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INTRO Young Hollywood...taking over the world. Through the years, this genre has always recieved our attention and obsession. Whether it be in admiration, adoration, or abomination, the talented youth of every generation speak clearly and ring loudly in our ears, saying, “We are here to stay,” giving us no choice but to present you, our trusted readers, with Bello mag’s very first Young Hollywood Issue. Covering this issue is Teen Queen, Bella Thorne. First achieving recognition on Disney’s Shake It Up, Bella has now blossomed into a teen DREAM, landing major roles in upcoming films aslongside the A-listers whom she is destined to join one day. The smoldering Avan Jogia has proven time and again that his effect on all teens (and twent-teens) remains and is growing strong. After doing a small, one-page feature in Bello mag a few issues ago, his presence on our publication’s social media had such an impact - the biggest one to date - that we felt obligated to put him on the cover. Thank you very much. We have amazing inside covers for you as well: beauties such as Awkward’s Ashley Rickards and Jessica Lu; Arrow’s favorite nerd, Emily Bett Rickards; and one of our current favorite younglings, the gorgeous Portia Doubleday. As always, experience our pages with an open heart and an open mind. Feel youth breathe through the text and images. Possibly, you may discover something you never knew existed within you. Whether it be big or small, Hollywood has always been an expert at helping us realize those unidentified things. Let our Young Hollywood help you reveal something today. All my best,. Leslie Alejandro Executuve Editor
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PUBLISHER IMAGE NATION STUDIO L.L.C. California, USA editorial@bellomag.com
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Aleksandar Tomovic (editor in chief) alek@bellomag.com
Stephane Marquet (creative director) steph@bellomag.com Leslie Alejandro (executive editor) leslie@bellomag.com
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Warren Alfie Baker (fashion director) warren@bellomag.com Kimmy Erin (fashion editor) kimmy@bellomag.com Hiko Mitsuzuka (entertainment editor) hiko@bellomag.com Dio Anthony (contributing entertainment editor) dio@bellomag.com Nicole Walmsley (Beauty Editor) nicole@bellomag.com John Cullen (sports & fitness editor) john@bellomag.com Steven Carver (international editor) steven@bellomag.com Copywriter & Contributir: Ashley Herbinger ashley@bellomag.com Contributing Writers Falene Nurse (Entertainment) Scott Younbauer (Entertainment) Brad Liberti (Music, Entertainment) Catherine Pracowrik (Entertainment) Melissa Adelaide (Beauty) Matthew Blaylock(Lifestyle) Ronnie Woo (Lifestyle) Luigi Irauzqui (Lifestyle) Vanessa Viola (Horoscope) Contributing Photographers Aleksandar Tomovic (Los Angeles) Stephane Marquet (Los Angeles) www.alekandsteph.com Milo Ventimiglia (Los Angeles) Sierra Prescott (New York) Alexander Beer (London) Benny Haddad (Los Angeles) Luke Lighthouse (Los Angeles) Tech Developer Vincent Machetel
Yes, 2013 is slowly coming to an end, and we have decided to create a Young Hollywood issue so we can share with you our favorite young talent, as well as the photos of all of our contributors when we were kids. I believe that never losing the kid in yourself is very important; it’s about finding a balance between growing up and staying young in soul. Bella Thorne and Avan Jogia are the very personification of what young Hollywood is today: beautiful, fun, talented, hard-working, and open to embracing social media and other new forms of communication. With “selfie” finally becoming Oxford Dictionary’s 2013 Word of the Year, it is clear how this new generation is reinventing the media and communication. With every issue we are welcoming more talented contributors. In this issue, for the first time, Milo Ventimiglia is showing his art as a photographer and sharing his insights about this passion of his. Also, new Lifestyle contributors are expanding that section with even more fun articles. December is all about getting together and reconnecting with all those who have left an imprint on our lives. So take your tablet and phone, put them in silent mode, and go out and have fun with your friends and families. But do not forget to snap some photos! Create and share some memories! Cheers, Aleksandar Tomovic Editor in Chief
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53 CONT
Letter From The Editor Intro & Musthead
BELLA THORNE AVAN JOGIA So Bello
ENTERTAINMENT Emily Bett Rickards Teen Takeover. A Chat with the Cast and Crew of ‘Black Nativity’ Geography Club The 12 Songs of Christmas REVIEW August: Osage County The Art of MILO VENTIMIGLIA Mob City
FASHION Jessica Lu A British Love Affair Man Up His & Hers: Skinny Slouch Editor’s Picks: Fashion Style Spotlight: By Malene Birger Style Selfies Blogger Spotlight: Wendy Nguyen BELLO
TENTS 53
LIFESTYLE Portia Doubleday Gun Control: What to Watch and What to Eat Luigi’s International Picks Wilted Kale With Roasted Squa, Apples, Bacon, Ricotta, & Reduced Balsamic BEAUTY Ashley Rickards Beauty Editor’s Picks Meet the Artist Men’s Routine SPORTS Of Fire & Ice - Blake Skjellerup Welcome to the Jungle! Bello Locker ART Maximum Style from Maxime Jacquet + Horoscopes + FASHION LIST BELLO
Every Rose has its Thorne FIRST THING’S FIRST: WE DID NOT INCLUDE THE LOVELY AND TALENTED
BELLA THORNE IN OUR
FINAL ISSUE OF 2013 SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE HAPPENS TO SHARE A SIMILAR NAME WITH THIS VERY MAGAZINE. IT’S JUST A MAGICAL COINCIDENCE, MUCH LIKE HER BREAKTHROUGH ROLE IN DISNEY’S SHAKE IT UP, A TITLE THAT COULD ALSO REFER TO HER UPCOMING YEAR. THIS FLORIDA NATIVE IS PREPPING TO DROP AN ALBUM, RELEASE SEVERAL MOVIES (HELLO, ADAM SANDLER), PEN HER FIRST NOVEL, AND SET ASIDE SOME TIME TO BE CHARITABLE. AND THE JUSTTURNED-16-YEAR-OLD DOESN’T PLAN ON SLOWING DOWN ANYTIME SOON. WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?
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PHOTOGRAPHY ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC @bellomag WORDS BY HIKO MITSUZUKA @TheFirstEcho
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BLAZER & PANTS AGAIN SHIRT & SHOES DKNY CLUTCH DORA ABODI BRACELET & RINGS BUDDHA TO BUDDHA
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CROP TOP AGAIN PANTS DORA ABODI BLAZER & SHOES REBECCA MINKOFF EARRINGS & FINGER RING DANIELLE QUELLER
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What do you miss most about Shake It
timidated at the thought, but when you
thing important to me and my family,
Up?
are around Adam, his down-to-earth
and I know that it’ll be with me for a
I will miss the comfort and security of
and humble energy erases all your
lifetime.
my Disney family. I will miss knowing
fears, and you just go with it. He’s in-
that my extended family is only a call
credibly charming, dedicated and easy
What else is on the 2014 forecast for
away. I will miss the dances, laughs
going.
you? Any goals?
and love that we all shared.
Beyond the four films, album and novNot only that, you’re also writing your
el coming out, I will continue to audi-
Can you tell us anything about the al-
first novel, Autumn Falls. What has
tion and read for directors. I will also
bum you’re working on? What’s the
the writing process been like for you?
become more involved in fashion and
vibe you’re going for?
It has been fun and challenging. The
there may be something that’ll be an-
My album will have various sounds on
fun part is character development and
nounced soon that will bring in my Latin
it...the final selection still hasn’t been
ideas, and the tough part is the time it
heritage and fashion (wink). There are
made, but it will be fun and something
takes. I think everyone will be delight-
some other things pending that I can’t
you can dance to. Something that will
ed by the results. It will come out later
discuss at the moment. It’s going to be
instantly lift your spirits.
in 2014.
a BIG year!
And
then
you’re
playing
Adam
What’s one holiday tradition you’ll
Sandler’s daughter in next year’s
never give up?
Blended. How does one prepare to
We have a tradition of feeding the
play alongside such a comedy icon?
homeless that has been part of our
You know, I was really nervous and in-
lives since I can remember. It is some-
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BELLA ON THE SIDE THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED: TODAY FAVORITE FILM OF 2013: ABOUT TIME STARBUCKS, COFFEE BEAN, OR PEET’S? STARBUCKS ONE DIRECTION OR THE WANTED? ONE DIRECTION. LAST TIME YOU WERE STARSTRUCK: WHEN I MET J. J. ABRAMS! WEIRDEST TWEET YOU EVER RECEIVED: I GET SO MANY! I CAN’T EVEN ANSWER THAT ARE YOU A KATY, GAGA…OR A MILEY? I’M MORE LIKE KATY BUT LOVING MILEY’S NEW MUSIC
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COVER LOOK: DRESS & BELT HOUSE OF HOLLAND THIGH HIGHS FALKE SOCKS STYLISTS OWN BOOTS YRU RING BAUBLE BAR NECKLACE & BRACELET CHEAP MONDAY BELLO
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PHOTOGRAPHY ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC
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WORDS BY HIKO MITSUZUKA FASHION DIRECTOR ALEXANDRA MANDELKORN WWW.ALEXANDRAMANDELKORN.COM
ART DIRECTOR AMANDA ELKINS WARDROBE ASSISTANT DREW HAZELHURST HARI CASTILLO MAKEUP TONYA BREWER USING GIVENCHY, YSL, AND MAC
SPECIAL THANKS L’CHERIYVE STUDIO
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Avan’s World. AVAN JOGIA PHOTOGRAPHY ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC WORDS BY DIO ANTHONY
HE WENT FROM UPPITY NICKELODEON STAR TO BONA FIDE HEARTTHROB PLAYING THE MYSTERIOUS YET ALLURING DANNY DESAI ON ABC FAMILY’S TWISTED. TODAY, THE 21-YEAR-OLD IS TAKING HOLLYWOOD BY STORM, ONE LUSTFUL, SCREAMING TEENAGER AT A TIME.
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“Both; depends on what’s in the drawer,” Avan
player on ABC Family’s drama block—and ac-
Jogia says, referring to the “boxers or briefs”
cording to the show’s star himself, things are
question that teen idols around the nation are
just getting started.
battering him to answer. Jogia says “both” once again, straying away from anything too conven-
“There are things that we are taping now that
tional, as anything of the conventional variation
are shaking up the status quo of Danny’s char-
could very well damage his image.
acter,” he says. “I don’t know how people are going to feel about my character’s direction,
On television Avan Jogia plays a convicted killer
but I’m really enjoying the ride that I’ve been
who has come back to his hometown of Green
given by the writers.”
Grove, New York in search of a normal life again, but his high hopes are put down when a teen-
Our bets are on everything being okay, as long as
age girl shows up dead just days into his ar-
Jogia’s hair stays perfectly out of place in each
rival. Danny’s life, though, pales in comparison
episode. It’s probably safe to say that most of
to the actor who plays him. In a year, Jogia’s
Twisted’s viewers would probably agree when
show went from fresh newbie to full-on power
it comes to the topic of Avan Jogia’s hair do-
SHIRT DIOR SWEATER CHEAP MONDAY JEWELRY M. COHEN
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aj ing most of the work for him. The kid’s cool, tal-
and by the sound of it, Jogia’s had his fair share.
ented, and dresses extremely well, but don’t for
“There are times that I go all out and come up
a second think he hasn’t contemplated parting
with some crazy plan and turn into an incurable
ways with his now famous locks. “I constantly
romantic, which is probably closer to the per-
think about cutting it. When I do end up cutting it,
son I am. Quiet dinners come out of necessity
my hope is that it’s really radical.” With Twisted
and simplicity.”
only on its first season, fans of his luckily won’t be subjected to the cruelty that is a short-haired
Last year, Jogia teamed up with Andre Pochon,
Avan for quite some time. For now, pre-radical
Heather Wilk, and Hunger Games star Josh
Avan will have to do.
Hutcherson and co-founded Straight But Not Narrow, an ally organization that prepares and
If Young Hollywood had a graduating class, Avan
trains young adults on how to become allies of
Jogia would undoubtedly be the “cool kid,” just
their LGBTQ peers. Avan says he wasn’t bullied
like The Breakfast Club’s John Bender, except
in school, but did witness the bullying, which can
not nearly as mouthy and way more obscure.
be just as bad. “I think there are some people
And his impeccable taste for grunge? It comes
who are bullies, some people who are their vic-
without any assistance, as Jogia is of the elite
tims and then there are a percentage of people
group of celebrities who manage to pull off great
who stand up for others—and that was the cat-
red-carpet looks without the help of a stylist.
egory I fell into. I never had a problem with calling someone out for being an ass.”
“I just don’t think about it too much. I just do my own thing,” he says. “I think that having a
With the new year and the return of his show
personal style as a form of personal expres-
approaching, Jogia has decided to keep forward
sion is really important. I just have a good time
on his lucky streak of a year and keep his im-
with it and don’t take it too seriously—until I do
pending goals reachable. “I like the idea of new
think about it and then I go all out. If anything,
year’s resolutions as a moment to think about
I guess I’m sort of an anti-fashion contradic-
things, but generally I’m trying to make im-
tion.” The hair, the clothes and the attitude are
provements all year long,” he says. “If I have
enough to compare Jogia to an early 90s Johnny
any resolutions, I try to keep things small and
Depp, facial structure included. But behind the
doable.”
sexy Jack Sparrow-y facial hair, lies a selfproclaimed “incurable romantic.” With Valen-
Avan Jogia is a new kind of kid, a different breed
tine’s Day just a couple of months away, Jogia
than the Matt Damons and Josh Hartnetts of the
tells us his idea of the perfect V-date is usually
world. Every generation needs its bad boy, and
a quiet dinner. But there are occasions where
luckily for Jogia’s fans, his reign has just begun.
bigger plans must be taken into consideration,
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SHE APPEARS ON ONE OF THE HOTTEST SHOWS ON TELEVISION (HAVE YOU SEEN THOSE POSTERS WITH STEPHEN AMELL AND COLTON HAYNES?), HAS A NEW FILM, DAKOTA’S SUMMER, DUE FOR RELEASE IN 2014, AND STILL CAN’T QUITE BELIEVE SHE’S THE NAME ON THE (TWEETED) LIPS OF OVER 62,000 PEOPLE. EMILY BETT RICKARDS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IS ONE OF THE MOST GROUNDED CELEBRITIES AROUND, AND THAT IS WHY WE JUMPED AT THE CHANCE TO HEAR ALL ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE WORKING ON THE CW’S ARROW, HOPES FOR HER CHARACTER, AND HER LOVE FOR THE HOMETOWN SHE CALLS VANCOUVER.
