is at the helm Jun e 2013
90 Elza Jo
71 Dan Croll 16 STATUS MESSAGE 18 MASTHEAD
STATUSPHERE 21 26 27 28 29 30
THREADS SETTING BRICK & MORTAR SCREEN INK BEATS
gadgets 31
TECH PACK: SQUARE ROOT
Out of the box to rock your socks
VISION BOARD
38 DOWN THE BOULEVARD See him ride, watch him stride. By Aldo Chacon
44 PARTNER IN CRIME
Bang! Bang! My baby shot me down. By Louiza Vick
52 HOLOGRAPHIC MEMORY Ready for seduction and abduction By Rxandy Capinpin
SHOPPING GUIDE SWAG
59 SWAG: BROGUE WAVE Brogues
60 SHORT STEEZ
Printed Shirts
BEAUTY 32 33 33
FACE PAINT: SEA FOAM PARTY
A splash of aqua, a wave of teal
ABOUT FACE: CRYSTAL CLEAR
These creams can really clean
BEAUTY BITE: SALON BENJAMIN
FASHION
STREET STYLE
34 GO SEE
Go wherever, wear whatever
37 STYLE ID: THE SHEEN TEAM Get glamorous, glossy, and flossy.
61 SCHOOL BOY CUTE Tapered trousers
61 FOOT LOOPS
Striped socks
62 NECKED WEAPON Slim ties
63 A-GAME
Sneakers
64 TIGHT CROP
Cropped corsets
65 WAY AFFAIR Wayfarers
65 LOWRIDER Sneakers
70 Spazzkid 66 CRASH TEST Clutches
67 HEAD SPACE Caps
FEATURES mUSE
68 LADY LIBERTY
Freelance model and dynamic role model Jessica Yang imparts her wisdom. By Giano D. Dionisio
mAESTRO
69 THE POPULAR AND THE DAMNED Now that Neon Trees have sowed their alt rock seeds on Philippine soil, it’s time to reap rewards that don’t spoil. By Rita Faire
70 SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS
Norwegian outfit Highasakite soar with the kind of world music that breezes by and pleases all who care enough to look up. By Katrina Swee
70 DISCLOSED DESIRES
With samples ranging from J-pop to cassette tapes and Davao-bred collabs, Spazzkid’s Desire has him stereo-surrounded, not bound to one sound. By Rem Gomez
71 SCENIC ROUTES AND SONIC GENERATIONS
Band man Dan Croll went “From Nowhere” to just about everywhere, touring all over the UK to have his soulcomplimenting words heard. By Reena Mesias
72 ULTIMATE UNLIMITED
No mere Kanye reincarnation, Travi$ Scott flexes both his Grand Hustle muscle and his G.O.O.D Music chops. By Viva Gonzalez
73 THE NIGHT CIRCUS
British electro singersongwriter Little Boots implores us to dance under the moonlight to the rhythm of her Nocturnes. By Denise Fernandez
MASTERMIND
74 HYPE SOCIETY
Forging his own path out of risk-disregarding passion, editor/creative director Luis Ruano has mastered the art of making a mark. By Rolly Ibañez
75 PEER PLEASURE
She once was a kid creating glitter text on Neopets, now designer and graphic artist Jessica Walsh plays with top dogs and creative kings of the concrete jungle. By Rem Gomez
76 MILES A MINUTE
As a nonnative nomad in her own land, Julia Sniegowski is appreciating every little thing that makes it #morefuninthephilippines. By Kathleen Curtis
76 RESTLESS CITIES
Director Hannah Espia is transporting her ideas, taxiing upon runways of inspiration for her cinematic narrative expressions. By Denise Fernandez
73 Little Boots
74 Luis Ruano
69 Neon Trees 77 LAWLESS
The tragedy of Othelo Gervacio is reflected in the beautiful destruction and devastation of his grunged out art creations. By Rita Faire
HEAVY HITTER
78 MIND IS OUTER SPACE
Progenitors of electronica and electors of the progressive—Daft Punk are the definitive models of a neo-modular movement, not only in their music that has inspired an entire frenzied subculture, but also as icons of individuality among scores of industry automatons. Now, they’ve upgraded the system with Random Access Memories. By Kristine Dabbay and Reena Mesias
84 FREESTYLE
A pioneer of the abstract graffiti movement, Futura moves from past tensions to a present progressive with his insights on the rebellious underground, the freespirited, and the freelance. By Nante Santamaria
88 TWISTED FIRESTARTER
Germany-based Antoni Tudisco goes virtual and global, rendering cultural slices of 3-D still life gone viral. At just 21 years old, the artist bursts
with a creative mettle that hyperlinks old school realism with new age imagination. By Giano D. Dionisio
90 PSYCHO CANDY
Hardcore and sweet, that’s how photographer Elza Jo likes to play it. Besides shooting pics, she likes to pick things that stick. With bubblegum or confetti, photos are better if they’re a little bit naughty, so her drill goes: charge it, point it, zoom it, press it, snap it, work it, quick erase it. By Rita Faire
BLOCK PARTY: CYBER CLIQUE
EVENTS
NIGHTVISION
99 PANTY MONSTERS 3RD ANNIVERSARY PARTY @ CUBAO X
100 NASTY BREAKERS 100 ONE NIGHT OLDER 101 SOCIAL SATURDAYS @ ARACAMA
101 DA ANIMAL KINGDOM 102 NEON CARNIVAL EASY RIDER 102 CLOSE UP SUMMER SOLSTICE
@ SM MALL OF ASIA CONCERT GROUNDS
Blogs
94 LIFE AFTER BREAKFAST 95 ATLAS SLICED 95 HIPSTER FOOD 96 TOYSREVIL 96 HOW ABOUT ORANGE 97 CLASSE TOURISTE 97 THE NEEDLE DROP
103 COLD BLANK 103 LE BARON OASIS
MORE
104 DIRECTORY
For this month’s Independent Issue, cover stars Thomas Bangalter and Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo (aka Daft Punk) are rendered in highgloss grandeur by newcomer artist Antoni Tudisco. This collaboration between iconic music pioneers and up-and-coming talent expresses STATUS’s own essence and character as we continue to champion the ceaseless creativity and distinct style of today’s youth.
STATUS INVADES
106 IDRIS VICUÑA
One man’s pleasure is another junkie’s treasure.
108 CROCODILE ROCK
Our newly elected senators aver vows of poverty.
statusmagonline.com
Blogsphere
the pulse of hip at your fingertips
go see
we’re all models off duty. smize!
FEATURES
there’s more to what’s in print
NightVision who’s spotted partying where
Photo Diary confessional for lensmen
Digital Magazine DOWNLOADS
STATUS in pixels, not free mixtapes paper and wallpapers
STATUS MESSAGE
Futura (84)
Daft Punk (78)
At the helm S
ince I was young, I had the need to challenge the status quo because I felt like I could do things better or create something differently. This directed me to start personal projects, leading to a magazine now known as STATUS. For our Independent Issue, we feature artists who are challenging the establishment by creating a positive form of rebellion. With youth’s global fixation to EDM, there is no wonder why we chose the leaders of the movement in our cover. Daft Punk’s latest album, Random Access Memories, has already taken off into the stratosphere (or as we like to say, Statusphere). Their collaboration with Pharrell Williams “Get Lucky” electrified all social circuits. What’s next for this duo? Dominating other planets may be on the agenda. Adding to the uniqueness of our cover story is Antoni Tudisco who illustrated Daft Punk for this issue. By mixing his online and offline inspirations, this 21-year-old is the epitome of independence. While some have the gift of sculpting virtually, photographer Elza Jo has the gift of mixing dreams with reality by creating illustrations on top of her photography. She opens up her dreamland and shares her adventures in image-making and filmmaking. Graffiti artist Leonard McGurr, famously known as Futura, found his calling for artistic expression at the age of 19 and hasn’t looked back since. In his feature, we recount Futura’s early days roaming the streets of New York City, doggedly seeking a style of street art he can call his own. The independent life is not for the weak of heart or spirit, but for those who have the courage to follow their calling–once they cross, they never look back.
Editor-in-chief
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contributors statusmagonline.com editor-in-chief
Rosario Herrera @RosarioHerrera
creative director Patrick L. Jamora graphic designers Nyael David
Jer Dee Paolo Geronimo
associate editor
Kristine Dabbay @tindabs
features editor Reena Mesias fashion editor Loris Peña
REM GOMEZ
Though our contributing writer is still too young to elect officials, his choices in idols are still more respectable than others’ bids for senator. For this issue, Rem got down with techno ear-tickler Spazzkid (70) and artist Jessica Walsh (75). Thoroughly enjoying the liberties of being a freelance writer, Rem opines, “Indie’s about being yourself, because you’re the only one who can do that.”
@padraick @nyaels @jerdeeee @paolostroodles
assistant editor Giano D. Dionisio fashion assistant Zoe Laurente editorial assistant Rita Faire
@YoHitGirl @_dizzyrizzy @giodion @zoelaurente @ritadoesnttweet
Tina Herrera @tinaherrera_ Dan Buenaventura @danbuenaventura junior account manager Bea Macalino @BeatMac Marian Ortiz @HailMarian
sales & marketing consultant account manager
tweet us! contributing writers
Rem Gomez. Viva Gonzalez, Rolly Ibañez, Nante Santamaria contributing artists
Art Alera, Maria Alejandra Barrios, Rxandy Capinpin, Aldo Chacon, Alex Chua, Billy Cuevas Tiffani Chynel, The Cobrasnake, Fernando Colon, Rick Craft, Sofia Dalhgren, Joyce de Dios-Ignacio, Cholo dela Vega, Rick Diokno, Grissel Esparza, Gerard Estadella, Jenna Genro, Angie Gomez, Francisco Guerrero, Ming Han Chung, Henry Hargreaves, Margaret Kopec, Marita Manalo, Miguel Miranda, Vinceç Moreto, Franz Navarrete, Joseph Pascual, Jeruel Pingol, Laura Pool, Mara Reyes, Jose Ruano, Ouie Sanchez, Steffi Santiago, Pam Santos, Lele Saveri, JP Singson, Louiza Vick, Aleksey Volchek interns
NANTE SANTAMARIA
This time last year, our former editor Nante was living la vida London, enjoying his favorite things–music festivals, art exhibits, and rubbing elbows with creative compatriots. Always eager to push for the progressive, and with a penchant for art that promotes social change, Nante spoke with Futura (84) about militant youth, transgressive street art, and designer Hennessy.
Gabriel Bailon, Kathleen Curtis, Grace de Luna, Denise Fernandez, Karla Espiritu, Vanz Litonjua, Eric Paulo Montesa, Katrina Swee, Regina Vega, Veronica Villanueva
What’s your STATUS? tell us. editorial editorial@statusmagonline.com advertising advertise@statusmagonline.com marketing marketing@statusmagonline.com general inquiries info@statusmagonline.com
RXANDY CAPINPIN
From doing budgetless pseudotorials with friends at shopping mall photo studios in between class hours to now owning his own studio and shooting for the country’s most prestigious rags, Rxandy’s vision–guided by gel filters, Fresnels, and Red Heads–is tempered with STATUS pomp in this month’s Holographic Memory (52). Inspired by everything from drag divas to K-pop stars and new social media platforms, the photographer keeps his self-managed schedule busy, leaving him “tired but fabulous.”
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read our digital version statusmagonline.com/digital-magazine like us facebook.com/statusmagazine follow us twitter: statusmagazine instagram: statusmagazine STATUS is published by STATUS Media Group. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
THREADS / setting / BRICK AND MORTAR / BEATS / SCREEN / INK
June 2013
NIGHT SHIFT E
legance defines LEOPARDESSA’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection. With a variety of floral patterns, the latest line’s maxi dresses, midi dresses, and matching cropped tops and trousers are perfect for special occasions and evenings. The velvet material with ornate details will flatter any body and any party. leopardessa.tumblr.com
ECLECTIC GEOMETRIC F
or Spring/Summer 2013, youth-empowering French label SIXPACK formulates simplistic color contrasts and sleek Parisian fits for a lookbook that equates to algebraic awesomeness. Rectangles, circles, and squiggles serve as visual cues, while Devendra Banhart-lookalike Tony Stone (of Lookbook hype) dresses down casual sports coats with matching shorts. The crisp button-ups go with pastel trousers or dark denim while slim tees rock with anything—as long as you don’t stay square. sixpack.fr
CASUAL PROPOSAL T
he young ones are free to roam and experiment with AÉROPOSTALE. Its women’s line makes floral strappy dresses and collared shirts look effortlessly pretty while the men’s line—packed with tees, cargo shorts, sunnies, and comfortable kicks—unleashes a boy’s inner prep. When it comes to mixing and matching for this brand, the only rule is to stay fresh. aeropostale.com
ROUGH CRAFT A
s a reaction to the footwear industry’s increasing use of synthetic materials and overwhelming commercialization, brothers Tull and Josh Price set out to establish a new shoe standard: FEIT. The brand focuses on classic cuts (desert boots, hi-tops, hikers) painstakingly handmade out of all-natural materials (vegetable dyed leathers, nubuck skins, and kudu hides) by individual artisans for a timeless statement. feitdirect.com
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THREADS
BRANDS TO KNOW
COLORBURST P
oland-based LOFT37 provides an explosion of hues and colors in its newest line of footwear. From oxfords to stilettos and pumps, the brand lets you pick your own colors for customization. The most impressive part? They’re handmade. Pieces of handiwork and footwork combined, these shoes won’t burst your bubble. loft37.us
MOTHERLAND METHOD N
igeria-born BUKI AKIB releases her Afefe collection, which celebrates Africa’s transitioning climate change. A story is told through an explosive color palette, mixing man-made textures such as PVC with laborious woven techniques. An innovative response to the traditional method of knitting– Aso Oke–the garments create unconventional menswear that’s attractive across all borders. bukiakib.com
HUG IT OUT T
he fuzzy bespectacled JOYRICH teddy bear mascot is back for the brand’s latest collection, adorning tanks, tees, varsity jackets, and pastel sweaters. Joining the cuddly character are bright sunflowers, blooming flora, all-over Americana insignia, cloudy camo, and graffiti graphics. Every piece ties together with Joyrich’s always boombox-loud urbaneness. Who said cub cute can’t be gangster grizzly? joyrich.com
FOOL’S GOLD U
pdate your trove of treasures and marvel at SANKTO LEONO. The White Serpent collection mixes contemporary and vintageinspired pieces made from pyrite, gold, and brass to create an industrial boho vibe. Geometric shapes, mineral stones, feathers, and corals accentuate each piece while elements of theology, ancient motifs, and religious symbolism are brought into each design. sanktoleono.com
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WAVE BACK O
ld school isn’t always bad, especially with MNII. The history behind these surf trunks goes back to the 50s when the brand was considered every surfer’s favorite Hawaiian souvenir and badge of honor. Board and chill in casual, neutral, and nautical-themed apparel for a look others would deem unsinkable. mnii.com
THREADS
Side Ways S
PERRY TOP-SIDER’s new Audrey Slip-On Boat Shoe packages glam into something more casual. Featuring patterns such as zebra prints and colored chains on the inside of each pair in suede, black, white, camel, and metallic gold leather—Sperry spares you from the discomfort of the intense summer heat. sperrytopsider.com
REBORN HIPPIE
#B026! Franke Mid Calf Wrap Dress! 100% Silk! S, M, L! $89! ! ! !
