WMN ISSUE N°1 june 2018
FUTURE IS
FEMALE
2
Here’s to strong women May we know them May we be theM May we raise them - Unknown.
3
©Nic ole HO
4
ISSUE #01 W MN Magaz ine c a n b e t h e a c r o n y m o f " W o ma n and Man,"because w e b e l i e v e t h a t t h e y s h o u l d be equal.
dear readers This magazine is a #timesup. It is time to create and speak up about our beliefs. Female empowerment is not just ideas, protests, documentaries or new words in a dictionary; it is also about individual style. When labels disappear, the individual emerges. It is about redefining sexuality, desire, femininity, power and pushing boundaries. Female empowerment is about creation, because creation is the most poetic way to stand out and be heard as a human being and as an individual. WMN is an ode to gender equality and female empowerment movements in the fashion industry.
WMN celebrates young, daring and ambitious women empowered by style, culture, travel and art. WMN sparks this bold generation to expand their boundaries and to follow their ambitious dreams through inspiring imagery and stories. WMN defines the modern female youth of today and tomorrow who is ready to take the next steps and redefine femininity, the one who dreams big and achieves everything with passion and determination.
5
Editor ' sLETTER
©Lee Cheung
6
I am one of those lucky girls who has been surrounded by strong and empowered women and by progressive men my whole life. They taught me how to be independent, ambitious and to make my own decisions about my body. I grew up free as a child, free to dream and to create, but as a teenager and young adult, I felt trapped and judged by the society’s norms and beliefs. I quickly realized that as a woman, I would have to work twice as hard as a man to achieve my goals and to be respected as who I am. My grandmother inspired me to make this magazine: She used to be a national track athlete in the 1950s in France. She was quite the rule breaker at the time, especially because she did it against her father’s wishes. But she was ambitious enough to make her own decisions. And it is my duty to carry her legacy and message. Putting the first issue of a magazine together is always frustrating: between endless research, writing, editing, shooting, rewriting and reediting, it is also an in-depth introspection. During
one of my weekly meetings with my former professor Stephan Rabimov, he asked me the question, “What is the true passion behind your concept?” And I came up with: Achievement. "Achievement" represents the way I see the current women's empowerment movement: each step toward gender equality is an achievement. It is also the accomplishment of two years of my life living abroad. This is the achievement of my complex student/athlete life, and the achievement of my two goals: sport and fashion studies. This is my own realization of becoming a woman who finds her inner voice and strength to create. And I want this first issue to represent all of it. I want WNM to be the muse of your creative self. May the readers find their own strength and passion through WMN to follow their foolish dreams because it’s never too late or to early too become who you want to be.
ny g i s e r P Marion
7
Editor-In-chief: Marion Presigny creative director: Marion Presigny contributors: Nicole Ho Mary Chauvel Natasha Williams Solenne Jakovsky Marta Bevacqua Mani Vilaysing Daniel Kit Fung Elena Martinez Graham Dunn Kelley Ash Ari Westphal Rosie Daly Cover and back cover photographer: Nicole Ho Copyright: WMN magazine Suscription/ General inquires: marion.presigny@gmail.com Special Thank you: Gatien Airiau Romane Présigny Yannick Cossec Franck Présigny Emmanuelle Présigny To all the strong and inspiring women surrounding me
8
ŠMarta Bevac qua
9
Table of contents
10
Page 12
PAGE 28
PAGE 38
2018 F/W Reviews: 14. Rachel Antonoff 18. PH5 24. The Creatures of Comfort
Fashion Editorial: Call Me By My Name
Interviews Beyond The Lens: 40. Natasha Wilson 46. Marta Bevacqua 54. Solenne Jakovsky 60. Nicole Ho
PAGE 68
PAGE 80
PAGE 90
Fashion story: The Mulleavy Sisters: The Inspirators
Fashion Editorial: Sunshine
Fashion Op-Ed: Should Female “Objectification” Be Banned of Fashion Advertising?
11
12
Who Is The New Rachel Antonoff’s “Royal Bitch?” Rachel Antonoff’s fall winter 2018 ready to wear collection.
N
ew York based fashion designer Rachel Antonoff doesn’t waste time. Her “Royal Bitch” entitled collection is both literal and figurative representation of these words. Antonoff is one of those committed designers who have always used her work to communicate strong and political messages. And the “natural blonde living and working in New York City” – has she describes herself in her online shop - chose to stand up for women because she embodies female empowerment and she believes that no one should be underestimated based on their gender, race or sexuality. Women’s empowerment is the grassroots of people’s empowerment. For the FW winter 2018 collection, she took inspiration from vintage portraits of bour-
geois people painted alongside their beloved dog pets. Female dogs often referred to as ‘bitch’, the designer doesn’t shy away from the controversial question: Who is the real bitch on the photo? The pup or her female owner? Her collection breaks down this question. The collection was presented as a series of portraits shot in a vintage house where the busy bowood wallpaper reminds us of some museum-quality castle home or cherished grandma’s weekend house. The backdrop works perfectly with the floral clothes patterns for a total floral look. The model’s red hair and porcelain skin add an aristocratic, yet dramatic touches to the set.
13
The collection is heavy on patterns and attempts to match-up present and future. The model wore a tea dress with high suede boots, a tea tartan blazer with a bright red kimono dress. The most choking combination is probably the black sweater velvet dress styled with champagne Nike shoes. The mood here is the Victorian era style adapted to today’s society with a small taste of the ‘60s and ‘80s. Antonoff’s presentation served up a short history of female empowerment. The FW 2018 looks are far more serious than previously joyful collections. The model is buttoned-up in her tartan suit and printed shirt. Rachel Antonoff, however, manages to keep a youth and feminist atmosphere in the collection with pastel pink fake coat, colorful ballerina pumps and its bow and the mini-skirts.
