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IN THIS ISSUE 08 FROM THE EDITOR Hello and welcome back!
THE LIFE 10 Happily Ever After: Life after Design School A real-life fairy tale 12 The Best of Etsy We dug deep to bring you the best of the best 17 Fashionably Learned The timeless fashions of An Education 18 Gone Swimming NY-based designer Anne Pachan’s swimsuits make waves
BUZZWORTHY 30 “People Say Fashion is Frivolous...” Fashion’s moves to target developing countries 33 On the Verge Three new artists to add to your “watch list” 48 Is Innovation Dead? A money-hungry fashion industry is a major obstacle for innovation 50 Dream State Three easy-to-do looks to try out this summer 60 Summer Beauty: Go Bold Products that sizzle
FASHION FORWARD 62 Zack Lo: Fashion on the Edge Interview and editorial feature 76 The New York Chronicles Summer in the City
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ON THE COVER
Photographed by GREG BROWN
Concept MATT CHARLAN of DIA STUDIOS
Artwork (projection) JULIAN GUZMAN Hair/Makeup JANEEN JONES Styling TERRY WHEATON Model CLAUDIA SNOW 6
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Hayley Maybury
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Nicole Bechard MARKETING AND TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Jamall Oluokun FASHION EDITOR Nicole Herzog CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Erin Berry Brittnee Cann Fallon Coster Nora S. Gilligan Christine Mastrangelo Billie D. McGhee CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS Nicole Bechard Greg Brown Bianca Cortinas Julian Guzman Sara Lyn Julia Potts Nathan Tia Helen Tran Nick Ward
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FROM THE EDITOR
WE’RE BACK AND EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER THAN BEFORE!
The great thing about summer is that even when we are swamped with work—or just day to day life—we still make time to enjoy a little summer fun. Whether that means hanging at the pool, lying on the beach or traveling with your friends, summer memories always seem to be the ones that we remember the most. I can tell you that this summer has definitely been a memorable one for me. It started with a wonderful trip to the fashion capital of the world: Paris! Being able to experience all of the remarkable fashion, art and Parisian culture was such a great experience and was so creatively motivating that I couldn’t wait to get back home and finish up working on this issue! From shooting our first swimsuit editorial, to trying on the world’s most comfortable stilettos, to playing dress up with hundreds of vintage pieces at my wonderful new friend, Everett Hoag’s studio, this issue has been a blast to put together. Not only that, but it has also served one of my alltime favorite summer activities: summer reading! With all the great articles this month, I am sure you will have to peel yourself away from your computer screen. Or, if you need something to read while on the beach you can always order a printed copy of Papercut through Magcloud.com and take it with you while you bask in the summer sun! See you in September! xoxo Hayley
TOP-BOTTOM: Editor-in-Chief Hayley Maybury in front of a ZACK LO shoe display at a local fashion event in Boston; Hayley, model Kayla Mayhew, and Creative Director Nicole Bechard on location at our CALA OSSIDIANA swimsuit editorial; Hayley thrifting in Paris; Hayley and Nicole at a fashion event (Photo: Octavian Boca Photography).
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HAPPILY EVER AFTER: LIFE AFTER DESIGN SCHOOL A REAL-LIFE FAIRY TALE.
Written by BILLIE D. MCGHEE There are millions of people out there who are born with the right-brain bug. At a young age we discover that things like drawing, singing, writing, cooking and painting are appealing to us, and soon a passion is formed. Choosing to commit to our creative outlets when college rolls around is a true sign of our dedication, and—I know that for a lot of us, declaring ourselves a fashion design major or a dance major can be scary at times. We understand that in a way it can be just as difficult as the choice to be a pharmacist, mechanical engineer or lawyer. Why? Because with the large amount of competition and the smaller amount of desired work opportunities, the question of, “Will I make it in the real world?” is always looming. Well I’m here to prove that there can be a silver lining to every cloud. Sometimes there are too many stories of those who fail and not enough of those who succeed. Let me introduce Natalie Couture. Natalie is an FIT graduate who majored in Interior Design and is now working in New York City. Her success is proof that staying true to your creative dreams can lead to a successful career. I had the chance to speak to Natalie and in turn share with you parts of her story that may help inspire your own. Childhood fantasies can become real-life careers. Just a small town girl from West Springfield, Massachusetts, who grew up knowing she wanted to create something of her own: “I can remember being 10 years old and working so hard on these amazing dresses for a ‘paper doll’ fashion show. I'd use huge rolls of paper, cut out patterns, and paint designs onto the ‘dresses’ and then staple the seams together.” Her younger sister, a future fashion designer, would walk down her make-believe runway as her family and neighbors would watch. Creativity is clearly a family trait. Her father, a high-end house painter and decorative artist, would take Natalie to work with him and soon her interest in interior design grew. “I used to watch my father and his team transform an empty shell into a beautiful home; I was instantly smitten.”
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An education is hard work, but the payoff is so worth it. Natalie looked at schools—Pratt and Parsons were big contenders—but it was New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology that eventually won her over. It took a lot of research, tours and deliberation but it was FIT’s professors, location and reputation that helped her to make the final decision. The summer after she turned 18 Natalie transitioned from small town girl to big city dweller. Things weren’t always easy; FIT classes were tough and demanding. “In the end, I’m so glad I stuck it out,” says Natalie, “Today I am one of two head designers/project managers at a high-end residential firm in Manhattan. Though stressful and demanding, I am one of the few lucky people who can honestly say ‘I love my job!’” The stops along the way are what really make the journey. Natalie was lucky enough to have her family help her with tuition and living costs in the city while attending FIT, but that doesn’t mean she had it easy. Her parents taught her responsibility by leaving her in charge of food and buying the materials needed for her expensive design projects. This lead to the need to find work, and the jobs she found were sometimes fun and sometimes challenging. Her first gig was modeling for FIT’s photography and fashion department. “I had a blast dressing up in these crazy costumes while students sketched me. I also got to travel to amazing locations all around New York City to do photo shoots. The whole experience really helped boost my confidence.” But sometimes there are less desirable jobs that you have to take to get to where you’re going: “While modeling was fun, my other job I didn't have such a great experience with. I was a nanny for two of the brattiest kids in NYC. I can remember walking down Fifth Avenue carrying two huge cellos and backpacks while the children I watched after kicked the back of my knees the whole way to their play date in the park! They were horrible to deal with, especially since I was carrying a full course load at the time.”
Dreams jobs can be real. After graduating from FIT, Natalie was lucky enough to be hired as assistant designer at Laura Day Design studio, where she interned her senior year. “My first job really was a dream come true. The environment was very creative, and I was given a lot of responsibility right off the bat.” Working in the heart of New York you’d think that Natalie would only be catering to the most wealthy of clients, but surprisingly that wasn’t the case. “A really cool part of my job is that the firm’s principal was one of the designers on Trading Spaces, so we got to work with lots of different kinds of clients. I became a whiz at scoping out great deals and making trash into treasures. It’s a trait I’m thankful to have to this day!” Always come up with new ways to stay creative. These days Natalie keeps busy with her current job at Shawn Henderson Interior Design, but has other ways to further her creativity. She has actually created The Dress XChange, a website where you can rent and donate special occasion dresses. “It started when all my friends began getting married and I kept buying new dresses because I always wanted to wear something new. By the end of the summer of 2008 I had about four dresses sitting in my closet that had cost me about $300 to $500 each. I hate being wasteful so I knew I needed to come up with a solution.” Natalie began lending these dresses to family and friends, which lead her to think about all the other girls out there who had dresses of their own that have gone unworn in their closets. “I drew up the business plan that September, and ever since then I’ve been working on a way to have affordable dress rentals available for every girl.” Natalie used all of her free time creating the website, finding dresses and creating her brand. “I hope that The Dress XChange can be a one-stop shop for formal events, kind of like how Mr. Tux is for guys, while also giving girls a way to recycle fashion. Our inventory is growing all the time and one day we hope to have designer styles in all sizes, along with accessories and even matching shoes.” Natalie’s story serves as a nice reminder that with a lot of hard work and a little luck anyone can live out his/her dream career.
