NO CIGAR ISSUE 3

NO CIGAR ISSUE 3 JUNE 2012 £5.00

READY WHEN YOU ARE.

London’s own Haizhen wang CHARLIE MAY/ DENNIS SWIATKOWSKI/ FLIK HALL AND many MORE

ridyard

WWW.RIDYARDLONDON.COM

NO CIGAR suite 128, ron cooke hub, york, united kingdom,

contributing artists

yo10 5ge Editor in chief NATALIE HANKS executive editor Sunit DATTANI

CHARLIE MAY www.charlie-may.co.uk

KEVIN TADGE

www.nocigarmagazine.com

www.kevintadge.com

COVER PHOTO haizhen wang

PEONY YIP

MUSIC WRITER sam briggs

www.thewhitedeers.tumblr.com

SIMON&ME

lifestyle writer james harle

www.simonandme.com CONTACT EDITOR IN CHIEF NATALIE@NOCIGARMAGAZINE.COM

DARLENE ESTREMERA www.blog.ucloset.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

chloe reynolds

SUNIT@NOCIGARMAGAZINE.COM

www.chloe-reynolds.tumblr.com

ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE

dennis swiatkowski

KIM@NOCIGARMAGAZINE.COM

www.gyprot.com

mafalda silva www.mafalda-silva.com

haizhen wang www.haizhenwang.co.uk

kate stein www.katestein.in

flik hall www.flikhall.com

copyright Š 2011-2012 no cigar limited. all rights reserved. the material in this magazine may not be reproduced, or otherwise used, except with written permission of no cigar limited. all enquiries should be made to contact@nocigarmagazine.com.

SPECIAL THANKS TO: kate @ ikon nyc, justine sweetman, holly corsano, simon freund, joe finch meijer, nicolas padron, charlotte aiken, maxime van der heijden @ ulla, bonne reijn, meriam rouabah, alexandra borcila

LOVE US? PROVE IT. SUBSCRIBE NOW TO KNOW THE MINUTE THE NEXT ISSUE IS OUT: WWW.NOCIGARMAGAZINE.

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CONTENTS

KEVIN TADGE

CONTENTS 4

54

CHLOE REYNOLDS

4 CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

60

THE MAN FROM AMSTERDAM - DENNIS

5 CONTENTS

SWIATKOWSKI

6 EDITOR’S LETTER

62

THE SNACK & A BAR

8 CHARLIE MAY

72

HAIZHEN WANG

14

KEVIN TADGE

78

I DON’T NEED IT ANYMORE - KATE STEIN

22

THE ANIMAL IN ME - PEONY YIP

86

FLIK HALL - IN COLLABORATION WITH

26

HIT THE ROAD - SIMON&ME

MIRANDA KEYES

34

MUSIC - PSYCHOLOGIST

96

35

MUSIC - GABRIEL BRUCE

CONFLICT - JAMES HARLE

36

DARLENE

44

WATCHING THE RIPPLING WATER -

INFORMATION

MAFALDA SILVA

CUT. WARLORDS. CARAT. DIAMOND.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

SAM BRIGGS

JAMES HARLE

Sam is one of those people who has a way with words that everyone can appreciate and a unique style that is unmatched at No Cigar. He can be brutally honest, but you’ll take a liking to him instantly. An English literature student at heart, Sam spends his free time obsessing over music and theatre. We’re really proud to be able to show him off at No Cigar.

We are thrilled to have James on board. He is truly one of the best interviewers and writers that we have ever met.

Always looking for his next challenge, this issue has him bring the interesting issue of ethical jewellery to light. He is also a radio man, one third of ‘Three Men in a Shed’.

Apparently it’s the only thing worth looking forward to on a Monday.

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CHA RLIE MAY

CHARLIE MAY is the master of multitasking - owning a successful blog Girl a la Mode as well as perfectly executing every inch of her own fashion label. Having graduated with a BA in Fashion Design and having worked for Thomas Tait, we are starting to question what she can’t do.

Describe the type of woman that wears Charlie May, the woman you design for.

I think the Charlie May woman is someone who is comfortable with herself, loves a minimal aesthetic and cares about good quality staple wardrobe pieces with unique design features.

I tend to focus a lot on what I like to wear when I’m designing, pieces I wish I owned or things I can’t find anywhere else too.

After moving to London you started working for Thomas Tait. What is the most valuable thing that you learned from working for Thomas Tait for two seasons?

Thomas taught me a lot about being confident with your own vision and knowing what’s best for your brand.

It has been said many times that your childhood on a farm inspired your minimalist, androgynous style.

Having since moved to London, how has London influenced your style?

I think it was moving to London that brought out the inspirations of the sea and countryside in my work; I’d never been able to pinpoint it before. It’s wonderful being alone in the countryside, as London can feel so crowded, then again it’s because it’s crowded that you can do your own thing.

What was the story behind your SS collection Lost Souls?

The short film behind the collection was called Lost Souls.

Like the collection, the ideas were simple and the focus was on combining textures and fabrics as well as keeping the colour palette muted to focus more on the design.

You have every detail of your brand covered to perfection: the clothes, the perfect look book pictures and videos that give us goose bumps. What’s the inspiration behind the SS video?

Thank you so much! The short film was about a girl coming from the sea to discover this new world, as she explores the landscape she feels lonely and isolated and thus returns to the sea. I think the textures of the collection worked perfectly against the elements; the pony skin against the rocks, the Hessian trench blowing on the sea front.

What do you hope to achieve with your clothing?

I just want to make clothes that women love to wear. I’m also not much into colour or print so if I can lure women away from that, then that’s good too!

Someone gives you a limitless budget for a catwalk show for your next collection. What would the runway be like?

I would love to show in a clear white loft space with crumbling walls or surrounding textures, high above the city, a space that was big but still had the feeling of intimacy.