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STATEMENT RING CRYSTAL ICE MIDI RINGS LUV AJ FEATHER RING VERAMEAT EARRINGS KARA ACKERMAN DRESS ALPANA NEERAJ SHOES LUICHINY BELLO
Now that the second season of Arrow is in full swing, how does it feel to see the fan and media reaction? I must say it was a little weird shooting when the show wasn’t on air because this excitement just sits and builds inside you waiting for the date of the premiere! The response has been nothing but passionate, which generates even more excitement for us!
We’ve seen Felicity become more confident. How important was it for you to see her evolve like that throughout this season? Her confidence is a product of the fearlessness she shows towards the end of season one. Felicity needed a stronger voice to weigh in on the actions that are taken to save Starling City.
Talk us through a table read… And as an actor, are you able to give any input? Our table reads happen on a shoot day at lunch. Whoever is in Vancouver sits in a big room in the production office around a big circular table with food and water. The director is present, along with the 1st AD and sometimes some other creatives. At one end of our table there is a giant television where we Skype in our writers room in Los Angeles – whichever cast is in L.A. will be on Skype too – and we all wave and get to reading quite efficiently! Then it’s over! And we all go back to work! There’s sometimes a space to get questions in then, but most of the time I rush back to hair and makeup for the post-lunch scene.
RINGS KARA ACKERMAN DRESS MAC DUGGAL BELT STYLISTS OWN
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You have over 62,000 followers on Twitter and often tweet about the show. What has been the most shocking response you’ve gotten? Wow, that’s nuts. I think having 62,000 passionate followers is the most shocking part. Really.
What do you wish or hope for Felicity in the future? I hope to learn about her family and possibly meet a friend of hers. Or a person that will become a close friend.
Filming in Vancouver: How does it feel working where you grew up? And can you be our tour guide some day? I love Vancouver. I look forward to working somewhere else one day as well, but working at home is amazing. I’m sure my dog Ophelia would hate getting on a plane. I’LL SHOW YOU ALL THE GOOD EATING SPOTS! Let me know! You have a new film, Dakota’s Summer, due for release in 2014. What can you spill on that? It’ll be a family movie. It was awesome to get back to riding for a bit and made some really good friends. I’m actually meeting the lovely Haley Ramm for lunch tomorrow! I miss her.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BENNY HADDAD
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TEEN TAKEOVER WORDS DIO ANTHONY
ONCE FILLER CHARACTERS ON FAMILY SITCOMS AND THEN ANGSTY PERSONALITIES THAT CROWDED TELEVISION’S EVER-LASTING HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAYS, TEENAGERS - AND THEIR INEVITABLY WITTY VOICES - IN THE MOST RECENT SEASONS OF PRIMETIME PROGRAMMING HAVE BECOME THE SUPERIOR SUBSET OF THE HUMAN SPECIES.
2013’s fall episodic season was quickly off to the races with its handful of debut shows and returning ones. But aside from the expected yo-yo game of ratings, there was a constant element amongst TV’s characters: power. Whether supernatural or science-related or societal, teens are the major players this time around—and it’s working out, really well.
New Orleans is housing a coven of teenage witches, including one who happens to be a movie star of the TMZ generation. Her name? Madison Montgomery. Her power? Moving commercial sized busses and lighting objects on fire, among other things. Two words out of this starlet’s mouth and it’s apparent that this wild child (pun totally intended) is likely to wreak havoc on any person, place or thing she sets her famous little eyes on. The Show? Ryan Murphy’s spooky baby, American Horror Story: Coven. The actress? Emma Roberts. The 22-year-old Nancy Drew star joins Murphy’s repertoire in the anthology series’ third season in a story of witches fighting for survival and against extinction. Living in a white mansion in the heart of New Orleans’s French quarter and supernatural melting pot, a set of four completely unique witches learn to hone their craft - literally - while undoubtedly running into trouble in every corner and hole, both in
and outside of their home. From making the perfect boy from parts of others to unleashing a monster disguised as a human in Kathy Bates’ Madame Delphine LaLaurie, a socialite from New Orleans’s Victorian society who moonlighted as a cruel terrifying lady of the house, these teens have bigger problems on their hands than the fear of being rejected by a crush. Murphy is using Coven’s witchy platform as a means to showcase and bring light to issues in society, morality, and what it means to feel different. In Coven, Supreme witch Fiona (Jessica Lange) is threatened by Madison Montgomery, an impulsive “witch bitch” half the size of Fiona’s stature. Falsely assuming Madison is the new supreme, Fiona kills the witch in training in order to keep her place as the generation’s reigning and leading witch. Yes, that’s right, this mere threat resulted in murder. In seconds, Madison Montgomery’s throat is slit and she falls
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limp like a marionette doll. This leaves Taissa Farmiga’s character, Zoe, to pick up the pieces and attempt to reinstate value into the witches’ luxurious lair. Television is changing before our very eyes, and it’s been doing so for a couple of years now. Yet 2013 seems to be the year to put the stamp on said evolution. Outside of American Horror Story’s magical and crafty ways, there’s plenty to be said of the teenagers who inhabit networks outside of FX’s unconventional confines. The CW, a network that caters to teens and young adults, has made it a point to instill authority and leadership in their leading characters, starting with Mary, Queen of Scotts, the title character of which is played by Australian transplant Adelaide Kane. Mary Stuart is made Queen of Scotland at the tender age of 15, and she’s been horse-carriaged away to the French Court, where Francis, her fiancé since
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the age of six, lives. There, she is left waiting to wed and begin their royal reign. Oh yeah, and Mary’s had about a dozen assassination attempts since stepping foot in the kingdom. So, what exactly is happening here? Are teenage characters assuming all the qualities and powers traditionally sought out by their elders? Or have television audiences worldwide collectively found a liking for younger tales? I’ll leave you to ponder that. The CW also has Robbie Amell possessing unseen abilities as a mutant species of the future in The Tomorrow People. It seems to be that in TV-land, teenage super heroes are in high demand. When a hoard of zombies comes for the lives of every living witch on Coven, Taissa Farmiga saves the day with a chainsaw, cutting heads off left and right. Meanwhile, the younger Amell stops time as Steven, a once-distraught teenager-
turned-leader. With the majority of the fall season’s most buzzed about shows centered on teens, it’s clear where the money-pit of the market is. An older and wiser Alice returns to Neverland in ABC’s Once Upon A Time In Wonderland. Although our favorite little mad girl isn’t wearing her signature blue dress, or any variation of it, she’s been back for quite some time now,
keeping herself busy going against all odds and surviving in the new, not so
friendly world she once knew. This Alice is strong, brave, and a leader. Granted, she has her undeniably hot and adorable Knave of Hearts by her side, but Alice saves the Knave as much as he has to save her. Wonderland is just another show this season following in the footsteps of others. It seems as though studio heads are putting a great deal of money, time and effort into these larger-than-life characters who have so much to deal with every week along with having to overcome the trials and tribulations that take place in a teenager’s life. It’s the time of the teen, and there’s no going back. MTV scored big-time with 1980s reboot Teen Wolf, the success of which led the network into a double-season, defying MTV’s episode standard count per season. This, along with a New York Magazine cover of the actor of the show’s title character, Tyler Posey, is surely setting the latter up for household name status. The same goes for its neighbor series Awkward, now three seasons in, which is a major reference to real adolescent relationships in high school today, and how they correlate with sex, parents, and friendships. ABC Family must’ve had help from a leprechaun standing at the end of the rainbow with a pot full of gold when developing their biggest hit to date, Pretty Little Liars. Name another set of girls more stylish, witty and sought-after than Rosewood’s finest four. There isn’t one. Liars has spawned five seasons and annual Halloween specials, and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.
Another veteran series high up there on the teen-takeover scale is none other than The Vampire Diaries, making a star out of Nina Dobrev and heartthrobs out of on-screen brothers Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder. Nina Dobrev’s character, Elena, has played three different characters on the vampire drama to date, three different characters with the same face, all of which couldn’t be more crucial to the storyline and direction of its respective season. If there’s one valuable teenager in the land of make believe, it’s Elena Gilbert; lightly put, the universe that she and her gang
this case, creature. The most lethal one? A 15-year old super-witch capable of bringing death to all witches. Oh, and if you give her some time, she can probably kill three 1,000-year-old original vampires. If that’s not teenage empowerment, then what is?
of supernatural characters live in would likely crumble the day Elena Gilbert is no more.
Don’t be fooled, though; drunk co-eds and the weaklings of the world still exist on teen television. They must, and they always will. But for every wrongdoing high school jerk we now have a 16-year-old whose world will only survive depending on the choices he or she makes that day.
But it doesn’t stop there. The Vampire Diaries has inspired a spinoff series: The Originals. And with a new series comes a new batch of worries and, in
“Television is changing before our very eyes”
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BELLO BEHIND THE SCENES A Chat with the Cast and Crew of Black Nativity WORDS BRAD LIBERTY
Since first opening off-Broadway on December 11th, 1961, poet Langston Hughes’s Gospel-infused reimagining of the Birth of Christ, Black Nativity, has brought family, music, and muchneeded color to the holiday season year after year. Performed at churches throughout the country, this gripping passion play – combining elements of the classic Christmas story with African-American soul – continues to entertain and inspire all who witness it, including a talented filmmaker from
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Boston by the name of Kasi Lemmons. “I always had these wonderful memories of the pageantry and music [of the play] because my mother took me every year,” she says, explaining her decision to adapt Black Nativity for the screen. “I wanted [to work on a project] that had a sense of peace and was infused with a sense of history, place, and time, but also had a timeless quality.” Fortunately, Lemmons, a gifted actress
(Silence of the Lambs, Disconnect) and visionary director (Eve’s Bayou, Talk To Me) who’s been in the biz for nearly three decades, possessed both the know-how and the Rolodex to get this passion project off the ground. That meant she could reach out to Oscar winners Forest Whitaker and Jennifer Hudson, Oscar nominee Angela Bassett, singer-actor Tyrese Gibson, and even the Queen of Hip Hop Soul herself, Mary J. Blige.
It was quite a dream team of performers, albeit one requiring a skilled musical supervisor to serve as their captain without being intimidated by all of that A-list star power. Cue Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and producer Rafael Saadiq. “When you’re a filmmaker, you want to create a party,” Lemmons explains. “You want to get people to come to the party, and Rafael is such a critical component of that. It’s been incredible to collaborate with somebody so talented. I mean, the first song that he wrote was ‘Test of Faith.’ I literally said [to him,] ‘Ok, it’s Jennifer Hudson singing and her heart’s breaking.’ He came back with that song and I was like, ‘Oh My God! You nailed it!’ Every song he would come in, and it was just incredible.” Saadiq admits to having a clear vision: “I felt like we had to make this film feel like Langston Hughes and Harlem and the Gospel and Jennifer [Hudson]. It had to be modern but traditional, and everybody had to sing.” This included one admittedly nervous acting powerhouse who had never sung onscreen before, despite what you might have heard. “That was ALL acting,” Angela Bassett says quite matter-of-factly, referring to her Oscar-nominated turn as Tina Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got To Do With It. Lemmons, an old friend of Bassett’s from their days as struggling actresses in New York, remembers asking her if she could sing. How did Bassett respond then? “I was like ‘Yeah!!!!’ I mean your voice goes up: ‘Yeah!!!’ You think to yourself, I won’t let a little thing like not being able to sing keep me from doing the part.” She’s modest, but Bassett got high marks from a particularly discerning listener: Jennifer Hudson. “Angela was serious,” Hudson recalls. “I watched her approach [singing] from an acting background, which taught
me so much, because I want to be [an actress] like Angela Bassett. That’s a big dog.” And speaking of big dogs, they don’t get much bigger than actor-directorproducer Forest Whitaker. Not surprisingly, the youngest star of the film, Jacob Latimore, was slightly intimidated by his on-screen grandfather, and shocked to hear The Butler star flex his pipes. “I thought Forest would come in lip-synching to somebody else, but he can really sing. He’s classically trained!” Saadiq agrees: “In ‘Be Grateful,’ Forest sang the same lick that Jennifer sings in the same part of the song, and so when he heard Jennifer sing it, he looked at me and said, ‘Hmmmm, I did that too?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, you definitely did!’” With all due respect, Mr. Whitaker, perhaps it wasn’t exactly like Ms. Hudson. After all, she is a force of nature. Just ask Tyrese Gibson. “I was on the set, and I’ve never heard sound waves. [Jennifer] did this one scene when she turns around to get into her song and the meat on my face looked like the dude in the Maxell commercial. She turns around singing with that big voice and I start blinking like I can actually feel the sound from her voice!” Clearly Hudson set the musical bar high, as did the cast’s other songstress, Mary J. Blige. But the iconic chart topper, who’s still relatively new to acting, was just happy to be a part of the mix. “I’d just come off of [Lifetime’s] Betty and Coretta with Angela [Bassett, who played Coretta Scott King to Blige’s Betty Shabazz], so we had spent a lot of time together. And I know Forest personally, so aside from being a fan, he’s a friend. It was such an honor to even stand next to them. And, of course, it’s always nice to see Jennifer and hear her sing.”
Tyrese Gibson, taking a break from fronting global action tentpoles like the Fast and the Furious and Transformers flicks, was excited to try out something he’s surprisingly never done in a film. “I’ve never sang in a movie before, and it actually messed me up,” he laughs. “There was no way to prep for it. Even while I was doing it, I was like, ‘Damn, I’ve got facial hair, [I’m] wearing [these clothes], and I’ve gotta sing right now! It was really weird!’” Odd, perhaps, but certainly fulfilling, especially considering the precious mind from which Black Nativity first sprang. Bassett puts it best: “I fell in love with theater through the poetry of Langston Hughes as a 15-year-old who discovered a recording of Ossie Davis doing his work. As a young girl, there was something about this Harlem Renaissance poet that just spoke to me, so years later, to be doing one of his works, Black Nativity...it’s just very very special to me.” Whitaker is also grateful to have worked on such a special piece and thrilled to have finally collaborated with Kasi Lemmons. “I’ve known her for a while and have looked at her movies for years. She’s a really amazing filmmaker, and this was the first opportunity I’ve ever had to work with her.” Hopefully it won’t be the last. When the possibility of a 2014 holiday film is discussed, Bassett fondly brings up 1996’s The Preacher’s Wife, which starred the late Whitney Houston and her real-life husband, Courtney B. Vance. “People come up to him to say how much they love the music and the story. It has just touched them so much. We don’t have enough films like this.” No, Ms. Bassett. Sadly, we don’t.
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THE 12 SONGS OF CHRISTMAS By Hiko Mitsuzuka
Listening to Christmas songs is a great way to relieve stress and brighten any downtrodden spirits because they tend to invoke memories of holidays past. They make us long for those days when our hearts skipped a beat at the sight of presents underneath the tree. Pure nostalgia. Therefore, we’ve collected a dozen yuletide tunes that have a special place in our hearts. Who’s ready to hop on a sleigh and take a ride with us?
