Editor’s Letter My dearest partner-in-crime, Welcome
to
the
first
issue!!!
Partners-In-Crime
was
born
out
of
passion- to break the impression that fashion is superficial, a topic meant
for
airheads.
highlights
often
Not
for
unspoken
the
faint-hearted,
issues
that
bind
our
satirical
humanity
tone
t o g e t h e r,
regardless of your cultural or socioeconomic background. Simply put, we're interested in what lies beneath the surface- and we want you in on it too. Why did I ‘pic’ the name “PIC”?-no pun intended. I’ve always loved the idea of calling someone my partner in crime. Call me a mush, but I’m smitten with the concept of someone’s arm linked with mine, ready to t a k e o n t h e w o r l d t o g e t h e r, o r g e t i n t o a l i t t l e t r o u b l e . I t i s r o m a n t i c and
contained
the
idea
of
friendship!
Hence,
i’m
calling
YOU
my
partner in crime, the world a surmountable adventure laid out before u s , t o g e t h e r w e c a n s h e d a l i g h t o n t h e f a s h i o n i n d u s t r y. The idea of creating Partners-In-Crime sparked ever since I started fashion
school
understanding
three more
years
about
the
ago.
As
fashion
I
began
i n d u s t r y,
learning I
was
and
deeply
fascinated by how much influence this industry has on the world. And I hungered to dig deeper- from the glittering facade to much of the w a s t e i n t h e i n d u s t r y , h i d d e n a l o n g a c h a o t i c s u p p l y c h a i n . Yo u t h i n k f a s h i o n i s b i m b o t i c ? A u c o n t r a i r e , i t ’ s b r a i n y. H e r e a t P a r t n e r s I n C r i m e , t h e o n l y c r i m e w e e n c o u r a g e y o u t o d o i s t o t h i n k c r i t i c a l l y. In the first issue, we will discuss about the identity in fashion. We aim to create awareness for the need for more radical changes in the f a s h i o n i n d u s t r y, m o r e s p e c i f i c a l l y, t h e l o c a l s c e n e . W e ’ r e c o n s t a n t l y looking for ways to create a new and diverse format for young creator to explore contemporary ideas, without the confines of commercialism and traditionalism. As a passionate artist, I am unsatisfied with the lack of more independent, self-driven, and collaborative approaches to the local fashion scene. I believe that fashion should be perceived as
more
than
a
creators
still
struggle
incentives.
commercial
art
promote
form. their
In
this
works
day
and
without
age,
young
commercial
With the local fashion industry heavily drive to create an international appeal, the Singaporean fashion identity has since been diluted and pushed aside. This issue also aims to create value to the diversity of contemporary
local
design,
presenting
ideas
of
what
fashion
in
Singapore could be. The contributors of this zine are all young souls who shared their specific
calling
through
writing
and
art. As
this
is
the
start
of
a
w o n d e r f u l j o u r n e y, c o n n e c t w i t h t h e b e a u t y t h a t c o m e s w i t h a l l n e w beginnings. I learn that there is a first time for everything, I just need to embrace it. So here I am, making the first leap. I hope you will continue
on
this
journey
with
me,
watch
me
grow
and
constantly
improve, until you find this booklet at your local favourite bookstore. I hope the skills I honed and the knowledge I gained from this will help me in the future and has cemented that an artistic career and lifestyle is a definite for me to survive (unless I have an opportunity to live in an alternate universe where Hogwarts exist). I hope you will take thorough delight in this zine and appreciate the enjoyable (painstaking, occasionally) effort I have invested. Sit back and relax in this judgement-free zone, be yourself! Love, Lyds. This is an active project involving not only the editorial team, but also the
wider
community
that
makes
up
our
readership.
writing, art, photography submissions rolling!
@partnersincrimezine
So
get
those
While all the elements from Hedi Slimane’s Celine does have a vast
difference
from
Phoebe
Philo’s
Celine
i d e n t i t y,
the
introduction of menswear to the brand was also another defining moment
in
Parisian
shaping
and
accustomed
Celine’s
class, to
but
new
the
i d e n t i t y.
new
subculture.
Celine By
Céline is
represented
more
holistic
bringing
his
and
classic
sharp-shouldered, skinny-tailored menswear to the brand, (which will be available equally for both men and women in Celine) it expands the consumer ’s market. He knows that the brand’s target consumers would eventually shift from the class of sophisticated women- who would die for anything Philo designed, to a younger clientele.
Although
there
are
no
sweatpants,
hoodies,
and
sneakers to be seen, I believe that Slimane’s Celine could be where
the
kids
go
next.
