IS A HIT MAN JULY 2012
65
STATUSPHERE THREADS SETTING BRICK & MORTAR SCREEN INK BEATS
gadgets 29
TECH PACK: CUTTING CORNERS
Colors come unlatched.
BEAUTY 30
FACE PAINT: FACE OF THE SUN
Become a naturalist.
31 31
68 SHAUN ROSS
MARISSA NADLER
14 STATUS MESSAGE 16 MASTHEAD 19 24 25 26 27 28
69 DAVID FINCH
ABOUT FACE:SIPPING BEAUTY
Two for me, tea for you.
BEAUTY BITE: HAIRPARTY24HR
VISION BOARD
36 HIGH VELOCITY
Win with the wind wafting through your hair. By Louiza Vick
42 BOY ABOUT TOWN
That’s no geek in the pink giving you a wink. By Zeko Eon
46 BUZZER BEATER
Time out. Crossover. Fadeaway. Outfit change. By Patrick Diokno
SHOPPING GUIDE SWAG
53 SILK ON VALLEY Printed scarves
54 SHEER INTUITION
Sleeveless button-downs
54 BRIGHT FUTURE Neon necklaces
55 HANDY DANDY Handbags
56 BABY BOO
Pastel pants
FASHION
57 CROSS OVER
32 GO SEE
58 WALKING ON SUNSHINE
34 STYLE ID: PERFECT CLUTCH
59 SNEAKY LITTLE SIDE
STREET STYLE Wear the risk factor. Top it off with a statement.
Crisscross heels
Pastel shirts
Sneakers
60 RHYTHM AND BLUES Denim shorts
60 BLOCKED AND LOADED Solid-colored socks
61 PAULY’S POCKET Cargo jackets
FEATURES mUSE
62 OYE COMO VA
Rock the boat with Mariana Santana’s model moves. By Giano D. Dionisio
mAESTRO
63 TRAPPER KEEPER
We pumped our pelvises to the Temper Trap’s first album. With the release of The Temper Trap, it’s time for round two of hippopping. By Reena Mesias
64 READY FOR PICKUP
Have you heard any good Silversun Pickups lines lately? Try Neck of the Woods and catch the raw emotion of gems such as “See you laughing in a picture/ But I know what’s out of frame.” By Leo Balante
65 HEART WRENCH
Suffering from insomnia? Just sleep with Marissa Nadler. Don’t be a creeper; we meant her lethargic soprano sweetness soothing the most savage of beasts. By Miguel Escobar
65 FORK IN THE ROAD
In the pursuit of adventure, These United States have traveled almost all of the US to spread their music on the road to everywhere. By Karlo Cleto
66 HANDSOME FURIES
Ironic band name aside, the Hansom brother trio just want to laugh, love, and “Landi.” By Rita Faire
66 RUN FOXES RUN
Foxy lady Foxes may be known for that one song you heard
in Gossip Girl, but her music transcends teen drama, delving into real life battles in latest album, Warrior. By Cy Mationg
67 GHOST RIDER
With Safe Travels, Jukebox the Ghost steer listeners off the beaten post-punk path and onto accident-prone danceable/ thrashable avenues. By Reena Mesias
mASTERMIND
68 THIS GREY AREA
African-American albino model Shaun Ross testifies that it does matter if you’re black or white. Why? Because he’s both—and neither—at the same time. By Belle Rodolfo
69 FINCH ME, I’M DREAMING
Sure, you’ve seen the Dark Knight, Avengers, and X-Men movies. But David Finch has illustrated for all three, no big deal. By Mikel Reyes
70 FLOURISH AND FAUNA
Tokwa Peñaflorida illustrates fawning fairies whose stares and curves spell risqué business. By Petra Magno
71 TRASH TALKS AND PHOTO DUMPS
David Titlow juices creativity out of his childhood’s cultural wasteland. By Reena Mesias
72 LADY IS A VAMP
She might act out an obsession with a suspected vampire roomie onscreen, but Sarah Bolger is really a homebody who curls up with a cup of tea and sinks her teeth into cheese. By Rita Faire
IS A HIT MAN
70
JULY 2012
73 TYLER BLACKBURN
TOKWA PEñAFLORIDA
62 72 TRUE TO FORM
True Blood’s shmexiest shifter Janina Gavankar is used to the hoots and cat calls, but unlike the roles she portrays, she’s more cuckoo than cooing, and she can also sing like a lark. By Miguel Escobar
73 LIAR, LIAR, HE’S ON FIRE
Tyler Blackburn may look like a player, but he’s no liar. The Pretty Little Liars actor isn’t fibbing, but he’s not telling us everything he’s keeping up those sleeves or under that shirt either. By Zoe Laurente
HEAVY HITTER
74 PRIVATE PARTS
Maroon 5 shot into the mainstream by being Overexposed. Admit it or not, though, their songs have touched parts of us we’d rather keep hush-hush. Well, just close the door behind you as you read. By Victoria Herrera
80 OF MICS AND MEN
Oh, if we could sing like Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, whose sound hardens our limp bodies with a “Loud Love.” It’s a storybook romance with the band that, more than a decade later, is finally reuniting and reigniting the flames of that “Black Hole Sun.” By Mara Coson
MARIANA SANTANA
82 WELCOME TO PLANET VIBSKOV
Danish designer Henrik Vibskov whirls a world fashioned with melting colors, shrink wrap, and boobies, while publishing books, collaborating on art projects, and living life away from the lap of luxury. By Gino de la Paz
86 WHATEVER GETS YOU THROUGH THE NIGHT
With the release of Strangeland, UK man band (as opposed to boy band) Keane reel it back to sensitive sensibilities and coming to grips with gentlemanly feelings. Plus, they’re still consistently topping charts and giving us an excuse to go camping with the bros. By Kristine Dabbay
BLOCK PARTY: THE SKIN THEY LIVE IN Tattoo artists
88 RON POE
P&P Tattoo
89 CAMSY VALENCIA Eclectic Tattoo
89 WIJI LACSAMANA
EVENTS
NIGHTVISION
91 DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH 92 JUMP SMOKERS 92 NOKIA LUMIA LAUNCH 93 DIAMOND DOGS 93 CIVIC DUTY LAUNCH PARTY 94 PRAY FOR PARTY 94 REPUBLIQ BEACH CLUB 95 GIRLS BEST FRIEND 95 LIMITLESS
MORE
96 DIRECTORY STATUS INVADES
98 MICHELLE PALOMA
This model knows how to keep herself looking pretty damn fine.
99 GOING H.A.M.
Kanye and Kim’s unreleased home videos.
Dyuntats (Apprentice)
STATUS reaches stadium-level frenzy with Maroon 5 on the cover for its Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll issue. Like a rolling stone that gathers all (Kate) Moss, Berto Martinez illustrates the magnetic man band that launched a thousand hits. Matt Flynn, Michael Madden, James Valentine, and PJ Morton look like they’re ready to leap at the moshpit while Adam Levine keeps his cool— tattoo-covered and ‘tude-teeming. It ain’t exactly the summer of ‘76 but sex still sells, pop still pops, and rock still rocks.
89 DING FERNANDEZ Skin Graphics
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go see
we’re all models off duty
FEATURES
there’s more to what’s in print
NightVision who’s spotted partying where
Photo Diary confessional for lensmen
Digital Magazine DOWNLOADS STATUS in pixels, not free mixtapes paper and wallpapers
STATUS MES S AGE
HENRIK VIBSKOV (82)
MAROON 5 photo by Terry Richardson (74)
HIT MAN W
hat do you call a band that produces hit after hit? Rock stars? Nah… we like to call them hit men, at least in our very first Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll issue. Yes, the full-fledged girl who grew up listening to hip-hop can’t resist the beats of rock hits. Why? Coz they’re so damn good! I’ve been following Maroon 5 since 2004 when they launched the song “She Will Be Loved.” Do you remember? Of course you do. At that time, the band came out of nowhere and was hitting the music charts hard. Since then, Adam Levine and his crew have released numerous hit singles. Fast forward to today, they are hotter than ever. With the newly released album Overexposed and Adam’s part in The Voice, it seems that the world can’t get enough of the group. Our other hard-hitting star has left his grunge days behind him, but not his reputation. I casually mentioned to my friend that we got an interview with Chris Cornell, vocalist of Soundgarden and Audioslave, and he nearly had a heart attack. Yes folks, Chris lost no luster over time but has gained the status of legend. The men of Soundgarden have come back with a new sound only fit for superheroes. Their song “Live to Rise” for Marvel’s The Avengers movie not only gave us an idea of what they sound like today, but also gave us a taste of their upcoming album. Now that we have covered our pop rock and grunge, we hopped across the pond and nabbed an interview with Brit rock band Keane. Known for their piano-driven sound, they gained popularity around 2004 (the same time Maroon 5 became popular) and stayed in the airwaves ever since. So what’s the secret to writing melancholy melodies? According to them, getting locked up in the studio for six months does the trick. With the rise and fall of bands singing hymns of love and rebellion, we want to give tribute to the genre that has stayed true to our ears through the years. So it’s no coincidence that this issue is filled with leather, bass, and loads of tattoos.
Editor-in-chief
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contributors statusmagonline.com editor-in-chief creative director
Rosario Herrera @rosarioherrera
Patrick L. Jamora @padraick
art director Patrick Diokno graphic designers Nyael David
Paolo Geronimo
associate editor
Kristine Dabbay @tindabs
features editor Reena Mesias fashion editor Loris Peña assistant editor Giano D. Dionisio fashion assistant Zoe Laurente editorial assistant
PATRICK DIOKNO
Our no-longer-a-teen titan art director still gets carded at 7-11, but we swear he’s of age; we’re just not sure if he’s really single. Bringing sexy back by breaking his back—photographing this issue’s band on the rise (28), fashion editorial (46), Mastermind David Finch (69), Block Party (88) pages, and more—Patrick proves it’s not the meat, but the motion (he’d like to test his “Helicopter” flexibility soon). The saying is true: font size does matter!
@patrickdiokno @nyaels @paolostroodles
Rita Faire
@yohitgirl @_dizzyrizzy @giodion @zoelaurente @ritadoesnttweet
Tina Herrera @tinaherrera_ Buenaventura @danbuenaventura junior account manager Patty Mendoza @pmgmendoza
sales & marketing consultant account manager Dan
tweet us!
MIGUEL ESCOBAR
Not that we’ve seen him tuck in at night, but writer and college senior (good luck this year, sir!) Miguel sleeps in “Nothing special, just boxers and a shirt.” The same attire he has on when catching True Blood on the telly, watching Janina Gavankar (72); or feeling daunted by schoolwork, listening to Marissa Nadler (65). Good thing he didn’t mention his TickleRape. mov computer file when he interviewed them ladies. To be clear, it’s “just a bunch of my friends tickling each other. Clothed, of course.”
contributing writers
Leo Balante, Karlo Cleto, Mara Coson, Miguel Escobar, Victoria Herrera, Petra Magno, Cy Mationg, Gino de la Paz, Mikel Reyes contributing artists
Andre Balisi, Art Alera, Cynd Austria, David Black, Shawn Brackbill, Dom Brucal, Peter Capocao, The Cobrasnake, Fernando Colon, Danny Clinch, Jonver David, Amanda Elkins, Zeko Eon, Shoji Fuji, Kristina Goldberg, Ashley Gomila, Courtney Brooke Hall, Flora Hanitijo, Tinette Herrera, Douglas Hickman, Sarah Kjelleren, David Jakle, Shervin Lainez, Arito Lara, Gabrielle Lewis, Tommy Chase Lucas, Allan Lydt, Berto Martinez, Ilka McGrady, Miguel Miranda, Bethy Mireles, Andy Mueller, Nils Müller, Raphael Ouellet, Phoenix, Cody Rasussen, Terry Richardson, Aziza Shaban, JP Singson, Bianca Strother, Louiza Vick, Autumn de Wilde, Nicole Wiltshire, Boo Umaly interns
Jer Dee, Marnee Gamboa, Ran Joplo, Kay Lactao, Rash Leano, Maan Marquez, Belle Rodolfo, Denise Villanueva
editorial editorial@statusmagonline.com advertising advertise@statusmagonline.com
AMANDA ELKINS
Family woman and flashy photographer Amanda shot young Pretty Little Liars hotshot Tyler Blackburn (73) for our pages. This camera-wielding, “denim, boots, and fedora” kind of mama can rock some Foo Fighters funk, although mostly in the presence of her pet dog. Until we hear her live, we can’t really vouch for her bedroom voice, but we personally don’t mind that Amanda takes wonderful pictures, everlong.
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marketing marketing@statusmagonline.com general inquiries info@statusmagonline.com
LOUIZA VICK
As an LA-based fashion and beauty photographer, Louiza readies people for their close-ups. That’s a reference to her favorite movie, by the way. A sucker for classic theatrics, she once watched Macbeth at the Sydney Opera House in a scintillating low-cut sheer black and white ruffled number. But normally, it’s her subjects that are glammed up, like in this issue’s “High Velocity” (36). To Louiza, a winning image is a collaboration: “It’s all about the creative dialogue and having fun while doing it.”
Our Creative Director’s altar.
What’s your STATUS? tell us.
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.