14
One of the best look is the long padded and printed coat with the high suede boots and short printed white dress. It is like sneaking into your grandmother wardrobe and mixes it up with your daily outfit. One element that didn’t change from the previous collections is the status-less approach to Rachel Antonoff woman. She is free to wear what she wants whatever her social status. It is all about personal comfort.
Rachel Antonoff’s bestsellers are the “Randy’s Reproductive System Sweater” featuring two-toned uterus – and whose part of the profit goes to the Planned Parenhood organization that provides sexual health care in the United States and globally - the “Hysterical Woman” t-shirt and the “I’m with her” slogan t-shirt created in 2013 and used by Hillary Clinton for her presidential campaign. When politics meets fashion, is there any room for fun? Perhaps the best way to support the movement is to ensure smart sentiment is present. These clothes in their appeal match Natalie Portman Time’s Up speech at the Women’s March in Los Angeles earlier this year: puritanical, delicate and strict. The female of today should wear whatever she wants and be able to express her desire without feeling judged. Antonoff’s wear matches that sentiment pitch-perfect. For the discerning curatorial eye Antonoff’s political messaging is peppered throughout the imagery: the toile print illustrates women picnicking on the grass with their dogs while nude men run into the copse. The Anotonoff’s bitch is definitely the one that does and wears what she wants. She is a royal, and she is a bitch. Women are everything.
15
“
The line has always been an extension of myself and my thoughts and feelings, so when we started doing t-shirts with slogans on them, politically-inclined statements naturally made their way in, Antonoff confided to Olivia Lucas in The Observer.
16
�
17
PH5 Makes A Bold Statement For Strong Women A
lthough favorite of many designers, ‘black’ is, however, not the color of women empowerment. Just ask the eccentric female designer duo Wei Lin and Mijia Zhang, whose brand PH5, founded in 2014, is best known for creating colorful knitwear for empowered women. PH5’s Fall/Winter 2018 collection, entitled “Fashion Matriarchy”, doesn’t break its tradition: When strong women celebrate strong women it happens through a rainbow. The looks were unveiled via models standing on the Samsung 837 flagship building’s stairs. Knitwear is as much art as it is technology: where machinery and creativity mix into wavy skirts, asymmetric silhouettes, high-leg bodysuits, straight-legs jumpsuits and striped
18
pants. “We want to challenge the conventional view of knitwear and let people know that it’s more than cozy, chunky sweaters that people wear during winter. It can be breathable, lightweight, colorful and fashion forward,” the designers said in their interview to L’Officiel. 1960s was another watershed moment for women’s rights in the household and the workplace. The 60s marks the feminist apogee and saw women protesting and fighting for equal pay, for an access to the same careers than men, for the end of sexual violence and sexual harassments in the workplace, for a reproductive freedom with contraception and for sharing responsibility in housework.
19
20
Inspired by that period, liberating 60s found themselves in the silhouettes and textures from the rainbow stripes, the flared-leg pants and shin-length skirts to color-blocked looks. The over-the-knee socks and bright color tights complete the style– note that they are designed to be worn over the shoes. “Every season we keep narrowing and narrowing, whether it’s our focus, our category, or our offering. I feel like we need a very concise, focused message. People don’t need more stuff. They just need to know who you are,” Lin said in the interview to Fashion Unfiltered. Resurrected this season, both the pink – a traditional female color, and blue, a traditional male color, are becoming brand’s signature palette. A subliminal message of men and women’s stereotypical colors mixed together. Designers Wei Lin and Mijia Zhang have embodied and stood for female empowerment since the beginning of their brand. For the
FW 2018 collection, they took another leap forward following the current empowerment movement. They have surrounded themselves with powerful, rule breaking female artists. Each artist inspired parts of the collection: Nathalie du Pasquier and Barbara Radice from the Memphis Group both respected and known for their graphic, architectural and colorful prints. The models have always been part of the brand’s global message; for the Spring/Summer 2018 collection the designers casted a male model to wear the collection such as a pole dancing instructor Sammy Picone, reached on Instagram. For the FW 2018 show, half of the cast is “real women” reached by the designers on Instagram as well. Two “models” are from Girls Who Code organization founded to close gender gap in technology, one is a nurse, another one is a sculptor and even a Hillary Clinton campaign’s staffer are making the show. Talk about embracing diversity!
21
“
We’re not necessarily the sexy, pretty, very, very feminine woman. It’s that balance—it’s the girl who’s a career woman and travels a lot and is very practical and functional, someone who wants pockets in everything and wants to be able to put things in the washing machine, Lin confided to Fashion Unfiltered.
”
“Fashion Matriarchy” is an ode to what has been the brand’s strength since day one: the flawless knit’s quality, designed in Wei Lin’s family factory in China. The designers wanted to highlight the meticulous, authentic work realized by strong authentic women.
PH5 represents the modern fashionable woman who travels, works and seeks wearable and washable garments. The brand shows one more time that fashion goes beyond the garments, and functionality is just as important as design.
“There’s a lot of science and engineering involved in our work, and we have two or three generations of women working with us. We realized we wouldn’t be able to tell that story without photographing it,” Linn explained to Vogue.
PH5 redefines the woman’s wardrobe through its mission. However honorable, the biggest question remains, will women embrace its message and fashion? So far the answer seems as complex as the knits themselves.
22
23
WHO'S THAT CREATURE? The Creatures of Comfort FW 2018 collection is all about women empowerment.
24
T
he Creatures woman feels assured: she dresses for herself and not for others! The brand’s appealing name drove me to closely look to its collections and aesthetic. Who are those confident creatures wearing menswear derive and oversize garments?
