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the oddity team
Editor in Chief Farah Annut farah@odditymag.com
Features Editor Charlie Allen Charlie@odditymag.com
Fashion Editor Louise Afaize-Hayford lou@odditymag.com
CONTRIBUTORS Fashion Stylist Callum Vincent
Hair Stylist Kristopher Smith
Photography Robin Bharaj
Makeup Artist Katy Gill
Web Design Spiros Lefkaditis
Writer Shamilla Sims
Advertising Advertising@odditymag.com
special thanks Ryan Bishti and Bianca Ross
@OddityMag | Facebook.com/Oddity Magazine | info@odditymag.com oddity
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C E L E B R AT E W I T H
C E L E B R AT E L I F E R E S P O N S I B LY 4
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THE Cﾃ山OC WORD AND ASSOCIATED LOGOS ARE TRADEMARKS ﾂｩ DIAGEO 2012
contents from muddy to marvellous 8 finer dining 17 gumball 3000 24 welcome to brazil 30 kurt yaeger 38 oddity music 44 oddity artists 58 oddity editorial: bold as love 100
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6 oddity magazine Enjoy responsibly – www.moet.com
issue two editors letter farah annut
After a very successful startup campaign I am thrilled to announce our second issue of ODDITY Magazine. In this issue we are looking to capture the vibrancy and distinction of the 1960s - liberation, art, fearless expression with subtlety and class. This issue’s release coincides conveniently with the festival season, which boasts all of these traits. ODDITY presents exciting and artful photography, relevant and inspiring interviews along with eye-opening provocative articles on a range of topics. The theme for this issue is as bright and eclectic as the content contained. Our Features Editor, Charlie Allen spent months carefully sourcing and documenting the most captivating events in London this summer. Meanwhile our Fashion Editor Louise rushed around from catwalk to catwalk and it isn’t even fashion week yet! As for me I spent the majority of my time connecting with amazing creatives across the country to curate some incredible material for this issue and many issues to come. Oddity will be perceived as dynamic and bold with clear communicative character as to what is involved through the pages. Bold As Love offers us a theme perfectly suited with the summer fast-approaching and works as a great platform for us to introduce Oddity in a unique and original way.
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From muddy to marvellous six festivals that suit a luxury lifestyle
Article by Rhi Davies www.thefestivalhunter.com Rhi Davies is the creator of The Festival Hunter, the original and most widely read online magazine documenting global festival culture. She is the go to girl for all things festival and dedicates her time scouring the world for boundary pushing events and experiences.
Ever since the sixties, festivals have been arguably the best method of enjoying something together. The hippy movement with its summer of love sparked a movement which continues to this day: festivals are a place for friends, lovers, loud music and long parties. Traditionally festivals are synonymous with mudslides, overflowing portaloos and four-hour queues for a lukewarm pint of cider. However, the contemporary music festival scene has evolved to encompass anything from paint throwing revellers at Holi Festival to celebrations centred on a hog roast at Hogsozzle Festival. I have scoured the world for the finest and most cutting edge festival experiences. A festival no longer has to mean you need sturdy wellies and an everlasting supply of hand sanitizer gel - from Bulgaria to Croatia via Miami - I present to you the freshest festivals for the next year...
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For Festival – Hvar, Croatia Hats off to the yachting community who have so far managed to keep the little island of Hvar a beautiful little secret. The island itself draws royals and oligarchs throughout the summer with its endless sun, Renaissance harbour and marble streets. A ‘non-traditional music event for the discerning experience hunter’, For Festival takes it’s revellers by boat to the exclusive Carpe Diem beach club by day and to after parties at Veneranda Club at night. Veneranda is a unique cross between a time-worn fortress and a glitzy open-air club. The venue doesn’t take itself too seriously – Prince Harry once threw himself fully clothed into the pool at the clubs centre. Staying in Hvar means you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation. For a truly top class option, the Adriana Spa Hotel boasts a 10
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rooftop terrace overlooking the harbour with an incredible spa to keep you looking fresh even after a few too many bottles of Ciroc.The stellar line-up boasts HAIM, Mark Ronson, Tensnake and Storm Queen for 2014 - the perfect soundtrack to the sun which will still keep you dancing late into the night.This festival is a pretty exclusive affair - with only 2,500 tickets on offer you need to snap one up fast if you want to head there this summer. Top tip: Share a private boat to the island from Split with friends… it won’t break the bank and only takes 45 minutes. Arrive in style.
Glastonbury Camp Kerala, England Glasto is truly one of the most famous and notable festivals on the planet. Understandably, pop-up tents and cold showers are not to everyone’s liking but it’s better to be near the action than in a hotel miles offsite! The geniuses behind Camp Kerala have created the ultimate luxury festival solution. At a cool £10,000 for two people, it is a little more than the usual boutique camping option but then there isn’t anything usual about Camp Kerala. With backstage access, the Camp Kerala hub features chefs and a bar at the centre of the festival, 24 hour butlers and even a Sommelier (yes, a wine specialist!) - There is little you could want in this peaceful haven. A team are on hand to take you into the festival any time of the day via buggy, and they even have an onsite spa to help transform and
pamper festival goers after hitting Shangri-La, the infamous 24 hour party, a little too hard. Oh, and if you fancy getting a helicopter to bring you onto site this can be arranged, no problem...
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Groovefest – Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic The beachy vibes of the Dominican Republic couldn’t be further from an afternoon spent trudging through the British countryside wishing the sun to come out from behind an everlasting cloud. Set in an all-inclusive luxury beach resort during the September sun, Groovefest works out cheaper than hitting Blue Marlin a few times in ‘beefa and will give those in attendance a solid bang for their buck. With NYC musical father figures Wolf + Lamb involved, the line up is pretty exceptional. If you go be sure to catch No Artificial Colours - a duo who always deliver incredibly upbeat fun house vibes. Great music, beach butlers and guaranteed sunshine? Count me in. 12
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Holy Ship! – Miami, Bahamas, Private Island Love electronic dance music and looking for the trip of a lifetime? You need to get on the waiting list for Holy Ship! A yearly sell-out which takes place in the first week of January - located on a boat, this is a festival like no other. Leaving from Miami, the ship hops between various private islands with the biggest global names in dance music onboard. The MSC Davina Cruise Liner houses the festival with a capacity of just under 4,000 features an infinity pool, 4D cinema, Formula 1 simulator and spa. Although, who is going to have time for a spa when EDM superstar Zedd is hosting a Poker Tournament, or Diplo’s on-board scavenger hunt is heating up? Certainly not me! oddity
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Horizons – Bansko, Bulgaria Despite being fairly new, Horizons is already making waves on the European festival scene. Based in the Pirin Mountains of Bulgaria, Horizon-goers can experience music and snowsports by day and thumping live electronic artists at night. Whilst Bansko may not yet be in the same class as Val d’Isère it definitely offers up a unique experience. In the past few years secret record label parties have been held in strip clubs and hotel swimming pools - not one to be missed! The festival offer a luxury package for those who want their Eastern European festival adventure to hit the swankier end of the spectrum. These exclusive tickets include private airport transfer, six nights in the 5 star Rengum Hotel, VIP artist bar access and spa treatments thrown in alongside full festival and ski pass for a mere £799! 14
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Secret Solstice Reykjavik, Iceland To the best of my knowledge, Secret Solstice festival is the only festival in 2014 where the sun will not set for 72 hours straight - that’s 3 days of nonstop music. The main problem will be managing to leave this Norse wonderland to get some sleep in. The music will cater to all tastes with Massive Attack, Disclosure, and Wales’s finest export Jamie Jones headlining alongside a host of international and local talents. This festival has enough variety to hit anyone’s sweet spot. The location itself is exemplar - set in the hot springs of the Laugardalur recreational area and
still within spitting distance of central Reykjavik. With VIP tickets just under £160, you get access to the all night artist bar, VIP viewing platforms and exemption from onsite queues. While the festival continues for 72 hours straight we would advise a few winks of sleep at some point and what better place to head to than the city’s finest boutique Hotel 101. In the words of Condé Nast -”scores highly on location and is cool”.
