PLAY Issue One
Editor in cheif Charmaine Mainoo Creative Director Charmaine Mainoo Adrian Richardson
Fashion Contributing Writers Olivia Alessandra Emma Whitemoss Caroline Griffiths Stylist Mara Bonofigilo
Photography Photo Editor Charmaine Mainoo Post production Elon Farrell Charmaine Mainoo Music, art and culture Contributing writers Adrian Richardson Michael Ashlea O’garro Charmaine Mainoo
www.offthehookdigital.com
Contributors Photogrpahers Molly Gibson Davide Cossu Edyta Michalska Maria Loyter David Oslan Tia Smith Cara May Tashana
Cover Shoot Becca Ross MUA Mara Bonofiglio Stylist Bryony Robertson Model Clothing by Ekaterina Kukhareva http://www. kukhareva.com Shoes by Julian Hakes
Contents Play by Charmaine Mainoo Zainab Vandu Interview Hidden Place by Davide Cossu Simone Rocha Playing With Fashion Playin with Nature by Tia Smith Coco and Breezy interview My hair By Ashlea O’garro This is love song interview Chocolate Kisses by Cara Joseph Hot spots to shop Jessica Shaw interview Olaf Hajek Tipsy by Maria Loyter Future by C.Mainoo Bad Gal by Molly Gibbons Words By Adrian Richardson Penny Wollcock interview Twisted Fantasy by David Oslan The buzz Kof interview Nulla sollicitudin facilisis erat
Whats on? Stone Cold by Edyta Michalska
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Photography by Charmaine Mainoo Becca Ross MUA Mara Bonofiglio Stylist Bryony Robertson Model
ZainabVandu If you hadn’t fallen for this pint sized urban goddess already from her own eclectic style mix of elegant grunge, maybe her overwhelming and most heartwarming reaction to winning the Styled To Rock competition might win you over. From winning the first challenge to dressing The Scissor Sisters to that glorious moment when Rihanna exploded on stage in her outfit, in her own words she’s “little but has a big bite” and although it’s tough to be afraid of her with her adorable personality, she definitely isn’t one to be reckoned with when it comes to styling the next generation of superstars. Firstly, congratulations on winning Rihanna’s ‘Styled To Rock’ series.
a lot of my wordrobe is actually menswear. I’ve always customized my clothes but only recently have I started weraing my own pieces regulary, to be honest, only recently have I started -making wearable clothes. Would you be intersted in catering for high street as well as celebrities? I love the highstreet, in fact at the moment I’m working on a few projects in this area. The high street is an amazing place to be it’s much more daring and fashion forward then it was 5 years ago. People are embracing fashion more and having fun with the clothes they’re wearing. It’s a really great thing to see and I’d be happy to be a part of it.
We were all routing for you to win...has it sunk in yet? Thank you very much! I don’t think something like that ever sinks in! To be honest, I still get butterflies when I think back or look at the photographs. 2.When did your interest in Fashion design begin? This may sound strange.... but I was never really into “fashion”. I loved sketching people, so I think that kind of guided it as people usually wear clothes so... I had never considered that is was something I could make a carreer out of until I got to college and learned more about the industry. Where do you get your inspiration? I have always been mesmorised by the idea of creating a mood or persona through clothing rather than just “just a pretty outfit’ I love looking at the way individuals on the street dress and how they express their personalitles
Who would you love to be your brand ambassador? Erm Rihanna of course!!!! Your designs truley come alive when worn, the relationship between the clothing and wearer seem vital to the look.What do you hope people think when they see someone in your designs? “Where can I get those? thats the most amazing thing i’ve ever seen!” I would like to think that’s what everyone would say! (laughs) How would you describe your own personal style? I think my person style is quite eclectic , I like to have fun with clothes and mix things up e.g a tracksuit with stilettos or a dress and trainers (depending on how I’m feeling that day, I’m not very girly at all when it comes to clothes! I can never bring myself to wear anthing floral or A-line! I tend to wear either massively over sized or super bodyconm
‘Styled to Rock’ is an amazing opportunity for up and coming designers, do you think your experience on the show has enabled you to grow as a designer? Oh definitely! I’ve learnt so much about myself and what I like /dont like and -And more importantly what’s important to clients. I’ve always had my own design aesthetic but being on the show helped me to confirm exactly what I’m about as a designer and what my strengths and weaknesses are. What was your favourite moment whilst on the show? It has got to be Wireless, there were a lot of highlights during the show but I don’t think anyhting can top that!
What was the most challenging part of designing for Rihanna? Do you have the same style interests? It’s probably most challenging finding something she’s not worn before, her image is ever evolving so you’re offereing her something that is new and original but still keeping with the current image she’s portraying. She’s worn some other pieces I made for her recently so fingers crossed she’ll continue to be a fan! What can we expect to see from you in the future, are you working on any new projects? I’m working on a million projects right now! I’ve just finished my mini capsule collection and have been working on some bespoke pieces. Styling some clients and will be collaborating with a few brands...so keep your eyes peeled!!! :-) Images (from left to right): 1.Zainab Vandu 2.Zainab and model in design 3.Rihanna, dressed in winning design at the Barcalys wireless event.
Photographer Davide Cossu Stylist Francesca Pinna MUA Violet Zeng Hair Corinne Cappelli & Emmanuel Esteban Models: Irma Adina Viktoria Kravtsova
Hidden PLace By Davide Cossu
Simone Rocha From Dublin, at just 25 Simone has a BA in Fashion from The National College of Art & Design in Dublin, an MA in Fashion from Central St Martin’s College in London, debuted at London Fashion Week with her Autumn/Winter 2011 collection, topping off with seeing her Autumn/Winter 2012 & Spring/Summer 2013 collections shown at Somerset House for LFW. This swiftly brings me to her Spring/Summer 2013 show, and watching it I feel like I’ve entered someone else’s dream sequence for the night. As an ex art student myself, and completely devoted to fashion, aesthetics, and the performing arts, there’s nothing that draws me in more than when fashion and art collide. Simone’s SS13 runway show felt like a silent film. A sci-fi silent film. There are so many juxtaposing components Simone has included here and has achieved something rather spectacular in that I’m left eagerly wondering what happens next – and indeed, what exactly did just happen? The first four looks we see are all white. A very feminine collection with a clean-cut edge1. We see a lot of white throughout the show with square-cut skirts and double-breasted power blazers. None of this takes away from the femininity of the collection however, due to the fantastic selection of fabric designs Simone has used. Many of the pieces have asymmetrical cut out sections filled with lace, mesh and floral inserts2, and she’s created wonderfully futuristic see-through square handbags3. The collision between the femininity and the models’ heavy cut, choppy fringes, backcombed low rise ponytails and makeupless faces leaves one feeling perplexed in the most endearing way. Simone looks to have been very heavily influenced by 1960’s cuts, with hints of the flouncy flower power movement that followed. Mix these vibes with the solid square bags and Day-Glo soled shoes, I’m wondering if I’m watching a very innovative 1960’s depiction of fashion in 30 year’s time. Although so many components may sound confusing, what Simone has actually achieved is a very recognisable, clean cut and, moreover, innovative style of her very own that I can envisage could fall very distinctly into high-end shows in years to come. Towards the end of the show the looks have developed to reflect more of a 1980’s power suit, with bigger collars and puffier sleeves, followed by a very current vibe of cropped trousers and chunky Creeper style flats. This brings me to her shoe collection. She seems to have taken inspiration from the current brogue boom, the clunky Creeper revamp and thrown them into a shaker with some Day-Glo and created something truly wearable and desirable. We’ve got patent black with a see-thru lime green sole4, space-suit silver with a transparent sole, grey leopard print5, the brightest white with a fuchsia-red sole – the list goes on. These shoes are on a runway but they are so on trend and wearable I can see them hitting the hipsters by storm if they get their hands on them. I would most certainly be one of them! Simone has had a fantastic start to the year, seeing articles in Elle UK in January and the likes of Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue Russia in February. The images courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar in particular show how relevant and current her vision is, and I believe this is a mere drop in the beginnings of her success6. Simone Rocha is one to remember, and after seeing her show and collections I shan’t have any trouble in recognising her designs, which will inevitably be cropping up in shows in months to come. I can’t wait to see the sequel.
