BETTER
MESSENGER They get the love because they send the love. Their message is clear - passion seeps through the line when one stays connected thanks to BlackBerry® Messenger.
BRIAN CALIP A.K.A BCAL DISK JOCKEY
MUSIC MAKES PEOPLE FEEL GOOD. As a DJ, being able to play around the world at different clubs makes my job the best in the world. The crowds I’ve played for are nothing but pure energy. Seeing them dance, sing, and go crazy inspires me to grind even more. BBM KEEPS ME CONNECTED TO THE WORLD. Chatting through BBM groups is a never-ending conversation about music for me. And I love that my network is on the palm of my hand, from friends to business, 24/7. I’m able to ask questions or open a group discussion regarding anything I need help on.
PAULINE PRIETO MODEL
I’VE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER DOING ANYTHING ELSE THAN MODELING. The best thing about it is meeting all the awesome people and the experience we share together. It’s never a boring day at the office, if you get my drift. BBM IS REVOLUTIONARY It keeps me entertained. I get to send my friends pictures of things I see around me, and we’d just crack up and go bananas! Most of them are stuff I’d see that are related to our inside jokes.
ROSANNA ARANAZ
FASHION RETAILER FASHION IS A SOURCE OF CONSTANT INSPIRATION. Growing up, I’ve been exposed to the fashion industry, and there have been so many opportunities to be creative. I love fashion because it’s a creative outlet for me and does not feel like work at all. BBM BUILDS BRIDGES. I’m able to keep in touch with all my friends and family even if they’re oceans away. My best friends used to live in New York, and when my friends from here go on trips, we’re able to somehow take part in their adventures abroad because we BBM a lot.
CHARLES TIU
BASKETBALL PLAYER BASKETBALL IS A BIG THING ALL OVER THE WORLD. It’s fun to compete with other people. You work hard to get better and see the fruits of your labor when you win games, and when you lose, it teaches you that you can’t have everything all the time. BBM IS UNLIMITED. It just makes it easier to communicate with the people around you. It’s being able to chat with your friends anywhere you go. Plus they have unlimited packages that can just let you send as many messages as you want. Also, you know when your friends have read your message, so you know if they want to reply to you or not.
STAT U S ME S S AG E
THE MISSHAPES: Shaping Up on page (78)
Ely buendia: And You Will Hear the Muses Sing on page (72)
model behavior I
f I could bottle up inspiration and sell it, I would have been a millionaire… I think. However, it’s not that easy. Inspiration can’t be formulated, and it certainly cannot be copied. So how do you call those who guide artists, those trendsetters who keep the STATUS team inspired? We call them our Muses. The fashion and music industries look towards their muses for constant inspiration, and for this issue, we found individuals who encompass both fields. The Misshapes entered our Statusphere as a DJ trio; moreover, they have become our favorite people to style stalk. Spotted DJing at fashion shows everywhere, mingling with Karl Lagerfeld, and frequently seen in fashion glossies and blogs, they have become our style leaders. In our interview, they tell us how not following the rules keeps their style and music fresh. Musician and writer Ely Buendia has contributed more than songs. His former band, Eraserheads, influenced not only an entire generation of Filipino rockstars but also plain listeners, and he continues to push boundaries with his current band, Pupil, which just released Limiters of the Infinity Pool. So what has been his guiding spirit in creating chart-topping songs? An understanding of how the universe works so it seems, at least that’s what he told us, how he made us feel during the photo shoot for this feature. While wrapping up this issue, I heard the sad news that Jonas Bevacqua—the founder of LRG (Lifted Research Group), also the cover man of our third issue— passed away. We grew up together and even went to the same grade school together. Jonas used LRG as a platform to speak to the youth, kind of like what we have been doing with STATUS, too. Through hip-hop, street art, and fashion, Jonas was able to inspire me and countless others around the world to live with purpose and passion. In honor of his life, we dedicate this issue to him.
Editor in Chief
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JONAS BEVACQUA: 1977-2011. Photo by Quang Le
model behavior
j u ly 2 0 1 1
15
61
coco de coeur
60 STATUSPHERE
15 20 21 22 23
THREADS SETTING BEATS SCREEN INK
gadgets 24
TECH UNLIMITED
Multi-tasking Gadgets
BEAUTY 26
METAL HEADS
27
SWEETEST THING
brick & mortar 28 28 28
32
BLACK MAGIC WOMAN
38
TO THE NINES
This is a Love Song, Bali Fashionslave, Zürich Olive Shoppe
street style
29
PRINTED
30
GO SEE
Eye-Popping Prints
Fur & Scarves
Gypsy in Black
SWAG ARMY READY
44
MAYDAY AT THE HALLWAY
CAPTION THIS
47
DAILY UNIFORM
48
CLASS ACT
49
DRESS CODE
50
HEIGHT IS MIGHT
Tapered Pants
PHOTO DIARY MARC BY MARC JACOBS FW2011 @ NYFW By Fernando Colon
muse
60
MASTERMIND
62
ALL THAT JAZZ
67 THE ARTIST PANEL
63
FULL-GROWN MEN
68
LITTLE RICH KID
64
TOYING AROUND
68
DEER HUNTER
69
RAM ON THE RAMP
Blazers
TAILOR MADE
Hailing from a city that’s known for heavy metal, Gothenburg’s Little Dragon didn’t bother to fit in. They made it in America. By Nante Santamaria
Big Sean is quotable. That’s because his dreams are big. That’s because he’s good, and in Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music label, too. By Loris Peña
66
Satchels
Wedges/ Printed Socks
SOUL NINJAS
HANDS HIGH
FREE SAMPLES
Photo Tees/ Toy Necklaces
Black Denim
65
62
Sneakers
Blue Shirts
58
61
Military Jackets
45 SCHOOL BOUND
51
maestro
Retro Doll
43
Metallic Makeup
Honey-Infused Products
Lais ribeiro
VISION BOARD
46
Little dragon
When Ford & Lopatin make music, it is mostly jamming. At the heart of their process is mixing, which they’ve now perfected. By Ron Po
Introversion used to be a problem for Jay-Jay Johanson whenever he performed. Things changed after he saw Chet Baker live. By Petra Magno
They Might Be Giants wish they have a more tattoofriendly band name like AC/ DC, but it looks like they don’t need it after all. By Reena Mesias
If they make it big 5 years from now, TOI is thinking of just living in an island, but it won’t be complete without a guitar. By Evan Tan
64 BIGGER MATTERS
Hard Rock Manila rocked even harder when The Radio Dept. came over. Vocalist John Duncanson doesn’t even like his voice that much. By Alex Almario
LET THE SUNSHINE IN
It was in his third school in New York when BJ Pascual finally decided he’s had enough. When he went home, he shot every mag cover. By Nante Santamaria
Before becoming a full-time illustrator, Marcela Gutierrez took architecture, dabbled in graphic design, and pursued fashion design. By Vicky Herrera
Fredison Lo has been playing goody-goody characters in theater, and now that he’s taking a stab at TV comedy, he wants to be a villain! By Reena Mesias
Either Scott Belcastro is really ahead of his time, or maybe he’s way behind. This contradiction is what makes his art exciting. By Karen Bolilia
He was a basketball player, yes. He looks absolutely rough, agree. But face to face, Ram Sagad is a model perfectly cast as boy next door. By Evan Tan
LAIS RIBEIRO
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model behavior
j u ly 2 0 1 1
72
84 70
71
odile coco
IN FULL FLIGHT
He may be manager to 13thWitness, DJs Neil Armstrong and Josh Madden, as well as to Young Guru, but Sky Gellatly is a fan first. By Vicky Herrera
FONT ROW
Author + book designer Mark Z. Danielewski is back in the publishing game with The Familiar, volume 6 of his planned 27-volume novel. By Kristine Dabbay
HEAVY HITTER 72
AND YOU WILL HEAR THE MUSES SING
Ely Buendia said it: he will probably never run out of ideas. He got years of making music to prove it and scores of fans to support it. By Karl R. De Mesa
78
ely buendia
SHAPING UP
Once, they were too young to even get into the clubs. Now, The Misshapes spin at the hippest ones. And at the world’s hottest runways. By Vicky Herrera
90 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK 84
ODILE COCO
84
BENJAMIN EIDEM
85
SAM GOMEZ
85
LEEBO FREEMAN
SPS Model Management
Quest Model Management
Cal-Carries
Adam NYC
NIGHTVISION 87 88 88 89
89 90 90 91 91
HERCULES’ BIRTHDAY @ Gucci YOUR MUM’S HOUSE @ Club PUNK, LONDON SATURDARE @ ATTICA ONE PIECE LET’S PARTY RIGHT SAID ZED @ Dim MAK STUDIOS
STATUS INVADES 94
VIRGINIA LINZEE
99
COKATE’S DEN
OXYGEN FT. THE MISSHAPES @ KYSS NUMBER LINE RECORDS LAUNCH @ SAGUIJO
Your mum’s house
MTV Skins, Drake, and Sufjan Stevens—together on the same list—say cool overload. Virginia Linzee has done all their makeup.
ANGELS & KINGS A TUTIPLEN FRESH FRIDAYS @ FIAMMA
T
he Misshapes won’t be Misshapes not only without their music but also without celebrity and fashion. That’s why we just had to shoot them in New York as helmed by music/celebrity portraitist Kareem Black. Karen Schijman provided their threads from the likes of Comme des Garçons, Theyskens for Theory, and Jeremy Scott, while Sylvester Castellano made sure their crowns are in place and their skin made up for the shot. Now go ahead, do your double take on that kickin cover.
statusmagonline.com
Blogsphere the pulse of hip at your fingertips
go see
we’re all models off duty. smize!
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FEATURES
there’s more to what’s in print
NightVision who’s spotted partying where
Photo Diary confessional for lensmen
Digital Magazine
STATUS sans paper
DOWNLOADS free mixtapes and wallpapers
Available at Greyone Social
contributors
KAREEM BLACK
Having taken photos of celebrities like Kanye West, Bradley Cooper, Lily Allen, and Justin Bieber, 23-year old Kareem’s career is surely on the rise — that’s why we’re lucky to have him shoot The Misshapes (78) for our cover story. But given the chance to shoot anyone he wanted, he won’t waste that opportunity on someone from this generation. He’s going after one of the greatest military commanders in world history—Napoleon.
FERNANDO COLON
It’s obvious that Fernando loves being behind the camera to take pictures of gorgeous people—as you can see in his runway photos in Swag (43) and backstage snapshots at Marc by Marc Jacobs Fall/Winter 2011 (58) show for this issue’s Photo Diary. But in case an ugliness plague hits the world, it’s his and his wife’s beautiful mugs that he’d immortalize by setting up his camera with self-timer— stat!
CHOLO DELA VEGA
Seeing what he did to Ely Buendia (72) in Heavy Hitter, we think Cholo would make one great stylist for Prince Charles—the only guy he’d be willing to work for if he was to style only one person for the rest of his life. The look he’s pegging for the royalty? Her Majesty’s secret service agent, James Bond. Also check out his regal shot of artist Marcela Gutierrez (67) in Mastermind.
EDITOR IN CHIEF: Rosario Herrera ART DIRECTOR: Soleil Ignacio CREATIVE MEDIA DIRECTOR: Patrick L. Jamora ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Nante Santamaria EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS: Viva Gonzalez, Reena Mesias, Loris Peña, Evan Tan GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Patrick Diokno, Darwin Manibog
This is how STATUS lets off some steam─70’s funk dodgeball.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Alex Almario, Karen Bolilia, Francis Cabal, Kristine Dabbay, Giano D. Dionisio, Vicky Herrera, Don Jaucian, Petra Magno, Karl R. De Mesa, Ron Po, Matt Wolf CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS: 13th Witness, Andrew Apuya, Bobby Benedicto, David Black, Kareem Black, Michael Casker, Sylvester Castellano, The Cobrasnake, Fernando Colon, Georginna Desuasido, Everywhere We Shoot, Cholo Dela Vega, Patrick Diokno, Gerard Estadella, Vicky Gabutan, Ralph Hilario, Kai Huang, Anna Hudson, Patrick L. Jamora, Raymond Kho, Stephan Labs, Samantha Landis, Rebecca Luke, Isabella Marcos, Roger Marti, David Martinez, Yolanda McLellan, Miguel Miranda, Emman Montalvan, Fabien Montique, Anna Peña, Darroch Putnam, Jessica Roasa, Nikki Ruiz, Paolo Ruiz, Nina Sandejas, Karen Schijman, Tim Serrano, Studio Seek, Armando Sierra, Raul Tejero, Jayme Thornton, Dawn Tunnell, Christine Vandover, Zach Wolfe, The XOXO Kids CONTRIBUTING BLOGGERS: Giano D. Dionisio, Viva Gonzalez, Zoe Laurente, Loris Peña, Kevin Jude Pueblo, Reena Mesias, Macy Reantaso, Evan Tan MARKETING DIRECTOR: Jon Herrera SALES & MARKETING CONSULTANT: Tina Herrera BUSINESS MANAGER: Eric Flores ACCOUNT MANAGER: Jerdan Buenaventura JUNIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Christine Rojas INTERNS: Karlo Bacayan, Redel Bautista, Vernica Enciso, Gabriel Enzo Escutin, Paolo Geronimo, Zoe Laurente, Meriam Otarra, Kevin Jude Pueblo, Macy Reantaso
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VICKY HERRERA
We assumed our exAssociate Editor Vicky, who interviewed Marcela Gutierrez (67), Sky Gellatly (70), and The Misshapes (78), was going to name some hero when asked who inspired her growing up. Instead, the model/ host/writer reveals that she was a big fan of Sarah Michelle Gellar. “F*ck it. I’m going to admit I was a huge Buffy fan. I had pictures of her everywhere. Ask my mother.” Confirmed.