T
ake Balinese embroidery, hand-printed sarongs, and Bohemian allure and you have Natalie Martin. Her line of vibrant dresses, tunics, and kaftans certainly represents gypsy femininity infused with a bit of rock & roll. The free-flowing, breezy spring concept gravitates to bring out the flower child in each of us. nataliemartincollection.com
NAKED TRUTH M
IKOH SWIMWEAR launches its 2013 collection that gives women the confidence to be comfortable in their own skin. The line consists of bikinis, one-pieces, midi and maxi dresses, rompers, hoodies, shorts, and breathable pants in electric blue, yellow, and neon pink. They also come with patterns and cutouts that expose the bare minimum. If you got it, why not flaunt it? mikohswimwear.com
FESTIVAL FEVER A
mashup of denim and floral prints is a must for every chick. Good thing London’s favorite department store Liberty teams up with LEVI’S to create a collection brimming with denim vests, collared and button-up shirts, skirts, trousers, shorts, and bustiers for that eternal summer feel. global.levi.com
ARMY NAVY L
and meets sea in GRIFFIN’s latest collection with camouflage patterns and nautical themes. The UK-based menswear line weaves its products with performance fabrics like Swiss tech mesh and Japanese Cordura, budding into one of the most advanced sportswear labels yet. You can’t settle for anything less—go trek the coastline, tread to the summit, and work the style in both worlds. griffin-studio.com
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THREADS
BRANDS TO KNOW
cape town N
o need for costumes to feel heroic; Portugal’s PART-TIME SUPERHEROES creates cheeky statement sweatshirts with prints screaming lines such as “Dictators with an attitude” and “I can’t afford to love NY.” With a black, gray, and white clothing color scheme, the brand saves the day by saluting to the hoods with real attitude. part-timesuperheroes.com
pattern spasm P
lunge into a pool of colors, camouflage, ikat, gingham, and florals with KEDS’s latest pairs providing a splash of summer and girly flair. There are moments in life when you need to ditch the heels and go with how you feel. So step forward, kick in, and pop out of the crowd. keds.com
Sunset boulevard O
VILLAGE VOYAGER J
ANSPORT celebrates Bratpack’s 15-year anniversary by introducing a limited edition backpack. Featuring the iconic Right Pack model, this special piece has embroidered playing cards and the store’s logo on it. With a statement that says “Seize the day”, this trusty bag will be with you for all your adventures. jansport.com
Get Prepped D
esigned in New York but made in Italy, ORLEY welcomes the revival of preppy chic. The S/S 2013 aesthetic fuses craftsmanship and design to create something of elegance and high regard. Exquisitely traditional Islamic prints have been translated into pastel versions while remixed with 1960s graphic design and 21st century modernism. There’s definitely more than what meets the eye; it’s all in the finer details. orley.us
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XYGEN lightens and sweetens up life with pastels, stripes, casual blazers, and colorful skinny jeans. Though it’s summer, the apparel can also be worn during the cold months when matched with trench coats and thick belts. Seasons change and it’s always a plus when your wardrobe can easily adjust. oxygenfashion.com
THREADS
Punk rock princess S
treetwear label PETALS AND PEACOCKS channels rock concerts and pop art for their See What Happened Was Spring/Summer 2013 collection. Youthful and raw, the line features printed muscle tees, plaid pants, graphic shirts, and denim shorts for an overall fun and playful vibe this season. Perfectly fit for going to gigs or music festivals, it transforms you into every garage band king’s punk rock princess. petalsandpeacocks.com
Approval Rating Global Guts J
Words by Kathleen Curtis, Giano D. Dionisio, Denise Fernandez, Loris Peña, and Katrina Swee
ewelry duo HOLST + LEE deliver signature pieces that infuse bold colors, baubles, rope and a riot of gold hardware. Their array of African-inspired arm, neck, and ear candies are the sweetest remedies to spruce up any dull outfit–boys and girls alike. No gold, no glory. holstandlee.com
S
ocial networking, as addicting and unhealthy as it can be, is a blessing in disguise for IMNLY. “Every picture tells a unique and universal story,” according to the Italian brand. But for its team in particular, it’s every picture on Instagram. Wearable by either men or women, 13 handmade T-shirts are printed and stamped in vintage colors on natural cotton for IMNLY’s new collection. imnotlikeyou.it
SHINe Bright
Concrete Flow
B
C
one china is not just for your crockery; MOKO‘s release of Diamond Rings redefines what you once knew as treasure. “Less is more,” the philosophy behind the brand’s ornate bone collection, reflects a passion for combining antiquity with the contemporary. Each piece captures the detailed formation of diamonds, zirconia, and their rigid lattice structures. mokosellars.com
RISTINA SABAIDUC focuses on the unseen. Forget throwaway trends; her pieces transition between seasons with sharp angled pleats juxtaposed with the natural flow of silk and modal fabrics. The technology of the industrial world and the dignified beauty of the wild define the ultimate winter look as dictated by Sabaiduc. cristinasabaiduc.com
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SETTING
PLACES TO GO
CORKAGE
THE BLIND BAR, PARIS
Tucked in Maison Champs-Élysées is THE BLIND BAR, a cocktail spot as stylish as the Maison Martin Margiela-designed hotel itself. The bar’s romantic ambiance comes to life in the evening with its dim lighting, open fireplace, and dark wood furniture. Matte black seats and tables set the mood, perfect for patrons looking for an intimate place for drinks. The Blind Bar offers a wide range of cocktails and champagnes including the White Shadow and the Mademoiselle Cognac.
lamaisonchampselysees.com/bar.html
GRUB
RED LANTERN, SOLAIRE RESORT & CASINO
S u ite
WANDERLUST, SINGAPORE Located at the heart of Singapore’s Little India, WANDERLUST is armed with 29 rooms featuring giant sculptures, pop art rooms, glass bathtubs, and tree house-inspired lofts. Its art warehouseinspired lobby gives guests a taste of what to expect—eccentrically shaped furniture, graphic walls, and bizarre
lamps. Wanderlust’s bar and restaurant Cocotte is much tamer in design, with its dark wooden furnishings. Think Alice in Wonderland bottled up in Lion City. It’s a playground for any kid at heart.
Luxury resort Solaire’s RED LANTERN promises Chinese dining enhanced with bright, glassy interiors and blares of namesake red (in pop art paintings, cylindrical lanterns, and lush carpets) contrasting black marble floors and cozy yellow leather armchairs. Patrons can take in Red Lantern’s stylish architecture while dining on expertly cooked specialties such as dim sum, Peking duck, and suckling pig.
wanderlusthotel.com
solaireresort.com/restaurants/red-lantern
SENSORY NOTES Forget about sight. THE BLIND BAR’s roster of special drinks is meant to overwhelm your senses. 8 rue Jean Goujon 75008 Paris, France
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LIMONADE DES CENTRALIENS Organic lemonade with citrus zest ice
WHITE SHADOW A mix of gin, triple sec, mezcal, pepper syrup, burlesque bitters, and lime
GIMLET Tanqueray Ten gin topped with lime sorbet
GLEN ME MORE Brunoise fresh pear with maple syrup infused with cardamom, and Glenmorangie whiskey
Words by Rita Faire and Denise Fernandez Wanderlust photos by Kristine Dabbay
PLATE
BRICK AND MORTAR
STORES TO SHOP
vans, makati G/F Glorietta 3 Makati City facebook.com/vansphmanila Dime to drop: P898-P4498 Don’t leave without: “Year of the Snake” Old Skool low tops, Vans × Metallica “Kill ‘Em All” skate shoes, Vans × Freakwaive! shirts by Gato Heroi, and board shorts
A
newly reopened VANS flagship store in Glorietta only means more skating and more shopping for girls and boys who are into that “Off the Wall” look. Music welcomes you as hanging fluorescent bulbs lead you to different product categories. Further inside, wooden furnishings, street art photographs, and Vans’s classic checkerboard patterns will make you want to Ollie. While collaboration collections with Metallica and Gato Heroi are obvious must-haves for the season, the usual pro-skate footwear— from the California collection to the Surf lineup—are available here. You can go all out and indulge in T-shirts, tank tops, jeans, hoodies, and shorts. Accessories like caps, bags, and shades are displayed around the store for your viewing and purchasing pleasure. So whether or not you’re planning to update your gear, it’s good to know that the skate folks in the city need not cruise far to get their fix.
madison t, los angeles 017 Swarthmore Ave Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 madisonlosangeles.com Price Range: $20-$200 (P820-P8200) Don’t leave the store without: Malibu Sugar bra, camis, boy shorts, PJ Salvage pajamas, Aviator Nation hoodies
W
Words by Loris Peña and Denise Fernandez
hen parents Emily and Mark Goldstein had a hard time shopping for their daughter Jordan, they figured it was time to dedicate a shop for teen apparel. From the makers of Madison comes a younger boutique, MADISON t. Citrus colors are obvious from the get-go with the storefront’s big windows and mannequin displays. Step in through the doors and you’ll find an allwhite interior mixed with wooden floors. Like every girl’s dream walk-in closet, the store carries brands from Alice & Olivia, Charlotte Ronson, and J Brand to Paper Crown, Wildfox, Converse, and Finders Keepers. Pretty dresses, cut-off shorts, light cardigans, and accessories like shades, shoes, and bags may be the reason you dropped by, but you’ll return for sure knowing that Madison t’s prices won’t break the bank.
ANAÏSE A
NAÏSE could be your new best friend. Not only does she make sure you look good, she takes care of your other wants—brass bottle opener included. Featuring designers like Rachel Comey, Vena Cava, and Vanessa Bruno, as
well as magazines like The Gentlewoman, Newwork Magazine, and Here and There, this relationship may just end up as a friendship with beauty benefits.
shopanaise.com
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SCREEN
SCENES TO SEE
REMOTE CONTROL
TICKET MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING The Avengers director Joss Whedon takes on Shakespeare’s classic tale of manipulated romance with a cast of familiar faces including Alexis Denisof, Amy Acker, Nathan Fillion, and Clark Gregg.
RAY DONOVAN (STARZ) The Painted Veil’s Liev Schreiber plays the title character of Ray Donovan—Los Angeles’s go-to guy for its trouble-making celebrities, superstar athletes, and business moguls when they’ve bitten off more than they can chew. Now, Ray has problems of his own to handle when his father (Jon Voight) is unexpectedly released from prison.
TWISTED (ABC) At the age of 11, Danny Desai (Victorious’s Avan Jogia) shocks his entire family after murdering his aunt. Now 16 and released from juvie, Danny returns to his hometown in hopes of fitting in and rekindling his past friendships. But after a fellow classmate is suddenly found dead in her home, fingers begin pointing, and Danny is the town’s number one suspect.
PL AYBACK STYLE WARS (1983) It documents a part of history that I wish I was a part of.
OTHELO GERVACIO (Visual Artist) othelogervacio.tumblr.com KIDS (1995) This scared the shit out of me when I was in Junior High.
YEAH RIGHT! (2003) One of the sickest skate films in my opinion.
JUICE (1992) Classic New York 90s movie.
POINT BREAK (1991) So quotable and also one of my favorites growing up.
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THE BLING RING Sofia Coppola writes and directs this film inspired by 2009’s notorious Hollywood Hills Burglar Bunch, a group of fame-crazed friends (starring Katie Chang and Emma Watson) who use the internet to track celebrities and rob their homes. TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM This 2013 Sundance Film Festival selection follows the lives of some of the music industry’s most celebrated backup singers from Mick Jagger backer Merry Clayton to Michael Jackson duet darling Judith Hill.
THIS IS THE END Seth Rogen, Danny McBride, Jay Baruchel, and Jonah Hill play fictional versions of themselves as they wake up after a rager at James Franco’s house only to find out that the end of the world is upon them.
STUCK IN LOVE A novelist (Greg Kinnear) struggles with the complexities of his broken marriage and writing his new book in this film costarring Jennifer Connelly, Lily Collins, and Logan Lerman.
Words by Rita Faire and Denise Fernandez
UNDER THE DOME (CBS) Lost writer/producer Brian K. Vaughan adapts Stephen King’s psychological thriller Under The Dome that follows Chester’s Mill, a town that is abruptly sealed off from civilization by an invisible dome. Soon, the citizens (helmed by Cloverfield’s Mike Vogel and Twilight’s Rachelle Lefevre) have to cope with isolation and their growing desperation to escape.
WISH YOU WERE HERE Felicity Price (Home and Away), Joel Edgerton (The Great Gatsby), and Teresa Palmer (Warm Bodies) star in this drama about the mysterious events surrounding a friend’s disappearance during a group trip to Cambodia.
ink HOT OFF THE PRESS
BOOKS TO READ
BOOKMARK THE HARE By César Aira César Aira’s first Englishtranslated novel follows Clarke, an English naturalist who roams the Argentine Pampas in search for the elusive flying Legibrerian hare. Mapuche Indians join Clarke’s quest, offering a spontaneous combustion of ideas that result in sharp turns and twists that highlight love, adversity, magic, language, and colonial dependency throughout the 19th century.