Playing With Fashion By Caroline Griffiths
The art of play within fashion has been more than apparent. As an individual amongst millions the urge to stand out and be different is a collective desire. Before Tina Turner and BeyoncĂŠ there were entertainers who continuously searched for innovative and creative ways to express themselves, many of which used their costumes and accoutrements as a bold playful manifestation of themselves. Josephine Baker a St Louis, Missouri legendary entertainer was inventive and playful pulling off the famous banana skirt, gold chains and large art deco earrings.
Prada takes inspiration from Josephine baker for their spring 2011 collection
“The laws of style were created to be broken... the limits of creativity are endless!”
PLAYFUL DESIGNERS… Contemporary designer Jeremy Scott solely focuses on the art of play using ingenious designs. His 2013 NYC fashion show clearly emulates play.
. PLAYFUL TRENDS… Fashion is often used as a form of expression with the modification and continuous evolvement of trends. This can be seen in the recent trend ‘Comic Girl’ – it uses iconic imagery taken from the Pop art era that evolved in the early 50’s. Pop art embraces material culture and glorifies materialism whilst resisting the norm. Recent trends such as the ‘Comic Girl emulate and reinforce the ultimate form of play within fashion. Top shop- comic pop art jumper £30.00 Nasty Gal- wordz sneakers £87.69 Karma clothing- comic bodycon dress £9.95
Contempopary fashion is now our playground, an artist explosion of bold bright colours, explicit silhouettes combined with various prints. The canvas is no longer blank. We have become walking canvases for all to see. Hair, Make-up, nails, Clothes and accessories all add to the finishing touches of our personal canvase
Photography, styling and edit by Tia Smith Model Rana Smith
Playin’with Nature By Tia Smith
COCO & BREEZY STUDS. SHADES. SWAG
Nicki Minaj, Kelly Osbourne and Ashanti are only a handful of the celebs rocking Coco and Breezy’s statement shades and apparel, so it’s safe to say they really have taken America by storm, and in such a small space of time. Looking back with no regrets, at only 18, twins Coco and Breezy made a quick decision to move from their hometown Minnesota to New York to begin their career in the fashion world and soon took their hand crafted eyewear to a whole new level. From creating their own business until now, the twins have launched over 5 different collections of eyewear and apparel as well as getting involved in the Addidas White Space Project and developing their distinctive eyewear. I don’t know about you, but I’m hoping to sport some of these shades this summer!
You really have taken the world by storm. And in such a small space of time, have you had a chance to take it all in? We really haven’t had chance to take it all in as it’s happened so fast. When we see our product being worn by celebrities or in a magazine, it really makes us emotional but determined to do more and evolve the product. It’s crazy! No one else could have designed your infamous sunglasses. The designs have your signature style written all over. When did your interest in fashion begin? We have always been interested in fashion, starting from when we were little girls. Our mom was also interested in fashion and at a young age we began re-designing our own clothes, but I would say that it really began in high school. That was when we became more and more interested in sunglasses as we felt by wearing them it meant we didn’t have to make eye contact with others that would find humour in our individual style. What/who inspired your first collection? To be honest, our first collection was really inspired by what we both are on the inside. We wanted the collection to make a statement and welcome customers into our world. We both love the punk fashion and edgy look, which is why we love using studs on our sunglasses. Some of the biggest stars on the planet are wearing Coco and Breezy accessories, from Nicki Minaj and Gaga to Beyonce and Kelly Osbourne. How does that feel? It feels unreal. As we said, everything has happened so fast so it’s hard to take it all in. It makes us happy that our sunglasses have become so infamous and that they are recognised by the stars. In the past year you have worked with Renault and on the Adidas ‘White space’ project, what was that experience like? It was so amazing to be recognised by a big brand like Adidas and the whole idea of the White Space really defines us as we both have our own individual style and that was
what the whole project was about – making Adidas products unique to yourself. It was a really good experience and it was good to see that as well as us, so many other people got involved too. The advice we would give is really just to be creative and don’t be afraid of taking risks. Never think that there is a bad idea, every idea is good, you just need to be passionate about it! Also, if you are looking to start your own business or brand, it’s important to have some knowledge of business and marketing as that plays a big part in making the brand what it is. You are both only in your 20’s and have achieved more than most people your age, what’s next for Coco and Breezy? In 2013 we really want to concentrate on evolving the brand and let it grow. Recently we’ve re-designed the website as well as improving the packaging of our product. We have a new collection called ‘omrose’ dropping 15/01/13 and you will definitely see more of our statement sunglasses coming up in summer. You can check out Coco and Breezy’s website at www.cocoandbrezzy.com
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BY Ashlea O’garro wwww.website.com/info
My Hair
Do you like your natural hair? That is a very difficult question. Since childhood, I have had a turbulent relationship with my hair. At times I have appreciated my thick, supple coils but have at the same time despaired at the lack of curl definition and the desert-like conditions of my thirsty scalp. I have been on a journey, from detesting my natural hair, to finally accepting it in its natural state. Incidentally, Walt Disney caused my initial identity crisis. I recall watching Peter Pan at the tender age of seven years old and wondering how I could get my hair like Wendy’s. She had beautiful auburn ringlets that blew in the wind but fell perfectly back into place when she was stationary.Whereas my hair remained in any weird angle in which it was placed. I had a similar experience with Barbie, when I saturated her hair with grease, in hope that her hair would ‘poof’ up like mine. I was shocked to discover that her hair had taken on a green tinge and smelled bad. Why was my hair different to Wendy and Barbie’s? Why did my hair sprout upwards, whilst their hair pooled elegantly around their shoulders? That’s when I begun to reject my hair. I received my first relaxer at ten years old. My cousin and I excitedly perused the packaging, confident that our hair would resemble the models’ lustrous locks. We were bitterly disappointed at our thin stringy tresses but we adored the smooth and silky texture that we now shared with our Caucasian peers. I took great pleasure in sliding the comb through my hair, without meeting a single knot. Furthermore, my newly straightened hair fell just past my shoulders, whilst my hair in its natural state was often the victim of severe shrinkage, just brushing neck length. Detangling was virtually painless and my mother could easily pull my hair into a ponytail. It seemed that I had