Maggie Mahoney CEO & Editor in Chief Ocean Bates CCO & Direct of Marketing M0lly Dench Editor & Senior Writer
Link Schism Special Features Writer
Slash Pletzel Fashion Columnist
Vera Canning Feature Photographer
Brutus Martinek Show Photographer
EmmZ Tzara Stylist & Senior Model
Leah McCullough Web Design & Photography
Zana Enzo Administrative Assistant
Cover Photography by Keiko Morigi www.runwaysl.com Second Life, SL, and inSL are trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. Runway Magazine is not affiliated with or sponsored by Linden Research.
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Shhhh‌you might cause lag? Since my rez day back in 2006 (now I am telling my age, oy!), there have been very many changes in our virtual world. One of the not so great ones that we all fight with daily is the dreaded Lag Monster. Yes I remember a somewhat lag free environment way back when. At a recent show, I found myself, and the countless others in attendance, being shooshed. Now granted, I've been shooshed in my day. Dear old mommy did it and well there was my third grade teacher ( I really do not think that woman ever really like anyone!), and the college librarian back two decades ago when we were just too noisy in the stacks. But I don't ever recall being shooshed without
having spoken. Now of course I realize that in SL, we type or chat for speaking measures‌but should one be shooshed? Seems that the powers that be at this particular event felt that our chitchat and support of the ladies on the catwalk was causing lag?!? Now that is a first for me, and some others judging from the commentary after the official shooshing. When you visit a runway show, quite naturally you are going to have supporters not only of the models in the spotlight, but for the designers too. After all, the runway is where we are introduced to new lines and exciting designs. We are supposed to be excited! Not shooshed for heaven's sake! Honestly, we are not talking about gestures and mega spam in open chat and the like, but by saying that general chat is lagging out a sim where there are 40+ avatars, retail scripts, and of course the beloved 'welcome to wherever you are' door spam machine that was shooting off every time anyone flexed a prim - well that was a bit much. I don't think I am out on a limb alone by saying I was rather put off by it all. An expert on this matter, truly I am not, but after a quick visit to the SL wiki (shudder), I do know that scripts cause lag, excessive primwork or megaprims, multiple avatars within a certain distance, etc., but chat? Now, come on. Lag is Lag! If you do not want anyone to enjoy themselves at your show, then why invite us? That's all‌
Maggie
Flower Power By M0lly Dench
O
ne of the nicest ways to spend an afternoon in Second Life is to sit by the pool, in the garden, and chat to someone you have admired from afar since you were a newbie avatar falling on the 'Jill In A Box' freebie kit with screams of delight. It could safely be said that if you haven't heard of Calla, you have either been in SL ten minutes or you've been in another dimension of SL, the 'bald and proud of it' dimension. Pretty much every female avatar has at least one Calla item in their inventory, though I've yet to meet anyone who has one and one alone. Some of us have significantly more, and some of us, almost embarrassingly more! The key to the success of Calla Hair is that it is simple to wear and adjust, the instructions that come with it actually make sense, and you can find a style to suit absolutely anything you may wish to wear or attend in an amazing array of colours and textures.
On the eve of some exciting changes for Calla, I had the pleasure of catching up with Tigerlily for a chat about the past, the present, and the future. I was also quite disarmed by her charm and self-deprecation, which is a rarity in someone who, with her business partner Haedon Quine, has had such an influence on the 'look' of so many avatars inworld.
sandbox, and made hair out of plywood, and it wasn't half bad. Certainly better than my coffee tables, or shoes, or anything else I'd done!" I must say given that I myself can't even make a picture frame, I was amazed to hear that hair was the chosen field of endeavour for Tigerlily, it appearing to be one of the trickier skills to master - certainly
From the Sims Online, via Star Wars Galaxy, onward into SL and forward into the world of hair design. I was quite interested to discover - and readers, there is clearly hope for all of us that Tigerlily is a self-confessed building failure. "Well I'd tried building everything, literally. And most of it sucked. I was about to throw in the towel when one day, sort of in desperation and as a last resort I thought maybe I'd try hair. So I went to a
there's a lot of very bad hair out there as a testimony to the degree of difficulty. But she went on to explain - "It just seemed to happen, and once I figured out the basic idea, it was more creativity than building skill and thankfully I have more creativity than building skill!"
Tigerlily and Haedon started with a tiny skybox mainland store, and within a very short space of time found they needed more room. Tigerlily speaks fondly of a mainland spot next to a huge club called the Angry Ant... during which time the style 'Holly' was born - definitely a gloriously 80's big hair godancing style. Next, a slightly larger spot on the Dreamland sim, during which time a huge plot became available, ocean on two sides, and Tigerlily and Haedon decided to risk it.
One of the endearing features about the Calla styles is that they're all named after flowers. Tigerlily explains: "You have to name them something. And the most common way to do it was just use girl names. We decided to find something else to use, and flowers fit." Interestingly, it's the meaning of the name of the flower, rather than the name itself, which has the relevance to the styze.