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If you had to choose one piece from your SS collection that you have to wear every day for a year, which piece would it be?

The dusky pink pony skin biker jacket!

We adore the hand made headband with gold studs, you definitely have a knack for accessories. Which accessory will you try your hand at next?

I think accessories are a great way to make the collection accessible for everyone, I would love to try out shoes next, but we shall see!

You are not only a designer but also a blogger, girl a la mode. What encouraged you to start your blog? What do you generally include in your blog?

I actually started Girl a la Mode when I was studying in University, it was an easy way to share my inspirations and it’s grown with me over the years; it’s now a place where I share outfits, design inspirations, editorials and any parties or events I get to go to in London.

Has the blog helped you to explore the world of fashion more? How? I don’t think I’d have started my label without the blog. I’ve met so many industry professionals that have become good friends. I think you get to know how the industry works and also make great contacts along the way.

What has blogging taught you?

Discipline. It sounds silly but it’s good to get in the habit of sitting down and blogging a few times every week, a lot of people can’t handle it. It’s also easier to see yourself as a brand, as you’re putting yourself out there you start to learn how to push yourself more.

We ask this all the time because we’re always looking ahead. What’s next for your label?

I’ve just appointed a PR and will be stocking my SS12 collection on BENGTfashion.com as of May, so just watch this space. text NATALIE HANKS

KEVIN TADGE KEVIN TADGE is probably one of the most intriguing creatives we have had the chance to interview. Anything but conventional. He shares a flickr account with his girlfriend, has just spent the last few months filming in Brazil and may possibly be the co-founder of the laser crab revue. And that is just the start.

You do a bit of everything; photography, film, writing and even draw comics! What draws you to each of them?

Well, first I should say that I don’t really draw comics and even when I have they’ve been pretty terrible. But film, photography, and writing all kind of feed into and off of each other. My photography and writing were both born out of doing movie-related things. This doesn’t answer the question at all. Writing is great because you have complete freedom - you’re not limited by practicality at all. Photography is kind of meditative and rejuvenating - photographs might even be better than real memories.

That’s not really true… and making a film is of course the most difficult to pull off in many ways but also the most rewarding when everything comes together like you want.

If you had to pick one which would it be? Which do you spend the most time on?

I think film would be an easy choice. But going back to the last question a little, films involve a lot of people and are usually a big undertaking, so I use photography and writing to sort of burn off excess creative energy in between working on films.

You are possibly a co-founder of the laser crab revue, what is the laser crab revue?

I guess I am a co-founder. At least, I came up with the name. It was originally meant to be a showcase of our friends’ stories and essays and other artistic endeavors outside of making films, but it hasn’t been very active in the last year. The problem was getting people to remain involved and making things on a consistent basis. Now it’s being reborn as a blog of some kind. My friend, Jesse Price, is mostly in charge at this point.

You have written a few short stories that have been published. Do you tend to write fiction more or non-fiction?

I almost exclusively write fiction. Even when I start out trying to write an essay or anything factual it immediately starts to drift further and further from reality.

Tell us a story in less than 50 words.

Alright, here goes: You hire a boat to a patch of jungle to find a cave where you sleep on a dirt floor as the jaguar watches you, and when you wake, the trees and plants whisper their secrets to you until they become unbearable and you sob violently the entire trip home. Well, that was kind of silly and a little sad but there you have it.

You have been many things in films, editor, director, cinematographer etc.

Which one is your favourite role and what does it involve?

Directing is definitely the most fun while also requiring more work, responsibility and emotional investment. It’s the easiest to have some kind of mental breakdown while directing. Editing is interesting and more like working on a weird, abstract puzzle than making something from scratch. It’s less risky but also less exciting. I’m probably not qualified to talk about being a cinematographer or anything else…

If you were given the budget to make any film you wanted, what sort of film would it be?

I’d probably want to make a huge sci-fi epic or something. Or maybe a big stop-motion film since animating those are usually incredibly expensive.

Off the wagon: Which would you rather do, speak in third person for the rest of your life or write with your non writing hand?

I would definitely choose writing with my left hand over speaking in third person. I write so rarely anymore except to make notes and my handwriting is impenetrability bad as it is - maybe it would actually help it.

We have got to ask, why do you share a flickr account?

I share it with my girlfriend, Laura Lamp, because I’m usually the one scanning and editing her photos in the first place and she also doesn’t take nearly as many as I do - not enough to justify her own account, I guess.

If someone was to stop you in the street and ask you what you did for a living, what would you say?

I usually say I work in film and television post-production or something vague like that. I always try to dodge that question as best I can.

Back to photography, what do you try to portray in your photography? What makes a good picture?

I’m usually drawn to things that I think will function differently as pictures than they do in real life, if that makes any sense at all. Like, if a photograph of an object or a place can somehow change the thing itself (within the photo), that’s interesting to me. A good picture is usually one that surprises initially and isn’t boring after the nth time looking at it. That’s probably the most confusing, ambiguous answer I could come up with… Maybe I have no idea.

You have recently spent some time in Brazil working on a film, could you tell us a bit about that?

I don’t know how much I can talk about it at this point.

But it was a tiny (crew and budget wise) narrative feature that I was recording sound for during production, and now that we’re back, I’m serving as editor.

What are you plans for this year?

Beyond this Brazil film, I really want to direct something of my own. It’ll probably end up being a short so that I can get it finished for next year’s early festivals. And there are other short films I’m working on with my friends. The goal is just to generally finish as much stuff as possible before I hit 25 and feel inclined to be an adult or something.

One thing that really stuck out on Kevin Tadge’s imdb page was Teen Mom. Did you really work on Teen Mom as ‘miscellaneous crew?’

