STATUS Magazine March 2017 feat. Gary Baseman

DO OR DYE

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4 MASTHEAD 5 CONTRIBUTORS 6 STATUS MESSAGE

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FEATURES MAESTRO

50 TECHNICOLOR

STATUSPHERE 9 THREADS 12 SETTING 13 BRICK & MORTAR 14 SCREEN 15 BEATS 16 TECH PACK

By Pola Beronilla

52 VIRTUAL

PAINT: GALAXY HIGH

Get a glimmering look that’s out of this world.

19

54 BODY

By Jericho Umali

56 DAYDREAM

VISION BOARD

54

ATTRACTION

With futuristic twists and surrealistic turns, make yourself the center of attention and win this braiding game by a hair.

By Miguel Alomajan

34 UPSIDE

DOWN

Open a portal to other dimensions where fashion knows no gender and dominate the streets in androgynous pieces.

By Wilmark Jolindon

SHOPPING GUIDE

40 SUMMER

LOVIN’

Turn up the heat this season with sizzling ensembles that are lit af.

42 TUNE

LANDING

Music Festival (Guys)

43 TREBLE

MAKER

Music Festival (Girls)

44 WAVE

REBEL

Beach (Guys)

45 SEA 46 47 48 49

GAL

Beach (Girls)

STEER HUNTER

Cruise (Guys)

EPIC SAIL

Cruise (Girls)

NATURAL ANTHEM

Glamping (Guys)

RANGER ZONE

Glamping (Girls)

BELIEVER

After several hazy dreams and blown-out birthday candles, vocalist Samira Winter got her wish in the form of shoegaze outfit that came to life in her band Winter.

GO SEE

22 MANE

& SOUL

When soul-quenching sounds meet body-moving beats, Philadelphia native Mike Taylor puts them to paper as he writes feel-good jams with that summer thing.

VANITIES: FLORAL CODE

STREET STYLE

20

By Bea del Rio

Make your own rules with a little flower power.

FASHION

CANDY

Caught up in the abstract online world, LA-based duo Princess Cyberspace blasts their comical take on world matters via their blend of synthpop and tropical sounds.

BEAUTY 18 FACE

DREAMCOAT

Donning a slither of slinky funk from ‘80s Britpop onto his own element of hearty melodies, Will Joseph Cook brings a sugary style of writing to his pop sensibilities.

By

Ernest Fraginal

MASTERMIND

58

IMITATION GAME

Stepping up the cut, copy, and paste game, Bohol-based collage artist Geovanni Abing diffuses material and fuses technicolor to create his own iconic world.

By Ida Aldana

60 KITSCH

GLITCH

Only caring about the young folks talking about the young style, Willar Mateo built brand Salad Day inspired by candycolored superheroes and Cardcaptor Sakura.

By Janroe Cabiles

62 GIRLS,

GIRLS, GIRLS

Catching cartoonish figures filled with gentle hues and bold strokes, local art heroine KITA creates badass muses made up of sugar, spice, and everything nice.

By Pola Beronilla

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HEAVY HITTER

64

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ART CONNECTION

In the midst of a chaotic universe seemingly going downhill, contemporary artist Gary Baseman paints his own world reflecting his state of mind with heavylashed humans, desaturated wild things, and satirical pieces aimed to make sense of it all through art as our connection

COLOR REVOLUTION

MORE

Fusing their dotted and striped ideas from their polarizing sides of the globe, Craig Redman and Karl Maier match their respective New York and London sensibilities to create plains and prints that spark up a revelation in your mind’s eye with block, bold hues to make their mark.

93 DIRECTORY STATUS INVADES 94 PRETTY IN PINK

As candid as her squared stages on social media, all-around cool kid Aija Lei strips down her gridded persona and shows her true obsession with all kinds of pink.

By Denise Mallabo

80

62

By Pola Beronilla

By Denise Mallabo

72

CHROMA CHAMELEON

Visualizing appetizing visions of edibles in her humor-tinted lens, photographer Stephanie Gonot draws inspiration from her ice cream truck days, the sunny streets of LA, and her love of food, taking surreal images of the mundane. Everything’s better with hue and her around.

LADY KILLER

Sketching out twisted smiles on sensual and dangerous vixens, LA-based illustrator Kristen Liu-Wong sees scenes of sexual dazes, violent and erotic ladies in a pastel palette, taking back what belongs to women in powerful images masked in her “candycoated fever dream.”

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By Janroe Cabiles

ABOUT THE COVER Seizing eclectic elements all in one framework of his boundarydefying art, contemporary artist Gary Baseman culminates his background into a creative vernacular with acrylic work “The Door is Always Open” on our Color Issue to pervade the pigments of our imagination.

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

PHOTO DIARY confessional for lensmen

DIGITAL MAGAZINE DOWNLOADS STATUS in pixels, not paper

free mixtapes and wallpapers

do or dye editor-in-chief

Rosario Herrera @RosarioHerrera

managing editor

Denise Mallabo @denisemallabo

art director

Nyael David @nyaels

features editor

Pola Beronilla @HaveYouMetPola

fashion editor

Jill de Leon @orangetoenails

editorial assistant

Janroe Cabiles @janroetheboat

sr. graphic designer

Nadine Layon @nadinelayon

jr. graphic designer

Sheila Gomez @sheilarenei

contributing writers

contributing artists

interns

Ida Aldana, Bea del Rio, Jericho Umali Miguel Alomajan, Benjamin Askinas, Janell Capuchino, Hannah Crump, Ed Enclona, Wilmark Jolindon, Hilary Lee, Lindsey Mejia, Theresa Padin, Driely S., Daniel Santillan, Dionne Taylor Gabrielle Abrahan, Chino Aricaya, Thalia Karr Barrantes, Marinel Custodio, Ernest Fraginal, Lex Ignacio, Sue Leong, Hanna Palo, Mikka Santos

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 ONTRIBU T O R S

Theresa Padin Being a favorite in the industry for five years and counting, hair and makeup artist Theresa Padin makes sure she keeps that highbrow status on fleek. Always at her best under pressure, be it a high fashion editorial or a romantic wedding, she thrives in her ability to adapt to her client’s needs while staying true to her identity as an artist. See here work in this month’s Mane Attraction (22).

HiLlary Lee Taking an ordinary traffic light as an inspiration for Upside Down (34), stylist Hillary Lee gives the green light and gets ready for what the future of androgynous fashion has to offer. With the use of colored cellophanes to achieve a desired aesthetic, see things in a different light through her unique perspective in one of our fashion editorials.

Benjamin Askinas Seeing clarity in a world that’s in such blur, Benjamin Askinas uncovers beauty in chaos and sets the record straight. A fashion, editorial, and commercial photographer rolled into one lensman, buckle up as he takes us through a series of pleasant thoughts that will distract you from the present through his shoot with LA-based band Winter (56).

Lindsey Mejia Capturing a concrete visual tone of an idea built on something abstract, Lindsey Mejia shows us a quick fix away from reality in her photos, just like her idol Michel Gondry. Grasping the right feels for a melody that tends to puts its listeners in a body-numbing trance, let her aesthetic echo the dreamy tunes of our Daydream Believer (56).

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STATU S MESSAG E

DO OR DYE

W

e are far from a perfect world, but looking at certain art can sometimes make it seem so.

While other times, it shows us a whole new universe. Whether the artwork has vibrant colors, straight lines, and smooth curves, it is a channel that can help us connect and communicate. This Color Issue, we have gathered artists whose brush stroke and color palette have made major impact in the art world and beyond.

In this day and age, where most ideas are a rehash of an old one, artist Gary Baseman has created a whole new world for us to ponder and marvel at. Already world-renowned, he has collected countless accolades encompassing his entire career.

He recently visited Manila and we got to watch him paint a mural as well as ask him a few questions.

He shed light on his personal journey, the major influence his family has been in his work, and goals he wants to achieve in his career.

Craig Redman and Karl Maier are the masterminds behind the art collective known as Craig & Karl. These Aussie artists were college buddies who joined forces and have collaborated ever since. Injecting their color and flavor in the pages of Vogue and Vanity Fair, as well as murals in London and New York, it has been a whirlwind journey for the duo. They share with us their artistic inspirations, balancing clients and creativity, and what growing up in Australia during the ‘80s was like.

If women ran the world, what would it look like? Artist Kristen Liu-Wong knows. She has created her career based on this theme. But it’s not what you may imagine. She has avoided the universal themes of a sweet angel or sexy seductress. Instead, she aims to portray what a complex woman looks like, according to her of course. In our interview, she opens up about why she has paints her females in this light, her creative process, and her fascination with sex.

Photographer Stephanie Gonot likes to play with her food and other things. Being the only photographer in our Color Issue says a lot about her work. (It also says that we like food a lot.)

She has turned the norm into whimsy and work into play with a portfolio filled with ads for adidas and Nasty Gal, in addition to being published on Refinery 29 and NYLON. She shares with us her early memories of shooting, her color inspirations, and what keeps her excited about work.

We already know that art is a form of expression, but we never really give it credit for its power to connect people. I guess if you pull back and look at everything, creativity is really the common language for all.