"And we took the plunge and hoped we'd be able to pay the rent. It was a little rough at first, but we did okay, and eventually filled up the place, and needed our own sim." I asked if they'd ever imagined it would take off as fast as it did. "Never. Once I got a few textures I liked, I started running with styles. We ran ads, and did a lot of talking to people while they waited 10 or 15 minutes to rez (sooo much lag on mainland where we were initially)...So either they stayed because they were afraid we'd chase them down if they didn't, and bought something out of fear, or they actually liked it!" Models: Eleanie Rosenberg and Yasmine Kidd
"All of our styles are named for the meaning of the flower, more so than just an arbitrary flower. If you look in the properties, the description box of most of the styles will say what the meaning of that flower is." I wanted to explore the creative process in developing a new style, but I must say that Tigerlily's modesty and unwillingness to talk about her skills, disarmed me somewhat and certainly made me laugh.
M0lly: "How would you say you develop a new style or line?" Tigerlily Koi: "Hop on a pose stand, get bald, and grab a couple of prims, and see what happens, lol!" M0lly: "Do you find yourself wandering down the RL street going "Oh, I really must do that!?" Tigerlily Koi: "Yes! One of our styles, White Rose. I was sitting in a drivethrough to get breakfast. The lady in front of me had her hair like that. I've grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, a receipt, anything I have handy, and sketched out someone's hair when I've thought ' oooo! I could do that!'" One of the nicest things about Tigerlily is that when you ask her what gives her the most pleasure in SL, it isn't the sim, size of the empire, the respect, the recognition, or $L. "Wow, that's a tough one. I think it's when we put out a new release, and hang out and watch all our girls come see what we've done. It's not only a pride thing for what we've made, but it's a chance to get to talk to a bunch of them again, kind of all at once. And we have the *best* girls. I've never seen such
a huge group of women who are so willing to help - not only us, but each other, and the group camaraderie is amazing."
So, what next? With a venture of the size and scope of Calla, and the speed with which things move within SL, it takes passion and drive to keep the creative juices flowing and the ideas fresh and new. Tigerlily intimated there are some exciting changes ahead and is enthusiastic about the upcoming plans for the business, the 'girls' and the sim. "Haedon and I have been working on a number of ways that we'll both be able to really express our individual styles. It's important to be able to keep moving and growing, even when we have different visions, and to be able to make sure that our main reason for being - our customers - are benefiting from not only the best of both of us, but the best of Second Life as well." It seems there's much excitement yet to come from the talented twosome.
The Scientist, The Butterfly and The Belle by M0lly Dench
T
here are people in Second Life who would chew off an arm for the opportunity to attend one of the KMADD fashion shows, and those that would commit virtual hari-kiri if denied the opportunity to get their fix of the best spectaculars on the grid. After spending some time chatting to the team - and it is a team - behind the most successful, popular, and visually exciting enterprise in our SL world, I understand why. In fact, I'm probably in grave danger of becoming one of the army of followers who can't imagine it done better than this, and who will stab to death with a stiletto heel anyone in front of me on the waiting list to get into a show.
You can be interviewed by someone in a cafe or their office, and obtain many of the same results, however, if you wish to reduce your interviewer to stuttering admiration and gibbering gasps - thus setting the stage for the rest of the interview - transport them to a Night in Paris, pop yourself on a unicycle, and be witty, entertaining and amusing all at the same time. And that was just Maddox Dupont... Risa Bright and Kirk Claymore were just as articulate, accessible, and amusing. One interviewer reduced to incoherency, and an interview under control. And control - of every detail - is one of the foundation pieces of KMADD.
Anyone who knows anything about fashion in SL will have heard the name. Sorry, names.... MADesigns, MAD Agency, KMADD, KMADD Centre for Arts, KMADD City, MAD Studios... there's more to come, as well, with a few other creative ventures in the pipeline, but one thing is fairly certain, the same principles will apply. From a small shape shop serving as both home and business, to a multi-sim, multi-venture megolith, the depth and breadth of the KMADD empire is run on solid foundations and simple concepts. Family, Loyalty, Customer Service. These are the other foundation pieces that hold this enterprise firmly together and solidly at the top of the wishlist for models, designers, and indeed interviewers. Family, Loyalty, Customer Service. Those were the words most often spoken during the interview. Maddox Dupont, who describes himself as the Mad Scientist, began with a shape shop, living on the premises and learnt, as a result, that the most valuable interactions in retailing involve customer feedback. "I learnt, early on, that the customer is not there for the business, the business is there for the customer." Enter Kirk Claymore - described by Maddox as a Social Butterfly (in the nicest possible way) - who gradually took over the customer facing activities, drawing on a large inworld network of contacts, which left Maddox free to concentrate on the design and creative elements. Kirks' RL background in marketing and advertising led to the development of their own SIM, and the beginnings of the KMADD empire, which was named for both of them around the time that Brangelina was cooked up as a joint name in the RL media.
