issue 22 summer $5.00 cdn $7.90 US
Chanel Iman
www.larsandersson.net
CONTENTS new news 14 Nights at the cabin, and awesome bad days
Music 20 Glass Candy does it better 22 Beach House’s tequila-soaked dreams 24 Caribouuuuuu iiiiiin spaaaaace
Fashion 42 The lady of the manor 58 Use your illusion 66 Hipster or hobo? 78 Designer trenchcoat mafia
art 26 Kisses from Julia Randall
Feature 30 Kris Van Assche fleshes things out
Review 94 Album of the summer? Delorean! Or… LCD Soundsystem? 96 We can’t get Fish Tank out of our heads, or The Selby out of our apartments
Cut out 98 By a thread
Cover photography doug inglish model chanel iman
masthead Preface This issue’s cover story was shot in what felt like the middle of nowhere. Far from the air-conditioned studios of Manhattan, we set up with photographer Doug Inglish to shoot Chanel Iman on a verdant Long Island acreage belonging to a monastery. The setting was idyllic, while a touch of wildness creeping into the once keenly-tended landscape loaned a Gatsbian romance to Iman’s wardrobe. At one point, Iman backward-arched her lithe body in an Alexandre Vauthier sequin jumpsuit while the birds chirped in the background. As she did, a group of shrieking teenage girls swarmed up the path. All seven of them knew exactly who she was and were overwhelmed by her physical presence. “She’s my absolute favourite model,” one of the girls told me excitedly. Seeing these girls reminded me of the magic surrounding fashion models, that intoxicating cloud of glamour and fame. If, at 14, I had stumbled upon Linda Evangelista being photographed in the middle of a park, I would have squealed a bit too. Now that I’m an adult working in the industry, I see things differently. The view is still magical, but less mysterious. Still glamourous, but now, attainable. Perhaps many of us who work in fashion yearn, just a little, to reach those icons who once felt so far away. (The Block team, for instance, is still campaigning for an issue devoted entirely to supermodel Stephanie Seymour, a personal childhood fave of ours.) With this issue, we are thrilled to present to you a long list of stunning models, all talented, all gorgeous; some famous, some on their way. And if, walking through the city’s summer heat, you conjure up a mirage of models Michelle Buswell or Frey Mudd, maybe you’ve chanced upon a little fashion magic. If not, you might just need a cold glass of water. It’ll happen some day.
Susan Locht, Editor In Chief
Editor In Chief Susan Locht Creative Director Kris Blizzard
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Associate Editor Jennifer Croll Contributing Fashion Director James Worthington DeMolet Assistant editor Carmen Lam Designer Eric Roddy Editorial Interns Ileana Lagares Darcy Smith
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Contributors Amanda Ash, Carl Ayer, Paula Ayer, Bryan Bantry, Deanne Beattie, Sarah Berman, Jessica Bobince, Geneva Bokowski, Lance Booth, Nicole Cama, Canyons, Jamie Cessford, Ferny Chung, G. Joel Chury, Lauren Deleo, Steven Evans, Armand Fauquet, FLOTO+WARNER, Elisabeth Fourmont, Kristin Gallegos, Nicholas Galletti, Ali Gitlow, Beau Grealy, Betsy Hammill, Tom Hines, Zia Hirji, Stevie Huynh, Doug Inglish, ioulex, Nitasha Kapoor, Evaan Kheraj, Cameron Krone, Alice Lane, Dennis Lanni, Thomas Lohr, John Londono, Zan Ludlum, Enrico Mariotti, Dree Millar, Wet Noodles, Jesse Untracht Oakner, Julia Randall, Miné Salkin, Sarah Sibia, Samantha Trinh, Matt Willkens Special thanks Boyd Holbrook, Ben Skelton, Jamie Strachan Editorial Inquiries Story ideas and letters to the editor should be directed to editor@theblockmagazine.com. Please note that, due to the volume of submissions, we may not be able to reply to all inquiries. The publishers are not responsible for manuscripts, photographs or other unsolicited materials.
Evan Ho, Publisher/President Megan Wilson, Director of Operations Forwardthink Media The Block Suite 506 - 5525 West Boulevard Vancouver, BC V6M 3W6 The Block is published four times a year by Forwardthink Media Inc. Copyright 2010. Mailing agreement #41290518 Circulation audited by
theblock-mag.com twitter.com/theblockmag facebook.com/theblockmag Correction In Issue 21, we mistakenly printed a wrong name in our Tasha Tilberg story. She was and still is married to the lovely Laura Wilson. Sorry!
NEW NEWS Words Jennifer Croll and Darcy Smith
Tom Ford We always knew Tom Ford had killer style, then his directorial debut A Single Man stole our hearts. Now he’s got his sights set on our lips, and we couldn’t be happier to kiss him back. His 2010 Private Blend Lip Color introduces him to the beauty world with the same flair that backs his designs. The rich, creamy lipsticks are specially pigmented in 12 luminous shades, featuring sexy nudes, fiery reds, and deep plums. Lips draw admiration “from the sublime to the perverse,” Ford declares. Armed with his lipstick, we’ll revel in attention of either kind. www.tomford.com
Alexander McQueen Oh, Lee. We’re still not over you, and we’re not sure we ever will be. Your F/W 2010 collection – the last you ever designed – makes us feel a little weepy, it’s so damn beautiful. Full of gleaming gold, red and black brocade, structured silhouettes, and buttery leather, all set against a royal backdrop. Long live McQueen. www.alexandermcqueen.com
Kim Gordon Did you know that Kim Gordon is an artist? Maybe you did; Sonic Youth’s better half has been immersed in the art world since the 80s, when she gradded from Otis College of Art & Design, wrote for Artforum, and curated art shows in SoHo. Fine. But did you know that Thurston Moore is a book publisher? Sonic Youth and Kim Gordon’s main man has, over the years, worked on a few art books for NYC art publisher Rizzoli, and at the beginning of this year, finally branched out to launch his own book publishing company, Ecstatic Peace Library. One of our faves from the current catalogue is Kim Gordon: The Noise Paintings, a beautiful book of artworks based on the names of noise bands – flipping through the pages, we can practically hear the distorted vocals. www.ecstaticpeacelibrary.com
Marc Jacobs BCBGMaxAzria This is colour-blocking, right? Okay, maybe Anna Wintour would disagree, but we’re pretty convinced. Either way, BCBG Max Azria’s F/W 2010 ready-to-wear collection provides enough bold contrasts and flowing fabrics to inspire impassioned conversation, mostly about how good the clothes look paired with little leather booties. www.bcbg.com 14 news
Often, fragrances like to offer up something ephemeral, unattainable, or even cerebral: think Obsession, Poison, Envy. But we’ve gotta thank Marc Jacobs for giving us something so visceral: guys, this Bang is for you. Composed of black, white, and pink pepper notes and woody undertones, the scent is certainly, uh, explosive. And the ad campaign doesn’t shy away from the fragrance’s brazen sexuality; googling “Marc Jacobs Bang” will yield you some images that are pretty NSFW. www.marcjacobs.com
tom collins
Pavement 90s indie-rock underdogs Pavement once started a rumour that they’d given 90210 golden boy Jason Priestly a knuckle sandwich. In light of the band’s recent reunion and album reissues, the new century (and a whole new generation of 90210 flunkies) better be ready for Pavement. This reissue of 1997’s Brighten the Corners, originally a 12-song LP, reaches epic proportions in a four-disc bonanza of live takes, b-sides, and other shrapnel. The band’s cult following had better make room for a few new fans.
