STITCH summer no. 05
2009
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Exciting multimedia content! Sexy web-only photos! Daily updates! The future is now.
T E G
! D E F
c o n t e n ts
B ehind : Scan from the book Talking to Myself, page 14
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Beyond the battle-lines of feminism, deeper and more frightening trends have surfaced in the art of fashion. They have the undercurrent of an unbelievably creepy sensation of being boxed-in like a Barbie doll. – Telfer, page 17
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darling readers, The mad, echoing death knells of publications everywhere (RIP Gourmet, good riddance Playgirl) have inspired our small staff to transform. We came into this issue with the goal to push this little magazine farther. In turn, this issue glows with the patina of renewed creativity and the sort of virtuous devotion that arises only from a group of uninhibited university students. Incepted at the beginning of the new year, issue #5 is a roomful of questions about gender and identity. We questioned the modern relevance of the Brontë sisters, pushed boys to play with boys and girls with girls, and, con brio, capped it off with our thoughts on men and sex. In the spirit of renewal, we also overhauled our website and created a smart daily notepad/journal/ mood board/bathroom stall door that will appeal to anyone swimming in the style pool at Northwestern. Our street team has been active for a few weeks now (give us a break when it’s below zero!), so you can also keep your eyes out for familiar faces and accessories posted on our blog. You’ve been so good to this three-year-old publication, readers. With hope that you feel the same about us, I thank you and invite you to dive in.
Joyce Lee
of Toronto, Canada editor in chief
+ My Muji backpack + Mint, the colour and plant + Alexander Wang sportswear + Phaidon + Almond croissants
yours,
STITCH
MAGAZINE
editor in chief
Joyce Lee creative director
Christopher Adamson style editor
Matthew Alfonso assistant creative director
Julia Detchon Alan Boccadoro, Nicole Herman
design
staff photographer
Ilana Park Woods SPONSORED BY
Lauren Bonenberger, Jeremy Gordon, Brenna McLean, Ali Pechman, Emma Roberts, Sara Schmidt, Tori Telfer, Asha Toulmin staff writers
Marcy Capron, Nelson Fitch, Pierre Hue de Fontenay, Diana Hansen, Jasmine Nazek
promotions
Jules Nestler treasurer
Dana Farber,
Anna Wolonciej
contributors
advertising director
Alexandra Davis Ariane Adrain, Lauren Bergman, Melissa Goss, Alice Lin, Alison Lin, Samantha Leal, Alexandra Shanahan, Alisha Varma ad sales
Cov er photo by Pier re Hue de Fontenay www.stitchfashion.c om Webm aster: Marc y Ca pron info@ stitchm a g a zine.c om To adv ertise in STITCH please c ontac t A le xandra Davis, ale xandra@stitchm a g azine.c om STITCH magazine is published & produced by students at Northwestern Univeristy in Evanston, IL. Copyright 2009 © All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
contri Butors
Melissa Goss
Dana Farber
Ilana Park Woods
ad sales
promotions
photographer
+ Moleskine City Notebooks + “What Else is There?” by Royksopp + Hematite rings + Jacketless days + Mail delivered in a timely fashion
+ Vampires + Juice boxes + The new Barney’s + Iron and Wine + Suede fringe
+ 19th century gentlmen + Fancy fonts + Asian stationary + Honey baked ham + D.U.I. (drawing under the influence)
Jennifer Chen
Brenna McLean
Lauren Hazday
online editor
writer
online staff
+ Distressed jeans + Zippers (on everything!) + Gchat texting + Kingsford the Piglet + Being a graduating senior
+ Rompers “+ Green Porno” + Stationery + Teen heart-throbs + Expatriation
+ T by Alexander Wang + Jasmine tea + Olivier Theyskens + Sunlight + Fred’s
of Princeton, New Jersey
of Pullman, Washington
of Lincolnshire, Illinois
of Los Angeles, California
of Diamond Bar, California
of Winter Park, Florida
trends Dissections illustrations Yana Myaskovskaya
Flange creates the illusion of a wider should to build contrast with the slim waist
Gelatin makes the model look like she just emerged from water
Victorian cues
Puffy Tudor latticing
Close-fitting bodice with a flared skirt
