SUPERIOR MAGAZINE November 2015

Magazine for fashion, design, music, art & culture • www.superior-magazine.com

# NOVEMBER 2015

„Für Menschen, die sonst nicht zu stoppen sind...“

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...and meet creative people from the scenes of fashion, design, lifestyle, art & culture

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MEET CREATIVE PEOPLE

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# I m p r i n t SUPERIOR MAGAZINE www.superior-magazine.com SUPERIOR MAGAZINE FOUNDERS & PARTNERS | Tom Felber, Marc Huth Chief Editor V.i.S.d.P. | Tom Felber | tom@superior-magazine.com CREATIVE Director | Franziska Raue | franziska@superior-magazine.com Senior Editor Fashion & Lifestyle | Sarah Weyers | sarah@superior-magazine.com fashion Consultant | Simon Heeger | simon@superior-magazine.com Editorial Department | editors@superior-magazine.com PR Management | press@superior-magazine.com Advertising | advertising@superior-magazine.com GENERAL CONTACT | connection@superior-magazine.com SUPERIOR MAGAZINE BERLIN CHIEF EDITOR | Lola Froebe | lola@superior-magazine.com Editorial Department | berlin@superior-magazine.com ADDRESS | Lychener Straße 76, 10437 Berlin SUPERIOR MAGAZINE LONDON CHIEF Correspondent | Jana Wilms | jana@superior-magazine.com Editorial Department | london@superior-magazine.com SUPERIOR MAGAZINE FRANKFURT CHIEF EDITOR | Laura Sodano | laura@superior-magazine.com Editorial Department | frankfurt@superior-magazine.com

Publisher SUPERIOR Publishing UG (haftungsbeschränkt) Lychener Strasse 76, 10437 Berlin GESCHÄFTSFÜHRER | Thomas Felber | contact@superior-magazine.com HR Charlottenburg HRB 143585 B UST-ID DE284291789 Superior Magazine accepts no liability for any unsolicited material whatsoever.

Opinions contained in the editorial content are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the publisher of Superior Magazine. Despite careful control Superior Magazine accepts no liability for the content of external links. Any reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited

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Dear readers,

# Editorial

Our November issue again forms ONE magazine consisting of the Digital Magazine and the Tablet App Magazine. If you haven’t downloaded our App for iPad and Android Tablet, you should not wait to do it – it’s free and provides a lot of interactive content around fashion, art and lifestyle. And you can win a fantastic FREITAG bag.

Our November cover is very special, it’s a piece of art. For the third time we asked illustrators from around the world to create their interpretation of our typical cover page. We got plenty of submissions and all of them were unique. In a second step, thousands of our readers voted from a shortlist which creation should be our November cover. The Paris based artist IXIA has been selected … Congratulations.

In our issue you find the ten shortlist covers and an interview with the 5 best voted artists. After art, music and food in the last issues, we focused this month on fashion. To be precise, on concept stores from Berlin, Frankfurt, London and Hong Kong. View on the photos and read in the interviews why we think that these concept stores are exceptional.

Beside the cities we are always reporting from another one plays a role in this issue – Tel Aviv. The young talented journalist Simone Somekh visited Tel Aviv Fashion Week for us. We present his impressions to you in this issue. And we talked with the authoress Mirna Funk who just published her debut novel “Winternähe” during the Frankfurt Book Fair. In the interview she told about her Judaism, the war in the Middle East, her daily life in Berlin and the prejudices she sometimes sees herself confronted because of her origins.

Last but not least among others you find in this issue Sarah’s column “Let’s Talk About Green” and of course exclusive fashion editorials from around the world.

Enjoy our multi-media November issue …

Best, Tom, Marc and the whole SUPERIOR MAGAZINE team

Find related and additional content in our SUPERIOR MAGAZINE Tablet App

NOVEMBER 2015

#

FASHION & STYLE

26

Tomáš Thurzo

»GRANDIOSE«

68 CONCEPT STORES

Kia Hartelius

»100% BOY TEARS«

78 Dunja Antic

»PRISM«

INTERVIEW: CHARLIE MAY

112 92

92

106 COLUMN: "LET'S TALK ABOUT GREEN"

118

INTERVIEW: SIMON FREUND

132 Mojmir Bures

»BLUE MOON ROLLACOASTER«

Nina Raasch

»STRATUM«

162

GINDI TEL AVIV FASHION WEK EDITORIALS OCTOBER

194

172

190 Jang Choe

»SKYLINE«

NOVEMBER 2015

#

SELECTION

36 #

THIS SEASON'S BAGS

ART & CULTURE

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ILLUSTRATED COVER CHALLENGE

124 INTERVIEW: AURORA

INTERVIEW: MIRNA FUNK

152

FRIEZE ART FAIR LONDON

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DIGITAL

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MAY 2015

Grandiose photography by Tomáš Thurzo art direction & styling by Natália Pažická model Natália P. @ EXIT Model Management

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blouse VERO MODA skirt ZARA

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dress MONKI

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left: top PINKO right: t-shirt ASOS

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dress Bershka

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bodysuit .F.R.A.V blazer ZARA

SELECTION ThIS SEASON'S BAGS

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NOVEMBER 2015

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WIN a FREITAG bag in our App !!!

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NOVEMBER 2015

FREITAG ___ ALMOST WHITE -45-

Burton ___ Annex BackpaCK -46-

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Plumbag Project ___ ROO -49-

LapĂ porter ___ 401 -50-

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NOVEMBER 2015

KVINNA ___ LYNA -53-

#art

Illustrated Cover Challenge

INTERVIEWS WITH THE 5 FINALISTS

Again we asked several illustrators to submit an illustrated cover for our annual challenge.

In this issue you will find IXIAs winning entry as well as interviews with the Top5 resulting from the cover voting.

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interviews | TOM FELBER

NOVEBER 2015

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1

st

IXIA

# Since when do you work as an illustrator? How did you get to your job and where did you learn?

I work as a painter and an illustrator since 2005. A few years before, as I had a passion for reading and writing, I got a master’s degree in French contemporary literature in Paris ; then I asked my father – a professional artist – if he could give me drawing lessons. At that time, I did not know exactly what I was looking for, I just wanted to study and enjoy learning all I could about art technics, maybe to work as a comic strip writer. Gradually, I knew more about oil painting and found my way into it, like a kind of “love at first touch”.

# Where do you get your inspirations from and what is your style of illustration like?

I get my inspirations from world cultures, especially Asiatic and Slavic ones. More generally, through fashion, architecture, design, photography, literature, art, I find colors and shapes, details that make me create a new artwork, tell a new story. Thanks to my father who met and got lessons from Master Mac’Avoy – who was student of Bonnard and Vuillard, and who worked with Braque – I can say that my style has cubist and impressionist roots. It is not easy to really describe it, because it blends figurative foreground and abstract background, with fractal-like light and forms. I must also confess that Art Nouveau and art deco attract me enormously… Altogether these influences may make my style unique and special.

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# What do you want to express with your illustrations?

First of all, my illustrations need to tell a story, send people into raptures, make them dream. I like to express good vibes, through imagination and beautiful colors. My painting seeks to bring together, to break down the borders, with the central symbol of Woman, in the expression of her beauty and her difference.

# What are your future goals?

At the moment, I am thinking about working on new lights and contrasts, putting my painting into a 17th century perspective. Through next artmeetings, solo and collective exhibitions in France and abroad, I will keep going on meeting the public and art collectors, which always give me so much energy. I also intend to illustrate famous tales or stories from my own or together with other writers. Besides, this Illustrated Cover contest stimulated my desire to dig further into the experience of colors, the digital work and the search of reflecting concepts..

# How would you describe your interpretation of the SUPERIOR MAGAZINE Cover?

SUPERIOR MAGAZINE has always been a source of inspiration, in its way of approaching fashion pictures : composition, light, expression.

Obviously my interpretation of the Cover had to be around art and feminity. I worked a portrait with a determined look in the eye, full of mystery.

This woman has a kind of old-fashioned style but seems modern at the same time thanks to an intense bi-chrome atmosphere and the fact that she is looking to the future. I chose colors of fall, with a fresh peppermint green that highlights this beautiful redhead’s character. I tried to create a bright Cover which leaves a strong impression on the audience, and pays tribute to SUPERIOR MAGAZINE’s uniqueness.

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2nd

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Grymuza

NOVEMBER 2015

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3rd

Florine van Rees

# Since when do you work as an illustrator? How did you get to your job and where did you learn?

I actually graduated in fashion design three years ago. I am working as a freelancer, mainly photography, since then. But that doesn’t mean that holding a camera is the only thing I do; making collages and illustrating together with that takes fashion and photography to another level.

# What are your future goals?

Pfew, that’s a hard one. I have a lot of ideas about the future, it’s hard to pick sometimes. I am the co-owner of SLASH-zine and would really like to have a physical place for people to visit and be inspired. If there were no boundaries, I would love to start a bookstore where you can drink coffee and buy fresh flowers as well. Imagine the smell of paper, flowers and coffee altogether; well that’s just perfect.

# Where do you get your inspirations from and what is your style of illustration like?

I think when it comes to illustrations; I get a lot of inspiration from fashion photography. The usage of the light and curves that come in different poses of the female body is something that gives me the drive to draw something like that.

# How would you describe your interpretation of the SUPERIOR MAGAZINE Cover?

It shows the pureness of femininity. I love flowers, they are so graceful, unique, beautiful and colorful.

# What do you want to express with your illustrations?

My illustrations are practically always made in less then 5 minutes. If it takes longer, the drawing will be rejected. I think it is good to show this speed, you can almost feel a movement in a drawing like that. It’s honest and open.

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4th

Lynn Valance

# Since when do you work as an illustrator? How did you get to your job and where did you learn?

I work as an Illustrator since 2013. For years it was just a wish for me to make my passion into a profession until that day i decided to just try it. i don't have an "Artist school" background, it was just me a thousand pieces of paper and many many pens for hours sitting on my table until my first client called me.