What’s your STATUS? tell us. EDITORIAL editorial@statusmagonline.com ADVERTISING advertise@statusmagonline.com MARKETING marketing@statusmagonline.com INTERNSHIP intern@statusmagonline.com GENERAL INQUIRIES info@statusmagonline.com Read our digital version statusmagonline.com/ digital-magazine LIKE US facebook.com/statusmagazine Follow us twitter.com/statusmagazine STATUS is published by STATUS Media Group. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
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THREADS / setting / BEATS / SCREEN / INK
JUly 2011
BREAKAWAY
S
TICKS AND STONES won’t break your bones, but they’ll definitely break your usual style routine. Made from wood and natural stones like topaz, turquoise, and lapis lazuli, these rings, pendants, and cufflinks add a subtle polish to your look. Replace your usual shiny baubles with these earth-friendly designs to make both the environment and your closet happy. yeahwewood.com
SNEAK ATTACK P
ONY’s new styles will make anyone’s head spin. Boat shoes get a boho update—read: rusty red topsiders with tie-dye trim. Not-so-basic plimsolls in red and black contrast, and black mid-cut sneakers are made to survive the wear and tear of a hectic city life. Your only problem is choosing which one to get. pony.com.ph
KNIT KNACKS A
lways getting beat up for those holiday sweaters your granny makes? Then it’s time you graduate to SIBLING’s knitwear. Featuring a sculptural dragon-stitch hoodie and a leather-buckled blood-red sweater with knitted shoulder pieces, this progressive knitwear label’s latest collection not only keeps you stylishly warm–it also makes the bullies run home crying to their mommas. siblinglondon.com
PUNK ED D
on’t let anything hold you back from having fun with these pieces from COCO DE COEUR. Choose from their light and loose tops and hanging crop tops with loud statements, then pair it with their leather shorts and studded jackets. No need to shout because your clothes will do all the shouting for you. cocodecoeur.com
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SPECIAL DELIVERy
M
ALPH sends this way Summer 31, a collection inspired by industrial tapes—from black electric tapes to bright-colored road tapes. Deliver your message with loud statement shirts, or choose from its line of graphic dress, sweatshirts, oversized tops and tanks. Wear havana-brown packing tape, vinyl records, and smiley prints on your shirts–that’s how your work it. malphilosophy.com
NAVAJO SPRINGS I
nspired by Native American folkfore, COLD PICNIC continues history by having cave paintings printed on leather, symbols embossed on metal, and vintage chains coiled together. The entire collection feels like it’s a selection of trinkets you picked up on your travels. Wear these earthy and eclectic handmade accessories, and let them tell your story. coldpicnic.com
YES YOU WOOD E
ven if you weren’t some tree-hugger prancing in a flower field, you’d still go crazy over New Yorkbased GOODWOOD’s wooden necklaces, bracelets, and even shades . Worn by the likes of Jaden Smith, Mos Def, Amber Rose, and LeBron James, their pieces–the polka-dotted wooden bowtie, for example–add a touch of quirk and humor to your casual wear. goodwoodnyc.com
REBEL APPAREL W ith a pimped Harley-Davidson as your ride and Steppenwolf on your old school Walkman cassette player, all you need is DRIFTER CLOTHING’s statement pieces to seal the classic biker look. The Cali clothing brand’s designs, like the double-layered Vintage Americana V-neck tee and the olive multi-pocket pants, make you every inch the devil-may-care rebel cruising on the hot country highway. drifter.com
who’s
that chick? G
ot nothing to wear for your hot date? Let MAURIE & EVE be your fairy godmother with its Fall/Winter 2011 collection. Look effortlessly lovely in a sweater in brown or peach paired with creamcolored leather shorts. With this ultra chic ensemble plus some man candy, it will look like you have everything. maurieandeve.com
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/THREADS
I
WORKING LEGS
f you want that ruggedly handsome look, take inspiration from 4 STROKE’s Autumn/Winter 2011 collection. This New York-based men’s denim line offers an array of different cuts and washes—from colored, dark wash, and distressed, from tailored straight, relaxed, and workwear slim. Their use of selvedge denim and rare fabrics like denim weaves, and their attention to impeccable fit set a new standard in denim tailoring. 4strokejeans.com
Y
DO THE MATH
8
0%20’s latest Baja-inspired oxfords are comfortable enough for subway hopping and cute enough for your next movie date. Wear their French country print oxfords—with its scalloped trim, leather laces, and washed canvas material—when you feel like indulging your girly side.If love is 80% life and 20% shoes, like designer Ce Ce Chin says, then these shoes belong in that equation. 8020nyc.com
OFF THE BLOCK
ou don’t need to be a skater to rock a pair of 9FIVE eyewear. The KLS Classic, from their Signature Collection, designed by pro skater Josh Kalis, features custom metal KLS temple hits and allen-bolt skate hardware pins laid into premium handmade acetate with 100% UV protection lenses. Make like Lil’ Wayne and Sasha Gray, and up your street fashion cred in these shades. 9fivesite.com
CLASHING
PRINTS G SUIT UP C
lassic meets twisted in FROM BRITTEN’s collection, No. 1100AW, where sharp and elegant mixes with rough, textured, and colorless in suits perfect for day and night. Skip the usual belt, and opt for pants with a knotted waistband or shift the cinch downwards with belted ankles. And if you’re tired with the usual coat and tie, go for a Onesuit. A blazer and a pair of trousers rolled into one? Getting dressier just got easier. frombritten.com.au
eometric prints and bright colors go on hyperdrive with BERNHARD WILLHELM’s 2011 holiday collection. Break your monotone palette, and try loud and clashing prints of stripes, circles, and tartans in eye-catching hues. Play it loud, call it kaleidostyle, and look absolutely stylish in an haute frenzy of lines and swirls. bernhard-willhelm.com
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/THREADS
lost jewels
clean cut
L
ook all sharp and sleek with these jackets from SU75’s latest collection. Whether you’re stud or chick, they finish up any casual or loud outfit; add the fact that they make you hot inside and out. Wear ‘em zipped, buttoned up or down , polished or undone. su75.com
N
ATALIE COLEMAN likes painting diamonds and wearing them on her sleeve, literally. Her latest collection, All The Jewellery I Never Got, showcases dresses, jumpsuits, and skirts with hand illustrated jewellery digitally printed on fabrics. Take a black and white outfit combo up a notch with a bedazzling ring-printed skirt and buttondown. Now, you can have all the jewellery you never got and then some. nataliebcoleman.com
Danish chunky is sexy S lip on a bodycon dress, and finish your look with shoes from HEAVY MACHINE. Their chunky high heels come in many colors, from classic black to bold blues and reds, from muted nudes to pink. With materials like soft lamb and sheep skin leather, bid adieu to nights when wearing heels meant giving up comfort for your pretty feet. heavymachine.eu
GYM CLASS HEROES G
stylish
T
his Danish sure is sweet–but it’s not very fattening. Experienced designers Nikolaj Nielsen and Pernille Schwartz take inspiration from traditional formalwear, and make use of their extensive knowledge of casual styles and denimwear, to create Dansk clothing brand WON HUNDRED’s sleek, tailored pieces. Pair its black long-sleeved Henley shirt and the single-breasted blazer to achieve a slim, dapper look. wonhundred.com
ym clothes have always been the anti-sexy, but MICHI is changing that. Lingerie meets the locker room with peek-a-boo details, highwaistbands, crisscross straps, and sheer panels. No more tacky sweatpants; up the ante of your workout and of your style. Take on the treadmill in atheletic wear that’s chic enough to wear outside the gym. michiny.com
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/THREADS
forest fruits T
he latest from accessories duo LIZZIE FORTUNATO brings you a fresh pick of beaded necklaces and bright printed bags that look like they came straight from the rainforest of Rio. Liven up a minimalistic outfit with a not so ordinary pearl necklace embellished with tribal print fabrics and gold discs. These colorful dazzlers won’t leave you looking like a wallflower. lizziefortunatojewels.com
POP YOUR COLLAR P
ut a different kind of bling around your neck with ELEVEN OBJECTS’ studded, beaded, and embellished detachable collars. You can wear them as necklaces, or you can make them look attached to your dress when layered right on top. Clasp one on your next party, and have people wondering where you got these unique stunners. elevenobjects.com
OPPOSITES
LIGHTWEIGHT
ATTRACT O
CHAMP
XYGEN knows how to keep fashion interesting with their Fall/Winter 2011 collection. The devil is in the details—contrast combination paneling in their tailored jacket and twill jeans, different fabrics in a funnel neck shirt. These contrast panels add depth and structure to your look. Mix up textures and materials, and acquire a style that’s beyond the usual colors and trends. oxygentm.com
S
tep your game up with the ADIDAS adiZero Crazy Light shoes. Because of the Sprintweb technology, they weigh only nearly 2 oz, making any player move faster and still giving maximum support. Available in electric blue-white, greyneon green, and black-red-white, they leave no tracks behind as you go speeding like a bullet on and off the court. adidas.com
BONE TO PICK F
ollowing brands such as Lacroix, McQueen, and Westwood, which have previously created skeletal fashionwear, OS throws in their take on the concept of macabre luxe. While their skeleton accessories may send shivers down spines with their anatomicallycorrect details of pieces such as their handcrafted fishbone and catskull necklaces, they’ll take you a step ahead (or rather, millions of years back) from style vultures yet to rock the prehistoric look. os-accessories.com
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/SETTING
/ BEATS
CORKAGE
posse food
Whoever said being classy meant letting go of your good ol’ diner favorites? Open round-the-clock from Thursdays to Saturdays and during regular hours for the rest of the week, CAFÉ ENTOURAGE’s purple, basalttiled interior provides an upscale setting for an early afternoon date or partying until the wee hours. Designed by award-winning architects Steve Heath and Hilla Gottlieb, this two-storey restaurant caters to exdiner habitués, wishing to chill with a glass of the house specialty, Entourage Fizz–a syrupy mix of berries, Plymouth gin, and champagne.
cafeentourage.com
GRUB
space out
seoulful living
K
nown for its pop stars and sleek gadgets, Seoul further reinforces this global perception of posh through W HOTEL SEOUL, the famous international chain’s first in Asia. A magnificent and imposing glass structure, the hotel is conveniently located at the foot of Mount Acha, a mere 15 minutes away from the Gangnam
financial and business district. With a spacious interior featuring a combo of subdued and bright neon lighting, natural wooden elements, and mirrored walls and ceilings, this establishment is the city’s Mini-Me in one building.
starwoodhotels.com
he flossy W Hotel Seoul doesn’t just promise relaxation—those inclined to party will also get their dose of good time at WOO BAR, the 198-seater chill-out section inside the hotel’s Living Room. Live DJs and a spaceship-shaped booth set the mood for an intergalactic planetary party experience, while the 18-meter long bar (touted to be the longest one in Korea) accommodates parched revelers who just can’t be bothered to carry their martinis elsewhere. And with 40 choices of vodka and 200 choices of fine wines, Woo Bar will truly wow you with their level of inebriating entertainment.
starwoodhotels.com
PL ATE
alcohol attack
WOO BAR’s overflowing list of booze gives you the freedom to choose your path to getting a buzz.
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THE CUBAN MOJITO Woo Bar’s classic minty refresher.
OLIVER TWIST A fruity cocktail with a pearflavored vodka base.
PEACH KEEN A feminine cocktail made with basil and apple juice.
SPIRITED AWAY Alcohol however you want it.
W Hotel Seoul and Woo Bar photos by Janjay Coquilla
T
SUITE
/ B E AT S MUSIC REVIEWS
ON THE SPOT
IN HIGH SPIRITS
A
llan Lumba, also known as the one-man band MULTO, is more freaked out by cockroaches than his namesake. But he’s not really talking about the floating specters when he thought up his name. Having spent most of his life in San Francisco, it was only when he moved to the Philippines that he started learning Tagalog, and one of the words that struck him was multo (ghost). “I always loved the idea of haunting,” he says, “the way the past can never really be left behind.” Like most ghosts, too, he was uncertain where to move forward to. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t going places. He’s currently under Number Line Records, a fresh record label
capitalizing on free digital releases to launch Filipino music artists and their music worldwide. Reminiscent of the early 2000s pop music era, Multo’s lo-fi pop is influenced by the likes of Built to Spill, Quasi, and Modest Mouse. A lit geek himself, Multo is greatly affected by paradoxes. Most of his songs are generally upbeat, but the lyrics reflect his somber side. His EP, Footnote to Youth, is based from the National Artist Jose Garcia Villa’s last piece before switching to poetry, and trails along its themes like desire, doubts, nostalgia, and Allan adds, “the inability to communicate…what one’s feeling.” MACY REANTASO
LISTEN UP
Mikey Amistoso of HANNAH+GABI
myspace.com/hannahgabi
Mikey Amistoso photo by Paolo Ruiz; Cole Alexander photo by Zach Wolfe
Sufjan Stevens – “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” This song is very pleasant and beautiful, but he is singing about…a serial killer! How can one manage to do that? Ida – “The Weight of the Straw” It’s such a quiet song, but you can still feel the intensity— such beautiful intensity. Ben Folds Five – “Missing the War” The last part where all three (yes, three!) members of Ben Folds Five sing “aaaahhhh” in harmony never fails to give me goosebumps. Elliott Smith – “Oh Well, Okay” I think my singing style now is hugely influenced by this guy.
Cole Alexander of BLACK LIPS black-lips.com
Ben Riego of SLEX myspace.com/ thesouthsuperhighway
Lee Moses – “Bad Girl” Fierce soul.
SLEX – “Luwas” A song I wrote for my wife.
Pete Drake – “Forever” Early talk box.
Peryodiko – “Huminga” It’s one of the most uplifting songs I have heard recently.
The Soul Stirrers – “Last Mile of the Way” One of the most intense extended of all time.
Pixies – “Where is My Mind” Good song with creepy background vocals.
Golden Earring – “Radar Love” Badass road song.
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “My Friends” For me, this song has the best guitar solo.
Charles Manson – “Garbage Dump” Homage to trash and everything like it.
Blur – “Country House” A fun song with great horn section. It’s always been my dream to have a horn section in [one] or two songs in our album.
Alternative music will be booming from London’s Alexandra Palace as Portishead spearheads the All Tomorrow’s Parties event dubbed I’ll Be Your Mirror on July 23 and 24. The two-day event’s line-up will include Anika, Beach House, and Liars.