Chiffon two-tone blouse with triangular inset near the cuff
Scroll hem, curved inwards
Dior couture, spring 09 Inspired by Greek and Roman columns and scrolls
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Gareth Pugh, spring 09 Leggings with appliqued white panels with 3/16� border around the applique
Two-tone peep-toe platform shoes in leather continues the pattern of white tiles down the front of the leggings
Dissections by Dana Farber and Alan Boccadoro
S
can the pages of any fashion mag and take note – the advertisements and editorial spreads look like they could have been lifted from your Facebook profile. But that raw lighting and awkward, spontaneous posing costs thousands of dollars, all to create the snapshot aesthetic. In the art world, the rules change fast, and it looks like fashion is going through an entire realist revival before our eyes. Whether it’s the recession or the nascence of user-generated media, the couture and commercial culture-blend is less about aspiration and more about accessibility. Unlike some professional journalists who rant about losing their craft to amateurs, some professional photographers are actually embracing the snapshot movement. According to snapshot photography researcher, Jonathan Schroeder, the technique is liberating. The subject and the moment are the focus, and the environment shapes the beauty of the shot. The realism houses the true style. As the digital revolution over-saturates the market with superficial images, we’re left grasping for something we recognize. The manipulated glam of high fashion seems out of touch. “We want real people,” said Fischer. In an office where fashion magazines pile into haphazard columns, Fischer held up heavily-doctored editorial from an old issue of W. He explained that the flawless – but empty – gaze of the model against a blank backdrop just doesn’t reach consumers today. Instead, we clamor for images like those of Dr. Martin’s
Click Click Click! Gone are the days of the glamour shot. text Sara Schmidt
new advertising campaign. Models throw back beers, hang out on street corners and exude a thick level of normalcy. They aren’t the epitome of glamour – they’re your neighbors, co-workers, and friends, airbrushed with just the slightest hint of cool. Unlike the untouchable models of the ’80s and ’90s, these images offer a glimpse of ourselves. And in a world where people blog, tweet, and broadcast themselves in every imaginable way, why wouldn’t consumers gravitate towards more identifiable images?
Not just the photography, but the whole culture has shifted away from decadence. Last fall, the industry was buzzing about designers Vera Wang and Sass & Bide dropping out of New York Fashion Week, opting to showcase their collections in private showrooms, rather than blow up to $500,000 dollars at Bryant Park. “Fashion will never be the same again after Fall 2008,” said Fischer definitively – strong words from a man whose career is spent studying the industry. But he could be right. For spring, Halston scrapped the idea of Fashion Week all together, opting to produce a music video instead. The hope was that the video would go viral and reach millions. This trend isn’t just about saving money; designers are embracing accessibility with low-profile shows, video campaigns, and the snapshot aesthetic. Are the glamorous days of supermodels and exorbitant photo shoots gone for good? The business model might be changed forever with scaledback shows and campaigns catering to a digital audience, but reinvention remains the only constant in fashion. Despite the ebb and flow of fashion with the cultural and political climate Fischer said it all comes back to the dollar signs. With that, he predicted that glam will be back, eventually. “That’s when we’re going to know we’re out of the recession,” he says. “Fashion is always way ahead.” Maybe we should start watching the catwalks instead of the Dow. —
pleasures After Work 01
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01 HBO’s new film dramatization of “Grey Gardens,” begins airing Saturday, April 18 02 Espresso machine, $748.00, Ascaso.com 03 Camera Obscura, “My Maudlin Ca-
reer,” $14.99, Barnes & Noble, 1630 Sherman Ave.