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THE BEST OF ETSY.COM WE DUG DEEP TO BRING YOU THE BEST OF THE BEST FROM THIS CREATIVE MECCA. Written and Interviewed by CHRISTINE MASTRANGELO
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Querying for handmade clothing on Etsy.com is like tapping into some magnificent creative force that one always knew, but never thought, existed—at least in one place at one time. The query for a handmade dress, for instance, in its most general form (handmade/dresses/women) results in more than 18,000 dresses for the surveyor’s perusal. On page 650, the Aziza dress by VintageConoisseur, electric blue, with a flaredlike-the-50s skirt can be found. On page 801, the Snake Dress by newyorkcouture features tiered ruffles and is advertised, “as seen on Katy Perry.” Anyone looking to buy a dress as unique as the sellers that design them will feel as if she’s unearthing the city of Troy, the click of her mouse like the scrape of an archeologist’s trowel. Featuring over 200,000 items of handmade clothing, Etsy.com has become the conglomerate of artisanal, independent fashion. For emerging designers, the site revolutionizes their work, allowing a few with the perseverance, dedication, and sheer luck of recognition to operate their shops on a fulltime, at profit level. For those who are well known, Leanne Marshall or Carol Hannah Whitfield—both well-received alumni of the reality television show Project Runway—Etsy.com allows them to sell directly to their existing fan-base while developing brand awareness. So what is the one caveat to this pioneering, beautiful mishmash of creativity, blood, sweat, and tears? It unfortunately exists for the buyer, the customer, the member of Etsy.com – the one who, not unlike Anna or Isabella, is on the lookout for a designer who can translate an aesthetic in clothing that explodes off the body. The act, though, of having to search through thousands of items is more than just daunting, it can be plainly tedious and
when that find finally occurs—the little black dress with the poplin flared pockets—the pressure for it to be perfect may be exaggerated due to the means of discovery. What Etsy.com does not do, is allow searches by seller profiles based on a personality-matching basis—catering to the customer’s exact desires. Net-a-porter.com, the number one online luxury fashion retailer, bases searches on their customer’s lifestyle: work wear, vacation and lounge wear. Perhaps if Etsy.com is listening, management may take cue to create a more personalized search experience. But for now, others are doing it for them. Dozens of blogs dedicated to the search for the best of Etsy.com have surfaced over the years, with taglines like “Finding the Very Best of Etsy (So You Don’t Have To!), and including trails of readers’ comments, such as “after a year on Etsy it’s wonderful to discover a heap of new favorites.” Like all consumer experiences, the most promising come from those that are recommended. But for now, there is little more for the consumer on Etsy. com to do in her search for the best dress than to run the query and scan through each and every posted item. Which is exactly what I decided to do. I would not recommend this to anyone who dislikes a “scouring through the racks” type of shopping experience. Yet I am happy to say that finding the best did not disappoint. Like Anna and Rodarte, or Isabella and McQueen, I felt that exhilaration of finding something amazing. The scouring, the digging, and the scraping of my trowel was worth it. So, with all of that, I am pleased to announce my findings for the best woman’s wear designers on Etsy.com (in no particular order). Continued on the following pages
CHRISTINE MASTRANGELO is a freelance fashion writer and curates the blog www.un-stitched.com focusing on emerging designers, artists and start-up social networking fashion websites. She is currently finishing her first novel on 18th century French Fashion, Costume. 13
REDDOLL BY TATYANA MERENYUK http://www.etsy.com/shop/reddoll
Tatyana Merenyuk describes the uniform she wore as a child growing up in Kiev, Ukraine as “a black dress, white apron, socks up to the knee and sandals.” What made something so simple very special were the details her mother sewed on the dress, “white trim and lace around the neckline and wrists.” Each girl could either buy or sew her uniform, the options allowing creativity to spark out of the conformity, as “everyone had it differently.” The clothes Tatyana makes today share that same duality of constraint and fluidity in highly constructed tailoring balanced with fluid, feminine lines. Her Etsy.com store features a wool military-style coat that flares and falls long at the back, as well as a sweet ruffled white dress with a backline that plunges just enough to reveal and elongate. I love your clothes because they are highly constructed, but not overwrought. I see a perfection in your tailoring that is offset with soft feminine lines. Is this a balance you seek in your designs? Yes, I love classy, feminine things. I love when it’s just right and not too much. Elegance and uniqueness, and a little something, something! I always try to make some magic happen. How did it all begin for you as a designer? Here on Etsy! And this old Singer industrial sewing machine and patterns from Jo-Ann Fabrics; just trying to learn anything! And then it took over my life. After taking a pattern making class, I went on my own and did nothing but sew. Then everything just grew like crazy. What is happening right now for Reddoll? Many exciting things! I have truly been blessed! I have many orders and some wholesale orders I am working on for stores. 14
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A lot of work. I will also be relocating to New York this August to pursue my career and start production; that is a dream. I was also picked by Mario Tricoci Salon and Smart Water as one of five designers to be sponsored for Chicago Fashion Week in Millennium Park in October. So that is very exciting and I am working on some very special pieces for the show. What has surprised you most about being a designer? How people treat you differently, or are ready to judge you, love you or hate you. I guess that's just the way it is when you put yourself out there. Just be strong! Is inspiration something that is close to home, or do you ever feel it is something that you must seek? It's close to home. But, I do research too: my boyfriend’s paintings, beautiful movies, actresses, music and travel. My favorite is flipping through very old photographs of my mom. She was so pretty and classy and was also a seamstress. What’s more important, inspiration or hard work? They go hand and hand. Hard work is a must! You will not get anywhere without it. But inspiration makes you work hard, and that's the whole reason why you're doing this! Devoting all your time and sacrificing "normal" daily life. But if you're in love with it, that is the only thing that really matters and turns you “on” inside. It does to me. What kind of advice would you give a young designer looking to pursue this dream? You must be honestly in love with your work, only this will keep you going....and nothing else. Do it because you are a creator and you strive to do it on your own and design and create for yourself.
