayered with natural materials, such as
projects together, “I feel that each one responds to
concrete, marble and timber, and seem,
their respective brands and briefs,” he says.
interestingly, quite un-Australian in their design.
His dream project is to design a boutique
These are sparse, but not cold, interiors that share
hotel for hotelier Ian Schrager, a co-founder of
more in common with the likes of John Pawson and
Studio 54 that has designed several highly
Carlo Scarpa than they do with typical Australian
acclaimed hotels, such as the Gramercy Park Hotel
design, evidence of Mr Livissianis' unique approach
in New York City, which he did in collaboration
and a mind interested in an “emotional response”
with artist Julian Schnabel. Considering the dire
rather than tapping into trends.
state of hotels in Sydney – extremely limited
“I favour texture of colour, pattern and
beyond the likes of the Park Hyatt and the QT –
decoration,” explains the interior architect of his
Mr Schrager would be clever to invest in the local
approach to design. “It’s why there is a lean
market, and certainly the calming, quiet interiors
towards the neutrals. I like calming spaces that are
of Mr Livissanis would translate perfectly to a
not fabricated, that enhance rather than detract
hotel interior.
from what’s being offered, whether it’s food or fashion.” It’s an approach evident in the recentlyopened Strand Arcade store of Jac+Jack, with its quiet sense of luxury. In connecting the various
Mr Livissianis photographed by
store sites, Mr Livissianis used a paving motif that
Christopher Morris on 24 September 2013
helps to create a sense of flow, with counters
at his office, Surry Hills, Australia.
appearing as though they are extruded from the floor pattern. “The intention was to create the same ambience of softness and calmness as at the Paddington store, but with a different form and composition of the material palette specific to the Strand Arcade,” he says.
George Livissianis Interior Architect 14
INTRODUCING
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16
INTRODUCING
Dion Horstmans Sculptor
Ranging in size from approximately 30cm to one-metre, Mr Horstmans’ three-dimensional, illusory pieces – most recently simply small metal rods welded together into shapes somewhere between shooting stars and Rem Koolhaas architectural forms – have fast become popular additions for stylish residential interiors. Flinders Lane Gallery, Gallery 2010, and The Cat Street Gallery in Hong Kong, as part of the city’s art fair in 2010, have hosted his recent commercial exhibitions. But considering the artist’s background in large-scale productions, it stands to reason that his sculptures stem far beyond those that can be mounted on a wall, and in recent years he has created architecturally significant installations for Sculpture by the Sea, both in Sydney and Perth. Here, his powdered metal sculptures seem to take on a new form in their alien surrounds, the vivid red, yellow and white angular shapes appearing jarring against the rugged coastline. In March, he’ll unveil one of his largest works to date: a site-specific canopy, if it can so be called that, linking two buildings at the new Collins Square
D
complex between Docklands and the CBD in
metal welder and tools in his studio, he’s a man’s
two buildings, but like his other sculptures, and its
man. And yet then he creates the most spectacular
bright yellow colour, appears as though a high velocity
sculptures from powder-coated steel and sheet
space ship or plane landing. Situated between two large,
metal – very intricate, geometric forms that seem
solid buildings, it gives the impression of movement.
ion Horstmans is not at all what you would
Melbourne, which was commissioned by Lang Walker
expect. With his piercing eyes, scruffy beard
and Hassell Architects. Mr Horstman’s permanent
and strong, physical build, and wielding a
installation is essentially a rain shelter between the
to represent celestial constellations – that set your
Despite the meteoric rise of his solo practice,
mind wandering. The New Zealand-born, Bondi-based
Mr Horstmans’ work hasn’t yet been offered much
sculptor has long worked with tools, having forged
in the way of curatorial approbation by museums
a successful career in the art department of major
and large galleries, which is curious given the public
film productions in Sydney for over a decade, where
interest in and growing commercial value of his
he worked on everything from The Matrix to
sculptures. That said, his namesake art is still
Superman. But the control offered by working for
relatively new, his film background developing
himself proved too alluring, and in recent years he
the technical and design skills required for a
Mr Horstmans photographed by
has phased out film work and developed his solo,
sophisticated end-product, sparing him the naivety
Jordan Graham on 10 October 2013
namesake artistic practice, regularly exhibiting his
that so often riddles – and later haunts – the work
at Bondi Beach, Australia.
various sculpture series for commercial sale.
of emerging artists.
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THE LONG & SHORT OF IT
Our hair hardly has a purpose beyond aesthetics, so we’re all for having a little fun with it. Here, we present four ways to style your short back and sides. Photography Kylie Coutts | Styling Jolyon Mason Grooming Joel Phillips | Hair Michele McQuillan
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GROOMING
Gucci backpack.
Ms McQuillan used Tigi ‘Queen for a Day’. Opposite: Ellery bib.
Ms McMcQuillan used Moroccon Oil Hydrating Crème & Oil.
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Pageant scarf.
Ms McQuillan used Fudge gel. Opposite: Dion Lee swim top.
Ms McQuillan used L’Oreal mousse & Infinium hairspray.
20
GROOMING
Robbie Beeser/Priscillas Models Mr Philips used MAC Cosmetics throughout.
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MANUSCRIPT
Joel Tozer, 23, Journalist As associate producer of SBS’s Insight program, Joel Tozer is responsible for pitching, researching, interviewing and selecting guests for the program every month, exploring topics as broad – and often intense – as female circumcision and electroshock therapy. Additionally, the Walkley Award-nominated journalist has produced a series of online video profiles of everyday people who rarely get a voice in the media, such as an 80-year-old woman who spends her days preserving human body parts collected from the Sydney Hospital morgue. “Working on your own, smaller projects means you can be a bit more experimental with how you tell a person’s story,” says Mr Tozer.
22
FEATURE
State of the Arts We are a small country, yes, but one brimming with brilliant new talent. With the help of Dior Homme, we celebrate the young men shaping our cultural landscape.
Photography Guy Coombes | Styling Jolyon Mason | Grooming Jenny Kim
Dior Homme clothing & shoes worn throughout. 23
MANUSCRIPT
Thomas Cocquerel, 24, Actor National Institute of Dramatic Art alumnus Thomas Cocquerel has, much to the envy of other emerging actors, managed to sign two major film roles in his first year since graduating at the end of 2012. Having left Australia merely days after this shoot, Mr Cocquerel is currently in Europe filming The Kidnapping of Freddy Heineken, a real-life drama in which he plays opposite Sam Worthington and Anthony Hopkins. The 24-year-old from Sydney’s North Shore says it was “a lot of hard work” to get where he is now. “I sent off a lot of audition tapes, which led to casting agents and it all happened from there. You always hope for it but it’s really surreal when it actually happens.”
24
FEATURE
Eamon Farren, 27, Actor Featured in our 2012 portfolio of emerging talent, Gold Coast-born actor Eamon Farren has been kept busy in the past year, performing in two productions with Sydney Theatre Company, where he has forged a name as one to watch. At the time of writing, Mr Farren was on stage in the company’s production of Romeo & Juliet. He’ll kick off 2014 in Girl Asleep at the Adelaide Festival, followed by Sydney Theatre Company’s much anticipated Mojo, from May through July. Written by Jez Butterworth, the play journeys through the seedy, amphetaminefuelled London rock scene of the 1950s, exposing the underside of rock’n’roll with dark humour.
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Sean Walker, 22, and Jesse James Ward, 21, Musicians Contemporary R&B, the kind of which you heard across dancefloors in the late eighties and early nineties, was never really an Australian concern. Somebody obviously forgot to tell Sydney trio Movement, which has sprung fully formed out of the shadowy corners usually favoured by the likes of D'Angelo or Maxwell. With only a handful of tracks to their name, Movement has already had international tastemakers’ tongues wagging with their sensual, synthetic textures and breathy falsetto affectations. It's enough to get them signed to Modular Records, who haven't put a foot wrong in almost a decade.
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FEATURE
Rhys Benson, 20, Model A model with any amount of experience will tell you know it’s not an easy job – there are the long hours, endless casting calls and ongoing body discipline to begin with – but when you’ve got a face like that of Rhys Benson, things are just that much easier. At the time of this shoot, the Brisbane-born model and boxer, who turns 21 in January, was beginning to prepare for his debut on the international circuit for the fall runway shows in Europe. “As this modeling experience continues I hope to travel overseas even more and give the best I can to the industry,” says the doe-eyed young man. “I love the challenging and unexpected nature of the job.”
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MANUSCRIPT
Henry Wilson, 30, Industrial Designer Since setting up his namesake studio in 2010, Sydney-based industrial designer Henry Wilson has gained a strong reputation for his innovative use of material, such as disused shipping containers, for locally produced furniture and lighting. His continued focus is on experimenting with the process of design and its subsequent production. “The collection grows organically,” explains Mr Wilson of his practice. “I’m committed to honestly resolving concepts with a focus on longevity.” A significant new design is the ‘Strt’ table, comprised of a solid brass structure that acts as a single frame to support the geometry of a chosen material, such as stone or glass, as a square or circular top, each of which is made to order.