07 Lady Readers, $20.00, Urban Outfitters, 921 Church St.
04 Tyler Ramsey Hand Painted TOMS, $68.00, tomsshoes. com
08 Sidewalk Chalk (warm days ahead!), $4.38, Blick, 1755 Maple Ave.
05 Retro roller skates, Great Rollerworks, $14.99, ebay. com
09 Red Velvet Cupcake, $12.00 for box of 4, Bennison’s Bakery, 1000 Davis St.
06 Ghost World by Daniel Clowes, $5.04 on Amazon.com
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profile Spotted: Little J Wearing Paula Hian A Nor thwestern alumna makes her mark—f irst on the Louvre, now on cable television. text Sierra Tishgart
Designer Paula Hian has come a long way since her days of strutting down Sheridan Road. After graduation, the Northwestern alumna enrolled in the Fashion Institute of Technology and won first place in the Concours International des Jeunes Créateurs de Mode Competition. The prize? One of her dresses is on permanent display at the Louvre. Not bad for an art history major. Hian, who divides her time between Philadelphia and Paris, then launched her eponymous label. The womenswear collection includes couture dresses, structured jackets, and a saturation in her favorite color: Wildcat purple. STITCH: Did your experiences at Northwestern influence your career in fashion? Paula Hian: To some extent, yes, because I was an art history major. I studied a lot about modern art, and went to Italy for my junior year. The art and architecture there definitely
had an influence, as my collection has an architectural bend.
far-out or crazy. I liked colorful sweaters since it was so cold.
S: Did you do anything involved with fashion while on campus? PH: I went shopping! That sounds silly, but I was always interested in fashion and I did my own fashion study by going to see a lot of great stores. I shopped mostly in Chicago, and I loved Oak Street.
S: When did you start designing? PH: I’ve been designing since I was three, since I could pick up a pencil. I launched my company almost 20 years ago. I didn’t have too much money. I started with a mannequin, and asked people to make patterns for me, and looked for a sales rep. I learned as I went along.
S: What was your favorite class? PH: All the art history classes were my favorite. I took Public Speaking in the Communications School, and I really enjoyed that because I was very shy. It is important for what I do today. S: How did you dress to go to class? PH: I dressed a little differently from other students, but not
S: I saw one of your dresses on a Gossip Girl billboard, and then on Carrie Underwood. Did this “It Dress" affect your success? PH: It was great because the more publicity you have, the more it helps. It brings more attention to the brand and helps build product awareness. S: What are your favorite looks for spring?
“Wear what works for your look. Fashion evolves, but don’t apply it if it doesn’t work for you.”
Left: Paula Hian spring 2009 look, courtesy of Paula Hian. Opposite: Paula Hian silk taffeta and gold chain dress, as seen on Taylor Momsen on Gossip Girl, September 2007.
so that I can start a line of perfume. It’s more about the bottle than the scent. I have a certain shape in my head. S: Do you have any advice for students that want to pursue fashion? PH: Work hard and recognize that it’s the kind of business that is your whole life. It takes a lot of time to build a brand. It’s definitely not a 9-to-5 kind of job.
PH: I added lots of elastic details to my spring line. I created different shapes within the dresses and jackets. I like green and purple. I used a lot of ombre chiffon, and layered and
draped fabrics to create colors. S: What are your plans for the future? PH: To have a store in Paris and grow the company further
S: Do you have any essential style guidelines that you live by? PH: Wear what works for your look and your proportion. Like if skinny pants don’t look right on you, don’t wear them. Fashion evolves, but don’t apply it to yourself if it doesn’t work for you. —
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frame
Scan from the book Talking to Myself by Yohji Yamamoto (2002). Deering Art Librar y call number : L 746.92095 Y19Z v.1
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diary of an
ARTIFICE 1. Shock value, noun: An advertising tactic. A way to get noticed. A cheap shot. A genius move.
2. Shock value, urbandictionary.com: “Ironically, these things have become so common that even the shock value is gone, leaving their existence pointless and the masses desensitized (or disgusted).”