Aussie fans, rejoice as DJ Shadow steps out of the dark to perform with Kanye West, Regina Spektor, and The Hives at this year’s Splendour in the Grass festival over the weekend of July 29 to 31.
Multimedia artist Doug Aitken is setting up a floating barge by a former slaughterhouse with gospel singers and strippers at his performance art piece, Black Mirror. Watch out for appearances by Chloë Sevigny and No Age at the DESTE Foundation, LA from June to September.
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/SCREEN
/ BEATS MOVIE REVIEWS
DIRECTOR’S CUT
TEENAGE (2011) MATT WOLF, the director of Wild Combinations, a film
about avant-garde composer, singer-songwriter, cellist, and disco producer Arthur Russell, opens up about his latest project about the rise of youth culture.
I
UNCOVERS THE HIDDEN HISTORIES OF FLAPPERS, SWING KIDS, NAZI YOUTH, AND BOBBY SOXERS
’m making a new film called Teenage— it’s a historical film like none that I’ve seen before—about the invention of teenagers. I used to think that teenagers were born in the 1950s as rockers and beatniks, but then, somebody gave me a copy of a book called Teenage by Jon Savage (best known for writing the amazing, definitive story of punk rock, England’s Dreaming), and I learned that the story of youth culture began much earlier. In the book, he uncovers the hidden histories of flappers, swing kids, Nazi youth, and bobby soxers, and shows how they laid the groundwork for the punks and skaters of today. When I was a teenager, buying thrift clothes and scavenging vintage records was the cool way to define yourself. Teenage takes this premise further, rewinding all the way to
CINEMANTICS
PL AYBACK
ONE DAY (2011)
TEMPTATION ISLAND (1980) D
THIS 80‘S FILM IS TRULY HIGH CAMP AT ITS FINEST
1900’s youth culture. By the end of the film, you’ll learn how youth became so influential in society and how the term “teenager” was finally coined. Actors bring to life real teenage diaries in dramatic voiceover, recreations are shot in 16mm to look like vintage home movies, and there’s an original soundtrack by Bradford Cox of the band Deerhunter. All these complement incredible archival footage of teenagers from around the world. I’m still in the middle of making the film, but in the mean time, I’m publishing a daily blog– check out the latest on youth culture from today and from before you were born at teenagefilm.com
ue for an arguably unwarranted remake soon, this flick about a group of shipwrecked beauty contestants with no food or drinking water may sound like a set-up to a joke. Yet, it’s the actual premise of Temptation Island–a cult classic written by Toto Belano, directed by Joey Gosiengfiao, and starred in by real-life pageant finalists Dina Bonnevie, Azenith Briones, Jennifer Cortez, and Bambi Arambulo. After the “Miss Manila Sunshine Beauty Pageant” show, organizers send the finalists on a cruise. This is where things go awry as the yacht goes up in flames, and the contestants and several other passengers end up stranded on a barren wasteland where petty rivalries, raging hormones, and surreal moments filled with a huge ice cream cone, dance-offs, and cannibalism soon crop up. This 80‘s film is truly high camp at its finest. FRANCIS CABAL
NOT A DROLL FILMIC FLARE-UP OF A COUPLE’S FALLOUTS AND REALIZATIONS
W
eird reuniting with an almost lover on a day known for setting the next forty days rainfall forecast. But that’s what Em (Anne Hathaway) and Dex (Jim Sturgess) do in David Nicholls’s One Day. Their love affair can be reduced to trite clichés as their characters are: Dex being the affable rich kid who swaggers all around the world and Em being the charming and ambitious girl who is obviously in love with the guy (as if her tearstained letters aren’t proof enough). But this is Lone Scherfig at the helm. Nicholls (who also wrote the script for the film adaptation) has been compared to An Education writer Nick Hornby. Scherfig sees way past the fluff, and she transforms ordinary collisions into almost unbearable real situations. Leads Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess play their parts with a vehement refusal to descend into chick-flick proportions. Be assured that One Day isn’t a droll filmic flare-up of Em and Dex’s fallouts and realizations. DON JAUCIAN
TICKET
ALL IN: THE POKER MOVIE
Featuring interviews with star players and celebrities such as Matt Damon and Jennifer Tilly, this documentary brings attention to the comeback of this gambling game in America.
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BEATS, RHYMES, & LIFE
A controversial documentary, this Sundance-screened film starring Mary J. Blige and Ludacris highlights the rise and fall of the mythical hip-hop band A Tribe Called Quest.
CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE
As recently-divorced Cal, Steve Carrell tries to score a gal with the help of handsome wingman Jacob (Ryan Gosling) in this film within the same vein as other awkward middle-aged dating flicks Carell is known for.
FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS
After the Kutcher-Portman movie No Strings Attached, this cheesy comedy yet again tackles the issue of liberating sex from the constraints of romance through Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis.
SARAH’S KEY
First screened at the Toronto film fest, this criticallyacclaimed war movie reveals how Sarah accidentally kills her brother in an attempt to save him from the Nazis– an act which haunts her throughout her life.
/ink
BOOK REVIEWS
ONE-SITTINGS
TITUS AWAKES By Mervyn Peake
T
he late English author and Alice in Wonderland illustrator Mervyn Peake keeps the legacy of his legendary character, Titus Groan, alive with the much-awaited Titus Awakes–the fourth installment of his 1940s gothic fantasy novel series, Gormenghast. Peake’s untimely death had left his plans of telling Titus’ story from birth to grave unaccomplished—but fifty years later, his granddaughter discovered the manuscript by Peake’s widow, sculptor and writer Maeve Gilmore, which she wrote using his rough drafts and outlines.
Picking up from where the third book, Titus Alone (1959), left off, Titus Groan, the 77th heir to the throne of Castle Gormenghast, wakes from a very disturbing dream which leads him from a world of rubbles and castles to that of skyscrapers and inventions that guide his metamorphosis in finding the way back home. MACY REANTASO a world of rubbles and castles to that of skyscrapers and inventions
rea d ing group
A BIG LITTLE LIFE By Dean Koontz
A
dmit it: you bawled inside the movie house during those last few scenes of My Dog Skip, when the camera focused on the old Jack Russell Terrier lying on Frankie Muniz’s bed while slowly closing his eyes, succumbing to the embrace of death. Hush, now, it’s okay– there’s no need to feel guilty for loving tearjerkers about companion animals because you’re in good company: New York Times bestselling novelist Dean Koontz is also a big sucker for tug-atthe-hearts animal stories. In his book, A Big Little Life, the suspense author shoves
aside his thriller books and opens up about his life with Trixie, his family’s adopted golden retriever. Those who’ve followed the novelist’s career may actually find this book a refreshing break. Here, Koontz puts Trixie in such a high pedestal that he almost deifies her, writing that “she was something more than a dog… this spirit was a wonder and a revelation.” So how much drama can we expect from this book, you ask? Well, the dog eventually dies of cancer–so prepare to cry your eyes out. EVAN TAN
the suspense author shoves aside his thriller books and opens up about his family’s adopted golden retriever
PICTURE BOOK
ANY EMPIRE
By Nate Powell
N
ate Powell, author of Eisner award-winning graphic novel Swallow Me Whole, weaves another hauntingly disturbing graphic novel about war and violence, Any Empire. In Middle America, a group of childhood friends meet again and are pulled together, like before, by their fascination for violence. When their town is overtaken by army tanks and soldiers which rampage through their streets, the three characters realize that their futures hang loosely by a thread, and decide to take matters into their own hands
by grabbing weapons to save what’s left of their small southern town. With stakeouts, heavy artillery, and bizarre mutations, hints of Nancy Drew and G.I. Joe mash up in this action-packed graphic novel. MACY REANTASO hints of Nancy Drew and G.I. Joe mash up in this actionpacked graphic novel
FOOTNOTES Maybe you can’t teach old dogs new tricks, but there’s nothing tricky about getting your dog to tweet with the PUPPY TWEETS medallion, which translates your companion animal’s barks into 140-character messages.
Of course you love peace just as much as we do, but then, you’ve got to admit– this vintage 1950’s DAISY SMOKER RIFLE adds a touch of old-school flair to shooting games with your friends. A game of sheriff vs. outlaws, anyone?
So what if your parents are not the king and queen of some faraway kingdom in Northern Europe? You’re almost as good as royalty anyway with the million-dollar ULYSSE HARDIN ROYAL BLUE TOURBILLON watch.
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tech pack Altec Lansing Octiv 650
• Can stream videos from your iPhone or iTouch to your TV • Features Music Mood, a musical visualization application • Has a pair of 3-inch, fullrange drivers and a nested 4-inch subwoofer SRP: PHP 8,800
Nintendo 3DS Console
• Autostereoscopic display allows 3D experience sans the glasses • Has two outer cameras that allow taking snapshots with 3D effects • Backwards compatibility function enables switching from Nintendo 3DS system to 2D. • Detects Wi-Fi for you to easily update Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking sites SRP: PHP 12,900
TECH UNLIMITED Multi-tasking is the way of the future, and these gadgets know it.
Sony Internet TV
• Enables online entertainment with its built-in Wi-Fi • Includes a keypad with mouse that allows you to tweet, surf, or update your Facebook status while watching your favorite shows • Allows navigation between websites and television channels on the same screen
Blackberry Playbook
• The first professional tablet—has microUSB jack, HDMI port, and Adobe application support • Can be synched with one’s smartphone • Features a 7-inch LCD screen with full multi-touch and gesture support • Has two HD cameras (front and rear) that support HD video recording • May have 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB storage capacity SRP: TBA
SRP: PHP 44,000
Surc iPhone Remote Control Case
• Has an embedded infrared emitter, which transforms your iPhone into a universal remote control • Allows the user to customize the remote buttons and layout • Can learn the codes from virtually any remote control and store them • Has a built-in TV program guide SRP: PHP 3,080
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face paint Smashbox Eye Shadow (Safari), P1,550 Maybelline Eye Studio Hyper Diamonds, P599
Stila Illuminating Finishing Powder (Gold), P995
The Balm Read My Lips Lipstick (Smut), P675
Urban Decay Urbanglow Cream Highlight, P1,040 Make Up For Ever Metal Powder, P1,280
NARS Kismet Nail Polish, P995
StudioMakeup Loose Eyeshadow Dust, P745
metal heads
Stila Kitten Glitter Eye Liner, P745
No need for long hair and spandex. Wear these, and rock the world. Make Up For Ever Kohl Pencil (Black with Metal Highlights), P950
Laura Mercier Metallic CrĂŠme Eye Colour (Rose Gold), P995
Styli Style Luna Bronzer/ Blush, P1,525
The Balm Shady Lady (Jealous Jordana), P675
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Bobbi Brown Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow (Goldstone, Chrome Patina, Starry Purple), P1,350 each
Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream (Shade 28702), P1,450
Model photo by Ming Han Chung
Smashbox Body Lights Glowing Lotion, P1,650
about face
No Junk Food Careful not to stuff JURLIQUE DAILY EXFOLIATING CREAM in your mouth as it smells like honey and is basically oatmeal and grains in sticky paste form. While it’s not edible, it can at least remove dead skin cells. P1,550
Smooth Operator
The honey extracts in SKINFOOD POTIRON AU LAIT RICH CREAM nourishes rough skin. It also contains pumpkin and milk extracts that moisturize. P1,350
G
SWEETEST THIN
Glow and Behold
OLE HENRIKSEN SUGAR GLOW™ FACE SCRUB has antioxidants— those from honey, African red tea, pomegranate seeds, and pumpkin—that smoothen and refine dull skin. P1,600
Pour a little sugar on it, honey.
Daily Grind
Expert
Advice Dab honey and brown sugar on the lips. It plumps and exfoliates.
KORRES THYME HONEY CREAM, although it feels medium-thick in consistency and texture, is lightweight and is easily absorbed into skin. Its thyme honey is a hydro-regulating agent that also protects skin all day. P1,400
Good Morning
Wake up with BENEFIT COSMETICS “HONEY…SNAP OUT OF IT.” It’s packed with soft almonds, natural honey, and Vitamin E to leave pores clean and to brighten complexion for the bright day ahead. P1,200
Model photo by Stevyn Llewellyn
beauty bite
UPDATE
Urban Retreat Spa I
f you’re not the type to wind down the weekend with cocktails, then you’re probably one who’s looking for a quiet “me” time with a relaxing spa treatment. Step into URBAN RETREAT SPA, and you’ll be welcomed with an aroma blast of sweet lemon grass and Thai herbs that assure you it’ll be a retreat well-spent. The spa offers the neatest service with their skilled staff, and their products come in small batches so their freshness is assured before guest use. Available are body massage packages including herbal balls, which, when heated, release oils that go through the skin to relax the muscles and improve blood circulation.
