is on fleek
Septe m b er 2 0 1 5
40
6 MASTHEAD 8 CONTRIBUTORS 10 STATUS MESSAGE
53 LUCKY STREAK
STATUSPHERE
55 LUXURY CRUISE
13 THREADS 18 SETTING 19 BRICK & MORTAR 20 SCREEN 21 INK 22 BEATS
GADGETS
23 TECH PACK: LITTLE MIX
Hold me closer, tiny gadget.
BEAUTY
24 FACE PAINT: DARK SENTIMENTS
When it comes to the grunge, go bold or go home.
25 VANITIES: CITY CHARM
It’s time to put on a class act.
25 BEAUTY BITE: BROWLAB
FASHION STREET STYLE
66
26 GO SEE
VISION BOARD
28 MORNING LIGHT
Be a radiant soul and walk the dark streets in a casual attire and a laidback attitude. By Nicholas Le Forestier
34 ADRENALINE RUSH
Feel the thrill and hold on all aces with a sporty outfit that’ll put you in advantage. By Hans Eric Olson
40 GOOD TIMES
Show off your quirks and go against the grain with a funky, geek-chic ensemble. By Rxandy Capinpin
SHOPPING GUIDE
49 SWAG: PATTERN RECOGNITION Prints
50 IN FULL BLOOM Floral
51 PAINT BY NUMBERS Abstract
52 COMIC RELIEF Pop Art
Stripes
54 GRUNGE MATCH Tartan
Tropical
56 AUTUMN RISING Paisley
57 SOCIAL CONTRAST Black and White
FEATURES MUSE
58 INVADE THE RENEGADE
With her striking looks and self-served style in tow, model, skater, and former bartender Madison Paige is a force to be reckoned with as she knocks down the doors of the conventional truth. By Janroe Cabiles
MAESTRO
62 POP, ROCKS, AND STOKED
With a sophomore record on deck, LA punk quartet FIDLAR is on the roof. After bringing the noise to their city with a selftitled debut in 2013, these laid-back lads are back to run a bigger riot. By Pola Beronilla
64 ROAD BACK HOME
Shannon and the Clams is brimming with quirks from every inch. As the garage rockers promote Gone by the Dawn, Nate and Shannon talk to us about the life on tour and their latest album. By Celene Sakurako
66 FUELED BY ROMANCE
Step right up for the grand romantic: Nate Ruess. As the troubadour takes a break from all the fun, he exposes his bare art with melodramatic rhapsodies and harmonies for his solo debut. By Pola Beronilla
68 BUCKLED UP
Constantly on-the-go, Mr Little Jeans found the perfect place for her music in sunny LA. Cutting a fine figure with her debut album Pocketknife, she’s shows us that she’s ready for more.
By Pola Beronilla
MASTERMIND
70 ‘80S DREAMIN’
Yoko Honda is stuck in the ‘80s. As she talks about the origin of her obsession
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sep tem b er 2 0 1 5
86 GRAPHIC CONTENT
to the era, the Japanese illustrator makes us fall in love all over again with the decade through her art.
LA-based photographers Julia Galdo and Cody Cloud, together known as JUCO, always hit it with their best shot. Working for publications like Complex, XXL, Teen Vogue, and Nylon as well as companies such as Nike, Warner Brother Records, VH1, and Apple, the duo clearly gets the picture.
By Celene Sakurako
72 CANDID CHARISMA
Snapping a detailed landscape of sentiment and seduction, Italian photographer Paolo Testa captures portraits that draw you closer into mysterious delight and unparalleled depth.
76
By Pola Beronilla
92 STREET DISPOSITION
By Janroe Cabiles
74 POP GEAR
Rugby-player-turnedfashion-designer Daniel Patrick is bursting at the seams. With both his self-named brand and ready-to-wear brand knomadik, his beautiful palette of neutrals and unconventional yet unadulterated silhouettes exposes a thirst for good style and a fresh take on men’s fashion.
Portraying the scenestealing pop diva Tiana on the primetime hit Empire, Serayah McNeill takes the spotlight as she builds an empire of her own with her big voice and bigger hair.
By Ida Aldana
76 ART CHAMELEON
Low-key yet elegant and always in her sneakers, Emily Oberg breaks no sweat as a model, stylist, designer, DJ, editorial producer at Complex News, and founder of Sporty & Rich.
By Jill De Leon
MORE
By Janroe Cabiles
99 DIRECTORY STATUS INVADES 100 HIPPIE TRAIL
HEAVY HITTER
78 JEWEL OF THE EYE
Living in her own psychedelic world, model and owner of Trippy Swag Christiana Collings lives and breathes fashion, art, music, travel and everything in between.
When we first featured YOON in 2010 and again with her husband VERBAL in 2012, she was on the verge of rising from cult to viral. Now, the fashion girl has swiftly developed an inimitable style, a captivating killer attitude, and a successful jewelry brand, AMBUSH® Design—and she’s not afraid to flaunt it.
100
By Celene Sakurako
about the cover Shot in the streets of Tokyo by photographer Dan Bailey and styled by herself, YOON keeps her feet on the playground as she gazes a fierce look in a jet-black top and distressed denim cutoffs, polished with a touch of elegance with unprecedented accessories from her jewelry brand, AMBUSH.
statusmagonline.com
Blogsphere
the pulse of hip at your fingertips
go see
we’re all models off duty. smize!
FEATURES
there’s more to what’s in print
NightVision
who’s spotted partying where
Photo Diary confessional for lensmen
Digital Magazine DOWNLOADS STATUS in pixels, not paper
free mixtapes and wallpapers
is on fleek
September 2015 editor-in-chief
Rosario Herrera @RosarioHerrera
managing editor
Denise Mallabo @denisemallabo
art director
Nyael David @nyaels
features editor
Pola Beronilla @HiMyNameIsPola
graphic designers
Carlo Nuñez @oycaloy
Nadine Layon @nadinelayon
fashion assistant
Jill de Leon @orangetoenails
editorial assistants
Janroe Cabiles @janroetheboat
Celene Sakurako @deerwho
contributing writers
contributing artists
interns
Ida Aldana, Isabella Argosino, Pepper Bautista Miguel Alomajan, Jessah Amarante, Dan Bailey, Alice Baxley, Lindsey Byrnes, Rxandy Capinpin, Sydney Dagal, Alexandra Gavillet, Trever Hoehne, Nicholas Kramer Jackie Kim, Nadia Lee Cohen, Nicolas Le Forestier, Hans Eric Olson, Reginald Merome, Wenzdai Morgan, Sophie Ostrowska, Jacky Pante, Maya Rene, Norman Seeff Jade Gotera, Una Ilarde, Matt Panes, Carlo Saavedra, JP Talapian, Pau Tiu
What’s your STATUS? tell us. editorial editorial@statusmagonline.com advertising advertise@statusmagonline.com marketing marketing@statusmagonline.com general inquiries info@statusmagonline.com follow us facebook.com/statusmagazine twitter.com/statusmagazine instagram: statusmagazine STATUS is published by STATUS Media Group. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
c ontributors SYDNEY DAGAL Syd is the type of girl that likes to work hard and play hard. Luckily for her, being a makeup artist is half of the fun, as she’s gotten to work for New York Fashion Week, New York Weekend, and MercedesBenz Fashion Week just earlier this year. Flip to Invades (100) to see Cristiana Collings look flawless thanks to her.
DAN BAILEY
HANS ERIC OLSON
With his crisp lighting and unique stories, Hans gives us an Adrenaline Rush (34) with one of this month’s fashion editorials. Working his magic from Los Angeles to New York, the young photographer exposes his vision with every click, leaving the viewers into a frenzy of colors, shadows, and contrasts that aren’t easy to emulate.
He’s a lot more than just one of Tokyo’s hottest photographers. He’s also the co-founder of Tokyo pop culture-centric fashion blog Tokyo Dandy, as well as an adept writer. Right about the same time he photographed YOON (78)for our cover, he was named one of the “Top 500 People Influencing The Global Fashion Industry” by The Business of Fashion.
MIGS ALOMAJAN “Rest is for the weak” is definitely something that Miguel lives by. Trading his almost-life as a lawyer for his first love, photography, people are now beginning to familiarize themselves with his name. Running from one shoot to another is nothing out of the ordinary for him, as he shoots both SWAG (49) and Invades (100) for our Style Issue.
RXANDY CAPINPIN Rxandy never forgets to keep the “Good Times” (40) rolling when he’s behind the lens. Keen on fine art, kitsch and experimental photography, there isn’t a dull moment when working with him. Also an instructor at the Fashion Institute of the Philippines and Makeup Secrets School, get a sneak of his styling skills here.
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REGINALD MEROME
Reginald lives and breathes fashion, and he worked hand in hand with Hans Eric Olson to showcase his own spin on athletic-chic without even breaking a sweat. Taking inspiration from nature, classical art, music, and history, he channels his energy into his passion for philanthropy along with a mens clothing and accessories line under his handcrafted designer belt.
STATU S MESSAG E
is on fleek T
hough fashion is broadcasted on the runways of New York, London, Milan, and Paris, we all know it’s really earthed from the streets; the young rebels who grab a few garments and make it their own. Our Style Issue didn’t have to dig deep to find the fashion influencers of today, because now, they are on the forefront of fashion. The one femme fatale on top of the list of style rebels is jewelry designer and fashion influencer YOON. Releasing her first collaboration with adidas Originals for Pharrell’s Original Superstar campaign, this girl follows no rules in the fashion game. With an approach in fashion on her own terms, we’ve interviewed her twice and witnessed her career grow leaps and bounds. It’s good to know that she still continues to create with a purpose and connect the dots of her life and career. LA-based photographers Julia Galdo and Cody Cloud, together known as JUCO, are playing with our minds. Well, not really, but if you take a look at their body of work, psychedelic images would cross your eyes—but it wasn’t always like that. They share with us how they kicked off their career as a duo and what led them to this fun style of photography. Designer Daniel Patrick is one of the hottest designers making their mark in LA. It may be because his high profile clientele like Will.i.am, Usher, and Justin Bieber can’t get enough of his garments. But we think it’s because his menswear designs speak to the new generation of men who are confident with their style but want to keep it simple. In his interview, he shares with us his journey in building his brand and how he keeps inspired. In this issue, we’re putting the spotlight on the new breed of fashion creatives who have shown us that no label represents who they are; they are here to represent themselves.