THREADS / setting / BRICK AND MORTAR / BEATS / SCREEN / INK
JULY 2012
THE NEW SCHOOL T
he schoolboy look is no longer stiff, thanks to ALBAPRAT and its heavy dose of neon weaved into scarves and suede. You’ll find tan satchel backpacks and oxfords lined in lime. Everything bright in this collection complements white and khaki. You better look good as you drop out of the old school. albaprat.com
INDIAN SUMMER S
traight from Bollywood to your hardwood wardrobes, comes PENSHOPPE’s fresh ensemble of accessories. While the brand usually goes toward preppy, its new collection suits a more experimental crowd with gilded lapis, lazuli-like stones, rainbow-colored bags, Eastern influences, and an overload of metallics. These baubles will have you chanting, “Shanti, shanti” in no time. penshoppe.com
THINK TANK T
here’s a lot more slink to silky YAELLE scarves. With pretty prints reminiscent of travels to Paris and India, all you’ll need is a bit of creativity. Find a new bandeau, a belt, or even a sarong skirt each time you whip one of these out. This time, think before you leap out of your closet. yaelle.co.uk
TRUE TESTAMENT L
et FILLING PIECES breach the gap between class and swag with its latest collection of sneakers. Rule one: only sip champagne while wearing your best suit and leather mid-cut sneakers. Rule two: Navajo print shoes keep it G when you’re out with the boys. Rule three: do whatever you want. Just make sure to keep your soles enlightened. gsrnnfillingpieces.com
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THREADS
BRANDS TO KNOW
Big dipper L
inen pants and cotton tees from BARNABY BLACK’s latest collection make a fish tank out of your tops and bottoms with sea critter prints. Splish and splash in red shorts paired with a white button-down to cool off after a day in the sun. This is the kind of deep you’d want to dip into. barnabyblack.com
EaSy Go PUNKY W
hat lacks in diamonds, CITIES IN DUST makes up for in skulls, crystals, brass, and stones. The Scout Catacomb necklace with magnesite beads and vintage brass chain replaces your shiny silver locket. The Mine ring made out of amethyst looks pretty bitchin’ on your middle finger. Stack em’ or keep it simple, they look good either way. citiesainustinc.com
pursuit of hippieness N
ostalgia kicks in with SUMMER OF SEVENTY EIGHT and its tie-dye jeans, tribal prints, and wide-leg pants. Channel peace and love with the more whimsical, bright, loose tanks or scrunched white tees. But with a studded leather jacket, you can toughen up your inner flower child to warm up the wet season. summerofseventyeight.com
Pretty little sinner G
o insane with BEAUTY MADNESS’ Corruptive Destructive collection. With minimalist graphics of a sword, an hourglass, and statements that read “Glutton” and “Corrupt Time,” you’d kill just to have these handmade black and white shirts. You know you got it bad when this is all you think about. beautymadnesswear.blogspot.com
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Drifter girl I
f you’re headed for the beach, drop by TALLOW. From malliots to two-piece swimsuits and even a couple of wetsuits, you’re bound to find something worthy of the water. In a classic white triangle string bikini paired with the shortest of shorts, boys will line up for a chance to catch your wave. tallowgallery.com
THREADS
play Date L
ook your Sunday best with Aussie label BATSON. Its latest line of tent dresses and babydoll tops brings back the days of your childhood with sherbet shades and polka dot prints. Flash a sweet smile and put on that flirty dress; nice girls don’t always finish last. batsonthelabel.com
Season Flavor F
ind another excuse for a post-summer vacation. CHIEF CLOTHING’s latest collection of comfy tank tops, pastel short sleeved shirts, and board shorts will send you packing for the sea. Pair these babies with beat-up denim and throw over a cardigan if it drizzles. After all, “Life’s A Beach,” and dressing for different seasons shouldn’t be a problem. chiefclothing.com
Wild Things S
hare your love for lions, unicorns, swans, and snakes through NEHA’s handmade silver and gold accessories. There’s nothing like a roaring lion’s head hanging down your neck. Then again; leaves, wings, and other tamer things are also available for the young ones. Parental guidance is advised. nehajoyas.com
supersize sister L
ess is more for SOSIE’s new collection. Its laid-back pieces like wide-leg pants and oversized sweaters are comfy without reminding you of your dear old granny. Add a vibrant hue here and a fierce animal print there, and the Olsens may welcome you as an honorary sister. shopsosie.com
COLOR ME BRUISED G
rey, white, black, and blue may be a bore but BOUCLIER turns them up with fluid dresses, rompers, tanks, and tees that cling to your frame just right. With paneled details and subtle drapes, bright colors can take the backseat. bouclierfashion.com
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THREADS
BRANDS TO KNOW
A NEW SLANT B
HON can teach you a thing or two about finding the right angle. No need for modeling school. Instead, try these dresses, skirts, tops, and jackets in angular cuts and panels on for size and smize. They’re all you need for a lean silhouette. Now, pull that cropped top over the diagonal slit skirt and watch those angles work. bhonnyc.com
PLOT LINES W
hile splashing paint and punching studs into cut-offs, ILLOGIC takes frayed edges and bones to revamp its latest collection. Wear each piece casually with printed tees and sneakers, throw on a cropped top, ditch the shoes, and show some skin for a happy ending. shopillogic.com
TWISTED SUNSHINE I
t doesn’t matter if ALEXANDRA BLAK’s latest collection keeps you guessing. Handmade from materials like lucite, metal, and textile; these futuristic accessories glow. Oh, and those intertwined pink things? They’re actually earrings. At first, we couldn’t figure it out either, but mystery keeps this collection a standout. alexandrablak.com.au
GRAPHIC JUNGLE P
aisley, stripes, animals, shapes, and even lace—all prints and patterns come together in FORTYOUNCE’ newest collection. With celebrity faces inked on tees, geometric shapes intertwined around skulls, and fonts rendered in animal print, these designs will be imprinted with your style. fortyounce.co.uk
POP THE COLLAR E
ven if your golf knowledge is next to none, GIORDANO’s piqué shirts give you enough reason to turn that collar up. In the brand’s new collection full of button-up shirts, tradition and trend join threads of neon and pastel-trimmed lapels that also come in monochrome stripes. Now that’s a hole-in-one. giordano.com.ph
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THREADS
KINGDOM REGALIA B
ow to TEMERITY JEWELRY’s Within the Forest of Wonders collection. Its textured gold and silver designs are made for one’s royal highness. Don a Double Crown cuff and a Treasure ring. Princess or not, every girl deserves that Crown (of the Valley cuff). facebook.com/temerityjewelry
SELLING THE DRAMA L
eave it to STELLA JEAN to put on a show. Dressed in opulent hourglass frocks with bold prints and jeweled bits, she takes the world and makes it her stage. With a jewel-encrusted pleated skirt paired with a denim button-down, there’s always room for a fashion encore. stellajean.it
ANIMAL CHARM E
xplore the wilderness and make nice with LEANDRO DOMINGUEZ’ collection of graphic knits. Wolves, deers, and foxes keep you company as they are printed on oversized cardigans, coats, skirts, and jumpsuits. Your animal instinct will surely stand out in any crowd, so don’t worry about your fuzzy friends—they won’t bite. leandrodominguez.com
GIRL GONE BAD D
AISY AND ELIZABETH is not what you would see on your usual pin-up. The collection strips any trace of sweetness off gingham checks, kicks out those Easter bunny pastels, and paints everything black, white, and red. Thrown into the mix are translucent thigh-highs and strappy corsets that look borderline bondage, sending Miss Monroe turning over in her grave. daisyandelizabeth.com
LOOSE GRIP P
art laid-back and part corporate, BY THOMAS’ latest collection will remind you of a hobo. Only, in this alley, you won’t find just loose fits and neutral palettes; silk blouses with swirl prints and a structured mesh buttondown keep the mix dynamic while pieces such as tailored jackets keep the class intact. bythomas.ws
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SETTING
PLACES TO GO
CORKAGE
ROCK, ENROLL
D
on’t worry, there’s no librarian to shush you at THE BOOK CLUB, a refurbished Victorian warehouse reinvented into one of the East End’s most active social hubs. Knowing that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, the bar balances its brain-teasing cultural workshops, talks, and exhibits with music screenings and club nights that would impress nerds, geeks, and scenesters alike.
wearetbc.com
SUITE
INTO THE WEST
DOORS OF PERCEPTION
E
nter a state of higher consciousness at SUTRA as it offers a trio of serene Mahayana buddhas guarding the walls and watching over your meal. Enjoy PanAsian pleasures in the form of spicy Firecracker rolls, savory dumplings, and relaxing drinks. And if yin ain’t your
thing, then you can sure get your yang on with the restaurant’s fist pumping action on Hype Fridays. After all, Asian food doesn’t always have to come in a takeout box.
ward-winning artist Alfredo Häberli turns 25HOURS ZÜRICH WEST into a haven of festive suites suited for the tourist looking for accommodations out of the norm. The rooms feature multi-colored ceilings, kaleidoscopic pillowcases, geometric prints on walls, and cubist-inspired lighting fixtures. Large windows also pan through the whole of Zürich West providing guests an overview of the city.
25hours-hotels.com/zuerich
sutra.com.ph
PLATE
WEATHER REPORT Weather forecasts predict clear skies and good food all the way with MILKY AND SUNNY. 9 East Capitol Drive, Barangay Kapitolyo, 1603 Pasig, Philippines
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SPINACH WRAP Spinach sandwich wrap topped with diced fresh tomatoes
ITALIAN OMELETTE Tomatoes and spinach wrapped in an egg omelette
APPLE CINNAMON WHITE EGG Diced apple and egg sandwich wrap topped with cinnamon
FRUIT AND MILKSHAKES Milk-based smoothies in mango, strawberry, raspberry, chocolate, and pineapple
Words by Marnee Gamboa and Rita Faire, Sutra photos by Patrick Diokno
A
GRUB
BRICK AND MORTAR
STORES TO SHOP
FEAL MOR, LOS ANGELES 165 South La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036 fealmor.com Dime to drop: $15-$1000 (P640-P43,000) Don’t leave without: Feal Mor Featherweight 4-button Sweater and a J. Augur scarf
L
os Angeles may be home to the stars, but FEAL MOR steals the spotlight. This boutique sells everything from Parisian sandals to scarves from Yemen. Its concrete floors are adorned with Persian rugs while its brick and wooden walls serve as a background for vintage bikes, surfboards, framed posters, and customized wetsuits. Products from Feal Mor, Feal Mor Vintage Select, J. Augur Design, Mutewatch, Malibu Cowboy, and TRIWA are placed neatly on wooden tables and glass cabinets. Items like Le Labo Vintage Candles, Everyw’air Sprays, and Kathryn Herrman Linens are just some of the treats that you’ll find besides clothes. Don’t miss the foosball table in the corner where you can kill time while waiting to use the teepee dressing room. With a motto that says, “Faithful to the sea. No Lands, No Borders,” it is pretty obvious that this place—though in a star-studded city—is a home for surfers and bikers around the area.
THE ART OF, DENMARK The Art Of ApS, Burmeistersgade 30, 1 tv, DK 1429, Copenhagen, Denmark theartof.dk Dime to drop: $8–$1300 (P360–P58,500) Don’t leave without: Danish glass from the 1980s, created similarly to chemical glass, making it almost indestructible.
W
Words by Loris Peña and Belle Rodolfo
hitewashed walls, large grey crates, and streamlined metal shelving all make up the interior of THE ART OF. The industrial boutique boasts no-nonsense tools, storage clothing, and even kitchenware, all seen through the vast glass panes fitted into its exterior. The Art Of has different departments: The Art of Cooking, The Art of Everyday, The Art of Safety, The Art of Storage, and The Art of War. Sharp knives and heavy-duty boots are set across satin-lined fedoras and pots. The store carries its own products, but has independent brands as well, such as Altama boots, Hammerthor, Mr Natty, Christys’ hats, Fox River Mills, Woolpower, and Montague Corporation bikes. Among these brands are unique finds such as military-grade fleece jackets and best-selling lemon cream shampoo from Dr. Harris of London. Yes, guys need their vanity stash, too! Whether you’re going for rough and tough, sweet and neat, or clean and lean, The Art Of banishes the line between form and function, teaching us the fine art of living.
ACRIMONY
D
efined in the dictionary as bitterness, Acrimony—on the contrary—brings all things wonderful. With fashion, festivities, and even food, the boutique houses brands like Blanc & Noir, Cheap Monday, Karen Walker, Jeffrey Campbell, and Lady Gray. It also lays out a selection of
curated gifts and houseware. The ACRE branch in San Francisco even offers pastries and coffee. From lace and brocade to wifebeaters and leather, Acrimony serves an assortment of luxe and street style for every occasion.
shopacrimony.com
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SCREEN
SCENES TO SEE
TICKET
REMOTE CONTROL SAVAGES Oliver Stone directs this movie about two marijuana growers (Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson) who have to save their shared girlfriend (Blake Lively) from a Mexican drug cartel.
RED LIGHTS Screen veterans Robert De Niro and Sigourney Weaver join Elizabeth Olsen and Cillian Murphy in a film about a psychologist’s investigation on a world-renowned psychic.
TRISHNA Freida Pinto stars as a woman whose life is destroyed by passion and circumstance in Michael Winterbottom’s Indian interpretation of the Thomas Hardy classic, Tess of the d’Urbervilles.
RUBY SPARKS A struggling novelist (Paul Dano) falls in love with the main character of his book, named Ruby Sparks (Zoe Kazan), and wills her to existence.
KLOVN Following the events of the Danish sitcom, the film follows semi-retired comedian Frank as he struggles on an all-male canoe trip with his young nephew, Bo.
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BLACK DYNAMITE (ADULT SWIM) A spoof of 70s blaxploitation cinema, the animated series based on the 2009 film of the same name features the voices of original stars Michael Jai White and Salli Richardson. It follows kung fu-fighting ladies’ man and former CIA agent Black Dynamite in his quest for vengeance against the Man for killing his brother.
DOCTOR WHO (BBC ONE) The Doctor (Matt Smith), Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill), and River Song (Alex Kingston) jump back into the TARDIS after the Doctor fakes his death and gets back to saving time and space from the shadows. The new season will be the last for characters Amy and Rory, who confront their deepest fears in the eyes of the Weeping Angels.
LABYRINTH (CHANNEL 4) Adapted from the Kate Mosse novel of the same name, the miniseries follows two heroines from different timelines, both in search of the Holy Grail. Headlining the cast is Merlin’s Katie McGrath, Downton Abbey’s Jessica Brown-Findlay,Harry Potters’ Tom Felton, and Gossip Girl’s Sebastian Stan.
PL AYBACK BEAUTIFUL GIRLS (1996) “Killer 90s soundtrack for an early mid-life crisis story.”
by DOMINIC BOGART dominicbogart.com A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT (1992) “American period piece that touches on the American dream in its youth.”
SHOTGUN STORIES (2007) “American midwestern Grecian colloquial tragedy with a great atmospheric soundtrack by the band, Lucero.”
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994) “Redemption is one of the best catalysts for overcoming obstacles.”
DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990) “I read a lot about American history and I grew up on a horse farm, so I’m partial to anything western.”
Words by Rita Faire and Marnee Gamboa
TED John’s (Mark Wahlberg) furry buddy Ted (Seth McFarlane) comes to answer the former’s childhood wish. Only problem is that John is a grown man with a fiancée (Mila Kunis) and Ted is a talking teddy bear.
ink BOOKMARK
BOOKS TO READ
HOT OFF THE PRESS BANKSY: YOU ARE AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF THREAT By Gary Silver and Patrick Potter British graffiti artist and Oscar-nominee Banksy pays homage to a decade-long journey in this book. With the cover showing his stencil technique, the book features images and texts that show the faceless famous artist as he climbs from the ghetto to the gallery.
ERIK PARKER: COLORFUL RESISTANCE By Monica Ramirez-Montagut, Peter Saul, Angela Stief, and KAWS Postwar New York Art activist Erik Parker’s claim to fame is his take on portraits and still life painting. Describing his style as a “colorful resistance with a blue collar work ethic,” the artist showcases his work’s look and feel in a page-bypage series of distorted human imagery haunted by subtle implications of socio-political issues.
THE INTIMATE adventures OF A LONDON CALL GIRL By Belle de Jour
SHADOW SHOW: ALL NEW STORIES IN CELEBRATION OF RAY BRADBURY Edited by Sam Weller and Mort Castle
Tips to acquire self-confidence, abridged from a London call girl.
Words by Rita Faire and Marnee Gamboa
1. You are a lady. Dress like one. In a world of tarty teens and inappropriate grannies, the surest way to spot a lady of the evening is to find the woman in a designer suit. London call girl? High-earning businesswoman? Temp worker? Same difference. 2. Being politically correct is so 90s. Working girl, prostitute, woman of negotiable affection—no one term can be more degrading than the next if it all means the same thing. The next time someone calls you something less than PC, think about it: “If hookers can deal, so can you.”
3. Play a role. Stick with it. When an escort reaches the hotel, she heads for the elevator before panic sets in. She retouches her makeup, adjusts her bra, and takes deep breaths. When the bell chimes and the doors slide open, she’s a self-possessed woman again, and you’d never know any better. 4. Work is work. Play is play. Keep your sanity by never bringing work home. For Belle, heels-on means work and heels-off means relax. Make your own little barriers and stick to them.
Inspired by one of America’s greatest speculative fiction writers, bestselling authors like Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill, Audrey Niffenegger, and Margaret Atwood come together to produce an anthology that celebrates Ray Bradbury’s successful career. It showcases never-before-published short stories created under the influence of Ray’s iconic and genre-defining work.
FOOTNOTES Despite being the director of an Oscarnominated film, Banksy was denied entry into the Academy Awards for fear that he was going to show up with his monkey mask on.
Join the colorful resistance and infuse a bit of day-glo in your wardrobe with Melody Ehsani’s light and bright accessories. Give ‘em the finger, put a ring on it, and kick off the revolution.
Ray Bradbury actually doesn’t like being categorized as a science fiction author! He prefers “fantastical” and “unreal.”
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BEATS
MUSIC TO HEAR
PL AYLIS T
GRIMES grimesmusic.com
JAPANDROIDS David Prowse (drums/vocals) japandroids.com
“String Quartet No. 2 Mvt. #1” Shostakovich Is this pop music or classical music? Stay confused.
“Perry” Butthold Surfers Another artist looking at his own place in the world through a song.
“Der Grosse Atem” Dorothea Raukes This is a piece I would recommend as therapy.
“Careless Whisper” George Michael My dad loves him so when I listen to it, I feel very nostalgic.
“Dark Allies” Light Asylum Pure intensity, pure beauty.
“The Chauffeur” Duran Duran I’m not sure what this song’s about, but somehow it seems really scary.
“Red Velvet” Dark Sister It’s about making your boyfriend drink your period.
“Light Up the Stars” Hot Snakes They’ve started touring again. It’s going to be awesome.
“Baby Missiles” The War on Drugs My favorite record that came out in 2011.
“Fall In” Cloud Nothings The best song on a really good record.
“My Sunshine” Ty Segall This is the first song of his I ever heard and it made me a fan instantly.
ON THE RISE
MIND CONTROL FEEN create music that’s suggestive of their band name, defined as an excessive and obsessive craving. At least that’s what Urban Dictionary tells them.
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Only two years in the music business, vocalist Juno Limjap, guitarist Ado Ortiz, and arranger Kishore Ramnani serenade with synth-induced blues and jazz. While their
sound deviates from pop, mixing organic and electro, the band proclaims their debut album Propaganda is a far cry from being radiofriendly. “To those who don’t know much about the music, they will be surprised how much it has in common with the genres that the unknowing listener usually listens to,” Juno says. “It is an openminded genre that requires very open-minded people to listen,” she adds. Juno’s last message? “Please do not like our Facebook fan page just because you know us from childhood. Like it because you love the music,” so next time you listen to them, prepare for manic music hankering. They will have you hooked and feening for more. Congratulations, you’ve just learned a new word, too.
facebook.com/FEEN.music
MUSIC NEWS
Some non-Beliebers converted after watching Justin Bieber’s Never Say Never. Katy Perry haters might change their minds when they see Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D this July. Inspired by Madonna’s Truth or Dare (1991), the movie takes viewers inside Katy’s life, from her religious upbringing to those vulnerable times, being dropped from her label, and divorcing with Russell Brand. Oh, and did she really kiss a girl?
It’s almost the premiere of Sparkle featuring the late Whitney Houston’s final film performance since 1996’s The Preacher’s Wife. Alongside Jordin Sparks as Sparkle Williams, Whitney plays the mother of three sisters who struggle with fame and drug addiction. Pretty apt, don’t you think?
Pack your mats, slather the sunscreen (or tanning lotion, whichever you prefer), and charge your camera’s battery for the Pitchfork Music Festival. Returning to Chicago’s Union Park on July 13-15, this euphonic circus will feature acts like Vampire Weekend, Grimes, Big K.R.I.T., and A$AP Rocky. Let’s see who among the lot will trump post-festival reviews.
Feen photo by Patrick Diokno, Geoff Graham photo by Shawn Brackbill, Grimes photo by Tommy Chase Lucas Words by Marnee Gamboa and Reena Mesias
LOWER DENS Geoff Graham (bass) lowerdens.com
“Blind Willie McTell” Bob Dylan He manages to condemn the rest of the world in this song.
TEC H PACK XBOX 360 SPECIAL EDITION CHROME SERIES WIRELESS CONTROLLER
BLACKMAGIC CINEMA CAMERA • Records 12-bit RAW files at 2432 × 1366 resolution • Features a 5-inch touchscreen at 800 × 480 resolution • Automatically corrects color with DaVinci Resolve for Mac and Windows • Compatible with EF and ZE mount lenses
• Comes in limited editions of silver, blue, and red • Wireless connection covers a 30foot range • Equipped with an integrated headset port for Xbox LIVE play • Features a transforming D-pad for precise control
SRP: P126,410
SRP: P2,320
cutting corners Best believe there are no snaps in these bends.
SONY SMARTWATCH
DR DRE BEATS - PRO 24CT GOLD PLATED
• Android-powered wristwatch • Customizable with interchangeable 20 mm wristband • Capable of downloading apps through Google Play • Capable of bluetooth synchronization with HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and Sony devices
• Gold-plated over-the-ear headphones • Built with lightweight aluminum • Equipped with an 1.8-meter Monster Cable with a coil that extends it to 2.1 meters • Comes with a Monster Clean Cloth with Aegis Microbe Shield technology
SRP: P6,340
SRP: P68,190
DOWNLOADS
PHOTON By Bifrost Studios
INSTAMATCH By Tiny Hearts Limited
Match-3 game for Android
Instagram-powered memory game
PAPER By FiftyThree Paper in its most tactile engagement, except it’s on iPad.
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FAC E PA I N T EstÉe lauder Bronze Goddess ShadowStick Duo in Gold Bronze P1,373
RIMMEL LONDON Lash Accelerator Mascara P1,784
SMASHBOX Halo Yellow Color Correcting Hydrating Powder P1,661
THEBALM Balm Shelter Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 18 P1,865
CLINIQUE Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Pressed Powder P1,717
Face of the sun
DEBORAH LIPPMANN Nail Lacquer in Yellow Brick Road P681
MAKE UP FOR EVER Kohl Pencil in Metal Gold P724
MODELS OWN™ Neon Kohl Pencil in Neon Yellow P343
FENDI Fan Di Fendi Eau de Parfum P3,238
BENEFIT Moon Beam Iridescent Complexion Enhancer P1,278
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Watch as your skin and bones turn into something beautiful.
NARS Matte Eyeshadow in Mangrove P1,822
BENEFIT Lemon Aid Colour Correcting Eyelid Primer P1,133
Model photo by Fernando Colon
NYX Eyeshadow in Yellow Funk P213
Too Faced Amazing Face Liquid Foundation in Vanilla Crème P1,533
AB O U T FACE
DAILY DOSE
Let your skin drink up KIEHL’S YERBA MATTE TONER. It revitalizes complexion, cleans out pores, and balances out oiliness. P853
NATURE’S BEST
Let ST. IVES NATURALLY CLEAR GREEN TEA SCRUB wash away the grit after a busy day. It dissolves dirt and oil, reducing blemishes and redness for a visibly brighter and smoother face. P327
TAKE A SHOT FOR ME
OLE HENRIKSEN AFRICAN RED TEA FACE MIST is your skin’s shot of caffeine or rather, African red tea, white tea, and pomegranate. One spritz of this tonic tightens pores, leaving skin fresh and glowing. P1,194
SIPPING BEAUTY Expert Advice
Time to turn over a new leaf.
Run used tea bags under cold water and place them over eyes to reduce puffiness.
WIPE OUT
Wipe away the extra shine with BOSCIA GREEN TEA BLOTTING LINENS. Just whip one out and sop up the grease without removing makeup. P427
WHITE QUEEN
Put some moisture back into skin with ORIGINS A PERFECT WORLD ANTIOXIDANT MOISTURIZER WITH WHITE TEA. Its rich and creamy texture hydrates and leaves the skin smelling citrusy. P939
THE BLACK PEARL
The thick whipped gel cream in FRESH BLACK TEA INSTANT PERFECTING MASK gives long-lasting hydration for softer and younger-looking skin P3,754
b ea u t y b i t e Model photo by Fernando Colon Words by Zoe Laurente
HAIRPARTY24HR
H
AIRPARTY24HR is not an underground night club. This Park Ave. vanity hub is a slumber party haven for those in need of an on-call beauty fix. The two-floor salon is open for service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to keep your nails primmed and polished, and your mane tamed. Along its golden hallway lined with leather seats, you’ll find doors leading to private pedicure and hair
rooms, couple massage rooms, a detox sauna, and even a karaoke party room. With great service ‘round the clock, there’s no reason to look shabby in this side of town. Hairparty24hr 450 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10016 212.213.0051 hair24hours.com
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G O S EE Whether snug or laid-back, covered-up or cut-out, hemlines high or low, these fashionphiles sure do know how to up the ante of risqué chic on the street.
Plum Chinos Copper Kaftan Bomber Jacket
Fingerless Gloves Cropped Bustier Cropped Jacket
Tuxedo Jacket
Cropped Top
Fringed Bag
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Floral Button-down
Knee-high Stockings
Leather Vest
Jumpsuit
Wide-Leg Pants Metallic Booties
Lace Skirt
Photographed by Rosario Herrera and Fernando Colon
Leopard Sneakers
Pencil Skirt
Pocket Square
Polka Dot Dress Shopping Tote
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S T Y LE I D
HAT COUTURE Veer away from boring and conventional headgear. Opt for dramatic hats that will surely create commotion everywhere. By JP Singson
Bring your wicked self to life sporting Sibling’s Mickey Mouse evil twin!
Blogger Lucas jumps on the Charlie Chaplin black felt derby hat trend.
Stylist Yu Masui goes folk chic by donning a native straw hat.
Dandy Diary’s David Roth puts a modern twist to the mad hatter.
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This guy was spotted in Paris with his flapless Russian ushanka.
Zoe channels her artistic side with this cute emerald green French beret.
jponfashionspeed.blogspot.com, lelook.eu, streetstylebystela.blogspot.com
Only former Harper’s Bazaar Russia editor Miroslava Duma can make any beanie high-fashion.
The fashion race is best won with jewel-toned maxi dresses, chunky necklaces, and a pastel clutch, so accelerate to the finish line in no time. Victory is sweeter with velocity. Photographed by Louiza Vick Styled by Aziza Shaban
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peach dress by Annie & Jade peruvian opal necklace and aquamarine bracelet by Angelic Allure bracelet by David Aubrey handbag by Big Buddha
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blue gown by Mike Vensel red necklace by Michelle Roy turquoise necklace by Michelle Roy clutch by Big Buddha
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printed kaftan by Raj swimwear by American Apparel turquoise necklace by David Aubrey turquoise pools necklace by Angelic Allure
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jade green dress by Annie & Jade wedges by Chinese Laundry necklace and cuffs by David Aubrey 40 - statusmagonline.com
Makeup Ashley Gomila Hair Bethy Mireles Model Milan Dixon of Photogenics Models maxi dress by Cia.MarĂtima blue beaded necklace by David Aubrey hot pink and orange beaded necklace, worn as bracelet by Bindy
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Leave your shirts at home and don crispy button-downs, slim trousers, and maybe a pair of printed socks. After all, real men wear pink, right? Photographed by Zeko Eon Styled by Nicole Wiltshire
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shirts by Burberry pants by Levi’s
shirt by Nordstrom shorts by Brooks Brothers shoes by Polo Ralph Lauren socks by Happy Socks bowtie, stylist’s own
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shirt by Nordstrom bowtie, stylist’s own shorts by Brooks Brothers
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Model Zach U of Boss Models shirt by Nordstrom pants by Brooks Brothers shoes by Sperry Top Sider
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It's down to the last second, dribble and shoot TO SCORE A FASHION FAST BREAK. WITH pencil skirts, sports braS, nylon jackets, and neon accessories, YOU're our most valuable player, baby. PHOTOGRAPHED BY PATRICK DIOKNO STYLED BY LORIS PENA
pink jumpsuit by Ellesse spiked bracelets used as headband by Forever 21 socks, stylist’s own shoes by Pierre Hardy
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varsity jacket by Penshoppe sports bra by Adidas gray shorts by Ellesse necklaces by Miadore for House of Laurel socks, stylist’s own shoes by Pierre Hardy
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sports bra by Adidas pencil skirt by Forever 21 leather vest, stylist’s own necklaces by Miadore for House of Laurel bangle by Miadiore for House of Laurel
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t-shirt by Nike striped corset by Forever 21 shorts by Oxygen jacket by Nike earrings by Miadore for House of Laurel socks, stylist’s own shoes by Jeffrey Campbell
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Hair and Makeup Tinette Herrera Hair and Makeup Assistant Cynd Austria Assistant Stylist Zoe Laurente Model Liza K of Elite Modeling Agency Manila Location Ronac Art Center red jacket by Terranova skirt by Forever 21 necklaces by Miadore for House of Laurel shoes by Alexander Wang
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S l ee v e l ess B utton - D o w ns / NEON NECKLACES
SHEER INTUITION Be transparent as these button-downs.