Like most spas, they also offer facial and body waxing treatments, plus body scrub and spa packages. But you can pick the treatment that suits your skin; consider the Pink Himalayan Salt & Milk scrub for dull and lifeless skin or the Herbal Salt Scrub for oily skin. In Urban Retreat Spa, your body gets treatment from top to bottom, inside and out. 31/10 Soi Sukumvit 39 Sukumvit Rd. Klong Toey Nua Wattana, Bangkok 10110 urbanretreatspa.net
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brick and mortar this is a love song, bali Jl. Kayu Aya No. 3, Oberoi - Seminyak, Bali (0)36-19130713 thisisalovesong.com Dime to drop: $20-$450 (P860–P19,400) Don’t leave without: the ‘I Heart Tee’ by THIS IS A LOVE SONG, Triwa watches
U
pon entering THIS IS A LOVE SONG’s bricked interiors, you may get overwhelmed with the feeling of kitsch. Its look starkly evokes someone’s garage-turned-workshop that would also pass off as a forgotten hobo settlement. Here, steel pipes serve as clothes racks, and unpainted wooden boxes have been turned into display tables. A telephone booth you could swear was pulled from a junkyard somewhere has been resurrected into a changing room. Meanwhile, the punk art hanging on a wallpapered panel starkly contrasts with the corrugated roof sheet beside it. Positioning itself as a store that has “a little something for everyone”, it stocks an array of well-loved local brands such as La Douche Vita, Monstore, and 16DS, as well as international products from Hearts Are Vacant, Triwa, Everyday, Aerial7, and Thousand Reasons. Whether it’s an odd-colored pocket on a tee (Patch It Up Tee, $75) or a leather-strapped dress (Blaze The Trail Singlet Dress, $125), get eclectic, fresh, and off-the-wall finds to make you wax lyrical.
fashionslave, zürich Viaduktstrasse 29 CH-8005 Zürich Switzerland +41 44 440 29 29 fashionslave.ch Dime to drop: $80-$3,000 (P4,000-P130,000) Don’t leave without: A fresh haircut and a LONG t-shirt
M
ore than just a menswear shop, FASHIONSLAVE is also the place to catch what’s new in the art scene. It has a gallery which showcases new collections by young artist and fashion designers. Welcoming you into the shop are swanky high ceilings, brick lined walls and arches, and a striking large centerpiece table which functions both as a display counter and a makeshift runway for fashion shows. The polygonic pieces of furniture—from the counters to the mirrors and racks are not the only things that look sharp in the boutique. Designer labels such as the unisex shirts from LONG, denim jeans from Naked & Famous, and the leather espadrilles by Like Mimika, plus pieces from fashion designer Raf Simons and Petar Petrov tie up the urban and avant-garde street style that the store represents. Once you’ve grabbed a piece or two from the shop, head straight to the back, and get styled by their expert team of hairstylist and makeup artist for both men and women. You can step out of this shop Fashionslave-style from head to toe, literally.
olive shoppe W
ith independent labels that are mostly available on made-to-order basis, you’ll never find someone wearing the same as you do when you get your threads from OLIVE SHOPPE. Create your own distinctive look
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with Kron tights, Rotsaniyom tanks, and EK Thongprasent fluorescent silicone accessories. Look around their vintage section for limited pieces ranging from polka dotted palazzo pants to beaded mesh tops. theoliveshoppe.com
style id
This fashion student wears his precious vintage hand-painted floral blazer
Break the monotony, and wear bold and eye-popping prints. Who needs a museum if we can all be living, walking pieces of art! By JP Singson
This fashionista in Paris shows off his colorful South Park-inspired JC de Castelbajac ensemble.
jponfashionspeed.blogspot.com
Soule Phenomenon designer Nicole Puentevella goes tribal with her thrift-find Navajo print maxi skirt.
Blogger extraordinaire Bryanboy never fails to surprise us with his flamboyant choices. Here, it’s Michael Kors snake skin jacket and Lanvin x H&M floral print bow tie.
Designer Philip Chu reinvents the iconic Chanel tweed jacket with this quirky Ground Zero blazer.
US Marie Claire style and accessories director, Taylor Tomasi-Hill mismatches animal print skirt with colorful kicks.
Only Parisians can pull off cute wide-leg pants by Miu Miu.
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go see These are the styles that will make you do a double take. Keep your eyes open and get inspired ‘cause every sidewalk can be your catwalk.
Black Corset
Fur Coat
Photographed by Renee Midzrahi, Charmaine Ng, & Chesca Rueda
Chunky Necklace
Bow Headband
Brown Hat
Layered Jackets
Metallic Boots
Peacoat Leather Satchel Tie-dyed Leggings
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Printed Skirt Leather Pants
Wedge Boots Shades of Gray
Maxi Dress
Textured Sleeves
Long Tuxedo Coat
Leather Gloves
Heeled Loafers
Fur Collar
Cut-out Sandals
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fringed tulle top and Under Python underwear by Angela Bang bracelets: stylist’s own
Channel your inner gypsy with the allure of fringe and the loose silhouettes of jumpsuits and pleated skirts. In no man’s land, you need only a beat up leather jacket , throw on a floppy hat, and you’re all set.
Photography: Raul Tejero Stylist: Patricia Martín Makeup and hair: Carmina Camps Model: Yolanda McLellan of View Management Photo Assistant: David Martínez Camera & Editor: Roger Martí
studded jacket by Gori de Palma animal print shorts by H&M tights by Calzedonia
leather jacket by Tag Me t-shirt by Gori de Palma studded belt: stylist’s own long pleated skirt by H&M ankle socks by Calzedonia shoes by Givenchy
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jacket by Gori de Palma bra by H&M suspenders by Sonia Rykiel skirt by Tag Me stockings by Calzedonia
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fedora by Portobello fringe dress by Angela Bang bracelet: stylist’s own
denim jumper by Jai Activewear necklace by Friends and Nemesis gloves by Emilime socks and shoes by Topshop
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coat by Abreu Rios tights by Topshop shoes by Sam Edelman
silk suit by Abreu Rios vintage fur muff: stylist’s own belt by H&M
jacket by Abreu Rios pants by Jai Activewear bracelet by Atler
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SWAG J
U
L
Y
2
0
1
ARMY READY
The rainy season kicks in, so it’s time for you to gear up. Arm yourselves with military jackets, oxford shirts, tapered trousers, and satchels if you want to play under this weather. Product photography by Miguel Miranda
1
Clockwise: Springfield [P4,950], Springfield [P5,950], 7 For All Mankind [P21,498], Penshoppe [P1,699]
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SNEAKERS
MAYDAY AT THE HALLWAY
Don’t lose your swag while running from point A to B.
Clae Jones Concrete Nubuck [P5,980]
Adidas Adizero [P5,720]
Pony Boat [P3,095]
Vans Zapato del Barco CA [P4,698]
Pony Shooter [P2,195]
Creative Recreation Luchese [P2,995]
Puma Speeds RP [P2,710]
Nike Cortez Basic [P2,895]
Nike Air Max [P4,295]
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Vans 106 MOC [P4,298]
Runway photo by Fernando Colon
c jacobs marc by mar 2011 fall/winter
Blue S H I R T S
SCHOOL BOUND With these buttondowns, you’ll always be at the top of the class.
Mundo [P1,750]
Celio [P3,195]
Maine [P1,450]
Manila
Street style photo by Nikki Ruiz
Mundo [P1,750]
Penshoppe [P949]
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PHOTO TEES/ TOY NECKLACES
CAPTION THIS Point, shoot, and wear.
Oxygen [P399]
Mundo [P550]
Terranova [P895]
Springfield [P995]
Oxygen [P399]
Topman [P1,795]
21 Men [P805]
TOY STORY
Growing up doesn’t mean saying goodbye to your toys. Freestyle Necklaces [P100]
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Aldo [P895]
Topman [P795]
Folded and Hung [P249]
BLACK DENIM
DAILY UNIFORM The sky may be blue, but your jeans don’t need to be.
Penshoppe [P1,299]
7 For All Mankind [P11,998]
Red Herring [P3,150]
Oxygen [P999]
Street style photo by Nikki Ruiz
21 Men [P1,835]
MANILA Penshoppe [P1,099]
Folded and Hung [P1,099]
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S at c hels
Charles & Keith [P2,699]
CLASS ACT
Stash your goods in a stylish satchel.
Accessorize [P2,650]
H! by Henry Holland [P3,950]
Aldo [P5,395]
Folded and Hung [P1,199]
Steve Madden [P3,950]
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Aldo [P2,895]
Warehouse [P4,545]
b la z ers
DRESS CODE
Get official with that go-to blazer of yours.
Topshop [P4,795]
Armani Exchange [P7,950]
Diesel [P10,250]
Runway photo by Fernando Colon
ARC JACOBS MARC BY M 2011 FALl/WINTER
Tomato [P850]
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W edges / P R I N T E D S OC K S
HEIGHT IS MIGHT
There’s no need for pain to gain a couple more inches.
Forever 21 [P1,695]
Aldo [P5,395]
Charles & Keith [P2,199]
Charles & Keith [P2,199]
Aldo [P5,395]
MANILA
Forever 21 [P1,765]
HAPPY FEET
Pair socks with wedges for that added prep school charm.
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Aldo [P300 for 3]
Aldo [P300 for 3]
Aldo [P300 for 3]
Forever 21 [P300 for 3]
Street style photo by Nikki Ruiz
Red Herring [P2,550]
TA P E R E D PA N T S
Promod [P1,645]
TAILOR MADE
Promod [P2,495]
She who wears the pants brings her A-game.
Warehouse [P3,345] Topshop [P3,345]
Forever21 [P1,175]
Topshop [P3,045]
Warehouse [P3.145]
DKNY 2011 FALL/WINTER
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Alyssa Lapid Blogger Styled military jacket P2,299
Wearing pieces straight from Penshoppe’s Holiday 2011 collection mixed with their own wardrobes, these young’ins show you how to work the city sidewalk like a runway. Street Style Photos by Everywhere We Shoot Runway Photos by Bruce Casanova Makeup by Raymond Kho of L’Oréal Professional Hair by Armando Sierra & Dana Velenzo of Jing Monis Salon
Toff Tiozon Graphic Artist Knitted raglan baseball jacket P1,299
Valerie Chua Illustrator Styled military jacket with decorative contrast twill tape P1,599
Bianca Ignacio Student Styled leather bomber jacket P2,599
Miko Carreon Blogger Knitted tank with print and pocket P499
Mark Lim Graphic Artist Premium jacket with decorative contrast twill tape P1,999
PHOTO DIARY
MARC BY MARC JACOBS FW2011 @NYFW BY FERNANDO COLON
fernandocolon.com
M U S E
The pearly gates of Victoria’s Secret Angeldom don’t open for just anyone, especially newbies. But with the Brazilian bombshell beauty that LAIS RIBEIRO brings, all we can say is “Amen!” By Giano D. Dionisio Images courtesy of Star System and Women Model Management
T
On the 2010 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show: To be among all these top models, I felt really privileged. In the beginning, I was very nervous…but some of the experienced VS models calmed me down. The clothes, the wings, the runway, everything seemed like a dream. I was enchanted!
SNIP SLIP
My childhood is inexplicable. I always played a lot, swam in the river, and went to the beach. [My sister] Josy and I were inseparable; we were playing hairdresser, and Josy took the game very seriously, and she ended up cutting my hair for real! For us, it was the funniest thing, but my mum did not like it at all.
My family is everything! They support my decisions, teach me, care for the greater good in my life: my son… As he does not live with me, I prepare a fantastic birthday party for him every year. He loves playing hide and seek, running around—and I have to run after him.
Having a bigger responsibility [keeps me] focused; everything I do, I’m thinking of my son’s future. The model’s career does not last forever, and I have to take the best advantage of the opportunities that I have now.
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Bottom: Robert Nethery. Top right: Terry & Ali. Top left: Rony Shram
hough she originally wanted to be a nurse, her cappuccino complexion, steamy hot curves, and sweet honey charm have made Lais Ribeiro a rising star in fashion. Ever since she got discovered by John Casablancas at the Beleza Mundial 2009 contest, this model has been glowing saintly in everything from commercial campaigns (Gap, Ralph Lauren) to high-brow editorials (Vogue, Vogue Italia, Vogue Brasil) and daunting catwalks (Gucci, Dior, Givenchy and Marc by Marc Jacobs).
M A E S T R O
LITTLE DRAGON may be a guitarless band, but it doesn’t mean they can’t handle the instrument. YouTube proof: a blues string improv. And while you’re at it, watch them make music just by blowing bottles. It’s all about having soul. By Nante Santamaria Photo courtesy of Studio Seek
L
ast March 21, fresh from SxSW, Little Dragon—Yukimi Nagano (vocals), Fredrik Källgren Wallin (bass), Erik Bodin (drums), and Håkan Wirenstrand (keys)—made their debut on US TV at Jimmy Fallon. They have been warmly welcomed by the American audience, so this seeming displacement ain’t nothing new. Their band name, after all, is a little bit racist. Yukimi is a bona fide Swedish although Japanese by blood. It was a temper-related episode which earned her the title Little Dragon. Although, they occasionally “become like gibbering siblings who tease and just can’t help pressing each other’s buttons” as Yukimi describes, their music takes off the stress. Their new album’s namesake single, “Ritual Union,” which they just exquisitely played live in the show, may contain heartbreak, but it is set on a contrasting soul-electronic jam. This particular day, they are at the mouth of their 2011 album tour, a follow up to fronting Gorillaz’ last year. The group share their backstage rituals—for Yukimi, “usually a drink, some gymnastics, and a group high five,” sometimes convincing themselves that “[it] is the last thing we will do before we die” for Erik, and for Fred, “a bit of disco with various amusements on the Internet” as much as “trying to stay away from the snacks.” Feel the lack of pre-show jitters.
Fred: Mmmm, I agree but would like to add a dessert containing roasted nuts, fruit, and maybe coconut cream with hints of cardamom.
Needless to say, Ritual Union is so exciting, and you’ve described it in LA Times as being similar to “a rainbow smoothie.” Tell us more about this recipe. Yukimi: It’s all mixed up tofu, scramble style, and veggies on the side with some spicy sauce, some sweetness, some coffee with soy milk.
Give us three advice on how to live the musician’s dream in America? Yukimi: Get a van and just keep driving around the country playing your music in different kinds of venues—colleges/holes in the walls, etc. until you can afford to travel in a bus, get some extra sleep, and
Vocal comparisons to Faith Evans, Erykah Badu, Mary J. Blige, and Janelle Monae must have been thrown often. Who are really the most inspiring women musicians for you, and why? Yukimi: Well, all of the above are great. I think I have loved Faith Evans’ voice and admired her for a long time... Kate Bush has been a huge inspiration and is up there for me when it comes to female artist doing their thing without any compromising, [being] unafraid of being themselves 100%. Fred: Also the force and voice of some of Nina Simone’s work. More contemporary is Swedish El Perro Del Mar.
have time for sightseeing or sleeping all day. Erik: Stay away from White Castle and IHOP. Fred: Don’t spend too much money on fancy cars, exotic animals, and drugs. Most importantly, don’t try to please everybody. What are the plans after the tour? What do you think 2012 would be like? Yukimi: Already have some new songs written, but this year will be a lot of touring. Erik: 2012 hopefully has a lot of shows and festivals and some studio time and good food and ice cream in between.
little-dragon.se
What’s the best thing about having known your band mates for so long? What’s the worst thing about it? Yukimi: Best thing is you get to share the highs. You know each other so well I can sometimes read the guys’ minds on stage. In the studio, you can be honest and hurt each other knowing it’s what happens all the time and not be shy about trying anything even if it might be a stupid idea ‘cause you’re comfortable, and you’re with your best mates. Worst thing is you become like a family, and like all families, you go through your crises and dramas.