“
Bookish, but at the same time there’s sort of a celebration of womanhood,
”
confided the designer Jade Lai about the RTW Fall 2018 collection at WWD. The women’s empowerment movement coming from the West Coast inspired the designers at the New York Fashion Week, but The Creatures of Comfort is already a step ahead by dressing strong women since 2005.
The designer Jade Lai created the brand, The Creatures of Comfort, with a lifestyle in mind. She aims to combine luxurious materials with collapsing quotidian concerns in mind: she works, travels, manages, creates and takes care of her and her family. She lives several lives in a day and need to be prepared for each of them. “Powerful, confident, doesn’t follow trends,” is how Jade Lai described her customer to Vogue. And the brand best clients include a
wide range of powerful movement’s spokeswomen Reese Witherspoon, Busy Philipps and Miranda Kerr, among others. Since the designer opened a boutique in New York in 2010, she has been inspired by the Los Angeles and New York’s culture and style. The Creatures of Comfort is about dressing your own personality and the FW 2018 collection is an ode to self-love and confidence. The runway featured a lot of mixing and matching; a kaleidoscope of self-love. Inspired by the ‘70s free spirit and its the social progresses between genders and communities, its social and economic liberty for women and the anti-war movements, The Creatures woman’s clothes will be warm next winter. The models walking down the runway wore wide coats and anoraks on the top of loose wool cardigans and fleece and shin-length dresses. And if a tight is not warm enough, why don’t you put a trouser under a skirt or a dress? Everything is allowed in the FW 2018 collection. Gloves and scarves finalized this “grand winter” style while the fringe, the clogs and the highwaist wide bell bottom trousers put another ‘70s vibe to the show.
25
Woman is complex yet comforting creature, think of a teenage girl or a mother, respectively. Trying to design for a woman, one must be able to translate that complexity into wearability. Lai succeeds with the loose suits, blazers and plaid pattern give a strong and boyish silhouette to the models, while the waist belt placed over the multiple layers added a feminine touch to the look. The explosion of polka dots on the dresses, anoraks and shirts highlighted this feminine style. The mixing and matching is inspired by Simon Raf’s last menswear collection, and differs from her minimalism previous collections. And despites the cold, The Creatures Woman will remain braless in fall and winter! Braless and visible breast have been the representation of freedom and liberty for women in Europe for decades. Beyond glamor and sexy, braless is the symbol of the end of society hold on women and the symbol of gender equality – since men don’t have to wear corset and bras. The model Sasha Mart wore a two tones – marine blue and mustard - see-through shirt, which leaves her breast visible. The high-waist bell-bottom pants and the power suit are the best looks from the collection.
26
creat
ture
The looks seem to directly coming from your dad or boyfriend wardrobe accessorized with a feminine belt to highlight the waist. The seethrough and pink ballerina pumps in suede are one of the best accessories in the collection, and add a “girly” touch to the empowered collection. For Lai creating clothes is not the end point in empowering women, she took a step further by casting older and plus-size women in her show. Two years ago, older models, plus-size models and “real woman” played the models at New York Fashion Week, but only few edgier brands have continued the progress, and The Creatures of Comfort is one of them. The casting includes Barbara and her stunning white hair such as Oliya Clarkson and her sensual curve – few examples among others. More than everything, the band is about designing wearable clothes for active and strong-headed woman: the one who work, travel and have fun. Oprah Winfrey once said: “Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create,” about the future of women. It seems 2018 is when the future is as clear as ever for fashion designers: it is female.
27
Call
Me By MY
Name
Artistic Director & Stylist: Marion PrĂŠsigny Photographer: Nicole Ho Assistant Photographer: Daniel Kit Fung Model: Mary Chauvel Makeup Artist & Hair: Elena Martinez
28
Mango top ‘Womans’, Mango fake fur pastel pink coat, Galeries Lafayette marin blue berret.
29
30
31
32
Zara faux patent brogues with slogan print bow, Zara blazer dress nude, Zara metal glasses, H&M nude sequined socks.
33
Zara full sleeves top, Zara yellow faux leather skirt, Zara geometric sunglasses, Zara faux patent brogues with slogan print bow.
34
.
35
Mango blazer picnic black & white, Mango top ‘womans’, Asos black trousers, Zara platform debry shoes with polka dots.
36
37
38
BEYOND THE LENs Four female photographers who stand for women.
Photography is the art of capturing feelings and moments, and of telling stories. Nicole Ho, Marta Bevacqua, Natasha Wilson and Solenne Jakovsky, who are part of a young, bold generation of female photographers, understand this. Through their lenses, they portray women — their bodies and their complexities, their achievements and growth. But most of all, they convey strong messages. These young photographers represent a new generation of empowered women by pursuing their dreams, by living from their art and by capturing the evolution of women.
"Our creative community of women is being proactive in lifting each other up, giving advice, and building confidence. This is just the beginning." - Natasha Wilson
39
Natasha
Natasha Wilson, also known as De Anastacia, is a Los Angeles-based fashion photographer specializing in portraits. Passionate about art and travel, Wilson creates magical photographs that take you to a dreamy world. Her obsession with vivid colors gives a painting style to her photographs and make each one a piece of art. Nothing has been bright and easy for Wilson, who struggled to become a professional photographer after her graduation. She finally found a way to express herself and convey powerful messages through photography. Natasha is a feminist, a female empowerment advocate and a diversity and animal defender. Meet the Lewis Carol of photography who will take you to another world.