Topshop [P2,545]
Topshop [P2,545]
Massimo Dutti [P3,950]
onson C har l otte R 2 0 12 ER S p rin g /S U M M
Forever 21 [549] Folded & Hung [P749]
Folded & Hung [P899]
BRIGHT FUTURE Light up the world with neon necklaces. Kate Spade [P13,950]
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Forever 21 [P560]
Zara [P1,790]
H and B a g s
HANDY DANDY Trot around town with these in tow.
Kate Spade [P20,450]
Topshop [P3,045]
l or R ebecca Tay 0 12 ER 2 S p rin g /S U M M
Charles & Keith [P2,999]
Topshop [P2,895]
Charles & Keith [P3,199]
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PA ST E L PA N T S
BABY BOO Make a quiet entrance in muted hues.
Zara [P2,590]
Forever 21 [P1,175]
J il l S T UA rt E R 2 0 12 S p rin g /S U M M
Topshop [P3,095]
Bench [P1,199]
Zara [P1,190]
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C R I S S C R O S S H ee l s
CROSS OVER When sexy straps and stylish sandals intersect.
Folded & Hung [P1,479]
Zara [P4,590]
Folded & Hung [P1,449]
Charles & Keith [P1,199]
Aldo [P3,295]
Charles & Keith [P2,199]
N ico l e M il l er 0 12 ER 2 S p rin g /S U M M
Steve Madden [P6,650]
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PA ST E L S H I R T S
WALKING ON SUNSHINE Cool down with these colors on a sunny day.
Terranova [P1,745]
Zara [P2,990]
Fred Perry [P5,398]
g enera l idea2 0 1 2 MER S p rin g /S U M
Topman [P2,095]
Topman [P2,095]
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SNEAKERS
SNEAKY LITTLE SIDE Best be on your toes.
Civic Duty [P3,690]
Civic Duty [P3,490]
Pony [P2,795]
Sperry Top-Sider [P2,795]
Superga [P2,250]
Civic Duty [P3,390]
Pony [P3,095]
Keds [P2,495]
Vans Half Cab AV Native American [TBA]
Zara [P1,590]
Vans Authentic CA [P3,498]
Vans Era 59 [P2,998]
Comme des Garรงons Shirt [P16,798]
Skechers [P3,295]
Sperry [P2,795]
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denim shorts / S O L I D - C O L O R E D socks
RHYTHM AND BLUES Sway your hips in denim shorts.
Topman [P2,095]
Oxygen [P899]
Oxygen [P899]
g enera l idea2 0 1 2 MER S p rin g /S U M
Terranova [1,349]
Terranova [P1,745]
BLOCKED AND LOADED Play the color blocks with these cotton socks.
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Topman [P950]
Zara [P395]
Zara [P395]
Topman [P950]
C A R G O jackets
PAULY’S POCKET
There’s more than one way to utilize your jacket.
Bench [P1,875]
Springfield [P4,950]
g enera l idea2 0 1 2 MER S p rin g /S U M
Massimo Dutti [P10,500]
Massimo Dutti [P7,950]
Penshoppe [P1,999]
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M U S E
OYE COMO VA
Ramping all over Rio; flying to Cuba, the Dead Sea, and Marrakech; making us laugh—all in a day’s work for fashion model MARIANA SANTANA. Who wouldn’t wanna samba with this señorita? Well, then get in line behind Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad, and Stephen Rolland. Meanwhile, limber up by getting to know the lady behind the luscious locks and septum piercing. By Giano D. Dionisio
To impress a Brazilian model, try paying close attention to details. As Mariana relates, being observant is one of the most attractive traits in a person because “If you are a good observer, you control every little thing that happens in your life,” something she also practices as a model. So far, it’s worked for her in campaigns for Ralph Lauren, Pull&Bear, and Urban Outfitters. Mariana is sexy from the inside out, and she’s ready to turn the beat around.
MI RITMO
I dont know what instrument I’d play, but if I had a band, we wouldn’t have one specific genre. We would make a big mix like the Brazilian band Chico Science & Nação Zumbi. Mixing different kinds of music genres requires much talent and a very good artistic instinct.
FAB FAMILIA
Growing up in Brazil was good, but the most important part of developing my personality is my amazing family… When I was little,
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I would always make musicals, creating dialogue and choreography for my cousins and me to present to the rest of the family. I was always drawing and writing books and poems.
CONFIANZA Y ESPERANZA
When I did haute couture in Paris, I was wearing wonderful clothes during the shows, but I lacked confidence because it was my first time doing haute couture. What makes me feel most confident is my attitude and frame of mind—not the clothes I am wearing.
CINE ELEGANTE
Each photo shoot requires a different character, because each shoot has a different inspiration. Being a model is like being a silent movie star; the model is always playing a character without speech.
TRAPPER KEEPER Let’s make one thing clear: the Aussie boys of THE TEMPER TRAP don’t want to be pegged as the “Sweet Disposition” band. They have more than one-hit-wonders. For sweet dispositions, sour times, and bitter moods, their second album delivers. By Reena Mesias Photographed by David Black
W
hen it comes to self-titling albums, bands usually do it for their debut. Take, for example, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, The Smiths, Madonna, and even Weird Al Yankovic. That’s because a self-titled album is the perfect introduction: “This is us. This is our music.” In The Temper Trap’s case, it’s their sophomore album they self-titled. After hearing the anthemic single, “Need Your Love,” you’d think vocalist Dougy Mandagi, bassist Jonathon Aherne, drummer Toby Dundas, guitarist Lorenzo Sillitto, and newly added keyboardist/ guitarist Joseph Greer lost their dreamy sound from 2009’s Conditions; but this record doesn’t indicate a dramatic reinvention of the band’s style which, when done just for
the sake of it—can whip them into a sophomore slump. The rationale, Toby explains, is not as complicated: “If anything, I think our sound is that we have no sound. We had a few names for the record, but none of them were unanimous; so, in the end, we decided to self-title.” Dougy’s famed falsetto remains, only this time, it’s clearer over stronger drums, fuzzy 80s synths, and keyboard stabs that boost their variant of indie rock. “It’s only natural that we want to improve from the first album,” Toby says. “We feel like we’ve progressed as a band so much in the last three years, and we want the new record to reflect that.” Adding Joseph to the lineup may have been a factor in the newly minted quintet’s subtle evolution. “Bringing Joseph
onboard has been great. He’s a fantastic keyboard player, and that opened new musical paths. We also bought a few synths over the past year and it was great to have some new and different sounds to write with.” The Temper Trap’s move above ground—thanks (or no thanks for some) to 500 Days of Summer—has triggered cries of “sellout.” But unlike “Sweet Disposition”—which has been used in weddings, in Diet Coke advertisements, in video games, in an Earth Hour teaser, in more movies, in even more TV shows (“My favorite TV show right now is The Walking Dead, so I’d love to hear one of the new tracks in season 3.”), and in Forever 21 stores—Toby says the best time to listen to their sophomore album would have been in 1985. Toby continues to show his
fondness for the decade, saying, “There’s so much about the 80s, it’s hard to narrow down what the best part is. Action films, sweatbands, shoulder pads, VFL, Gonz, The Goonies, MTV, over the top music videos, mullets, high tops, and the list goes on.” Even the band’s producer, Tony Hoffer (M83, Phoenix, Beck), advised the band to “make The Temper Trap modern by going vintage”—and it worked. It’s been two months since the release of The Temper Trap, and it’s everything its name suggests: emotive and inspired by London’s riots, Dougy’s breakup, and the California sun, trapping you with its pulsating beats and melodies. And let me guess…it’s still on your loop until now. Am I right, or am I right?
thetempertrap.com
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M A E S T R O
maestro
Tracing the roots of indie rock group SILVERSUN PICKUPS is a classic tale of music-loving friends whose passion for making something beautiful brought them from being roommates to earning Grammy nominations. So, are they ready to pick up a trophy soon? By Leo Balante Photographed by Autumn de Wilde
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READY FOR PICKUP
N
ikki Monninger (vocals/bass) cites her experience in a Cambridge, England exchange program as the biggest turn in her life. She says, “If it hadn’t been for that trip, I wouldn’t have met Brian Aubert (vocals/guitar), and I wouldn’t be in this band.” Year 2002 saw the birth of Silversun Pickups, when Nikki and Brian collaborated with Joe Lester (keyboard) and Christopher Guanlao (drums). “The best thing about it is that we were friends before we decided to make a band and that made everything so much easier,” Nikki shares. This year, the band takes on a new aural adventure with the release of their third fulllength, Neck of the Woods. It opens the floodgates of emotion as the journey toward completing the songs was largely driven by reaccessing the past. Nikki explains, “Lyrically, I think the creation of the album did affect Brian the most. It’s sort of introspective for him, a recalling of his childhood being close to where he grew up.” While conveying emotions in words, the band is victorious in sound engineering by departing from their reverb and distortion. Here, find out how else their sound takes shape.
You’ve graduated from the group’s trademark reverb in Neck of the Woods. Was it a conscious effort? I think each album is an extension of what we have learned through the years. Choosing Jacknife Lee as producer made us go in a different direction that still feels like us, only with added elements. The electronic element is more present and Joe is featured more with the keyboards. What was the most memorable part in making the record? The nicest part is that we recorded it in Jacknife’s house. After finishing recording in his garage, we’d have dinner with his family every night and it just got everyone in a better mood. Plus, he has these two amazing daughters whom we love. Brian said there are cinematic manifestations in your tracks. If you are to compare Neck of the Woods to a movie, what kind would it be? Brian says it’s like a horror movie directed by John Hughes. It can be dark and haunting; it can be introspective and sweet. The house (in the album art) could be somehow ominous.
At the same time, the white picket fence is welcoming. It only means the album can mean different things to different people. Some may find the lyrics dark and others may find hope in it. I think we’re also influenced by movie soundtracks. The movie Drive has such a great soundtrack. It’s dark and sexy. It’s an interesting take on 80s sound. How is it like touring when you’re the only girl in the group? It’s harder being a girl in a band because the general state of touring is not girl-friendly. I wish there were more girls touring with me, but that’s not the case; but, the guys are doing great in making me feel comfortable. What do you do in your free time? I spend my time going to modern art museums and galleries. My major in college was Art History, so I’ve always had an interest in art. I think it also helps creatively to be stimulated by visuals.
silversunpickups.com
HEART WRENCH Instead of playing Temple Run while halflistening to what everybody’s saying, MARISSA NADLER carved her sixth album. She does everything from songwriting and painting to carving and bookbinding, but she found her own best friend in her acoustic guitar—into which she can pour her existential crises into. By Miguel Escobar Photographed by Courtney Brooke Hall
I
“
love the delicacy and intimacy of an acoustic guitar. It’s warm and it can be your best friend,” says Marissa Nadler. She accompanies the guitar’s gentle melodies with her soprano and melancholic lyrics: “I didn’t know how to unfold the gatekeeper’s light/ I am stuck here in this plight of woe.”
Although she describes her new album, The Sister, as an appropriate soundtrack to an “evening spent at home alone or a desolate drive in the dark at night,” hardly is she, strictly speaking, emo. “I would love to loosen up enough to dance onstage,” she says, implying that her pensiveness as a performer is more of a crutch than a stylistic choice. The beauty of Marissa’s work, despite its wistfulness and what she calls a “spooky atmospheric quality,” is that it soothes more than depresses. “My way of coping with negative thoughts, feelings, and experiences has always been
to put those emotions in my songwriting so they don’t pull me down in real life,” she says. As Marissa continues to make a name as a purveyor of shoegaze and dream-folk, she’s determined to make it without compromising creative freedom. “I wish that there weren’t so much of a marriage between the appearance of musicians and their success,” she clamors. While a lovely lass herself, it doesn’t take much to see past Marissa’s looks. It’s her honesty in turning heartache into music that has us looking and hearing twice.
marissanadler.com
FORK IN THE ROAD By Karlo Cleto life lived on the road can be tough for many, but for These United States, nothing could be better. “We’re all traveling more now, geographically and musically,” says band leader Jesse Elliott. “We’ve got so many homes at this point that we dont know how not to feel wonderful.” The Brooklyn-based band, made up of Jesse, guitarist J. Tom Hnatow, guitarist/ keyboardist Justin Craig, bassist/singer Anna Morsett, and drummer Aaron Latos, first came to prominence on the strength of its raucous live shows and tours. This year, the band is set to unveil a new, self-titled
record two years after TUS’ last album. It promises more of TUS’ expansive, garage-inflected psych-folk, and features guest spots from members of Phosphorescent, Deer Tick, and The Mynabirds. “It was like meeting up with old friends,” says Jesse of his collaborators. “It was like drinking a little too much… and then rewinding the tape to see how it sounded,” he adds. It is this constant desire to dive to the deep end that continues to drive the band. The songs are fitting to TUS’ movement from city to city—they are odes to rebellion against stasis, a celebration of life,
MATISYAHU continues his purpose-driven life as a Spark Seeker, letting his signature shine shimmer through signature sounds, from traditional Jewish jams to Belize rapper Shyne’s rhymes and new century rhythm via Brazilian producer Kool Kojak (Nicki Minaj, Flo Rida, Ke$ha).