28
FEATURE
Tomek Archer, 31, Architect & Furniture Designer Many know Tomek Archer for his music, but after seven years with the band, he recently departed Australian music outfit Van She to concentrate on furniture and architecture, launching his own practice with Toby Breakspear earlier this year. “I’m really happy to be back in Sydney and getting on with the projects at hand,” he says of the sea-change, referring to current projects including a renovation for Belvoir Street Theatre, a new reading room for Rare Books and Special Collections at Fisher Library at the University of Sydney and, rather significantly, a commission to install a pavilion in the main gallery at Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation as part of invitation-only competition Fugitive Structure next year. “That,” says Mr Archer, “is a huge honour.”
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MANUSCRIPT
Rohan Furnell, 26, Ballet Dancer Corps de Ballet member within the Australian Ballet, Rohan Furnell graced the cover of our sixth issue in a shoot lensed by Paris-based photographer Justin Cooper that showcased the athlete’s grace and virility. Through December, Mr Furnell will take to the stage of the Sydney Opera House in the company’s newly imagined version of Cindarella, choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky, following his performance of Alice Topp’s new work for Bodytoque.Technique, the company’s annual program to encourage original choreography. “To be witness to choreographic practice and so closely involved in the development of unique movement vocabulary is incredibly rewarding,” says Mr Furnell. “The program has offered me a rare opportunity to investigate and discover my potential beyond more traditional movement genres.”
30
FEATURE
Lewis Wade, 21, Vocalist Originally founded by school friends Sean Walker and Jesse James Ward, the pair behind Movement [page 26] was joined by Lewis Wade in 2012, the 21-year-old Bachelor of Music candidate’s haunting vocals completing their outfit. Although Mr Wade seems on a sure career path with Movement, he says that completing his studies is a personal goal he wishes to achieve. Having supported World’s End Press and performed a series of solo shows throughout the second-half of 2013, Movement will perform at Sydney Town Hall as part of Sydney Festival in January.
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MANUSCRIPT
Elliott Bryce Foulkes, 30, Graphic Designer As the art director of this magazine, Elliott Bryce Foulkes helps to shape its style and design, and if we do say so, does a damn fine job, too. As an associate at Leuver Design, Mr Foulkes works on campaigns, branding and publishing projects for the likes of Performance Space, Sydney Film Festival and the upcoming Biennale of Sydney in addition to art directing bi-monthly arts dossier Das Superpaper. In December he’ll present his first solo show of typographic works, Parergon, at Sydney’s Alaska Projects and, in 2014, again at Galerie Pompom.
32
FEATURE
Mason Mulholland, 24, Artist & Model The work of emerging Sydney-based artist Mason Mulholland is layered with meaning given that as a model – a profession he’s been in for several years – he’s really familiar with the fashion magazine images he collages together. “I’m attracted to the immediacy, destruction and defacement of the images,” he says, noting Max Ernst as an inspiration. “There’s so much sitting around on shoots and plentiful magazines around, and that’s really how it began.” Mr Mulholland's currently preparing for his own solo show in 2014, following the publication of first book, Mute, and a collaboration with Dion Lee last year, which is set to continue with the designer’s diffusion Line II.
Photography Assistance Ben Pexton | Styling Assistance Alex Rost Ms Kim used Kevin Murphy products throughout.
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MANUSCRIPT
WHAT EVEN IS MELBOURNE NOW ? Hugely ambitious in scope, Sam Twyford-Moore questions the purpose of the National Gallery of Victoria’s multidisciplinary exhibition/biennale/festival ahead of its official opening. 34
FEATURE
I
moved to Melbourne last year, having packed
Festivals here go for eleven days, not three or four,
up my share house bedroom into a single car
and there isn’t a day in the city’s calendar year
load – furniture across the backseat, books
without one seemingly scheduled. Exhibitions and
stacked in the boot – and followed the repetitive
events engulf the entire city rather than a single
expanse of the Hume Highway southward, arriving
precinct. White Night drew 300,000 people into the
in the destination city on Tuesday November 6,
city earlier in the year, and they didn’t even bother to
which also happened to be Melbourne Cup Day,
close off all the streets. Perhaps the exhibition then
which is essentially the day when the entire city
speaks to the ambitions of the city to be wholly
stops, or rather moves at a pace to a pub or a TAB
defined, but are we sure it needs it?
or a TV set. I moved into a house about a ten-
Tony Ellwood and his ambitious vision and perhaps
Racecourse, where helicopters drowned the sky
to understand the exhibition you will need some
and limousines drove past with women adjusting
psychology of the man. When I was out in
their hats in the window reflections. I chose not to
Footscray, I saw his name signed in the logbook
go to watch the horses, mainly because it was on
of the Footscray Community Arts Centre, an
the TV in the living room, and also because I was
organisation that does community engagement
exhausted from unpacking Sydney boxes. But not
well, which was kind of heartening that he had come
going to the Melbourne Cup, even to watch from
out west and had written ‘Thank you’ and left his
a pointless blurred distance, seems somewhat
email. I don’t know if a logbook is worth noting, but
emblematic of a certain slackness to get out and
Ellwood is not the problem with Melbourne Now.
explore Melbourne in any significant way since.
2012, (still), three channel synchronised HD digital video transferred to hard drive.
In a daring and highly critical article in un
Still, I moved to Melbourne for a job and a life
Magazine – daring, if only because the magazine has
partner not for the city life.
been commissioned to curate its own section of
But Melbourne, more than any other city in
Melbourne Now ‘involving an extensive network of
this country, seems to demand some level of civic
artists, designers and writers’ according to the press
engagement beyond simply walking the streets. It
release (talk about biting the hand!) – cheeky-as-
wants your love and wants you to gladly approve of
fuck emerging artists and writers Aodan Madden
its various behaviours, and to deem those behaviours
and Beth Rose Caird diagnose exactly what is wrong
as both significant and significantly playful. It would
with Melbourne Now, at least within its nascent
never dare consider that it’s not everyone’s cup of
stage before opening (the article is pitched as a
world-class coffee.
‘speculative review’) and the diagnosis lands heavily
The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV from
Ash Keating, West Park Proposition 2,
Up until now, the story has mostly been about
minute walk from a park overlooking Flemington
on the marketing and publicity of the show, if only
here-on-in, okay with you?) is set to open what it
because Melbourne Now has had so much build up,
recurringly calls its biggest exhibition ever this
there’s so much to take apart. Ellwood’s corporate
November. The exhibition will be titled Melbourne
speech and his enthusiasm for ‘participation’ are
Now and is the brainchild of the NGV’s Director
also brought into question. The survey show,
Tony Ellwood, who took up the top role in 2012
possibly more than the blockbuster, is popular
after five successful years as the head of Brisbane’s
fodder for the publicists – it’s a simple enough story
Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), and most
to sell. The title alone the media will get their head
acclaimed for the key year in that five year stint –
around in a few seconds and be able to spin their
2010 – in which GoMA recorded higher audience
own stories off it. I’ve done that at the start of this
attendance numbers than the NGV. Melbourne
piece – Melbourne Now? Well, I moved to
Now is intended to be the showcase that reconfirms
Melbourne! I live here and feel complicated within
the NGV as the leading arts institute in Australia,
this space! Easy. There’s no doubt that there will be
but even with such a vision in mind, Ellwood is not
a publicist out there who will count this article and
doing so by making a survey of the nation, or even
these words as part of the successful media coverage
a statewide look at Victoria from some neat rural
of the event – another mention, another form of
angles. This is city-specific stuff. Interstate
participation accounted for. The question is whether
attendance mustn’t be top on the list. Would anyone
these publicity and marketing campaigns should
from outside of Melbourne really care for an
even be considered as part of the art – couldn’t they
exhibition with Melbourne in its title? Still, this is
be more artful and considered? It’s more than
taking the idea of the blockbuster to the level of the
simple packaging, but talking about it here might be
street block, but what comes from busting open a
like eating the cereal box instead of the cereal.
Melbourne block is yet to be seen. Is the show
Ellwood seemingly saw such criticisms coming,
seriously meant to be a survey of an entire city? It
delivering a speech at the Melbourne Press Club
certainly carries the serious air of a civic project –
soon after his appointment, in which he strongly
the catalogue and accompanying promotional videos
disagreed ‘that conspicuous marketing and the hype
have the same tone as a council approved press
that is generated through a successful marketing
release. The deadweight tagline for the exhibition
campaign is somehow at odds with the curatorial
reads ‘More than 300 artists. 8000m2 of exhibition
integrity of an exhibition, that it diminishes or
space.’ It’s the 8000m2 being quoted that kills
demeans the aesthetic, contemplative dimension of
whatever personality the publicity is meant to have.
the visitor experience. This is to miss the point.