Editor-in-chief

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FASHION

BEAUTY

CELEBRITY

WWW.STARSTYLE.PH

www.starstyle.ph

@starstyleph

@starstyleph

THREADS / setting / BRICK AND MORTAR / SCREEN / BEATS / TECH PACK march 2017

Poker face G

ive your wardrobe a good shuffle with New Zealand-born, Melbournebased brand HOUSE OF CARDS’ Femme collection. Ace the girl-next-door look with her metallic sheer coats, cindy shorts, bilbao dresses, cropped pants, framework tops, long tees, black tulle skirts, and printed overalls that celebrate the brand’s all-hands-on-deck youthful vibe while keeping things pink, prim, and proper. houseofcardslabel.com

due date Be ready to live in bold hues as LANDLORD comes knocking to your doors with a Spring/Summer 2017 collection that’s not for the faint of heart. With clever layering between oversized boxy shorts, track pants, sweaters, pullovers, and shorts in stunning shades of blue, orange, and pink, the set gets you into that street disposition, minus the rent. landlordnewyork.com

art pop A

chieving artistic eclecticism is one thing, but applying it to wearable fashion is a whole other story. With a strong aesthetic integrated into LAU’s subtle yet playful approach, one stands out without having to try too hard. While neoprene dresses, jackets, sweats, and drop-crotch pants in camel, white, and black shout sophistication, dashes of shiny leather, electric crimson, and rich sapphire will give you that extra pop, making the word basic a thing of the past. lauclothing.com

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THREADS

BRANDS TO KNOW

ice breaker T

op up your summer look with NADIA GABRIELLA’s meticulously designed accessories that are truly wearable pieces of art. Streamlining a no glue, only bends and bolts technique, the brand’s clutches, shoulder bags, and cuffs in two-tone themes of black, white, bronze, and neons marry form and function, while keeping your style visible through a genius play of transparency. nadiagabriella.com

breaking bad G

hunting ground Cross the border between style and comfort with Japan-based brand HABANOS’ newest offerings. Inspired by the silhouettes of military uniforms and the palettes of surf wear, the combination between retro and current gives you that cozy touch without feeling underdressed. The collection’s sweaters, co-ords, bomber jackets, leather coats, and jeans blur the lines between work and play. hbns.jp

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Words by Jill de Leon and Chino Aricaya

o beyond boundaries and break norms with INTENTIONALLY_______’s non-conformist, gender neutral clothing line. With an ideology that aims to fill the void in everyone’s personal style, the brand releases a collection of gray oversized shirt dresses, nude sherpa bomber jackets, pink work wool coats, and blue oversized trenches that serve as universal pegs that fit most round and square holes. intentionallyblank.us

THREADS

class act M

ove past the currents and surf your way through a crowd of basics as you stock up on SKINNYDIP LONDON’s statement bags. With fanny packs, hand bags, clutches, and backpacks in a variety of shapes, materials, and sizes, the brand’s head-turning pieces in leather, denim, and wool are adorned with patches, embroidery and hardware, ready to pack you with that extra punch. skinnydiplondon.com

free style W

hoever said chivalry was dead is seriously mistaken, and MISTERGENTLEMAN proves its point by sticking to the classics. Giving a modern take on wardrobe staples like blazers, denim jackets, and coats with hardware detailing, block strips, and prints, the Tokyo-based menswear brand’s New Yours is a more refined version of your go-to ensembles. mrgentleman.jp

laser finish A

rmoring up the everyday woman, HELENA MANZANO backs up the girl boss who knows what she wants and gets it. With a delicate mix of soft textures and bold statements with black mesh coats, white knitted tops, green metallic skirts, and denim-embellished sheer dresses in provocative cuts and unconventional silhouettes, their Spring/Summer 2017 collection is designed for the bold and the beautiful. helenamanzano.com

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SETTING

PLACES TO GO

SUITE

ARLO NOMAD, NEW YORK S

tanding in the heart of Manhattan lies the perfect alternate for the urban explorer away from home. ARLO NOMAD is made for anyone who wants to stay woke in–literally–the city that never sleeps.

The hotel’s facilities can surely cater to the interest of people from all walks of life, given its ability to bring both simple and classy sensibilities, with its first two floors inviting communal spaces, 250 rooms offering city, terrace and skyline views, and plush accents escalating the design.

With authentic Italian restaurant Massoni, innovative upscale cocktail place BARlo, and rooftop bar The Heights, Arlo NoMad fuses the bright lights and gritty streets of the city while keeping you at ease through your entire sojourn.

11 E 31st St., New York City arlohotels.com

GRUB

YUAN ASIAN BISTRO, KAPITOLYO N

1 Brixton St., Unit 4 Victoria, Pasig City facebook.com/yuanasian

PLATE

ASIAN PERSUASION Take a swig and a bite of what is truly uniquely Asian at YUAN, with fresh recreations of dim sum plates, noodles, entrees, and small plates of your faces.

GEN. MAO’S RED PORK BELLY Good luck braised pork belly, topped with a mix of wine and soy sauce, and steamed asparagus

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LAKSA TANTAMEN Fresh ramen noodles with laksa broth, topped with fish cake, lobster balls, and prawns

DIY SUSHI Do-it-yourself platter of salmon and tuna sushi with prepared nori and toppings

CHICKEN TIKKA NACHOS Papadum base, chicken tikka masala, mozzarella, silantro, and pico de gallo

Words by Janroe Cabiles and Lex Ignacio PLATE photos by Mikka Santos, GRUB photos by Nadine Layon

othing like persuasion of the Asian kind to call you over for some crafted creations at YUAN. Enter the cool concrete as you’re welcomed by the design of Man Made Murals showing you what’s in store for you: a cross culture of the taste of Asia. With Chef Kel Zaguirre of Locavore, Empingao, and Taqueria cooking up delectable creations, he fuses different flavors of favorites from Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and Malaysian cuisine with his own twist. Also offering an impressive lineup of Asian whiskey as well as crafted cocktails including their pioneering vodka-based matcha cocktail, they keep treats for their regulars with Jazz Night on Saturdays and unlimited wine on Tuesdays.

BRICK AND MORTAR

STORES TO SHOP

CONCRETE + WATER 485 Driggs Ave., Brooklyn, New York concreteandwater.com Dime to drop: $5-$1000 (PHP 250-PHP 49,735) Don’t leave the store without: a Deer Dana Larry David tee

R

Words by Lex Ignacio Concrete + Water photos by Driely S.

elax your senses as you enjoy the peaceful setting while roaming around CONCRETE + WATER. Located at the busy streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the store’s minimalist vibe and clean hues are complemented by wooden interior accents.

The subtle and spacious environment produces an impactful and cozy ambience, contrasting the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple.

The modern space is filled with colorful in-store merchandise from the likes of Ganni, Wood Wood, SEA NY, Nanushka, Han Kjobenhavn, Ilana Kohn, First Rite, YMC, and LA Panoplie, offering a variety of one-of-a-kind designs seen on clothing, footwear, accessories, and bags. With trendy pieces accompanied by furniture, scents, and craft materials that satiate the calming space, the lifestyle boutique is definitely your Pinterest board coming to life.

NAKED

F

orget all the basic pieces you can see in every store, ‘cause being NAKED has never been so stylish. From clothing and accessories to footwear and outerwear, this all-in-one online store will have you covered from head to toe. Carrying the trendiest pieces from your favorite brands like adidas, Asics, Nike, Y-3, Herschel, Wood Wood, and New Balance, you’ll surely have no problem stripping to the bare essentials.

nakedcph.com

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SCREEN

SCENES TO SEE

REMOTE CONTROL TICKET

IHEARTRADIO MUSIC AWARDS (TNT) If there’s one thing about any popular awards night in the music industry, it’s the highlights that come up when the big names show up.

Drawing the curtains on March 5 at The Forum in Inglewood, California, we get to see the best artists go toe-to-toe, with Drake leading the most nominations for 12 categories, and who brings home the Song of the Year.

MARVEL’S IRON FIST (NETFLIX) Teaming up with Marvel for the fourth time, Netflix brings back another awesome superhero in Danny Rand, otherwise known as the Iron Fist. In the series adaptation, we take a look at how Finn Jones plays the role of an orphan as he grows up to be the billionaire Buddhist monk and is faced with a choice between his family’s legacy and what is right.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Hitting our screens again since its 1991 release, Walt Disney Pictures classic is given a remake starring a perfect cast with Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as Beast.

BEFORE I FALL Based on Lauren Oliver’s 2010 bestselling novel of the same name, Zoey Deutch plays Sam, a senior on the brink of graduating, who oddly lives the same day of tragedy over and over again.

THE BELKO EXPERIMENT The producers of The Conjuring raise yet another nervewracking film directed

by Greg McLean, seeing a building of people put through a literal death-defying experiment.

PERSONAL SHOPPER French film director Olivier Assayas brings us a psychological thriller with Kristen Stewart playing an assistant who’s facing a series of supernatural events after the death of her twin brother.

T2: TRAINSPOTTING The wait is over for our favorite blokes. Based on the follow-up novel Porno, the sequel of the 1996 black comedy dawns with its director Danny Boyle and original cast returning.

REVOLUTION: NEW ART FOR A NEW WORLD Feast your eyes on a visual treat as Margy Kinmonth guides us through the mass exploration of art led by the hunger for freedom in response to the Russian Revolution.

DAVID WILSON (Director) thisisdavidwilson.com

TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY (1991) It came at a pivotal age for me. Seeing these men huddling naked was quite arousing for me.

That combined with the physical effects and the music.

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THE WATER BABIES (1978) This film really had an impact on me, that you could combine live action and animation, and how it made me feel so viscerally as the kid.

DANCER IN THE DARK (2000) The last von Trier film was a marriage of music with heartbreaking drama. It really had an impact on me, especially the escapism through music and Bjork’s performance.

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF A SPOTLESS MIND (2004) This is Gondry at his most passionate.

PAPRIKA (2006) I really dived into Satoshi Kon’s work in 2015, and you can really see it in my Tame Impala video, the way I structured shots and go through different scenes.

Words by Lex Ignacio

PLAYBACK

BEAtS PLAYLIST I like the storytelling aspect of hip-hop, and I’ve always been drawn to that, so these songs get me every time I hear ‘em, no matter where I’m at.

NINNO soundcloud.com/ ninnomusic

“They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” Pete Rock & CL Smooth

“Don’t Sweat the Technique” Eric B. & Rakim Family Stone

“Where the Hood At?” DMX

“The Soup” Hail Mary Mallon

Growing up in Brazil really shaped my love for beautiful and soft-singing melodies, so here are some songs that I just can’t stop listening to right now.

WINTER Samira Winter (Vocals/ Guitar) samirawinter. bandcamp. com

“Common People” Pulp

“February Fourteenth” Lilys

“Kaleidoscope” Ringo Deathstarr

“Never Comin’ Back” Golden Daze

Words by Denise Mallabo Samira Winter photo by Benjamin Askinas, Austin Lam photo by Hannah Crump

I was really big into reggae and punk rock music for a long time. Sublime and The Offspring were huge influences.

