Note From The Editor This issue of Proper is A bit different to the Proper we all know and love. Similar content to what you all know and love, however I thought I’d mix things up a tad and give Neil a bit of time off. Think of me as a supply editor. I’ve had my fair share of experience working with men’s fashion, so I’d like to think that you’re in good hands. I’m sat here in Foundation Coffee House, two latte’s down thinking about how grim the weather is, how nice my walnut brownie was, and pretty much anything other than relevant features that I should be writing. Did you know there are 1.3 traffic cones in the UK? Or that slugs have four noses? Unfortunately that’s it for the interesting facts, but I thought I’d share something a bit different to the other work you will see in this magazine. As well as those facts/tinder date conversation starters. I’ve incorporated music, lifestyle, fashion, editorials. The whole sherrbang. When I think of Proper, this issue is what I believe the mag stands for. Having the creative freedom to style, shoot and direct to create content that can really engage with you all has been really exciting, so I hope you enjoy.
Every season Nudie releases a compilation of staple denims, as well as some other classic timeless pieces. T-shirts, hoodies The Scandinavian brand has a huge range of sustainable denim, in a large variety of colours and styles. The brands ethos is based on sustainability, but does not sacrifice style. This printed coach jacket from their latest collection showcases the “NJCO” logo. Made out of polyester, it has an unmissable palm leaf print If you’re getting the summer blues and withdrawal symptoms from your hawiin shirt, then this will tire you over until the warmer weather.
Review: The Reno Reborn @ Whitworth Art Gallery By Kamila Sebestova The funk and soul cellar of Moss Side in the 80s was packed with iconic regulars, MPs and individuals like ‘Hurricane’ Higgins; all dancing to the beats of DJ Persian. The Reno’s iconic atmosphere returned to Manchester with the launch of Linda Brogan’s book about the club, Excavating the Reno, on Thursday at The Whitworth. The Reno was an essential part of Mancunian subculture, which is why in 2017, a group of Reno regulars led by an award-winning playwright Linda Brogan, decided to excavate the building, which was demolished in 1986. They found treasures
such as lipsticks, pieces of the dance floor and even a sack of weed. The Whitworth gallery then established an exhibition around the history of the club and the whole
process of its excavation. You might ask what the reason behind digging into the history of an
old club from the 80s. The answer is – stories. Coming from one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Manchester, the fascinating life stories of the Reno regulars are captured in the memoirs which Brogan collected. The ‘children of the 60s’ who frequented the Reno were mostly from mixed-race families, often facing hatred and racial discrimination in Manchester at the time. Although there was gun and gang violence in Moss Side, the Reno was a spot which gave them a “sense of place”, as described by one of its regulars, Susan Mousha. “Even though there were drugs, gambling and it was in the middle of the night, it was always safe. They were the same mixed-race people, like me, and we all cared for each other and looked after each other,” Susan said. “I came here tonight because this is just the legacy of it all. If you’re a part of something, it can live on.” Susan Mousha added that she was saddened by the demolition but understands things simply change:
“It’s not gone though. It’s still here – in our hearts and memories. That’s what Linda captured by this whole project.” She came with her niece Riya, a fine art student and has been engaged in the project as well. “I’ve been helping out Linda Brogan for the past weeks and it’s been great,” Riya said. “The whole goal tonight was to reverse the Reno atmosphere. I was raised in the area of Moss Side and the community. It is very empowering as a woman of colour to be here and to be proud of my background.” The artefacts gained from the excavation together with the photographs and memoirs are exhibited at the Whitworth until April
2020. Looking at them, it’s easy to understand Linda’s touching quote about the club: “To us ‘half-castes’ born into the 1940s or 50s, ‘no blacks, no Irish, no dogs’ – it was home.” The author of Excavating the Reno said she wanted to write a Reno play for years, but couldn’t capture the nuances. “Instead, I harvested the Reno itself.” For that, Linda Brogan won The MCR Culture Award this year. The event on Thursday attracted lots of curious visitors who wanted to experience ‘the Reno vibe’. Whitworth’s event space room was packed with some of the club’s regulars and their families, as well as lots of young people impressed by the story of the club.
here and to be proud of my background”
“It is very empowering as a woman of colour to be
The artists from the Royal Exchange Theatre were among the attendees and said that the history of the Reno has been something they’ve been really interested in. “We’ve heard from the older generation about how it’s been a hub for culture here and about the amazing experiences and people from a lot of different cultures getting together and dancing,” they said. The event met Brogan’s purpose of celebrating the unity as well as the Mancunian diversity which Reno represented while it was alive. To find out more about this unique project, have a read on the author‘s website.