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sTREET FOOD: FINER DINING
We’re living in a fascinating time. As the globalisation of eateries and renowned brands continues to grow is there still room for the little guy? The answer, surprisingly, is yes. Throughout the recession we saw the intriguing rise of low-investment, low-risk pop-up restaurants. We went from reliable premium dining experiences to sudden, spoken about, innovative restaurants that were here today gone tomorrow. As this craze grew, street food not only became an acceptable meal it actually became credible, desired and delicious. Once your typical grouchy cockney serving a questionable burger along with a hot cuppa - burgers are now created with different innovations, with different variations, each street-vendor as bold as the next. Be it through stall or truck, these companies pitch up in marketplaces, cultural and social hotbeds, and central locations across London impressing customers and continuously building on the burgeoning reputation of the quality of street food. So much so that now there are awards for these businesses, regular competitions and a following to match. Each vendor tips his hat to the next as their creations come in and out of vogue – all the while cooking up plans for their next masterpiece.The astonishment isn’t so much the fact that this has happened; instead, it lies in the actual quality of the food. Many sample a far better burger or dining creation at a marketplace now then they have at a top London restaurant. There is now a whole social scene that is fully involved and equally enamoured with the movement. Oddity shot to three of London’s finest award-winning vendors to see what the fuss was all about.
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BLEECKER ST. BURGER Delicious, mouth-watering, full, total. These are the words to sum-up how delicious the burger we tried at Bleecker Burger was. ODDITY rolled up its sleeves and dived into a double cheeseburger with a side of chilli-fries. As an affirming silence followed we were told that “Bleecker isn’t about creativity, it’s about quality”. With street-food you will find all sorts of combos but Bleecker keeps it traditional - and effectively so. The owner and creative behind the operation was a New York lawyer before finding a deep love for burgers. Moving to London, she combined her American NYC burger know-how and applied it to the thriving street-food scene - the rest is being written. Most recently, Bleecker Burger won the final at the London Burger Bash as it continues it’s mouth-watering ascension. Location - Changes week on week @bleeckerburger 18
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PATTY & BUN Patty & Bun started as a humble street vendor - now with two sites in Liverpool Street and James Street, it is a fine example of the level of growth the right burger can attain. The essence, atmosphere and decor inside is buzzing, lively and uncompromising - neither pretentious or forgetful of it’s roots. Patty & Bun was quite frankly delicious. Tucking into the aptly named ‘Ari Gold’ cheeseburger and the ‘Jose Jose’ chilli burger respectively, Patty & Bun is as flavoursome and exciting as spoken about. Boasting a more varied and creative menu, plus a solid drinks menu to boot, it is easy to see why Patty & Bun is a solid hit in the city. We can safely guarantee our return to sample more of the innovations and work through the menu. Location - James Street, Liverpool Street Tues-Sun 12-11pm @pattyandbunjoe oddity
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WILD GAME CO Perhaps not quite renowned for our fine time keeping, luckily enough ODDITY arrived just in time to get the very last Wild Game Co burger at the bustling Whitecross Market. Throbbing with juices, the full sized patty literally exploded as we bit into it. Delicious venison sat on our palate and gave us something to think about all the way home. Wild Game Co. kept their secrets to themselves, although briefly let-on that the quality is purely down to the meat. Selling-out 30 minutes before close of trade is a regular thing for Wild Game Co - another succulent sign of the excellence in modern street food. Location - Whitecross Street, Mon-Fri 11.45-2pm @WildGameCo 20
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tom’s kitchen
In the leafy suburbs of Cale Street, Chelsea, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Kings Road sits Tom’s Kitchen. As you step into the eatery, the kitchen wraps around the left hand side and back of the restaurant giving precedence to the name of the restaurant and adds a distinctive interior twist. Filled with those on family dinners, couples and friends catching up, the atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable. The walls laden with pictures of the UK suppliers Tom’s Kitchen works with reflects the restaurant’s ethos - to source local British produce where possible. The starters, in-theme with spring, include a good range of choices; hand-dived scallops, ham hock terrine, beetroot marinated salmon and risotto just some of the pleasures available. Presented as more of a main course, the courgette, pistachio and parmesan risotto made for an interesting starter - the dish melted on the tongue as the strength of the parmesan balanced with the sweetness of the pistachio, the courgettes provided a savoury taste whilst every mouthful was aided by a dollop of crème fraîche in the centre. The crispy skin seared sea bass served on a bed of herb-
infused mash was complimented by the poignant taste of samphire, sea-beet and a creamy watercress sauce. The fish was well-seasoned and all in all made a pleasant dish. If fish isn’t your preference a selection of staple English meat dishes such as spiced pork belly, rabbit casserole, grilled lamb rump and pan-fried veal would have provided succulent alternatives. The poached rhubarb was a dessert recommended by the astute and knowledgeable staff, its full exciting flavour could challenge even the staunchest of rhubarb naysayers. Although soft, the rhubarb’s texture still had a delightful resonating crunch to it whilst the typically sour zing of rhubarb was sweetened by the creaminess of the subtle vanilla yoghurt mousse layered underneath. A hybrid of British and French cuisine, Tom’s Kitchen is for those who love hearty meals with a delicate French touch - beautifully exemplified in the way the food is prepared, with the seasonal menu further evidence of the continued innovation and excellence Tom’s Kitchen offers. Staff are beyond pleasant, engaging and knowledgeable, with a satisfying culinary experience. To put it simply - Tom’s Kitchen was fantastic. oddity
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3000
GUMBALL
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Gumball 3000 is a spectacle for the world - a rally where the rich and arguably insane join forces to ascend on a 3000-mile rally around the world. Changing locations year on year, Gumball 3000 continues to go from strength to strength continuously attracting those with wealth, time and a distinct appetite for premium vehicles. This year Gumball 3000 descended on Regent Street, London, and ODDITY was on hand to capture this spectacle. The rally’s path is international, alluring and adventurous – starting in Miami, the rally travels through Atlanta and then up to New York City. This completed the American stage of the journey, as cars were loaded onto planes Gumball hurtled onward to Western Europe. Edinburgh was its first point of call as the show proceeded onto London, Paris, and Barcelona before finally settling up in the vibrancy of Ibiza. This was the third year of London’s involvement in the rally and a special parade had been organised flaunting the unpredictable blend of luxury cars and iconic themed vehicles. At an entry price of £40,000, the rally boasts 26
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some of the most interesting and exciting participants, many famous, some fanatic and others simply wealthy enough to enjoy the experience. Regent Street, draped in black and gold Gumball Rally 3000 banners, drew a strong crowd of both fans and revellers. Cirque le Soir hosted the parade as hundreds watched in awe as a performer cycled by on a 7ft unicycle whilst a Minotaur dwarf and showgirl rode in an iconic Bat Mobile with a smiling David Haye in the passenger seat. David Hasselhoff closely followed driving a slick black Porsche posing for cameras with the usual bravado. The stunning variety of cars on show was worth turning up for in itself Porsche’s, Bentley’s, Ferrari’s, pulled down Regent Street with power and prestige, warranting the closure of this world-renowned and highly populated street. The after party, held at the globally renowned Cirque le Soir London, did nothing but further accelerate proceedings. The plush London club had probably never seen a more absurd mixture of people, as bottles were popped and sparklers were lit - the party went from insane to timeless. Participants such as Xzibit, Eve, DeadMaus and the cast of Dirty Sanchez - all participants in the rally - were on hand to celebrate the conclusion of the latest leg of the journey. It would be fair to say the Gumball 3000 crew probably needed a day of rest before hitting the road onward to Paris...