Lately, we’ve been flipping burgers and mixing cocktails at many a rooftop bbq, happily revisiting Tattoo You until the wee hours of the morning. We’re thrilled to shelve our bottles of Cabernet and turn to our summer standard, the good ol’ Tom Collins. In fact, we’d like to propose this as the summer of gin. If you care to join us for a toast or two, all you need is a couple ounces of gin (we recommend Bombay Sapphire), a couple tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, a tablespoon of sugar syrup, and some icy cold soda water. Cool enough for Jagger, cool enough for us.
Super Sunglasses at night, huh. You say you’re paying tribute to the remaining Corey, but we know you’re actually honouring that bottle of Viognier you downed single-handedly at last night’s beach barbecue. Stylish thing that you are, if you were really reliving the 80s, you’d be sporting these impossibly trendy Italian-made shades by Super. Acetate frames in bold colours and wild patterns make a statement, and the top notch German Zeiss lenses keep out those pesky rays – and moonbeams too, we assume. www.retrosuperfuture.com
Colette x DC Comics If there’s anything we’ve learned this summer at the movie theatre, it’s that you don’t need superpowers to kick some ass (though a sweet costume sure helps). But worry not, babes: you need not don a molded chestplate and spandex tights to fit in with the rest of the superheros during coffee break. Instead, hit up this collection from Colette and DC Comics. From Karl Lagerfeld’s take on the Green Lantern’s attire, to Roger Vivier’s vampy Catwoman boots and Pierre Hardy and Julien David’s Superman bag, you’re sure to find something that makes you feel like you can jump buildings in a single bound. www.colette.fr
Dieppa Restrepo We don’t care for sugar, honey, if we can’t have these Dieppa Restrepo shoes. Styled after classic gentlemen’s footwear, the gleaming gold unisex loafers designed by Colombian duo Andrea Vargas Dieppa and Elisa Restrepo are sure to look good no matter where we’re walking, even if that happens to be on broken glass. www.diepparestrepo.com
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new news
Little Joe Variety this ain’t. Little Joe, published by designer Sam Ashby – the brain behind the visual identity of We Have Band and numerous movie posters from Synecdoche, New York to Delicatessen – is a brand-new biannual devoted to looking at eclectic films that inspire “alternative discourse.” The first issue includes interviews with directors Jack Hazan and Tom Kalin, an essay on American Gigolo, photos of cult movie legend Karen Black, and more. Lending a visual analogy to the idea of looking at things from a new angle is the print quality of the magazine itself. Printed on a machine called a Risograph, the bastard child of a Xerox machine and a screenprinter, Little Joe is the black sheep amongst his newsstand siblings, and we’re so glad this small magazine stands out. www.littlejoemagazine.com
5th Ave Shoe Repair “What do you mean I’m funny? You mean funny like a jester?” We’d hate to say no if you’re clad in this quirky ensemble from Swedish label Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair. The F/W collection is a fusion of elements from Japanese and British culture, bringing together argyle, structured bodices, and vibrant hues. Looking over the collection, we can’t stop thinking about that foreign exchange student in our third year Communication class – bold, stylish, and hilariously provocative. www.shoerepair.se
Rick owens We don’t know about you, but for us, summer means lots of evenings hanging out at the beach goth club. So thanks, Rick Owens! The bouncer will definitely not turn us away when we come rocking up in your S/S 2010 collection. Moody trenchcoats, vinyl boots, and leather cuffs, it’s all there. Now, how to avoid getting a tan? www.rickowens.eu
Les Amours Imaginaires When we saw J’ai tué ma mère on the festival circuit last year, we were immediately blown away by Xavier Dolan. Then only 20 years old, Quebec-born Dolan wrote, directed, and starred in the feature. Now at the ripe old age of 21, our own little Orson Welles has resumed his triple-threat attack on theatres with Les amours imaginaires, a steamy love triangle between a girl and two boys. After debuting at Cannes, Dolan’s new film opened in Quebec theatres this June (and opens in French theatres this September). Us Anglos will just have to wait – jealously, of course. www.lesamoursimaginaires.com
Dior Sure, that brightly-coloured plastic timepiece on your wrist might be retro, but our watch could kick your watch’s butt. This green meanie from Dior is definitely a heavyweight: all emerald Swarovski crystals and merciless efficiency, the Christal tells the time first and asks questions later. www.diorhorlogerie.com 16 news
Rodarte
Oh Wow We love going to Book Club. And no, we don’t mean we’re getting wasted while eating brie on crackers with a bunch of 40-year-old women. Instead, we’re shopping at our favourite book publisher Oh Wow’s new store in New York. Book Club was designed by Rafael de Cárdenas to resemble a pre-war NYC bathroom, but what you’ll find inside sure ain’t shit. While you’re there, pick up Richardson magazine’s postcard booklet, Terence Koh’s I Want A Little Sugar in My Bowl, and Rosson Crowe’s Bowery Boys. 227 Waverly Place, www.oh-wow.com Image by FLOTO+WARNER
We were in high school when we first saw Breathless, but we can still feel that pang of envy over Jean Seberg’s easy, bohemian style: pixie cut, cigarette jeans, New York Herald Tribune t-shirt. Turns out the Mulleavy sisters were admirers too. To celebrate the film’s 50-year anniversary, Rodarte has released a version of the iconic Herald Tribune shirt, as well as one other original design. Wearing one of these, maybe we’ll finally meet our Belmondo. www.rodarte.net
J.Sabatino Beach bum, prep, nerd, bad boy – no matter what clique your dream guy runs with, you’re sure to see traces of him in J. Sabatino’s summer line. Chock full of vintage trends enjoying a modern encore, the collection pays homage to the past with acid wash and classic cardies. Throw in cropped looks and high waists for a serious case of proportion distortion balanced by sharp colour coordination. Even Charlie Chaplin, whose stylish humour inspired the line, would have trouble keeping these looks to himself. www.jsabatino.com
Viktor & Rolf Girly florals and pastel pinks are the centre of attention this summer. We may risk reverting to the five-year old girl in all of us, Barbie’s Dreamhouse and all, but the look’s flirty appeal is hard to deny. Luckily, Viktor & Rolf resisted the urge to go fully bubblegum on us and tacked some major hardware onto these cotton-candy-hued shoes. Like all good lingerie – the inspiration behind this collection – the shoe has ladylike frills but enough edge to hint at some very un-ladylike behaviour lurking beneath. Even Barbie would blush. www.viktor-rolf.com
