Issue 67 - A Year in Review

IS SUITED AND BOOTED FOR 2023 MILKY

LONDON'S MOST ESTEEMED GENTLEMAN

23-25 UNYOKED // 27 THE IMAGE: LUKE GEORGE

28-29 FRIENDS OF EJ // 30-31 FINDING INSPIRATION

33-35 UNFEIGNED // 37 BENJI B // 38-39 TESSUTI: THE ART OF GIVING

40 COUTURE ON THE SILVER SCREEN // 41-43 BELSTAFF

44-51 ṢỌPÉ DÌRÍSÙ // 52-59 OLIA HERCULES // 60-67 MILKY CHANCE

69 NEIGHBOURHOOD COFFEE // 70-71 DMR

72-73 TYPIST ARTIST PIRATE KING // 74-75 TAKAHASHI MCGILL

76-78 NILÜFER YANYA // 79 TURNER PRIZE '22

80-81 GIOVANNI ATTARD // 82-85 MARK BIRCHALL

87 BRITAIN'S FOOD IN EXTREMES // 88-89 ESSENTIAL PANTRY

90-96 THE COLUMNS

editor

features writer BETH BENNETT b.bennett@essentialstudio.co.uk published

THE ESSENTIAL JOURNAL STAFF partnership manager SAM DYSON s.dyson@essentialstudio.co.uk

creative director THOMAS SUMNER t.sumner@essentialstudio.co.uk

lead designer EVIE FRIAR evie.friar@essentialstudio.co.uk

by ESSENTIAL STUDIO // ESSENTIALSTUDIO.CO.UK

Chris Gerrard // Emily Menzies // Joe Burrows // Oscar Clayton

Converse // Ben Boeynaems // Unyoked // Luke George // Louis Byrne

Laura Scrivano // Katie Owen // Olivia Francis // Christopher Raeburn

Rikki Kher // Paul Walker // Unfeigned // Benji B // Tessuti // Cameron Robson

Belstaff // Ṣọpé Dìrísù // Olia Hercules // Joe Woodhouse // Milky Chance

Anthony Molina // Neighbourhood Coffee // David M. Robinson // Mark McGilvray

Kaori Takahashi-McGilvray // Nilüfer Yanya // Molly Daniel // Tate Liverpool

Matt Greenwood // Giovanni Attard // Mark Birchall // Cal Smith // John Javier

Louis Beneventi // Rohin Johal // Emmy Hallahan

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Under no circumstances must any part of this publication be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher. Whilst every effort is taken, the publisher shall not be held responsible for any errors. Furthermore, the publisher shall not be held responsible for any advertising material/content. Please also note that the views and opinions written within this publication do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the publisher. All prices and details stated within this publication are correct at the time of print, however these are subject to change and the publisher shall not be held responsible for these. Third party contributors own exclusive copyright to their own material that they have submitted as part of the publication. All rights reserved.

5

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THE EDITOR'S NOTE

This year has, as we all know, been far from ideal. Domestically, the Prime-Ministerial merry-go-round has been twisting and turning, failing to provide anyone with a semblance of palatable normality. As Russia illegally invaded Ukraine, the cost of living sharply rose. To top it off we had a Winter World Cup that has been swimming in controversy, sexism, human rights violations, and iffy speeches from FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Ostensibly, 2022 has been a year better left to indulge in the recess of history. However, whilst international and domestic news has caused significant changes to the way billions of people live, 2022, like any other year, has provided time to build meaningful connections and relationships, seek opportunities, and take the next step. For fear of indulging too much in the cloche, the close of the year is the end of a chapter; a brief moment of pause before the next one begins. Personally, this year, I have been gifted the opportunity to work with some of the most talented, dedicated and overly caffeinated groups of people on projects I would never have imagined being involved with. EJ has undergone a development too, as those reading this may be acutely aware of. We have interviewed and collaborated with some of the most significant and important people across multiple disciplines, telling compelling stories and gaining meaningful insight. There seems no better way to close the year than with thanks to you, the reader, the wonderful team of talented people within EJ headquarters, and all of the brands and people who have helped us build a magazine that we are proud of. We step into 2023 embracing the unknown and welcoming opportunity. See you around!

JAI MCINTOSH EDITOR

‘“THE END OF A MELODY IS NOT ITS GOAL: BUT NONETHELESS, HAD THE MELODY NOT REACHED ITS END IT WOULD NOT HAVE REACHED ITS GOAL EITHER. A PARABLE.”

Friedrich Nietzsche

pictured

ṢỌPÉ DÌRÍSÙ

photographed by BETH BENNETT location SOHO SQUARE, LONDON

hair and makeup JENNIE ROBERTS with curlsmith and patricks interview BETH BENNETT

pictured

DÌRÍSÙ

photographed by

FIVE IN FIVE TEAM EJ'S 2022 ESSENTIALS

This final Five in Five celebrates the every day essentials that have gotten us through the seasons, weathered the storm of 2022 with us, and, at the end of the day, just been really helpful to have around this year.

CHRIS Snow Peak Titanium Single Wall 450 Mug Taste of the wildnerness, indoors.

TOM Nike Blazer Mid '77 Jumbo Jumbo comfort for jumbo feet.

EVIE Podcast: Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard Unlimited source of captivating conversation.

BETH Dead Man's Shoes Blu-ray DVD Meadows' horror inspired my creativity.

EMILY La Marzocco Linea Mini Morning coffee routine of sanity.

WHERE WE'VE BEEN KENDAL MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL

Having dipped our toe into the world of outerwear and adventure in EJ63, we have kept an eye on the happenings in the outdoor world. When Kendal Mountain Festival invited us to attend, we knew we had to grab this opportunity with both hands.

The Lake District rarely fails to impress, with an abundance of natural beauty in our permanent surroundings. Stepping into ‘Base Camp’ - the social nexus of the event - we were welcomed with glasses of champagne and a collection of anecdotes from festival organisers. Add to this the collection of brand stalls all offering information, competitions and prizeseverything looked promising.

We came with a plan, seeking out friends of the journal in Aldo Kane, Ed Jackson, Jason Fox and the ThruDark team. Upon noticing them, we shuffled over to say hello, hoping they would recognise us. Our anxiety abated when both Ed and Aldo managed to negotiate their mental fog to just about recognise our faces, to then have a detailed catch-up about their recent projects, and plans for the future. It is worth adding here that the handshake I received from Jason Fox may have been one of the firmest handshakes I have experienced; very on brand for a former SBS specialist and SAS Who Dares Wins host.

Our first stop was to see one of the headliners of the festival, the esteemed Sir Ranulph Fiennes. Over five hundred people flooded the theatre at Kendal Leisure Centre and waited patiently in anticipation for the most decorated explorer of our generation. The event was hosted by Kenton Cool - one of the world's leading high altitude mountaineers, most renowned for his 16 record-breaking summits of Mount Everest. After a tremendous introduction by Kenton, Ranulph took to the stage and shared a fascinating and humbling account of his life’s endeavours and achievements. Intertwined with a number of comical anecdotes and armed with some

graphic images that certainly weren’t for the faint hearted. The audience were in awe of his mental and physical resilience, as well as his assemblage of record-breaking world-first expeditions and adventures. It’s safe to say that we all left feeling rather privileged that we were able to witness first-hand the trials and tribulations of the great Ranulph Fiennes.

Following the event, in true festival style, we treated ourselves to a couple of wellearned locally brewed ales and reflected on the events of the day, readying ourselves for the Adidas Terrex 10K Trail Run that was to follow the next morning. Despite getting caught up in the evenings escapades at the infamous Ruskins Bar, we were up bright eyed and bushy tailed (well some of us were) ready to take on the run. The natural beauty of the landscape certainly didn’t disappoint, and unsurprisingly distracted us from the relief of the climb and the hangover that we were trying to shake off. As always, the sheer elation following the run made it all worthwhile and set us up for the day ahead.

Quite fittingly, this brings us to one of my personal highlights of the festival featuring Ed Jackson and his take on adaptive adventure. For those who didn’t catch the interview in EJ63, Ed Jackson is a former professional rugby player who experienced a life-altering accident which rendered him paralysed from the neck down. Astonishingly, he beat the odds and is continuing to push the boundaries of what is humanly possible. Ed has taken adaptive adventure and alpine mountaineering to the next level, becoming the first quadriplegic to reach over 7000m, to which he nearly lost his life in the process.

Ed was joined on stage by Steve Bate MBE and Darren Edwards - two equally as impressive and awe-inspiring individuals. Darren is a former mountaineer and army reservist who was paralysed in a near death climbing accident. Since then, he

JAI MCINTOSH & SAM DYSON

has become an active para-adventurer and expedition leader who is a passionate champion of the phrase “strength through adversity”. Steve is a Paralympic cyclist and adventurer with a significant visual impairment that is degrading by the day. Despite their physical limitations, they have refused to let this get in the way of them living their life to the fullest. In this heart-wrenching, remarkable and inspiring commentary, each of them painted a visceral picture of the adversity they experienced, how they overcame it and what they have achieved since. Ed was incredibly grateful to Berghaus - the headline sponsor of the event - for their work in adapting kit to optimise performance and to help cater for physical differences. Alongside this, as well as their mental fortitude, there really is no stopping them. What amazed us most is that, despite all they’ve been through and achieved, they have been able to maintain their sense of humour and humble nature.

Following the talk, we caught up with Ed in the bar next door, warming up for the most highly anticipated event of the eveningThe North Face Apres Ski Party. We had heard lots of good things about this event and it certainly didn’t disappoint. With Kendal regular Carly Wilford on the decks, and a packed out venue at The Brewery Arts Centre, the event was only going to go one way. It was even worth the sore head the next morning, which was soon eliminated after a bacon sandwich at the BMC breakfast club.

The final day of the festival consisted of one final trip to Basecamp, where we heard Adriana Brownlee discuss her mission to be the youngest female to conquer all 14 8000m peaks at the age of 21. On top of this, we also witnessed the likes Brian Hall and Tom Livingstone talk about risk vs reward in high mountain alpinism, which was another personal highlight.

Kendal Mountain Festival will certainly be a staple feature in our annual calendar of events. We left feeling a great sense of privilege, having packed a number of iconic and inspirational speakers and edgeof-the-seat adventure films all into one weekend. Not to mention the formidable 10K trail run, contrasted significantly with the festival parties that aren’t to be missed.

See you next year, Kendal. @kendalmountainfestival

WHAT WE'RE READING CHROMORAMA: HOW COLOUR CHANGED OUR WAY OF SEEING BY RICCARDO

FALCINELLI

Riccardo Falcinelli is an award-winning graphic designer and best-selling author whose work has been highly acclaimed in Italy and around the world. He teaches at the ISIA Faculty of Design in Rome.