Hat: Carhartt Bag: CP Company Tshirt: WoodWood Overshirt: Asos Chinos: Asos Shoes: Clarkes
Chill Out Dude! Breath. Take a walk. Release some serotonin. Your body needs a rest man. People get so used to living in 5th gear and tend to forget that like a car, if you run on fumes then you’re just going to crash and burn. Give yourself an MOT. Pencil in a few extra hours sleep, set a reminder to take a weekend off from pumping your body full of chemicals. Save your brain cells and your wallet. Go to the beach, have a kick around in the park. Five degrees outside? Doesn’t matter, chuck a steak on the BBQ. Do what makes you happy. It’s so easy to lose touch with what you enjoy as sometimes life just takes over, but it’s the little things in life that tend to get sacrificed when keeping up with the world. So just chill dude. Take a breather. Buy a frisbee. Bake a cake. Because sometimes to get yourself back on top form, all you need to do is just take a step back.
4. Not A small Kangaroo 5. A working progress 6. Support small independent book and magazine stores (Stockport) 7. Worn by dads in Ohio and supermodels in London 9. Put the needle on the.. 10. Not the South Face but the.. 11. Save the planet by putting yout groceries in your.. 1. Rhymes with harbour, nice jackets 2. Outdoor adventure enthusiast hikes into an Acid House rave 3. Sustainable, practicle, fahsionable and a beautiful mountain range 8. Headwear donned by global style icons Kevin and Perry
Barbour’s latest international collection is an assortment of earthy tones and utilitarian influences. Steering away from the traditional wax and Liddesdale jackets, the English heritage brand are now heading in a more contemporary direction, incorporating new patterns, shapes and styles. Like Ralph Lauren and Baracuta, Barbour have also picked up on the camouflage print this season. Never seeming to leave, the military print has latched on to mainstream fashion since the early 00’s and doesn’t look to be disappearing anytime soon, making this jacket an investment piece. Whether you’re heading down the pub, going on a hike through the outdoors or dressing up as a pixelated Call Of Duty character from a PS2 game, this Barbour jacket is certainly a far cry from their quilted jackets the brand are known for.
UK brand, Albam, each season churn out specially crafted ranges of classic menswear. With only two stores in the UK, embeded in between independant coffe shops, I went to the Islington store to check out the best pieces from the latest collection. Similar to Scandinavian brands, each collection showcases the best of minimalistic fashion. Utility jackets and corduroy seemed to be the major theme, and of course staple tee’s and tote bags were amongst the favourites in the store. Like a lot of Scandinavian brands, each collection showcases the best of minimalistic fashion. Counter to the traditional neutral colours Albam are renowned for, this season boasts mustard yellow, pinks and purples.
albam I picked out my three favourite pieces from the store. A staple every season, this navy stripe tee is a classic. Worn under an overshirt or with a pair of chino shorts in the summer, this versatile top can be worn all year round. My second pick was this white lightweight corduroy jacket. Other than the colour, this practical piece can be thrown on over a tee and teamed with a pair of navy chinos for your desired look. Brogues for smart, Novester for casual. This last pick is a duffle coat. Layer up with a cashmere jumper also from the new Albam collection.
Albam store, Islington
#1970 Richard Billingham Born in 1970, Rhichard Billingham has become arguably one of the most talented photogrophers in the era of the 35mm. Quintisentially raw, Billingham throughout the 80’s and 90’s doccumented his life growing up in the midlands. “Ray’s A Laugh” is his most renowned work which features his alcoholic father and obese chain-smoking mother. His work captures the harsh reality of spending years living in this disfunctual enviroment Billingham has created multiple collections that showcase his life. Check out his photography at Tate Liverpool.
“Rays a laugh”, 1996
From Manchester, the emotionally expressive rock band emerged onto the scene during the post-Punk era. Closer communicates raw emotion channelled through Ian Curtis’ brutal lyrics. The Mancunian band went on to become New Order at the turning point of a new decade, however not before leaving behind a lasting legacy as one of the most successful rock bands of all time. Joy division hasn’t just been a huge influence on the music scene, brands from Dr Martens and Pleasures have endorsed the iconic album artwork. Check out Places 40th Anniversary limited edition tee and vinyl at NewOrder.com.
#1980 Joy Division - Closer
#1990
Inspired by the recent Sweet harmony exhibition, I thought instead of just choosing one event from 1990, i’d go through the best dance tracks from 1990 to 1999.