found a solution to my issues with my natural hair: I was wrong. I received my first relaxer at ten years old. My cousin and I excitedly perused the packaging, confident that our hair would resemble the models’ lustrous locks. We were bitterly disappointed at our thin stringy tresses but we adored the smooth and silky texture that we now shared with our Caucasian peers. I took great pleasure in sliding the comb through my hair, without meeting a single knot. Furthermore, my newly straightened hair fell just past my shoulders, whilst my hair in its natural state was often the victim of severe shrinkage, just brushing neck length. Detangling was virtually painless and my mother could easily pull my hair into a ponytail. It seemed that I had found a solution to my issues with my natural hair: I was wrong. The problem with relaxing is the re-growth. About four weeks in, it becomes rather difficult to achieve a sleek look, as your hair is thick at the roots but thin in the middle and at the ends. There is also the ‘line of demarcation’, where the natural regrowth meets the relaxed hair. It’s near impossible to detangle your natural hair without damaging your weakened relaxed ends. For me, there seemed to be no hairstyle to that successfully concealed this issue. So I turned to the ‘creamy crack’. As a result of the unmanageable re-growth, the time span between each relaxer became dangerously short. At that young age, I was not worried about over processing and possible breakage. I was preoccupied with ensuring that styling my hair was as stress free as possible. Moreover, I was not finicky about who applied the chemicals to my hair. As far as I can recollect, nobody was meticulous about adhering to the timings outlined on the instruction manual. In my experience, the relaxer was removed when my scalp began to burn. I became blasé about scalp burns; to me it was just an unavoidable part of the straightening process.
Consequently, my hair was severely damaged. Aged fifteen, I had hardly any hair at the back of my head. I was left with limp, lifeless, uneven hair that I hid underneath weaves. Then at the ripe old age of 24, I decided that enough was enough! I wanted healthy, natural hair. At that point, I had not relaxed my hair for nine months and I made the decision to step away from the ‘creamy crack’. I browsed hair care blogs, such as www.Hairlista.com and www.curlynikki.com. I retrieved a wealth of valuable information and discovered that my hair care practices were flawed. I was over processing my hair, I was using the wrong products and I was excessively manipulating my hair. Added to this, I became frustrated at handling two different hair textures, so I hacked off the relaxed ends of my hair with household scissors. This was a reckless move but I felt emancipated! I was no longer bound to the four week cycle of punishing chemicals. At present, I am not yet at peace with my natural hair. My hair is still shorter than I am comfortable with. I am not particularly skilled in the art of hairstyling, so I struggle to create protective hairstyles that also look attractive. I still have difficulties with detangling and ensuring that my hair retains moisture. Also, I wear lace font wigs to work, in order to prevent damaging my natural hair in my haste to avoid being late for work. You could say that wearing wigs is a ‘cop out’ and that I’m not really natural. However, I am afraid that my dry and unruly hair will fail to inspire other women to become natural-I am pretty sure that the sight of the shrub on top of my head will send them running to the nearest salon to slap on the white stuff. Nevertheless, I plan to persevere with my natural hair journey and I will ditch the wigs as soon as I discover staple products that will put an end to the drought in my scalp! Overall, I am happy with my decision to go natural. I understand that I have a long journey ahead of me and I still have a lot to learn about my hair. Added to this, I actually have hair growing at the nape, something that I did not have when I was relaxed. I no longer fear getting my hair wet-my hair thrives when it is washed twice a week. Ultimately, my goal is to have back length hair within four years-something that would have been inconceivable a couple of years ago. But right now, I’m happy.
Spring Hair Men/women 2013 spring/summer hair
Low slung bun- for a classic smooth preppy look, smooth hair with gel to create a wet look and secure your knot with a colour-matched hairband.
Fishtail Braid- opt for a high-fashion pretty plait or braid hairstyle. Why not choose the extremely popular fishtail braid rather than a traditional plait. This braid can also be styled with all hair pulled to one side for a messy look.
Ombre – dip dye tips of hair any colour you prefer for a perfect two-tone effect. Be daring and extend the colour up half way between.
Faded Mohican hair cut- the Mohawk is often referred to as a Mohican. It is a hairstyle where both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably long hair in the centre of the head. The faded Mohican is often subtlety adapted version which shows the mid section to be substantially lower than a normal Mohican. The high-top fade- the infamous short side with contrasting long hair on the top trend evolved during the late 80’s early 90’s symbolizing the golden era of hip-hop music and was common among young African Americans. Slowly 2013 has seen the high-top fade creep back onto the scene and it is constantly evolving.Vanilla ice or should I say the joey Essex high-top fade cut!
Side parting slicked back-For SS13 there is much focus on a precise side parting. Not only will the emphasis be on the cut but also on the products used to style it. To get the catwalk shine use pomades and gloss products.
ng This Is A Love So Brand Describe your brand in one sentence... Music, love and a good time Who’s the designer/s and from where does the inspiration derive? TIALS is Steph & Nina. To keep inspired, we surround ourselves with good people, travelling and always doing weird things when we are in new places. Music always plays a major part too. Our upcoming Fall/winter collection was inspired by the legends such as MJ, Janet & Madonna. I think we named a couple of pieces after them. You have the most endearing names for your collections, such as Aloha Phsychedelia. How do you come up with these names? Haha thanks. Steph is the queen of making stuff up. She even makes up random rap songs! I must confess, I have fallen head over heels for the SS13 collection, particularly the Apples, Coconuts and Melons cropped tops (personally, I am Apples and have an odd obsession with the fruit). How much more can we see from this range and is Tropical a way forward or a stand alone collection? Tropical is our way of life. We live in Bali which is an island, it stands by itself but if you get stuck in it, it may not be the way to go forward. Just like this collection. We are going to grow from here but it is definitely way different from our last collection and the upcoming one. We are always changing but we never take anything too seriously so you can expect that every time. Lately, fashion has taken a turn for the brilliant in that there seem to be no more rules, no more pigeon holing by one outfit choice… everyone is suddenly free to wear what they want and how they want. Within which genre of kids would you place your brand? The kids that can cross over from genre to genre kinda like the parties we make. What was the little bud that made the brand blossom in the first place?
