I hope you enjoy the 28th issue of Swoop Magazine, and our new style. We started Swoop in 2006, and we’re still Swooping! It’s been a great ride, and we hope to be around for many more years. SCOTT BAILEY Swoop Founder
Check us out at: Swoopthemagazine.com Swoopbrand.com @swoopthemagazine Facebook/Swoopmagazine
SWOOP MAGAZINE ISSUE 28
Tierra Lee - 04 The Urban Jungle - 12 Alex Curry - 20 Awesome Pads - 30 @INSTAFAMOUS - 34 Walking with Wolves - 46 Magic Giant Interview - 54 Wrenna Delgado - 66 NextStep Fitness - 72 Jessie’s House, Hollywood Hills - 76 Le Dessein - 82 Julia Sundstrom Sandstrom - 88
Model Alex Curry Photography Michael Desmond Desmondphoto.com Assistant Kyle Monk Makeup + Hair Nicole Wittman
Model Julia Sundstrom Sandstrom Photography Keith Lander Hair Gordon Banh Makeup Heather Shawn makeupxheathershawn.com Stylist Zenith Mays thepoutfactory.com Assistant Jordyn Rose
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Founder, Publisher
SCOTT BAILEY
Partners
SCOTT BAILEY NIK BELCEVICH
Attorney Art Director
LAW OFFICES OF TURNER AND CAVAN ANDREW BAIN
Editors
CLARENCE FUJIYOSHI, AARON KOENIGSBERG
Writers
CHRISTINA DUFF, BRENNA LAEGREID, JENNIFER SCHANUTH, ALEXANDRIA PINEDA
Staff Photographer
DAVID MITCHELLKEITH LANDER - thepoutfactory.com MICHAEL DESMOND - desmondphoto.com
Cover Photographers
ALEXANDER F RODRIGUEZ JOSEPH UMBRO - www.josephumbro.com CHRISTINA DUFF
Photographers Makeup
BRENNA LAEGREID KASSANDRA KARR - www.kassandrakarr.com (Makeup provided by M•A•C)
GINA GRACIA-CARABALLO - www.ginagcaraballo.com VANESSA BROIN - www.beepretty.net HEATHER SHAWN - www.makeupxheathershawn.com MELISSA SAMAYOA - www.mes-makeup.com ROCZANE - @Zane Artistry - (Makeup provided by M•A•C) NICOLE WITTMAN VANESSA BROIN - www.beepretty.net NICOLE WITTMAN Hair
GORDON BANH JERZEY ANDERSON ASA HOPE
Wardrobe Stylists
ZENITH MAYS - thepoutfactory.com BENTEVI SWIMWEAR - www.benteviswimwear.com
Brands
ANANDA - VENICE LULAMAE - VENICE - lulamaestyle.com LE DESSEIN - www.ledessein.com LUCCA COUTURE - www.luccacouture.com
Accessories Jewelry
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WILL LEATHER GOODS - willleathergoods.com JENNIFER JONES COLLECTION - jjcjewelry.com
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Tierra Lee at the Mobli House, Venice Beach
Photography David Mitchell Stylists Jerzey Anderson Asa Hope Makeup Kassandra Karr Makeup provided by M•A•C
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The Urban Jungle By Christine Duff
Christine Duff
Do wn t o wn i s no l o n ger t h e b ig b a d g u y it on ce wa s ; it h a s cl ea n ed u p i t s a c t bo t h l i t e r al l y a n d f ig u r a t ivel y. Du e t o it s n ewf ou n d l i v a bi l i t y, ni g ht l i fe a nd n ew con d om in iu m s a n d a p a r t m en t s s eem t o v i r t u a l l y o pe n e v e r y da y. E a ch d is t r ict h a s it s own vib e a n d u n iq u e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s t o s a t i s f y ea ch in d ivid u a l ’s t a s t es . T h is is a cit y t h a t i n r e c e nt y e a r s ha s been u n d er g oin g it s own t r a n s f or m a t ion f r om u r b a n u g l y du c k l i n g t o s p r a wl in g m et r op ol it a n s wa n . T h e s t or y of d o wnt o wn i s o n e o f a m et eor ic r is e, s h a r p d own f a l l , a n d s l ow a n d s t e a dy r e bu i l d .
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Christine Duff
The Golden Age The five square miles of downtown was once
arts hotels and Victorian homes were erected
a sparkling urban metropolis with the largest
to house the wealthy residents and visitors.
expanse
theaters
Even film stars such as Charlie Chaplin had
on a single street in the United States.
residences on Spring Street. Broadway grew
Department stores dotted street corners
to be the nightlife mecca with theatres and
and Spring Street was the “Wall Street of the
movie palaces for premieres, restaurants,
West.” The roaring 20’s was in its prime with
and bars that are credited with the rise of
a metro system that beat out New York City in
Los Angeles film and entertainment.
of
movie
houses
and
terms of mileage and extensiveness. Beaux-
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Christine Duff 14 |
Andrew Gordon
A Sharp Downfall After World War II, America saw the rise of
classification of a ghetto. In the late 1990’s
suburbia. W ith the ownership of automobiles
Los Angeles, with great humiliation, had the
increasing rapidly residents no longer needed to
highest vacancy rate in the country at 26%. To
live in a downtown area with everything at arm’s
add insult to injury the city was suffering from
reach. Ironically, the Pasadena Freeway was built
the aftermath of a street gang epidemic from
to create a way into the city to shop and attend
decades past, a major area for drug trafficking
the theatre. The very thing that was intended to
and addiction. W ith closing mental institutes,
bolster downtown led to its rapid demise.
homeless people wandered the streets with no other thoughts but survival on their strained
W ithin a couple of decades the glow from the
minds. W ith the inhumane weather conditions
“Golden Age” had faded into a dim smolder;
of east coast winters, displaced people were
downtown Los Angeles now met the official
bussed cross-country to the streets of downtown.