1. “All Alone On Christmas” by Darlene Love (1992) -- It’s hard to believe it’s been 21 years since we first heard this jingle, easily the best part of Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (besides Tim Curry’s scenery chewing).
5. “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 (Instrumental)” by Trans-Siberian Orchestra (1996) -- Soaring guitars. Pounding drums. It sounds like something that would be featured in an over-the-top trailer for a holiday-themed action flick starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Santa Claus is coming to town -- with hundreds of bullets and hand grenades. 6. “Last Christmas” by Wham! (1984) -Nothing says Christmas like watching a bunch of Europeans frolic and play at a mountaintop chalet while a then-closeted homosexual uses a silver garland boa to flirt with an unsuspecting single white female (just watch the music video). And yes, we own four of the many remakes of this song, courtesy of Jimmy Eat World, Cascada, Savage Garden and the cast of Glee.
4. “Sleigh Ride” by Debbie Gibson (1992) – Definitive early 90s Christmas pop.
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10. “The Night Before Christmas” by Amy Grant (1992) -- Carly Simon may have sung (and written) the original, but it’s this rendition that takes us back to the time when we bought our first Christmas album...on cassette tape.
7. “The Christmas Song (Thunderpuss/ Holiday Mix)” by Christina Aguilera (2000) -- Long before she was mentoring wannabes as a judge on NBC’s The Voice, Xtina pumped out a holiday disc the year after her debut album and scored with this classic, remixed for all the club-hopping boys and girls of the new millennium.
11. “My Grown-Up Christmas List” by Monica (2000) -- Composed by David Foster, this is one of the earliest remakes, and it gets us every time. “No more lives torn apart, that wars would never start, that time would heal all hearts...” If you’re having a blue Christmas, grab some Kleenex, sit on the floor of your bedroom, and let it all out.
2. “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey (1994) -- Mimi dropped her first holiday album and delivered this yuletide treat that would go on to become the most popular modern-day Christmas single. 3. “Jingle Bells” by Barbra Streisand (1967) – The child of any Barbra fan will tell you his or her mother blared this on every Christmas morning (am I alone on this?). Whenever I hear those rapid-fire lyrics, visions of clove-infused hams and gift-wrapped boxes dance in my head.
9. “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee (1958) -- 40 years before the aforementioned boy band took a sleigh ride on MTV, a 13-year-old made Christmas music history. The oldest track on this playlist is also the most timeless.
8. “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” by ‘N Sync (1998) -- Since we’re on the subject of late-90s teen pop, why not include this happy-go-lucky track from the splendiferous year that was 1998? Relive the video’s cheesy, low-budget glory -- Gary Coleman cameo and all.
12. “X-Mas (Let’s Do It Again)” by Alphabeat (2012) -- Naturally, we had to include a brand-spankin’ new favorite. This merry original comes to us courtesy of our favorite band from Denmark. Everything about it is wonderful, from its Wham-like production to its carefree vocals. We dare you to not crack a smile after pressing play.
REVIEW August: Osage County WORDS HIKO MITSUZUKA
“It’s like the acting Olympics,” Julia Roberts told Entertainment Weekly earlier this year when she had described her experience shooting August: Osage County, the star-studded adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play. I couldn’t have said it better myself. Written for the screen by the play’s very own scribe, Tracy Letts, August is one giant smorgasbord of performances, heightened by a script loaded with meaty morsels any actor would kill for. For the uninitiated, it’s about the coming together of a broken family at an Oklahoma farmhouse after the brood’s poetry-loving patriarch (Sam Shepard) disappears. From there, long-simmering tensions erupt as family secrets are exposed and grudges explode across the dinner table. Directed by John Wells, and produced by George Clooney and partner Grant
Heslov, the film is an Academy Award campaign manager’s wet dream. Meryl Streep heads the dysfunctional Weston clan as Violet, a pill-popping cancer patient whose vicious rhetoric cuts through each scene like a switchblade. Streep marinates herself in the role, and she lays out a banquet of a perfor-
mance, skillfully balancing nuance with over-the-top moments. Which begs to ask: Can the woman really do no wrong? As for the rest of the cast...Ewan McGregor quietly sits on the sidelines as the penitent father of a pot-smoking teen (Abigail Breslin) and the husband of Roberts’s Barb, a middle-ager who is fed up with her family’s self-destructive ways. Juliette Lewis brilliantly struts in as Karen, the sister from Florida with a Ferrari-driving fiancé (a slick Dermot Mulroney). Then there’s Julianne Nicholson as wallflowery Ivy, the secretive younger sister who won’t spill the beans on her new beau. And rounding out an already impressive ensemble is Margo Martindale as Violet’s equally secretive sister Mattie and Chris Cooper as Charles, whose emotionally stunted son, “Little” Charles, happens to be played by Benedict “Man of the Hour” Cumberbatch. But back to that climactic dinner table scene, which is the anticipated crux of the film, the meticulously detailed stage from which the money shot is taken (just look at that telling poster). All is gloriously let out in one cathartic brawl in which Barb snaps and lashes out at the rampaging Violet. The lenghty scene unfolds like a mini disaster flick; you know where it’s headed, and for those who haven’t seen the critically-
acclaimed play, nothing can brace you for what’s really coming. Roberts reveals a side of her we’ve never seen before in this mother-versus-daughter battle that is raw, honest, and necessarily uncomfortable. Also? It’s just a hoot seeing America’s Sweetheart viciously spit out the line, “Eat the fish, bitch.” But the film isn’t entirely the Meryl and Julia Show. Each player gets his or her moment to command the screen and contribute to this character-driven tapestry, especially the aforementioned Lewis and Martindale, who, at one point, comes off as both brutal and vulnerable within the span of a scene. Halfway through the film, in a moment of crisis, Barb utters another line, one that should resonate with anyone with a family: “Thank God we can’t tell the future. We’d never get out of bed.” Familial ennui has never been so beautifully harsh, funny, and true. RATING: 9/10 August: Osage County opens in theaters on Christmas Day.
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REVIEW Geography Club WORDS DIO ANTHONY
GARY AND EDMUND ENTIN’S GEOGRAPHY CLUB IS BASED ON BRENT HARTINGER’S BEST SELLING CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED NOVEL OF THE SAME NAME, AND IT IS ADAPTED IN THE SAME SWEET AND INNOCENT MANNER IN WHICH THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN. SET IN PRESENT DAY, IT REVOLVES AROUND 16-YEAR OLD RUSSELL MIDDLEBROOK (CAMERON DEANE STEWART) AND HIS GANG OF MISFIT FRIENDS, WHO HIDE OUT AFTER SCHOOL UNDER THE PRETENSE OF BEING IN A SELF-CREATED GEOGRAPHY CLUB WHERE THEY DISCUSS THE STRUGGLES AND SELF-DISCOVERINGS OF LGBT YOUTH. The story is set in motion when gay teenager Russell decides that it is time to meet his online love interest of a few weeks. His online buddy is the only one who knows about his sexuality. They tell each other what they’ll be wearing, and just like that, Russell’s ready to meet this seemingly perfect guy. In the interest of being in a public place, they decide to meet at a park. Once there, Russell spots several guys who could be his mystery man, but all the potential suitors don’t seem right. That’s when Kevin (Justin Deeley), the blonde, boy-next-door type, bumps into Russell during his own stroll in the park. He makes it seem like an accidental coincidence, but we soon find out that Kevin is, in fact, Russell’s online friend. During an overnight class trip, Kevin and Russell grow closer together, Russell still remaining completely unaware that Kevin is his guy. During a sweet moment between the two, one thing leads to another and they kiss, only to be caught by Ally Maki’s Min character—head of the Geography Club, the disguised support group for gay and lesbian teens at their high school. Min extends an invitation to Russell and Kevin to join the club. Kevin, still very much in the closet and unsure of himself, urges Russell to speak to Min, thinking she’s blackmailing them after seeing the intimate moment they shared during BELLO
(Breaking Glass Pictures in association with Huffington Pictures) PG-13, 83 min. Writer: Edmund Entin Director: Gary Entin Producer: Michael Huffington Cast: Cameron Deane Stewart, Justin Deeley, Nikki Blonsky, Andrew Caldwell, Ally Maki
the trip. Russell takes one for the team at Kevin’s request and takes matters into his own hands, doing what’s right for himself as well as the community he’s now a part of. Geography Club attempts to connect to closeted teens with its prototype characters and the moral jungle that surrounds them. With a cast the fits every mold of the characters they play, the story feels a bit dated to the more innocent times in society, but in the best way possible.
Cameron Deane Stewart on becoming Russell: It was just like finding any role. His sexuality didn’t define him as a character for me, and shouldn’t for the audience. His vulnerability and inner strength were qualities that I related to and are what helped me to connect with Russell. He is an established character in the young adult novels, and I was lucky to be able to bring his self-discovery to the screen. Alli Maki (Min) on her love for Gays: Gays have always had a huge presence in my life, ever since middle school. Let’s just say, they basically raised me. A lot of my friends have had incredible journeys with coming out; some [were] heartbreaking, but most with extremely positive ends. I’ve seen first hand how heart wrenching and difficult it can be. It really breaks my heart. But I also know that every friend who has ever taken the leap of faith has come out a completely changed person, for the better stronger, happier, and with a sense of finally knowing who they are. I had a friend who was dealing with whether or not to come out to his rather strict family. I tried to encourage him by introducing him to other friends who had previously come out and are so much happier because of it. It was a long road for him, but seeing other people take the stand in their own lives finally gave him the strength and courage to do it. Justin Deeley and his own two cents for Kevin: I would [first] try to get across to him that he isn’t alone. Even professional athletes (including football players) all over the world have dealt with or are dealing with sexual identity. And secondly, that our sexuality doesn’t define us; it is simply a part of you. That’s all. So be brave, and have faith in those that love you. Everything will be okay. Screenwriter Edmund Entin on leaving the story with an open ending: From the moment I finished reading the novel, I knew I loved the story because of how balanced and au-
thentic it was. One of the biggest contributing factors to keeping the story relatable was the conclusion of Russell and Kevin’s love story. And that’s because Geography Club isn’t a love story. It’s a coming of age story. So while there were many changes in the transfer from novel to film, this was one story point in the book that was important for me and Gary [Entin,the director of the film,] to preserve. Geography Club is about the empowerment of the independent spirit. That said, it’s in no way an anti-love commentary; it’s just a way to go with it. The filmmakers on collaborating on the project: We were incredibly collaborative on this film. Our collaboration is our favorite part of the process. We feel very lucky to have the opportunity to make films together. Filmmaking is very much an interpretation of one experience of the world. As twins, we have a somewhat shared experienced that allows us to come at the same story pretty much on the same page. And when we don’t see eye to eye, we’re forced to challenge our own ideas, and that’s when we’re most creative. However, it’s important to note that we respect each other’s individual disciplines. Gary directs, and Edmund writes. The story exists in the middle. But we’re a team, so we always have each other’s back. The filmmakers on keeping true to the novel: Does the film vary from the book? Of course it does. Most adaptations do. But we feel strongly that while it isn’t a word for word adaptation, the book and the film share the same heart. Of course we want it to be clear that we are borrowing this story from Brent [Hartinger]. He owns it and always will. We just feel very lucky to be part of the Geography Club journey. As far as Brent’s involvement, he didn’t meet the cast and crew until we were already filming. But does that mean he didn’t collaborate? No! Anytime you adapt something, you are automatically collaborating with the author of the original source material. BELLO
THE ART of MILO VENTIMIGLIA “MOB CITY”
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“I grew up with a camera in my hand and flipping through books of great photographers like Vivian Maier, Lee Friedlander, Elliott Erwitt, Josef Koudelka, Stanley Kubrik, Robert Capa…so many great photographers. To be able to capture a moment is as important to me as creating one with a brush and paints, as important as marble made into form. Photography is not only a means to document history, but to show the struggle, pain and happiness of life.” BELLO
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“[I] had three cameras on me all the time. My Nikon D800 with a 50mm 1:1.4, my Voightlander Bessa R2 with a 35mm 1.7, and my Fujifilm GF670 with a fixed 80mm lens. [I] shot all black and white film: Kodak, Fuji, and also Ilford.”
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“Shooting the Mob City set was a dream. Frank Darabont was incredibly welcoming of my wanting to be on set when I wasn’t working, and even more encouraging of photographing. Being an amazing photographer himself, he even handed me one of his personal cameras.”
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When photographing Milo Ventimiglia for our October cover, I got the chance to check out his art and was amazed at how good of a photographer he is. It is rare in our era to meet people who understand the art of photography. We live in a world where photography has been democratized to a point where everyone believes they are photographers. But only a very few are good enough to be considered ARTISTS.
In this issue, we have asked Milo to feature a selection from a series he did while filming Mob City. He used two different cameras to get two completely different feels, and the result is just stunning. Our goal is to put up a BELLO exibit that will feature even more of Milo’s art in the near future, and we count on you being there. WORDS BY ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC
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DRESS AMI CLUBWEAR SKIRT SARAH JANKS RING TEBAZILE
PEOPLE WHO NAME THEIR DOGS OPRAH ARE AWESOME IN OUR BOOK, AND JESSICA LU HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. THE ACTRESS, WHO’S ONE OF THE STARS OF MTV’S GUT-BUSTINGLY FUNNY AWKWARD. , IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE HER THOUGHTS ON ASIAN-AMERICAN ROLE MODELS, HER MUSICAL THEATER ASPIRATIONS, AND WHY AMY ADAMS MAKES HER BREATHLESS. AND YES, WHY SHE’D WANT TO SWAP FACES WITH MERYL STREEP...
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What can you tell us about Storytellers? We are creepily intrigued! Creepily intrigued is the only way to be, as far as I’m concerned! Storytellers is this really fun web-series that was created by Joey Graceffa and involves six friends who gather around a campfire to tell some scary stories. It gradually becomes more frightening when the lines begin to blur between what is real and what is fantasy. It’s also pretty sexy. Special effects, harnesses, demon possessions and samurai swords are involved.