AUSTIN LAM austinlamsound.com

“What I Got” Sublime

“Feeling Alright” Rebelution

“Stairway to Heaven” Led Zeppelin

“The Kids Aren’t Alright” The Offspring

MUSIC TO HEAR

RELEASES

Two years ago, Allison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory announced that they were busy working on this album. Now, electronic duo GOLDFRAPP will finally be releasing their muchawaited seventh studio album entitled Silver Eye and have already released the first single “Anymore.”

Last year, award-winning folk singer LAURA MARLING released the video that she directed for her single entitled “Soothing,” which will be included in her sixth studio album Semper Femina. This latest offering from Laura will be out this March as she also starts her tour this month.

MUSIC NEWS

Taking it to the South this time, Karpos Media’s Wanderland Music & Arts Festival will be held at the Filinvest City Events Grounds. Bringing back The Temper Trap together with The Ting Tings as headliners, prepare for a whole day of dancing on March 4.

Be one with nature at Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival on March 10-12 at Mount Malasimbo, Puerto Galera, featuring a combination of international and local live band and DJ performances headed by Alfredo Rodriguez, Jordan Rakei, Tennyson, and more.

Austin, Texas will once again prove that they are deserving of the “Live Music Capital of the World” title. Over 500 diverse acts representing different countries will be performing at the South x South West Music Festival on March 13-19.

The follow-up from the Liverpool band CIRCA WAVES is just around the corner. Different Creatures, due anytime this month, is a lot darker compared to their first record Young Chasers according to frontman Kieran Shuddal in an interview. The band is currently gearing up for their European tour.

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tech pack

GADGETS TO BUY

DYE HARD

DOWNLOADS

Everything’s better with hue around.

SNAPCHAT SPECTACLES • A one-purpose gadget that syncs right into the app without the need of a phone in-range • Equipped to shoot 100 videos in 115° circular format in HD quality • Comes with a charging case, USB charging cable, and ghost-shaped cleaning cloth SRP: PHP 6,470.75

NECKSOUND • A smart wireless necklace-shaped wearable music device • Includes a 4GB internal memory that can store up to 1000 songs • Coated with Hypoallergenic silicone that’s both dustand sweat-resistant

FANTASTIC BEASTS

By Warner Bros.

Enter this fantastical community and help out the Ministry of Magic by solving cases and unlocking the mysteries of the Wizarding World.

SRP: PHP 6,921.45

CRONZY PEN • Lets you to scan a desired color from any object and write in over 16 million colors available • Comes with a charging case, power supply, five interchangeable tips of different diameters, and two sets of cartridges with ink • Compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows Phone SRP: PHP 10,900.73

PUMP AUDIO MIX WIRELESS

COLOR BY DISNEY

By Disney Can you paint with all the colors of the wind? This app lets you fill your favorite Disney and Pixar characters with whatever color you wish!

SRP: PHP 4,238.72

ACTOFIT • Uses a 9-axis motion sensor setup that keeps track of exercises in a 3D space without any user disturbance • Forms a thorough fitness evaluation and derive relevant exercise parameter • Comes with an 8GB of internal memory and a 150mAh battery that’s rechargeable via USB SRP: PHP 5,724.13

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PERSONA MASK

By VicMan LLC Change your appearance with a single tap. Whether it’s a quick video or a simple selfie, have fun with a number of personas to play with.

Words by Ernest Fraginal and Sue Leong

• Boosts the bass-depth quality without losing balance and clarity • Equipped with a 3.6g battery that lasts up to four hours • Includes two sizes of silicone eartips and three sizes of Memory Foam eartips

F A CE PA I N T

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Clear Brow Gel P1,091.31

MARC JACOBS BEAUTY Magic Marc’er Blacquer Precision Pen Liquid Eyeliner P1,488.15

Don’t panic, it’s holographic.

COVER FX Perfect Setting Powder in Medium Deep P1,736.17 URBAN DECAY Optical Illusion Complexion Primer P1,686.57

DIOR Fusion Mono Eyeshadow in Olympe P1,240.12

TWEEZERMAN Holographic Tweezer P1,289.73 TOO FACED Born This Way Concealer P1,388.94

MAKE UP FOREVER Diamond Powder in Baby Mauve P1,240.12 TARTE Fan Brush P1,488.15 LAURA MERCIER Candleglow Soft Luminous Foundation in Honey P2,381.04

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TOM FORD Lips & Boys Lip Color in Alexander P1,785.78

Runway photo from Jill Stuart Spring/Summer 2016

ILLAMASQUA Powder Eyeshadow in Vulgar P1,046

VAN I T I ES

FLORAL CODE

Draw them in like moths to a flame with a little help from NARS WILDFIRE COLLECTION. Inspired by the colors of spring, the set features lipsticks, lip glosses, eyeshadow sticks, powder blush and eyeshadow duos in a wide range of colors and finishes. Brush, swipe, and dab these on to be in tune with the season. Having a little extra flower power never hurt anybody, anyway.

EXPERT ADVICE Pair green hues with warm neutrals for a more earthy, natural look.

Words by Jill de Leon

GREENERY

The year of realizing things may be over, but it’s never too late to work it like Kylie. Glaze your lips with KYLIE LIP KIT IN TRICK and make heads turn with this edgy hue.

Give a whole new meaning to having a green thumb with DOLCE & GABBANA LIQUID NAIL LACQUER IN MINT, which has a custom-designed applicator to minimize streaking.

Light up the streets with JEFFREE STAR SKIN FROST IN MINT CONDITION. The highlighter’s vegan and Paraben-free formula’s buildable intensity takes you from subtle to goddess in one stroke.

Go big or go home with BOBBI BROWN METALLIC EYE SHADOW IN BASALM. Packed with reflective pearls, its high-pigment, metallic finish will give you that extra edge.

Bat those lashes in the year’s most popular shade with MAKE UP FOR EVER SMOKY LASH MASCARA IN GREEN. The ultrapigmented formula gives you curl, volume, length, and a fashion statement all at once.

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GO S E E

Make it all about hue with these refreshing color palettes.

@maffashion_official

@mazigi_fashion

@jaim

@aron_luu

@afashionnerd

The purple reign begins with designer and blogger JUSTINA KO’s sporty ensemble. @justina.ko

@houseofap

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@caichenghan

@cuti

metoutcheztoi

iefive

@urbantraveller

Blogger RADEK PESTKA channels a retro vibe with blue, white, and red. @radekpestka

@nikita_shamay

@bellsiris

@pupuhoehoe

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Photographed by Miguel Alomajan Styled by Jill de Leon

button-down by Topman accessories by ALDO

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tyt

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sweater by Sfera jumpsuit by Mango

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coat by Forever 21

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button-down by Uniqlo necklace by Forever 21

button-down by Uniqlo necklace by Forever 21

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top by Sfera necklace and earring by ALDO ear cuffs by Forever 21

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top, vintage choker by Forever 21

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earrings by ALDO button-down by Topman

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earring by ALDO ear cuffs by Forever 21 button-down by Sfera pants by Publish from The Nines

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coat by Forever 21 top by River Island earring by ALDO

Hair Theresa Padin Makeup Dionne Taylor Model Alicia of Ideal People Model Management

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coat by Forever 21 top by River Island earring by ALDO

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Photographed by Wilmark Jolindon Styled by Hillary Lee

top by Cheri-Lou Rabanoz Aranjuez

Photographed by Shaira Luna

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blazer by Zara Man pullover by Gnarly x Renan Pacson pants and shoes by H&M

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robe and shorts by Renan Pacson

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jacket by Renan Pacson

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Wardrobe Shaira Luna Wardrobe Janell Capuchino AssistantEd Lance Luna Shoot Assistatnt Enclona Model George Hard atofAMCK Models Model George Cedric Pasco Elite Manila

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SWAG M A R CH

20 1 7

SUMMER LOVIN’ Sizzle in your best ensemble no matter where the heat takes you.

Product Photography by Daniel Santillan

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button-down by Topman [TBA] shorts by 21 Men [P595] hat by Oxygen [P349] eyewear by Sunnies [P499] slides by adidas [P1,995]

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M U S I C F E S T I VA L

TUNE LANDING Play by ear.

scarf by Call It Spring [P469.53] shirt by I Love Ugly from The Nines [P3,295] pants by adidas [P2,795] hat by Thrasher from The Nines [TBA] shoes by Dr. Martens [TBA] 42 - STATUSMAGONLINE.COM

TREBLE MAKER

Head pitch in charge.

jacket by Penshoppe [TBA] choker by Forever 21 [P330] dress by Topshop [TBA] eyewear by ALDO [P655] hat by ALDO [P895] shoes by Dr. Martens [TBA]

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BEACH

WAVE REBEL

Sand and deliver.

button-down by Mango Man [TBA] shirt by 21 Men [TBA] hat by Civil Regime from The Nines [P2,085] eyewear by Sunnies [P499] shorts by Topman [TBA] sandals by Call It Spring [P1,695]

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SEA GAL Salty af.

coverup by Forever 21 [TBA] swimsuit by H&M [TBA] shorts by Topshop [TBA] bag by Call It Spring [P1,095] eyewear by Sunnies [P499] sandals by Charles & Keith [P2,399]

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CRUISE

STEER HUNTER Anchors away.

jacket by 21 Men [P1,425] top by Mango Man [P1,795] shorts by Topman [P1,995] eyewear by Sunnies [P499] shoes by Aldo [P3,795] 46 - STATUSMAGONLINE.COM

EPIC SAIL

Hands on deck.

jacket by Forever 21 [P1,535] top by Sfera [P1,499] pants by Dorothy Perkins [P1,995] bag by Charles & Keith [TBA] shoes by Charles & Keith [P2,199] eyewear by Sunnies [P399]

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GLAMPING

NATURAL ANTHEM Out and about.

top by Oxygen [P499] overalls by Forever 21 [P1,685] hat by SM Accessories [P199] bag by Dr. Martens [P3,990] shoes by Dr. Martens [P8,990] 48 - STATUSMAGONLINE.COM

RANGER ZONE Take a hike.

top by Oxygen [P499] overalls by Forever 21 [P1,685] hat by SM Accessories [P199] bag by Dr. Martens [P3,990] shoes by Dr. Martens [P8,990] STATUSMAGONLINE.COM - 49

M A E S T R O

T According to WILL JOSEPH COOK, 60% of his new fans ask him if he’s ever gonna cook, while the remaining 40% wants to know if his name is an actual question.