Who cares about the measurement of your floors?
Marketing campaigns have at their heart outreach
Size doesn’t matter.
and audience development.’
Or, size definitely does matter. This all seems
In February, the NGV ran in conjunction with
like a very Melbourne way of going about things, to
Radio National a series of participatory forums
institutionalise art on such an ambitious scale.
around themes that would be explored in the
35
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exhibitions – collaboration and nextness and some such. This
International, but you will be greeted by architect Rory
is no exhibition – it’s public program, talk show, fashion
Hyde’s information hub, which in conceptual drawings
runway, cruise ship, strip mall, burger joint, whatever school,
looks like a giant Chia pet-like dome sculpture. Making
city made small and digestible, art made big and narrative-
the front of your gallery look like a garden is one way to
driven and geographically specific, location sensitive. For the
promote accessibility of your art for the general public;
moment, you can imagine there will be a terrific essay on
it’s just like taking the nice walk up the path to Grandma’s
kitsch to be written in relation to all this. It’s contemporary
house. Literal gardens will be created by design agency
art exhibition as Brisbane’s World Expo 88. This definitive
Urban Commons, in which visitors will be encouraged
democratisation of art – a democratic do or die ethos, really
to plant seeds which can be harvested at the end of the run.
– is not all bad. Why not bust it open and let as many people
The artist collective The Hotham Street Ladies will be
in as possible? The populist appeal or the participation angle
turning the foyer of NGV Australia into a simulation of
are little more than a couple of Metro counter lines stretched
a share house and then covering it all with icing sugar. If
across the road, to take a tally when you drive over. But in
the holier than cool West Space and MONA’s Red Queen
trying to get everyone in, perhaps they will let people in they
exhibition can both feature a fully functioning Ping-Pong
wouldn’t normally. That seems to be the case with some of
table replete with images Leith McGregor printed across
the artforms they are including. The most interesting parts
the surface, then why shouldn’t Melbourne Now throw icing
of the show may well be the incorporation of design,
sugar over everything? Leith McGregor, his biro friendly
jewellery and architecture into curatorial perspective, all
art and his table tennis artworks will also play a part of
still mediated, of course, but no longer ushered through the
Melbourne Now. In these end times, why shouldn’t art be
doors like poor cousins. How are bespoke shoes going to fit
capital F Fun? The reason that MONA has captured the
in for instance? Maybe they’ll give a pair to everyone at the
nation’s collective imagination isn’t necessarily its much-
door and ask people to tap their way around the room.
mooted sex and death angle, but the very irreverence of that
The point here might be that the show is so inclusive
angle, the larger than life nature of David Walsh, and the
as to be entirely incomprehensible. The attempts at
insanity of the entire project to begin with. It’d be great to
accessibility – including a daily countdown on the NGV
see Tony Ellwood down at Crown Casino laying a million
blog – might simply be there to reconcile this, to reign in the
dollar bet to pay for a new wing.
mass of information being delivered to NGV fanatics and
Melbourne Now continues to play it safe with its initial
the general public alike. There will, hopefully, be no real
marketing materials, which is infuriating because when you
→ Ash Keating, West Park Proposition 2,
entry point into the Melbourne Now exhibition, no single
go into the details of the press releases there’s much, much
2012, (still), three channel synchronised
door waiting to be opened. The writing about it
more here. Ash Keating has undeniably become the poster
HD digital video transferred to hard drive.
prospectively is not easy for this reason. There will, of
boy for the show. A still taken from his Painting the West
↓ Zoom.
course, be a few ways in, through the doors of the NGV
Park Proposition video work has been used throughout
36
FEATURE
promotional material. The photograph
if you tried. What all of this says about
immediately recalls street art – Keating is
Melbourne, of course, is still not particularly
wearing white tracksuits pants and a white
clear. In Ellwood’s speech to the Melbourne
hoodie, with the hood hooded. He isn’t using a
Press Club announcing the show, Melbourne
spray can, though. He’s throwing a bucket.
Now was referred to as the working title of the
Again, size matters. His canvas, in this case,
exhibition. That they have kept the simple title
is a large industrial building in Truganina, a
shows that the central idea for the show may
fringe suburb of Melbourne (it qualifies as
not have expanded even as the projects
Melbourne, now) and on one wall paints an
gathered together have. There does not seem
idyllic picturesque landscape via hurls of the
to be a cohesive statement being made. And
bucket. The Keating image, with its safe
maybe that’s okay. For now, let the show just
evocation of Melbourne laneway street art, is
happen, and the curators and publicists stand
rendered flat by the intellectual slightness of
down and out of the way and stop making so
Melbourne Now’s use of the image. Keating
many claims on its behalf. Whatever it ends up
mumbled his way through one of the February
being, it won’t be watching horses on TV.
forums and it feels unfair that Elwood, or the marketing team, or whoever, put him so front
Melbourne Now is open at NGV Australia
and centre of the exhibition. It’s this overt
and NGV International, Melbourne
institutionalisation of art that Melbourne Now
until 23 March 2014.
currently represents more than any real problem the exhibition may have. The legendary American art critic Dave Hickey turned his back on the contemporary art world after he was asked to sign a ten page contract before he could speak on a panel at New York’s Guggenheim Museum. Still, there is a genuine hope here that when the show finally does open, it will be as chaotic and loopy as putting all the press materials together makes it sound. Tony Ellwood has done a terrific job of playing sane. Part of the show will include data visualisations by something called OOM Creative. You couldn’t make this stuff up
“It’s contemporary art exhibition as Brisbane’s World Expo 88.” 37
MANUSCRIPT
Photography Jordan Graham.
‘Wouldn’t be caught dead in’ em, mate’: one hundred years of Speedos Story Jonathan Seidler. 38
FEATURE
Banana hammocks and dick-togs and budgie smugglers and nut huggers and ding-a-ling slings and junk trunks and ouch pouches and lolly catchers and cock socks and marble sacks and dick stickers and dong sarongs and nad buckets and balbushkas and truffle duffles and pickle pinchers and weenie bikinis and meat compactors…
L
ike all great Australian
gold, smashing personal best times
– Speedos are the brainchild
and breaking world records in Speedos
as they have our athletes. Without their red
an endless source of fascination for those
and yellow-clad bums on the beach, Bondi
trying to prove something – or prove
Rescue would probably not be fun reality
something about contemporary male fashion.
TV viewing.
For a male model, Speedos are your
In reality, Speedo is not well-versed in
lingerie; if you can’t cut a good figure in one,
the art of discrimination. They provide
you may as well pack up and go home.
equipment to the Chinese swimming team.
The theory that there is nothing to hide in
They kitted out Olympian Matthew
a cosy banana hammock is one that has
Mitcham, who famously came out of the
been debated and capitalised on for years,
closet ahead of winning the gold medal for
most recently by the globally successful
diving. They’re on sale in over one hundred
AussieBum brand, with their hater-baiting
countries, some of which probably hate
tagline: ‘If you doubt yourself, wear
each other. Their basic offering has gone
something else.’
through a few tweaks, but remains pretty
Most recently, Speedos have re-entered the vernacular via the most bizarre vehicle imaginable: politics. Rising out of the crashing waves of interparty infighting, Liberal leader Tony
Olympians have been winning
inventions – Gotye, Vegemite
on Down Under, Speedos have been
similar to how it looked when your dad and your grandfather wore it. They are the Geneva of swimwear. Ding-a-ling slings for every man. Despite their innovations in the pool
Abbott has thrashed his way into Australia’s
and sponsorships out of the box, it’s still
top office despite a well-documented
Speedo's most basic offering that has
penchant for nut-huggers.
people talking. It’s fascinating that an item
Abbott, an Ironman competitor and
of clothing worn by most cultures for only a
of someone not entirely from here. As
since the 1930s. That’s a long time at
devout athlete, has undoubtedly been
few months of the year at most nonetheless
it turns out, it was a Scottish man who
the top; from Claire Dennis being criticised
pictured in his bathing suit more frequently
retains the power to shock, provoke, flatter
invented the undergarment that proclaims
for showing ‘too much shoulder’ in her
than an actual one. Whether this will do
and divide.