The opening of KMADD City, managing the existing businesses and attempting to have an RL life, left both Kirk and Maddox physically and emotionally spent. Maddox to this day has no idea how they actually managed it. "I cannot work out, even now, how Kirk pulled it off. His inworld contacts, business and marketing skills - he was the driving force behind KMADD City". Averaging around 3 hours sleep a night - Kirk once famously fell asleep on the subway going home from RL work, waking to find himself on the other side of the city from where he lived - the two of them were in a hiatus by the time it was all up and running, and almost at a point where the energy to keep going was unlikely to be forthcoming, when the third part of the triumvirate stepped up to the plate. Enter the Belle. Risa Bright, who as a young av had been complimented on her persona so many times she decided to look into making a career out of it, eventually deciding to investigate modeling, though it wasn't a hard and fast career path option when she arrived. She'd approached many agencies before setting on KMADD.
Her RL skills include professionalism, organization, business acumen, and precision. The only agency that met her needs was KMADD and she enthusiastically embraced the way in which the shows were designed and run, the loyalty amongst the models, the high standards, and the interactions between the principals.
She approached Kirk and Maddox to find out when they would reinstate the shows during their exhaustion-driven downtime, which the models as well as the customers had adored, catching them at a low energy ebb. They offered her a job, and the rest is indeed SL history. The same skills that had caused her to seek out an agency that 'fitted', were the skills that were needed to take over the business side of the enterprise, freeing Kirk and Maddox to continue to push the creative boundaries as far as they could go in SL. And, many say, well beyond. Its said that behind every great man is a very surprised woman. I think in this case that it may be a very organized woman. I explored with Maddox, and Kirk the rumor currently sweeping SL that both of them would rather part with their optional appendages than have to manage without her. Maddox and Kirk are quite vocal about the importance of the contribution that Risa makes... and that she is most definitely part of the triumvirate. Maddox is the creative side, Kirk the promotional and PR and marketing side, and Risa is the glue that holds it all together, keeps it on track and makes sure that it all happens. I was wondering what sort of uber-tool was being used to just keep track of everyone's activities,
visualizing a KMADD-Kalendar, perhaps, to keep it humming along in the right place and time, but it seems paper, email, Blackberrys and good communication is the key to it all. Kirk did outline a particularly smooth set of moves for making sure he doesn't miss anything and that he responds to the myriad of requests that he receives, but in the interests of client confidentiality or possibly my future attendance at KMADD shows, I shall keep that one to myself - though I was quite in admiration of it as a technique and may well adopt it myself from this minute forward. Risa described their collaboration as 'hemispherical' - referring to the right and left hemispheres of the brain, as well as the geographical (they have both of those hemispheres covered as well). The right hemisphere of the brain is the creative, using imagination, flights of fancy and leaps into the unknown, and is balanced by the left, which is practical and attends to repetitive tasks and attention to detail. Each of them, I suspect, has equal amounts of right and left brain functionality, but Maddox is the one that Kirk and Risa free up to come up with the unusual, the inventive and the mind-blowing stagings of the shows - as well as the design elements inherent in the other aspects of the business. Risa sees herself as the practical, the organized and the 'detail person' and Kirk crosses both sets of boundaries in the customer facing elements of the enterprise as well as significant input to the design elements.
What does show through is a deep respect for each others abilities and talents, for each others contribution and genius, and for the loyalty that is shown not only to each other, but to them by their associated models, customers and associates. Risa herself is fairly firm about the attributes required to model in SL in general and for KMADD in particular. Reliability. This applies equally to your computer specifications, your approach to timekeeping, and your interactions with others. We keep reiterating issue after issue that there's more to it than ambling down a runway, and each conversation with the seriously professional agencies and models reinforces this. Reflecting back on the first wave of KMADD models, all three of them look at where those avatars are now. The agency wasn't there to just give them a frock and an afternoon jaunt. Advice, career development,
suggestions, promotion, and opportunity have moved some of these models into the stratosphere, and there's a long line of aspiring avatars applying to get in. Casting calls for the shows are run on the same lines, with a selection and culling process applying for each and every one. Risa finds the hardest part of her job the inability to give everyone a place in every show, and empathizes deeply with the disappointment that those that don't get in will feel. That and writing the descriptions for each item in each show, to maintain freshness, originality and do justice to the design, without sinking into repetition and florid generalizations. KMADD prides itself on having a stable of models that are dedicated, professional and in demand. And that cross a wide range of styles and shapes. We chatted for a while about a particularly vehement public debate on
model body-size and shape hitting the blogs a while back, and how the perceptions of modeling in RL and the passions and prejudices in the realworld industry, do or don't apply to SL. The super-thin model debate that rages on in RL is really not relevant in SL, all three of the industry's SL powerhouses agree. Just as we can't define a model's age in SL, neither can we define what is and isn't appropriate. To do so begins to smell like the start of the problem that exists in RL - that models are forced into a particular mould, and kept there. In SL, the fact that models are free to choose, free to develop and free to display whatever characteristics they want, removes the sting from the tail of the argument. When they're forced, in SL, to have a particular look or face unemployment, then the issue should be put up for public debate. And by its nature, SL in general and KMADD in particular, will not be going down that path at all. Until then, its a fairly fruitless exercise. Whilst we covered the business in general, we kept coming back to the fashion shows. Its evident that these events not only showcase KMADD, but are the external personification of the actual business ethics behind the agency. The prime driver of each show, is its customer. Collaboration, suggestion, and wish-fulfilment are
the things that KMADD offer, along with professionalism, experience, and the flair that has made them famous. I suggested, given the stunning backdrops and the general reputation of KMADD shows, that there was a team of background av's, bleeding at the eyeballs churning out the spectacular sets and amazing items that feature in the shows. After Kirk, Maddox and Risa had finished wiping the tears of hysterical laughter from their eyes, they maintained that, in all seriousness, it was actually just the three of them.