It
could
be
the
next
‘hypebeast
s t r e e t w e a r ’ . W h e n LV M H a p p o i n t m e n t S l i m a n e t o t a k e o v e r, t h e y probably thought that it’s time to bring back the ‘Cult of Hedi’ into the youth culture. They are looking for a fresh perspective, a new kind
of
customer
for
Celine-
y o u n g e r,
less
rigid,
and
eagerly
looking for a sense of belonging to a new style tribe. T h e b e g i n n i n g o f a n e w e r a d e l i n e a t e s t h e e n d o f a n o t h e r. H e d i Slimane
marches
to
the
beat
of
his
own
drum
as
the
Celine’s
fashion identity transits from sophisticated womenswear to (Well, potentially)
luxurious
s t r e e t w e a r.
Instead
of
sulking
in
disdain
over the new Celine, let’s welcome the inevitable change. Whether if it gets under your skin, Hedi Slimane, 21st century designer of genius, is back to take the fashion world by storm with his radical ways. Hedi Slimane Celine Menswear Spring Summer 2019 Campaign
Elizabeth Short. Nicole Brown Simpson. Kitty Genovese. We know their names. We know their faces. We’ve seen her and seen and seen her, we know every detail about their gruesome murders too. From the child pageant winner, duct-taped and garroted, the teenager abducted from her suburban bedroom, to the old woman raped and strangled by a stranger she allowed in the door. What we haven’t seen, we’ve definitely read or overheard. Why is that so? How are we so obsessed with these beautiful dead girls?
Simply consider our childhood Disney fairy tales. Snow White and Aurora, the latter is otherwise known as the Sleeping Beauty. They spend majority of their narrative lives unconscious, they should’ve been dead but a handsome prince would kiss them back to life and they live happily ever after. Don’t you wish life is just that simple? Have you noticed? We live in a culture that fetishizes violence towards women and commodifies their deaths. There should seriously be a new prize for best thriller fiction in which no woman is beaten, raped, murdered, or Challenge stalked. yourself to name a thriller novel without these traits mentioned. We react to their lives and
the
i R
e s
and
Fa l
While it’s easy to be lured into the glitz and glamour of the ‘Influencer ’ culture, there are also downsides to the upside of being an influencer. Kendall Jenner was paid to star in an ill-conceived advertisement by Pepsi. She handed over a can of Pepsi to the policeman to ease the tension of a protest. This fired up the Twittersphere with a massive backlash for her association with Pepsi. Could she be blamed for her bad choices working with the wrong brand? Was she merely getting paid for work- using her face and body to sell for a brand? With a large following of 104 million followers on Instagram, Kendall was certainly not hired by the brand as a ‘clothes-hanger ’- which is commonly used to address a model, but a role model with personal fondness of the brand. Influencers are perceived to have a personal- not professional relationship with the brand they are selling. The promotional campaign begins with the brand having with a budget with a influencer. Which in turn, they have to bear some responsibilities of an unsuccessful campaign receiving backlash. This tells us that influencers should research thoroughly about the brand before diving straight into collaboration. ‘Influencers’, a term that I often cringe as I ponder about it, was recently added into the English Cambridge dictionary. As technology shifts the landscape of fashion marketing, more brands are interested in linking up individuals to promote their products. These social media famous personas often receive monthly freebies, fully-sponsored trips overseas, and most importantly, making money for just ‘being themselves’. But who exactly are these people? I’m sure they’re just ordinary people like you and me, but they are not afraid to broadcast their passion and personal lives consistently. In this day and age, influencer marketing is no longer a niche thing. It is exceptionally effective for brands to reach a wider audience with this immediate approach.
l
of
Influencers
As we go further down the rabbit hole of the influencer culture and personal branding, new agencies are emerging as third parties to connect brands to influencers, monetizing their social media presence. Now everyone can be ‘famous’ as long as they have a fair amount of followers. And I’m sure many are familiar with the business of ‘buying followers and likes’. There is an increasingly clear disconnection between the imperative to earn as much as money as possible out of one’s influence, and the fairness in how someone wields their influence. Micro-influencers (several thousand followers, and I’m sure we’re all familiar with our peers doing this online) are on the rise too, reason being their lack of fame make them approachable. When they recommend a facial product on Instagram, their words seem as genuine as an advice from a friend. Brands enjoy working with them because they are easy to deal with, unlike popular influencers that will make ridiculous demands. In exchange for recognition from peers or freebies, micro-influencers usually do what the company tells them to do. Do you think that influencers will still be relevant in the next five years? Truth is, we’ll never know. Personally I think that eventually there will be too many influencers saturating the market, and the value of an influencer continues to plummet. In order to prevent that, companies should have better analytics and governance of influencers’ following. They should be more accustomed to ensure the money on do influencers they are spending actually have a following they represent.