# Where do you get your inspirations from and what is your style of illustration like?

My inspirations i usually get from what i see, if you walk around with open eyes you see so much interesting/beautiful things. My style of Illustrations are more realistic but i try every day some new stuff so probably i haven't found my final style now.

# What do you want to express with your illustrations? it depends, but most of the time i do commissions so i try as much as possible to express what my customer wants.

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# What are your future goals?

I have a thousand ideas in my mind ... to implement these all and get some new clients would be my goal. # How would you describe your interpretation of the SUPERIOR MAGAZINE Cover?

I tried to draw a lady which does not tell with her face expression what she wants. Something between mysterious and demanding.

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5th

Sylwia KawiNska

# Since when do you work as an illustrator? How did you get to your job and where did you learn?

My adventure with drawing started few years ago in an art school in Poland. I studied fashion design, but after graduation I felt that I like more to draw fashion than to design it.

# Where do you get your inspirations from and what is your style of illustration like?

My inspirations come from all sort of daily life situations. Street fashion takes quite a big part in creating my own work. I am particularly fascinated by male silhouette, their facial expressions and characteristics. It is not easy to define my own style, as it has been continually developing since I have started to draw. What has never changed is using contrast and fast line. There is also a strong connection between color and simple line in my work.

# What do you want to express with your illustrations?

I try to reflect my own personality and perception of the world. I am a good observer, but I filter what I see through my imagination to create a third quality.

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# What are your future goals?

My goal is to establish my own, unique style, which could be adapted into the development of a new fashion brand. I would love to draw fashion illustrations for fashion designers. That would allow me to thrive and expand my passion.

# How would you describe your interpretation of the SUPERIOR MAGAZINE Cover?

Zigaretten kรถnnen tรถdlich sein.

NOVEMBER 2015

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ALSO IN TOP 10

Chris Devour

Giulio Iurissevich -66-

NOVEMBER 2015

Anna McKay

Sebastian Suciu -67-

Spela Jambrek

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top & skirt Andrew Majtenyi

100% BOY TEARS photography by Kia Hartelius styling by Mirian Njoh hair & make up by Kevin Smith @ Judy Inc. -69-

model Alice Ma @ Next Models Canada

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dress Andrew Majtenyi jacket Hayley Elsaesser

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coat Missguided dress Dainty Girl x UV Couture necklace H&M

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jumpsuit Hayley Elsaesser shoes Sam Edelman

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jacket Hayley Elsaesser blouse & shorts Hilary McMillan shoes Sam Edelman

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dress Andrew Majtenyi rings H&M

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jacket & dress Andrew Majtenyi bracelet H&M shoes Dr. Martens

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two piece Hayley Elsaesser rings H&M shoes Ivanka Trump

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NOVEBER 2015

Photo: Š VOO STORE

#hotspot

Concept Stores FROM BERLIN, FRANKFURT & LONDON In this issue you'll find a selection of interesting concept stores and interviews with the creative minds behind it. Check out our new SUPERIOR App to see even more concept stores.

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BERLIN

VOO STORE Interview with CD and buyer Herbert Hofmann Within almost 5 years of its existence, the Berlin-based “Voo Store” has become both the prototype and the role model of a concept store. Herbert Hofmann, Creative Director and Buyer from the very start, told SUPERIOR MAGAZINE about the store's origins, his work, the trends of the upcoming seasons and gave a glance to the next plans of the store.

VOO STORE Oranienstraße 24 10999 Berlin Mon - Sat:

10am - 8pm

CONTACT www.vooberlin.com instagram.com/halloherbert

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interview & text | LOLA FROEBE photos | VOO STORE & HERBERT HOFMANN

NOVEMBER 2015

It's Saturday and quite busy around the Oranienstraße. Unsuprisingly, since Kottbusser Tor always used to be a dynamic hub of people from multicultural background enjoying lentil soup, baklava or a cold drink as well as taking a walk through the spirited area. However, more and more tourists from all over the world also discover the place – for mainly one reason: the Voo Store.

Photo: © Voo Store

Photo: © Voo Store

The backyard shop awakened international attention by its coherent approach of selected designer brands and classic style in all matters, equipped with extraordinary details. At Voo Store you find the latest collections of exclusive ready-to-wear brands such as Carven, Helmut Lang, MSGM, MM6 Maison Margiela, SONIA by Sonia Rykiel, Gosha Rubcinskiy, Each X Other, Filles à Papa, Acne Studios, Harmony Paris, Raf Simons and Wood Wood, (special editions of) footwear such as Adidas, Nike, New Balance and Eytys as well as accessories by MYKITA, Maria Black and Larsson & Jennings. The proper scents are provided by Henrik Vibskov, Saskia Diez and Hien Le. Additionally, the range of interior goods steadily grows and features labels such as Playtype, Frama and Barcelona Design. In case you're not able to visit the shop on the spot you can also order everything via its online shop.

There's mainly one character who is responsible for the variety of labels and the creation of the visual ID of Voo Store: Herbert Hofmann. The Swiss has been involved in the conception of the store since its founding and has accomplished an unique language of pictorial world, brands and composition.

SUPERIOR MAGAZINE had the pleasure to interview Herbert and talked with him about the concept of Voo Store, his personal pathway to his current position, brands we should definitely keep in mind and the next steps in the Voo universe.

Photo: © Herbert Hofmann @halloherbert

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BERLIN

# Hi Herbert! First of all: Could you describe the concept of Voo Store?

The general idea is to bring our interests and vision under one roof. Gathering people with different backgrounds and opening up for themes like architecture, design, music, food, print, craftsmanship and innovation was always the center of the concept. And we love to host our customers, guests and friends so we have many events going on in the space. Additionally, the shop includes a café called “Companion Coffee”, run by our friends and great baristas Chris Onton and Shawn Barber - they are amazing hosts every day and serve best beans, self-sourced tea and cakes by “Black Isle Bakery”.

# That are fantastic news. Can you tell me, how did you come to VOO STORE? Had you already worked in fashion before?

I studied Geography in Austria and Sweden and I moved to Berlin after I graduated. I wanted to take a break and hang out in Berlin for a while, but started an internship at a PR Agency for Scandinavian Designers – Agency V. I liked their brands and ended up staying there till I met Yasin 3 years later. He asked me to join Voo Store.

Like I had to learn the skills of public relations I had no clue about buying in the beginning, but I always loved to discover and observe. So that was helpful for my job and in the end I learnt that I have to listen to my gut feeling.

# Can you tell us about the story of the store?

Yasin and Kaan, who started Voo Store, came to Berlin 10 years ago for their studies and opened a bar to finance their education. “Luzia Bar” became a great place for coffee, drinks and fun people and the guys wanted to extend their ideas towards a space which would include music, event and design – so the idea of Voo Store was born. We started with a few brands, a handful of people and a lot of events. Of course, it was not easy to be in a backyard, far away from the usual shopping district, but people seem to like this idea as much as we do. As we say, you can't have everything, but the selection of the location really meets our idea.

And you know what, the story of Voo Store continues. Voo Store turns five this year and there's already new projects born: Kaan is a movie director now, just finished his first movie “Sivas” and got the Jury price at Venice Film Festival – produced

by Yasin and Voo Store.

Herbert Hofmann Photo: © Rita Lino

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NOVEMBER 2015

# Have you always been interested in fashion or was there a special moment in your life causing your passion?

I was always interested in having nice outfits. In kindergarten I knew exactly how I wanna dress up for carnival, but I doubt that this was already a fashion-thought. As a teenager I saw so many things in newspapers and magazines, that I wanted to buy but I couldn't, because bigger cities with cool shops were far away. It’s interesting to me now, because I love the thought that customers who don't live in Berlin can order all the lovely things through the online shop.

# What do you like about the job as a Creative Director and Buyer? What do you maybe not like?

I always loved to discover new things. No matter if it was music, fashion, design or gadgets – now I can show what I found to other people and make them reachable. The moments of receiving boxes with the styles we've ordered 6 months ago are still the most interesting ones. To hang it in the shop and see if customers and friends like it as much as we do is super exciting. The process of creative direction is also something I had to learn since it doesn't help to just say “yes” and “no” to things. Our photographer Rita Lino helped me a lot with the process of how to explain moods and visuals. I still love to do the graphic design for Voo, even though time is getting short on that.

What I really don't like about my job – I don't like to say “no” to brands. I know how much work, energy and money people invest in making a brand work and if it doesn't fit to Voo Store or we simply have no capacity I feel sad with them.

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Photo: © Voo Store

# How do you select the labels and collection pieces you sell at the store – are there aboveall-criteria? Or is it mainly your personal taste?

There’s no general criteria. Mostly it happens within a few seconds of seeing the first images the brand has created or just simply touching a product. No matter if it's a handmade screwdriver or a design vase in the shape of a penis – if I like it, I want to try it. It never worked to take pieces in that we got suggested just because they are key pieces or bestsellers. I started getting repulsed by this words and I don't like that fashion business starts relying on this pieces, pushed by marketing.

# How would you describe the fashion style of VOO STORE and your costumers?

The style is laid back but special through materials and shapes. Fashion should be fun and not uptight. I for example buy nice pieces without thinking about how I could combine it with the rest of my wardrobe – I believe that if you follow your own taste, it will fit with everything you already have.

BERLIN

# You've just come from the fashion weeks in New York and Milan and you are now about to visit Paris Fashion Week. Which presentations did you see so far and do you already have first label and collection favorites?

I usually don't see many shows live – it's too much trouble and waiting time, especially because I have to see the collection on a hanger, too.

But I like to see the shows afterwards for getting the inspiration and styling. I saw Kanye West's presentation of his brand Yeezy in New York and liked it – especially after seeing the first collection (Season 1) I felt like I got the concept and serious approach. Apart from that I loved DKNY – it's interesting to see where the guys from Public School take the brand and it looks like a great step.