Australia’s laissez-faire swimming
one-piece at the 1932 L.A. Games to
wonders for international diplomacy
approach to the world. We’ll claim
Speedos being personally responsible for
remains to be seen, but Australia’s
necessarily focus on reinventing this
him, though. We’re good like that.
over 80% of all gold medals scooped by
perception as an active country bursting
particular wheel, there are plenty of
swimmers during Sydney’s 2000 Olympics.
with confident men has never been quite
others out there doing it for them. They
so assured.
are immortal simply for being the best
Presumably scared pants-less by the prospect of trying to navigate Bondi Beach
Frankly, it’s unlikely anybody at
Even as Speedo the brand doesn’t
in his longjohns, Alexander Macrae, who
Speedo gives a shit about your vanity
migrated Down Under near the turn of the
concerns. They’ve been dealing with prudes
transplant’s brainchild, but they’re now
smugglers and marble sacks that will
twentieth century, originally set up shop as
and naysayers for over 100 years. Post
carving up culture the world over. Chances
probably ever exist.
an underwear manufacturer. His arrival
WWII, women were being hauled off the
are you can tell a European man on the
happened to coincide with a boom in public
beach in Australia for trying to get away
beach from an American one these days
Google and Geneva of swimwear.
bathing on the East Coast (God knows
with a Speedo bikini. Public attitudes
simply by what they’re wearing below
They’re Australia in a Y-front.
what they were all doing in summer before
towards fashion have never been as
their hips. The line between liberal and
then) and like Tom Ford with the classic
important as their number one design
conservative body politics is being
suit, he instantly recognised a niche area
consideration: function.
renegotiated during summers across
on which he could capitalise. This one, however, required a lot less tailoring. Speedos are now at the inviolable
Speedos may be an Australian
Just as there is a set of rules for
both hemispheres, and usually that line
aerodynamics, there’s another one for
is drawn with string and tied into a bow
water. If you want to travel fast, you want
around the waist.
point where the brand name is
to be streamlined and to avoid drag at
synonymous with the product. They
any cost. Rather than worrying about the
into Speedos and Speedo-wearing
are quite unashamedly the Hoovers
precise arrangement of male genitalia,
continually collapse onto each other like
of fashion; whether it’s Nike or Dolce
Macrae and his team were primarily
shore breakers. They’re in and then they’re
& Gabbana, thousands of brands make
concerned with speed. They were trying
out, they’re hideous and then they’re
them, but around the world they’re only
to get lifeguards through choppy waves
wonderful, they’re outdated and then
ever known by one genericised title.
quickly enough to save drowning tourists,
they’re practical, they’re strictly for gay
and world-class athletes down the pool at
men and then they’re for all men.
This ubiquity is interesting, primarily as Speedo has been constantly reinventing itself and it’s offering for the
The varied levels of meaning that go
times that defied imagination.
Navigating the sexual debate around
Those futuristic body suits that made
Speedos as a concept has become especially
entire century it has been in existence.
Australia’s relay team look like X-men?
significant in the last two decades, as the
These days, swim briefs account for less
Speedos. The swimmers that are chlorine
swimwear icon has been embraced by the
than 2% of the company’s global sales.
resistant and don’t lose their shape or
gay community and therefore positioned as
Sometimes it’s difficult to shake off your
colour after repeated use? Speedos. The
‘other’ in many hetero-normative societies.
crowning achievement. Nobody cares
sleek LZR Racer, which actually repels
But skimpy swimwear is a pendulum that
that Hoover also made washing machines.
water as you glide through it? Don’t even
swings both ways.
But honestly, what are Speedos good
bother. Speedos aren’t just the Hoover of
for aside from embarrassing your kids,
On any Australian beach, you’re as
swimming, they’re also the Google.
likely to see a fabulously buff man lounging
partners and friends in public? Well,
Do no evil. Innovate or die.
about in brightly coloured marble sacks
swimming faster, for one. Macrae’s junk
The other life of Speedos, the one you
with his partner as you are a straight
pouches may have become popular for
know of, is bound up in the general history
lifesaver running into the surf to rescue
their use on the beach, but it was their
of the product and at times has seemed
a kid that’s been dragged out into a rip.
appearances in competitive swimming
destined to overtake it. Like anything that
Speedos have been partnered with
lanes that made them world-famous.
deals with what goes
Australian lifesavers for almost as long
39
possible archetype of dick stickers, budgie
Speedos aren’t just the Hoover,
MANUSCRIPT
WHO SAID YOU CAN’T WALK INTO AN ONLINE STORE?
40
Photography Peter Bennetts
Australia’s most progressively minded retailer launches a concept fusing traditional and digital commerce. Mitchell Oakley Smith logs on.
FEATURE
S
ince the internet came of age, there have been very
Mr Kyvetos is something of a retail legend in the luxury
few companies to find a successful mode of trading
men’s fashion business. Having served as a buyer for Assin
both digitally and in a traditional bricks-and-
until 2008, he then helped to revolutionise men’s suiting
mortar set-up. Granted, e-commerce is still a somewhat new
outfitter Harrolds with its bold new store ventures in Sydney
medium, so it stands to reason that local retail dinosaurs such
and Melbourne, introducing a youth-focused portfolio of
as David Jones haven’t yet moved past clunky online stores
brands including Thom Browne, Rick Owens, Saint Laurent
while the likes of Matches, ASOS and Neiman Marcus – all
and its Tom Ford shop-in-shops. “What I started to see was
international retailers recently in Australia to stir up further
this growth of a younger luxury market,” he says of the
growth in local sales – carve out more of their territory. On
experience working with Harrolds, for which wealthy Asian
the flipside, the aforementioned brands, amongst others, have
youths became a target customer, expanding the stores’
been clever in hosting offline events, such as trunk shows and
customer base exponentially. “I saw an opportunity for a
pop-up events, in a bid to connect with customers, but in the
brand that didn’t remodel itself to fit a new market but rather
end, nothing beats the experience of walking into a store and
was built from the beginning for that younger luxury market,
physically trying on a garment.
and if that was going to be the case, then it needed to be
Australian retail prodigy Chris Kyvetos might not have solved the problem, but he certainly offers a viable solution.
developed from the ground-up for how that customer shops.” That is, on the go. With the digital age driven by
Sneakerboy, his new retail concept, is by all accounts one of
mobile-native customers, young people that have spent
the first businesses in the world to fully capitalise on the
their entire life shopping online are used to controlling
benefits of trading both digitally and physically, earning him a
their retail experience, a detail not lost on Mr Kyvetos in
place in the Business of Fashion’s inaugural Top 500 report
his development of Sneakerboy that allows customers,
earlier this year, one of the few Australians, alongside
both in store and at home, to manage their transaction.
designer Dion Lee, to be featured. “We’re an online store
Essentially, the physical Sneakerboy stores – rather
with a physical display space,” explains Mr Kyevtos of
beautiful but compact retail spaces in the central shopping
Sneakerboy, a multi-site, multi-platform retailer selling, for
hubs of Melbourne and Sydney – are designed merely
the most part, luxury sneakers from the likes of Saint
for customers to browse products in the flesh, with pods
Laurent, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy and Raf Simons,
set up for them to purchase products via the Sneakerboy
alongside a curated selection of t-shirts and sweaters and
app, available for download on smartphones, and website.
special, limited edition collections, collaborations and pre-
“Obviously real estate is super-expensive and when you’re
releases. “Who said you can’t walk into an online store?”
dealing with shoes half the store is lost to storage, so these
41
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“Young people that have spent their entire life shopping online are used to controlling their retail experience.�
42
FEATURE
key locations are unachievable because of the
The architect describes the process with Mr
amount of space you need,” observes Mr Kyvetos
Kyvetos as collaborative, noting that the idea for the
of the situation he faced. “Our web platform is our
design concept comes from the birth of the sneaker.
backroom, so to speak.” So while the business’ entire
With the New York subway strike of 1966, “everyone
inventory is on display in store to view and try on, the
was forced to walk to work, and so we’ve picked up
purchased product is delivered to customers within
on this subway culture and New York City to make
three to five days of purchase via a shipping facility
the store a commentary on where its products really
in Hong Kong.
originate.” The store’s perforated metal ceiling nods
Traditional retail aficionados might be skeptical
to the design of subway stations with up-lighting giving
of Mr Kyevtos’ approach given that it essentially
a sense of space, while entry is via a tunnel-like door.
eliminates the thrill of walking out of a store with a
But more than this, in many ways the store feels like
fresh new purchase in one’s arms, but when the
the inside of an old-school computer with LED screens
concept is viewed through the vein of being an online
displaying product descriptions, curved glass shelves
store, it makes sense. “These customers are used to
and square glass bricks, visually connecting it with the
buying online, to waiting for delivery… I thought it
idea of an online store. For usability, customers are
might be a challenge for people to accept this model,
able to shop the in-store collections by scanning a
but the acceptance has been mind-bogglingly fast.
product’s barcode with the Sneakerboy app on their
Our customers don’t bat an eyelid at the process.”