40
Your pictures are really colorful and enchanting. It is like being in a fairytale. Where is your inspiration coming from? N: I illustrate my photographs like I would a painting, I love being able to add in colors, and make a photograph more than just a captured image. I want the viewer to be pulled in. That's my inspiration for each photograph that I edit. Are there colors you are obsessed with and you love to shoot? Why? N: I love all colors! The ones that I have gone most to in the past are probably yellow and red. I think the eye is very captivated by such loud colors, and subconsciously I choose them more.
Wilson
Tell me more about your journey in photography. How did you end-up in fashion photography? N: I don't know that I have ended up in fashion photography, I think I do more portraits then focus on clothing. Clothing helps the personality of the subject I am capturing. I have had every job in photography you could name. I was a school portrait photographer, real estate photographer, I have created album covers and I have done E-commerce for websites. I don't like to label myself to doing one thing. Portraits are my favorite style of photography.
In a previous interview, you talked about the difficult transition between being a student photographer and starting a professional career in this field. How did you handle that? N: I really just through worry to the wind and tried to become what I set out to be. There are so many excuses we can give ourselves (I was giving them to myself for 5+ years). Finally one day I decided that being unsatisfied in a job was worthless to me. I quit and became my own boss. I have had tons of ups and downs, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.
What does De Anastacia mean? N: 'De Anastacia' means 'From Anastasia', which is where my real name - Natasha - originates from.
41
As a female photographer living and working in Los Angeles, what do you think about the female empowerment and the last Time’s up, #Metoo movements?
Looking at your pictures is like entering in a magical place. Do you have a specific creative process (choice of places, models, makeup, people you work with‌)?
N: I think it's an incredible and on going example that will empower more women to speak out, stand up for themselves, and inspire alike. Being in a primarily male dominated field, I have experienced and witnessed things that need to change. I think our creative community of women is being proactive in lifting each other up, giving advice, and building confidence. This is just the beginning.
N: I have a creative community that I work closely with. A few different make up artists and stylists. I work with different models everyday, and I don't prefer to use the same location more then once. I am always driving around finding new places that inspire me.
Nowadays, what is the biggest challenge being a female photographer? N: Being a young female photographer has it's challenges. The one I deal with on a sometimes-daily basis is getting haggled on my prices. (Which most photographers do, being your own boss.) Sometimes I feel that I get pushed further than a male or older person would have to deal with. I haven't been in the game that long, but it doesn't mean I don' know what I am worth.
42
Do you have a favorite photoshoot? N: I don't know that I have a favorite photoshoot, but crazy things always happen on shoots. Especially when we are trespassing for the photo, we are asking for chaos. I have had the cops escort us out a few times, but usually people are nice and curious, and love to see art being made. I have had a few people invite us into their home when we were photographing outside of it. It's always a fun story.
43
Your series “Where The Wild Things Are” is really amazing. How did you come-up with this project? N: I have always wanted to work with and photograph exotic animals. I started researching different animal sanctuaries and I found one based only 1 hour from LA. I had a meeting with the owner the next day. She gave me a tour and told me each individual story of the animal survivors and how they got there. After the tour was over, I knew that my project was bigger than just a small photo series for myself. I really wanted to help bring awareness to these animals and bring donations to the non profit that was helping them.
44
There is a strong message and meaning behind the “Where The Wild Things Are” series. Is there a message behind your other pictures? N: Yes, my goal is to bring awareness and start conversations through art. I have a series on the topic of White Washing in Hollywood, Women Empowerment / National Women's Day and my most recent is a project about self love. Looking at your pictures is like entering in a magical place. Do you have a specific creative process (choice of places, models, makeup, people you work with…)?
N: I have a creative community that I work closely with. A few different make up artists and stylists. I work with different models everyday, and I don't prefer to use the same location more then once. I am always driving around finding new places that inspire me. Do you have a favorite photoshoot? N: I don't know that I have a favorite photoshoot, but crazy things always happen on shoots. Especially when we are trespassing for the photo, we are asking for chaos. I have had the cops escort us out a few times, but usually people are nice and curious, and love to see art being made. I have had a few people invite us into their home when we were photographing outside of it. It's always a fun story.
You have traveled a lot. Is there a place you would like to stay forever? N: Right now, I love LA. There is such a huge creative community and the opportunities are endless. One of my most recent travels, I went to Japan, and I have never loved a place so much. Maybe one day I will move there for a bit. What are your upcoming projects? N: I have a few in the works, but they are secret for now! I have a short film coming out next week though called Rogue- keep an eye out for that!
45
46
Marta Bevacqua
Dreamy, poetic and enchanting, Marta Bevacqua’s portraits are tell a thousand words. The 29-year-old artist from Rome’s countryside isn’t only a photographer; she is also a storyteller. Bevacqua has mastered the art of women’s portraiture by creating her own darkly romantic aesthetic. Behind her 50mm lens, Bevacqua captures delicate and complex beauties in disturbing environments that challenge her and push the boundaries of photography. Meet a woman who doesn’t only believe in her dreams but recreates them. Your pictures are really poetic and magical. I read that your inspiration comes from nature, films, art and books (apparently you read a lot.) Can you tell me a place, a book and a film that has inspired you? M: It’s exactly like this. A place: Tusculum park (south of Rome-Italy), very close to where I grew up. A book: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. A film: Pan’s Labyrinth
47
Tell me more about your journey in photography. M: I started by chance during high school, when I was 17. Once graduated, I totally dedicated to this passion and step by step it became a job. I started working in different fields of photography, like set photography, portrait and catalogues. In 2011 (a pair of years later), I started being interested in fashion. I attended a one-week course at the Central Saint Martins school of London, in fashion photography. After that, I started working on editorials for free until I got the first jobs, in advertising as well. I worked in Milan during those years, and then I decided to move to Paris (2014). Now I am represented by Open Space Paris, I work in fashion but I love realizing my personal projects. Since 2 years, I also work on videos. Do you remember the first picture you ever took? Or the one that inspired you to pursue a career in photography?