For myself Marni is the fashion house that could fill my wardrobe – amazing materials and shapes from head to toe.

# Can you give us a glance to the two next season's trends?

What will come up in this AW15/16 season and in the next SS16?

This winter is all about knitwear – many brands and fashion houses did amazing jobs and it's timeless and cosy styles which I can imagine having forever. For summer it seems we’ll wear a lot of layers, also oversized pants and jersey tops. I can't wait to see those silhouettes on people.

# Will there be new brands coming to Voo Store?

There’s always new brands coming. Right now I’m waiting for a new running-everyday-fashion collection called Satisfy by Brice Partouche and Carly Beumel. I loved their designs and fabrics. I’m the biggest fan.

Photo: © Voo Store

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NOVEMBER 2015

# What are your most favorite designers at the moment?

Marni, Raf Simons and Acne Studios I would say. But younger brands like Joseph, Libertine-Libertine, Eytys or Ami are also on my list. It's so hard to make a brand work and have a strong identity nowadays, but they manage and I appreciate it a lot.

# Who are the most promising German designers in your opinion?

There are quite a view fashion and product designers that we support and believe in. New Tendency are designing and producing great interior and jewelry with designers like Sigurd Larsen.

We have some of this furniture in the shop. Fashion designers such as Hien Le, Sissi Goetze or the label A Kind of Guise do amazing jobs.

# The range of the store is obviously growing, there are more and more products sold and more people visiting. Hand on heart: Are there plans for expanding or a second dependance?

It’s true, our biggest “problem” is that we could already fill the whole house with great designs and products and the online business is growing as well – so we need more space. Finding that space is difficult though. Right now we would love to extend everything: coffee shop, sneaker store, book store, interior. There's a lot ahead!

Photo: © Voo Store

# We are excited! Thank you, Herbert.

Photo: © Herbert Hofmann @halloherbert

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FRANKFURT

Hayashi Interview with owner and buyer Kerstin Görling Hayashi located near the old stock exchange is one of Frankfurt´s leading concept stores for designer clothing and fashion – maybe you can even call it the number one. Owner and buyer Kerstin Görling lives and breathes fashion. With her store she has build a little paradise that will melt the heart of every fashion addict. Besides a number of established high street and design labels, like Acne Studios, Marni, Philosophy und MSGM. Kerstin and her team are always looking for new talents with a special clue. This season Ports 1961 and Vivetta are just two of the the new labels extending the stunning range of Hayashi. We talked to Kerstin about her deep love for fashion, her daily work as a buyer and Frankfurt´s relationship to fashion and style.

Hayashi Börsenplatz 13-15 60313 Frankfurt Mon - Fri: Sat :

11am - 7pm 11am - 6pm

CONTACT www.hayashi-shop.com

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text | LAURA SODANO photos | HAYASHI & LAURA SODANO

NOVEMBER 2015

# What is the concept of Hayashi? Can you tell us about the story of the store?

My passion is to mix designers and curate them to achieve an individual style. My concept is to offer a Hayashi look: cool, feminine, elegant with an ironic twist. Since 2007 Hayashi is located face to face to the old stock exchange in the inner city of Frankfurt. Me and my team are working as stylists, show outfits styled from head to toe. We love fashion and love to share it. We are specialised in finding the newest upcoming designers and next trends. To keep our customer updated we are very active in social media, on facebook and on Instagram.

# Have you already worked in fashion before and have you always been interested in fashion or was there a special moment in your life causing your passion?

Since I was a teenager, I love to express myself through my clothing. I always provoked: one day I had neon yellow hair, next day, I was black on black, had the highest platforms, the other day I looked like a skater girl. To masquerade was my passion and in school I was known for my special style. So it was just a matter of time, that I wanted to work in fashion. After my graduation in school I knew: I want to have my own store, my own world, where I can experiment. So I did my studies in fashion management in Düsseldorf and opened my store directly after my university graduation.

# What do you love about your job? What do you maybe not like that much?

I love the creativity in my job, especially the buying. I love to find new brands, new styles, new colours. For me, the buying is like being in a fairy tale. While I choose the different styles and the -87-

Photo: © Hayashi

Photo: © Hayashi

colours and sizing I am in my own universe. Sometimes I find myself talking to myself! I do the buying from the bottom of my heart, I draw, I collect pictures and add everything together to create a story for the next season. I think it is like curating an exhibition. It is as creative as doing your own collection. I love to work with my team which is as passionated as I am. When the new collection arrives we are like children on Christmas. This is one of my favourite thing at my job: I can still let my inner child play: Drawing, bulding and crafting my shop windows and gift packagings and do what I want to do.

What I sometimes don’t like is the high responsibility and the pressure on the other side. The fashion industry can be a shark tank. But: There is no rainbow without a little rain.

FRANKFURT

# You're also working as a contributor for Journelles. How did it come?

Before I was working for Journelles, I was also a contributor for Les Mads. Jessica Weiß visited me in the store for an interview in Frankfurt and after a few months Jessica thought about building a network and add contributors from other cities to her platform. I was immediately on board. After she left Les Mads and started Journelles it wasn’t a question for me to follow her. So now Journelles has its third birthday. Jessie in the meantime is a close friend as we appreciate what we do. We did the last fashion weeks in Milan and Paris together, sharing an apartment. And what could be better than to do your job and have a good friend around you!

# And what does personal style mean to you?

Style is a mixture of taste, education, imagination, smartness, humour and self esteem. To have style means to have power! You can copy and paste the brands and clothing you see in a fashion magazine to make yourself a fashionista.

But if you see a woman with style you see the difference. She will look cool, even with a crazy pink glitter dress or a white tee.

# How do you select the labels and collection pieces you sell at the store – are there above-all-criteria? Or is it mainly your personal taste?

I only choose brands which make my heart burn. I think after nearly 9 years of buying, I feel the colours and styles. I always say: There are colours running through my veins.

The collection should hit me and surprise me.

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outstandingly beautiful. A dress should be like a mirror in a circus. It should reflect me but in a new exciting more beautiful way. I want to feel better if I put a dress on.

I always want to surprise my customer and take them forward. So it is indispensable to find new brands, new styles and looks every season. I don’t have a special customer in my mind while buying, I just have a special picture and feeling of what could be the next new thing.

# Fashion Week season just ended. Which presentations did impress you? And what are the two main trends we should definitely not miss in the next spring/summer?

My new favorite brands are Philosophy and Ports 1961. They both show the woman who I want to be. Cool, beautiful, self-conscious, smart.

For next summer I love the flower dresses with a lot of ruffles combined with tough Cowboy boots, the different layers (the dungaree dresses with blouses underneath) the caftan and hippie dresses, bright colours: red, blue and yellow.

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# What are your favorite designers at the moment? Will there be new brands coming to Hayashi?

Every season I find new brands for Hayashi.

New in our portfolio is Vivetta, Ports 1961, For restless sleepers. As I love the mixture of all designers I love every brand I carry at Hayashi!

a doctor or in econmics. They are very self-conscious and brave, this is why they love to play with fashion in their free time and are not shy to wear a crazy outfit. Most of the Frankfurt ladies are often travelling and this is why they are so open minded. Frankfurt has always be a city of contrasts, so are the people. You see the suits of the finance people but also the colourful dresses of the fashion ladies.

# Who are the most promising German designers in your opinion?

I think for this season I love Perret Schaad, Odeeh, Lala Berlin, Marina Hoermanseder and Malaika Raiss.

# Hand on heart: Frankfurt and Fashion? What are the particluarities? Is there anything you would like to change?

I think Frankfurt is more fashionable as in the past years. My customers are very informed and have a passion for fashion. As most of my Frankfurt customers are working ladies, for example as

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Photos: Š Laura Sodano

LONDON

HOSTEM Hotspot in London Five years ago, in 2010, owner James Brown established the concept store Hostem. A store, which has been recognized at the World Architecture Awards, winning the top prize in the retail category.

On Redchurch Street in Shoreditch (London), the visitors are challenged reexamine the more conservative perceptions of ‘luxury’. Hostem features products that value craftsmanship. It is about art and quality, not quantity. Since 2013, a lower ground level space called „The Chalk Room“ features an entirely bespoke range of custom tailoring, footwear, umbrellas and accessories.

At the end of that very year, a new space on the upper floors of the Hostem building began to be constructed, soon to be featuring womenswear. Initially, Hostem catered menswear, but since opening, the store gained much attention. Fashion meets architecture and art with bare plaster used on walls, twenty-food high ceilings and 4,500 steel tiles laid by hand in a herringbone pattern. The hangers used are all hand-formed from four pieces of steel. Featured brands are e.g. Loewe, Comme des Garçons, Dries Van Noten, Lanvin and for men also Raf Simons, Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto. But because the design is not less important than a big name, Hostem also stocks collections from up and coming designers like Simone Rocha and Yang Li. By 2014, An Artist In Residence annual program was introduced, featuring exhibitions and installations devoted to some of the most progressive designers. Designers Faye Toogood & Erica Toogood used the mezzanine floor for example to create their own bohemian-esque atelier.

HOSTEM 41-43 Redchurch Street London E2 7DJ Mon - Sat: Sun:

11am - 7pm 11am - 5pm

CONTACT www.hostem.co.uk

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text | JANA WILMS photos | © HOSTEM

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More hotspots in our App:

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shirt Issey Miyake jacket & belt Vintage turtleneck River Island pants Stella McCartney

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PRISM photography by Dunja AntiC

styling by Paulina CwojdzĂ­nska hair & make up by Velta Berzina models Linda @ PROMOD Model Agency & Lucy @ VIVA models -93-

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turtleneck Uniqlo pants Gina Tricot shirt Bergdorf Goodman coat Lena Voutta shoes Vintage

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skirt Lena Voutta jacket Lisa Bender

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sunglasses LeSpacs dress COS turtleneck Uniclo jacket Lisa Bender leggins American Appareal

turtleneck Uniqlo shirt Bergdorf Goodman coat Lena Voutta

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pants Lisa Bender long shirt Stylist'S own

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jacket Lisa Bender dress COS

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scarf FataTogo by Tsukasa Yamamoto top H&M pants Stylist'S own long shirt S.Oliver

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top Comme des Garcons pants Gina Tricot

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jacket & overall Lisa Bender

SUPERIOR MAGAZINE App

MAY 2015

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#fashion

Charlie May Transformation of coastal rocks and digital

Charlie May is a token of the temporary sharp alliance of creative craftsmanship and the personal character itself manifested by the features of digital. Her own blog 'Girl a la Mode' and Instagram have been the prime engine for the establishment of her eponymous label.