Something had to give, of course, and Maddox especially has found that the photography side, for him personally, is just out of reach from a time perspective at the moment. He obviously regrets not being able to spend more time doing something he loves, but is still incredibly fulfilled by the things that are going on.
As are Kirk and Risa. Apart from the lack of sleep and the sacrifice of many RL activities, here are three people who are seriously having fun, seriously enjoying themselves, and seriously making a difference, not only to their only second lives, but the second lives of a significant number of others.
KMADDCITY.COM KMADD City, KMADD Enterprise (187, 76,25)
… By M0lly Dench
… Landing Strip…
Killer Keyboards I would have to say that inspiration for this month's Landing Strip has been hard to come by. Apart from the running around like a loony stuff concomitant with having fun in SL and pretending I have a real life as well, I came down with a shocker of a head cold which started me thinking about all the things I love in SL and hate in RL. Ironing being a case in point. I do find it amazingly annoying to actually have to iron my RL clothes, and that's leaving aside the rest of the nuisance value associated with washing, drycleaning, hanging up, locating when in a hurry and the odd item of clothing which vanishes into the black hole at the bottom of the washing machine, never to be seen again. Head colds would be another thing I particularly like about not having in Second Life. Even the great practitioners of realism in SL have yet to come up with animations for sniffling and snuffling and coughing and wheezing - well, at least in all the animation shops I've ever seen and a quick search of the word
'handkerchief' in SL leads me to think that blessedly there is no such thing for its original purpose and this is as it should be. Pretty much everything else is available though, and generally is great fun, other than life's little annoyances mostly centering around inconvenient crashes, large amounts of lag and the occasional disappearing skirt- an issue which is back, dear reader, as I discovered the other day. I was pottering about a skin shop - which mercifully means something completely different in SL to RL, which is a relief and yet another reason to be happy to be here - and ended up chatting to a supermodel of my acquaintance. Now apart from the fact that supermodels are few
and far between in my real life (in fact, I should probably say I have yet to meet one, another thing that's rather nice about being in here) it wasn't until I got changed into something a little more comfortable later sans supermodel, I hasten to add - that I realised I'd been whizzing around in a trendy jacket, leather pants, killer boots, and a full length red satin skirt. Yes, a red satin skirt. The ballgown that this goes with is absolutely superb, looks glorious on, is a limited edition and will doubtless earn me heaps of kudos at an event yet to be scheduled. However, paired with my leopardlook jacket and leather pants, I can only imagine what a sight I was out in
public. The supermodel, it must be said, was most tactful and didn't say a word, though I expect RUNWAY's ability to book her for any event from now on will be sorely limited on the grounds she'll think we're a bunch of idiots or at least that the editor is. So, intermittent bugs aside, the worst wardrobe malfunction that happens in SL is the occasional knicker-flash when one thinks one has a skirt on, or fashion faux-pas when one doesn't know that one has a skirt on.
present at an event, frees many of us from the bounds of normal social restraint, and gives rein to unparalleled rudeness. If you read last month's RUNWAY, you'll know my views on unsolicited and bizarre noises at events. Though, in all fairness, I haven't heard a Steve Irwin anywhere for a month and the silence has been most blessed, in my opinion. But the sheer rudeness of people, who feel free to say things that would get their heads kicked in if they did it in real life, is mindblowing.
What I do find distressing, is that the presence of a keyboard and a monitor in the lives of many avatars, removes many of the boundaries of politeness. In fact, it appears that not actually being physically
It seems to me that if you wouldn't make incredibly crass and tasteless statements about the person near you, what they are wearing, why they aren't responding or why their event is a touch laggy, in,
say, your local Kentucky Fried Chicken (assuming you attend such a place) then I can't imagine why you'd do it in SL. SL is after all a collection of random 1's and 0's, coded in a such a way that we can all sit at home, chat to supermodels, wear haute couture, own every shoe on the grid and dance the night away without having to rehydrate. But it's subject to technical issues, server lag, people wearing too much bling (refer to April RUNWAY for further details...) and whatever fiddling you may or may not have done to your home PC.
It'd be nice if it was perfect - but just like real life, washing machines, and head colds, it isn't. As my grandmother used to say "If you haven't got anything nice to say (publicly) then don't say anything at all." And she'd never even heard of Second Life. Enjoy your fashion experience - be tolerant of its foibles. I'm off now to find a handkerchief and a paracetamol....