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maestro
FREE SAMPLES From changing their name into FORD & LOPATIN (previously Games) to recording their debut album, Channel Pressure, and having their own label, Software, this electronic production duo keeps a fingerprint: “Two brothers. One mind.”
CRYSTAL ANTLERS’ separation from Touch and Go Records led to their sophomore album, Two-Way Mirror, when they made the big move from Long Beach, California to La Punta Banda, Mexico. With their single “Summer Solstice,” they experiment with new sounds ranging from surf rock to grunge.
By Ron Po Photographed by David Black
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aniel Lopatin and Joel Ford never play games when it comes to their music. “[We’re] dead serious,” Dan says. Having just released Channel Pressure, he considers the LP more stylistically diverse. “It runs the gamut more between pop and weirder forms.” But it’s not all work and no play for these musical gurus. The games they wrap themselves in are free from drum machines. “We both have PSPs that we like to play on tour,” Dan says. “I’m super into this game, Mercury.” And when not recording or on tour, they watch sports—a lot. “All Boston-related,” Dan continues. “C’s, Bosox, Pats, Bruins.” Back in the studio, aside from creating their own music, they also collaborate with different artists under their own label, Software. “Right now, we’re working on a Harmonizer/Megafortress split EP and an Airbird EP (Joel’s solo project),” Dan shares. For this band that’s influenced by The Neptunes, Teo Macero, Prefuse 73, and DJ
“A lot of free jamming turns into source material from which we heavily sample.” Premier, they’re sure to give us more than what we expect, especially given their natural talent to not having to write beforehand. “A lot of free jamming turns into source material from which we heavily sample,” Dan says. “Mixing/ arranging is at the heart our writing process.”
myspace.com/games
Miss Misery might have been his muse for a long time, but JAY-JAY JOHANSON describes his new album, Spellbound, as “stronger, better, [and] more grown up.” He seems to be talking about himself as well.
Following Small Craft on a Milk Sea, British electronica artist BRIAN ENO returns with dubsteplike sounds in Drums Between the Bells. In “Glitch,” he works with Scottish poet Rick Holland the voices of Grazyna Goworek, Caroline Wildi, and Anastasia Afonina.
By Petra Magno
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ll Changed when I saw Chet Baker live… when I was 14,” Jay-Jay Johanson says about his musical life’s turning point. “That night, I realized that you could be onstage, being a performer and a singer, without being [extroverted], he adds. From these jazz roots, the Swedish songwriter’s influences expanded, with film composer Ennio Morricone on one end and trip hop record label Mo’ Wax on the other. Trip hop reinvented Jay-Jay’s trademark melancholic sound. “I was encouraged to start arranging my songs in a more modern way, and not only with my jazz quartet,” he says. I started to play the b-sides of my hip-hop singles [on] 33.3 rpm instead of 45, and to these slow motion dusty beats, I started to sing my melodies.” Jay-Jay went on to create seven albums, ranging from dusky jazz arrangements to atmospheric house-tinged beats. He found himself collaborating with Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins for albums, and with artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster for “Cosmodrome,” a sound-and-
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Following his 2009 album, High Times, chillwave sounds are on the way from multi-instrumentalist Ernest Greene or WASHED OUT. Reminiscent of sounds by Toro y Moi and Caribou, Within & Without features NY band Chairlift in the track “You and I.”
image art installation that was last shown in Paris. When quizzed on his inspiration, Jay-Jay lists rain and wind, with the telling addition of “my baby boy’s humming.” It sounds like he’s learning to sing with his chin up.
myspace.com/jayjayjohanson
Compared to their upbeat album, Permalight, RELEASE THE SUNBIRD plays with string squeaks, bent notes, and breathing sounds in Come Back to Us. This album features a more mellow sound— songs to accompany your dateless/ can’t-get-over him/her nights.
maestro
FULL-GROWN
Men
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS “fooled a major label into thinking [they] could be pop stars.” Don’t know about “pop stars,” but they could most likely be inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame. By Reena Mesias Photographed by Jayme Thornton
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hey Might Be Giants’ duo, John Flansburgh (vocals/rhythm guitar) and John Linnell (vocals/keyboards/saxophone/clarinet/ accordion), frequently joined by Dan Miller (guitar), Danny Weinkauf (bass), and Marty Beller (drums), return to their “adult” music with Join Us after the interesting move into kids’ music in early 2000. “We weren’t working with outside producers or for an outside project, so there was no finish line except when it seemed great,” Flansburgh describes the new album. “The challenge was really to meet our standard and take our sound to another place.” And that place might as well be in between new grounds and back to the late 1980s. “With so many tracks, just three instruments and vocals, and the specialty sounds coming in for intros and solos, Join Us reminds me of They Might Be Giants (1986) and Lincoln (1988) although the sonics are pretty different.” You’ve been in the industry for almost 3 decades now. How do you guys maintain your “magic?” John Flansburgh: Ah, the magic! I don’t know if there is much perceived magic around us. Never went to rehab, never split up—not a lot of drama here. But both of us
are reluctant to “share” in the ways that public people seem compelled to these days, so maybe that adds some mystery! Amongst the newer artists today, who influences you? JF: These days, I tend to listen to music even older than my own generation rather than current stuff, and who knows what seeps in? But I do like a few things and [their sonics] really excite me—LCD Soundsystem, Kanye West, St. Vincent, MGMT, TV on the Radio, Jay-Z, Sharon Jones, Vampire Weekend, Jack White—although candidly, I think Meg White is about as perfect as any accompaniment he’ll ever find, so I’m hoping for a reunion there. Magnetic Fields has a real handle on the power of melody and how to make a simple song soar. Your children’s albums were a success that two won Grammy awards. We know songs are like children, and you love them all, but if you could save one off Join Us from doom, which would it be? JF: We never got to a new song called “Authenticity Trip” that I think would have been a really great track to have been on the album, but there was so much to finish,
it hasn’t gotten its day in the sun. Soon, I hope! What’s the coolest thing about you as a band? What’s the most uncool? JF: I know it’s paradoxical, but in my mind, cool and uncool are the same thing. To be cool is to follow your own set of beliefs, not the trends of the culture— but not having the respect of the culture makes you out of fashion and thus uncool. One thing we did that I felt was brave and inadvertently very cool—we took a very different path at a time when there was a very clear, established path as to how to establish a group. We stopped opening for other bands very early on—far earlier than most would consider market savvy. I think even people we worked with felt we were a bit arrogant to just draw the line like that. But it helped us find our own audience which, in turn, made us feel a lot more secure about the specific choices we were making. If you could change anything about They Might Be Giants, what would it be? JF: We should have come up with a more tattoo-friendly logo like AC/DC.
theymightbegiants.com
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maestro
toying around For fast-rising electronic band TOI, music is their biggest game.
“if [we get big] five years from now, i’ll live in an island with a guitar.”
By Evan Tan Photographed By Niña Sandejas
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hile mom and pop were right when they said being serious about work is the path to succeed, TOI–the musical troika composed of vocalist/writer Pauline Diaz, sound engineer/ producer Pat Tirano, and manager/visual artist Mei Tayengco–convinces us there’s another way to stand out. Describing their band as “a plaything of three minds developed through picture music,” TOI has managed to gain a following in the indie scene with their dreamy, melancholy tunes. Their success actually is a surreal turn of events, considering that Pauline claims “there are no hard and fast rules in drawing out the lyric” to their songs. “I come across an idea, an interesting scenario, or a line or phrase. At the start, I’m not even sure what it means or where it’s headed, but then I start to build on it, putting in and taking out stuff along the way. And then I throw it to Pat, who runs away with it.” Flighty words for a band on the rise? Don’t be surprised. After all, their name is a reminder that their music is all about playing and that fame has only been incidental. “Getting big is secondary to what you really like doing,” says Pauline. “If that changes five years from now, I’ll live in an island with a guitar.”
toikingdom.com
Whether he’s jamming with The Killers or not, RONNIE VANNUCCI finds a way to play beats with drumsticks. Produced by Joe Chicarelli (The Strokes) and mixed by Allan Moulder (U2, Foo Fighters), Big Talk features Vannucci teaming up with old friend and former Killers bandmate Taylor Mine.
After Light Grenades (2006), INCUBUS launches another studio album, If Not Now, When? Brandon Boyd’s addiction to news led him to ask the question the album was named with. The 11 tracks zero in on romance, sounding less aggressive than usual.
“Sometimes…you throw [a song] away because you…don’t think it’s going anywhere”
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BIGGERMATTERS
After every gig, THE RADIO DEPT. vocalist, John Duncanson, always seems to be blown away at the prospect of people loving his music. “I don’t think I like my voice that much,” he deadpans. Their bassist, Martin Calberg, always tries to convince him that it’s good. Their audiences agree. by Alex Almario Photographed by Everywhere We Shoot
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pproached by Sophia Coppola’s people to work on the soundtrack for Marie Antoinette, hype-allergic band The Radio Dept. gave up their apprehension under one condition: “If you could tell us what Bill Murray was whispering to Scarlett Johansson at the end of Lost in Translation,” vocalist Johan Duncanson told Coppola. Both parties kept their end of the bargain, but don’t expect Duncanson to spill the beans on a cinema history’s secret. “We promised not to tell anyone,” he says coyly. Duncanson, bassist Martin Carlberg, and Daniel Tjäder (keyboards, drum machine) still fuse shoegazer white noise with soulful synth beats in their third album, Clinging to a Scheme, as well in Passive Aggressive, a compilation of singles and B-sides. Duncanson points to their self-critical nature to explain the long layoff from their last album, Lesser Matters (2003). “We threw away a lot of the songs,” he refers to the 100-plus songs shelved during their three-year recording spree. Will these lost songs forever be consigned to pop music oblivion? “Sometimes… you throw [a song] away because you…don’t think it’s going anywhere,” he explains. “If a year passes and you find it…you can hear, sometimes, what it needs, so it’s good.” Guess it’s in the safe—tucked in sheets and in their heads’ drawers—what we’re yet to hear from these Swedish lads next.
theradiodept.com
Southend-based alternative band THE HORRORS release their third album since Primary Colors (2006) hit the record stores. Called Skying, this new album features “Endless Blue,” with lead vocalist Faris Badwan’s voice sounding close to a more somber The Cure.
Soul singer JOSS STONE starts her own record label, Stone’d, and in collaboration with indie label Surfdog Records, the first project in line is her fifth album, LP1. Along with Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), she co-produces and writes in this rock and soul album, which took only six days to finish.
maestro
“Same dude, different address. The only thing that changes is the bilL.”
HANDS
It may have taken BIG SEAN a couple of years to get to where he’s at right now. But with a little help from ‘Ye, the G.O.O.D Music crew, and his newly released album, Finally Famous, best believe he ain’t going anywhere else. By Loris Peña Photographed by Fabian Montique
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BLOOD BATH
MC’s that are killing the game (besides and according to BIG SEAN)
Big K.R.I.T. J. Cole
Chiddy Bang
Wiz Khalifa
Lil B Mac Miller
“ nything I want to do is big. All my intentions are big. All my dreams are big. Everything I do is big,” Sean Anderson says when asked about his rapper name, Big Sean. Sounding the same way he does when he raps, this Detroit native is on the other side of the line, at the other side of the world, talking to little ol’ me. Ever since he got cosigned to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Music and, later on, to Def Jam Records, he’s been getting nothing but love. But like all rags-to-riches story, he had to work a little bit harder than the rest of them. Big Sean remembers, “I got signed strictly off talent…I had no buzz at all. I had to make my own. I had to make the label make me want to rap, and I worked really hard.” All his hard work eventually paid off with the successful release of his anticipated first album, Finally Famous. He says, “you don’t want to look back [when you’re] 50-60 years old wishing you shoulda, coulda, woulda did something.” And this “seize the day” philosophy translates to his single “My Last” with Chris Brown, singing and rapping about drinking, partying… like it’s their last. In his collaborations—with Wiz Khalifa’s in “Phone Numbers,” and in “Made” with Drake—plus his overwhelming collection of sneakers, there is one thing in common: people love them. It may be the catchy beat, the witty rhymes, or maybe even the
living-the-life-blow-this-moneyfast lyrics that get everyone jumping off their seats when they hear his songs. “Man, you know you just got to put yourself in their shoes. I know what I like to hear, so I really go based on what I feel, what I like to hear, and incorporate my own on style in it.” He also admits to being silly at times, saying,“If there’s one thing that you should do with your music or no matter what you do, [it’s to] just have fun with it.” Being associated with the greats like Kanye, Pharrell Williams, Nigo, and Common, he manages to stick out from his all-star crew by having his signature style: denim jacket, TISA cap, YSL shirt, customized POW chains, red pocket squares, and of course, Jordans. “It’s an honor to be in G.O.O.D music, man,” Big Sean says “It’s a fucking team [of] a team. Me and Cudi are homies, [even] Cyhi Da Prince. Everybody supports everybody. We are all family. It’s an honor to be in the same label with Pusha T.” Before we end our 30-minute conversation, I ask Big Sean, “So, now that your finally famous, what has changed?” He thinks for a while and answers me straight like it just came out of a rap song. “There’s not too much change. Same dude, different address. The only thing that changes is the bill.” And indeed, I quote him from his song “High Rise,” “When you’re legendary/ everything is quotable.”
uknowbigsean.com
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LET THE SUNSHINE IN At three in the afternoon, BJ PASCUAL knows where the good light is in his Manila studio and at the streets of New York.
“Alright, how many lighting tricks can you learn? Doesn’t it seem repetitive…?