PRETTY BIRDIE BY STEPHANIE TEAGUE http://www.etsy.com/shop/stephanieteague
Stephanie has called Greensboro, North Carolina home for the past eight years. She is eight months into running Pretty Birdie full time, feeling that things have turned “bigger than me” and is one of the few designers on Etsy.com to offer more than twenty pieces for sale. Stephanie takes the necessities every woman needs in her closet—a blazer, a pencil skirt, a casual pair of pants, leggings, a tank and a sexy dress, and puts her own methodologies and techniques into each piece. She uses organic and sustainable fabrics and employs a low-impact dying technique, where “if the water is not hot enough” or “if there is too much soda ash” the right color cannot be obtained. There is a beautiful ease to her clothes that is truly thoughtful. How did it all begin for you as a designer? I have sewn since I was a little girl and that really started out of necessity. I always loved to express myself through clothing and growing up we didn’t have a lot of money so I would rummage through my parents’ and even my brother’s closets, finding clothes and altering them to create new looks. I fell in love with thrifting at an early age, I was addicted to the hunt and thrill of finding something old and making it into something new. Altering vintage clothes expanded into just using the fabric and completely recycling it and making something brand new...and then I found antique linens and quilt squares and feed and flour sacks and curtains and so on, and started making clothes from those materials. I just made them for friends at first and then was encouraged to start an Etsy shop and the rest is history. I have expanded to using mainly organic fabrics and still use a little recycled antique fabric every now and then—my first love! What is happening right now for Pretty Birdie? Right now I am very busy filling Etsy orders and working on expanding my business. I am showing in Charlotte NC, my hometown, in September and I’m hoping to get the word out locally about Pretty Birdie. Since I sell online and work out of my home, not a lot of people know I’m here. What's more important, inspiration or hard work? For me it's inspiration. I need to be inspired to work hard. It's the inspiration that keeps me going and gives me the energy I need to do the hard work required. I love how you take basics that every woman needs and apply your own spin on all levels—a flattering cut, sustainable materials and beautiful colors. It is a theoretical layering that translates so cleanly in your work. Are you thinking about these things when you design, and how does it all come together? Yes, I am definitely thinking about classic staples in a woman’s wardrobe that can be dressed up or down and worn in a variety of situations. Comfort is a huge factor in my clothing. I think about putting that comfort into business and evening clothes. In the end, I am honestly just making clothes that I really want to wear. I am not super flashy, I
All photographs by Sara Lyn (www.saralynphoto.com).
like to look classic yet very unique and urban...it's definitely my personality that you see in my pieces. Is inspiration something that you find close to home, or is it something you must seek? I am literally inspired by everything around me. I realized the other day that my house is full of things that I have found along my way and have been drawn to; I seem to have surrounded myself with inspiration. And I am greatly inspired by nature, everything in nature is so beautiful to me, so full of energy, and just taking a walk with my dogs through the park will give me tons of new ideas. What kind of advice would you give a young designer looking to pursue this dream? Just go for it! Etsy is such a great place to start; you don’t have to have an entire line to have a shop, it can be a work in progress. Along the way you’ll fine-tune it all. It’s just important to take the first step and believe in yourself and do it. 15
NADINOO BY NADIA IZRUNA http://www.etsy.com/shop/nadinoo
Nadia Izruna’s clothing is the kind one would wear to remedy a rainy day. Using silks and cottons from Liberty of London, Nadia is able to create a whimsical allure that is happy, flirty and fun. Nadia studied Fashion Design and Technology at the Manchester Metropolitan University and is currently based in London. She launched her first collection last year and garners inspiration from the three fictional characters she created that embody Nadinoo: “Pixie is quirky, playful and spontaneous, Lula is more bold, sexy and a little cheeky, whereas Fleur is a delicate flower and a dreamer.” How did it all begin for you as a designer? I interned for a few small independent designers while studying [at MMU]. I was lucky enough to be offered a job by Puma before graduating and worked there for a total of 3 years after completing my degree. Working for a brand gave me a great insight into the clothing industry and designing for a commercial market. I got opportunities to travel for research and visit factories in the Far East to further understand processes. All this has been invaluable to me when starting up Nadinoo. I see a harmony between the prints you use and the cut of the clothes. Is this something you are conscious of? I usually design each piece for the fabric, considering the drape and color of the print to achieve a well balanced garment. Sometimes I can pick up a print and imagine it as a perfectly finished garment. I love working with Liberty of London prints as they are so beautiful and inspiring, they give such a playful feel to my collections. What has surprised you most about being a designer? I think it’s the short time you actually spend designing in a season, this was also the case when I worked in industry. What’s more important—inspiration or hard work? At the moment I feel like my time is divided 5% inspiration and 95% hard work, so I would have to say the latter. I think the hard work comes when realizing these inspiring ideas, as there are so many important processes that go into the making of a garment. Are you finding that inspiration is something that is close to home, or is it something that you must seek? I’m a very visual person so I always need fresh ideas and inspiration to keep me fueled. When designing, ideas can be triggered by visiting an exhibition or scouring through vintage stalls. What kind of advice would you give a young designer looking to pursue this dream? I would advise to get involved with clothing in any way you can from as early as possible, whether it’s courses, internships or simply working in a clothing store. Always challenge your skills and creativity. Try to craft and design your own wardrobe tailoring it to your own needs and taste level, it will give you a hands on way of exploring clothing. I always design clothing that I will wear myself, it’s important not to remain detached from the end purpose.
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FASHIONABLY LEARNED THE TIMELESS FASHION OF AN EDUCATION Written by ERIN BERRY Although Lone Scherfig’s An Education may have been lost in the debris of the more action-packed box office hits this year, there is an aspect of the movie that shines through, even in Iron Man’s wake—I’m talking, of course, about the fashion. The film, based on the memoir of Lynn Barber, follows Jenny (Carey Mulligan) as a young Oxford-bound British schoolgirl embarking on a romantic journey into adulthood behind the coattails of a mature gentleman caller named David (Peter Sarsgaard). Jenny is swept from her quiet and studious environment into a fastpaced and glamorous lifestyle that she is eager to swallow while still bound by her 16 year-old innocence. Just as she is evolving into a young woman, the viewer can’t help but notice the subtle blossoming of her style. In the beginning, the drab wool school uniforms and plain straight hair mirrors her boredom as she commits her life to being accepted into Oxford. She is initially timid to open herself up to her new suitor, and her plaid turtleneck dress suggests her conservative disposition without losing its forbidden-fruit appeal. David eventually works his cunning conversational skills on her parents, enchanting them and her into his dangerous escapades of liquor, sex and thievery. As she dives further into her affair, Jenny’s style becomes bolder with a sexy white chiffon dress, a splash of blaring orange to accentuate her bare shoulder, overshadowing her premature lunge into the grown-up world. We can relate not only to Jenny’s desire to live like a grown-up but to her style as well. Certain garments that were fashionable during the 1960’s, such as pea coats with toggle buttons, colorful embroidered cardigans and classic trench coats have been revived every decade, proving that some things never go out of style, they are only updated. The idea also harks back to every girl’s childhood days when she would dress up in her mother’s clothes. In fact, Jenny later realizes that her adventures are a farce and that she was simply playing her own “dress-up” game. Her character embodies the age-old, culture-implanted desire to be swept off one’s feet by a strapping lad, even after the female sexual revolution. This traditional attitude is reinterpreted in the more conservative fashion trends hitting the market today, which in turn gives the movie a timeless appeal—as if it could have been documenting the current time period. Jenny reaches a point of euphoria when David takes her to Paris for the weekend. There, she not-so-reluctantly gives herself to him in a final move that she believes will seal her into maturity. She wears a stunning Impressionist print dress to emphasize her playful breakaway from her once drab life as a young schoolgirl. When she returns, she feels brazen and mature, smoking cigarettes and skipping class to visit fancy jazz clubs. She criticizes her teacher when she is warned against failing for “selling out” and entering the boring world as a plain teacher. Jenny’s new world soon crumbles, however, upon hearing that David is in fact married and she is just one of many young girls taken by his charms. She begs the headmistress to give her another chance to study at Oxford and her modest style returns as she becomes more subdued in her struggle to win back the trust of her teachers. She admits to being duped by David and romanticized by the glamour of a more colorful world when she maturely exclaims “I feel old, but not very wise.” Jenny did not only get “an education” about art, literature, fashion, and Paris, she learned how thin the line is between child and adult. 17
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CALA OSSIDIANA
IS A MODERN LUXURY SWIMWEAR COLLECTION, INSPIRED BY THE EXTREME NATURAL BEAUTY OF LIPARI ISLAND, OFF THE COAST OF SICILY. USING BEAUTIFUL ITALIAN FABRICS, DESIGNER ANNE PACHAN CREATES STYLISH AND SEXY SUITS WITH AN AMAZING FIT. For additional information and where to buy, visit
www.calaossidiana.com
PREVIOUS PAGE AND THIS PAGE: Swimsuit: CALA OSSIDIANA knot-back maillot in fuschia ($295); sunglasses: model’s own.