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welcome to brazil Words by Shamilla Sims Photography by Pablo Koury There’s something envious about the lifestyle that Brazilians lead. From the outside looking in, Brazil appears to be one big party; streets bursting at the seams with women shaking maracas draped in vibrant headdresses, children playing football harmoniously on the beach, warm nights all year round enabling you to lay in a hammock at the end of the garden boasting a cliff view whilst drinking a cool sangria... a total dream, right?
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Brazil has a certain desirability unlike any other country on the planet. Women can easily get lost in the daydream of having the chiselled body of a Portuguese-tongued goddess, emerging out of the serene Atlantic Ocean onto the white sand as droplets of glistening water fall from the lustrous curls of your thick head of hair. Men are as equally guilty; a fantasy of taking part in the World Cup is hard to tear yourself from. Lining up that winning penalty as the roars of the crowds fall silent and the weight of the most prestigious prize in world football lies on your shoulders...
in the world, there is more to be said about the atmosphere encompassing Brazil when the party season isn’t alive and pumping through the streets. Throughout history Brazil has integrated cultures and traditions from around the world and put their own twist on it. African art is a proud focal point of Brazilian history and a fine example of this integration. Contemporary art forms will be exhorted, exposed and shared internationally giving ancient and precious traditions to the streets of Brazil exhaling out and enlightening the world.
Its no wonder the thrill of Brazil is something that has been seeping out of South America’s carnival capital for decades. Every summer, international party people flock to Rio to experience arguably the only carnival in the world to rival that of the Caribbean. Often noted and acclaimed for its daring, dazzling and risqué outfits, people come to give absolutely everything they have. Brazilians and samba lovers alike put on what truly is, the greatest show on earth.
Capoeira is Brazil’s contemporary martial art form that is interpreted through a type of skilled dance. Birthed in the 1800s through the slave trade boom from Portugal, people would gather together in circles to rehearse the self defence routines whilst singing songs of the local sound of samba - this was to disguise the fact that they were preparing themselves for revolts. Acoustic sounds of samba would be produced through any materials that could be used to create rustic sounds to which the enslaved could bond over and keep spirits high. Heavily weighted with percussion
Though renowned as one of the most beautiful destinations
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instruments and chorus sounds, samba music has since influenced other genres out of South America, Salsa music adapted to accumulate new sounds- breeding artists who managed to bring the rhombic raunchy sounds of the eastern shores of Brazil to international ears. Capoeira, samba and salsa have all been exported to shores and cities all over the world. Brazil is a pure nation. A country that opens it’s arms to all and any whilst celebrating it’s own culture far and wide. The typical infectious vibrancy of Brazil shines out through carnivals and gives those thousands of miles away a delicious taste of the culture that enriches the country. For the first time since the 1950s, Brazil is hosting the coveted World Cup - the world watches with enamoured excitement as this adored nation expects to dazzle once again. 34
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oddity picks london bike cartel
Photography by Nick Patel It almost seems we’re living in a time of the innovative and ambitious. Across London we continue to see small niches and start-ups with a sheer creative drive to do something original, unordered, and nonlinear. LDN Bike Cartel is a company doing exactly that. Just a year old, LDN Bike Cartel present a range of bikes decorated with relevance and pizazz – a beautiful blend of art and modern practicality. Each bike is predominantly titled after famous parts of London and then designed in accordance. Smart, no? This style of creativity accentuates both the location and the bike at the same time.
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The Mayfair Forget London - Mayfair is one of the most refined places in the World. The design of this Fixie is typically iconic of the place – neat and fanciable. It offers no thrills, just pure class and people who are familiar with Mayfair expect nothing but the best.
The Portobello Portobello is one of the most vibrant places in London. Brimming with life and culture, it is a location with an endless buzz. This is clearly personified in the design of this Fixie, a vibrant powder blue frame with beautiful bright orange rims - talk about a head-turner!
The Illuminator As an added bonus LDN Bike Cartel also sell amazing custom bikes. The creativity and innovation of this style is original and quirky. The Illuminator is the first bike in the UK to feature glow-in-the-dark technology, so it looks as hot at night as it does in the day. oddity
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kurt yaeger! enjoying the ride
Words by Charlie Allen Photography by Benjamin Glen Styling by Callum Vincent Makeup by Katy Gill Special thanks to Astrid Fauquet Looking around smiling carelessly, Kurt Yaeger is in the building. Turning up on time, punctual, polite, no fuss – it would seem within minutes of his arrival his energy has sucked everyone into him. The make-up artist smiles and nods excitedly as he tells stories of North California, the director of the shoot laughs as he relives anecdotes from a recent trip to Las Vegas. It is almost this fearless friendliness that makes Kurt an instant draw, but behind the Hollywood smile and humble charm there is a man with deeper stories and bigger insights. Having gone through a horrific motorbike accident years earlier it is no small wonder that Kurt is even alive, and despite the amputation of his left leg it would seem he gained far more from the accident then he lost.