By Nante Santamaria Photographed by Bia Catbagan
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ith his effortlessly coiffed hair, BJ Pascual leads us into his studio’s grooming room. The varsity jacket he slips into falls astutely over his almost tween frame. He hesitates whether to strap his watch to his other wrist while his boots’ collars are securely folded away from black skinnies. Squinting to the camera, he remarks, “Is this plain whoring out?” Not really. It is only proper to present one’s self at his best and not rely on coincidences. BJ knew this in 2008 when he started a t-shirt biz with his friends while he was in De La Salle University’s International Studies program. He styled and shot the lookbook, they got featured in magazines, he was asked to style, and he showed around his photography portfolio. In less than two months, “That was it,” BJ recalls the green light on what would turn out to be a faster-than-the-speed-of-lightlane. A little rewind would reveal that it was a Plan B. “I really wanted to go to New York right after college, but then, I got late in enrolling at Parsons, so I was really pissed,” he recounts, assuredly not intending on bumming out until the next term. Teen titles took him in for regular features as any starting photographer is given. When he got to New York, not only was he studying photography; he was churning layout after layout of fresh work, mostly test shoots for modeling agencies— typical startup strategy in NYC—until he was officially booking them, then he sent the products for the glossies back home in the Philippines. He ended up jumping from Parsons to FIT and then, finally, to International Center of Photography, where he decided he’s had enough. “Alright, how many lighting tricks can you learn?” BJ had to confront himself. “Doesn’t it seem repetitive…? It’s really just about your style.” What was left of his ridiculous tuition cash went to more equipment. Compelling words from his grandparents went: “Your studio’s almost done, so go home now.” He acted the dutiful grandson, and although his heart was in New York, he relaunched himself in Manila as the prodigal lensboy. It is an interesting
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story, which attracted a year’s worth of projects. Before he knew it, he was fully booked with ads, fashion editorials, and multiple covers in a month for the top fashion magazines. His style is in demand, with a sheen and energy that’s decidedly contemporary, at par with the emergent global taste. “And I have lots of gigs because it’s indicated in my website [that I’m also based in] New York,” he shares of way-past-midnight calls from The City That Never Sleeps. Overnight, BJ is made. But not without credit. He is a pure obsessive, who has been cataloging all editorials he could mouse over, organizing them from the photographers down to the models, issue dates, and stylists. He’s been digitally archiving the work of his idols—from the masters (Richard Avedon, Irving Penn) to the successors (Benny Horne, Sebastian Kim). “Hopefully, one day,” he humbly muses, “I’ll also find a style.” Right now, he is working on it with his own muses— the most recent Ford Supermodel of the World winner, Danica Magpantay, and Elite Manila’s it-girl Pauline Prieto—new models who arguably came to rise also because of his photos. Doubt, though, also creeps even into a hyped prodigy. “It’s happening so fast, so with this speed, I might be out really fast, too. You know what I mean?” BJ hesitates even if he’s already working on a book that he intends to release within the year. The temporary cure: “I plan to go to New York around August, late August so it’ll be in time for fashion week, and I also have many friends who are going there,” he divulges. “I’ll just do some gigs there to catch up with my previous connections so I don’t lose them; that would be a waste.” Right now, he is only relishing the best perk of the job—taking control of his time and “working with beautiful people all the time.” I probe what’s so captivating about this for him. “In this job, I realized why we put such a premium on beauty…” he pauses, “Because it’s difficult to come by.”
bjpascual.com
Model photos from Break on Through (to the Other Side). Photography by BJ Pascual. Styling by Patrick Galang. Model: Pauline Prieto
It’s really just about your style.”
mastermind
THE ARTIST PANEL
MARCELA GUTIERREZ went through a tough trial in becoming an illustrator. Sentenced to go back to her drawing board, she savors in it, and she has no plans of bailing out just yet. By Vicky Herrera Photographed by Cholo Dela Vega Artwork courtesy of Marcela Gutierrez
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s Marcela Gutierrez approaches the podium at Ayala Museum’s Visual Voice lectures, she starts with disclaimers: she just flew in from Barcelona that morning, is suffering from an extreme case of jetlag, and perhaps the most nerve–wracking of all, she has stage fright. Not like we noticed any of those. Displayed on the screen behind her are her breathtaking slides of watercolor paintings— from her own artwork to a slide of Prada’s Spring/Summer 2011 sunglasses—the audience immediately whip out their cameras to take photos of them. A few days later, I meet Marcela for an interview and dive deeper into a talk that peels off layers otherwise hidden from stage fright and jetlag. Growing up in Guatemala, Marcela had a pretty simple childhood. She recounts how watercolor paintings have always been around her home. She says of what obviously fueled her love
for art, “I guess it’s about being surrounded by these things my parents had made. My father had a very visual way of decorating the house.” Marcela, naturally, loved to draw as a child. At 18, she studied industrial engineering. “I thought art couldn’t get me anywhere, but once I enrolled, I realized I was in the wrong place, so I switched to architecture.” Eventually, she dabbled into graphic design. And taking the leap back into art wasn’t the easiest thing. “You have to be ready to make sacrifices and suffer a little bit, but you also have to have a strong belief in what you want to do. You can live off of anything as long as there’s passion, conviction, and strong will to pursue it,” says Marcela. Following the footsteps of her inspirations, John Galliano and Alexander McQueen, she enrolled herself in Central St. Martins College of Art and Design in London to pursue
fashion design. While studying, she flew to New York for an internship with Nylon Magazine and Marc Jacobs. “I really liked New York,” she says. “Everybody was super driven. I think it’s being surrounded by people who are stimulated. It was an experience; we all had to go through [getting] coffee.” After returning to Europe, she was in luck as she ended up working for Galliano and McQueen. “I was in awe. Really, [McQueen is] a genius.” At this point, Marcela was still hoping to move to Paris to continue fashion design. A twist of fate changed her plans. “My father passed away, so I ended up moving to Spain to be with my mom. I started working in a commercial label. It was really boring…a good way to really find out I didn’t want to be a designer. I enjoy more the process of creating something and have it there from my head to my hand to the paper.” She decided to leave her path for fashion design and
return to illustration. Now, her portfolio is filled with illustrations for clients like Metal Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar Spain, and Prada. There’s no saying what exactly Marcela will do next. “I think everything is open. I just want to continue drawing and see where that takes me. I like to have variety. I don’t want to have one straight pattern or goal.” As she speaks, she recounts every experience with honesty, “When I look back and I talk about it in a nice way, it looks like I was lucky, but when I was living through it, it was like ‘Now, what do I do with this?’... They all, in a way, led me to where I am today without knowing that I was kind of learning what I had to learn along the way.”
marcelagutierrez.com
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mastermind
LITTLE RICH KID Three things that stage actor FREDISON LO wants you to know about him—other than that he starred as God in N.O.A.H., Mark Cohen in RENT, and Jesus Christ in a cenacle play—“I’m a Disney kid… I cosplayed once… and I’m gonna be rich someday.” By Reena Mesias Photographed by Tim Serrano
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eems like only yesterday that the adorkable Fredison Lo was squeaked about on the set of RENT. Now, with his recent leap into show business—his first being TV5’s Iskul Bukol—he won’t only steal more attention, but also get himself the PlayStation3 he’s been planning to buy without that much guilt. Oh, they grow up so fast. It’s a new perimeter for Fred, whose no-formal-voicelessons singing talent was discovered when he was a kid, as the sitcom may not involve any belting out. It does, however, concern something else. “The pay gets better, and your craft is realized,” Fred reasons out. “People know who you are, they see what you can do, and they notice it.”
He isn’t planning on any curtain call from theatre just yet. “You get tired [of theatre] once in a while, but nah, [not completely],” he says, just wanting to experience the TV opportunity. And coming from someone who’s enthusiastic about many things—anime, sketching, jigsaw puzzles, film, and collecting toys—we know that his putting theatre on hold isn’t bullshit. Plus you have to believe a face that could pass as a saint; it’s a no brainer why Fred’s always cast as the holier-thanthou character. “I’ve always wanted to play a villain,” he says about his dream role. “They say it doesn’t fit me, but I just wanna try.” Rich or not (yet), right now, he’s plush with the right stuff.
DEERHUNTER The cold, desolate background to which SCOTT BELCASTRO was raised did more than influence; it was his propeller to art. “I think it fueled my idea of loneliness,” he says. “The feeling that we must do something we really love in life.” By Karen Bolilia Artwork courtesy of Scott Belcastro
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aunting landscapes and vast skies have been the trademark of Scott Belcastro’s work. A self-proclaimed “traditional non-traditionalist,” he claims to haul ideas from empty rooms, brief nudity, underwater life, and tangled wires. “I have ideas, and they are just there,” he says. “It takes nothing to make me feel like I have to get some sort of ‘Okay, now you can start.’ It’s there, it has always been there.” The uncontrived presence that his paintings have also applies to the artist—from the conception of the subject to naming paintings. “I keep a book with titles in it…I keep it
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fresh with words that I like and phrases I enjoy,” he says. Scott, who identifies with the reclusive quality of antlered animals (a common theme in his paintings these days), have been dabbling in the area of daydreaming—taking his aesthetic to ceiling murals in homes, a couple of books, and a show based on being underwater. But lugging around this philosophy of his, that constant bout with the in-between, can’t be so dandy all the time. He says, “I guess I am really ahead of my time, or way behind.”
scottbelcastro.blogspot.com
“I guess i am really ahead of my time, or way behind.”
mastermind
“WHEN I was starting, I tried to make myself look confident, But now, it’s more about enjoying...”
Jersey Shore fist-pumping jock types may be commonplace in the Big Apple’s cutthroat male modeling industry, but Innovative Artists’ and Ford Models’ RAM SAGAD is not your run-of-the-mill mannequin. By Evan Tan Photographed by Steve Tirona
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espite his basketball player stature of six feet and two-and-a-half inches, rugged good looks, and athletic build, Sylvester Sagad—more known by his nickname Ram—is not acting the part of a douchey Narcissus. You’d think by now that he’d end up having superstar cockiness. After all, college girls have been swooning over him even before he entered the modeling industry. Ram played forward for San Sebastian College-Recoletos’ basketball team, Golden Stags (a name dripping with alpha-male testosterone viciousness). His fame has also been skyrocketing since he seized the top prize at the Century Tuna Superbods Beachfest competition in 2007, leading to brand endorsements and stints in primetime television shows such as the Philippine version of Fear Factor. Above all, he has clinched modeling stints both here and abroad, having appeared in Cosmopolitan magazine (both in the Philippines and in the US), a J.C. Penney television commercial, and runway shows for Dockers and Levi’s in New York as well as local designers such as M Barretto, Marlon Rivera, Jeffrey Rogador, and Yako Reyes among hordes. But even with the fame and a career that’s every other model’s wet dream, the only stereotype Ram fits in is that of the
quintessential boy next door’s. Answering each question I threw at him with much tact and humility, Ram reveals that he’s more of a gentle lamb than his aggressive animal namesake. How was the experience in the recent Philippine Fashion Week? I was really excited since I was away for three seasons. I missed my friends plus the stress of running from one show to another. It was tiring but fun. What’s the big difference between Philippine Fashion Week and shows you’ve done outside the country? It’s simpler outside the Philippines— rehearsal times are shorter, waiting time is less. What do you think about when you walk on the runway? When I was starting, I tried to make myself look confident, but now, it’s more about enjoying the feel of the music and doing what the designer wants. What are the things you like and hate about being a model? I like traveling and meeting different people. I don’t like being away from my family and my friends. It’s difficult when
you’re outside of the country; you can’t turn to your family and friends when you have problems. What’s the strangest modeling gig you’ve ever done? I did a show for Disney, during TRON’s launch. We, models, had to wear colorful outfits, and our shoes lit up. I felt like I was a kid again! Have you ever encountered an obsessed fan? During [the recent] fashion week, there was this person who’d always have his picture taken with me after every show. Whenever I went to the backstage, he’d be there, waiting for me, and asking to have my picture taken with him. It grew to a point when I began to recognize the person, and I would approach him each time so we can have our photo together. Any celebrity you met that got you starstruck? George Clooney. When I was in New York, I met him inside a church before I went home for Philippine Fashion Week. If you were trapped in an island and you had to eat another model, who would it be? [Laughs] I’d rather starve.
fordmodels.com
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mastermind
“If you can impress the hardest person to impress, you will always win.”
IN FULL flight
You don’t really get an opinion simply by posting a few photos and writing a few words online. It’s more about walking your talk and inspiring people to believe in it. SKY GELLATLY does both and more. By Vicky Herrera Photographed by 13thWitness
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o call Sky Gellatly an influencer is nothing new. He was, after all, interviewed in the online documentary Influencers, in which a roster of likeminded cultural innovators explain the movement of trends and the breakdown of the creative mind. Not only has Sky formerly served as the marketing director of sneaker store Flight Club, he has also been multimedia editor for Details Magazine and associate producer/assistant editor for MTV.com. Currently, he co-manages the careers of DJ Neil Armstrong, DJ Josh Madden, and Jay-Z’s sound engineer Young Guru as well as that of this scene’s favorite photographer and director, 13th Witness. Sky is also the strategy director of Team Epiphany, a marketing and communications agency based in New York. This year, the agency (or as Sky calls it, family) continues to make major moves in the cultural landscape. On the music side, Sky and rapper Lupe Fiasco are set to tour as a DJ duo as well as to create their own music. The old saying does ring true: this Sky has no limit. Tell us the story of the last time you felt really inspired. I wake up every day and do exactly what I want to do… I feel successful in that I am always inspired. Producing music videos that 13thWitness directs is so crazy to me. In 2010, I worked with Deftones, Cypress Hill, Lupe Fiasco, and John
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Mayer with 13thWitness. Helping DJ Neil Armstrong continue to develop his global DJ career after his two years with Jay-Z is inspiring. See, the thing is, 13thWitness is my favorite photographer. DJ Neil Armstrong is my favorite DJ. I’ll always say it: I’m a fan first. Do you ever feel the pressure of failure? If you haven’t failed, and I mean completely fallen on your face, failure will always be something that adds pressure on your psyche. Once you’ve failed, you start seeing more of the positive side of any opportunity, and that failure is simply another way of the cosmos telling you that “that wasn’t right for you.” What is meant for you won’t pass you by. How do you think media strengthens or weakens the culture you’re cultivating? Media is everything. Editorial integrity cannot be bought. Opinion is informed by research. Media that is critical of what is now and hot is what keeps artists up at night and brands on their toes. Media spurns evolution or, at the very least, rebuttal. Media is the nexus through which criticism can engender real cultural change. In Influencers, you speak a lot about mentorship. How can one find a successful mentor? I found my first mentor, Ben White, the original Editor in Chief at Complex, after
I, well, found Complex. But, I guess, in that situation, I realized that if I proved to the top guy that I was talented, everyone under him had to follow suit and work with me—always remember that the top guy has top reign. If you can impress the hardest person to impress, you will always win. Often, you have to anoint them; you can’t sit back and wait for someone to bring you under their wing. What was the most invaluable lesson you’ve learned from a mentor? Like in “Wu-Tang Financial”: you gotta diversify your bonds!
hypebeast.com/blog/skygellatly
REAL TALK
You come up with a lot of word play on your blog. Tell us 5 that we can learn from.