F
eminism, in art, is losing its shock value. Over the past (how long have we been here?) two hundred, six thousand, one-billion-and-one years, art has been nudged, twisted, and swamped by feminism. Now the whole thing is so passé. Consider the arc: In 1846, three sisters were forced to write under masculine pseudonyms as Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. Their depictions of domestic violence and revolutionary critiques of the Victorian treatment of women were frowned upon for their shock value—more so when these “Bells” were revealed to be none other than the Brontë sisters. Over the next century, feminism grew up, and in 1988, ex-stripper Mary Gaitskill published Bad Behavior, a collection of stories about addiction, prostitution, and sado-masochism. Shocking, non? But Gaitskill will never match the public furor incited by the Brontës, no matter how
text Tori Telfer
scandalous her narrative is. She is not acclaimed for the voracious “shock value” of her stories, nor for her hard-hitting critique of the treatment of women; she is just a writer, giving readings, giving lectures. The shock, the struggle is gone from the art. Fashion has traveled the same arc—from the datedyet-scandalous (Henry VIII’s wives’ removable panels over their cleavage = hot) to the explicit-but-uninteresting (Lady Gaga pant-less = yawn). But somehow, fashion—unlike these other art forms—is still a battlefield of the feminist movement. No one is shedding tears of relief or rage over Gaitskill’s frank treatment of rape, but fashion is full of feminist outrage, drama, and fierce debate. No matter how many stripper heels trip down the runway, it all feels so fresh, so unresolved, so shocking. The feminist “porn wars” of the ‘80s raised all sorts of unanswered questions (which, in a society where Facebook bugs
are fixed within hours, is a little sad). Feminism was polarized into two stereotypical sects: the “asexual feminist” (recognizable by her cropped hair and cargos) and the “fuck-me feminist” (guess). The first type hates men, and ironically, dresses like a man, in order to avoid objectification. Women have a history of cross-dressing in order to be taken seriously: It started in WWII, when women stepped out of the home and into the abandoned coveralls of their soldier boyfriends. It lingers today, when women wear the “power suit” to project confidence and promotability. The other side of the equation is equally one-sided: As a backlash against the repressed femininity of the man-hating feminist, an embarrassing form of female empowerment has been embodied in groups like the Pussycat Dolls (they don’t give a [beep] if you’re looking at their [beep], a simple equation supported by miniskirts, Playboy tanks, and blow-up
“Fashion poses a far greater threat to modern woman than pornography, with its wild demands that she conform to that freakish body shape.” -Bob Carlos Clarke doll lips). Beyond the battle-lines of feminism, deeper and more frightening trends have surfaced in the art of fashion. One is the idea of personas, supported by runway themes: Geisha, Old Hollywood, Bohemian. All this is fun, if your idea of fun is an undercurrent of an unbelievably creepy sensation of being boxed-in like a Barbie doll. The whole thing—menially politicizing an art form like we do—is shocking because no other art form spills so directly from the palette/sewing machine/runway into women’s
lives. And that’s where the problem is: Fashion has turned from an art form into a commodity, a battlefield, a sociopolitical hot button. The “wild demands” and “freakish body shapes” of fashion should be glorified as something cerebral and aesthetic, instead of scorned as a threat to women’s rights or an unfair standard for female height-weight ratio. The binary view that feminism has taken is unnatural—there is no middle ground, no matter how many times designers sex up the power suit or lengthen the miniskirt. We weren’t built to find a middle ground; there
Above: Acton, Currer and Ellis Bell, aka Anne, Charlotte and Emily Brontë in a portrait by their brother Patrick Branwell (c.1834). Image via ARTstor, used under their terms and conditions.