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jacket DOMINGO RODRIGUEZ, tshirt ADYN. magazine 39
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On paper his CV dazzles – an athlete, actor, model, director – Kurt has established himself in each of these fields whilst many struggle to get anywhere in one, yet, he never in his wildest dreams believed he would do so. Growing up in a dog-eat-dog neighbourhood in San Francisco, Kurt tells us of the sad desperate rigours of being a young person growing up in a place with very little hope. Believably, it was his quality as a BMX rider that started his ascension and ultimate escape from his hometown, “I loved riding BMX and that’s what got me out of there. You get good at something and then that gets you your sponsor, which got you to leave that neighbourhood and then you saw there was a bigger world out there”. Given Kurt’s semibiographical role in Rudimental’s music video Waiting All Night depicting the rehabilitation of an amputee from his hospital bed back to his bike, this is hardly surprising. But it isn’t solely the BMX that keeps Kurt relevant or interesting to the public; due to his accident and personality he is seen by many as a figure of inspiration – and it isn’t hard to see why. When posed the question of how he feels being this constant symbol of inspiration Kurt responded with insightful poignancy, “It’s humbling because I get messages from people telling me I’m an inspiration but then I’ll get an email saying - 3 weeks ago I learnt I’m getting my leg amputated due to cancer, what did you do Kurt? And out of nowhere there’s a - help!” 40
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hoodie KATIE EARY, Shorts DUSKLINE. magazine 41
Presumably it is Kurt’s consistent zest for life which people salvage from him. He has the mentality that there is nothing he cannot accomplish and nothing he cannot overcome, his mentality is to continuously challenge and better himself. Despite this, all Kurt wants in the long run is to be able to ride motorcycles from town-to-town and help those less fortunate. It is this consistent kind-heartedness that makes Kurt truly one of a kind. It is hard to imagine Kurt without the positivity that explodes forth every time he engages with you, but when telling us of his accident we encountered a darker Kurt Yaeger. The outcome of his horrendous motorbiking accident left him with 3 ½ months of rehabilitation and an amputated left leg - in fact that is putting it lightly - Kurt’s accident left him with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament, his pelvis was torn in half along with his bladder, he broke seven vertebrae in his back, his lungs collapsed, broke all of his right ribs and he suffered a severe concussion - all of these injuries amounted to 27 separate surgeries. “After I left hospital it took another year and a half and a further 15 surgeries before getting a prosthetic leg. In hospital, I had to get off morphine, I thought about suicide; I was shaking in pain trying to make it go away. I couldn’t sleep for 15 minutes without my body screaming, it was just brutal”. To come through such injuries alive is an amazing feat, let alone to continue on and inspire those in seemingly hopeless predicaments - it is obvious why Kurt is lauded by many. He puts the successes of his recovery down to his upbringing and tenacity, but he still acknowledges there are days when his mentality falters. What makes Kurt so relatable though is his selfless ability to forget the challenges he has faced when others offload their problems onto him, “It is something that is purely relevant to that person and I want to help that person through”, he says commendably and sincerely. Moving forward Kurt is looking to do anything and everything as he continues to enlighten himself and others, “getting lost and seeing what happens” central to his plans. Having just returned from Africa, Kurt talks about his experiences there with avid enthusiasm, complimenting the purity of the people and beauty of the country. As our conversation evolved I began to establish exactly what Kurt Yaeger is about. He is never about the past tense, never mulls over tragedies occurred or days bygone, instead he is all about the present and future - how can he help someone, or what can he do to enhance people’s lives, where can he go next, what hasn’t he achieved yet? It is this energy that has moved Kurt from being in a hospital bed contemplating suicide to being someone travelled, cultured, globally adored and essentially spirited and kind-hearted. 42
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Left: full look ADYN, Trainers NIKE m a gRight: a z i nshirt e ARMANI, 43 Jacket YSL
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DJ CH!CO
If you were to scour London for DJs you would likely come across plenty – most of which cocky, self-important and a little delusional. Not Chico - having DJ’d in every type of club, in every type of environment across many different countries he remains modest, sweet and someone who ultimately underestimates himself. Between playing sets all over London, Chico is a part of a collective of people running Arch 635 in Clapham. He has watched as aspects of the musical and socialscape have both changed across time. We recently swung by Arch to hear his thoughts on music, culture and life as he sees it. 46
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So tell me about yourself – who are you? I’m from London. I love music. I’m a DJ. I create skate events. Snowboard events. Art events. I run a venue. I am part of Brixton Splash street festival.
the music that’s about to blow – you play garage, DnB, you play this, you play that – and after years of doing that I didn’t want to fit in a box anymore. I wanted to do my own thing.
So not much then…Where did it all begin? My parents started playing me funk as a kid, I moved into punk and metal on my own then into rave music with all the cool kids at school. Everything that has come out of London’s rave scene transpired through jungle or garage or house.
I see. Do you feel your roots in music have opened more for you than just DJ’ing? Yeah. It opened me up as a person, I feel like I’ve lived and learnt and just had music as this narrative to my whole life. Now it’s just about going out and telling the story whenever you can. DJ’ing is about catering to your audience and never compromising, and right now there is a lot of shit music at the forefront that’s overplayed - meanwhile there’s loads of really good music out there being overlooked.
When did you decide you wanted to be the one on the other side of the decks as opposed to the one dancing and raving? From the first time I went to a rave, subconsciously I said – “I want to do that”. I didn’t necessarily think that was viable for many years because the DnB Garage scene is a really closed knit community, there’s already a circuit that preexists. To be a part of the scene you have to be playing 48
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And you’re currently here working with Arch 635. What’s the actual arrangement here? I’m part of a team - I’m trying to operate as a really helpful resident DJ. There’s loads of stuff we’re doing here like supporting individuals whom have ideas and want to put
them into practice – especially via music and dance. We’re trying to support all these guys through their growth and give them a clear target and opportunity. We help with anything; it could be doing radio stations, teaching people how to present, teaching people how to DJ, teaching people how to engineer in a live studio space, music lessons, dance lessons, circuit training, it can be used as a live music venue, it can be a theatre, it can be a rave, it can be a dance class, it can be seminar hall. It’s a versatile space so... whatever you want. Sounds inspirational. Do you feel like you’re settled and want to do something here or do you want to move on with DJ’ing? I never really set goals and the only thing I ever really wanted to do was DJ outside more and this year I’m playing Brixton Splash and Groovefest in Clapham. At Arch 635 we’re looking to create a certain level of permaculture really, so people feel conscious of the impact of their actions on the environment – so for example, if you turn that speaker up you’re going to have to shut that door because that neighbour will complain, if you hand out flyers and people throw them on the floor that your litter – think about it, get smart with it. We have to find new ways to do things all the time. That’s a very fresh outlook. These days there’s very little sense of community and helping one another out. Why do you think that is? I think it’s down to perspectives; I think it depends where you are. Anyone who’s looking from the perspective where there’s a lack of something and not acting on it is potentially missing the chance to fill the gap. Me and Mikey started For Boarders By Boarders in 2006, a non-profit organisation that’s a community of snowboarders, DJs, artists and skaters. We had the experience of being able to create a community, to find a common thread between a group of people, attach a philosophy or brand to it and do something that actively binds those people together. Then they come together for this reason because they believe in it – that’s a community. If you’re white British sitting in London wondering where your community is, are you talking to your neighbours? We’re lucky to live in a really multicultural city but its changing fast in a specific way now.