Oh jeeze, that’s up there now? I worked on the bottom rung of post-production for parts of seasons 1, 2, & 3. They hadn’t credited me on the IMDB for a very long time which I was pretty okay with. It was fun for a while but I still feel like I know those girls far too well.

Do you have a secret addiction (apart from making grilled cheese if that is the case)?

I can’t tell you my secret addiction(s)! But seriously, I don’t think I really have one. Apart from obsessively checking golf stats, but that’s a whole other story… text NATALIE HANKS

THE ANIMAL IN ME. Peony Yip is an artist living in Hong Kong that runs The White Deer blog.

Filled with a variation of her drawings and art, something is bound to catch your eye.

What artistic background do you have?

Not much, honestly I’ve just been drawing for years and didn’t take it seriously until college. But, I studied Graphic Design and there weren’t many chances to do illustrations so I did them in my own time.

What was the inspiration behind the animal and human drawings?

Actually, I didn’t think much through the first piece (“The Wolf ”) as it was for a friendly competition, “Art Battle LA” and the category was Wildlife Illustration.

I just wanted to show the split between nature and humanity.

Has growing up in Hong Kong influenced your art in any way?

Not really; I have only lived here for around 7 years and I tend to lean towards international influences. I personally don’t like the usual illustrations that Hong Kong produces.

Which artists do you look up to?

I usually look up to artists/illustrators that are underrated. They produce such creative work and I always hope they make it somewhere with what they do.

You have a tumblr full of your own art, has it helped in any way?

Absolutely! I didn’t think much of it at first but the more I kept uploading the more notice I was getting and it has helped plenty because people have been sharing the works around and it has led me to e-magazine features, blogs and other great things.

Where do you hope art will take you?

Somehow I’d like to be able to move to the US. I’m not very fond of Hong Kong and I guess there are many more opportunities in the US. It’s also kind of my dream to visit all the national parks there.

What is your favourite media to work with and why?

I don’t usually work with much but I guess I’ll say ball point pens.

If you were commissioned to decorate a subway station in Hong Kong with your art, what would you do?

Wow. I’d choose something raw, disgusting, truthful and absolutely not conservative. Just to shock everyone.

What inspires you the most when it comes to art?

I would have said people a couple of months ago, but now I’d have to say animals and I think I’ll stick to that.

If there anything you would like to add?

Umm...I like cookies? Haha!

One word answer questions: Bubble tea or egg tarts? Egg tarts!

Karaoke or BBQ? BBQ! The one place people have to visit in Hong Kong is… Uhhhhhhh…

Star ferry or the tram? Star Ferry.

If you could only use one colour in your art forever which colour would it be? Black.

If you could live anywhere apart from Hong Kong where would it be?

Alaska. text NATALIE HANKS

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hit the road.

SIMON&ME FOR NO CIGAR

Creative Director SIMON FREUND Photographer JOE FINCH MEIJER Location AMSTERDAM T-Shirts and Sweatshirts SIMON&ME Sunglasses SIMON&ME x C L U S I V E Headwear SNDM x EUDIA

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PSYCHOLOGIST “He who studies the breath, spirit, or soul” is how Psychologist defines being a psychologist.

As he rightfully points out, this summation is not worlds apart from the intents of many musicians, particularly those whose worlds are as considered as intense as Iain Woods’s, aka Psychologist, are. Ever since packing in the day job as a children's television presenter after winning a Channel 4 music talent competition in 2008, Woods broke his silence last year with the release of two EPs, which together formed his “Epidural Collection”.

Although referred to in the same breath, by label and creator, they represent two different halves of Woods’ musical personality. “Waves of OK”, recorded in one day in a London Church, taps into the power of silence, with his sound’s reference to experimental dub artists, to create an impressive work of restraint.

Sitting on the boundary between sounding alienating and empathic, Woods creates a musical landscape dominated by tension and foreboding, yet tied together with his strong sense of melody and soulful croon. The split in atmosphere refracts even through Woods’ vocal, which at times sounds like a tribal howl (“Untitled (A Possession)”), but creates beautiful moments of tranquillity in songs such as “Comes in Waves”. In its tinkling piano part, and layered voices, the track is incredibly affecting and a highlight of the EP that shows Woods’ more human side. The EP is full of the noises of the everyday, from the opening answer phone message, to the sound of the rain tapping at the window. Be they ominous or inviting, they help to further envelop the listener in the beautifully formed intimacy of Woods’ first EP.

The second half of the “collection” comes in the form of the “Propeller” EP. Its release in the same week as London erupted with riots and looting carries an ironic similarity to the sound of the EP; with the tension of the first EP erupting into electronic life, through an abrasive garage filter. Where “Waves of OK” revolved around finding the emotion in the restrained production, Woods here propels (forgive the fun) his tracks through new waves of accessibility, in the form of more recognisable production and danceable beats. However, the often over-worldly, but ever distinctive vocal of Woods instantly defines the tracks as his own, and is again the highlight. “Disco at Twin Peaks” is as unsettling as anything on either EP, albeit it through its sheen and repetition, rather than its introverted isolation. Where parts of “Propeller” descend into conventional unoriginality, the end of the EP shows of Woods’ strength; when he strikes the balance between subtlety and shouting, affecting and affronting.

As a whole, “The Epidural Collection” feels bi-polar, showcasing the two impressive sides of Woods’ musical personality. If his self-professed study of the soul still feels ongoing, it has certainly yielded his obvious talent for melody, production and creating an atmospheric world. The best feels yet to come, when he reconciles the two spheres of his musical persona to create a more unified effort, but for now, the clash between them is invigorating. text SAM BRIGGS

It’s a time worn journalistic cliché that “you’ve got your whole life to write your first album”.