1. Less is more, more or less. 2. Knowledge: know the ledge. 3. Beyond my means by any means. 4. If you go after a dime, be prepared, perhaps, to be nickel and dimed. 5. Only one mother.
mastermind
FONT
ROW
There might be hell in Helvetica, foreshadowing in Futura, or a red herring in Baskerville; thing is, novelist MARK Z. DANIELEWSKI understands that language talks not only through definitions and metaphors but also through actual space and typefaces. By Kristine Dabbay Photographed by Emman Montalvan
A
champion of ergodic literature—a visual form of writing that employs nontrivial techniques such as interference with page layouts—Mark Z. Danielewski is famous for his debut novel, House of Leaves. He himself uses InDesign for his pages. I ask what his favorite fonts were. “First, I start with a character or a theme or a bias…and then, I begin to explore which font best fits that perspective. Whether I like it is irrelevant. The only question is whether or not it serves the subject,” he says. Biffy Clyro just made a concept album out of Mark’s new novel Only Revolutions, a story about two teenagers in their race through America’s history. The words get smaller as the story progresses. But if it was his choice to turn music into a novel, he reveals, it would be Glenn Gould’s Goldberg Variations, The Beatles’ Rubber Soul, and Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue. But before he’s able to do that, fill yourself with his insights from our exclusive interview.
object. The ones that flirt, I don’t mind so much. With those, I dance a bit. It’s true, music can help establish or remind me of a particular mood. Often, it serves as a kind of temp track, but like a temp track, I frequently remind myself to switch it up and, now and then, get rid of it altogether. Actually, as a project approaches its end, I listen to music less and less. The piece becomes its own kind of music. It requires no accompaniment.
I just finished the rough draft of volume 6 of my 27-volume novel entitled The Familiar.
When I was sixteen, I was miserable. Paralyzed by longing. No more capable of going out on a milkshake date with a girl than say hello. Forget about sex. My family had moved from New York City to Provo, Utah. As an outsider who was neither Mormon nor particularly knowledgeable of that culture’s practices, I felt constantly out of place. I just couldn’t fit in. And yet, at the same time, perversely, I still felt encircled by a belief system I couldn’t accept let alone escape. Come to think of it, it’s pretty clear Sam and Hailey’s continual flight from any social context is rooted in those feelings of emotional entrapment I experienced as a teenager.
Music helps quiet the voices—especially those that grumble and harp and love to
I hardly believe I’m unique in observing how the shape of text can reshape the
meaning of that text. We’ve all experienced this firsthand when we take handwritten notes and use different colored pens, or doodle in the margins, or decide on allcaps before changing to tiny cursive, perhaps writing upside down or on a slant. I just chose not to deny that component from how I created. Maybe I owe the Mormons from whom I learned resistance to anything that prohibits self-expression.
What makes writing worth its joy is that you have to earn your way every day. Once the particular solution is discovered, the problem rarely reoccurs. Ideas now have a greater prominence in how I choose to live, specially those ideas which strive to move beyond self and circumstance, ideas which find revelation in hardship and disappointment, ideas which get it all wrong. Two things I live by: write what you and never underestimate your reader. will hold you through the hard times still mean something during the best times.
love, That and of
markzdanielewski.info
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Thin and still possessing that boyish, just-outof-college aura, ELY BUENDIA doesn’t need to speak up to be heard. His quiet and casual mien is something he has more than earned. Here’s his take on emo, the coming man-machine merger, and Pupil’s latest LP, Limiters of the Infinity Pool. By Karl R. De Mesa Photographed by Patrick L. Jamora Styling by Cholo Dela Vega Hair and Makeup by Georginna Desuasido
H E A V Y H I T T E R
shirt & jacket by Tyler necktie & mini tie bar: stylist’s own
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HEAVY HITTER
shirt by Tween watch & bracelet: stylist’s own jacket by The Artisan
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“Music, to me, is either good or bad— those are the only genres I know.”
don’t think I’ll ever run out of ideas,” Ely Buendia tells us, confessing his cure for writer’s block. “The secret is to step back and not force yourself to do anything. That’s how the universe works, in case you didn’t get the memo.” After all, he is the man. Responsible for probably half the modern hits on the Filipino music chip of your Magic Sing karaoke microphone alone, he still finds time to dabble in publishing and other projects. Tonight, he is contemplating whether to watch Source Code after hearing good reviews about it. You can’t help but enjoy Ely Buendia’s body of work in sound even if you don’t agree with the decisions or the rumors or the public avowals behind their raison d’être. For those who came of age in the 1990s (yours truly being guilty), Buendia’s voice and sentiments occupy a mind space similar to that of Bob Dylan for the hippies for which some hold up albums as singular psalm and scorn others as beacons of derisive sellout. Buendia has already outlived Lennon, after all, but for some, there is no explanation that will ever condone his departure from the Eraserheads. Or perhaps it’s Lou Reed? Pop culture purism is a rare species of hardcore nostalgia. That hasn’t stopped Buendia from moving forward or checking out his 90s heroes at all. From warming up the crowd for Nine Inch Nails back in 2009 to singing along with the rest of the audience at the Stone Temple Pilots concert a couple of months back. “I was just glad that Scott Weiland showed up,” he says. The Eraserheads Complete Boxed Set— something I bought without hesitation—is not only a benchmark for Filipino music history (and how the bands they influenced
made it their playbook for dealing with a life in music). For us who grew up with it, they are the soundtrack to real memories, now frozen in time, and by association, with Buendia’s Toyang, Ligaya, Kim, Julie, Punk Zappa, and his other characters. In his long years as chief E-Head, he cemented his skill for confronting the woes and delights of the Filipino everyman through guitar-driven pop rock. His solo work is a melting pot of genres (remember Wanted: Bedspacer?) and then, there’s the artsy rock and primarily English lyrics of Pupil. Pupil is something that progressed naturally from The Mongols of 2005 when Buendia went by the stage moniker Jesus “Dizzy” Ventura. They hit on the band name while browsing a medical book, though before that, they did consider Villain, Lords of Nasdaq, Trochlean, Traitors, Tyrel Corp, and even the horrid The Gets. And now, the third in the Pupil discography is complete. Limiters of the Infinity Pool veers away from the slick 21st century UK garage sound that dominated Beautiful Machines (2005) and the jagged frolic of Wild Life (2008). Now, there’s a live string section, nods to space rock, Michael Jackson, and a healthy dose of something that just might fairly resemble snide political commentary (see “TNT” and “Pikit Bukas”). Believe it. It’s in the rambling Beatlesque glimmer meets Bright Eyes bundled as oblique love song in “Morning Gift.” Though bombastically titled and precious, there’s as much space rock here as there is actual pork in pork and beans. As such, Pupil still manages to pull off a righteous, swirling, galactic palette without ever leaving any earthly delights behind.
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“i hope every single young person who likes [emo] music outgrows it. fast.”
BUENDIA says, “[This is] the album that Pupil was meant to make. It’s also great for driving!” Check out “20/20” (where Ely croons “You zipped through the stars/ In a silver shopping cart” with his new, signature aloof snarl and passive-aggressive bite perfected by the past two albums), where paradise can also nurture black flowers, and “Deft Mechanic,” which contains vague references to “owning it” and may lead one to reason or a celebrity affirmation of the Charlie Sheen kind. Co-produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Pat Tirano at Wombworks, Limiters of the Infinity Pool is as enjoyable as a dose of Asgardian mead to your freshly cold Coke float. Pupil harks back to poignant melodies while kicking their spaceship into high gear, hand hovering near the afterburn switch.
Do you have any recurring dreams/nightmares?
Yes, I do, and it’s a bit lame. I dream about performing onstage. Hey, at least I’m still productive in my sleep.
You’ve been inspired by both films and literature for band names and songs. Which directors and authors are you into these days?
Jason Eisener’s first film, Hobo with a Shotgun, is pretty solid. The last novelist I followed was Crichton. Now, I’m more into non-fiction.
Have you seen any of the recent crop of music documentaries like It Might Get Loud? Thoughts on filmmaking? Scoring? The edge has way too much effects. Jack White is bordering on annoying. Jimmy Page is a cool cat. He’s my favorite. One of these days, I will think of an awesome concept, and I will film it. I don’t think I should talk about scoring here. It’s a bit private. [Laughs]
Tell us about your thoughts on acting.
I can’t act to save my life, but I am a fan of the process. It’s not something I’d do on a regular basis, though, so don’t hold your breath.
Are you familiar with the prediction of the coming Singularity?
It’s every nerd’s wet dream, isn’t it? It still sounds too sci-fi right now, so I’m not about to pack my bags. I’ll tell you what: the moment my Apple TV stops crashing, then we can talk about uploading our memories to a computer.
If you were to upload your consciousness into a machine for immortality, would you choose a robotic body or simply live inside a virtual mainframe?
I suppose I’d choose both, wouldn’t you? No sense confining yourself if the technology already exists.
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Why don’t you want to talk about your heart condition?
Who said I don’t want to talk about it? I’m just sick of showbiz interviews with “How’s your health?” as the default opening question. I mean, put a little effort into it!
Any new genres you really like and might take a stab at interpreting into your own solo work or a future major collaboration?
Music, to me, is either good or bad—those are the only genres I know.
Your thoughts on current trends in rock music?
I used to not mind emo. Now, it annoys the hell out of me. I hope every single young person who likes this music outgrows it. Fast.
pupil.ph
HEAVY HITTER
shirt by 7 For All Mankind jacket by VIKTOR
THE MISSHAPES has evolved from spinning in their weekly gigs to mixing the soundtracks for the coolest runway shows and afterparties all over the world. Leigh Lezark and Geordon Nicol reveal how they transitioned from being New York’s it DJ group with Greg Krelenstein to becoming the world’s most searched fashion trendsetters…without even trying. By Vicky Herrera Photographed by Kareem Black Styling by Karen Schijman for B&A Reps Hair & Makeup by Sylvester Castellano
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On Geordon motorcycle vest by THE CAST tank by Jeremy Scott skinnies by Thvm On Leigh Slave Boys cropped tee by Obesity and Speed black skinnies by Thvm Punk Chic bracelet by Tom Binns Vignette axe and crown pendant necklace by Tom Binns Razor House Sacrificed bracelet by BEVEL
HEAVY HITTER
you’ve spent these last 6 to 8 years clicking across the blogosphere, then you’ve probably heard of The Misshapes legend through one site or another. Being called to interview the DJ group—style and music’s pied pipers Leigh Lezark, Geordon Nicol, and Greg Krelenstein—for a cover story meant that, as a fan, I could finally rise from face-to-computer interaction to face-to-face conversation. Leigh and Geordon are in Manila, the two of them representing the trio as international projects protocol goes, for a show in Philippine Fashion Week that night. It’s a job they’ve already gotten used to doing. “We do all kinds of different designers—from New York, Paris, London, everywhere,” says Geordon. Naming themselves after the Pulp song “Mis-Shapes,” the group formed in 2003 and
attracted a dedicated following through their weekly parties in downtown New York. Closely resembling the city’s Studio 54 days, it attracted a list of who’s who. A few of those spotted in the scene were models Agyness Deyn, Lily Donaldson, and Gemma Ward, designers Alexander Herchcovitch, Hedi Slimane, and Gareth Pugh, bands like Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Gossip, actresses like Sienna Miller and Chloë Sevigny, icons like Yoko Ono and Madonna. This morning, the duo is getting ready for a hotel suite shoot. As we wait, Geordon gives me a quick Misshapes history recap: “We started off doing our weekly party, then over time, it gradually evolved to DJing in events and different parties for different people, which evolved into doing lots of runway show music.” He runs down a few of their past runway music clients: Viktor & Rolf, Zac Posen, Henry Holland, Jeremy Scott, and Karl Lagerfeld. Speaking of Lagerfeld and the great fashion figure that he is, it’s quite noteworthy to mention that he also chose Leigh to be Chanel ambassador, a title beyond any clothing-obsessed woman’s wildest dreams. Leigh talks about the
Kaiser in a very respectful way: “I do think Karl has the best energy. He’s a huge inspiration… He’s very good at making people feel like they want to be the best of themselves,” she reflects. “So I did a video for the last cruise collection... He was very supportive, and he had me play Coco Chanel, which was an honor.” Leigh keeps her answers short and direct. She hardly looks up, and she speaks as she files her nails while perched on the bathroom chair. I ask her what she thinks of the word muse, and she replies hastily, “Nothing...I think it’s kind of silly,” she looks up and pauses. “I mean, you can’t really define that,” she explains and focuses back to her task. She seems a bit nonchalant about the whole experience, remaining unfazed by the title. Leigh never seems to take things too seriously. And her DJ philosophy rides on the same attitude. Leigh goes on, “I mean we just pay attention to the crowd and what they’re responding positively to… [When] DJing at a club, I just try to have fun ‘cause if we’re having fun, everyone else has fun.” The only thing she really requires when she DJs are “CD’s, a really tall heel, and vodka and diet coke.”
