richenny ryfa felicia presents
divoiam fashion & popculture
divoiam
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editor’s letter
photography sanne grasdijk
i am divo As a man, I try to provide not only for myself, but also for the ones that I love. As an individual, I try to create my own path in life. As a creator, I challenge society to define me as something bigger than just my gender, for I am more than that. We have established that I am male and have one penis and two balls – trust me, I do! Now it’s time for you to see the rest of me. I don’t have to like sports. I don’t have to not care about fashion. In fact I care a lot about fashion. It’s fun., just like life itself. Through this magazine I hope to share with you how fun and entertaining fashion actually is. Who knows, by the time you turn the last page you might even agree with me.
Love, R. 3
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a few of my favourite things 6
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them
These are THE freshest pair of shades this season. Period!
e&e shades 7
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these fashion forw
vladimir stanek - stinak
ktz
astrid andersen
Honestly, we need to get over just New York, London, Milan and Paris. There is so much more beauty and freshness being created in the world. Right now I am living for brands that are blurring the lines and giving us men something refreshing and different to put on our backs. So dope! Words can’t even describe how fresh this is.
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ward runway looks
auslander
spencer hart
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asger juel larsen
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pony x dee and ricky This right here is everything and then some! From the minute I first laid eyes on this collection @BBB, I fell in love. It was as if it was made exclusively for me. These people get it. Pony and Dee & Ricky simply get it. That’s it!
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dat
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this
hugo costa 12
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backpack
I’m usually not one to go for this very clean and minimalistic cut design in fashion, but there is something so magnificent about this backpack that it won me over. It’s just so dope.
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the 90ies
krizia robustella
era
emma mulholland
Oh man, the ‘90ies… Seriously, I am obsessed with all things from that era – as is every kid who was born in it. These fashion houses are taking me back to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Saved By the Bell and all that! If I had to wear one outfit for the rest of my life; this is it. For real. I would merge these two. Or just layer them. I don’t know how, but I’d make it work.
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this is fucking awesome! You know you love that feeling of walkin’ into the club and everybody turning they head to see who that fresh looking kid is. Uh-huh, you know exactly what I’m talking about. But that ain’t gonn’ happen if you trynna rock that H&M and Zara fast-fashion shit my brotha. No offence to those stores, I love them, but they are sooo…. available. Half the world and their grand father will have whatever you buy at fast fashion chain store brands. That is exactly the reason why you need to get off the high street to find those hidden gems, where you are going to find smaller and fresher brands to rock. That new-new.
Javastraat 8 1094 HG Amsterdam The Netherlands
DIV. [amsterdam] Right in the middle of one of the most multi-cultural streets of Amsterdam is one of the hottest stores the city has to offer. At first sight the location seems odd, however this street is being tipped as the street to watch for the future. With a number of new concept stores in the making, this store is really setting the trend in terms of catering to the international yuppies that live in this street. Look to find brands that are popular in the underground art, fashion and design scene. 16
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Oranienburger StraĂ&#x;e 4-5 10178 Berlin Germany
RESS [berlin] Shopping in this store is literally like going out to party. Great music playing, the nicest and most helpful staff ever and an awesomely diverse selection of products that range from books to clothes. Also it seems like there is always some special release event going on over there. Either that or they just like to have a DJ over to spin some record and enjoy some drinks.
Vlaamsesteenweg 118, 1000 Brussels Belgium
VOXPOP [brussels] In the heart of Brussels you will find this coolness of a store. This store is so cool, seriously, in the most relaxed, down-to-earth type of way. From the goods to the interior, it has this Scandinavian vibe that I for one think is the business right now! And the brands that they sell are true gems. From hand made pieces to small lines from young designers, everything they sell in here feels exclusive. And the fact that the owners of the store are the most welcoming people ever is like a cherry on top of the cake. 17
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This image is currently hanging in the byAMFI store in Amsterdam as a part of the Visual Culture Photo Expo. it was shot by Juliette Sijnja as a part of her Schiaparelli inspired photo series.
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ryfaism
fashion exists only through the conversations and debates it generates. without it we are all just a bunch of pretentious people that make much ado about nothing. richenny ryfa felicia
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with a child’s heart thoughts of a dutch designer by richenny ryfa felicia
I first met Antoine Peters @Amsterdam Fashion Week, where we seemed to be the only people who had ever heard of the concept of smiling. That made a total of two that understood that fashion is supposed to be fun. Right there and then I knew that I had to find out more about this Dutch designer, so I paid him a visit at his studio.