Chromorama is a colour book like no other. Taking in everything from Titian to Hitchcock, from medieval dyes to mayonnaise, from Queen Victoria to Michelle Obama, Falcinelli guides us through the history of colour to show us the material, scientific and intellectual shifts that inform our attitudes to colour, art and design. A bestseller when first published in Italy – and a bravura piece of writing and analysis – this is the new colour bible: a gorgeously illustrated exploration of colour and the modern gaze, from an award-winning designer.

WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO TEAM EJ'S 2022 ALBUMS OF THE YEAR

CHRIS

Viagra Boys - Cave World

A shocking satire of devolution, Swedish musicians Viagra Boys returned this Summer with an energetic, post-punk album for the ages.

TOP SONG: ‘Troglodyte’

EMILY

Lime Cordiale - 14 Steps to a Better You

Though released in 2020, this Aussie rock album is a constant comforting companion through the dreary grey of British seasons.

TOP SONG: ‘We Just Get By’

BETH

Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia

This Spring saw the return of Irish Post-Punk with the release of Fontaine’s D.C.’s third album, utilising their trademark lyricism, fiery chanting, and Celtic flair to craft one of the most remarkable albums of all time.

TOP SONG: ‘I Love You’

EVIE

PUP - The Unravelling of PUPTheBand

The latest release from Toronto outfit PUP satirises the journey of selling out and spiralling downwards. Expect piano interludes and supremely screamable hooks.

TOP SONG: ‘Totally Fine’

TOM

Nilüfer Yanya - Painless

A haunting return from the English singer/songwriter, Painless, with ease and subtly, takes you an ethereal journey.

Read our interview with Nilüfer on page 78.

TOP SONG: ‘another life’

Images courtesy of Year0001, Chugg Music Entertainment, Partisan, Rough Trade, Rise Records, ATO Records

WHO WE'RE TALKING TO OSCAR CLAYTON

A story that caught our attention this year was Jamaica’s Rugby Sevens team. Something about them encouraged intrigue. We caught up with Oscar Clayton to talk about all things rugby.

JB How were you first introduced to playing rugby?

OC Like most people, I first got involved in playing rugby at school. More specifically at the start of secondary school; I failed my first two attempts at playing when I was slightly younger, maybe five and nine years old (laughs).

JB How were you able to develop from starting out in rugby to playing for Jamaica internationally?

OC University rugby definitely played a part in my development. I was able to play in stronger structures, better than I had done previously. I had weaknesses exposed and I started playing with people who could challenge me more fully; an experience I needed for sure. This gave me the opportunity to work in a highly-skilled system and I worked out how to express myself within this new team dynamic.

JB How did you transition your skillset from Rugby Union to Rugby Sevens?

OC Going into the U-17s, I was playing for a club called Chinnor. My previous club was holding a Sevens tournament. We submitted teams for this and won pretty easily. From here, I was recommended to play for an invitational team which took the level higher, which was around 2018. From 2019 until my first tournament with Jamaica, I hadn’t played a single game of Sevens rugby. Then, after getting involved in the set-up, I was subbed on the play against Argentina who had just won bronze at the Olympics. This wasn’t easy (laughs), but I knew I had time to develop and get support from the management, staff and players.

My first call-up for the full national side only came this year. I had trained with the

UK base of players but the national team is a little different. I have been with the UK bunch since my first year, as the coach and I knew each other. We were able to train throughout covid due to the Olympic qualification, which allowed us to work together well and it allowed me to put myself forward in a good light. Unfortunately, I broke my ankle in 2021, which was a real blow, meaning I missed two competitions. I knew 2022 had to be a big year for me personally, and then by chance, I got invited out to Spain to play for the side. It all happened so quickly; it was a whirlwind for sure. My family got to see me play, which in retrospect is a real moment of pride for myself, and for them, I hope (laughs).

JB What has 2022 been like for you and the team?

OC This year was a big one for us. We started off the year with the World Series, which is awesome. There are two stops: Malaga and Sevilla. We came second to Canada, which qualified us for the Commonwealth Games and the Rugby World Cup - I wasn’t selected at this point. Those who weren't selected were sent to America to train, which was crazy. I went to Chile to play in the Challenger Series which was great, but ultimately we struggled to play at the level we knew we could. That was a shame but it did allow the team to experiment with new members.

In September, we went to South Africa for the World Cup, which was an incredible experience but we didn’t improve our placing from the previous World Cup. We knew that we could do better than we did in the previous World Cup but we failed to beat Scotland which is a source of frustration for the team. We still have plenty of development to do; the game on the whole does. As a team, we are working on improving and getting over the line - we have to believe in the process.

We ended the year in Mexico which, if successful, would qualify us for the Challenger Series 2023. We entered the tournament as favourites despite being a new group.

We also had the Women’s team and the U19s side make the final, which was a sense of motivation. We won the tournament (laughs)!

JB Do you expect any improvements or changes next year?

OC The team dynamic is a little more fluid than some would expect, but we do have a strong and consistent leadership group filled with individuals who are fully committed to helping Jamaica improve their rugby. There is always going to be a slow process of older players slowly leaving as younger players enter.

The tournaments this year have allowed the coaches to see where their player development sits. Of course, we have plenty to improve on; the Challenger Series begins again in April 2023. The group is growing, the quality is increasing, and we are aiming to ensure we improve our ranking next year. We placed tenth this year in the Challenger Cup, next year we will improve on that I am sure.

As always, it is a privilege to play for Jamaica - who wouldn’t love that? The team we are building, our plans and philosophy, and the team dynamic are all at a great point. Hopefully, we can reach our goals for 2023 and keep building momentum with this group. We want to make our mark on the Challenger Series. We want to show we can consistently put in performances and live up to the hype surrounding our team. We are in a collection of teams that are considered winners and favourites. The Pan-American games give us a stab at the bigger teams such as Canada and Argentina whilst also playing teams like Chile who we see as a team at our level.

If we can podium there then that is great. We also have our eyes on the 2024 Paris Olympics, we want to be there to play and compete. We believe we can compete on the biggest stage at the highest level, we just have to work hard and stay focused.

WHERE WE'VE BEEN EATING TEAM EJ'S FAVOURITE MEALS OF 2022

CHRIS

Sugo Pasta Kitchen, Manchester

South Italy comes to Manchester with character, flair and proper good grub.

TOP DISH: Cavatellia Calabrese

EVIE

Sunday in Brooklyn, Notting Hill

A Notting Hill staple serving London's best answer to the American pancake stack.

TOP DISH: Sunday Pancakes with Hazlenut Maple Praline & Brown Butter

EMILY El Gato Negro, Liverpool

Boasting a broad array of Spanish tapas, El Gato is a grand, yet equally cosy, place to dine.

TOP DISH: Salt Cod Fritters

BETH Bloc+, Glasgow

In a small basement bar just off Sauchiehall Street sits an independent institution with a cacophony of unusual pub grub, all infused with a certain Scottish charm.

TOP DISH: Irn Maiden Poutine

TOM Moor Hall, Aughton

Class, consideration, and culinary ingenuity, Moor Hall celebrates the refined art of dining.

TOP DISH: Aynhoe Estate Fallow Deer, particularly the accompanying ragout.

Read our interview with Chef Patron, Mark Birchall on page 84.

WHAT'S ON OUR FEET CONVERSE X A-COLD-WALL GEL FORMA

The Converse x A-COLD-WALL Geo Forma is a boot which embraces the notion that technology can push design forward.

As an entirely new silhouette, the design language of the Geo Forma is rooted in the Chuck 70, a modern ode to the iconic Chuck Taylor All Star, but is transformed through the concept of angularity.

Beginning with the custom mid and outsole units which define the new articulation, the silhouette explores the distinctive artistry of the Chuck 70, but through a futuristic, geometric lens applying Ross’ signature avant-garde cues, while embracing modern concerns of utility. There’s also an acute attention to the application of technical fabrics in the Geo Forma, like the stretch bootie upper which is constructed to hug the foot, a polyester-spandex-ripstop shroud that is laminated on the lower bootie, and an elastic collar and heel stay pull tab for ease-of-entry. And while the tooling is in a sense nostalgic – the recycled outsole grounds the silhouette in natural and organic elements.

Crafted in two colourways – Volt/Black Beauty and Lily White/Poppy Seed – a maximalist and minimalist palette juxtapose performance and textural applications of colour for differing style applications.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO LYNETTE YIADOM-BOAKYE: FLY IN LEAGUE WITH THE NIGHT

Lynette Yiadom-Boakye is a British artist and writer acclaimed for her enigmatic portraits of fictitious people. This exhibition brings together around 70 works from 2003 to the present day in the most extensive survey of the artist’s career to date.

The figures in Yiadom-Boakye’s paintings are not real people – she creates them from found images and her own imagination. Both familiar and mysterious, they invite viewers to project their own interpretations, and raise important questions of identity and representation. Often painted in spontaneous and instinctive bursts, her figures seem to exist outside of a specific time or place. Her paintings are coupled with poetic titles, such as Tie the Temptress to the Trojan (2016) and To Improvise a Mountain (2018).

Yiadom-Boakye was awarded the prestigious Carnegie Prize in 2018 and was the 2012 recipient of the Pinchuk Foundation Future Generation Prize. She was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 2013. This exhibition is currently touring internationally before coming back to be restaged at Tate Britain for a full three-month run. Go and take a look, it’s excellent.

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING THE MENU

Price per head: £7.99* at your local Odeon

FIRST COURSE

The Most Remarkable Performances Delectable tension fizzles between Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes. Served with an accompaniment of outstanding supporting caricatures.

(Recommended Wine Pairing: Nicholas Hoult’s sleazy narcissism: elements of sweat, iPhone cameras, and pathetic snivels.)

SECOND COURSE

Smart Script-work (Served Well Done)

A critical and considered use of class unconsciousness with a jus of self-aware sarcasm. Built on basic ingredients, but flavourful in delivery.

THIRD COURSE

27-Year-Aged Direction

A rich and immersive direction, Mark Mylod’s (Succession, Entourage) masterful movements achieve an unforgettable flavour.

FOURTH COURSE

Cured Cinematography

Slick, stylised, shadowed shots over easy. With a sensual understanding of empty space, the eye of camera itself acts as a purveyor of class standard.

SUPPLEMENTAL COURSE

A Cheeseburger

One has never looked this good on screen.

FINAL COURSE

An Ensemble of Cinematic Integrity

Simple, strategic, sweet: The Menu serves up a dish that manages to be entertaining in its satire as well as memorable and thought-provoking.

(Recommended Wine Pairing: the warmth of good company, popcorn, and a bottle of £4 merlot.)

*This is an estimate

The Menu is in cinemas now.

WHAT WE'VE BEEN COOKING MONKFISH WELLINGTON

INGREDIENTS

Monkfish

2x 120g Portions taken from a 2kg monkfish tail* (ask your fishmonger to portion and skin this for you)

Good quality, all butter pastry

*It is important to purchase portions from a monkfish of this weight to ensure that the wellingtons are the correct size and are not too skinny.