Dishing out a tasty blend of sugary hooks and hearty melodies, there’s only one question fitting to be asked: is this young lad pop’s next best thing?

By Pola Beronilla

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reading the path of a pop star might have not been his primitive instinct, but Will Joseph Cook was destined to go down that road.

However, don’t let his glimmering hooks blind you.

The kind of pop music he polishes outshines what his contemporaries tend to offer. Discovering his pop sensibilities at an early age, growing up in a creative household helped shape his penchant for unorthodox compositions. “There was always great music playing around the house, but it wasn’t until I was about 13 that I really got into music,” recollects Kent-born singer-songwriter. With an exposure to the peculiar stylings of Weezer, MGMT, Vampire Weekend, Empire of the Sun, and Darwin Deez, Will took his budding aspirations to the Internet and started uploading his material on SoundCloud and YouTube, capitalizing on the millennial age of online recognition. With both luck and talent on his side, he started stacking up hits and views that led him towards signing under Atlantic Records before even reaching the legal drinking age of UK. Moving past the talk of the town, 2015 was a big year for the Royal Turnbridge Wells native as he went on to release his debut EP, You Jump I Run. Although his earlier recordings hinted strong folk and blues influences, Will’s ear for pop naturally matured as the English wunderkind followed it up with two more EPs, Proof Enough and Insignificant With You. “I think it was just a gradual process of whittling down what I loved when I listened to music and then injecting those elements into my own songs.

It came down to me just trusting my instincts,” he

MAESTRO

“The thing I love most about pop music is that it isn’t a genre. To me, it’s a style of writing, but mainly the end goal of creating something that speaks to everyone.” adds. Highlighted by a cosmic vocal touch parallel to David Byrne, Will hones sophisticated jams reminiscent of the slinky funk of ‘80s Britpop.

But while his melodies fall on the poppier side of music, the young artist manages to infuse wistful sentiments with a comic bent all over his framework.

“I want the songs to feel real, never just feel one emotion. Reflecting that in my writing is important to me,” he suggests. Formulating sonic experiments riddled with a charming self-indulgence, Will proves to be comfortably moving in all directions at once.

Currently, he’s en route to the release of his much-awaited full-length debut this April. Taking the name of his 2016 banger, Sweet Dreamer promises to explore a different side of Will. “The album is fairly biographical as a lot of the songs are just about chapters in my life from the past couple of years,” he relates. “Musically, it was really exciting to record; lots of new territory for me creatively.” While there’s a certain notion that comes with pop music, he marches on his destined path undaunted. “The music [I make] is uncompromised and comes from a very honest place; it’s just me

writing the tunes. It’s not cookie-cutter or playing to one specific trend, and I think that’s what sets it apart,” shares Will. “The thing I love most about pop music is that it isn’t a genre. To me, pop music is a style of writing, but mainly the end goal of creating something that speaks to everyone.

I think all the most powerful songs in history have been pop songs in some sense.” He goes on, “I write music to share with other people. I want people to love the songs and make cool memories with them.”

Don’t you dare sleep on this sweet dreamer; he’s the unadulterated reality we should all wake up to.

willjosephcook.co.uk @WillJosephCook

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MAESTRO

Using a comical approach to serious worldly themes befitting of the contradictory culture it tries to expose, PRINCESS CYBERSPACE consequently establishes its own musical genre and stands out as the next big act to invade our online screens.

By Bea del Rio Interview by Ernest Fraginal

I

f millennials ever need a soundtrack, the music of LA-based duo Princess Cyberspace would be a top choice. When singer-songwriter Rebecca L’Amore and electronic music producer STEL LEO teamed up, they effectively gave birth to what they dubbed as “CyberPop,” a new genre made tailor-fit for this cyber-obsessed generation. Gathering inspiration from past punk rock and new media to feminism and pop culture, their infectious jams are a combination of ‘80s synthpop, electronic music, and a tropical-future sound–a nod to the duo’s multi-racial roots–accompanied by satirical lyrics that reveal a deep and relatable truth about a generation whose reality exists inside mobile screens and the Internet.

With their first music videos in the works and a full-length album expected to be released by the end of the year, we caught up with the duo you’ll probably be hearing and seeing more of in your next online browsing.

How did the two of you get together?

Rebecca: Stelio and I met in Boston through a mutual friend. We connected immediately because I grew up in Guam and he grew up in Bermuda. I think living on an island with a very small population during your early childhood affects you in a really unique way.

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Islands are like distant stars in the middle of nowhere. It’s difficult to connect with people from the mainland if you’re from a remote island. Also, both Stelio and I are multi-racial and really into fashion, music, art, and entertainment, so there hasn’t been a dull moment since the moment we met, honestly.

What pushed you guys to start a Princess Cyberspace?

R: We officially started Princess Cyberspace when we moved to Los Angeles in early 2016. We wanted to start a more self-aware/society-aware popular music group, because so many songs on the radio today aren’t relatable. To me, they’re vague. We both spend a lot of time on our phones and computers like most millennials, so simply writing about my experience of living in a mobile world pushed us to start this project.

Your music often dwells with tropical, electronic music and you’ve dubbed it as “CyberPop.” What inspired this direction in sound?

R: Growing up in Bermuda, Stelio was surrounded by the sounds of dancehall, reggae, and calypso music. The rhythms and melodies of these genres have definitely shaped his writing style, but each song we create is definitely new and distinct from our other tunes.

“So Relatable” definitely captures that dancehall pop electronica vibe while “Alone, By Myself” is a festival ready moombahton track. Our latest release “Blocked/Unblocked” completely breaks this mold and has a more future/retro ‘80s sound that utilizes a lot more live instrumentation. We’ve always been poking fun at how social media and the advancement of tech affects everyday interactions with this project. Our “CyberPop” sound definitely goes hand in hand with this with its clean pop elements and sometimes robotic vocal processing.

MAESTRO Speaking of it, your lyrics call out this generation’s overuse of phones and technology. What led you to tackling this specific subject matter?

R: I think the question is what didn’t lead us to tackling this subject matter. To be honest, if you’re not writing about mobile technology, you’re not writing about popular culture, because popular culture, at least in Hollywood, is literally being on your phone or computer 24/7/365. It’s rare for people here to be able to hold a full conversation anymore, especially if they’re strangers.

a male producer has been done before, but I write all of the lyrics and call almost all of the shots when it comes to this project. So many pop songs on the radio are written by men for women, therefore not voicing the opinion of the feminine. We want Princess Cyberspace songs on the radio, so that the feminine word can get out there properly. We want to take Princess Cyberspace all over the world, and maybe to another planet one day.

soundcloud.com/princesscyberspace @misscyberspace

What do you want listeners to take from your songs?

R: I hope that listeners hear our songs and (a) think they’re relatable, (b) think they’re funny, and (c) take a piece of the song with them and show them to their friends. I think that our lyrics have a certain depth to them that not all people will want to admit that they can relate to. Hopefully, people become more self-aware and apply this intelligence to their everyday lives.

Ultimately, what do you hope to achieve with your music?

R: We want to prove to be complete rule-breakers in the music and technology industries. A woman fronting

“So many pop songs on the radio are written by men for women, therefore not voicing the opinion of the feminine. We want Princess Cyberspace songs on the radio, so that the feminine word can get out there properly.”

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MAESTRO

BODY AND SOUL D Y D SOUL BO MIKE TAYLOR was born to entertain us with his soulful sounds. “I’ve always known that I wanted to be a performer, so I basically grew up experimenting with various artforms until I found my voice,” says the Philadelphia native. As he goes on to perform his body-moving songs, he’s gearing up to show you that his music is more than just a summer thing.

By Jericho Umali

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M

ost known for his hit single with Afrojack “SummerThing!,” Mike Taylor is more of an entertainer than one might think. Born from a family background of music, he spent his childhood becoming a fan of almost every type of genre imaginable. “I was into everything growing up, from Michael Jackson, Prince, James Brown, and Rick James to The Roots, Wu Tang, Jay Z, Paul Simon, Jimmy Hendrix, Smashing Pumpkins, No Doubt, and even Marilyn Manson,” he recalls. “Basically, Philly gave me a good foundation in soul music, in addition to growing up during the MTV golden years [laughs].” Influenced by so many forms of sounds, he eventually came up with his signature “get energized” style, which exudes the production of a Justin Timberlake dance jam with the vocal vibes of John Newman. “I pretty much make the music I wanna hear, the way I hear it in my mind.

Usually, it’s whatever I’m inspired by at the time,” he explains.

“Sometimes, you might hear a bit of overlapping things that inspire me– that’s inevitable. But I’m just not afraid of people not liking something or thinking I’m weird. I just do me.”

MAESTRO Recently dropping his Feel Good EP last October, Mike Taylor is starting to get some buzz in the music industry. Producing tracks like “Body High” (which captured #6 on Billboard’s Top Dance Music Chart) and “Electric Church,” all of which show how much of Mike’s music can bring people on their feet with such feel good energy. “I just know how much music has affected and impacted my life, so when people hit me up or tell me at shows about how something I made has affected them in a positive way, there’s really no other high like it,” he relates.

With that mentality, it’s easy to see that Mike tailors such great music, and it’s been garnering the attention of the people during awards season as well. Talking about his recent nomination at 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, he shares, “It’s such a great feeling to be recognized. I’m one of those people who’s always working or creating and never stops to smell the roses, so going to the awards kinda gave me no choice but to be present in the moment. It was an amazing thing to be apart of. Hopefully, it’s just the beginning.”

For Mike Taylor, the critical appraise is just part of the journey.

“I just wanna make that best art I can possibly make. I’m a student of the game and I’m constantly learning, so I hope to stay inspired. If I can do that, I think the other things will follow,” says the Philadphia native. “I just hope my art can make people feel something, and if it inspires anyone in any way, then that’s really all that matters.” With

all the recent milestones he has achieved within the past year alone, he’s setting his sights on more ways to make us move, teasing us with a possible debut album this 2017.