48
M: So complicated to remember. Honestly no, I don’t remember it. But I remember I started during summer, and I can still feel the passion I already had. And everything was so fresh and exciting. So it’s the emotion I remember the most. I saw some of your photoshoots and I watched some of your videos and the "concept" can be pretty crazy (girl diving in the water and you shooting them). How do you proceed during a photoshoot? M: The preparation time is much more important than the shooting itself (even more for videos). I spend a lot of time preparing everything before the shooting. It’s normal that there is also a bit of improvisation during the shooting, but it’s always following everything I prepared before. For a simple shooting (a personal project) it can take from a couple of days to 2 weeks. For big shootings even one month. And for a video it can be around 2 months.
49
50
Talking about videos, you produce more and more videos. In the future, do you imagine yourself more like a cinematographer rather than a photographer? M: I don’t think so. Photography will always be my main thing I guess. Even if I love videos and I think I will do more and more. You are specialized in women portraits. Why women? Why portraits? M: Portraits came by themselves. Never chose them, I just followed my inspiration and instinct and it happened. Same thing for women, even if I guess it’s because I can understand them easily since I’m a woman too. I think you perfectly embody the new generation of empowered women, who pursue their dreams, achieve and highlight women in their work. What do you think about female empowerment and the last Time’s up, and #Metoo movements? M: It’s very important, and even beautiful we can say. Staying closer to each other and united make us stronger and more powerful.
51
Nowadays, what is the biggest challenge being a woman photographer? M: Honestly, I can’t see a real challenge in being a woman in this industry. I feel quite lucky for this. Don’t know if it’s thanks to the age we’re leaving or the city I’ve chosen, or maybe I’ve just got a big luck.
It is probably hard to decide but do you have a favorite picture? Or a photoshoot that really halet a mark on you? M: The one with the girl through the hole in the glass. It’s like this picture marked a moment from which I started in a new direction. You are Italian, you grew up in the countryside of Rome and you worked in Milan. Why did you choose to set your life in Paris? M: Hard to explain. Didn’t really choose, just wanted new things and so… the choice was London or Paris, and by chance it happened I went to Paris ahah What are your upcoming projects? M: Travel diary I’m working on and hopefully a new video.
52
53
Solenne Jakovsky
Solenne Jakovsky has an aim behind her lens: empower women by helping them to accept their complexes and see themselves through another eye. This young French photographer doesn’t only work with models but with “real people.” Somewhat like a psychologist, Jakovsky has made women’s well-being and self-acceptance her daily life. She creates intimate and strong relationships with her models by taking time to understand them before capturing their true selves. Each photoshoot is an emotional challenge for Jakovsky to tell the model’s story. With her sensitivity, fragility and eye for fashion, the 28-yearold photographer turns women into their own heroes. “My goal is to show that whoever you are or think you are, no matter your body shape or desires, there are so many things to highlight (in the human body and personality.)”
54
55
56
Tell me a more about your journey into photography, and why you chose to pursue a career in this field? S: I started to shoot when I was in college majoring in law. First, it was my way to overcome my timidity and meet new people. And it became much more lately. You talk a lot about the women’s complexes and the insecurity they feel toward their bodies. You also talk a lot about your own complexes, how you see yourself and your hard time being in front of the camera. Did it help you to become a photographer and help women accept their bodies? S: Not really. This story about complexes came later. I’m surrounded by women with complexes and I have my own, so I thought it would be interesting to show to those women that they should love who they are and not be jealous of other women. It wasn’t the plan, but it became my motivation. Your pictures are sensual and delicate. Where is your inspiration coming from? S: Mainly from the women I meet. I also like the aesthetic from a certain movies: "Hern Song to Song", and "Cashback," to name a few. Is there a message behind your photography? S: Not really. It is just my models and me. I just want her to understand that they are beautiful and strong despite what they might think. You mostly shoot women’s bodies. What do you like about it? S: I like the paradox between softness and strength. I am also more inspired by a woman’s body.
57
What do you say to women who tell you that they don’t like their image? S: To come see me! They will see themselves differently, through another kind of eyes. How do you proceed during a photoshoot? S: We drink some tea, we talk about the reasons why the model came to me and then we start! I lead a lot during the photoshoot so that the model has nothing else to think about, and lets herself go. How would you describe your aesthetic? S: Feminine, soft and peaceful. Is there a photoshoot that has really lett a mark on you?
58
S: They (women) all mark me in their own way: with their personal stories and character.
I know that you love to travel. What are your upcoming travels and projects? S: A few days in New York and a dream to accomplish: Greenland! Marion: Who are the artists who inspired you and who you would like to collaborate with? Solenne: There are so many actresses I would die to shoot, like Julianne Moore to give one example.
You are part of a young generation of photographers who can make a living from their art. But, is it hard to be a female photographer in the industry and succeed? S: No more than a man. People often ask me this question and really, but I have never experienced gender inequality. From my experiences, artistic jobs are more about gender equality than other industries.
59
60
nicole ho
It is never too late to start your own dreams. Nicole Ho, a Bay Area fashion photographer, took the risk a year ago. Originally from Hong Kong, she studied advertising in California before settling down in San Mateo. She quit her freelance marketing job in 2017 to dedicate herself to her creativity and embrace a career in photography. The balance between career, creativity and family isn’t easy, but Nicole Ho has too much creativity – which she develops playing with her son – to not take up this challenge. Ho has an obsession with European aesthetics and prefers natural lighting and playing with shadow, architecture and color blocks. . Her eye for fashion and elegance create delicate and inspiring stories. She is definitely a photographer to keep an eye on.