Clear some iPod space for instaclassic Life Is Good, NAS’ Def Jam ultimatum. The MC goes hard on the current state of hip-hop, his stake in the industry, and basically how good life is. There’s family talk, crew talk, bitch talk, and game talk, and yeah, it’s all good.
After his unforgettable debut, Forget, George Lewis Jr. aka TWIN SHADOW returns with melancholy on-the-road folly in Confess, an album that tells the musician’s biker backstory through 80s orchestration drenched in boozy guitar production.
If home is where the heart is, then the heart of hard-touring alt-Americana outfit THESE UNITED STATES is strewn all over the map.
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MAESTRO
death and all the strange, unforeseen things that happen when people meet and come together. “I’ve always been in love with language, tongues, movements of air, love, bullshit, and connections between people… It’s just infinite—it can point you off in an interesting direction, and you can take over the journey from there,” says the songwriter.
theseunitedstates.net
“We’ve got so many homes at this point that we don’t know how not to feel wonderful.”
Country rockers ZAC BROWN BAND burst out, Uncaged, this month with their fifth studio album. The awards show staples have gone “Knee Deep” and tickled “Toes,” but now they’re ready to get everyone on their feet and dancing.
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HANDSOME FURIES Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the confidence of the beheld. The guys of alternative rock band HANSOM consider themselves quite the catch. As guitarist and lead vocalist Ton Vergel de Dios says, “Nothing wrong with being a rude guy and having a belly.” By Rita Faire Photographed by Nyael David
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pening scene: two teams are introduced. In one corner, there are pretty boy heavyweights. In the other, there are two underdogs that will remind you of underfed dogs. The band enters with grating guitar-strumming and hard-pumping beats. Straining vocals follow. Suddenly, you get the first taste of what you’re in for— Hansom’s video for “Landi” (Flirt), an anthem telling unavailable girls to shut the hell up and leave helpless guys alone. That self-deprecating humor characterizes Hansom’s debut album Kanta
Ang Panlaban (Song Is the Weapon), but bandmate-brothers Ton, Gino (bass/ vocals), and Aldo Vergel de Dios (drums/ vocals) admit their sound has matured into something more groovy than angry in their currently untitled sophomore offering. “The whole time, Kanta Ang Panlaban was just screaming in your face, and now, with the new album, there are still some songs that scream in your face but then there will also be some that are about grooving and—you know—having fun.“ says Ton. “The flavor has definitely become a lot slower.” he continues. Even with the toned down riffs of fury,
the quintessential Hansom sound maintains its street-savvy humor. “Moving around in an urban setting and riding are some ideas we have especially for this next album,” says Ton. They even think it would be the perfect soundtrack to a 70s Lito Lapid action flick that’s meant to be taken seriously, but fails to earn a straight face from its audience. Big brother Gino asserts it just reflects the band’s natural state. He says, “It’s unhappy to be too serious about yourself, so we constantly try to make each other laugh.”
facebook.com/hansommusic
FOXES London gives us another gem in the form of a foxy lady who is aptly called FOXES aka Louisa Rose Allen. She may be a huge fan of the Spice Girls, but her music does not mirror the pop icons’ sound. That doesn’t, however, mean that Foxes can’t spice up your life. By Cy Mationg Photographed by Flora Hanitijo
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isten to “Youth,” a song that’s been featured in Gossip Girl—and consequently in every “Gossip Girl Season 5’s Best Music” YouTube video—and hear the voice of a whimsical Katy Perry singing a restrained Florence + the Machine song. Only, that’s neither Katy nor Florence; that’s Foxes. “Tell us something about yourself that not a lot of people know,” I ask at the start of the interview. She keeps quiet for a bit and comes up with… nothing. Her exact words: “I’m boring.” We say she’s lying. While girls are busy planning grand pink parties at age 18, Foxes was busy moving to London and studying music. She dropped out after realizing she didn’t want
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to study music; she wanted to make it. “Writing became something that would help me deal with problems I never had to deal with when I was at home in Southampton… Moving to London is the best thing I’ve done because it made me grow up. It also made me really get into music.” Her new album, Warrior, is a testament to her stronger self. She says, “That’s the sort of place I was at when I wrote Warrior and I think I wrote a positive message. It’s about letting go and finding a way to get better.” A true warrior, Foxes just keeps on fighting. Game on.
iamfoxes.com
MAESTRO
“It’s almost like a polygamous relationship where nobody has sex with one another.”
JUKEBOX THE GHOST—plug them in, turn them on, and crank them up. Their power pop sound will haunt you even in your sleep, but hold the proton packs; this is a friendly ghost, buster. By Reena Mesias Photographed by Shervin Lainez
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ianist Ben Thornewill, guitarist Tommy Siegel, and drummer Jesse Kristin of Jukebox the Ghost just released Safe Travels. Unlike their LP name, they’ve actually had a fair share of “almost-van-accidents” during tours that “left them shaking for the next hour.” Tommy says, “That comes with the territory of driving for a living,” but if the danger equates to their indie, crisp pub rock-inspired sound, then we don’t mind shaking and bopping ‘til we drop. “I don’t think we’re entirely capable of making a ‘downer’ record,” says Tommy. “Maybe we’ll have a backlog and write a 100% sad record someday and totally bum everyone out,” he adds. Hmm… maybe not yet. Theirs is the sound of being alive and our hearts racing to keep up. You’ve been playing since 2003. How much have you grown? We’ve been lucky not to get totally pigeonholed musically, so Jukebox the Ghost have been able to grow with us as people. Our new record feels like the clearest example of that—it’s still pretty upbeat and poppy at its core, but we’ve calmed down. Any highs and lows while recording Safe Travels? We’re fiercely proud of this record. In some ways,
it’s the first album where we got to relax, be ourselves, and not freak out. We worked with producer Dan Romer who also happens to be a dear friend who loves the band and really gives us the ability to stretch out, experiment, and not worry about how much time we were spending. The actual process coincided with some really dark moments though. As we started recording, Ben’s grandfather died from lung cancer. Right as we were finalizing mixes, Jesse’s father died of cancer. Even though most of the songs were written before it all happened, it felt like all the songs got a lot heavier… We happened to have five or so songs on the record contemplating mortality that took on a whole new meaning. Do you see your band as more of the sticking-to-their-roots or adapting-to-the-scene kind? Honestly, we’ve always been a band that felt outside of any scene. We cut our teeth as a band in DC, playing right as the Dischord Records and post-punk era were closing down; and although I’m an obsessive Dismemberment Plan, Q and Not U, and Fugazi fan, that side never really directly impacted Jukebox the Ghost in a way that a new listener could pick up. As a result, when we started gaining traction in the area, I think some people
Underground hip-hop honcho AESOP ROCK’s newest LP—and his first completely self-produced one—Skelethon whips words out in familiar ferocity, bringing flesh and blood to curb-biting beats alongside friends Kimya Dawson, Rob Sonic, DJ Big Wiz, and more.
The DIRTY PROJECTORS have staccato’d their way into indie playlists everywhere with upbeat jive, but Swing Lo Magellan, their latest release, employs hollow synth and darker themes for yet another intriguing experiment in music.
were thinking, “Oh god, the post-punk era is over… for this?” But we were never aiming for that scene in the first place even though we’re big fans. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you wanna go, what would you bring with you, and what would you do there? The top of Mount Everest, a double-necked guitar, shred. Tell us something interesting about your friendship. We’ve known each other long enough and spent so much time playing and living together that it’s closer to brotherhood at this point. It’s almost like a polygamous relationship where nobody has sex with one another. That might be a poor way to phrase it. Some fun facts, however: Ben takes breakfast very seriously, Jesse is terrified of slugs, and I used to have a job as a historical reenactor before we started touring. Other than Safe Travels and your tours, what should we look out for this 2012? The imminent destruction of Earth and the human race, right?
jukeboxtheghost.com
Mellow duo ETERNAL SUMMERS is now a trio, diversifying their musical stylings in Correct Behavior. The sophomore effort goes from pop riffs and cheesy titles (“I Love You”) to angstier growls and maximum volume ditties.
Keeping to their winning electro formula and sticking to producer Chris Zane’s melodic mastery, PASSION PIT release the highlyanticipated Gossamer. Expect hallucinations of highly saturated triangles and rainbow threads of light moving to the fist-pumping pulse.
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this area
“It don’t matter if you’re black or white,” sang Michael Jackson. For SHAUN ROSS, the first albino African-American male supermodel, it does matter. Rather than be bothered with his unique look, he used it to matter in the industry. By Belle Rodolfo Photographed by Sarah Kjelleren Styled by Douglas Hickman Grooming by Phoenix using MAC
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ue to the way society reacts to people with albinism, I did not think that modeling was something that I was capable of doing,” Shaun Ross says. Yet the fashion world loves the one-of-a-kind, hence it seemed inevitable that a photographer eventually fished out his potential from the depths of the world’s bottomless (but not always substantial) talent pool, YouTube. Now, Shaun sits back and answers this interview wearing Odyn Vovk, in some sort of unconscious tribute to the designer who coincidentally booked him for his only show for Fashion Week some years ago. Sure, he’s had his share of rejection–more than what’s fair even–so starting out wasn’t a walk in the park. His first go-see was for Sean Combs’ clothing line, but it didn’t turn out to be an instantaneous big break. He recalls, “It was very scary, meeting him, but he is a very nice man. Too bad I did not end up getting the job.” It all seems so far away, now that Shaun is mingling in the center of the fashion industry. He’s been told he’s beautiful by no less than Beyoncé, and he’s even kissed Katy Perry as her futuristic lover for the “E.T.” video, yet Shaun
insists, “They are humans just like us.” Being called beautiful by the most beautiful hasn’t warped his thoughts. He says, “Beauty lasts forever. It is something that is found within. Sexy lasts for five minutes until you notice they are not internally beautiful.” What about those who used to torment Shaun with their myopic concept of beauty? Perhaps, they’re nonplussed. He agrees: “They would be stupid not to be.” If there’s one good thing that he’s gotten from those who used to hurt him, it’s toughening him up for the crazy industry that puts him, like most models, under constant scrutiny. Beyond fame and infamy, though, he shares a male model’s life on-camera and behind-the-scenes. These include posing on a horse in white underwear and wolfing down a pastry (“I love apple juice and a chocolate croissant.”) to get ready for big shows like Givenchy and Alexander McQueen, among many others. Quirks aside, the best thing about Shaun in action is he’s hired as a model whose character creates the look and not the other way around. He says, “I am more of a personality than a model so they are usually aware of what I bring to the
table, and they book me because of that.” Although Shaun keeps it low-key on days he isn’t working, attention always chases after him. If his days of flouncing down the biggest catwalks were to happily achieve their prime, Shaun would be like Brain from Pinky and the Brain and fiercely “take over the world!” Cue his evil laugh.
twitter.com/shaundross
mastermind
FINCH ME, I’M DREAMING Back in May, the award for summer blockbuster of the year—neigh, the decade—went to The Avengers. If we were talking about the comics, though, then some credit must go to former Avengers and current Dark Knight artist DAVID FINCH. By Mikel Reyes Photographed by Patrick Diokno Artworks Courtesy of Fullybooked
What is it like working on iconic titles like Avengers and Batman? There are times when I’m on the outside looking in, thinking I’d like to work on this or that project, but when I’m working, it’s just that: my work; it’s only going to be as good as I make it to be. Looking back on it, I see how cool it was. I still can’t believe I drew those books.
Batman: Time and the Batman
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omic books (floppies, graphic novels, manga, etc.) have always been on the fringe of social media, but not so much these days. With just under 20 comic book film adaptations since 2008, the emergent genre finally shines more than a bat-logo branded signal on the underrated medium. With both The Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises rising to the forefront this July, it doesn’t look like comics or their subsequent movies will be taking a backseat anytime soon. Who better to give us an ultimate insider’s look into
Batman: The Dark Knight Volume 1: Golden Dawn Deluxe Edition
this velvety underbelly than prolific comic book artist David Finch? He’s worked with Top Cow, Marvel, and DC—to the layman, that’s Silverforce, Ultimate X-Men, New Avengers, and The Dark Knight—plus some concept art for Zack Snyder’s Watchmen movie in between. Feel like exploring a new frontier? Sit down and take some notes, kiddos. Hey, David. Do any of your peers have anything against you? Because you do look like Lex Luthor… [Laughs] You might be on to something.