CARNIVAL By Rawi Hage Born in the circus, cab driver Fly dabbles in saving the socially damaged—whether they be drug dealer sidekicks or stripper safeguards—by inviting them to become companions in his carnivalesque adventures. Self-consciously political, the narrative explores the harsh realities of life juxtaposed with vividly colorful personalities.
FUNNY LADIES
THE NEW YORKER’S GREATEST WOMEN CARTOONISTS AND THEIR CARTOONS By Liza Donnelly
THE WALKING DEAD, VOL. 18 By Robert Kirkman
Words by Kathleen Curtis, Rita Faire, and Denise Fernandez
Following the events of the previous issue, Something To Fear, the latest installation entitled What Comes After sees the dystopian series shift from totalitarian zombie shenanigans to a deeper focus on the problems surrounding the surviving humans. Lead character Sheriff Rick Grimes now comes to accept that he’s no longer in charge.
FOOTNOTES
Before you book that flight to the Argentine Pampas, know that the Legibrerian hare is 100% fictional. But if flying mammals send you soaring, you may want to head on to Australia and take a gander at the infamous sugar glider, famous for its canopy acrobatics.
Cartoons—who doesn’t love them? The New Yorker’s got plenty, and who knew a number of women are the ones behind them? Celebrated cartoonist Liza Donnelly chronicles The New Yorker’s best female cartoonists. Here are some of the magazine’s best female neuroses.
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It’s late in the evening, the type of night to get out and drink. Two well-dressed girls pass by a woman in uniform, arm in arm with not one, but two men in uniform as well. “It’s probably a publicity stunt to get us to enlist.”
War dogs for our armed forces, says a poster displayed in an office, placed just below three photos of noble looking hounds. A plump lady
Canadian writer and photographer Rawi Hage is more realistic than you think. Based on his hometown of Montreal; the book, Carnival, depicts the hectic life of a cab driver—a profession Rawi himself held for a part of his life.
brings in a tiny dachshund. “I thought perhaps he’d be good for crawling under things.” •
It’s Christmas Eve. A woman in an elegant dress and high heels prepares a giant Christmas tree, decked with balls and lights and topped with a bright, shining star. She tells her husband by the window, “No, no, Jones, leave the curtains open tonight. We must remember the poor people on the streets.”
Kentucky-native Robert Kirkman doesn’t just write comic books—he lives them. His son, Peter Parker Kirkman, is named for fan favorite SpiderMan’s alter ego.
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BEATS
MUSIC TO HEAR
ON THE RISE
MUSIC NEWS
fun fair fridays A
musical melting pot best describes vocalist Jamie Santos, guitarist Ayi Ayque, bassist Jian Torralba, and drummer Pauline Nal of KISS ME FRIDAY. Call it fate or whatever you want, but these self-confessed Fridayholics are sticking together despite
their diversity in musical influence, kicking off their career with first single “Vanilla Carousel.” “Rock meets dance; head bang ‘Vanilla Carousel’ is about that kind of frenzy you get into during the many firsts you encounter while
growing up,” explains Jamie of their pop rock debut, mirroring KMF’s initiation to the local scene. “There’s that ecstatic feeling and the thrill of being in a fun place, but there is also the anxiety you feel when you’re doing something new.” The song starts off with a mellow guitar riff before crescendoing into a heavier beat, showcasing bold vocals and dreamy lyrics, much like the hypnotic gyrations of a carousel ride. Despite their hard efforts to balance work and music, pay bills and be adults, these guys are still kids at heart, naming their band as a tribute to the Makati Friday night life—the nights when they “let go of realities”—for the afteroffice crowd. Ayi adds, “It’s time for me to have fun!”
Pioneered back in 2011, NYC’s The Governers Ball Music Festival is back for another year of musical mayhem with Guns N’ Roses, Kanye West, Kings of Leon, The xx, and tons of other acts set to take the stage. Held at Randall’s Island, The Governors Ball 2013 will run from June 7-9.
facebook.com/kissmefriday
ENCOUNTERS WITH A YETI Ponchie Buenavista (guitar) facebook.com/encounterswithayeti
COLOUR CODING Chris Holland (vocals/guitar) facebook.com/colourcoding
RYE RYE ryeryemusic.com
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“Last Day on Earth” Swervedriver Catchy hooks and smart lyrics drenched in thick noise.
“We Drift Like Worried Fire” Godspeed You! Black Emperor Brilliant use of the string section.
“The Shadow” Sam Prekop A song can’t get any more perfect than this.
“Ekki Mukk” Sigur Rós Glad they’ve returned to their signature sound, though it can be a curse.
“Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” Tame Impala This song has a great sing-along chorus and a 70s feel.
“Lay It Down” The Rubens Another Australian band who have some killer blues tracks.
“Next Year” Two Door Cinema Club Full of sweet hooks. TDCC can do no wrong.
“Sleepless” Flume It’s amazing how catchy a song with little to no vocals can be.
“Bad Decisions” Trey Songz I love a guy that mans up and takes responsibility for his actions.
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” Taylor Swift It’s motivation to keep on moving forward.
“I Want You Back” Cher Lloyd It’s cute because it’s really real life.
“Left Ey3” Kreayshawn I like women who put their foot down in abusive situations.
Hip-hop prodigies Lil Wayne and Birdman can’t even begin to describe their pride for their teenage daughters Reginae Carter and Bria Williams, who teamed up to help write Paparazzi Princesses, a book about two adolescents growing up under the limelight of their famous parents. Paparazzi Princesses is due out on June 4.
Yet another Korean act will be gracing Manila this June. Fourpiece pop rock band CNBLUE’s set to shake up Smart Araneta Coliseum on the 15th, guitars and drumsticks in hand. No sparkly costumes and choreographed dancing there.
Words by Rita Faire, Denise Fernandez, and Reena Mesias Kiss Me Friday photo by Ouie Sanchez, Pochie Buenavista photo by Francisco Guerrero, Rye Rye photo by Rick Craft
PL AYLIS T
TEC H PACK SUN & CLOUD DIGITAL CAMERA
NOCS NS2 AIR MONITORS
• Self-generating digital camera powered by solar and mechanical energy • Captures both still photos and video recordings • Features 15 built-in lo-fi filters • Comes in black and white colorways
• Enables with AirPLay technology that allows wireless streaming from iOS devices • Features deep bass and balanced mid-tones with soaring highs • Contained in hand-built rubber-coated cabinets • Comes with Kevlar reinforced woofers and silk dome tweeters
SRP: P8,240
SRP: P18,500
TOMTOM GPS SPORTS WATCH • At-a-glance sports performance measurement aid • Features a monochrome display for easy monitoring • Bluetooth-enabled to connect to TomTom’s optional Bluetooth® Smart accessories, including Heart Rate Monitor • Available in both Runner and Multi-Sport models
SQUARE ROOT Who says being boxed up can’t send you to the cutting edge?
HTC FIRST • Android-powered smartphone running exclusively on Facebook Home • Features 4.3-inch screen and a 5.0-megapixel rear-facing camera • Enabled with 4G LTE connection • Available in matte black, white, red, and pale blue colorways
SRP: TBA
SRP: P18,540
DOWNLOADS HATER APP By Hater App Inc. Social media platform that allows users to share things they hate
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP TOUCH By Adobe Allows user to combine and edit pre-existing images on iOS or Android tablets
TWITTER #MUSIC By Twitter, Inc. Detects and surfaces popular tracks from emerging artists based on a user’s Twitter activity
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FAC E PA IN T bareMinerals® The Essential Brow Kit P1,420
Dior 5 Couleurs Haute Couture Eyeshadow Palette in Blue Lagoon P3,550
Cargo Eyeshadow Single in Aegean P710
MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash Mascara P900 Jane Iredale Eye Gloss Silk Liquid Eyeshadow in Aqua Silk P690
SEA FOAM PARTY
Laura Mercier Folklore Crème Eyeliner in Canard P995
Dior Diorshow Waterproof Liner in Aqua Green P1,280
Would you like to go to the seaside to cool down in fresh teal shades?
MAC 252 SE Large Shader Brush P1,950
Stila Smudge Crayon Waterproof Eye Color in Midnight Blue P970 Dior Vernis Nail Duo in Samba P1,300
Gorgeous Cosmetics Shimmer Dust in Aqua P1,110
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Napoleon Perdis Mesmer-Eyes Waterproof Mascara P1,110
MAC 129 SE Powder/Blush Brush P2,150
Stila Jewel Eyeshadow Compact in Aquamarine P890
Model photo by Ming Han Chung
Tom Ford Private Blend Neroli Portofino Eau de Parfum (50mL) P9,090
AB O U T FACE SAY CHEESE
SMASHBOX CAMERA READY CC CREAM BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 30 specializes in heavy coverage, made to conceal those pestering marks with no questions asked. Dab on for a matte finish and a picture perfect look. P1,860
PRACTICAL MAGIC
crystal clear
L’ORÉAL PARIS NUDE MAGIQUE CC CREAM weaves enchantment, sparking radiantlooking skin as it neutralizes unwanted redness and dullness. P630
FINE FINISH
Sleek and elegant, CHANEL CORRECTION COMPLETE CC CREAM SPF 30 covers pores and redness in just one layer. Swipe on to look both fresh and flawless. P2,850
MOLD AND MOISTURE
Hydrate parched skin with CLINIQUE MOISTURE SURGE CC CREAM HYDRATING COLOR. Perfect for hot weather, this product boasts an SPF of 30 and moisturizing properties without the greasy feel. P1,550
Throw some double Cs to your daily routine with Color Control creams.
DEAR DOCTOR
Don’t be fooled by its name, DOCTOR T’S SUPERGOOP! DAILY CORRECT CC CREAM is anything but goop. It has a silky formula to soften wrinkles and pores, as well as SPF 35 for UV-ray protection. P1,420
Expert Advice Chamomile tea isn’t just for digestion, it can also help reduce the appearance of sun spots when mixed with witch hazel and used as a toner for clearer complexion.
Ageless grace
Bid wrinkles and lines goodbye with OLAY TOTAL EFFECTS 7-IN-ONE CC TONE CORRECTING MOISTURIZER. This three-in-one cream promises lightening of age spots and balancing of skin tone. P820
b ea u t y b i t e salon benjamin
Model photo by Ming Han Chung Words by Zoe Laurente and Denise Fernandez
I
f you’re wondering where A-listers Emily Blunt, Anna Paquin, and Matt Damon go to get their locks coiffed and treated, the answer is SALON BENJAMIN. It mixes 19th centuryinspired Edwardian writing desks and overstuffed Chesterfield sofas with contemporary art from artists like Shepard Fairey, Curtis Kulig, and Joshua Petker. But more than its homey interior, the salon is known for top services like cuts, color, blowouts, deep conditioning, and straightening treatments for hair. Drop by for a quick fix and relax with a cup of tea to
go with your beautiful tresses. Once in a while, it’s good to get the Hollywood treatment. 8910 Melrose Avenue West Hollywood, California +1 424-249-3296 salonbenjamin.com
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GO S E E
Warm up with summer’s prints and colors. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Oversized Cardigan Sequined Trousers
Baseball Cap
Denim Dress Floral Trousers Bomber Jacket
Leopard Sneakers
Fur Scarf
Neon Handbag
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Maroon Suit
Flannel Coat
Floppy Hat Polka Dot Oxfords
Headdress
Gold Boots
Photographed by Loris Pe単a and Steffi Santiago
Plaid Kilt
Denim Vest
Round Specs
Printed Blazer Leather Jacket Flatform Sneakers
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S T Y LE I D
Street style photos courtesy of jponfashionspeed.com, issatchieu.blogspot.com, jennechrisville.com, lelook.eu; Runway photo by Ming Han Chung
Blogger AnneCatherine Frey in an updated Annie Hall-inspired shimmering blazer and shorts combo.
A pair of statement metallic purple polka dot trousers won’t leave you unnoticed for sure.
Model Giselle Paqueo in a hot cotton candy pink mini from Topshop.
the sheen team
Tokyo-based blogger Gervin Paulo Macion goes bluer than blue wearing his shiny Lanvin for H&M lace-ups
Buro24/7 founder Miroslava Duma dresses down her shiny graphic skirt.
Michael Kors enlists illustrious high-tech fabrics to make you shine like a fashion diamond. Recruited members are advised to apply the ritz and glitz to daily outfits.
By JP Singson
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Walk a mile in rugged shoes, sleek blazers, and cozy cardigans, and you’ll see how it is to be a boss in the streets. Photographed by Aldo Chacon Styled by Angie Gomez
top and cardigan by Bruun & Stengade
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top by Bruun & Stengade blazer by Nickolaj D’étoiles pants by G-Star shoes by OG shoes
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top by Nickolaj D’étoiles pants by Nickolaj D’étoiles socks by Punto Blanco
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top by Bruun & Stengade blazer by Nickolaj D’Êtoiles
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top and cardigan by Bruun & Stengade Makeup Sofia Dalhgren Hair Vicenç Moreto Photographer’s Assistant Laura Pool Model Mario Milan of 5th Avenue
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On Danica: hat by H&M top by Ted Baker suspenders, stylist’s own pants by Reiss belt by Reiss On Isaac: hat by Reiss buttondown by Ted Baker suit by Ted Baker
PARTNER IN
crime
This summer, black and white ensembles will dominate the rebels and offenders. Suits and ties, trousers and hats, along with suspenders and button-downs add sophistication to every girl’s tough demeanor. Photographed by Louiza Vick Styled by Tiffani Chynel
On Danica: suit by Ted Baker buttondown shirt by Ted Baker On Isaac: top by Ted Baker pants by Ilja
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top by Ted Baker pants by Ilja
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hat by Reiss buttondown by Ted Baker suit by Ted Baker
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blazer by Reiss buttondown by Ted Baker tie, stylist’s own
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Makeup Maria Alejandra Barrios Hair Grissel Esparza Retouch Margaret Kopec Models Danica & Isaac of Photogenics hat by H&M top by Ted Baker suspenders, stylist’s own
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Capture dreams and filter colors in washed out pastel caps and socks and flashy high-shine metallic shorts and tees. Mind-bending at their best, these projection are for real. Photographed by Rxandy Capinpin Styled by Loris Pe単a
top with beaded collar by Dorothy Perkins cap by Forever 21 holographic shirt by Salad Day shorts by Topshop
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jacket by Ever New cropped top by Forever 21 necklace by Forever 21 skirt by N/tice socks stylist’s own shoes by Nicholas Kirkwood
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cap by Salad Day holographic long sleeved shirt by Salad Day gray top by Forever 21 shorts by Paradigm Shift socks stylist’s own shoes by Gold Dot
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cardigan by Forever 21 metallic vest by Micah Cabral cap by Salad Day pants by Forever 21
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Assistant Photographers Alex Chua & Billy Cuevas Assistant Stylist Zoe Laurente Makeup and Hair Marita Manalo Model Alena of Elite Modeling Agency Manila jacket by Promod holographic top by Salad Day metallic shorts by Micah Cabral socks stylist’s own shoes by Gold Dot earring by Topshop
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Printed shirts
SHORT STEEZ Short sleeves and bold prints.