Editor-in-chief
YOON (76)
FASHION
facebook.com/starstyleph
Beauty
@starstyleph
www.starstyle.ph
Celebrity
@starstyleph
THREADS / setting / BRICK AND MORTAR / BEATS / SCREEN / INK September 2015
BOY MEETS GIRL
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ashion gets with the times as the line between male and female is blurred in MAX. TAN’s Fall/Winter 2015 collection. Inspired by the sex-determining chromosome, XY features a boyfriend-style lineup along with a gender-naturalizing feel, fusing menswear with womenswear in oversized geometric draping and asymmetrical pieces that incorporate origami elements. max-tan.com
BASKET CASE
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iving shade never looked this good ‘cause SUPERMARKET’s got you covered. Referencing perfectly stacked shelves and bright packaging that convenience stores offer, the eyewear brand features glossy frames in a bright array of colors that will remind you of the sweeter things in life. Better start moving and get yourself a pair before you end up at the back of the line. thisissupermarket.com
LOST PARADISE
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pposites collide in 3.PARADIS’ latest collection, taking inspiration in the ever-changing, disposable world of technology and combined with the grand force of Mother Nature to create Post Dystopia. Redefining the original designs of parkas, bomber jackets, and button-ups with a dystopian color palette of black, army green, white, and silver. 3paradis.com
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T H R E A D S BRANDS TO KNOW
LATE EXPECTATIONS
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he grass is definitely greener with JULIAN ZIGERLI’s latest collection. There’s no need to fall into a mysterious pit to enter a whole new world with White Rabbit in your midst. Play the field in graphic buttondowns, trousers, and trench coats with combinations of quirky pastels and dark, muted colors that will turn you into the life of the tea party. julianzigerli.com
BUTTONS UP
T
urning menswear staples into a kaleidoscope of prints and textures since 1957, go through a graphic parade with KENNINGTON as their Fall 2015 collection turns shirts into a visual party of florals, abstracts, plaids, monochromes, corduroys, sceneries, and paisleys along with sweaters, turtlenecks, blazers, and relaxed chinos. kenningtonltd.com
WAVE ENCOUNTERS
B
orn from the love of yoga, surf, and wanderlust, ELECTRIC & ROSE is here to ride waves of fashion and the surfing lifestyle. Named after two of the most iconic streets in Venice beach, this California-based activewear label creates pieces of lightweight sweatshirts, muscle tees, hoodies, sport bras, and running tights with functionality and spunk. electricandrose.com
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THREADS
URBAN GLAM
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ake a breather with PERET SCHAAD’s Spring/ Summer 2016 collection as she takes you to an urban summer allure with light hues of blue, pink, green, and teal matched by offbeat palettes of navy blue, gray, and olive in a minimalist aesthetic as well as geometric color-blocking that’ll have you ready to dive in a pool of your own glamour. peretschaad.com
SPRING AWAKENING
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ut of the dark and into the light, ALEXANDRE PLOKHOV returns to New York Fashion Week with a collection that doesn’t disappoint. Inspired by oldworld-meets-tmodern and military style clothing, the set depicts classic shapes and tailored garments that shifts them from their usual black-on-black aesthetic with hues of army green, red, yellow, and white. alexandre-plokhov.com
PUMPED UP FITS
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ut together a perfect harmony with SUPPLY AND DEMAND × IBIZA ROCKS. The fashion brand’s collaboration with the music scene phenom is quite a sound you’ll never get tired of hearing as the collection gathers loud graphic trademark prints and patterns voiced out in shirts, tank tops, and shorts that’ll definitely keep you pumped up and alive. jdsports.co.uk/Ibiza-rocks
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T H R E A D S BRANDS TO KNOW
NOBLE GESTURE
S
tep up for swag and look more dapper than ever in ANTONY MORATO. Paying homage to Italy and its cultural and artistic values, their latest collection features tailored jackets and suits, trousers in denim and leather, as well as quilted and nylon sportswear to help you embody their vision of a wellrounded gentleman. morato.it
SPACE OUT
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SPEED OF WHITE
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inter is coming, so be ready and get into BELLFIELD’s latest collections. Mixing clean cuts and their contemporary Scandinavian heritage, Polar White Out features heavy arctic parkas, transitional jackets, and knit pullovers, while their recently released capsule collection Bellfied Projex showcases functional waterproof outerwear that’s ready to cover your tracks. bellfieldclothing.com
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Words by Jill de Leon, Una Ilarde, Matt Panes, and JP Talapian
et trippy in fashion utopia with ATELIER WONDER’s Replicant. Inspired by the sci-fi cult classic Blade Runner and writer Philip K. Dick, designer Paulina Wonders takes you through cyberpunk prints and embroidered graphics fused in kooky unisex silhouettes such as cropped jackets and printed mini skirts that’ll take you to a new odyssey. atelierwonder.com
THREADS
HIGHER GROUND
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ind menswear brought to the next level in NOTCH LONDON. Fitting any modern gentleman their Autumn/Winter 2015 collection features clean tailoring and crisp silhouettes that can be seen on topcoats, camo fleece jackets, wool parkas, sweaters, printed tees, collared shirts, button-downs, velvet pants, and classic chinos. notchlondon.com
IN THE FAST LANE
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et WHYRED up as this Swedish label accentuates winter staples with clean lines and a contrast between blacks, whites, and grays. Known for their trademark unconventional detailing, their Autumn/ Winter 2015 collection gives you an adrenaline high with longcoats, leather jackets, turtlenecks, dresses, blazers, hoodies, sweaters, denim jeans, and pinstripe pants. whyred.com
STRANGE YOUTH
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et a little weird with London-based brand ILLUSTRATED PEOPLE. With flames, animal prints, and trippy designs bringing a fresh twist to simple silhouettes of tops, bottoms, and body-con dresses, their latest collection keeps true to its form by playing with the unique and strange world of youth culture. illustratedpeople.com
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S E T T I N G PLACES TO GO SUITE
PRIVATO HOTEL, PASIG S
ituated along Shaw Boulevard within minutes from Capitol Commons, PRIVATO HOTEL welcomes its customers with a simple yet stylish Italianinspired exterior and interior that proudly features artworks by local artists. Displaying a design heavy on black and white fluid lines, pops of vivid orange furniture balance and warm up the place. Catering to the modernday traveler, the hotel offers three function rooms including the Milano Ballroom, the Firenze Ballroom, and the Roma function rooms. The venue also features three dining outlets, namely the breakfast dining Piazza Privato, desert cafe The Cookie Bar, and international cuisine restaurant and bar Verona Rooftop Lounge, as well as a swimming pool and a wellequipped gym.
706 Shaw Blvd., Pasig City privatohotel.com
grub
LOCAVORE KITCHEN × DRINKS, PASIG F
ilipino restaurant LOCAVORE KITCHEN × DRINKS stands on Brixton Street, serving locally grown, produced, and made Filipino food with a modern twist. Apart from serving creative dishes such as five kinds of Kinilaw and Liempo buns, their drink menu also boasts locally brewed beers such as San Miguel, Joe’s Brew, and Privo Praha, as well as signature cocktails that infuse native fruits like calamansi, labuyo, and Batangas dalandan. Their bahaykubo-like bamboo-covered exterior is matched with a contemporary interior that has an open kitchen and bar, wooden dining tables, silver chairs, black walls, and black pendant lights.
PLATE
KEEPING IT LOCAL Taste the rich flavors of the Philippines at LOCAVORE KITCHEN × DRINKS.
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BACON NI JOJIE Chow down a bag of thickly sliced Pinoy bacon with cane vinegar on the side
MInatamis na tahong Green mussels with cherry tomatoes and cubed turnips sweetened with homemade caramel sauce
KIMCHINIGANG 3hr braised pork belly infused with kimchi and tamarind broth with silken tofu, taro, sigarilyas, and cherry tomato
TURON A puff pastry filled with a succulent fusion of banana, candied langka, salted egg, rhum, and dulce de gatas
Words by Celene Sakurako, Locavore photos by Carlo Saavedra
10 Brixton St., Kapitolyo, Pasig City locavore.ph
B R I C K A N D M O R T A R STORES TO SHOP
LN-CC, LONDON 18 Shacklewell Lane, Dalston, London ln-cc.com Dime to drop: P2,898–P316,842 ($64-$6,995) Don’t leave the store without: a jacket from the Archive or a pair of sneakers from Eytys
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ondon’s calling and it’s telling you to head on over to the newly revamped concept store that is LN-CC, also known as Late Night Chameleon Café, in East London. The showroomstyle establishment converts their signature wooden tunnel with a fresh coat of paint and bright LED lights. The appointment-only store has individual rooms with its own unique layout, interior, and theme simultaneously blending together, with the belief that shopping for high-end goods should be a visually-pleasing and exciting experience for their consumers. They may not be an actual café, but they carry some of the raddest brands in the business like Acne Studio, J.W.Anderson, Saint Laurent, Yohji Yamamoto, and Valentino, to name a few. The concept store also carries a library with a variety of out-of-the-ordinary books and music to choose from.
SSENSE S
Words by Una Ilarde
tyle is a sixth sense to some and online retail store SSENSE knows all about it. Exercise your fashion senses from printed sweaters and oversized hoodies to bomber jackets and textured pullovers. The online store carries over 150 brands, some of which are fashion world heavyweights like Alexander McQueen, 3.1 Philip Lim, Kenzo, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander Wang among others.
ssense.com
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S C R E E N SCENES TO SEE RE M OTE CONTROL TICKET
HEROES REBORN Picking up from the time they saved the cheerleader, saved the world, NBC creates a follow-up to the sci-fi drama Heroes, finding an emerging group of humans with supernatural abilities. Paired with this is the developed technology by the government to find and hunt them, which leads to the old heroes crossing paths to save the world.
SCREAM QUEENS With a star-studded cast including Emma Roberts, Jamie Lee Curtis, Lea Michele, Diego Boneta, Nick Jonas, Ariana Grande, and Tavi Gevinson, creators of Glee and American Horror Story Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk come out with a horror-comedy surrounding an onslaught of murders on campus mysteriously connected to a murder at a sorority house two decades before.
JEREMY SCOTT: THE PEOPLE’S DESIGNER Director Vlad Yudin teams up with Valentino: The Last Emperor producer Matt Kapp to bring to life Jeremy Scott’s rise in the fashion industry, with celebrities Jared Leto, Miley Cyrus, and Rihanna to attest to his story.
LIFE Set in 1955, this drama depicts the friendship between photojournalist Dennis Stock (Robert Pattinson) and actor James Dean (Dane DeHaan) as they deal with the confines of Hollywood during the rebel’s rise to fame.
THE GREEN INFERNO After directing cult slasher classics Hostel, Eli Roth comes out with another, following a group of activists (Lorenza Izzo, Sky Ferreira) to the Amazon to save a native tribe, only to be tortured by the same natives.
GOODNIGHT MOMMY This German psychological horror centers on twin brothers Elias and Lukas as they await their mother’s return from her reconstructive surgery, but then find something eerily different about her.
99 HOMES After being evicted from his home by real estate broker Mr. Carver (Michael Shannon), single father Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield) starts working for the corrupted Carver in order to get his house back by evicting even more families.
ASHBY Reuniting Nat Wolff and Emma Roberts again after Palo Alto, the former portrays a smart, shy transfer student in high school who forms an unlikely friendship with his neighbor Ashby Holt, a CIA assassin with only a few months left to live.
SPIRITED AWAY (2001) All of Hayao Miyazaki’s films, actually. The work of Miyazaki is so rich you need a lifetime to appreciate it.
STAR WARS (1977) Specifically the ones from the ‘70s and ‘80s. Needless to say, it leaves a strong impression on an eight-year old boy.
GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (2014) There is no way anybody can see that in my work, but I often think of Wes Anderson’s movies for some reasons. They stay with you.
MOMMY (2014) A brilliant 25-year old filmmaker from Quebec recently made it and it’s powerful; simple and focused on emotional development.
JODEB (Filmmaker) jodeb.ca
GLADIATOR (2000) It’s still the most epic character development I’ve ever seen in a movie so far. Cheesy pick, but I don’t care.
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Words by Janroe Cabiles, Jodeb photo by Nicholas Kramer
P LA Y BACK
i n k BOOKS TO READ BOOK M ARK
HOT OFF THE P RESS OSCAR DE LA RENTA: HIS LEGENDARY WORLD OF STYLE By André Leon Talley From first ladies to pop stars and Hollywood celebrities, Oscar de la Renta’s creations have been iconic time and time again for half a century, and this compilation of his dresses for private clients and the tales behind the threads put together by his personal friend who is a longtime editor, shows just that.
OUT OF THE BOX: THE RISE OF SNEAKER CULTURE By Elizabeth Semmelhack Telling the story of the sole, this book showcases the history behind the cultural phenomenon of lining walls with checked orange boxes and threestriped cartons, among others. From using marketing and fashion trends to make their way to our wardrobe, we get to see how we ended up captioning our photos with #WOMFT.
Words by Ida Aldana
BARBARIAN DAYS: A SURFING LIFE By William Finnegan Bringing us along to his wanderlust adventures, from the busy coasts of New York and San Francisco to the waves of Maui, quiet villages of Polynesia, and all the way around to a secret island in Fiji, the world traveler and acclaimed writer gives us a small glimpse of the oceans he’s crossed and lands he’s walked.
CHAMPAGNE SUPERNOVAS: KATE MOSS, MARC JACOBS, ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, AND THE ‘90S RENEGADES WHO REMADE FASHION By Maureen Callahan
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ighting up skies of the ‘90s, three stars were about to start a revolution. Journalist Maureen Callahan takes us out of the fashion world we know and offers a closer look at the streaks left behind by those who changed it all: the plain-faced Kate Moss, the ambitious Alexander McQueen, and the self-conscious Marc Jacobs. “Every long-held notion of beauty and fashion– and the way these things were created and consumed–has begun to change, forever, in 1992.” “Like every other girl her age, [Kate Moss] compared herself to the supermodels of the day– Cindy, Christy, Linda, Naomi–and found herself lacking. Still, Kate wanted to try.” “With this work, which would come to be known as ‘the grunge collection,’ he’d cracked it. But Marc [Jacobs] was also self-conscious.” “She suggested his middle name, Alexander: It was majestic, had some weight and dignity to it. He agreed. It wasn’t hard for him to make that change: McQueen would do whatever it took.”
FOOTNOTES Before it was made into a book, Oscar de la Renta: His Legendary World of Style was originally the first posthumous Oscar de la Renta exhibit, which André Leon Talley also curated.
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B E A T S MUSIC TO HEAR P LA Y LIST
GABRIEL GARZÓNMONTANO
gabrielgarzonmontano.com
SHANNON AND THE CLAMS Nate Mahan (Drums, Keyboards)
“Lord Help Me” Donny Hathaway I always come back to this song. It has the harmonic intrigue and soul that I look for in the music I make.
“Crystalline” Björk When the bass doubles the lower line and the drums come in after the first hook, I melt. So heavy.
“Them Changes” Thundercat I’m late to everything, and my friend recently texted me to listen to this funky, clean pop song.
“Gotta Go” D.R.A.M. The vocals as keyboards are so soulful and eerie. I haven’t heard a song put together like this before.
“Runaway” Del Shannon It’s even included in Rolling Stone‘ts list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
“My Johnny Doesn’t Come Around Anymore” Flip and the Dateliners The innocence of the songs during this era is so simple yet magical.
“It’s Over” Roy Orbison His performance recorded in A Black and White Night is as emotional as it gets.
“Please Stay” The Drifters It’s an absolute classic by The Drifters. Such a sensation.
“(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!)” Beastie Boys I love the Beastie Boys because they do whatever the fuck they want, and it’s awesome. “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” Green Day It’s just so sad! I love that!
“Undone (The Sweater Song)” Weezer I will back Weezer in anything that they do.
Releases
You no longer need to wonder about what became of the likely lads ‘cause THE LIBERTINES are back after a decade-long absence to bring Anthems for Doomed Youth. With four bonus tracks included in the deluxe version of the album, you’ll certainly feel the “Lust Of The Libertines.”
shannonandtheclams.com
fidlarmusic.com
M USIC NE W S
Together with their special guests, Dirty Loops, prepare yourselves for another rush as the Grammy-winning pop rock band Maroon 5 returns to Manila to give us some sugar on September 17 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
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Headlined by Skrillex along with A-Trak, Fedde le Grand, Mija, Vicetone, W&W, and Zeds Dead, head on to Mall of Asia Concert Grounds on September 26 and catch one epic night of Ultra Music Festival: Road to Ultra Philippines.
Get ready for a oneof-a-kind experience as two passions collide at the Fashion Meets Music Festival. Dress up and party hard with your favorite designers and music acts on September 5 and 6 at the Arena District in Colombus, Ohio.
Previously releasing a pair of EPs in 2012 and 2013, it won’t be long before Vampire Weekend’s BAIO finds himself at the top of all The Names. Containing “Bowie and Ferry-influenced pop songs and dumbsmart arena techno,” his dance music debut will definitely “Brainwash yyrr Face.”
Words by Pepper Bautista, Zac Carper photo by Alice Baxley
FIDLAR Zac Carper (Vocals, Guitars)
“The Real Slim Shady” Eminem The music video is like a quick movie. I live White Trash culture.
Two years after collecting the bones of what they believed in, synthpop trio CHVRCHES expose their sophomore record to Every Open Eye. Self-produced and recorded at Alucard Studios, worship the ground that they walk on as they “Leave a Trace” towards their path to “Make Them Gold.”
TECH PACK
LITTLE MIX
D O W NLOA D S
It’s a small world after all.
CANON ME20F-SH CAMERA • Has the ability to shoot at an ISO the equivalent of 4,000,000, which promises ultra light-sensitivity • Offers a 35mm full frame CMOS sensor to capture crisp, clean, high definition fullcolor video • Built with a versatile, rugged, and modular design SRP: PHP 1,388,085
SNEAKERGRAM By NuVex LLC Never miss out and join the sneakerhead community to share your shoe collection, ask questions, view new releases and more.
UO SMART BEAM LASER PROJECTOR • World’s smallest LCOS-based laser HD pico projector at only 2.2 inches • Equipped with an advanced laser driven LCOS technology with 720p HD resolution for sheer clarity • Comes with a built-in rechargeable 4200 mAh Li-Po battery rated for 2 hours SRP: PHP 19,443.90
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MIKME WIRELESS RECORDING MICROPHONE
Pacemaker By Pacemaker Music AB Discover stories worldwide and write your own while interacting with myriad writers, from world-renowned to first-time writers.
• Features 24-bit audio resolution with a sampling frequency of up to 96 kHz to ensure the highest possible digital audio quality • Works seamlessly with a Mikme App to record, mix, edit, and share files within seconds • Captures up to 180 hours in studio-grade quality in its internal 8 GB memory SRP: PHP 13,834.58
ZUTA POCKET PRINTER • First mini robotic printer equipped with a battery that provides a full hour of printing • Made conveniently portable at 10.2 cm in diameter and 7.5 cm in height, weighing only 350g • Prints directly on any size piece of paper from smartphones, tablets, laptops, and PCs via WiFi connectivity
don’t s starve By Klei Entertainment The first ever mobile video shopping network, watch 30-second ads on the latest gadgets, clothes, accessories, home goods, and more.
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FAC E PA IN T Lancôme LA Base ProHydra Glow Illuminating Makeup Primer P1,968
Burberry Complete Eye Palette in Smoke Grey P2,952
Laura Geller Beauty Baked Color Intense Shadow Duo in Marble/Midnight P1,230
Dark Sentiments
Dive into ‘90s grunge nostalgia with matte skin, smokey eyes, and bold lips.
MAC Wash & Dry: The Brow P811.86
smashbox Bronze Lights Bronzer in Deep Matte P1,673
Trish Mcevoy Flawless Lip Primer P1,378
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Compact P3,050.64
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Obsessive Compulsive cosmetics Color Pencil in Black Dahlia P787.26
Tom ford Illuminating Powder P3,788
Esteé Lauder Pure Color Envy Matte Sculpting Lipstick in Extrovert P1,476
Runway photo from Marc Jacobs Fall/Winter 2015
urban decay Matte Revolution Lipstick in Blackmail P1,082.50
VANI T IES color correctors
city charm Leave safe and predictable behind and go back to the glamorous classics with GIVENCHY VINYL COLLECTION. Exude radiance and style fit for the red carpet with their metallic shadows, luscious shades of scarlet in lipstick and gloss, and intense black liners and mascara. Go bold or go home.
You no longer have to compromise your looks for those long nights with NARS CONCEALER IN PEAR. The subtle yellow undertone corrects both redness and dark circles, giving you a fresh, wellrested look.
Expert Advice Invest on good makeup brushes for an easier and more precise application for eyes, lips, and face.
Learn the secrets of the pros with MAKE UP FOR EVER 5 CAMOUFLAGE CREAM PALETTE’s shades that cover dark spots, undereye circles, and blemishes with a natural finish.
Finish off your flawless skin with the STILA SET & CORRECT BAKED POWDER TRIO’s sheer buildable powder that corrects the skin and sets your foundation with a smooth satin finish.