and ultimately ignore their creativity. Sometimes you’ve just got to do the thing that you really want to do but likewise sometimes you have to do the thing you don’t want to do. Never forget - positivity is the way forward. Is there any particular music you feel a strong affinity toward…? My taste is eclectic. It’s Bruce Lee, man – style is no style. You’ve got to put yourself in your own box and draw your own circles. So what’s next? The hottest the summer we’ve ever had in Britain. Out in Brixton Sunday 30th August, and then September for Groovefest! In-between I’m here at Arch 635 or playing at Cirque le Soir. Who knows where else?
So do you feel being creative enhances this outlook and bridges the gap - socially and culturally? Creative people should feel free to be creative without any restraints, because the commercialisation of art is something that really fucks it up. People need to pay bills and by way of compensation they get dispassionate jobs oddity
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flashback Words by Daisha Ferdinand Photography by Tom Martin To celebrate the return of Basement Jaxx and anticipated arrival of their new album ‘Junto’, we looked back at the biggest singles that made Basement Jaxx the legendary act they are today... If you haven’t listened to Basement Jaxx where have you been for the last 2 decades? The epic South-London duo, consisting of Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe, have been filling dancefloors since 1994. The name originates from their very own Brixton clubnight - Basment Jaxx. It’s hard to determine exactly what defines a Basement Jaxx hit, is there a magic formula? Signature moves? Memorable videos? Or maybe years of hard grafting, refining a distinctive sound and adapting to the changing music scene? In attempt to understand their secret recipe, here is a curation of some of Basement Jaxx’s biggest hits! oddity
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Oddity’s Basement Jaxx Playlist Where’s Your Head At - 2001 This super-charged electronic track was a mega hit, played just about everywhere in 2001; if there was a soundtrack to the noughties, Where’s Your Head At would need to be on the list. The futuristic tune is made up of distorted riffs and dirty synths, and who could forget the iconic video fronted by singing laboratory monkeys with human faces? Insane. Romeo - 2001 A classic dance track featuring Kele Le Roc. The intro of the track - twinkly and starry-eyed - suddenly morphs into hypnotic, pumping dance stabbing beneath Le Roc’s fierce vocals. Filled with progressive build-ups that anticipate big drops, Romeo makes for a great dancefloor sing-along. Even listening to this now I am taken back to 2001, fed up and frustrated by unrequited love! Plug It In - 2004 A forgotten gem, characterised by the angry distorted guitars that appear in the bridge, complimented with a punchy vocal performance by JC Chasez from N*Sync. The track is coupled with yet another delightfully disturbing video featuring female robots dancing provocatively. Weird, but strangely alluring. Oh My Gosh - 2005 Yet another great song/video combo – can they do no wrong? Like Romeo, this is a smashing number to prance about the dancefloor and sing along to. Vula Malinga completes the vocals on top of playful 80’s synths and a strong funky disco bassline. Do Your Thing - 2002 Do Your Thing samples a catchy piano riff and old school trumpet blasts, topped off with a “Boom Bang” refrain and impromptu scatting. This is a song to enjoy with friends, by means of a shape-throwing session. Red Alert – 1999 This Basement Jaxx track will never get old. Is it the funky guitar, the chant at the start or the ‘don’t panic!’ vocal line that makes this such a crowd pleaser? Who knows. It is probably a combination of all three. Basement Jaxx really know how to set a track alight. All tracks listed are included on Basement Jaxx – he Singles. The new album Junto is due for release on 25th August. oddity
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Brooke Candy Sinfully Sweet
Daring, unorthodox, arty, psychotic. These are all terms easy to allocate to the surging Brooke Candy, but what is it that still sets her apart? Her video Opulence opens with a scene between her and a man whom she has left beaten and bloody on the floor, the styling is so over-dramatic that it’s almost hilarious but once your buy–in to the absurdity cliche of it all it’s generally easier to buy-in to exactly what Brooke Candy is about. The irony with Brooke Candy is that essentially she is a visual artist, her image and style completes her product but that is to belittling of her sound. Quirky, aggressive and engaging, she is easily comparative to the current wave of wild unadulterated female artists, yet there is still a difference between Brooke and your Miley Cyrus’ or Iggy Azalea’s. She has more originality, less desire for the obvious mainstream sound and persona that goes with this image – it is almost like the sound and the video presents to us her persona, no façade or obvious marketing ploy. The visuals of the video are breath-taking and rich as Brooke moves through scenes sporting outfits that grow more abstract and risqué as the video progresses- a face full of glitter with a body full of bling one moment before moving into a greyscale scene of two nuns kissing in latex. There are elements of Lady Gaga in the theatrical shocking nature of Brooke Candy but in the same vain there is still undeniable originality there. Opulence is an exciting start for an artist which can only be considered a star in the making… 54
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rowan newton concisely creative
Sitting across the room from me is artist Rowan Newton. Unassuming and subtle, he leans forward hugging his sides eyeing the room with almost caveman suspicion. I look at him with the same level of intuition, knowing full well that Newton is an artist of intelligence, creativity and vibrancy. His portraits are ironically basic yet vivid and original - much alike the man himself. The modern presumption of being a creative is someone whose basic orientation and logic is nulled by the constant forwardthinking of whatever their subject is. Newton is someone who not only exemplifies this beautifully but defies this also. A forward thinker no-doubt, a deep and intricate creative thinker but a logical thinker. Newton is someone who is absolutely aware of himself, aware of his situation and aware of what he is trying to achieve through his art and that is the rare quality I found in him.