Prawn Mousse

100g 5g 50g 100g 5g

Herb Pancake

METHOD

RECIPE BY BEN BOEYNAEMS HEAD CHEF AT THE BEAUMONT

Brine the monkfish portions in a solution of water with 5% salt – we also add 5% kombu as this adds a depth of flavour and meatiness to the monkfish (like you would find in a dashi).

Leave to brine for 12 hours.

After 12 hours, pat dry and roll in a muslin cloth (or tea towel) and leave overnight to dry – this will prevent you getting soggy pastry in the wellington.

In the meantime we will make a prawn and seaweed mousse for the wellington, alongside a herb pancake which will protect the monkfish and keep the pastry crisp.

Peeled raw prawns

Chopped dried seaweed (wakame is perfect but you could use nori)

Egg white

Double cream

Maldon salt

Blend the prawns, egg white and salt together to make a fine puree. Slowly fold in the double cream and season with the seaweed powder.

Place in the fridge to chill.

Blend all the ingredients together.

20g

Egg Flour

Milk

Cook the crepes like you would with a normal crepe - in a hot pan with butter and a thin layer of the pancake mix. 1 70g 140g 1g

Maldon salt

Soft herbs (chervil, dill, parsley)

To make the Wellington:

Spread some of the prawn mousse on to the pancake, place a fillet of monkfish on top, roll the pancake around the monkfish to create a cylinder, tucking in the ends. Allow to set in the fridge.

In the meantime roll out your puff pastry (you can also buy prerolled pastry), cut a rectangle large enough to encase the wellington, brush with egg yolk and wrap around monkfish.

Egg wash and allow to rest in the fridge.

Cook in a very high oven set at 200°C for 13 minutes until the pastry is golden, allow to rest for 5 minutes and carve.

At the colony we serve this with roasted root vegetables and red wine fish sauce.

UNYOKED

ONE THING DONE WELL

UNYOKED

WORDS BY JAI MCINTOSH

ONE THING DONE WELL

IMAGES COURTESY OF UNYOKED

AIMING TO BRING YOU CLOSER TO NATURE AND TO YOURSELF.

UNYOKED ARE A COMPANY AIMING TO BRING YOU CLOSER TO NATURE AND TO YOURSELF.

Left: Rex, North Norfolk, England

Previous page: Akash, Black Mountains, Wales

AKASH

BLACK MOUNTAINS, WALES

Typically, when you venture into the wilderness you are accompanied by whoever is brave enough. In this case it was my brother, Ethan. You then have to haul your sleeping arrangements, clothing, food, and entertainment with you, before resting your head on a slightly damp pillow in a cramped tent. Plenty of fun, but sometimes not what you need when the desire to return to nature calls.

Unyoked are a company aiming to bring you closer to nature and to yourself. They are located globally, however our particular cabin, named Akash, was situated atop a hill in South Wales and accompanied by breathtaking views of the valleys.

Upon arrival, we were handed a torch and given a wheelbarrow to carry our luggage down a muddy path to a large wooden cabin. Approaching the front door, passing a collection of upturned logs circled around a slightly damp fire pit, I understood the reasons why people search for these spaces. We were voluntarily marooned, surrounded by a patchwork of fields, and lacking electricity. Wonderful.

This is not a fault of the place; electricity is not on the menu for Unyoked. Their mission is to return people to nature while staying in-line with modern sensibilities. A humble stove, shower facilities, and an indoor fireplace are luxuries not often found when exploring the outdoors. They were welcome additions this time around.

With dinner made and a fire roaring, an equanimous wave covered me and I truly did feel relaxed and in tune with my surroundings; a feeling that lasted up until the point I overheard what sounded like the Mario theme tune. Ethan had decided what our socially disconnected weekend really needed was a Nintendo Switch. In all honesty, given the unpredictability of the weather, this proved to be a nice touch, albeit I did feel as though I was cheating the Unyoked experience just a little.

Having lived away from home for seven years now, spending time with my brother is something I am unable to enjoy as often as I would like. Akash not only provided a beautiful setting, but allowed me to spend some quality time with someone so close. Ultimately, that is which Unyoked always aims for, and hit the target they did.

Book your stay online at unyoked.co Follow @unyoked.co

2022 has been a breakthrough year in the city of Liverpool for emerging photographers. After a collection of independent group shows, Luke George has been impressing many with his candid image selection and ability to capture movement excellently.

Luke George explains that his favourite image “Eaux Calmes" was taken in Canada; "It reminds me to stay calm when times get tough. Being away from friends and family for an extended period of time enabled me to reflect a little more, which is something I wanted to express within this image.”

@lukegeorgephoto

"Eaux Calmes"

THE IMAGE LUKE GEORGE

We’ve met a lot of fantastic people in 2022; those that we’ve featured and those that we’re hoping to feature one day in the future. So, as the year draws to a close, it only felt right to check in with some of them to see how they’re doing, how they’re feeling about 2022, and what's on the cards for them for 2023.

@louisbyrneiciaiw

laura scrivano DIRECTOR & WRITER

HOW HAS 2022 BEEN FOR YOU?

A bit of a rollercoaster, but ultimately pretty decent. I’m Australian and we could finally go home for a post-pandemic family visit this year which was wonderful and very emotional.

Workwise, it was a year of two halves. The first half was quite intense, beginning in LA as I finished directing Wedding Season for Disney+. As we got stuck into the edit in London, war broke out in Ukraine which meant I had to go back into the edit on The Lazarus Project at the same time (as the storyline in my episodes was a bit too close to reality).

The second half has all been about the development of my first feature. This means a lot of meetings, which thankfully are now less of a Zoom-fest as things slowly go back to being face to face.

HOW HAS 2022 BEEN FOR YOU?

2022 has been pretty transformative for me. It’s been a huge amount of hard work but I’ve received so much joy and freedom.

WHAT KEY LESSON HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THIS YEAR?

I’ve learned to stick to my moral code and to ensure that I don’t compromise on that. Speaking our truth and standing by what’s right is the most important thing for us as people. For me, by doing this, I’ve been able to let go of a lot of trauma and finally start moving forward.

WHAT KEY LESSON HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THIS YEAR?

To always travel with a portable espresso machine, especially if filming in Las Vegas.

WHAT, FROM 2022, DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE GIVEN MORE ATTENTION?

My long-suffering tomato plant.

WHAT CAN'T YOU GO INTO THE NEW YEAR WITHOUT?

A massive dose of sunshine. Turns out Australians are absolutely rubbish at UK winters.

katie owen

DJ & PRESENTER

HOW HAS 2022 BEEN FOR YOU?

It’s honestly been the best year of my life. Things have fully gone back to normal now with gigs, events and being able to socialise. There’s been a real hunger for it after lockdown so it’s been incredible. I feel very lucky!

WHAT KEY LESSON HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THIS YEAR?

I was diagnosed with ADHD this year so I’ve learned that my brain works differently, and that’s okay! Now that I’m aware of it, I’ve started to do things that allow me to be better in terms of work and learning new skills. I’ve learned to fully embrace it and be kind to myself!

WHAT, FROM 2022, DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE GIVEN MORE ATTENTION?

We need to pay more attention to each other and spread more love; and to love ourselves too. Love and passion: 2023 is the year of it, I know it.

WHAT CAN'T YOU GO INTO THE NEW YEAR WITHOUT?

Community. I don’t know where I’d be without my community and if I’m going into the new year with anything, it’s respecting the value of community and connection.

WHAT, FROM 2022, DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE GIVEN MORE ATTENTION?

That’s a tough one, the list is endless. There’s loads in our country that needs to change and the world can be a scary place at times, with lots of sad things going on that need to be given more attention.

WHAT CAN'T YOU GO INTO THE NEW YEAR WITHOUT?

Definitely music. It keeps me sane!

“Thom Yorke has provided the musical thread throughout my adult life and is a constant inspiration, but I suppose it’s not really about the music. Everybody knows Radiohead of course, and it’s impressive to look at the unbelievable evolution (and innovations) through the back-catalogue but what I find equally engaging are the artistic collaborations with Stanley Donwood or the provocations on how to distribute the albums. Alongside Radiohead, Yorke’s solo projects and energy to test, learn, fail and go again whilst constantly challenging the system is a lesson for us all.”

@raeburn_design

“I’m a big fan of Jamie Hawksworth’s photography, he manages to make the everyday look so romantic and beautiful, it’s a great life lesson in a picture. I’ve always loved the work of Victor Pasmore, who was one of the British pioneers of abstract art in the 1950s. His work is timelessly modern, which is an odd thing to say, but it doesn’t date and still feels contemporary today. As a legacy, that's pretty epic. For theatre, the best thing I’ve ever seen on stage was Denise Gough in People, Places and Things. We sat on the stage as part of a 360-degree audience and I was transfixed from start to finish despite the uncomfortable chairs. It has stayed with me ever since.”

@hamiltonandhare

As the year closes out, we wanted to get back in touch with some of our favourite designers to better understand where they source their inspiration. The only rule, the source of inspiration has to be outside of the fashion world…

OLIVIA FRANCIS Founder, Hamilton + Hare.

CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN Founder, RÆBURN.

PAUL WALKER Co-Founder, Walker Slater.

“Being young and holidaying in the New Forest with my grandparents, and then also on the sailing boats and the Alps, hugely inspired me. I was hugely fortunate to spend time outdoors, learning and exploring and seeing beauty. My grandfather was also a landscape artist so being around works inspired by surroundings and landscapes was in my DNA.”

@walkerslater

RIKKI KHER Founder,

“My inspiration has always come from music and visual art. Musically, three artists have made a huge impact on my creativity: Miles Davis from all his eras, The New Romantics from the 80s, and Hip Hop in the early 90s. My first art inspiration came from Picasso’s blue period and then in New York, I fell in love with graffiti artists like Phase2, Futura and Seen. As I grow older, visual art gives me more cerebral inspiration.”

@thisiskardo

WORDS

JAI MCINTOSH

Kardo.

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JAI MCINTOSH

Unfeigned aims to re-imagine the lines between streetwear and formalwear. Through the use of organic cotton, recycled fabrics and environmentally conscious materials, the brand is part of the great shift in contemporary fashion moving towards a greener future.

Unfeigned aim to keep production local, while maintaining full transparency, ensuring full social commitment. Roomy, relaxed with leanings toward Japanese workwear and utilitarian uniform, the Spanish lifestyle brand, brainchild of founder Rafa Gomez, is a true family affair.

Speaking with Rafa, the plan presents itself; “We strive for the best in quality and want to be known as a brand that creates elevated, relaxed and easy-to-wear pieces. We are evolving and creating refined capsule garments for men that can be a flexible and easy go-to addition to the wardrobe. Natural and interesting with style at its core.”

However, for Rafa, having an idea was not enough. Help was needed. Who better

to bring into your business than trusted family members?