MOlly
Ones To Watch RUNWAY Magazine is always excited to be able to give new designers, photographers and/or models, a helping hand, or at least, a few words to help them on their way. After all, the superstars of tomorrow are out there somewhere... We're proud to present a new monthly feature.... To Watch Out For will be a place where new designers, photographers and models get a little piece of Runway. We'll feature things we've seen, things we've been told about, and things we think might be huge one day. The good, the fabulous, the unusual, and the possibly-not-to-everyone's taste.. everyone deserves a minute in the spotlight, and our roving reporters will give them some pagespace. This month, we caught up with Crypticweb Dovgal, of Caustic Designs.
A few words on how long you've been designing? In RL, since I was 9 years old. I always enjoyed deeply, altering commercial patterns to create new shapes for clothing. In SL, I have been designing since about 9.28.07. Why and how did you start? In RL, I always had problems finding clothing that fit properly. Ironically, some of the garments that did fit never had enough style and detail to them. After a while, I began making my own clothing. In SL, a lot of the clothes I saw available were either a bit too dull, or not detailed enough. For example, lots of garments we wear in RL have an infinite amount of detail to them..so, what is wrong with bringing that to our second lives? What would you describe as your signature piece? Hmmmm, it would have to be a tossup between "Pendulus" for the ladies, or "Hell's Passion" for the guys. Would you give your clothes a 'style' name or are you outside the boundaries? I am pretty sure that my style would be considered punk. Is your custom work the main part of the business now? Yes, I do plenty of customs at the moment. Where to from here? My goal is to have a store on every sim! and in RL, to have business coming in from all over the world. Clothing by Caustic Designs. Ravenglass 14,63,58 Model: Sadie Ulderport.
Caustic Designs
As one of the supremely untalented photographers in this world, it was with a great deal of excitement that I headed off to photoLIFE to have a chat to the spectacularly named Oompoppamowmow Snookums, and the beautiful and it would appear talented Saffire Jaxxon. A side effect of being one of SL's most untalented photographers is that the attempt to take pictures has been tried - and failed by your intrepid correspondent - many times, so it was the sound of (expensively) breaking equipment echoing in my ears that made me pay such close attention to Mr Snookums, or Ooms as he is affectionately known by both his friends, and those who cannot spell. Ooms was part of a group in the 90's, called Alpha World, which relied heavily on scripting. Taking this background knowledge, and observing a lack of any equipment in SL that demonstrated what Ooms believed to be the required level of sophistication and simplicity, the photoLIFE OM-10 was born. We spent a fair bit of time whilst Ooms patiently explained the finer points of photographic studios to his less than competent audience, however, it should here be noted that it all seemed extremly sensible, totally logical, apparently easy to use, and with some really excellent gizmos and gadgets to make the photographer's role considerably easier. Texture options, texture changes, poses and pose changes, all available at the click of an easy to reach button. A multitude of poses, as well as a photographer control pose-positioner - capable of rotating the model 360 degrees without unnecessary fiddling with the edit feature, capped off by a very accessible 'hide' function for the moment the shot is in the bag. Aspiring photographers and those seeking to purchase an all-in-one, do-it-yourself-without-pain studio, would do well to look no further. Despite my unfortunate penchant for destroying most interactive scripting devices in SL that I touch, the photoLIFE OM-10 seemed to be quite robust. Ooms explains that: "Its been tried and tested and is considered unbreakable by the best". This seems to qualify it for my inventory at least. The lighting systems are also easy to use and most interactive. A simple click repositions lights, and changes the colour. Ooms explains why, the choice of colours available: "The colors used in photoLIFE have been carefully selected for photography. While most studios have the commonly used pure saturated colors such as red <1.0,0.0,0.0>, we believe these pure colors can produce undesired results in photography... photoLIFE began searching for a color palette that would provide the true hues without the harshness. We found SpectraMaster colors to be excellent for photography in Second Life, then converted <255,255,255> RGB to <1.0,1.0,1.0> LSL for use in both the Ambient and the Slave light colors. So you're not seeing ... pure yellow ...or pure red......"
M0lly Dench: "but the most flattering combination thereof? " OomPoppaMowMow Snookums nods. Well, if I can understand it, anyone can. After a most exciting interlude where Ooms demonstrated the couples poses, with your slightly startled correspondent the second person in the pas de deux, Saffire Jaxxon joined us. Saffire is now the Face of photoLIFE, a model spokesperson on board with the photoLIFE team. The way in which she was recruited was somewhat unusual and an extremely clever marketing concept. Ooms, Cherie Parker, and Teena Basevi formed a focus group, and came up with the idea of holding a photographic competition. Rather than having to buy one's own equipment, or use solely the camera controls in the SL viewer, contestants were able to use the photoLIFE OM-10's set up for the purpose. I asked Saffire how she found out about it. Saffire Jaxxon: "Well... I arrived at Phat Cat's for a bit of dancing and saw the photoLIFE booth set up there - it gave all the details about entering the contest and where to go to use the OM-10 for the photo entries. Well, the truth was... I had been considering buying a photography studio... so I entered to hopefully win one." I asked Saffire if she'd spent a lot of time selecting her photo compositions, however: "Oh my.... I just went to the studio and just kind of made it up on the spot looked at the backgrounds that were available and changed into clothing to match!" It would seem the OM-10 is indeed easy to use.