Penshoppe [P999]
c Jac o b s r a M y b c r Ma er 2013 mm u /S g in r Sp
Cotton On [P1,199]
Topman [P2,545]
Folded & Hung [P999]
AĂŠrospostale [P1,550]
21 Men [P1,125]
Bench [P879.75]
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TA P ERED TR O USERS / Striped SOCKS
SCHOOL BOY CUTE Fall for trousers that fit just right.
AĂŠropostale [P2,250] Bench [P1,198.75]
Penshoppe [P1,149] 21 Men [P1,535]
RS M ICHAE L KO 2 0 1 3 er Sp r in g /SUmm
Cotton On [P1,999]
Oxygen [P1,149]
FOOT LOOPS Follow your toes down the hole.
Springfield [P295]
Cotton On [P399]
Springfield [P295]
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S L I M TIES
NECKED WEAPON Dress to kill in skinny ties.
21 Men [P505]
21 Men [P505]
rs M ic h a e l Ko 2 0 1 3 er Sp r in g /S u mm
Topman [P795]
Topman [P795]
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Bench [P280]
SNEA K ERS
Bershka [P2,990]
Springfield [P2,450]
A-GAME Bring it on when you’ve got these on.
Penshoppe [P799]
Skechers [P3,095]
K-Swiss [P2,995]
Lacoste [P3,295]
Skechers [P3,590]
AĂŠropostale [P2,250]
Vans [P2,298]
Pony [P3195]
Sperry Top-Sider [P3,795]
Vans [P2,298]
Y-3 er 2013 Sp r in g /S u mm Pony [P3,195]
Vans [P2,298]
K-Swiss [3,195]
Creative Recreation [P3,295]
Vans [P2,298]
Springfield [P4,650]
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CR O P P ED C O RSETS / way fa r e r s
TIGHT CROP Be bold and dare to bare.
Forever 21 [P1,275]
Topshop [P2,295]
Bershka [P995]
DERE K L A M 0 1 3 er 2 Sp r in g /S u mm
Forever 21 [P1,025]
Topshop [P1,995]
WAY AFFAIR
Ditch your bug-eyed frames; classic wayfarers are back.
Cotton On [P599]
Bench [P249]
Oxygen [P249]
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Forever 21 [P330]
Bershka [P895]
sneakers
LOWRIDER Take some candy-colored sneakers, beautiful stranger. Lacoste [P3,295]
Bench [P1,099]
Forever 21 [P845]
Aldo [P3,295]
Superga [P2,250]
c e lo n a C u s t o Ba r e r 2 0 1 3 Sp r in g /S u mm
Cotton On [P799]
Superga [P2,250]
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clutches
CRASH TEST Grab a bag and hold on tight.
Forever 21 [P1,420]
Dorothy Perkins [P1,745]
Warehouse [P1,695]
Z RIA BCBG M A X A 0 1 3 er 2 Sp r in g /S u mm
Warehouse [P1,695]
Bershka [P2,990]
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CA P S
HEAD SPACE
Stay sport-chic and protected in the heat.
Topman [P1,295]
Call It Spring [P655]
Forever 21 [P505] Oxygen [P349]
Bench [P299.75]
Bench [P229.75]
y-3 er 2013 Sp r in g /S u mm
Bershka [P695]
Penshoppe [P199]
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M U S E
LADY LIBERTY
Taiwanese import JESSICA YANG is no stranger to STATUS—she has appeared in our fashion pages, was honored in our online Cool People list, and is a regular attendee at our shindigs. This versatile beauty, favored by editors and adored by legions of fashionphiles, worked her way up in the industry as a freelancer. For that alone, all the independent women better throw their hands up at her. By Giano D. Dionisio Photographed by Jer Dee
B
efore she was a staple in Manila’s fashion circuit, Jessica learned the modeling ropes by bringing her parents along to workshops, castings, go-sees, and eventual gigs—they would document their daughter’s poses and movements at shoots and catwalks so Jessica could watch them later and improve her craft. Countless ad campaigns, magazine layouts, and mirror practice sessions later, Jessica stands tall at the top of her game and there’s no stopping her reign.
STRIKING OUT SOLO
Freelancing is pretty awesome; you don’t have a manager/agent to set an image for you—you build your own image for yourself, you get to make your own decisions… In the end, the jobs you choose and the shoots you agree to do define what type of model you are.
ALL FOR ONE
The fashion industry is actually very loving. In this world, all types of looks are beautiful—[narrow slanted] eyes, front teeth gaps, square faces. All the odd looks you can think of are considered hot in the world of high fashion. At least that’s how I saw it after I started modeling. Because of that, I learned to love my flaws and be confident. Isn’t that how we should all be?
ONE FOR ALL
Independence for me means self-reliance, but a “successful independence” means the freedom to express yourself, to speak your mind, and at the same time to respect and be grateful to others. That’s the attitude that leads everything to harmony.
SPUR OF THE MOMENT
My motivation comes from the love of others. Before, I was only modeling for my own fun and money, but now I want to do better and be better, knowing that people have started to see me as an inspiration, muse, idol, or whatever they call it. I know I am still just me, but having become someone who people look up to drives me to a different level in my modeling career. I’m thankful for that.
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M A E S T R O
THE NEON TREES vocalist and keyboardist Tyler Glenn gets down and dirty about making music that doesn’t give a damn about popular opinion. By Rita Faire
T
he Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Duran Duran—these bands were all categorized as pop artists before the genre itself became a stigma and the word became dirtier than a New York City back alley. Prior to the 1990s and the onset of grunge, post-grunge, indie, and all that followed, pop was a badge of honor that signified good music and a rebellion against the stuffy living room radio your parents wanted you to listen to. But that time has since passed, and rebellion bred rebellion. The Seattle nonconformist genres came, and being popular wasn’t in anymore. Neon Trees frontman Tyler Glenn remembers a time when dismissing pop artists as sellouts was the trendy thing to do. It was also around the time that he and bandmates Chris Allen (guitars/vocals), Branden Campbell (bass/vocals), and Elaine Bradley (drums, percussion, and vocals) started churning out catchy hooks with bubblegum attitude in throbbing bass undertones and clicking percussions.
Utah isn’t exactly the first place you’d think of moving to when forming a band. I didn’t think it was the place to go. I am from California,
but Chris moved to Utah to go to school and Provo has a lot of college-aged kids so a lot of the students there started bands. We went there and found the rest of the band, started playing shows on the weekends, and our fanbase began to grow. Naturally, we just started booking more and more shows and writing a lot of music. It took a long time. It was about four years before we ever saw any bigger success. We’re still growing, and it’s thrilling! What’s the craziest stunt you guys pulled to get your music heard? We went to Coachella Music Festival in 2006 and passed out demos in the parking lot. There have been fans that still come to our shows now from that. Nothing really crazy, though. We really just work hard. Tell us about being in high school during the 90s when “pop” was a bad word. Where do you think pop stands today? The 90s was great but also really limiting for artists in my opinion. A lot of our generation started overusing the word “sellout.” We always sounded like we sound on purpose; we started in a garage, toured in a van, starved, and
POPULAR AND THE DAMNED went bankrupt. It all happened. A style or sound doesn’t automatically tell the bands story or struggle or climb up the ladder! A lot of musicians dread the sophomore album and the pressure of living up to their debut. Did the success of Habits make you a bit nervous in releasing Picture Show? I think we were grateful, excited, and surprised by our first album’s success, and it just made us want to continue that on the second album. We expanded our sound in a pretty organic way. We played with production and a few of the songs were a little more instrumentally different, but we also stayed with the idea that we wanted the songs to be strong. It was awesome to see the success a second time around. Imagine that Picture Show is a soundtrack for a movie. What kind of movie would it be? We actually made the record as sort of a soundtrack, and I really feel each song is its own movie. That’s particularly why each song sounds different from each other. They are all their own scene change. Even the artwork is different for each song.
What’s next for you guys this 2013? We are heading to Europe to finish our tour with Maroon 5, and then we are planning to record new music. I don’t know if the album will be out by the end of the year, but we are in a very exciting and creative headspace for new music.
neontrees.com @neontrees
“ A style or sound doesn’t automatically tell the band’s story or struggle or climb up the ladder!” statusmagonline.com - 69
maestro
SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS Reality can be boring. Maybe that’s the logic behind indie pop quintet HIGHASAKITE’s name. After all, they elevate common ground to the altitude of their sounds. By Katrina Swee
T
he crew up north in Norway is not so much North anymore. Trond Bersu (drums), Ingrid Helene Håvik (vocals), Øystein Skar (synths), Marte Eberson (synths), and Kristoffer Lo (guitar, percussion, and flugabone) of Highasakite currently perform beyond the barriers of their own country and beyond realms you can think of. The way drummer Trond puts it, “We’re Highasakite, echoing the sounds you hear in the midnight dreams that often seem
more real than anything you experience during your waking hours.” As much as they like playing the adventurer card, “being tourists together… going to the beach, and exiting restaurants” during tours in Denmark, Germany, and USA, they also like making world music—crossing over progressive rock, Norwegian folk, and Phil Spector-esque pop. “The sound of the band has evolved gradually,” says Trond. “In the beginning,
it was just me who played the drums and Ingrid on vocals and zither.” Later on, to achieve the sound they wanted live, the two real-life lovers recruited the other three. These jazz musicians were filled with excitement—getting booked as one of the first 75 bands at SXSW. As they performed their single, “In and Out of Weeks,” they feel as euphoric as their music. Today, the kite of five is tied up together—atop skittering rhythms—working on their international debut album set to release later this year.
highasakite.no @highasakiteband
Disclosed Desires I
t’s been four or five years since STATUS first featured Spazzkid. Some things may have changed since the big move of the now Los Angeles-based artist (“My face [became] a little rounder and hairier”), but one thing that remained constant is that he’s still independent. “A big part of my youth was spent playing in punk bands, making zines, and being involved in DIY culture… So to me, being completely indie or DIY was the only way to go,” he shares. But while Mark has maintained complete creative control over his art (production, promotions, shoots, bookings), he widens his social circle every time he releases a song. “The rewards are huge; I get interesting collaborations, meet new people, and gain
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“People would be happier and more fulfilled if they were pursuing their desires unabashedly and unapologetically,” Mark Redito aka SPAZZKID says. He certainly took his own advice, having paved his musical path himself—independently. But in this case, “independent” doesn’t mean “alone.” By Rem Gomez
new supporters. It’s a chance to share my art to a wider audience,” he says, and that’s more than enough for him. “My idea of DIY and independence has since changed. I think wanting to be totally independent is kind of a false mindset now because, really, without your community and supporters, everything is futile and your work becomes fruitless.” Genres are silly for Mark, but he’s made an effort to include lots of homemade nostalgia in his lo-fi experiments. Be it claps, kitchen utensils, tape sounds, or his niece’s voice–
collectively, they surely build you up. With his computer, a few cheap mics, MIDI controllers, toy keyboards, random toy percussions, a cassette deck, and all the friends and supporters who helped Spazzkid pay for studio and computer upgrades to create his debut LP, Desire—Mark is set to make us spazz the way he does when it comes to “baby carrots and hummus, 100 mile bike rides, Leffe Blonde Ale, and [his] new eyeglasses.”
spazzkid.com @spazzkid
Glasgow-based CAMERA OBSCURA will make you Desire Lines with the release of their fifth record. Frontwoman Tracyanne Campbell notes that despite it being the most challenging to write, the band were delighted to have fellow musicians Neko Case and Jim James sing on the album.
KELLY ROWLAND proves that she still knows how to Talk a Good Game. The former Destiny’s Child member features a number of collaborations in this 12-tracker, including songs with Pharrell Williams, T-Minus, and both her soul sisters Beyoncé and Michelle Williams.
Multi-Grammy award winner JOHN LEGEND gives us a taste of Love in the Future, promising a more evolved sound compared to his past albums Get Lifted and Once Again. John Legend also teams up with Kanye West and Dave Tozer for his fourth record.
Planta your earphones deep into four-piece group CSS. Lead singer Lovefoxxx is stoked to have fans listen to their newest pieces, describing the record’s first single, “Hangover,” as “summer in space.”
