RUNWAY SL Magazine April 2009 by RUNWAY Magazine

RUNWAY April 2009

April 2009 • Vol. 2 Issue 2 • Bryant Park 93.133.24 • www.runwaysl.com

RUNWAY Maggie Mahoney

CEO and Editor in Chief Research Editor M0lly Dench Fashion Editor Thalia Jie

Columnist

Ocean Bates

CEO and Director of Marketing Design Editor Zion Felisimo Lead Model & Stylist EmmZ Tzara Maddox Dupont Catero Revolution Alexia Speizer Grazia Horwitz Kay Fairey Persia Bravin Potnia Theas Leah McCullough

Features Photography

Vera Canning Saturnine Dryke Sharron Schuman Trinidad Anatine

Runway Photography

Tillie Ariantho Sharron Schuman

LANDING STRIP

Staff Writers

Contributing Photography Web Design

Boe Cortes Greg Paslong Leah McCullough

For advertising information, visit www.runwaysl.com or contact Ocean Bates in world or by email at ocean [at] runwaysl [dot] com.

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Second Life, SL, and InSL, are registiered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc.RUNWAY magazine is not affilated with or sponsored by Linden Research, Inc. RUNWAYMarch April 2009 RUNWAY 2009

Shall I shoot you now or laterâ&#x20AC;Ś Second Life fashion has evolved tremendously since my rez day three years ago. Yes, this writer was around pre-flexiâ&#x20AC;Ś shhhh. Having watched the birth and devlopment of some truly talented artisans in fashion, the discovery of new talent taking design and execution to new levels is exciting for me. This holds spot on for the community of new Asian designers we have compiled in the pages to follow. Let's visit the word - Asian. Are you conjuring visions of kimono and Geisha skins? Think again. A growing population of exceptionally artistic designers grows daily from a corner of the

globe and that is the reference we make here. In real life fashion, the 80s and 90s saw a surge of Asian designers going up against New York's design powerhouses. The "big three" trio of Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, and Calvin Klein, were being shown alongside Peter Som, Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons and Issey Miyake revealing a new turn in fashion dubbed 'Hiroshimachic'. Cut to 2003 when Japanese pop artist Takashi Murakami collaborated with Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton and developed a witty cartoon print on a limited edition of Vuitton classics and set

into motion a craze driving people to eBay to get their hands on the sold-out pieces! The fashion world began to scratch their heads. How had such talent gone unnoticed? The same creativeness and ingenuity has emerged in Second Life fashion and the collections are growing each day Skins, hairstyles, clothing, shoes, accessories every facet of fashion is exploding with fresh takes on design. Do yourself a favor and introduce yourself to this new breed of designers. You will not be disappointed!

Maggie

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contents

c on the cover Meet Mr. Costa Rica Sims 2009 Bjorn Delphin.

the headlines

24 92 156 138 14

Poses Top 10 Strike a Pose!

The Edge Racewear & Team Abacus

Designer Focus KWZ and Endeavor

Savile Row

Discovering Nihon

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Photograph by Trinidad Anatine

Runway exclusive

The Crown of Costa Rica RUNWAY talks exclusively with Mr. Costa Rica Sims 2009 Bjorn Delphin on taking the crown.

articles Most Wanted

Asian Designer Accessories

Model Corner

The Lag Monster

Fashion Forward

The Power of 3

Runway Fashion Revues

focus

Focus 32 214 Hair Tsukinowaguma Skin Focus 250 Hal*Hina 44 266 spotlights 318 54 Creme Shop

Creme de la Creme

features

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Bijoulicous

114 282 232 196

A Fashion Odyssey

Makeover Magic

American Cancer Society and Relay For Life

Argrace

A love of Creation

Ottico and D Glasses

Make a Spectacle of Yourself

Massimo! Urban Cool

MeteoRain

From Humble Beginnings

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Top 10 Poses

Strike a Pose Written by Alexia Speizer

To Pose or Not to Pose?

That is not the question, but where to shop for those poses - that is the question, and we have the answers for you. Whether you are looking for poses because you are a model, photographer or just someone that likes to vogue. Poses communicate 24 24

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our personality, style, sophistication, confidence, and status. In a world where the Avatar is everything, body language plays and integral role in portraying the person behind the avatar the person you want SL to see. We have a drill down of the best - but of course - have listed them in no particular favored order.

Static poses -

Must Haves for Print work and Photography

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

CNS Emotion Main Store Striking Poses LostAngel Poses Cats of a feather Masquerade poses

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Body Talk M&F poses GLANZ ExPose by Jaded Visions HICCUP Happy Dispatch

Catwalk Poses â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

Delivering style and class and innovation on the runway 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Zeb & Sly Maitreya TorridWear 5th Order Vista Animations

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Form REEL Expressions (Luth Poses) Long awkward pose - LAP SEmotion MAD Designs

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Most Wanted

Asian Designer Accessories Designer: Marea Kirax Shoppe: anuenue.+NoaR Must Have: NoaR PVC DayPack *orange - his and hers :: 150L

Designer: toraji Voom Shoppe: **DP**YUMYUM Must Have: **DP**yumyum mufďŹ&#x201A;er/Beige :: 210L **DP**belt bangle set darkbrown :: 10L **DP**yumyum Vinyl tote bag 07 :: 99L

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Designer: sato Yifu Shoppe: KUROTSUBAKI Must Have: *KUROTSUBAKI* Elegant Hat White :: 230L *KUROTSUBAKI* rabbit bangle watch :: 250L *KUROTSUBAKI* makeup belt :: 250L

Designer: seu Ahn Shoppe: SHOP SEU Must Have: *SHOP SEU* --taitsu taight YELLOW :: 50L

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Most Wanted

Asian Designer Accessories

Designer: chocolat Yifu Shoppe: UnToneQuilt Must Have: *UnToneQuilt*=patchwork bootee :: 275L *UnTone Quilt* Mokomoko Socks / Argyle White :: 110L *UnTone Quilt* true love Bracelet :: 135L

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Designer: sucreee Menges Shoppe: Je veux Must Have: ++Je veux earringTurquoise02++ :: 80L ++Je veux earring Spiral++ :: 50L ++Je veux earring crown+ring++ :: 80L

Designer: megu Vella Shoppe: MEZZO Must Have: ::MEZZO::Dots bangl*2set* :: 50L ::MEZZO::**RIBON chain belt *silver&GOLD* set :: 70L

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The Lag Monster Written by EmmZ Tzara Photos by Vera Canning

I would like to start by deﬁning what we commonly mean as Lag in SL…. Lag is the condition of delayed responses when in Second Life. While the causes of Lag may vary, some signs that you are experiencing lag could include slowed chat reaction, sluggish object or texture appearance, and temporary loss of reaction between your avatar and the world. During a show models need to change fast and walk and 44

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MODEL CORNER

LAG LAG LAG … don’t we just love it!

pose smoothly, so it is important that we reduce Lag as much as possible. As all models know, Lag at a show WILL be a nightmare! But don’t panic, there are ways of helping to reduce it. The best way to reduce lag is to upgrade your system, get a super fast computer with a kick ass graphics card and a high speed internet connection. Yes, I know that is not possible for everyone, so here are a few things you can do to reduce lag whatever system you use. • Delete any ﬁles and

programs you don’t need on your PC and remember to empty your recycling bin. • Defrag your hard disc: Open My Computer - right click on your hard disc > Properties > Tools > Defragment (This may take sometime, I would recommend doing this overnight in advance of the show) • Check you have the latest drivers for your graphics card • Turn down your Graphics options: Edit > Preferences > Graphics, and use the custom checkbox. This will give you the ability to adjust individual options. I turn down to Low, turn Max Particle count to 0 and Draw distance to 96.

Screen.’ • Clear Cache Edit > Preferences > Network > Clear cache and then restart Second Life. Do this prior to the show to allow your inventory to load. • Enable multi-threading if you have more than one CPU or more than one core. Advanced > Rendering select Run Multiple Threads. This will hand off texture decoding to another processor core. If you have followed all these steps you should ﬁnd your Lag is more bearable, sometimes even with these adjustments you might still be suffering, do not worry there is still more you can do to help.

•‘Show Names’ to Never • Select Rendering > Types > Edit > Preferences > General, and Disable the following: in the drop down menu change to never. Sky, Ground, Grass, Clouds, Bump Also check ‘Hide My Name On My RUNWAY April 2009

the whole point of going to a show is to see the models showing the designs. Turning up with a high ARC is only going to cause Lag not only for yourself but for everyone else, including the models, they will struggle walking, posing and Now you will see that Second Life changing outﬁts and you won’t see the looks pretty awful! But there is hardly designs that you came to see! any lag at all. The main thing as a model It is helpful to remove AOs. Yes, is that you can move smoothly and change fast, it really doesn’t matter how REMOVE them, don’t just turn them off, things look on your screen as everything the scripts are listening when turned off and still causing lag. There are seats will look perfect to the audience. Now I am going to get on my soap provided at most shows so you really have no need to use your AO anyway. box, lol…. Please, Please, Please if you Embrace the Lag….see you on the are going to watch a show keep your ARC (Avatar Rendering Cost) as low as runway! possible. (Advanced > Rendering > Info EmmZ Displays select Avatar Rendering Cost.) Don’t turn up wearing your 6k ARC prim skirt or your favorite new 3k ARC prim hair. Yes we all want to look our best when we are out in public and you still can even with a low ARC. Surely • Go into Client > Rendering > Features and disable the following: Dynamic Textures, Foot Shadows, Fog, Palletized Textures, Flexible Objects

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Spotlight On 54

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Creme de la Creme Sazae Yoshikawa ~ Creamshop

Written by Grazia Horwitz Photography by Sharron Schuman Styling by EmmZ Tzara Modeled by Laura18 Streeter

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Spotlight On

I think people should just wear my designs the way they want â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Sazae Yoshikawa