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Ryan Vaarsi
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A New Beginning In 2013 downtown had a notably different atmosphere as wealthy lawyers and bankers still saw the value in taking up residence close to work. Student populations started migrating to the area due to its proximity to FIDM and USC. W ith the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, zoning regulations made turning the vacated historic office buildings into entertainment venues and upscale lofts easier. One of the revitalization projects on Broadway was Los Angeles Brewery. The brewery, like many old buildings, existed as a shell of its former self until recently. Housed in the Chapman Building, a former Bank of America, it carries the essence of the former financial glory days. The wall, staircase, and tabletops are the original marble from 1912. The impact on the film industry is immortalized in the bank teller windows still intact; one in which Walt Disney received his first loan for Snow White. Reopened in 2012, LA Brewery has been a weekend brunch spot with bottomless mimosas and a DJ on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-3pm. Eight HD TV’s adorn the walls, playing all major games from American to international sports. Craft beer and upscale bar food make the perfect combo for any sports fan. The Brewery is one of many projects completed with the “Bring Back Broadway” Project revitalizing downtown. W ith its rapid development and new younger population, GQ Magazine has named Downtown Los Angeles, “The next great American city.” n
Ryan Vaarsi
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{Alex Curry, Manhattan Beach. Spring, 2015}
The Curry Effect. Interview by Brenna Laegreid
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Photography Michael Desmond Photography Desmondphoto.com Assistant Kyle Monk Makeup + Hair
Nicole Wittman
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Dress by Le Dessein www.ledessein.com 22 |
Brenna: You’re a bor n and bred Souther n Califor nia girl. What was your favorite part of growing up in Manhattan Beach? Alex: My family, friends and this community. We had 32 kids who grew up on this block, we had Sand Dune Park and the beach as our backyard, it was kind of like growing up on a giant playground, we were outside as often as possible. I’m the oldest of four so it was always a party anywhere we went. But I love how in this community you always say hi to your neighbors; everyone knows everyone and we take care of each other. B: It seems like you are a little bit of a local celebrity. How does it feel to come back to your hometown and have that experience? A: I don’t look at myself that way. It’s my job to talk to these amazingly talented people about their job and jour ney… and find a connection to share with the audience. But it is fun when you see people around town you haven’t seen in awhile and they tell you they’ve seen you on TV and they feel connected to you. That’s a humbling feeling. B: Manhattan Beach and Hollywood are such different worlds despite being in close proximity to each other. Do you feel that growing up around the industry influenced you to want to be in show business? A: Well I’ve always loved perfor ming, I was in Theater at a young age and the industry by age 12. And on the sports side I’ve been playing and watching sports as long as I can remember. So I guess it was the perfect mesh of interest and influences and of course it always helps living in L.A.
SM: Your career revolves around sports, what originally sparked your interest? A: Sports have been a big part of my life as long as I can remember. Growing up I played soccer, softball, volleyball, swam, danced, tennis, snowboard, wakeboard… tried it all and stuck with soccer through college. I was always extremely competitive sports-wise, my dad was a huge sports fan, and I loved it. It was my happy place growing up. B: It sounds like sports was a way life, not just something you did or participated in. A: Oh yeah I did anything and everything related to sports so I feel very fortunate to have made a career out of something I love and have been passionate about my whole life. B: You get paid to go to games instead of paying to go to them. Can you explain your love for the LA sports teams and your connection to them? A: I love the teams I work with. The Angels and the Kings are such unbelievable organizations from the front offices to the PR staff to the players and coaches. It’s a great group of people and fun environment to work in.
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B: What is one particular moment that has stood out to you on the job? A: There have been a few…But being on the ice with the Kings after they won the Stanley Cup was pretty surreal and being able to share that moment with the audience back home was special. Another would be when the Angels clinched the AL West…the emotions were crazy. And my first Gatorade shower was pretty funny; after the Angels won in the 15th inning with a walk off home run, Chris Iannetta and I got a full Gatorade shower. B: What is your favorite part of your job? A: I love everything about my job! So besides covering sports for a living, I love getting to connect with these organizations & athletes and share their story with the fans. They are extremely hard-working people who followed a dream and made it a reality. B: It sounds like you take these players and bring them to life. Showing they are more than just stats and performance. A: It’s nice finding a connection with them and being able to bring out their personalities so the fans get to know them off the ice and away from the field. That’s my favorite part of Kings and Angels Weekly, the fans get to see a side of these players that they don’t nor mally get to see when they are playing the game. B: You talk about being restless and being bored easily. Do you think that’s what enabled you to be successful in this industry is your perseverance? A: Partly, but also a lot of hard work and practice. I had a dream and knew what I wanted, so I was always very specific when it came to setting my goals and taking the right steps to make them happen; this didn’t happen over night. I worked 5 years behind the scenes during and after college and once I graduated SDSU I went to hosting academy, started bartending so I could
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go on auditions all day, while again taking on any freelance work I could get. It’s all about the hustle and doing one thing every single day that will get you closer to your dream. No ego, just lots of hard work and deter mination. B: What other secret passions do you have? That maybe no one knows about. A: Well if you follow me on social media @Alex_Curry they won’t be a secret anymore. I’m a huge health freak with food and fitness. I love traveling, being active and going on adventures. Music is a big part of my life, a lot of my free time is spent at live music events. I love arts and crafts or anything creative for that matter. I also love playing dress-up and lear ning about fashion which makes it fun dressing up everyday for work. B: What’s next? A: Well I love what I’m doing now and am still lear ning a lot, so at the moment continuing to get better every day. I’d love to explore every avenue of sports and entertainment…and one day host my own talk show!
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AWESOME PADS.
By Brenna Laegreid
S
ince the beginning of time, people have found ways to incorporate natural surroundings into their residences. One of the most profound ways is to not just build on top of nature, but to actually build into nature. As seen in the hillside pueblos of the Acoma tribe in New Mexico, or the ancient Greek Petra, there is a certain “awe” factor that sets in while looking at manmade structures joining with their environment. Here are a few homes that take this idea to the next level by integrating luxury and extravagance. I guess you could say it’s how the wealthy “become one with nature.”
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The Pierre, San Juan Island, WA
Benjamin Benschneider
Benjamin Benschneider
The San Juan Islands are the Pacific Northwest’s
is set deep into rock by using many methods
hidden secret. An archipelago of islands starting
among which are dynamite, hydraulic chippers,
in Northern Washington and stretching far into the
and wire saws.
Canadian border, they are far-removed. However,
reused for the interior of the house to create the
among these clandestine isles, one will find rocky
fireplace and master bathroom sink, among other
private beaches, docked yachts and some of the
amenities. The rough existence of the rock serves
nation’s most luxurious homes.
The excavated rock was later
People love the
as a compliment to the luxurious interior in a way
San Juans for the privacy and peaceful connection
that makes you feel like you’ve discovered an
to a raw, natural environment.
ancient royal hideaway. The house has a feeling of providing you with extravagant impression while
The Pierre is no exception to the overall serene
also connecting you to the outdoors. It celebrates
ambiance that the San Juans produce. This bunker-
its surroundings by mimicking the massive rock
style home is not built on a sturdy platform of
that it was built into.
stone but rather built into one. Finished in 2010 and designed by Seattle-based architects, Tom Kundig and Jim Olson, this 2,500 sq. ft. mansion
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Cliff House, Australia
Modscape Source
A mecca for extreme sports such as surfing,
environment was not obstructed much by
hang-gliding and rock climbing; Australia
the design and was rather connected and
is home to some of the most gnarly thrill-
engulfed into it.
chasers in the world. Australians know how to have a good time and love living
This five-story home offers a panoramic
life in strong conjunction with risk.
view of the ocean through its exterior which is entirely made up of glass.
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The
For those Australians that enjoy living
interior offers sleek, white minimalistic
life on the edge, the designs for Cliff
comfort as to not take away from the
House will be overly enticing because
vast abyss that the estate is floating into.
this house is literally on the edge.
This
While steel pins anchored into the side of
prefabricated home will be found hanging
the cliff are the only structure holding the
off a cliff over the Indian Ocean. Designed
daring Cliff House in place, I’m sure the
to resemble a barnacle hanging off the
owners will find that very easy to forget
hull of a ship, this home was intended to
in their open-air spa and private terrace.
not take away from the topography of the
However, the master bedroom is still only
coarse, Australian bluffs, but rather blend
yards away from that shark-infested water.
in. It was important to the owners that the
Sleep  tight.