BEAUTY BITE
Browlab
Words by Jill de Leon Beauty Bite Photos by JP Talapian
D
ecorate the windows to your soul at BROWLAB. Feel their first class treatment upon stepping in their chic rooms with an elegant motif of black and white furniture and checkerboard vinyl tiles accentuated with gold drapes and indigo walls with pink moldings. Mastering the ropes of eyebrow waxing and tinting as well as eyelash extensions, they can change your look however you please. Whether you want to go bold and strong or sweet and subtle, they can definitely make your wishes come true. 5/F Market Market, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig facebook.com/browlabmanila
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GO S E E
Immerse yourself in neutral territory with the perfect mix of black, white, and gray. Photos courtesy of lookbook.nu
@alaaai
@chi3mi13
@ahandfulofstories
@sonjaganzprivat
@filippofiora
Blogger Nicholas tedman dresses down his structured ensemble with white ripped jeans. @nicholastedman @jacobzzzzz
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@brooketestoni
@dopensteez
This t-shirt and cutoffs combo doesn’t fall short thanks to Haylee Truong’s gray cover up. @hayleetr @rhyshizz
@rima_rama
@onedapperstreet
@kill_me_kindly
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suit and hat by Harmony sneakers by adidas
Photographed by Nicolas Le Forestier Styled by Sophie Ostrowska
dress by Ash Studio Paris
jacket by Ash Studio Paris shirt by Levi’s pants by Harmony
jacket, shoes, and dress by Ash Studio Paris flannel shirt by Levi’s
dress by Ash Studio Paris vest by Harmony
jacket and shoes by Ash Studio Paris pants by Harmony Model Juliet Searle of Crystal Model Paris
Photographed by Hans Eric Olson
Styled by Reginald Merome
top by Necessity tights by SOC Sportswear dress by Los Columpios shoes by Nike
top by Los Columpios
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jacket by Gap swimsuit by Nike goggles by TYR
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hat by Saint Chic top by Jockey pants by London Salon bag by Armani Exhange
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Hair and Makeup Jessah Amarante Model Annemarije Rus of Red Models
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Photographed and Styled by Rxandy Capinpin Styling Associate Paris delas Alas
cardigan by Ralph Lauren shirt by H&M pants by Bench eyewear by Ikonic hat by Bench x Albertus Swanepoel
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shirt by H&M pants by Levenson Rodriguez eyewear by Ikonic shoes by Doc Martens 44 - statusmagonline.com
jacket by Edrick Paz shirt by H&M tie by Pierre Cardin pants by Bench shoes by H&M top by Phillip Lim statusmagonline.com - 45
coat by BCBG Max Azaria
cardigan by 21 Men shirt by Nico Agustin pants by Edrick Paz eyewear by Ikonic
sweater by 21 Men button-down by Pierre Cardin shorts by Old Navy socks by Stance eyewear by Ikonic
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shirt by H&M pants by River Island shoes by Doc Martens
Grooming Paris delas Alas
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SWAG sep t ember
20 1 5
PATTERN RECOGNITION
Turn heads as you sport these prints spotted on the runway. Product photography by Miguel Alomajan
From top to bottom: Oxygen [P1,199] Topman [P2,195] Aeropostale [P1995] Aeropostale [P1,950] Warehouse [P2,995]
FLORAL
IN FULL BLOOM Bold florals will make you the pick of the crop.
maroon button-down by Topman [P1,995] blue button-down by Penshoppe [P899] necktie by H&M [TBA] shoes by Vans [P3,298] pants by H&M [P9,990] eyewear by Sunnies [P499]
A B S TR A C T
PAINT BY NUMBERS These abstract prints are nothing short of a work of art.
hat by Topman [P1,195] sweater by Lacoste L!ve [P3,950] pants by Aeropostale [P2,250] eyewear by Sunnies [P499] shoes by Oxygen [P899]
P O P A RT
COMIC RELIEF Reanimate your style with pop art prints.
button-down by Topman [P2,195] shirt by Marc by Marc Jacobs [P7,520] pants by Topman [P2,795] eyewear by Oxygen [P299] shoes by Forever 21 [P1,015]
S TR I PE S
LUCKY STREAK Don the head-totoe stripe ensemble straight out of Fashion Week.
denim button-down by Aeropostale [P1,990] printed button-down by Armani Exchange [P4,450] eyewear by Sunnies [P399] shorts by River Island [P2,160] shoes by Forever 21 [P1,420]
T A RT A N
GRUNGE MATCH Be ready to cross the line with these tartan variations.
coat by River Island [P6,490] top by Marc by Marc Jacobs [P17,000] eyewear by Forever 21 [P450] pants by Aeropostale [P2,650] shoes by Forever 21 [P1,990]
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TR O P I C A L
LUXURY CRUISE Cast away your basics and opt for tropical prints instead.
top by Dorothy Perkins [P1995] eyewear by Sunnies [P555] watch by Aeropostale [P1,950] shoes by Call It Spring [P2,245] skirt by Miss Selfridge [P3,595] clutch by Call It Spring [P1,755]
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PA I S L E Y
AUTUMN RISING These gorgeous paisley pieces won’t leave you high and dry.
sheer top by H&M [P1,690] button-down by Dorothy Perkins [P1,595] shorts by Miss Selfridge [P1,995] eyewear by Sunnies [P599] shoes by H&M [TBA]
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B L A C K A N D W H I TE
SOCIAL CONTRAST There’s no gray area when it comes to black and white prints.
hat by Topshop [P1,995] jacket by Marc by Marc Jacobs [P21,000] pants by Armani Exchange [P7,450] top by Oxygen [P799] shoes by F&F [P1,450] eyewear by Forever 21 [P450]
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M U S E
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INVADE
THE
Model, skater, and former bartender MADISON PAIGE kicks down the doors of convention again and again with her sleek Dr. Martens, amping up the era of androgyny. By Janroe Cabiles Special thanks to Teresa Pollman of IMD Modeling
RENEGADE
A
“If you want to get by in the industry, all I’d say is do whatever is expected of you. However, if you don’t just want to get by, if you really want to make it big, be stubborn.” 62 - statusmagonline.com
renegade to the usual stereotype branded on models today, Madison Paige breaks free from the norm, unable to conform to the standard with her striking looks and selfserved style in tow. From flaxen to gray one day, then platinum to icy blonde the next, she rocks her locks short and sweet, keeping them drawn away from her piercing blue eyes. Being a third-generation model in her family, it’s no surprise that she followed their footsteps, gracing pages and ads with her exquisite face, all planes and angles framing her sharp gaze. But it wasn’t her family’s history that got her into modeling–it was her desire to challenge the face of fashion that made her step up to the plate. “Honestly, I’ve always been intrigued by fashion. When I was a kid, I didn’t understand why boys dressed one way and girls dressed another. It wasn’t until I was older that I gained enough confidence to start wearing the more masculine clothes that I wanted.” With her uniform of bed head stuffed into a beanie or snapback, band tees, ripped jeans, and a lot of black, her anything-but-conventional look has made its androgynous mark in the industry, landing the cover of Vogue Thailand, editorials in Harper’s Bazaar, Nylon, Elle, and WWD Japan, as well as walking for Vickteerlit, Y3, and LIMI feu, without ever compromising her own style. “If you want to get by in the industry, all I’d say is to work hard and do whatever is expected of you,” she advises. “However, if you don’t just want to get by, if you really want to make it big, be stubborn. Be different. Don’t conform to being just another hanger for clothes. I’ve faced a lot of rejections in my career because I stayed true to my personal image.” Influenced by her first love of music, it’s the artistic range of modeling that keeps drawing Madison in. “The artistic atmosphere in collaboration [is my favorite thing about modeling]. When you see an image in a magazine, you’re not just seeing a model in clothes. You’re seeing a vision created by a
team of artists: the designer, the photographer, the hair and makeup artistry, they’re all coming together to create in some form or other.” When asked what her dream job would be, she answers, “Easy. A menswear/ androgynous campaign for Givenchy or Saint Laurent.” But as to who her style icon is, she quips, “My grandfather.”
THE DOWNSIDES
The thing I dread the most about modeling are high heels, or any shoot that makes me feel misrepresented. However, you always need to make small sacrifices to get where you want to be, especially if there’s a huge opportunity that might not be completely up your alley, so I just get into character and do my best. My mom created this ritual where, if I’ve got a more feminine shoot, I just have to act like how my dream girlfriend would.
SOUNDTRACK CITY
If I weren’t modeling, I’d become a full-time musician. My love for music hasn’t ever had a starting point–it was just always there. My dad was a musician, and I always took after him. I’m constantly inspired by what’s around me. I carry a ballpoint pen and tiny sketchpad wherever I go to jot down lyrics here and there.
STAND FOR SOMETHING
TWENTY QUESTIONS
Things you can’t Google about me? I’ve read the dictionary cover to cover at one point in my life, I could eat mac and cheese with baked beans every day of my life, I bring Sriracha sauce with me almost everywhere, I can’t have the volume on an odd number, and the only thing I hate in this world is that my little sister is taller than me.
iammadisonpaige.tumblr.com
At one point, I owned five or six pairs of Dr. Martens, but I’ve refined my wardrobe. Now, I go straight to my plain black pair. They’ve seen a lot of adventures and I’ll wear them until they fall off my feet.
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M A E S T R O
POP, ROCKS,
SoCal quartet FIDLAR waked, baked, and skated their way through the LA scene, putting these drunken masters at the forefront of modern punk music. If you ever thought that drinking cheap beer wouldn’t take your band anywhere, hey now, don’t dream it sober. By Pola Beronilla Photographed by Alice Baxley
I
n the spring of 2010, four laidback gents sluggishly disrupted the muffled music scene that was captivating their city. “There was a lot of indie music going on in Los Angeles. We would go to shows and would want to hear some loud music, but everyone was so quiet,” recalls vocalist and guitarist Zac Carper. Together with Brandon Schwartzel (bass) and brothers Elvis (lead guitar) and Max Kuehn (drums), FIDLAR, named after the skate maxim, “Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk,” brought the noise with the shit they recorded in their bedroom, launching their slackerthemed, beach punk vibe. In true punk fashion, the LA garage rockers had an aimless target, yet they hit the mark with their selftitled debut in 2013. “I think the lack of direction was our direction at the time. The record sounds the way it sounds because I didn’t really know what I was doing, but that’s part of its charm,” explains Zac. Bursting with a stoner-thrash haze, the adrenaline junkies translated a punk charisma that was well-received by the tonic youth as well as the sharpest critics. And now, they’re back to run a bigger riot.
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“Life keeps going. You can’t live your life worried about what others or the music scene is gonna think of you.”
MAESTRO
Produced by Jay Joyce under Mom + Pop Music, their sophomore record Too was recorded in Nashville over a span of just two weeks. “I wrote about 30 songs for this new record, and the first 20 of them were absolute garbage–it wasn’t really clicking for me. It all started sounding like the first record, and I wasn’t happy with that,” relays the vocalist. “So I packed my car up with my acoustic guitar, a sleeping bag, and my surfboard and drove up the California coast.” Saturated in bad medicine, bad habits, and stupid decisions, their follow-up digs deeper into their punk psyche. While Zac’s hooks scratch through their slop-rock jags, their candid diligence smokes up small joints of pop-punk perfection. As the band kicks off for an extensive headlining tour in the US this September, Zac Carper takes a quick breather to sift through their latest record with us. So how has it been since FIDLAR’s self-titled debut? It’s been awesome. It’s weird to think that it did well. Still trips me out! I never thought we would get to this point, and it’s weird having people say they like it. I didn’t really think that any of the songs were gonna leave Los Angeles. Going into your upcoming release, who or what were your influences in terms of the sound of Too? I took a lot of influence from Billie Joe Armstrong for this new record. I grew up listening to so much Green Day that it just kind of comes out of me; the “happy-sad” song. I started writing sad songs and I would make them sound happy to trick myself into smiling. You should go into it not expecting anything and see if it moves you. Did the fear of the “Sophomore Slump” get in the way of you guys? How did you handle the pressure of a new full release? Sophomore Slump happened—then something came over me. Every time
I would feel some pressure, I’d have little panic attacks, but then I’d say to myself, “Well, fuck it. I have to keep moving forward.” Whatever happens will happen. Life keeps going, and I’m stoked to just be in a place where I have the opportunities that I have. You can’t live your life worried about what others or the music scene is gonna think of you. There was a line in “40oz. On Repeat” where you teased about selling out. What do you think is the definition of selling out as a musician? To me, not changing is selling out. If people want the first record again, then just go listen to the first record. Making the first record over would be the biggest sellout move. I don’t listen to critics. Selling out? I bet who ever calls us a sellout is doing something that’s selling out, so fuck that. Aside from a lot of money, what would make you guys sell out? To quote SLC Punk!, “I didn’t sell out, son, I bought in.”