I guess we were bored of the scene in Bali, there was a huge gap in what was available in shops and on the dance floor. So we wanted to fill these gaps with cool shit and sounds. Your website holds a bit of everything, it’s easy to spend hours getting lost within its colourful and fascinating depths. How quickly did the brand expand? We have been around since 2010 and our website was a lot different back then and technology too! Now we have instagram and all that so we have fully integrated everything onto our website as the brand developed. It all went hand in hand. The website is more than just a webstore. Tell us about the blog. The blog is a place where we explain what we do elsewhere on the site. Sometimes its filled with boring promo or interesting anecdotes about a road trip we took.. and then there are the party photos. Lots of people create cultural and lifestyle blogs these days, how do you hope yours stands out from the crowd? We’re not looking to stand out in the blog department. We’re not bloggers but we love them because we can dress them. Our blog is where people can get to know the brand a little better and the people behind it too. That’s all J What advice do you have for others creating successful lifestyle blogs? Post more regularly than we do haha. We spend more time on instagram and tumblr because it’s so much easier but if you want to blog, do all of it! And be yourself on all these platforms so it feels real. What is a concept store? A store with a concept. Ours was to bring gather all the brands that we love in one space. Tell us about yours. We opened up 3 years ago this April and we house brands from all over the place including ours. Behind it there is a coffee shop so if you are in Bali it’s a neat place to shop and hang out.
Do you hope to expand with more stores to more countries? We’d love to have our own store outside of Bali but right now we’re focusing on building the brand here (in the US) and in Australia and Europe. Hopefully one day that would lead to something physical here in LA.
Sometimes it’s easy to be made to feel like we shouldn’t admit to the partying we’ve fulfilled over the weekend for fear of looking “unprofessional”. It’s refreshing to see business and pleasure combined, for what’s life without fun? Tell us about “Love In Tents”.
We don’t do anything unless it’s fun. Before TIALS we were making parties so we kinda kept that a part of our brand. We now run parties under Love in Tents aka LIT but we only do music that we like. We used to not do so much but now the crowd’s gotten bigger and bigger and we’re happy to cater because we like to party haha! We give away free shit t Go check out www.thisisalovesong.com
Chocolate Kisses By Cara May Joseph
Photography by C. Joseph Stylist Julie Buch Model Cecile Helen Ruth Campbell MUA
Hot Spots to shop OFF THE HOOK TOP SPOTS IN CAMDEN AND BRICK LANE LONDON
The London fashion scene is continuously booming with concealed trendsetting stylish establishments. Areas such as Camden and Brick Lane are infamous for their large selection of fashionable boutiques, stores, stands and especially their markets. On a daily basis these enchanting shopping areas are flocked by hundreds in search of customary modish items to add to their fashion canvases. To help you out we have hand picked three Must visit shops in Camden and Brick lane. If you have not already heard about Rokit then here is a little treat for you. Rokit is an enchanting vintage store that constantly refers to catwalk and street style changes to select and source vintage products, also transforming reusable items into reworked Rokit collections and supports individual makers through their designer guild. Evolving from a stall in Camden, Rokit have now acquired four London based establishments, one in Camden, two in Brick Lane and one in Covent Garden.
The original and first Camden market can be found just off Camden Road on the right hand side. Proceeding through to the very back of the market in the left hand corner, you will find an interesting little stall manned by a friendly man who goes by the name Chando. His stall is filled with a mixture of exquisite, ethnic, punk, and hand made quirky accessories..
Rokit contact details: Website: www.Rokit.co.uk Twitter: rokitvintage Blog: www.rokitvintage.blogspot.com Myspace: rokitlondon
Emin & Paul is an exclusive quirky but elegant boutique located on Hanbury street Brick Lane. Emin designs most of the chic clothing within the store and Paul designs most of the accessories and exquisite shoes. Together the duo have created an exclusive swanky affordable collection. Contact details: Facebook: Emin & Paul Address: 44 Hanbury street, E15JL, United Kingdom.
Camden Stables Market- Leather for a Tenner Unit D-09 Spring collections have shown that fashion lovers turn towards fall trends and leather is big this autumn, and I do not believe it will be leaving any time soon! As a bargain hunter I was in sheer amazement when stumbling across this place; quality, real leather products and unique styles, but wait for it, each item was only a tenner! If you are a leather lover, then do head down to this spot: Camden Stables Market- Leather for a Tenner Unit D-09 Mon/Wed/Thurs: 11:00-18:00
Blitz Blitz Show-stopping vintage. I was in amazement upon first glance at this vicinity, then I stepped inside and it was breath taking. Looking small on the outside but large on the inside, this gorgeous store is filled with amazing 40s-90s vintage clothing, accessories, home ware, furniture, and posters. If that is not enough they have a quaint relaxed coffee shop for shoppers to chill out whilst admiring the beautiful eccentric interior. Yes, students are lucky enough to get a 10% student discount. Blitz Blitz contact details: Shop: 55-59 Hanbury Street E15JP Web: www.BlitzLondon.co.uk Blog: BlitzLondon.co.uk Son Of A Stag- is a leading mens’ denim jeans store located in the vibrant must visit Brick Lane. They carry the largest choice of Japanese and American denim jean collections and specialise in rare top quality denim and footwear brands. Son Of A Stag are the only store in England to offer on the spot hemming alterations with an original union special chain stitch machine. Why not discover for yourself and visit their branch.
9 Dray Walk (off 91 Brick Lane) London, E16QL England, U.K. Open 7 days a week from 10:45 am - 7pm Sunday till 6pm
Jessica Shaw Designer Jessica Shaw is a unique up-and-coming UK designer who combines art, photography and design to create beautiful pieces such as those in the new ‘Dreams of Lolita’ collection. After graduating from University and attending Clothes Show Live 2012, her label is now being sold on Asos Marketplace, and although she is a relatively new designer her pieces are noticeably inimitable. Watch this space…. When did your interest in fashion begin? As far as I can remember I have always loved fashion. Everything about it; how it makes you feel, the way it can change you and reflect your mood and personality, and the way it completely transforms you. I have very early memories of dressing up in my mum’s wedding dress as a girl with my sisters, and even wearing crazy printed shirts as dresses. I have always had an eccentric sense of dress and have vivid memories of never wanting to take off a pair of floral dungarees I wore everyday almost. I always had a quirky dress sense as a child and remember wanting to always look different. That has stayed with me as a designer.