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
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Joey Beltram “Energy Flash” Crystal Waters “Gypsy Woman” Snap! “Rythm Is A Dancer” Masters At Work “I Can’t Get No Sleep” Frankie Knckles “Your Love” Shy FX & Uk Apache “Original Nuttah” Josh Wink ‘Higher State Of Conciousness” Aphrodite “Stalker” Marshall Jefferson “Mushrooms” The Railway Raver “Drop Acid Not Bombs”
Von-Dutch Trucker Hats The birth of the new millennium saw
a whole new wave of interesting and exciting discoveries. 2000 was the year of the new millenium, but most importantly, the Von-Dutch trucker hat was born. Their unmissable logo and mesh back was certainly a statement piece. Coming in a variety of colourways, it was an icoic accesory. Now days, you may still find a wavy garmed nearlyhit-the-big-time minimul techno DJ smoking rollies in a basement party somewhere donning one, or in poundland, but that is all. Hopefully.
#2000
#2010
Directed by legendary street artist Banksey, this witty and smart film explores not the life of himself, but the odd life of Thierry. As we all know, Banksey is not one to bask in the limelight, which is why people flocked to the cinema thinking they were going to find out about the mysterious man behind the kissing police men. The more the film goes on, the more you start to become less interested about Banksey, and more about this Thierry guy who you’d never heard of. Give it a watch and have a giggle at the expense of Bankseys misfortune.
2020 – Carhartt X A.P.C Launching in January 2020, the Carhartt X A.P.C collaboration combines the essence of A.P.C’s classic minimalism, with Carhartt’s workwear ethos. Staple items from each brand such as tote bags, hoodies and worker jackets have all been re-branded with a combination of both logos to represent both labels. Key pieces from each brand have been reinvented for the capsule collection. The blue denim that defines the A.P.C tote bag and ripstop backpack has been re-branded with the new logo, as well as the renowned Carhartt beanie. Despite the collection not being overwhelming, the carefully designed pieces represent major menswear trends at the moment. Understated, utility and simplicity. Here are a list of UK stockists below:
#2020
Whether you’re wanting to save the planet by putting your groceries in one, or need a new carrier for your vinyl. Here is a roundup of some of the best totes out there at the moment.
Adsum Bag : End Clothing
Patagonia bag : End clothing
001 x The Normal Charity Tote Weare1of100.com
Creative Health Tote Wolf And Badger
Manchester Open Exhibition A Review of HOME Free Exhibition
Running from Saturday 18th January up until Sunday 29th March, HOME is running an exhibition that celebrates some of the most talented creatives Manchester has to offer. Composed of over 500 artists, Push Festival 2020 boasts a variety of art forms, including photography, sculpture, paints, and video. This showcase of talent has on display a combination of artists from all ages and experience levels, which is what makes it so special. HOME boasts an extraordinary variety of all the art forms from all around the world, which is what makes each exhibition so exciting.
Granger Street, Newcastle
Whether we’re doing it to contribute towards a sustainable environment, or to take a step back from mainstream consumerism to endorse a gentrified lifestyle. Farmers markets are becoming ever more popular throughout the UK. A stone’s throw away from both Shoreditch and Camden Town is Chapel Market in Islington. Every Sunday the street becomes rammed with tourists, locals and regulars who come to buy what the traders have to offer. Fresh produce, pastries, jewellery and vintage ornaments all line Chapel Market. When I got here, I felt a real sense of community. Unsure if everyone here was really friendly or they somehow all knew each
other, everyone was so friendly. Walking past one stall I noticed this stall covered in what looked like cameras that once could only find either in their deceased great aunt’s attic. Having no idea how to load film into one of these unusual looking vintage babies, I bought one anyway for the grand old price of a tenner. Unsure of whether people tried to dress cool or it just came naturally, I noticed the first “hipster” dripped head to toe in scandi brands. Lovely chap, however I noticed the Norse Projects label on his sweatshirt, so called a non-verbal bs on his “I mainly buy from vintage markets”, sorry pal.
Bag: Patagonia Cashmere jumper: Norse Projects Jacket: Fred Perry Jeans: Levi Glasses: Tom Ford
Navy Tee’s: A Guide
It’s a jungle of navy tee’s out there, so here’s a little guide to help you out. Want to look cool? Want to support the environment? Save a few bucks? Check out my top 6.
The most expensive of the bunch, but it’s worth the extra few quid for a little square smiley right? Check out END Clothing for this little Acne Studios number.
Topman, £7.99, just in case payday is looking too far away and you need to get your navy tee fix.
We like Ralph Lauren. No matter what your age you can pull it off, so here is one for everyone. 50 quid isn’t too bad, and it has a logo on it.