The Unfeigned team now boasts five Gomez siblings. Rafa initially extended the team by enlisting the help of his sister. Then added current art director Maria who, incidentally, is the only family member with a fashion background having studied fashion and journalism before working for the likes of Mary Katrantzou.

Maria’s influence is apparent; she is a driving force. “We are very much the brand that sits between streetwear and more formal attire. This is the new-wave in menswear clothing that can be worn to work more formally,” explains Maria. “It can look smart and presentable, but equally carries that edge and style points that make it transitional to the streets.”

The brand came to life in just one-year, a period of time where two collections, certification and also brand development was honed and established, eventually showcasing a 60-piece capsule at trade shows including Seek, Berlin, and Pitti Uomo in Florence.

Having recently opened their first flagship store in Madrid, Unfeigned have been developing an organic customer base and future plans. Working with a collection of elevated, premium garments, Unfeigned fuses a beautifully effortless and eclectic mix of fabrics from the technical, to simple cotton and velour staples to achieve its very distinctive look.

"We are proud to be from Spain, and that’s tremendously important to us, but we also have a distinct international reach and style without boundaries,'' adds Rafa. "Solid family values are channelled into the brand and we work together tirelessly to get to where we want to be. We would love our next store to be in London.”

Now boasting a full capsule, the AW22 range includes technical jackets and pants, velour two-piece sets as well as wool-check jacket, gilets and sweats to give its well-rounded presentation.

Rafa Gomez Founder of Unfeigned

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JAI MCINTOSH

missing a single session. No matter where I was, I would fly back to make it. Not only did we do monthly parties, but we did specials on top of that. I am not sure how many we have done in total, so thinking of seminal moments is almost impossible.

DJ, Broadcaster, Co-Founder of Deviation Club Nights, and Head of Music for Louis Vuitton Menswear, Benji B has been a central figure within the world of music and fashion for two decades. With Deviation turning 15, we spoke to Benji B at the beautiful restaurant Luca - in Clerkenwell - just before the anniversary celebrations began:

JAI Firstly, let's talk Deviation; 15 years is an exceptional achievement, and things look far from slowing down. How does this anniversary feel on a personal level?

BB On a personal level, this anniversary means a lot, it is a big moment. When we turned 10 years old, I thought that was amazing, but 15 years really brings home all that we have done. If I look back now at all the classic nights, the legendary line-ups, memorable DJ sets, live performances, those moments - if I look at the crowd we have gathered and collaborated

with - it is all something I am immensely proud of. Alongside Jude, we have been a presence in the London nightlife scene.

When we started the club, it was very much based on the music we loved, the nightlife and soundsystem we loved, and the real club culture. Through the curation of the artists and the natural creation of our community, it has gone from being a 200 capacity basement event to something that actually has its own sound and meaning. I am incredibly grateful to be able to contribute to the music scene in my hometown.

When you're in the middle of something, you don’t realise how important it can be. We are play-it-down guys, so we won’t be blowing our own trumpet, but I do believe the club is important, and has been important across the 15 years. Coming out of a pandemic, things are picking back up and we are now making up for lost time.

The future looks bright. We will continue our collaborations and we'll work hard on creating the best club experience in London and across the world. We are perfectionists, and we hope to continually elevate over the next 15 years.

JAI What are the seminal memories you hold of the first 15 years of Deviation?

BB That is so tough. For the first ten years, we did a party every month without

Our first birthday was extremely special. We flew in Dame Funk for his first UK show, a folkloric London house event. The fifth birthday party was one of the most memorable sessions ever - it took place in a church in Hackney. The line-up was ridiculous and the crowd was incredible. It is one of the rare moments in clubbing where I wouldn’t change a thing, it was perfection.

Carnival is also a special place for us. Over the last five years we have had our own stage and sound system. We have the Deviation strings project which is brilliant, as well as the parties we host across the world.

JAI You continue to champion new and emerging artists - what is it that encourages you to do this?

BB For me, my life has always been a musical one, energised by the privilege of being able to hear new artists on my radio show. What encourages me to do this? A sheer love of music. I don’t need any encouragement, I am lucky enough to be in a position where I am surrounded by new sounds, I have the opportunity to champion new music, it is a pleasure.

I’d like to mention George Riley, Yussef Days, Ragz Originale, Knucks, M Huncho, Kendrick Lamar (not an emerging artist, but he is too great). Aso, Vigro Deep, Charisse C, and the other DJs and producers representing the southern parts of Africa. The music coming from that part of the world to the UK has been hugely influential, the sounds are a big part of club music now.

If you haven’t listened to some of these, you should. @benjib

Following two years of social distancing, cancelled Christmas plans, and festive Zoom quizzes, Christmas 2022 is finally time to reconnect. This festive season is all about making Christmas extra special.

The first sector of the campaign, shot on location at a glacier in the stunning Austrian Alps, showcases a range of staple outerwear pieces essential for the coming colder months. Featuring pieces from Moose Knuckles, Sandbanks, Parajumpers and more, the shots highlight a varying range of styles from some of Tessuti’s best selling outerwear designers for winter weather.

Secondly, the ‘Art of Giving’ campaign presents a curation of luxury men's and women's partywear as the ‘party season’ element of the festive period looms closer. Set against a timeless mountain chalet backdrop, this fun-loving photoset encapsulates the carefree, joyous celebrations that come with the Christmas season.

Through a classic luxury and trend-led lens, Tessuti are hoping to inspire a general sense of gratitude for your nearest and dearest this Christmas. Overall, Tessuti is highlighting the importance of giving your time, love and appreciation. Spend some time to truly show them that you care - and do it in style with Tessuti’s key seasonal pieces. tessuti.co.uk

In 1931, Samuel Goldwyn of MGM productions offered a multi-million dollar contract to Coco Chanel for her to design costumes for the screen. In today's world, couture and cinema seem largely inseparable. However, in 1931, Coco Chanel was faced with uncharted territory.

Fashion in film was largely seen as a caricature of couture culture, but Samuel Goldwyn was certain that “women went to movies to see how other women dressed” (Goldwyn: A Biography, Scott Berg A, 1998). Chanel’s flirtation with the silver screen would only be brief. The subtlety of her aesthetic was lost on movie audiences whilst couture culture continued to reject the garish designs of Hollywood.

Yet, Goldwyn was closer to the truth than he may have realised. As is often the way with fashion, it would take another two decades for this overlooked, minimalist approach to explode back onto our screens and into public consciousness. The now globally recognised little black dress, worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, clearly draws influence from Chanel’s understated designs of the early 1930s, such as those seen on Gloria Swanson in Tonight or Never (1931).

In 2022, the heady heights of golden-age Hollywood fashion have slipped back onto the silver screen. Although this time, we’re more likely to be enjoying it from the comfort of our own homes. Netflix’s Blonde (2022) was released to a somewhat rocky reception, but it would be hard to pass over the delicate costume design throughout the film. For costume designer Jennifer Johnson, tackling the iconic fashion figure of Marilyn Monroe was no small challenge. As the story divides the glitzy, blonde bombshell of Hollywood from the smart, sensitive artist behind the image, so too does the costume design, further emphasising these separate identities.

It is these same separate identities, between glitzy high-fashion and artistic merit, that marked Blonde as an unusual choice of subject matter in the modern era. More so than in previous decades, fashion has decided to embark on its cinematic path. Just as film influenced couture, designers have been influenced by film to create movies to showcase their latest creations.

Take The Staggering Girl (2019), a short film produced collaboratively with Valentino’s creative director, Pierpaolo Piccioli. Envision a world dressed entirely in Valentino - rich in frothy tulle, billowing gowns, and ruffling colour. Or the deftly produced Burberry short films Open Spaces (2021) and Night Creatures (2022), which play with cinematography and open narratives as much as they do costume. Unfortunately, the resulting films are often aesthetically rich, yet semiotically empty.

It is difficult to shake the feeling that, if this is the inevitable product of the continued involvement of high fashion in film, then couture may be best left on the runway. In a world that is becoming increasingly commercial, the desire to safeguard art from finance has never been stronger. But to shun the importance of fashion in film is to overlook the art of costume design entirely, and the intertwined histories of the two media.

The purpose of fashion, be it on the runway, in a movie, or on the street, rarely changes. To communicate, express, and reinvent; it’s what makes costuming a cornerstone of filmmaking, and fashion so important.

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CAMERON ROBSON

BEHIND THE BADGE

BELSTAFF

Belstaff has been one of the most iconic British brands for close to a century. Now, moving in a slightly different direction under the leadership of Jodie Harrison, we had to touch base…

BEHIND THE BADGE

INTERVIEW BY THOMAS SUMNER

PHOTOGRAPHY

BETH BENNETT

TS What was it originally that made you warm to Belstaff?

JH I’ve always been attracted to what Belstaff could be - the opportunity always felt like it could have been much bigger.

Belstaff is an iconic British brand with a wonderful heritage, it’s one of those brands that really knows what it does wellthat is something I have always respected. That said, I've always felt like it should have been more future-facing and innovative when developing fabrics that are our own and using the archive to inform the future.

Belstaff came from humble beginnings in the North of England - yet today it is internationally recognised. The origin story is well known to those who follow the brand. We were founded by two gentlemen in 1924. One was a Jewish immigrant called Eli Belovitch, who had a great idea to start creating products for the motorcycling community. After the war effort, he had a lot of surplus wax jackets that he made into the first weatherproof jackets. I think it showed guts. He took risks and I think that's the spirit of where we're trying to take the brand now. We want to take more risks, to be an innovator rather than a brand that follows trends.

TS As a company with rich and iconic heritage, how do you allow this to inform what you do going forwards rather than dictate?

JH Belstaff is a Northern English brand, with an enviable heritage, and we're really proud of that. We started our life in Stokeon-Trent in the early 1920s, but now we're looking at the future. Our centenary is in 2024, and I think to date we've been heritage driven, but now we're much more focused on appealing to younger customers, you know, diversifying the product range, improving our womenswear, and looking at new technical fabrication innovations to make sure that we're ahead of the curve going into the future.

TS The iconic heritage of the brand remains to this day, helped by various sporting ambassadors such as George Russell. What characteristics do Belstaff ambassadors require to align with the brand?

JH The kind of character that appeals to the brand and really represents what we’re about, and what we’re looking for is someone like George Russell - a phenomenal F1 driver, who’s been doing amazing

this year. He really embodies that sort of grit and determination that we align ourselves with, meaning that he is the kind of character that we’re looking at.

Over the years we’ve worked with people we’re really proud of - David Beckham did incredible things for Belstaff, and in recent years, we've collaborated with people like James Norton. I think now we're looking at ambassadors that are more in the sporting arena, and who are really doing something exceptional with it whilst applying the kind of grit and rigour that has always underlined what Belstaff is.

TS Sporting excellence is not just important for the identity of the brand, it exists in the background of the leadership, specifically Fran Millar. How has the restructuring of Belstaff created an environment for future success?