Fallingwater, Mill Run, PA
Brian Donovan
Though Pennsylvania is not the state that
much
rings a bell when it comes to luxurious and
minimalistic, cascading balconies that jut
trendy homes, there is always an exception
out into the forest and look over the raging
to the rule. This exception happens to be
waterfall that serves as its foundation. Much
a family getaway home-turned-American-
like The Pierre, the interior of the getaway
landmark. I was devastated to find that no
mansion has a rustic feel while providing a
one currently occupies this (literally) edgy
luxurious environment for the 2.6 million
home, as it has now turned into a tourist
dollar home.
attraction.
before
its
time,
has
modern,
It has an almost Japanese-
However at one time it was
inspired feng shui feel inside as it is very
the “cozy getaway cabin” for The Kaufman
spread out, open and easily integrated with
family, who owned all of the Kaufman
the natural beauty that surrounds it.
Department Stores on the East Coast.
We’ve come a long way from the Acoma
This 5,330 sq. ft. home (and that’s excluding
Tribe and the Greek Petra. Though it used
the guest house), is nestled back in the
to be structurally fitting and much more
Pennsylvania woods of an area called Mill
logical to build directly into a stone wall or
Run. However, designed by America’s most
right next to (or on top of) a powerful water
famous architect; Frank Lloyd Wright; it is
source, now it is flashy and artistic. These
clearly not just a home, but a work of art.
homes are truly inspiring to any nature
Fallingwater gives “cabin in the woods” a
outdoor enthusiast and make connecting to
new meaning by sitting atop and right at
the outside seem luxurious to the elite.n
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@INSTAFAMOUS IN THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS
Models Kaylen Wooley Collette Boutry Photography David Mitchell Makeup Melissa Samayoa www.mes-makeup.com Makeup provided by M•A•C
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Top Bentevi benteviswimwear.com Jewelry Jennifer Jones Collection www.jjcjewelry.com 40 |
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Leather Bracelet Willleathergoods.com 44 |
THE END
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{Shot by Joseph Umbro, Downtown LA}
Brandon Fouche Walking With Wolves
American culture and art has a flair for the macabre. Fantastical creatures and animals are often wildly depicted in poetry, literature, art and film. The story of the American Wolf is deeply rooted in our history. While the mystique and popularity of today’s wolf continues to grow on the screen in fictional works and contemporary pop culture titles like The Wolverine, Game of Thrones, True Blood, The Grey and Underworld, the species itself has diminished in North America and become extinct on almost the entire European Continent due to over-hunting.
Dresses Black Halo Stylist Hair + Makeup Roczane @Zane Artistry Makeup provided by M•A•C
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Wolf ancestors have lived and survived on the earth since the Paleocene era 60 million years ago. Humans have only lived on this Earth for 200,000 years. The human race can document its survival having lived alongside the wolf and its offspring for hundreds of thousands of years. Wolf pups were taken at an early age from their mothers and raised among humans to help protect families and also to help in the hunting of game. Our modern-day dog is really only a wolf in dog’s clothing! Today’s dog evolved directly from the Grey Wolf. In North America, there were three kinds of wolves that came across the Bering Land Bridge as early as 700,000 years ago and settled here: the Grey Wolf, Canis Lupus, the Red Wolf, Canis Rufus, and the Dire Wolf, Canis Dirus. The Dire Wolf became extinct 10-16,000 years ago. This animal, much like Ghost or Lady from the ever-popular Game of Thrones was large in size and ferocious, taking down big game like mammoths. The large size of the Dire Wolf is the cause for its extinction compared to its smaller sleeker more agile cousins in the Canidae family. The most abundant Dire Wolf bone fragments actually recovered were found here in California in the La Brea Tar Pits. Archaeologists excavated 2000 bone pieces in the area showing that they lived and hunted in large packs. The Grey Wolf became prominent because it was on average smaller than the Dire Wolf. A history lesson serves to express the simple fact that wolves and dogs have been around figuring out how to survive millions of years before we came about on this planet. Their keen senses of smell and hearing are far more advanced than humans could possibly hope to achieve in almost any lifetime. Yet, the Grey Wolf has been extinct in the British Isles since 1770 and currently is extinct in 2/3 of the European Continent. The Grey Wolf faces extinction in North America due to hunting and fear of deaths to livestock populations. A respect for the history of the dog as descended through the wolf is needed because it directly relates to the problems we have in our dogs today. Swoop has followed up with dog rehabilitator, Brandon Fouche to talk about the problems we see in our dogs today. Problems that are behaviors descended from the wolf such as aggression, fear, biting, escaping, marking the house, barking and running away. All of these are natural behaviors seen in the wild in wolf packs. Brandon lives near Downtown LA with on a good day, 70+ dogs. These dogs make up Brandon’s canine family and are coming and going non-stop from this rescue or that shelter or this foster family or that client. It’s incredible the pace and energy flying around. So here we are face to face again with Brandon and we want to know about the wolf. Would you mind giving a brief history about the dog’s descension from the wolf? Humans and domesticated dogs have been companions for over 100,000 years. We have to ask ourselves why? If not for the wolf, humans couldn’t be where we are today. If you look at the animal kingdom in the wild, we couldn’t measure up physically out in the world with our capabilities. Humans have the intelligence and used their brains to evolve. So, we had to harness that aggression, that energy, that physical capability of animals especially the wolves and capture the wolf pups to tame them. We would keep them somewhat wild so that they could go and hunt. We would follow them and it allowed us to get close to the game. We could then take down the big game and were able to eat. Without them, we probably wouldn’t have survived. We are easy prey in the animal kingdom. We had to use our brains to control them and in essence become a god to them. On some level, I think because we feel we have the control, it makes it easier to accept killing them. 48 |
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Let’s talk about that. How do you feel about the killing of wolves and dogs in North America? There used to be a time when human beings thought that animals did not have souls and that made it easier to kill them. There was no emotional attachment to it. It’s a small way of thinking. They were considered property and still are. Now we know animals have souls. As a human being, there are many things we can do to make changes. Human beings also love the simplicity in life... the beauty in life... the undisturbed. And so when you begin to kill off the very creature that actually gave you the position that you are in today simply because they are in the way and we don’t need them anymore. [The wolf] helped put us in the position we are in today. To me, that deserves a level of respect. You know! Humans have dwindled down wild animals to recreational parks and reserves. We don’t need the free roaming animals anymore. I think we need to stop and smell the flowers. We need these animals more now than ever. GOD SPELLED BACKWARD IS DOG. I think dogs are a roadmap back to nature for us. It is the number-one creature that we share our homes with and we don’t even understand why we have an unconditional love for them. That unconditional love is connected to who we really are. We can’t even give another human being that kind of love. I believe that it is that connection to the dog and to nature that says what is right in the world. If we could just STOP and think about that and set aside land for wolves to be on and exist the way they always have, I think this would make us better people. There is so much we can do. We need to have this kind of conversation. We have a duty. First, it’s important for us to understand what the dog does for us emotionally in terms of stress-lowering the heart rate and reducing stress. All the studies have shown this to be the case. We have to respect that and it goes deeper than providing that emotional support. They go to war for us and find bombs. I am in awe of my dogs when I am in their presence. You hear me talk