It must have been about two years ago, that some of the more exploring fashionistas of Second Life came back from their shopping sprees with fresh, fun, adorable and affordable things from some of the first "Japanese" sims. Sims where you would really feel like a stranger in Tokyo, since most of the signs and notecards 56

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that you'd pickup there were in Japanese and you'd have no idea whatsoever what they were saying, except for what you could see on the vendors. Sazae Yoshikawa was one of the first among the Japanese designers, in what is now one of the most creative Second Life communities, to gain a little more exposure

with her Creamshop. Remember people hording over at Koenji for the cute hair and accessories and the kawai clothes that Sazae had in her shop - and whether it is clothes, or hair, or accessories, Sazae "Loves to create things, it's like painting". Sazae does have a background in painting so making

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My creations fit in many looksâ&#x20AC;Ślaid back or elegant â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Sazae Yoshikawa

textures for her creations in Second Life comes pretty naturally and seemed the logical thing to do after she came to Second Life. The vast possibilities to create is what attracts Sazae most. She loves every part of the creative process, from the first idea, through the creation of the textures and even modeling the final product and adding the final touches to a new design. On the

other hand, having a business in Second Life also means you have to manage that business, and Sazae would prefer just creating and let the shop run itself. She loves interacting with her customers though, which is not always easy due to language barriers. Her shop, which by now is on its own themed sim Rainy Town, is in itself a display of Sazae's creativity. The barber shop, the

furniture, the little rooms that sometimes make great sets for photos it all breathes fun at creating beautiful things. The rain theme with the gloomy lighting makes the place a beloved background for many a flickrite. "Prim limits are my main frustration" says Sazae "I'm on a homestead sim, so it is hard to create all the prim things that I want." When asked about the typical Creamshop RUNWAY RUNWAY April April 2009 2009

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Spotlight On

I want to create more, still I don't have many clothes in my shop â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Sazae Yoshikawa

man or woman she smiles and says "I don't really categorise. I like a lot of styles myself, and I think my creations fit in many looks. Laid back or elegant. I think people should just wear my designs the way they want and have a little fun with them. Besides, I create for both men and women." It's one of the things that make Sazae happy in Second 64

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Life: seeing people wearing and enjoying her designs. She also likes exploring Second Life and see other people's creations as well. Tableau is among her favourite places to hang out, as is Kabuki, which she helped build. But she doesn't explore enough she says, because she's "a slow worker" and "I want to create more, still I don't have many clothes in my shop".

And that is what we can expect from Sazae and Creamshop. More quality and fun designs, whether it be clothing, hair, accessories, furniture or anything that bubbles up the mind of this talented creator. Visit Creamshop on the web at http://creamshop. blogspot.com/ or in world at Creamshop 217.152.21.

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Model Focus

Mr. Costa Rica Sims 2009:

Bjorn Delphin

The Crown of Costa Rica Written by Leah McCullough Photography by Saturnine Dryke On Location in Costa Rica

The Costa Rica Sims is one of the most beautiful places in Second Life. Residents from over 35 different countries live in harmony with nature and participate of fabulous parties and elaborated events. One of these is the Mr. Costa Rica Pageant, which was held on March 7, 2009. Eight finalists were judged upon appearance, runway skills, and personality. After an amazing event where all the candidates showed their

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Model Focus

skills and style, Bjorn Delphin was crowned Mr. Costa Rica Sims 2009 I'm sure we all want to know the secrets behind his gorgeous looks and one-of-kind style Back in 2006, Bjorn heard about SL in his local television channel. He loved the concept, which for him seemed to be a crossover off the SIMS2 computer game and the interactiveness of chat programs. He was very 76

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Costa Rica is a beautiful place with people that care for each other.

curious about everything he saw about SL, so he decided to join this wonderful community, and we are really thankful that he did! I love asking people about their first

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days as a new avatar, memories, experiences of those first weeks that help us become who we are today in the virtual world. Bjorn told me about his own: "It was very confusing at the beginning, since there were so many thing to be learned. Orientation island did help a bit, but not much. Being dropped at one of the big points without really knowing what to do was a bit annoying. But thank god for the search engine. With a few key words

and a teleport this whole Virtual world opened to me. I was also lucky to find many people willing to help newborns at that point. And Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still grateful also for the freebee warehouses that got me settled in the beginning. Afterwards I started exploring the various subcultures (Constructing, vampire rpg, gay lifestyle,â&#x20AC;Ś) that matched my interests and the experience just got better and better. Even so when I met my SL boyfriend and now

partner. Things evolved since we had also the same interests into setting up our BDSM business." He moved to the Costa Rica Sims not long ago: "I think it is a wonderful place, nicely constructed and lead by confidence inspiring people." When he heard about the pageant, it was the perfect opportunity to get to know as many people as possible. Along with exploring yet another side of SL: fashion shows, pageants, photo shoots, etc., I am sure RUNWAY April 2009

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he is enjoying that part a lot! Being part of the pageant was an overall very nice experience for Bjorn. "It let me learn a lot from people who knew what they were talking about. It took my SL experience to another milestone. But it was also a bit nerve-wrecking since it made me feel really nervous. Not wanting to screw up the experience for any of the other participants, the organizers and the audience." And it served his original purpose: he got to know many new people!

I always wonder how your life can change after winning an pageant as the Mr. Costa Rica Sims (not the Mr. part of course *smile*), so I asked Bjorn to share his experience with me: "My life has changed in the sense that it has gotten more hectic due to deadlines and appointments that can be time consuming due to Time Zone issues. But I still remain who I was before with the same goals I want out of SL." He will be part of the Mr. Virtual World pageant and he

expects to get to know wonderful people, learn new things, have fun, and make sure he makes everyone in Costa Rica proud of having chosen him as their representative for Mr. Virtual World. Giancarlo Takacs, owner and creator of the Costa Rica Sims, give me his thoughts about this new challenge than Bjorn will be facing: "As part of the Costa Rica Sims community I can say that all of us are looking forward for the chance for Mr. Costa Rica Sims to do well in the Mr. Virtual World RUNWAY April 2009

Model Focus

Pageant. Bjorn is the perfect ambassador to represent the real essence of what Costa Rica is both in RL as in SL. A beautiful place with people that care for each other. He is one of the kindest people I know in SL. By entering the Mr. Virtual World, we saw the perfect opportunity to create more awareness for what we are building here, a real virtual community that strives to learn the importance of living in harmony with nature, and each other. The future duties of 82

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Mr. Costa Rica as the first male ambassador will continue to be carrying this legacy and teaching others that is one world for all of us." But not everything is work for Bjorn. He has many RL hobbies that take part of his free time, but in SL, he enjoys the company of his SL partner Marc Montague. "Doing things together like exploring nice new sims, going sailing on our boat, taking long walks. Helping him with the business which we hope to

make prospering. And also interior decorating. Which of course obliges me to go shopping a lot ;-). As well as trying to develop my art store â&#x20AC;&#x153;Roses & Coâ&#x20AC;? even more." He has many plans for his SL life, such as breaking trough as a model or Interior designer. He would love to continue living in the Costa Rica Sims along with his partner. I am sure he'll be very successful in everything he does!

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The Edge s m l u a v o r c m a �in ep id asi u q m e o l r dsi u q m e m a o l r v m u L m u t e in e m �o l r g d E e T h g d E e y T h Racing Through Virtual Life and Leaving Tracks

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From the runway to the racetrack Written by Ocean Bates Photography by Sharron Schuman Models EmmZ Tzara and Nicholai Shepherd

Abacus Mimistrobell is infamous for his work at AMPro Rides, but has is taking the constraints This is as close of Second Life physics to real racing as and elevating racing to it gets in Second a whole new level Formula 1 racing is here Life ladies and gents and RUNWAY is right on board to help foster the developments. attempt to emulate the "I am going to McLaren team like I 94

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did last year," Abacus stated. "These cars are like no other and they really make the series everything one could dream possible." The drivers of 'Team Abacus' will be decked out in custom uniforms designed by Truth Hawks. But in all honesty, Maggie tried to get Abacus excited

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and talking about the 'fashion of it all' - *grin* - but I sat down with our favorite motorhead to talk about THE CARS! "One of the most exciting developments we have achieved for this series is damage - the cars blow up! There are integrated variable adjustments, pitting strategies for tires and fuel. If a car is hit too many times, it slows down and becomes less stable 96

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until it 'goes boom' or you pit to fix it. I am telling you," Abacus continued, "this is as close to real racing as it gets in Second Life and of course, *grin*, I have on my team the best driver." This series has all different cars for all different teams but they are all scripted the exact same way for mass and physics - very precisely. If a car does not meet the standards, it is trashed.

So, it really is the skill of the driver that makes or breaks the race 100% - and that is what makes it truly awesome! Be sure to check out the new Form1 series and RUNWAY will keep you posted on 'Team Abacus'.

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These ain't your Rockingham coveralls baby! Written by Potnia Theas Photography by Vera Canning Models EmmZ Tzara and Nicholai Shepherd

Second Life racing fans want the best and hottest virtual designs on the market. Sports and race wear is one genre of clothing where realistic textures are important. Most fans want to have the sensation that they could step out of the virtual world and onto

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the NASCAR track or participate in the AMA. The steaming adrenaline rush of risking life and limb to leave burned rubber marks on life should be wrapped up in great looking threads. If by some chance the going gets tough, go out in style. The Drawmachine is

Sports and racing wear is one genre of clothing where realistic textures are important.