smartphone, registering the number left in stock and
In the first week of trading in Melbourne, a group
in which sizes. “It really takes each situation and
of tourists from New York visited the store, having
customises it for the customer,” says Mr Eggleston.
their purchases delivered directly to their home in
Why sneakers? Like lipstick and high heels in
the United States while still on vacation. For the
the women’s category, sneakers offer democratic entry
global-roaming 21st century customer, the
into the rarefied world of luxurygoods. “It’s the easiest
Sneakerboy model makes perfect sense.
way for young people to buy into luxury labels,” says
Nonetheless, the physical outposts are
Mr Kyvetos. “Our market doesn’t dress formally, but
architecturally significant examples of Sneakerboy’s
we wear sneakers everywhere. I found that the kids
artistic integrity, designed by award-winning March
coming into Harrolds and Assin were worried they
Studios, the firm responsible for particularly special
couldn’t wear Dior Homme because they’re not
retail spaces for Aesop. Although the Sydney store,
skinny rock stars, but they’re right into the [brand’s]
located in Temperance Lane alongside the Apple
sneakers.” It also ties in with the aspiration of celebrity
store on George Street, was still under construction
culture, in which the likes of Jay-Z and Kanye West
at the time of writing, Melbourne has been trading
will regularly wear unidentifiable jeans and t-shirts,
successfully since September. “We were really
but the sneakers, whatever they may be, are instantly
interested in the idea of a retail store being an online
recognisable. “They’re the equivalent of a woman’s
store because that’s new territory for us – for
handbag, a status symbol,” says Mr Kyvetos. And he
Giuseppe Zanotti sneakers,
everyone, particularly in this country,” says Rodney
should know. As he says: “I’ve never personally owned
available at Sneakerboy.
Eggleston, one of the architects of the project.
a pair of dress shoes.”
43
MANUSCRIPT
Images courtesy of Paul Smith
Paul Smith photographed in his first store. Opposite: The Paul Smith store on Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles.
44
FE CA OT VU ERE
HELLO, MY NAME IS PAUL SMITH With the opening of his second exhibition in London, Paul Smith demonstrates that the cultural worth of his namesake brand stems further than colourful prints, writes Mitchell Oakley Smith. To enter the Paul Smith retrospective at
office in London. “It’s really encouraging.
provides access to areas that people do not
celebrating a quarter-century of his
the Design Museum in London, you must
It says that however humble your
normally experience and offers insights
company in 1995, but at close to 45 years
first pass through a 3-metre-square box,
beginnings it is always possible to
into [his] creative process.” Ms Loveday
in business, Ms Loveday thought it an
a rather restrictive size. Inside, scrawled
progress. I want people to leave with
worked closely with Mr Smith and his
opportune time to revisit the designer’s
in big writing on the wall, is a sign that says
goosebumps saying ‘ooh, I could do that’”.
team to develop the exhibition, coinciding
work, following a slew of exhibitions of
‘This is the size of Paul Smith’s first shop’.
The exhibition, Hello, My Name Is Paul
with the release of a book of the same title.
non-British subjects, such as French
“There’s a saying that goes ‘from small
Smith, opened in November and is,
acorns big oak can grow,’” says the
according to its curator Donna Loveday, “a
has presented an exhibition of Mr Smith’s
1989, the Design Museum has presented
designer Paul Smith via phone from his
journey through Paul Smith’s world. It
work, with Paul Smith: True Brit
exhibitions of architecture, fashion and
It’s not the first time the museum
shoemaker Christian Louboutin. Since
industrial design, including the work of Zaha Hadid and Jonathan Ive, with the aim of placing design at the centre of contemporary culture and demonstrating the richness of its creativity. Design, it’s no secret, has traditionally been considered the lowest rung of the hierarchy of the fine arts ladder, a tide that’s changing as fashion continues to draw large attendance numbers, forcing curators and museum boards to take it more seriously across the world. But unlike designers such as Azzedine Alaia, whose body of work is currently on show at the Palais Galliera in Paris, Mr Smith isn’t the type of designer to warrant an exhibition focused solely on his clothing or technical mastery. That’s not to say his clothes don’t have a cultural worth beyond their immediate and obvious use but rather that there’s a greater story to tell here: about his background, his business beginnings and his global growth. Much like the Gucci Museo in Florence, this exhibition comprises a broad variety of media and ephemera to help tell “the remarkable story behind the Paul Smith brand”, as Ms Loveday says. Since that first three-metre store, which only operated two days per week, opened in Nottingham in 1970, Paul Smith has grown his business into a global operation comprising 1998 outlets, a rather considerable achievement for a young Brit that left school at 14 to become a racing cyclist. His foray into fashion, 45
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inspired by the pulsing art scene of 1960s
There is, of course, clothing in the
reveals Mr Smith’s long-running
London, began in tailoring, with a stint at
exhibition, though rather than presenting
connection with the music world. Having
Savile Row establishment Lincroft
Mr Smith’s archive chronologically, Ms
dressed everyone from David Bowie and
Kilgour. Today, Mr Smith still maintains
Loveday has highlighted themes such as
Led Zeppelin to Franz Ferdinand and Patti
both commercial and creative control of
travel, flowers and military that appear
Smith, the designer’s offering is unique in
his business, overseeing all aspects
consistently over four decades of design.
that it appeals to very public figures with a
including store design and campaign
“It’s amazing to see something from an
penchant for the outrageous for
photography, an interest he explores
early collection alongside a recent piece
performances and appearances, as well as
outside of fashion with commissions for
and see how the shape has changed, from
businessmen that shop in his stores around
the likes of Casa Vogue and Elle Decor.
really big then to slender today, and yet
the world. “A lot of designers have either
And though he designs twelve lines for the
many of the ideas are the same,” observes
very classical designs or very fashion
brand, including his main collections
Mr Smith of the presentation. “I always
[forward] designs, but I seem to embrace
shown at Paris fashion week, he is well
look forward but it has been interesting to
both,” says Mr Smith. “I think both
known for his collaborative projects which
look back, which reminds me to not
categories are beautiful so I couldn’t
have included collections for cycle clothing
dismiss what I did in the past as what goes
imagine focusing on just one,”
retailer Rapha, suits for the Manchester
around comes around and you can re-use
United soccer team, a redesign of a Lasonic
ideas you had before. It’s actually really
establish a formal archive for many years
boombox, a furniture collection for
interesting to see young people, like
– “I tried to remember to save clothes at
Cappellini and a textile collection in
students, picking up on those things today.”
the end of the season but in the beginning I
partnership with Maharam. It stands to
The designer is most known for his
Like many designers, Mr Smith didn’t
couldn’t afford not to sell them,” he
reason then that his current retrospective
digital prints and men’s tailoring, but an
explains – but today maintains a
wouldn’t be a singular study of a suit.
interesting aspect of the exhibition is that it
permanent storage space for his seasonal
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“I always look forward but it has been interesting to look back.”
collections as well as his promotional
It’s these very personal details that
Various rooms of the Hello, My Name
material. That multiplicity is on proud
give the exhibition, and the Paul Smith
Is Paul Smith exhibition displaying
display at the Design Museum, with other
business, its very individual and accessible
archival clothing, promotional material
recreations in addition to the first store,
quality. “I am confident that this exhibition
and various creative ephemera.
such as his famed office, a sort-of cabinet
will have a very broad appeal,” says Ms
of curiosities of gifts and objects collected
Loveday. “It will, of course, attract those
from around the world. “It’s full of mad,
who wear Paul Smith clothes, but also a
kitsch things, high-cost, low-cost things,
younger audience who will be inspired by
just stuff,” says Mr Smith of his workspace.
Paul’s story: how he set up the company
“That stuff has always been an inspiration
and continues to run it so successfully.”
to me and encouraged me to have ideas laterally rather than looking at what other brands are doing. It encourages people to use their eyes and is nicknamed the paracetamol room, because you’ll need one when you get out. There’s a lot that goes on each day there.” Another section pays tribute to Mr Smith’s wife, Pauline, “because I couldn’t have done it without
Hello, My Name Is Paul Smith
her. She taught me about the importance
is on show at the Design Museum,
of quality, of knowing your trade, how to
London until 9 March 2014.
make things beautifully.”