Last time we spoke you said one of your influences was Marc Jacobs. Is there anyone/anything else that influences or inspires you? Do you aspire to be as famous as Marc? (if not, who would you aspire to be as famous as? )
Interview by Emma Whitemoss
I have many influences in the Fashion world and the Art world. Marc Jacobs is one of my all time favourite designers. I admire his classic cuts and tailoring, his layering of clothing and how he mixes his use of fabrics as I also love to do this when designing to create levels of texture and depth. There are two really amazing designers whom I love at the moment; Ryan Lo, a women’s wear designer who recently showed at LFW 13 and has been sponsored by Fashion East, and Raffaele Ascione, who has recently graduated from a Ma at Central Saint Martins. Both designers have a completely unique style; creating ultra feminine dresses using an eclectic mix of fabrics that result one off quirky pieces. I adore the label Erdem as well as Chanel as they also have an ultra feminine feel. Classic designers like these will stand the test of time and I always look to the greats like Chanel for basic design inspiration. You have said that you graduated at Middlesex University, what did you study? Would you encourage others that have similar interests in fashion and design to go to university? I graduated from Middlesex University in 2010, gaining a First Class BA degree in Women’s wear design. I learnt invaluable skills needed to become a designer, from basic sewing skills, Pattern cutting, Toiling, Design skills and research and design developmental which are key in what a designer does. To be able to communicate and develop design you need to have skills like these, otherwise it can be hard to show people what ideas are actually in your head.
University gave me great opportunities; lectures with guests such as Meadham & Kirchhoff and talks from designers starting labels and working in the Industry. It also gave me the time and skills to learn how to develop and grow as a designer, as well as providing the opportunity to further education in a Master’s degree. I felt it taught me self-discipline in regards to time keeping and gave me a high work ethos which opened my eyes to all aspects of research which is a major tool used in designing. I gained work experience while at University with small print companies such as Neurtoica and Bjork & Mcelliot. I gained the knowledge and experience on how small labels run, skills that are key on starting when launching my own label.
You are currently working on the ‘Dreams of Lolita’ collection, what will this include and when will it launch? ‘Dreams of Lolita’ is my new collection. I’m really excited about! A collection inspired by YOUTH, coming of age, the idea of DRESS UP! This collection is an electrical mix of all pink fabrics a colour associated with Barbie dolls, and girls. The mix of floral, glittery jerseys and pom-pom trims makes this a fun collection that depicts youth in women. The collection will consist of floral velvet dresses, over sized frills, layered with Heart Jumpers, Glittery shirts, Heart crop tops with Pom-poms, and velvet bomber Jackets. It’s a collection that is fun, playful and I feel it sums how today’s generation How was the experience when attending Clothes
Show Live Birmingham 2012 to showcase your work? Would you like to go again or attend other shows? The Clothes show live In Birmingham was an amazing experience that I learnt a lot from. It was the first step with the launch of the label, and I learnt about production, time keeping, deadline’s etc. All Garments were made in- house by myself so I learnt invaluable management skills. I gained press and interest from bloggers, and have now launched my boutique with Asos Marketplace, and had a fantastic response with new followers on Twitter and My Facebook page as well as interest from celebrities such as Louise Thompson from Made In Chelsea. I learnt that my clothes sell and appeal to the masses and that the age for my buyers ranges from young teenagers to the foxy Older woman which is great! I loved receiving tweeted pictures of girls rocking my Crop tops it really makes what you do worthwhile! Each piece from every collection is very unique; do you handcraft these garments yourself? Every garment is designed and made by myself from the initial research stage, to garment production, Pattern cutting, making, hand dyeing and sourcing all the trims etc. I have a specific look and feel for my clothes that is quirky and energetic. I have a strong pallet of colour, and layer of textures. A lot of my pieces from ‘Dreams of Lolita’ trims, were sourced from Goa, India from my travels making them extra special and unique and desirable.
Would you say that the location/set of the photo shoot is as important as the garment themselves? From looking at your photo’s it seems very well thought out and put together.
The Photo shoot, to me, and Lookbook are massively important, they create the mood and sell the look to the buyer. It’s about creating this fantasy world that a design is envisioned and showing people a piece of your imagination, making the garments look good at the same time. Every aspect of fashion down to the styling of the shoot is about creating this whole look, telling a story through images.
Would you say that merging art/photography and fashion is one of your focuses? I feel photography plays a huge part in the creative process from my designing to my final outcome. My initial research will always start from photography. I am a huge fan of Jurgen Teller, I love how raw and fresh his pictures are - he shoots a lot of campaigns for Marc Jacobs. My work Is deeply influenced by photography by works from Nan Golden, to Corine Day who first shot Kate Moss back in the day. I love the grunge raw side of film photography and how it captures that one moment in time that can speak a thousand words and represent a whole generation. My last collection ‘Blue Utopia’ was shot by a friend and amazing Photographer Leanne Findler, who used a kaleidoscope lens, with a Diana camera on film to produce some amazing blue filtered images. We used a smoke bomb in the shoot that set of the images I was really pleased with the end result.
My website is www.Jessicashaw.co.uk Facebook page : www.facebook.com/JessicaShawLabel Tumblr: http://jessicaelizabethshaw.tumblr.com/ Twitter: @Jessshawlabel
O
OLAF HAJEK You are described as one of the worlds most successful illustrators, to hear that must feel amazing...Did you ever think you would become so successful? Of course I never could have known I would have global success I love to work for international clients. I followed my personal taste and was true to my style. Earlier this year I came across your ‘Black Antoinette’ series in Lumas and was left mesmerised. Blown away by your bold use of colour...rich pastels, dancing neons and pure Blacks. What was the inspiration behind this? My idea was to create an image of luxury, opulence, and beauty which has wealth and prosperity. I adapted the idea of Marie Antoinette and created a “Black Antoinette” who is wearing the idea of the whole nature on her head—the beauty as well as the birth and death and the evanescence. Out of the first image I painted a whole series was born. You have been commissioned by some of the biggest publications in the world. Do you have a favourite project? The more personal and artistic freedom I get, the more fun I have with the assignment. The wonderful thing about being an illustrator, working world wide, is the great diversity. I love the different themes and mentalities and so don´t have a favourite project. I see many influences in your work from different cultures for example...Native and Folk art, do you research? I was always inspired and touched by the imperfection of beauty and the power of simplicity. That’s why I love so and South American folk art and Indian miniatures. So yes this is a conscious thing, but I don´t wont to document, I just want to put all my ideas of the world together and create a new unity I presume you travel a lot? I love to travel, but I am a mind traveller too! You can get on a “voyage” um or a bookstore You have books out ‘Flower Head’ and ‘Black Antoinette’ paintings for sale in places like Lumas and have worked with some of the biggest names in the world. You have achieved so much, what’s next for you? My idea is to focus more and more on my personal work and my exhibition in galleries. I will now go to South Africa for 3 months to paint for my upcoming solo show at Whatiftheworld Gallery in Cape Town. My personal Art is more and more influencing my commercial work, =
- so there will be only a thin line between art and illustration What advice would you give to young artists with dreams of being as successful as you are? Try to work on your personal style, be inspired by all which is around you! Be aware that being an illustrator is not only being creative, its a business too, so learn to sell your self and work on your folio and presentation...think global…the world can be a small place!° Check out more of Olaf’s work at www.olafhajek.com
Tipsy Photographer- Maria Loyter Stylist- Ekaterina Romanova Model- Alisa Rysukhina
MR SHIZ
Interview by Michael N
Street artist, body painter, actor and photographer Where did the tag name, Mr Shiz come from?