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a virtual fashion store that specializes in gear that serious racers require. They have got the rough biker gloves capable of tightly gripping that steering wheel or the throttle even at the highest speeds imaginable. The men’s set “02” comes with a pair of amazing tactical cargo style pants that have an almost futuristic quality. As with the other designs under this label, the seams are perfection. Knee guards protect the wearer from those inevitable

The steaming adrenaline rush of risking life and limb to leave burned rubber marks on life should be wrapped up in great looking threads. laying down of that 1100cc hog. The side bags can be used to carry anything from

keys to that stolen merchandise the wearer is running with. Creator Armin Wiefel tells us that these tactical biker pants are likely to have a feminine version on the way and I said “hell yeah!” Armin tells us that these pants are based on a pair that he owns in real life, down to the oil stain on the side of the leg. Although the pants can be purchases separately, the set also includes the “Speed Force” jacket, t-shirt, the gloves, and a pair of biker boots. The women’s RUNWAY April 2009

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outfits are not to be outdone. The “Race Queen” set is surreal with provocative flavor. Suitable for driving divas or for dropping that flag, the brilliant, red texture on the skin tight hot-pants is tightly stitched to a checkered strip at the seam. A matching half jacket comes with this set as well as two colors of checkered thigh highs. A thong, a tube top and the fabulous, red biker boots are included as well. It is inspiring to find a male designer who has 104

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It is inspiring to find a male designer who has such an uncommon understanding of the feminine avatar, and can create such amazingly original fashions for them. such an uncommon understanding of the feminine avatar, and can

create such amazingly original fashions for them. Male designers who create clothing for women proliferate the fashion world in real life, but they are not as prevalent in SL. Armin lets us know we can look forward to some new releases in the coming weeks, so keep tabs! Other places also provide a few racing outfits. Babele Fashion has an extensive line of women’s wear. One of these items includes “Ferrari”, a searing one-piece

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swimsuit that shines like lacquer. A strip of racetrack checkering hovers above a lion crested logo with the identifying name below. As one of the fans of this outfit asserts on the Babele blog, “I love anything that says Ferrari.” Babele specializes in Italian couture and openly supports peace between nations and other positive social causes. They have a vast array of clothing available for women and men including sportswear, beach wear, skins, accessories, hair

and casual styles. They are well known for their many franchise locations. Some places to visit and show off new race fashions are Kokopelli Raceway Park for cars or Motorworld for bikers. Kokopelli sells authentic style racing vehicles. Motorworld has open roads and valleys to drive through, but careful, only bikes are allowed here. When choosing a track to race on, lag is a major consideration. Always choose a class-five island and preferably

estate. Whether one is driving or cheering, racing is a thrilling experience and hobby. So gear up, get sexy and go for a long, fast ride. The Drawmachine - SC Design 29.23.21. Babele Italian Fashion - Constantine 36.16.50 or on the web at www.babelefashion. it. Kokopelli Raceway – Kokopelli Raceway 234.21.41 Motorworld Bike Racing – Motorworld 126.188.22

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ijoulicious: A Fashion Odyssey

Written by Potnia Theas Photos by Saturnine Dryke Models Maggie Mahoney and Thalia Jie Styling by EmmZ Tzara

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c casionally a person runs into places in that stay with them like a living presence in the back of their mind. These places offer an intense visual impression and a setting not to be seen anywhere else. Bijou in Bijouaholic is a perfect example. The aptly named designer, Kotobuki Jewell, has provided a luxurious shopping 116

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experience. The sheer size of the store is thrilling and every nuance is clearly defined by the cascading spotlights. The massively beautiful structure rests serenely on nearly the entire island like a sleeping goddess. When I first saw this place, I immediately noticed the reflective floors. This style of

flooring is not seen everywhere but is becoming more popular in picturesque Sims. The reflection is achieved by vertically mirroring objects and adding a transparency to the floor texture. Inside the front entrance, there are makeup stands that display nail polish in a variety of color sets, soulful eye colors, and body oils in jars. There are even free Victorian

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style makeup stands available that have various decorative makeup jars and applicators. Skins for ladies are also located in the front portion of the store. These are beautifully shaded with highlighted faces and come in several skin tones. A gurgling river flows along the inner wall on the opposite side, connecting between the front lobby and the new release area. Parallel to this is a long corridor lighted by tiny oriental lanterns leads to a sheer red curtain. Behind the curtain are the new releases that hang on bronze coat racks. They are

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lit by hanging strings of white ball lights. The textures shine like quintessential ornaments to be worn on the backs of the most fashionable women in Second Life. Kotobuki has truly mastered the creation of realistic fabric textures. One notable ensemble in this area is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tripâ&#x20AC;?. A shiny, black pencil skirt reaches up to cover the abdomen and is coupled with a frilly-sleeved top. The skirt has a cinched seam with a large zipper that runs up the full length. The swoop-necked top has a warped checker pattern and is shown here in

The textures shine like quintessential ornaments to be worn on the backs of the most fashionable women in Second Life

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the yellow tone. The other color options are blue, pink, orange and green. “Intuition” is a sensational example of functional couture. The pants are a little longer than Capri length, wrapped in multiple loops of hanging cloth, and fastened in front with a bow. The shiny, speckled shirt sits well below the cleavage line to show the uniquely textured bikini top. Most of the clothing

has a sort of 1950s elegance, coupled with the modern audacity of female fashion. They are incredibly sexy without crossing the line into being overly suggestive. Over the immense staircase hangs a brilliant chandelier. At the bottom, I snuck a peek behind the register into the “staff only” area. This adds to the realism of the store as well as the adorable trailer dressing rooms. The RUNWAY April 2009

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downstairs is like a never-ending shopping spree with hundreds of exquisite items for every occasion. Hanging from the ceiling are posters of select apparel. The posters have lists that detail each article of clothing and the hairstyle shown. After exploring the many options in the main part of the store, the experience continues outside. Connected to the front of the building is a patio area with tea and

cakes. There are several vintage cars parked outside, including a 1958 Plymouth Hearse. All the cars are antique models and reinforce the impression of the 1950s era. Passing a brightly lit water fountain, the path leads to a stair the glides down to the sultry lingerie salon. In here can be found some of the sexiest lingerie to be seen in SL. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Metadollâ&#x20AC;? is an intense, silky design with a corset, thong, and lace bodysuit. RUNWAY April 2009

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Feature The body suit is sheer net and the floral lace covers only one leg and the torso. Once again the textures are beyond compare. At the bottom of the stair is house the adorable and efficient hair salon. The construction features true to life shampooing chairs, sinks and styling chairs. The hair here has a classic, graceful appearance. “Natalia” is a long hairstyle that has soft, lovely, hanging curls. Several of them have a 128

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Bijou is not only an excellent place to shop for inspired prêt à porter but also a wonderful setting to relax in. flip curl style that is perfect for a windblown look. The back of the hair salon connects to the downstairs area of the main store through a hallway. Bijou is not only an excellent place to shop for inspired prêt à porter but also a

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wonderful setting to relax in. There is a picnic area with a laid out food spread and several animals around including a unicorn. A quiet beach with several wide gazebos creates a wonderfully romantic setting. One of these areas has an Abiss sectional couch that guests can use while sipping hot drinks from the espresso

maker. With its overall cosmopolitanism, grace, and sensuality, Bijou could satisfy the heart of any ardent fashionista. Visit Bijou on the web at bijouaholic. blogspot.com or inworld at Bijouaholic 156.138.58.

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Savile Row: The Catero Revolution

Discov Nihon: Casual Male Fashion from Japan Written, styled, photographed, and modeled by Catero Revolution

Since pixels first spoke Japanese in Mahoroba under the influence of Chie Salome, da55r Unknown and Pique Flan, Second Lifeâ&#x201E;˘ residents have gained more and more exposure to brands 138

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offered by designers from Nihon, Land of the Rising Sun. Japanese design does have a hypnotic sense of aesthetics, doesn't it? It is seemingly the perfect point of accord between

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One of the first sims that is choc full of Japanese content that I became familiar with was Kabuki...

{Style Notes} From Previous Page: Skin: Den-Dou Hat: Caps & Hats Apollon Shirt: Warmth18 Jumpsuit: Amerie's Naughty Shoes: Akeyo Bracelet (left): Warmth18 Bracelet (right): HANAUTA Nails: Love Soul 140

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Ludwig Mies van Der Rohe's "Less is more" philosophy and that of Robert Venturi's contradictory "Less is a bore." The fine balance between the objective and subjective component of any produced good; between its function and its emotional expressiveness. One of the first sims that is choc full of Japanese content that I became familiar with was Kabuki, landscaped after a suburban shopping district. After profile peeping and

following the teleport in someone’s picks I stumbled into BP*, BettiePage Voyager’s Kabuki shop. At that time she had a humble collection of women’s casuals with a vintage flair, anime eyes, school boy/girl uniforms and a collection of L$300 skins. Venturing outside of her cubicle-sized boutique and into the street amongst a population of residents speaking in foreign characters I discovered other small stores by the designers

of creamshop (SAZAE Yoshikawa), Shop Seu (seu Ahn) and R246 (Manji Nishizaw). Many fashion blog aficionados are familiar with the Japanese brands that â&#x20AC;&#x201C; through some marketing device or another â&#x20AC;&#x201C; have connected with mainstream consumer audiences. Bare Rose (June Dion) being amongst one of the most well

known and prolific, with Akeyo (artoo Magneto), AOHARU (machang Pichot), ARAI (mappy Handrick), Argrace (AIR Winx), and Back and Forth (Donmai Frederick) also being amongst commonly recognized names. Charged with the task of presenting contemporary Japanese fashion offerings for male avatars, I found myself in need of direction, having been out-of-touch to the point that many of the first brands that exploring Kabuki RUNWAY April 2009

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New Wo Style M hopeles

{Style Notes} Skin: Den-Dou Hair: Mirai Style Jacket, Shirt, Gloves: ROAR Shoes: Massimo! Necklace: Yabusaka Watch: chronokit Bracelet (right): Sey Nails: Love Soul 142