“Distorted Bodies” Series
Photographed by Emmanuel Benedict Art Direction by Emmanuel Benedict & Lydia Kok Styled, & Designed by Lydia Kok
Appreciating the eerie beauty of the contorted body viewed from certain angles.
Breaking away from conventions about what is considered an aesthetically pleasing silhouette.
The phrase “Be yourself” has been used in every context imaginable. In school, we are taught individualism, to be unique, to stand out, to make ourselves different. On a date, we deliberate over whether to put on a facade that is best suited to the other person’s tastes to make ourselves more likeable, and when we pitch that idea to our friends, we are told to be ourselves. Hell, even self-help, motivational books tell us to be ourselves, which is how we’ll attain self-actualization, and a bunch of other terms that essentially mean being yourself after realising what “yourself” even means.
submission by Alicia Samantha
Societal judgement is a barrier to the advice “Be yourself”. It’s ironic how society sometimes totes the “Be yourself” mantra, but when we follow their advice, we end up being shunned for what we like to do. Society tells us, “Be yourself, but only within the limits of what we deem socially acceptable.” The reader, at this point, scratches their head and thinks about how the writer of this article is just an angsty teenager who wants to stick it to “The Man” and detests any form of social order. Am I an anarchist, you ask? Do I want to do away with any form of authority, social control, and the government? Of course not. A certain amount of social order is needed for society to function. It is merely the extent to which we are controlled by others that is being discussed in this article. “Do whatever you want, so long as it doesn’t harm yourself or other people” is a common life philosophy. I may sound like a nihilist when I say this, but this is not a concrete principle simply because when you get right down to the definition of “harm”, it is so subjective to different groups of people that it is impossible to pin down an accurate, one-size-fits-all definition of the word “harm”. An act that seemingly harms one person may not be classified as doing harm to another. Why? It is because character is amorphous. It is near impossible to quantify aspects of the human character, because they are subjected to a spectrum which sometimes can be as clear as mud. What’s the point of talking about how socially acceptable it is (or not) to follow the advice “be yourself”? What’s the point of this article? What’s the point of life itself? (I can’t answer the last question, but I can probably do the first two.) My point is that even if you were to follow the advice “be yourself” or not, you can’t please everyone. Wow, honey, big whoop, it’s not like we didn’t know that already, you say. Bear with me now. This begs the question: who, if anyone, is taking note of our accomplishments as people? Who even cares? If there’s no one, why do we bother trying so hard?
It’s probably why I leave words behind. It’s probably why the creator of this zine, leaves her artwork behind. Because the fact that we did leave them there makes them immortal. W e t r y, o f o u r o w n v o l i t i o n o r n o t , t o b e o u r s e l v e s o r, t o c o n f o r m t o t h e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f s o c i e t y. W e t a k e o n e d a y a t a time, making things, saying words, leaving behind thoughts, words, feelings with people. We exist to make a m a r k o n s o c i e t y, h o p i n g t h e y ’ r e s i g n i f i c a n t e n o u g h s o w e ’ l l be missed when we’re gone. And maybe we will be. Or won’t. Who cares? Nobody’s k e e p i n g s c o r e , a n y w a y. We make our own measures of success and we take them with us when we go, leaving behind little fragments of what used to be us as people. And we try and enjoy every moment we have with those fragments, hoping that we find things and people that make it all worth being there. Maybe that ’s really what life is. It’s tolerable, I suppose.
VENT-ilation: “People think that art students are really dumb and that they have an IQ around room temperature. I think everyone you meet in art school are so bizarre and unique. It can be frustrating at times. There is a tremendous amount of effort being put in by many students, but there are also the minority who lacked of ambition, the ones who are extremely jaded and cynical, which I think personally, is a bad attitude to have around. (GOOD VIBES ONLY) People assume that we’re all rich kids with an easy ride to art schools. NEWSFLASH: we’re not. I certainly am not. Most of us actually don’t take art schools for granted and work our asses off. Also, just because it’s art school does not mean it’s going to be easy...an easy four years, an easy A. Art school is tough, and probably more so than liberal arts schools, because projects do not take a preordained amount of time. We are always prepared to work hard. ALWAYS!!!!!!”