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about the hero within the dog. I am talking about an animal with superior capabilities of sight, hearing, and smell. We have to see the real-live hero within our dogs. Dogs are able to figure out what we want from them. Dogs expect us to think like them and the human expects the dog to think like a human. We with the bigger brain should understand how the dog thinks. Socialization will guarantee a life for a dog! The key to dogs has always been socialization. It is not training. Training goes backwards and is the opposite of socialization. Socialize your dog. What people don’t like about their dog’s behavior comes from the wolf? They don’t even realize that is what it is. They think their dog is misbehaving. All the behavioral problems dogs have date back to the wolf - dominant, assertive, aggressive behaviors. To create a dog, we had to take away fear and embolden them to be calm and get on our laps without being aggressive. We did that but the things we do with our dogs today, all the games we play with them teach them to solve problems with their mouths. When we play Tug-O-War, they use their mouth to play and growl. It teaches them to be assertive toward humans. This is only okay when you have a subordinate dog. Originally, breeders bred for subordinate dogs. [Wolf pups were taken away from their mothers and the pack in order to breed them and teach them to be subordinate to humans.] In the past when you had an alpha, a beta or a runt [in a dog litter], they were either given away as guard dogs or destroyed. Now, we have No Kill and we want to save all the dogs. The problem is the formula we have for dealing with dogs is old and based upon subordinate dogs. This is where we are messing up. We have to change the formula. The assertive, dominant or aggressive dog has to be dealt with differently. It’s like dealing with A and B type personality people. When a dominant A dog walks into a room with a subordinate B personality it’s like an opposite attracts scenario. In life, we are attracted to these personalities. That also happens when
WHAT IS YOUR LIST OF NO-NO’S FOR WORKING WITH PROBLEM DOGS? 1. NO TUG-O-WAR/ NO GAMES Games teach dogs how to challenge us. In the wild, that is a death sentence! No leader wants to be challenged by his pack. It is not a game in the wild. Domination is not a game. You cannot teach a dog to learn to bite. It’s a death sentence for the dog if it bites a human! 2. NO SQUEAKY TOYS The purpose of the squeak is to resemble a wounded animal. They put it in a toy that looks like an animal and 2 things can happen: it teaches the dog to assert itself over other smaller creatures or it feels confident and not threatened by smaller animals. 3. NO BALLS No throwing of objects or chasing after objects. It encourages the prey drive. It teaches the dog to go after objects and even people, bikers, skateboarders. The chase is for satisfying the stomach to eat and hunt prey. Some dogs eat their balls and toys. Again you are waking up hormones. All these things-you are waking up the whole wolf!
we are attracted to dogs. We see the natural genetic energy in that dog and what happens next is the problem. The problems I see in dogs come from “learned behaviors” brought about by things like agility training, running, and games. We think we need to tire out the dog and drain its energy but not realizing that what we are doing is feeding that energy. When we see the neurotic behavior in the dog, we begin to nurture it and create more neurotic behavior within a dog because the dog is trying to please us. It becomes a fixation. Exercise is not the most important thing for dogs. It’s the mental exercise and stimulus that they need. Mental energy is more draining than physical energy. We look at our dogs in two ways: love and affection which come with positive reinforcement, treats and tricks, and the other end, predatory behavior. The more we love our dogs; the more toys we buy; the more games we play. The toys and games such as Catch, Tug-O-War, squeaky toys, etc. bring out the prey drive in the dogs. It is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. We have the love and affection side and the prey drive which we produced. We create the megalomaniac within our dogs then take ourselves out of the equation and blame only the dog. Bad dog! There are other wolf behaviors that we don’t like: urinating. It’s a form of communication. It makes an animal feel secure by marking and peeing over the smell of another animal. Barking is something we taught the dog to do for guarding. Wolves are silent hunters and keep at a distance. They howl for territory reasons. We taught the dog to bark to protect the campfires and the food and to be around humans. Can you talk about the misconceptions of aggression in dogs? Aggression is the highest form of communication in dogs. It’s not the best. It’s the most understood. If we look at all animals, the way they communicate is through hierarchy. There is no equality. They discipline and dominate each other. All of the aggression our dogs show is basically related back to the wolf. They need that aggression to survive, and it’s a form of communication... of body language. There are hormones there that we do not need to wake up in our dogs. We do not need them to hunt. The problem is that we continue to wake up that hormone with
4. NO ROUGH HOUSING No wrestling and teaching dogs to bite and jump on you to challenge you. 5. NO AGILITY TRAINING AND COMPETITION WORK To a dog you are teaching it how to escape and jump over tall fences and structures. You teach them how to go over things, get under things and find out how to get through things. 6. NO TREATS FOR CONTROLLING YOUR DOG Treats are okay only for teaching a dog tricks. No treats when practicing how to eliminate aggression. You are rewarding your dog for thinking bad behavior. 7. NO REACHING Do not reach for a dog. That is a dominant thing done in a submissive way. It confuses the dog.
the games that we play with them. Now the dog is conflicted with what we want him to do and what we are making him feel that he should be doing. So when you throw that ball or when you play Tug-O-War or when you squeak that stuffed animal that sounds like a small wounded animal, you are waking up millions of years of evolution. So now the dog sees life that way because those hormones have a stronger pull over the dog than sit, stay, come and heel [commands]. The hormone to investigate and the hormone to prey on something are stronger than the hormone to sit, stay, come, down, and heel. The key to animals has always been communication and socialization. Never training. That is all I focus on with my dogs. Dogs are taken away from their mothers and separated from their pack during key times in a pup’s socialization period. They do not learn the correct behavior for living within a pack hierarchy. Wolf pups squabble and play. One bites on the neck; the other on the arm. They are learning a skill-how to hunt together as a pack and bring down prey. They practice on each other. Dogs are taken away and raised alone during these times of learning how to be in a pack and how to practice on each other with play bites and take downs. The communication is off.They haven’t learned how to do this in nature so they learn it through us with games. What can people do to help save dogs and wolves? Take care of a dog’s mental and emotional needs. Dogs get messed up by living with people too young during 2 critical imprinting periods in their development phases. Ages 5-12 weeks is the fear imprinting phase and then ages 12 weeks – 4/5 months is the socialization period. This is the critical social period and that is the time we take them away from their pack. Take dogs away after both of the imprinting phases and not early as is so commonly practiced. Socialize your dog! I always want to encourage people to give an adult dog a chance. I feel strongly about this. Also, I encourage change. Change your opinion about how to work with problem dogs. Humans need to change. Be open to signing a petition about saving dogs and wolves. It’s simple. Protect our animals! For more information about Brandon Fouche, The Fouche Way go to www.brandonfouche.com.