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Swimsuit: CALA OSSIDIANA sheer inset bikini top ($125) and bottom ($125) in lapis (bright blue) with obsidian (black) mesh; sunglasses: model’s own.
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Swimsuit: CALA OSSIDIANA double-layer tank ($255) in lapis (bright blue) on deep sea (navy).
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Swimsuit: CALA OSSIDIANA double-layer tank ($255) in obsidian mesh on obsidian (black); Hat: stylist’s own; sunglasses: stylist’s own.
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Swimsuit: CALA OSSIDIANA bandeau bikini top ($135) and bottom ($135) in obsidian (black); necklace: stylist’s own; sunglasses: stylist’s own.
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Swimsuit: CALA OSSIDIANA knot-back maillot ($295) in iona.
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Swimsuit: CALA OSSIDIANA knot-back bikini top ($125) and bottom ($110) in obsidian (black).
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“PEOPLE SAY FASHION IS FRIVOLOUS...” A GLANCE AT FASHION’S MOVE TO TARGET DEVELOPING ECONOMIES. Written by NORA S. GILLIGAN During the Fall 2005 semester of my time as an undergrad at Georgetown University, I had the opportunity to study in Ghana, West Africa. Although abroad for a research practicum, the majority of items on my to-do list comprised somewhat of a travel-tour of fashion: I had to check out the intricate, colorful patterns of Kente cloth in the markets of Accra, choose gorgeous hammered gold and slick wood jewelry pieces from local artisans in Bolgatanga, and have a purse, dress, pants—something! —custom-designed and sewn by a friend in my rural home village of Navrongo. I even came this close to getting a gold tooth cap in Kumasi, like all the most beautiful women did to show off their smiles in the sun. For better or worse, I returned to the U.S. at the end of my five months without a gold tooth. I did, however, bring back an appreciation and love for the artists who worked doggedly to reflect their culture through creating, with promise of little return other than some small cash to put dinner on the table. This theme ties in well to that of the January 2010 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which promoted the viability of the fashion industry as a po-
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tential source of economic growth for the world’s least-developed countries (LDCs). What if there was a more structured, collective way of giving back to such talented individuals and their communities? UNCTAD Creative Economy and Industries Programme official Carolina Quintana imparts the need to “articulate the concept of ‘creative economy’ to sensitize government, private sector and civil society about the economic, social and development impact of these industries in terms of job creation, social inclusion, income generation for exports, etc.” Pending this first step, government policies might do well to support small business owners and incentivise investors, as increased local business representation will generate revenue to play back into national economies. Moreover, the private fashion sector’s involvement with LDCs might make or break the impact of a creative economy. The industry holds the power to spotlight emerging designers and give young talent an international stage outside of their home countries. On a larger scale, labels might consider a move to mass production in the countries or continents where textiles and other materials originate.
The manufacturing partnership ideas promoted by UNCTAD are not necessarily new. For example, American Topshop fans have been looking forward to the stateside launch of the U.K.-based online shop ASOS, and now perhaps even more so given its collaboration with SOKO Kenya. A clothing production group that aims to provide sustainable solutions to Kenya’s economic crisis, SOKO works towards creating eco-friendly clothing, fair employment, and training opportunities for craftspeople and seamstresses in Kenya’s poorest areas. With the “Asos Africa” S/S 2010 line of Khanga fabric, high-waisted shorts and headbands aiming to support local and national trade, it looks like the budget-conscious retailer also has a social conscious. Kenya is deemed a relatively stable country in the developing world, despite its ethnic tensions and rampant corruption. A program like SOKO has obvious economic implications, but such initiatives can have a major impact politically and culturally, too. Miami-based designer Hassan Pierre produces a portion of his green collection, Way It Should Be, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, providing jobs for
local seamstresses and giving back to earthquake relief efforts. A feature in Elle magazine’s July 2010 issue highlights Edun’s Conservation Cotton Initiative’s (CCI) “grow-to-sew” program in Uganda. Author Alexandra Marshall travels to the northern city of Gulu, recovering from a violent, 20-plus-year civil war, to meet with a local farming collective. Today, community members of all ages harvest 100 percent organic cotton to produce blank T-shirts for wholesale to bands (for concert Ts) and clothing companies (Guess is a recent partner). As recently as 2006, however, many of these workers were released from refugee camps meant to “protect” them from guerilla group the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). In the camps, “LRA kidnappings continued, and rape, malnutrition, and disease were rampant.” On the outside, child soldiers were addicted to “a mixture of cocaine, heroin, and gunpowder…and forced to kill, rape, and mutilate their friends and families.” The Ethical Fashion Forum, a nonprofit that aims to transform social and environmental standards in the fashion industry, estimates that approximately 30,000 people are employed in the ap-
parel sector in Kenya, each job generating five additional jobs. In Swaziland, 28,000 jobs created in the fashion sector benefit 100,000 people. In Lesotho, $234 million in textiles and apparel products were exported in 2001, equating to 94 percent of merchandise exports. The humanistic results of fashion aid, however, are more difficult to quantify. In our last issue, I explored the fashion world’s (potential) impact on eco-consciousness and the green economy. This article opens discussion to how the creative industries, and fashion in particular, can target economic development in the nations that need it most. In this era of increasing globalization, it is a sign of the times that fashion is becoming a major player in social movements and heightened global consciousness. I tried my hardest to avoid using Marshall’s closing line in Elle, but I think Edun’s Ali Hewson really did say it best: “It’s only the beginning. People say fashion is frivolous, but in its own way, it can change people’s lives.”
FROM L-R: Myself at a marketplace in Navrongo, Ghana; a young artisan in Bolgatanga, Ghana.
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ON THE
VERGE
EACH ISSUE WE SET OUT ON A SEARCH FOR THE HOTTEST NEW TALENT AROUND. WHETHER IT IS EMERGING FASHION DESIGNERS, ARTISTS, OR MUSICIANS, YOU CAN BE SURE IT WILL BE THE LATEST AND GREATEST. 33
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KITTENS PUPPIES AND BEARS! OH MY.
LONDON-BASED ARTIST JULIA POTTS IS TAKING THE ART WORLD BY STORM ONE CUTE LITTLE ANIMAL AT A TIME. Interview by BRITTNEE CANN
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Name: Julia Pott
oration with Bat for Lashes was also a great project because it was a new experience for me working with live action footage.
Age: 24
Wow, you worked with The Decemberists and Bat for Lashes? How did that come to be? Flux got in touch with me about being one of four directors to create 15 minutes of visuals for The Decemberists album Hazards of Love after seeing my video on Spike Jonze’s blog “We Love You So”. Their only specifications were not to directly animate the storyline of the songs and just take inspiration from the mood of the album. My 16 minute segment is a nonstop camera move through this illustrated world with forests, animals and sky constellations with the camera occasionally zooming through the molecular make-up of the characters and landscapes. The final results were screened with a live performance by the band at Royce Hall in L.A., which we were all flown out to. It was totally rad; one of the best projects I’ve worked on. After seeing that work, Natasha [from Bat for Lashes] got in touch with me about doing visuals for a one off show. It was based on the illustration work from The Decemberists, but it developed into a live action and animation combo, shooting at night in forests and then integrating animations of glowing crystals and yetis in on after effects. It was a great project because Natasha was so inspiring to work with and it was much more of a collaboration with her as she fed in so many of her own ideas. I co-directed it with Robin Bushell.