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interview & photos | Lola Froebe

NOVEMBER 2015

A shortcut between talent and the virtue of social media: the London-based designer Charlie May is a glowing example. When starting in 2011 with her own fashion label she had already worked for the designers Louise Golding and Thomas Tait who was by the way the hot newcomer of the last London Fashion Week. Charlie May succeeded her own breakthrough with participating at London Fashion Week in September 2012 either and since then she has received swift industry recognition, including Vogue.com, Vogue Italia, Another Magazine and Elle – beyond the attention she created with the help of her own blog, one of the most famous of Great Britain, and a strong global community of other power bloggers and creative colleagues.

As Charlie May has just launched her latest AW15 collection at Voo Store in Berlin Kreuzberg, we met the spirited young woman at the opening event and talked with her about the collection which is now available at Voo Store, her career and the importance of the Internet. # Hi Charlie, nice to meet you here at Voo Store. How does it feel to be in Berlin?

It is my first time ever in Berlin and Germany and I am really excited. We only got here last night, but we already went to a few stores – for instance “The Store” at Soho House which was actually amazing. Also “Andreas Murkudis” was pretty cool.

At „Voo Store“ right now though and wow. We are staying at an amazing Airbnb flat with a pool on the roof, it is ridiculous. We were just chilling there, wandering around and tried different delicious restaurants. You see, I have a really fantastic time here. We were supposed to stay in Berlin until Saturday, but I think we will prolong it, because it is so great here!

# That sounds really amazing. Can you figure a difference between the spirit of Berlin and London?

Even if Berlin is a bit more casual than London, I tend to see more similarities. In Berlin you still have kind of a feeling for “east” and “west”. In London there is also an unspoken separation in “east” and “west”: you can dress down when you are in the east of London and rather dress up when you are in the west. I -107-

think when you are in Berlin you dress down quite a lot, because the city is very chilled. That's why I think Berlin is very likely to the east of London where I live. Everyone is walking around in trainers and you may have an A-piece of fashion, but you mix it with street wear and vintage clothes. I think it is very similar – but we don't have such a crazy nightlife (laughs).

# You visit Berlin in occasion to the launch of your AW15 collection here at Voo Store. How did this collaboration happen?

Actually the guys of Voo Store found us! We were at Paris Fashion Week last season and it was literally the last hour of the last day when they visited us. The guys immediately caught the “Charlie May” aesthetic. They were looking everywhere for white flared trousers, but no designers made similar ones. But with us they found someone (laughs). So we really were on the same wavelength. It is actually the first time I see the store and I love it.

# Please tell me more about the collection and your inspiration.

In England I grew up in Devon, which is a farmer's town with a beautiful landscape and seaside.

These inspired me to work with different textures.

For instance the beach and the coastal rocks always relate to how I put fabrics together. Since I like to focus more on the clean shape and material rather than on a loud print or color I always work with muted color tones. In combination with voluminous silhouettes I create the “Charlie May woman”.

This AW15 season collection is particularly about volume and cosiness. A big category of the collection is the knit wear which is made of a 100 percent merino wool. We also got raw materials like boiled alpaca jersey which gives everything an amazing texture. All pieces have a cool, boxy silhouette, are a bit slouchy, very chilled and really warm. We do matching tops and bottoms in oatmeal and black with wide shapes, for instance the track pants. We have really warm sweaters with very long sleeves and turtle neck, which you can roll up over your chin. In London I cycle everywhere, so for me it is really perfect to put it over my hands. I need no gloves or even a scarf. Last but not least our musthave for winter: the large big shoulder coat with its egg shape. In December our huge denim collection will follow and of course more pieces, for instance the skirt I am wearing.

# During your studies you already worked for Louise Golding and afterwards for Thomas Tait.

Which impact had these two designers on your work?

They were very different. Louise Golding was consisting of a pretty big team. I think I was just one of 15 assistants. She was my first step into fashion business and taught me the value of hard work and working day and night until the next -108-

morning. Thomas Tait was completely opposite.

It was just him, a seamstress, another assistant and me. In the first season I literally did the “intern” work like patterns and this stuff. But in the second season it was great to see how the business ran and which dedication it took. This finally encouraged me to do my own label, start my business and build something new up. Now we got a few stores in Japan, Hong Kong, Canada, Norway, Paris and London, of course. It is not only concept stores, but as well department stores like Selfridges in London.

„

You can dress down when you are in the east of London and rather dress up when you are in the west.

I think when you are in Berlin you dress down quite a lot, because the city is very chilled.

“

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CHARLIE MAY AW 15/16 collection

CHARLIE MAY @ Voo Store Berlin

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CHARLIE MAY AW 15/16 collection

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# So your fashion label “Charlie May” has already gained international reputation, congratulations! Do you have a tip for German fashion designers to get international popularity?

For me using the power of digital has actually been a massive transformation. Nowadays as a young designer you no longer need to hope for an article in Vogue to receive attention. Of course you still do, but prior to that you can get in contact with costumers directly and build a strong community through the Internet and social media.

I think that is essential – not just selling clothes, but also showing who you are, what you are doing and what you like, even other brands.

# Your blog “Girl a la Mode” definitely helped you then. When did you start to blog and what has changed since then regarding blogging in general?

I started in 2011 and it has just become much bigger. I think other people stopped doing it or they got big enough to start using it as a platform for something else. Many people are not just bloggers anymore, but do another profession. It is a really good tool using it for your talents, passions and whatever else you are doing, whether being a designer or something different.

CHARLIE MAY @ Voo Store Berlin

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# What are your next plans and upcoming projects? Would you like to give us a brief insight?

I would love to! At the moment we are working on the upcoming collection, which we are presenting at London Fashion Week. For this we got a cool and very special rooftop apartment. Our studio finally moved to a car park in London, so now we have a new space and a great time ahead.

At Paris Fashion Week we will do a cool, informal dinner with industry friends.

Our big project for next year is going to be our first menswear collection! I am really looking forward to that. All my male friends in London are already wearing “Charlie May” and I actually think I have to do only little to bring it more into the menswear scope. So I'm very excited! And I think it will surely come to Voo Store one day.

# Cool! Thank you for the interview, Charlie.

#fashion

Let's talk about Green COLUMN: SUSTAINABLE FASHION

For this issue of SUPERIOR MAGAZINE we talked to one of the most popular concept stores Manufactum about their decision to include green fashion in their range of products.

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interview & text | SARAH WEYERS photos | Š MANUFACTUM

NOVEMBER 2015

# Why did you decide to include sustainable fashion into your range of products?

Sustainability has always been a great part of our core values. The “good� things already cover a great part of our range of products. We have always had our focus on selling certified products and tried to only work with products that are built and meant to last. Since most of the production facilities are located in Germany and other parts of Europe, the aspect of social sustainability has therewith been taken care of.

The idea to make the decision to take the sustainability in our products one step further is a result from the planned development of our brand. In the future, additionally to our hitherto costumers, we will target a young, open-minded group of people that have a certain set of values and have their own definition of quality. Quality has been a naturally given asset to our products which we try to combine with new characteristics of the products. And that is why sustainability will be a greater focus in the future.

# What do you like most about Wunderwerk, Lanius and the other brands?

The consequence and conviction on which the labels built their values and understanding of sustainability and the way they interpret each grasp.

Another impressive part is the personal commitment to their work.

# Does Manufactum reposition itself on the market by including sustainable fashion?

It's even more: Including these products is the extension and modernization of the understanding of eco friendly products. The costumer’s expectations are different today: They expect transparency and want to be included in the process more and more.

# How did you choose the brands?

What were the criteria?

We were looking for ecologically defensible materials and socially ethical working conditions.

Furthermore, an appropriate price-performanceratio was important and we also looked to include lower prices in the sustainable segment than we have before. Lastly, we wanted the products to be fashionable and stylish to match the rest of our product range.

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WUNDERWERK

WUNDERWERK

UMASAN

Elisen Gringhuis

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Aleks Kurkowski

Aleks Kurkowski

Johanna Riplinger

Les Racines Du Ciel

# Has there ever been the concern that eco friendly fashion will negatively impact the reputation of other products?

Not at all. As said before, we have always included the aspect of sustainability into our product range. Our focus has always and will always be to offer the consumer a product that will last and make him or her happy for a long time. We see ourselves growing in this direction, too. And that is why we now offer products that include even more parts of a sustainable life. But that does not make our old products any “less good”. We are always working on and improving these, too. The communication will match the costumer needs more in the future by including them and sharing information and working on transparency, as well as a different communication over social media channels.

MANUFACTUM Store in Berlin

Claudia Lanius

# How is the “green” fashion presented in the stores? Separated or integrated with the other fashion?

At the moment we present our fashion line along with our traditional Manufactum line. With the start of the sales of the new products and after the opening events of those, the stores in Berlin and Frankfurt will present the products differently: The products are presented on busts and separated from other products and post cards will provide information on the brand and the vision and values of the designers.

„

The costumer’s expectations are different today: They expect transparency and want to be included in the process more and more.

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Angele Zettner, Christine Fehrenbach & Magdalena Schaffrin

# Have your sales employees been trained specifically to be able to provide information on the new products?

Of course! We included the backgrounds of the products, production conditions and materials in order for them to be able to answer any question the costumer may have. # Are you planning on extending the sustainable product range even further in the future?