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orld Notes blog and Managing Editor of Second Magazine happens to be an avid Asia o phile and ss Hello Kitty addict

revealed to me have since burgeoned into full-fledged sims, some of which have expanded their portfolio of products beyond just clothing. Where were the small off-thebeaten-path shops, the hidden gems known only to the most inquiring of adventurers now hiding? With only a few names remembered from long past shopping excursions to the creators pavilion and Shimokitazawa sims floating amongst the mental fog, I turned to

the One for guidance; the Master Po to my Grasshopper, the Mr. Miyagi to my Daniel LaRusso. Iris Ophelia, contributor to the widely-read New World Notes blog and Managing Editor of Second Style Magazine happens to be an avid Asia o phile and hopeless Hello Kitty addict whose zen includes drinking Ramune, scouring the grid for Asian-made content and browsing YouTube vids of lithe Korean boy band members practicing

choreography in their underwear. Who better to ask? She rattled off a list of locations and I readily took notes before embarking on a window shopping expedition with the intent of sharing my findings with those not wanting to look like a samurai warrior or an anime wet dream, for those simply looking for well-tailored clothing options. From my wanderings Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve chosen to share four brands in particular. RUNWAY April 2009

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Apollon by sango Clip A stock comprised largely of unisex headwear with appealing textures and patterns rich enough to turn the maddest of hatters into an irreversible headcase, sango Clip’s specialty shop is a hat stand for baseball caps, beanies, berets, cloches, homburgs, hunting caps, safari

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caps, top hats and more. Each purchase set contains a hat style in two or more colour or pattern variations. Clip’s creations are well articulated in their sculpted form as well as the visual feel of the fabric. Apollon hats come in a wide array of colours – some baseball cap styles in particular, being attributed with wild colour vibracy. One

can’t discount the value of a fashionable hat – an accessory that has the potential to set the wearer apart from the crowd with an air of panache and sophistication. Apollon hats are definitely a striking addition to any closet. Products can also be acquired online through XstreetSL.com. Den-Dou by denchu Dench

Where many skins created by designers within this particular cultural community have largely and understandably not explored the market of residents who prefer darker skin tones, denchu Dench contributes with the Ichiro and Jiro skin lines. The boys are available in 5 tones ranging from pale to dark tan with 5 facial hair options that can also be purchased

as separate eyeliner options. The Saburo skin, created with an increased emphasis on eye makeups, has 3 tones which remain in the lighter spectrum of skin tones. All three of these boyish faces are offset by Den-Dou’s Gentle Mild 7, a face that shows the maturity of adulthood with soft age lines around the eyes and mouth, and a brow furrowed with intense thought – a

{Style Notes} Skin: Den-Dou Hair: BP* Jacket: AOHAR

Shirt: Rooster Pants: Saya Glasses: Lucky

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manner reminiscent of the signature gaze of actor Steve McQueen. Love Soul by BlueStarRUI Villota Prim nails for male avatars. I would be remiss to exclude something for the extremely metro man, ever-conscious of manscaping. Manicures

aren’t a fresh concept for in world retailers – whether textured onto a glove layer or supplicated from prim or sculpt materials. In fact, it’s been done. The odd nail buff or dark polish isn’t alien to men’s fashion. However, Villota, proprietor of a variety of avatar fashion and home furnishing accessories,

creates a well-made Love Soul nail product for men that is deserving of mention. The modest men’s section currently has 4 nail styles (natural, black-and-white/ silver, skull-and-pin, and kanji lettering motifs) in addition to nail-friendly poses created with the needs of models and photographers in

To venture beyond this article, visit: Amerie's Naughty by Amerie Spitteler Atlus Mall by Omoikane Oldrich ARAI by mappy Handrick Back and Forth by Donmai Frederick 146

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BP* by Bettipage Voyager chronokit by kit Pizzicato Find Ash by Reopa Laval Grandma by Hanae Nishi

J's Shoes by JB Gazov HANAUTA by Towa Noel M.R.M. FACTORY by Masaru Raymaker Massimo! by Ryusuke Loon

mind. See lovesoulsl.blogspot.com.

shorts, hoodies, jeans, long-sleeve ringer tees, sports blazers and turtlenecks are Rooster amongst the portfolio by Ajika Laszlo of goods currently Nestled in the rainy found arranged on the walls. Rooster’s Trilogy “fashion alley”, reasonable prices and Laszlo’s quaint little dapper selections result flagship store has an in an equation that’s all-male collection of casuals and coordinates hard to resist. Clothing has been created with a in subdued neutrals sense of visual comfort and pastels. Cardigans, and sensibility. Based flannel shirts and

Mirai Style by Mirai Shan MUWU by Namida Akami ordinary by shin Mathilde R246 by Manji Nishizaw

ROARS by Roar Hotshot Sey by risey Arai Saya by sayaaka Boa shop"S" by Sig Oldrich

on current content audiences will look forward to the growth of this brand’s potential contribution to clothing available for male avatars. See rooster. slmame.com. Of times, simwide communities of Japanese content creator collectives are established and settled with an expanse of tiny shop stalls. Unearthing

Tekuteku Hair by momo Foulon Vooner by Vooner Voom WaRmth18 by Sugar Rives Yabusaka by Yabusaka Loon Zero Number by Mai Runo RUNWAY April 2009

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new finds is made easy in this respect. The viral nature of acquiring knowledge of yet another Japanesemade shopping venue or sale deal is a never-ending journey for residents like Beanie Canning, who chronicles her exuberance for Nihon content on her blog, Beanie Loves Japan (beaniecanning. wordpress.com), another vehicle serving as an awareness device for those whom Japanese characters don’t register.

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Where would we be without Japanese influences that are instrumental in envisioning and organizing the summer and winter sessions of the Creator’s Stamp rally, a frantically orgasmic shopping promotion that rewards participants with exclusive limited editions? Could we adequately styleand-profile without categorically precise sculpted clothing components set against the most style-rabid of urban kawaii pop

textiles? We’d be somewhere … wearing stuff … doing something, that’s for sure. But it wouldn’t be as fun. For those of use outside of the culture, not being able to decipher the language doesn’t make the visuals any less attractive. In fact, it’s that added layer of mystery that makes the products even more appealing.

We’d be somewhere … wearing stuff … doing something, that’s for sure. But it wouldn’t be as fun.

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Since some time ago, there seems to be a quiet fad over anything Japanese but we have also been

KWZ Endeavor hearing that good Japanese stores

are hard to ďŹ nd. One major reason

is of course the language issue. Most Japanese stores promote

themselves in Japanese websites

and blog sites, Japanese fashion feeds, but none of these will reach the non-Japanese residents and the designers are not capable of

promoting themselves in English. >>> Written by Kay Fairey Styling by EmmZ Tzara Photography by Boe Cortes Models Mavi Beck and MaxMillion Carling RUNWAY April 2009

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I want to create fashion that can’t be achieved in real life —Kariwanz Felisimo

The other reason is because many of these stores are quite small and scattered over many Japanese sims. This makes these stores hard to spot simply from a physical point of view. Here, RUNWAY has gone to look for some new faces in the world of SL fashion that you surely might want to keep your eye on. KWZ is a brand new store that opened very recently but awed all 158

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the visitors with a splendid array of quality outfits and Endeavor is a store that takes extra care listening to its customers and developing very unique products to satisfy their needs. Do you want to know more about them? Then you’ve come to the right place. >>>

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KWZ

KWZ a new designer label that's hot on the grid

have seen many skilled designers in Second Life who never stop amazing me with their creativity and skills not only in building but in creating textures, that are so crucial in creating great outfits. But I've never been so surprised when I visited the â&#x20AC;?KWZ Shopâ&#x20AC;? for the first time. At the time this article was written, KWZ, owned by

designer Kariwanz Felisimo, was merely a week old and yet the quality of her outfits in terms of texture and form was already outstanding. Neither did her store look like one that was just launched into the Second Life world of fashion. Kariwanz, or Kari for short, is a creative Japanese lady even in her real life. Although not a professional fashion

designer, she already had been creating many fun outfits for herself and knew how to use Photoshop and Illustrator even before she stepped into Second Life for the first time about a year ago. Kari had already ventured out in her first outfit creation when she was only one week old in Second Life because she did not have any Lindens and she could not find RUNWAY April 2009

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things she wanted to wear. She was merely having fun making random outfits and drawing tattoos all over her body, including her face. So for Kari, using graphic programs to create textures was not something new. It was only a matter of time before her graphic skills and love of fashion flourished in Second Life. She had always enjoyed looking at the seasonal collection runway outfits even if they were too expensive to buy. She admits that she is somewhat of a fashion geek, and that she even studies historical outfits when she wants to create medieval type outfits just 162

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so that she can get some basic “medieval outfit rules” right such as how high up pants can be made around the waist or the width of collars during medieval times. Amazed at her skill and the way she pays attention to details, I just had to ask this question; “were you able to create outfits that you visualized right away? Did you have ANY difficulty?” To this somewhat dumb question, she replied “I wouldn’t care this much if I was just making clothing for myself or to give away to friends, but if somebody was to buy them spending their precious lindens, I would hate to think that I had

disappointed them and left them with regret that they had bought my outfits. So I couldn’t open a store until I reached a minimum satisfaction level that I thought would allow me to ask for a payment. Of course there are still Second Life issues that I cannot overcome such as prim skirts going transparent or legs showing through skirts when avatars sit down. These are still things that bother me.” Did she have a teacher who taught her technical matters? No. She is self-taught aside from questions here and there to people she knew, but there was no teacher

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there to guide her. She is a learner through her own experience. For example, every visit she made to her favorite hair store, she ended up buying something, which made her think ... why? That was when she realized that bigger and well-made posters drew more attention and looked more attractive. She also realized that vendor layouts that made horizontal movement of cameras easier made the whole shopping experience much less frustrating. All these little theories that she came up by herself sparkle and shine in her own store making it a place that stops people and makes them want to take a closer look.