How did you feel when DC said you would be drawing and writing the Dark Knight comics? I was scared out of my mind, but I still really wanted to do it. I aspire to be remembered for the work I do on it. What are your thoughts on the DC universe reboot, then? I thought it was going to be a terrible mistake, because I thought retailers weren’t going to be able to keep up with it. Obviously, I was completely wrong—and I’m happy to be. DC also announced their books would be made digitally available the same day as print. Has the digital arena influenced your art? Yes, in the sense I really need to be on time, and there isn’t
as much wiggle room as there once was. But I’d be lying to say it changed the way my comics look. The two-page spread doesn’t seem to have the same wow effect in digital as in print. Are you limiting the use of it? The days of the two-page spread are numbered. It’s a shame ‘coz I love drawing it. I still draw for the book market because I love the feeling of having a book in my hands. Maybe I’ll change the way I approach drawing comics when print is dead, which isn’t anytime soon. Lastly, people these days seem more interested in following their favorite creators over their favorite characters. What’s your take on that? It’s a great thing, especially with writers. If the industry starts putting in writers who tell stories that anybody off the street could pick up, then we’d be ready for the mainstream. I really hope the industry evolves in that way, where we get away from franchises that go on and on, and start becoming more like a book market.
dfinchartist.com
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FLOURISH AND FAUNA Illustrator TOKWA PEÑAFLORIDA is “preparing for future shows, getting some new tattoos, and finally learning how to ride a bike.” He wasn’t always so freewheeling, though, having once worked in advertising. Though he misses his workmates and the regular paycheck, Tokwa’s well-suited to a life that colors beyond the lines. By Petra Magno Photographed by Patrick L. Jamora
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ush ladies gaze inscrutably at you, shoulders bared, entire phyla woven into their hair. Tokwa Peñaflorida admits that while the girls he paints have been described as “drugged-looking,” it’s vulnerability he’s trying to convey. He himself is far from vulnerable even though he’s diagnosed with ADHD, which he compares to “watching two or more TVs on different channels.” A fine arts graduate from the University of the Philippines, Tokwa has swapped the nine-to-five for a
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24/7 commitment to his art, and the results are as dreamy as his paintings inspired by Murakami and Mucha. How else to explain the juxtaposition of sensual women with his illustrations for children’s literature? He was given a shockingly short time frame in which to illustrate Vidal Foundation-published Ang Bonggang-Bonggang Batang Beki (The Fierce and Fabulous Boy in Pink), which Tokwa describes as “the first children’s book in Southeast Asia… to tackle [the issue of] homosexuality in children.” The times Tokwa has to hustle, however, are also the most rewarding. Tokwa muses, “I was hesitant at first, but I really believe in the [book’s] advocacy and moral lesson.” He completed the project, compressing two months of work into less than a week, even working on the overall layout for free. “I couldn’t resist it,” he says. “The only problem I have with [illustrating for children] is that I also love illustrating not-so-children-friendly stuff. [Authors] usually get a little… scared that their visions for their book might end up too dark or risqué.” Risqué business indeed. Tokwa’s work for Hello, Sailor!, a dual exhibit in Heima with former STATUS art director Soleil Ignacio, reveals an unnerving sensuality. Created to the sounds of Angus & Julia Stone, Feist, and Lana del Rey, the resulting nymphs with parted lips and bedroom eyes positively drip with hope, lust, and love. Gaze at them and they seem to gaze back even more intensely.
After all, being sexy is “being honest, unapologetic, and confident about how you look.” Tokwa says. There’s a certain cheekiness to Tokwa’s work. On his Tumblr is an illustration of two boys sweating under a bright sun. The lines are loose and delicate, the colors gently pastel. It looks like a page straight out of a toddler’s book on climate change. “It’s so hot today,” one boy remarks to the other, before adding a curse word as colorful as anything Tokwa’s painted. “I’m a bit experimental,” Tokwa admits, currently dabbling in watercolor and exploring oil. “I use unconventional objects to create textures in my work,” and he rattles off a small inventory of the world: “bleach, sand, salt, dishwashing liquids, torn paper, ash…” before adding, “nothing scary like blood or whatever bodily fluid some artists use.” But he’s already shed blood for his art, if you consider his tattoos. Interestingly, for an artist who fills frames, Tokwa’s tattoos consider emptiness, or at least containment. Blue and red notepad lines circle his wrist, ready for him to write on, and on his arm is a Victorian cameo picture frame for his “arm doodles, so it won’t look messy.” He also bears LOREM and IPSUM in lovely type, which he explains as saying, “I’m not someone pretending to be an intellectual; it’s empty text with an artsy treatment.”
tokwap.tumblr.com
mastermind
TRASH TALKS
PHOTO DUMPS
Reebok
DAVID TITLOW isn’t much of a talker, but he doesn’t have to be; his photos speak for himself.
Elle Girl
Disappear Here
By Reena Mesias
I
t goes without saying—with his dating history with Alexa Chung, his resumé (citing Conde Nast, Vice, Esquire), and his flair to stall without ruining the quality of his work—that David Titlow is one to look out for. “I try not to think about stuff and inspirations until the last minute or the night before, and then it all comes together visually in my head,” David tells me after his shoot with Ladyhawke in New York. David’s art theory: “True artists are born, not made.” He was born in a cultural wasteland in England, so figuring out which art scene he was gonna fit into proved to be a cruise not so smooth. After going through graphic design and silkscreen printing in art school, he moved on to pursue a career as a pop star—wearing funky purple shorts—as the lead singer for the 80s groovy duo, Blue Mercedes. “Music was becoming very hard work,” David recounts. “We were dropped by our label, and it just got too disheartening knocking on record companies’ doors and being told to Foxtrot Oscar.” Hence, he probed into the realm of photography as an assistant for two years. There, no one had to tell him to fuck off. David learned to make beautiful things behind the scenes and in smaller spaces. Like Harry Potter with his little cupboard under the stairs of his home in Privet Drive, David and his school camera club first worked inside their own dark room in a cupboard of his London home. But David says, “I don’t have it anymore. Although I would love to have one again under the
stairs if I had enough room.” With or without one, David keeps the magic in his photos by punctuating character—sometimes angsty, mostly aloof, but everything submerged in a young, no-bullshit tone. “I try to keep the shots very spontaneous and I shoot very quickly, but this is not at the expense of feel and lighting,” David continues. “I like my subjects to look and feel very cool.” He admits that he doesn’t talk much to his subjects and that he’s not inspired by them—even if they are Ewan McGregor, Liam Gallagher, Rupert Grint, La Roux, and Eva Green. But that doesn’t indicate that David’s an arrogant chap. “I was very impressed with Gary Oldman and John Lydon who are both heroes of mine.” And while he’s probably used to celebrities and still dreams to shoot David Bowie, doing fashion editorials with “a superb model” and his “favorite team” is what he loves most. “Celebrity shoots are a bit limiting. Too many cooks,” he says. Before the interview ends, I quickly check his blog, Trash Aesthetic. David laughs, “I’ve had that account for ages. I guess Blogspot is considered a bit square compared to Tumblr but I still like it. It’s old school.” Old school is always cool, just like his style that captures raw reality. How he hopes people to look at them? “Like they want to cut the picture out and put it on their wall or in a scrapbook,” he says. Go ahead. We don’t mind if you tear this page out.
“I like my subjects to look and feel very cool.”
davidtitlow.com
Reebok
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mastermind
LADY IS A VAMP Actress SARAH BOLGER admits she is anything but a horror junkie. “I couldn’t even sit through the first Harry Potter movie without turning off the TV!” she admits. How she manages to see her own psychological thriller is beyond us, but that type of quirk makes her twice as thrilling. By Rita Faire
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ou wouldn’t peg Sarah Bolger for the homebody type. After seeing her in a posh role like Lady Mary in The Tudors, a lot of people figure her as more Downtown Abbey than At Home With Jamie Oliver. But when the cameras stop rolling and the designer costumes have been returned, Sarah, the selfconfessed “tea-drinking, cheeseloving nerd” from Dublin, would rather update her baking blog than paint the town red. Beginning her acting career at five years old, Sarah has been in a constant stream of work, including acting the part of King Henry VIII’s eldest daughter. Starring in director Mary Harron’s newest thriller The Moth Diaries was what got people talking, though. The film follows Sarah as Rebecca, a young school girl traumatized by the death of her parents and driven to a
dangerous obsession when she suspects her roommate Ernesta (Lily Cole) of being a vampire. “Having a year of prep for The Moth Diaries and being able to research people who deal with being bipolar became an invaluable amount of time. It gave me the opportunity to really dive into the mind of Rebecca,” she says. Material like that could weigh heavily even on people with the happiest dispositions, but Sarah manages to balance bad vibes with her next project, Crush, opposite Lucas Till. “I got to play this flirty, young, vivacious, strong girl, which is a character I’ve always wanted to play.” Well, Sarah’s current unbearable lightness of being is a welcome break after too many period dramas and horror flicks.
sarahbolger.org
True to Form JANINA GAVANKAR’s work demands her to be a bit liberal about her sexuality—True Blood and The L Word themselves aren’t exactly general patronage gigs —but that never posed a problem. She says, “I have never run into anything unprofessional… But make no mistake about it, it’s definitely weird. But after a while, it’s just ‘Ugh, whatever.’” By Miguel Escobar Photographed by David Jakle
C
onsidering Janina Gavankar’s feral roots as shapeshifting Luna in True Blood, you probably wouldn’t guess that underneath it all is a geek. No, not the attention-seeking kind that puts on the gradeless hornrimmed glasses and thinks that posting gratuitous pictures on Instagram with “I’m such a dork” captions is cool. Janina’s the real deal. She backs that title up with her stint as a co-host on G4’s Attack of the Show and appearances in Stargate: Atlantis. If those weren’t enough, she also played Ms. Dewey for the Microsoft Live Search viral campaign of the same name which sort of means she was, at some point, the personification of what we now know as the search engine, Bing. Who else gets to say they’ve been a search engine? Also a “band nerd and show
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choir geek” earlier in her life, Janina is slowly stoking the fires of an upcoming music career when she isn’t working on the set of True Blood. She’s given the world a sneak peek of her vocal chops in her cover of “Love Lockdown” and her own dubstep single, “Kali Ma.” “Recently, Randy Jackson popped out of nowhere,” says Janina. “He’s the first person to sit me down and tell me, ‘You’re weird, I love it, go do more weird stuff and then come back to me,’ and now he’s producing the record I’m releasing this summer,” she shares. She isn’t much like her characters at all, but Janina is a shapeshifter in her own right. No matter what form she assumes, she’ll probably be like, “Whatever, I can do it.”
janinagavankar.com
mastermind
LIAR, LIAR, HE’S ON FIRE TYLER BLACKBURN may decode secrets, hack computers, and make the girls swoon in ABC’s Pretty Little Liars, but he’s got a few more tricks up his beat up leather jacket’s sleeve that’ll keep you hanging by a note. By Zoe Laurente Photographed by Amanda Elkins Assisted by Ilka McGrady Styled by Gabrielle Lewis Assisted by Bianca Strother Grooming by Kristina Goldberg
“I don’t have room for fabricators in my life.”
W
e all love Tyler Blackburn as Caleb Rivers in Pretty Little Liars. Why shouldn’t we? It’s actually his favorite role to date, too. It’s not just because he gets nostalgic with childhood memories of stealing money from a family friend (as a joke) that makes him fit for it. “He is witty, rough around the edges, yet has a really good heart,” says Tyler. Like Caleb, his personal encounters with fabricators have been underwhelming. His quick solution is to not dwell on it and simply brush them off, he says, “I don’t have room for that in my life.”
Tyler is also a man of few words. His pretty little puckers are often shut tight, letting only scripted lines slip out from time to time, unless they’re sharing steamy lip-locks with female co-stars like Ashley Benson. But, the cat’s out of the bag as Tyler reveals his other hidden talent. Yes, he’s just as easy on the ears as he is on the eyes. Used to playing different characters—from troubled kid Jesse in Peach Plum Pear to computer geek Ian in Days of Our Lives—Tyler takes on a new role, only this time taking his sexy image off the boob tube and
channeling it in a heartstringstrumming performance showing the range of his vocal chords. The music gig pretty much came knocking at his door after ABC approached him and asked if he wanted to do a record for them. “The first time I recorded music,” Tyler recalls, “was for a web series called Wendy,” a spin-off of the Peter Pan story for which he starred as Pete. Since then, he’s been having a blast spending time in the recording booth where he gets to experiment with music. When asked if he’d trade one career for the other, he says, “Each one includes putting on a performance. They both are extremely admirable.” Everything seems to be good in Hollywood when you get to enjoy the double perks of being a rising TV star and a musician. In between acting and singing, Tyler soon sees himself on the big screen. The more comfortable he is with a role, the more he wants to take on more mature characters who are steps away from pretty boy stereotypes. “I really just need to feel inspired in some way by the character and project,” he says.
twitter.com/tylerblackburn
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HEAVY HITTER
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H E A V Y H I T T E R
All have listened to a MAROON 5 song at least once in their relationship timeline, most specially that the Californian band is known for producing songs that stimulate one’s feelings of fantasy, longing, depression, addiction, and lust. They’ve swept, broken, and mended our hearts with just the touch of their music. Their latest album, Overexposed, brings out their poppier side. STATUS exposes this transformation and finds out from the band how it feels to always be a hot topic. By Victoria Herrera Photographed by Terry Richardson statusmagonline.com - 75
HEAVY HITTER
“Overexposure might just be the best way to capture someone’s attention.”
IF
you’re familiar with their early hymns like “This Love,” “She Will Be Loved,” and “Sunday Morning,” then you know just how the spell of Maroon 5 can take over. The band is composed of frontman Adam Levine, guitarist James Valentine, bassist Mickey Madden, drummer Matt Flynn, and keyboardist PJ Morton, who has currently replaced Jesse Carmichael who’s on a temporary hiatus. Just like getting a tattoo on a drunk night, this band has managed to find a way to our subconscious and stick there, without us even remembering how. As James chimes in, “I hear ‘Moves Like Jagger’ everywhere… Overexposure might just be the best way to capture someone’s attention.”
EXPOSURE
The album name, Overexposed, reflects Maroon 5’s current status. From music videos, magazine covers, and talk shows— the band has lit all forms of
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media, and there are no signs of their limelight fading. This beam not only extends to the music world, but also manages to trickle into mainstream pop culture, notably due to their frontman, Adam Levine. “When I drive around LA, I see Adam’s face on billboards everywhere,” James adds. Adam has caught more attention since he joined the reality singing competition, The Voice, as a judge and mentor alongside Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, and Blake Shelton. He also announced the beginning of his own record label, 222, signing Glee star Matthew Morrison to its roster. Adding points to his acting resumé, Adam will be gueststarring in the second season of American Horror Story alongside Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, and Zachary Quinto. But what everyone wants to know is Adam’s relationship status. After two years with Russian supermodel Anne V, he is now stamped single in gossip blogs. That bit of news gained no sympathy from us—we always wanted him for ourselves anyway. (Just so you know A, we’re here for ya.)