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Magic Giant
Photography David Mitchell
Band On The
Verge. By Jennifer Schanuth
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Jennifer : First of all, congrats on being featured on Billboard’s “Artist on the Verge”, as well as many other accomplishments since the start of 2015. Magic Giant: It’s been so fun to hit the road for the first time and start putting our music out there. We were out touring and got to play live on KEXP Seattle, which led to having our music featured on NPR’s ‘Songs We Love’. We’re really grateful we got the opportunity to showcase at SXSW our first year as a band. J: I understand you guys just finished your debut EP? Can you tell me about that? MG: It was great to be able to write, produce, and really be invested in our first recording. It was a very experimental time and we had a blast. We recorded it over the summer in just one month in Venice. We only took breaks to skateboard, for lunch and to jump in the ocean at sunset. It was awesome to find “our sound” in the studio together. Zambricki plays a ton of instruments so we laid banjo, mandolin, fiddle, viola, cello, dobro, and lap steel. We’ve got this really cool old Juno synthesizer at the studio, which popped its head up a lot on the record. Brian and Austin were trading a lot of synth lines and we married the electro and organic elements. Rashawn Ross, from Dave Matthews Band, and Spencer Ludwig, from Capital Cities, both played trumpet on the record, which was amazing. We took some liberties and tweaked the heck out of everything. We mixed with Keith Ar mstrong who is a wizard. We sent it off to Steve Smart [Empire of the Sun, Vance Joy] in Australia for mastering and he was really open and easy to work with which was great.
a party it becomes. We are pretty active at our shows and in general. When on tour we were running through the desert hopping barbed-wire fences to stretch out. Sometimes we’ll find an after-hours salsa club to go crash after our show is over. Overall we’re kind of goofy and don’t take ourselves too seriously. People react to that and let loose at the shows. J: Do you guys have any secret rituals before performing a live show? MG: We always sing a few songs together a cappella. Could be in an alley behind the venue or anywhere we can get a little quiet before the stor m. We have some cool hybrid yoga vocal exercises that get the blood pumping. We also have a small guitar that lives in our touring vehicle so we often will be writing/rehearsing on the way to the venue. J: Your debut single, “Glass Heart”, has been a success since its release last year. MG: That song was one of the first songs we wrote together and our first demo. Having it recently featured on Spotify’s New Music Tuesday playlist was really amazing. People love to dance to it at the shows and we have so much fun playing it. J: Do you have anything in the works for the near future? MG: We just got back from playing 13 shows at South By Southwest and now we’re back in the studio. We have about 5 new songs we’re working on and recording, and some festivals/ a possible tour this summer. We’re happy to be playing before Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros at Arise Music Festival this August.
J: You guys have such an electric-contagious stage presence. What has kept you guys inspired in keeping your band alive and original? MG: We feed off of each other and our unbelievable fans. We have the best time perfor ming and the more people we have at the shows, the more of
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J: Would you say your music reaches out to more than just the indie-folk listeners? MG: It’s been really cool to see, our music has really reached a wide demographic. Most people we know like many genres. People who gravitate towards Magic Giant seem to want to feel connected, depart from their nor mal lives even momentarily, be happy, and enjoy themselves. People who are attracted to folk instruments like banjo and fiddle, big sing-alongs, and dance parties have become our core supporters. However, so often people have no expectations when they see us live and become hardcore Magic Giant lovers, smiling ear to ear when they leave. J: What are some of your favorite fan moments? MG: In Seattle we had a couple hear us on KEXP in the mor ning, hire a babysitter, and drive two hours to see us. In Manhattan, we had a woman come up to us after and say she never goes out and our perfor mance moved her so much and let her feel so free, that it would brighten her life for years to come. In Brooklyn, we had a 21 year old fellow in town from Asia who could barely speak any English, come up to us after and put three words together: “New. Favorite. Band!” In Austin, TX, it started pouring rain during one of our outdoor daytime shows, and loads of fans danced even harder, getting drenched, and came to our next show still soaking wet! It’s connections like these that really inspire us to stay on the path. We did a 30-day challenge with our fans to raise
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money for charity. It’s called Sweat For Change and everyone who participated committed to working out for 30 minutes a day for the month of March, and raised $10 a day for Little Kids Rock, which brings music instruments and education back into underprivileged school systems. So far Team Magic Giant has raised $3,390! J: Although you guys are an LA-based band, you all are not originally from LA. Did the dream to start a band bring you guys here? MG: Totally, Los Angeles is such a great place for an eclectic band like Magic Giant. There are no rules and you can create your own destiny. People love to dance and our shows have been quite bananas here. J: What are some of your favorite spots in Venice Beach to go to when you guys are not in the studio or performing live shows? MG: We did our EP down by the Venice Pier, so that’s a favorite. We love skating up Abbot Kinney, over to Rose Ave and Cafe Gratitude and through the boardwalk around sunset. J: In three words, what would you guys say to those who are fighting for their dream? MG: Believe. Persist. Listen. J: Thanks so much for taking the time chat with us. All the success to you guys! MG: Thank you for having us. See you soon!
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{Kaile Goh, Orange County. Spring, 2014}
Kaile Goh singer, model, songwriter
Photography Joseph Umbro Josephumbro.com IG: josephumbro Makeup Vanessa Broin Makeup provided by M•A•C 58 |
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Wrenna Delgado
The girl’s going Interview by Brenna Laegreid Photo by John Peltonen
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Big
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Erik Knutson
Growing up near the sand, Wrenna Delgado cultivated a love for the waves at a young age, like most surfers do. She spent her time on the Jersey Shore surrounded by what has become her life-driven passion and inspired by her environment and her father, a windsurfer. As a young adult, she took this passion to the next level and began surfing big waves on the North Shore. She hasn’t stopped since. Wrenna has many notable accomplishments: surfing Mavericks, Jaws and an 8-mile paddle down the coast on a 25 ft day (on Hawaiian scale), to name just a few. She has also recently taken part in a project called WickrX Super Sessions, which has a main goal of promoting female big wave surfing as a sport and showcasing just how fearless these women are. I met Wrenna a few years ago when she came to stay at my beach town in Seattle. No big waves there, but that didn’t seem to bother her. She finds adventure in the water any way she can. Anyone can tell that her love for the sport all boils down to a pure, genuine love for the ocean. She doesn’t ride to seek sponsors; she’s not huge on self-promotion either. She just loves big wave surfing and it loves her right back, as she has humbly made a name for herself as one of the best female big wave surfers in the world.
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SM: What are your next moves to advance your career and your name in the world of big wave surfing? WD: This is tricky for me. I’m a terrible self-promoter! I can be pretty shy about my passions and have a hard time talking about how amazing I am (wink, wink). But seriously, I would love to have a company backing me and I think I have a lot to offer in return. I guess I’m just waiting for it to happen naturally. I was recently a part of WickrX Super Sessions, which brought all of the women together at Mavericks. This was too much fun. As for getting my name out there more. I just have to get some massive waves. SM: What is next for the women of big wave surfing? WD: That’s tough to say. As of right now there isn’t a huge backing for the sport. A lot of the women, including myself, are still underground and don’t have a global spotlight. Even the structure of the Men’s Big Wave world tour is challenging. One of the main components of big wave surfing is being prepared for anything at anytime. I think that’s my strategy right now. Despite where it’s all going as a sport, big wave surfing is my passion and I live my life around those magical sessions-that’s not going to change! SM: What was going through your head while surfing Mavericks? WD: The first time I surfed Mavericks I had so much anxiety getting there that by the time I paddled out I was eerily calm! I’ve been back a few times now and every time it has something else to teach me. I’ve gotten some of my best rises there. All undocumented! But the memory lives on in my head. That wave is magical and scary. Definitely everything that people say about it is true. On a smaller day I got caught inside, this massive barrel broke over me. I remember thinking that the beating was more thrilling than any of the waves I caught that day. Intense power.