is nothing interesting about a middle ground. Fashion must return to art—something higher, purer, more universal than shock value and porn wars, binaries and personas. Fashion shouldn’t be an issue. Art is much more. To the feminists, the wearers of poorly-stitched Wet Seal knockoffs, and Roland Mouret of the Galaxy dress: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty”— that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know. - John Keats —
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Crum l The
Bastions of Fashion Media
Bye-bye Bazaar, so long InStyle
text Lauren Bonenberger
T
hin is in. Check out the magazine racks next time you’re waiting in line at CVS, and you’ll notice that, much to the chagrin of publishers everywhere, life has begun to imitate art - tiny clothes, on skinny figures, in even thinner magazines. Activists worldwide have expressed their concern over the health of waiflike high-fashion models and the messages they send to impressionable young women. How thin is too thin? they ask. Lamenting the shrinking
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“I liken this cur rent cr i it’s disg s i s to w ustingly inter in cold an they’re Chicago d ever yb wear ing : o d y a sleepi looks li ng bag.” ke
mB ling spine of my monthly InStyle, I’m beginning to ask the same thing. How much more can these publications lose until they waste away into nothing? In case you’ve been living under a rock, our country is in the throes of the Great Depression: The Next Generation, and from the sounds of it, nobody in Washington has a damn clue how to get us out of it. The unemployment rate is sky-high, and the jobs and savings of millions are at risk, if not wiped out. The platitudinous complaint about thinning fashion magazines in the wake of this ominous statement is not lost on me. However, I’m now out $200K in journalism school tuition, and I have half a mind to shake Tim Geithner
by his white collar, and ask him if he plans to get this economic show on the road before my industry collapses completely. The numbers (in case you’re reading, Tim) are downright ugly. A magazine’s profitability is governed largely by two measurements: stand sales and ad pages. The April 2009 issue of Vogue carried 42% fewer ad pages than in April 2007, according to Women’s Wear Daily. The Media Industry Newsletter also reported that Harper’s Bazaar, Allure, Cosmopolitan, Lucky, Glamour and InStyle all published thinner April issues compared to one year ago. Condé Nast reduced Men’s Vogue from 10 annual issues to just two. Sadly, and to my personal terror, the industry suffered some
casualties as magazines like Style, CosmoGirl, O at Home and Domino folded due to declining revenue. Those still in existence all show declining stand sales. Advertisers aren’t shouldering the blame alone. The Internet, every newspaper’s Enemy Numero Uno, has come at the magazine industry’s knees with a crowbar. It has enabled consumers to stay abreast of the content that their favorite magazines provide, without actually having to buy them. Sure, the meat is left out, but in light of these economic times, people are very happy to make a meal out of side dishes. Forward-looking companies are turning to the Internet to make the most out of their slashed advertising budgets. Ads on the Internet are significantly cheaper than those in print, though studies show that webvertisments are significantly less effective than their magazine counterparts. These factors produce a grim forecast for the immediate future of fashion media. Perhaps, for my own piece of mind, I liken this current crisis to winter in Chicago – it’s disgustingly cold, everybody looks like they’re wearing a sleeping bag, and it feels as if sub-zero temperatures will never end. Yet end it does, and we all emerge depressed, pale, fat, but nevertheless alive. Like us, I trust the fashion media will crawl out of this mess distorted, but ready for a comeback. —
—W
elcome to the heart. No holding back now, this is serious business. The glow of warmth and sensuality and the whiffs of sexual tension on the following pages are true. They are true in the sense that they represent a large part of the range of human sexuality and desire. “Samesex desire” is too clinical for us, and words like “voyeurism” have the kind of negative connotation that makes us spit. So, without shame or judgement, we present to you the bodily warmth of summer.
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— BOY, by Pierre Hue de Fontenay
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— The Detective, by Ilana Park Woods
— Tropes of Surveillance, by Nelson Fitch
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Nixon watch, $250.
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BOY photos Pier re Hue de Fontenay
models Jonathon Webster, WCAS ‘09; Kale Clauson, Comm. ‘12 styling & direction STITCH editors assitance Lauren Bergman, Nicole Herman, Alison Lin clothing from Untitled, 812 Church, Evanston 847/332.2370
Both pages: Earnest Sewn jeans, $200; J. Lindeberg jeans, $185; Cold Mountain jacket, $225; Shades of Greige trench coat, $189. Opposite: Cold Mountain buttoned tee, $95.