At ÂŁ48, we have Noah. Not too pricey, supportive of the environment and a pretty cool brand
Little hearts, you know the one. Just to warn you, always size up, these babies are small. (Comme Des Garcons Play, in case you live in a hole
This one is your classic, quality and low key tee. A little bit spenny at ÂŁ70, but take a look at the Sunspell website for all styles and all prices.
An Interview With One Of The Coolest Guys In The Northeast
The age old question, Adidas or Nike? A. Adidas for absolute sure but I’m definitely not against Nike. I have a pair of the original Sacai collab in the green, yellow, orange colourway and I absolutely love them. Why Adidas? A. When I was younger I used to love football both watching it and playing and there was no man cooler than David Beckham. He would only ever wear Adidas so obviously Ibegged my parents for a pair of Adidas boots. Still to this day they are without a doubt one of the greatest gifts I have ever received. I think they were the 2000 predator model and ever since I have had unconditional love for Adidas. How many pairs of shoes do you own? A. Currently I don’t actually own that many pairs of shoes probably around 10 in total. I’ve been trying to live less of a consumer lifestyle taking a more minimalist approach towards fashion and the possessions I own. I used to own around 30 pairs which in comparison to some sneakerheads still isn’t a great deal however I made a conscious decision to get rid of of my collection. I binned the ones that had seen better days, sold any that were worth something and gave a few pairs to some friends.
Q. How many of those are Adidas? A. 3! I have a pair of Lacombe Spezials, a fresh pair of chalk white Garwen and a pair of Adidas running shoes I use for the gym. Q. So what else is in your current collection/rotation? A. Couple pairs of Vans slip on for running to the shop or for when I don’t have enough time to tie laces. A pair of Dr Martens for when the weather is grim. Stepney Workers Club, Novesta, Converse, Nike x Sacai for summer days and a pair of Clarks wallabee boots for when I’m feeling smart. Might treat myself to a pair of Asics or New Balance soon though. Q. What are you wearing right now? A. A brand new pair of Adidas Garwen. The Garwen is probably my favourite shoe of all time and definitely my most worn shoe of the past year. My first pair were a Spezial edition in collaboration with the store Union and had the royal blue accents on the back, tongue and laces. I couldn’t get enough of them and they rarely ever left my feet for the best part of 8 months. The Garwen is a silhouette designed by Gary Aspden of the Adidas Spezial line. Gary tends to use premium materials so they usually cost a little more but are definitely worth the extra pounds. If I’m not mistaken the Garwen came to be when Gary was working on a signature shoe for Noel Gallagher. Noel had an old silhouette called the Brisbane from the 70’s and that was the foundation and inspiration for the Garwen.
This Polo Ralph Lauren Anorack is a step away from the basic polo shirt. It makes a statement with its sport branded letters and asymmetrical blue and green tartan print. The embroidered logo on the chest combined with the large print across both sides, makes it hard to miss. Check out more statement pieces from the American brand at Tessuti.com.
WIld Mushroom & Ale
“Proper Pie”
By Olly Higgs
For the pie
15g dried mushrooms (organic porcini if you can get them) Approx. 300g of shallots, quartered 1 medium onion, finely diced 2 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped 400g organic wild mushrooms (chestnut if unavailable) 500ml of Three Tuns XXX (or another premium pale ale if you can’t get it) 1 tbsp tomato purée 1 tsp Molasses or dark muscovado sugar 2 tsp redcurrant jelly 1 vegetable stock cube Bunch of fresh tarragon, chopped (2 tbsp of dried if not to hand) Few sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped, and stalks discarded 3 fresh bay leaves (use dried if not available) 3 tbsp cornflour 3 tbsp water 180g Chestnuts, roughly chopped Generously season with fresh ground black pepper Pinch of salt, to taste
For the pastry
350g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 100g vegetable fat (we used Naturli Organic Vegan Block) 175ml water Pinch of salt 1 heaped teaspoon English mustard powder ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
Start by making the filling. Take your dried mushrooms, place in a small bowl and cover with boiling water and set to one side to rehydrate. 15g dried mushrooms (organic porcini if you can get them) Next, add a splash of oil, the shallots and chopped onion to a large deep pan and soften over a medium heat, ensuring they don’t colour. This should take between 5-10 minutes. For the last few minutes of softening the shallots and onion, chuck in the garlic to cook through. Approx. 300g of shallots, quartered 1 medium onion, finely diced 2 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped Once cooked, place the cooked onion, shallots and garlic into a bowl and pop to one side, we’ll be adding this back to the pie mix later. Add another splash of oil to the pan and cook the fresh mushrooms for 10 minutes to colour slightly. Once done, add the cider vinegar to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Don’t want to lose that flavour. 