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MOMENTUM Adam describes Overexposed as one of Maroon 5’s most diverse and poppiest albums yet. After last year’s wildly successful pop hit, “Moves Like Jagger” with Christina Aguilera, it’s not that much of a surprise why this “poppier” direction works. The band has gained a wider fanbase with this seamless crossover track. Audiences of all ages rose to hit the dance floor, and sources tell us the song even got Mick Jagger to get up and move like himself. Seriously, how can you beat that? The first single from their new album is “Payphone” featuring rising rapper Wiz Khalifa. In the music video, Adam is inside a payphone
PJ Morton
booth trying to reach someone, “wasting all his change” on her. On a recent appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Adam says, “We are in the era of cell phones… Now, if you’re at a payphone, there’s definitely something wrong… You’re in desperate need of something.” Known for steamy narratives and casting gorgeous ladies, “Payphone” doesn’t stray from signature Maroon 5 music video tactics. Expect car crashes and massive explosions throughout. Adam is mistaken for a bank robber and attempts to outrun the cops. Seems like a little too much action for a heartbreak song? In this day and age, when our attention spans are moving at 1,000 miles an hour, maybe it’s that type of explosion that will keep our attention for four
Adam Levine
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minutes and 40 seconds. “There’s so much stuff out there that it’s hard to really stick out; so to make any sort of impact, you have to really make an impact, know what I mean?” says James, reinforcing the band’s commitment to go all out. James hopes, “I would like our next video to be directed by Quentin Tarantino. I wonder how we could ever convince him to do it.” The action-packed lives and hyper mood of today’s generation translate to the cover art and energy of Overexposed. “There’s so much stimulation everywhere these days. The internet age is really intense, there’s just so many things in front of us all of the time. It seems like time is speeding up,” says James.
“You can’t hide away in fear, you have to put yourself out there.”
HEAVY HITTER
Matt Flynn
EVOLUTION Michael Madden
For a band that’s been around for over a decade, Maroon 5 managed to successfully stay current. They’ve outlasted a lot of their contemporaries. They’ve also been coming out with albums since the release of Songs About Jane ten years ago, following it up with It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, Hands All Over, and now Overexposed. Even though they’ve been creating music for years, that doesn’t mean the process has been easy. James admits, “Opening yourself up to new things is always challenging. We get stuck in our habits very easily. You have to be very unself-conscious to break out of these patterns… You can’t hide away in fear, you have to put yourself out there.” Breaking out of their patterns also meant supporting a new sound. The band has opened up to more outside collaborations, “We worked with other people on the writing of some of the songs,” explains James. Max Martin executively
produced the album, with OneRepublic’s frontman Ryan Tedder, and producers Benny Blanco and Shellback adding their own pop magic. “We’ve never done that before. I think it challenged all of us in different ways,” he says. But the question of making the album rock or pop was actually an afterthought. Their focus was still on creating great music that their audiences could appreciate. At the end of the day, it has to have “a great melody with a unique lyric that can connect with people,” says James. For some artists, weaving the delicate balance between keeping their original audience and growing their sound is a huge risk, but for Maroon 5, it’s a fear they’ve managed to overcome. After all, we can’t always have the same things we had ten years ago. Maroon 5 don’t have all their original members from when they started; but we’re all supportive of letting things evolve as they are meant to. Whether it be rock or pop, know that it’s still music developed out of Maroon 5’s flesh, sweat, and blood.
maroon5.com James Valentine
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Soundgarden rebanded in 2010 packaged with the retrospective album Telephantasm. Long gone were the days of hits “Black Hole Sun”, “Spoonman,” and “Pretty Noose.” With their new release “Live to Rise” on The Avengers soundtrack, they’re the extra muscle to a film that beat Harry Potter in the box office, revealing the rise of fantastical machismo over the tame creatures of wizardry. Vocalist CHRIS CORNELL talks to STATUS about the scene that saw the revival of Soundgarden and the one that saw it leave. By Mara Coson Photographed by Danny Clinch
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S
oundgarden smash their headstone of silence in front of a live music festival audience after almost a decade. The old Seattle boys are back, a little less rock & roll, but a little more legend. Chris Cornell explains, “I think that bands go away for a while because they need a break, and then they come back with a sort of regeneration.” He continues, “The idea that we’re reaching new people is so exciting—that a young audience will maybe hear our new album for the first time,” he says of Soundgarden’s growing body of work and the sentimental cycle of music discovery. But before their comeback, everything started in the maternity ward of Sub Pop Records as grunge grew to be one of the most defining genres of the early 90s. Soundgarden grew at a time of mics and men in flannel shirts who hung out at dives like CBGB, fostering a kind of male bonding challenging an increasingly consumerist America, a time when punk’s leather jackets tightened with age. Much of grunge was malecentric, running alongside the Riot Grrl movement in a way similar to the divide between the women’s and men’s bathrooms. The sound they were all producing from Bikini Kill to the Nirvana was the last bastion of platonic shifts in rock music.
“Nineties rock was sort of the last time there was a huge kind of cultural shift in how people thought about rock music,” Chris justifies, “Since then, there hasn’t been an episode of global rebooting of rock music.” Being the first grunge band to land a large record label, Chris’ bright future contrasted his dark sound—even if it meant backlash after backlash by grunge puritans every time he experimented with different forms of music. The impending Soundgarden breakup bore its teeth when guitarist Kim Thayil accused him of deviating from the heavy riffs that made a brand of the band. Later on, he formed Audioslave with the members of Rage Against the Machine. In spite of the initial comments of its oil and water mix, the collaboration became multi-awarded. Left to his own solo projects, like his third solo album Scream, Chris defended the downplay of heavy guitar with hip-hop producer Timbaland’s electronic influence in the album. “There’s this culture now of hybrids of different influences coming from all kinds of different genres coming together in different ways,” he explains of his openness to adaptation. “And it’s really not easy to categorize rock or pop or hip-hop or anything.” While
“we’re at an age of music where creativity can abound... People can really do anything and everything and whatever they want.”
Scream made it to the charts, it was a disappointment relative to the success of Soundgarden’s highly acclaimed album Superunknown or even his first solo album Euphoria Morning. In a way, Soundgarden round two is a welcome revival, but what was then considered novel sound can now—in its live thawing—seem overly stylized amid a wealth of new genres that had emerged after its peak. “I haven’t really thought of it being a new time or a new era. I’ve just thought about it in terms of the way that I always think, in that it has to be Soundgarden music and it has to fit into what I imagine Soundgarden sounds like,” says Chris. He further expresses the importance of the band to him in a way that whatever they write has to suit each member’s taste while still continuing to push music boundaries. “That, of course, is informed by the fact that 13 years have gone by and we’ve all listened to a lot of music from then until now and we’ve all made records and we’ve all toured and we’ve had all these experiences so that the ‘updating’ factor just happens automatically,” he says. From playing in CBGB in Bowery to playing their old songs in a new Los Angeles
replica of CBGB, it is possible that the timely retrospection could be bending in their favor. The splintering of music scenes and the individualized consumption of entertainment can also mean a permanent space for a tuned-in but growing niche audience. He explains, “Clearly, we’re at an age of music where creativity can abound, you know? People can really do anything and everything and whatever they want. Technology just kind of serves that, I think; it doesn’t hurt it.” “The biggest difference now is that there has to be some sort of viral explosion for any new sound or song, really, to get traction. And the audience controls that. Nobody else does. So it’s just a bit of a big sea of information that you have to wade through to find things that interest you,” Chris adds. With an upcoming album and “Live to Rise” playing in every theater when The Avengers came out, the increasingly canonic status of hits like “Spoonman,” and his James Bond contribution “You Know My Name” for Casino Royale, there is a lot to unearth in any corner where Chris Cornell lays his guitar.
soundgardenworld.com
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That HENRIK VIBSKOV, born in Jutland in 1972, chooses to create this living, breathing, dropcrotch-trousered Narnia away from the usual fashion capitals makes the Danish designer even more fascinating. While his Scandinavian peers prefer to churn out minimalist garments in greys and beiges, Henrik dares to punctuate his collections with glorious color and theatrical styling. By Gino de la Paz 82 - statusmagonline.com
HEAVY HITTER
Design Week Monterrey; Mexico 2008 Photo by Allan Lydt
WITH
whimsical names such as Land of Black Carrots, Big Wet Shiny Boobies, The Solar Donkey Experiment, and The Fantabulous Bicycle Music Factory, Henrik Vibskov’s presentations easily double as performance art. The Central Saint Martins alumnus, the only Danish designer on the official show schedule of Paris Men’s Fashion Week since 2003, has made multisensory, cross-disciplinary shows an integral part of his 11-year-old brand. While his Scandinavian peers such as Filippa K and Acne are content with season after season of minimalist threads in nonthreatening neutrals or producing denim for all the world to consume, he dares to explore color and surreal showmanship. To wit: he has employed everything from a web of giant hamster wheels powered by an army of models in oversized Amish hats (The Human Laundry Service, Autumn/Winter 2009) to an uneven gangplank with levers that triggered mallets that, in turn, struck a wall of whitewashed drums (The Shrink Wrap Spectacular, Autumn/Winter 2012). For Style.com’s Matthew Schneier, “There’s no beating the avant-garde Dane for runway oddity.” “I don’t think it matters where you are geographically, as long as you have an open mind and good people around you. But I like to be outside it all,” he emails from his base in chill Copenhagen. As the Danish fashion industry still appears to be in its teething stage—“We don’t have a long history in fashion, and a lot of black,
grey, and beige”—Henrik Vibskov is the closest the land of Prince Hamlet has to a bona fide rising star. And he’s a reluctant one at that. Although he spearheads an eponymous fashion label, he stresses that he does not regard himself as a fashion person and, in fact, sees himself as pretty normal. Henrik contextualizes himself and his influences in terms of an extremely orderly square. In one corner resides Comme des Garçons, Paul Smith, and other artists who do color very well. In another, are brands that create utilitarian objects, such as Levi’s and IKEA. The third is reserved for those with more avant-garde predilections: Bernhard Willhelm—“Always one of the most ‘enjoyable’ collections,” according to his blog—comes to mind. The final quarter is all about classic tailoring, the techniques, tradition, and discipline that have made London’s Savile Row and Jermyn Street bywords for bespoke. “I try to work in the middle of this square,” he told The Fader’s Chioma Nnadi. “Sometimes I go too far in one direction, or too far in another, but I want to have a bit of everything.” His garments share a kinship with designs by Walter Van Beirendonck, Stine Goya, MM6, and Anntian—conceptual labels that can also be found in his stand-alone stores in Oslo, Copenhagen and New York—in that they push anything you wear with them way forward. (I happen to own a printed jacket from his earlier years as well as pleated poplin trousers from the Solar Donkey show. Both go with nothing, and therefore go with everything.) Pig, his final collection at Saint Martins in 2001, is the one he’s had the most fun with and
“I don’t think it matters where you are geographically, as long as you have an open mind and good people around you.”
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Men’s Fall 2012
he claims that the basis of his aesthetic has stayed the same. “I like detailing, knits, interesting color combinations, and unusual shapes. Maybe I am a little more tailored now than back in the day. The attention to detail has definitely grown over time.” As a brave soul who follows his own conventions, he is definitely at the vanguard of a new generation of creative multi-taskers. Apart from the men’s and women’s collections he brings to life twice a year—marled, Missoni-like knits, tailored jackets, deconstructed brogues, bold-print jumpsuits, and drop-crotch shorts, largely wearable in controlled doses—he is likewise unafraid of quirky accessories. His online V-Store, for instance, stocks a black canvas “Seat” computer bag made out of red and cream beads, one that you can sit on for a butt massage. Notes The New York Times’ Jon Caramanica: “Over the years, he has made prams, beautiful weekend bags, children’s umbrellas, hats in the shape of bulbous nipples and socks.” Asked to pick a favorite item from his decade-plus career, he is stumped. “A lot. Hats and socks are just some of them.” Henrik Vibskov wears knee socks everyday, and if he had his way, so would you. Lately, he has found yet another way to articulate his vision: unisex fragrances. Available at chic French outpost Colette, they serve as olfactory tributes to three places with totally unique temperaments. “It’s three cities that were interesting to us for different reasons,” he says. “Copenhagen, because it is my hometown; Berlin, [because it] has always been one of my favorites; and Damascus, because of
its particularity scent-wise—the markets, flowers, and spices,” he adds. Developed over a period of a year and a half, this is “a modular project, so theoretically more scents could be developed in the future. Maybe Type H for Helsinki?” Each of his talents and interests invariably feeds the other and “impact each other very much”. His pop culture touchstones? “I like sci-fi movies. I like crime books. For music, I’m pretty open, but dark-minded with a pop twist.” He has played at Coachella with Trentemøller— the electronic band that has remixed the likes of the Drums, Franz Ferdinand, and Röyksopp—for which he is the drummer. (Check out their 2007 track “Moan,” which is perfectly “dark-minded with a pop twist.”) Before he plunged headfirst into fashion, he was part of another Copenhagenbased band called Luksus, Danish for luxury; they sounded indie-ish à la the Smiths. Henrik Vibskov also connects dots you hadn’t imagined were connectible before via Vibskov & Emenius, a collaborative art project between him and the Swedish artist Andreas Emenius, whom he met at Saint Martins. In 2007, they began work on The Fringe Projects, ten works in the form of installations, objects, performances, video, and self-portraits, “exploring illusion, surface, and movement.” Completed in 2009, the team effort has been exhibited in Kyoto and Shanghai. The Circular Series
Sticks Installation, Copenhagen 2008; Photo by Shoji Fuji
Photographed by Nils Müller
Women’s Spring 2012
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is Vibskov & Emenius’ new series of artworks, which they began three years ago. This time, as the name suggests, the circle is used as visual glue linking all the projects to the same universe. Launched in Copenhagen’s meatpacking district in May, Henrik’s self-titled book presents his oeuvre in a collage-like manner, with sketches, candid commentary, inspiration shots, and behind-the-scenes images of his shows and art installations acting as signposts detailing his trajectory. While the monograph took eight months to edit and lay out, the whole thing is ten years’ worth of seamless, artistic expression. “We started with a raw concept, but soon I realized that my work could be divided in color ranges rather than chronologically, so that’s what we went for.” The foreword—written in tandem by Henrik’s brother Per, German professor of
experimental fashion design Dorothea Mink, New Museum deputy director Keren Wong, Danish artist Jørgen Leth, and Röhsska Museum director Ted Hesselbom—sheds light on Henrik’s journey while referencing five seemingly random keywords that help define his career: “donkey,” “boobies,” “mint,” “tank,” and “shrink wrap.” And so, given the recent shifts that make the fashion world so dynamic and surreal (see Raf Simons at Dior this year, Olivier Rousteing at Balmain last year), can Henrik Vibskov imagine his brand as part of a conglomerate, say, PPR, LVMH or the Prada group? “The concept of luxury— these are categories and labels I don’t think in,” he declares, almost as if it were scientific fact. “I don’t think they can handle my twisted mind.”