You have to wonder what’s been dominating Gabriel Bruce’s last few years on listening to his first single Sleep Paralysis. Inspired by the condition of being psychologically awake, and trapped within a non-responsive body when waking up, it’s hardly the girl next door or tales of one too many Snakebites. However, Bruce occupies a plane far removed from his apparent youth – with his husky baritone growl positively subterranean and his morbid musings (see the repeated refrain of the aforementioned single – “I got this feeling I were dead”) more reminiscent of older musical stalwarts in the Cave and Cohen vein.

Formerly of similarly gothic London band Loverman, Bruce’s side project was launched with this single last year, backed with a “50page Dada-influence illustrated book”, which on reflection looks more like a portable art installation. Blending a variety of printing techniques with different impressive sounding artistic methods (“three different paper stocks”, anyone?), the book seeks to explore the phenomenon of its title through fragments of people’s recollection of it, and related ephemera. And thanks to the thoughtful folk at Off Modern records, it even comes wrapped (or “hugged”, according to the press release) with a “bellyband”. In your choice of scarlet, royal blue, sapphire or mandarin.

You could be forgiven if this does sound a little pretentious. However, it does come together to form a good-looking package, and represents the overwhelmingly contemplative nature of Bruce’s music and position as artist.

In the context of its release, the single itself could be seen to be a bit stark – with only Bruce’s smooth undertones and a swirling organ at the heart of its glamorous wrappings.

But stark is here the track’s strength, allowing the foreboding vocal to take centre stage, in its musings on the “things that I have seen”.

It’s introverted, powerful and weighty. As the drums enter and the track’s intensity grows around its central refrain, it feels like a more perfected representation of the phenomenon in question than any dressed up ephemera, with Bruce’s strained howl gaining desperation, trapped at the heart of the track’s external crescendo.

The flipside, No Love Lost, treads a slightly different ground, with Bruce retaining more control over his threatening vocals as he warns about wishing to kill someone faithful.

No love lost sounds about right. The track is equally engaging, however, as Bruce reaches a seemingly even lower level of baritone.

A promising first single then, from an artist who seems to be not just confined to underground octaves and brooding brimstone lyrics.

Cupid, released to the internet on Valentine’s Day, is all major chords and up-tempo beats and brilliantly catchy. On the evidence of the past few months, Gabriel Bruce has shown himself to be an artist to watch out for – both for his threatening vocals, and his growing awareness that Cupid’s bow could show him to have more than one string to his own. text SAM BRIGGS

gabriel bruce

DARLENE.

Darlene Estremera, a fashion blogger from New York is one of those women who astounds you right from her first impression. She is constantly reworking fashion, interior design and food ideas and has now taken herself one step further into the world of fashion by embarking on a new project, uCloset, to combine the fun of fashion design and social media right at your fingertips.

Tell us a bit about your background I live in Brooklyn with my fiance and two very large cats. I grew up on Long Island, NY and studied costume design for Theatre at SUNY New Paltz, and then fashion design at FIT. I’ve worked a wide array of jobs such as Costume Designer, Masseuse, Taxidermists Apprentice, Furriers Assistant, Elderly Caregiver & Vintage Clothing Dealer.

.

Tell us about uCloset. What is it?

My business partner Greg and I started the uCloset blog to help promote our website, ucloset.com which is scheduled to launch this Summer 2012. uCloset. com is a social networking site focused on online shopping & personal style. It allows users to create a virtual online closet of clothing they own and clothing they want. Features include creating outfits, building a closet, swapping clothing with other users and creating and “posting” outfits for themselves and their friends.

What made you start uCloset, who is behind the company? uCloset is Greg Posner’s brain child.

Greg came up with the idea for uCloset as a way of simplifying online shopping and sharing personal style. When Greg told me about his idea I was very eager to be a part of if. I’ve been working with Greg since September 2011 to help create an image for ucloset and build an online community.

What are your plans for uCloset in the next few years?

Once the website launches we hope to build a vast community of users who visit the site daily interacting with other users, shopping and cataloging and managing their online closets. We would also like uCloset to be a platform to help promote smaller brands and start up companies.

How did you get into fashion?

It’s hard for me to remember ever not being into fashion. I got into the industry because I was looking for creative ways to express myself within a career. I’ve always loved putting outfits together. A typical day ends with every article of clothing I own ripped out of the closet after trying on twenty different things. I love creating new looks and experimenting with different ways of putting things together, like wearing a belt as a necklace, trying a garment on backwards or layering a mens army jacket under a Zara parka. I think dressing and style should be about exploring different versions of you. Clothes only look good when you wear them with confidence, so even if you are trying out a completely new look, it’s still important to feel like yourself.

When you are not obsessing over clothing, what are you doing?

Obsessing over clothing is something I do very often! Usually it’s a specific colour or shape, or a fictitious garment that exists only in my mind. Fashion can be very fleeting, so I usually wait a little while before making any purchases, to see if the desire for said obsession passes, which it often does! When I’m not obsessing over clothing, I’m either reading a great fiction novel, decorating my apartment, doing research for the blog or enjoying time with friends & loved ones. I also love to take on creative side projects like designing album covers and flyers for my best friend Char Johnson’s band, Zebra Baby. Char is a huge inspiration in all things I do, so any chance we get to work together is very exciting.

You are going on holiday and can only take one set of clothes with you. What are they?

Considering perfect, 75 degree weather, my black leather shorts, a cute tank, denim jacket, wedge sandals and lots and lots of necklaces.

You seem to wear a lot of vintage clothing. What draws you to vintage and how do you select what pieces to get?

Thrift shopping was what got me into vintage.