I first took the alphabet and crossed out the letters I didn’t like sketching with, leaving me with 7 letters. After re-arranging them and adding the letter “i” I got Shiz. After a while, I realised that Snoop Dogg and E40 were using it and made it a slang word, but I thought yeah, that’s fine by me, so it stuck...I added the “Mr” 2 years ago to get my domain name to match (MrShiz.com) and after sketching a few times I realised that the “Mr” were the best letters to paint with so I kept it. Your attention to detail is amazing, what inspires you...? Thanks! Being able to reproduce what I see is a challenge between me and the picture every time, like it speaks to me. If I do a good job, I win, and if I do a bad job reproducing the picture it winsIt’s a style, not everyone like photorealism because it’s too much like a photograph rather than a painting but since I was a kid I’ve always been fascinated about the detail some artists bring and most importantly the contrast. What has been your most challenging project? So far it has to be when I painted my second car using an air brush. At the time this was a mammoth of a job as it was for a customer paying good money for me to paint on his brand new car. I have now painted on many surfaces and vehicles so it’s now a pleasure to work on a car, but back then it was nerve wracking... Have you got into any trouble because of your graffiti? I sometimes get criticised by other graffiti artists for not being real and not doing trains and track side, as they feel I need to help the movement but I guess a proper graffiti artist thinks differently to a custom artist (me) we are all about the love of the application and experimenting with different products and techniques whereas their focus is on “getting up” I guess it’s down to preferences.
You were asked to paint the Cadbury inflatable structure in Hyde Park during the 2012 Olympics in London; what was that like and how did that come about? The people in charge were nice but the job was one of my worse ones. They contacted me as they wanted an artist to stencil the cloud shape of the Cadbury’s logo, and they were going to have sign writers stick the letters onto the structure. However, after trying to stick the letters for a full day, they gave up as it was not working so they asked me to do the whole thing. The reason I dislike stencils isn’t because of an artistic opinion but because every time I have to use them, it’s in the bloody wind! So I painted the complete logos the next day using vinyl letters that wouldn’t stick and freehand painting, finishing at 2am. But I guess that’s part of the description for a custom artist, being able to come up with a solution, and always telling the customer: of course it can be done. What item can you not live without? My phone! Some of my friends get annoyed when we paint with them as I’m always answering emails and phone calls, but I also need it for the music, without which I can’t enjoy painting! www.mrshiz.com
Future
Photographer: Charmaine Mainoo Stylist: Mara Bonofigilo MUA Sophiia Taylor Model Isis Basile
Bad Gal BY Molly Gibbson
Model/stylist Sophie Trigg Photography/styling M.Gibbons
I am bad personified; not because I leap tall chairs in a single bound. I am bad, not because my personal hygiene is of that nature; I am bad because I am! I am the epitome of a strong and confident woman; I take on the world and all its misgivings and walk away with makeup intact! I am bad by design; my style is my own, but I can be who I need to be. I am chameleon; wife, mother, socialite, vixen, employer, employee, student, teacher, lover, fighter. I work hard and I play hard. My style is an extension of me and a reflection of who I am at that moment, and what it takes to be me, and being as bad as I wanna be.
Words by Adrian Richardson
Penny Woolcock
Off The Hook magazine caught up with Film director Penny Woolcock before the release of her new film ‘One Mile Away’...
My first experience of your work was the controversial movie, One Day. The idea of a Hip Hop musicial is amazing, it’s something we haven’t seen before. What influenced the idea? So often we forget that Rap is poetry. If we strip away the music and it’s culture and really listen to the message good or bad, you see a story. I love the way you captured this. I knew I wanted to make a film about what was going on in our inner cities and the idea of it being a musical came very early on for two reasons. Firstly I thought it might make people less suspicious that I was some kind of undercover police. This didn’t work! Some people including Dylan Duffus and Shabba trusted me from the start but others didn’t believe I was a film maker until we started filming. Secondly I was wanting to understand hip hop and grime music. I was seeing and hearing groups of young people on street corners rapping to beats on their phones and I wanted to know more! This did work. Making a film is an adventure for me, I want to go on a journey and learn new things. It enriches me. I love the music now and am respectful of the poetry. It is art. I read some where, that you built the ‘One Day’ script from from real life experiences. You explored gang culture in depth... were you at all shocked by the state of “mans inhumanity to man”? Did you ever feel out of your zone? I didn’t feel shocked at the violence in the hood. People killing and harming each other and being taken in by the false glamour of a criminal life style makes me sad. What shocks me is the way that the rest of society ignores the death toll of young black men. I am shocked that if a young white middle class woman is murdered it is major news and if a young black man is murdered it might be two lines in a local paper. I am shocked at the rate at which we lock them up and the disproportionate prison sentences they get.My zone is humanity.
The film was banned from cinemas in and around Birmingham, this must have been a huge disappointment? Many believe racism is the reason behind the banning of the movie. Is that a fair statement? Do you fear this for your new project ‘one mile away’? The West Midlands Police stopped the film being shown in five cities in the Midlands. This destroyed the distribution of the film and was ruinous in that none of the investors got any of their money back. I am still gutted about that. The pirate version was very widely sold and I am glad that people got to see it but that didn’t help me get another film off the ground. I am still angry. I absolutely believe that racism was at the bottom of it – relations between police and the community have completely broken down and fear and hostility are pervasive. 1 Day came out the same week as Harry Brown which was much more violent but starred Michael Caine. Why was Harry Brown not troubled? I felt very isolated and caught by surprise last time. I believe we have powerful allies this time who would stick up for us. This is a film about a positive movement and needs to be seen. You chose Birmingham as the back drop for 1 day; what inspired that choice? I had made two films in Birmingham – Shakespeare on the Estate (1994) and Macbeth on the Estate (1996). I was aware of the Burgers and the Johnsons from that time. Also Birmingham gets overlooked – filmmakers jump from London to Manchester – and yet there is huge energy there. That’s interesting to me. I love your directing style, it has a documentary feel. Theres an intamicy with the subject that very few can can pull off. The actors you chose for the films ‘Tina goes shopping’and ‘One Day’ were great, so natural. I understand they were untrained actors?
Did you have a set script or do you give them a brief leaving them to interperate? I make documentaries and fiction and also direct opera. As you see I like extremes! I like shooting handheld, keeping the camera restless and moving. The scripts for the Tina films and for 1 Day were all based on research from the streets. I promised people who trusted me to tell their stories that I would return and cast the film from the community. I knew I One Mile Away is set for release this year, what can we expect? Check out the trailer on onemileaway.co.uk The film will screen in selected cinemas from the 29th of March with live performances and talks afterwards from guys from both rival gangs. We are going to pirate the DVD ourselves to get it to the audience who need to see it. Channel 4 are going to show it. We are doing a lot of press and we hope that a movement will continue to grow that deters young people from a criminal gang culture that destroys communities. Basically we want people to change the world! What advice would you give to up and coming film directors? Raw talent is not enough. You have to work hard and learn your craft. If you want to write a script, read a few scripts first so you know what a script looks like. Format it properly. Nobody will read it if you don’t. Write it on professional formatting software. Final Draft is the standard but the BBC have a free version you can download. http://www.writewords.org.uk/news/25.asp Persevere. Graft. It’s worth it.