Putting a stronger focus on the aspects of sustainability will have a big influence on new products that are added to the range, but it will also be applied to products we are already selling. Therefore, there will be newly developed and designed products and the assortment will be improved and rethought.

# Thank you very much for your time!

MANUFACTUM Employees and guests

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#fashion

Simon Freund The calibre of aesthetic quality Can art arise to be consumable? Certainly, Simon Freund establishes the paradigm in all respects.

We met the Berlin-based artist and designer at his studio for an interview and talked with him about the unique approach of minimal aesthetic, maximum craftsmanship and reinvention beyond trends and temporary taste.

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interview | Lola Froebe photos | Š SIMON FREUND

NOVEMBER 2015

alking about the work of Simon Freund slightly appears to be ambiguous since his interaction with the spheres of conceptual art, product design and fashion develops both haphazardly and elaborately. His creativity extends from a basic tee and shirt, a knitted sweater, a linen and a leather bag to an obviously broken pocket comb, a scented candle, a letter board and a wooden ladder who merge in a versatile product range consisting of 20 numbered items. Among them the copper bracelet which might be the most common product since it is the most featured relic of the bygone times of his former label SIMON&ME and is just as timeless as every single piece of his oeuvre.

The young artist started with the first products of SIMON&ME already in 2008 as a side project. In 2010 he decided to make it his full-time profession and began with a wider product range and production runs. Due to his roots out of the skateboard and snowboard scene he focussed on caps, followed by beanies and other fashion items with colorful icons and typography back in the days. During his eight years of exploring in design he repeatedly reinvented himself and finally manifested his 'Made in Germany' approach: All of his products are designed and produced hand in hand with local craftsmen and manufacturers, thus the whole design and production process takes place in Germany. Quality, individuality, eternalness and responsibility above all build the superstructure of his artistic activities.

Entering his workspace in Kreuzberg is accompanied by the bright light of his minimalistic, clean rooms and a glance to his products which either appear to be companions of his personal life.

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# Hi Simon, nice to meet you here in your studio. Looking around I can recognize at least 8 of your 20 products. Some of them are in use by yourself, some of them are static objects in your workspace, including the wooden ladder and the metal chair. Are your products made for use?

That's one part of my philosophy. I always explain it like this: In the kitchen of my grandmother there is a tea pot that´s so valuable to her that she never uses it; but it is a tea pot, of course, so you could as well just use it. So you are wondering if it is only to look at it or if you are allowed to use it.

With some of my products it's quite the same: It is not clear if you should actually use them or not, because they are too valuable to use in their original function like the ladder or the function is broken in some way, like the comb. This in particular is the line between art and product design I love to play with. I think it´s great if art can be used in some way and at the same time I think design does not always need to be functional.

# Obviously the items of your fashion range are at least made for wearing them. Since you started eight years ago with SIMON&ME fashion is still part of your work. What matters above all – design or fashion?

I always was more interested in design as whole, not only in fashion. Ever since I can remember I wanted to work in design, but I never wanted to be a fashion designer. When I started however I liked the idea that fashion seemed to be the most accessible way to start and also clothing that you wear is seen by more people.

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# How does your design process work?

Until now my process of working has still remained the same as from the start. First I have an idea I want to express and then I am looking for the right medium with which I am able to express it. This might be the reason why I work in so many fields of design: I want to express different ideas and for this I need different objects.

# How did you make a start with SIMON&ME? Back in the beginning I started with the idea to try to safe the planet from global warming. Headwear appeared to be the right form of expression.

Aware of that I began step by step learning everything I needed to know, for instance how to work with Photoshop or how to get in contact with the production companies. Actually much of this was self-educated and, well, Google is your friend.

After one year research I launched my first collection of two trucker caps and one baseball cap in the theme of global warming with the logo of a melting snowflake.

# Sounds as if your first products were less minimalistic as your products are now.How has your design approach changed?

Between now and then there are almost eight years – eight years of exploring and figuring out who I am and what I want to do. After I began I quickly came to the point to work only with black and white instead of bright colors. So the prints on the following tees were already only monochrome.

Two years ago I started with the SIMON&ME 'Made in Germany' concept. In the same breath the minimal approach commenced. This was caused by my own aesthetic, which is very minimal, but also because of the fact that I started to produce solely

NOVEMBER 2015

in Germany: My idea was a high-quality workmanship that lasts not only for a couple of years, but for a very long time. So my products needed to be minimal to work free of the directives of trends and temporary taste.

# Your aesthetic and 'Made in Germany' precept has remained, but SIMON&ME did change to Simon Freund in the meantime. Why the new name?

With SIMON&ME I did express many of my ideas, but not all of them. SIMON&ME had a slightly commercial touch in my feeling, although it was downright minimal and made in Germany. Probably it was too commercial to express the essence of my ideas. I wanted to be completely independent from that again. Therefore I decided to change the perspective from working as a commercial product designer into an artistic visionary. To do a statement and explaining this to the people who get in contact with my work the name 'Simon Freund' – my family name – was more suitable.

It shows that my work corresponds with my personal vision and ideology rather than with just a product. As it is a German name it also meets the fact that all products are produced in Germany.

After all I am still working in the field of consumable products, but I rather see myself as an artist.

That was also very important for my personal view of my work. Now I know I am entirely free also doing things that are not consumable or normal.

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# Since it is quite a big challenge for one person to concentrate on various design disciplines, where did you get your knowledge for each of them?

The good thing is that I didn't study a specific discipline, so I basically don't have any knowledge of things. For this reason I have the total freedom and I am open to anything when I think about what I want to do. So to say: I am not good at anything, so I can do everything. I don't know how to produce a ladder, a comb or a shirt – but I want to.

That's why I find ways to make it happen.

One important thing you need to understand when you are talking about art and designers is that in the end it is not always only one person who creates something. Jeff Koons for example of course doesn't produce this huge artworks himself. That is something which is difficult to understand when it is a very small company compared to bigger ones. At first glance everyone is thinking that the designer is sitting there crafting leather on his own, but this is not how it is, of course. I have production companies that help me a lot and freelance designers, too, that help me with the 3D pieces.

# Now you have 20 numbered products. Which was actually the first of them?

That's not easily to say, because back in the days when I started numbering them, my first product was a compass. But it fell out of the collection, as I didn't find someone in Germany to produce it in the quality I was looking for. So number one used to be the compass, because it should guide me on my journey as a symbolic item for the whole range. But now it is the letter board, since it also has a deeper meaning. The notion behind is to put ideas on it in written sentences. A nice feature about the letter board is that you can change the letters and ideas it all the time, so I can also change my ideas and vision every second if I like.

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That's why it stands in the front: it shows the direction and philosophy of me and the company – but I can also change it all the time. In the meantime I like it even more than the compass.

# What is the reason for giving every product a number?

I add products regularly, so I started with five products and then there were a few more and a few more and then it was 20. Within the next years it could appear that it will be 40 or maybe just 22, so every time I add a product it gets a new number. The reason for this is that there is so much fluctuation out there and I want the costumers to be able to keep track of what I do. Additionally every product itself also gets a number of the production run after it is produced and shipped as well as a certification of authenticity. The total number of production you can see on the website, for instance now there are 30 sweaters produced and you can see that your sweater is number 4.

And in 20 years there might still be 30 or 300 or 3000 – and you will always be able to check. I like the idea of transparency.

„

Ever since I can remember I wanted to work in design, but I never wanted to be a fashion designer.

“

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# Your products are made from different materials, for instance metal, leather, knit, cotton, wood and rubber. What is the product with the most different ingredients?

I guess that would be number 013, The Scented Candle. It features ingredients from seven different production companies: rapeseed wax, 100 % natural oils from the country of origin of the specific scent (rosemary, lemon grass or mountain pine), cotton wick produced by „Westdeutsche Docht Fabrik“, metal tin, lid opener, leather band and the sticker on the bottom with the care instructions. Actually, there is also one company who puts everything together. So you see, this candle features intense effort which makes it, beyond the object „candle“ it is, to a conceived and notably item.

# Alright! What really interests us at the end: What are your next plans and upcoming projects?

The current mission is to find likeminded stockists and galleries that wish to present my work and my concept to their customers and clients. This week I officially started to work with “Hostem” in London, an amazing store with a great concept and a very good selection of brands, so I hope to be able finding more partners like them. Besides that I'm currently thinking about a lot of new concepts to avoid the internet.

I already stopped using Social Media, so let´s see what´s next. I'm also always working on new products, however I never tell what they are until they are released, so you need to wait for a new number on the website to pop-up.

# We are exited! Thank you for the interview, Simon!

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www.simonfreund.com

#literature

Mirna Funk Finding the beauty of contradictions

Mirna Funk just published her debut novel “Winternähe”. During the Frankfurt Book Fair we met the great German authoress and talked to her about her Judaism, the war in the Middle East, her daily life in Berlin and the prejudices she sometimes sees herself confronted because of her origins.

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interview & text | LAURA SODANO photos | JOSEF SOHN & NAAMA ALEX LEVY

NOVEMBER 2015

# Dear Mirna, first of all, congratulations for the publishing of your first novel “Winternähe“!

What was it like to hold the printed book in your hands?

Actually, it's crazy – well for me it was. Because as soon as I held the book in my hands it somehow was not that amazing anymore. I can remember, before I signed the contract with the Fischer Verlag of course I imagined what it would be like to find a publisher and come out with a printed edition. All this appeared completely unthinkable. But when finally everything came true, it suddenly became more like a job and I was immediately thinking of the next steps that would have to be done. For me it´s always important to keep calm and to retain a balance between my work and my private life because you will never know what is going to happen.

# Did you expect that your book would create a stir?

(Laughs)Really? I don't even think that the book had such an impact. Well, at least I still don't really realize it.

# That's funny! I was a fan of many of your great texts before and suddenly your name came up in regards to your book. To me it seems there were tons of articles about it. But maybe you're stuck to close into the whole situation to realize it by now?