DRESS GAURAV GUPTA BRACELET KUUMBA SHOES AMI CLUBWEAR
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Your dog’s name is Oprah. Please elaborate... Oprah Suri Cruise Lu, to be exact. She was actually nameless for about a week and a half while I was trying to figure out the perfect name. I wanted her to have a name that nobody else had. I HAVE heard that there is another Oprah out there though… so you win some, you lose some. Also I couldn’t have my cat, Lucky Beyonce Lu, think he was the only royal in the family. We heard you recently sat down next to Amy Adams at an event. How much restraint did you have to practice to keep from geeking out? Whenever I see people that I really admire, I have this awesome tactic where I freeze, look up at the ceiling and pretend I’m super cool, collected, and insanely busy. I saw her standing next to me about to sit down and my eyes did this crazy “roll back into my occipital lobe” trick and it got crazy difficult to breathe. So yeah, I made a really great impression. All I could think about was her episode of Smallville where she guested as someone who ate everything in sight because she was so hungry from her diet. I did not say a word to her that night. But I did manage to smile at her as we stood next to each other, and she giggled in a way that can only be described as mermaid bubbles. I did, however, muster up enough courage to speak when I was next to Zoe Saldana and got a picture. Nailed it. Your favorite movie is Face/Off. Really? Is there anyone you’d want to switch identities with? John Travolta SWITCHED FACES with a comatose Nicholas Cage who later wakes up from his coma TO SOLVE CRIMES. What could be more patriotic?! I suppose I’d want to switch identities with Meryl, since I’d like to be Asian Meryl Streep, so why not just be Meryl Meryl? Nailed it.
TOP SARAH JANKS PANTS PIA GLADYS PEREY RING ERICKSON BEAMON SHOES MUGNAI
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You graduated from Columbia College in Chicago, with honors and a Musical Theater Performance degree. Can fans expect any musical theater endeavors coming their way? If I’m given the opportunity to, I would absolutely LOVE that! But I typically have more fun when I’m playing a character that is completely tone-deaf and has no rhythm. I’ve gotten really great at making a complete donkey of myself. Listen, I’m just giving the people what they want.
CAPELET DESLA SKIRT MESKITA BRACELETS VAHAN JEWELRY
You’re a double whammy Asian, both Chinese and Japanese. How much are of your own Asian culture is incorporated into Awkward? I’m not sure what a double whammy Asian is but I like the sound of it! Ming and I are different in the sense that she isn’t familiar with Asian cultures (ie speaking Mandarin, ability to use chopsticks, bowing her head when elders approach, etc) and I like to think that I am. But we kept the tiger mom. Mama Lu and Mama Huang are interchangeable. A lot of studying under our roofs. By the looks of it, Min’s memoir is likely to be called “Growing up Asian.” Have you become some sort of role model for Asian-American high school students? Seldom are they seen on prime-time TV. Ha! Love it, time to get a publisher. I hope so! I get a number of messages from fans that basically validate everything I’m doing in my life. In all seriousness though, I’m extremely happy with how my character on Awkward has grown. I sometimes feel that Asian Americans are portrayed on television as a bit flat or one-sided. Ming is this whole, developed person who speaks the truth and sticks to what she believes is right, all while having a sense of humor. And if I’m considered a role model, nothing would make me happier, but I also hope that it isn’t necessarily just geared towards Asian Americans. I was pretty adamant on Ming’s character being a virgin (by choice!) and the creator, Lauren Iungerich, agreed with me wholeheartedly. I understand sex sells in this day and age, but I know there are teens who aren’t ready for that yet and feel the pressure from not only their peers, but from society as well. Ming and her boyfriend on the show, Fred Wu, have a really sweet relationship that is built on a foundation of love and respect, and while the subject of sex will come up towards the end of season 3, she’s able to stick to her beliefs that she isn’t ready. No pressure, no embarrassment, nothing about being undesirable, nothing religious about it. And that’s something that I really stand for. Wait until you’re ready. Not when others tell you you should be ready. Any exciting Holiday plans? I’d like to sleep and eat as much as possible. And repeat.
PHOTOGRAPHER LUKE LIGHTHOUSE STYLIST TAYLOR SHERIDAN WARDROBE ASSISTANT HOPE GRIFFIN MAKEUP DESIRAE CHERMAN HAIR RYAN RICHMAN FOR ORIBE HAIR CARE BELLO
A BRITISH LOVE AFFAIR The world is reviving its love affair with the British. The resurgence has been rapid: from the realm of the Royal Family to the world of Downton Abbey, the Brits are having a moment. When it comes to heritage fashion brands, they’re as popular as ever. And for every old-timer there’s a new arrival being introduced – some contemporary in style, others more traditional. For the past few years, Aspinal of London has garnered a stellar reputation for its line of accessories. Founded by creative entrepreneur Iain Burton (a former celebrity manager, the creator one of a successful record label, and man behind Antenna Radio, the largest provider of audio technology and content in museums/galleries around the world), Aspinal employs both English and Italian artisans to craft products that look and feel high-end rather than high street. Creative Director Mariya Dykalo heads up design across all Aspinal products and believes in using only the best of materials, such as premium pigskin, English Bridle leather, suede, lizard, and Aspinal’s signature Amazon croc calf. Treating the skins is a sensorial experience; the leather is vegetable tanned and dyed using natural plant extracts, then hand treated with oils or beeswax.
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Their men’s and women’s collections showcase the finesse that’s used when assembling each piece, from the bags (which includes their iconic Marylebone tote), wallets, and business accessories (portfolios and card cases) to the travel goods, stationary, books (address, guest, photo albums), and jewellery. Through all of this, they strive to retain Aspinal’s core production values of care and quality. And to make a product truly individual, Aspinal offers inscriptions or initials as bespoke touches. Every order is a personal experience: each product is encased in the brand’s signature tissue, sealed with their gold foil label, accompanied by an embossed gift card with a handwritten message, and wrapped inside Aspinal gold foil gift boxes. With five standalone stores in London and concessions at Harrods and Selfridges, Aspinal’s growth is reflective of the brand’s loyal following. Its range of luxurious accessories, classic-witha-twist designs and excellent customer service provide this young company with something to look forward to in the future. Will it become a vanguard of Britain’s heritage circle? Only time will tell. by STEVEN CARVER
MINIMALISTIC GLAMOUR BY STEVEN CARVER
Hollywood’s red carpet is a source for people to gage the season’s fashion trends. There’s a lot of sparkle and shine, as those photograph better, but they’re not in alignment with today’s international runways. The current aesthetic is pared back with a greater focus on shape and cut rather than embellished bits and bobs. Although “minimalism” doesn’t necessarily scream “glamour,” the simplicity of a perfectly cut gown will catch the eye of more spectators. Silhouette triumphs over sequins. Few fashion designers are taking advantage of this stylistic direction, yet one clearly was, and people have begun to take notice of him. Matthew Gallagher’s intimate show garnered a lot of attention during the F/W 2013 shows of Toronto’s fashion week.
Each look was elegant and understated. Two questions were often asked: Who was he, and where was he hiding all this time? Describing himself as a small town kid with a dream who worked hard to make it come true, Gallagher took a summer program at Parsons School of Design by age 16, interned and worked at design houses (Tracey Reese, Ports 1961), and later immersed himself in the rich and vibrant culture of Italy. Upon his return to Canada, he launched Maison Matthew Gallagher, a sophisticated, readyto-wear line for women. For his first official show, he balanced silhouettes with simple yet luxurious fabrics, creating fitted wool tops with high necklines or loose tunics with open backs and wide-legged palazzo pants in
silk cady or long velvet skirts with large slits, all done in a palette of black, navy, cream and cranberry. Next season’s inspirations took runway watchers to balmy Italian summers with pale, blush tones and looser silhouettes – perfect for those who didn’t want anything too clingy while traipsing along the Riviera. The tailoring exuded a clean-cut aesthetic, yet there was nothing casual about the Maison Matthew Gallagher woman. With a few well-received collections under his belt, the future is looking bright for this up-and-coming designer. Whether or not he continues to take European strolls for inspiration remains to be seen, but whatever happens, Gallagher will continue creating collections that challenge the current concept of glamour.
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SHIRT H+M KNIT TIE J.CREW PANTS CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC SHOES AND SWEATER STYLISTS OWN
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PHOTOGRAPHY & STYLING SIERRA PRESCOTT INSTA @SIERRA_PRESCOTT
MODEL SEBASTIAN FAMULARI (FORD MODELS NEW YORK) INSTA @SJFAMULARI GROOMER ELENA FRICKMAN
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SHIRT H+M SUIT JACKET H+M KNIT TIE J.CREW PANTS CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC
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by Kimmy Erin Kertes www.KimmyErin.com
Skinny Slouch The word “tapered” conjures criminal 1980s and 90s era pleated Banana Republic khakis and mom jeans. I shudder. But as far as your jeans are concerned, there is no word that is more on point. Gone are the boxy boyfriends for girls or the baggy straight legs for the boys. Now, we see a sharpened silhouette that’s sexy, easy, and versatile. Welcome to the skinny slouch.
Diesel $348
G-Star $310
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Scotch & Soda $179
Fidelity
His & Hers
Levi’s Made & Crafted $188
DSquared2 $575
AllSaints Spitalfields $175
Level 99 $175
R-13
Dsquared2 $510
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STYLE SPOTLIGHT BY MALENE BIRGER THE LATEST DANE TO MAKE DESIGN WAVES IS DARING TO MAKE PERFECT, TIMELESS, AND DIFFERENT EVERYTHING. FROM PERFECT PINNINGS TO TERRIFIC TOTES, MALENE BIRGER’S 25 YEARS OF DESIGN MAKE HER A MASTER OF IT ALL. SHE ADDS JUST ENOUGH MODERNITY TO 50S AND 60S SILHOUETTES AND FEMININITY TO MENSWEAR-INSPIRED PIECES. YOU’LL FIND YOURSELF ENTIRELY ENTHRALLED WITH BY MALENE BIRGER,ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE NOSTALGIC FOR COCO AND YVES (NOT CHANEL AND SAINT LAURENT). THE PROOF IS IN THE PRÊT-À-PORTER: HER COLLECTIONS NOW STAND IN TWO NEW STORES IN PARIS (GALLERIES LAYFAYETTE AND ALONG PALAIS ROYAL), ADDING TO HER PRESENCE IN LONDON, DUBAI AND HER NATIVE COPENHAGEN. FOR FALL, HER PASTEL PALETTE CONTRASTS WITH BOLD BLACK AND WHITES, ENSURING THAT YOU, LIKE HER, SNAG JUST ENOUGH OF THE LIMELIGHT.
Printed Silk Blazer Cream Feather Cape Silk Dress
Chunky Pullover5
Plum Leather Bag
Sequined Striped Skirt BELLO
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RAY-BAN WAYFARER LEATHER SUNGLASSES BELLO
EDITOR’S PICKS BY KIMMY ERIN KERTES (FASHION EDITOR) FILMING POOLSIDE IN NOVEMBER (SEE LIFESTYLE COVER’S PORTIA DOUBLEDAY) DOESN’T GET TO HAPPEN EVERYWHERE. HOLLYWOOD, AND THE YOUNGIN’S WHO FILL THESE PAGES, ARE HOT HOT HOT. INSPIRED BY HOT CELEB STUDDED NIGHTS AND CHILLY, OVERCAST WINTER MORNINGS, THESE PICKS BRING ME INTO A FEVERISH FASHION FRENZY.
Topshop Turn Up Bright Beanie, Lime $29 Asos Leather Wrap Detail Gloves $30 Plush Fleece Lined Snakeskin Leggings $84
LPD New York Team Slimane Sweatshirt $145
ASH Visby Shearling High Tops $295
Meredith Wendell Shearling Backstroke Backpack $995
Catbird Moon Ring $122 Quinn Colorblock Scarf $255
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AmorePacific Moisture Bound Skin Energy Hydration Spray $60
#BELLOFASHION
When Young Hollywood’s stylists (including many contributors to this issue) take a selfie, we take notice. Tag your #bellofashion moments, and follow us @bellomag.
@jessy_cain
@jennileetweets
@simoneharouche
@sophiabanksc
@karlawelchstylist
@nicolechavezstyle
@karenraphael
@kitscarbo
CURRATED BY KIMMY ERIN RATICAN
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GOWN DSQUARED2 BAG ALEXANDER MCQUEEN SHOES GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI NECKLACE AKONG LONDON
BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT:
WENDY NGUYEN
INTERVIEW BY KIMMY ERIN KERTES
WENDY NGUYEN KNOWS HOW TO TIE A SCARF IN 25 DIFFERENT WAYS. TWO YEARS AFTER POSTING HER FIRST VIRAL FASHION VIDEO, AND 52 MILLION VIDEO VIEWS LATER, SHE’S PROVEN THAT GOOD TASTE AND PRACTICAL FASHION KNOW-HOW ARE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS TO THE SUCCESS OF TODAY’S BLOGGERS. NOW CELEBRATING HER COLLABORATION WITH TACORI, NGUYEN REVEALS HER INSPIRATION, DESIGN PROCESS, AND SUPER BAD HABIT SHE’S DYING TO BREAK. Tell us about yourself. My blog and YouTube channel is called Wendy’s Lookbook. I work closely with my boyfriend, and we produce content for both platforms. We started the YouTube channel in January 2011 and the blog in March 2011. The blog is mainly focused on sharing outfit pairings and curating fashion pieces, and for the YouTube channel, we create videos and short films highlighting fashion trends, tips, and stories. What’s new and next for you? We’re working on our next digital magazine, which is very exciting! And also, we’re working on a few scripts for our upcoming short film projects. You’ve just collaborated with Tacori. Tell us more about the piece you created. We met Tacori at the Lucky FABB conference in April 2012, and from there our relationship blossomed. I felt incredibly honored when they asked me to be their brand ambassador and to collaborate on a design piece earlier this year. Super nervous, I walked in with my sketch and shared my idea of creating a bracelet that symbolizes a promise two individuals make to each other (a couple’s promise) and/or a promise that a woman makes to herself (a personal promise). Tacori completely embraced the idea and after months of working together, the Promise Bracelet was born.
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What was the design process like for you? Working with the Tacori team and head designer, Garo, was exceptional! Garo is a man of few words, but extremely focused. I remembered when I was presenting the idea to him, he didn’t really say much, but I could see his laserfocus attention. It was as though he was virtually painting all of the components in his head. Like Iron Man in his HUD, Garo was connecting all of the pieces together during our meeting. I had a lot of creative freedom, and we continuously bounced ideas off of each other. The whole process was very smooth. Are there any other dream collaborations you have? Hopefully to design a follow up piece to the Promise Bracelet with Tacori! In addition to jewelry, I would love to design clothing (mainly blazers) and handbags. What jewelry pieces do you wear every single day? To be honest with you, before the Promise Bracelet, I didn’t [wear any one piece]. It was mainly because I alternate from gold to silver stacks often, so I would change to different pieces. [What] I was missing was a dual gold and silver jewelry piece. Also, I secretly hope that one day I’ll have the honor of passing down this bracelet to my daughter or granddaughter. Will you be making any New Year’s resolutions this year? With each year that goes by, I feel as though the thing I lose most is time. I can’t believe it’s 2014 already! For 2014, I want to focus on spending more quality time with loved ones. And also to stop peeling my lips. Whenever I get stressed or bored, I just peel. It’s a terrible habit. What are some trends for 2014 that are on your radar? Cropped silhouettes, blush tones, delicate sheer designs, light floaty fabrics, and sculptural ruffles.