Twisted Fantasy By David Oslan
Designer: Julie Phillips @Haunted Fantasy Model: Cody Richards and TP Spot MUA: Illisha Brown and Victoria Leanne Hair/Styling: Beeintr Location: Tour de Force studio
Fashion Meets Music When I was about 8, my sister gathered some troupes from within my little cul-de-sac for the Sunday entertainment. Besides me, she found two other sisters and an impressionable straggler. We congregated, discussed, parted ways and rendezvoused again shortly after in my lounge where there was an abundance of leopard print, union jacks and platform wedges, creating many a hideous ensemble (hideous ensembles, of course, being all the rage in 1996). I had donned my current pride and joy – Addidas poppers – a white tank top, scraped my hair back and applied some temporary tatts I’d collected from every kid’s magazine available, and whichever pair of Nike Air Max kicks were my flavour of the week. Yes – we dressed as the Spice Girls for a day… and what a fabulously entertaining day it was. Granted, when it comes to music, fashion – or just about anything – of all the decades to draw comparison with, I think we can all agree that the ‘90s is best left packed away in a kit bag with our shell suits, jelly shoes, and white-girl cornrows. However, even looking at such a ghastly era the Spice Girls fell into, it’s pretty obvious that music has always had a massive impact on not only the way we dress, but also entire fashion movements. From the flare loving, free flowing hippies of the ‘70s, to the bull heading, point proving punks in the ‘80s, it was only a matter of time before our music idols collided with our fashion idols to well and truly cement our relationship between music and clothes. This winter, London Fashion Week saw the highly anticipated launch of Rihanna’s debut fashion line for River Island. The grapevine has offered mixed reviews.
By Olivia Alessandra
Personally, I found the entire line positively subjective, wearable, and adaptable. I suspected that for some, the subjective and somewhat aloof feel to the line would have a negative impact due to the fact that none of it will single handedly make you look like Rihanna. Perhaps if you had Rihanna’s stylist, you may succeed. My point is, that most of the negativity I’ve heard of the line is simply misguided. These items aren’t ready-to-wear Rihanna costumes. They’re simple, every day pieces that you can mix and match with any crazy item you wish to make the outfit “pop” and become your own. Indeed, if you analyse and pull apart Rihanna’s wardrobe, you will find every day t-shirts, vests, cut offs, crew necks and kicks that she teams up with unexpected items like slit maxi skirts to give it that unmistakable edge that we so love her for. Despite the overwhelming pros for celebrity style sharing and inspiration, I do believe there is a vivid line where pop culture should stop influencing and we should ensure to keep taking a few steps of our own for every step we borrow from the hall of fame. Not the first, and by far not the last, Rihanna is just a drop in the bucket where the musician inspired fashion lines are concerned. Back in 2011, Marc Jacobs turned his womenswear boutique on Bleecker Street in New York into a pop-up Blondie shop selling all things Blondie he’d designed, promoting their new album. Before her death in August 2011, Amy Winehouse collaborated with Fred Perry for four collections. After her passing, they decided to release her fourth and final collab for their spring/summer 2012 collection. They now have an Amy Winehouse Foundation established to aid struggling youths.
Before her death in August 2011, Amy Winehouse collaborated with Fred Perry for four collections. After her passing, they decided to release her fourth and final collab for their spring/summer 2012 collection. They now have an Amy Winehouse Foundation established to aid struggling youths. In the autumn of 2011, Lady Gaga made her catwalk debut at Paris Fashion Week after she collaborated with Thierry Mugler, with her stylist Nicola Formichetti putting on a satisfyingly mental show of his winter collection, and he then went on to style and design for many of her vidoes from her current album Born This Way. The show itself was so fabulously flamboyant and dramatic, it could easily have been mistaken as a teaser trailer for her own tour, strutting down the catwalk in a cloud of cigarette smoke in towering platforms and an assortment of black mesh and PVC to the debut airing of her song Government Hooker. The most recent, and also my favourite, due to the fact that it’s two adorable men taking charge of fashion, is Justin Timberlake and Tom Ford’s collaboration for his brand new album The 20/20 Experience. JT’s dubbed “refined” style that appears throughout the album artwork and videos so far has been created with the help of the enormously talented Tom Ford. The pair worked together on creating a line of bespoke tailoring that features eveningwear, shoes, and accessories. It is so refreshing being able to discuss men’s passion for their own style and for trying to push boundaries on men’s eveningwear, succeeding in revamping the age old tuxedo. Hopefully this has paved the way for future collaborations and for bursting out of the creative box. Personally, I think Mr. Timberlake and Mr. Ford did a mighty fine job to bring back our beloved JT as a refined gentleman!
There are so many rumours of forthcoming collaborations between musicians and fashion designers; Adele’s possible teaming with Burberry to create a plus size line, Jessie J perhaps working with Stella McCartney, Lady Gaga spotted with Versace, sparking rumours. Regardless of what’s currently in the pipeline, I think it’s a safe assumption that music and fashion are set to be BFFs for a long time. As a generation, I feel we like to express who we are on a daily basis with the outfits we wear and make no apologies for it – and rightly so! This so often comes hand in hand with the music that we’re drawn to. I feel as long as we have a safe and steady balance between influence and original thought, there’s no end to the wonders we can achieve with fashion.
Above image from Rihanna’s river island collection
The Buzz
If you don’t recognize these faces…you will. These artists are predicted to be huge this year, 2013. This might be the year we get true talent back, all have not only great voices but and a fresh sound with familiar elements.
01
Mikky Ekko
American singer-songwriter and record producer Mikky Ekko, is definately one to look out for. This year he has already made the billboard’s top 5 with his song ‘Stay’ performed and recorded by Rihanna for her featured seventh studio album, unapolo-
02
Angel
West London singer/ songwriter and record producer Angel is creating quite a buzz, his debut album is set for release 15/04/2013. www.thisisangel. com.