“The big thing coming up is my first full-length album! I’ve waited my whole life to be able to say that,” he shares. “The other is to be able to hit the road and touch people.

There are still so many places in the world I’ve never been to, and I can’t wait for my music to take me there.” Whether it be by his charming and upbeat personality or through his infectiously catchy tunes, we can all be sure that whatever Mike Taylor comes up with, it will be crafted to make you get up on your feet and start dancing without a care in the world.

iammiketaylor.com @iammiketaylor

“I just know how much music has affected and impacted my life, so when people hit me up or tell me at shows about how something I made has affected them in a positive way, there’s really no other high like it.”

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MAESTRO

You’re going to want to lie down for this one. Delivering a breeze you can’t fight, dream pop outfit WINTER creates a gentle blizzard with their hazy and body-numbing melody.

By Ernest Fraginal Interview by Gabrielle Abrahan Photographed by Benjamin Askinas and Lindsey Meija

N

ot only does Winter sound dreamy, but they’re the culmination of a dream come true. The LA-based shoegaze band was vocalist Samira Winter’s long-time wish fulfilled. “I’ve dreamt of having a band since I was 12. I would literally wish it at every birthday party, every penny thrown into the fountain, just closing my eyes and saying I wanted a band one day,” she recalls.

But it wasn’t all wishes upon shutting her eyes. What started as a small collaboration with music producer Nolan Eley continued to rise and eventually formed into a full-fledged reality. “I met Nolan during college in Boston through his band Infinity Girl. I always loved the sounds and musical ideas he came up with, so I asked him if he could record a few songs. Those initial recordings developed into the first Winter EP Daydreaming,” she relays. As Samira slowly saw her pipe dream fantasies come to life, Winter’s tale was shaping up. “When I moved to LA, I began searching for bandmates, started playing shows, and getting acquainted with the scene.

It was a natural process of making music, recording, playing, and eventually finding the ideal people to share this process with,” she recounts. With Samira on vocal and guitar duties, she then enlisted guitarist Matt Hogan, bassist Justine Brown, and drummer Garren Orr and led the group of dreamers in the release of their first full-length record entitled Supreme Blue Dream in 2015,

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MAESTRO breathing life into their laid-back guitar-pop daydream.

And from where they’re going, it looks like the band will only continue to evolve.

In the middle of snacking on some coconut chia pudding with her cat Zoey, we caught up with Samira Winter to talk about her humble beginnings, the LA quartet’s influences, and their future plans.

Coming from Brazil, how did it help shape your style now in terms of producing music?

Samira: Growing up in Brazil really shaped my love for beautiful and soft-singing melodies. It also cultivated a more soulful side to experiencing music with passion and intuition. Production-wise, I feel like I’m really influenced by the sounds coming from the UK during the ‘80s and ‘90s in the dream pop/shoegaze realm, but I still have yet to experiment producing with conscious Brazilian influences.

What was the music scene there like?

S: I grew up in Curitiba, Parana, which is in the south of Brazil. The music scene wasn’t huge but had some cool indie rock bands that shaped my aspiration for forming a band. In general terms, it’s a different music culture than the US; shows start later in the night, there aren’t that many bands on a bill, etc.

Any favorite artists you loved listening to as a kid or even then during your time in college?

S: Since I was a teenager, I’ve always loved listening to Nada Surf, Rilo Kiley, Pedro The Lion, My Bloody Valentine, Cocteau Twins, Gal Costa, Los Hermanos–the list goes on, but I would say those are my faves.

How difficult was your move from Boston to LA in terms of the music community you were surrounded with as well as the change in lifestyle?

S: It was really exciting to move into a new and bigger music community. LA has a lot going on all the time, and it’s really fun to navigate through, especially when you first move here. I do miss more of an indie/ shoegaze scene from the East Coast, since LA is more heavy on the garage and psych scene. At the same time, I love going to shows and belonging to a music community, but I’m also weary of getting to much in the “scene.” I like making music for the journey of self-expression and self-exploration and wouldn’t want to be tied down to whatever is trendy.

Most of the songs you’ve done are about positivity. How do you create that mood?

S: They aren’t really about positivity necessarily, but I think they could emanate that vibe. Whenever I’m writing songs, I try to go to the most sincere and vulnerable place. I’m a pretty positive person, so it does make sense that you would sense that.

What’s next for Winter? What are you looking forward to most this 2017?

S: Really looking forward to finishing and releasing our record Ethereality.

samirawinter.bandcamp.com @daydreamingwinter

“I like making music for the journey of selfexpression and selfexploration and wouldn’t want to be tied down to whatever is trendy.”

M A S T E R M I N D

Some say that art imitates life.

Others say that life imitates art. As for the multi-faceted collage artist GEOVANNI ABING, it’s both.

By Ida Aldana

I

“

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‘m more into the connection and the story behind the work rather than the physical beauty it displays,” answers Bohol-based Geovanni Abing when asked to describe his aesthetic. “It’s always changing and my appreciation of concepts and ideas differs on how I feel about it.” Known for his complex and detailed collages, the mixed-media artist is just as diverse as the materials he uses to create his works of art.

As a Food Technoogy graduate, he initially worked for food companies.

He picked up a knack for baking along the way as he previously also worked for a bakery chain. In addition to his corporate background, he also spends his free time playing football, having been the captain of his college football team in Leyte while coaching another team in Aklan.

Now that he’s pursuing his craft full-time, his eye-catching pieces find their homes in many exhibits.

He’s had his works shown everywhere— from the Qube Gallery in Cebu to Singapore’s Isetan Wisma Atria for the Art Apart Fair. However, his

MASTERMIND works had simple beginnings. “We didn't have much growing up; we used to watch TV shows and play in our neighbors’ houses. These activities fueled my imagination as a child to wander and dream,” he shares. “Most of the elements in my work come from things I wanted to have or activities I wanted to do as a child.” Apart from his childhood, he also uses pop culture as a source of inspiration.

“I incorporate these things in my work. New York artists Basquiat and Andy Warhol also influenced my art and views on art,” he says.

His process of creating art varies between taking note of mundane everyday things and worldly events he finds interesting during his travels.

He picks a particular concept then does a rough sketch on the canvas.

“Anything goes, really. It’s basically a long process of learning and unlearning with arranging colors and gluing pieces of paper.” He often uses magazines and recycled objects for his intricate collages.

“I thought it was such a waste not to make use of. More importantly, I guess I wanted my work to be unique but still represent me as a person,” he says. “Sometimes you’d see some random details in my work, which reflected my thoughts while making it.” He explains that he works on these concepts in series, with ten pieces for big artworks and even more for smaller ones.

One of his recognized series is the Icon series, which is based on people he admired for their work, uniqueness, and personality. “Since I'm more familiar with their stories, I thought it was a good subject to work with, especially with making the details.” He uses bits of things and text to describe them and their legacy. Knowing his audience well, he acknowledges that they have varied

tastes when it comes to his works. He elaborates, “I hope my audience see themselves in the details I placed to remind them of the things that matter most. It could be nostalgic in a positive way that could put a smile on their faces.” He continues, “I may sometimes work spontaneously on the details hoping to make a connection, create a dialogue, or just make them feel weird about it.”

Given that conceptualizing future works excites him and makes him want to work harder, there’s no doubt that we’ll be seeing more of Geovanni soon. “Finishing a recent work is the most satisfying part for me.

The possibilities of what that work could lead to inspire me the most,” he shares. So far, his work has led him to Art Fair PH and a few group shows for 2017 that we’ll be keeping tabs on. Hopefully, it’s not too long before his works also lead him to an artist residency abroad.

geovanniabing.com @geovabing

“Finishing a recent work is the most satisfying part for me. The possibilities of what that work could lead to inspire me the most.”

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MASTERMIND

When you’re feeling rough and raw, Manila-based clothing brand SALAD DAY will make you feel like you’re in the time of your life, with designer Willar Mateo’s touch.

S

tarting a rebellion of color and glitter, Willar Mateo envisions the youth in revolt as mythical, galactic–made up of teenage dreams, cartoons, and the cosmos. Lounging on his grandma’s couch as a kid, he’d switch the channels between Cartoon Network, Disney, and Arirang TV, without any idea of how it would fan the flame of his spark for fashion.

“I loved Cardcaptor Sakura ever since,” he recalls. “Tomoyo Daidouji is the reason why I wanted to be a fashion designer.

I loved the clothes she created for Sakura when capturing a Clow Card.” With metallic frills, crazy hues, mismatched patterns, pastel fur, and everything in between, he threads his seemingly shattered

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By Janroe Cabiles

vision seamlessly for his brand Salad Day. First taking up Apparel and Fashion Technology in college, he then searched for mentors before launching his first line. “They helped me to get to where I am now. The I Love You store helped me extract my juices and showed me that crossing the line is okay,” he shares. “My internship with Gian Romano helped me enjoy pattern-making and tailoring. Combining these things I learned together gave

me this new idea of clothing.”

Patching up polka dots, fringes, and sequins in sequences of collaged pants, shorts, T-shirts, crop tops, dresses, and pullovers, he’s always ready to dress the next candy-colored space superhero.

With an evergreen sense of style, he keeps the young folks in mind. Although Shakespeare’s coined term refers to just that–a time of innocence and idealism–to Willar, he encapsulates the idea

MASTERMIND

“Be a creative person as much as possible.

Cross the line.

The more expressive you are, the better.” of youth with the conversation of art and design, not scared to be loud and intricate. “I’m very spontaneous. I had a photographer as a housemate before, and he was fascinated with how I make clothes, because I don’t sketch.

I just grab a pair of scissors and start cutting fabrics,” he says.

“I really enjoy the handmade, intricate details as an aspect of clothing–that’s how special I want my clothes to be.” With his love for keeping things young, fresh, and sometimes silly, he makes sure he’s constantly evolving with the youth. “I always review my past collections to trace what I should correct and improve, or how I should transition my next idea from my last collection to make a new one. Evolving is a must in my brand.”

Describe the kind of person you see wearing Salad Day. People who act stupid but are actually intellectual. They know how to appreciate details and they like art and kitsch.