TRENCH OSCAR DE LA RENTA SHIRT ASOS // SKIRT ANN TAYLOR SHOES CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN BAG DIANE VON FURSTENBERG BELT J.CREW // PIN CHANEL BRACELET WENDY’S LOOKBOOK AND TACORI
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ONE DOUBLEDAY AT A TIME PHOTOGRAPHY ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC WORDS HIKO MITSUZUKA & DIO ANTHONY
PORTIA DOUBLEDAY IS CLOSING OUT 2013 WITH BOTH A BANG AND A WHIMPER. THE BANG CAME IN OCTOBER IN DIRECTOR KIMBERLY PEIRCE’S REINTERPRETATION OF CARRIE (SHE PLAYED CHRIS, THE SUPERBITCH WITH A PENCHANT FOR DOUSING PROM QUEENS IN PIG’S BLOOD), AND THE WHIMPER CAN BE SEEN IN THIS MONTH’S HER, THE LATEST MASTERWORK FROM VISONARY AUTEUR SPIKE JONZE (SHE PLAYS ISABELLA IN THE SOULFUL SCI-FI ROMANCE). HAVING GROWN UP IN LOS ANGELES, THIS SELF-PROCLAIMED TOMBOY, WHO TURNED 25 THIS PAST SUMMER (), IS SHOWING US WHAT IT TAKES TO RISE TO THE TOP (TAKE THAT, QUARTER-LIFE CRISIS!).... AND HOW MUCH OF A HARRY POTTER GEEK SHE CAN BE.
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TOP RAQUEL ALLEGRA BIKINI BOTTOM HANNE BLOCH SHOES BOUTIQUE9 BRACELETS NASHELLE NECKLACE BOERA
How do you respond to the label “showbiz kid”? Well, I wasn’t a showbiz kid myself but from knowing some, they all seem to resemble Baby Herman in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. In high school I was… In high school, I poured blood on the prom queen...it did not end well. That’s when I knew I needed to focus my energies and work through my anger through my acting [winks]. About your wicked role in Carrie... how tough is it to play a bully? It wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. Honestly, when I started to study Chris Hargensen, I tried my hardest to identify with her and figure out why she was driven to act the way that she did. Bullies and the people they bully have one thing in common: they are both hurting. Once I identified with her own vulnerability, it was easier for me to justify the crazy, unthinkable things she did. How is Spike Jonze different from other directors you’ve worked with? Spike Jonze is truly remarkable. He always has something to say through the films he creates, and Her fits right in there. It was amazing to be a part of a film that explores how our personal relationships with something as impersonal as technology is beginning to truly dictate our lives or lack thereof. What are 3 things on your holiday wish list? The Cloak of Invisibility, the Resurrection Stone, and the Elder Wand. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Best piece of advice I’ve been given? Dump him. PONCHO HARRIET SELLING BIKINI A. CHE
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COVER LOOK: KAFTAN HARRIET SELLING BIKINI HANNE BLOCH WWW.HANNE-BLOCH.COM SHOES B BRIAN ATWOOD
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SWIMWEAR OYE RING MISA SHOES IVY KIRZHNER KAFTAN HARRIET SELLING
PHOTOGRAPHY ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC
WWW.ALEKANDSTPEH.COM
STYLING KIMMY ERIN KERTIS
WWW.KIMMYERIN.COM
MAKEUP NICOLE WALMSLEY FOR GIORGIO ARMANI BEAUTY
WWW.NICOLEWALMSLEY.COM
HAIR NATALIE VERMIGLIO PRODUCTION LESLIE ALEJANDRO SET ASSISTANT MAGGIE WRIGHT BELLO
JACKET MUUBAA CUFF CHARLES ALBERT SWIMWEAR OYE WWW.OYESWIMWEAR.COM RING MISA SANDALS GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI
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Gun Control: What to Watch and What to Eat WORDS MATTHEW BLAYLOCK
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FRANK DARABONT BRINGS US A BLAST FROM THE PAST WITH HIS NEW CRIME DRAMA MOB CITY. AS DARABONT BRINGS GUNS TO THE SCREEN, ENJOY A HEARTY MEAL WHILE STILL KEEPING YOUR ARMS HOLLYWOOD READY. From the man who composed such acclaimed movies as The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and critically acclaimed series The Walking Dead comes Mob City. Frank Darabont brings us the true story of the fight for the city of Los Angeles in the 1940s and 50s between the L.A.P.D. led by Police Chief William Parker (Neal McDonough) and nefarious crime lord Mickey Cohen (Jeremy Luke). The series, premiering with a star studded cast including Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead), Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes), Robert Knepper (Prison Break), and Alexa Davalos (The Mist, Clash of the Titans), is set to bring mob style crime drama normally seen on the silver screen to your living room. Based on John Buntin’s non-fiction book L.A. Noir, the threeweek, six-episode event series intends to deliver the gritty underbelly of a city classically composed of glamorous movie stars and luxurious parties in the Hollywood hills. The much anticipated series premieres Wednesday, December 4th at 9 pm (ET/PT). While Darabont’s shoot-’em-up drama keeps you glued to your couch, be sure to keep your guns ready and that stomach full and flat. Our health-conscious Spaghetti Primavera and Tomato recipe will help you maintain those Hollywood biceps without going hungry. We have swapped the classic cream and parmesan for tomato sauce. Also try to use any whole grain or gluten free pasta of your choice.
INGREDIENTS ½ lb spaghetti (we recommend Whole Grain or Ancient Harvest gluten free) 1 small zucchini 5 asparagus spears ½ cup fresh peas 1 small bunch broccoli 3 minced garlic cloves 12 chopped basil leaves 4 diced roma tomatoes ¼ cup white wine extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper TIPS AND TRICKS: Use any vegetables of your choice, as long as they are fresh! For a quick at home tomato sauce, sauté the minced garlic in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add diced tomatoes and white wine, and use a slotted spoon to mash the tomatoes into the white wine. Season as desired. Salt the water for your pasta generously. A fun trick passed to me from my grandma is when the pasta sticks to the wall, it’s done! However, if you are not looking to make a mess of your walls, spaghetti generally cooks in 8 to 10 minutes. Sauté your vegetables separately from the sauce. Vegetables should be cooked with somewhat of a bite left to them. The less vegetables are cooked, the more nutrients are left within them. Add the basil in at the very end, some in the pasta and some sprinkled on top, to keep the vibrant green color.
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WILTED KALE WITH ROASTED SQUASH, Apples, Bacon, Ricotta, & Reduced Balsamic “THIS DELICIOUSLY AMAZING SALAD IS SERVED WARM AND IS A GREAT WAY TO USE THE BOUNTY OF FALL PRODUCE. IT UTILIZES JUST A LITTLE BACON FOR FLAVOR WHILE STILL REMAINING HEALTHY AND NUTRITIOUS. AND BECAUSE THERE’S BACON AND APPLES, THERE IS A VERY HIGH POSSIBILITY THAT THE YOUNGER CROWD WILL EAT IT TOO! THIS FESTIVE SALAD COMBINES DIFFERENT TEXTURES AND FLAVORS OF SWEET AND SALTY, MAKING IT A REALLY FUN, UNIQUE, AND PERFECT HOLIDAY DISH.” CHEF RONNIE WOO
INSTRUCTIONS 1 . Preheat oven to 425ºF. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss the squash cubes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Roast the squash, tossing occasionally, for about 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and tender. Let cool. 2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to paper towels, drain, and cool. 3. In the same skillet over medium heat, heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the kale and cook for about 2-3 minutes, just until wilted. Transfer to a clean bowl. 4. Add the squash, apple slices, shallots, ricotta cheese, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and 3 finger-pinches of salt and pepper. Toss to combine, sprinkle the bacon over top, and
INGREDIENTS 2 cups of butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes olive oil 4 slices of thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, cut into ¼-inch pieces 10 cups of curly kale, de-stemmed and washed 1 fuji apple, cored, halved and thinly sliced 2 shallots, finely minced ½ cup of ricotta cheese 2 tablespoons of reduced balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice kosher salt ground black pepper
enjoy!
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Chef Ronnie Woo is the executive chef and owner of The Delicious Cook, a private chef company that specializes in intimate four-star dinner parties. He has a growing list of celebrity clients and is a regular contributor to Good Day LA. For more recipes and information on Chef Ronnie, visit his website at www.TheDeliciousCook.com or www.RonnieWoo.com
DUBAI
LUIGI’S INTERNATIONAL PICKS
My name is Luigi Irauzqui, and I have the ultimate dream job! As a celebrity interior designer and stylist to the most prestigious interior magazines across the globe, I get to travel the world, sourcing the latest trends in design and discovering the most innovative products on the market. I am a world traveller and as I design, stage and decorate homes for a living, I get first-hand unique insights into the global design world. I will take you into my design mind set as I travel the world in search of new emerging brands and the latest from internationally renowned companies. I am constantly in search of the season’s must-haves, the hottest international trends and those hidden treasures from around the globe that everyone wants to know about. I am a lover of contemporary yet timeless design with an emphasis on quality, innovation, craftsmanship and creativity.
My latest design adventure took me to Dubai, UAE to the Downtown Design Dubai Show. From the visionary team behind Art Dubai and Design Days, Downtown Design Dubai showcased some of the most highly regarded brands in the design world. Held at the custom-built location at the base of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, some of the biggest names in the industry attended the event, which featured the very best in furniture, accessories, lighting, flooring, textiles and new technologies. Downtown Design lured in big guns like Vitra, Cappellini, Fritz Hansen, Poltrona Frau and Gaia & Gino, who displayed their latest collections to interior designers, architects and other industry specialists. BELLO
HERE ARE MY TOP 3 PICKS FROM DOWNTOWN DESIGN DUBAI: 1. FBMI - AFGHANISTAN - CARPETS With child mortality above 25%, an average lifespan of 44 years, and 42% of the population living on less than $1 per day, this is the reality of modern day Afghanistan. It was this poverty that moved her highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mohammed Bin Zayed to establish FBMI, an initiative dedicated to alleviating this long-term distress by providing resources, compassion and the opportunity for impoverished women to free themselves from economic hardship and take a leading role in Afghanistan’s future. By partnering with Tanweer Investments, based in Afghanistan, Sheikha Fatima Bint Mohammed Bin Zayed’s aim is to create sustainable development by empowering women. The initiative provides women with employment in the carpet production process and offers them and their families critical social services in healthcare and education. The results are beautiful, rich and meaningful carpets and rugs, weaving enterprise and compassion for a better future.
2. EVITAVONNI - ENGLAND - TEXTILES Whether through a luxurious collection of fabrics, classic bedding, elegant accessories or a complete interior design experience, Evitavonni offers a world of quiet elegance that is subtle and ageless, but maintains a contemporary edge. Michel and Kate Erwich’s vision for creating luxury lifestyle environments began in 2007 with an interior design gallery in Chobham, Surrey. The launch of evitavonni’s range of cool, muted, opulent fabrics and classic bedlinen in September 2010 coincided with the opening of their trade showroom in the prestigious Design Centre Chelsea Harbour. The feel is sleek and polished but deeply comfortable, giving an atmosphere of magnificent relaxation.
3. PINETTI - ITALY - OFFICE ACCESORIES Pinetti celebrates the essence of the tradition of Italian leather: the creative vocation, attention to detail and focus on the customer. Pinetti creates products that reflect the company, its identity and the people who work there - entirely Italian products with regard to the production, but international in soul. Pinetti is passion for leather, paper and color, and guarantees quality and competence that can satisfy even the most demanding needs of the market. Thanks to an ongoing research and the contribution of young creatives and top designers that sided with the Pinetti family, the brand is present in the best showrooms and department stores around the world and cooperate with some of the most important corporate and contract realities.
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Still Awkward Ashley Rickards PHOTOGRAPHY ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC / WORDS DIO ANTHONY
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EARRINGS MARGARET ROWE DRESS RAMI KADI COUTURE GLOVES PERRIN PARIS
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MTV has found their first lady in 21 year old Ashley Rickards, the star of their biggest hit to date, Awkward. The critically acclaimed series has been praised by
major critics, and with its third 20-episode installment completely wrapped, the teen show seems to be getting better by the season. I sat down with Rick-
ards, and unlike her sometimes shy and inevitably awkward on-screen persona, she gave it to me raw—no awkward pun intended. Since its premiere to the network in the summer of 2011, Awkward. has become the hallmark of relatable adolescent television, and series star Ashley Rickards doesn’t take that responsibility lightly. “It’s definitely been a roller coaster,” she says. “I’ve been here about nine years now. There has been a lot of trying to do things the wrong way, for the wrong reasons, for the money... Honestly, Awkward. was for the money at first. I was living with my mom, and I didn’t want to live with my mom anymore.” At 17 years old, Rickards booked the role of Jenna Hamilton just two weeks shy of her 18th birthday. For this teen, the change in age meant more than getting piercings or having the option to work at a bar. It meant moving on and moving out. Having an adult job required an adult mindset. “Eventually I found my way, just like everyone can, but that whole journey was something that needed to happen. And now I go to set, and I’m full-on so excited to wake up at 4:30 a.m., because I know someone’s going to be happy, and I’m just going to make someone smile. Now, Awkward. is more than just a paycheck. It’s a lot more. I mean, granted, I love a paycheck, because I also love the finer things in life, whatever that is. It changes from time to time.” Awkward., a true product of the times, can very well be one of those shows that goes on for seasons and seasons to come. But that doesn’t stop Ashley Rickards from having thoughts on how her beloved series should end. “I don’t think the show will ever end. I hope that people continually find it to be happy. But on a more comedic level, I wish the show would end with my character exactly where we all go: to the next chapter. I don’t know if she’s going to be a blog writer forever. But maybe we end on her college essay.” I don’t know about you guys, but with all the drama going on in Jenna’s life, and the people surrounding her, how on earth could the freak of suicide’s past muster up the time and concentration to write a college essay? She simply couldn’t. Not now, anyway.