The Lake and Stars We’ve got a phobia of summer cabins in the woods. Sure, the trees are green and the lake a deep blue, but screw natural beauty. There’s probably a demon running around in the bushes, and if we go swimming, we consider it a distinct possibility that a crazed killer may wait on the shore. But while we lie on the dock wringing our hands, we might as well look beautiful. Enter Vantage Point, the swimwear line from boutique lingerie designer The Lake & Stars. Equal parts femme fatale and vulnerable ingénue, these slippery bodysuits are worthy of any heaving-bosom chase scene. www.thelakeandstars.com Image by Tom Hines news 17
new news
Fjällräven Blonde Swedish schoolchildren having been toting around their Wasa bread and salted herring in cute little Fjällräven backpacks since the 70s. Fortunately, the Fjällräven hasn’t gone the way of communes and Revas, and now these stylish packs are turning up on the backs of stylish guys all across North America. These babies look good no matter whether you’re trucking across the frozen tundra or riding your bike to Ikea to pick up a stash of Daim and lingonberry jam. www.fjallraven.com, www.internationalplayground.com
Mark Fast Apologies to Nelly Furtado, but we’ve never really considered ourselves much like birds. Until we started wearing Mark Fast’s new collection for Topshop, that is. Inspired by the plumage of exotic birds, the knitwear shimmers the way feathers do in flight. That being said, you’ll find no parrots in this flock: the figurehugging dresses and skirts are all in muted, city-friendly shades of rose, grey, and black. www.topshop.com
Nomia NYC designer Yara Flinn has a thing for the Met’s armor collection but you’ll find no white knights in her line. Her damsels are subversive, dark, and strong enough to handle their own heavy metal. Her 2010 Nomia collection experiments with skin-baring cutouts, shying away from the usual display of T&A in favor of unexpectedly racy glimpses. Nomia’s panelled leggings bare more thigh than any micro mini, yet somehow leave more to the imagination. The shortest skirt is still just a skirt, after all. www.nomia-nyc.com
sotheby’s If you’re looking to replace your garden gnome and you’ve got a few hundred thousand dollars burning a hole in your back pocket, consider taking a spin around Sudeley Castle’s grounds this summer. Until August 1, Sotheby’s is holding an outdoor exhibition at the English estate, with all the massive sculptural works being shown up for grabs. With designers ranging from Marcel Wanders to Marc Quinn and Studio Job, you’re sure to find something worthy of a few snapshots, if not a transatlantic freighter. www.sothebys.com/minisite/sudeley 18 news feature
Bad Day There’s nothing better than a bad day. Don’t get us wrong; we’re not a bunch of self-flagellating masochists. We just like the Toronto-based arts quarterly of the same name. Now on Issue 7, Bad Day focuses on Canadian and international artists; in the current issue, you’ll find everyone from Lucien Marc Smith to Guy Maddin and El Perro del Mar. www.baddaymagazine.com
Gimme Sugar
Glass Candy’s music is everything but sweet Words Dree Millar Image John Londono
When you contemplate an inmate dominating the prison system through violence, charisma, and a luxurious handlebar moustache, what song pops into your head? If you’ve seen the UK prisoner biopic Bronson – now making new ripples with its international DVD release – you’ll immediately call to mind the urgent disco throbs of Glass Candy’s “Digital Versicolor.” The track is more haunting than catchy, featuring lyricist Ida No chanting ominously about primary colours over producer/keyboardist Jonny Jewel’s pulsing 80s-copshow-theme undulations. “In Europe, about six months ago, everyone was like, ‘Wow wow wow!’ And just now it’s hitting the States and so now everyone’s texting or emailing, ‘Wow wow wow!’” Johnny says, gesticulating over the steam from his coffee, his eyes wide. It’s a cold sunny day in southern Portland, where he and Ida have come together to gear up for their European tour. There, the hype of Bronson will meet buzz generated on the runways of Chanel, Diesel, and Chloe, who have all snagged Glass Candy tracks for their recent lineups. Operating without a publicist or manager, the band has come to prefer this method 20 music
of getting the word out. “You develop a charisma, and people are just magnetized to you,” Ida says of their laissez-faire attitude towards self-promotion. Johnny, the head of their Italians Do It Better label, agrees. “When our songs are used we prefer to not really advertise. We just let it be this surprise. I think it’s cool.” They’re also easygoing about less high-profile uses of their music, which has appeared in everything from YouTube mashups with Snoop Dogg to Jarvis Cocker samples. As Johnny puts it, “We embrace people butchering our songs. All good art is that malleable.” When “Digital Versicolor” was completed, they considered putting it out as their first video – but a YouTube user beat them to the punch, composing a grainy, absurdist sequence that pays homage to laundromats and polyester. It’s retro, it’s vampy, and it wasn’t quite what Glass Candy had in mind, but the band didn’t complain. They’ve discovered that the best way to cope with the problem of image is to ignore it altogether. Johnny points out, “It’s a compliment. Whether or not it’s our specific taste, we don’t get hung up on it.”
The duo cooled their heels, instead releasing their first “official” video this March for the title song off their 2010 EP, Feeling Without Touching. Complete with leotard and smoke machine, Ida gyrates across a black background in soft multicolored light, swaying and posing as she gazes into the camera. Her image is silhouetted and tripled by turns, recalling the stripped-down disco and pop video aesthetics of the 70s and 80s. Whether it’s an homage or a satire is up for debate. Whatever you call it, the song is Glass Candy at its finest. Friction is a major element of the band’s music, where self-described polar opposites Ida and Johnny temper and hone each other’s creative energy. You can hear it in the Feeling Without Touching EP, where Ida’s abstract meditations meet Johnny’s surefooted pop melodies over four of the six songs (two are instrumental), with two versions of the song “Sugar & Whitebread” offering a startling, pleasurable contrast. Johnny acknowledges, “That result is where we exist sonically. The clash is important.”