“I started writing sad songs and I would make them sound happy to trick myself into smiling.”
What’s the best part about being a musician right now? The best part about being a musician is that it’s a huge middle finger to my dad.
@fidlarLA fidlarmusic.com
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ROAD BACk HOME West Coast indie garage punk band SHANNON AND THE CLAMS is certainly out of the ordinary. Brimming with quirks from every inch, they’re here to tell you that for them, weird is normal. By Celene Sakurako Photographed by Nadia Lee Cohen and Wenzdai Morgan
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O
ne thing lead vocalist Shannon Shaw wants you to know about Shannon and the Clams is that it’s just as much her band as it is vocalist/ guitarist Cody Blanchard’s and keyboardist/drummer Nate Mahan’s band. Named while Shannon was still a solo act before forming the band in 2007 with Cody and former drummer Ian Amberson, she admits, “I hate the name so much. I was a solo performer and it was a joke because there were no Clams. Then the name just stuck. I write a lot of the music, but it’s an overall collaboration with Cody and now, our sweet Nate. I wouldn’t want to do it without them.” Set to go on tour around Europe in November, following their current American mini-tour for their new album Gone by the Dawn, Nate and Shannon talk about the bittersweet reality behind life on tour, and how this feeling resonates with every tune of the 13-tracked album. After being stranded in Seattle for several days due to van problems, Shannon and Nate are finally able to sleep and head back to Oakland with their newly purchased van. Wearing her new favorite black button-up pajama top with ‘50s style pink piping, Shannon begins by telling us how she spent the night exploring Cody’s dad’s DIY backyard Tiki bar before hopping back onto the van to head home. “We’re done now, but every show ruled, honestly! Reno, Spokane, Calgary, Portland all sold out,
“If you can connect with a bunch of different people from different backgrounds, that’s an incredible feeling.” which is a great feeling. We got to play places we’ve never played before.” Nate and Shannon gleam about their loving fans and how great it is to travel and share their music wherever they went, but also shed some light on the dark sides of touring like being away from loved ones, not having enough access to healthy food and spending hours a day in a van. “We had tons of van trouble during this tour. It was worst in Canada where we were on the side of the road for hours without food, water, or bathrooms, but we made the best of it and hiked, played soccer, skateboarded and made two really funny movies. It’s been great since so many people banded together in each city we broke down in and helped us! Whether they were helping us get a mechanic, taking us to lunch, taking us swimming while waiting for our van, letting us crash while the van was in the shop, or loaning us their van. Our friends and fans are amazing and we are totally grateful for everyone on this mini tour,” relays Shannon. Often described to be a band that is touched, from sound to aesthetic, by the ‘50s, Nate explains, “Our aesthetic is a bit of a reaction to what we see around us. We just think there are better options than the cargo shorts we grew up around. We don’t feel particularly attached to any certain decade.” Shannon adds, “We don’t try and look a certain way. It’s our way. Off stage, we are more casual but never very normal looking. Actually, we are never normal looking ever.” Attributing their “faceted” sound as an ode to the oldies they grew up to love, Shannon says that their sound is everything but “pro.” Conscious not to steer too far away from their garage band roots, the Oakland trio presents a more polished sound with a studio-recorded album that comes with
added keyboard riffs. Written amidst heartrending experiences of Shannon getting out of a five-year relationship and Cody being “in a very weird scary place” with his relationship, the band chose the ambiguous title Gone by the Dawn to allude to the inevitable cycle of things coming to an end, but more specifically the memories of Shannon chasing after her ex-boyfriend to send him off to work every day at the crack of dawn while they were still together. “It’s also apt for a touring lifestyle more often than not. We come, play, stay late, and often have to be on the road early in the morning. So while we may appear to live this fast, extravagant lifestyle, the truth may be more that we leave and move on early instead of speeding off into some fantasy,” says Nate. Although painstakingly difficult to sing about heartbreaks, Nate says, “Relationships are relatable to everyone. If you can connect with a bunch of different people from different backgrounds, that’s an incredible feeling. We sing what we feel and try to share that with others.” Through these songs, Shannon hopes that their fans find a feeling of relief, escape, and joy.
shannonandtheclams.com @shanandtheclams
MAESTRO
fueled by
romance Collecting melodramatic rhapsodies and high-stacked harmonies for his solo debut, the fun just doesn’t stop for alt pop troubadour NATE RUESS. Rolling up his sleeves to expose his bare art, step right up, it’s the Grand Romantic. By Pola Beronilla Photographed by Lindsey Byrnes and Norman Seeff
I
n 2009, indie pop trio fun. tweaked the radio format as they aimed and ignited their surprising debut with a baroque pop aesthetic. Three years and some nights later, they found themselves on every corner of the world with a major label follow-up, which eventually led them to win two Grammys. But last February, the New Yorkbased friends announced their breather from the all the fun to explore other possibilities. Though they assure of not breaking up, Jack Antonoff had already expressed his strange desires for a new project with Bleachers in 2014 and Andrew Dost had also scored his feature film debut orchestrating
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“I don’t consider myself necessarily the grand romantic authority, however, I would think that it just requires you to let go and love.”
MAESTRO
“I always say that I sing because it’s something I love, but I write songs because it’s something I have to do.”
pieces for the indie comedy The D Train earlier this year. Now, it’s Nate’s turn to step right up. “I’ve been in a few bands over my 15-year career, and with the last fun. album, I’ve accomplished more than I could have ever possibly imagined,” he relays. “I kind of finished up the touring process, got home, and started thinking about what I wanted to do next with the songs that I was writing. It just felt natural to do a solo album.” Released in June, Grand Romantic boasts a quixotic fervor that will leave you with a bittersweet quiver. As he starts the album with a somewhat maniacal laugh on “AhHa,” Nate crafts a grandiose 12-track LP that celebrates the glory of falling in and out of love. Bursting with thunderous percussions, string-induced transparencies, and piano-driven confessions, the orchestration pushes Nate towards his natural element, hinting at a sense of Broadway. While he cleverly slips references of his previous works inside the tracks of his record—a sweet treat for longtime fans—his grand debut definitely picks up from his own. “I think what makes it different is
just the progression that I’ve had as a songwriter. It’s not at all the same people I’ve worked within the last few albums, but I’m used to kinda changing and moving around. I’ve lived my life on the road, so I can’t help but constantly be moving.” Charging power ballads into his bleeding heart, he pens, “I am nothing without love / I’m just these thoughts without a pen / And I would take credit for this song / But I am nothing without love” in his album’s lead single, “Nothing Without Love.” As his songs command your attention, the balladeer carelessly bares his soul without any filter. “You know how people say that you’re not supposed to bottle up your emotions? I think I bottle up my emotions in my everyday life,” Nate explains of his songwriting. “I don’t like getting into fights with people, and I don’t really like talking about my feelings, even when I’m in a relationship. It’s just something I’m not into. And then suddenly, all those bottled-up feelings make their way out once I start making an album.” He further expands, “For me, songwriting is the absolute most important thing. I consider myself a songwriter well before I consider myself a singer. I always say that I sing because it’s something I love, but I write songs because it’s something I have to do.” If you ever wondered how far he’d go in terms of romance, Nate could only recall a unique labor of love. “I made an album for someone, and I called it Grand Romantic. That was like a six months of a romantic gesture.” Ironically for him, being a grand romantic doesn’t basically relate to a person’s actions, it’s in the ability to feel the highs—and lows—of falling in love. “I don’t consider myself necessarily the grand romantic authority, however, I would think that it just requires you to let go and love.”
nateruess.com @nateruessmusic
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MAESTRO
F
When it comes to her passion for music, MR LITTLE JEANS is bursting at the seams. Rolling up her sleeves and getting down to business, she shows us she’s ready for more. By Ida Aldana
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rom growing up in a quiet seaside house in Norway, listening to her mother’s guitar to moving to bustling London, Monica Birkenes a.k.a. Mr Little Jeans found the perfect place for her music in sunny LA. For someone as dedicated as her, all this moving around is part of the dream–as long as she has her ice cream, of course. “I think that’s the root of myself and will always be,” she quips. But her eternal love for the treat isn’t the only sweet spot she’s been hitting. She’s done it before with her cover of Arcade Fire’s “The Suburbs,” making its rounds back in 2011. Come 2014, she cut a fine figure with her debut album, Pocketknife and puts her heart on her sleeve. Luring frequencies with hypnotic synthpop edges and foamy yet glossy vocals, she gets personal with her songs. “It’s mostly just thoughts or emotions I’m going through at that moment, or even other people’s experiences. Once in a while, I write about fictional characters from movies or shows too, if they move me in some way.” With her creative songwriting skills and love for music under her belt, it’s no wonder she’s charmed the pants off her fans.
MAESTRO
“Venturing out of my comfort zone can be pretty amusing.” You’ve already recorded music before but didn’t like how it turned out. Musically speaking, how far do you think you’ve developed from that point in your life, especially now that you have your debut album? In the beginning, I was just super proud if I wrote a song at all. That in itself was an accomplishment to me. To this day, it’s still an accomplishment because it’s hard, but even more if I’m able to make something I actually like, which is definitely more the case now than it was back then. Although, that’s also a little fleeting. I go from love to hate and back again with most of my songs, and it just keeps going like that. As a rule though, the newest thing is usually my favorite.
You started out by posting content on MySpace. What role do you think social media plays in your career? I think it helped me a lot in certain ways. Not because I’m so social media savvy, but because it was a platform that connected me with both people in the industry and later on with the people who would buy my music and come to my shows. It’s a strange and beautiful thing I’m still getting used to, but I’ve definitely opened up a little more, as of lately. Being an introvert, talking to the masses like that can be daunting.
You’ve moved from Norway to London to LA to pursue your career. What were the differences after your move? I think a lot has changed and keeps changing. My melodies, my lyrics, even the way I use my voice go through some form of change from time to time. More subtle changes now, I think. But earlier on, I tried a lot of different approaches to everything, and I still do sometimes. Venturing out of my comfort zone can be pretty amusing.
What did you want to achieve with Pocketknife? I wanted to make myself proud, that’s all. Do it to the best of my ability. And I did! I’ll add some more goals onto that for the next record though. What’s next for Mr Little Jeans? More music, more shows, more listeners, and more money, so I can pay my rent.
mrlittlejeansmusic.com @mymrlittlejeans
Getting your stage name from Wes Anderson’s film, Rushmore, what made the name appeal to you? The character of Mr. Littlejeans made me laugh. I needed a name to put up on MySpace and I had just rewatched Rushmore, so I decided to put it up and out there. Not 100% sure I thought it through in retrospect, but it stuck, so there it is!