Where you're from: London, UK Where you live now: London as I write this, but I'll actually be spending the next 3 months in New York. What you do (besides be awesome everyday): Honestly, it's difficult to fit anything else in, but on my off days I try and do a little illustration and animation. Education credentials: (did you go to school?) I did, fully schooled! I did my BA at Kingston in Animation and Illustration and now I'm doing my MA at the Royal College of Art. First and foremost: how and when did you first start illustrating? I think I've been drawing ever since I can remember. My mom and I illustrated a story about an undercover scuba detective when I was very little (which is probably the best thing I've done to date) and I used to tell people I wanted to work for Disney. And when did you start to dabble with animation? In my second year at Kingston I made a shockingly bad walk cycle. The characters legs were all over the place and she sort of shook around a bit by accident. But apparently that didn't dissuade me from going back for more! We are going to try not to get too nerdy here but can you tell us what kinds of mediums you use to draw and then what programs you use for animation? It's all hand drawn and then scanned into Photoshop, colored and then composited in after effects. I need to get a bit more computer savvy though...I'm a little afraid of it. Animals are a huge theme of your work and seem to be your primary inspiration. Where else do you find inspiration? I love big landscape photographs, especially mountains, suburban houses, lakes etc. I also like to scout around and see what other artists are up to, and the subject matter of my work is taken a lot from what's going on in my life at the time. Like really cheap therapy. Your “My First Crush” animation is super cute and a huge hit on YouTube. Have you found that it has been your most successful project? It's certainly the most widely known and I have gotten a lot of work from that one short film but I wouldn't like to say it was my most successful project because I did it three years ago. Maybe the public sees it as my most successful work because it deals with a subject that everyone is familiar with, but I am happier with work I have done since then. What are some other projects that you are most proud of? I definitely loved working on the visuals for The Decemberists, it was the best brief I've ever been involved in because we had pretty much total creative freedom to create 16 minutes of animation (and we got flown out to a mega-ace hotel in L.A. for the screening....which wasn't bad either I suppose). My collab-
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Your illustration blog is pretty popular. When did you decide to start that up and were you surprised at how much attention you gained from it? I’m always a bit surprised that people like my work! It still feels very weird to me that I have managed to make a career out of the thing I love the most. I started up the blog around October 2007 after I graduated from Kingston. If you go back far enough you stumble across some pretty embarrassing work! Are you an avid reader of any other blogs? Ooh yes, I have a few illustrator friends that I check in with on a weekly basis, like Amy Brown, Lizzy Stewart and Stuart Kolakovic, and I also like to hit up Motionographer, Cartoon Brew, Jon Klassen, Kirsten Lepore and sometimes I sneak a peak at my favorite fashion blog Liebemarlene. You have an upcoming fashion collaboration...can you tell us about that? Are you excited to see your work extend into the realm of fashion? I am so stoked about this collaboration! I can't really mention who it's with but I loved working with them, they were so encouraging. I have always wanted to get into T-shirts and clothes in general so this was the perfect commission. I also have some screen printed T-shirts coming out in October with a different company. Ain’t no shame in a little self-promotion... give us the links to your website, blog, and Etsy account. Sounds good to me! My website is: www.juliapott.com my blog is: http://juliapott.blogspot.com and my Etsy is: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Juliapott WANT TO SEE JULIA’S VIDEOS SHE DID FOR THE DECEMBERISTS AND BAT FOR LASHES? THEN HEAD ON OVER TO THE PHOTO/VIDEO PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE & CHECK IT OUT!
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I'M ALWAYS A BIT SURPRISED THAT PEOPLE LIKE MY WORK! IT STILL FEELS VERY WEIRD TO ME THAT I HAVE MANAGED TO MAKE A CAREER OUT OF THE THING I LOVE THE MOST.
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ABOUT FACE FROM CHILDHOOD “CAVE PAINTINGS” TO MODERN MASTERPIECES, NICK WARD IS CHANGING THE FACE OF THE BOSTON ART SCENE. Interview by NICOLE BECHARD
Name: Nick Ward Age: 29 Where you're from: Battle Ground Washington Where you live now: Boston What you do: Paint pictures, graphic design, work with musicians or help people save energy, depends on the day of the week. Education credentials: (did you go to school?): … Alright then, let's start at the beginning: How did you first become interested in painting (or art in general)? Well, when you are a kid you are overflowing with imagination and creative energy. You come up with stories and color with your crayons on the walls or whatever. I always remember drawing on the walls of big storm drainpipes with wild blackberries that grew at the entrance. Drainpipes with blackberries? Where did that come from? The pipes were fun to climb in, the blackberries grew right there and the juice made a nice stain on whatever it touched, so…I mean, I was a kid, I would have found a way to turn anything into an interesting game. This perfect “cave painting” setup just happened to be nearby. In any case, eventually you grow up and the world beats that out of you. Fortunately for me, I never quite got around to that last part and just kept creating, except now I have a few more years of experience to pull from so the drawings get more advanced. What gets you "in the mood" (to paint that is)? That is a tough question because it really changes day to day and minute to minute. Really, I have found that I have to stop waiting to be in the mood and just start painting. It is always tough to get started, but once I get a little momentum and start enjoying what is happening on the canvas I won’t want to stop working. So I guess painting puts me in the mood to paint, it also puts me “in the mood”…for some reason. Ahh I see. And what was the mood like today? Today was full of distractions and low energy. Bad day for painting so I have been working on some design projects instead. Continued on the following page
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That’s right, you also do graphic design. Do you feel you have more of a background as a traditional artist or graphic artist? I suppose, technically, my background is in design because that is what I went to school for. Really, in my mind there is not much difference between the two. For instance, I paint a lot of people but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t paint a landscape. The boundaries between fine art and design and craft are getting more blurred every day. The root of it all is a person’s creativity, the rest is just learning the technical skills, which, like anything else, just takes a little practice. Art definitely came easier, though. I have always been naturally fairly good at rendering (drawing) things. Design on the other hand is really based on a whole set of rules and ideas that have to be learned. You primarily use images of people in your paintings. What about this subject inspires you? I always think the most interesting works of art are based on real experiences. Growing up, my family was not wealthy but we were never ‘where is the next meal coming from’ poor either. Beyond that, we were pretty close and generally everyone got along well. I mean, honestly, I never really had any massive obstacles to overcome that would have given me that life-changing experience to base my imagery on. However, I have met a lot of interesting people along the way. Like most people, the relationships I have had have really shaped who I am today. Really, I have always been interested in what motivates people to do the things they do. It is just so fascinating, the way people will try to look and act differently based on who they are interacting with. It’s such a fundamental part of human behavior, so hopefully that means the art is easy to relate too. Are you trying to convey any particular message in your pieces (whether it be subliminal or obvious)? I am not trying to convey any particular message as much as I am just reflecting what is happening around me. I mean, there is no moral to these stories; the people in the paintings are not right or wrong or anything like that. I am just trying to examine our culture and how it affects peoples behavior. What "effects" have you found so far? Anything of note? Well, I mean, you didn’t just wake up this morning, see some pigments and come up with the concept of makeup. You didn’t just decide one day that you should paint your face to feel your best. Obviously it’s all cultural influences that have been developing over time. How did the “makeup girls” series come about? I was dating a girl who just spent a lot of time and energy doing her makeup every day. Obviously I appreciate that she 42
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wanted to look her best and I enjoyed the results of all that hard work, but at the same time, from my perspective, it was all so unnecessary. I mean, she was already an attractive girl without it, so why waste so much time and energy? I often found it frustrating and developed such a love-hate relationship with this process. It always sounds so strange when I say it out loud, but that was really the case. So it just got me thinking about why she was compelled to do this. I started photographing the process of all these girls applying their makeup and I was always catching them making the most awkward faces. I just took that idea and ran with it, painting these ugly moments that are all in the name of beauty. Hopefully people aren’t taking the paintings too seriously, I want them to be lighthearted and it’s not really my intention to have a laugh at these girls’ expense or to say makeup is bad or something. Generally, these girls are all my friends and doing this is making them feel better about themselves. Clearly, if something is making people happier about themselves I am for it, but, at the same time, I still want to ask why. What are your thoughts on the Boston art scene? This question could be a whole new interview by itself! Boston is packed full of good schools and there is more than enough money floating around to support the arts, but unfortunately it is living in New York’s shadow. We really have the potential to become a great city for the arts, but quite frankly the art scene is currently pretty weak. Beyond that, pickings are so slim around here that people seem to have given up on trying to work together to build the community as a whole. You should start a movement. You are totally right, I should. Unfortunately I am relatively alone in Boston when it comes to this style of work, so at the moment, it would be a pretty small movement. What are some other projects that you are most proud of? I don’t know, the project I am most proud of is always the one I just finished. Whenever I look back at older projects I just think of how much better I could do it now. Really though, when it comes to creative work, the faults are just as important as the strengths. Right? I mean, often the mistakes are what end up making something work in the end, so I guess I need to change my attitude on this. Self-promotion: Links to your site, blog, etc? You can find me online at www.nickwardonline.com
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I STARTED PHOTOGRAPHING THE PROCESS OF ALL THESE GIRLS APPLYING THEIR MAKEUP AND I WAS ALWAYS CATCHING THEM MAKING THE MOST AWKWARD FACES. I JUST TOOK THAT IDEA AND RAN WITH IT, PAINTING THESE UGLY MOMENTS THAT ARE ALL IN THE NAME OF BEAUTY.