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T his page Shades of Greige pleated trousers, $99; Shades of Greige tee, $45. Opposite: Fred Perry backpack, $70; Pixie Tulip cropped pants, $39; white beater, $12.
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The Detective, photos by Ilana Park Woods
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clothing from Mulberry & Me, 2019 W. Division, Chicago; 773/952.7551
model: Lily Howard, Comm. ‘09; hair: Lauren DuCharme, for Art+Science Salon
Left: Luna by Josandra silk mini-dress, $280. Right , clockwise: Jamison silk top, $169; Daughters of the Revolution silk feather-print dress, $229.
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assistance: Melissa Goss, Alisha Varma; documents: Matthew Alfonso
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Left: Twinkle by Wenlan silk twill top, $250; The Battalion bamboo pant, $149.
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Left: Lewis Cho dress, $195. R ight : Twinkle by Wenlan silk top, $239; The Battalion bamboo pant, $149.
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photos Nelson Fitch models Kate Schref, WCAS ‘11; Felicia Liu, WCAS ‘12 styling & direction STITCH editors assitance Alan Boccadoro, Dana Farber, Nicole Herman hair Alice Salazar for Art+Science Salon make-up Larea Hilty using Nixie Cosmetics clothing from Urban Outfitters, 912 Church, Evanston 847/492.8542
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t o d o l ist Lit —
& Film
A Single Man (1964 & 2009) Christopher Isherwood
» “Waking up begins with saying am and now. That which has awoken then lies for a while staring up at the ceiling and down into itself until it has recognized I, and therefore deduced I am, I am now.” These are the opening sentences of Christopher Isherwood’s 1964 work A Single Man. It is a novel about a day in the life of George. George is many things. He is a man, for instance, and single. He is also an expatri-
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ate from London living in Los Angeles, a crotchety professor of English, middleaged, and recently bereaved of his partner and lover, Jim. Throughout the course of this day, George will discover himself, or he will discover his lack of self. Or he will discover that there was no single George to begin with, but many Georges—George the homosexual, George the professor, George the widow, George the old man who attempts to seduce a male student, George who cannot function in our world. Existentialist pandering notwithstanding, this is a great book – a pre-AIDS queer classic about life, love, and society, and how the three can come together so disastrously. Isherwood, who was a close friend of poet W.H. Auden, proves a compelling and fine-tuned writer. Added bonus: Impress all your queer-cinema friends and read this hidden classic before the film version comes out. Slated for late 2009, it will be Tom Ford’s (yes, the Tom Ford) directorial debut, starring Colin Firth as George. I hope it will be as nuanced and evocative as the novel. Knowing Mr. Ford’s aesthetic, it will at least be sexy. If George the single man is anything, he is at least a little sexy. —Christopher Adamson
Z (1969) Costa-Gavras
» Political conspiracy isn’t always a secret world of torture memos and wiretapping. Sometimes, it’s just an idiot in a car trying to run you over. Imagine a world without the Beatles, sociology, or Sartre, and you’d be thinking of ’60s Greece, when the army forced the government out in a bloody coup, and banned all foreign influence within country borders. Political enemies were either thrown in jail or outright killed. This debut film by Grecian auteur Costa-Gavras retells the military’s effort
“Z,” above, won the 1970 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
to disrupt the left and kill its politicians through statesupported secret societies, whose only objective was to break some innocent skulls. The movie kicks off with the disclaimer, “Any similarity to actual persons or events is deliberate,” a cheeky winkwink reminder that everything in the film happened in some fashion. It’s harrowing to watch the leftist politicians being clumsily chased by cars and anti-Communist agitators. The movie is a tense reminder of the arbitrariness of justice, and how its dispensing relies entirely
on the goodwill of those powerful enough to control the truth. It’s as much about journalism as it is about politics – in the pursuit of the truth, no boundaries are sacred, and everyone is just trying to cover their own ass. The movie is crafted with some of the most phenomenal editing I’ve ever seen, cameras hoicked from shoulder to shoulder as Gavras somehow lends gravitas to dozens of characters we barely know anything about. A particularly effective sequence occurs when the judge is conducting inter-