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FACE OFF The design duo of Craig Redman and Karl Meier may be separated by geography, but together they present a singularly unique style. Mitchell Oakley Smith joins them during their daily Skype meeting. You’d be forgiven for not having heard of
nothing immediate on the visual side
Craig & Karl, the Australian-born, New
that is typically Australian, but if you
York- and London-based artist duo, but
get deep enough into our work I think
if you’ve looked at a magazine, visited
there are certain personality traits that
an art gallery or been shopping in the
other Australians might pick up on or
past five years, it would be rather
find familiar.
impossible to have missed their work. With a graphic style that fuses digital
It’s really so recognisable now
technology and traditional form, the
I think. You instantly know a
artists have become widely known for
piece is a Craig & Karl work.
their colourful, pattern-heavy portraits
And yet the market is so lacking
of personalities such as Barack Obama,
in original ideas – do you
Valentino Garavani and Kanye West. In
think it’s possible to create
February, Le Specs will release a
something new and original?
collection of Craig & Karl sunglasses,
KM I think there's always an opportunity
and they’re keeping busy with seasonal
for new ideas. For us, we don't intentionally
print commissions from Nike, a new
set out to create something new, per se, but
collection of accessories for MCM, a
we do strive to develop a visual language
public art piece in Shoreditch, United
that is unique to us so that there's a
Kingdom and monthly illustrations for
consistency and coherence to everything
British Vogue. Here, they speak about
we do. We then try and construct our work
their process of collaboration.
from within those parameters.
MITCHELL OAKLEY SMITH
There’s certainly influences of
How did you first meet and realise you wanted to work together?
various art styles in your work though. Are there other designers
CRAIG REDMAN
you look up to or are inspired by?
Karl and I met when we were 17, in the first
CR Our influences are pretty eclectic, from
semester of the first year at university, and
Urs Fischer to The Real Housewives of
we've been working together in some way or
Atlanta, Tauba Auerbach and Jonas Wood to
another ever since. We understand each
Renaissance painting, Memphis design to
other’s visual aesthetic implicitly and are
crappy Chinese takeout flyers. We kind of
drawn to much of the same things, so it's
frankenstein all these weird influences
always made sense to make it a joint effort.
together to create our own strange world.
And you’re both Australian but
Jolyon, our fashion director,
neither of you live here anymore.
adores The Real Housewives
KARL MAIER
series, though he’s always been
I moved to London last year and Craig
more into the Beverly Hills
hightailed it to New York in 2007 when he
franchise. I think creatives
won the Green Card Lottery. It helps
today tend not to look in one
having one of us in two of the biggest – in a
place for inspiration.
creative sense – cities in the world in terms
KM It's more about being influenced by
of making us more accessible to the kind of
the world around, rather than intentionally
people we want to work with. I think it just
searching for inspiration. For us, it might
got the point were we needed to spread our
be something we come across on
wings a little, and thankfully it worked out.
Instagram or while we're digging around
Do you think your work still
Google Images that sparks an idea. It's also
retains an Aussie twist?
real world stuff like gallery hopping or just
CR I guess our sense of humour? There's
talking to friends that draws out the ideas.
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“Our influences are pretty eclectic, from Urs Fischer to The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Tauba Auerbach and Jonas Wood to Renaissance painting, Memphis design to crappy Chinese takeout flyers.” 49
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either of us do is completely up for grabs. We do aim to create a consistency to everything we do, whatever the medium, regardless of which of us may actually do the work. Is everything in your process digital, or some things you create by hand?
KM There is a part of every project that is digital. Usually we'll do a sketch, then digitise it where we play with composition and colour. More recently though there's an additional stage at the end, after digital comes another round whether it be painting the artwork, whether mural or canvas for example, or reworking it for products. With that in mind it seems to me you’d be classed as artists in the traditional sense, rather than a graphic designer. Do you see yourselves as artists?
CR More and more of what we do is art-based rather than design work. Even when we do design work, say a magazine cover, we end up doing a mini installation or something, rather than a straight-up illustration, so I guess it's evolving over time. I suppose we do see ourselves as artists but people do have trouble reconciling the image of designers as artists, which is understandable, I suppose, though not an opinion we Going back to your work, I think you’re most known for the faces; how does the process work?
CR The portraits start with a photograph of the subject, so depending on the location we'll either take the photograph ourselves or photos will be sent in. Then we create a drawing that is eventually digitised where we start adding the colour and patterns. We definitely aim to infuse the subject's personality or a recognisable character trait into each face. The Valentino portrait is predominately red, a nod to his red dresses, and the portrait of Carmelo Anthony has orange as the primary colour in reference to his New York Knicks team colour. It’s interesting that they’re so abstract and yet there can be so much of someone within the portrait. How many projects do you typically have on the go?
KM We currently have about twenty or so projects that we're either starting, in the midst of, or finishing. I think because there are two of us and we've been doing this for a long time we're well practiced at handling many things on the go, and we've become pretty good at making quick, concise decisions, which helps. CR There are some projects that we’ll manage
share. We do such a wide variety of projects, from murals to products, editorial illustrations to installations, animation to cultural identities to fashion collections… I think we'd get bored if we limited ourselves to just design. Speaking of fashion, do you think the form is elevated by working outside of its bounds and with artists, like in the projects you’ve worked on?
KM It benefits both parties, for sure. Fashion brands use it to regenerate interest in their brand, and it gives artists like us an opportunity to reach people that might not have seen our work before. It’s win-win. And working with print magazines, too, is interesting, in that people talk about the demise of print. Is print something special to you and your work, or can it be received equally via a screen?
CR People have been talking about the demise of print for twenty years, and while it might have dropped off from what it was, I can't imagine it disappearing completely. There will always be something about the tactility of print that an iPad can't match. That said we love the immediacy of the screen; we can have a project up and released in a minute.
individually but we’re always in conversation about the concept or idea. There are points of diversion and stylistic elements particular to each of us but we certainly influence each other's work a lot; anything
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↖ A selection of frames from Craig & Karl's capsule collection for Le Specs.
MANUSCRIPT
Paul Smith photographed in his first store. Opposite: The Paul Smith store on Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles.
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COOL RIDER Celebrating a quarter-century as the artistic director of the Hermès “men’s universe”, Veronique Nichanian continues to make the house relevant to men around the world. Mitchell Oakley Smith sits down with the best designer you’ve never heard of. That a brand ranked so highly on the scale of luxury offers such beautifully casual, accessible clothing is the very contradiction of Hermès. Under the direction of Veronique Nichanian for the past 25 years, the menswear offering of the French house has carved its niche with an aesthetic of binaries, appealing to the globally growing designer men’s market that craves authenticity as much as individuality. It’s not every house that sends crocodile leather button-down shirting down the runway, after all. As The
New York Times’ fashion critic Cathy Horyn noted: “She knows that pulling off that lighter, relaxed attitude, without things tipping toward slobville, is harder than it appears.” For the house’s spring/summer 2014 collection, the designer’s silver anniversary, Ms Nichanian presented one of her most effortless collections to date, with lightweight cotton and linen boat neck t-shirts, sweatshirts and boilersuits in a vast palette of blue and grey. MITCHELL OAKLEY SMITH I thought the spring/summer 2014 collection was just beautiful. I would wear all of it. What were you thinking about when designing it?
VERONIQUE NICHANIAN I wanted the collection to have a bohemian soul with a supple allure, mixing grey overtones and bright hues and trompe-l’oeil effects. What stands out to me about your designs is that they’re ageless. Do you have a specific man in mind when designing the collections?
Hermès men are so many and diverse, why focus on one? Our clients are all kinds of men, young and older, but no matter their age they all share the same taste for quality, excellence and modernity. I like to think they know how to speak their mind with the clothes [they wear] and how to appropriate the garments to make their own silhouette. I think about what I call selfish details, things that you cannot see from the outside but that the person that wears the garment can feel.
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→ Looks from the Hermes spring/summer 2014 runway collection, shown in Paris.
“To me the creative process is purely emotional; I don’t think about different markets because I think every customer is different” Hermès is a house that prides itself on quality and authenticity, but there are nonetheless commercial imperatives for every designer. How do you juggle creative and commercial demands?
When I create a collection, I think about men that would wear my clothes in the street, to see clothes in their lives rather than focusing on the runway. I am interested in the intimacy between a man and its garment. I don’t think about one Hermès man but many Hermès men… I want to create clothes to make them more charming and seducing. I don’t know if this is juggling the commercial with the creative, but my role is to propose what is right and what I have in mind.
How do you ensure the brand message stays clear while making those evolutions?
My role is to propose what I believe in. Of course, I live with my time, I travel a lot to big cities, and I see a lot of exhibitions. I am influenced by the world that surrounds me, not by trends. I am interested in timeless garments that become part of one’s life for a long time and I like to consider myself a “slow-downer” so the
Markets have been challenged in recent years with globalisation and e-commerce, and perhaps none more so than fashion. What do you think is key in navigating a successful business despite market changes and whims?
At Hermès we like to say the house is built on two firm legs, one is know-how and tradition, the other is creativity and innovation. I am interested in building a radical continuity, in creating vêtements-objets. It is about a path, not changing every season
Hermès men evolves but the vision stays the same. And is that the same globally as emerging markets become incredibly important?