Lucid Dreamers
Beach House contemplates music, success, and MacGyver Words Miné Salkin Image Evaan Kheraj
“You look familiar,” she says. “I know you from somewhere, right? We’ve met before.” Lead singer and organist Victoria Legrand might sound seductive and gruff when she sings her dreamy, lovelorn tunes, but in the green room she’s relaxed and humble, walking towards me wearing retro blue denim and a smile that could melt butter. For Baltimore-based duo Beach House, it’s broken hearts and soulful crooning on the album, but kindness for a stranger. “Actually, I’d love to see you down some of this tequila,” she says, pointing at a full bottle on the table. Guitarist Alex Scally sits down, brushing back his thick black locks to reveal he’s shaved his beard, but left a rather dapper-looking mustache behind. “Get tanked!” With only a couple of hours to settle in before blazing the stage at Vancouver’s Rickshaw, Legrand and Scally are relieved to be heading home soon after a tour that sold out at nearly every show in the country. Their third full-length, Teen Dream, released by legendary Sub Pop Records, has garnered much critical acclaim despite the pressures of their success with 2008’s Devotion. 22 Music
Sitting pretty on a rather tired leather couch, Legrand and Scally are something adorable together. Instantly becoming friends when they met back in 2004, they finish each other’s sentences, poke fun, and make the other shriek with laughter. “I have to play off my own stupidity sometimes,” Scally says, while Legrand scrunches up her face at him. It’s easy to mistake a faint trace of love lingering between the lines, but their musical synergy is actually more platonic than that. By listening to songs like “Zebra,” “Turtle Island,” and “Gila,” it’s pretty clear that their brains have the same creative hardwiring. The two also share a penchant for thrift store shopping and retro instrument collection. While Devotion and their debut set in motion their classic dream-inspired pop sound, full of whimsy and sprawling instrumentals, their latest album drifts into more melancholic realms. “This record, more than anything, has been the product of time,” says Legrand, leaning in. “We feel things more clearly now. When we were writing those songs, we became a lot better at creating more physical spaces out of our sound.”
As thoughtful and shy as they may sound on their albums, Legrand and Scally are both visibly disciplined, yet bubbling with extroversion. Abstaining from the tequila and beer they so graciously offer, they perk up and explain the joys of late-night MacGyver reruns. “We don’t get a chance to watch television on tour, but we’ve watched MacGyver. What an idiot,” Legrand says. “No way, MacGyver was killing it,” Scally defends. Part of the duo’s charm is flirting with the fine line between a joke and the truth. Legrand admits to practicing levitation to prepare for a show, while Scally frequently treats himself to tantric sex with strangers. “It just helps to reset my mind,” he says with an inscrutable smirk, visibly blushing in his dark green fleece pullover. After the tour is over, the band will be ready to start writing again, but the tone for future music seems unclear. At the core of it, Beach House is all reverbsoaked, hauntingly beautiful soundscapes, not unlike a dream you can’t recollect even though the feelings still move through you. “Sadness, heartbreak, longing, all those things are in the music, of course,” says Legrand. “That’s what pop music is all about.”
– A/W 2010 – www.jenniferbehr.com
The Final Frontier Caribou’s new album pushes sonic boundaries Words Steven Evans Image Nitasha Kapoor
Dan Snaith, aka Caribou, is a man of many transitions. The artist formerly known as Manitoba has, over the course of his career, swapped names, locations, and styles like some sort of Canadian Richard Kimble. Hailing from southern Ontario, but based out of London, England, the multi-instrumentalist just released his fifth LP, Swim. It’s a rhythmic, complicated, danceable album that sounds decades removed from the psychedelic headphone symphonies of 2007’s Andorra; yet, it is equally inspired and ambitious. But with all the transitions he’s made, there’s still one that eludes Snaith. He has yet to trade the Earth’s confining grasp for the more luxurious expanses of outer space. Some background – prior to winning the 2008 Polaris Music Prize for Andorra, Snaith declared his intention that, if he won, he would use the $20,000 prize to go to space. Now, two years have passed and we thought it was high time someone held the man to account. The Block reached Snaith over the phone from his home studio in London, where he was putting the finishing touches on his upcoming tour preparations. At the first mention of his space promise, Snaith laughs and admits that we’re the first to call him on his lack of 24 music
follow-through. “Clearly I was being facetious at the time and thought I had no chance of winning,” he explains. He says he’d still love to go to space, but unfortunately the current price of interstellar tourism is still quite a bit higher than the $20,000 he won for his album Andorra. “Also,” admits Snaith, “the money’s been spent on making the album and various other things.” Regardless of whether he eventually makes it to space, few could argue that the Dundas, Ontario native is anything but a high achiever. This is the guy, after all, who completed a mathematics PhD at the same time he was busy touring and recording music (“I was always sneaking out the back of class to go to France or wherever,” he says.) He’s also the meticulous experimenter who records hundreds of tracks for a new LP before settling on a more manageable nine. On Swim, Snaith takes unconventional instruments like wood flutes and Tibetan singing bowls and blends them with synthetic, computer-generated elements. On paper, it sounds like it probably shouldn’t work. The fact that it does is a testament to Snaith’s innovative nature – his willingness to endlessly experiment and play with songs until they reach their final crystallized state.
For the new album, Snaith also chose to seek out a fresh pair of ears to help mix. The person he chose was longtime friend and collaborator Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys. The two grew up in neighbouring Ontario towns and once even competed against each other in a high school battle of bands (sadly, no footage of the event exists on YouTube). Snaith says that mixing the tracks at Greenspan’s studio in Hamilton, Ontario “felt like a totally natural, perfect thing to do.” So perhaps, given the quality of work Snaith has produced in the last two years, it’s unfair to fault him too much for not fulfilling this one goal. After all, even prominent ‘N Sync member Lance Bass was defeated in his own well-publicized space quest. “Right,” says Snaith, when we mention Bass’s failed attempt, “maybe I still have a chance [to be the first musician in space], you know?” When asked if he considers himself to be in the same echelon of musical artists as Bass, Snaith offers a rejoinder. “I don’t think space should be restricted only to former boy band members,” he says. He pauses for a second then adds, thoughtfully, “Let’s see it get democratized and get everybody up there.”