When asked if she had encountered any difficulty running a business in Second Life, she replied laughing. “Well there isn’t much I could encounter being in business for only two weeks. I can foresee myself running into trouble with English though.” Well, she now has some great supporters so I am sure she will do well. Kari hopes that sometime in the future, she will be able to handle sculpt creation so she can have a higher level of freedom but in the meantime, she thinks it will be fun if she can collaborate with accessories designers for hats, masks, shoes and jewelry to create outfits that can be made into a

whole cohesive look. She ended the interview with a big smile on her face that can only come from somebody who is totally enjoying what she is doing. “I love couture fashion. I’m still learning in many ways but what I want to create is fashion that which can’t be achieved in real life. I would be so happy if I could create outfits that made people say…. hey this is fun!” I think I just witnessed a newly born couture designer born into this virtual world. I left her wishing her the very best of luck. To visit Kari’s store, travel to Omega Point 128.128.2.

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Endeavor

A Japanese designer that defeats preconceptions

had a preconception that most clothes designers created clothes and skin creators made eyes. Endeavor is a store that proved me wrong. When you first set foot in the Endeavor store you see their current new releases: open neck shirts for men worn over white t-shirts, bomber jackets, women's

fur coats, jewelry pieces including a necklace, earrings and ring that comes in four color variations. For those who know clothes creation in Second Life you will know that an unbuttoned shirt is not that easy to create. So here you start thinking, this could be a good store. You notice that designer, Mif Yufu, has great

skills in creating texture. I have been noticing that Japanese designers in general tend to be skilled in texture creation as well as 3D creation such as sculpties and Mif is no exception. The shirts she makes come in all sorts of colors giving men a wide range to choose from such as ten colour variations for her check print RUNWAY April 2009

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shirts. The leopard coat for women and denim shorts both come in six color variations. On the second floor there are more outfits and colorful swimwear that is sexy with matching sarongs and a tempting invitation for customers to try them on. However, as you look around, you start to notice that something is different. Something is against your preconception of what a clothes store should look like. Soon you come to the realization that it is the range and number of ‘eyes’ that are sold. Big eyes for those avatars that have anime eyes 168

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I always wear my eyes tilted so I won't look scary —Mif Yufu

(and I know anime eyes are popular with Japanese girls), real looking eyes for those that want more reality, eyes with twinkles…eyes, eyes, eyes and more eyes. Then you notice that there are more ‘eye products’ that defeat your preconception not only in terms of the number of eyes you see,

but also in the variation offered. You notice that there are long eyes where the coloured area is long and not round. I’ve seen lots of unrealistic eyes in SL like red eyes and purple ones. But long eyes? Mif Yufu, in my opinion, is one of the most talented creators of eyes, specifically made to meet the needs of models in Second Life. Her store started off with eyes and later expanded to sell outfits. No skin products are sold in the store, Mif just has a reputation for having the best eyes in Japan, or maybe even in Second Life.

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Why are they so unique? Mif initially developed the anime eyes for those anime like faces with huge eyes that many Japanese avatars seem to have. Then came the realistic eyes. After that, Mif developed the long eyes to be used for still shoots. I am sure, even if you are not a model, you have had experiences where your eyes either look up or down depending on where your face is facing. By wearing “long” eyes, you can avoid this problem because even if your face is photographed from above or below, your eyes with long coloured areas will not have that scary look with lots of

white showing on either side. Soon after this eye product, Mif then developed the “Endeavor Shiny Eye Pro” that even had eyes that were tilted to both sides as well as up and down in each colour set. This way, no matter which way your face is turned, you can have eyes that look more realistic. “I always wear the ones that have eyes tilted downwards because I noticed that my AO makes me look scary with my eyes always turned up” Mif said about her eye products. Oh that is something, I have to admit, I had never thought about! Now that is what I call innovative and you

can see from Mif ’s skills in graphic work, she had been skilled in graphic software such as Photoshop before coming to Second Life. She has certainly made full use of her skills not only in creating realistic looking eyes but also in creating clothes. As Mif is still relatively new in creating items other than eyes, it’s will be interesting to see what she comes up with in the future. With her basic skills and creative ideas, I am very sure that she will be one designer/ creator to watch out for. To visit her store and try her products, go to her main store at Takaraduka 171.60.32.

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Spotlight O

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On Ottico and D Glasses

e a spectacle ourself! Written by Kay Fairey and Thalia Jie Styling by EmmZ Tzara Photography by Maggie Mahoney Model EmmZ Tzara

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Glasses!

Without doubt, glasses are the indispensable fashion accessory. They can pull an outfit together or create an interesting note or a splash of color to a look. Huge oversized sunglasses to hide behind, or tuck into a shirt pocket or even pushed to the top of the head as a hair 178

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accessory. Glasses can define your personality, horn rimmed glasses are a mark of geek culture, round granny glasses for innocence, or the stereotypical "nerd" who wears thick, blackframed glasses held together with tape. Whether its emo, punk, indie, hipster or goth there’s a defining pair of glasses for each.

Youki Rau is the creator of ‘ottico’, a store with a range of glasses for every occasion and personality. Youki’s passion for glasses translates from real life, “I have always loved collecting glasses even in real life” he explained “so I had my mind set on creating glasses from the very beginning.”

Glasses can define your

personality, horn rimmed glasses are a mark of geek

culture, round granny glasses for innocence, or the stereotypical "nerd" who wears thick, blackframed glasses held together

with tape.

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I had my mind set on creating glasses from the very beginning.” —Youki

Youki’s passion for glasses was the motivation that prompted him to learn his building and creating skills “I’m self taught in both graphics programs as well as sculpty work since I entered Second Life” he said “I’ve never thought of creating anything else but glasses”

The one thing about glasses is that a creator needs to work with seriously tiny prims. For Youki it’s a creative joy “I am sure different people have different patience levels but I like doing detailed work, even in real life” he said “so working with small and tiny prims doesn’t frustrate me at all. For

Rau

me larger objects such as building houses and stores are a lot more frustrating” he laughed. Second Life is a special place for Youki. “What I like about Second Life is the communication you can have with other residents” he said “it’s not a game; here it’s being part of the RUNWAY April 2009

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It’s not a here it’s part of t everyda other Se resident

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a game; being the ay lives of econd Life ts â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Youki Rau

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I love miniature things —MandyMandy

everyday lives of other Second Life residents.” “ottico" provides more than just a creative outlet for Youki. “What I enjoy the most about running a store,” he explained “is the communication I have with my customers. My English skills are limited but I still enjoy that I am able to have communication with people from all over 184

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the world” If you’d like to see more of this talented creator’s real life and Second Life passion for eyewear you can find ‘ottico’ at Koenji 97.136.38. "D" is the shop of MandyMandy McMillan where her eyewear creations include glasses and highly detailed monocles. There’s something

about monocles that captures the imagination and adds that unexpected surprise touch to an outfit. With Mandy’s monocles you

might find a pair of dice dangling from

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the frame or tiny prim chains. MandyMandy first learned her building skills at the “Kirin Xeno” school in Second Life “I went to 'Glasses Creation' class," she explained, “and that’s where I learned how to make things. I am completely self-taught and even 188

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In real life I collect miniature figures like Japanese anime characters or small bottles of Tabasco or even Coke. —MandyMandy

now, I read manuals to understand more and expand my skills,” she explained. MandyMandy’s shop “D” is a natural extension of her love of miniatures. “I love miniature things” she explained. “In real life I collect miniature

figures like Japanese anime characters or small bottles of Tabasco or even Coke. So I’ve never felt any frustration at working with tiny prims,” she laughed. For this talented builder of tiny prims, Second Life gives her the freedom to have fun and to create

her designs. “I like the freedom I have in Second Life to use my imagination,” she explained, "creating things is the most fun for me. I’m always delighted when people like my creations.” MandyMandy will not let language be a barrier “I do have limited English” she RUNWAY April 2009

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I like the freedom I have in Second Life to use my imagination —MandyMandy

explained “but in Second Life I am able to meet people from all over the world and somehow, we all manage to communicate” So if you would like to add that extra touch of style to your next evening gown, take the time to see MandyMandy’s eyewear and monocles at Undulosa 231.85.801. RUNWAY April 2009

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i a R eo

From humble beginningsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; t

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e M On t igh l t o Sp

a new designer's store takes shape

Written by Kay Fairey and Thalia Jie Styling by EmmZ Tzara Photography by Saturine Dryke Models: Nemi McCoy and JordanAaron Westland

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hen I first discovered MeteoRain, it was just a tiny store with very few outfits in a Japanese sim. What caught my eye was a poster, male and female models both wearing an exquisite short coat. That contrast between the size of the store and the quality I saw in the coat poster was what made me stop. In fact, it turned out to be a great timing, because I met songe Lunasea, the designer of MeteroRain. songe was in the middle of preparing to open her new main store and adding new releases. She told me how excited she was to finally have

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a store with her own landmark, so customers could now teleport directly to her store. Until then MeteoRain was only accessible by teleporting to a telehub in a maze like sim and walking, or rather losing your way, till you finally found MeteoRain, and most of the time that was by sheer luck. Songe had been one of those relatively lucky ones who had been using graphic programs in her real life work. When in her newbie days, she visited one of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;famous storesâ&#x20AC;? and found that the clothes she wanted were too expensive to buy, she thought

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she could try making her own although she admits “the first clothes I made were pretty bad when I look at them now.” But even with basic graphic design skills, songe still had to learn specific Second Life designing skills. She managed by asking questions, lots of questions after she had started creating her first Second Life outfits. 3D programs such as sculpt prim 200

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creation were totally new to her. She sighed. “I’m still struggling to create the shapes I want. It’s still a trial and error process for me.” When songe designs, she gets hints from real life designs she had seen but there are also times when she starts creating things at random and ends up making her designs without any specific blue print to start with. She laughed saying “but either

I’m still struggling to create the shapes I want. It’s still a trial and error process for me. —songe Lunasea

way, I know I need to create more items. That’s always been the biggest challenge for me.” She admits she

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does create quite a few items but most of them end up in her inventory simply because she is not satisfied that they are ‘selling quality’. When I heard this, I thought I got the answer to a lingering question I had: why such great quality yet such few items in a tiny store? Now I understood. I still had another question that I had to ask songe. MeteroRain only sells ‘male’ skins but no female skins. This was another

I mean….if I make a statement here, I can’t give up this time, can I? —songe Lunasea

mystery I just had to solve. When asked, songe replied “about a year ago, I had to make a poster using a Japanese guy but at that time there were hardly any male skins available for Japanese guys and I couldn’t find any that I liked.