We create one collection for the whole world and all the stores are free to buy what they want, so you can essentially find different pieces all over the world. In the collection, every garment is conceived as an object by itself, [allowing] the customer to compose his silhouette with a lot of freedom. To me the creative process
but writing a style season after season.
is purely emotional; I don’t think about different markets because
So aesthetic consistency is more important than creative experimentation?
We don’t try to fit in a market expectation but tend to propose
I think every customer is different from one another at Hermès.
Both [are as important], of course. My process of work is based on both innovation and tradition with the fabrics. It is the starting point of my creative process, giving new skills and performances to beautiful fabrics. I am passionate about the feeling of the fabrics but also the technical side. In the spring/summer collection, for instance, I have used very light cottons, washed and supple in feeling, and shaded nubuck and perforated lambskin. I constantly evolve while keeping the same direction and style; the changes are done through the choice of fabrics and construction of the garments is always the result of constant research and will of change.
the unexpected. With that in mind, what is your seasonal process of designing the collection?
I work very closely with my team. As I said, fabrics are the spine and the starting point, and from there I define the colours and I work on the shapes and lines. I pay lots of attention to every detail and never hesitate starting all over again until I have the exact cut. It’s often a question of a millimetre. I am very demanding and at Hermès we never compromise when it comes to quality. Is that what luxury is today?
To me, luxury does not mean anything by itself. The word luxury has been so used for anything it is now an empty word. To me we can only speak about quality and savoir-faire.
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Winter might be coming, but not for Noah Taylor Following a brief hiatus from the spotlight, Australian actor-musician-artist Noah Taylor’s career is, yet again, on the rise, writes Jemima Sissons. Photography Paul Scala 56
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I
nterviewing Noah Taylor is an interesting gig. Having been stung a few years ago, he is reluctant to meet you in person, so what ensues is a meeting with a shadow – exchanges late at night on email, and on phones in hotel rooms 2000 miles apart. One’s visual references are varied. One minute when he is describing his dislike of modern art (“I have a complete phobia of it”), we
are in Milan and Brighton (where he lives), and it is Mr Taylor in Shine that seems to be on the other end of the phone: a wild-eyed, restless ball of energy. Further down the line and we are conversing while he is on a train back home. He is describing his detachment from social media (“I am too old for it”), and it is the comical Mr Bucket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that springs to mind, that expressive face and furrowed brow, his brain whirring too quickly, as you get the impression it often is. His multifaceted roles are perhaps an apt reflection of his own life. Although most well known as an actor – in particular for his role in Shine as the troubled young David Helfgott, and more recently in cult US TV series Game of Thrones – Mr Taylor is also a talented musician and artist; a man with many strings to his bow. The elder of two sons, Mr Taylor, 44, was born to Australian parents in London, but moved to Melbourne when he was five, where he lived in St Kilda. Bizarrely, for someone who comes across as such a sensitive soul, he wanted to join the army before becoming an actor. “Boys naturally gear towards that kind of thing, crawling around
It is impossible now to pigeonhole Mr Taylor, and he seems to relish
on the floor on all fours, but I’m a coward at heart,” he explains wryly.
in taking on these multiple and very different personalities. Which, then,
It was after he left school at 16 that he fell into acting, without any
does he enjoy the most? “It's good to try and stretch your limits doing the
formal training, and was cast in his first major role a year later, in The Year
more demanding, difficult roles, but they can be taxing on you and those
My Voice Broke, directed by John Duigan. This was followed by Flirting,
around you,” he says. “These days I like to try and do comedies and slightly
alongside Nicole Kidman and Thandie Newton, where he played the
over the top villains, which is kind of a form of comedy. As far as favourite
sweetly awkward young Danny Embling discovering love. Yet it was his
roles, I enjoyed playing a Texan serial killer in a fairly obscure film called
raw vulnerability in Shine as the young piano playing troubled genius that
Red, White & Blue, which is a great film but a bit too heavy for the art film
cemented his name as one of Australia’s leading actors of his generation.
crowd and a bit too arty for the gore brigade so it didn't get much of a look in.”
With roles as diverse as Hitler in Max, the harrowed band manager in
But certainly since Game of Thrones, famous for its obsessive fan base,
Almost Famous, and a father undergoing a mid-life crisis in Submarine,
he is recognised more and more. “I wasn't really aware of the whole
he is equally able to show raw vulnerability and master the comedy turn
phenomenon until I actually started working on the show. I don't watch
with a simple sideways glance or raise of his eyebrow.
much TV and I'd never come across the books, so it wasn't till a while into
A few years ago, however, he seemed to quite simply disappear, go to
filming the series that I realised it was kind of a big deal to a lot of folks. If
ground, only to bounce back three years ago in more roles than ever. What
I have a beard in civilian life then occasionally someone will yell out ‘fuck
happened? “I took a few years off from acting to pursue music and assumed
the Lannisters!’ [the evil family in the series, for those living under a rock],
I could just slip back into it,” explains Mr Taylor. “But actually it was like
I'll give them a thumbs up and that seems to be enough. I've never really
having to start from scratch, which was a bit humbling, but probably quite
had trouble with fans; most people are pleasant enough and I know what
healthy. I think I'm more comfortable doing it now and enjoy the sort of
it is to be a fan so I try and be polite and friendly if approached, but really
roles that come with a bit of age. I actually find it more difficult now these
it doesn't happen much.”
days but that's maybe to do with taking it a little more seriously.” He is now
Having come to the UK in 1998 for work, he ended up living in
the busiest he has ever been. With six forthcoming film releases, his
London before settling in Brighton, a seaside town of faded Georgian
next, out in January, is Mindscape, a psychological thriller about a detective
splendour, freedom, windy piers, day-trippers and night owls. For him,
who can enter people’s memories. Others include Predestination, a sci-fi
it is oddly reminiscent of where he grew up. “It actually reminds me of
psychological thriller; The Double, by Richard Ayoade, about a man driven
St Kilda. There are still lots of big bums in Brighton, it’s rough around
mad by his doppelgänger; and Epic, a comedy shot in Georgia, made by an
the edges, with a mix of dreamers and junkies. There's some beautiful
old friend of Mr Taylor’s, Ben Hopkins, about a director trying to make a
architecture and I enjoy the slightly tatty seaside holiday resort feel of
film about a former Soviet Bloc country's national history. Taylor plays
the place,” he explains. “It could do with a bit more glamour and some
“an obnoxious B-grade action move star past his prime.” Then there is
more decent restaurants, but that's true of most cities in the UK outside
The Menkoff Method, a “good old-fashioned Aussie comedy” directed by
of London.”
David Parker, who wrote the classic Melbourne comedy Malcolm, in
He is clearly attracted to the more genteel side of Britishness, citing
which he plays the villainous Russian Max Menkoff. As for Game of
The Savoy hotel, Jermyn Street and the country’s ‘ancient’ establishments
Thrones, he remains, as you might assume, very tightlipped. “I can't say
as things he warms to. However there is a part of Mr Taylor that will be
anything or they'll kill me.” And he certainly wouldn’t be the first.
forever Australian. “I miss the beaches, the bush and the openness of the Australian psyche and landscape,” he says. Although he doesn’t consider himself an expat as he “hates that expression”, Taylor confesses that he now considers Brighton very much home. “I have grown to love it, I have lived here half my life. I don't attach much importance to nationality, but I am quite patriotic, and am still thoroughly Australian.”
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Although Mr Taylor, who goes back to Australia once a year to visit friends and family in Melbourne, confesses that he feels like his home country is increasingly less and less like the place he left. “Everywhere changes, it is one of those weird things about living in another country for a length of time, you go back and after 20 years it is radically different. You can see it in the attitude… it is a lot more materialistic now, it used to be egalitarian, but there is a lot more money obsession. I think this is because the recession didn't really touch Australia and people have got it pretty good there. During the previous government, under John Howard, it became a lot more antiimmigration and hard line, like under Thatcher, with selfish attitudes.” He also feels that Australians can err on the side of complacency. “Australian and British life is markedly different for a variety of reasons, the weather and personal space being a part of it. Life is pretty hard for the average Brit, and Australian life is
Music is also a big part of his life. While he was taking time out he
a dream for many; Australians don't know how good they've got it really.”
focused his energies on this, but even that has undergone a metamorphosis,
Downtime is spent focusing on his other loves, music and art, perhaps
mellowing a little, like Taylor himself: “I've played in and had numerous
where he feels he can be most himself. “Film is my work, it is not just for the
bands since I was a teen. Probably my favourite is my current band The
fun of it, it is very much working for other people, with other people. As I am
Rhinestoned Immaculates, a kind of a freaked out, droney, country western
a control freak I like music and painting as it is entirely my thing.” His art is
band, but I think we've run our course now; they were quite chaotic and
on the dark side: ghoulish images punctuated with death and murder. He
violent shows, always resulting in damage both to my guitars and eardrums.