Lure 1 2006 coloured pencil on paper 18 x 23.75 inches
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Lip Service
The surreal fantasy of Julia Randall’s hyper-realistic drawings Words Ali Gitlow Art Julia Randall
Looking at Julia Randall’s insanely rendered coloured pencil drawings of tongues, headless dolls, and Rococo wigs, it’s easy to be distracted by her flawless technique. Subtle creases in a lower lip, stray strands of wispy hair, and gleaming spit bubbles are captured in perfect detail, seemingly more realistic than the naked eye can see. The 42-year-old Wesleyan University professor finds it humourous that people often remark on her work as being true to life, wowed by how accurately she’s depicted any given object or body part. “It’s kind of ironic, because
clearly a lot of my drawings operate in the realm of fantasy – they’re not objects that exist. I’m using my technique as a way to persuade the viewer that they could possibly exist,” she explains. She’s also quick to note that the work doesn’t fall under the banner of realism either, since she draws things in more painstaking detail than is possible to perceive. “I guess I’m using a hyper-realistic technique to give that surrealistic feeling to the images,” she clarifies. In 2003, Randall was working on a large drawing of a wheel of fortune covered in tongues based on a Brueghel
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this page Lovebird 1 2003 coloured pencil on paper 30 x 22 inches opposite page Popped 2009 coloured pencil on paper 45 x 52 inches images are courtesy of Jeff Bailey Gallery, New York
painting – “like a cunnilingus machine” – when she became frustrated with how the tongues were turning out. “My husband said, ‘Why don’t you do studies of your own mouth? Take a sidebar and learn how to draw them more persuasively, then go back and fix the drawing,’” she recalls. The pair set up a mirror and light source so Randall could make faces at herself. She soon switched to Macro lens photography to pick up minute details of her mouth, and so she could try out more difficult poses. “I wanted to use moisture and spit bubbles, and there’s just no way to hold a spit bubble for three weeks, I’m sorry. You gotta eat, right?” she says, chuckling. 28 art
Pleased with the results, she decided to turn these renderings into a standalone series, Lick Line, which was exhibited at Jeff Bailey Gallery in New York City in early 2004. As she began to excel at this type of drawing, Randall noticed the way spatial games played out within the work in a way she hadn’t anticipated. “The cavity of the mouth started to function like a puncture in pictorial space, and it was like [the tongue] was reaching out into the viewer’s space. There was something really visceral about it, and at the same time kind of funny, like a drawing is sticking its tongue out at you.” After conquering the coloured pencil, Randall took her images of tongues and mouths to the next level, melding them with additional organic and inorganic imagery that
coalesced into a series called Decoys and Lures in 2007. In “Decoy 1,” twigs emerge from a lush open mouth covered by a glistening spit bubble; a portal to outer space appears to lie just beneath this moist surface. A butterfly and moths flap about nearby, and a hummingbird yanks at one of the twigs, all atop trompe l’oeil stains and tears. She knows it’s easy for people to be seduced by such technically proficient work, but that this can’t be the sole driving force behind her drawings. For Randall, “The technique has to be in the service of the concept.” Her latest work has taken a new tone, with Randall adding more complete human forms to images like “Popped,” which features the confounding combo of
a female figure reflected in a pool of water in which floats what appears to be a Ken doll’s head. To create this, she used a model to draw the face, studied dolls in her studio, compiled photos of reflections, and even filled a wheelbarrow with water to perfect it. With these drawings, Randall cobbles together disparate visual elements, ultimately convincing viewers to suspend their disbelief. “Is it a boy, is it a doll, is it a mannequin, is it a plaything, is he a victim, is he sleeping, is he postorgasmic?” Whatever the case, she succeeds in conveying opposing sensibilities, hinting at the complex emotional layers that exist between people. “I really like if it’s discomforting,” she admits. “I like the intersection of the erotic, the grotesque, something that’s both beautiful and perhaps a little cruel.” art 29
The poet
Kris Van Assche waxes lyrical about his creative vision for Dior Homme Images ioulex Words Elisabeth Fourmont
Stylist Nicholas Galletti All Clothing Dior Homme F/W 2010 Groomer Armand Fauquet at Artlist Paris 30 feature
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In 2007, Kris Van Assche was charged with the daunting task of replacing Hedi Slimane, the man who exploded the conservative world of men’s fashion during his influential seven-year reign at Dior Homme. Van Assche (who worked at Slimane’s side throughout most of his time at Dior, and before that, for two years at YSL) met the challenge by reversing almost everything Slimane was known for. As he upended the skinny, pulsing, rock and roll look of his predecessor, it soon became clear that the most defining characteristic of Van Assche’s work was its resistance to conforming to any predictable category. His clothes are at once meticulous and deconstructed, historical and modern, his customer neither too conservative nor too dandy, his models’ physiques neither too muscular nor too skinny. He is a neoclassicist, a hunter of poetic elegance, a man who prefers realistic fashion to radical extremism. He is someone who equally loves what is chic and what is sadly beautiful – both clowns and the elderly have been cited as inspirations.
The Belgian school isn’t a myth, it exists and stands for a vision of fashion that corresponds to me totally. It’s fashion that’s long-term, independent, sober, and creative, avoiding caricature and precious details. Still today, my work is a reflection of that state of mind that I meld with what’s dubbed “Parisian chic.” This highly fertile interaction allows me to overturn the classics, and to invent a new elegance.
After three years heading Dior Homme, and five years of running his eponymous line, we took stock with Van Assche, discussing the embellishment of the everyday, fashion’s craving for constant renewal, and the possibility of poetry to cure a world that is too loud and crowded with images.
EF: Your models have a very particular look, a bit more athletic than many male models, but not overly-sculpted. You find many of them in places like Argentina and Brazil, correct? What is it that you are looking for in a model? KVA: Balance, a look, a personality. I’m not systematically drawn to the top stunning guys, I prefer to create a casting that really reflects the spirit of the collection. The boys I choose look like young men, not adolescents. My clothes require a balanced body, with shoulders and a well-carried head. The general sense of coherence is more important than the colour of their hair or skin. However, when it comes to my castings, I’ve left South America behind in favour of Russia. I don’t have any go-to country, I’m open to all types of physiques. And in a way it is important to change directions from time to time, just to keep a fresh eye. I guess it is a constant search for the right balance of modernity and elegance.
Elisabeth Fourmont: Your contract with Dior Homme was recently renewed, and earlier this year you were named the number one men’s designer by the Journal du Textile. What have these last few years been like since taking the helm at Dior Homme? Kris Van Assche: Nobody thought it was going to be easy, and it wasn’t. Those were big shoes to fill! But I definitely feel I am getting there. I definitely found my personal vision for the brand, and people do seem to like the direction the brand has been taking. A lot has happened over the last three years, not only on the inside for Dior Homme, but also for fashion and the world in general. So it took some time and courage to define the right tone for Dior.
EF: I read in another interview that you are inspired by the chicness of elderly people. That combination of care for how they look, and the disconnect in the way they mix pieces from different time periods, so that everything is pleasingly a bit off. How do those particular qualities that you like in elderly people translate into your work? KVA: Paying attention to one’s look without being precious about it. Certain older people have been known to keep this extreme sense of elegance, one that’s detailed and precise but which owes nothing to the female wardrobe. It’s a type of un-neglected masculinity, that of a man who takes care to look good. This mindset is essential to me, as it melds masculinity and sophistication.