views for an assassination investigation, and the film cuts from witness to witness as a web of contradictions and lies comes crashing down around the conspiracy. Gavras makes excellent use of flashback to slowly place the film’s events in a proper timeline, never shying away from giving all the facts, if only to highlight that the characters aren’t getting the bigger picture. That’s the bummer – no one ever gets it until it’s too late, and everyone is dead. Jeremy Gordon —
t o d o l ist Music —
Arecibo Little Boots IAMSOUND
» On the heels of South by Southwest, Little Boots is leaving a bigger mark on the music industry than belies her name. Her tracks have already been remixed by the likes of Hot Chip and Fake Blood but have yet to be featured on Gossip Girl, making them refreshingly interesting and new (for now). Little Boots’ new EP Arecibo vibrates with an invigorating, clean pulse that makes you wonder why you don’t always listen to electro pop. The sound of the sassy Brit, Victoria Hesketh in
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real life, is that pop/electronic amalgamation that Perez Hilton and overpriced clubs selling Redbull concotions seem to thrive on. But beneath the strobe there’s an originality that sets Little Boots apart from other synthesized songbirds. There’s a subversive nerve to her music, expressed by the prog-rock, punk, and synth-rock sounds incorporated into her tracks. This edge is subtle, and perhaps even unnoticeable to the glittery throngs writhing to her beats. But when experienced in environments absent sweaty crowds, it emerges as the unique element that elevates her above the glitzy quagmire that is the
popular electronic genre. In “Meddle,” her repetition of the title phrase throughout the song partners with a hypnotic beat pleasantly reminiscent of Britney, circa 2004. Her rhythms are dance party-inducing, and will have recent electronic converts singing along with “Stuck On Repeat” (I’m skipping and I don’t know why, I know after all.) Though brief, Arecibo delivers a satisfying sampling that promises interesting future projects. If you are still left needing more, check out remixes of Little Boots’ tracks, particularly the Emil & Friends remix of “New In Town.” — Brenna McLean
Photo: C. G.Young © Renzo Piano Building Workshop
Art —
Modern Wing The Art Institute of Chicago 111 South Michigan Ave. (312) 443-3600
» On May 16th, the Art Institute’s highly anticipated modern wing will open its doors to the public. Designed by Pritzker Prize– winning architect Renzo Piano, the sleek, futuristic building will be home to the museum’s world-renowned collections of modern European painting and sculpture, photography, and contemporary art. The project has been underway for over a
decade, and the result is sure to satisfy new and regular patrons. The collections are more comprehensive than before, with many artworks dramatically restored. Some highlights include Rene Magritte’s famous Time Transfixed (1938) and Pablo Picasso’s striking Mother and Child (1921). Magritte’s painting is a classic example of surrealism, juxtaposing common objects in an unexpected context: A black locomotive leaps out of a fireplace into a seemingly calm room. The painting, however, has always
haunted me because of its sense of mystery. Is the train functioning as the stove? Is it a complicated, over-wrought metaphor or a commentary on the absurdity of modern inventions? I’ve always found that the only way to ever grapple with enigmatic artwork is to spend time in front of the actual piece. The modern wing has now awarded us Chicagoans that privilege. Granted, in this economy, you may shriek at the $18 admission fee. So don’t pay it – the first week, admission is free! —Jasmine Nazek
f r o m th e x When Street Meets Luxury Stephen Sprouse and Louis Vuitton (2001) text Alan Boccadoro
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merican were bestowed electroclash, Williamsburg and Hedi Slimane in the first two years of the 21st century. But while citizens of Berliamsburg only hinted at the styles of the ‘80s, Marc Jacobs had more overt references up his sleeve. Several seasons earlier, Jacobs referenced the humble beginnings of Louis Vuitton with an understated collection. Garments were made in neutral tones, with logos appearing only on the inside. His 2001 collaboration with artist and fashion designer Stephen Sprouse restored the house’s signature flashy, graphic aesthetic. Inspired by a trunk owned by Serge Gainsbourg, who had painted over the LV mono-