The candidate entries were set up on a board - the judges (including Runway CEO Maggie Mahoney) selected their top ten. Ooms himself didn't vote, but said it became really clear who the top five were, fairly early on. "It was clear that there were 5 that all the judges selected, and thats how the top 5 were chosen. The winner was ultimately selected by public voting, at an event held at Phat Cats, and thats when Saffire won." Saffire: "Well, it was a great vote of confidence to go on to do modeling, which sounded fascinating and I was sooooo excited at the opportunity to do more of that and to work with Oom to promote the OM-10 and photoLIFE." Saffire is enrolled with the MODA Modeling course, later this month, and will continue to work for photoLIFE, on staff. Ooms himself is not slowing down. Version 2 of the OM10 is about to be released - all owners of the studio have free lifetime updates, so don't let the new release prevent you from trying out the studio whilst you're waiting. A couple of new inventions are underway, and plans to be as involved in the Fashion Industry as possible in Second Life. For Saffire, a chance encounter with a photo competition has changed her life. For Ooms, life here is full of opportunities. And for me, I may just give the unbreakable OM-10 a good going over. It's supposed to be unbreakable, and I do so love a challenge....
Designer Spotlight By M0lly Dench
Lunch, Shall We A Match Made in Heaven Sometimes you get really lucky. And sometimes you get incredibly lucky. Interviews can be quite hit and miss, from interviewees who answer 'yes' and 'no' to those who ramble on to a point where severe editing becomes a necessity. And then there are interviews that are so much fun you can't imagine why you'd ever want to do anything else, and you walk away feeling sprinkled with a little fairy dust from a star. Recently I met up with Neferia Abel, one of the Uber Designers, and Saffia Widdershins, one of SL's most glorious and exuberant personalities. The reason for the catch-up was that Ivalde, Neferia's design house, is now the exclusive 'dresser' of Saffia in her role as in her role as presenter of SLCN's Meta Makeover Show (Saffia's also the Executive Producer, as well as being the Publisher and Editor of Prim Perfect Perfect, SL's Homes and Gardens style magazine, and Publisher of the shortly-to-be-launched Primgraph, a magazine for the Victorian and steampunk folk).
The basic premise of the show is to take a structure which is operating at less than its full potential - to put it kindly and give it a makeover. The garden, the interior, the furniture, the accoutrements and the objects, will all be replaced, repositioned and re-rezzed to look utterly beautiful and intensely desirable. Saffia likes to dress the part- regarding her role as immersive in the reality of the homeowner being made over, and certainly she couldn't have chosen more wisely than to pick Ivalde as the consultant design house. Neferia has been designing in SL for around 15 months, and although a large number of naysayers were most pessimistic about the potential for Vintage Fashion, Neferia's keen business sense, taste and skill has really resonated with fashion aficionados, vintage lovers, period piece perfectionists and those with a taste for class and elegance. Neferia herself began designing at age 6, so it really is a passion and a love affair for her. She began to design the SL classic, vintage and elegant pieces for which she has become one of the grid's best-loved designers, as a result of the predominance of clothing involving not much more than three triangles and the odd spaghetti strap. "I have made dresses since I was a little girl, and never stopped. I also made paperdolls from many eras, about seven years ago, so this is always something that has been part of me. Also, a passion for fashion history. " A success fou, as they say. Saffia's choice of Ivalde was easy. "I already had several Ivalde outfits in my wardrobe - Neferia's Marilyn wiggle dress for example - one of my utter faves! But I have some that go back a year, the Kaja dresses I bought when I was doing the article on the Galaxy in May/June 2007 for example, and this I'll say - a lot of designers, their clothes have dated as technologies have improved. But Neferia's are such good quality and so well designed that they've kept their style and wearability."