MAESTRO
SCENIC ROUTES AND SONIC GENERATIONS How do you know when an artist has gotten somewhere? Is it when he wins a Grammy? Or when he can afford a five million-dollar house? Or when he’s pimpin’ girls in a mean Chevy? Dan Croll says, “I suppose ‘somewhere’ is where I am now—traveling, playing lots of great gigs, meeting great people, being slightly more financially secure.” Simple and humble for an artist who has a lot of big dreams, he says, “Somewhere is a good place; I’m really enjoying it.” By Reena Mesias
I
“
wrote From Nowhere back in January 2012 when I was struggling a little bit,” singer-songwriter Dan Croll says. “I’d just graduated from University in Liverpool and needed to make decisions on what I was going to do, where I was going to live, how I was going to make money, etc. So I suppose ‘nowhere’ was a confusing, stressful place.” But the resulting EP is far from stressful, marrying electronic sounds with indie folk melodies and—ahh!—those reverb-drenched guitars. Think Jens Lekman and Metronomy; impressive, yes? As for the upcoming LP (and if it’s gonna sound like the EP), Dan says, “I feel that a lot of artists can think too much about an album, creating this big theme and story, and then finding themselves with tracks that sound very much the same. For me, I’m enjoying working on my album track by track, meaning that it may be a bit of a genre-jumping album, but at least every track has its own individual sound.” Get to know more about how his early punk years and band history could’ve swayed and
pulled him away from his current sound. Wherever “somewhere” is, we’re thrilled he has chosen that path ‘coz it’s pretty groovy. What was your earliest memory of music? I’ve got three early memories that really stick out. One is of me singing incredibly loud—and badly—to Michael Jackson’s “Heal the World,” another is bouncing around the room to Capercaillie’s “Rann Na Móna,” and singing Matt Bianco’s “Get Out Of Your Lazy Bed” in the back of the car. Take us through your morning routine. Wake up. Brush teeth. Run around Sefton Park, Liverpool. Shower. Coffee. Eggs. Orange juice. Coffee. Toilet. Emails, recording, and social media. Did you ever have a phase in your life where you lived or dressed as a stereotype far from who you are today? I did. It was mainly around the age of 12-13 when I started to take an interest in Kerrang! Magazine and skateboarding. I definitely had a phase of rocking
the baggy jeans, chains, and long hair whilst listening to bands like Simple Plan, Sum41, Blink 182, etc. I might’ve dabbled in the indie/mod stereotype, too. No Lambretta or Vespa, unfortunately. Your songs sound upbeat and happy. How do more negative emotions inspire you? For me, there’s always a drive to write songs however I’m feeling because I know that there is somebody out there who will be feeling the same way and can connect with the song/ lyrics. When I do feel angst or loneliness, it’s usually because I feel overwhelmed by the amount of competition within the music industry that I’m up against, but I’m a very driven person so I’ll always try to use those feelings to inspire me lyrically/melodically in a song. Sometimes they’ll make the cut, sometimes they won’t, but at least I know I’ve got those feelings off my chest. What do you miss about working with other bands like Dire Wolfe? Drinking sessions, maybe? I do really miss playing in bands like Dire Wolfe and Eye Emma Jedi. What I loved about it was that I could occasionally
sit back and allow others to throw in song ideas, chat on stage, and take it in turns to bear the weight of the project. Taking on a solo career has definitely put a lot of weight and stress on my shoulders, however, I secretly love this pressure and it’s what drives me. You mentioned in an interview with Best Fit that your music teacher helped you channel [your] teenage frustration against the world into music. What are some of your frustrations now? I don’t really have many frustrations anymore. The few that I do have, I’m rather glad of as they help spur me on to write. I suppose if I had to pick one frustration is it would be people who think everything will come to them, and it will all just fall onto their lap. The feeling of working for something and achieving it is incredible, but these types of people are just too lazy to go out and get it.
dancroll.com @dancrollmusic
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ULTIMATE UNLIMITED
WALE further proves that he is one of The Gifted after dropping his third studio album. The rapper revealed Kanye West as one of his inspirations for the record, elaborating that its tracks will focus on his own personal growth as a human being.
“ You hold the future of music. Utilize it,” That was Kanye West’s advice to TRAVI$ SCOTT. And the kid is listening, creating, and killing it. By Viva Gonzalez
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aking to his Twitter to answer whether he’s with T.I.’s Grand Hustle versus Kanye’s G.O.O.D Music, Travi$ Scott put the controversy to rest by making it clear that his loyalty lies with making music—he’s signed with both. Scott isn’t wasting any time. Riding on the monster success of co-producing tracks in Cruel Summer and being featured in “Sin City,” he’s been doing collaborations and producing music nonstop while perfecting his EP Owl Pharaoh. Originally slated for release back in 2012, he confirms to STATUS that the EP will drop first week of May. He says, “I came out of a place where personalities like mine aren’t heard. So [Owl Pharaoh] is like my journey through this world.” Coming from a suburban community in Houston, he started messing with beats at 16 and decided to drop out and fly to New York after two years of college. “Hell yeah. That shit was hard. I had only a couple friends to turn to,” Scott adds. He squatted on his friends’ couches, making beats ‘til the day he made it, ‘til the day he got a call from Kanye West. And as they say, the rest is G.O.O.D Music/hip-hop history. “The freshness of [making music], and the fact that you can spread a message is the ill part. You can be a creator,” says Scott. The process of creating and melding messages with melodies is what motivated the 20-year-old to make a career out of this passion. Scott’s releases after Cruel Summer, especially “Blocka La Flame” and “Lights (Love Sick),” reinforced his newly-minted status as the second coming of Kanye West. Scott’s take-noprisoners verses, theatricality, and propensity for larger-thanlife instrumentals only serve as more proof of Kanye’s influence on him. Make no mistake though,
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Pythons are out to get you this June. SURFER BLOOD’s sophomore effort is the first record that they worked on with a producer, and they promise it will be the perfect soundtrack to a summer getaway.
“ the fact that you can spread a message is the ill part. You can be a creator.” each track he touches is pure Travi$ Scott. Hardcore hip-hop fans will be surprised about what Travi$ Scott is into.“[I like] James Aldean. I like pop music… I’m into DJs–Calvin Harris, Daft Punk, Justice. I like The Black Belles and Miike Snow, too,” he reveals. I bravely ask if he’s open to work with Justin Bieber or Taylor Swift on a track, and he replies, “I’ll do a song with both of them. They’re ill. Their voices are cool.” Just when you think you can figure Travi$ Scott out, he comes up with more surprises. Expect Bon Iver and Toro Y Moi to make appearances in Owl Pharaoh, his exciting and diverse musical influences apparent in his debut.
His inclusion in XXL’s Freshmen Class of 2013–along with Action Bronson, Chief Keef, and Trinidad James–is only the beginning of the industry’s recognition of Scott’s talent. This young gun from Houston, cliché as it sounds, is looking to redefine hip-hop. With all that he’s achieved so early on in his career, redefining the genre doesn’t seem like a lofty dream. “I’m definitely gonna create a new experience for music and just live shows. I wanna score movies and shit. I wanna do the ultimate,” says Scott.
travisscott.com @travisXX
Icelandic outfit SIGUR RÓS put out their seventh record, Kveikur. It departs from the group’s ambient style and takes a more aggressive turn with a darker and heavier sound.
Indie favorite PORTUGAL. THE MAN keep their enemies close but their Evil Friends closer as they work with acclaimed music producer Danger Mouse.
MAESTRO
“My name kind of drives me crazy, to be honest. All I ever get asked about is my feet, which seems like the least interesting thing in the world to me,” says Victoria Hesketh of her alias LITTLE BOOTS—a pseudonym penned by a friend because of her uncommonly tiny feet. But really, Little Boots is anything but little in the music scene. by Denise Fernandez
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ittle Boots had her career sealed when she started posting songs and covers on YouTube and Myspace in a pair of pajamas, no less. Contrary to her stage name, however, this Brit-born singer-songwriter had actually been getting massive raves before she released her first album—topping the BBC Sound of 2009 poll as well as garnering a Critics’ Choice nomination at the 2009 BRIT Awards. Little Boots’ debut, Hands, was praised by critics, gaining her classical musician comparisons to the likes of Ladyhawke, Florence Welch, and Lady Gaga. While most female pop artists sing of flirting with boys and breaking up, Little Boots sings of rainbows, magic, and mathematics as love metaphors. Her music radiates 80s influences, inspired by classic disco and house records. Popping any Little Boots album will get just about anyone ready to dance the night away. There are high expectations for Nocturnes, her sophomore effort. Taking a bold turn of sound, Little Boots calls it a tribute to the night—more “upbeat and deliciously darker than [her] last.” She says, “I think the night time feel runs throughout the record. It’s the theme of escapism–of fun, dancing, and letting go–mixed
with darkness, hedonism, and maybe even danger.” Being a part-time DJ heavily influenced Little Boots during the production of Nocturnes, transforming the electropop artist into a legitimate night owl. “I love seeing different cities around the world at night. If you arrive when it’s dark, you get a totally different impression. Often, I get ideas for songs in the middle of the night and [I] have to run into the next room and record them quickly. More often, I forget and fall asleep and kick myself in the morning!” While Little Boots has unquestionably gone a long way from fronting former electropunk band Dead Disco, she’s content staying attached to music for a while. She muses, “I don’t really understand this new model of pop star that has a fashion line and a perfume and whatever else and seems to spend more time attending events and endorsing things than making records.” Despite this, she’s famous for her quirky sense of style; calling herself a “cosmic disco doll,” she wears futuristic, sparkling outfits paired with heels (always) and eyelashes with gems or feathers on them (sometimes). “[But] I do love fashion, and get frustrated [that] there are not more exciting clothes
for the vertically challenged of us out there, so [I] would love to be involved in some kind of cool petite range,” laughs the five-foot tall heavy hitter. With her music being featured in popular films and television series such as Skins, The Vampire Diaries, and Jennifer’s Body, Little Boots tells us she is just getting warmed. “I would like to do more songwriting for other artists, which is something I’m doing more and more of,” she says. “I would like to build my label into a properly functioning operation that could release other people’s records. Personally, I hope I can just
carry on making albums I’m proud of with people I’m excited by and carry on touring and performing for my fans.” With sick electronic beats on two winning albums, as well as a track record like hers, Little Boots and music do make a great pair, and undeniably, she knows how to pack a sonic punch despite her size.
littlebootsmusic.co.uk @littleboots
“It’s the theme of escapism– of fun, Dancing, and letting go–mixed with darkness, hedonism, and maybe even danger.” statusmagonline.com - 73
HYPE LUIS RUANO’s job requires him to be on the lookout for all things dope and fresh, keeping both clients and readers at the edge of their seats. After all, churning out good news isn’t as easy as clicking the refresh button.
“AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WOULDN’T WANT TO BE THAT GUY THAT EVERYONE KNOWS BUT HAS NO CLUE WHAT HE’S KNOWN FOR.”
By Rolly Ibañez
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alling it “the DIY generation,” Luis Ruano believes this day and age to be the heyday for self-trained professionals. It’s a generation that delineates formal and informal training. He says, “It honestly always comes down to experience. Many of the things I’ve learned throughout the past five years have been through experience, through making mistakes and correcting them. School doesn’t prepare you for some of the failures you’ll encounter along the way, and it definitely doesn’t toughen you up mentally. Those are all characteristics I’ve picked up with having to really dig deep and get to know who I really am as a person and as a creative.” Throughout his tenure as a senior editor in Hypebeast, Luis has never been questioned about his role in the industry. Building a standout résumé in editorial and brand direction,
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his knack for ditching failure is an admirable possession everyone looks up to. This wellversed streetwear savant doesn’t limit himself to one role; instead, he puts his shoulder to the wheel as the former main man of Hypebeast’s North American operations and current managing editor of Highsnobiety. Luis has become the go-to guy for creative strategies, brand directions, editorial planning, and all things creative. But Luis admits that he was “super apprehensive” back when he was starting out. He says, “I wasn’t a risk-taker and really just wanted to always remain in my comfort zone. It’s when you get yourself out of that bubble that you truly thrive.” He goes on saying, “I quit my job in college because I was tired of working in retail. I took a chance and left school to be an intern at Hypebeast. Five years later, I’m at a place where I
always wanted to be but never thought I could be. Risks have rewards.” Now a seasoned editor for a roster of online magazines which have become daily bibles for streetwear, sneaker, and urban fashion enthusiasts alike, Luis capitalizes on good stories, but that doesn’t mean that hustle has no place online. He admits, “Driving traffic and intriguing people enough to click on something is a different story… I’ve honestly never been one to hype myself up. I always thought that my work would do all the talking for me, or that if someone really wanted to know about me, they would come to me, but that’s not always true.” Despite that, Luis is firm on drawing the line between hype and cred, saying, “At the end of the day, I wouldn’t want to be the guy that everyone knows but has no clue what he’s known for.” The internet is just one aspect of his daily grind. The rest happens in a different kind
of worldwide web. Spending most of the day glued to his devices, checking emails, and poring over editorial planning, Luis also heads downtown “for meetings, studio visits, [and] catching up with creatives in the city.” Luis shares, “It’s a much more labor-intensive job than most [people] think, especially when you get stuck in LA traffic. I can literally go from sending an email to shooting a lookbook and creating content strategy for the site in a few hours. It can get crazy.” But hey, that’s why some people just can’t handle the hustle. If it’s too hot, then stay the hell out.
luisruano.com @Luis_Ruano Portrait by Jose Ruano
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mastermind
PEER PLEASURE Art and design child prodigies may be expected to eventually burn out, dehydrate of eye-catching concepts, and get out of the industry while they still can, but designer and art director JESSICA WALSH didn’t have to follow the same process. According to her, the only thing you’ll need to do to remain in the game is to “play.” By Rem Gomez Photographed by Henry Hargreaves
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t an age when most girls were paying attention to playground crushes and ageappropriate dressing (or the lack thereof), Jessica Walsh was taking care of codes and creating graphics for blogs. It was a pastime born out of her love for online pet game, Neopets, where users can customize their own pages and let their personality (or that of their pet) shine. But just because she had a knack for HTML and CSS doesn’t mean Jessica spent her entire childhood hulled up in her room. Playing soccer, lacrosse, tennis, and basketball, she admits, “I had a very adventurous childhood… I grew up in four acres of woods so I was making forts and tree houses and all sorts of imaginative play like that.” At the age of 12, Jessica’s tutorial site offering free blog templates went viral. In an interview with The Great Discontent, she said, “I was getting about 15,000 unique visitors a day. This was right around the same time that Google Ads first launched. I put one of the ads on my site out of curiosity and started to make money off of it!” Paid to dabble further into her hobbies, she became the poster child for perceived dorkdom reaping coolerthan-you points, freelance projects, and a job at one of the top design firms in New York. Being self-taught enabled Jessica to dive right in for the joy of designing across a variety of mediums. After graduating from Rhode Island School of Design, Jessica moved to New York where she interned for Pentagram and did freelance design work. “I just always felt in my
heart that’s where I was gonna end up, and that was really the best place for me to be,” she says. The idea of “play” stuck to her and started to reflect in her work ethic and aesthetic. “[Play] has become such an integral part of what I do on a daily basis,” she says. “I started reading all the psychology books to learn more. I didn’t realize how essential it is to the biological process and throughout history.” The concept brought her to where she is today, under Stefan Sagmeister’s design studio–now known as Sagmeister & Walsh since she was announced as a name partner in mid-2012. The opportunity has allowed her the chance to work with a prestigious roster of clients, including Levi’s, KIA, The New York Times, AIGA, and EDP. “So much of getting good work is really knowing who to work with and choosing the right client… I have never taken out an assignment that I didn’t like,” she says. As for her style, Jessica believes she doesn’t resort to a particular aesthetic. “I do what’s best for the client or for the project, but when I do look through my work, I would say that I try to do clean, beautiful work with a sense of humor or twist in a way.” Jessica knows people respond quickly and positively to what’s most enjoyable. If anyone tells her to work hard, she would do it for her and your pleasure.