I love going to thrift/ second hand shops and searching for buried treasures. I’m not the type of vintage collector who shops at boutiques or curated flea markets, because for me the thrill is in the hunt. I also enjoy the open mindedness that comes along with thrift shopping. Since I never know what I am going to find, I don’t set out looking for anything specific. I just go, search, and see what jumps out at me. There’s a list of three requirements that I go through when purchasing a vintage garment. #1 quality. So many vintage garments have taken wear and tear over the years, and are not in very good condition, especially those you find at thrift stores in a 99 cent bin! #2 the special factor. Although I love the idea of collecting vintage, I do not love holding on to things and like to live in a more minimal space, so I really only keep things that are extremely special like a gorgeous orange vintage kimono I found a few years ago, or the Christian Dior vintage fur coat I got for $6 at a Salvation Army store.

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age of 86. I read a book about Dare Wright that was published 3 years after her death, chronicling many intimate parts of her life. I found myself fascinated with her spirit, style and childlike fantasy world she had created for herself. I would love to spend a day with her, trying on clothes and taking photographs. text SUNIT DATTANI photograhy NICOLAS PADRON

“THE BEST IS WHEN I FIND A CUTE VINTAGE PIECE THAT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING I JUST SAW IN THE CURRENT ISSUE OF VOGUE” #3 is an alternative to #2 is if I find a vintage piece that has a very current look, like a terracotta 70’s trench I bought last year, that looks very similar to jackets seen in stores this season. The best is when I find a cute vintage piece that looks like something I just saw in the current issue of Vogue.

Who or what is your inspiration?

For personal style I love Daphne Guinness. I find inspiration in other blogs, my favourites being The Man Repeller, Honestly WTF, The Sartorialist & Atlantic-Pacific.

Someone tells you that you can meet anyone of your choice. Who would it be and why?

If I could meet anyone of my choice it would be Dare Wright, an author, model and photographer who died in 2001 at the

watching the rippling water.

PHOTOGRAPHER: MAFALDA SILVA

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THE FUTURE IS CINEMATIC CHLOE REYNOLDS wowed us simply with her graduate collection. No Cigar was eager to interview her to see what else was in store. From what we have learnt, you might be seeing some of her designs in a cinema near you.

What is your fashion background?

I’ve drawn and designed clothes from a very young age, and I come from a very creative family. My two sisters and I have all studied or still study fashion design. I studied for my degree at University College Falmouth, where I learnt everything I know about pattern cutting. My design skills were developed hugely, I think through having a very strong relationship with my tutor, which was helped by the course being much smaller and more personal than some of the other fashion courses that friends have attended.

Your graduation collection was a success, what drew you to do a collection based around protection and armour?

I started from this idea I had about making luxury jersey wear, embellished and covered in so much metal that it drooped and sank to the floor, and it developed from there.

My research images were all quite dark and apocalyptic, so protection seemed to fit. I spent a lot of time in the fine art workshop playing with aluminium, hammers and rivets.

Which piece was most difficult to make?

The two draped dresses were the hardest to pattern cut, one viscose jersey and one silk chiffon and leather. To begin pattern cutting I based most of the garments on a circle shape, instead of the female form blocks often used. That’s how the drape and silhouettes in the collection were created, and the patterns for these asymmetric two were particularly difficult.

The hood on the leather jacket was pretty tough to construct as it was like trying to get a whole sheep through a sewing machine!

What was the idea behind the trousers with thousands of little black aluminium pieces?

The collection developed into the textural elements and silhouettes being inspired by animal armour protection, such as armadillo shells, crocodile skin and fish scales; which was the inspiration behind the trousers and also the jacket with the same embellishment.

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I wanted to use metal from the start, I didn’t want to use ready-made sequins or beads, and it had to be black to go with the rest of the collection. I bought sheet metal that I had anodised black, then sent the metal to another company to laser cut for me. It took a few solid weeks of hand sewing to complete forwhich thankfully I had some very willing and wonderful 1st and 2nd year students helping me with, as all 3rd year students were assigned during the last phase of making our collections.

Who are your favourite designers?

I’m truly inspired by Japanese designers for their focus of the space between clothes and the body rather than the actual human form, such as Rei Kawakubo, Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Junya Watanabe. I also love the work of Martin Margiela, Ann Demeulemeester,

Gareth Pugh and Alexander Wang.

What do you do when you’re looking for inspiration?

It changes, for my final collection I used books and magazines to find images of places and ‘settings’, such as a barren empty landscape or grey abandoned urban buildings, and designed to fit the scenario and dress the model that I imagined to be standing in the middle of it. I often think of a word or idea then continue into word association brainstorms from which the outcome has nothing to do with the start, and sometimes I just start drawing and thoughts develop.

opportunity to develop my skills in another area and see how the film industry works and that’s where it took me! Having graduated into a recession I feel very lucky to have been offered paid work, and it’s a bonus that it’s fun and another occupation that I can be passionate about. Now that I’m between jobs again, I’ve got potential work coming up in both industries so I’ll either see what comes first or gauge the best opportunity, and make clothes for the time being.

You recently worked with Clare Spragge doing costume design for World War Z, what did you learn from the experience?

With it being my first film, I was employed as a trainee, so there was certainly no designing being done on my part! It was a huge production. Clare is very respected within the industry, and her recommendation helped me get my next job. In the costume department, I was introduced to some great people, and learned a fair bit about working in the film industry. The best things about it can also be the worst – you’re never in the same place or doing the same thing, working with different people all the time, and travelling a lot. It’s an exciting place to be.

If you could make the costumes for any film ever made, which would it be and why?

Something like Tank Girl or Mad Max, any futuristic dystopia would be so much fun to play with!

What caused you to start a blog based around documenting your final year?

I started a blog during my degree, uploading images and documentation of my collection’s progress as I went along. We were encouraged to do this as part of our course and I think that it’s a great idea - otherwise three years of hard work is hiding away in an A3 folder. It’s very beneficial to have a form of online portfolio especially now that social media has become such a key method of selling and advertising.