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THINK OUTSIDE THE CANVAS.
ARTIST. ILLUSTRATOR. DESIGNER. JULIAN GUZMAN HAS GOT IT ALL COVERED...LITERALLY. Interview by HAYLEY MAYBURY
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Name: Julian Guzman
you to the starting point, but it is your journey and adventure for you to discover.
Age: 24
What are your thoughts on the Boston art scene? The Boston art scene packs some serious talent. It is a small city where you run into a lot of the same people. You can usually find some sort of art event or party every weekend to fill that void of creativity that might be lacking.
Where you're from: A super small town in central Massachusetts called Southbridge. Where you live now: I currently live on Mission Hill in Boston. What you do: I am a freelance graphic designer and artist. Education credentials: I studied architecture at Wentworth Institute of Technology. Let's start at the beginning: How did you first become interested in creating art? I became interested in creating art as a kid. I have an older brother who constantly won awards and was a naturally gifted artist. So this, in turn, sparked my competitive edge to become just as good and to develop everything that much further. Also what helped is the encouragement of my teachers to explore many avenues of art. What gets you in the mood to create? What gets me in the mood to create is the creative people that I am surrounded by. If you surround yourself with talented people, it pushes you that much further to progress your work and brings out something that you might have not noticed before. They act as a great springboard and a well of information/source of inspiration. That and any form of caffeine, i.e. Red Bull and coffee. You primarily do print and stencil work. What about this inspires you? For my print and stencil work, what inspires me most are photographs. It always starts with a concept, then you do some image research, find a photo to capture things from, illustrate, and either print/cut or screen print or produce an inkjet archival print. For me a big part of the fulfillment of stenciling comes from the process. From illustration, to paper print outs, to weeks of cutting the stencil with an X-Acto blade, to the callused fingers, to spraying the layers, I enjoy its tedious and demanding course because it produces exactly what I envision. How did you get into designing snowboard/skateboard decks and sneakers? For me a canvas is a canvas no matter what material it may be. I take from what I know and go from there. I snowboard and skateboard, so it is a natural decision to try and create your own board. I mean, who doesn't want to ride their own board? As for sneakers, it’s always been an obsession of mine. From buying absurd amounts, to painting customs to modifying materials, sneakers were always a great source of expression. I have always thought you can tell so much about a person by what kind of shoes they are wearing. Are you trying to convey any particular message in your pieces? Each piece I do has some sort of message/meaning. Some might be as plain as day and some are buried deep inside the canvas. I like to let the viewer make up their own ideas as to what each painting means. I don't like to impose my views on what someone might interpret my paintings to be. I can lead
What are some projects that you are most proud of? Some of the projects that I am most proud about are my show in my hometown and a solo show I had in Somerville. The show I had in my hometown was very humbling and was a chance to give back to my old community that nurtured me through my young life. My "Future Complex" show at Chorus Gallery in Somerville (really rad dudes: www.openbicycle.com and also www.chorusgallery.com ) was a solo show where I put months upon months of time and effort into every piece. It felt rewarding to visualize all my hard work and have it received very well by the public. Self-promotion: Links to your site, blog, etc? I have links galore. My website is www.skriptboston.com Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/skriptboston/ Coming soon: www.theyellowgum.com (a visual inspiration blog to refresh your brain) and of course, a shout out to my boys www.thatsthehookup.com
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FOR ME A BIG PART OF THE FULFILLMENT OF STENCILING COMES FROM THE PROCESS. FROM ILLUSTRATION, TO PAPER PRINT OUTS, TO WEEKS OF CUTTING THE STENCIL WITH AN X-ACTO BLADE, TO THE CALLUSED FINGERS, TO SPRAYING THE LAYERS, I ENJOY ITS TEDIOUS AND DEMANDING COURSE BECAUSE IT PRODUCES EXACTLY WHAT I ENVISION.
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The opening reception for the ISABEL TOLEDO retrospective at the F.I.T. Museum in June 2009. All photographs by Bianca Cortinas.
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IS INNOVATION DEAD?
A MONEY-HUNGRY FASHION INDUSTRY IS A MAJOR OBSTACLE FOR CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION. Written by FALLON COSTER The title ‘fashion designer’ encompasses all of the people that create clothing in the billion dollar fashion industry. In such a broad category of craftsmen, fashion innovators are the small percentage of those who view design in scientific and mathematical terms; they work towards invention. The challenge for these designers is finding appreciation in a business that thrives on the mass market. Today, fashion garments have become increasingly simple and disposable. These characteristics work to satisfy the needs of fast and inexpensive manufacturing. Due to the industry’s immense hunger for revenue, designers that create the most profitable garments are celebrated and assisted, while the overall value for artful designs has shifted on the spectrum of importance. In turn, this has caused talented innovators to stray away from runway lights, avoiding scrutiny. Isabel Toledo of New York City is one innovator that has stuck to her pioneering fashion philosophy. She is an experimentalist and producer of complex patterns, draping and tailoring work. Design is all about invention to Toledo. She sees design as a science, using her knowledge of different fundamentals to advance her work. Unfortunately, after Toledo emerged into the fashion limelight, she too received poor reviews from journalists at WWD and Vogue. She was criticized for her unconventional design concepts and lack of connection with current trends. Meanwhile, her impeccable attention to detail and experimentation were ignored by fashion professionals. After such dismissal she has chosen to regress from the limelight so she can continue to create fashion in her own style. Toledo’s experience with the fashion industry is a
prime example of the precedence put on making money rather than making history. So many fashion innovators suffer in this money hungry industry because they are trying to construct garments that have the ability to dictate the future of fashion. The irony is that the current designs and trends mimic history, staying within the current norms. These very collections are the ones seen in the public eye and highlighted in fashion magazines. The fashion industry is focusing on broadcasting the most wearable designs that will inspire customers to make purchases. These garments have to be something that the average woman will want in her closet, which unfortunately doesn’t pertain to the most monumental designs. These pieces showcase simplicity with a few eye catching details, leaving the latter in the dust. Unfortunately, the battle to make history in fashion and create garments that are truly modern is an extreme task. Such innovators are seen as extremists, unable to reach out to the general public. However, years from now, these designers will be seen in history as the ones that kept fashion as an art form alive and growing. Just as Gabrielle Chanel was viewed as an outrageous designer in the beginning of her career, she is now seen as a pivotal designer in fashion history. Since the industry has downplayed the designers who are creating truly new designs we have to wonder, who will be the designer to bring fashion into the 21st century?