Aizone
sagmeisterwalsh.com @jessicawalsh
Aizone
Aizone
The Happy Show
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Miles a Half-Japanese, half-American model and TV host JULIA SNIEGOWSKI has a sense of adventure that stretches from DIY skin care experiments to sniffing out the best eats and treats around the Metro for ETC HQ’s “TrendCast.” By Kathleen Curtis Photographed by Paolo Geronimo
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er modeling gig was only supposed to last for three months but the model turned TV host Julia Sniegowski just couldn’t resist making a permanent move. “Things happened, projects came, and opportunities arose… I thought it would be silly to say no, so I ended up staying.” One of those opportunities was the chance to become the newest host for ETC HQ’s setting and style capsule, “TrendCast,” which takes her from the hidden gems of Manila’s local cuisine to cultural experiences that go beyond Intramuros tours. Julia explains, “I love that I now get to explore the city and find out new things about Manila that I never knew because all I can do [personally] is go on Google or get things through word of mouth; especially since I’m not fluent in Tagalog, I’ve never been able to experience all the [truly] local stuff.”
Julia predicts that 2013 will be filled with “molecular gastro food” as it’s “getting more fancy and people appreciate it more.” She also sees the next few months having more “music festivals, pop-up events, and outdoor movie screenings.” Her adventures take her from spa and wellness retreats to learning how to mix beats as an amateur DJ. You’d think that the sheer amount of things she has to do (on screen and off) leaves her tired, but the trooper is just craving more from shores beyond our own—Tel Aviv and Istanbul being on her travel bucket list. “I would love to scuba in the Red Sea and ride a camel in the desert, I don’t want to go for the night life.”
julia.arielsniegowski.com @Julia_Snieg
cities Rising filmmaker HANNAH ESPIA, her namesake from Woody Allen’s Hannah and Her Sisters, had her fortune sealed from the day she was born. Constantly on the move–as her parents own a travel agency–Hannah’s vivid imagination takes flight as often as she embarks on journeys to faraway lands. By Denise Fernandez Photographed by Nyael David
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Ruweda
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ndependent film director Hannah Espia grew up in a film-loving family. Raised around different forms of art—singing, drawing, painting, and acting—it was inevitable that some sort of creative talent would eventually surface. “The year I started in film school was the same year Cinemalaya started. It was always [my] goal as a film student to get into a big festival,” she says. A couple of years later, her University of the Philippines thesis, Ruweda, made it into the festival’s lineup. Her influences include photography and her daily grind. “When I commute and listen to music, I feel like I’m in a movie,” she says.“It makes everything more awesome. You’re riding the MRT, and you feel like you’re in a scene.” Hannah’s second entry to Cinemalaya, Transit, reflects this. She says, “I’ve worked on the script for a year. Waiting in airports made such a huge impact on me because there are so many things to observe and so many people you
come across.” The full-length exposé, shot in Tel Aviv, follows a single father working in Israel as he accompanies his young son back to the Philippines after the Israeli government declares that children of foreign employees are to be deported. What marks her work from other directors in the festival circuit is her distinct editor’s perspective. Editing takes up a huge chunk of her style. She shares, “There’s so much you can do with editing. You can write something in script form and then change it altogether.” Among Hannah’s bucket list items as a filmmaker include entering the Sundance Film Festival, making a musical, and directing a teen flick about high school. It doesn’t take much to tell; this girl’s going places.
thetravelsizedphotographer.com @junkf00djunkie
mastermind
LAWLESS Born from the seeds of the 90s hip-hop, punk, and biker cultures of New York, visual artist and curator OTHELO GERVACIO mixes the rough-hewn along with the polished sensibilities of graphic design to create an aesthetic that stands on its own. By Rita Faire Photographed by Lele Saveri
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have always been into the whole DIY idea since I first caught wind of it. When I was in junior high school, I would sew patches onto hoodies and draw pictures on my backpacks,” recounts visual artist Othelo Gervacio. Last October 2012 marked his return to these roots as he curated DILLIGAF: Destressed, Destroyed, and Embellished. The word itself is an acronym for, “Do I look like I give a fuck,” and Othelo uses it as a tributary anthem for the intense nonconformist nature of the people who embody movements that nurtured his art. Othelo’s artwork possesses the same amount of defiance and conviction as his childhood backpacks with pen-drawn Bart Simpson illustrations, but his experiences in the world of ink (care of Saved Tattoo’s Scott Campbell) and design have refined the lines and trimmed the edges. “I wanted to pay homage to [punk and biker cultures] by putting on a show of customized jackets and vests—a substantial part of both scenes. The jackets in those particular subcultures were meant to identify you with a certain group and/or show individuality, something I found very powerful,” says Othelo. His pieces for the exhibit saw rough-stitched denim jackets held together by safety pins, leather patches, studs, and pure attitude. At the same time, you can’t help but appreciate the technical detail that
goes into his pieces. “In many ways, I subconsciously use the knowledge I’ve gained from the art direction and design world when creating my own personal artwork. I strive for spacial balance and often attempt to apply my love of typography in the work I produce. I’d like to think my art benefits from this technical knowledge as much as my design work benefits from my uninhibited artistic abilities.” he says. You were artistically inclined form a young age, taking inspiration from punk, tattoo, and biker subculture. I’ve always been interested in creating and drawing from the moment I was handed a crayon. Eventually I learned about punk, hip-hop, graffiti, and the whole DIY realm from older cousins and their friends. It was like a big glowing light I had to fly toward, except that in the end, I didn’t get zapped… Tattoos and bikes didn’t really influence my work until I moved to New York and started working with [tattoo artist] Scott Campbell. In my latter years of working at the studio with him was when I started to refine and hone my skills in painting. What was it like working with him for four years? It was an amazing and adventurous four years with Scott. I was introduced and immersed into a culture I had
always wanted to be a part of beforehand… While working at Saved Tattoo, I also began to discover and explore subcultures I had not known too much about previously— cholo art, traditional tattoo art, biker culture, occult imagery, etc.—I started taking influence from these subcultures out of sheer interest. Have you ever been approached by any fashion brands for collaborations? Yes, I’ve fortunately been approached to be a guest designer/artist for a few fashion collaborations. In the past, I’ve had the opportunity to design a pair of shoes with Italian brand Forfex and on another project; I was featured as a guest artist for Obesity and Speed one season. I do actually enjoy working on these types of collaborations as they serve as alternative outlets to be creative. It’s also a challenge I am always up for. What other interests are you planning to pursue? I started working on and learning about the mechanics of motorcycles, which is somewhat a new interest of mine.
othelogervacio.tumblr.com
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Just when you think that electronic dance music is running on autopilot, DAFT PUNK helm the genre from the insides of their Saint Laurent helmets toward planetary heights and interstitial space. In their new album, Random Access Memories, electronic gets embryonic as digits turn into hotlines to dreams, circuits into diaphanous veins, and programmed reflex into primordial impulses. It’s looser, more romantic, and less upbeat. Condemn EDM’s drugged abandon. Its forefathers, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, understand the humanizing factors of restraint. As Thomas tells Yahoo! , “Controlling what we do is being free.” By Kristine Dabbay and Reena Mesias Illustrated by Jer Dee
In 1997, these recluses were hated by Frenchmen… But the fuck-you attitude of these darlin’ punks…
shifted the rock scene into a discodancing, house-toppling, Paris-burning, world-dominating bacchanalia.
HEAVY HITTER
“ WI THOUT DAF T PUNK, it would be a different world, I swear to God,” Steve Aoki told STATUS three years ago. Without Daft Punk, Justice won’t be served, rave won’t be all the rage, and Skrillex would have remained in undercut underground forever. Fortunately, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, at 17, christened themselves Darlin’, an independent surf-pop combo that would eventually become what is now known as the progenitors of electronic dance music—Daft Punk. In 1997, these recluses were hated by Frenchmen. “The government is so against [discotheques]; they don’t know what it can be—they just think of evil and drugs,” says Guy-Manuel in Guardian. But the fuck-you attitude of these darlin’ punks, influenced by Beach Boys and Andy Warhol movies, shifted the rock scene into a discodancing, house-toppling, Paris-burning, world-dominating bacchanalia. Gallic music finally got the gall to reinvent itself, the same approach that propelled the likes of Serge Gainsbourg and M.C. Solaar to cult status. Darlin’ became daft, and the duo ended up everywhere. Until they didn’t. There were several rumors about the hiatus—one was that their faces got disfigured from a studio fire. Our theory: Maybe they just went to outer space to reboot. In “Space Oddity,” Bowie sang, “Take your protein pills and put your helmets on.” Daft Punk seemed to be listening as they bounced back to pop culture, soaring higher with their masks and helmets in flying colors—literally—from red to LED. This self-imposed anonymity isn’t about thinking small. On the contrary, this move enabled them to reach a bigger audience. Thomas explains in Mixmag, “We don’t want to compromise ourselves… We just want to reach people.” By concealing their faces and being nonchalant, monosyllabic interviewees—they let the people see them for their music. Initially pigeonholed for creating “fucked-up noise” and “devil’s music,” Thomas and Guy-Manuel religiously mixed all their great loves—60s pop, 70s
rock, and disco—and debased them with the groove of machines. They continuously innovated and experimented with production by fusing 70s and 80s and synth-guitar solos. In the early 2000s, while most electronic dance artists used a lot of synthesizers, Daft Punk used disco samples, popularizing a French house sound that many artists soon emulated. For their breakthrough, Discovery, they would always dare to be different. Ever since the beginning of their careers, their motto was never to make the same record twice. Can their creativity still be at their prime? “The idea of ‘still can,’ it’s exactly that. We tried to see if it was still possible. Nobody ever tries anymore. Why? Lack of material, of ambition, of wanting, even the three? In the meantime, the know-how gets lost. An economy crumbles, a general discouragement wins. And then the weight of the great classics is heavy,” they relate to Rock & Folk. From 400 people in Sarrebruck to 17,000 at Bercy and 40,000 in Coachella, they’ve now become omnipresent if people’s playlists were the barometer. Their Coachella performance in 2006 sent shockwaves across borders; even Deadmau5 tried to imitate it. The result? A Grammy, a Kanye West collaboration, a Tron: Legacy film score, and perhaps EDM itself, which is pitted as this generation’s defining voice, like what alternative was to the 90s and what rock & roll was to the 70s. Fast forward to 2013, they look back at their oeuvre and step out of their comfort zone. Thomas tells Pitchfork, “We wanted to do what we used to do with machines and samplers, but with people.” If most DJs and EDM impresarios make music in planes and laptops without imprinting a distinct humanizing signature, Daft Punk choose to use technology in Random Access Memories to connect with music’s mortality. In doing so, they have created a sound that’s as electrifying as it is emotionally-charged.
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There’s “Giorgio” by Moroder, a track driven by the cadence of Giorgio Moroder’s monologue spanning his life as a musician. It’s Daft Punk’s toast to creative freedom and blurring the barriers of genres. “Instant Crush,” however, blends the lush acoustics of Julian Casablancas and Daft Punk’s trademark funk, resulting to a nostalgic trip to the West. With some help from Nile Rodgers and Pharrell Williams, “Lose Yourself to Dance” becomes an instant anthem to the afterglow of a chill night out drowned in giddying highs. Armed with more lyrics, the robots seem to now recall the organic scruples of feeling things. They’re humans after all. Pharrell quips in The Creators Project, “I was like, wow I loved [‘Get Lucky’], and I can’t believe I’m on it. It feels like the only click track they have was like the human heartbeat and that’s what makes it interesting because these are robots.” “The robots’ music is the power to separate yourself from all else that exists. They’re not bound by time and space,” Pharrell says. They’re also not bound by gigabytes, bandwidths, and the bandwagon. Even before teasers, there were “fake” singles on the internet coming out. As soon as Daft Punk released the promo to Random Access Memories in Coachella 2013, everyone started mass-tweeting, Facebookflooding, GIF-spamming it. Even Stereogum gave us a mini-heart attack when they said they had the official track—only to find out it was just a looped version of the promo. It was like déjà vu; it was sort of like rediscovering Discovery. Everyone was waiting for it. This was the fourth coming. And maybe they’ve come back for some redemption. “[EDM] is not moving one inch,” Thomas tells Guardian. “That’s not what artists are supposed to do.” And just because Daft Punk are the godfathers of electronic music, they don’t want copycats. They want someone who could surpass them. “That’s actually much more interesting and exciting than someone who is paying homage,” Thomas tells GQ. “Here’s someone that is trying to do something new and to not follow something—there’s an attempt, you know?” Why so much hype? Is it even still possible to follow that kind of success 10 years ago? Thomas reiterates in the same interview, “Sequels always suck. How many bands do you know that are still making good music after twenty years? It always sucks—so our new album is going to really suck.” Decades have gone by, and what’s left? The fame, obviously. The helmets. But we hope it’ll be the music, too. Lightyears away, let’s hope Earth, no matter how much it atrophies each day, can be magnified with all its lights, sights, party hardies, and afterparties. If the icebergs keep diminishing, might as well sweat while dancing. Euphoria is a sign of intelligent life.