You never know who is looking at or sharing your work! I’m planning a website so people can actually buy and request commissions but haven’t quite had the time for it just yet.

You are now trying your hand at costume design, why the change from fashion design?

I had an opportunity at the end of my time in Falmouth to work on a film in the costume department, which then led me to work on another, which I have just recently finished. I would absolutely love to have the chance to design costumes for a film, but it’s not so much a change from fashion. My passion lies in designing and making clothes, but I saw a good

If you were to do another collection, what would it be based on?

I have no idea, I started a sketchbook a while ago with some ideas but they’ve gone a bit stale now so I’ll have to have a re-think! I love working with leather so I’d like to incorporate that, and just have some fun with it really. text NATALIE HANKS photograhy CHARLOTTE AIKEN

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THe MAN FROM AMSTERDAM. Dennis Swiatkowski, nicknamed ‘The Man from Amsterdam’ by the blogosphere is not only a blogger but also a street style photographer, editorial photographer, makes his own style of videos titled ‘One minute’ and shot the editorial ‘The snack & a bar’. We catch up with the jetsetting creative to try and uncover what makes him tick.

You started off doing street style photography first before choreographed photos.

How did you find the transition?

I started doing street style while I was still at University. It’s such an easy way to get into photography and it is also a great practice in working together with people and directing them. The step to choreographed photos happened a few months ago, at the end of last summer as I recall.

Ever since I have taken much pleasure from doing these and some of them have been published in VICE, Blend and elsewhere.

You do everything from street style photography, choreographed photography, blog as well as make videos. Which do you enjoy the most?

Currently I take most pleasure in doing editorial photography and videos. These give me the opportunity to create something that comes from my fantasy inspired by various things.

What sets you apart from other street style photographers?

Hmm. I don’t know, I just try to capture someone who’s style I personally really like and I try to do it as well as possible. There are so many street style blogs out there, I think that niche has become very much saturated. I personally don’t really go out anymore to capture street style, because I think we have passed the point where it used to be interesting.

If someone was to dress to catch your eye on the street, what should they wear?

It depends, I like people who comfortably dress stylishly. Every individual should have his/her own style. A particular style may suit a specific person, but not someone else. If I see someone on the street who is dressed well and oozes that he or she is comfortable walking around like that, then that is a person I’d like to photograph.

.

You have a blog called ‘Get your plane right on time’, and you’ve mentioned in the past that it is not just a blog, but also a brand.

What do you have up your sleeve for GYPROT? Yes, it’s my baby. I am now planning on changing my blog from fashion only into a wider platform. I want to start writing and post these musings and ramblings in a weekly or bi-weekly blog post. I don’t know if people are waiting for such a thing, but I think it’s important to write, especially about meaningful stuff, philosophical questions. I am also considering having guest contributors in any artistic form. But, I don’t know, it’s still very much up in the air. Right now my blog just gives me absolute freedom. I decide what I post, when I post and how often I post.

It’s great, really. People seem to love it regardless, as long as the content posted is quality.

How did you get the name ‘the Man from Amsterdam’ in the blogosphere, what does it mean to you?

Well, I guess I got it because I am Dutch by passport and live in Amsterdam. To me it means that I am the Man from Amsterdam. (Haha).

What doors has blogging opened up for you?

It initially opened up fashion weeks for me. Back in the days when I did street style it got me to London and Paris fashion weeks. Attending shows, photographing guests. However, at a certain point all that gets boring really. Now I just want to create stories and work on a freelance basis for different companies on different assignments.

What gave you the idea of the one minute videos?

The ONE MINUTE videos have developed from merging street style photography with video. I mean how nice is it to combine movement, music, scenery and emotion into one? I have seen similar videos roaming the web and I got inspired by them; they were however just floating around without boundaries. I put boundaries by making them ONE MINUTE (duration), use slow motion only (except for two very first episodes) and it has got my filmmaking assignments rolling ever since.

If you could do a one minute video on anyone, who would it be?

I would really like to do a ONE MINUTE with one of those top models, Abbey Lee, Abby Brothers, Ashley Smith? I imagine them to be set in the Americas, though. Make them sexy as hell.

Your home base is Amsterdam but where do you spend most of your time?

The last few months in Amsterdam I have had a lot of jobs here, which required me to stick around. I am still traveling around, though. In February I went to London Fashion Week for Nowness.com - In the coming months I want to go to Sweden, Iceland and the southern parts of Europe.

Where’s your favourite place to visit?

Cape Town!

If you were not a photographer, what would you be?

I’d most likely pursue a job in the advertising industry.

What equipment do you normally use?

A Canon 5D MK II What is the most treasured photograph that you have ever taken?

I think it’s the picture I took on my journey to the south of Thailand, it’s not a fashion picture.

Is there anything you would like our readers to know?

I recently came across a quote that I really like.

Unfortunately I do not know its original source but the quote is as follows: “We do not see things the way they are, we see things the way we are.” Subjective perception. That’s the beauty of life. text NATALIE HANKS

top ANNE MERTENS

THE SNACK & A BAR photograher DENNIS SWIATKOWSKI model MAXIME VAN DER HEIJDEN (ULLA) stylist BONNE REIJN stylist’s assistant MERIAM ROUABAH Mua+h ALEXANDRA BORCILA location AMSTERDAM

opposite page dungarees GUESS blouse NORSE PROJECT cap PHOTOGRAPHER’S OWN

opposite page blouse NORSE PROJECT

this page blouse SOBER neckchain STYLIST’S OWN opposite page cap NORSE PROJECT blouse TONY SPACKMAN 4 PATTA

blouse NORSE PROJECT skirt MALENE BIRGER boots MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA

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HAIZHEN WANG HAIZHEN WANG launched his womenswear label in early 201o. Having worked for impressive companies such as All Saints and Max Mara and an MA from Central Saint Martins to match.