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REAM STATE Photographed by HELEN TRAN Hair/Makeup by SHELLI COHEN Styled by CHRISTOPHER MASSARDO
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THIS LOOK: Lipstick: NATURE'S OWN in Hot Chocolate and Classic Clay; Lipliner: LORD & BERRY in Natural; Blush: NATURE'S OWN in Tawny Rose and Pink Shell.
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THIS LOOK: Eyebrow: L'OREAL Wear Infinite Soft Powder Eyeliner in Brown Suede; Eyeshadow: L’OREAL Wear Infinite Star Secrets Eyeshadow Quad Andie’s Neutrals; Eyeliner: INGLOT FREEDOM Shadow in Black; Blush: NATURE'S OWN in CInnamon Toast; Lipliner: PRESTIGE Lipliner in Tomango; Lipstick: L’OREAL Colour Riche in British Red; Mascara: MAYBELLINE Great Lengths Mascara in Black.
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THIS LOOK: Eyeshadow: INGLOT FREEDOM Shadow in Royal Blue and Gold; Blush: NATURE'S OWN in Pink Shell; Lipliner: RIMMEL in Natural; Lipstick: REVLON Super Lustrous in Nude.
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SUMMER BEAUTY: GO BOLD
PRODUCTS THAT WILL KEEP YOU SIZZLING ALL SUMMER LONG. Written by BILLIE D. MCGHEE 60
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SEPHORA PERFECTING TINTED MOISTURIZER WITH SPF 20 IN “TAN 35 BRONZE” When your full makeup routine is too much for the summer heat, skip the foundation and just use a tinted moisturizer. It moisturizes and gives your face a little color. It even comes in SPF 20! $21, Sephora.com
GARNIER FRUCTIS STYLE BRILLIANTINE SHINE GLOSSING SPRAY When the sun hits your hair you don’t want it to look flat. Keep your mane looking shiny and new with a spritz of this spray. Just don’t over do it! Nobody wants greasy hair. $5, Drugstore.com
ESSIE NAIL POLISH IN “TART DECO” AND OPI NAIL POLISH IN “ELEPHANTASTIC PINK” Pink and orange are great summer go-to’s for nail polish and these hues add warmth to any skin tone. $8 EssieShop.com, $8 Drugstore.com
MAKE UP FOREVER HD LIQUID MICROFINISH BLUSH IN “#8 PDA” The heat can easily melt your makeup. If you can’t stay in the A/C, stick to liquid or cream-based products to make your look last all day. $25, Sephora.com
PETER THOMAS ROTH INSTANT MINERAL SPF 30 If you’re not into slathering sunscreen on your face, then this is a perfect alternative. Brush the mineral SPF 30 over your face to protect your skin from the sun, and keep the convenient applicator in your car or beach bag for quick touch-ups throughout the day. $30, PeterThomasRoth.com
URBAN DECAY EYESHADOW IN “SIN” Summertime calls for a little shimmer. This sparkly eyeshadow brightens your eyes without being too overbearing. $17, UrbanDecay.com
NARS LIPSTICK IN “NIAGRA” A satin pinkish-coral that goes great with all skin tones. Perfect for day or night. $24, Sephora.com
COVERGIRL OUTLAST LIP STAIN The perfect way to give your lips a little tint that will last all day. No popsicle needed! $8 Drugstore.com
LAURA MERCIER SMOOTH FOCUS PRESSED POWDER WITH SHINE CONTROL You may want shiny lips and nails, but your face never wants to fall into that category. Keep this stashed in your purse at all times to fix any shine spots throughout the day. $32, Sephora.com
OJON HAIR REVITALIZING MIST
The sun can take its toll on even the healthiest of hair. Use this after washing to seal moisture back into your locks. $26, Ojon.com
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:
ZACK LO FASHION AT THE EDGE Interview by
HAYLEY MAYBURY & NICOLE BECHARD
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is overseen by me, many of the embellishments and fine fabric details continue to be created by me. It is a nice balance, and I try to maintain creative process in the manufacturing. Also, I get a lot of inspiration at this time—seeing what works and what needs adjustment, and that is always exciting. Like alchemy taking place. PM: I [Hayley] had the opportunity to try on one of your designs, and I must say, they are so comfortable! You somehow manage to unite both beauty and comfort into fabulous footwear. How do you do it? ZL: I think it is very important to listen to what women want and the endless ways they think about fashion. I never want to compromise comfort for style or luxury. This is my personal mantra of sorts. When developing the structure of the shoes, we sampled them on many different women—both those who wear heels all day, and those that almost never wear them. This feedback—about what was comfortable and what was not—greatly influenced the final product.