So I made some myself and male skins ended up being my best seller items.” She then replied with a giggle. “I tried female skins too but I’m not satisfied with them yet. There are so many good ones in the SL market too. But I am trying to complete them again and I will launch them this time for sure…” Then she looked up with a mischievous smile. “I mean….if I make a statement here, I can’t give up this time, can I?” RUNWAY April 2009

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It’s too real to be considered just a game. I get to meet people of different ages, nationalities, I learn a lot —songe Lunasea

So the biggest challenge for songe Lunasea seems to be coming up with new designs inside the store, as she seems to have lots in her inventory. With her new store, songe has many ideas that she wants to see blossom. Her partner in Second Life, Vashcool Dagger, is also a creator making poses and animations, and they had been collaborating. “We already RUNWAY April 2009

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have plans to share spaces in the store, but I am hoping we can embark on a more visible form of creative collaboration in the future.” She smiled. “I also want to come up with more new items so that my customers can mix and match. Well….I must release them more regularly too.” When I asked her what was “Second Life” to her, she replied after a long pause. “It’s too real to be considered just 208

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a game. I get to meet people of different ages, nationalities, I learn a lot, I might suffer from human relationships…no, avatar relationships rather, and I encounter incidents that move me to tears. It’s really like a second life that I am living. Not just a game.” If you wish to visit and see songe’s selective creations, visit her new store at Stepanovych 91.126.40.

We already have plans to share spaces in the store, but I am hoping we can embark on a more visible form of creative collaboration in the future. —songe Lunasea

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Hair Focus

Waves like an ocean Dark, yet exhilarating In a steady flow -haiku, poet anon-

Tsukinow Written by Grazia Horwitz Translation by Kay Fairey Photography by Vera Canning Styling by EmmZ Tzara Models Cherie Parker and JonmiChel Heron

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Hair Focus sukinowaguma is a hair brand run by KateForster Akina and AlexWyler Yoshikawa. Their shop is a massive castle full of eclectic hair styles that are not only affordable, but also very versatile and fun. I had the chance to ask KateForster a couple of questions with the help of Kay Fairey who solved the language 216

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barrier for us. KateForster came to Second Life when she heard that a Japanese version of the client came available. She started to make hair about a week after she first rezzed, but doesn't have that very first piece any longer "I would be so embarrassed if I saw it". The first hair that she sold was her fifth

attempt to hairmaking. While camping to earn some Linden$ and to try to find places where she could set up a vendor or two for free, KateForster used to watch what other people were wearing and figured out what she would like to make. She got a kick start when she found a set of freebie hair textures and as

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Hair Focus

I love that I can concentrate without even realizing how much time I have spent because I enjoy it so much. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;KateForster Akina of that, she started to create. With ease, she says, "hairmaking has never been hard for me, it comes naturally". The difficult part in those early days was that Kate didn't have any money in world to upload textures, so she used to camp to earn another 10L$ to upload a vendor shot. In the beginning, that was the routine of the day. 220

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I asked KateForster about the Japanese subcultures and fashion styles, like Harajuku and Ganguro and whether she got influenced by either one of them, but she doesn't stick to, or care too much about, different genres of fashion. She does read a lot of magazines though, to get inspiration and to make vague ideas that

she has in her head more concrete. Creating is what keeps KateForster in Second Life. "I love that I can concentrate without even realizing how much time I have spent because I enjoy it so much. Also, I like that I get to meet various people by creating hair. That's when I think I'm glad I'm in SL." It is a reaction that I get

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Tsukinowaguma to become a place where customers will think of Tsukinowaguma as a top of mind store

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;KateForster Akina

often when I ask people about their motives, the creativity and social aspects of this platform are really what make people want to stick around. Last year has been a hair creating frenzy for KateForster, finding her style, her niche, trying out lots of things, establishing her business. But now she also would like to focus more on the presentation, on the layout of the shop. She 226

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is ambitious and wants "Tsukinowaguma to become a place where customers will think of Tsukinowaguma as a top of mind store they will think about visiting." Re-visiting Tsukinowaguma has surely been a pleasant experience for me, seeing how much the styles have evolved from my first visit months ago. The hairs are being offered in a couple of basic hair

colours, but they are all scripted for easy tinting, so you will have a fast way of easily adjusting the hair colour to a shade of your preference. I'll be sticking around to see what will follow at Tsukinowaguma. Visit Tsukinowaguma at Divine Oasis 74.73.23.

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Feature

Makeov Three cancer survivors share their experiences with cancer, second life, and hope

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American Cancer Society & Relay for Life

ver Magic Writer: Alexia Speizer Photography: ACS Makeover Magic Coordinating Photographer: Sharron Schuman

The makeover magic program is designed to help cancer survivors in Second Life look and feel better by giving them a new virtual life through complete makeovers of their avatars. In addition to raising funds

for its life-saving mission, the goal is to honor and pamper in-world cancer survivors and raise awareness for the American Cancer Society. Runway talked to the makeover recipients of last years Makeover Magic.

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Aryon Dagge Second Life resident Aryon Dagger in real life is a breast cancer survivor. Aryon I do not want is female in real life and having cancer has to be perfect ... meant that both of her that would be a breasts needed to be lie ... I want to removed. Last August, be me. after seven years, her cancer went into full —Aryon Dagger remission. “I really knew the Makeover Magic said Aryon “The would be a challenge scars, both mental since I have always and physical were wanted to present the hardest thing to myself in Second Life, get used to though, as I am in the real after about 8 to 10 world, post-surgery” 234

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surgeries.” Aryon has a boyish avatar “I do this because in the real world, due to my lack of breasts and my sexuality my preferences may seem to be male at times. However, I have never wanted to be male, I am just an "old skool tomboy”" she laughed. One of the huge surprises that makeover advisor Maddox DuPont of KMadd came up with was a custom skin made by CheerNo

er Destiny. CheerNo agreed to create special skin for Aryon that had no nipples and no body or facial hair. “In real life I do not have nipples, so they had me in tears when they gave it to me.” said Aryon. This brave woman went on to explain “I do not want to be perfect ... that would be a lie ... I want to be me. I came to Second Life to heal on a dual basis, to heal from the surgeries and the loss of my partner of RUNWAY April 2009

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26 years. I have done both. I speak out for the American Cancer Society as often as I can. In many ways, Second Life has helped Aryon in her healing journey. “I design Zen Gardens for clients and for American Cancer Society events. I have done those for 2 years now. Along with developed my building skills I am a DJ, a radio style one, for the sim I run with my partner and for private gigs and parties too” Aryon considered all that the Makeover Magic meant for her. “From the very start, I was excited and

deeply honored to have been chosen. Serenity Mercier and Maddox DuPont teamed up and it truly became "Makeover Magic". I was immensely pleased with what they came up with. The result is more me as I am in the real world" “Having an avatar that resembles who I really am now, not what I wished or used to be ... I've grown so much and I can't thank everyone enough. It is a huge confidence boost, it really is ... to know that there are creators out there that listen and give” And when it comes

to this year’s Makeover Magic recipients, Aryon’s advice is very simple: “Congratulations to all those chosen. Have fun with this, because that is what it is about ... having fun and feeling better about how you look. Talk with your mentor and advisors and listen to what they have to say, but ensure that at the end of the day, you ARE happy with how you look. If you are not, then Makeover Magic has failed you ... and THAT is the last thing we as a team want to happen.”

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Hylonome Quintessa Second Life resident Hylonome has metastatic breast cancer which has stabilized. Her oncologist says she is a miracle patient. There are no obvious sign of disease however, Hylonome has a lot of difficulty with side effects, and now has fibromyalgia to deal with as well as asthma. When asked by a friend of hers 'why I 238

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am still alive while dear ones of his did not make it,' she simply responded… “I am a fighter.” Hylonome is not only a fighter, she uses her time in Second Life as a way of finding real self again and giving expression to her skills and talents. “Second Life is a godsend. It is an outlet for my creativity, whereas other media

'why I am still alive while dear ones of his did not make it,' she simply responded… ‘I am a fighter.’ —Hylonome Quintessa

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would entail dragging out supplies and other physical motions that are hard for me now. I am out meeting people from around the world. I am even tutoring an Asian woman, and while I have helped her with her pronunciation, she has helped me with my self-esteem, in allowing me to teach again in ESL (English as Second Language) which I love, being a linguist and a writing teacher. In many ways, I can get

I am even tutoring an Asian woman, and while I have helped her with her pronunciation, she has helped me with my self-esteem... —Hylonome Quintessa

back to being myself again, when those who care for me would not understand my needs in these areas.”

Hylonome wanted to share this with the new Makeover Magic candidates “Really get the most they can out of the process. If only because so many people have done so much to give them this opportunity, stand up for what they want and the help they need in making the decisions to become the new person they want to be.”

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Evus Alter Second Life resident Evus Alter is a breast cancer survivor. She described it as rough at first but then the treatment was successful. She has been in remission for about 20 years after two reoccurrences. Evus simply stated “If you take charge and

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look after yourself, there is hope … a lot of hope. Somehow, cancer changed me, but I am enjoying life, one day at the time. The makeover in Second Life made me look at myself in real life and bring some of that fashion into my real life.”

If you take charge and look after yourself, there is hope … a lot of hope. —Evus Alter

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2009 American Cancer Society & Relay for Life - Makeover Magic How you can help Whether you are a family member, patient, friend, neighbor, partner, caregiver, or survivor you know cancer can reap havoc on a person’s mind, body, and life. There will be many events around Relay for Life including Makeover Magic. Watch out for the fashion shows, fundraisers and a Relay Giant Snail Race… yes….a Snail Race!