You started out studying interior design, why did you switch to fashion?

Oh, it was a ‘mistake’ by my father in a way when I was applying to art and design colleges. I was away in another city to do my external examinations so I had to ask my father to send my application in to one of the colleges in my city: Da Lian. He mistakenly filled in fashion design instead of interior design and somehow I had to go to that college eventually. After a year I started to feel more passionate about fashion, as it’s same principle really.

You started your studies in China, does chinese culture inspire your designs in any way?

Yes I did, but I have to leave my background culture behind first in order to gain a deeper understanding of the European experience. Just like when learning English I had to forget Chinese, cause the way of thinking is different. I need to put myself into this environment. That is just what I think.

You chose to move from China to London to further your studies in fashion design. Why did you choose London over other big fashion capitals such as Paris and New York?

Firstly because of the language, I prefer English. And second, I like the British attitude and cultural influences. That is why I am here.

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Having worked for big brands such as All Saints and Max Mara, it was only natural for you to start your own label. What did you learn whilst working for other big brands?

It helped me towards developing my own label such as with the branding, marketing, sales, production and logistics.

How did your work experience help you with your own brand?

That it was not only about to creating, but about something real that customers can feel it.

You started off designing clothes for yourself, why did you decide to focus on womenswear instead of menswear?

I wanted to do both, but first I needed to be focused. Womenswear is something I started from the beginning, so it is natural that I start from my strongest point.

Tell us about your studio/shop.

I’m based in West London near Portobello road. The studio and shop are just 3 minutes away from each other. It helped me look after and follow up with both sides.

The reason I chose here was because I used to do my internship around the area and used to rent a stall with friends on Friday at Portobello market and where I sold my BA final collection when I graduated.

What are some of the benefits of being located on Portobello road when it comes to design and inspiration?

I like the antiques here, a lot different shops. You never know what you can expect for your next visit. It’s always surprising and inspiring.

How is London Fashion Week different from Paris Fashion Week in your opinion as a designer?

London is stronger at media and always supportive of young and new brands. Paris is more about buyers and more international audiences.

Why did you choose to stop showing in London?

That was temporary. I am trying to show this time in London fashion week.

Do you have any advice for budding fashion designers out there?

It’s a tough market with tough timings. Be positive and patient. text NATALIE HANKS

i don’t need IT anymore. photography KATE STEIN styling KATE STEIN model KATE @ IKON NYC makeup JUSTINE SWEETMAN hair HOLLY CORSANO

FLIK

in collabor Miranda

HALL

ration with a Keyes

Flik Hall, a Central Saint Martin graduate set up her own label in 2009. Always focusing on luxury and quality, she has collaborated with Miranda Keyes to create an accessories collection titled INK to complement her SS12 collection.

Describe the Flik Hall style Always focusing on luxury and quality, the Flik Hall style balances a layer of fantasy that is innately female but acutely powerful using a mixture of sheer feminine fabrics. This is combined each season with harder materials such as leather, used in diverse ways that gives that dynamic edge the label has been distinguished for.

Why did you choose to do a collaboration?

I think that it is a fantastic way of working on an idea, blending different skills together to create a more completed vision. Working with Miranda was fascinating, experimental and challenging.

I think sometimes when you allow yourself to be open to someone else’s suggestions it can be hard, especially if you’re as stubborn as I am.

Somehow our ideas seemed to come together and we managed to create very different pieces compared to what either of us would have

created independently. I think that this is the main benefit of working with someone else.

How did you find Miranda Keyes and why did you choose to collaborate with her?

I initially saw Miranda Keyes work in the window of ‘The Last Tuesday Society’. It is a shop in east London that displays taxidermy and various other curious things. I asked them for her contact details and it all began from then on.

I could see from her work that she had a lot of experience working with sea specimens, mainly fish, and there were some jackets she had made from fish skin which were really beautiful. I could see that she was good at using the human form as a mould, which was important for me looking for someone to make accessories.

INK definitely shows luxury, quality and fantasy. What the was inspiration behind INK? My SS12 collection is inspired by the eroticism surrounding and relating to the form and ethereal symbolism of the octopus. The prints this season are derived from the obscure close up imagery of octopi skin and tentacles. A mixture of opaque and semi-transparent fabric are used, divulging parts of the body though them; this takes inspiration from Chimeras or more literally Cecaelia (half octopus, half human).

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INK is a continuation of my main collection, having worked directly with the octopus whilst designing the collection; it has also influenced my designs. I was completely fascinated by how such a beautifully vulgar creature can become so ambiguously enticing when preserved in a solid state. I find things the most interesting when you have the ability to restore something to its natural beauty but dictate the result.

Talk us through using real octopus.

Given the nature of the material we were using for the accessories collection (real octopus) the process was very different to anything I have used before. Right from the beginning it was important to find the correct type of octopus and even then they vary a lot naturally. Everything from the shade to the size of their suckers was important to get right. We bought them frozen therefore even you could not always tell how long the tentacles would be after defrosting them.

Creating the pieces with Miranda involved a lot of trial an error, even though she works with sea creatures and other botanical specimens on a regular basis, you would be surprised how different the process can be for each one. To begin with it was fairly disheartening, I spent a few days creating a beautiful shoulder piece, I came into the studio the next day to find that it had shrunk down to about ten percent of its original size. When designing garments I sometimes have similar problems, I might sketch something but translating it into 3D may not be so straightforward. I can’t explain the process as it’s our secret.

How does the INK collection compliment your SS12 collection?

INK is more of an abstract interpretation of the form of the collection; the prints in the main collection come to life in INK. Letting both the form of the tentacles and the curve of the body dictate the end result, the pieces ally themselves seamlessly with the body.