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NECKLACE LUV AJ TOP ASUNDER
EAR CUFF KRISTIN PERRY DRESS BOULEE DRESS CAMILA X CASTILLO
Boys have always been a constant struggle for Ashley’s character, Jenna. At one point it was the issue of not having one, which quickly turned into a battle of which boy to choose. Surely I wondered which boy she’d choose if under the same circumstances of Jenna’s life. Obvious heartthrob Matty? Nice guy Jake? Or pretty boy Collin? In theory, if she had to choose, fans of the show wouldn’t exactly make the elimination process any easier, according to Rickards. “The fans...are so all over the place, and so opinionated about which boy to choose. I think I could never choose, because I know all those boys for the goodness in their characters [rather] than what all their breath smells like when they don’t pay attention. So there’s a part of me that’s sort of like, ‘we’ve been through this, and it’s just… y’all are great, but you’re like my brothers at this point.’” The handsome and irresistible faces of Jenna’s record of boy toys is not something to be forgotten, much like the show itself. Awkward. survived on a network that had attempted script programming many a time before Jenna’s faux suicide attempt. The network was on the search for a voice. Hard partying teens came to MTV screens in the form of America’s version of the hit British
series Skins. Advertisers didn’t stay for long after that sting, and neither did the hard-partying teens, with MTV silently canceling the series after its first season. A well-endowed awkward boy with a high sex drive tried out the digs too in The Hard Times Of R.J. Berger. R.J. stood its ground and lasted a bit longer than its predecessors with two 12-episode seasons. But it was an unpopular girl, with a crush way out of her reach (publicly anyway), who marked her territory on the network, and in many ways redesigned its entire primetime platform. And thank the heavens it did. Ten seasons or four, Awkward. has earned its place in television history, and continues to make strides in programming geared towards teens. I can already see the TV Guide Magazine 20-year reunion cover. Rickards’ thoughts aren’t much different than my own. “With TV, a project is either an escape from reality, or a relief to know that it’s all the same, and Awkward.’s very much the latter; it’s a relief to know that it’s all the same,” she says. “It’s very relatable, and there’s something special about the writers on the show that have been able to make it timeless. I think people watch the show and they see themselves. And people have things on DVDs and DVR – and I have things on VHS still – simply be-
cause. And they have those because they can always look back. What we do now is always going to be there, and granted, a part of my ego’s greatly flattered by the fact that someone thirty years from now could stumble upon Awkward. and be like, ‘This is great! I’m going to be a hipster now because I know about something that no one else remembers!’” If not her MTV series, Rickards’ yet to be released book Get Your Sh!t Together will keep you from forgetting her name. The book, coming to you from Harlequin Enterprises, will be an advice book for teens and young adults, with the star’s personal stories about health, beauty, and relationships. “Get Your Sh!t Together is really close to my heart,” she explains. “I’m not an expert in everything, but I have experiences just like everyone else, and I hope to be able to somehow save someone from learning the hard way,” says the actress. “I can’t live their lives for them, but I can sure be of help. And that’s all I want to do, whether that’s writing this book, or writing another book, or just being on the show and giving teenagers 30 minutes of peace and happiness, something to laugh at after they’ve had a hard day at school. That’s why I do what I do.” It’s unclear when her book will be released and ready to purchase, but if it’s anything like Awkward. or anything
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EARRINGS AND NECKLACES MARGARET ROWE NECKLACE LUV AJ DRESS RHEA COSTA BELLO
their characters [rather] than what all their breath smells like when they don’t pay attention. So there’s a part of me that’s sort of like, ‘we’ve been through this, and it’s just…y’all are great, but you’re like my brothers at this point.’” The handsome and irresistible faces of Jenna’s record of boy toys is not something to be forgotten, much like the show itself. Awkward. survived on a network that had attempted script programming many a time before Jenna’s faux suicide attempt. The network was on the search for a voice. Hard partying teens came to MTV screens in the form of America’s version of the hit British series Skins. Advertisers didn’t stay for long after that sting, and neither did the hard-partying teens, with MTV silently canceling the series after its first season. A well-endowed awkward boy with a high sex drive tried out the digs too in The Hard Times Of R.J. Berger. R.J. stood its ground and lasted a bit longer than its predecessors with two 12-episode seasons. But it was an unpopular girl, with a crush way out of her reach (publicly anyway), who marked her territory on the network, and in many ways redesigned its entire primetime platform. And thank the heavens it did. Ten seasons or four, Awkward. has earned its place in television history, and continues to make strides in programming geared towards teens. I can already see the TV Guide Magazine 20-year reunion cover. Rickards’ thoughts aren’t much different than my own.
“With TV, a project is either an escape from reality, or a relief to know that it’s all the same, and Awkward.’s very much the latter; it’s a relief to know that it’s all the same,” she says. “It’s very relatable, and there’s something special about the writers on the show that have been able to make it timeless. I think people watch the show and they see themselves. And people have things on DVDs and DVR – and I have things on VHS still – simply because. And they have those because they can always look back. What we do now is always going to be there, and granted, a part of my ego’s greatly flattered by the fact that someone thirty years from now could stumble upon Awkward. and be like, ‘This is great! I’m going to be a hipster now because I know about something that no one else remembers!’” If not her MTV series, Rickards’ yet to be released book Get Your Sh!t Together will keep you from forgetting her name. The book, coming to you from Harlequin Enterprises, will be an advice book for teens and young adults, with the star’s personal stories about health, beauty, and relationships. “Get Your Sh!t Together is really close to my heart,” she explains. “I’m not an expert in everything, but I have experiences just like everyone else, and I hope to be able to somehow save someone from learning the hard way,” says the actress. “I can’t live their lives for them,
but I can sure be of help. And that’s all I want to do, whether that’s writing this book, or writing another book, or just being on the show and giving teenagers 30 minutes of peace and happiness, something to laugh at after they’ve had a hard day at school. That’s why I do what I do.” It’s unclear when her book will be released and ready to purchase, but if it’s anything like Awkward. or anything like Jenna’s off-screen counterpart, it’s a book signing not to be missed. “I’m lucky enough to have a specific type of voice, which is definitely scattered in with a whole lot of swear words - as I like to say, a fuck ton of swear words - but you know, I think I just have to trust that because I do my best to tell the truth. And I’m just not afraid of anything anymore, because I know that everything is exactly as it’s supposed to be. I’ve tried every which way to Sunday to get my shit together, and I feel like I have a grasp on exactly what it means to be in the process of getting your shit together. That’s really what goes into my book.” The Sarasota, Florida native continues to prove herself worthy of the success she’s garnered over the years, citing the outlook on life that gets her by: “I just sort of do whatever’s right in the moment. And whatever that is usually works out.” Excuse me while I take Ashley Rickards’ life motto and apply it to my own.
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COVER LOOK TOP ASTR THIS PAGE JACKET LARK
EARRINGS MARGARET ROWE DRESS RAMI KADI COUTURE GLOVES PERRIN PARIS BELLO
BEAUTY BREAKDOWN // GIORGIO ARMANI BEAUTY Maestro Foundation is an ultra-fine foundation that perfects the skin with a soft, luminous finish. Apply with a foundation brush or Beauty Blender and concentrate the product where you need it most, usually around the nose and center of the face. Blend outward. Add a flush of color to the cheeks with Sheer Blush. Ashley is wearing Light Rose. Fluid Sheer in 7 adds a highlight to the cheekbone, brow bone and bridge of the nose. Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow in Khaki Pulse is a multi-dimensional pigment that layers for a long lasting smokey eye. For rich color, I used Rouge Ecstasy Lipstick in Androgino and Scarlatto. Press the color into your lips with your finger to create a stained look.
PHOTOGRAPHER ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC WWW.ALEKANDSTEPH.COM
STYLING MELISSA TRIBER WWW.MELISSATRIBER.COM
MAKEUP NICOLE WALMSLEY WWW.NICOLEWALMSLEY.COM
HAIR ASHLEY HALL
WWW.ASHLEYLYNNHALL.COM
USING T3MICRO FAHRENHEIT 450 FLAT IRON - TO SMOOTH HAIR BEFORE STYLING DAVINES DEFINING INVISIBLE HAIR SPRAY DAVINES DEFINING GLOSS LOCATION HQ AVALON
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INSPIRED by NATURE By Nicole Walmsley www.nicolewalmsley.com
WITH THE WINTER MONTHS DRYING OUT OUR HAIR AND SKIN, YOU MIGHT HAVE THE URGE TO BATHE IN OLIVE OIL. WELL, IT’S NOT ACTUALLY A TERRIBLE IDEA. TURNING TO NATURAL, EARTHY, PLANT INFUSED PRODUCTS CAN SOMETIMES BE THE BEST WAY TO HYDRATE DELICATE SKIN AND ENCOURAGE THE RETURN OF A HEALTHY GLOW. LINA HANSON “Global Face Serum” Essential oils and ingredients like marula, ylang ylang and pink grapefruit reduce redness and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. At the same time, the unique aromatic blend is known to uplift mood, relieve anxiety and promote a sense of positive wellbeing. Retail Price: $85 Available: www.LinaHanson.com
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EARTH TU FACE “Body Gift Set: Rosemary + Salt Body Lotion and Bergamot + Aloe Shower Gel” Two friends in California created this purely plant-based, 100% natural skin care line that is free of toxins and synthetic compounds. They believe that you should never put on your skin what you wouldn’t put in your mouth. Check out their website for ways to reuse and recycle your packaging. Very clever and very cool. Retail Price: $64.60 Available: www.earthtuface.com MARIO BADESCU “Peptide Renewal Cream” This new cream includes ingredients like nori (algae) extract and white willow bark, which help to restore elasticity and smooth the skin. Plus, it smells like a day at the spa. Retail Price: $35 Available: www.mariobadescu.com
TARTE “Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush” Soft and long wearing, this blush is infused with Amazonian clay. It helps to minimize shine while hydrating the skin to restore moisture. With 16 colors to choose from, you’ll find the perfect shade to suit your skin tone. Retail Price: $26 Available: www.sephora.com JANE IREDALE “PureMoist Lipstick” It’s hard to sum up the many nourishing natural oils and superfruit extracts that are squeezed into this one tube of lipstick. Organic pomegranate and blackberry fruit extracts, moringa oil and avocado… all of these are ingredients that moisturize lips while giving you vivid color that smells good enough to eat. Retail Price: $25.00 Available: www.janeiredale.com
MEET THE ARTIST WHEN DID YOU START DOING NAILS? I gave my first manicure in 1990. I knew early on that I loved doing nails, so I just followed that dream not knowing where it would take me. Everyday I am grateful for all of the people I meet along the way and I’ve met some extraordinarily talented people. Even though I have worked in the industry for over seven years now, I still get shy on set. I tend to stay out of the way and let the talent, hair and make-up take center stage. WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE YOU BECAME A CELEBRITY MANICURIST? Before moving to Los Angeles seven years ago, I owned a nail salon in Northern California. I was given the title “celebrity manicurist,” but I consider myself more of a fashion manicurist and nail expert. It’s been interesting working in Los Angeles because you give a celebrity a manicure once or twice, but then you may never see them again. So I always value the experiences I have because they can be short lived. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE AS A MANICURIST? I like to keep nails simple and on trend, but can accommodate anyone’s nail dream! WHAT’S THE MOST ELABORATE NAIL ART YOU’VE DONE? For elaborate nail art I like to drill nail tips into unique shapes. I recently created a “sea coral” textured design for a music video. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT GELS AND SILKS? AND IT LOOKS LIKE ACRYLICS ARE MAKING A COMEBACK?! I feel that if someone wants long and strong nails then they should use a nail enhancement. It can be gel, silk or acrylic, but should be based on your natural nail shape, strength and lifestyle. See a licensed nail tech to help decide that. WHERE DO YOU GO FOR MANI/PEDIS? I do my own nails, but enjoy a spa pedicure at my local salon.
MICHELLE SAUNDERS IS AN L.A. BASED MANICURIST WHOSE REGULAR CLIENTS INCLUDE MAJOR CELEBS LIKE KATE BECKINSALE, MILA KUNIS AND P!NK. SHE’S WORKED WITH FASHION PHOTOGRAPHERS INEZ VAN LAMSWEERDE AND VINOODH MATADIN, MERT ALAS AND MARCUS PIGGOTT, AND ALASDAIR MCLELLAN. HER WORK CAN BE SEEN ON THE PAGES OF VOGUE, W, ELLE AND VANITY FAIR. DESPITE SUCH AN IMPRESSIVE RESUME, MICHELLE IS A TALENTED AND HUMBLE ARTIST WHO APPRECIATES EVERY MINUTE OF HER CREATIVE LIFE. Twitter: michel_saunders // Instagram: _michellesaunders // www.michellesaunders.com
WHAT’S YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE NAIL TREND? My all-time favorite nail trend is to apply nail art with just polish. No 3D effects needed! I love abstract designs with colors that flatter your skin tone. WHICH TREND DO YOU WISH WOULD GO AWAY FOREVER? I’ve watched the nail trend explode recently and am fascinated by it because all of the fun nail stuff we see has been in my life since day one of my manicuring career. Social media has helped in displaying how great it is to be a manicurist. It’s a very artistic job, and sometimes you “nail it” and sometimes you don’t. There are a few nail art trends that are “fails” in my book; recently, I’ve seen everything on a nail from grass to eyeballs. But art is subjective, so to each his own. ANY NAIL PET PEEVES? I have a small pet peeve about people who call themselves manicurists or nail artists but don’t have a state license. WHAT ARE THE HOT COLORS FOR THIS SEASON? This season there are many colors that reflect what’s popular in fashion and I get much of my inspiration when I work NYFW. You’ll be seeing blues [and] greens, plus a lot of texture and glitter. DO YOU DO MANY MAN –ICURES? I work with a lot of hand models in Los Angeles and many of them are men! WHAT ARE SOME PRODUCTS TO KEEP HANDS AND CUTICLES SOFT DURING THE DRY WINTER MONTHS? It’s especially important to saturate your hands and cuticles with hand lotion and cuticle oil. Essie just launched a new hand care line, and it’s divine. WHAT ARE SOME TIPS FOR DOING MANICURES AT HOME? ONE HAND ALWAYS LOOKS BETTER THAN THE OTHER! To do an at-home mani can be challenging,
so try painting your less dominant hand first, but place it on a flat surface while painting. WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU GET ASKED THE MOST? The questions I get asked the most are “what is your favorite line of polish?” and “is gel bad for you?” 1. I learned to polish with Essie, so I am well versed and well trained with that line and think it is a quality polish. Plus, they have every color I need. 2. Gel is not bad for you. Nails are dead. They don’t breath. But they are made up of the same thing as hair, so they can get dry, brittle and break. I always tell my clients gel is ok if it’s applied properly and removed properly. And since nails are like hair, which constantly regenerates from a root, nails always go back to the way they were before the gel. Just like a bad haircut or color. It’s all very temporary. TOP 5 FAVORITE PRODUCTS RIGHT NOW 1. Essie’s Winter “Shearling Darling” collection 2. Antoine de Paris Nail Nippers and Cuticle Pusher 3. Essie Spa Many Many Mani Intensive Hand Lotion 4. White Polar Block Nail Buffers 5. Noel Asmar Pedicure Bowls WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR WORK? It’s when I work New York Fashion Week. I lead a team of hard-working manicurists for up to twelve shows each season. I meet with the designers and their stylists and collaborate on the nail look/trend for the season. It really is one of my greatest accomplishments. WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN IN YOUR OFF HOURS? My off hours consist of walking the strand by the beach, dining with friends and organizing my kit!