EF: There was a witty line in American GQ about your F/W 2010 collection for Dior Homme. They wrote, “[Dior is] still very cutting-edge – just no longer cut so close.” Working with Hedi Slimane, you helped create the super skinny look that the brand was known for during his regime. How did you evolve the Dior style after the departure of Slimane? KVA: The slim and sharp silhouette is always of the moment. This look marked a turning point in men’s fashion, which had been stuck in a rut of boring conservatism. But as the “skinny” silhouette has moved down onto the street, it’s up to us to offer something new. Fashion exists to be constantly renewed. In any case, I’ve never had a strong calling just to dress skinny adolescents. More than anything I want to dress men, whatever their age, who have allure and a certain frame. It’s from this that the Dior Homme style has evolved towards more subtle cuts, complex volumes, and unexpected pairings. The body must be freer, comfort the first rule, and there must be elegance in the soft movement.
EF: Could you speak a bit about your grandmother and how she influences you? KVA: She showed me how to embellish the everyday, that poetry was everywhere. The fact that a little extra effort makes all the difference. She is the definition of aesthetic living.
EF: Can you tell us about your inspirations for the F/W 2010 collections, for both your eponymous line and for Dior Homme? KVA: For Dior Homme, since summer, I have been rewriting the story of the “little black suit” which has become such a pillar of the male wardrobe. I shook it up, wrapped it in beautiful oversized trenches, removed it from its safety zone by pairing it with exaggerated volumes. The first idea was one of military coats, usually heavy and stiff, all but comfortable. I wanted to loosen them up, as I had started doing with the suits for summer. It’s a collection that aims toward a new kind of contemporary luxury, comfortable, with exceptional materials and precise silhouettes. For my Kris Van Assche line I wanted to revisit the fundamentals of the brand: soft and urban suits, cargo pants, and check shirts. It’s a pure, pared-down, subtle, and sober collection. It expresses the line’s identity with a lot of simplicity and strength. I like the idea of hybrid clothing: nothing is entirely classic nor sporty. It’s all about contemporary “real life” clothes. EF: Your universe is extremely coherent. How did you come to develop your aesthetic? Looking back at what you were designing at the Académie Royale in Antwerp during your school years, does the thread follow through to what you are doing today? KVA: The Royal Academy in Antwerp is a school based on discipline and creativity. It leaves a major mark and, in hindsight, I feel very indebted to this teaching.
EF: You’ve lived in Paris for over a decade now. What neighbourhoods inspire you here? KVA: I don’t really feel inspired by Paris as a city… I get inspired by personalities, but they can live anywhere. EF: We loved your Kris Van Assche collection for women. Can you tell us a bit about the choice to suspend the line? KVA: At the Academy in Antwerp I only did women’s collections. As a result, when I set up my own Kris Van Assche brand, it was always my intention to develop a women’s line in parallel with the men’s. The only thing I’m lacking is enough time to do it the way I want to. It’s on hold, and I will get around to organizing myself properly to get it going again. It’s only a matter of time. EF: Each year you put forth four collections: two for Dior Homme and two for your own men’s line. How do you reconcile the time it takes to prepare these different collections? KVA: It’s an unstoppable machine with an organization that seeks to avoid any unpleasant surprises. My teams are the essential backbone. Also, I am quite obsessive about organization… I hate being late and I don’t like people who are. I do not function under last minute pressure like some people do. After a show, I do take some days off, but never really long, and usually I try to combine rest and research. I like the idea of using as much time as I can in between shows to develop ideas. This discipline allows me to stay relatively calm under pressure. EF: Can you tell us a bit about your “Poète en Grève” exposition in Paris last fall? Do you see yourself as a poet of the quotidian? This may sound a bit heavy, but what do you think is the role of poets in our society today? KVA: I’m not a poet in the strict sense of the term, but I’m searching for beauty in my own way. This installation reflected my most profound questioning, and my worries about the deaf and blind world in which we live. Poetry today must be preserved. Not only in books and through the words of poets, but also inside those who create and who desire freedom of expression. In this sense I guess I’m a hunter of the poetic. Feature 33
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Cover Star
chanel Hey Pretty Baby With The High Heels On Images Doug Inglish Words Susan Locht Fashion Editor James Worthington DeMolet
When Chanel Iman walked into the office of icy perfectionist Anna Wintour, the coltish model was only 15 and didn’t realize she should be nervous. “I walked right up to her and kissed her on both cheeks,” she says. “I had just come from spending weeks in Paris, so I was used to greeting people that way. I didn’t know that this might have seemed a bit bold… The other people in the room were kind of stunned.” But Wintour obliged, and today Iman, whose fashionable names are, in fact, her given ones, credits the Vogue editor with shaping her early modelling career. “It’s funny; there’s so many experiences I’ve had with modelling that now, when I look back at them, were way bigger deals than I knew at the time.” Since signing with her first agency in Los Angeles at age 12, Iman, now 20 and living in New York, has
travelled the world extensively, walking shows for all the major houses, including Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Valentino, and gracing the pages of major magazines like Vogue, i-D, and Numéro. She’s been shot by an impressive list of heavyweight photographers, while most recently, she posed for Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott for DSquared’s F/W 2010 campaign, a gig she’d wanted for a long time. And earlier this year, with the help of her mom, she opened The Red Bag, a clothing boutique in Culver City. “There’s so much more I want to do, so many more things I want to try,” she explains. And since Iman just signed with powerhouse agency Supreme, this luminous beauty is likely to walk fearlessly into a few more big deals. “I want to be the best,” she says, “and I’m not going to stop until I am.”