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‘8 0 s A DR E MI N
M A S T E R M I N D
“I always wanted to be an illustrator but never had the confidence to pursue it. I had totally given up on becoming one at the time. When I started putting my work on Instagram and got offers from companies, that’s when I thought, ‘maybe I could do this.’”
Fall in love with the ‘80s as Instagram discovered illustrator YOKO HONDA talks about the origin of her obsession to the era and shares the ups and downs of being a Japanese artist in an international market. By Celene Sakurako
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just got lucky”, says Japanese illustrator Yoko Honda about being discovered on Instagram merely two years ago for digital paintings that can only be described as a fantastic explosion of the ‘80s. “I always wanted to be an illustrator but never had the confidence to pursue it. I had totally given up on becoming one at the time. I only started really becoming an illustrator when I started putting my work on Instagram and then I got offers from companies in Europe and Australia. That’s when I thought, ‘maybe I could do this.’” Completely self-taught with her craft, Yoko literally spends her nights trying to meet deadlines of commissions from brands like Lazy Oaf, The Walart, and Grain Supply Co., which she’s acquired through double taps. From game machines to swimsuits, whatever comes to mind, the likes are she’s made a print for it. Having grown up in the very age that is the inspiration behind her art, Yoko explains that her deep love for ‘80s pop culture was sparked when she was ten while watching Michael Jackson perform in Japan for his Bad World Tour. She recalls how she became engrossed in Western culture and spent her teen years indulging in films, music, and television shows from America. She even admits joining her high school cheerleading team in
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Yoko Honda for Sandro Paris Spring/Summer 2015
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Plastic Weekend for Lazy Oaf’s Fun Project
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hopes of making her dreams come true of one day visiting America. Elated and half laughingly, Yoko adds, “If I could take a time machine back to when I was 16, I’d tell myself, ‘One day, you will work with Kylie Minogue,’” referring to when she designed concert merchandize for Kylie Minogue’s Kiss Me Once Tour in the summer of 2014. Still her favorite project up to date, Yoko gushes, “The collaboration was like a dream every day. I remember every moment in detail.” Exactly a year since then, Yoko still lives in Tokyo and despite her huge success, she confesses, “I don’t think of myself as an artist.” To her, she’s just a girl expressing adoration for an era she loves, in a medium that she loves, in a style she calls “’80s Romance.”When she was asked to design for Kylie Minogue and French fashion brand Sandro Paris in 2014, she only had about half a year of experience since she started illustrating. “If I worked only within Japan, I’d probably still be a no-namer. Here, it’s rare for fresh artists to get work if they haven’t made a name for themselves yet. Even though I had little experience, I was able to work in such huge projects.” Currently working on prints for personal technology company Lenovo, cloud-based web development platform Wix. com, British footwear brand Cleo B and lifestyle brand Boho Vesper, Yoko shares some funny encounters she’s had in the past while working with clients overseas. As a Japanese artist based in Tokyo, Yoko conducts all her work with the help of the internet. On a normal day, she will be up past midnight, going through her e-mail and having occasional meetings over LINE chat with prospective clients. Her secret weapon: Yahoo and Google translate. Knowing only simple conversational English, Yoko uses Yahoo and Google to help her communicate, and in doing so she’s had uncountable hilarious moments. One she finds especially memorable is when she got an email saying,
Yoko Honda for Sandro Paris Spring/Summer 2015
“We need you to submit all your wonderful shit.” After plugging it on Google first, she was baffled by the results so she tried it on Yahoo and even got more confused. “It made me laugh so hard. Up to now, I still laugh when I think about it. But even after all that, we got our work done so I’m thankful, but honestly I’m still trying to comprehend what ‘shit’ means.” Nonetheless, her work speaks for itself. Regardless of language barriers, Yoko continues to create and collaborate with notable brands. She says once she’s knocked off all her projects this summer, she’d like to take a long break to practice her art furthermore and experiment with new styles. Perhaps work on “something more elaborate and big” as her dream project is to work on a hotel wallpaper.
yokopium.wix.com @yokopium
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CANDID CHARISMA Shuttering at the thought of a portrait sans any character, Italian photographer PAOLO TESTA speaks of seduction and sentiment through his frames with twists of peculiarities and turns in soft light.
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trick of the light, a look of spite, and movements caught in stills create an echo of life captured in Paolo’s photographs. Sometimes void of smiles, hiding in the shadows or behind an expression of averse, sometimes catching the in-betweens of candid grimaces and grins, he makes an entire landscape out of pure, unadulterated emotion in any subject and setting. “I was born in a village that stimulated me to get away as far as I could,” he recalls. “So I moved to Bergamo, and then to Milan to get more and more inspired. I can’t help but say that the places I’ve come from gave me an incredible understanding of beauty.” With almost a decade of shooting under his belt, he started out while he was a freelance skier, using photography as a way to show off his new tricks. “But then I saw Steve McCurry’s work, and I thought to myself that I would like to go deeper in this field.” Packing up his ski gear, he chose to study photography in New York, the city of the most renowned photographers. “Being from Europe, you get to experience NYC through movies, where the city looks all shiny and exciting,” Paolo says. “After I landed for the first time and went to my apartment on the Lower East Side, all I saw were rats, trash, homeless people, and old buildings. After a bit, I learned how to love and find the beauty in them.” Building a deeply-felt portfolio, the photographer keeps busy working with brands like American Apothecary, ZIQ & YONI, and Kaviar and Cigarettes, as well as publications Vogue Italia, Creek Magazine, Cake Magazine, Fault, and IdN Magazine. “I really like to engage with people; talk to them, see what stories they have to share,” Paolo says of his translation of characters on film. “The camera is the perfect tool for that. There are
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two different experiences on set you go through. With the first one, fashion and editorials, it’s all on you as a photographer to direct a model–it’s all staging.” From costume-like, avant garde compositions, he effortlessly switches gears to what he loves the most. “The second kind is portraiture. Here, the direction detaches the subject from who the person really is. In order to make it real, you need to talk and make the person feel comfortable with you, to trust you. This reveals their real personality.” And to that effect, he brings a deduced glamour to his shots, capturing skin and messy ponytails, with subjects in either deranged expressions or genuine laughter, against fences on the streets of Brooklyn or even blending in with red bricks coated with graffiti. Even with a built-in uniform of an all-black outfit, as not to reflect light or cast any color, and his faithful Canon in hand, he has a wide selection of armory to frame his muses. “I got my first camera with my dad’s money, and from there I started to trade it in for newer ones with a little extra money. I feel like a lot of cameras are developed to perfection now, but no matter what you use, you have to have a vision to make it work.” Taking
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“I feel like a lot of cameras are developed to perfection now, but no matter what you use, you have to have a vision to make it work.” notes from the emotion-encapsulated, black and white works of Peter Lindbergh, he also commends the effortless photography of Heidi Slimane. “I also admire the philosopher and activist Noam Chomsky. He is my personal hero; he doesn’t necessarily inspire me as a photographer, but he definitely occupies my brain a lot,” he adds. Balancing light shapes and shadowed hazes, he’ll remain restless in pursuing solemn, sometimes silly portraits. “Each photoshoot is unique, it’s never perfect. Nothing is real yet, only the images in your mind are. The special moment is when you start shooting, and the pictures are getting real. You see them, the subject sees them, and so does the team. Magically, you’re making a common vision real–this feeling is priceless.”
paolo-testa.com @PMT_PHOTOGRAPHY
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POP
You know her as the scene-stealing pop diva Tiana on one of TV’s most primetime hits today, Empire, but with her big hair and even bigger voice, actress SERAYAH MCNEILL is taking the spotlight and building her own empire. By Isabella Argosino
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t’s an opening scene that fans of the show know all too well. Just shy of Empire’s pilot episode, a glowing Serayah McNeill makes her debut on the small screen, rocking an all-natural head of vivacious curls with an attitude to match. And just like that, she wins over viewers from all over the world. At just 20 years old, the American actress is set to dominate. Having been into acting since she was a little girl, Serayah always had her tracks set for Hollywood. “Since I was 11 years old, I watched a lot of Disney Channel and drama
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movies, and that sparked my interest,” she reveals. “I loved becoming another character and being able to take on that art of acting and playing along to a believable story.” From there, she sharpened her craft and pursued her passion, majoring in drama while landing modeling gigs and a short film, until earning the role of Tiana Brown in FOX’s Empire, alongside heavy-hitters Terrence Howard and Gabourey Sidibe. Portraying a rising starlet in Tiana, Serayah instills the notion of art imitating life. “I get into character by reading everything I can about her, including her history in order to understand her better. I just start to evaluate myself and remove my past emotions–become another person, in essence,” she shares of her process. “I relate
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“I loved becoming another character and being able to take on that art of acting and playing along to a believable story.”
with Tiana on being so driven for her career in music and entertainment.” But as she channels Beyoncé, Rihanna, Lauryn Hill, and the like, there’s no stopping Serayah from becoming the next R&B princess with a title entirely hers. Because while her acting prowess on Empire is a no-brainer, considering her background, it’s her powerful vocal chops that can command an audience. “I put my own music on SoundCloud for my fans to listen to. I want them to hear my stuff,” she says, while hinting an up-and-coming album and eventual tour. “I would love to work with rappers like Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole, or do some ‘Lady Marmalade’ women-empowering movement.” As if she didn’t already have enough talents in her personal roster of skills, Serayah is also a model and–wait for it–a basketball player. “I’m a big sports fan. I’m actually a recovered tomboy. Heels just made their way to my closet recently,” she quips. But besides making killer slam-dunks and belting out the next Billboard hits, Serayah has also rubbed elbows with Taylor Swift in the everfamous “Bad Blood” music video, where she played a fierce and fabulous Dilemma. “It was amazing, such a great experience to meet all the girls. Great set, great costumes, doing really cool things,” she describes. With all these under her belt, it certainly puts Serayah McNeill right smack in the middle of our radars. In the future, she hopes to delve away from drama and try her knack on action. “I dream of playing some type of superhero character,” she says. “But for the next couple of months, I’m looking forward to making music as just myself.” All we can do now is stand back and watch this multitalented beauty make an empire indeed.
serayahlove.com @SerayaLove
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ART CHAMELEON An extra ounce of verve to everything she touches, model, stylist, designer, DJ, editorial producer at Complex News, and founder of Sporty & Rich EMILY OBERG knows no chill. By Janroe Cabiles Photographed by Alexandra Gavillet Styled by Jackie Kim Makeup Maya Rene
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ow-key and elegant are two descriptives on opposite sides of the spectrum, hard to marry in style, but Emily Oberg does it without figuratively breaking a sweat. Slender, serene, and always in sneakers, she has created the lifestyle brand Sporty & Rich solely based on her own positive and healthy approach. “The whole thing started as a joke; it just sounded so funny but described exactly how I dress,” Emily explains. “Eventually, it caught on and I realized it was something bigger. Living rich means to appreciate nice things and understand the concept of quality vs. quantity. Living a life rich in happiness, positivity, and love is a big part of the brand as well.”