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MEN’s
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ROUTINE
PHOTOGRAPHY ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC // WORDS BY MELISSA ADELAIDE
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AXIOM FOR MEN PH BALANCED HAIR REMOVAL CREAM ($19.50) This hair removal cream is much more appealing than the ladies’ versions that have been touting the drugstores for years. Calcium thioglycolate is an organic compound that breaks the bonds in the cortex of hair. Apply the hair removal cream to clean, dry skin, allow the cream to sit for 9 minutes, then rinse away. Do not use soap to wash away the removal cream; instead, use a wash cloth to gently wipe/work away the cream from the hair in the shower. AXIOM FOR MEN FACE & BODY SHAVE CREAM ($14.50) This shave cream is full of moisturizing ingredients, which make it much easier for a razor to glide across and give you the closest smooth shave. While skin is still warm and wet from the shower, apply the lather to areas where hair is to be removed and shave with a razor. Notice the lack of nicks and cuts. www.axiomformen.com DIOR HOMME SPORT DEODORANT ($22.00) With citron, cedarwood accords, and ginger accords, this scent leaves a man feeling energized. Apply to clean underarms freshly out of the shower. TOM FORD OIL-FREE DAILY MOISTURIZER ($105.00) This product is both luxurious and lightweight, giving men the best of both worlds. Loaded with skin calming ingredients for after shave, it helps to minimize redness and skin irritation, as well as keep skin looking matte. Apply all over face after cleansing. MURAD RENEWING EYE CREAM ($75.00) Full of peptides, this eye cream is a triple threat by firming, brightening, and hydrating the delicate skin around your eyes. After cleansing skin, take a small amount on your ring fingers and gently pat the cream onto the undereye skin area, as well as the browbone.
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JOSH ROSEBROOK DEEP HYDRATING SERUM ($70.00) Unlike most skin care products out there, this organic serum has live, active extracts that immediately go to work on repairing skin. Apply both in the morning and at night to clean skin (face and neck) in circular motions, massaging the serum into the skin. HANZ DE FUKO CLAYMATION High Hold Matte Finish ($18.50) This hybrid hair product gives you the hold and slight shine that you’re looking for from a wax product, with the workability and extra hold that you get from stronger clay products. Apply nickel- to quarter-sized amounts to dry hair to piece and mold your hair to the desired shape, or apply to damp hair for well groomed locks with a natural sheen. AXIOM FOR MEN DAILY RESTORATIVE MOISTURIZER ($19.50) This moisturizer is a bit of an all-in-one. Essentially a face and body moisturizer, this one is great for the man on the go. Apply to face and body freshly out of the shower, and you’re good to go. www.axiomformen.com
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RECIPE FOR MEN FACIAL
AXIOM FOR MEN
ZIRH REVERSE
NICKEL SUPER PECS
MOISTURIZER+
PEARLIZED CLEANSING GEL
ANTI AGING SERUM
PECTORAL PUMPING CREAM
($39.00)
($19.50)
($45.00)
($54.00)
Great for men when the winter starts
This cleanser is ideally used after
One of the only instant gratification
A quick lift in a bottle, this pumping
to hit or for men with dryer skin, this
shaving/hair removal. It contains
anti-aging MEN’S skin care prod-
cream gives an immediate lift and
moisturizer is slightly heavier and
aloe to moisturize, chamomile to
ucts out there, this serum has a sili-
firm to pecs. For best results, apply
continues to keep working for up to
soothe and repair, and triclosan to
cone base that creates a soft focus
daily to pecs with gentle massaging
12 hours. Apply to skin after cleans-
keep bacteria at bay. After shav-
for fine lines and works as an in-
motions until completely absorbed
ing or after shaving.
ing, while skin is still damp, work
stant filter for your face. Apply to a
into skin.
the cleansing gel into a lather and
clean face and neck in the morning.
massage into face while being careful to avoid the eyes. After about 30 seconds, rinse skin and splash with cold water to close the pores. www.axiomformen.com
PHOTOGRAPHY ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC www.alekandsteph.com WORDS BY MELISSA ADELAIDE GROOMING LESLIE ALEJANDRO PRODUCTION MIKE WAXMAN SPECIAL THANKS PAUL RITZ & KEVIN MCNAMARA AND JOHN WOLFE
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OF FIRE & ICE BLAKE SKJELLERUP PHOTOGRAPHY ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC
WORDS BY JOHN CULLEN
NEW ZEALAND NATIVE BLAKE SKJELLERUP IS NO STRANGER TO CHALLENGES. IN HIS YOUNGER YEARS HE WAS A VICTIM OF FREQUENT BULLYING, BUT HE MANAGED TO TURN HIS FOCUS TO A MORE POSITIVE OUTLET: SPEED SKATING. THAT FIRERY FOCUS IS WHAT PAVED THE WAY FOR HIM TO THE 2010 VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS. ALTHOUGH HE DIDN’T LEAVE WITH MEDAL IN HAND, IT COULD BE ARGUED THAT HE LEFT WITH SOMETHING MORE VALUABLE. SOON AFTER, BLAKE PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS GAY AND QUICKLY TOOK ON A VERY NATURAL, YET UNOFFICIAL, ROLE OF AMBASSADOR FOR ATHLETES FROM THE LGBT COMMUNITY. IRONICALLY, THE 2014 WINTER OLYMPICS WILL TAKE PLACE IN SOCHI, RUSSIA, WHERE RECENTLY PASSED LAWS ESSENTIALLY CRIMINALIZE HOMOSEXUALITY (I URGE YOU TO RESEARCH THESE “LAWS” IF YOU’RE NOT YET FAMILIAR WITH THEM). THIS OBSTACLE WOULD PRESENT AN ADDED LAYER OF DIFFICULTY FOR MOST, BUT FOR BLAKE THE TERRITORY IS ALL TOO FAMILIAR.
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*Editor Note: At the time of our interview, Blake had just completed qualification competition in Torino, Italy and was on his way to Kolomna, Russia to continue training towards his ultimate goal of qualifying for the 2014 Winter Olympics. We anxiously await the outcome. Is it true that an injury suffered during a game of rugby translated to your discovery of speed skating? Not quite true, but almost! I was rollerblading down a hill with some friends and broke my arm. I was playing rugby at that time in my life, and you’re not able to play rugby very well with a broken arm! But speed skating came up as something I could do instead with said broken arm, and I started that as a result.
SWEATER REISS PANTS TED BAKER SHOES ALDO BELLO
SHIRT SANDRO LEATHER JACKET REISS PANTS CALVIN KLEIN
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Do you feel that your mental and physical focus on training increased as a result of coming out publicly after the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics? Definitely. The mental and physical focus was finally 100% about training and racing, and nothing else to worry about or hide. It helped me be a stronger and better athlete as a result. You had quite the successful Indiegogo campaign [to seek funding towards training and qualifying for the upcoming 2014 Olympic Games]. How’d it feel to receive that type of response?
entation, beliefs, etc. that make them unique? The only advice I can give is how I dealt with it personally as someone who was bullied for a good part of my life, especially in my teens. What helped me was to create a new focus in my life, and a new goal. And also to have the belief that the things people were doing to me were wrong and that I was better than all of those people. My sport helped me greatly. It’s something that has helped me throughout my whole life, just having that focus and that goal, which is what the Olympics have given me.
I would definitely say I fit into that group in my own personal way! I’m particular about the things I do and am very routine about the way I go about my day. I’m a stickler for being late; I’m used to being disciplined and being on time. Us athletes have to repeat things over and over again in order to get better and achieve our goals, and that probably helps us to form habits in our daily routines.
I would say being a favorite affects your performance more, because you have that preconception to look up to. If you’re “number one” in people’s eyes, then you strive to achieve and to keep that “number one” status.
Your role as Ambassador [congratulations!] to the 2014 Gay Games in Cleveland, Ohio will be a slight departure from the atmosphere surrounding the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, wouldn’t you say?
What would you like your legacy to be, both as a person and as an athlete?
It may be a departure as far as the size and grandeur is concerned, but these games are something I really believe in. They give the community an incredible chance to come together and compete in a big sporting event that celebrates something wonderful: just being themselves. Are there any unconventional or offthe-wall training exercises that you perform as part of your routine or recovery process?
What advice would you give to those who have been victims of bullying, whether it be their looks, sexual ori-
Athletes have a reputation for being creatures of habit. Would you fit into that group?
Which affects your performance more: being an underdog or a favorite?
The campaign was overwhelming. It felt very special to have such support from people I’d never even met. It helped with my motivation and encouragement, and it was great to know there was a greater support out there for what I want to achieve.
Speed skating as a whole is very different to that of many other sports. Recovery is very important as well as lots of rest and plenty of physio time. There are some things that may seem weird to others but are very vital to speed skating; we do a lot of imitation work off the ice, which involves a lot of movement with the body, and plenty of jumping around.
in the world.
What has been your life’s greatest achievement to date? It’s definitely the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. I had worked for these Olympics for ten years. When I didn’t qualify for the 2006 Olympics in Italy it was hard to pick myself back up again, but I gave myself a new goal to work even harder and stronger, and then I made it. Making 2010 was just pure elation. I did everything possible to make it happen, and when it did, it was the best feeling
My own legacy is something I’ve been thinking a lot about recently. I don’t think it’s close to being where I want it to be yet, as a person and as an athlete. As 18-year-old Blake I was someone who was self loathing, confused, and I didn’t know who I was or what I wanted to achieve in life. It wasn’t until I was 21 and the Summer Olympics were in Beijing, and Matthew Mitchum won a gold medal and came out as gay. He instantly became a role model for me, and he definitely helped me in my journey to where I am today. I would like to do something similar for others. I don’t know what that is yet...we’ll have to wait and see.
TSHIRT & PANTS CLUB MONACO BELT DIESEL
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SUIT SANDRO SHIRT EMPORIO ARMANI TIE & POCKET SQUARE REISS
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CARDIGAN, TSHIRT & PANTS CLUB MONACO BOOTS ALLSAINTS
PHOTOGRAPHY ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC WWW.ALEKANDSTEPH.COM SYLING WARREN ALFIE BAKER WWW.WARRENALFIEBAKER.COM GROOMING MELISSA DEZARATE SPECIAL THANKS CHAD AND BRIAN
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WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE WORDS JOHN CULLEN
PHOTOGRAPHY ALEXANDER BEER
The 2013 Jungle Marathon was October 3rd – 12th in the FLONA Tapajos, (Tapajos National Forest) near Santarem, Brazil. The 2014 Jungle Marathon will be from October 2nd – 11th (the same venue as 2013) and will be the 10th edition, so there will be lots of surprises on the course.
THE UVU JUNGLE MARATHON IS, AS CNN VOTED, “THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST ENDURANCE RACE”. WHAT MAKES IT SO TOUGH YOU ASK? WELL, FOR STARTERS, COMPETITORS MUST JOURNEY THROUGH A 6-STAGE, 7-DAY COURSE, COVERING 157 MILES (254 KM)… IN THE DEEP AMAZON JUNGLE! FACTOR IN THE TROPICAL 99% HUMIDITY, PIRANHA AND ANACONDA FILLED SWAMP CROSSINGS, SLIPPERY MUDDY INCLINES AND DECLINES, AND YOU’RE PROBABLY WISHING YOU HADN’T ASKED. TO COMPLICATE THINGS FURTHER, THE RACE IS A SELF-SUFFICIENT RACE - MEANING YOU MUST CARRY YOUR OWN SUPPLIES AND FOOD FOR THE LENGTH OF THE RACE. REMEMBER, IT’S A 7-DAY RACE FOLKS. ORGANIZER AND FOUNDER SHIRLEY THOMPSON (AKA JUNGLE SHIRLEY) TOOK A FEW MOMENTS AFTER THE RECENT 2013 JUNGLE MARATHON TO CHAT WITH US ABOUT LIFE, PERSEVERANCE, AND (OF COURSE) JUNGLE LIFE.
You entered the world of running in your 40’s, or as some may say “later in life”, but age doesn’t really matter, does it? I agree. Age is really a number. There are plenty of really competent runners in their 50s and 60s and also plenty of people half that age who are not fit at all. Certainly as I have got older I have focused much more on my health, rather than abusing it, which I tended to do when I was younger: eating the wrong stuff, partying hard etc. I was also a heavy smoker and swapped the addiction of cigarettes for ultra running...
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70
There is an average of competitors per year.
Around
85% of contestants are male, with the remaining female. 15%
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When competing in an Ultra Marathon, one must plan and prepare ahead to consider all possibilities. Does this sort of strategizing lend itself to your personal life as well, or would you say that you venture along more spontaneously? I tend to be pretty organized in my personal and working life, but also do still have an impulsive side. Hope that part never goes! :) What fuels your determination to push forward once you reach the breaking point of mental and physical exhaustion? Which is easier to overcome? I guess a mixture of stubbornness and a strong mental mindset.
The mind controls the body, so I guess the physical side is easier to overcome- even if you are exhausted, you head can push you that bit further. Do you think that our cultural immersion in technology has disconnected us from nature? Or has it allowed us to explore, and connect, but on a different level? I think technology has opened up a new dimension for us. Now it is possible to discover, explore, plan and dream virtually before making things a reality. And social media has given us the chance to share with, and motivate, many more people.
DRESS VINTAGE 1940s NECKLACE VINTAGE PEARL COLLAR 50s
Generally
What has been your greatest reward, as an individual, and as an event organizer? It has been hugely rewarding to, and a privilege to, be able to hold the race in such a beautiful part of the world. I feel honored to be able to spend long stretches of time in the Amazon Rainforest, interact with the villagers, and work with them to plan the race. It is so vastly different from my previous career - I spent 20 years working as a flight attendant on private jets flying the mega wealthy and famous round the world. As an event organizer, the most rewarding part is the pleasure that competitors get taking part in and finishing the race.
55-60% of contestants finish the race.
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BELLO LOCKER WORDS BY JOHN CULLEN
BIRKSUN SOLAR BACKPACKS Mankind’s greatest source of energy is the sun, so wouldn’t it be nice if you could access that power anytime you need? Well, now you can. The company BirkSun has created a line of backpacks that come fully equipped with built-in solar panels on the backside of each pack, allowing you the ever-so-convenient ability to power a portable device in real time, or tap into that stored energy at a later time. Recharge your phone or camera after snapping away scenic shots to share with friends and still have plenty of juice to reach out to those friends if something goes awry on your next jungle excursion. The entire bag is weather resistant and TSA approved, so you can literally take it with you anywhere you go, which is perfect for the outdoors kind of person.