Is it right to say that your style and design aesthetic are very child-like? Well, I do always sketch ‘le petit antoine’ on my sketch books. It is my way of expressing that in my mind I am still just a boy - a little naive perhaps - who wants to have fun. That is what I want my clothes to communicate as well. It is not at all for serious people. That is not the group of people I design for. It is seriously so refreshing to hear you say that. I feel like a lot of times designers just create for the money, when in fact I feel like they should enjoy fashion and the freedom it allows you to have with yourself, the world and the people around you. What do you create fashion for? My biggest drive is the art of creating itself. I genuinely believe that everyone can be creative. Some may have more of a natural talent for it or want it more, but a lot of times creativity is just looking for things. All it takes is time and energy. I agree that a lot of people can be creative, but I also strongly believe that it is not meant for everyone. If you have trouble thinking outside of the box, than finding inspiration will definitely not come easy. Where do you find your inspiration? Everywhere, really. I have a million and one inspiration boxes that are filled with whatever. When duty calls I empty a few on the table and like Scrooge McDuck I then jump into that pile to see what speaks to me most at that time. Usually it is something pop or pop-art related. I just love colourful and graphic things, I can not help it. Things that have a no-nonsense character to them 20
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this outfit is a part of Antoine’s ss 2014 collection ‘ceci n’est pas un sweater’
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antoine peters wearing a sweater from his ss 2014 collection
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that takes away all pretentiousness. Childish things, like colouring outside of the lines. It almost seems as if you are a 21st century Peter Pan. If you could create your own little land of le Petit Antoine, what would it look like? If I were king I would forbid everyone to dress in black. Everyone should just wear colour! There is absolutely no excuse for people to dress in all black. In fact, what I would do is introduce a national holiday on which everyone HAS to wear colour. Make that international! I truely believe that everyone would be a lot more optimistic and happier and the world would be less miserable. Without a doubt that is the first and most important thing I would do. [It is as if this Peters kid is my long lost brother from another mother.] I swear, our visions are too much alike. Although in my land I would probably also have music playing in the streets all day long. How cool would it be to be able to just randomly dance in the streets without people looking at you like you are some kind of moron. What is your take on music? I actually make music as well. It is really lame, but a lot of fun. Other people play videogames and I play on my synthesizer. You could catch me on any given night making music on that thing for an hour or so. I am not classically trained, however I do have a feel for it. I sometimes meet up with one of my best friends – who also owns a synthesizer, but plays even worse than I do – and we just spend the night making music with a good bottle of vodka. The vodka is mandatory! Without it, neither one of us dares to sing. When I play it back the next morning it is absolutely horrendous, but we had fun. I would call the music I make electro/dance with a hint of melancholy. That description gives it way too much credit though. Now you got me wondering; what other non-design things do you do in your spare time? IRecently started cooking actually. It is something I picked up from watching Topchef. I saw them doing it and it looked so easy and natural that I felt like I could do it too. And I can. I do try to put my own twist to everything. If I make meatballs, for example, I add cheese to it, just for the fun of it. So, if you are only having fun the whole time, what type of parent would that make you? Oh the best part about having children in the future is finally having an excuse to buy toys! Most of the time I am just a giant kid myself, so I would just play along with my own. I WILL have to teach them at an early age that my design toys are not meant to be played with though! Between the toys for adults, simply fun recipes and child-like approach to design it is clear that this guy never grew up. And when I get older I want to not grow up too, just like le petit Antoine. - RRF
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one man show Fashion is much more than just a bunch of pretty clothes that you are expected to wear from some pretentious, slightly crazy, fashion editor, with whom you will most likely never cross paths. However, when it comes to you and your own personal style it doesn’t have to be more than that. Just have fun with it. It’s not what you wear, but how you wear it. Make sure it reflects you. And if that means a number of different styles that would almost make one wonder if you have a multiple personality disorder, than so be it. Just do it!
love, R.
photography stef lohstroh styling richenny ryfa felicia model richenny ryfa felicia 24
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cap h&m jacket individuals ring stylist’s own pants gino anthonisse watch soho
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hat h&m sunglasses model’s own tank top la bong blazer zara watch void shorts individuals sneakers reebok
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hoody la bong bracelet h&m leggings la bong swim shorts h&m socks pull&bear sneakers pony by dee&ricky
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beanie h&m sunglasses e&e necklaces h&m watch void track pants vintage adidas sneakers pony by dee&ricky
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a swatch of one of the materials Dewi used in her graduation collection.