henrikvibskov.com
Women’s Fall 2012
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WHATEVER GETS YOU THROUGH THE NIGHT When bright lights die and your mattress’ sheets zero on body heat; when stars feel as cold as diamonds on your skin and the cityscape’s din won’t provide an escape—KEANE illuminate the way to Strangeland, an album that makes after-dark hang-ups endurable; you won’t feel like hanging yourself. How maudlin! How laughable! But hey, Keane’s departure from poptimism and return to manly tearjerkers is music to our ears. By Kristine Dabbay
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HEAVY HITTER
“ I think you should do whatever you want to do in life if it makes you happy. If someone’s going to judge you for that, that’s their problem” I
t’s always been a preconceived notion that lads and gentlemen who play the piano are quite the catch. In this day when music is drenched in all sorts of power chords, dirty pop, and autotuned hymns, Keane rise from the pack. Having delivered fresh batches of keyboard-driven hits since 2004, they got the moves like Wagner. More so, they grew up together in the posh town of Battle, East Sussex where they were introduced to the classics. Piano pedigree aside and on to Euro trips, STATUS catches up with drummer Richard Hughes while he’s touring Paris with Keane pianist Tim Rice-Oxley, vocalist Tom Chaplin, and bassist Jesse Quin. Apparently, Richard just woke up to a mass-ignored fire alarm before our conversation. He shares, “Thankfully, there wasn’t a fire… I think, one of these days, there’s gonna be a terrible, terrible tragedy because the alarms are going to go on and it’s actually gonna be a real one and no one’s gonna mind it.” The situation has all the trails of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”—only this time, we got boys crying their woes into songs. With singles like “Silenced by the Night” that harkens back to Keane’s signature stripped down style, Strangeland can be deemed as the keanest album since Hopes and Fears. The synths of “Spiralling” are now shadowed by the simplicity of “Everybody’s Changing.” Richard explains, “It really made us think about being as concise, catchy, and accessible as possible. We wanted to have a lot of songs that were three minutes rather than five-minute or six-minute epics. We really wanted to get real, get straight to the point.” Their desire to make a classic record influenced this decision. Richard shares, “When we were touring for Perfect Symmetry, we were watching documentaries about Plastic Ono Band, Songs in the Key of Life, Graceland, and Dark Side of the Moon… It really just inspired us to work as hard as we could to make one record as perfect as we could get it before we released it… without any time constraints.” It took them two years after Night Train to finish this attempt at achieve agelessness. “Would you believe it’s our fifth number one album in a row?” wonders Richard.
Aware that most bands these days are only good with one-hitwonders, he retorts, “I think only the Beatles have had more number ones in a row than any band in the UK, so—well, that’s pretty amazing!” If the Beatles reached the “toppermost of the poppermost,” chaps of Keane are continuously climbing the charts. They mapped their trajectory in Tim’s home studio where he locked himself for six months of songwriting. Richard relates, “We rehearsed our songs for about six months, and then we started recording with Dan Grech in September last year. In the end, it was quite a quick process but we just didn’t want to keep pushing ourselves to some kind of deadline ‘cause sometimes you have to realize that you need to start something again.” In November last year, for example, Richard thought that “Sea Fog” needed work so they had to delete everything and restart. “You sort of have to leave your ego at the door in a recording studio because you’re there with your friends and you all want to make it the best album you can make,” he says. So when Dan Grech came onboard, it was a welcome force for the band. “He’s been very personal and he’s just an absolutely killer entity, you know? He’s recorded a Radiohead album with Nigel Godrich and
worked on this amazing Vaccines record. It was really nice having another pair of shoulders to put our burdens on,” Richard reveals. Combining minimalist wistfulness and rock & roll brashness, Strangeland is a romp to roads less traveled by including places like “Neon River,” “The Starting Line,” and “Sovereign Light Café.” Its album name references Tracey Emin’s autobiography of the same title. Richard says, “The word was just stuck in [Tim RiceOxley’s] head. Then he wrote a song about some couple going on a road trip all day and then it starts to become a little bit weird and not what they imagined it to be. ‘Strangeland’ is one of the first songs he wrote and I think that kind of set the tone for the album.” Alpha males may wince at musicians like Coldplay, Snow Patrol, and James Blunt whose overly sensitive songs are prone to being categorized as effete; but Keane stands out by maintaining a stance away from male mockery. Maybe it’s their songs that philosophize more than they romanticize. Real men, after all, are masters of their emotions. Asked about what authentic menswear entails, Richard cackles, “I have no idea; you’re not talking to a real man. You’re just talking to me, a bloke who grew up in the countryside. So I don’t know, hats and boots?” He doesn’t even care about the neologism, “mansome,” defined as a manly sort of handsomeness involving explicit grooming. “I
think you should do whatever you want to do in life if it makes you happy. If someone’s going to judge you for that, that’s their problem. If you want to get a massage or use an expensive moisturizer, do it. You know, you’re going to die eventually.”
keanemusic.com
The BRO Code Keane’s Rules for Manly Men
You got to be able to use phrases like “You might not want to hear this but,” and be allowed to say something that’s really honest. You’re not allowed to punch friends at the end of the sentence. ••• There should be a code between guys when they really need to be rescued. So, if I need a night out—for example, if I start a conversation with “Your Majesty”—then we got to get out, you got to help me. ••• Guys should go camping. You have a little stove, buy a bottle of wine, and you just sit around. There’s just something about being outdoors and watching the sun go down as it is.
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B L O C K P A R T Y
THE SKIN THEY LIVE IN
Megan Fox, Jessica Alba, Johnny Depp, Cher, Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, the Yakuza, and my grandmother do have something in common: ink. Local artists behind the buzzing needles sound off on the medium of self-expression.
RON POE P&P TATTOO
What makes tattooing unique? Tattoos are forever. Not like an Amorsolo painting or a Leonardo da Vinci painting where it’s stuck on a wall somewhere—this is art you take to the grave with you. How did you first fall in love with the art form? It all started when I got my tattoos back in 2005… Whether it’s a big or small tattoo, you feel like a whole new person. It makes you more confident, makes you feel like you’re not the typical average person.
What does it mean to wear tattoos proudly? Being tattooed is earned… We have reached what we wanted in life and won’t let society stop us from being and doing what we want. People accept us and don’t look at us like our lives are not going anywhere. People look at us as artists.
pandptattoo.com
CAMSY VALENCIA ECLECTIC TATTOO
Where’s the sexiest place to get a tattoo? For me, what matters most is how you carry yourself and your tattoos, not where they’re placed. What attracted you to ornately designed pieces? Details have a funny way of going wrong when they look too busy… I can be playful with a design, but I also have to keep it balanced. Composing a tattoo in such a way that all heavy and light details go well together—I find that kind of strategizing fun. What does it mean to wear tattoos proudly? Having no regrets, being sure about who I am, and expressing myself no matter how other people might see me just because I’m inked. Let’s face it, tattoos are still not accepted and understood by everyone.
facebook.com/EclecticTattoo
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BLOCK PARTY
WIJI LACSAMANA DYUNTATS (APPRENTICE)
What’s it like coming from a graphic design background to apprenticing as a tattoo artist? I’m constantly trying to learn different things. I always want to be stimulated creatively. It made sense, at least to me, to learn tattooing because I collect tattoos and I love illustrating. How do you adapt your soft illustration style to the tattooing medium? As much as I need to learn and apply all the traditional aesthetics of tattooing, I try to incorporate the look my illustrations have, which are mostly watercolor-y… I think my aesthetic is quiet. What’s it like as a woman in this maledominated industry? I’m happy that more women are getting tattooed as much as more women are tattooing. Women are taking control of how they want to look as well as what they want to express and feel like.
Words by Giano D. Dionisio, photos by Patrick Diokno
thecuriousstudio.com
DING FERNANDEZ SKIN GRAPHICS
How did you first start out with building a signature style? I went to Korea and did tattoos there for eight months, and everyday I would do these elaborate Japanese designs until I flew back here and continued doing that. Now, it’s my trademark. What attracted you to Japanese/Orientalstyle pieces? Because of all the practice I had, it became easy for me. And there’s a lot of history in their designs. Also, if that’s your style, you earn a lot of money. [Laughs.] Just kidding.
skingraphicstattoo.com
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NIGHTVISION DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH by The Cobrasnake
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NIGHTVISION
JUMP SMOKERS @ Skye
by Andre Balisi
NOKIA LUMIA LAUNCH @ The Fort Ampitheater by Peter Capocao
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NIGHTVISION
DIAMOND DOGS by The Cobrasnake
CIVIC DUTY LAUNCH PARTY @ Kyss
by Jonver David
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NIGHTVISION
PRAY FOR PARTY by The Cobrasnake
REPUBLIQ BEACH CLUB @ Boracay by Arito Lara
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NIGHTVISION
GIRLS BEST FRIEND by The Cobrasnake
Limitless
@ OSOM Boracay by Dom Brucal
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ELLESSE Bratpack, Greenbelt 5, Makati City ESTÉE LAUDER Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City FENDI fendi.com FOLDED & HUNG Glorietta 5, Makati City FOREVER 21 SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City FRED PERRY Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Makati City FRESH fresh.com HAPPY SOCKS happysocks.com JEFFREY CAMPBELL jeffreycampbellshoes.com KEDS keds.com KIEHL’S kiehls.com LEVI’S levi.com MAC Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City MAKE UP FOR EVER makeupforever.com MIADORE FOR HOUSE OF LAUREL houseoflaurel.com MICHELLE ROY michelleroylosangeles.com MIKE VENSEL mikevensel.com MODELS OWN modelsownit.com NIKE nike.com NORDSTROM nordstrom.com NYX nyxcosmetics.com OLE HENRIKSEN olehenriksen.com ORIGINS origins.com OXYGEN SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City PENSHOPPE SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City PIA GLADYS PEREY piagladysperey.net
PIERRE HARDY pierrehardy.com POLO RALPH LAUREN ralphlauren.com PONY pony.com RIMMEL LONDON rimmellondon.com SHOW ME YOUR MUMU showmeyourmumu.com SKECHERS skechers.com SMASHBOX Greenbelt 5, Makati City SPERRY TOP-SIDER sperrytopsider.com ST. IVES stives.com STEVE MADDEN Greenbelt 5, Makati City SUPERGA Greenbelt 5, Makati City TERRANOVA SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City TINT Greenbelt 3, Makati City TOO FACED toofaced.com TOPMAN SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City TOPSHOP SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City VANS Vans Concept Stores, SM Department Stores, Robinsons Department Stores, Landmark Department Stores, Urban Athletics, Toby’s Sports, Olympic Village, Shoe Salon, American Rag, Sole Academy, Greyone Social ZARA Greenbelt 5, Makati City ARTISTS Art Alera (Photographer) arturoalera.com Andre Balisi (Photographer) facebook.com/andrebalisi David Black (Photographer) davidblackphotography.com Shawn Brackbill (Photographer) shawnbrackbill.com Dom Brucal (Photographer) dombrucal.tumblr.com
Danny Clinch (Photographer) dannyclinch.com The Cobrasnake (Photographer) thecobrasnake.com Fernando Colon (Photographer) fernandocolon.com Autumn de Wilde (Photographer) autumndewilde.com Amanda Elkins (Photographer) amandaelkinsphotography.com Zeko Eon (Photographer) zekophotography.com Kristina Goldberg (Grooming) kristinagoldberg.com Ashley Gomila (Makeup) ashleygomila.tumblr.com Courtney Brooke Hall (Photographer) myspace.com/cbphoto Flora Hanitijo (Photographer) florahanitijo.com Tinette Herrera (Makeup and hair) tinetteherrera@ymail.com Douglas Hickman (Stylist) douglashickman.com David Jakle (Photographer) davidjakle.com Sarah Kjelleren (Photographer) sarahkjelleren.tumblr.com Shervin Lainez (Photographer) shervinfoto.com Gabrielle Lewis (Stylist) gabriellemlewis.com Tommy Chase Lucas (Photographer) tommychaselucas.com Berto Martinez (Illustrator) bertomartinez.blogspot.com Miguel Miranda (Photographer) miguelmiranda420@yahoo.com Nils Müller (Photographer) nilsmuellerphotography.com Cody Rasmussen (Photographer) rasimage.com Terry Richardson (Photographer) terryrichardson.com Aziza Shaban (Stylist) azizashaban.4ormat.com JP Singson (Photographer) jponfashionspeed.blogspot.com Autumn de Wilde (Photographer) autumndewilde.com Louiza Vick (Photographer) louizavick.com
S TAT U S IN VA D E S
MICHELLE PALOMA Model MICHELLE PALOMA’s body tips aren’t exactly a secret. When asked how she keeps herself ready for shoots, she admits that all it takes is a little bit of discipline and a whole lot of water.
CANON DIGITAL IXUS 200 IS
I love this camera. It’s strong. One time, I dropped it and I went, “Oh my god, I broke my camera!” Then it turned on one hour later. I love you, Canon!
NECKLACE COLLECTION
When I go shopping, I don’t even shop for clothes anymore. I just go straight to the necklace area.
CHANCE BY CHANEL
I don’t know, I just love that smell. It’s a classic smell. It’s happy. It’s uplifting.
SHU UEMURA CONCEALER
I have a problem with dark circles; that’s why concealer is one of my best friends.
LIP GLOSS COLLECTION I look at wanna buy one.” But It’s that
them one, then kind
and I go, “I I wanna buy I stop myself. of story.
PRADA BAG
HEELS
What girl doesn’t love heels? You know how you’re always looking for that perfect something?
TIMELESS TROPICAL: SELECTED WORKS BY TIMUR DESIGNS Someday, I wanna have a house and design it like this book— super modern, clean, white, and spacious.
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ROSARY AND ANGEL STONE
My brother actually made 20 rosaries and he had them blessed at a church in Spain. The angel stone is from my mom. She gave it to me when I was just a teenager, so it’s always in my bag.
Words by Rita Faire; Photos by Patrick Diokno
I don’t have a lot of bags but this Prada bag is my favorite. I always wanted one!