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Raised by a protective single mother, Newton naturally found art was a part of him from an early age. “I was in the house alone a lot, so I just drew in my time. I grew up during 80s/90s Brixton, so it was strongly influenced by hip-hop and spray paint graffiti – and I was massively into comics”. So much so that by the time he was at primary school he dared anyone to draw better than him. It was clearly this continuous desire for improvement and natural arrogance that was to be Newton’s biggest asset. From primary school, he continued on through to secondary school constantly building on his own reputation and moving through his own creative education. “My artwork always used to get stolen off the boards in secondary school so I saw that as a good sign”, he remembers absently. However despite the early rebel moxie of Newton, his development and progression as an artist stuttered and stalled as he failed to find his own identity and style – something that he concedes he was too cocky to understand at the time, “I was told to loosen up but I didn’t understand any of that. I thought I knew it all”. It wasn’t until he moved into an empty flat with 5 canvases in hand that he finally unlocked his much heralded style. “By foundation I had learnt what everyone had meant by loosening up. I was creating paintings that were still really illustrative” he reminisces obviously, typically blasé. He describes his style as basic and easy; using colours we all use as primary schoolchildren demonstrating that his style is in-fact nothing special, meanwhile knowing that it is very special indeed – it is this subtle assuredness that makes Newton such an intriguing personality. Following on from his eureka moment Newton continued to paint, hired an agent, continuously sold-out any exhibition his work was featured in, dropped his agent, and began marketing himself for the following 5 years, “I never felt I was stalling or stagnating. It’s always been an upward trajectory but when I started doing all this stuff myself, I really went for it”. It was through these years that Newton’s outlook on success began evolving. He insists that there is more than enough time for anyone to pursue what they want and be a success at it – the trick is just doing it. No great surprise there but yet in his theory there is absolute sense and absurd obviousness, “I went to New York for 3 months last year and this emphasised everything to me. I noticed the person who was willing to take the job standing in the aisle, or open the door, or man the tills, and moan about how little they get paid are willing to take those jobs and take that little money. There are only few of us who are willing to say – I’m going to draw a colourful face and you’re going to buy it – because everyone’s actually willing to follow and very few people are willing to lead”. There is oddity
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no grey area with Newton; everything is in poignant black and white and it is this hardcore observational style that makes Newton unlike most artists out there. When our conversation moved to his future style and intention, Newton once again flexed his wit and intellect telling me about his understanding of modern advertisement, use of colour and the gaze of the viewer, “You have 10 seconds to get their attention. It’s all around you, Nike has numerous amounts of colours in their campaigns – it’s nothing new. I read about all that side of things. What emotion you should feel from this or how that makes you feel inside. You’re manipulating the viewer all the time”. Once more, intrigued, I press Newton further asking whether this contrives the art that he creates - he replied, “the best thing you can have is knowledge and 62
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experience and being aware of how that empowers you”. This, I couldn’t argue with. As he continued on I looked at the raw vivid emotion in his work and with each colour around his subject’s eyes, mouth and hair, feelings stirred behind my gaze. Understanding trends and understanding what people want - there is no crime in that. Newton, does understand but more than anything he understands himself, his talent and his ambitions which can be painfully lacking in other artists. Recollecting his moment of enlightenment he told us, “When you discover the awareness of what you have is actually more than what other people have, then you learn how to work it and use it and be confident with it”. But what I found so inspirational with Newton wasn’t his attitude or ability; it was more in his outlook on success and sacrifice.
He understands the grind and shortcomings that ultimately lead to success, and he is more than happy to adhere to these structures. For the rest of the year he has art-fairs and exhibitions lined up as he looks to expand his work beyond portraits – giving them a more epic feel. Newton’s demeanour is so matter-of-fact yet so insightful, and so introverted yet so assured. Essentially, he is someone majorly talented with a strong notion of where he sees his art moving to and an even stronger notion of how to get it there. In-reality, when he paints he is just a kid again trying to be the best in the class and turn the most heads - as Newton surmises best himself - “What I like most about art is, to a certain extent, you’re constantly just showing off. And I enjoy that”. It seems showing off is in his nature, but seemingly so as is succeeding...
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A Guide To Japanese Tattoo Art.
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Tattoos are something that have become culturally acceptable. Decades ago your average tattooed person would be associated with trouble, gangs and distaste - today you look out of place if you don’t have one. Specialising in Japanese tattoo art, Lepa Dinis spoke to ODDITY about her art, passion and views on the modern tattoo scene.
Believe it or not, I’ve been doing it for about a year. I do eventually want to travel everywhere but for now I want to keep my head down - I need to build up my confidence and skill before I go further afield. I have been training for about 2 ½ years but it wasn’t with one artist but instead many - the stuff I have been taught can’t be replicated.
How did you get into tattooing? Did it start with you getting inked yourself or is it something you always aspired to do? It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve always drawn since I was little; I always walked around with paper, pen and pad. My Dad always used to watch these old black and white Samurai movies, and in a scene this guy took off his kimono and showed a tattoo on his shoulder - it was love at first sight. That was it. That’s what I need to do. I was just trying to keep my art with me at all times and tattoos are the same thing really - just more extreme. The tattoo showed a different kind of devotion to the art, it was Japanese and I felt I wanted that.
Right now there are a lot of people who are getting meaningless tattoos as they are in-trend. As someone who is particularly passionate, seeing tattoos as a huge part of your identity, is this mainstream integration of tattooing culture something you enjoy or despise? At the end of the day a tattoo is cosmetics. So it’s whatever you feel, there’s no right or wrong involved. The thought of people getting a shit tattoo is saddening however, tattooing is a skill and it is the art that will separate you. It is so irresponsible when I see people with bad tattoos I just can’t believe someone would want to mark this person for life. I can’t understand it.
And that’s your particular style - Japanese? So there are lots of different styles of tattooing? Yes, you’ve got tribal, you’ve got Polynesian, you’ve got script, there’s old school, there’s new school, there’s so many. Nowadays what is so nice is you’ve got people paying homage to old school style and then they’ll call it new school which is what I do; I do new school Japanese art. With the old school there are strict laws that you have to follow but you just follow the laws that the forbearers thought out and then you can expand on that. With my Sensei, he taught me shuhari which is martial art philosophy - shu stands for following form and adhering to it, studying it over and over until it flows and you can do it without thinking about it. Then there’s ha, this is when you start deviating from the form and you start creating inner relations. And ri is when you break away from the form completely but you still follow the laws inplace. For example, Japanese art must always face inward and adorn that person.
Are you amazed with the normality of tattooed people now? It’s so frequent. To be honest with you I’m not. Now more than ever we are trying to be more individual - and tattoos are attainable. It’s nice because everyone has something unique about his or her bodies but I think it’s a big responsibility for the tattooist to specialise in something. Yes, it is a business but it’s also a big responsibility - always do your homework, always look around, and don’t just go for the cheapest thing. Go for someone who is passionate and practiced, you pay for what you get at the end of the day.
So there’s a real discipline to that. Do your clients come in with a real perception of what they want or do you draw it for them…? I like to do it as a collaboration as that’s how I would have wanted it. They have to trust your style - with all of my clients they creatively like my style, they often say what they want and then leave it for me to create.
With Japanese art is there symbolic meaning to different things? For example you mentioned waves? With waves it is very important with tattooing as it helps your work flow. With Japanese work it’s not seen as just the arm, or just the leg, or just the calf - they look at the whole body and how the tattoo encompasses it. Normally, I like to tattoo the whole body and the waves help each piece flow into the next.
You’re currently tattooing at OnebyOne Store on Berwick Street, but do you tattoo globally or are you more based around UK?
What are you aspiring toward as a tattoo artist? Just to be a better artist than I was yesterday. Japanese art is all about living in the present.