61
62
Nicole, you changed your professional life a year ago from freelance marketing manager to fashion photographer. Why did you decide to change?
bugger about fashion, you just see more stuff you can do with it. So, you’re like permanently excited, you know, to do the next shoot.” That is exactly why.
N: It started off as something that went hand in hand. But then I became more drawn towards photography. It was when I had the opportunity to take some fashion photographs for a local Parisian Fashion retailer, I thought to myself, maybe I could actually do this. So I slowly tried to do more photography. I would work with friends or bloggers at first, and then models. It was a process of learning: trying new things, failing and then trying to get better the next time. I had fallen in love with it, but it was also very challenging.
Do you have a mentor or are you learning on your own?
And why did you choose to specialized in fashion photography? N: I think fashion photography excites me. It gets me wanting to do more. I quote a role model of mine, Lucinda Chambers, the previous fashion editor of British Vogue for over 30 years: “Thats the
N: Good point! I wish I had a mentor. I am learning on my own and with others I find who share the same passion to learn. We’re doing it the way Da Vinci did! Where do you find your inspiration? N: Social media is a great resource. I use to look to magazines, but now I also look to brands that I admire. When I went to Paris for the first time last fall, I was inspired by the museums, the architecture, the cafes, and I was able to go during fashion week so I got so much inspiration on the runways and on the street. I was mostly influenced by Parisian style, because I had met a wonderful Parisian designer here in San Francisco and she was a mentor to me during my digital marketing days.
63
First time in Paris! Wahou! And during the Paris's Fashion Week. Can you tell us more about this experience? N: Yes, it was one of the most positive memorable experiences of my adult life. I told my partner we had to go during fashion week because I wanted to take photographs of the street style. We didn’t know anything about fashion week or Paris! My partner ended up doing a lot of the research for me the night we arrived, and how to get into fashion shows. We knew that it was impossible to get into the big shows. And he convinced me not to just wander the streets looking for fashionable people. We ended up getting into a few smaller shows and I took photos from the photographers pit during some of the shows. It was an exhilarating experience! Can’t wait to go again. What is your best memory from Paris? N: So many! I think it would be the experience of taking photographs at a real fashion show during Paris Fashion Week. It was my first experience and I hope it won’t be my last. Walking in the rain in Tours, visiting the Rodin Museum and being in Colette for the first and last time were also favorite experiences of mine.
64
Do you think you have already found your own aesthetic/signature? N: No I don’t think so. I think I’m still trying different aesthetics. It’s hard to stick to one! For now, I just call myself versatile. Is there anyone you really would like to collaborate with? N: So many. Female photographers I really admire and would love to collaborate with are Alexandra Nataf, Camila Falquez, Charlotte Lapalus, Shini Park. There are so many fashion brands and models as well, both established and up and coming. You have always been a creative person. You also have your own blog “Eat, Sleep, Play”. What is it about? N: Ah. I started that after I had my son because I wanted to share my experiences as a new mother. It evolved into talking about women’s issues and other things. I tried talking a little about fashion and then I started freelancing which took some time away from blogging.
65
Your blog posts are very inspiring. You talk a lot about your mother’s role, and how hard it can be being a mom, being a woman managing your own career and being judged for all of that. How do you manage it? N: Haha, I’m sorry to make it sound like such a struggle. But it is in a lot of ways a struggle to balance everything. Most days I feel like I’m not doing very well as a mom and as a new freelancer. But this is really how it is. At the same time, I feel like I am lucky to be able to pursue something like this. I’ve had to slowly earn the support of those closest to me. It didn’t happen right away and sometimes, its still hard to explain why I spend my time doing this. Some times it doesn't make the clearest sense to myself! I’ve always been a bit of a risk taker, I recently recognized that. I follow my instincts a lot. And success to me, is the fact that I dared to make the leap and worked at it the best as I could.
66
So, your blog is about female empowerment (you talk about moms who also have a career on their own, you talk about Bay Area’s women entrepreneurs.) Do you also have a message behind your pictures? N: I think there is a subtle message of women empowerment in the photos. At times it was intentional, and others not. But I think like every creation, a piece of the creator is embedded in it. Like having a child. A part of you makes up that child. What are your upcoming projects? N: I’m hoping to do another shoot for publications and work with local fashion brands here in the Bay Area or outside. I have lots of ideas, and I’ll probably try them!
67
68
Mulleavy Sisters: The Inspirators Why The Fashion Industry Should Take More Inspiration From the sister As storytellers and fashion designers, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, the sisters behind the couture house Rodarte, continue to push the fashion industry forward as demonstrated by the release of their first full-length film Woodshock in 2017, as well as the presentation of their first couture show at the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week in July 2017. Homage to the sisters, masters of fashion and film, who go by their own rules.