JH Belstaff has been in the fashion realm for quite a long time, but some of the original pieces that we created, all the way from the twenties through to the seventies, were for sporting pursuits.

When Fran Millar, our new CEO, came into the business two years ago, she laid down a challenge to all of us: to start to recreate

Belstaff’s history a little bit and look at different narratives that haven't been told before. Everyone knows Belstaff for Moto and Motorcycling but I don't think they know a lot of the stuff that we've unearthed through old catalogues and archives. We had an interesting collaboration with Gore-Tex in the 1970s where we created this beautiful apparel for Chris Bollington to climb with - the first time anyone had collaborated with Gore-Tex.

As a larger brand, Ineos are developing their sporting portfolio, you've got Mercedes F1 in there, we also own a football team in France: OGC Nice.

This is the storytelling that we're now looking at and redeveloping at Belstaff - I think a lot of people don't really know that it was a sports brand originally.

TS As you mentioned with Gore-Tex, you're beginning to incorporate contemporary clothing technologies, right?

JH Yes! One piece particularly informed Autumn/Winter 2022, and that was a naval smock that we developed in the 1970s for the Royal Navy.

Every detail had a reason to be there - in-

forming a lot of the pieces, but specifically a little chapter which we're calling our naval story. So the Naval Parka in particular is made from wax cotton, which is obviously a very traditional belt of fabric, but it's been done in a completely new shape, with a new aesthetic, and it's already becoming a great seller.

Within that you've got a parka, sweatshirts, materials with the same sort of pocket details on.

This feels authentic to us and it's got a story that only we can have, but effectively we're innovating and creating products that we've never done before.

TS What is it about Belstaff that keeps customers coming back?

JH The reason somebody comes back to a brand is because the product has a quality to it that they can't find anywhere else. We've got an incredibly loyal custom-

er that has been with us for a long time, we call them our icons. They’re basically buying our iconic shapes that have been within the brand for many years.

I think one of the great things about Belstaff is that you can buy a Trialmaster or a leather jacket, and it could be for a man in his ‘40s, ‘50s, ‘60s. You could also see that jacket on a young lad that's working their way through their twenties. It's the same piece just worn in different ways.

I think a lot of people in the younger age group wouldn't know what Belstaff was and that's a real shame to me that they don't know why it's been around for so long, what the legacy was and is. We’re trying to bring them in through new ways of storytelling and get them excited about the fact that the brand's got things to say and that it's got incredible stories, incredible people that have worn the brand over the decades.

We're reaching new customers by retelling stories that they might not know about us and restyling the product in new and innovative ways.

TS In your opinion, what are the Belstaff icon pieces?

JH So one of the pieces that is central to Belstaff and is probably the thing that we're known most for is our Trialmaster. The jacket is my favourite piece year after year. I just love it and it's the first thing I've ever bought from Belstaff. It was designed for riding on a motorcycle - It's got a map pocket for when you obviously have to slip out an actual physical map rather than looking at an iPhone.

The jacket was for a trials rider called Sammy Miller, and he used it in a race called the Scottish Six Day Trials; a proper gruelling endeavour. It was designed with a purpose and for a reason. That is the piece that has remained central to every collection since.

TS What are your favourite pieces from the new collection?

JH My favourite pieces in the new Autumn/Winter '22 collection are the ones that hold that tension between old and new. That's what really gets me excited; when I see that the product has a reason for being. Like I said before, we worked in realms that people don't know about.

I love the Naval Parker because it was directly influenced by a very beautiful smock from the 1970s. We used to make incredible tents and things like that. We have these pieces in our archives that inform the designs now.

These pieces make me so proud. I want everyone in the team to be proud, we have stuck to our plan, our greater vision, and we are working towards a new approach that links heritage to the contemporary. We just can't wait to show what's coming.

Shop Belstaff at tessuti.co.uk

We have stuck to our plan, our greater vision, and we are working towards a new approach that links heritage to the contemporary. We just can't wait to show what's coming. "

We have stuck to our plan, our greater vision, and we are working towards

The GENTLEMAN of LONDON

For those loyal EJ readers, you’ll know that we began our year having breakfast at a cafe in London. However, as we come to the end of an arduous, transformative year, we wanted to take a step back, reflect, and grab a pint. So, we headed back to The Big Smoke, stopping in Soho this time, and invited someone we knew would appreciate the moment.

Ṣọpé Dìrísù pulled up a stool and joined us at the bar in Berwick Street’s prolific The Blue Posts Pub to talk about growing up, Gangs of London, and the year he finally got to breathe.

BB So, end of the year; how’s 2022 been for you?

SD It’s been a good year. I haven't sat down and probably reflected on it yet, but I've been able to do a lot of different things this year. My friend got married in Barbados and, in previous years of my career, I’ve not necessarily been able to make those kinds of events because I’ve been trying to work as much as possible. Whereas this year, I was finally able to carve out and protect time for the things outside of work and that’s been really important to me.

BB I guess, in the early stages, you're sort of scrambling for work and you're wanting

to fill every moment you can so you can afford to live, get your name out there, grow your name?

SD There’s this feeling when you’re early in your career that everything is temporary until you prove that you’re not. So I needed to develop some momentum, keep working. There’s always someone else you’ll be told to impress or a job you’ll need to get. But I do love my work so, even though it’s been constant and difficult at times, I’ve wanted to do it.

But I do also feel like I constantly have something to prove. For me, thankfully, it’s not in an unhealthy way. It's more a case that I need to prove to myself and to oth-

ers that I can do this and that I can change, I can be different characters. I know that I can, it’s just proving it.

BB It's just about being able to show your range to people, no one wants to be put in a box, right?

SD Change is really important for me. There are a lot of movie stars that are the same in every single role, but they're still movie stars and we still pay a cinema fee to go see them. And there is a talent and a skill to that. But what I want to be able to achieve for myself is to be visibly and tangibly different from one role to another; to go to the character rather than to bring the situation to myself and be like, “Oh, what does this version of Ṣọpé do in this situation?”

This year I've been able to appreciate that I’m achieving that already. If you look at the difference between Gangs of London and Mr Malcolm’s List, for example, there is a difference there and the characters are different. I just want to continue to prove to myself that I can transform.

BB So, for you, you could almost say that in 2022, you're not stopping and you're not pausing, but you're finally…?

SD Breathing. There’s way more comfort than discomfort now.

A career is a marathon, not a sprint. You get out of the blocks, you find your position amongst the pack and you run. Don't let your breathing become automatic; focus on it whilst you're running. It's almost like a meditation. And in remembering to breathe, you remember how far you've come in the race so far. There’s more to go, but you're in a good place. And that meditative moment is really what this year has been like for me.

BB Sounds like your next project should be Marathons of London. You’re a physical guy, aren’t you? Do you do your own stunts?

SD I do as much as I can. I've always been physical. I did some low level martial arts when I was still in primary school and played football, rugby, and American football. My body has always been a tool that I've used so it makes sense. So I get involved, I take pride in it actually.

BB So was it that physicality, then, where you got your interest in acting?

SD We ask kids, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and we shouldn’t. The whole education system is not good. We make them choose at an age where they can't even vote or they’re not allowed to legally have sex, yet they’re supposed to path they’re futures?

I get less and less surprised by the amount of people who study something at university and then do something different, like how I started an economics degree and then became an actor. I wasn’t

forced into doing that degree but because I wasn’t given the space to explore other options in school, I felt a little lost.

I never knew what I wanted to be. I would be told, “You can't be an astronaut and a chef. You can't be a firefighter and football player. You have to choose one.” So, I guess, in the end, I said, “No, I’m fine. I’ll just pretend to be all of them.” (laughs)

BB I read that it was your parents that pointed out that you weren’t happy doing your degree. How important was that for you to have their support?

SD I guess I'm actually just a super obedient child (laughs). I did, and still do, take a lot of pride in making them proud. Especially from like global majority diasporic parents, you know, because they've often had a pretty shit time coming into the Western world – my parents didn’t have the best time coming into England – and they want to make your life, as their child, even easier.

They believe, if you've got this degree, no one can turn your way; if you speak Eng-

lish really well, no one is going to say that they don't understand you. You're not going to be marginalised as a consequence of that. There will always be racism, but you can overcome it, to a certain extent, by being qualified.

So for them to have preached that sermon my whole childhood and then be like, “You should try and become an actor if that's what makes you happy,” really was a freedom. Without it, I would maybe be doing very well in a successful economics or finance job that I don’t like. But that discomfort would manifest itself in other ways and I wouldn’t be who I am.

BB Do you think that made you closer with your parents?

A CAREER IS A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT. YOU GET OUT OF THE BLOCKS, YOU FIND YOUR POSITION AMONGST THE PACK AND YOU RUN.

SD The only reason I'd say no is because I think my family unit is really tight knit. And I don't think I would have blamed them for not being an actor. I was very well aware of the 5% of actors who were working at any given point and then the 1% of those actors that you know actually about. Those are hideous statistics that are probably not true, but it was something that I believed when I was younger.

I've been so fortunate over the course of my life to have taken the steps to get to where I am right now. But if I hadn't given myself that freedom or received it from my parents, I don't think we would be estranged now as a consequence of that. We’d probably be closer because I’d be able to spend more time with them (laughs).

BB (Laughs) That’s fair but you also get to come back and be like, “Look, I’ve made you proud.”

SD One of my proudest moments, with my parents, was when I did Coriolanus at the RSC. My mum does not like Shakespeare; it reminds her of the trauma of being in school as a lot of us have. But she came to see me in Coriolanus and she was incensed, it made her feel so much. She met the actors who played Coriolanus' antagonists and she was like, “If I hadn’t

known that you were an actor, I'd be so angry.” She felt the injustice of the character because the production made her feel that. I was so proud that we had been able to transcend language and made the story clear to the audience to the point where someone who doesn’t like Shakespeare was able to feel something so passionately.

BB I’ve read, and spoken to, a lot of actors who don’t enjoy watching themselves on screen; do you share that sentiment or are you indifferent to it?

SD It used to bother me a lot. With the first director I ever worked with, I don’t think I watched a single bit of playback when we were shooting. I did so much work before that shoot. I wanted to make a good impression. I wanted to set myself up and create my practice. I was doing research and breaking down scenes, studying each word and syllable to make sure that I was giving it the truth and weight that it needed. And then when it came out, and I was watching it… it was the ‘blandest’ performance I have ever seen in my life.

I'd just come from doing Stage all the time. It was my first proper screen job. I’d always thought theatre actors are so big on screen because they are used to playing to an audience and they don't realise it's an audience of one – the camera lens.