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Moving from Canada to New York for her Complex gig, the 21-year old, half-Swedish, half-Filipina picked up on the lifestyle of her own brand long before she knew it. “My aunt was a buyer for Club Monaco, and I always wanted to be just like her. She always made me appreciate nice things and stressed the importance of owning quality goods over fast, cheap fashion. That was the start of my love for fashion.” Finding different outlets outside of her job, she shows her ambidexterity for photography, both modeling for FRANK151 × DKNY, Base Range, Beth Richards, New Balance × Finish Line, MMVIII, and Sweat the Style as well as styling and producing for A New Breed. “Modeling is fun because I love to dress up for the camera, but styling and directing are much more fulfilling to me. I find it much more creative and challenging when you’re the one coming up with the ideas. There’s no greater feeling than when you’ve come up with something in your head and create it in real life.” Pushing this dire need to inspire, she launched her first and only collection of sweatshirts and
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crewnecks last winter with her logo, under the influence of her love for street culture. “High culture is often inspired by the streets, where originality and inventiveness are found. There is romance in that.” Using the same mindset armored with her own aesthetic, she caught the attention of Hypebeast, KNEON Magazine, The Fader, and Sweat the Style. With only 30 units, she released her very limited line of comfortable staples that screamed simplicity, embodying her own marriage between high-end fashion and her cozy, minimalist aesthetic. “I wanted to start small. I think one thing about some of my favorite brands is that they’ve always kept things limited and exclusive. I also didn’t want Sporty & Rich to become a full time job; I did it for fun, and I am happily surprised with the outcome.” Rendering even more of her scope of talents, music has a big impact on Emily, who’s gone as far as making mixes for publications Sweat the Style, KNEON Magazine, Girls on Film, and one inspired by The Neptunes. “I grew up listening to hip-hop, rap, and deep house because of my dad. As I got older, I held onto that type of music but also listened to jazz, soul, disco, R&B, and bossa nova.” DJing at Art Basel and Cielo among many other venues, she started for fun–not for profit or recognition, but purely for herself. “Now that I live in New York, I’ve booked a couple of shows here and there, so it’s become more of a job for me. But I love what I do. I find so much joy in seeing other people have fun and enjoy themselves, and that’s your job as a DJ.” Though she’s prolific in passion, the creative is still subject to negativity from her audience, despite her positivity. “Sometimes, people get to you and hurt you, especially when you have a job like mine when you’re in front of the camera all day,” she says. But in a can’t-see-the-haters fashion, she finds even more good vibrations against the backdrop of the gritty, cutthroat NYC. “I try to keep it cool and maintain my niceness. You’ve got to rise above all the negativity, keep your head down, and just do you. That’s how you’ll succeed in this business. ‘Being nice is cool’ is an extension of my brand; it’s just a great thing to preach that point through my platform.”
“High culture is often inspired by the streets, where originality and inventiveness are found. There is romance in that.”
emilyoberg.com @EmilyeOberg
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With an inimitable style, captivating killer attitude, and a highly successful jewelry brand, AMBUSH® Design, which she runs with her husband VERBAL, YOON is the girl in fashion who’s got it all, and she’s not afraid to flaunt it. By Celene Sakurako Photographed by Dan Bailey (@TOKYODANDY)
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“Creating with a purpose drives me,” says YOON, prime designer behind Tokyo’s AMBUSH. “Nothing’s more fun than gathering ideas and seeing it come to life for real.” Born with a lust to create, her memories of childhood are dominated by frenetic recollections of her and her family moving to and from Seoul, her hometown, and the United States. “Lots of times were spent adjusting to new environments and people, so it helped me find myself at a younger age.” Now attuned to herself more than ever, it’s no surprise that her eye for style has rightfully
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earned her the reputation as an international style icon, esteemed by some of the most fashionable people like Pharell Williams, Kanye West, and NIGO. Known to have rocked bolder looks in the past years, the blonde-haired vixen says, “I’m definitely more relaxed now. I’m too busy to think about what to wear in the morning, so I tend to grab my own daily uniform pieces in the closet. I also prefer something tomboy-ish but coordinated in a sexy way, because I’m still a girl at the end of the day; slick but comfortable.” With a slickness translated into every piece of AMBUSH’s present 11 collections, YOON says the key to style is to be true to oneself. “Tune in with yourself and know yourself. Be honest. Everyone has certain body types and aesthetics, so try to define what you like rather than chasing what the others are telling you to. If you know certain things work for you, then stick to it. Eventually, those things will become your style.” Still waiting for the supreme moment of destiny, YOON stays humble
when asked about exhibiting AMBUSH’s latest collection, DREAMCATCHERS, co-starring in A$AP Rocky’s “L$D” music video, being handpicked by Pharrell Williams to be one of five creators in his ongoing worldwide adidas Original Superstar campaign, and opening AMBUSH’s flagship store in 2016. She says, “All the things you lived, experienced, and learned are like dots. They all end up connecting somewhere, somehow, later in life. You just have to pay attention and learn as much as you can.” It’s been a while since we first interviewed you in 2010 and again in 2012. What’s new? Things have progressed so much since. The brand has grown so much now. We put out two collections per year and just shown our exhibition for the first time during Paris Men’s Fashion Week last January. Also, our company now has digital and music departments, consulting for major corporations. Still creating and striving to prosper and get to the next stage.
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“Tune in with yourself and know yourself. Try to define what you like rather than chasing what the others are telling you to.” You’ve come a long way since AMBUSH® started in 2008. What’s your take on the whole journey? AMBUSH came about because VERBAL had to give me an excuse to move out to Tokyo 12 years ago. We named it AMBUSH because we both wanted to just be and surprise people with what we do whenever we felt like. Back then, I never thought of living in another country, but it’s funny how everything turns out. Now, Tokyo is my home and it’s become the playground that gives me the freedom to create and be without inhibition. At the end of the day, your output has to be good, then the rest will follow. There are no shortcuts or tricks. So many people still appreciate AMBUSH because we continue to deliver good designs with great quality, which still bares the DNA of what we are about. You have to keep delivering but do it better than the last time. Your designs are all unisex. How has this aspect affected what you create over the years? It’s been unisex since day one. We were making what VERBAL and I wanted to wear. We didn’t see genre, sex, or color. We always believed that as long as the products are good, it shouldn’t be labeled and boxed in. You’ve also continued to use a specific colorway throughout. Is there any particular meaning behind this? It’s influenced by Bauhaus; red, blue, black, and white has always been the color palette throughout. It just comes in different hues and density depending on the collection’s theme. What’s the inspiration behind your latest collection DREAMCATCHERS? DREAMCATCHERS is our modern take on American Southwestern jewelries mixed with a spirit of The Beatles’ The White Album.
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“So many people still appreciate
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“[AMBUSH’s design] doesn’t see genre, sex, or color. We always believed that as long as the products are good, it shouldn’t be labeled and boxed in.” Apart from designing, you recently DJ-ed for Calvin Klein Jeans’ musical event earlier in June. Is DJ-ing one of your greater passions? I only DJ if my friends ask me, so it’s nothing special. It’s just for fun. I’m like their walking iPod playlist, so they are just happy to hear what they want to hear. Nothing serious! Talking about music, you were featured on A$AP Rocky’s “L$D” music video in May. What’s the story behind you nabbing the leading lady? He asked me to be in his PV, and at first, I hesitated because I’ve never done a music video before, but as soon as I heard the song and the concept of the video, I was sold. It’s a good song and great video, and I’m honored that he picked me to be a part of it. Following that, Pharrell Williams tapped you to be part of his adidas Original Superstar campaign. What can we expect of you from this? Pharrell is doing a worldwide adidas Original Superstar campaign, and this season, he has chosen five creators from five different countries and I’ve been chosen as the creator from Japan. So as a total, it’s like six creators, six faces, six streams of creativity, and all the individuals unite in their commitment to creating an audience of one — the true calling of an Original Superstar. The whole underline of the campaign is like a creative pay-forward system, so now, I’m closing three people from Tokyo and looking forward to how everything’s going to play out afterwards.
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Anything you haven’t done yet that’d you want to try out? I would love to work on some sort of food project. When you pay attention, eating requires using lots of the sensory systems in your body: taste bud, vision, olfaction, and touching. Also, us humans are the only species that cook. What projects are you working on at the moment? I’ve been working on our next collection, but I can’t disclose what it’s going to be like because it’s not all put together yet. There are also a few AMBUSH collaborations coming out in the fall with different creative people so it should be really fun! How would you describe your customers and fans? The men and women who wear AMBUSH appreciate the finer things. They’re bold, confident in their choices, and live by their own rules.
ambushdesign.com @yoon_ambush
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Notoriously known for flashing people, LA-based photographers Julia Galdo and Cody Cloud, together known as JUCO, are guilty of exposing bold and graphic images. Out with a mind-frame to develop their reel side, the duo gives it their best shot. By Pola Beronilla
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ou might have flipped through their work on a cover of a magazine, stumbled upon their advertorial on a pop-up ad on the Internet, or doubletapped their photo on your mobiles. Regardless of where you first saw their snaps, a quick look at their photos will leave you with the same thrill. “It’s bold and graphic, most of the time—but it wasn’t always like that. All of our working conditions have formed the work we’ve made,” shares the duo of their style. “From moving to LA to getting a studio, to the type of beautiful buildings [we see in the] city, all of it are reflected in our work.” Shooting for publications like Complex, Teen Vogue, The New Yorker, XXL, Marie Claire, and Nylon, as well as companies such as Nike, Cheerios, Lexus, Warner Brother Records, VH1, and Apple, they clearly get the picture. Crossing paths at the San Francisco Art Institute in 2002, Julia and Cody first processed their tandem through class assignments until the collaboration grew organically. As a frustrated fireman and marine biologist, the two ignited their interest in photography and eventually decided to test the waters—and both of them just clicked. “We initially shot together because of the practicality of it. We split rental fees, helped carry
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each other’s equipment…it was very symbiotic.” Fusing Julia and Cody's first two initials, JUCO was officially formed in 2009. Julia recalls, “As time went on, we developed a voice together and it just made more sense for us to shoot as a team rather than on our own.” Finding the proper balance between fashion design, sets, postures, and textures, the two artists capture a visual sensation trapped within their colorful frames. “It comes from thrifting—I honestly believe that. When you’re looking for treasures at a thrift store, your eyes are over all different patterns and textures—doing that your whole life has got to have an impact on our work,” Julia shares of their influences. As their imagery pulls the viewer within their psychedelic territory, duality is the backbone of their process. “It always starts as a creative
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discussion. On the day of the shoot, we often break off. Cody works a lot with our assistant team, our digital techs, and getting our shot set up, while I work with our clients or walk our subjects through the process of getting ready,” illustrates Julia. “Once we start, we both shoot with one camera, passing it back and forth—but it really is different on every project. There are times when one of us won’t shoot because one of us needs to art direct or facilitate some other aspect of the project.” Complementing each other’s differences, their mutual respect for each other builds the balance between their creative collaboration. “Honestly, there’s a lot you can get done with two sets of eyes. We both have our strengths and our weaknesses, and we complement each other very well. Cody is very technical; I'm more involved in the logistics of our shoot. We are equally involved in the style and creative of the project,” she relays. However, shooting for big-shot corporations means that their company of two calls for a crowd. “People ask us to work all the time within their boundaries, which is a very nice challenge. However, if we’re directly being told what to make it look like, what this color should be, or if it doesn’t make sense to us, it’s never going to look good because we’re not interpreting the assignment properly. We have to be able to follow our instincts.” But it’s not at all times that their photo shoots feel like much work. “Our second ever advertising shoot was for Target, and we got to
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“Honestly, there’s a lot you can get done with two sets of eyes. We both have our strengths and our weaknesses, and we complement each other very well.” travel for two weeks with our best friends, doing work and having fun. Three cities, much down time, and everyone was so awesome. Still, to this day, the crew on that job calls it Target Vacation,” recalls Julia of their most memorable shoot. Given their hefty record of clientele, there seems to be no end to their camera reel. “We have a few ad jobs coming up, which all seem to be really exciting and collaborative. I’m looking forward to unveiling a few bodies of work we’ve already shot, but I guess we’re looking forward to the stuff we can’t see coming our way,” admits Julia. And as the two risk the road towards nowhere, Julia and Cody constantly capture every opportunity that flashes because to them, every click is worth the shot. “I’m still not sure we’ve made it. The life span of photographers and photographic work these days is short-lived—if we ever had a retrospect, then I’ll know we’ve made it.”