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“I guess…I don’t follow many rules, but I wouldn’t say I necessarily break them. I just don’t follow them.”
it comes to style, The Misshapes has never been too concerned with what the world might say. Geordon thinks it’s just how organic New York culture is. “I feel like when you live in New York, everyone is always looking in at New York, but New York is never really looking outwards. It’s looking inwards and moving forward.” He adds, “The real people who work in fashion don’t follow trends. I think that, if you really love fashion, it’s not about trends to you... I mean when we go out to something, it’s usually just whatever we like. We aren’t too cerebral about things,” he says. Leigh does mention that she likes exploring for unknowns. “Whenever we are in a foreign country, we try to go to the local markets for clothing and food and whatever because we can go to Chanel anywhere in the world, but we can’t really get local designers except at the place we are in.” And when it comes to her future fashion bets, Leigh predicts, “I think Haider Ackerman is going to rule the world in terms of fashion.” Their style, best archived in their Misshapes book, published in 2008 by MTV Press, has opened the doors for a new
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wave of self- expressionists. They have attracted a creative fan base in places all around the world, but it’s finding their influence in places that aren’t the usual fashion capitals that makes them both surprised and appreciative. Take, for example, this Ukraine experience which Geordon relates: “There’s this 17-yearold who is a fan of ours, and he produces his own fashion magazine… It’s a print magazine… It’s exciting when you see a person really excited about anything—about fashion, or music, or us, or whatever it may be.” Crediting the web for this, Geordon says, “[Fashion] becomes available to more people. A good example is when we go to countries like Mexico or [Uruguay] or countries that don’t have an industry... Everything becomes really accessible to them… In a way, it’s more exciting because you had to come to the party to get it. [Now], you can get it in so many different ways.” It’s true, I wouldn’t have known of The Misshapes on this side of the world if it weren’t for Google. Think back a few years, and you’ll recall the rise of blogs, hipsters, streetwear, etc.. “We are children of the Internet generation... Through Facebook, MySpace, Twitter... You see, for instance, people like us or [DJ]
Steve Aoki or [party photographer] The Cobrasnake or any of those people are all products of the Internet…and have been able to be exposed to an international audience, which, I think, is great,” says Geordon. So it’s been a whirlwind of constant traveling. Geordon runs out loud through his schedule, which sounds like a packed series of music gigs ranging from the global fashion weeks and couture shows to events in Cannes and Miami’s Art Basel. On the fashion side, the group was tapped to model for H&M’s Fashion Against AIDS campaign, which aims to raise awareness, a cause they’ve always been supporting. “We’ve always done work with AIDS organizations,” he says. Meanwhile, Leigh simply shrugs at the thought of the future. “Who knows? I mean I have no idea. Your guess is really as good as mine.” This whole DJ ride, after all, wasn’t what she expected. “I started DJing because I was too young to get into clubs, and now, this is where I’m at... in the Philippines...doing my nails in the bathroom.” Given her reference to her early DJ years, is breaking the rules, then, the way to go? She concludes, “I guess…I don’t follow many rules, but I wouldn’t say I necessarily break them. I just don’t follow them.”
misshapes.com
HEAVY HITTER
On Geordon tank by Rogue jacket by Rogue Write Wrongs pendant by Tom Binns skinnies by Thvm lace up shoes by Comme des Garรงons On Leigh shredded shirt dress by Obesity and Speed Jill leather vest by Theyskens for Theory Razor House Sacrificed bracelet by BEVEL Moracees black studded pumps by Walter Steiger
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
FRESHSQUEEZE Tall, white, Asian—we got ‘em all. Welcome the faces that will soon grace your favorite magazines’ pages and walk your favorite designers’ runways. Guaranteed 100% fresh, these young ones are ready for the picking.
ODILE COCO SPS Model Management How important is personality to you as a model?
I think if you are some sort of entertainer or someone who has to be onstage—catwalk, in our case—you have to be there; otherwise, even a six-foot tall model can disappear…you have to stand out!
How do you, as a model, inspire?
You need that personality “radiating through your eyes”—not my words. It’s difficult to be inspired by just good looks, so there has to be a connection—a click.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had?
My dad’s spaghetti bolognese. Seriously, it’s good. Really good. Makes me hungry even just thinking about it. Yumyum.
spsmm.com
BENJAMIN EIDEM Quest Model Management Complete as sentences: I love modeling because…I get to travel and see the world. What the world needs now…is some new South Park episodes. What has been your greatest contribution to history?
I invented a time machine, but it can only go forward at the speed of a clock. No, but seriously, I haven’t had any great contributions to history according to my standards.
What are the theme songs to your life?
“Don’t Stop Me Now” (Queen) because I am the “One” (U2) and “The Show Must Go On.” (Queen)
requestmodels.com
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SAM GOMEZ CAL-CARRIES Who are some models you look up to?
I initially wanted to get into modeling because I followed the America’s Next Top Model series since cycle one. I was really inspired to be a model, and so I kind of idolize Tyra Banks.
What traits should a model have?
Be humble—don’t let anything get to your head—and kind… When you’re in the industry, always listen and trust those around you.
How do you, as a model, inspire?
Always have a positive energy surrounding you in everything from shoots, shows, editorials, everything.
cal-caries.com
LEEBO FREEMAN Adam NYC Sam Gomez photos by Lyka Orhel
How do people react to your platinum blond look?
It’s kind of hard to miss me when I walk in with white hair. I love it. It was like this when I was a wee lad so I feel myself with it and definitely love being out-of-the-ordinary.
Who are your heroes?
My grandpa, my stepdad, and my brother. They are all people who are real men—big hearts, loving, supportive, driven, true to what they believe in, and always there for me.
What do you do to get “high” seeing as you’re 100% clean?
Skateboard really fast through the city while listening to beachy tunes like Surfer Blood and The Strokes, pretending that I’m riding waves.
adam-nyc.com
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NIGHTVISION
oxygen ft. the misshapes
@ Kyss
by Andrew Apuya
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NIGHTVISION
number line records Launch @ SaGuijo
by Ralph Hilario & Bobby Benedicto
Angels & Kings a tutiplen by Gerard Estadella
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NIGHTVISION
fresh fridays
@ Fiamma
by Isabella Marcos & Jessica Rossa
HERCULEs’ BIRTHDAY @ Gucci
by Gerard Estadella
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NIGHTVISION
YOUR MUM’s HOUSE @ Club Punk, London by The XOXO Kids
SATURDARE @ Attica
by Ralph Hilario
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NIGHTVISION
ONE PIECE LET’S PARTY
by The Cobrasnake
Right said zed @ Dim Mak Studios by The Cobrasnake
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DIRECTORY BRANDS 7 FOR ALL MANKIND Greenbelt 5, Makati City 21 MEN Forever 21, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City ABREU RIOS abreurios.com ACCESSORIZE Greenbelt 5, Makati City ADIDAS Adidas stores and shoe departments nationwide ALDO Power Plant Mall, Makati City ANGELA BANG angelabang.com ARMANI EXCHANGE Power Plant Mall, Makati City THE ARTISAN theartisanclothing.com THE BALM Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City BENEFIT benefitcosmetics.com BEVEL thecast.com BOBBI BROWN Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City CALLIOPE SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City CALZEDONIA calzedonia.it THE CAST thecast.com CELIO Power Plant Mall, Makati City CHARLES & KEITH Power Plant Mall, Makati City CLAE Greyone Social, Greenbelt 5, Makati City COMME DES GARÇONS comme-des-garcons.com CREATIVE RECREATION Complex, Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City and Shoe Salon stores nationwide DEBENHAMS Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City DIESEL Power Plant Mall, Makati City EMILIME emilimehandcrafted.com FOLDED AND HUNG Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City FOREVER 21 SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City FREESTYLE NECKLACES freestylenecklaces.multiply.com FRIENDS & NEMESIS friendandnemesis.com GIVENCY givenchy.com GORI DE PALMA goridepalma.com
H&M hm.com H! BY HENRY HOLLAND Debenhams, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City JAI ACTIVEWEAR jaiactivewear.com JEREMY SCOTT jeremyscott.com JURLIQUE Greenbelt 5, Makati City KORRES korres.com LAURA MERCIER Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City MAINE Debenhams, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City MAKE UP FOR EVER Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City MAYBELLINE maybelline.com MIU MIU miumiu.com MUNDO The Ramp, Crossings Department Store, Glorietta, Makati City NARS Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City NEUTROGENA neutrogena.com NIKE Nike stores and shoe departments nationwide, Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City OBESITY AND SPEED obesityandspeed.com OXYGEN SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City PENSHOPPE SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City PONY Complex, Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City and SM Department Stores nationwide PROMOD Greenbelt 5, Makati City PUMA Puma stores and shoe departments nationwide RED HERRING Debenhams, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City ROGUE singer22.com, info@rogue.com SAM EDELMAN samedelman.com SEPHORA sephora.com SINEQUANONE SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City SKINFOOD TriNoma, Quezon City SMASHBOX Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City SONIA RYKIEL soniarykiel.com
SPRINGFIELD Greenbelt 3, Makati City STEVE MADDEN Greenbelt 5, Makati City STILA Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City STUDIO MAKEUP studio-make-up.com STYLI STYLE styli-style.com TERRANOVA SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City THEYSKENS FOR THEORY theory.com THVM oaknyc.com TOM BINNS tombinnsdesign.com TOMATO SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City TOPMAN Greenbelt 3, Makati City TOPSHOP Greenbelt 3, Makati City TWEEN Adora, Greenbelt 5, Makati City TYLER Adora, Greenbelt 5, Makati City URBAN DECAY urbandecay.com VANS Vans boutiques, SM Department Stores, Landmark Department Stores, Urban Athletics, Toby’s, Olympic Village, American Rag, Athlete’s Foot, Sports Warehouse VIKTOR JEANS Greenbelt 5, Makati City WALTER STEIGER waltersteiger.com WAREHOUSE Greenbelt 5, Makati City ARTISTS 13th Witness (Photographer) 13thwitness.com Andrew Apuya (Photographer) andrewapuya.tumblr.com Bobby Benedicto (Photographer) thirdworlder.tumblr.com David Black (Photographer) davidblackphotography.com Kareem Black (Photographer) kareemblack.com Carmina Camps (Makeup) carminacamps@gmail.com Michael Casker (Photographer) michaelcasker.com Sylvester Castellano (Hair and Makeup) ba-reps.com/artists/sylvester-castellano The Cobrasnake (Photographer) thecobrasnake.com Fernando Colon (Photographer)
fernandocolon.com Georginna Desuasido (Hair and Makeup) missmakeup.multiply.com Everywhere We Shoot (Photographer) everywhereweshoot.tumblr.com Cholo Dela Vega (Photographer and Stylist) cholodelavega.com/blog Gerard Estadella (Photographer) icanteachyouhowtodoit.com Ralph Hilario (Photographer) miracleman.tumblr.com Kai Huang (Photogpraher) hungryalien.com Patrick L. Jamora (Photographer) behance.net/padraick Raymond Kho (Makeup) 09175545446 Stephan Labs (Photographer) berlinlabs.de Samantha Landis (Hair) samanthalandis.carbonmade.com Rebecca Luke (Stylist) rebeccalukestyle.carbonmade.com Isabella Marcos (Photographer) im.isamarcs@gmail.com Roger Marti (Photo Editing) rogermarti.com Patricia Martin (Stylist) carminacamps@gmail.com Miguel Miranda (Photographer) miguelmiranda420@yahoo.com Emman Montalvan (Photographer) emmanfotos.tumblr.com Fabien Montique (Photographer) fabienmontique.com Darroch Putnam (Photographer) mrosandich1.photobiz.com Jessica Roasa (Photographer) jessie.roasa@gmail.com Nikki Ruiz (Photographer) nmgruiz.tumblr.com Paolo Ruiz (Photographer) paoloruiz.com Nina Sandejas (Photographer) ninasandejas.com Karen Schijman (Stylist) ba-reps.com/artists/karen-schijman Tim Serrano (Photographer) timserrano.com Studio Seek (Photographer) studioseek.se Armando Sierra (Hair) Jing Monis Salon, 09178306515 Raul Tejero (Photographer) raultejero.com Jayme Thornton (Photographer) krop.com/jtphoto Dawn Tunnell (Makeup) dawntunnell.com Zach Wolfe (Photographer) zachwolfe.com The XOXO Kids (Photographer) thexoxokids.com
: My Husband’s First Work of Art
My husband made this when he was two years old. It is a truck made of tape and wood. His mother framed it beautifully, and it looks great hanging in our bedroom.
Moustache
It’s kind of weird, but I think a woman in drag is really sexy. I like to wear a moustache and tux out every now and then. Not for dinner at Mother’s, but maybe at a New York club. I can sort of hide behind it and wear comfortable shoes but still feel dressed up.
Fireplace
My husband and I light ours up every night. It soothes the soul. We love putting little arrangements of things we collect on it too, like the tiny top-sider shoes I made him for Christmas or the sea life we’ve found while scuba diving.
VIRGINIA LINZEE
It’s always nice to meet the artists behind your favorite artists. One of them is VIRGINIA LINZEE, who started painting on canvases but now has moved on to painting faces of artists like Drake, Matt and Kim, Sufjan Stevens, Cold War Kids, and even the entire cast of Skins (US). Take a peek inside her kit. Photographed by Michael Casker
Wooden Blocks
These came with an old newspaper article about the man who made them. I remember playing with blocks like these as a child, and I get a kick out of building all kinds of crazy things with these now.
94 - statusmagonline.com
Antique French Plate
I have ten of these, each depicting a different opera scene and music. They were given to me by my great aunt and have been with our family since the 1700s.
Diptyque Candle
I am obsessed with scents, and the Diptyque Candles are the best. I love to mix and match their travel size candles, but the Pomander scent is my favorite, so I splurged on a big one.
Rick Owens Jacket
Perfume
The best place to go for a pick-me-up is a little shop in Brooklyn called I Hate Perfume. I picked up this little bottle of North Atlantic because I live right by the sea, and it smells like home.
I wear this jacket more than any other article of clothing. It is so comfortable, always in style, and can be worn year round. I can even roll it in a ball and throw it in a suitcase without getting it messed up.