Neferia considers herself a 'young designer' - having been in SL the relatively short time of 15 months. She also credits her success in a large part to the Vintage collection, despite the opinion of those that thought it wouldn't catch on. "When I started in SL, there were so many who just made mini-dresses, kind of slutty-looking, and I wanted to make something different. So I started making the old styles - elegant dresses for women. " You, dear reader, can probably be spared the next half an hour which was entirely devoted to an hedonistic clotheschanging fest which to say the least was exceptional fun. The breadth of the designs and the enthusiasm of the designer, were really only matched by the excitement of the presenter and the squealing of the interviewer. Neferia doesn't seem to put a foot wrong with her designs, coming up with idea after idea for beautiful, elegant, and in many cases timeless fashion, which can be worn everywhere from a 1970s roller-disco dance to an Edwardian tea-dance and spanning the decades in between and a few outside that. So, aligning the needs of the customer - a television presenter for a show which features and makes over an enormous variety of homes from the Victorian to ship-board with diversions around castles and garages, and a designer who has a passion for fashion history and a range of clothing which spans centuries as opposed to days and weeks, and you have, indeed, a match made in heaven. Meta Makeover, featuring the designs of Ivalde, can be seen on: SLCN every other Sunday at 12 noon. Or watch it on the web at http://slcn.tv/programs/meta-makeover, or download the podcast from I-Tunes. Ivalde can be found at: Ivalde (92, 184, 36)
The envelope please
Red Carpet Revue By M0lly Dench There's nothing like a Fashion Awards show to really lift the bar in answer to the age old question.."What Shall I Wear?" And when you consider it carefully, its a fairly pointless exercise attempting to outglam the industry's Bright New Things. After all, they are designers, and it stands to reason each and every one of them will be gorgeously attired on the night. There were some unbelievable outfits on the red carpet, the stand out numbers spotted on the way into the MFA Auditorium being Celeron Voom of Urban Trash, in a magnificent suit with feathered collar, River Kyomoon in Icing, EmmZ Tzara in Nicky Ree, Tesa Jewell in MB Designs, and Ziamela Loon in a truly spectacular outfit complete with a jeweled backpiece that was a cross between a peacock's tail and an Elizabethan ruff, in stunning black and silver. Your humble correspondent was beginning to feel quite dowdy by
comparison, when just to cap off her night - another attendee arrived in the same frock.... At least we knew we both had superb taste - Baiastice, as you do and yours truly, being a master of the quick change since the invisiskirt problem, did a fast garment swap around the corner. The show was sadly plagued by the usual technical difficulties found in SL, which itself was on the fritz at the time. Still, all credit to Duckyfresh Watanabe and Carter Giacobini, who, when even the sound failed, entertained the crowd with a variety of well honed dance moves (and a few never seen before and with luck, which will never be seen again). The attendees for the most part were polite and patient - please note I said for the most part - whilst Space Junky, Moxy Baracuda, and Rosedrop Rust soldiered bravely on, battling the SL sound demons and the occasional interjection from the less than patient and more than rude. Everyone else had a fabulous time amusing themselves and all around them, and the systems held up well enough for spirited applause of the winners. Each and every nominee deserved to win. Whilst the styles, even within categories, were in some case poles apart, the common threads that bind them all to SL were clearly evident. Love of design, love of art, love of this world. Indeed, a night to remember.
2008 Best New Fashion Label KA Designs, Kira Ahn
2008 Best Furry Fashion Label Neko Gear Darklour Watanabe
2008 Best Gothic Fashion Label Silent Sparrow Hyasynth Tiramisu
2008 Best Male Fashion Label Styles of Edo, Edo Tone
2008 Best Female Fashion Label SLAB Designs, Pompo Bombacci
THE
E D G E
Evocative Magic.......
By M0lly Dench
The Edge this month is proud to feature the work of two of the nicest designers in Second Life. Many a happy hour was whiled away chatting instead of interviewing, and yet more hours were spent pottering around the very beautiful Evocative Magick Island. In the way of many of the truly talented, there's actually no limit to the things that are to be found here. It seems that the co-owners again partners in both RL and SL, a combination which seems to drive out more and more creativity - BastChild Lotus and Paul Lapointe, have found a perfect way to outward express both their feelings for each other and their intrinsic artistic talent.
On my meanderings about the sim, everything from skins, to jewelry, shoes to wings, presented themselves to me. Whimsical, magical, darkly gothic or light-heartedly fantasy, the depth and breadth of treasure to be found kept me amused - and poor - for hours. There are five primary stores to be found on Evocative Magick. Gothic Obsession, Fantasy Armour, and Immortale Gothique Jewelry, as well as Neko Magick and Evocative Ink. Each is special, different, and has the qualities we look for in fashion on the Edge. Paul has been designing in Second Life since the autumn of 2006. Bast, since January of 2007. Paul, like many male designers, became frustrated with the choices available. An artist in many lives, Paul decided to have a try and designing, and fell in love - in more ways than one. "After that I was hooked and realized I was addicted to designing and was
spending way to much time doing it. There was only one solution , give in to the addiction and go for it!" Bast arrived at designing from a completely different angle - that of the dedicated shopper. A passion for jewelry in the styles that appealed to her meant that she was going to have to do it herself. With Paul's encouragement, she began with jewelry and purses. The lucky combination of really enjoying it, and hitting a nerve with shoppers, meant success was pretty much assured. Paul says their best moment so far, was opening their second island which is completely devoted to Neko, Gothic, and Fantasy designs. And a steep learning curve too. "Its been a delicate balance," says Paul, "of creating stores but also creating an atmosphere that makes you want to be on the island. Realizing from customer feedback that a lot of people were coming in just to enjoy the atmosphere we created not just to shop." Becoming popular led to its own set of problems, too. Paul again: "Realizing that we were a serious multi store business that required complex ongoing business strategies to keep it moving forward and growing, was a challenge. SL is so quick to let you fall behind if you don't keep up with new ideas and new technologies inworld, such as sculpties."
Bast loves to see the customers using the free spaces on the island. There is a dance area, a graveyard, and other spaces to wander and explore, and this gives both of them a great deal of pleasure. Paul recalls overhearing a conversation where two people were running past, with one telling the other: "I had to show you this its the coolest spot in SL to explore." Another aspect to this business is the customer service. Both Paul and Bast are committed to ensuring their customers are able to have their needs met. Whilst there are the occasional inconsiderate shoppers who expect them to drop everything right then and there, the majority of people appreciate the service and return time and time again.