SM: Who has inspired you or been your idols growing up? WD: These are some people who have influenced my journey: Lynne Cox, Audrey Sutherland, Eddie Aikau, Robyn Davidson, Thor Heyerdahl, Mel Kini. People who overcome their circumstances, push their physical limits, and don’t make a fuss about it inspire me. We are all just human in the end and that’s a beautiful thing!
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SWOOP MAGAZINE: How do you combat fear when you’re riding? Wrenna Delgado: I think of fear as a motivator. It’s natural to be afraid and if I didn’t experience fear I would say there’s something wrong with me. It’s how I relate to it and harness that fear that makes the difference. Most of the time I’m just too excited to give a damn. If I’m about to get caught by a set of waves I get giddy, I’ll smile, laugh, or take a few deep breaths and relax. I also trust my instincts, if I’m feeling off, I won’t go out. SM: What kind of training do you do outside the water? WD: I would really like to say that I wake up before the sun, pop some chia seeds, and run ten miles in the sand. In reality, regular life sometimes dictates how and when I train. I’ve started to train in all the in-between moments. I bike to work and do high intensity intervals along the way. If I’m going out for surf, I’ll run down the beach and do a 10 min. warm-up in the sand (unless the waves are really good). I incorporate stretching and mobility in my downtime, our living room floor is littered with foam rollers and massaging tools. On a day off I will do a run, swim, weight train with GPT, or stand-up paddle up the coast and back. The more time I spend in the ocean the more centered I am. One commitment I make to myself is eating whole foods and cutting out sugars as much as possible. When I eat well, I feel good, end of story. SM: What draws you in about surfing big waves? WD: I have always loved the ocean. My family has lead an ocean-centered lifestyle since I was a baby. Even though I didn’t start until I was older, surfing felt natural and very addicting.
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Finding big waves is the pinnacle for me, but it was still just a part of the progression. I’m passionate about surfing all sorts of waves and riding all different kinds of boards. Big waves though, they are beautiful, powerful, and humbling. It’s a really special feeling interacting with such raw, natural power. It’s one of the places that I feel closest to nature. SM: You are definitely a pioneer of female big wave surfing, what is that like, to know you’re changing an industry that you love? WD: I think it’s one of those things that will become clearer in retrospect. As for right now it just feels like life really. Maybe in 30 years I’ll be like “Wow, I was cooler than I thought!” For now I’m in the thick of it. Wanting more waves, but balancing life, work, and relationships with the surf. I feel that the female arena of big wave surfing is at a very ambiguous point right now. Some women are fully sponsored and travel the world chasing swells. Some women support themselves and chase when they can. Other women have families and big waves take a back seat. There aren’t many of us doing this; I think once more women get their names out there and a few more girls start pushing their limits, it will snowball into an industry. I’m excited to be a part of the movement!
Dylan Gordon
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NextStep Fitness. By Alexandria Pineda
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Life’s a beach. W ith a beautiful girlfriend, big-time job, and a brand new beach house to top it off, Janne Kouri was living the California dream, but in August of 2006 life had other plans. In a freak accident that nearly ended his life, Kouri fractured the C5 and C6 vertebrae of his spinal cord after crashing his head into a hidden sandbar while diving into the ocean. Alive but immobile, Kouri spent two months in the ICU and with the reality of his paralysis setting in and hearing that he would never walk again, Kouri took it upon himself to prove everyone wrong. The SoCal local, with his fearless leadership and entrepreneurial spirit, turned his great misfortune into his life’s greatest work. After months of searching for hope, he and Susan, his then girlfriend and current wife, found Dr. Susan Harkema of the Frazier Rehabilitation Institute in Louisville, Kentucky. Having developed a cutting-edge therapy known as “locomotor training”, a treatment that was also utilized by the late actor Christopher Reeve, Dr. Harkema and her team gave hope to Kouri that his recovery is possible. Filled with optimism, Susan and Janne left the sunny beaches of California for a two thousand mile move to Lousiville. W ithin twelve months of training, Kouri was seeing life-changing results and achieving many milestones. W ithin days he was able to stand up for minutes to an hour, and within months was able to wiggle a toe. Full of confidence and a year of training and toe wiggling under his belt, Kouri wanted to continue his training in California. Realizing the all-but-zero options for locomotor training near his home, or any options west of Mississippi, Kouri came up with an idea. Due to loads of fundraising, and the help and support from Susan, his family, friends and the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, Kouri was able to make his vision come to life. In 2007, Kouri founded NextStep Fitness, a non-profit state-of-the-art rehab center based in Los Angeles aimed at providing “the opportunity for life-long health and recovery for people living with paralysis, and mobility impairments in communities nationwide.” Thanks to NextStep, Kouri as well as others in the community are able to get locomotor and customized training at an affordable cost and work their way to recovery.
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After paving the way as the first community facility in the U.S. to offer progressive training for people with paralysis and other physical disabilities, NextStep continues to help and change the lives and communities of others. With hopes of expansion on the horizon, Kouri plans on opening NextStep facilities across the U.S. and worldwide. The hope is to bring that same fighting spirit and chance for recovery to all six million people in the U.S. living with paralysis. Always on the cutting edge of new research and focused on enhancing the lives of those living with paralysis, NextStep will continue to stand up for those who are told they cannot. To help spread the hope, you can make donations on their website, www.nextstepfitness.org, or participate in the NextStep “Into Summer� Benefit on Tuesday, June 09, 2015. The event will be held at Hyde Sunset Kitchen and Cocktails located at 8117 Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90046. All are encouraged to help and take the next step and move for others.n
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{Jessie’s house, Hollywood Hills. Spring, 2015}
“As usual, there is a great woman behind every idiot.” ~John Lennon
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Model Olivia Fox Photography Alex Rodriguez
Hair Gordon Banh Makeup Melissa Samayoa www.mes-makeup.com Makeup provided by M•A•C
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Model Lindsey Sporrer Swimsuit Bentevi benteviswimwear.com
Sunglasses Ananda-Venice
Jewelry Jennifer Jones Collection
jjcjewelry.com | 79
Dress Lulamae •Venice lulamaestyle.com Jewelry Jennifer Jones Collection jjcjewelry.com
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Dress Lucca Couture Hat Ananda • Venice Jewelry Jennifer Jones Collection jjcjewelry.com
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Le Dessein, The Brand Creating Opportunity for Children Interview by Christine Duff
Photos Michael Desmond Dress Le Dessein
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Le Dessein is a Los Angeles-based fashion line hoping to “fashion an opportunity” for others. Profits from the line fund girls’ school tuition in Africa, a place where educational opportunity is scarce. The high-end clothing is designed with innovation and trend in mind, and then crafted from materials of the utmost quality. The garments are adorned with art created by the girls themselves, from which 25% of the company’s profits are used to fund their education. Designer Eric Coly’s passions for philanthropy and fashion are the two beautiful forces coming together to create this legacy.