There will be the four Giant Snail races for Relay for Life on 18 April. 16 May. 20 June. For more information; Search > Events > category > Charity/Support Groups > RFL Giant Snail Cross Country. Model mentors and designers are still needed for the Relay for Life Makeover Magic event. If you would like to be a contributor or

mentor, please contact Italia Villota at FACES Liaison. Designers are needed that will be able to help in providing “Makeover Magic” and dedicated mentors that will take time to listen and help their makeover candidate find the best look that will make them happy. It’s all about creating magic!

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Skin Focus

Hal*Hina

Written by Kay Fairey Photography by Trinidad Anatine Models Sharron Schuman and Alf Whittaker

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lthough many of you may not have heard of Hal*Hina, you can be pretty sure that any Japanese Second Life resident apart from the odd newbie, knows the name. Hal*Hina is one of the most popular skin stores for Japanese residents. It is the joint creation of Halhi Yoshikawa and Hinano Runo, two skin creators who run the store together. The name comes from an amalgamation of their first names Hal and Hina: Hal*Hina. The popularity

Girls drag their boyfriends here to make them buy skins â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Halhi

Yoshikawa

of Hal*Hina is due to the talents of the creators, who have the skills to add depth and detailed shading and tones to their skins. Their male goth skin is listed as a top seller. As many of you may know, shading in a goth

skin is not easy due to the very pale skin colour, but the skins from Hal*Hina show the detailed contours of the muscles of the body. The reason for the popularity of the female skins is the same but in the case of women it is not muscles but cleavage. The Hal*Hina skins are known for their very deep and attractive cleavage. The facial features are ones that Japanese residents like too. Big eyes and plump lips for the ladies and a clean, cool look for RUNWAY April 2009

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guys. They remind me of the cool characters I see in Japanese anime stories. “It’s funny but Japanese girls come to our store dragging their boyfriends along to make him buy our skins” Halhi laughed. “They want their boyfriends to look good and want them to wear our skins. Maybe that’s also why our male skins sell so well.” This everfamiliar shopping scene seems to be universal. Men are dragged along to go shopping with women, be it in the West or the East. “Oh ALL good

ALL good looking male and female avatars in Japan have Hal*Hina skins! looking male and female avatars in Japan have Hal*Hina skins!” I recalled my Japanese friend telling me with excitement. Well ‘all’ might be an exaggeration, but it

does seem true that many Japanese Second Life residents like the skins here. Since last year, Hal*Hina has been expanding their product line. Where they started off with skins, now they have hair as well as a wide range of clothes for women. “Now Hinano is focusing her creation on hair and outfits whereas I am mainly creating skins” Halhi explained. “The latest skin releases are attempting to imitate popular Japanese singers. And although RUNWAY April 2009

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we don’t explicitly say who that is even in our blog, fans of that singer seem to know who it is” Halhi giggled mischievously. Hinano has not given up skin creation even if she has been slowed down with all the other items she has been creating. It is her male skins that are the most popular with male avatars and she is doing some work to launch new skins. Halhi told me with a giggle again. “I have no idea when it will be launched but at least I do know that she has been working on some skins.” “Our current best sellers are the P06 line which is my creation for female skin and the Mi01 series for men, which is Hinano’s creation” Halhi explained, then 258

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The latest skin releases are attempting to imitate popular Japanese singers. And although we don’t explicitly say who that is even in our blog, fans of that singer seem to know who it is —Halhi Yoshikawa

added with a smile. “Oh, and the elf like skin called M Gothic for men is very popular too.” While goth and elf like skins are selling well, the outfits that

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Hinano makes are softly coloured pastels, all very pretty and sweet. There are lots of pale shades of soft colours and lots of ribbons. I was surprised to find a set of stockings that had ribbons attached too. Of course, you can find hairstyles that match these looks. Any avatar that wants a sweet girly look should come to Hal*Hina and their needs will be satisfied. This gap between the sweet concept for girls and the popular sales of goth skins seemed rather interesting. It might just be the diversity of customers that Halhi and Hinano draw. Recently both creators had been busy in real life and have not been able to move

forward with their plans. “We want to move our main store to somewhere we can have more space” Halhi explained. “But we really haven’t been able to do much lately and the plan has been staggering. We do, however, have plans to join a big treasure hunt that many nonJapanese creators join too. Hinano will put out her latest hair so I hope many will join the hunt to get this.” Halhi added with a big smile. To visit Halhi and Hinano’s store and check out their cool skins and sweet outfits, visit their store at RekidStyle 106.175.35.

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Fashion Forward

The Power of Written and Modeled by Persia Bravin Photography by Saturnine Dryke On Location at Japan Tempura Island 171.237.38

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Springtime has arrived, bringing with it a new optimism, renewed energy and the perfect opportunity to update your wardrobe with some fresh new looks. In an ideal world, we would all have the time and money to splurge on an entire new spring themed wardrobe, but for most of us, buying a few key pieces is all we need to help us feel uplifted and refreshed-time for a capsule wardrobe of spring-inspired designs! Now, I am the type of girl that relishes a challenge and when I

was presented with the opportunity to source three complete outfits for the grand sum of L$1000, it seemed this assignment was made for me. Let’s face it, a thousand of your fine Linden dollars doesn’t stretch a great deal and when you need to incorporate style, up to date trends and quality into your look, then it becomes even harder. But here at RUNWAY, we positively pride ourselves on presenting you with the very best of Second Life designs, so fortified by endless cups of coffee, I set out

to find three inspiring outfits; casual, cocktail and formal, that any self respecting fashion lover would be proud to wear. Repeat this mantra … luxe for less is possible in Second Life! The Clothes The golden rule, as with any great capsule wardrobe, is to choose one great neutral color that you can build a whole range of looks from. While black never goes out of style and is traditionally regarded in fashion circles as the best choice to use, RUNWAY April 2009

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it’s hardly the most inspirational color for spring. This season, soft watercolor grey is the ideal color as it acts as the perfect backdrop for zingy, citrus infused accessories and is flattering on any skin tone. With such a limited budget, I decided to source one incredible, formal dress that could act as the base for the whole wardrobe, allowing me to mix and match pieces into both the casual and cocktail outfits. My prayers to 270

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the fashion gods were answered (burning my Manolos in a sacrificial offering paid off) when I discovered the divine ‘Silver Dream’ a sequined, gauzy, dove grey gown designed by Lilli Catteneo, an Italian designer who has only been producing clothes in Second Life for three months. Lilli is obviously a woman with incredible style in her first life, because the dress fitted like a glove, flowed beautifully and shimmered to

perfection; all the qualities needed to make you feel princess like at a formal occasion. At the bargain price of only L$300 I snapped up this dress faster than a fashion addict at sales time and headed off to *eLDee* to search for an affordable yet adorable cocktail dress. This label never fails to produce exquisite new designs and the ‘THAANA’ cocktail dress in charcoal is also bang on trend this springtime with its corset top and

tulle layered skirt. Using the shirt from ‘Silver Dream’ with the skirt and belt detail from ‘THANNA’, produced a sophisticated and elegant combination that is the perfect outfit for sipping champagne at a cocktail party and for only L$150, this is a stunning dress that will last you for many seasons to come. For my casual look I knew that it was time to hit some of the surf shops where you RUNWAY April 2009

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can find some of the best casual designs at fantastic prices. ‘Reaction Surf Wear’ is the Mecca for fashion addicted, surf lovers and I found a pair of three quarter length razie shorts in a soft grey for only L$99. The shorts compliment the ‘THAANA’ shirt and will become a steadfast spring wardrobe staple and the addition of some high heels ensured that it is still a feminine, elegant look rather than hippy surfer chick.

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The Accessories Accessories maketh the woman yet they are also so easy to get wrong. Over accessorize and you run the risk of looking like an out of season Christmas tree, so by using no more than three accessories in any one outfit you can guarantee to turn heads not stomachs. These springtime, punchy, citrus brights are the perfect choice for accessorizing and soft, orange shades help to lift the neutral grey tones of the

clothes. First stop on my accessory shopping spree was ‘Donna Flora’ where I spied the chic 1930s inspired ‘MARIZA’ necklace in coral for a mere L$100. This is a beautiful piece of classic costume jewellery that exudes elegance and fits perfectly with both the formal and cocktail outfits. Hell…I might even wear it with some faded blue jeans and bikini top when summer finally arrives. This necklace shouts ‘investment piece’ and will certainly be

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getting more than one or two outings this spring and who needs lag inducing bling when you can have costume jewellery? A quick teleport later and I arrive at one of the best places in Second Life for accessories-the outstanding ‘Mimikri’. Trying desperately not to get seduced by the new arrivals that adorn the front of this beautiful shop, I head upstairs and secure a pair of elbow length, satin evening gloves in orange for only L$80 and a fluffy, 274

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grey ‘Femme shrug’ for L$140 to add an extra touch of luxury to the formal outfit. Soft woolen armbands in bright orange from ‘Maitreya’ a ‘must have’ at L$75, add the final flourish to the casual outfit and feeling a very satisfied fashion reporter, I return home for some rest and to count the total cost of my purchases which come in under budget at L$944. Suddenly, a creeping, cold realization hits me…. I have no hair or shoes as part of this package

and that was the challenge laid down by Miss Mahoney. Persia, I tell myself, do not fail RUNWAY now! The remaining L$56 is not going to be enough……only one thing for it and that’s to brave the shops again in search of some high quality freebies to complete my wardrobe. Now, two words I never thought I would say to myself popped into my head…FREE HAIR. Not since my noob days have I had to consider free hair as an option-but needs must and I am

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determined to source some high quality locks for nada. Salvation comes at the ‘Zullay’ concession based at the awe-inspiring ‘Le Look’ fashion sim, where I find a beautiful, high ponytail with soft bangs called ‘Uptown Girl’ that will fit perfectly with all three outfits. Proof that it pays to grab all the freebies you can when shoppingyou might find some inspiring pieces this way. Shoes are my final quest and at ‘Awori Cassini’ a sumptuous shoe store, I find a range of beautifully designed, sexy, snakeskin high heels in a multitude of

colors as free gifts for customers, including silver and orange. Treating myself to a much-needed glass of red wine, I reflect on the days shopping spree and realize that if you have the time, finding exceptional quality clothes that are on trend is certainly possible in Second Life and you do not need to blow a months tier to look amazing. Until next time…. happy shopping!