daftpunk.com
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“ Some people use their reputation like a crutch,” graffiti art legend Futura says, “but they’re not relevant.” More than ever, this man is. Years since he pioneered abstract graffiti, his style has become the coolest thing in street art. A once confused orphan, he says today, “I’m who I wanna be whenever I wanna be.” By Nante Santamaria photographed by art alera
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hirty eight years ago, Ensign Leonard McGurr came to the Philippines “in Popeye uniform.” He was a 19-year-old New Yorker whose story the world of street culture did not yet know about. He would become the graffiti artist Futura 2000, infamous for abandoning his time’s graffiti laws but famous for pioneering abstract street art. Part of Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring’s go-hard-die-young generation of artists, he has survived through the age of apparel and the internet still doing what he does best as a painter and graphic designer. It would not be until the 90s when he would finally claim to understand what he was doing and trying to say; but today, Futura–who had dropped the 2000 from his street name when he reached the new millennium alive–has definitely become a thing, “faked” as it was 10 books earlier. Father to two of the brightest figures in street culture today—Tabatha McGurr of Married to the Mob and Timothy McGurr aka the photographer 13th Witness—he says, “I don’t want it all. The rest is cake. I just want my little cigarette.” Here’s a couple of sticks and a glass of Hennessy (from his specially designed bottle for the French cognac) worth of time with the legend. Yesterday, you stood on the staircase ledge of Ronac Art Center just to take a photo. Why would you do that? I’m still a kid at heart. What can I say? I mean, I wasn’t scared, then people started grabbing me. I was more scared when they grabbed me. I was fine all along. Would you say that you’re still more comfortable flirting with danger even now that you’re already 57? I guess that could be considered dangerous, but… I’m not always on the edge like that. I’m not too outrageous. I learned, though, that you were really like that even in the 80s. Do you remember particularly dangerous instances from those days? It’s funny because, if you recall recent news, we heard about train surfing in India. Remember all those guys on top of the trains? It happens here, too. I’m sure it does and also [in] Brazil. Brazil is more young
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“ I don’t feel like I have to do anything anymore, but I also know that when I’m doing stuff, I wanna compete. I wanna do something that’s interesting. I never wanna be average.” kids doing crazy shit. In India, it’s “Hey, we are so many fucking people. We’re up here.” I used to do train surfing, and it’s not even most dangerous. When you were 15? Oh, when I was 12. The fact that we survived the outside of trains—at the last car—was quite fun. As the train left the station, you jumped at the back. You must have gotten in trouble with security for doing that. We never had security, really. Today, maybe there’s police at the station, but no. If there was actually one, the train’s already moving, so what were they gonna do–call the next station? That never happened. If it did, when the train got to the next station, I just jumped off and ran into the tunnel. It sounds like Ninja Turtles. A little bit. When I was young, I used to be silly, always right there on the edge but, you know, someone in control. I mean some people think skydiving is crazy. I think it’s amazing, but I won’t bungee jump. You know, I’ll jump out of an airplane with a couple of parachutes at 12,000 feet, but I’d never fucking bungee jump off a
bridge. There are limits to my craziness.
subway platform, and I was like, “Oh, my God! It’s Stay High.”
Back in 1983, you wrote in a song with The Clash: “the need to set things on fire.” Do you feel the same way about the world now? That need to bomb, to set things on fire–well, that was part of the language then. I don’t think that relates totally now. That was more my expression then—a little bit aggressive, a little bit oppressed, got a lot of angst. It was attacking a system as well. It was us against the subway, us against the city. The language we used—“to bomb”—was kind of extreme in our subculture, in the graffiti glossary. I don’t feel like I have to do anything anymore, but I also know that when I’m doing stuff, I wanna compete. I wanna do something that’s interesting. I never wanna be average.
Because there was no internet, they were all mythical. I’d seen a photo, so I knew what he looked like. Much like people today, people then had uniforms. He used to have that Kangol hat. He’s unmistakable. The big thing that any writer would [ask] is “What do you write?”
Like your relationship with [rival graffiti artist] SHOCK. Aside from that, what kind of relationship did you have with Stay High 149 and Joe Strummer, who were both mentor and father figure to you? It’s funny because Stay High predates Joe. Stay High is my guy. One day, I saw him on the
What did you tell him? I said, “I write Futura 2000.” He said, “Oh, shit! With the arrows?” Immediately, when I met my idol of the moment, he acknowledged me. He knew of me enough to define who I was. He said, “That’s pretty cool. Wanna hang with me?” Boom! You meet God, and God accepts you. “You wanna be a disciple? Okay, you’re a disciple.” How much rare was that? The passing of Wayne [Roberts, Stay High 149’s real name] last year was a bit heartbreaking. We all gave money. I sold a painting for about four Gs. I was proud of doing that. I worked with Wayne before when he was down and out, licensed his tags, paid him more than anyone would pay for his graphics, and gave him products. He squandered it, but he’s loved by me. This is to you, Wayne.
HEAVY HITTER [He raises his glass] Just drinking to his memory. To Stay High. You’re back in the gallery these days. You had your first show after 12 years this year. I did. It’s because I was delinquent. No, I wasn’t delinquent, but I was elsewhere. I was involved with other [things]. You said that you only accepted the life of an artist in the 90s, when graffiti was done. Exactly, because in the 80s, I always knew I was creative, but I thought the artist title was pretentious. How do you qualify that? Do you have an education, you have a title, you have a degree, you’re popular? No. I think of people who use that, and I think, “Get over it.” I was an artist when I was four. I was drawing on balloons. They were amazing.” Rationalize graffiti writing as an assertion of identity. What was that for you? It was some of that, of course. But it was also a search for identity because my story’s a little bit particular.
You said that you no longer have parents. They’re no longer living. One was from Chicago and one was from New Jersey. They found each other in New York in the 40s. One was white and one was black. If you think about it, it was quite progressive on their part to violate social code or whatever was politically correct at that time. My mother was the black one, by the way, and my father was like, “Fuck you.” Is that why you like Billie Holiday? My mother’s name was Billie. There it is. My mom and my dad were a mixed couple, so looking at myself, growing up as a kid, I thought, “Oh, okay, I’m mixed–mulatto.” That was the term being used back then. When I was 15, Billie said to me, “Honey, we’re not actually your parents,” meaning I was adopted, or I was one of those “Hey, can you take care of this kid?” kinda thing. Are you talking about this as fact or this is just what you think? No. Fact is they weren’t my parents, and reality is they weren’t my parents. I mean, I
never looked like [them]. It never matched. Did you find yourself more free because of this? No, I was very confused. [I had] no resentment, but in terms of confusion—I mean, I love these people, they’re my parents, they educated me, they did everything, they did a great job—they’re not my blood. But I wasn’t like, “Who’s my mother?” I wasn’t trying to find anybody. I was simply wondering, “Who am I?” “What could I be?” What couldn’t I be? It’s very interesting. It’s very liberating because, suddenly, I was anyone I wanted to be. For a few years, though, I was everyone I lied about being. I’m this, I’m that. What kind of things did you tell them? That I’m American Indian, Puerto Rican… Hell, yes, I did. I told them, with a straight face, stories about my parents: “They come from a tribe. They’re Navajo from Arizona.” I can fabricate shit on the fly, but my thing was also a search for self. Not like I was gonna
discover anything, but in the process, I was gonna create something. Futura was who I was sure I was. No one’s gonna say, “You’re not Futura.” That’s bullshit. I created him. I imagined him in my head, and when I went out at night, I sort of created an iconography to connect with the mythology. So many years later, it’s amazing, it’s cool, it’s cool as fuck. That’s why I love my guys to death. No one will ever say “Lenny, by the way, you’re not who you [think you are].” The point is I made good with all of that in a miraculous way, which is the beauty of my soul and who I am as a real person inside. And that’s why I never lose touch with any of these real things in my world in spite of my fame and supposed fortune and whatever people perceive me to be as an artist… Whatever that is doesn’t matter because I know the real shit, what’s true, and what matters. I’ve handled it.
futura2000.com
“ I never lose touch with any of these real things in my world in spite of my fame and supposed fortune and whatever people perceive me to be as an artist… Whatever that is doesn’t matter because I know the real shit, what’s true, and what matters.”
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twisted FIREstarter
Kill Art, Trust Design: A$AP ROCKY
To dub our cover artist ANTONI TUDISCO a prodigy would be a bit of an understatement. The 21-year-old graphic designer detonates a new youth movement that prospers through unlimited, unfiltered internet access. Armed with Adobe software and unbridled passion for his craft, Antoni illustrates the explosive potential of his generation. By Giano D. Dionisio
H
ailing from Hamburg, Germany; Antoni Tudisco was born to an Italian master chef father and a Filipino fashion enthusiast mother. “I think it was the perfect combination to bring a creative child into this world,” he starts. At 18, Antoni was voted one of Germany’s best designers by Design made in Germany magazine. Since then, he’s been commissioned by the likes of Louis Vuitton Japan, MTV, Coca-cola, Vans, and Kellogg’s for his 3-D concepts that pulse and gyrate with a rhythmic mix of video game CGI, analog nostalgia, hiphop insignia, and a veritable smorgasbord of textures, shapes, and sculptures rendered for hours on end.
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Hey Antoni! We’re big fans of your art. What initially motivated your work? I don’t see the world like a normal person does. I consider everything I see, feel, hear, and taste as an inspiration for my artworks. It might sound kind of bizarre, but that’s the way it is. I sometimes just stare and study random posters and billboards on the streets and ask myself how the designer made that awesome work. Other times, I can’t help but criticize the design. Nevertheless, the biggest motivation and inspiration was to one day be able to design something wicked—so that I could be featured on Behance’s homepage. The [first time] I saw the artworks on Behance, I was flabbergasted! I wanted to be known just like the pros. As of now, all of the projects I’ve done have
The Wood Project: Nike Wood
HEAVY HITTER
Kill Art, Trust Design: INTTT
The Golden Project: ISMY been featured, so I’m really happy and thankful about that. It always leaves a big smile on my face. Your illustrations are full of varied influences. Where do you take your inspiration? I collect everything I believe would give me inspiration. I even purchased a “Lucky Cat” [Maneki-neko] from an Asian mart recently because I thought it was really cute. I ended up keeping it in the closet because it creeped me out. I felt like it was [waving] at me the whole time. That’s why I never get to save up money; I buy lots of random, unnecessary things. I also listen to music a lot—from A$AP Rocky to Kendrick Lamar, Loonie, and Rico Blanco.
If you weren’t an artist right now, what else might you be doing? I would probably be a tambay (bum). I can’t imagine myself doing anything else besides designing. See, I wasn’t one of the smart kids, but I definitely was one creative boy. I was the kid who sat at the backmost of the classroom not listening to the teacher—just doodling. Basically, I was living in my own colorful world. I loved it! How significant has the internet been in your life? The internet is a very important factor in our generation. I can’t imagine life without internet, to be honest. Through the years, almost everyone has become dependent on the internet. Everyone wants to try new Apple products—well,
Kontrast: Iron Man not just Apple, but the latest technology in general. Almost everyone has Instagram and Twitter. We find our long lost friends through Facebook. We communicate through Facebook. My artworks were discovered through various sites such as Abduzeedo, Behance, Shadowness, and many other design blogs… Thanks to those sites, I gained a whole lot of attention, which came to the point where agencies, huge firms, and managers established contact with me and wanted to work with me. Did you face any challenges working with such reputable clients despite your young age? I’ve gone through negative and positive experiences with different agencies and clients. More on the negative side at first; I was young and naïve back then. I barely had experience. Some didn’t even bother paying me. Hundreds and even thousands of euros were lost. I couldn’t even run after them because
there was no written agreement. I learned from my mistakes: no written agreement, no contract, no downpayment, no work—that’s how I roll now. What are you working on now? What are your plans for the future? Primarily, I want to carry through with my exhibitions this year. Then, hopefully establish my own agency in the next couple of years. Lastly, what’s your take on “Independence” nowadays? To all the upcoming designers: be original. Create something you can tell is yours. Definitely go get yourself a diploma. Finish your studies. That way, you’ll have a secured future. After finishing your studies, you can do whatever the hell you want. Live and enjoy your life.
antonitudisco.com
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Whether it is with a stop-motion daze or frozen milliseconds of bubblegum, photographer ELZA JO puts a magnifying glass on youth and dissects the sparkle, ribbons, and pastries within. Discretion is advised for photosensitive viewers. By Rita Faire
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“ I REALLY LIKE A PHOTOGRAPH WHEN YOU CAN SMELL, SEE, AND HEAR SOMEONE'S TASTE.” O
ut of breath but still giggling, Dutch photographer Elza Jo sat down with us just after a mad dash from a client meeting that left her anxious and excited at the same time. “It’s a local thing for H&M,” she immediately shares. “Yeah, really nice, but I have to make 10 short movies and 10 key images in one week!” Known mostly for her artwork that appeared in the pages of I♥Fake, Nylon Mexico, Elle Netherlands, Dazed Digital, Dazed and Confused Korea, Vice, and Tatler, Elza’s recent shift to filmmaking employs the same, painstaking process she uses in her photography wherein she prints the photographs in
large scales before applying handicrafts which in the past have included textiles, glitter, painting, and even donuts. Would you call ‘photographer’ a limiting label for you, because a huge part of what you do actually goes into the visual arts? I think I am a photographer… I think I have the direction, and I could build a dream with other people, but I do like to mix it with this other part of the process. I once went to this Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibition in Paris. He wrote sometimes about being a photographer. He said something about time and that photography being a moment of action, and you only have the values of seconds. But poetry,
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painting, and the other arts give you an opportunity to think more and you get to go deeper into the subjects. For me, the ideal situation is to combine the two. Tell us about conceptualizing films? It’s hard to separate [film and photographs for me] because when it’s film it’s really a fully different process than being a photographer because as a photographer… your voice is more important most of the time on set. And it’s really different when you’re being a director. It feels very different from being a photographer because you’re in such a different part of the process. You’re actually only directing. You’re not the director of photography.