Yeah, when I think about it, there were a lot of articles – even if it doesn't really feel like it at all. Maybe it's due to my pragmatism, that I can hardly realize what is happening at the moment.

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# I completely understand. ou almost finished something and start dreaming of some relaxation. But in the next moment you find yourself busy with work again.

That´s completely true. I'm working on my second book since February. Moreover, I'm currently working as a part time employee for the sleeping label “muun” where I build up the magazine "Lucile".

I started in September and I really enjoy it. I appreciate not to focus only on one thing but to have many different tasks at the same time. That eases the pressure.

# For me it is similar. But switching permanently between different tasks can be also really exhausting. Was there a moment when you thought: "It's enough now! I need a break"?

Yes, of course! After finishing my book by the end of December and when the proofreading was almost done, I really needed a break and spent about two months mostly at home apathetic in my bed. This was important to me since I had to realize what had happened so far and I had to break loose from the story and the characters. At this time I also really missed writing. But I needed this time of inaction to gain new energy and to find my inner balance again.

Also during the time of the Book Fair I didn't participate in any party but went to bad by lately 10 p.m. It is important to know your personal limits. Luckily, I have a good sense for that.

# The novel contains autobiographic elements. That leads to the question: How much of Lola is also part of Mirna and which parts of Mirna do also belong to Lola? Did you make the experience that the border between you and your character became vague?

No, that didn't happen. For me it was clear, that the novel needed to contain autobiographical elements to make it appear more authentic. I wanted to use my personal experiences for creating a preferably realistic main character. But Lola and I are very different from each other. In the end I wanted the story to be a fiction. Lola's family is as fictional as the love story with Shlomo. Both do not have any real role models. I always considered myself more like someone telling the story.

# In contrast to Berlin and Tel Aviv, Bangkok is described as sphere of silence. How important was it to send Lola to a place like this. Was it something of a logical consequence for the success of her self-discovery?

From the very beginning the story was based on three main parts. But it was not clear how the plot would develop in Thailand. I had an idea of what must happen in every chapter so that the story won't loose the leitmotif. But how the characters would develop in detail wasn't exactly planned. At one point the plot took on a life of it´s own and developed almost automatically. Therefore it was not exactly clear in the beginning that Lola would come to rest in Thailand. That's what she wanted.

# The story contains three main performance places, each related to a special topic. In Berlin Lola finds herself confronted with a kind of modern anti-Semitism. Tel Aviv focuses on the war and the consequences for the people living there. The third part takes place in Bangkok and demonstrates Lola's process of self-discovery. How did you build up these different parts?

I developed each part very isolated from my daily life. When I wrote about Berlin I moved to a small cottage in Austria, which belongs to a friend of mine. For the events in Bangkok I also found myself isolated on a small island. Before I started to write the part taking place in Tel Aviv I did some research beforehand. For about a month I spent my time walking around, exploring the city, meeting people and talking to them and collecting information. After that time I went on writing isolated again.

# Was it difficult to bring the story to an end? Did you have to stop yourself or was there a point when you exactly knew the plot can't go any further from here?

(Thinks about it) No, generally I do not struggle with coming to an end. But it depends on your personal character and I think every author handles that differently. I always knew how I wanted the story to conclude and I always have had an open end in mind. Just because of the reason I'm going to leave the characters, it does not mean that they will die. Their story moves on and I wanted the readers to question themselves what might happen next to Lola and the others. From now on the story will proceed independently from my perspective.

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do my Alija. But I mustn´t marry there because of the Orthodox Rabbanut still has a great influence.

Generally I do not feel confronted with my origins in Israel. As I describe it in my novel, more than half a million of about six million Jews in Israel claim themselves as Jewish because of their father's family. That's quite a lot. So politically there might be a lot of space for development, but socially father Jews are completely accepted in the day-to-day-life.

Photo: © Josef Sohn

# Like your main character you are both German and Jewish and your Jewish roots lay on your father's side. That leads to the fact that for example the Orthodox Judaism doesn´t accept you as Jewish. Do you sometimes feel questioned within your own identity as well from strangers as from your close friends?

In Israel it really depends on the different manifestations of Judaism. Most of the Israeli und the secularized Jews do not care whether my father or my mother is Jewish. Form them it's clear that I'm Jewish. It's different with the Orthodox Judaism within the halakhic right I'm not accepted as a Jew. Moreover I'm legally allowed to become a citizen of Israel and I do now have the final Go to -127-

# Did you ever have a feeling that many Germans might have a problem with someone being German and Jewish at the same time – especially when it comes to discussions about the Middle East conflict? Did you ever feel the need of defending yourself just because of your origins?

I think people tend to generalization and if you meet someone who symbolizes the opposite – like I do obviously symbolize Judaism and Israel – people want you to explain substitutionally what they maybe do not understand. You become the recipient for all of their questions and opinions. There is nothing bad about this so far. What makes it difficult is that some people start behaving like experts even if they are definitely not. Also some Germans show a high level of emotions when it comes to talking about the Middle East conflict what makes clear to me, that something different is driving them, something more deeply.

For example a discussion about the Caucasus would never be that emotionally energetic.

# Different parts of the novel describe "oblivion" fundamental issue for Germans dealing with their history – especially in regards to the Holocaust.

For example, Jewish kids just learn in school about their family history and their origins.

German kids don't. Your conclusions appear pretty clear to me.

Do you believe that especially the Germans wish to forget what has happened leads to a lack of knowledge about the own history and degrades the Holocaust to a topic in the school's history lessons?

Yes, completely! I´m convinced that oblivion is a huge problem in Germany. As a Jew I often see myself confronted with a vague feeling of guilt, which doesn´t even recognize its own origin. Apparently there is a great gap between the past and today and to my mind it is an essential need of every German to learn about their grand parents and what they may have done. This might become unpleasant but it´s definitely not enough just to be aware of the history of the few striking names such as Hitler, Göbbels or Göring. And to be honest, not just them were responsible for all the bad incidents of the Holocaust. If the Germans want to feel comfortable in their own skin again, they will have to solve one big task: Doing research about their own family history. That´s not even complicated. During my readings I talked about this as well. Even if your grand parents might just have died, it is always possible to find information at the Bundesarchiv and other big archives. You will just need to enter their names and the period between 1933 and 1945 and you will get all the information you are searching for. Nearly everything has been documented at this time.

However, we must stop believing it would be enough to visit memorial places and what we learn in school. People need to understand this.

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No victim can answer this one big question „How could all this happen?“ That can´t be answered by any surviver of the Holocaust. That has to be done by the perpetrator and we could be on a further point of the development, if the perpetrators would have been called to amount morally.

# Do you consider it critical making jokes with leading figures of the Nazi era, like for example the cinematization of "Er ist wieder da" does? Personally I'm not sure how to handle this, since laughing is not only for Bachtin a way for standing aloof from something. What do you think?

I haven't watched the movie, yet. But I really want to. I'm curious of the documentary elements. Several scenes from the trailer just show how much people still seem to like the character of Hitler. I think it's important to show this clearly at one point. But I can´t say more at the moment, since I haven't seen the movie, yet. # Let's talk about the buzzword „Fear“. I've just read an interesting article in the Frankfurter Rundschau where a Muslima, who lives and works in Israel, quotes: “I'm afraid of the other's fear“. You also just mentioned how striking it was experiencing the war on your own.

Could the aspect of fear be a reason for a radicalization on both sides? And what would have to happen to make a solution possible?

(Certain) There won't be any solution. That's something we will finally have to understand and it most of all is related to two different aspects.

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We must stop believing it would be enough to visit memorial places and what we learn in school. People need to understand this.

On the one hand, we now deal with 50 years of occupation and from the beginning a bilateral solution was excluded as a possible option. Instead, the Palestinians behaved like "stubborn children" and did not accept, that it's impossible to get everything. Generally, colonialization was a global phenomenon at the late 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. In the consequence new borders appeared where they didn't exist before. This also happened on this piece of land. After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire the British Mandate was ruler over several areas which later became national states. The so called Palestine was one of them. But it has always been the name of an area, not a national state.

The idea of national states is a contemporary invention. But we have to admit that people want to have their own state now. That currently happens also in other countries and seems to be some kind of a logical consequence when people start drawing boundaries where they haven't been before.

On the other hand we generally notice a radicalization and fragmentation on both sides, Israel and Palestine. Mainly the radicalization on the Pal-129-

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estinian side appears to be symptomatic for the development in the Arabic world, as the examples of Syria, Lebanon and Egypt also show. Here it´s less about a territorial conflict but more about a radicalization of religion. Just imagine the Palestinians would now get their own state. This would obviously result into a civil war. Hamas, the so called ISIS, Islamic Jihad and Fatah would combat each other until only one remains. Within this war also the Christian Palestinians and the peaceful Muslims would come to grief. And most of all what would happen to the Arabic Israelis? Would more than 1,7 million people have to move to that new nation, even if they maybe do not want to.

Most of them just live in piece with the other citizens in Israel.

But not to forget, these inner political differences do also appear in Israel. But the government keeps the balance between the different parties.

Democracy has a long tradition here and that makes it possible to bring different perspectives together. But we first had to learn this, like also Europe had to learn it a long time ago.

Photo: © Naama Alex Levy

# We sadly had to learn this in case of the so called “Arab Spring”. It didn't work out so far, instead there seems to be no chance for democracy.

Exactly! Moreover there is something else we mustn't ignore. At the moment a great number of Palestinian teenagers between 13 and 15 consider becoming martyrs is something great.

There are many examples and in the following years we might learn a lot about their motifs. To my mind with the so called ISIS we have one of the first examples of terrorism as something pop cultural. Becoming a Youtube-Star, that means in the Western world doing make-up tutorials. In the Arabic world it sadly means, filming yourself attacking people with a knife or something even more badly. Most of the kids are not able to realize the real meaning of their behavior. All they can think about is becoming popular – and as long as even their parents celebrate the children’s death as an act of a martyrdom, why shouldn't they believe in it. That's the pop cultural twist I'm talking about and a completely new development.