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Urban Coo

Spotlight On

Spotlight On Massimo!

Written by Kay Fairey Styling by EmmZ Tzara Photography by Greg Paslong Modeled by Olyvia Zenovka and Clyde Saunders

Massimo! Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the name of urban, cool streetwear created by Ryusuke Loon. The first impression of Second Life to Ryusuke was simply a sense of surprise and amazement. In this "world" everything is made by the residents. Clothes, buildings, gestures and even skin was the result of creative talents of the residents. This was an element that no other "game" offered.

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Spotlight On He also realized that in this world, you had to have money to do anything interesting. So Ryusuke set off to find out more about how to create in Second Life, going around different places and asking other residents about things he didn't understand. He wanted to create something himself. One month later, after he finally learned the tricks to changing 284

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‘I have been rather lucky that I knew PhotoShop and Illustrator’ explained Ryusuke ‘I learned them while he I was working part time during my college days.’

middle of summer and his sweater was not very popular with his friends. Deeply discouraged, Ryusuke started to create —Ryusuke Loon random objects, such as buildings, trees, rocks and high prim furniture, and this clothes as a newbie, was also the time he also understood the basic structure of Ryusuke learned how clothes in Second Life to handle various scripts. By that time, and created his very first outfit - a sweater. the season had turned But alas, it was in the into winter. Finally he

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Spotlight On had an opportunity to wear the sweater he created months ago and this gave him a little bit of motivation to try and create more things he could wear. He made some men's kimono for the New Year. To his joy, this time his outfit creation was received with much praise. This turned out to be the encouragement 286

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Ryusuke need, and he became hooked on making outfits that he wanted others to wear or to wear himself. “I have been rather lucky that I knew PhotoShop and Illustrator” explained Ryusuke “I learned them while he I was working part time during my college days.” His casual and optimistic

personality has also helped along the way. Ryusuke admits that he had never really encountered much difficulty in creating, or if he did, it never really affected him seriously. Helped by his acquired skills and his optimistic character, Ryusuke soon opened his own store "massimo!" and started his Second Life

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Dirty sneakers or even oil stained overalls can be fashionable depending on who wears them.

business as a designer. "The only thing that was difficult was English,â&#x20AC;? said Ryusuke, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love chatting and I do wish I could communicate better so for this past year I have been trying to communicate even if my spelling and grammar might be wrong. I can understand what others are saying but it's so frustrating not being able to communicate

what I want to say. I can now understand most of the instructions or inquiries made by customers." The other thing he finds difficult is the limitation on prim counts. "But I am always finding it hard to keep within the prim limits in my store." sighed Ryusuke. Ryusuke admits to being rather "ignorant about media and trends." There was a time when he tried to take in real

world trends to design his outfits, but he never had the habit of watching television or reading fashion magazines. So from around summer last year, he started to watch what others were wearing on the streets in real life. "Dirty sneakers or even oil stained overalls can be fashionable depending on who wears them." explained Ryusuke. This direction in designing became RUNWAY April 2009

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the basis of his outfits. They are created to look worn rather than items that were unrealistically crisp and clean. He describes his creations to be like "side items, like pickles on a plate of hamburgers. If I was creating a men's suit, I prefer that it looks like something you would be wearing AFTER a party, or if I was creating a pair of jeans, I want it to look like something you might have AFTER the knee areas become worn." Ryusuke also feels that Second

Life fashion has its limitations and he believes that designers can be more free and think in terms of Second Life creation rather than being hung up on real life fashion. Ryusuke has a large following with non-Japanese customers. He says those who are regular customers are more likely to be nonJapanese and for that, he

wanted to thank his non-Japanese customers. They seem to be the ones who understand the different method of purchasing and make full use of gift cards as well as shopping on Xstreet XL. But he admits, "this is probably because they are able to

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understand English instructions." On the other hand, his Japanese customers are the ones who send him a lot of inquiries about wrong purchases or use of his products. He takes this as something he has to be patient about as he can understand that these Japanese customers are buying from him feeling comfortable that they can communicate with him in their own

Risey is another designer who can create high quality items. I guess he's more a ‘buddy’ though.

trees, waves and buildings that match those natural objects are fantastic. I see Naiman as a first class builder and designer who is first language. class in everything he When asked does.” who he likes as Generous in his Second Life designers, praise Ryusuke went Ryusuke gave three on to explain that names. Naiman of “Risey is another "naima," risei of designer who can "sey," and Maruko of create high quality "WMD" as those he items. I guess he's admires. "Naiman more a "buddy" creates awesome though. I really enjoy outfits but not only the conversation that, the beaches, RUNWAY April 2009

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I have with him and not just those about creating. And Maruko creates outfits with such realistic texture that nobody can compete. He's also a very fun person. He would suddenly call on me to come and check his "experimental

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texture creation" or would suddenly send a new pair of shoes he created. He's such a big fun to be with." Ryusuke doesn’t really have plans for the future of massimo! His activities in Second Life are all for enjoyment and he does not want to corner

himself into believing that he has to do something. "But if I have to mention something,” said Ryusuke, “I've been wanting to recreate my main store to something my customers can enjoy more … since a year ago,” he laughed. If you’d like to enjoy a little street cred' then you can find massimo! at Kourinbou 142.53.22.

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Feature

Argrace A love of creation

Written by Kay Fairey Photography by Sharron Schuman Styling by EmmZ Tzara Models Abandoon Nacht, Cody Bolero

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I am sure many Second Life residents who like fashion have heard of ARGRACE and probably just as many are committed customers. ARGRACE has become one of the major stores with a reputation for quality items in male and female fashion, hair, accessories and even furniture. The level of quality 302

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in both the merchandise and customer service is a result of a joint effort by the two owners of the store AIR Winx and rika Oyen. RUNWAY had the pleasure to talk to AIR who had just come back from a very busy real life. “I came to Second Life in January of 2007” AIR started off by explaining. It was one of his real life work

colleagues who told AIR about a virtual world where people from different parts of the world were ‘playing’ together. This intrigued AIR who decided to try it himself and set his first avatar steps into Second Life feeling a similar excitement as one he feels when going to an overseas holiday. Rika came in a little later, in June

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of the same year after learning about Second Life through mainstream media. “Rika was already making things like furniture and buildings by the time I met her here.” AIR smiled as he explained how they started to develop as a team. “I had always liked fashion in real life, so at first, I was just enjoying buying clothes.” The turning point came when AIR,

in his search for a certain fashion item, could not find what he was looking for. “Why don’t you try making it yourself?” That one word from rika changed AIR’s Second Life lifestyle. Well, both their life styles for that matter. Two months later, AIR and rika opened their very first store together: ARGRACE. The two operated this small shop together

until November 2008, when they finally opened the current ARGRACE on a sim that they bought. “It took us about three months just preparing to open the new store. And on the opening day, rika and I stood from a distance, watching all the

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‘She really loves to create. Without rika, there would be no ARGRACE’ AIR says without hesitation. people who came to visit our store.” AIR’s mind goes back to the day of the grand opening. “I remember we were both so overwhelmed watching all the visitors that we both stood there speechless.” From every sentence, I was able to sense how AIR cared for his customers and his friends who had supported him and rika along the way. In operating ARGRACE, AIR is in charge of creating men’s and female outfits as well as customer service while rika does all the rest, which means creating furniture, hair, 306

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accessory items, designing and building the store as well as the sim, website design and maintenance. “She really loves to create. Without rika, there would be no ARGRACE” AIR says without hesitation. AIR, however, is not having any idle time however. The store policy of ARGRACE is to care about their customer after their customers have made their purchase and not just before. AIR tries to respond to customer requests as much as he can. “I feel it’s almost like an encounter that a

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‘It changes as we create and this is part of the fun. We don’t even know what we will come up with.’ customer had purchased our item. So I want him or her to enjoy it as much as possible.” He goes on to explain. “So I spend as much time as I can to replace items if a customer wants a replacement to other colors and to take care of item returns, refunds, explaining how to adjust prims or simply how to use items.” It seems like nothing is taken as a hardship to this couple. However, the only thing AIR raised

as a difficulty he feels was when he had to explain to a customer who wanted custom coloured items made or personal logos added that ARGRACE does not handle personalized merchandise service as a store policy. “I feel so bad having to say no” he said with a sad face. When both AIR and rika set off to create new items, neither of them usually have any fixed idea. They usually make things that they want to wear or use

themselves or want their customers to enjoy. In most cases, however, AIR admits that they cannot predict what the end result will look like. “It changes as we create and this is part of the fun. We don’t even know what we will come up with.” The great teamwork is also at play in the process of creating. They are both perfectionists, as AIR puts it, and they both show their new creation to each other, RUNWAY April 2009

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making comments and suggestions for improvement. So for these two creators, creation usually takes a lot of time. “We both like simple designs, but it still takes a long time” AIR laughs. I must say, I enjoyed this interview as I could feel how AIR cares about his customers, his store and more so, about rika, his partner in the ARGRACE business and in Second Life. I felt like I understood the core of this fine brand.

It’s a brand that has its foundation built on such things as love, trust, care and patience. I left the interview feeling energized and refreshed as I heard AIR’s last words. “I feel we are all united under one sky when I look up the sky in real life. Likewise, we are united here in Second Life. I think that’s what so wonderful about this virtual world. We can all be together and share the same fun as well as time.”

If you wish to see the wonderful creations of AIR and rika, visit ARGRACE at shin zushi 149, 159, 25.

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