seems, if his pictures of blood-spattered bodies and multi-breasted she-
I'm going to do something a little bit more refined and romantic next.”
devils are anything to go by, like a very tortured soul. “People often say my
It seems, like his music, Taylor has grown into himself. Having spent
art is dark, although I never see that myself, even the ones that involve
many of his years a little tortured, finding his way, he is now riding a wave.
hangings. A lot of those ones are based loosely on historical events, like bush
He shot to fame early, then disappeared, went to ground, laid low, to get
rangers, but for the main they are, I guess, what you'd call unconscious or
whatever it was that was needed out of his system. Now, back and stronger
subconscious images that float around my head. I tend to repeat myself a lot
than ever, he has come full circle. Married to Dionne Loehr, an Australian
which I fought against for a long time and then came to the conclusion there
fashion designer, he is also father to a six-year old girl, Martha, by a previous
was a reason for the images being so insistent, so eventually I just went with
relationship. Does he think his star is rising, that he is eclipsing the Chris
them.” He had a sell-out show at the Olsen Irwin Gallery, in Woollahra, last
Hemsworths of this world? “Not that I am aware of. I am not really a
January and is currently working on an exhibition at London’s Lawrence
competitive person, I was just very lazy about my career in my twenties and
Alkin Gallery, due to open in March.
thirties. Now that I am a parent and middle-aged, I am a bit more driven.”
Photography Assistance Simon McGuigan | Post Production Postmen
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Photography Assistance Ben Pexton | Styling Assistance Alex Rost Ms Kim used Kevin Murphy products throughout.
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Photo by Paul Scala
FASHION
LEATHER, LACE & LE SMOKING
MR SANDMAN Sometimes simple is best. Cool off in relaxed, voluminous pieces that are as easy to wear as they are to care for. Photography Troyt Coburn | Styling Jolyon Mason Grooming Kimberley Forbes
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Mr Goodwins wears Speedos briefs,
created exclusively for Manuscript. 65
Zambesi shirt, sweater & pants,
Limedrop sunglasses,
Salvatore Ferragamo sandals, American Apparel socks.
Opposite: Salvatore Ferragamo
shirt & shorts.
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Photography Assistance Ben Pexton | Styling Assistance Alex Rost Ms Kim used Kevin Murphy products throughout.
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Uniqlo sweater, Discount jacket, Prada pants (part of suit). Opposite: Verner vest,
Limedrop sunglasses.
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Orlebar Brown windbreaker, Paul Smith pants.
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Raf Simons shirt,
Maison Martin Margiela singlet, Lacoste raincoat,
Emporio Armani shorts.
Opposite: Orlebar Brown shirt. 72
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Burberry shirt & jacket, Zambesi pants. Opposite: Bally cycling shirt & shorts,
Limedrop sunglasses.
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Harry Goodwins/Priscillas Models Ms Forbes used Giorgio Armani Cosmetics throughout.
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AVENUE MARCEAU The seduction of Yves Saint Laurent’s Le Smoking remains forever in fashion, reimagined here through the cool disregard of a Silver Lake skater. Photography Paul Scala | Styling Jonathan Ailwood Grooming Vincent de Moro
Louis Vuitton pants, Christian Louboutin slippers.
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Haider Ackermann waistcoat & dressing gown, Charvet evening scarf, Louis Vuitton jeans, Christian Louboutin slippers.
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Charvet waistcoat & dressing gown, Kenzo shirt.
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Stylist’s own shirt,
Louis Vuitton smoking jacket & pants.
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FASHION
Kenzo shirt, jacket, pants & scarf, Christian Louboutin slippers.
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Haider Ackermann shirt, jacket, pants & shoes.
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Charvet shirt, waistcoat & bowtie,
Yohji Yamamoto jacket & pants, Christian Louboutin slippers.
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Saint Laurent shirt, Chanel jacket, Hermes pants.
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Yohji Yamamoto overalls & jacket,
Hermes coat, Haider Ackermann shoes.
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Prada shirt, Saint Laurent jacket & jeans. 86
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Stylist’s own shirt, Saint Laurent waistcoat,
Louis Vuitton trousers. Saint Laurent shirt, Chanel jacket, Hermes pants. Travis Smith/Supa Model Management | Photography Assistance Simon McGuigan Fashion Assistance Benoit Martin Kersenbaum | Post Production Postmen
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Black Hole SUN As the sun sets over a sleepy seaside village, all-leather looks come in to play.
Photography Liz Ham | Styling Jolyon Mason Grooming Sasha Nilsson Mr Phillips wears Claude Maus sweater, Dion Lee skirt, Winston Wolfe pants & jacket (hanging on bench), Rick Owens sneakers, available at Sneakerboy. 88
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Ae’lkemi coat, Uniqlo shirt,
Farage tie, Boss gloves,
Saint Laurent shirt, Chanel jacket, Hermes pants.
Winston Wolfe shorts.
Opposite: Bassike pants. 91
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Zsadar jacket & pants,
Paul Smith gloves, R.M.Williams boots.
Opposite: Comme des Garcons headpiece, available at Harrolds, Saxony harness.
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Kahlo shorts.
Opposite: Ksubi pants, ASOS backpack, Chanel surfboard, Adidas slides.
94
95
Dion Lee jacket, Boss gloves,
Winston Wolfe three-quarter pants. 96
97
Ksubi jacket,
Neil Barrett shirt,
available at MyWardrobe.com,
Kahlo leggings, Bassike shorts, Unif.m hat, Boss gloves, Birkenstock sandals,
Winston Wolfe bandana (tied around neck).
Opposite: Rick Owens jacket,
available at Harrolds.
98
99
Boss jacket,
Strateas Carlucci t-shirt. 100
FASHION
101
Maticevski beaded leggings, R.M.Williams boots.
102
103
104
Topman t-shirt, MSGM skirt,
available at MyWardrobe.com,
Winston Wolfe leggings, R.M.Williams boots.
Opposite: Saxony viser,
Maticevski mask, made for Manuscript, Henson backpack.
105
MANUSCRIPT
106
Louis Vuitton jacket, Sax briefs.
107
Strateas Carlucci bomber jacket,
Zambesi vest & pants, Paul Smith bomber jacket (tied around
waist), R.M. Williams boots. 108
James Phillips/London Management Ms Nilsson used Bumble & Bumble for Mecca Cosmetica throughout.
109
MANUSCRIPT
Stockists
Adidas / adidas.com.au
Ae’lkemi / aelkemi.com
American Apparel / americanapparel.net ASOS / asos.com
Bally / bally.com
Bassike / bassike.com
Birkenstock / birkenstock.com.au
Bumble & Bumble / bumbleandbumble.com Burberry / burberry.com
Chanel / chanel.com
Charvet / mrporter.com
Christian Louboutin / christianlouboutin.com Claude Maus / claudemaus.com CRANE BROTHERS / crane-brothers.com
Dion Lee / dionlee.com
Dior Homme / dior.com
Discount / discountuniverse.com.au Ellery / elleryland.com
Paul Smith / paulsmith.co.uk Prada / prada.com
Raf Simons / rafsimons.com
R.M.Williams / rmwilliams.com.au SABA / saba.com.au
Kahlo / kahlo.com.au
Lacoste / lacoste.com
Mecca Cosmetica / meccacosmetica.com.au
Pageant / wearepageant.com
Hermes / hermes.com
Ksubi / ksubi.com
Maticevski / tonimaticevski.com
Orlebar Brown / orlebarbrown.com
Gucci / gucci.com
Kenzo / kenzo.com
MAC Cosmetics / maccosmetics.com.au
O&M / originalmineral.com
Fudge / fudge.com
Louis Vuitton / louisvuitton.com
My Wardrobe / my-wardrobe.com
Farage / farage.com.au
Hugo Boss / hugoboss.com
L’Oreal / loreal.com
Moroccan Oil / moroccanoil.com
Emporio Armani / armani.com
Limedrop / limedrop.com.au
Maison Martin Margiela / maisonmartinmargiela.com
Haider Ackermann / haiderackermann.be Harrolds / harrolds.com.au Henson / thisishenson.com
Le Specs / lespecs.com
Saint Laurent / ysl.com
Salvatore Ferragamo / ferragamo.com Sax / saxfetish.com
Saxony / saxony.com.au
Sneakerboy / sneakerboy.com
Strateas Carlucci / strateascarlucci.com
Tigi / tigiprofessional.com
Topman / topman.com
Uniqlo / uniqlo.com
Unif.m / uniform-studios.com
Verner / ingridverner.com
Winston Wolfe / winstonwolfe.com.au
Yohji Yamamoto / yohjiyamamoto.co.jp
Zsadar / zsadar.com
Zambesi / zambesi.co.nz
110
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