To my mind all of this can be also seen as a consequence of the gap that has appeared between the Kantian Idea of Enlightenment and the belief in god. Many people feel that they cannot handle The Idea of Enlightenment that says everyone is reasonable for his own behavior. Also here in the Western world. A person raving at the Berghain can't handle his maturity just as little as a person becoming part of ISIS.

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# Or someone committing his whole life to the work.

Exactly!

# In reference to the latest events. Do you and your fiancé still want to return to Tel Aviv after your child is born?

We are going to stay in Berlin for now. My finacé Yaniv arrived by the last week and I'm very happy and relieved. Nevertheless we would love to visit Tel Aviv regularly. But that depends on how save we will be there. Why should we put ourselves into a situation where we are forced to be afraid of our lives if we have the possibility to stay in my apartment in Prenzlauer Berg? That would be crazy!

Besides, for me there is a striking difference between being attacked by a knife and the bomb attacks. In regards to the bombs the Iron Dome protects you and you have the alarm warning you.

This is of course also a really striking experience!

But you are completely helpless against a knife assault. The perpetrators do not have a special target. When Yaniv spent the last days in Tel Aviv I was really afraid something could happen to him.

Every time you leave the house you find yourself somehow confronted with your own death. That's scaring!

# Do your hope that your novel is recognized as an example against established stereotypes of Judaism, Israel, Palestine and the Middle East conflict? I clearly read it like this – and recognized some kind of a love poem to Tel Aviv and Berlin?

Yes, totally! The novel came into being during the war in Gaza. So I was highly influenced by my own experiences but also by the way people dealt with it. The novel is meant to show how important it is not to look only one side but also on the other – not only in regards with the Middle East conflict but generally. You can't really understand why people act the way they do without the knowledge of the whole package. To me it's highly important accepting contradictions and trying to find their inner beauty. It's just to easy sticking to the obvious truth immediately. I would really wish people would keep an eye on the complex aspects of a topic where ideas seems to be inconsistent with each other. That's were most of the truth lies.. # So, it's very much about changing your own thinking and becoming able to look at yourself from the outside?

That's completely true! Many people limit their mind and do not want to be open for the new. They want to be justified and that's too often not only annoying but also very sad. If they behave this way there won't be any chances for a dialogue. If I'm surrounded only by people, who look at things the same way I do, we will all end up talking in monologues and nothing new can develop.

# Thank you very much, dear Mirna! We wish you all the best for your second book and of course the birth of your child!

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#music

Aurora

Butterfly and phenomenon

Photo: © Kenny McCracken

The Norwegian singer Aurora is an outstanding exception of the present age. Not only that her icy, electro-pop songs are plenteously loaded with sentiment and soul – the 19 year-old has no fear at all to express her temper through real emotion.

SUPERIOR MAGAZINE had the pleasure to talk with Aurora about her music's influences, fashion as a medium as well as being “warrior” and “weirdo”.

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interview & text | Lola Froebe photos | Kenny McCracken & Bent Rene Synnevag

NOVEMBER 2015

Icecold blonde hair, deep blue eyes and a voice as pure as an echo through the magic woods of Norway – Auroras appearance seems to be taken from a faraway world of magical characters, apart from the rules of our presence.

Nowadays everything is about countenance and sturdiness, helplessness is not appreaciated. But if you ask Aurora, being strong is not about strengh and coolness, it's about feelings and empathy. Since music helps to empower emotions the very own goal of Aurora's music is to make people feel something, to laugh, to dance, to cry. This might be one reason Aurora is one of the most streamed artist at the moment and either why the title “Best female role model” was given to her recently.

Back in the days her first experience with music was when the 6 year-old girl found a little electric piano in the attic. Aurora was bewitched by the sounds she was able to create with the tiny machine. Randomly, she discovered her ability to play classical pieces of music by ear and got mad about the piano.

She never took piano lessons up to date, all her skills have been self-taught.

What did also set her apart from other children at her age was her interest in singer-songwriter music rather than in pop. Due to that her first love was Leonard Cohen's “Suzanne” and still she counts Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan among her paragons as well as the heavy metal band Mastodon. Following her Facebook Page, interviews # Did you like to read tales and and music videos you will also notice her being keen adventure stories when you were about fairytales, adventure stories and their protagoa child? nists: fairies, gnomes, giants, Humpty Dumpty, Huckleberry Finn, Mother Hulda, Frodo Baggins and much I love to read. I read a lot of books when I was more. As these stories are simply the best proof that young (younger) and if I didn't read a book I often it is the warriors and weirdos who will be the heroes made my own stories, telling myself stories was in the end, she calls on her fans to be “warriors” or / just as fun. Adventures are still my favourite thing and “weirdos”. With certainty, these are the next he– besides music. roic characters of this or the next generation. # Aurora, you grew up in Bergen, Norway's second biggest town at the west coast. Do you think about your childhood within this picturesque scenery when working on music?

I think the fact that I grew up surrounded by nature has affected me a lot. I've become very connected to the nature, and that will reflect in every song I make! But it's not the main thing I think about when I write. Then I only think about what I want to say in that exact song.

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# Which is your favorite fairytale? And which is your favorite character?

I love Alice in wonderland. My favourite would be the invisible cat.

# You are one of the most observed artists of the present time. How has your life changed within the last one or two years?

It has changed a lot! One and a half year ago I used to be home with my family a lot and I had lots of time to write music! I didn't travel much.

Now me and my band travel all the time! It's quite strange... but also wonderful. Just the fact that I have a band at all is quite strange! And fans! Everything is strange. And scary. And beautiful.

# Do you sometimes have the feeling you couldn't stand what people might expect from you regarding your music or live sessions? And maybe beyond, for instance thinking of your title as 'Best female role model'?

I don't think about what people expect too much. I don't write to please anyone, I just write because I like it! And as long as I mean every word I sing I think people will feel it, too. Things don't have to be perfect in live or on the record... as long as it feels real.

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# Aurora, where do you take your sadness from? Watching your music videos and performings is literally moving to tears.

It's not my sadness! It's just emotions. For me songs are ways to understand and handle emotions. I'm a very sensitive person and if I see something that's not right it will keep me awake at night! I just observe. Sometimes I recognise myself in my songs, but very often it's just something I've seen or heard about.

# Since your album artworks and videos are full of it and you performed at the latest Berlin Fashion Week show of Matteo Lamandini – how important is fashion for you?

Clothes is a big part of my identity – of everyone's identity. I love vintage and second hand clothes. I don't care about what's trendy, I'll buy whatever suits my soul. And my colours. I know what I like and what I'm comfortable in!

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Just the fact that I have a band at all is quite strange! And fans!

Everything is strange.

And scary. And beautiful.

“

Watch the music video "Murder Song"

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Photo: Š Kenny McCracken

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# Do you also communicate via fashion in your private life or is it just an intensifier for your music and messages?

I always dress as I feel. I mostly have quite strange things in my closet so that makes it easy. I want people to have an idea of who I am before even talking to me!

# Do you have any favorite fashion designers?

I love Alexander McQueen and Viktoria Aksnes.

# You recently posted a short video regarding FIFA 2016. Are you into soccer and computer games?

I don't understand soccer. But I love computer games! I used to play "Diablo III" And "Star Wars The Old Republic" a lot. But it's not good for my eyes so it's been a while since last time I played a video / computer game.

# Why are you so crazy about 'warriors' and 'weirdos'? What do these two manners or species of human beings mean to you? Are you more a 'warrior' or 'weirdo'?

I don't see why you have to choose one of them. We can all be both. And we should all be both! I don't think we should be afraid of being different or strange. So many kids, and grown ups get bullied for being weird. I want "weirdo" to be a positive word! And I like the idea that my fans can call themselves "warriors" as well. It's strong, and I want them all to feel strong. Humans are so strong. We fight small and big battles every day.

Actually you should call yourself a warrior even though you're not a fan.

# Thank you, Aurora!

www.aurora-music.com Photo: © Bent Rene Synnevag

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LONDON

#art

Frieze Art Fair London Photo: Š Linda Nylind

Selected impressions

The thirteenth edition of Frieze Art Fair showcased 164 galleries from 27 countries and established the fair once again as a global player in the ever growing bulk of contemporary art fairs.

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text | Anna Nike Sohrauer photos | Nike Sohrauer & Linda Nylind

NOVEMBER 2015

Every autumn the London based fair and its counterpart – Frieze Masters, reserved for the old masters - lure a vast amount of collectors, art critics and the who-is-who of society to the capital city. This year’s edition could emphasize its role at the art market with sales figures in the millions already at the preview day. With a mixture of big players like Gagosian, White Cube or Sprüth Magers and a variety of smaller galleries the fair highlights the diversity within the art market.

ARTPRESS collected a few impressions of the British fair.

Photo: © Linda Nylind

Galerie Eigen + Art Photo: © Linda Nylind

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Photo: © Nike Sohrauer

LONDON

Anton Kern Photo: © Linda Nylind

Alicja Kwade Der Dritte Tag Ohne Gestern, 2015 Photo: © Nike Sohrauer

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Tanya Bonakdar Photo: © Linda Nylind

Mounir Fatmi The Paradox, 2013-2014 Photo: © Nike Sohrauer -161-

Nicole Wermers Abwaschskulptur #11, 2015 Photo: © Nike Sohrauer

photography by Mojmir Bures production by Dream Creations wardrobe by Arita Varzinska hair & make up by Jana Kalgajeva model Vanessa Nastjenka H채nisch @ Viva MODELS -162-

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INTRODUCTION MASKIT OBERSON Yaron Minkowski

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Photo: © AVI VALDMAN

INTRODUCTION It is almost ironic that the venue of Gindi Tel Aviv Fashion Week is the construction site of the upcoming TLV Fashion Mall. Israeli fashion is a constantly evolving process, an in-the-making culture, an unfinished masterpiece. Some may say that’s because Israel is a very young country; I would say it’s because Israeli designers know that they will always be able to strive for more and outdo themselves. There’s no finish line in sight — instead, there’s the aforementioned humongous construction site.