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How has your reputation grown? It started off with me modelling really, I don’t think a lot of people knew I could draw and paint. I did a bit of modelling for my Sensei and he saw I could draw and it all just kicked off from there really. It’s this faith that allows Sensei to show me new things; his knowledge is gold - you can’t read it in a book.
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ashton springer controlled chaos
Ashton Springer is a passionate young artist from London. Subtle, humble and understated - Springer is someone who breathes for his art. Marking his own particular artistic style as Controlled Chaos, he is set to take the world of functional by storm but doing it his way with artistic integrity intact. We caught up with him to find out exactly how he lets loose through his illustrations and more importantly where he looks to take it.
Hey Ashton. Tell me exactly what it is that you do? Well, I’m an Illustrator but I don’t like to call myself that as I feel it pigeonholes me and it sells people the wrong idea of what I actually do. I want to create wearable art or functional art for people. That’s my end goal. Functional art being…? Functional art is applying my work to products, things that people can use but at the same time not selling it as a product - selling it as a piece of art. I’ve never believed in selling a product, I believe it will be a piece of art they will be buying into - for me, that’s the main message I want to get across. Sounds like a strong direction! From what I’ve seen from your art, your style is quite distinct… Yeah, I like to think so! I have a tagline that encompasses my style and what I do – it’s called Controlled Chaos. I’m a very understated guy, I’m not loud, I don’t wear loud clothing but with my artwork I feel like that’s where it explodes. It seems controlled but if you look closer at the details there’s a lot more going on. Controlled Chaos has a ring to it. So initially what inspired you to pick up a pen in the first place? It’s a cliché thing to say but I have been drawing all my 68
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life. I loved it when I was younger but as I got older I purposefully pushed myself away from it, especially when I was at university. It was only when I started going through a period of anxiety that I realised the importance of art to me as a person, without that I don’t know if I would have got to the other side. I think I would have been consumed by it all completely and ended up being miserable and living a shit life. When you say anxiety – can you elaborate on that? I came out of a long term relationship and that’s when the anxiety started, I was feeling very vulnerable - emotionally and mentally - I didn’t feel like myself and I didn’t care about anything. I was going to leave university but I learnt how to be tough and resilient - it was that point where the seed was planted. When I was drawing, my mind wasn’t in turmoil and I was drawing because it felt it was what I was meant to do. One of my main things was finishing university; I had come this far and lo-and-behold I finished it. I came out of it like a new person, my art was coming along and I finally had a style that came organically. That’s one thing I try and stress to people in art, you can’t force these things - it has to be organic otherwise people can see through it.
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What an amazing story - inspirational and insightful. A few weeks ago you had an exhibition at the OneByOne store on Berwick Street, how did that go? That went really well. I think the exhibition was the link from being a bedroom artist to realising this is something I’m actually good at. I could see it was evoking something in the attendees and it was well received. The exhibition made me feel this is where I’m meant to be and this is what I’m meant to be doing. I realised I have something real here, something that has substance.
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Do you feel like being from London has inspired your work? And if you were to travel around do you feel your art would evolve or do you think you will always maintain the same personality and style in your work? I’ve been thinking about that a lot about stepping out and trying to expand what I do. Although the style is distinctive to me I think it’s quite vital that you can expand and have numerous styles that you can tap into. I would like to think anything I produce would be received and believed-in because it’s me who’s producing it. Sometimes I don’t feel it’s always pure and money is all people think about, but it’s far deeper than that for me. oddity
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On that note then, do you work over several different pieces at a time or do you hit a point where you feel so passionate about one piece that that’s all your mind focuses on? At one point if I didn’t finish a piece of art in the same sitting I would tear it up and throw it away. However, on my exhibition piece I spent between 30-40 hours in just under 2 weeks and at no point did I want to start a new one. I try not to work on too many things at once as what I do is very impulsive and quite intense - it’s difficult for me to distribute that kind of energy across the board. Do you feel like art is all in the actual concept or in the quality of the actual piece? I think art and interpretation is down to the individual so I don’t like to label my pieces. To me it means something, to someone else it could mean something completely different - art is down to perception. I think I agree with you there. Do you feel like you’re at a point now where you can consistently release illustrations that people are going to feel awed by? Or do you feel like you’re constantly growing and you’re constantly getting better? I’m still growing. I customise trainers and I have two particular styles that look incredible but I feel anxious when not-knowing how to better the work I’ve already accomplished. So I do feel like I’m constantly trying to evolve and improve.
I finally got to see that my art could be transferred to products so there was potential business there. I feel my art is commercially viable, a lot of people within the retail industry have suggested that I need to get my stuff out there as it could be very well received. Sounds exciting to say the least. What’s the short-term plan? To figure out how I’m going to turn functional art into a feasible plan and what products I want to use. By the end of the year I want my ideas to have an exhibition, it will be sold as an exhibition where the prints will be canvases and they’ll be displayed in a way people can actually go and look at. I have a distinct idea of what I’m looking to achieve. Certainly sounds like you have a clear vision of what you want. Are there any people out there that are inspiring you? I don’t really find much inspiration from anything or anyone. If there was someone it would be Ryan Leslie, an American musician. I don’t get it from artists or illustrators, there are illustrators I like but I’m rarely ever inspired them. Ryan Leslie inspires me because its art to him before it is anything else. He’s not worried about it being mainstream music, he has his core base of followers and he caters to them and that’s how I want to be. I don’t aspire to create something to be sold to the masses; I just want to be very limited so to retain my art’s value and credibility.
So these trainers are a part of the functional art you were talking about earlier? Yes, I enjoy that. I always saw my artwork as paper until I made a scarf with my art on - for me that was a moment. oddity
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IAN CONNOR BY ROBIN BHARAJ
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al!sa Alisa Ueno is someone who cannot be underestimated. At just 24, this quirky, vibrant, young fashionista has established the fashion brand FIG&VIPER across Japan. Amazingly, she’s a renowned DJ and an established model too - there is quite simply no stopping her. Tokyo’s own it-girl sat down with ODDITY to tell us about her vivacious ambitions of world domination…
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Hey Alisa, so tell us more about FIG&VIPER? FIG&VIPER is a Tokyo based fashion brand for girls and I am the Creative Director. We currently have 6 stores in Japan and we have an online store as well. I consider FIG&VIPER a local Japanese brand but we will invade the world very soon! Keep supporting and follow us. And what’s the long-term plan with that? Good question. Menswear maybe..? I like to surprise people! Aside from fashion and modelling you’re also a DJ. What got you into that? And where’s the strangest place you’ve played? I don’t know. I’m just doing what I love and what I want to do...I’ve been in those kinds of situations a lot but none stand-out since it’s happened so many times. When the headphones come off what kind of music do you chill-out to? For chilling, Walk Off The Earth and Robin Thicke’s albums are on the playlist. oddity
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By heading-up several different professions do you ever feel you’re unsure what your long-term goal is? Always, but my long-term goal is being a gypsy and a world traveller with a regular job. What was it like growing up in Japan? Have you always aspired to do more or have these things just fallen into place for you? Tokyo is the city where I belong - it truly fits with my personality and everything! That’s why I want to promote the cool culture of Tokyo to the world. Honestly, I never thought that I would be doing what I am doing right now. I started studying English only a few years ago and sometimes, I’m surprised at how far I have come in the last few years. I’m just thankful for everything and can’t describe how happy I am right now.