Contentment, a notion I’d become so obsessed with that I stopped understanding what it meant. Considering my current position on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I could safely say that I’m a 60% of self actualisation, and profoundly spoiling myself for wanting more. Yes indeed, I hate myself for being what every pundit said I was- a millennial living in a first world country who believe she’s entitled to the world. I’d wobble back and forth across a seesaw of emotion — on one end, the desire to stay, on the other, the lust to leave. I felt so utterly lost, fine, but lost. Confused about what the hell I possibly wanted and unsure if I was allowed to want something nameless. Emptiness became a product from my confusion. I don’t know what I want out of this life because I have never been alone without my phone to break the silence, I asked myself the question: What do I want? Right now, I just feel empty inside. Completely and utterly hallow. Maybe comfort isn’t contentment, I think. And then I’d get back to work. I’d wake up early to sketch, stay up late to design, teach myself new skills, ask for help and offer it, jot down ideas and let my imagination burst through those walls and float at the edge of my vision like a guiding star. But to want more is to be unhappy with the status quo, and after a while, I would feel a different version of suffocated: deflated. There has to be something. Something more to your life than eating, sleeping, working, repeating.......
z
A n n i r She
m
n a
@ v e r s a s h e r, Singapore-based make up artsit
“There were moments where I felt like I should just drop all this and continue on a more “realistic” path and pursue things related to the corporate world.I find myself coming back to art and I felt like I was on top of the world because there was someone else telling me I should do what I am meant to do.”
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Sherinn, I’m a 20-year-old makeup enthusiast and aspiring makeup artist. I create different makeup looks weekly to express myself emotionally or to just give myself a boost of positivity. I occasionally take up jobs to do makeup for fashion shoots, or any makeup services people need me for. I do what I do is because I love seeing the effect my work has on people when I’m done doing their makeup, I always aim to make my clients feel the best version of themselves.
What’s your background?
I come from a family of all girls, I grew up with 3 sisters who are in their 30s, I being the youngest. My parents were very strict when it came to makeup, especially my mother because she’s a strong believer in natural beauty and thinks makeup should only be used when you’re going to work or when you’re getting married. I decided then to study art because you get to play with colours and create things, the only difference is that makeup goes on your face. Makeup to me, is a way for me to bond with the women in my family, we talk about what’s good and what’s not. There were definitely moments I had where I felt like I should just drop all this and continue on a more “realistic” path and pursue things related to the corporate world. I remembered being the only one that was going to pursue art amongst my secondary school classmates and I would feel like I could not talk to anyone about it because they were pursuing what everyone else was and what the school trained us for. I find myself coming back to art and imy teacher told me to focus on it and pursue it. I felt like I was on top of the world because there was someone else telling me I should do what I am meant to do.
What’s your favourite make up brand and who’s your favourite make up artist?
My favourite makeup brand would be Marc Jacobs because I feel like they are the only brand in the fashion industry that appreciates all forms of makeup. I have a few makeup artists that I am obsessed with and they are, Mario Dedivanovic, Pati Dubroff, Patrickta, Nikki_makeup, Adam Burrell, Heidi North, Desi Perkins, Priscilla Ono and many more. I can never choose 1 as a favourite because not only they’ve got different styles and approach to makeup which makes their work so honest and beautiful but I feel like I can relate to some of them because whenever they tell the story of their journey, I feel like it is something I can relate
I am going through their tough days.
What do you dislike about the make up world?
That it is under appreciated. I feel like the makeup world is under appreciated because people think it doesn’t really matter and that makeup is makeup. I think other than hair being the cherry on top of a look, makeup is the second thing that pulls an entire look together where you can either make a look happen or just ruin it. Makeup is about making the person feel good and if you don’t put an extra thought about it then you are not going to get the desired feel you want out of a model or yourself. As a freelance makeup artist, I’ve had to rush my work because people don’t put in time for makeup and it results in me having to quickly rush through my work just because the client ran late and is rushing for time.
How are you always so confident when you meet people?
As vain as it sounds, I make sure I look good whenever I’m going out to meet friends because it sets the mood how you feel about yourself. If you don’t put in effort to care for yourself, then you will feel like a let down but there is a magic in making yourself look presentable where it just gives you this boost or confidence. However, I’m not saying you need to constantly look at your best even when you’re just going to the nearby store, just as long as you look presentable where no one can think you look sloppy and unbothered. I personally think the key to confidence is all in how you care for yourself. Sometimes just wearing a white shirt and the right pair of jeans can do wonders!