To counter that, I made my performance really small but that made it just imperceptible. So, I do watch a lot more now. I suppose it's testament to my growth as an artist and performer and knowing my own tastes, etc. I can watch stuff and be like, “Okay, cool, I’m proud of that performance and I achieved what I wanted to”

I am still my own worst critic. Maybe it's better to have non artistic friends or family around you because they can just tell you as an audience member, “I enjoyed it” or “I didn’t understand this bit.” They’re not going to be like, “Technically, that camera move was so excellent!” Because art should be judged and critiqued on how it makes you feel, as opposed to whether it's technically perfect. What stands up next to things that have come before… that's not important. It should be like, how does it make the audience feel? How does it make the person who's interacting with it feel?

BB Let’s touch on Gangs of London then. What I really like about it is the style. It's a bit John Wick-ian; it's a bit Japanese or Korean in action style. It's a bit like a mythic London, as well. It’s the London we’re in now but more off kilter. Do you think that there's still a responsibility in how you perform and what you do to represent things? Like you don’t want to glamorise or demonise anything too much.

SD I like to create and work on projects that assume the audience is intelligent, and I therefore assume that nobody's watching Gangs of London for tips on how to extort the local pub. No one's watching it for what fighting moves you can learn from a specific scene. So not so much responsibility.

I think the responsibility that I feel very strongly is that it’s populated with the people of London. It's cosmopolitan. If it was just white working class gangsters then I wouldn't be interested. I don't think many other people would either. So I think that’s the only role of responsibility I feel in making it.

BB Do you have anywhere you would like Gangs of London to go next? Do you want to go bigger?

SD I won't share that information. Not because I know, but because I don't want my interpretation or desires to get in the way of the people enjoying it. Everyone's just really excited about potentiality, but nobody can come up with something that

they would really love to see. I think that’s quite exciting. I'm thinking of the moment in The Truman Show where he bumps into the wall, just before he opens the door to find out what’s on the other side. Nobody knows what’s on the other side; nobody can conceive it. That’s exciting because it almost means we can’t go wrong. But violence and the explosions are part of the DNA of the show. So there'll definitely be more of that, I'm sure.

BB So, as we’re coming to the end of 2022, where do you think British film and TV is at in terms of its representative storytelling and its inclusivity? What do you hope improves in the future?

SD There was a series at the end of last year called You Don't Know Me. Sam Adewunmi was the lead in it and Bukky Bakray was in it as well. Basically, it was about the stages of representation. You could have just had non-white people in the series, that's a version of visibility. But when the lead character was at home with his mum and his sister, they spoke in Yoruba, in the way that a lot of families do.

A lot of global majority families will speak their native language at home and then speak English outside. That was a different version of going through the veil of a character or into a culture. I think that is true representation.

It's about having the nuance of lots of different experiences. Seeing the fullness and uniqueness of marginalised groups… that is the chef’s kiss of representation. I think that we're beginning to see more of that, which is really exciting.

It's nice to know that we're going in that direction. From not seeing ourselves on TV at all to seeing ourselves, but not seeing our stories, to seeing more stories embedded in the fabric of the culture of the entire country. It’s beautiful.

BB I think there’s always been an issue, specifically in Britain, that when we want to represent a culture or community, we tend to go for the easy route of focusing on the trauma of that group, rather than their full experience. It’s interesting to think about what that is subconsciously saying, don’t you think?

SD Yes and I think it’s that subconscious decision making that’s actually worse; because you're revealing what you yourself don't know that you think about those people. Whereas, if it's conscious, you could say it’s what’s happening in the news, that we're just trying to be relevant, and then you can be accused of being sort of callous or simple. But if you go, “Oh, we didn't realise, we're just trying to be inclusive,” you’re just showing that you think very little of people who don’t look like you.

BB And it’s who’s behind the camera, right? And the people who are telling the stories? It's in that space that you have these unconscious biases revealed that they might not even be aware of themselves but they’re expressed, and then they’re distributed to the masses?

SD Yeah it’s also about who the powers that be choose to create these shows and films.

BB Do you think you'll ever move behind the camera? Is that something you'd ever want to do?

SD That wouldn’t be the reason I move behind the camera but I would if there’s a story I want to tell that nobody else is thinking about. That would be the only reason. I don’t feel currently oppressed by being a black person in the industry. And I'm also surrounded by creatives and writers and directors and makers who I know have really excellent perspectives.

I know that the future of the industry is in really good hands. It's not something that I feel like I’ve got to go on a personal crusade to change.

BB Now, I need to ask – because I’ve been seeing your tweets – you really love the new Pinocchio, don’t you?

SD Pinocchio’s wicked! It's one of the only one of this new spate of remakes that I wish I had when I was growing up. The original version of Pinocchio was alright. Don’t get me wrong, Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket and Gepetto were great. But this one is so charming. I can't fault it. And I kind of don't want to hear anyone say anything bad about it.

But really it’s the discussion about what it means to be real, in this film, that’s really beautiful. Pinocchio, back then, sort of takes on the Caucasian complexion. He looks a bit like a real boy all the way through the film and then at the end he just loses the animation of the joints. But he looks exactly the same. But this version? It’s so—-I’m not going to spoil it, just go watch it, yeah.

BB What else has inspired you this year?

SD Entergalactic created by Kid Cudi.

BB And, finally, cliché as it is, what are you going to take with you into 2023 that you've learnt from this year?

SD I’ve made the unfortunate habit of floating through life, so I think it would be: if you can do it now, do it now. Don’t let yourself have regrets. But mostly, remember to take a minute to breathe.

BB You know I reckon you'd make a fantastic James Bond; would you ever do it?

SD I'll let you know. (winks)

Author and activist Olia Hercules was having a positive start to the year before her home country came under attack from Russian Forces. Since the invasion, Olia has worked tirelessly spreading awareness, raising millions for charity. Interestingly, Olia works on maintaining Ukraine’s presence in popular culture delicately, discussing culture and presenting food to enable people to best understand a nation in need of support.

This aside, Olia has spent the last five years writing a collection of award-winning culinary books focusing on heritage recipes from Ukrainian culture, as well as recipes from surrounding eastern European countries. When discussing who we wanted to spotlight as one of our stars of the year, we found it an impossibility to look beyond Olia Hercules.

JAI Throughout 2022, you have combined your culinary skill with your desire to raise awareness and funds to aid the war effort in Ukraine with the #CookForUkraine campaign. How has the campaign developed and evolved throughout this year?

OH So, there have been two branches of work - we started #CookForUkraine on the day of the invasion. Me and my friend Alissa Timoshkina met at a protest, traumatised and upset. We didn’t know how to deal with what was happening - how can you? But, we felt we had to do something to help. We were both involved in #CookForSyria in a small way and we knew the team behind it - so we got in touch to ask for help in setting up a similar process to aid support in my home country. As this started happening, my brother joined the Territorial Army as Head of Logistics helping provide food and nourishment to hundreds of soldiers in Kyiv. Just to make a distinction, everything we have done for Ukraine is humanitarian, for children and the vulnerable.

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JAI MCINTOSH

PHOTOGRAPHY

JOE WOODHOUSE

My other more personal work was to raise money for protective gear for his regiment, and also to help families that remain in the occupied territories. Alissa took the reins to start with over the first three months of #CookForUkraine, it was crazy

trying to source military gear, you wouldn’t believe it. Also, I was trying to help get my parents out of the country; my parents left when it was possible, charities do a lot of good work and I have supported them. I was doing my best to financially support people trying to get out of the country, but as the borders became increasingly dangerous and war expanded, this had to unfortunately stop.

So, we had both of these projects running at once. I was involved but doing a lot of press and PR. By the time my parents left and my brother had his kit I got more involved. We started to get people to cook Ukrainian food, and to use the hashtag as we both knew the hashtag would work and people would find some comfort and understanding in it. It is so hard to be plugged into horrific headlines of death and violence, so we tried to work in a positive, more gentle way, reminding people that Ukraine is still here and still battling. If you are cooking a Ukrainian dish, you will talk about the culture, the families, everything that is going on, food is a gateway to understanding other cultures and people. It has gone very well, and we have raised close to £2 million for UNICEF and we encourage people to donate to smaller charities - Choose Love and Legacy of War are also associated with all of the work we

are doing, both in food and with getting clothing to our defenders. They have been beyond amazing. Giles Duley, the founder of Legacy of War is a friend. He lost a few limbs in Afghanistan, he stepped on a landmine working as a war photographer. He has been involved in helping people in wars since setting it up and has been extremely present, I am so grateful. He has been to Ukraine for weeks at a time, he has been teaming up with Women's March Kyiv - setting up a shelter for vulnerable women and the LGBTQ community. Despite the pain and hurt, we have tried to do our best and will continue to do so. There is plenty more to do.

JAI You appear to have a desire and willingness to help educate people, what inspires this?

OH Well, I think curiosity and learning are, in my family and in my own life, really rather huge. My grandparents, due to war and deportations, never got a higher education, but they have always been curious and knowledge-loving. My grandma had six children, a small holding, and worked

the land. She would always ask my uncle to get books from the library and she would do all of her work and then, late at night, would start reading French novels. That thirst for knowledge has always been there. It has always been special. It is mind-opening. I love learning about other cultures, you know, writing about my own culture and our food throughout my books has been a beautiful process.

Ukraine has been in the shadow of the Soviet Union and Russia for so long - people would hear me say I am Ukrainian and call me Russian. I have been hit by stereotypes my whole life. I am from the south of Ukraine, it is mediterranean there. The country is beautiful, and people haven't been, but I hope one day they can. We have beautiful writers and artists - even though Russia appropriates a lot of our work.

JAI One quote of yours that has always stood out to me is “cooking is an act of defiance” - please could you let me know what that means?

OH It stemmed from my experiences eating and cooking when the war started in February. When you go through the state of trauma most of us went through, I couldn’t eat or cook. Normally, cooking for me is therapy, it is something that brings me joy - an ultimate mindfulness, it does wonders for my brain. When war started, I lost this power. I lost my power. I couldn’t find joy in life, it felt painfuleven hugging my children felt painful, it felt wrong. How could I feel joy when my people couldn’t? My parents left via Italy and ended up in Berlin. I went to meet them there in my cousin’s house in Berlin, atop a twisted hill. They had been driving for five days, away from war, and I wanted them to come in and smell the food. It was the first time I had cooked since the war started and I felt empowered again, I felt a sense of ownership and healing. That felt like defiance. I spoke to my mum in the months that followed - I kept cancelling all media appearances. I just couldn’t focus, and I would be deeply depressed.

My mother told me that this is what warfare is, it isn’t just on the battlefield.

You are plunged into horror, but you have to maintain your mind. For me, I had to keep cooking and working; that was when the passion came back and that is when I realised that cooking, eating, taking care of our families and continuing to work is an act of defiance.

You are plunged into horror, but you have to maintain your mind. For me, I had to keep cooking and working; that was when the passion came back and

They are trying to break us psychologically - you can't let them beat you on the inside. We are tortured from a distance, people are tortured in person - it is awful. You are plunged into horror but you have to maintain your mind. For me, I had to keep cooking and working, that was when the passion came back and that is when I realised that cooking, eating, taking care of our families and continuing to work is an act of defiance.