The textures that I used throughout my SS12 collection resonate closely with the palette and touch of working with the octopus.

Who would you like to collaborate with in future?

I have recently collaborated with Jon Emmony to create my AW12 film Phosphorus Tendencies.

There is someone new I am thinking of collaborating with so keep an eye out. text NATALIE HANKS

Cut. Warlords. Carat.

Diamond.

Conflict. text JAMES HARLE

If you’re like me, you probably think a conflict diamond is what you buy your partner after a fight, and that fair-trade gold is a brand of coffee. The reality is very different; welcome to the wonderful world of ethical jewellery.

Actually, awareness of conflict diamonds has been growing for decades - it’s been 12 years now since the UN resolved to prevent the transaction of illicit jewels, and although the trade is still going strong today, there’s no doubt that it receives a lot of attention. The UN describes a conflict diamond as: “A diamond that originates from an area controlled by forces or factions opposed to legitimate and internationally recognised governments, and is used to fund military action in opposition to those governments, or in contravention of the decisions of the Security Council.”

That’s a bit of a mouthful - but the point is that if we aren’t careful, the money we spend on diamonds could go to fund something as monstrous as Kony’s militia, the Lord’s Resistance Army. Luckily, we can prevent that by tracing the origin of the jewel - if it comes from territory controlled by Kony, or any other warlord, then they will probably be profiting from it. Today, conflict diamonds - or war diamonds or blood diamonds as they’re alternatively known - are old news, and you may even know people who refuse to buy diamonds because of the risks. But it’s not just diamonds which can support warlords - it’s any gemstone; sapphires and rubies, for example, are used to fund the armies of child soldiers in Myanmar. Emeralds, opal, topaz - even precious metals such as gold and silver can fund warlike factions.

Diamonds are just the tip of the iceberg - and conflict jewels aren’t the only problem, either.

The fact is that the sourcing and extraction of precious minerals is a very fraught process. It’s dangerous work and conditions are usually poor, which means that child and forced labour are often employed.

The minerals are valuable, so violent men will do almost anything to get their hands on them - including underpaying the already suffering workers or when that fails, coercing them with more sinister means. Once they sell the diamonds, those men use the money to further their political aims to the detriment of the country’s populace or stability. The process of mining itself, meanwhile, is very destructive to the local ecology, often releasing chemicals such as cyanide and mercury. Even with these difficulties aside, it’s hard for the miners to get the pay they need when they trade on the harsh global markets. It’s difficult to know where to begin.

So here’s the simple version. There are basically five main problems with third-world mineral extraction: 1) Working conditions in the mines are dangerous 2) Forced or child labour is often used 3) The process of mining hurts the environment 4) The miners can’t get a fair price for their minerals 5) The profits go to the wrong people And there are three main branches of ethical jewellery to combat these problems: 1) Recycled (Combats problems 1, 2 and 3) 2) Fair-trade (Combats problem 4) 3) Conflict-free (Combats problem 5) Fair-trade jewellery works very much like the fair-trade fruit and vegetable products we’re all so used to seeing in shops.

The fair-trade organisation works to ensure that producers in poorer countries, who can easily be forced to sell their goods cheaply get a fair price- which is just as important for miners as it is for farmers.

Mining is always damaging to the environment, so the ideal solution is to avoid boring into the ground at all by smelting down gold which has already been used - recycling. It may seem immediately distasteful - ‘recycled’ isn’t the most

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attractive thing to hear about a ring, perhaps, but ethical jewellers Brilliant Earth look at it another way:

“Fine jewellery symbolizes everlasting love between two people. A gift of jewellery should have as pure a history as your love.”

Suddenly, a recycled ring sounds a bit more appropriate.

As we’ve seen, being conflict-free doesn’t end with avoiding diamonds and in fact that’s not terribly effective anyway.

Less than 1% of the diamonds on the world market are believed to be conflict diamonds, so it’s no good giving girl’s best friend a bad name. The bad news is that once the jewel has been polished it can’t be traced, so charities such as The Conflict-Free Diamond Council work to ensure that the only jewels traded on the international market are certified conflict-free. Just as important is their work to increase our demand as consumers for certified conflict-free minerals because if we won’t buy it, the warlords can’t sell it.

Now, it seems obvious why we should all make an effort to purchase only ethical jewellery but as with most good causes, we all read the articles and our righteous resolve to only use our wallets for good is soon forgotten. With ethical jewellery, however, there are added incentives; you could hardly show off an organically-produced, free range egg to your friends but with ethical jewellery the conflict-free, fair-trade and recycled certificates can be flaunted as much as the clarity, cut and carat of the diamond. Well, why not? There’s no reason why buying responsibly should be all stick and no carrot.

It’s easy too. Ever since these problems were identified, more and more jewellers have sprung up which aim to make ethical jewellery their USP and today a basic google search for ethical jewellers will provide you with a long list of establishments committed to trading ethically with recycled minerals, conflict-free jewels and fair-trade minerals.

Many people think that philanthropy starts with regular donations to charity and of course, there’s nothing wrong with that. But realistically, if you’re reading this article, then you are probably living in a first-world country where your most common interaction with the third-world occurs when you purchase goods produced there. By buying ethical jewellery, you are doing your job as a responsible consumer. If everybody did likewise, there wouldn’t be so many charitable causes in the first place. So next time you hit the shops remember that you don’t have to support war to support your wardrobe.

ANIMAL LOVERS ARE A SPECIAL BREED OF HUMANS, GENEROUS OF SPIRIT, FULL OF ADVERT. EMPATHY, PERHAPS A LITTLE PRONE TO SENTIMENTALITY, AND WITH HEARTS AS BIG AS A CLOUDLESS SKY. Sponsored by an animal lover

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