tulle blazer Viktor & Rolf black neoprene underwear Prada black heels Jean-Michel Cazabat rhinestone snake ring Erikson Beamon
dress Burberry Prorsum shoes Noritaka Tatehana
black gown Elie Saab
white lace dress Marc by Marc Jacobs black booties with fur Louis Vuitton gold and ruby earrings New York Vintage
1950s traina-norell dress New York Vintage black leather headband Jennifer Behr shoes Noritaka Tatehana
layered top Rodarte
murray arbeid gown and crystal pyramid ring New York Vintage
black fur coat Isabel Marant grey rhinestone tank, neoprene underwear, plastic heels Prada
silver sequin dress Jen Kao
silver fox fur capelet Prabal Gurung
grey rhinestone tank, neoprene underwear, plastic heels Prada rhinestone headband Jennifer Behr
dress Miu Miu
black sequin jumpsuit Alexandre Vauthier silk mary janes Miu Miu black layered headbands Jennifer Behr sword earring Pamela Love
Hair Dennis Lanni Makeup Alice Lane at Jed Root inc Casting James Worthington DeMolet Model Chanel Iman at Supreme Retouching Wet Noodles Assistants Jesse Untracht Oakner and Ferny Chung Digital Tech Matt Willkens at Industrial Color Producer Betsy Hammill Location St. Josaphat’s Monastery Glen Cove, NY Fashion Assistants Jessica Bobince, Lauren Deleo, and Nicole Cama shearling dress Kostas Murkudis grey feather headband Jennifer Behr
Ro c k e t Queen In this burned out paradise Images Cameron Krone Fashion Editor James Worthington DeMolet
dress Marc Jacobs Collection
dress Burberry Prorsum alligator skin headband Jennifer Behr shoes Viktor & Rolf
all clothing Celine
dress Calvin Klein Collection
dress Viktor & Rolf alligator skin headband Jennifer Behr
dress Marc Jacobs Collection
Hair Enrico Mariotti at See Management Makeup Kristin Gallegos at Bryan Bantry using Shu Uemura Casting James Worthington DeMolet Model Michelle Buswell at Marilyn Models dress Burberry Prorsum
range life Prada f/W 2010 Images Beau Grealy Fashion Editor James Worthington DeMolet
coat Prada tank Vintage
sweater Prada all other clothing model’s own
coat and trousers Prada vintage t-shirt What Goes around Comes Around hat Bailey
oxford Prada knit cap Opening Ceremony
cardigan prada vintagewool t-shirt What Comes Around black tuxedo jacket Marc Jacobs Collection knit top Goes Paul around Smith black leather headband Jennifer Behr
cardigan Prada all other clothing model’s own
sweater prada
backpack and trousers Prada vintage henley and jewellery model’s own
camo oxford prada jeans American Apparel vintage t-shirt What Goes around Comes Around all accessories model’s own
Fashion Assistant Lauren Deleo Hair Sarah Sibia at See Management Makeup Stevie Huynh at The Wall Group NY Casting Zan Ludlum Models In Order of Appearance Dominic, Alejandro, Barry, Milton, Jackson, Frey Mudd at Red cardigan prada t-shirt made by Frey Mudd
d oo m generation your blackest moments just fade away Images Thomas Lohr Fashion Editor James Worthington DeMolet
hat DC cashmere coat Dior Homme leather rhinestone encrusted trousers Tim Hamilton briefs Model’s own
black cardigan Frank Tell black t-shirt Yigal AzrouĂŤl grey trousers Burberry Prorsum knit cap DC
wool hooded coat (worn inside out) Comme des Garçons briefs Model’s own
shearling coat Burberry braided scarf Mandy Koons skirt Siki Im
wool coat Burberry Prorsum cashmere long johns Victor Glemaud trainers Model’s own
hat DC cashmere coat Dior Homme
black mink lined coat Cushnie et Ochs white hoodie American Apparel black jeans Robert Geller black rhinestone encrusted combat boots Tim Hamilton leather covered skate decks Barbara Garcia
overcoat Tim Hamilton cropped wool top Siki Im white jeans Robert Geller trainers Model’s own
fur cropped sleeved coat Thom Browne knit tank Lars Andersson
olive wool coat Burberry Prorsum cotton hoodie Quiksilver cashmere trousers Victor Glemaud
grey wool coat Tim Hamilton leather top 3.1 Phillip Lim jeans and trainers Model’s own
black coat Cushnie et Ochs grey hoodie American Apparel black short Quiksilver
Hair Sarah Sibia at See Management Makeup Samantha Trinh for Dior Beauty at Atelier Management Casting James Worthington DeMolet Models Paul Boche at Fusion Models and Caleb Addison Special thanks to Jamie Strachan and Boyd Holbrook grey wool coat Tim Hamilton leather top 3.1 Phillip Lim jeans Model’s own
audio
Listen to what I'm saying! Words Amanda Ash, Carl Ayer, Paula Ayer, Geneva Bokowski, Jamie Cessford, G. Joel Chury, and Zia Hirji
Nas and Damian Marley Distant Relatives | Universal
LCD Soundsystem This Is Happening | DFA
As any serious hip-hop fan can tell you, reggae and hip-hop go together like rhymes over fat basslines. So it’s no surprise that modern reggae heavyweight Damian Marley and rap legend Nas prove a powerful and complementary pairing on the ambitious and tastefully eclectic Distant Relatives. Marley’s soothing rasp and Nas’s smooth-as-butter delivery support each other cohesively throughout the album, but can feel slightly preachy and a touch too glossy in places. Despite this, the artists’ message of empowerment and equality shines through, and the album manages to stay a bit street at the same time. Tracks “As We Enter,” “Friends,” and “Land of Promise” exemplify the cross-pollination at its finest. – GB
The latest effort from LCD Soundsystem, This Is Happening, brings up an interesting chicken or egg dilemma. Is music created with the intention of getting it placed in commercials and movies, or do musicians still leave that job to music supervisors? Whatever the answer may be, LCD Soundsystem have crafted a fitting soundtrack for either a Prius commercial or an LA road trip with a gang of pals. Though the album is a musical departure from Sound of Silver, it still features James Murphy’s free-associative songwriting and disco-tinged percussion. Standout tracks include the lead single “Drunk Girls,” which will surely be a summer outdoor daytime drinking anthem, and “You Wanted A Hit.” – ZH
Avi Buffalo Avi Buffalo | Sub Pop
The National High Violet | 4AD
When first listening to Avi Buffalo’s self-titled debut, one might attribute the high-pitched vocals to the heavy influence of previous indie-pop bands like The Shins, Rilo Kiley, or Ween. But the band’s charming falsetto tones could actually be due to recent puberty – frontman Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg is only 19, while all but one of his bandmates can’t legally drink. Despite their diminutive ages, Avi Buffalo boasts a tightly woven debut that’s masterfully engineered and beautifully executed. The dreamlike single “What’s In It For?,” through soft kicks and gentle warbles, exemplifies a sweetly clever songwriting style that proves young Avi wiser than his years, musically, at least. – GJC
Only in the soulful baritone of The National’s vocalist Matt Berninger can the lyrics “I was afraid I’d eat your brains, ‘cause I’m evil” evoke sympathy. Such is the case with much of their latest record, High Violet. While the band has always maintained tenderness in their songwriting, generally Berninger’s vocals boast confidence. On High Violet, however, his self-assurance is replaced by self-deprecation paired with poignant instrumentation. The opening track, “Terrible Love,” starts the brooding, which continues relentlessly through even the more upbeat tracks. Although High Violet is an emotionally exhausting, thematically heavy release, The National further prove themselves deserving members of indie-rock royalty. – JC
Crystal Castles Crystal Castles (II) | Last Gang
HOLY FUCK Latin | Young Turks
While leaks are often a publicity stunt, Fiction Records saw the rapid proliferation of illegal downloads due to the mid-April leak of Crystal Castles’ second LP as a threat to album sales and immediately bumped up the release date. Perhaps the Toronto duo’s popularity was underestimated. Unfamiliar listeners may find a bias toward music that sounds “good” subverted by this catchy and strangely compelling mix of unrecognizable samples and distorted analog synths, while fans of the first album will note that on this one, Alice actually sings. Ranging from ambient to danceable, this effort is more cohesive and organic than their first release, and will inspire repeated straight-through listening. – CA