69
ONCE UPON A TIME RODARTE At first it might be difficult to pinpoint sisters-designers aesthetic sensibilities, but looking deeper into their early years does reveal some interesting sources of influence. Kate and Laura Mulleavy grew up in Aptos in Northern California.. With no formal training, they started to design in their parents’ kitchen after graduating from UC Berkeley in 2001 in liberal arts – Laura studied English Literature and Kate majored in Art History. The sisters have always loved fashion, and they taught themselves the art of garment construction by dissecting a Chanel piece. For four years, Kate and Laura did one gig after one another to buy fabrics; they handcrafted, embroidered, cut and burnt textiles at home to launch Rodarte – an homage to their mother’s maiden name. The year 2005 changed everything. They traveled to New York to launch their first collection, made of ten miniature versions of the garments outfitted on paper dolls. It was instant success. The veteran watchdog trade magazine WWD recognized the sisters’ talent and featured the promising designers on its February 2005 cover. Anna Wintour flew in person the same year to talk to the Los Angeles-based designers. She advised them to stay in Los Angeles away from the crowded New York fashion industry. "[Anna] said, 'No, I can tell what you do is personal. Keep it that way.' Perhaps one of the most heartfelt advice bestowed on any
70
designer by the Queen of Fashion. [Anna] cares if you understand your creativity and your vision (…) She wants you to follow your own voice, whatever that's going to be," Kate shared with the Fashionista.com. Following Wintour ‘s advise, they have since created their own enchanting world. Their inexperience but hyper-sensibility has since helped them to keep their label independent while creating dramatic aesthetics, elevating fashion to a neo-art form. Rodarte, the brand, has won multiple designer awards. In 2009, it was awarded the CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year Award. They became the first designers to receive The National Arts Award from Americans for the Arts in 2010. And Vogue nominated Rodarte Top 10 collection multiple seasons – just to name a few. Rodarte is in the permanent collections of the Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and The Fashion Institute of Technology Museum in New York. Beyond the fashion industry, celebrities, too, fell in love with Rodarte creations. Their works can be seen on Natalie Portman, Michelle Obama, Cate Blanchett, Keira Knithtley, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Beyonce and Kirsten Dunst , among many others. Kate confided to Vogue.com:
“
One of the things that distinguishes Rodarte is the romantic, conceptual way we approach inspiration and storytelling and how we see the world, landscape, art, movies, poetry, music.
�
71
PLAY BY YOUR OWN RULES Over the years, the brand has survived without any Chief Executive Officer or major investors. In an era in which fast fashion leads the industry, the sisters have managed to offer quite the opposite. They have maintained their label completely independently and with it their freedom to create. Not considering the business aspect of their work led to a fire of criticism including one from Robin Givhan who wrote for the Washington Post: “To the extent it exists, Rodarte is a grudging fashion business. The emperor isn’t exactly naked, but he is very scantily attired.”
And the minute that stops working, then I couldn’t be a designer anymore.” The designers like to compare their house to Chanel or Vionnet in term of long-lasting legacy. Their goal is to stay independent and to grow slowly. And by growing slowly, the sisters decided a few years ago to go by their own fashion schedule and present only two collections per year – compared to four or five collections presented each year by other couture houses. Collections are presented in January and July at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, where they moved from New York last year.
Laura confided to The New York Times: “Frankly, I couldn’t care less about seeing one hundred people walking down the street wearing my designs. I care about growth, obviously, but I also care about integrity.
“
We realize that what we wanted to do with it is to keep it insular just so we can protect it, and say, 'This is our voice.' We're kind of like the guardians of some type of expression and that's important to us. Laura reveled to the Fashionista.com
72
”
73
74
TWO BODIES, ONE SOUL The sisters, with only one year and a few months apart, define themselves as “one person split into two,” reports Sarah Mower for Vogue.com. At 37(Laura) and 38 (Kate) years old the inseparable designers do everything together including sharing a “compound” - as they like to call it – with their parents in the countryside of Los Angeles. They don’t even correct people when they refer to them as twins. Kate and Laura have grown their imagination to gether to become the storytellers of their own world. “We were brought up in a rural area. When we were little, we did everything together. We had a huge imagination. We’d go outside and play together and create these secret worlds and a language we shared, ” Kate said to Vogue.
And when they started to write their first big screen drama Woodshock in 2011 – released in 2017 - Kate and Laura only used one laptop and their four hands. “With other siblings I’ve worked with — Ridley and Tony Scott, or the Duplass brothers — usually they divide and conquer. But Kate and Laura genuinely both do everything. They don’t separate tasks and responsibilities. But they’re not afraid to disagree with each other. Sometimes, in a meeting, I felt like I was in their living room watching two family members relating to one another,” Michael Costigan said to the LA Times.
75
STORYTELLER: FROM FASHION TO CINEMA After their antiestablishment push in fashion, Mulleavy sisters started to write their first big screen drama Woodshock in 2011. It took them 6 years to bring it to the screen in September 2017. The film, featuring Kirsten Dunst, is inspired by the woods where they grew up, the disrupting drama shows a haunted young woman torn between her fractured emotional states who starts a deep self-introspection through drugs. “We were really interested in understanding the psychology of destruction,” Laura said to The Cut.
76
Cinema has always been in the sisters’ DNA. They are fascinated by horror films and Hitchcock movies – their mother even allowed them to miss a week of class to watch all the Hitchcock movies. Kate and Laura have always described themselves as storytellers: “People who came to our shows would always say, ‘It’s like a film.’ They would have an emotional connection to them,” Kate said to the Hollywood Reporter. Some pieces from the Rodarte Fall 2014 collection were even inspired by the movie Star Wars.
The sisters’s first experience in the cinema industry was for Darren’s Aronofsky’s when they designed the ballet costumes for Black Swan. They also collaborated with Todd Cole twice for short films entitled “Aanteni,” in 2011, and “The Curve of Forgotten Things,” featuring Elle Fanning in 2014. Kate and Laura have a feminine, emotional sensibility in fashion and now in cinema. Kirsten Dunst said to the Hollywood Reporter: “They’ve always had their own lane artistically. They have such a unique voice, and it’s apparent in this film that we need more female directors. This movie is all about being inside a woman’s head.”