The designs have a great deal of lushness and elegance to them. Paul especially enjoys the sexy and elegant, recognising that people feel special in a beautifully textured and shaped outfit, specifically designed to show of the masculine or feminine sides of their personality. It makes them feel romantic, he says. Bast adores classic silhouettes and lush textures, and pours a great deal of attention tod detail into the smallest of items, the jewelry. Yet each is as well crafted as the larger items. She says "You probably see more of my personal style in my new line of wedding rings.. I like my clothing and jewelry to be as realistic as SL will manage. My darker side loves edgy, dangerous gothic looks so it balances out nicely!"
move from place to place hoping the items will fit and match. Its a busy life for the pair. Yet it's an escape, a refuge, and a place to plan and dream. The islands, the designs, the whole concept speaks of a couple who are enjoying nothing more than bringing their rich fantasy world to the less talented of us. Spend some time on Evocative Magick. It has a special quality all of its own, much like the couple who created it.
And there's more to come. Both Paul and Bast are committed to expanded into more clothing and jewellery lines. They're busy looking at Gorean, at the moment, and in their spare time are planning furniture and home accessories, reasonable prims, reasonable prices but with the trademark Lapointe and Bastchild style. As well, there are plans for fantasy avatars, taking a holistic approach - skin, clothing, shape, making it possible for customers to shop for an entire look without having to
Photo Credits Photography by RUNWAY photographer Vera Canning Models EmmZ Tzara and Nicholai
Lapointe and Bastchild: New Gothic Obsession Evocative Magick (223, 78, 33)
Immortale Gothique Jewellery Evocative Magick (216, 180, 32)
Fantasy Armor Evocative Magick (149, 172,33)
Neko Magick Evocative Magick (75,156,35)
Evocative Ink Evocative Magick (43, 178,34)
URBAN By Link Schism
It is time, once again, for a few more fashion profiles. Second Life is comprised of many different genres, each with its own vibrant traits and styles. It is my charge to document as many of these fabulous fashions as I can find, from the Classics to the Fads and to the up and coming styles you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even heard of yet. For the ladies this month: Rockchick. For those of you who feel life needs a bit more sparkle: Glamour! For those of you in sub-zero weather: The Surfer! And my own brief and tentative insight into the world of Nekoâ&#x20AC;Ś Let's begin!
Link
LEGEND Rockchick: Mainly one for the ladies, Rockchick is a very popular style in Second Life. It can be seen everywhere but is rarely named as such, easily recognizable though, with its wide array of ripped jeans, midriff tops and of course, tattoos - roses, guitars and skulls seem to be a favorite. Weird and wonderful colored hair is a must for the Rockchick. While Rockdude is possible, it usually consists of leather pants and no shirt. Not without its charm, but it just doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to pack the same punch, so to speak.
Surfer: The Surfer look is one of my favorites. Many of the places you go in Second Life will be nice sunny beaches of all kinds, white sand, blue water, or just a place to pop your towel, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a whole fashion criteria to go with it. You will never be at loss to find a great pair of board shorts or a bikini in SL, but it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop there. Visible tattoos are popular, bleached blonde hair too and all the accessories you need are boogie boards, beach balls, towels, surf boards and thongs - the rubber footwear variety, not the underclothing variety because high heels on the beach are just a little too much. You can go all-out with this trend, the style can be totally customizable and now all you have to do is find the best beach in Second Life to show it off.
Glamour: Another strangely popular style among younger players is Glamour. This means avatars that go everywhere in their full ballgowns, tuxedos, ties, tiaras and exotic makeup. And I mean everywhere, home, down the shops and, of course, to the beach (read above for high heels and the beach; inadvisability of.) This is not necessarily a bad thing; avatars in formal dress can add that much needed touch of class to those dirty, horrid little alleyways where all the best shops seem to be inexplicably hidden. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no shortage of the signature up-dos and glittery frocks that are the hallmarks of this fascinating style. Though strange it may be, at least its fun!
Neko: Neko is very much the most dangerous of all styles to comment on. When people think of Neko, normally the reaction is that all that should be required is cat ears and a tail, with possibly the odd furry accoutrement. While this may have been true at some point, Neko has come a long way since and flourished into a style, a brand and a statement of its own. Second Life can boast thousands of different designs of not only ears and tails, but furnishings, tattoos, skins, hairs and more accessories than can be counted. The Neko style can be quite similar to grunge, in that most clothes are more casual and laid back, but youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll often find that the Neko fashion enthusiasts will wear whatever they please, with that indefinable something categorizing it as Neko. This writer does not feel himself confident in capturing the entire Neko style and culture in one short paragraph and would much rather an expert on the subject get in touch....
Again, these are just brief overviews of the few styles Second Life has to offer, and my suggestion is that if you want first hand knowledge then the best way is to go out and hunt it down, there are shops galore to help. Failing that - start your own style! This is your second life, after all.