Papercut Magazine: First things first! How did you get started as a designer? Zack Lo: I have been creating designs since I was a teenager, and it was really my first love, but I did not have the courage to pursue this passion immediately. In London, just before I started my Masters program at Kingston University, I met a fellow Taiwanese native. He was in London studying shoe design, and his family owned a shoe manufacturing business in Taiwan. We started to design together—a collaboration. That was fun. But soon I was designing on my own, and got encouragement from some industry people in London to create my own first collection. That is ‘The Voodoo Circus.’ PM: Have you experimented in designing any clothing or other accessories? ZL: I am currently experimenting with handbags and small leather goods. The response to the first collection has been so overwhelming, which is exciting. And we have had many requests from women and retailers about accompanying accessories that complement the shoes. We hope to have a small line available in 2011. PM: How about apparel design? Is that something you would like to get into as well? ZL: I have concepts for apparel. Particularly a line of party dresses inspired by the shoes, but at present I am most focused on the shoe collections. PM: Where do you manufacture your shoes? ZL: The Voodoo Circus collection is hand crafted in Taiwan. The fine leathers and exotic fabrics come from all over, though. I design in London, and then go to work with the manufacturer to get all the details in my designs just right. It is a long process, but a rewarding one. Although the crafting of the shoes
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PM: What types of vendors do you plan on selling to? ZL: We would like to see Zack Lo Shoes in several major US cities by the end of this year; we will announce on our website where and when they will be available. Women can also purchase the shoes direct from www.zacklo.com. And we plan to host several private buying events throughout the summer and upcoming fall months—where women can come, experience the entire collection, learn about what is available now and what styles will be coming out in the months ahead and of course to try ON the shoes. PM: Who would be your ideal retailer? ZL: I think we would like to see our shoes in retail outlets that offer women fashion choices. I think that fashion should always be personal—a deep reflection on how we see ourselves and how we present ourselves to the world. I believe in having choices that express how we feel, and that these choices often mean difference. I always say that what we choose to wear tells the story of who we are, but at the same time a sexy pair of high heels can lift a woman’s mood sky high! Some fresh and fun accessories can make her instantly feel vibrant. The perfect little dress can feel like a treasure. I believe when we link what we feel on the inside to what we wear on the outside, we feel most connected to [the] world around us and everything in it. This is fashion at its best! So, ideally I see my collections being featured in boutiques and stores where shopping can really be a creative and artistic act of a woman expressing who she is. PM: Right now you are based in Boston. Is this where you would like to continue to grow your brand, or do you have other plans for expansion? ZL: We are looking toward European and Asian markets too, but for the time being Zack Lo Shoes is focusing on America. PM: What would you say is your biggest challenge as an emerging designer in this area? ZL: To be quite honest, I have found more advantages than challenges. The close proximity to NYC helps tremendously since there are so many more resources in the Big Apple for
materials, etc., and I think when you are working in a smaller city, like Boston, that you can have many of the same advantages and offerings of bigger cities, like London or NYC. It is so nice to come back home to the Boston area to design. Flights to London are not what they are in terms of time flying from west to east. And because Boston and its fashion community are intimate, it is possible to really get to know everyone and what they are doing. I feel like this fosters great relationships, and people reach out to me with projects and events that are personal to them, and I am pleased to collaborate because of our connection. Feels like family. PM: Your new collection is called ‘Voodoo Circus’. What is the inspiration behind this name and how do you feel this collection exemplifies the idea? ZL: The Voodoo Circus is partly a collaboration with my creative team. We had many discussions about the nature and character of the shoes, which I often describe like characters in a play. This is why all the styles in the collection were given names that express what the shoe is about design-wise, like Lipstick Zombie, Bumble Zoo and Popcorn Diva. I knew I wanted to use the concept of Voodoo—to express mystery and dark beauty, rich and with lots of feeling; that elusive sentiment and romance you see in the current vampire craze in popular culture. You know, like the experience you get after going to the fortune teller or getting a Tarot reading—ex-
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“vintage”, and to see the steady fashion parade of what women were wearing and how they were expressing what they felt about themselves. It is like a perpetual fashion show in the street. I love this idea and it has influenced me greatly. PM: Do you have any plans for men’s footwear? ZL: I am considering a line of high heeled boots and shoes for men. This is very challenging, however, since my personal design aesthetic trends toward the extroverted. I think that men often take less risk in terms of fashion, or they make statements that are not as outwardly bold as women. I would like to change this a bit in the future—at least in terms of men’s fashion footwear. PM: Where do you see yourself going next? Any big plans or future fashion collaborations? ZL: I am currently working on a new mixed media collection. This collection is inspired by multiple sources—a little bit costume fantasy and really about Baroque and Rococo. I love the rich textures and play of elements in these periods, as well as the elegant shapes of the fashions. I have done a bit of historical research into heeled shoes in this period, and keep coming back to get inspiration. Zack Lo Shoes is working on doing some fashion videos that will be quite dramatic and theatrical, so I am greatly enjoying this process. We are also preparing for upcoming fashion weeks in the fall and planning appearances in other cities. But we will surely be here for Boston’s Fashion Week this autumn. We have met so many wonderful apparel designers over the course of the last year that have become interested in the shoes in my collection, so me and my creative team are looking forward to being a part of so many exciting events and exhibitions in the very near future.
WHAT WE FEEL ON THE INSIDE TO WHAT WE WEAR ON THE OUTSIDE, WE FEEL MOST CONNECTED TO THE WORLD AROUND US AND EVERYTHING IN IT. THIS IS FASHION AT ITS BEST!
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cited by the unknown and all the possibilities. I think fashion should contain this feeling and excitement too. Then Circus—to reflect the fun and youthful feeling that is the shoes too. The “let’s party” aspect of being young, beautiful, and vibrant; carrousel rides, first kisses, and long summer nights in the city. But for me circus is also about Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus as high street shopping places in London. This was where I really got to discover everything
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PRETTY LITTLE PLAYTHING Photographed by NATHAN TIA Hair/Makeup and Styling by EVERETT HOAG Wardrobe RI FASHION Models MICHELLE STRUSSA & GUSTAVO LONDONO, SAFARI MODELS
For additional information and where to buy, visit
www.zacklo.com
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67 ZACK LO “Bumble Zoo” heels ($295)
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70 ZACK LOMAY/JUNE “Black Magic” 2010 www.papercutmag.com heels ($293)
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73 ZACK LO “Belladonna Boudoir” heels ($288)
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75 ZACK LO “La Stregha” heels ($283)
THE NEW YORK CHRONICLES SUMMER STYLE HITS THE STREETS. Written by BRITTNEE CANN
H
ere in New York, spring only lasted about a week. The weather jumped right from 50 and raining to 95 and humid. Being more partial to cold weather dressing than I am to dressing for the heat, I have been completely dreading the daily make-up meltdowns, frizzy hair and the ever so graceful trying-to-wear-the-least-amountof-clothing-possible-without-being-naked feat. So what is the good news? Hot weather brings out some seriously hot street fashion. Popular—almost ubiquitous—trends for this year’s sun season that can be seen sprinkled around different areas of the city are wild-style mixed prints, monochrome outfits, feminine florals and nautical accents. But just as a trained bird watcher knows where to look for different species, the trends you see are entirely dependent upon which New York neighborhood you are traipsing through. I live in Brooklyn, close by the very trendy Williamsburg area where fashion is an interesting item to watch. It is a spot where kids are willing to wear just about anything and everything without caring about your opinion on their style (which is consequently why some of the best thrift shopping is there as well). Over the last month I’ve seen some unexpected out-
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fits during the weekends in McCarren Park, including mixed prints, neon and the aforementioned almost-naked-but-notquite dressing illusion. Hey, in an area full of Gen Y liberals, these sorts of things have come to be expected. Across the bridge, in the East Village is where a suitably more grungy summer is happening. It seems that the punk kids just can’t give up their plaids and black jeans, but they’re holding down the scene with pride, so I can respect that. Retro shades, denim vests and studded accessories seem to be the approved way to maintain a rebellious self-expression without melting into a puddle while walking down St. Mark’s Place. A little bit more westerly into SoHo and you’ll see all the best of flowing sundresses and of-the-moment summer sandals parading up and down Broadway. In the popular shopping district where many of the city’s summer tourists come to experience New York’s fashion scene, it is a safe mix of trendy city dwellers and out-of-towners politely asking, “Which way to Top Shop, please?” All the way down the West Side Highway, from Chelsea into Tribeca, it is Manhattan’s beach season, where
New Yorkers lay out in their two-pieces on the city version of a beach. That is, a patch of grass just in front of the Hudson River. And even though that might sound a bit pathetic with sailboats and jet skis cruising up and down the coast, it really can feel like a mini aquatic vacation. Hence why it is the place where not only the best swimwear is seen, but also lots of nautical accessories like canvas boat totes, braided rope belts and patriotic red, white and blue. Uptown, around Central Park, is one area where even when the weather is fluctuating a lot, the fashions are not. Classic New York is chic and tailored, which is exactly what you see walking the blocks around the East 60s. Simple and elegant, yet simultaneously eclectic, lady-like shapes and accessories are always in vogue here. But no matter which borough or neighborhood you’re in, you can bet that most New Yorkers are carrying around a few of the same summer essentials: sunglasses, sunscreen and a bottle of water. As for making the best of the blazing sun, those of us lucky enough to have roof decks can at least lie out to get a tan or host a BBQ with friends. BRITTNEE CANN is a freelance fashion journalist for NY-based Fashionista.com and also writes about fashion, music, art and other cultural musings on her personal blog at www.brittneecann.com.
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