When Oddity comes to Tokyo you will have to show us about! What are your favourite places in-town? Hmm, I mostly love Shibuya! Harajuku culture is big and world renowned, but I belong to Shibuya culture. That’s my lifestyle and Shibuya is the best place in the world for me. Oh, and I’ll definitely show you around my shops! All-in-all who is Alisa Ueno, what provokes her, and what inspires her? Usually, when people ask where they get inspiration from they say they are inspired by music, art or other designers. But for me, I get inspired by people who I’ve met through my travelling. So I get inspired by places where I’ve been before and places I’d like to visit.
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Words by Louise Afaize-Hayford Fashion swap & music video screening in Australia. Panel discussions, knitting evenings, workshops, gatherings and many more events saw men and women alike question who is making our clothes, and what can we do about it? There are events still going on all over the world in relation to the ethics and sustainability of the fashion industry - all listed on the Fashion Revolution site. As Somers echoed, Fashion Revolution acts as the platform for us all to take our stance on the debate. We must continue revolutionising our wardrobes, asking our favourite brands more questions, shopping wisely, becoming enlightened, becoming more conscious - essentially becoming what is being termed a conscious consumer. Fashion Revolution and many other organisations such as Source, Ethical Fashion Forum, London CollegRevolution - (noun) 1. a forcible overthrow of a government or social order, in favour of a new system 2. an instance of revolving
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On 24th April 2013 a garment factory in Bangladesh called the Rana Plaza factory collapsed, killing 1133 people in the process. The international outcry was warranted, fashion brands such as Mango, Primark, Benetton, Matalan, Monsoon, Accessorize and many more had questions to answer about their garment production methods. The Rana Plaza factory collapse became known as the “deadliest garment-factory accident in history, as well as the deadliest accidental structural failure in modern human history.” On April 24th 2014 Fashion Revolution Day was born - a day where people were asked to challenge various sectors of the fashion industry by wearing their clothes inside out. This movement was further enhanced by use of social media as many were encouraged to hashtag #insideout, photographing and sharing this feat whilst asking the simple question ‘Who Made Your Clothes?’ An awkwardly simple, yet, equally searching question which you should ask yourself - who did make your clothes? Are you aware of the circumstances facing the individual sewing the garment you’re wearing now? Enter Fashion Revolution. Fashion Revolution was founded by Carry Somers as a result of the Rana Plaza atrocity. The board is composed of key figures within the fashion industry and many other influential names beyond fashion, people such as founder of Green Carpet Challenge Livia Firth, retail expert Mary Portas, activist Bianca Jagger and many more professionals within the Fashion, Ethical and Sustainable game. When talking to Somers and De Castro at the Fashion Revolution Wrap Party, they emphasised the aim 88
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of Fashion Revolution is to get you and all those people inbetween questioning the facets of the fashion industry that we don’t see. They want exposure played out in the display windows of our favourite boutiques, department stores, high streets - and that’s just the start. From exploitation to pollution, Fashion Revolution aims to bring greater transparency to the key challenges within the fashion supply chain and discuss what can be done about it. Fashion Revolution Day was celebrated and revolutions began in wardrobes all over the world. From a flash mob at Swansea Castle Gardens, to a mass catwalk in the centre of Barcelona, a ‘Meet the Maker Exhibition & Fashion Miles Map’ in Nairobi, to a fundraising e of Fashion, have all been discussing the ethics of fashion for over a decade. It took an international tragedy for it to become a serious issue - now it’s time we engage. The action doesn’t stop there, in the words of ‘Bluesologist’ Gil Scott Heron “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” - no it won’t be because it will be taking place in your wardrobe. For more info on Fashion Revolution and great sources to continue the crusade check out the following links Fashion Revolution http://fashionrevolution.org/get-involved/ http://fashionrevolution.org/get-involved/countries/ Source/Ethical Fashion Forum http://source.ethicalfashionforum.com Ethical Consumer http://www.ethicalconsumer.org
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Photography: Rob Gardner Model: Sam smart from GTM Model management MUA: Natasha French Hair Stylist: Holly Faulder Wardrobe Stylist: Justyna Poniewaz-Gorajala
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la corde homme Words by Louise Afaize-Hayford Menswear is undoubtedly becoming a sought out sector within the fashion industry, coupled with the rise of the fashion forward man. Thus when London Collections: Men took over the capital this June, menswear brands took centre stage and showcased the trends that will be in wardrobes all over next year.
A popular trend featured on the La Corde Homme catwalk was the coloured suit, with different hues of blue being a popular choice. Dark reds, yellows and turquoises also gave suit jackets, chino’s, fitted shirts and trousers a colourful dimension and contributed to the fact that there is more that can be done to and around the staple suit.
A label that will definitely add some sun, sea and sandy inspiration to your Summer choices is La Corde Homme, the Chinese - Franco menswear label that made it’s first debut at LC:M this year. Taking inspiration from the luxurious summer isle of Santorini, the ‘Travelling Poet’ collection fuses Santorini’s architectural colour scheme with Chinese menswear future style trends and European designs, creating bold, colourful pieces with elements of gentlemanly charm.
Mosaics and pinstripes added a visual dimension to garments, whilst the Chinese element of the brand was showcased with block colour silk drapes with an intricate sun looking sewn motif overlapping shorts and trousers, layering of t-shirts and shirts, trousers and shorts and varying lengths and cuts to the classic blazer. With the brand’s ethos being New Life & New Focus La Corde Homme SS/15 collection will do just that to your summer wardrobe. oddity
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o d d it y p r ese n ts Photography: Aleksandra Kingo Stylist: Daria Moseikova Hair Stylist: Kristopher Smith Makeup Artist: Katy Gill Models: Becky Dejong at Elite and Elena Wood EDITING/ DIRECTION: FARAH ANNUT AND LOUISE AFAIZE-HAYFORD
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dress MARC CAIN, hat SHAO YEN
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top and shorts SHAO YEN
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bomber jacket SHAO YEN, skirt KILLIAN KERNER.
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swimsuit WE ARE HANDSOME, trousers SHAO YEN, shoes TAMARIS, shirt MARC CAIN, trousers KILLIAN KERNER, shoes TAMARIS. oddity magazine 105
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For your nearest stockist visit www.osmo.uk.com. Follow OSMO on facebook/page/OSMO and twitter/osmouk
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