JAI Arguably the best way to understand a culture is to understand its food. How would you best characterise Ukrainian food/ingredients/recipes?

OH Deeply connected to the land and the local environment. Like people, nature in Ukraine is central. So much has been damaged, Kherson has been obliterated. The history of my area has been damaged, we had some amazing agricultural practices. Whole populations have been plucked out and sent to somewhere else. Our villages have been flooded. Despite all of this destruction, people kept going. But the idea of land, the sun, the climate - it is central to our food culture in all facets. We are a unified organism in Ukraine. We love the land, we play with the seasons all of the time. Traditionally you get some different spicing depending on which country is near to your area of the border, but typical Ukrainian cuisine is not so much based on spicing, but it is all about quality, fresh, seasonal ingredients. The summer kitchens always existed in Ukraine. When my grandparents gave birth to my mother, the first thing they did was to build a full kitchen - it is the hive of the family and hub of the house.

Preservation is always something we have done - it is normal across certain parts of Europe. However, across the opening half-century, and even now, Ukranians have had to deal with multiple famines forcing people into finding methods of preserving food. We use fire ovens over gas ovens as Ukraine has to consistently deal with Russian interference in domestic energy use. We adapt and survive.

JAI Over the last seven years, you have written and published five books. What has the journey from Mamushka through to the present moment been like?

OH It has been an amazing journey really. Mamushka came about quite unexpectedly, I never even dreamed of being able to write, I just wanted to cook. I would do anything to cook. Mamushka was a beautiful experience, we actually went and took plenty of the images in Ukraine. We had to sign a document saying if we got blown up it was on us! It was vital for me to take pictures of real people, with real food, in truly Ukrainian places. The book has been a great success, and is being released again as Mamusia. It is less Russian sounding. Kaukasis allowed me to travel throughout Georgia and Azerbaijan, a beautiful experience throughout eastern Europe. Looking back now, the idea of travelling throughout this part of the world holds greater value. It was an experience I will not forget, that’s for sure.

Even recipe writing has changed. I used to write for Sainsbury's magazine which was a little regimented, but in my own book, I was able to make it more my own and add elements I think are important. Hopefully, people have been able to connect and make it their own. It was only the pandemic that stopped me writing a travel book - Summer Kitchen was super important. I feel so happy I was able to travel around Ukraine, now it feels like a treasure that I will never not hold close. I went to the Sea of Azov and spoke to the people there, and saw as many people as I could - it was all self funded. Again, the summer kitchen - it is a symbol of the heart of Ukraine.

Home Food is my journey, my career and life. It is split into parts. Starting with migrations of my grandparents, to my own. I touch on comfort and connectivitythe universal moments of innocence and love that can feel the world in a small yet massive way. I wanted to touch on memories. I want to hold the reader by their hand, with gentle recipes that encourage them to explore. I have realised with these

texts, I wanted to be a storyteller as well as talking about food. I wanted to tell people the stories I have learned - it brings me so much joy. I feel as though I have got better at doing so, but it is a project of love. More history, more stories need to be told to the people.

JAI What differs between UK and Ukrainian food culture, and to what extent do you think people’s understanding of your work and food has aided your campaign work?

OH Interesting. Unfortunately, I feel that UK food culture has been affected a lot more in the post-war era than Ukraine. Ukraine is bigger, and has more of that countryside expanse, the peasantry working the land is more prominent in Ukraine than the UK so we were better able to maintain traditions. The revival of British cuisine is exceptional and there are heroes throughout the culture, and the way in which British food celebrates seasonality is wonderful. My husband Joe grew up on a farm. He remembers seeing ingredients like tongue in the fridge, but now that

is very rare, in Ukraine, people would not normally eat meat daily, so when it was there, we attempted to utilise the whole animal- when I was writing Summer Kitchen, I would make cow udders which used to be a thing in the UK but now you cannot find it anywhere.

Fermentation culture isn’t as prominent in the UK just yet, but this process is not uniquely Ukrainian, there are multiple nations that have traditions of fermentation. That said, the love of gardens is very similar in the UK and in Ukraine, it helped me connect to living here. Many British people are proud of their garden and there are many, many people who grow fruit and vegetables. This is remarkably similar to the culture at home. The land and the people work in harmony.

JAI One thing supporters of yours enjoy is your openness with your family, in particular your husband Joe Woodhouse. How does he and the rest of your immediate family influence your work and food?

OH I couldn’t have survived this year without him. He has taken care of the house, the children, and my niece that I got from the Poland/Ukraine border. He has been a rock. Incredible. Also, he cooks for us and nourishes us. In terms of my cooking, he is a huge influence. I have always been conscious that meat hasn’t been used on an everyday basis in Ukraine, but Joe doesn’t eat meat, and he made it very easy to be a vegetarian household. He isn’t preachy, he cooks meat if the children would like some but it is rare, we eat vegetarian almost all of the time. When meat is on the table, it is a big deal and teaches our children to appreciate good things like this, as where I am from, it is not common. There has been a huge breakthrough in the house with vegetarian food, but when good quality meat comes in, the kids are all over it. This year would have been impossible without him, no doubt.

JAI You have harnessed social media incredibly across 2022, was this an organic process from your culinary and activist work?

OH There was no plan - it has been completely organic, as typical as that sounds (laughs). I am the type of person who is a little fatalistic, but I believe in what I am doing and if it attracts people then great. I started my Instagram account as a single parent years ago. I felt lonely, and I knew I could connect with people in the food world and with people like me. It snowballed from there, and when the war started my following doubled overnight and people were really paying attention to what I was saying, I was like, “Fuck, what is going on?”

Patreon was planned - I wanted to create a small community and my own show. I kept doing loads of classes and filming things in a disjointed way, and I found that it enabled me to be a little more organised and regimented, which not only helps me but those interested in joining or taking part. Building that community has been a wonderful experience throughout a challenging year. I am really looking forward to working on more content across 2023. Hopefully it will be a more harmonious year.

@oliahercules

"

We are a unified organism in Ukraine. We love the land, we play with the seasons all of the time. Traditionally you get some different spicing depending on which country is near to your area of the border, but typical Ukrainian cuisine is not so much based on spicing, but it is all about quality, fresh, seasonal ingredients.

border, but typical Ukrainian cuisine is not so much based on spicing, but it is all about quality, fresh, seasonal ingredients.

MILKY CHANCE

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JAI MCINTOSH

Milky Chance are a band that will forever remain stuck somewhere in the pantheon of your music knowledge. Following their ground-breaking song Stolen Dance, coincidentally reaching over 1 billion streams only recently, the band have evolved into an eclectic, varied, and considered musical outfit.

A lot has changed for Milky Chance in the last decade, so ahead of their penultimate show on their fourty-show European tour, we sat down with singer Clemens Rehbein and DJ Phllipp Dausch in Dortmund to discuss creative process, no plastic on tour, and ideal venue sizes!

JAI Firstly, let's talk about 2022. This year you released Trip Tape II and an acoustic version of Sadnecessary, so, how has your year been?

CR It’s been great, a lot of music. We had a busy summer with the festival touring throughout Europe. We have also had a nearly three month European tour, around forty shows. This year has been one we have loved, it is amazing being out.

PD We have been back touring for a year and a half now, so touring feels a little more normal now. With new music, and crowds back in their numbers everything is there to enjoy. We have developed ourselves and what we’re working on, the music we are creating feels in line with what we believe and love.

JAI In what ways does Trip Tape II differ from the first album and has the reception to both projects differed at all?

CR It is an extension of what we completed in the first Trip Tape, actually since Colorado we created a new, independent chapter. In 2020/21, we spent all of our time in Berlin, working in the studio, evolving our sound and working on new music. We love being musicians, but you have to adapt and evolve, it is necessary but also natural. We found that, with Trip Tapes, we could release music in a new way, through our own label, in our own time. So both creatively and from a more business side of things, we have had greater freedom. We want to share mixtapes, demos, covers, and that is much easier now due to our independence. We feel invigorated creatively, and we know we are in control of what we create and release.

Berlin is our home now, it has been a place that has certainly enabled us to get to the stage we are at now. The people here, the vibrance, you’re surrounded by creative people all of the time and simply by being immersed in that has been beneficial. Plus, it is the first time in a while where we are all in the same place pretty much, which is why we can create more. Also, we have been working more collaboratively over the last two years, producing more artists, and Berlin is the perfect place to do so.

PD We started Muggelig Records back in 2016 and it has gone hand-in-hand with our musical development. When we started Milky Chance, we liked the DIY idea of creating and being involved holistically. We failed at our first attempt, which is why we went to major labels for album two and three, more to adapt and learn. Also, it allowed us to rest a little, which was much needed. Throughout covid, we had a lot more time to work on what we wanted to do, we brought our team together to work on a new plan. Now we feel we are in the best position to be independent, we have such a great team, and we believe in ourselves. We are genuinely over the moon about it.

JAI You collaborated with the Kooks, how was that?

CR It was very exciting, we grew up listening to them. Our producer on the second and third album started working with The Kooks, which got us thinking about whether we could work on something together. Luke visited us on tour when we were performing in London, he was such a nice guy, we had a great time and we went from there, now we have a song together!

Collaborating requires the right feeling. At points it can feel as though you’re on different wavelengths, which is okay, it happens. That said, we need to feel the human connection, the energy in the room, and that helps us build strong collaborative foundations for writing and producing new music.

JAI For you guys as a band, you roughly started out in a Jazz Quintet called Flown Tones, evolved into Milky Chance, had a global smash single with over 1B streams, and have continued to produce excellent music since. How has the journey shaped you both creatively?

CR I don’t feel as though our approach to music and being creative has changed. We are always very open in what we listen to, we allow ourselves to be inspired by an array of genres, so once we get into the studio, we bounce off each other and build songs organically. For us, this is an intuitive process, it feels natural and that is how we work, which is why our albums are varied in sound to a certain extent. The process itself is a source of inspiration, and we just go from there!

PD Honestly, it is the experience of normal life. Living with our families, without travelling and being away on tour, has been something that has rejuvenated all of us. Throughout lockdown, we had plenty of ideas but we needed to spend some quality time with our families, enjoying daily routines. In essence, I would say that indulging in normal life hasn’t necessarily aided creativity as much as it has helped us increase our productivity. The moods and motions of life, love, relationships, all of that good stuff, it is helpful to be back in

touch with it to write about it. If we travelled all of the time, we would write songs about buses!

JAI How has touring been and have you noticed anything different with the crowd's reaction to your sound depending on where you play?

PD South America is famous, it is beautiful and expressive which provides a wonderful performing experience. That said, people enjoy things in different ways and you see that all over the place, but as long as people are happy we live performing, which has tended to be the case thankfully!