03
Indiana
UK singer Indiana’s vocals can only be described as intoxicating. Check out her most recent single ‘Bound’ here: http://www. youtube.com/indianamusic. For latest news you can catch her on twitter @INDIANAthegirl
04
Laura Mvula
Mesmorisng vocalist Laura Mvula is currently the talk of the town, just listen to one song and you’ll see why…check out her gorgeous website…www.lauramvula.com
Onyinye L. Iwu Introducing the super talented Onyinye Lwu... “My name is Onyinye L. Iwu, I’m a 22 year old Nigerian female, architecture graduate and illustrator, born and bred in Italy. Here, there was an absence in encouraging self-love for young black children. However here I am today still connected to my African heritage and roots. I have learnt to love myself, my history and culture. My ode to Africa is to educate people around the world about this beautiful continent by highlighting African heroes and the culture. It is this drive that has inspired me to produce art which includes these pencil drawings. In the future I have plans to work on historical graphic novels, making Africa’s history more accessible to everyone especially those who are part of the African Diaspora.” Onyinye L. Iwu
Chinua Achebe - Nigerian Novelist
Thomas Sankara - President of Burkina Faso and Pan-African theorist “Africa’s Che Guevara”. You can find Onyinye on Twitter, Tumblr andd Facebook, check out the following links: Twitter: @onyinyedraws http://onyinyedraws.tumblr.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Onyinyedraws
Funmilayo Ransome - Political Leader (1900 - 1978)
KOF Up and coming artist
What genre of music influences you? There’s so many, and everything that I listen to influences me in some way. My musical loves range from Soul and Neo-soul to Hip-Hop, House and Reggae to Dub RnB and Bass music. These all work their way into my music somehow. It just depends how I’m feeling when I’m creating.
You have a ‘UK sound’ is this a conscious thing? Do you agree with that statement? I don’t try to sound like I’m from anywhere specific although I have lived in the North and South of the UK, which may play some part in the reason you feel that way. Lyrically, I think my music speaks on more of a wider vibe and I’ve gained a lot of support in several countries around the world because of this. Traveling to some of these places will allow my music to gain much more of a worldly sound too which is definitely something I aspire to do.
I love ‘Looking at me’, ‘Get out’ and ‘Child of the ghetto’... Did you write these songs? If so when did you begin songwriting? What influences you? Thank you. Yes I write all my music. I wrote my first song when I was 14. It was called ‘U go through’. Was it good? Lets just say my writing has come a long way ha ha. I draw inspiration from everything though, my life, my loves, the highs and lows. I’ve learnt that almost anything can be song material and there’s nothing better when a song really connects. When I went to St Lucia to shoot the ‘Child Of The Ghetto’ video. It was crazy how much the people connected to the song. They would just sing that hook over and over almost in a proud aspect. They could relate. That song depicts their struggle the same way it might with somebody in the UK or anyplace that finds itself at the more impoverished end of society. We would be riding around blasting the track. I find that the realest tracks are the ones people will take in as their own.
You have worked with the likes of Wiley, Terri Walker and Sam Frank, have you any other collaborations planned? I have a few collaborations in the pipeline but I don’t want to say anything until everything is mixed and ready to go. I have a wish list which has names like MJ Cole, Delilah, Swindle and Kano on it though. I’ve been doing a lot of writing for other people’s projects too which is fun.
For those who haven’t yet heard your music style, sum it up in five words… Real, Vibrant, Fresh, Alternative, Soul. You have a large following, how does it feel to know people appreciate your music? It’s an amazing feeling. It’s crazy sometimes though because I’ll get like the hardest dude coming up to me but they WILL be feeling the ‘softest’ tune. Sometimes you don’t know which songs are going to connect and who they’re going to connect to but when it does it can be a powerful thing. The songs I hear that remind me of a person or a time in my life are the ones that stick with me the longest. What projects are you currently working on? I’ve just finished my UK tour which was amazing. It was my first proper tour. I did 7 dates with a full live band but I could’ve continued forever ha ha! I’ve also just finished an extended version of ‘An Alternative Soul’ for release in France at the beginning of 2013. As well as all that I’m in the studio putting together music for my debut album. I can’t wait for people to hear the music. What can we expect next from you?
I see you have produced some of your tracks, when did you get into the producing side of things? I’ve been producing my own stuff since the 2nd song I wrote. It was called ‘Hard Times’. I remember just messing about with a programme called Reason. I didn’t really know what I was doing but it worked. We shot a video which managed to get on Channel U (now Channel AKA) which was massive at the time for an artist not based in London. I stopped producing for a while because the beats I was being sent were much better than anything I was creating. After a few years though I was starting to get bored. When you use a beat that someone sends you, you only get to paint half the picture. I found that when I started to produce my own stuff again, my song writing got better and the overall feel of the music was a lot more natural and it allows me to create a more cohesive sound.
World domination! Ha ha Nah, ,just a lot more music and visuals - for both myself and others. I am really spending time to craft my debut album and push that as far as it can go whether that is independently or with a labell. To keep up with everything as it develops, please just hit up my website www.kofmuisc.com
What’s On? As summer approaches (I know the weather doesn’t reflect it) we’ve checked out a few events worth checking out!
Vogue Festival Images ADDRESS Vogue Festival, Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 8XX TELEPHONE 020 7960 4242 DATES: Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April 2013 OPENING TIMES Various PRICES £75
Great British Tattoo Show ADDRESS Olympia, Hammersmith Road, Kensington, London W14 8UX TELEPHONE 01244 881895 DATES: Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April 2013 OPENING TIMES Saturday 21st April: 11am-10.30pm Sunday 22nd April: 10am-6pm PRICES £25 per adult
Two day event that brings together fashion’s top designers, models, photographers and writers to showcase their work and interact with visitors. Fashion followers will be able to immerse themselves into the industry by posing questions to some of the industry’s most influential names, as well as take part in workshops, makeovers and watch fashion films. With Vogue being the optimum of fashion publications, they promise only the best in the creative industry will be present so expect a programme packed with fashion heavyweights Tom Ford, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana and Diane von Furstenberg all appeared last year. Tickets on sale from February 2013.
The London Original Print Fair London’s premier print fair, offers the chance to see specialist dealers displaying their etchings, engravings, linocuts and lithographs in the grand setting of the Royal Academy of Arts. Address: Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Mayfair, London W1J 0BD Call: 07917 767 952 DATES: 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th Apr 2013 OPENING TIMES Thursday 10am-9pm, Friday 10am-10pm, Saturday 10am6pm, Sunday 10am-6pm PRICES Adults £12, concession £8 The London Original Print Fair, London’s premier print fair, offers the chance to see specialist dealers displaying their etchings, engravings, linocuts and lithographs in the grand setting of the Royal Academy of Arts.
Field day Field Day Festival 2013: Bat For Lashes, Solange, Animal Collective The one-day event hosts a range of indie-pop, alt-rock and electro acts, including headliners Bat For Lashes, Solange and Animal Collective, alongside Palma Violets, Charlie Boyer And The Voyeurs, Chvrches, Julio Bashmore, Everything Everything, Egyptian Hip Hop, Kurt Vile, Tim Burgess, Django Django and many more. Saturday, May 25, 2013 Field Day Festival 2013: Bat For Lashes, Solange, Animal Collective Price: £49.50 May 25, 11am-10.30pm Venue: Victoria Park More info on the website... http://www.fielddayfestivals.com/
Stone Cold
Photography by Edyta Michalska MUA Adriano Coelho Model Yaasmine