77
78
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT The LA-based designers, who are very close to some leading Hollywood actresses, have shown their support for the female empowerment movement in the cinema and fashion industry by naming their 2018 Fall/ Winter campaign “Women Who Inspire Us.” The campaign features women’s right activists from film and fashion: Kirsten Dunst, Hong Chau, Danai Gurira, Grimes, Tessa Thompson, Rowan Blanchard, Chloe x Halle and Reese Witherspoon and her daughter Ava, all wearing tulle embroidered gowns. “It’s an important time for people to recognize that women are artistic, and that’s what I think these images reflect in all the different personalities,” Kate said to SaluteMag.com
dustries dominated by men. “We should be teaching our younger generation of women to fight to be leaders,” Laura said to Vogue. com. “It’s not about complaining—it’s about wanting more out of the world.” And if the designers are not exactly living the luxurious fabulous designers’ life that we usually pictured. Kate and Laura are reforming the current fashion industry’s codes by following their own instincts, sensibility and creativity. The sisters empower women, and they remind us what fashion really is: an expression of yourself and a wearable form of art. “I think being a creative force as a woman is a fascinating thing,” Kate said to Vogue.com.
Behind this idea, Kate and Laura want to highlight women’s voices and disrupt in
79
sunshine Photography: Graham Dunn, Styling: Kelley Ash, Model: Ari Westphal, Editor: Rosie Daly
80
e 81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
Should Female “Objectification” Be Banned of Fashion advertising? In 2018, it is hight time to ban it.
I
t is pretty absurd to think that one of the first things we learn about fashion – and from a very young age — is how much sex really does sell. I remember playing “the model” with my teenage friends naïvely quoting the cliché, “Make love to the camera,” heard on TV and movies. Including “sex” in a campaign seems to be the only way to succeed. And, if a 14-year-old teenager from the countryside of France can pronounce those words, it means the industry is facing a social and ethical problem. A world that has seen the #MeToo movement, “Time’s Up” and Terry Richardson’s sexual accusations begs the question: Should female objectification be banned in fashion campaigns?” While the answer should be a resounding YES, the fashion industry, which has sold glamour and garments through “sex” nearly since its inception, is deaf to the rising voices of concern. If the future is female, why do we jeopardize our future by objectifying women? Just a year ago, the French couture house Saint Laurent – which has been well known for giving power to women through their wardrobes in the second part of the 20th Century – betrayed its own values by
launching a degrading campaign that featured a scarly thin model wearing high heels with roller-skates and fishnet stockings in a suggestively sexual position. Meanwhile, couture house Dior – lead by Maria Grazia Chiuri – broadcast the sentiment, “We should all be feminists” on the brand’s apparel.The Saint Laurent campaign was quickly banned in France by the ARPP – the French advertising regulation – and in other European countries, but it nevertheless reminds us that the fashion industry’s perception of women is still out of date. We know that some famous fashion photographers have been inappropriate with their models for years, including Terry Richardson, Bruce Weber, Mario Testino and Guy Bourdin, but, until recently, it didn’t stop fashion and media brands from working with them. In a 2017 article about Terry Richardson’s accusations, Washington Post reporter Robin Givhan wrote: “In an industry that is overwhelmingly for and about women, fashion still manages to treat women — those who are young and powerless — like crap.” But as The Cut’s editor-in-chief Stella Bugbee wrote in April 2018, “Objectification was the price of admission to a supposedly glamorous world.
91
All along the fashion food chain, everybody benefited, so long as the models kept their silence.” But who decided that sexual violence was the price to pay to succeed in the fashion world? Why should glamor involve sex and objectification? And how have suggestions of rape, “porn chic,” anorexia and female objectification become normalized? And what can we, as fashion consumers, do to change this? There is an one example of a brand that has been able to change from “sex sells” to “diversity sells:”: Gucci. The brand, lead by Alessandro Michele since 2015, took a step forward toward embracing society’s current demands for gender equality, ethnic diversity and no abuses of power by making them Gucci’s values. In its 2018 Pre-Fall video campaign, Gucci features students protesting in the Parisian streets for “Egalité! Liberté! Sexualité!” inspired by the 1968 French student strike — this all from the brand that is currently considered the trendiest in the world.
“
The International advertising lawmaker organization is in charge of protecting the society from the industry’s abuses. They have been active during the last decade to help change fashion’s preconceived mentalities. And article on TheFashionLaw.com highlights that Article 4 of the International Chamber of Commerce Consolidated Code of Advertising and Marketing Communication defines potentially gender-discriminating advertising as this: “Advertising portraying men or women as sex objects that can be considered offensive (objectifying); advertising portraying men or women in a stereotypical way in terms of gender roles and where men or women are represented in a derogatory way (stereotyping); and advertising that is discriminating or derogatory in any other way.” The recent movements, accusations and protests in the fashion industry and beyond clearly show that society is evolving by standing up to abuses.
”
The same gender stereotypes and generalizations that have applied over the past 25 years don't apply today. They don't resonate.
92
People have started to boycott outdated messages that don’t reflect society anymore. Eric Korman, the founder and chief executive officer of perfume brand Phlur, said to Bloomberg: "The same gender stereotypes and generalizations that have applied over the past 25 years don't apply today. They don't resonate." As consumers and active participants on social media, it is our duty to denounce and boycott abuses and objectifications, and to also highlight the new fashion values. Consumers can post on social media with calls to action. We have to stop buying clothes from brands that don’t respect the current society’s values. And we have to open the discussion about what is the future of fashion.
In a recent article, TheFashionLaw.com reported: “We – as the media, as consumers, as active participants in the conversation on social media and elsewhere – need to stop praising ads that objectify and/or belittle women as “provocative,” as “art” and as “fashion.” Because this is not “art” and it is not “fashion.” It is objectification and it is damaging.” In a constantly evolving society, where women’s rights are a main topic, it’s time for the fashion industry insiders to think about what really defines fashion. It’s time to boycott brands whose campaigns objectify women. It is time to push the fashion boundaries further.
93
ISSUE n°1 Future is female - june 2018