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SWOOP MAGAZINE: Tell us a little bit about yourself, the designer. Eric Coly: I was born in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, into a family of 4. Education was highly valued in our household. I got the chance to come to the US to go to college. My parents went to college in France and came back home to become educated professionals. That in large defined the environment I grew up in. My mother cared very much about education and made sure all her children would attend college. I was the first-born son, hence played the role of the a good “soldier” who naturally went beyond the role of fulfilling the dreams and wishes of my environment - I also became a “soldier” to myself where, guided by the principles of loyalty and allegiance for my environment, I made their dreams and wishes mine. I dedicated my whole career to the world of finance between Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, and some time spent at the UCLA Anderson Business School. I got depressed at the end of that tenure and I needed to be able to be in line with whom I was - with whatever unwatered gardens I had failed to give some attention to. This is what this endeavor is about....It gives me light, it gives me purpose, clarity of vision, and it gives me satisfaction of life knowing that an entire career can be dedicated to using fashion as a tool to empower underprivileged girls through art. SM: What was your greatest inspiration when creating this line? EC: The inspiration behind Le Dessein stems from a confluence of factors - One was initially triggered by a deep sense of dissatisfaction and confusion from having spent 10 years in finance - a career which I had convinced myself would bring about the hard sought-after joys of life, one only devoted all his efforts to in order obtain. Prolonging my tenure in that field while skillfully shutting out any signs or thoughts that I might have been profoundly unhappy was most certainly due to what we all ubiquitously need in order to embark onto a new career - a guarantee. Though seemingly utopian and even naive, my “guarantee” came in the form of deep intuition and faith that despite my attempts in trying to embody a successful investment banker with an ego susceptible to shield me from life’s unpredictable and harsh realities, I was and had always been of
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a profound nurturing nature - and that I needed to find realignment with “me.” Depression, which forces one to be introspective, ironically helped in questioning and reassessing EVERYTHING. Once armed with the infinite potential of what a “clean slate” could offer, a more transparent and honest one where the power of ego had been mitigated, it became time to look for a new career. I hail from a very matriarchal family. My grandmother was the first midwife in Rufisque, a city next to the capital of Senegal. She attended college in the early 1930’s - a feat very rare in that era not only in Africa, even in the West. She had nine children and my mother was the youngest of them all. She in turn attended college in France, and among her four children, her oldest daughter is currently an attorney in Paris, and her youngest one recently completed a Masters of Public Health in London. Combined with the fact that my brother is also college educated, it is clearly apparent that education played an extremely important role in all of our lives. My grandmother was at the helm of it, and my mother a staunch advocate for it. Another passion that my mother had was for fashion - exposing me to it at an early age. She would often request my opinion in putting together her accoutrements for soirees and galas, while accompanying her shopping for new clothes was also customary - triggering and cultivating in me a strong interest for fashion as a young child. It is the confluence of all these factors - a painful yet highly rewarding personal rebirth, a close witness and product of what education can create in a women-led household, and a strong exposure in fashion at an early age - that created the birth of Le Dessein - a fashion line dedicated to educating underprivileged girls around the world whose designs it features on its clothes.
SM: What came first the philanthropy or fashion? EC: Well the seeds of fashion were inculcated in me at an early age but philanthropy as traditionally defined by the act of giving, assisting, empowering or being of service, is an essential part of who I think I am. I just knew that I wanted to create a sustainable endeavor that would have a social benefit involving underprivileged girls. Fashion for the sake of fashion would not have sufficed. So I guess fashion came first but would not have survived on its own. SM: And what was your tur ning point where you thought, “I have to do this.” EC: At the moment where I had started defining the vision of the brand and putting together the foundation of the company. Fear, insecurities, and hesitation took over as I realized the amount of work this would and the difficulty of the future prospects. Nothing had been written down on paper yet, but just nestled in my head to reassure me that one day, just one day I would get on it.
One day! Until the time I met a total stranger at an event who mentions that she has a very similar idea she’s been working on and even has a drafted business plan. She ends with: ”But I just got a new job so I need shelve that idea for now! Let me know if you need help with it!” This found me at a moment where I absolutely least expected it, what I deemed to be a sign from the universe to hit me in this manner. I promptly left the party and went home to work on Le Dessein.... SM: When you were creating this company where you could feed this philanthropic side of yours, were you inspired by other fashion brands like TOMS that give back? EC: Sure. Though there were not many of them, but there were companies like TOMS that led and showed the way - in many ways, chiefly bringing some attention not only to the existence of this socially-responsible world, but also the existence of social and medical issues that plagued parts of the developing world.
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SM: We tend to not distinguish charity from philanthropy. It’s helping people help themselves. We really haven’t seen a fashion company do this. EC: Our pride extends from that. These girls have lived with low self-esteem and their dreams have had a low ceiling unfortunately. We need to make them question the for mally assigned value that they have been given by the patriarchal environments they live in. At the age 8 or 9 if one our girls sees a photo of a woman consumer who lives in LA, or wherever, wearing a gar ment she was involved in producing she thinks, “I seem to matter more than I thought I did. I was involved in creating this piece.” In life, if there is anything you give love to, it gives you that much in retur n whether it’d be a human being, an animal or a plant. Showing care, love and support to those girls works. They respond to you. SM: You’re trying to change the status quo by giving girls the opportunity of an education and building their self-esteem. How did it feel growing up around this gender disparity, knowing it was wrong inside? EC: There is actually a combination of class and gender disparity that is so pervasive that it sadly becomes part of the social scenery. These women, by virtue of not having been educated, sadly join the ranks of the underprivileged class - further compounding the case of their own daughters who’ll have to fight the gender and economic battle... This situation then engenders the rigidity of class system where uneducated girls’ and women’s means of survival are to provide cheap and affordable labor... It is this cycle of poverty that Le Dessein is trying to break.
SM: Not only do you donate that money but you also feature artwork drawn by the girls on the clothing. Was that your way of giving not only an education to them but creativity as well? EC: Yes. Art is not valued as much in poor countries. If you haven’t eaten, survival is your main priority, not education or creativity. This is an outlet they hardly ever get to use. SM: Your company donates 25% of its profits to send girls to school in Africa. How many girls do you hope to send to school through this endeavor? EC: Our goal is to put 10,000 girls through school in 10 years. SM: How can we help the cause? EC: Buy some clothes. Buy lots of them! There are also volunteer opportunities on the More Than Me website - the foundation we’re working with in Liberia.
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Julia Sundstrom Sandstrom
Hair Gordon Banh Makeup Heather Shawn
Shot by
Keith Lander thepoutfactory.com
makeupxheathershawn.com Stylist Zenith Mays thepoutfactory.com Assistant Jordyn Rose
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J
ulia Sundstrom Sandstrom (no that’s not a typo) is at first glance one of the happiest people I think I’ve ever met. Her positive energy beams at you and her effortless smile
and laughter are contagious. I feel like I walked into a Swedish Mid-Summer party that goes on forever and ever and I don’t ever want to leave. You get the feeling from this young and talented actress and singer that she is just as great a friend as she is a performer and her genuine kindness and character are what you remember as you walk away... hoping you got her digits and that she will be following you on Instagram... because for sure I’ll be following her... she is one to watch.