Tel Aviv Fashion Week features both historic local brands — Maskit, Gideon Oberson, Dorin Frankfurt — and an entirely new generation of designers, from Betty Eldad a.k.a. Betka to Sample, from Shai Shalom to former actress Dodo Bar Or. “Tel Aviv has its own unique fashion, it’s a rainbow of styles. Each designer brings something different to the catwalk,” said head producer Motty Reif in an interview between two shows. Reif explained that Tel Aviv Fashion Week showcases the whole spectrum of the local fashion scene. Besides giving a spot on the runway to the young designers —mainly from Shenkar College, ranked fifth most influential fashion school in the world according to Business of Fashion — Reif brought to Tel Aviv ex-boyfriend and world-renowned designer Marcelo Burlon, international guest of the event. “I’m very happy that Marcelo is here. Until a few years ago he hadn’t made one single t-shirt, now he’s become huge.”

After an over-the-top opening gala, which included an acclaimed appearance of local top-model Bar Refaeli, the tight schedule began. The models walked in front of the close look of a delegation of fashion journalists and stylists from multiple foreign countries, including the USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Italy, the Netherlands, and India.

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Marcelo Burlon paid tribute to the Israeli society by selecting only Ethiopian models for his late-night show. “In Israel they’re a minority and they’re fighting for their rights,” he wrote in a Facebook statement. Burlon has built a fashion empire in less than three years, designing for major hip hop stars and basketball players; Drake, Meek Mill, and DeAndre Jordan all wear his tees. The show dripped swag and his new collection appeared badass as always, however Burlon’s brand revolves around his work as a DJ and his stardom rather than his clothes.

The Israeli designers displayed an impressive level of eclecticism. The collections were inspired by local, traditional clothing, or by the hectic, urban scene of Tel Aviv, according to the choice of the designer. Gadi Elimelech stunned the audience with a series of pieces inspired by insects and animals, such as butterflies, beetles, and bats.

Upcoming designer Hed Mayner presented ethnic clothing, stressing the variety of cultures and ethnicities that are part of the Israeli society. Alembika revived her signature, anti-silhouette style, with a collection made of loose, hardly elegant, unorthodox designs.

Tel Aviv’s fashion is at times playful, at times dramatic, due to the deep historical roots of its country and its ongoing political turmoil and security threats. Yet, none of these stopped Yaron Minkowski from using a Keffyieh for one of his dresses or Idan Laros from displaying the symbols from the three monotheistic religions on the catwalk during his show. One thing is for sure — Gindi Tel Aviv Fashion Week always leaves the spectators begging for more, wondering what we’ll see on the runway next year.

text | Simone Somekh photos | @ Avi Valdman sketches | @ Talia Zoref

NOVEMBER 2015

Bar Refaeli at the gala

Betka

Maya Kasuto for Shenkar

Danny Meriash for Shenkar

Marcelo Burlon

TOVALE +

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MASKIT As the protagonist of a leading chapter in Israeli fashion history, Maskit — one of the country’s most notorious brands — is held responsible for keeping the magic of its past and yet offer new, contemporary looks. Head designer Sharon Tal took the challenge and successfully brought a unique, multifaceted show at Gindi Tel Aviv Fashion Week.

www.maskit.com

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text | Simone Somekh photos | @ Avi Valdman sketches | @ Talia Zoref

NOVEMBER 2015

The designs are the result of a journey in the desert of the Negev among the Bedouins and feature a coherent choice of colors, which proudly recall the Israeli landscape: cream, beige, gold, sienna, as well as white, black, and turquoise. A selection of natural materials, such as metals, shells, and wood, enriches the winter collection of the fashion house.

Maskit’s founder Rut Dayan, who is now 96, sat first row at the show and smiled as the models flaunted a series of local-meets-global, thenmeets-now designs. As Middle Eastern as the new collection can be, one could easily dare to wear one of its pieces also in Western metropolises as New York and Paris, profiting from the combination of natural colors, tight silhouettes, and cosmopolitan looks.

“The collection is day to evening,” said Sharon Tal. “It’s made for women who work during the day and go out at night — they can wear the designs at work, and keep them all day, transitioning into a fancy dinner out.” The gem of the collection are the accessories. Sharon Tal recreated her dresses in elegant clutches embroiled with metals and pearls, as well as large, black sacks.

“Of course, among the designs, we kept the iconic desert coats, first made in 1954,” explained Tal. “We do them every season, changing the color and the look, but keeping the original design.” Maskit is soaked with history and yet is constantly striving for a spot in an aggressive, evolving industry.

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SHOW

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Oberson Father and daughter Gideon and Karen Oberson have their own separate collections; however, every year, as Tel Aviv Fashion Week approaches, they love to work on a collaborative series of dresses which merges both of their styles and creative inputs. The audience at Gindi’s TLV Fashion Mall witnessed the artistic marriage in one of the final shows at this year’s event.

www.gideon-oberson.com

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text | Simone Somekh photos | @ Avi Valdman sketches | @ Talia Zoref

NOVEMBER 2015

The winter 2015/16 collection — entitled “Black Diamond” — was created entirely in black “to highlight the fabrics and shapes,” explained Gideon Oberson. The designers challenged the idea that black is not a color and ironically showed that there are more than just fifty shades of grey. The choice allowed them to experiment in terms of fabrics, silhouettes, and layers, juxtaposing leather and velvet, taffeta and lace.

The result is the most elegant, mature collection to be presented on the Gindi Tel Aviv Fashion Week 2015 catwalk. “I was inspired by a contemporary dance, ‘Blackout’. In fact, the collection theme is dancing in the dark,” said Oberson.

The last look to be displayed was Oberson’s signature wedding gown. The all-black outfit, which left the hips of the model completely uncovered, was welcomed by the audience with a round of applause.

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SHOW

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Yaron Minkowski After 30 years working in fashion, Yaron Minkowski is still eager to play, experiment, and provoke in the new collection presented at Gindi Tel Aviv Fashion Week. The pieces are playful but never silly, featuring different styles and techniques.

www.minkowski.co.il

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text | Simone Somekh photos | @ Avi Valdman sketches | @ Talia Zoref

NOVEMBER 2015

“The collection is about optimism,” said Minkowski, who opened the show with a series of crochet dresses in bright, pastel colors. “It looks simple, but it’s a difficult fabric to work with, because it’s very delicate and elaborate.”

The designer presented pieces made with digital printing and enriched with floral constructions.

A series of three dresses made with a Keffyieh — the traditional Middle Eastern scarf, which has become a symbol of Palestinian nationalism — stunned the audience, which remained silent and absorbed the crucial moment in the local Fashion Week. “The Keffyieh was made for me in Ramallah,” he explained.

The ultimate surprise of the show, however, was guest star Ori Minkowski, Yaron’s daughter, who is 14 years old and has recently launched her own line of clothing, labeled “OM.” Ori presented a piece she designed for the Israeli athletes competing in the Olympic Games, creating a sharp -185-

contrast with her father’s Keffyieh. “I love sports and was really unimpressed with the uniform the Israeli athletes wear. Hopefully one day they will wear the one I made,” she said. Ori loves following Italian blogger Chiara Ferragni and dreams of wearing Yaron’s dresses when she will be a grownup woman.

At the end of the show, Yaron Minkowski greeted his parents (respectively 90 and 86 years old) in the audience, reminding everyone that behind a successful man there often is a supportive and enthusiastic family.

SHOW

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Ori Minkowski

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March 2014DIGITAL

SUBMIT

Y O U R EDITORIAL -188-73-

MAY 2015 DIGITAL

ONLINE

DIGITAL

PRINT

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editorials from OCTOBER @ Superior online I

Jang Choe

»SKYLINE«

Kyle Galvin

»ANIME TAKEOVER«

Hervé Annen

»DYL«

Isabela Sabino

»INNER RHYTHM«

Click on the image to view full editorial

NOVEMBER 2015

Liam Walsh

»COOKIE MONSTER«

Ann Sudol

»SABOTAGE«

Christopher Morrison

»RAW«

Anatol Gottfried

»ACCEPTERA«

Annika Hirsch

»DAYDREAMER«

editorials from OCTOBER @ Superior online II

Hervé Annen

»PARADIGME«

Nelson Tiberghien

»WHERE IS THE DUCK?«

Julia Keltsch

»WINDKIND«

Oliver Meyer

»AT THE GYM«

Click on the image to view full editorial

NOVEMBER 2015

Sheree Porter

»LUMINOSITY«

Paul Thatcher

»BLACK BALLOON« R. Perry Flowers

»WAITING FOR THE FALL«

Sandra Palm

»SPHERES« Emelie Lundqvist & Maja Johansson

»SPECULAR«

photography by JANG CHOE styling by JULES SALINAS hair & make up by ERIKKA HART model ANNIE BAZEMORE @ FACTOR WOMEN ATLANTA

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NOVEMBER 2015

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skirt & blazer BCBGENERATION shoes JESSICA SIMPSON

dress BCBGENERATION jacket PRIVATE -196-

NOVEMBER 2015

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pants TOPSHOP vest AUGUST blouse ZAC AND RACHEL shoes VINCE CAMUTO

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dress VINTAGE heels FRENCH CONNECTION

NOVEMBER 2015

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shorts BCBGENERATION sweater EILEEN FISHER shoes VINCE CAMUTO

skirt MISS SELFRIDGE vest ME JANE -200-

NOVEMBER 2015

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dress VINTAGE heels ALDO

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skirt VALETTE vest MEMBERS ONLY heels VINCE CAMUTO

NOVEMBER 2015

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shorts BCBGENERATION sweater EILEEN FISHER

Magazine for fashion, design, music, art & culture • www.superior-magazine.com

coming out on December 4th 2015

# DECEMBER 2015