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blurred lines The art of crafting clothes. by richenny ryfa felicia
What started over 2000 years ago as a necessary means to cover up and protect our bodies has now turned into one of the most elaborate forms of artistic expression. Within the fashion arena, craftsmanship and artistry are in a continues battle for dominance – as are we who try to make sense of it all. With her 2013 graduation collection, Dewi Bekker (23) managed to find the perfect balance between the two, proving that it doesn’t have to be one or the other. 31
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photography Imke Ligthart & Henri Verhoef model Jip Loots
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The second Dewi’s first model turned the corner at the 2013 Royal Academy of Art The Hague – the KABK – graduation show I was intrigued and fascinated. I could not believe what I was seeing; Blazers made out of thousands perler beads, pants made from coloured tape, classic items with a humorous twist; It was as if the designer captured the essence of a young man who grew up, but still wants to play and have some fun. Her use of materials was exceptional. To manipulate those unconventional materials to such an extend that they behave like fabric, requires someone with a vision and understanding of what it means to sculpt clothes. This is the person I needed to talk to in order to see where fashion stands in the battle between craft and art. At her cosy student apartment Bekker shared with me that she wanted to explore plastic, as a counterpart of fabric-like materials such as felt. “At the beginning I did a lot of material experiments, because that is how we are taught to work at the academy. In my search for different forms of plastic I somehow ended up at those beads. And last year I said that I will definitely make a coat out of perler beads someday, so I decided to just give it a try and see what happens.” She can not help but start laughing as she reenacts herself screaming the statement she made last year. Between this statement and the permanent smile on her face, I can tell that it’s her spirit that gives her clothing such a happy and positive character. There are countless steps that have to be taken between saying that you will make a garment from perler beads and actually doing it. After she explained the process to me and showed me her try-out samples, it was very clear that when it comes to fashion you really can not say that it is just craft or just art. “I wouldn’t look at them as separate fields, because they overlap very easily. A piece of art could very well be made through innovative ways of craft. And the other way around a garment or product could just as easily become a piece of art.” We can all come to agreement on what craftsmanship means, but the same can not be said about art. Historians, philosophers, artists and many more have tried to make it clear, but so far no one has been able to define it in such a way that convinced all. Perhaps the statement made by Scottish philosopher David Hume best explains the reality of things. According to Hume those with a refined ability to perceive quality in an artwork – his definition of the word ‘taste’ – were the ones who could decide wether or not something is art. Everyone who has this ‘taste’ would agree, because they look for the same aesthetics. But what happens when the taste makers fail to recognise greatness, because their imagination simply does not allow them to? What if Dewi had not been stubborn and would have followed her initial feedback to not execute her idea? “Initially the teachers told me that I wouldn’t be able to graduate with this collection, because it was going to turn into one big circus,” she told me with big laughter that had a sense of ‘I told you so’ to it. I guess they were kind of right, because it was a circus in deed, although not quite what they meant. It was a circus of applause and all eyes were on young miss Bekker. Not only did she graduate, but her collection even got her nominated for the Lichting 2013 award, where her humorous sophistication wowed the crowd. And it didn’t stop there. She even snagged herself a mention in Vogue Italia’s ‘Talents’ publication. Unfortunately Dewi’s ‘I would like to drink beer high among the Aesir’-collection did not take home the Lichting 2013 award, but that does not mean that the interest in her work came to an end. Some of her looks have been shot for an editorial in Glamcult magazine – a favourite 33
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dewi’s graduation collection in the kabk graduation exhibition.
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in the Dutch underground fashion scene –, there is a running window expo with an interior store in The Hague that changes every week according to the look that she provides them with and she also had a stint at Dutch Design Week 2013. However, the best news is actually that for the time being she can live off of the success of her graduation collection. “Luckily I have some small assignments that I’m earning money with and I also sold some pieces from the collection, so that brings in a small income as well.” From the time that I spend with her, I could really sense an appreciation for the art of crafting clothes. She told me about other designers she looks up to and their innovative techniques that she really appreciates. From well established names like Walter van Beirendonck, in his use of textiles, to her peers like Anouk van Klaveren, who “punches hair through a suit, to make it seem as if the actual hair of the man wearing the suit is growing out of his clothes. Her designs go more into the direction of art.” In terms of where all the innovative techniques will take us Dewi has a very clear opinion. “At the moment there is a lot of hype about the 3D printing technique and the coolness factor of it. I think it will be used a lot in the future, but I think that those products that are being printed should still be designed.” One of the greatest and most future orientated designers of all time, Leonardo Da Vinci, once said that “art is never done, only abandoned.” At age 23 Dewi Bekker shows no signs of abandoning her artworks any time soon. “With the outfits that I have right now I want to see if I can develop them any further. There are some elements that I feel could have been done in a different way and some of the pieces could be more wearable. After that I want to start a new project as well, but I don’t know how that will take shape yet. It could very well move into product design or something of that nature. I don’t feel restricted to fashion design, because they simply educate you in the basics of design [at the academy] and I think you can apply those to any field.” - RRF
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photography stef lohstroh styling richenny ryfa felicia & lydiene thomas models clint @fic models & pacco 36
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#THATpower ‘Nuff said!
top primark all accessories h&m
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top primark necklace topman brief david beckham for h&m shoes limited edition united nude
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tunic individuals leggings stylist’s own
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all accessories h&m shorts scapino leggings stylist’s own shoes reebok
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from l to r tank top h&m necklace primark skirt individuals coat individuals necklace dutch language originals swim brief adidas
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head piece individuals top individuals dungaree primark
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coat individuals leggings stylist’s own
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say what? Let your mind be the manifestation of fashion. And now it’s your turn. Wear something. Be someone. And proudly show it to the world. I don’t want you to love everything that I have just shared with you. I want you to have your own opinion about it. If you disagree, I hope that you will go out there and do it differently. There will always be a place for a new voice and new creations in the world. Claim your spot. In the epic words of La Bong; Overcome to become!
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ryfaism
Thank you for reading my fanzine. I hope you enjoyed it. I know, it wasn’t groundbreaking, but that was not its intent. If you read it, it’s because you follow me and like what I have to offer. It was simply supposed to entertain you for a few short but awesome moments. If you like what I do, don’t hesitate to holla @me for whatever positive reason you can think of.
Love, R. 49
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