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SWOOP MAGAZINE: So I have to start with your name... that’s a serious name... you have two almost identical last names... what’s the story there... I’m guessing your Swedish Royalty? Julia: (laughing) Hahaha... Yes, you got me! I’m from a long line of Swedish Royals! Nooooooo... not a princess! (laughs) It’s just a long last name but I love it. When my parents separated they both wanted me to have their last name and the last names were coincidentally almost identical so they decided to give me both names... Sundstrom is my mom and Sandstrom is my dad. SM: And you became Julia Sundstrom Sandstrom. J: I kind of like it... it’s for sure the only name like that in the world... SM: I’m sure you’re right that is the only one... I definitely won’t forget it now that I’ve heard it and had to write it out... So where did you grow up and how did you end up in Hollywood, Califor nia? J: Well, I was bor n and raised in Stockholm, Sweden... and after high school I took a job in Switzerland as a ski instructor and then came to hang out in Hollywood with some family that was living here... but I didn’t stay that time. I actually enrolled in college in New York City to pursue a career on Wall Street believe it or not... SM: Really? Wall Street wow okay? You wanted to dominate Wall Street? J: (laughing) Well I have to admit it’s fun to compete in a maledominated business - and I do like to compete. But really I’ve just always loved math and math is kind of easy for me - I guess I’m lucky in that way... so really it was a challenge as a career but it was also something that I was quite good at and that was fun for me. One of the amazing things about that choice to work in finance - besides living in New York City which is a fantastic place - is that part of my education involved inter national business and I got to live and study in India and Japan as part of my degree. SM: So you are a bit of a world traveler already... do you like living in different countries around the world? J: I do! I do love to travel and I see myself as more of a global citizen I guess than just a citizen of Sweden. I love Sweden but I think that a lot of people from my generation are looking at the world now as their home and not just their own countries... I think this is actually a really good thing and something that should continue to grow for everyone --- that sense that we all live here together in the world.
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SM: So what happened to Wall Street or did you already cash out all your millions? J: (laughs) No... No millions so far... (laughs) I guess when I finally got closer to an actual Wall Street job... during my inter nships while I was finishing my degree... I realized that working in the financial markets is really different than studying them... AND ALSO WHAT HAPPENED AT THE SAME TIME... was that I got offered a few independent film roles as an actress through friends of mine working in New York City! That was amazing because I always loved acting when I was younger. And then right around that same time two music producers from back home in Sweden reached out to me to talk about making an album with me... so it was like I quite suddenly went from chasing my Wall Street dreams to doing my first independent films as an actor and having an album project begin back home in Sweden... it was quite a trip. SM: I bet... and did you immediately drop out of the financial game? J: No. No... I finished my degree as I only had one year left. And I finished my inter nships and said goodbye to everyone in New York and I moved out to Los Angeles full time and took my last course at UCLA and graduated with a BA in Business/Finance. After that I ended up staying in LA... I realized that this is actually what makes me happy... working with music and acting... and that this is what I want to do with my life. It felt right. It was very natural the way it went down. I think in life we always have plans but we have to pay attention to what is happening right in front of us... so I guess you could say I was very lucky in that I found my passion in life at this young age, and I just knew that music and acting were my new path. SM: Well now you’re here in LA full time and I know you have a lot of things happening and some cool projects in the works... can you tell us a little about some of the things you are doing now? J: Of course... well in the next couple of months we will start shooting a TV series/documentary style for a Swedish TV channel. The show is about my vocal coach Zannah Hulten and how she brought up some of the biggest exports in Swedish pop music, such as Tove Lo, Icona Pop, Rebecca and Fiona and Kim Cesarion, to mention a few, and THE SHOW IS ABOUT how she is now guiding three new up-and-coming singers through their
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careers. And I am one of those three singers! I feel so happy and lucky to have her in my life. She’s so amazing and gifted and she inspires me and has taught me so much. It’s really awesome working with her. So along with the TV show they will release my first single, which is very exciting. I am also currently working with a few really good music producers independently on my own, and I’m really happy with what we’re creating so far. SM: Very cool! So I guess if I’m in Sweden I can watch you on TV next season and if I’m anywhere else in the world I’ll get a chance to dance to one of your new tracks at a party somewhere. J: Definitely... (laughs) I just made a deal to play the lead character for a new TV series being produced by two amazing Tony Award winner Broadway producers, Brisa Trichero and Roberta Pereira and NY based producer Dez R yan Stewart and his company Excelsior Entertainment! Both Brisa and Roberta have been in the Broadway industry for many years and are now entering the TV and film industry and Dez who is a good friend of mine and brought me the project, is an executive producer with three shows under his belt for Vice Magazine, RTE in Europe and MTV Asia. The TV series will be filmed in Sweden and NY and LA so it’s amazing to be a part of it as I get to play a singer who becomes a film star and then wants to prove herself as an actress and perfor mer by headlining a big Broadway musical. It’s going to be a challenge to play the part but I’m really excited about it and they’ve even asked me to help write some of the Broadway show tunes which will be something totally new for me and I’m excited about it. SM: And I also heard that you are going to be in a film with two of the actors from Glee is that right?? J: Well that’s all in contract phase right now so I can’t officially talk about it (laughs) but maybe... you did hear that... and yes... maybe I will be doing a film with two of the actors from Glee which would be fun of course (laughs) but that’s all I can say (smiles).
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SM: So you’re planning on staying in Los Angeles? J: I want to stay. I am getting a lot of work here all the time and it’s all part of this new career path. I love Los Angeles and New York because between those two cities you not only can work all the time but you have access to the most talented teachers and crews and professionals in the entertainment business. A perfect example is in LA I am currently acting in an independently produced theater show that travels across the USA. It’s called Cocktail Theatre, and it’s so cool because it mixes theater scenes and real mixology cocktails into a night full of drinks and theater. It’s amazing. You have to go if you haven’t been to a show yet. Rob Floyd is the mixologist and host and he’s doing shows across Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Vegas and New York. It’s a fun interactive theatre show where the audience also gets to experience different drink creations that are incorporated into the story.
SM: So I guess it’s bye bye Wall Street and hello Hollywood? J: It is! (laughs) And I love the LA sunshine and beaches... my favorite! I love Santa Monica where I live and Venice Beach my neighbor. But I have to go! I’ve got a few classes I want to hit today and some castings. Thank you!! W ith that she exits the Hotel Shutters in Santa Monica where we have been chatting. I walk her to her car and thank her for her time. She smiles and puts on her sunglasses. As she slides into her convertible, she reaches back up to me and hugs my neck, almost breaking it. I do a fake choking sound and she laughs big and loud. Her parting words as she revs the engine are, ”Did I mention I like to compete?” You did and God help your competition!
SM: What is the best thing about acting as an occupation? J: For me it’s to be able to play all these different characters and be able to work on new projects all the time, in different places, and working with so many talented and inspiring people. For example on my last two movies I met so many cool people and we are all close friends now. One of the movies was a South Korean production, which was shot out here in LA and flew in a cast and crew from Asia! For the other movie that recently shot I got to fly to New York for a few weeks and worked with a mixed cast and crew from all over Europe and the United States! It has been such a rewarding and great experience to have met and worked with all these people.
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