SCRUBBA WASH BAG Packing light is often a difficult goal to accomplish when traveling, especially if your trip is taking you into the woods or around the globe. But now it doesn’t have to be. With the Scrubba Wash Bag, you can get multiple uses out of those necessities and have more room for your accessories. This pocket-sized bag provides washing maTHE SURGE My favorite type of training involves undefined variables: essentially, anything that requires balance and total body response. Weights and machines are great in their own right, but they offer fixed movements with isolated targeting. With The Surge, you get a 42-inch long, 8-inch diameter, water filled plastic tube that offers undefined variables. The constant shifting of water, easily adjustable using the fill cap and handy water gage, continually alters the location of weight during movement, thus requiring the body to call upon the core and supporting muscles to help stabilize and respond to movement. It’s fantastic as a standalone workout or as a compliment to your current routine.
chine performance from anywhere in as little as three minutes. It’s simple to use: just fill the bag with three liters of water, add soap or shampoo, scrub clothes against the internal washboard, drain, and then dry using the included clothesline. It’s really that simple! Packing less socks and underwear means you’ll have plenty of room - and no excuses - for bringing your workout gear!
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MAXIM JACQUET IS ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED INTERIOR AND PRODUCT DESIGNERS OF OUR DAY. HE IS THE CHOICE OF MANY TO DECORATE THEIR HOMES, BUT MORE AND MORE HE IS INFLUENCING THE WAY FASHION AND OTHER STORES ARE DONE, AND IS REVOLUTIONIZING THE APPROACH TO DECORATING AND DESIGN BY ADDING HIS VERY DEVELOPED WORLD TRAVELER TASTE. I HAD THE FORTUNATE CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH HIM OVER LUNCH AT CHATEAU MARMONT DURING A SUNNY OCTOBER DAY.
Why did you pick Chateau Marmont for this interview? Chateau Marmot is one of those places that has a history and has maintained its magical atmosphere. I always dreamt about coming here before moving to Los Angeles, and now that it is a place I frequent, I feel very fortunate. I guess it is an oasis; I get this lovely feeling that time stops when I am here. And why did you pick Los Angeles as your home? This city is a real melting pot, and I just love all the different people and lifestyles that you find. Chateau Marmont and
the Hills...I love that this area is far enough from the craziness and yet close enough to the center of all the happenings here in L.A. It feeds my creative edge and welcomes my eclectic taste. [It’s] very different from other parts of the world.
How much of your origins would you say influence your creative process? I do not think my origins have a lot to do with my creative choices. Rather, the sum of all the cultural experiences and traveling I’ve done really shapes my diverse way of looking at and contributing to the design industry. Certain things like epic moments and people are what
PHOTOGRAPHED IN LOS ANGELES BY ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC
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leave an imprint on me; they stick in my mind and come back to me while I am designing. They give hidden meaning to my work. It helps my storytelling.
What is that excites you about interior design? Right now I am really excited about the prospects of creating an object that would get commercialized and sold to a mass market. It excites me to know that people get one of my objects, and that object becomes a part of their lives and their personal stories. Creating for a mass market has a different impact and a different series of implications than designing for a more specific clientele. You have less feedback before the project is done, so it brings additional responsibility to foresee so many desires and things in advance. Another of my obsessions right now is working on a store. Whether it be retail or commercial, I just want to expand into public venues and not just design homes. Designing a place that is more of an experience than a destination...this is my goal and mission when I design for a store. You want people to come back for that initial experience, and our goal is to try and recreate that feeling of satisfaction. To answer your question, what excites me is to satisfy my clients, and make them feel so content that they can’t imagine how they are living any other way.
What are some of your favorite trends and pieces? I don’t follow trends, I set them...for every single client. They are all individuals. I suppose you could say my mission for myself and the client is to stay original and true to yourself. I want to create something new each
time and do something no one has seen before. Thus, I do not have a favorite trend. This is also a question my projects and their impact should be asking the world. I don’t have just one style, or even a different way to explain my particular “design” to you, because it’s all interpretation. I create to create an impact, not because I’m trying to follow a particular trend or style. Some people may say my style is crazy, some say high fashion, but they all mean the same thing. I’m happy creating an impact. You may love it [or] hate it, but at least people are not made indifferent by what they see in my work.
Also, specific textiles I’m into right now I think are copper, which is surely the color of next season. It seems we are heading into a time of less basic colors and into a time of almost pale but age-old hues and pale tones.
shop and seek to be inspired. I simply create an ambiance with various objects according to what I find. It’s like your style question: I don’t like to label myself, because my work is infinite when it comes to ideas for it. I know that you are very protective of your clients, but were there any that went public about your work? A few...but next question. I like to let my work speak for itself.
What is next for you? Well, I’m in the process of shooting for my own TV show, I’m developing products for various brands of accessories, fragrances, [and] home goods, and more exciting projects. I have several projects going now all over the world that are obviously very time consuming. You know, just meetings all the time - brainstorming new ways to better market myself, come up with new ideas and find inspiration. Each day I just try to be inspired. Next for me is just [to] continue to push the limit, expand my business into more markets and products, and still manage to live accordingly to where my impact on the world is really happening.
Is the mood a necessary consideration when designing the space? Not at all. I actually prefer to extract any existing feelings out of the equation. But what I do care about is the feeling the client will have after enjoying the space or the product.
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HOROSCOPES by Vanessa Viola “I’m a curious woman that believes in everything from rainbows and butterflies to the things you can’t see.”
VIRGO
Your analytical mind is your greatest tool this month. Someone is going to present you with something that at first will seem impossible to figure out. Take your time with this “problem,” break it down one step at a time, and in no time you’ll know exactly how to solve it.
LIBRA
Be the most interesting person in the room. How do you do that you ask? By being interested in everyone around you. This is a very productive time and everyone is noticing how charming you are!
August 23-September 22
September 23-October 22
SCORPIO October 23-November 21
Do you keep seeing the same type of rare bird, hearing the same word from different conversations, thinking of someone you haven’t seen in a long time? Pay attention to these little messages. They’re pieces to the puzzle you’ve been putting together.
SAGITTARIUS
According to the stars you’ve been feeling on edge lately. Being that it’s your birthday and all, I say treat yourself to a weekend getaway. Go somewhere peaceful and relaxing. Also, listen to some classical music, it’s proven to calm the nerves.HAPPY BIRTHDAY
November 22-December 21
CAPRICORN December 22-January 19
Feeling a little out of balance lately? Maybe you’re having one too many drinks and not enough food beforehand? Working too hard, not enough time with the family or friends. Find your way into the land of moderation. Start by writing everything down in your calendar, even the most mundane of things i.e. Gym 5:30, Call Mom 7:30, Dinner 8 etc...
AQUARIUS
You’re quite humble when it comes to talking about your own achievements. Well, lately you’ve not been receiving the credit where credit is due. Speak up. It will secure your future.
PISCES
2014 is right around the corner. It’s time to put your feet on the ground and take action. Write out your goals for the New Year and make. them. happen.
ARIES
Go with the flow and relax a little fiery Aries. The temptation to give into the stresses of daily life are high right now. The last thing you need is to lose your cool on your boss or co-worker. Just breathe.
TAURUS
Tune into the creative side of your mind. Use your imagination to guide you towards solving an issue that’s been ongoing. I know how much you rely on just the facts, but, believe me there really is more than meets eye.
GEMINI
Something grander is calling you. Can you feel it pulling at your heart strings? It’s been showing up as anxiety and you haven’t been able to figure out why. Stay focused on mastering the thing that’s got your attention right now. A big win is coming.
January 20-February 18
February 19-March 20
March 21-April 19
April 20-May 20
@VanessaViola
May 21-June 20
CANCER
A key to contentment is to let go of any and all expectations. Cut the strings attached to what you give. I can hearing you kicking and screaming, “That’s bullsh*t!” And I get it, it’s a difficult concept to understand. But once you get it, it will set you free from the constant state of worry you are in.
LEO
You’ve taken on a little more than you can handle for the moment. It’s not unlike you since you tend to go big. The best thing you can do is immerse yourself completely. Get the full experience of taking on too much. It will be your greatest teacher.
June 21-July 22
BELLO
July 23-August 22
FASHION LIST A. CHE WWW.ACHESWIMWEAR.COM AGAIN WWW.AGAINAPPAREL.COM AKONG LONDON WWW.AKONGLONDON.COM ALDO WWW.ALDOSHOES.COM ALEXANDER MCQUEEN WWW.ALEXANDERMCQUEEN.COM ALL SAINTS WWW.US.ALLSAINTS.COM ALPANA NEERAJ WWW.ALPANANEERAJ.COM AMI CLUBWEAR WWW.AMICLUBWEAR.COM ANN TAYLOR WWW.ANNTAYLOR.COM ASOS WWW.ASOS.COM B. BRIAN ATWOOD WWW.BRIANATWOOD.COM BAN.DO WWW.SHOPBANDO.COM BAUBLEBAR WWW.BAUBLEBAR.COM BELLFIELD WWW.BELLFIELDCLOTHING.COM BOERA WWW.LIVEBOERA.COM BOOHOO WWW.BOOHOO.COM BOULEE WWW.BOULEEDESIGNS.COM BUDDHA TO BUDDHA WWW.BUDDHATOBUDDHA.COM BY MALENE BIRGER WWW.BYMALENEBIRGER.COM CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC
WWW.CALIFORNIAREPUBLICAPPAREL.COM
CALVIN KLEIN WWW.CALVINKLEIN.COM CLUB MONACO WWW.CLUBMONACO.COM CAMILA X CASTILLO WWW.CAMILAXCASTILLO.COM CANDY ICE WWW.CANDYICEJEWELRY.COM CATBIRD WWW.CATBIRDNYC.COM CHANEL WWW.CHANEL.COM CHARLES ALBERT WWW.CHARLESALBERT.COM CHEAP MONDAY WWW.CHEAPMONDAY.COM CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN WWW.CHRISTIANLOUBOUTIN.COM CONVERSE WWW.CONVERSE.COM DANIELLE QUELLER WWW.DANIELLEQUELLER.COM DESLA WWW.DESLACOUTURE.COM DIANE VON FURSTENBERG WWW.DVF.COM DIESEL WWW.DIESEL.COM DIOR WWW.DIOR.COM DKNY WWW.DKNY.COM
DOLCE & GABBANA WWW.DOLCEGABBANA.COM DORA ABODI WWW.DORAABODI.COM DR. MARTENS WWW.DRMARTENS.COM DSQUARED2 WWW.DSQUARED2.COM EKATERINA KUKHAREVA WWW.KUKHAREVA.COM EMPORIO ARMANI WWW.EMPORIOARMANI.COM ERICKSON BEAMON WWW.ERICKSONBEAMON.COM FIDELITY WWW.FIDELITYDENIM.COM FIELD SCOUT WWW.FIELD-SCOUT.COM FRYE WWW.THEFRYECOMPANY.COM G-STAR WWW.G-STAR.COM GENERIC MAN WWW.THEGENERICMAN.COM GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI
WWW.GIUSEPPEZANOTTIDESIGN.COM
GUARAV GUPTA WWW.GUARAVGUPTASTUDIO.COM H&M WWW.HM.COM HANNE BLOCH WWW.HANNE-BLOCH.COM HOUSE OF HOLLAND WWW.HOUSEOFHOLLAND.CO.UK HUDSON WWW.HUDSONJEANS.COM IVY KIRZHNER WWW.IVYKIRZHNER.COM J. CREW WWW.JCREW.COM JILL HABER WWW.JILLHABER.COM JUST CAVALLI WWW.JUSTCAVALLI.COM KARA ACKERMAN WWW.KARAACKERMAN.COM KAHLO WWW.KAHLO.COM.AU KILL CITY WWW.KILLCITY.NET KRISTIN PERRY WWW.KRISTINPERRY.COM LANA JEWELRY WWW.LANAJEWELRY.COM LEVEL 99 WWW.LEVEL99JEANS.COM LEVI’S WWW.LEVI.COM LEVI’S MADE & CRAFTED WWW.LEVISMADEANDCRAFTED.COM
LPD NEW YORK WWW.LPDNYC.COM LUICHINY WWW.LUICHINY.COM LUMIERE BY BARIANO WWW.BARIANO.COM.AU LUV AJ WWW.LUVAJ.COM M. COHEN WWW.MCOHENDESIGNS.COM MAC DUGGAL WWW.MACDUGGAL.COM
MARGARET ROWE WWW.MARGARETROWE.COM MARISSA WEBB WWW.MARISSA-WEBB.COM MARLA GULOEIN WWW.GLAMROCKBYMARLAG.COM MATTHEW GALLAGHER WWW.MAISONMATTHEWGALLAGHER.COM
MESKITA WWW.MESKITA.COM MISA WWW.MISAJEWELRY.COM MISSING LINK TIES WWW.MISSINGLINKTIES.COM MUGNAI WWW.MUGNAI.EU MUUBAA WWW.MUUBAA.COM NASHELLE WWW.NASHELLE.COM NEUW WWW.NEUWDENIM.COM OLIMA WWW.OLIMAATELIER.COM OSCAR DE LA RENTA WWW.OSCARDELARENTA.COM OYE WWW.OYESWIMWEAR.COM PERRIN PARIS WWW.PERRINPARIS.COM PIA GLADYS PEREY WWW.PIAGLADYSPEREY.NET R-13 WWW.R13DENIM.COM RAQUEL ALLEGRA WWW.RAQUELALLEGRA.COM REISS WWW.REISS.COM RD STYLE WWW.RD-INTERNATIONAL.COM REBECCA MINKOFF WWW.REBECCAMINKOFF.COM RHEA COSTA WWW.RHEACOSTA.COM SARAH JANKS WWW.SARAHJANKS.COM SANDRO WWW.SANDRO-PARIS.COM SCOTCH & SODA WWW.SCOTCH-SODA.COM SOPHIE MONET WWW.SOPHIEMONETJEWELRY.COM TEBAZILE WWW.TEBAZILE.COM TED BAKER WWW.TEDBAKER.COM TOPSHOP WWW.TOPSHOP.COM VAHAN JEWELRY WWW.VAHANJEWELRY.COM VERAMEAT WWW.VERAMEAT.COM WENDY’S LOOKBOOK WWW.WENDYSLOOKBOOK.COM TACORI WWW.TACORI.COM YRU WWW.Y-R-U.COM ZARA WWW.ZARA.COM
BELLO
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BELLO