jucophoto.com
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From the land down under to the city of angels, rugby-player-turned-fashion-designer and owner of knomadik DANIEL PATRICK is ready to electrify the front row, either way. By Jill de Leon Photographed by Trever Hoehne
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Draped in his fascination with fashion, which surfaced at the early age of four, it’s unmistakable that Daniel Patrick was born to be in the industry. Originally spending his time playing for a rugby league, he then decided to tackle his dream of starting his own line as he enrolled himself in a crash course in Fashion Design in Sydney. “I was raw and didn’t really know a lot of things about fashion at that time, but I was eager to learn. The course gave me an understanding of the process, but I have learned so much more from just being out there and doing it.” Not long after, the designer made the life-changing decision to move from Australia to Los Angeles to chase his dream. “It takes a lot of hard work and willingness to put yourself out there. I started out broke and was riding my bike all over the place for deliveries and downtown to factories, sometimes doing 30 miles a day.” Fast-forward to a few years later, and he’s come a long way, with both his self-named brand and ready-to-wear brand knomadik, garnering high-profile fans like Will.i.am, Usher, Wiz Khalifa, and Justin Bieber, not to mention gracing the silver screen on Josh Hutcherson’s character Peeta on The Hunger Games. His beautiful palette of neutrals and unconventional yet unadulterated silhouettes along with a diverse exposure to culture, a thirst for good style, and a fresh take on men’s fashion, Daniel Patrick is taking over the menswear scene, one show-stopping piece at a time. “I feel that releasing more items frequently is the way of the future, especially in a fast-paced, social media-
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driven society,” he shares. “People are always looking for something new, and if you can deliver, it puts you a step ahead. I’m designing a lifestyle, and I’m always looking at solving problems in that nature.” Are there any particular fashion designers that you looked up to growing up that made an impact on your decision to join the fashion industry? Before going into fashion, I never really looked up to fashion designers, but more on fashion icons. I was always intrigued by the risks David Beckham would take in his wardrobe choices. Has your experience in playing rugby influenced your design aesthetic in any way? I learned a lot about myself from being an athlete. I was always one to train the hardest and look for ways to improve myself. So in a way, I’ve translated those traits over into my designs. Fashion is a fun game, and I’m willing to work that much harder than the guy next to me to be the best.
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“Fashion is a fun game and I’m willing to work that much harder than the guy next to me to be the best.”
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“I went into fashion with 100% belief in myself, even though I didn’t know how things would turn out.”
What is the distinction between your self-named brand and knomadik? When I started knomadik, it was more of a diffusion line of everyday basics at a lower price point. knomadik definitely got the name out there to a larger audience and I love how it has evolved over time. daniel patrick was more of a high end line, which it still is, but I felt like I needed to fill a wider gap in the market. The two lines work pretty seamlessly together and it may all come under Daniel Patrick eventually, but who knows? Who’s the first famous person to ever take notice of your designs? Usher wore a jacket of mine in a performance and I was pretty damn excited. I had been a fan of his growing up, so that was a big deal for me. I was a little disillusioned about a few things at that time, so that was definitely a validation and it motivated me to keep going. It couldn’t have come at a better time. A lot of young aspiring designers out there have a voice but aren’t quite satisfied with their work just yet. When did you begin to become confident about your skills and taste? I went into fashion with 100% belief in myself, even though I didn’t know how things would turn out. However, I feel that I’ve always had good taste and an eye for what it takes to create a great piece. You really just need to put your work out there. You may have things about it that you don’t like, but you can always improve it over time, which is something I am big on. Products are the key and perfecting those products is a process, but if I look at things I made a while back, I can see how far things have come.
How do you keep yourself inspired, especially when experiencing designer’s block? I just have a lot of ideas constantly coming to me. I exercise, hike, work hard, watch movies, and always expand my knowledge of the world around me by reading. So, for me, there is no end to the inspiration. How do you feel about the evolution of the menswear industry so far? Since I began designing, I feel my aesthetic has definitely shifted to an avant-garde look. At the same time, I’ve been able to meet people halfway and design pieces for a larger audience, which I think are important too. I want to make people look good, which is my purpose and aim in designing, but at the same time, I design what I like too. There’s a balance and getting that balance right is a process. For you, what does it take for someone to become a successful designer? It’s important to put out a quality product that has originality. Another key thing for me is to have a partner that you can trust and can take care of the business side of things. My wife has been that for me, and she’s good at things that I would rather not deal with, so I’m free to focus on design and the brand itself. I also don’t listen to anyone who wants to put me down and tell me it’s hard. There have been a lot of people that told me how it was stupid, or too hard, and that no one makes it in fashion. I see those people for what they are and I just keep going. I like to surround myself with positive people.
danielpatrick.net
FASHION
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DIRECTORY BRANDS AÉROPOSTALE Glorietta 2, Makati City ARMANI EXCHANGE Glorietta 4, Makati City ASH STUDIO PARIS ashfootwear.co.uk BENCH Glorietta 4, Makati City BURBERRY us.burberry.com CALL IT SPRING Greenbelt 3, Makati City CORTEFIEL Glorietta 3, Makati City DR. MARTENS Glorietta 2, Makati City DOROTHY PERKINS Glorietta 3, Makati City DUNE Greenbelt 5, Makati City EDRICK PAZ instagram.com/edrickpaz ESTÉE LAUDER esteelauder.com F&F Glorietta 3, Makati City FOREVER 21 SM Makati, Makati City GAP gap.com GIORGIO ARMANI armanibeauty.com H&M SM Makati, Makati City HARMONY harmony-paris.com
IKONIC ikonicph.com JOCKEY jockey.com LACOSTE L!VE Glorietta 2, Makati City LANCÔME lancome.co.uk LAURA GELLER laurageller.com LEVENSON RODRIGUEZ facebook.com/levenson.rodriguez LEVI’S levi.com MAC maccosmetics.com MARC BY MARC JACOBS Greenbelt 5, Makati City MISS SELFRIDGE SM Aura, Taguig City NIKE nike.com OCC occmakeup.com OLD NAVY Glorietta 3, Makati City OXYGEN Glorietta 3, Makati City PENSHOPPE Glorietta 1, Makati City PIERRE CARDIN Glorietta 3, Makati City SUNNIES Glorietta 2, Makati City RALPH LAUREN SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
RIVER ISLAND SM Aura, Taguig City SAINTCHIC saintchic.com SMASHBOX smashbox.com STANCE stance.com TOM FORD tomford.com TOPMAN SM Aura, Makati City TOPSHOP SM Aura, Makati City TRISH MCEVOY trishmcevoy.com TYR tyr.com URBAN DECAY urbandecay.com VANS Glorietta 3, Makati City WAREHOUSE SM Aura, Taguig City ARTISTS Miguel Alomajan (Photographer) miguelalomajan.wordpress.com Jessah Amarante (Hair and Makeup) jessahamarante.net Dan Bailey (Photographer) tokyodandy.com Alice Baxley (Photographer) cargocollective.com/alicebaxley
Lindsey Byrnes (Photographer) lindseybyrnes.com Rxandy Capinpin (Photographer/ Stylist) rxandy.blogspot.com Sydney Dagal (Makeup) facebook.com/sydhelmsleyart Alexandra Gavillet (Photographer) alexandragavillet.com Trever Hoehne (Photographer) treverhoehne.com Jackie Kim (Stylist) jackieskyekim.blogspot.com Nadia Lee Cohen (Photographer) nadialeecohen.com Nicolas Le Forestier (Photographer) nicolasleforestier.net Hans Eric Olson (Photographer) hansericolson.com Reginald Merome (Stylist) chevalier-homme.com Wenzdai Morgan (Photographer) flickr.com/photos/7651798@N06 Sophie Ostrowska (Stylist) theparisiansite.com Jacky Pante (Grooming) instagram.com/jackypante Maya Rene (Makeup) makeupbymayarene.com Norman Seeff (Photographer) normanseeff.com
STATUS INVA D ES
HIPPIE TRAIL With a gentleness escaping from her gaze, model and owner of Trippy Swag clothing line CHRISTIANA COLLINGS lives in her own psychedelic world with arms wide open.
@chrcollings Portrait by Miguel Alomajan Product photography by Carlo Nuñez Location Local Edition Coffee & Tea
102 - statusmagonline.com
LIPSTICKS
These are constants in my bag. I only have two lipstick moods: dark red or pale pink.
BURBERRY SUNNIES
I can never leave the house without these sunglasses! I love the sun, but we need to protect our eyes from it.
TOP
This is the “Cabo,” one of my favorites from Trippy Swag. I think it’s essential to select clothes that are comfortable for everyday but stylish at the same time.
Jo Malone is my favorite. I love this scent in particular ‘cause it’s not too strong and lasts all day. Nobody likes someone who stinks, right?
HEART-SHAPED SUNNIES
I love sunglasses so much that I keep a second pair in the car. This one is for when I need a bit more hippie-ness in my day.
FUJIFILM X-T10
They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but I don’t think so. It’s our cameras. It shares our best memories and tells you honestly if you’re having a bad hair day or not.
GIRL BOSS BY SOPHIA AMORUSO
BEFORE SUNRISE & BEFORE SUNSET: TWO SCREENPLAYS BY RICHARD LINKLATER
If you’ve read or watched this before and you still don’t feel the urge to pay more attention to the people around you, you’re deliberately choosing to miss out on a great part of the world.
This book provides great inspiration for me to achieve the goals I’ve set for my shop, Trippy Swag, and also for my personal life. Plus, Sophia Amoruso is a genius!
BIO-OIL
I feel like I should share this piece of magic to everyone who’s had to deal with a very annoying scar or dehydrated skin. I promise this little thing is legit.
Hair and Makeup by Sydney Dagal
JO MALONE PERFUME