Who would you want to see wearing your clothes?

I’ve gifted Grimes when she was here in the Philippines, and she wore it during the meet and greet session! I wanna gift Azealia Banks, Charli XCX, Katya Zamolodchikova, Olly Alexander, Kali Uchis, and Imp Kid.

What is the overall vision of the brand you’re creating? Where do you see it going, and can you tell us anything about your next collection?

I wanna be an international brand based in the Philippines that caters special and handcrafted clothes. This year, I’ll be starting my diffusion line called DRESSING by Salad Day. I will be offering handcrafted accessories, clothes for dolls and pets, and everything in between. I also have a store located at HUB Make Lab along Escolta, together with SuperStarlet XXX. If there was one message Salad Day could put out to its audiences, what would it be?

In my college days, I was very conscious about everything because people around me thought that fashion design wasn’t a real course. As time passed by, I realized that I had nothing to lose by doing what I really love. Be a creative person as much as possible. Cross the line.

The more expressive you are, the better.

salad-day.com @salad_day

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MASTERMIND

Local art heroine KITA might not draw you like one of her French girls, but she sure can make you kick ass. Rendering the feminine mystique in bold strokes and gentle hues, the artist primps her muses with sugar, spice, and everything nice.

By Pola Beronilla

I

“

still remember it to this day and it still makes me laugh,” shares Bulacan native Keeshia Felipe, more commonly known as KITA to her online cult following, when asked if she could recall the very first artwork she created. Apart from distinctly remembering the orange juice scent of their kindergarten room due to the recklessness of her classmates who constantly spilled juice packs all over the floor, the artist traces back to her humble beginnings. “I remember having an assignment where we had to draw what we wanted to become when we grow up. I wasn’t sure of what I wanted to be at that time, so I chose to be a teacher,” she relays. “I wanted it to look nice, so I tried tracing a drawing from my textbook instead. Then when my teacher checked it the following day, she was so impressed with what I did. She

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never knew how I managed to pull it off; it was the first of the many white lies I made in school [laughs].” Her artistic path might have started out as a harmless white lie, but the truth of the matter is KITA was born with a killer skill, she just wasn’t aware of it.

Not all cute things look cool, and not all cool things look cute, but KITA has managed to draw a fine line between the two. Constantly fueled by coffee, chill music, and movies with an ‘80 or ‘90s setting, she edges out the culture of kawaii with a street aesthetic.

Drawing inspiration from the works of Keith Haring, Toshio Saeki, Mel Stringer, estherlovesyou, and Leon Karssen, the artist highlights her clean line drawing with colorful, quirky, badass female representations with perfectly winged eyeliner. “I actually wanted to be

MASTERMIND a stylist before! But I thought that I wouldn’t have the chops for it. I wasn’t event confident in styling myself, so I tried to incorporate my ideas into my artwork instead,” she relays. With modest squares of Instagram serving as an art gallery to users worldwide, KITA has not only gathered a hefty fan base online, but she has also been, as they say, noticed by senpai as cool kids like Tyler, the Creator and Willow Smith have stumbled upon her illustrations as well. “It’s quite fulfilling when someone you look up to notices your work. Plus, it’s great to be able to express yourself through art, especially for people like me who aren’t much of a vocal person,” she adds.

Apart from personal achievements and constantly producing stickers, ceramics, zines, and other thingamabobs, the multi-talented artist has been busy working on a myriad of projects, including her exclusive collaborations with indie pop star Reese Lansangan for her official merch, social media icon Chuvaness for National Book Store, and local streetwear brand WSH for their latest collection. “It’s also been my ultimate dream to be able to work with Tyler, the Creator and to do a collab with Lazy Oaf and Leon Karssen,” she eagerly suggests. Though making the leap to full-time freelancer and relying on her art for her paycheck isn’t the easiest choice to make, KITA makes the decision worthwhile. “In a way, working freelance is great since you get to handle your own hours, but you have to expect that you won’t have a regular monthly income. Honestly, the worst part is waiting for the payment,” she quips.

“But you know what they say, if you’re happy with what you’re doing, just keep doing it, and that’s how I feel about it right now. It motivates me to do more when I’m constantly inspired in life.”

@keeshuuu

“If you’re happy with what you’re doing, just keep doing it, and that’s how I feel about it right now. It motivates me to do more when I’m constantly inspired in life.”

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H E A V Y H I T T E R

HEAVY HITTER

For contemporary artist GARY BASEMAN, his works will always be his tool of choice to connect with people to say what needs to be said with the absence of words.

By Denise Mallabo Photographed by Nyael David Shot on location at Vinyl on Vinyl Special thanks to Gaby dela Merced

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“I’VE NEVER CREATED ART FOR THE SAKE OF MY OWN ENTERTAINMENT. MY ART HAS MEANING BECAUSE I’M ABLE TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS. FOR ME, THE ESSENCE OF LIFE IS CONNECTION.”

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GROWING UP

with Hollywood as his backyard and having a profound love for Disneyland, Warner Brother Cartoons, and MAD Magazine, these institutions gave Gary Baseman the idea that whatever you create, there’s a possibility that the whole world would hear about it. Born and raised in L.A., Gary started drawing when he was a kid. “I knew I wanted to be an artist since I was six or seven years old. And all my teachers, friends, and family knew it. I wrote my first kids’ book called Gary and the Monsters when I was 11,” shares Gary. A child of Holocaust survivors from Ukraine, he spoke of a good childhood and a very supportive family that gave him a lot of freedom to be who he wanted to be. No one in his family was an artist; his mother worked as a baker while his father was an electrician.

During the mid ‘80s, Gary would take regular trips to New York before deciding to stay there for ten years to work as an illustrator. “I would always show my work to then Art Director of the The New York Times Book Review named Steve Heller, who’s one of the most premiered writers of graphic design. And after the third time I met with him, he gave me the chance to illustrate the cover and the full issue of the The New York Times Book Review for the Summer Edition and that gave me the incentive to move,” shares Gary.

While his career was picking up in the Big Apple and was doing 12 to 20 assignments a month, his penchant for animation drew him to go back to L.A. He began working on two full pilots of The Louie n’ Louie Show, an animated short for Nickelodeon that only aired once. “I realized after the second pilot didn’t get picked up, that I needed to come to L.A. to seriously develop a series and hopefully get it in the air. But also, I was tired of the summers and the winters in New York, which were

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too hot or too cold.” After The Louie n’ Louie Show, Gary went on to create the Emmy Award-winning animated series Teacher’s Pet that was produced by Walt Disney Television.

His creative life has been pretty hectic as of late. Together with his creative associate and director David Charles, Gary has been working on finishing a documentary supported

by The Sundance Institute, The Cinefamily, and Starburns Industries called Mythical Creatures, a mixedmedia documentary that will share the history of Gary’s parents as he

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travels to and from Ukraine to learn more about how they escaped the Holocaust and finally started their lives in L.A. He’s also working on developing the pilot for Boo, a tenepisode series that’s loosely based on one of the characters from his exhibits. “I’m excited about that.

It’s a different avenue, but it will be a beautifully tragic story.”

Gary’s art is as quirky as the man. He gave life to characters like his alter ego Toby, The Wild Girls, Hotchachacha, and ChouChou, which all live in the fantasy worlds that he

has created. His artworks have been featured in galleries and museums all over the US, Europe, and some parts of Asia. As colorful as most of his pieces are, it speaks volumes of his current state. It’s vital that his art connects to every person, and that it represents freedom to challenge everyone to discover themselves through his pieces. “I’ve never created art for the sake of my own entertainment. He says. “My art has meaning because I’m able to connect with others. For me, the essence of life is connection.”

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“INSTEAD OF TRYING TO STRIVE FOR PERFECTION, MY ART HAS ALWAYS ABOUT BEEN EMBRACING IMPERFECTION AND THAT’S WHAT I THINK THE BEST POETRY IN MUSIC AND IN LITERATURE DOES WITH HUMANITY.” STATUSMAGONLINE.COM - 69

You coined the term pervasive art, which is a term you use for a broader reach of your art. How much do think pervasive art has progressed since you started with that objective in mind?

I personally came up with the term pervasive art because art pervades everywhere, it is perceived everywhere. With the growth of the computer age, these images exist everywhere. We’re creating work that could be a painting, but also live a lifetime online that would also work in social networking, or even in books, TV, film, and vinyl toys. It’s just a natural progression for me to work in different mediums because I get bored doing the same thing over and over again. For the last eight years now, I’ve been doing more art performance, creating a situation that would have the viewer learn or discover something about themselves, finding ways to create an environment that allows people to lose their inhibition. With my exhibitions, I create environments that allow people not to be afraid, to invite people to be a part of it, and to challenge it, move within the space and not make them feel unworthy of even trying to understand.

You’ve done collaborations with brands like Coach, Dr. Martens, and Frau Blau. Up to what point can you use your artistic freedom?

As much as I can get away with. It depends on the company and what their goals are. The collaboration with Coach is beyond unique, and beyond special than any other company I’ve ever worked with. Their Creative Director Stewart Vevers basically relaunched Coach to be a very smart fashion brand. He put together an amazing team and they’re just brilliant and lovely. They gave me a lot of freedom to just develop things in a way I thought was playful, that kind of captured who the spring girl would be and Coach embraced it and then put it on clothes, bags, shoes, and jewelry.

If you could paint the perfect world, what would it be like and what type of people would you want to live in it?

Nothing is really perfect—there’s always going to be problems, there’s going to be drama and issues. It can’t be perfect because we’re human,

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“I’VE BEEN DOING MORE ART PERFORMANCE, CREATING A SITUATION THAT WOULD HAVE THE VIEWER LEARN OR DISCOVER SOMETHING ABOUT THEMSELVES, FINDING WAYS TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO LOSE THEIR INHIBITION.”

hoping to produce more books and have some nice, strong exhibitions, a new body of work. I hope to travel and connect with others. And I hope to be able to create a stronger art structure in a way for me to be able to produce the way I’d like to.