What’s the best piece of advice you can give to people aspiring to make up? Never stop being curious, always be ambitious because it all takes time, the world is round and it will eventually come in full circle. Stay true to your style because it is something that makes you an icon in the making and Singapore might be a tough country to be a makeup artist, it’s a scary world for sure but if you are scared, you will never get anything done. Take any job even if it’s not commissioned, you need to be known somehow, every back ache will be worth it. It doesn’t matter if you hit pan on
those clients and have to wait 2 weeks for your next pay, show them what you can do with your brushes but most importantly, always do it from the heart. I know it sounds crazy to do it even though it’s not commissioned but, it’s all about starting somewhere and build yourself up for commissioned work once you think you have enough experience. There will be people that were once negative towards you, will want to be a part of the glorious days you have and don’t let them do that because you’ve worked too hard to get yourself to the spot you’re in. Lastly, whenever you come to a job, be humble. If they want you to do someone’s makeup by the staircase before the shoot, say yes and kill it! But always remember, don’t ever let anyone mistreat you and your craft.
Follow Sherinn’s make up journey @versasher on Instagram.
@hazyrahalim, Fashion student from Singapore
“Arts scene in Singapore is not well recognized. It’s sad to say it but people around me have always said that Singapore is not really a place to pursue an art c a r e e r. I h a v e a l w a y s h a t e d t o h e a r t h a t A r t a s w a s a l w a y s a j o b t h a t w a s n o t t a k e n s e r i o u s l y, a n d i t w a s j u s t s o m e t h i n g y o u c a n d o a s a h o b b y. H o w d o y o u d r a w inspirations to come up with your works?”
Who are you and what do you do? A 21 year old girl currently taking her diploma in Fashion Design in NAFA and does some painting in her free time. Has an obsession with interesting textile manipulations and embro dery painting. Also loves the colour pink way too much. What’s your background? I am a self-taught artist. I started drawing since I was 4 and was always interested in it although my primary and secondary school never had art teaching. I think because of that, I was always curious about the Art world which allowed me to venture into it more.
What art do you most identify with? My favourite medium would be oil paint and watercolours! Although I’m still new to oil paints, it has been a great experience so far. It taught me to be patient and be more detailed in my work. As for watercolours, it’s the first medium that got me into painting. I just love that I can whip out my watercolour palette and make a quick painting to get my creative juices flowing. When there are small mistakes which actually still makes the painting somewhat good. As what Bob Ross would call it “Happy Accidents”. Embroidery is also another passion of mine. I’ve only realized my love for it when I looked through old Fashion Design sketchbooks, I’ve always incorporated some embroidery work. Florals, portraits and random organic lines are my favourite to embroider. What’s your favourite art work/ who’s your favourite artist? My favourite artist would be Mark Ryden, a surrealist painter. His works just awe me because it is just weird and cute. His works make people talk. I also
Why art? Art was probably one of the main thing that still keeps me sane till this day and it is also a huge reason why I am taking the creative path into my future. Art relaxes me and distracts me from my problems and also makes me feel good when other people enjoy it too!
adore his choice of colour palette and his weird characters. My favourite work of his would be the ‘Whipped Cream’ series where he collaborated with the American Ballet Theatre to make a real life play of his paintings. What are your thoughts on Singapore’s arts scene? I dislike the fact the art scene is Singapore is not well recognized. It’s sad to say it but people around me have always said that Singapore is not really a place to pursue an art career. I have always hated to hear that Art as was always a job that was not taken seriously, and it was just something you can do as a hobby. How do you draw inspirations to come up with your works? I’m usually inspired by the aesthetics of the people that I follow on YouTube or Instagram. Other than that, I’m always taking design elements from my family’s living room where my Dad loves to collect antique collectibles. What do you think is an artist’s role in the society? As an artist, I would say making other people happy and enjoy your work is something that is so rewarding to feel and hear. You make people talk and be inspired of your work. What’s the best piece of advice you can give to people aspiring to pursue art? I wouldn’t say I’m an expert still, I’m still practicing to be better but an advice I would give is to just go for it, as cliché as it sounds. You don’t know where your art can take you. Don’t be insecure of your work, although it’s easier said than done, I used to be too, but showing your progress and practicing hard shows how good of an artist you are because you are passionate for what you believe in. Your work can inspire others like how my friends around me in school inspire me to strive better as an artist and designer. So let’s support each other and bond through art together!
Contributors Lydia Kok, @theartsyrabbit Sherinn Azman, @versasher Emmanuel Benedict, @emma.n.u.e.l Hazyra Halim, @hazyrahalim Elaine Chan, @elaine.music Nathaniel Fong, @nathanielfong Alicia Samantha, @alicia_samantha17 Aidan Tan, @aidan.at