You once described aesthetic as layering a realistic world with a dream world. I’d like to build that out more though, because I kind of drifted away from that. I’ve been leaning towards direction of documentary. It is kind of narrowing, but I cannot really move away from it. I need direct light and a direct view of what I’m doing. Not really with nice exaggerated light and too much tricks to make it more romantic than it is. I’ve tried to make something really realistic and work on that with my own perception of things… That’s why I don’t like Photoshop for my personal work. I like to do work with materials that are honest so you can actually figure out what my perception was.
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You shoot with film as well. Yes I do, but not as much as I used to. But I cleaned my entire house recently, and I bumped into my old Pentax 67. So absolutely, [film] is gonna be in the program for 2013. So would you call 2013 as a year of getting back to your roots, artistically speaking? I think 2013 is gonna be a year of exploring [photography as my] material. I’m really, really fond of photography because I like the action of it, and it really gets you out of the house, and it gets you to meet really funny people. Photography is a really adventurous material but I would like to see something else. I have to renew myself from that in order to make my photography better. What do you think makes a good photograph? I really like a photograph when you can smell, see, and hear someone’s taste. When you can actually tell what someone’s favorite book is or someone’s favorite singer [just by looking
at their work]. The photographer actually shines through that photograph. Do you think your father, Ko van Reenen, being a filmmaker himself, influence your shift into film? The funny thing is that… I was seventeen when I started art school. And at this time, he was 47 and he started making films… [My father and I] kind of started at the same time. He’s a documentary filmmaker. We have a lot of discussions on perception of image. He obviously has different feelings on the work compared to someone like me since most of my work is in fashion—a completely different worldview from documentary. Still, that might be an example I got from my father, because he started late and I don’t think he should’ve started earlier. He’s always been quite young of mind or young at heart.
elzajo.com @Elza_Jo
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B L O C K P A R T Y
CYBER We’ve gone through MTV, X, Y, and iGenerations— from baby boomers to beyond, we now inhabit an increasingly globalized culture and society on the internet. Online, personalities thrive off their passions and success seethes from site hits. In the end, individuality stands out in this arena of information overload.
CLIQUE
LIFE AFTER BREAKFAST ALESSA LANOT
Describe how your blog came to be. While randomly browsing through books in a bookstore, I chanced upon one that gave tips on how to be more creative. I went through the list of suggested activities and realized the things on the list are actually what I do everyday for work! That’s what propelled me to document these crafts and designs… The posts are mainly to document my work and to push me to do something creative every day. When do you feel most empowered? When I realized that I can create an impact by doing what I love to do… It’s the heartfelt messages that anonymous readers send and the emails of other people asking to collaborate. As a freelancer, you don’t have a boss to commend your work or to direct you toward what’s right. Getting this appreciation from peers and readers is enough to tell me what I’m doing is a good thing, and it empowers me to keep moving in this direction. What’s the secret to a happy, enriching life? Loving and being loved back! (Whether it’s with your job, your relationships, or anything else that matters in your life.)
lifeafterbreakfast.com
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ATLAS SLICED Alexa Hart
What is Atlas Sliced all about? Atlas Sliced is an interview-based web show and podcast that showcases guests who have lived and worked abroad long-term. The goal is to educate, inspire, and motivate others to become global citizens and expose people to all the amazing opportunities abroad. How has the internet affected how people interact and communicate? The internet is truly a magical invention. It has made the world so much smaller… I feel so fortunate to be growing up in an era where I can talk to guests in places like Bali, Munich, and Santiago all on the same day… Most of my interactions for my show occur via the internet. I still think face-to-face interaction is extremely important, but online communication is becoming increasingly more relevant and necessary. What’s the secret to a happy, enriching life? I’d love to say that I have the answer to that question. Ask me in about 50 years, and I’ll have a manifesto written. Since I’m still relatively young, I can’t give any expert advice. However, this is my hypothesis: surround yourself with people you love, make time to do things you enjoy, and do things that will keep you healthy (e.g. exercise, eat well, meditate, make art). It sounds simple, but life can get really complex at times, and we forget about the little things in life that bring us joy.
HIPSTER FOOD
atlassliced.com
CARA livermore
What was the last really great meal you had? Last night we made these killer pizzas—tofu spinach ricotta, roasted brussels sprouts, and asparagus. We try to make pizza from scratch at least once a week.
Words by Giano D. Dionisio
What makes you feel most empowered? Food makes me feel empowered. Learning how to cook changed my life. Even as I’m growing sprouts or herbs in little pots indoors, it makes me feel incredibly happy when I’m cooking and eating them. The same when I’m sharing with others, knowing they might be growing their own food, too, or they might be eating one more vegan meal a week—makes me feel like I could do anything! What is your favorite thing about the internet? The sheer amount of new, thoughtful content on a consistent basis—that’s the best. Finding people just like yourself is a lifesaver. Watching hour-long cat videos is great, too!
hipsterfood.tumblr.com
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Block Party
TOYSREVIL ANDY HENG
What was the last toy you added to your collection? An “Evil Ape of Death” from MCA Evil Design × Toy2R, opened up just over the weekend actually! I had blogged about the piece in 2008, but only managed to snag one recently via an online sale. Good toys transcend dates, methinks! Well, at least when it comes to personal tastes. Describe how your blog came to be. The blog initially started out as a personal online journal where I nonchalantly went on about the mundanity of personal life, showcasing self-absorbed happenstance and incidents in Singapore (where I am based)—including toys which I had collected and procured at the weekly flea markets… I have an innate desire to share and archive toy news, but truthfully, the blog has evolved to become an outlet for me personally to geek out on, and have fellow like-minded folks geek out along with me! What makes you feel most empowered? That what I blog about works. I hustle hype on a daily basis; if someone is able to sate their desire to purchase something via my efforts or reviews, then the blog has been effective. Having my words influence decisions is an added plus and bonus.
toysrevil.blogspot.com
HOW ABOUT ORANGE Jessica Jones
What is How About Orange all about? How About Orange is a collection of craft tutorials and DIY projects—my own, along with my favorites from other designers— plus free downloads, decorating ideas, and design resources. I started it in 2006 and named it after my favorite color. What makes you feel most empowered? My favorite moments are when I overcome challenges. In my design work, it’s the moment when I get to hold a finished object in my hands: a business card with fresh ink, a woven sample of ribbon, or a piece of wallpaper with my print on it. It never gets old and I always want to jump up and down—but I’m from Minnesota, and we don’t do that, so usually I play it cool. What is your favorite thing about the internet? That I can instantly find out the answers to all sorts of things I want to know, like what’s in a gin gimlet, how to disable the typewriter tool in Adobe Acrobat, and how to spell Dr. Seuss—a few of the things I Googled today.
howaboutorange.blogspot.com
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Block Party
CLASSE TOURISTE DEBBIE PAPPYN
What was the last amazing view you saw? Last amazing view was from a little rifugio in the Dolomites called Rifugio Fuciade. In winter, there are no roads to this small hotel and restaurant; you have to hike or take a snowcat mobile to get there. Amazing views over the valley: mountains, silence, and solitude. Describe how your blog came to be. It all started as a portfolio of the most amazing places where my husband and I have traveled to. Slowly, it grew into a more full-bodied blog about travel and some food… In travel, you can’t live without the internet anymore. It allows us and everybody else to do lots of research and get in contact with so many people in a fast and easy way. What’s the secret to a happy, enriching life? Travel. Diversity. Respect. And curiosity.
classetouriste.de
THE NEEDLE DROP Anthony Fantano
What is The Needle Drop all about? My b/vlog basically covers music that interests me in numerous genres in popular music today—though I tend to lean a little closer to the underground side of things. It started as a radio show back in ‘07— which it still is—but ‘09 is when it changed into a YouTube endeavor as well… My goal is just to give the most honest, earnest reviews I can write, and feature artists I think my audience should be aware of. What is the value of individuality in the oversaturated music industry nowadays? People still look for artists they feel are special, unique. Whether or not that artist is actually unique in the greater scheme of the music world can be argued about, but people still seek out songs and artists that they feel are special. What is your favorite thing about the internet? Freedom of expression, and the ability to find just about anything you desire.
theneedledrop.com
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NIGHTVISION Panty monsters 3rd anniversary party @ Cubao X
by Joseph Pascual
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NIGHTVISION
NASTY BREAKERS
by Gerard Estadella
ONE NIGHT OLDER
by Gerard Estadella
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NIGHTVISION
social saturdays @ Arcama by Pam Santos
da animal kingdom by The Cobrasnake
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NIGHTVISION
NEON CARNIVAL EASY RIDER by The Cobrasnake
CLOSE UP SUMMER SOLSTICE @ SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds by Grace de Luna and Vanz Litonjua
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NIGHTVISION
Cold blank by VolchekShot.Me
Le Baron Oasis
by The Cobrasnake
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DIRECTORY BRANDS 21 MEN Forever 21, SM Megamall, Ortigas City BAREMINERALS bareescentuals.com BENCH Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Makati City BRUNN & STENGADE bruunogstengade.dk BOBBI BROWN Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City CALL IT SPRING Greenbelt 3, Makati City CARGO cargocosmetics.com CHANEL Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City CLINIQUE Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City COTTON ON SM Mall Of Asia, Pasay City DIOR Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City DOROTHY PERKINS SM Mall Of Asia, Pasay City EVER NEW Bonifacio High Street Central, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City FOLDED & HUNG SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City FOREVER 21 SM Megamall, Ortigas City G-STAR g-star.com GOLD DOT golddot.com.ph GORGEOUS COSMETICS gorgeouscosmetics.com
H&M hm.com ILJA ilja.nl KEDS keds.com L’ORÉAL loreal.com LAURA MERCIER Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City MAC Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City MICAH CABRAL twitter.com/MicahCabral N/TICE nticeclothing.com NIKOLAJ D’ÉTOILES nikolajdetoiles.com NAPOLEON PERDIS napoleonperdis.com OG SHOES ogshoes.net OLAY olay.com OXYGEN SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City PARADIGM SHIFT paradigmshiftclothing.com PENSHOPPE SM Mall Of Asia, Pasay City PONY pony.com PROMOD Bonifacio High Street Central, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City PUMA puma.com REISS reiss.com
SKECHERS skechers.com SALAD DAY saladday.tumblr.com SMASHBOX smashbox.com SPERRY TOP-SIDER sperrytopsider.com STILA stilacosmetics.com STEVE MADDEN Greenbelt 5, Makati City SUPERGOOP! supergoop.com TED BAKER tedbaker.com TOPMAN SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City TOPSHOP SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City VANS Vans Concept Stores, SM Department Stores, Robinsons Department Stores, Landmark Department Stores, Urban Athletics, Toby’s Sports, Olympic Village, Shoe Salon, American Rag, Sole Academy, Greyone Social WAREHOUSE SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City ARTISTS Art Alera (Photographer) arturoalera.com Maria Alejandra Barrios (Makeup) marialejandrabarrios.com Rxandy Capinpin (Photographer) rxandy.blogspot.com Aldo Chacon (Photographer) aldochacon.com Ming Han Chung (Photographer) followmystory.com
Tiffani Chynel (Stylist) tiffanichynel.com The Cobrasnake (Photographer) thecobrasnake.com Fernando Colon (Photographer) fernandocolon.com Sofia Dalhgren (Makeup) facebook.com/sofia.d.makeup Joyce De Dios-Ignacio (Makeup) joyceignacio.com Grissel Esparza (Hair) grisselesparza.com Gerard Estadella (Photographer) icanteachyouhowtodoit.com Bea Fabros (Videographer) twitter.com/bfabros Angie Gomez (Stylist) facebook.com/angiegomezstyle Henry Hargreaves (Photographer) henryhargreaves.com Marita Manalo (Makeup and Hair) mmanalo.wix.com/mauimanalo Miguel Miranda (Photographer) miguelmirandaphotography.com Vicenç Moreto (Hair) barberia.es Joseph Pascual (Photographer) josephpascual.tumblr.com Jeruel Pingol (Videographer) vimeo.com/ohmyjeruel Laura Pool (Photo Assistant) litmind.com/164759 Mara Reyes (Stylist) mararrrr.tumblr.com Pam Santos (Photographer) facebook.com/pamparazzi Lele Saveri (Photographer) lelesaveri.com Louiza Vick (Photographer) louizavick.com
S TAT U S IN VA D E S POW MARTINEZ PRINT X JULIUS VALLEDOR PAINTING We were supposed to make merch for the Grimes show, but we didn’t have time so my friend decided to frame what was undone and give it to me in a nice little frame so I can hang it on my wall and think about the times.
FUCKBOY POLO GANG T-SHIRT
Fuckboy Polo Gang is my gang, and I decided to make this shirt in honor of all my homies upstairs.
WEED PIGGY BANK
Another awesome gift from my stoner grandpa.
IDRIS VICUÑA sheds some new wave light on the world as his solo outfit Eyedress signs with the UK’s XL Records and drowns the Queen’s country in slurry beats and staggering synth pop.
This is where I hide my gold from all those scheming leprechauns. Got this on my 18th birthday. My best friend and his ex-wifey made this for me so it really means a lot to me. I love you guys forever and ever.
@eyedress
HAND-ME-DOWN GRINDER
My friend was getting rid of all of his paraphernalia because he had to go to rehab, so he gave this to me.
HALLOWEEN MASKS
I bought these for one of my music videos and occasionally, I wear it out and just scare people on the streets and chase them. It’s really fun.
EYEDRESS AND SKINT EASTWOOD HEARING COLORS LP
This is a limited edition run of my first album, Hearing Colors. There are only 300 of these, and I’ve just been selling them to all my rich friends so I can afford to pay for my college education.
106 - statusmagonline.com
SUPREME COMB
It’s just my gift from the States.
INSTAX WITH TORO Y MOI AND GRIMES
My friend did a shoot with Toro bro for a magazine, and he let me work as his “assistant” for the day. I even got it signed so I could sell it on eBay in case I go bankrupt. And the Grimes one happened because I opened for her. She was really cool and her hair was orange and had strobe lights.
BEKO PINS
Some pins from my old label in France. Shout outs to them. Infinite love!
KETAMINE BY POW MARTINEZ
Just an art book from the homie. I traded him a record for this. This book is so expensive; it’s going for three hunnit on eBay yo.
Portrait by Patrick L. Jamora, product photography by Art Alera
IDRIS VICUÑA
STASH BOOK