But I’m also hoping that us artists could gather together and find a way to fight and combat a new type of authoritarian threat. My background is dealing with free speech and the importance of us being able to share our ideas and thoughts. And now, with the growth of the Internet controlling what people see, it is threatening the way we deal with free speech. It’s been able to have a strong impact on people in the most negative way. My goal is to think of how we can come back and somehow lead information in the direction of making the world a better place and opening up the idea of how we share our own real ideas; not people throwing out fake information just to confuse people or just to control people’s minds.

garybaseman.com @garybaseman

and by definition, we’re imperfect. Instead of trying to strive for perfection, my art has always been about embracing the imperfection and that’s what I think the best poetry in music and in literature does with humanity. Instead of trying to control other people, why don’t we just embrace our differences in a way while we can still get along? If you look at my perfect world, that was in I Melt in Your Presence and Hide and Seek in the Forest, living in my own forest of wild girls, a little Chou-Chou, and my imaginary creatures roaming around.

What are your goals this year?

I have many goals that haven’t happened yet, so I’m hoping the TV series will happen. I’m hoping my documentary will finish. I’m hoping my museum show will continue to tour around the world. I’m

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Creative duo CRAIG & KARL may live miles away from each other, but the distance isn’t a hindrance for them to produce remarkable and larger-than-life works of art.

By Denise Mallabo

“The Tropics”

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BOTH CRAIG REDMAN AND KARL MAIER grew up in Australia. Meeting each other during their first semester at Queensland College of Art where they both took up design, the two have known each other for at least 17 years now. Collectively known as Craig & Karl, they’ve stacked up works commissioned by brands like Nike, Apple, Google, Kiehls, colete, PepsiCo, MCM, and Sephora, to name a few. Their colorful illustrations have also graced the pages of Vogue, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Variety, and New York Magazine. Back in college, they’ve worked together on a number of projects, and sharing a similar aesthetic, made them work continuously after that. “In addition, certain sensibilities and cultural touchstones—from growing up in Australia during the ‘80s and ‘90s—are hardwired into the two of us, and both of these factors have allowed us to work together for a long time,” says Karl.

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Craig resides in New York while Karl lives in London. Living in separate continents must give them a difficult time working on projects, but according to Craig, they’re both pretty disciplined at making this long distance situation work.

“Sometimes, it can be annoying communicating only through messaging apps. It’s easy to miss the nuances of face-to-face communication, the sly humor or sarcasm that often needs facial reactions to go along with it. But we’re used to it, probably because we’ve had a lot of years to practice. We both set work hours and have a five-hour overlap. During that time, we usually have a lot of things to get through, so we’ve become very efficient with our time and schedules,” shares Craig. “We see each other anywhere from three to six or more times a year. Usually, we meet up on travel trips for projects, and when we get together, we talk about ongoing projects and how we’re going to make stuff happen—it’s good to be able to see each other faceto-face and sort stuff out quickly,” adds Karl.

They’re works boast of color, quite a number of them in one go, with the addition of bold lines and shapes that harmoniously create visuals that are incomparable.

“We’re pretty into color for sure.

We don’t really know where the love for it came from, but we can probably attribute it to growing up in Australia during the ‘80s and ‘90s with the vibrant beach culture, as well as local artists like Ken Done. It was such a bold and brash environment and time, visually speaking, and that’s the primordial soup that we crawled out of, for better or worse.

We’re probably a lot more cynical than the technicolor world of our work might suggest, so perhaps we use color to project our secret optimistic side too,” says Karl.

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“This is the Way”. Mural installation at the Bonhill Building in Shoreditch, London

Private commission at 120 Wall St. Colette window for Mira Mikati

Fresh from their trip from Houston for a project around the recently concluded Super Bowl, Craig & Karl talk to us about their influences, balancing work responsibilities, and artistic freedom.

What fuels your creativity as artists?

Karl: Our influences come from all over the place. It could be the composition of a painting, a news article we read, or even something said on a reality show that triggers a new idea. We absorb a lot of different things and “Frankenstein” them together in our own way. It’s also real world stuff like galleryhopping or just hanging out with friends. Specifically though, we’re really into David Hockney, Crazy Frog, Mika Tajima, Jonathan Zawada, Tokyo, Ed Atkins, plastic floral arrangements, and Martin Creed.

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Michelangelo Antonioni, installed in the Castle Estense Ferrara

“WE’RE PROBABLY A LOT MORE CYNICAL THAN THE TECHNICOLOR WORLD OF OUR WORK MIGHT SUGGEST, SO PERHAPS WE USE COLOR TO PROJECT OUR SECRET OPTIMISTIC SIDE TOO.”

What artistic inspirations have New York and London given you that Australia wasn’t able to?

K: We both feel really lucky to be living in New York and London. Obviously culturally, they’re quite different, but we see that as a positive. It means we can both bring different experiences into our work, which makes for a unique perspective on things and we definitely feed off of that. I think more than anything, it’s the opportunities both New York and London deliver that make living in each special. Australia has plenty of opportunities too of course, though it’s a much smaller pool to draw from.

Craig, your one-eyed, skeptical egg-shaped creature Darcel Disappoints has appeared in collaborations with collete, The Warby Parker, Kate Spade, and LAQ. How did you come up with this idea?

Craig: I started Darcel when I first moved to New York as a means of remembering my thoughts and observations of my new city. It was also a visual cleansing project, a way to rid myself of the unnecessarily complicated illustrations I’ve been doing up until that point and to reduce artwork into more simple yet equally expressive forms. Overall, he’s been a really useful outlet, not only from a visual perspective but also a therapeutic one. Some of the stuff I say or reveal in there, I would never have the courage to say in real life.

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Kanye West

Matisse

How do you balance the work responsibilities of each other in a project?

K: It varies. Usually, we begin with a conversation to quickly hash out any initial ideas that spring to mind for each of us. We try to talk things through until we arrive at what sounds like a tangible approach.

One or both of us will then sketch or draw up whatever it is we’ve just spoken about. Often, there are a few ideas we’re considering, so we’ll bandy these back and forth until we’re happy with a given approach and one of us will then finish it off. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of getting a fresh set of eyes on something you’ve been staring at for far too long. We trust and rely on each other’s opinion completely; that’s probably the biggest factor.

Young Thug

How do you compromise with each other’s artistic vision?

K: I wouldn’t say we compromise at all. We’re both very respectful of each other’s work and are glad to see each other’s influences within our own work. Rather than compromise, I’d say we push each other harder than we might do alone. There’s a constant need to impress each other, which always makes you reassess what you’ve been working on and consider how to take it to new places.

What has been the most memorable project that you guys have worked on so far?

K: I guess it’s the projects that are unusual and unexpected and maybe

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freak us out a bit that become memorable. We love to do diverse things and put what we’re doing in a different context. It pushes things forward and opens us up to new possibilities. An example is For Eyes, a collection of sunglasses we did with Le Specs a few years ago.

We did everything from designing the sunglasses to creating the packaging and directing a photo shoot to promote it. It was great because we got to come up with a complete vision and challenge ourselves to work in a new and unfamiliar format. They were also absolute dreamboats to work with, which helps a lot.

How much artistic freedom do you insist on setting every time you work on a client-based project?

C: There can be a big gap between the commercial and creative worlds, and we do our best to bridge the divide in a credible and interesting way. The two worlds operate in such different ways, and you need to be respectful of that. One often involves huge teams of people in many different departments making decisions, on the other side is Karl and I trying to embody something that appeals to everyone and looks great.

We’re enormously lucky that most of the projects we work on are people coming to us because they want “us”, and because of that, we get a lot of leeway to create whatever we want.

craigandkarl.com @craigandkarl

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“WE’RE ENORMOUSLY LUCKY THAT MOST OF THE PROJECTS WE WORK ON ARE PEOPLE COMING TO US BECAUSE THEY WANT “US”, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE GET A LOT OF LEEWAY TO CREATE WHATEVER WE WANT.” “Optimystic” installed at Fox International Channels, Guatemala City

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Bursting at the scenes of painted ladies from another universe, LA-based artist KRISTEN LIU-WONG illustrates a world run by her perception of the candid, dangerous everywoman.

By Janroe Cabiles

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Kristen Liu-Wong has a vision of

color-coated tableaux drizzled with elements ranging from weapons and wildlife to boys and sex toys, all answering to one commander–a woman.

Tracing taut features on her wide array of characters, the ChineseAmerican artist steadily walks the line of vulnerability and brutality, catching them in compromising positions, in anything but sweet dispositions, but turning this notion of voyeurism around. “So many intimate images have been created by men for men, which is exactly why I try to paint more pieces exploring these themes from my viewpoint,” she shares. Her canvassed creations and message haven’t gone unnoticed, being featured by i-D, Live FAST, Amadeus Magazine, and Juxtapoz. Having been raised by her grandmother and mom might’ve served as an early focal point of strong female presences, but her mother’s influence weighed heavy on her first exploration into art.

“She’s an elementary art teacher; she would bring me and my sister to museums on weekends and have us make the sample projects for her classes. Eventually, I realized I was actually kind of good at art, and realizing that I could succeed is what eventually pushed me into exploring it.” Leaving her home in San Francisco for New York to take up Illustration at Pratt Institute, she stayed in Brooklyn a few years before moving to LA. “Once I got to Pratt, it was actually an incredibly tough couple of years, but I did get some amazing professors who taught me a lot and helped me grow both conceptually and technically.” Taking what she learned and marrying it to her visual language, she found her way to her very own aesthetic of a “candy-coated fever dream.”

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”I don’t want to paint sexy props that act as a vessel for male desire.

I want to paint sexual, complex women.”

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“You’re always interested in what you don’t fully understand and sex is one of those things for me.”

While her description matches her art, there are a few things left unsaid of the NSFW nature.

Other words that can hone true are violent, chaotic, and at times, sadomasochistic images on oil and resin paintings; so otherworldly yet the complete opposite of ethereal, purposely grotesque with their twisted smiles in colorful and painful erotica. When asked what her connection to these dominant characters are, she answers, “They represent the dominant and aggressive side of me that I sometimes wish I could express more in real life.”