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gram, Jacobs reinvented the iconic monogrammed leather through defacement. Sprouse became a member of Vuitton’s design team for the collaboration, developing prints, lettering, and more for the collection. Several men dressed like porters opened the show, each carrying trunks and bags sullied by Sprouse’s graffiti. The bags were at once violent and kitschy, an understated tradition obliterated by a graphic surface. Overall, the collection was smart and wearable, with practical numbers broken up by flashy floral skirts. Fluorescent heels and day-glo sweaters brought retro urban style to the runway. Sprouse even designed a camouflage tank top with roses worked into
the pattern, a combination of combat and feminine whimsy. Jacobs’s goal was to revitalize the monogram by making it strong, energetic and punky. The collection equalized luxury and street style, and buyers and fashionistas hungered for the accessories. This year, Vuitton revisited the collaboration with a much-hyped capsule collection of bags, pumps, and other accessories—including a limited edition skateboard— that featured Sprouse’s day-glo graffiti. In These Economic Times it was a wise move for the brand—the bags in the Sprouse collaboration sold out before they even hit stores. —
l a st w o r d “ Suck mummy’s finger?” This is def initely a good idea. text Matthew Alfonso
“G
reat! It’s me protecting civilization again while Jeremy has sex.” Civilization or sex – are the two mutually exclusive? You could start by asking the two sexually frustrated protagonists of award-winning English sitcom Peep Show, played by David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Mark Corrigan (Mitchell) is a history-loving loan manager, uncomfortable in social situations and pessimistic about everything from flavored condoms to the Euro. Roommate Jeremy “Jez” Usbourne (Webb) is an immature, work-shy “musician,” whose primary talent is rationalizing things like sex with Mark’s fiancée’s mum. Mark bumbles in the presence of women, second-guessing himself about the details: “Is cheese relaxing?” he wonders, in a candle-lit bedroom. Unexpected moments of sexual bravado bring immediate self-reflection about the growing size of his testicles. To Mark, sex in the 21st century is a mystery. Where is the cool reserve of James
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Bond? Or the charming, timeless British wit? In very rare cases, like the rejection of a friendly stripper’s business advice, a strategic loss ends with an angry lapdance. Jez is a little more successful, willing to spout clichés about his sensitive side while gazing into the eyes of the opposite sex: “It’s like I have a river of pain running through me, from here (points to his chin) right the way down to here (points to his cock).” There’s the occasional hiccup too: “Got to focus. It’s very important for my future career development that I give my manager an orgasm.“ Withering as his mind wanders to Mark’s cable box, he offers, “If you want, I could…put a finger…” before he’s cut off and told to go to bed. When I first saw Peep Show on a flight to the UK, I didn’t consider the acuity of its jokes; I just knew that preoccupation with getting an adequate erection had never been so funny. Now, after watching just about every episode on YouTube, I understand. Peep Show, in its brilliance, captures the bizarre
conventions of courtship and sex, a world where males can either thrive or languish. Between them, Mark and Jez represent diametric ways of dealing with male angst. Men can attempt to mimic predictable sexual archetypes, or, like Mark, retreat to the solitary standbys of civilization: cost-efficient shopping, classic film, and a nightly wank. In either case, the pursuit of sex becomes a fixation at the expense of rational thought; men inevitably combat inner monologues of self-awareness, intellect, and tastefulness. In Jez’s case, this entails momentary consideration before licking homemade jam off the aforementioned fiancée’s mum’s finger. So maybe sex doesn’t fit neatly into civilization or propriety. Maybe Mark is right to delight more in reading Roy Jenkins on Winston Churchill than in pining after his coworkers. Maybe, like Jez, we should all just try to think a bit less and do it a bit more. In any case, cheese is definitely not relaxing. —
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