It’s been three years since electronic instrumentalists Holy Fuck released their Polaris Prize-nominated sophomore record LP. Today, they’re back with Latin, an album that sounds as though those three years have functioned as a buffing agent. The schizophrenia is somewhat constrained, the frenzied glitches feel touched-up, and the improvisation of the record comes across as more focused and refined. However, the polish is really quite minimal. Holy Fuck doesn’t shift far enough away from LP to make Latin truly different. But do we expect anything more than mindless noisecapades from Holy Fuck? Depends. Either way, this album is dancey as heck and will have us all gasping for breath for a third time ‘round. – AA
Delorean Subiza | True Panther “Album of the summer” is a common enough proclamation, but few albums sound more like summer than Subiza by Spanish four-piece Delorean. Mining the pre-millennial sounds of Balearic House, layered with reverberating vocal harmonies, the group has captured the hazy euphoria and wistful ephemerality of days on the beach sliding into nights in the club. (The mesmerizing video for first single “Stay Close,” a shimmering swirl of sea and sunshine, makes the sensation explicit.) While the effect is remarkably like Animal Collective took ecstasy and headed for the disco, Delorean’s dance music influences feel completely elemental, never tacked-on. – PA 94 review
mix tape Our summer mix tape is from Canyons, whose LP of synth-happy dance music will be released by Modular later this year. www.myspace.com/thecanyonsinfo 01. Dorothy Ashby For Some We Loved 02. D.R. Hooker Forge Your Own Chains 03. Nevidljive Terazije Smak 04. Ofege Nobody Fails 05. Urban Jazz Ritual Car Crazy 06. Peter Gordon and Love of Life Orchestra Another Heartache/Don’t Don’t Redux 07. Jared Wilson This Love 08. MARRS Anitina 09. Bill Wyman Peanut Butter Time (Severed Heads Interlude) 10. POND Cloud City
visual
I see you looking at me Words Amanda Ash, Deanne Beattie, Sarah Berman, Lance Booth, Jennifer Croll, and Darcy Smith
CREAMIER Phaidon Keeping up with the contemporary art crowd is a bit like sprinting a marathon. Creamier, the fifth installment in the popular Cream series, has the pros do the dirty work for you. Every few years, 10 internationally recognized curators pick the cream of the crop: 100 of the world’s best emerging (undiscovered, almost famous, on the rise) artists from a vast array of backgrounds, styles, and mediums. In keeping with the attempt to provide an up-to-the-minute update on the dazzling, dizzying art world, Creamier is laid out like old-fashioned newsprint on heavy, high quality paper. The simple, concrete layout highlights bizarre portraiture, intriguing sculpture, and colourful subjects with a behind-the-scenes feel. Bonus content includes a conversation with the curators on the trials and tribulations of art in the 20th century. – DS
The Selby is In Your Place Todd Selby Abrams Vintage shoes, taxidermy, pet hamsters, and gorgeous bohemians with uncombed hair: Todd Selby’s new book offers up the same gloriously voyeuristic look into the unrepentantly quirky apartments of the creative class as does his eponymous website, The Selby. Though many of the 30+ profiles are exclusive to the book, there’s nothing new here stylistically – but this stuff translates well into print. When The Selby photographs Karl Lagerfeld in his overwhelmingly book-filled Paris studio, or Terence Koh with his weird bedside collection of google-eyed Sesame Street toys, there’s a feeling of intimacy you just don’t get on the web. Nobody’s tracking your IP if you spend more than a couple of minutes eyeing up Dangerous Dan in the shower, and you’re more than welcome to curl up in bed with adorable little Jonathan Adler. Nobody will be the wiser. – JC
THE WHITE RIBBON DVD, Sony In The White Ribbon, subtitled A German Children’s Story, the kids definitely aren’t all right. Using discomfiting long takes and high-contrast B&W, director Michael Haneke presents a series of mysteries plaguing a German village before WWI. Beneath the veneer of propriety lurks a hotbed of perversion. The doctor, whose suspicious riding accident kicks off the tale, is molesting his daughter. The baron, the hamlet’s principal employer, is blamed for the death of a worker and his young son is kidnapped and flogged in retribution. And the town pastor is a brutal tyrant whose tormented children always seem to be hovering near the scene of the crime. No resolutions are forthcoming, but in Haneke’s dark vision it’s clear that repression begets violence, starting in the home, church, and schoolroom before infecting society at large. – LB
96 review
THE TEMPLE-GOERS Aatish Taseer Viking When Aatish, a young writer, returns to his hometown of Delhi after several years in London, his reintroduction to the modern, moneyed India that has evolved in his absence is complicated when he meets Aakash, an ambitious personal trainer. Their unexpected friendship initiates Aatish to the contradictions of present-day Delhi: the cosmopolitan city, sprawling with nightclubs, prostitutes, and crime still clutches to its history and rich tradition. Aakash, too, finds himself strung between old and new as their friendship – and a thrilling drama – develops. The Temple-Goers is a strong first novel from Taseer, despite hinging on the memoir genre where his writing first developed. His too-honest protagonist (who shares his name) gives us an unnerving perspective on present-day India – but like many good novels, gives us insight to ourselves as well. – DB
SWOON Caledonia Curry Abrams Caledonia Curry, better known as Swoon, is one of a number of underground artists to successfully transition from the streets to the gallery world, and in this self-titled book, she exhibits her internationally celebrated street art. Each page is plastered with photos of her wheatpaste prints and paper cutouts, which can be found on the streets of places as disparate as Mexico, Berlin, and Havana, to her current home of New York City. Drawing on fantastically real cityscapes, Swoon illuminates disheveled public spaces with forms that materialize from cut outs of ladders, houses, and junkyards. Life-sized human figures merge with urban architecture, reflecting the self’s inherent connection with the city. One of the most intricate pieces is Miss Rockaway, a mermaid-like skeleton meshed with the torso of a beautiful woman who emits a tail of spirals and shapes. Dramatic, detailed, and absolutely engrossing, Swoon showcases one street artist’s incredible mastery and talent. – AA
FISH TANK DVD, IFC Katie Jarvis never intended to appear in movies. The now 18-year-old high school dropout was discovered on a scummy East London subway platform while embroiled in a venomous spat with her boyfriend. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise the unlikely star bursts with raw teenage malice in the role of Mia, an underprivileged outcast living in a disheartening British slum. Ignored and resented by her mother, Mia finds precarious solace in tall cans and compliments – “you dance like a black” – paid by her mum’s part-time boyfriend Connor (Michael Fassbender). Neither a standard hip-hop film, nor typical coming-of-age tale, director Andrea Arnold’s sophomore effort maintains a razor-sharp focus that often feels too close for comfort. It’s got all the gritty intensity of Precious, but with a disarming cockney drawl. – SB
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Up bubbles all his amorous breath 2010 Coloured pencil and white gouache 16 x 12 inches Julia Randall