In one swift motion, she takes back what’s supposed to belong to the female: her sexuality. “I don’t want to paint sexy props that act as a vessel for male desire.” She continues, “I want to paint sexual, complex women.” Transforming scenes that could easily be painted as chauvinistic, she casts the light from a different perspective and brings the idea of the pleasure of women to the forefront. By slowly creating starring subjects acting on their own sexuality, their desire, or what they want, she’s created something new from the female gaze.

“I’m just naturally drawn to the topic of sex as a human. It’s one of our most basic instincts, yet there’s still so much taboo and mystery around it, so I find that very interesting,” she shares. “You’re always interested in what you don’t fully understand and sex is one of those things for me.”

Starting out with a blank canvas, Kristen walks through her creative process: “I typically take a day or so to gather inspiration and think about what I really want to paint.

From there, I go to a rough thumbnail just so I can figure out a vague

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“[Art is] this shifting, undefinable concept that’s amazing, because it’s so incredibly human but also greater in its entirety than any one person.”

composition, then I begin working on the final drawing on tracing paper.

Once that’s complete, I transfer the drawing onto a panel that I’ve gessoed, paint from the background to foreground so I can get clean edges.

My pieces can take anywhere from two days for little paintings to ten days for larger ones.” With her freestyle way of tracing trademark themes, her work doesn’t only revolve around her vixens as she paints concoctions of galactic space stories, Asian accents, and venomous creatures.

“I’ve always really respected and loved animals, so they’re a big part of my world. It would be weird not to paint them,” she says. “I appreciate not only their aesthetic value, but also their symbolic value. Occasionally, they will act as reflections of the animalistic nature lurking in the women they accompany.”

Finding her own flavors in her surroundings, the void of one muse alone opens up her mind to different sources of inspiration. “I don’t really have one particular thing that inspires me. Of course, I look up to other artists, everyday life, architecture, etc. for experience, but the greatest inspiration for me to create art is the idea of art itself. It’s this shifting, undefinable concept that’s amazing, because it’s so incredibly human but also greater in its entirety than any one person.” On the rare occasions where she doesn’t have a paintbrush at hand, she admits to watching trashy reality TV, but that doesn’t come too often. “Honestly, I’m a bit of a workaholic and, especially lately, it’s hard to find time for anything else too involved besides art. I released a capsule collection with Juxtapoz for the LA Art Book Fair last February, and I have a show with New Image Art this month. And in September, I’ll be having a solo with Corey Helford Gallery.”

kristenliuart.com @kliuwong

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While we might have been taught not to play with our food, STEPHANIE GONOT has made a living out of it. Developing hypersaturated still life stories with pops of color, texture, and creative lighting, the LA-based photographer serves us a visual feast.

By Pola Beronilla

Office Lunching Habits for Neon

or a barely functional adult, there’s nothing like hearing the tune of an ice cream truck and frantically sprinting out the door to buy your favorite frozen delight to wash down that scorching summer heat. Stephanie Gonot knows this feeling too well, considering her previous stint at the LA-based ice cream retailer Coolhaus.

“It was great seeing everybody happy to be getting ice cream. Customers would only get mad if the line was too long or if we would run out of their favorite flavor,” recalls the photographer. Coincidentally

enough, serving icy desserts might have unknowingly guided her to the colorful experiments that she now makes. “Maybe working around different colored ice cream led me to it,” she says when asked about her personal style. “But I think Los Angeles has something to do with it, being in the sunshine all the time and having so many different things to look at. It’s a very colorful city.” Just like her gig at the local ice cream truck, waiting for Stephanie Gonot’s next prismatic project to drop is a refreshing

treat.

Serving tasteful images with an interplay of shapes, colors, and textures, Stephanie first developed a hunger for good photography focusing on some simple food shots. “I think the one that I love the most is the pyramid of popsicles I shot on the cement sidewalk in front of my old apartment, just using natural light.

I didn’t know how to use strobes or studio lighting back then, so I used sunshine,” she recollects. Giving all those #foodies on Instagram a run for their money, she soon caught

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Biomega Electric Bike for Fast Company

Ali Wong for The New Yorker

the eye of the Internet with her delectable series Fad Diets, which led her to her first taste of client works. She was even listed in Photo District News Magazine’s 30 New and Emerging Photographers to Watch last 2016. “I love to arrange things, take a picture of it, and see what the result would look like,” shares the photographer. “I also love coming up with a theme for the shoot. Whether it be a color, a material, or just an idea, I want to have something that connects all of the images.” With an appetite for the arts that’s never fully satisfied, Stephanie went on to explore different flavors in her photos apart from food, shooting with objects and people as well.

Armed with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and fueled by caffeine, Stephanie’s meticulously arranged hues and patterns can be seen on campaigns by Target, adidas, Nasty

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Gal, and Adobe as well as on the pages of The New York Times, NYLON, Refinery29, and WIRED. She has also had the pleasure of collaborating with creatives like Lauren Machen, Chloe Daley, Marie-Yan Morvan, and Sagmeister & Walsh. “I love working with other creative people and building something together. I get to work with prop stylists, art directors, and food stylists, and we basically get to play with food, objects, and lighting. It can be a lot of hard work, but it’s a

Lashes + Roll-on Perfume for Nylon

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very exciting job for me,” she adds. Although dealing with commissioned work can sometimes blur the artist’s vision, she manages to draw a focal point between herself and her clients. “I like to have a certain amount of control, but I’m pretty fortunate that people come to me for my style, so they want my input on the art direction most of the time,” she suggests. “It’s nice when the people I work with are on the same page as me. We bounce ideas back and forth, and that’s always a treat when I find a client has the same sensibilities as me.”

In contrast to the color of her lofty portfolio, Stephanie’s next steps include focusing on herself and trying to explore different lighting.

“I feel like last year I did a lot of client work, so this year I’m looking into working on some personal projects and doing something with softer lighting and getting a little bit moodier. I’m not sure what those projects are yet, but I’m excited to print them and make something tangible instead of making everything

live on the computer,” she shares.

“I’ve been scared to do that lately, because it’s hard when you’re your own client and the only person you have to please is yourself, but I’m excited to jump back into that. Because when I started, it was all personal works.

Nobody was commissioning me to make any of my photos. In some way, commercial work is easier because you just have to please the client. It’s great if you’re happy as well, but your job is to please the client. And I think I’m gonna be a tough client for myself, in a good way.” Although she dares to go into the darker side of her craft, the future looks bright and colorful for Stephanie ‘cause everything’s better with hue and her around.

stephaniegonot.com @sdgonot

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FASHION

www.starstyle.ph

BEAUTY

CELEBRITY

@starstyleph

@starstyleph

DIRECTORY BRANDS ADIDAS Uptown Place Mall, Taguig City ALDO Power Plant Mall, Makati City ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS anastasiabeverlyhills.com CALL IT SPRING Greenbelt 3, Makati City CHARLES & KEITH Greenbelt 5, Makati City CIVIL REGIME civilclothing.com COVER FX coverfx.com DIOR dior.com DOROTHY PERKINS Glorietta 3, Makati City DR. MARTENS Two Parkade, Taguig City FOREVER 21 SM Makati, Makati City GNARLY gnarly.clothing

ARTISTS H&M SM Makati, Makati City ILLAMASQUA illamasqua.com LAURA MERCIER lauramercier.com MAKE UP FOR EVER makeupforever.com MANGO Power Plant Mall, Makati City MANGO MAN Power Plant Mall, Makati City MARC JACOBS marcjacobs.com OXYGEN Glorietta 3, Makati City PENSHOPPE Glorietta 3, Makati City PUBLISH publishbrand.com RENAN PACSON renanpacson.com SFERA SM Makati, Makati City

SUNNIES sunniesstudios.com TARTE tartecosmetics.com THRASHER shop.thrashermagazine.com THE NINES Uptown Place Mall, Taguig City TOM FORD tomford.com TOO FACED toofaced.com TOPMAN SM Aura, Taguig City TWEEZERMAN tweezerman.com UNIQLO uniqlo.com URBAN DECAY urbandecay.com ZARA MAN zara.com

Miguel Alomajan (Photographer) instagram.com/migotilyomanila Benjamin Askinas (Photographer) benjaminaskinas.com Janell Capuchino (Grooming) instagram.com/janellcapuchino Ed Enclona (Photography Assistant) instagram.com/_brndenclona Wilmark Jolindon (Photographer) instagram.com/thewilmark Hillary Lee (Stylist) hillz27.tumblr.com Theresa Padin (Hair) instagram.com/theresa_padin Driely S. (Photographer) drielys.com Daniel Santillan (Photographer) instagram.com/dj.santillan Dionne Taylor (Makeup) dionneleamakeup.squarespace.com

ST A T U S I NVA D E S

pretty in pink Gazing at grids that poise her passion for a pastel palette, model and aspiring graphic designer AIJA LEI found her voice and vision between her love for vaporwave and her emo phase as Vector Tears.

@vectortears Portrait by Nyael David Product Photography by Nadine Layon Styled by Jill de Leon

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LANCÔME EYELINER

It’s so precise and black and it never smudges. I’m this close to drawing with it.

TOULOUSE-LAUTREC

I saw his painting “Le Lit” while browsing an online gallery. He had such a melancholic yet uplifting story and I hope to emulate it in my upcoming works.

LANCÔME EYE CREAM

As much as I love playing Resident Evil, I don’t really wanna go for the zombie look, so this helps a ton.

NOTEBOOK DOODLES

PINK DRESS

I get my arm wrestling arms from looking through hangers and hangers of clothes in thrift stores.

This is one of my favorite recent finds!

TIC-TAC-TOE GAME

We used to go to a lot of road trips as a kid.

Besides the “who can stay quiet the longest” game that my parents love so much, this was our handy companion to combat boredom.

SUEDE CAPS

I can’t bring my dog everywhere I go and the texture is pretty similar, so why not?

MUJI LIPPIE

Lipsticks aren’t my thing, but if I’m about to get murdered, I’ll stop the murderer until I can put this on. There’s no way I’m going to the afterlife without this.

COLLECTION OF SPECS

The thing is, they don’t even look good on me. I just love them and at this point, I don’t really care anymore. Send all the quirky specs my way!

Hair Theresa Padin, Makeup Dionne Taylor

Just one of the many things I do as I pretend to listen in class.

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