400g organic wild mushrooms (chestnut if unavailable) 2 tbsp cider vinegar Now, chuck in all the other ingredients listed above the cornflour, returning the onion, shallot and garlic to the pan. Give a good stir to combine and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer for 20 minutes to infuse the flavour. 500ml of Three Tuns XXX (or another premium pale ale if you can’t get it) 1 tbsp tomato purée 1 tsp Molasses or dark muscovado sugar 2 tsp redcurrant jelly 1 vegetable stock cube Bunch of fresh tarragon, chopped (2 tbsp of dried if not to hand) Few sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped, and stalks discarded 3 fresh bay leaves (use dried if not available) Stir the cornflour with water to create a paste. Remove the bay leaves from the pie filling, we’re done with these now. Slowly stir in the mix of cornflour and water to the pie filling. Make sure this is stirred through well as this gives the sauce a thick, rich consistency. Once happy it’s stirred through, add the roughly chopped chestnuts, season generously, tasting as you do so and put to one side to cool. 3 tbsp cornflour
3 tbsp water 180g Chestnuts, roughly chopped Generously season with fresh ground black pepper Pinch of salt, to taste Now for the pastry. Firstly, lightly grease your pie dishes and preheat your oven to 200C (220 conventional oven, gas mark 7) with a flat tin inside the oven. Once done, mix all your dry ingredients together in a bowl. (Don’t add mustard here if not using powder) 350g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp English mustard powder Ÿ teaspoon cayenne powder Pinch of salt In a large saucepan, add the water and veg fat (this is were you add the English mustard if not using powder) and bring to an aggressive boil. Once boiling, add the mix of dry ingredients to the pan and stir to form a dough. If using an electric hob switch it off but keep the saucepan on the hob, if using gas, turn down to the lowest heat. 100g vegetable fat (we used Naturli Organic Vegan Block) 175ml water
As soon as the pastry is cool enough to handle, push the pastry inside the moulds to about 2mm thick. It’s important you work quick with this, whilst its still malleable. Any pastry you’re not using, leave in the saucepan to stay hot. Once you’re pie cases are pressed into the tin, roll out the remainder of the pastry to the same thickness as the case and cut out to form the lids of the pies. They should be slightly larger than the pie to allow enough to seal the pies up. Fill the cases with your pie mix. Make sure they’re filled generously, nobody wants an atmosphere pie. Take your lids, and wet the rim, place lids on the pie and working from the middle, push any air out from under the lid. When at the rim, seal the pie with a fork or a pinch. Now they’re oven ready. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Viola, your pies are served. Bang them on a plate and serve with all the accompaniment of a roast for a vegan alternative to the Sunday dinner or serve with chips and liquor or gravy.
Dance Music Duo’s Making A Comeback
Chemical Brothers Origionally called the Dust Brothers, the Mancunian duo Chemical Brothers have been making a comeback since headlining Glastonbury last year. Starting their tour back in 2018 headlining festivals like Metronome festival and Low festival, the electronic duo started making their way across the world selling out shows. Known for their 00’s tracks such as “Hey Boy Hey Girl” and “Galvanise”, Chemical Brothers have again taken over the music scene with new tracks “Eve Of Destruction” and “Mah”. Each having their own mesmerising, mind twisting, surrealist visuals, the show captivated crowdes and sold out shows. Every tune played at their gig reflected their unique sounds and futuristic riffs. Done with the UK for now, check out their shows online or snippets on their Instagram page @thechemicalbrothers
Orbital
Rising to fame in the 90’s, brothers Phil and Paul Hartnol were one of the leading DJ’s of their time. Dabbling in genres from Techno and Drum & Bass to Breakz, they are bursting back onto the scene playing festivals and club nights throughout 2020. Belfast becoming one of their most recognised tune thanks to Human Traffic, they have also produced some other little gems played by major DJ’s all over the world. Experimenting with unconventional samples such as the Dr Who theme tune and some strange voice that you could only expect to find in the depths of some Psytrance forest, their definitely worth adding to your Spotify playlist. Inner City Electronics, Printworks London and AVA London Club are just a few of the events they’re high up on the line-up for. Expect mad visuals, acidic vibrations and 90’s rave vibes. Pencil in your diaries the 14th of March for their @Printworkslondon debut.
1) Wallabees 5) Carharrt 6) Raremags 7) NewBalance 9) Record 10) NorthFace 11) ToteBag 1) Barbour 2) Hikerdelic 3) Patagonia 8) BucketHat
Contributors/Shout outs Beth Price Curtis Parratt High Hoops Chapel Market Carl Barton Thom Robinson Jake Driscoll Leonie Backhause The guys at Proper Olly Higgs Kamila Sebestova
@hikerdelic