CR On this tour, we had a mix of slightly smaller venues and then much larger ones. We are not arena guys, it is hard to gauge the crowd's reaction and sometimes the sound is not the best. With what we have been playing in, roughly up to 4000 people, that is an ideal size. You can be in some beautiful venues for crowds that size, especially in the United States. In summer, we love playing outside, so the festival season is a little different to everything else.

JAI Any stand-out festivals you’ve played?

CR Wow, we have played at so many great festivals this is hard. From a setting perspective, Sasquatch! Music Festival!, was beautiful to perform at. The setting there was crazy, we would love to play that one again. In the UK, we have been fortunate enough to play a lot of the major festivals.

Glastonbury is amazing because it is so huge, there isn’t much like it but for us, Secret Garden is our favourite UK festival.

JAI The band has also been working on a process to become more green/sustainable. What does this process look like and how has it been going?

CR It all started at the end of 2019. We decided to hire a Sustainability Manager to help analyse our touring data and aid us in trying our best to create a sustainable touring process. It has been a case of working out where we are, what we do and what our output is. We know that travelling and performing is not ideal, so we have been working on larger projects such as collaborations and conversations with local NGOs. Depending on the cities we are performing in, we have banned plastic on tour, and we have worked on donating certain amounts from ticket sales for planting trees and other ecologically beneficial causes. We are musicians, not scientists or activists, so we have worked on educat-

ing ourselves on what we need to do and how we can play a part. Maintaining this approach is our plan for now and in the future, the challenge is remaining consistent but we will keep it going for sure.

JAI Having released two albums this year, is the plan for 2023 to relax?

PD No, we have a new album on the way. It's completed, but I can't tell you the name yet (laughs). We can’t wait to take that on tour, most likely outside of Europe as we have been playing there the majority of the year. We want to take people on our journey, to see what we are creating, and to hopefully enjoy all of the new sounds. This is what we love to do, it feels natural. Hopefully 2023 is better socially, in terms of this year things have been turbulent at best. We do hope next year will be one to look forward to.

We love being musicians, but you have to adapt and evolve, it is necessary but also natural...

We want to share mixtapes, demos, covers, and that is much easier now due to our independence. We feel invigorated creatively, and we know we are in control of what we create and release.

"

We love being to adapt and evolve, also natural... We want to share and that is much dependence. and we know create and release.

coffee speaks

for

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NEIGHBOURHOOD COFFEE

If you’ve been part of our gang for a while, you’ll know that we’re four years into a project with the community at Jacutinga in the hills of Southern Minas Gerais, about 45 mins drive from the small town of Poço Fundo. The two farmers with whom we work most closely are Osmar Pereira (who produces You Gotta Fight) and now, Elton Alves.

Elton is a younger guy, who is keen to push the boundaries of what can be achieved in terms of the quality and flavour of his coffee. Together with our great friends at Legender Specialty Coffees, Demilson & Herico, as well our good friend Ian from Ethical Addictions Coffee in the UK, we talked about funding some raised drying beds, in order for Elton to do some experimental lots - processing his coffee in a way that would far more likely be seen in Eastern Africa than in Brazil.

In Brazil, farmers use patios to dry their coffee, instead of raised beds. The extra air circulation, the thickness of the layers, the temperature con-

VOULEZ BREW (AH-HA) VOULEZ BREW (AH-HA)

trol - all these are factors that impact on how the finished coffee will taste, and we were delighted to help install the beds when we visited Brazil in the spring of 2019.

We were sent updates of Elton and his family's experiments (he roped his mother in to ensure that the coffee was turned regularly), and we guaranteed a price far higher than the normal, regardless of the results. If the coffee was undrinkable, then we’d still buy it, because we wanted Elton to be sure that we were invested in the project, and to allow him to use some of his best coffees to experiment without worrying about the cost implications.

It arrived with us a couple of months ago, and we’re delighted to be able to share it with the world now. 20% of sale price will go straight back into the next stage of development in the project, as well as other support from both us and Legender.

@neighbourhoodcoffee

The name of the coffee speaks (or sings) for itself but there's a little more to Neighbourhood's latest batch of beans straight out of the hills of southern Brazil. Here's the lowdown on how it was produced...

name of the

(or sings)

itself but there's a little more to Neighbourhood's latest batch of beans straight out of the hills of southern Brazil. Here's the lowdown on how it was produced...

DMR LAUNCHES NEW SHOWROOM IN CANARY WHARF

Friend of the journal David M Robinson (DMR) has announced the opening of its new concept showroom in Canary Wharf, London.

This latest project follows the reopening of the brand’s flagship showroom in Liverpool ONE earlier this year and combines their in-house expertise with the very best of client experience, in a welcoming new space at the heart of the capital’s financial hub. Located close to DMR’s previous showroom in the Jubilee Place mall, this new acquisition sees the showroom triple in size, accommodating new serving spaces that allow the brand’s helpful experts to introduce their selection of fine jewellery and luxury watches.

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JAI MCINTOSH

Covering a total of 310m², this new showroom was designed in collaboration with world- renowned interior designers LXA, alongside project managers Rossco.

After what has been a hugely significant year for DMR, ending with the opening of a new London showroom is a perfect way for the brand to enter 2023.

To find your nearest showroom visit davidmrobinson.co.uk

The new DMR Canary Wharf presents multiple client-focused serving spaces in-store, including a bespoke bridal lounge, where visitors can enjoy a luxurious, welcoming space for their consultations.

For John Robinson, Managing Director at DMR, the Canary Wharf showroom is well worth being excited about: “We are very excited to have the opportunity to present DMR and our luxury partner brands in this beautiful new space at the heart of Canary Wharf. With dedicated spaces for Rolex, Patek Philippe, and TUDOR, this new showroom celebrates our relationships with some of the world’s finest brands, whilst holding true to the same friendly, client-focused approach of the DMR brand as a whole.”

DMR’s latest opening also features a dedicated Rolex showroom. Clients enter through the welcome and exploration area featuring a limestone watch bar framed by the brand’s recognisable green aqua glass, where they can enjoy private consultations and After Sales appointments. A VIP room, featuring a Rolex library, is also introduced to the showroom for added privacy.

As the exclusive authorised retailer for TUDOR watches in the area, DMR Canary Wharf also introduces a dedicated space for the brand’s Sales Ambassadors to introduce their iconic collections.

Stuart Fyfe, Managing Director of Retail Leasing at Canary Wharf Group, explained that “DMR have been one of our top performing tenants in Canary Wharf for many years, and it has been a pleasure to collaborate with them and ultimately deliver together this truly world class store. The new stunning store is three times the size of the previous store, and has dedicated areas for luxury brands Rolex, Patek Philippe, and TUDOR. It is tremendous to see it open and trading, and a significant testament to the success of retail in the ever-expanding Canary Wharf Estate. We could not be prouder of what DMR has achieved.”

Canary Wharf Showroom: 32-33, Jubilee Place, London E14 5NY davidmrobinson.co.uk

THE ESSENTIAL JOURNAL PRESENTS

TYPIST ARTIST PIRATE KING

AN IN-DEPTH, ARTFULLY CURATED LOOK AT THE LIFE OF A LOST ARTIST

WORDS BY BETH BENNETT

Carol Morley’s latest dalliance, Typist Artist Pirate King, premiered this weekend as part of the inaugural critic’s picks of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. Morley’s record of stunning biopics and inquisitive storytelling had me hankering to see this film from the moment I first heard about it, so when we were invited over to Estonia to witness the international premiere, I grabbed my notebook, grabbed my passport, and, in the spirit of Morley’s enigmatic lead Audrey Amiss, I hit the road.

Typist is a remarkably delicate film. It delivers an in-depth, artfully curated look at the life of lost artist — or self-proclaimed ‘Typist Artist Pirate King’ — Audrey Amiss, a Sunderland reared eccentric who’d stumbled through a series of arduous instances and carried a stack of paper and paints all the way through. We meet Audrey (portrayed, with care, by the reliably incandescent Monica Dolan) later in her life. She lives in a hoarder’s flat overrun with all sorts of papers, documents, wrappers and trinkets that she uses in her, as she states, “biographical” art.

These pictures and words are accumulated in such a way that they are the cacophony of every thought in one singular moment - once that moment has passed so, then, has the need for further thought. Like children’s art, a fleeting moment captured in shimmering, breathless exultation, but juxtaposed with the depravity of long-lived experience. This is what makes

her such an interesting artist to explore both from a journalistic perspective and a philosophical, academic perspective. You can’t help but find a similarity to Andrei Sinyavksky’s writing, back in those penal colonies of 60s Russia, in A Voice From The Chorus and the spontaneous chapters of life in exile - permanence does not capture the moment, only the spontaneous can. We’re inclined towards context, wholly and unwaveringly, when it comes to creating art, Audrey Amiss negates this with a flourish.

However, the fleeting nature of Audrey’s art is not shared by her mind. Rats scurry through her flat as an indicator of a woman unable to function; the distress rooted in her troubling obsession with an event in her past. Furthered by her clinical schizophrenia, her frazzled, single-minded preoccupation distracts from commitment in any sense. She lives alone, she’s mentally fragile, and the only consisten-

cy she affords herself (although with a fierce disagreement) is the care of the NHS worker who checks in monthly. Kelly Macdonald handles her role of this nurse, Sandra, with much of the nuance and skill we’ve come to find solace in her for. She’s a subtle spirit, pulled out by the effervescent chemistry with Dolan that make the pair an addictive, warming watch.

So, as Audrey enlists Sandra to drive her, in a little yellow Nissan called ‘Sunshine’, out of the dredges of her London entrapment to the shining potential of an art showcase in her home town of Sunderland, a numinous sense falls over you as you become hotly aware that, yes you’ll be joining them on this road trip, but you’re invited along to a transformative adventure as well.

Typist Artist Pirate King is set for release in 2023.

WORDS

JAI MCINTOSH

Woodworkers Mark McGilvray and Kaori Takahashi-McGilvray create functional homeware and furniture made from a mix of local or sustainable hardwoods. The husbandand-wife duo have been creating bespoke pieces following their Fine Arts degrees at the Wimbledon School of Art, combining traditional Japanese methods with a touch of contemporary creativity. Now working exclusively on commissioned projects, and growing in significance, we spoke to the Devonshire locals about their love of making.

JAI So who are Takahashi McGil?

T/M We create functional homeware and decorative Art pieces made from a mix of local and sustainable hardwoods. The both of us graduated Fine Art at Wimbledon School of Art, the place where we met and began to craft together. I am originally from South Africa and Kaori is Japanese, we now live and work in Devon, we have since 2016. We like to be away from the nose and more connected to nature and our work. Our workshop in Devon provides that. From then until now, we display our work at a collection of galleries domestically and internationally.

We combine time-honoured Japanese traditions honed in Japan with western techniques. Our production expanded to include lacquerware following a trip to Japan in 2018, where we were introduced to urushi lacquering, a process that demands a meticulous approach and attention to detail. The rich organic shades compliment the refined texture and reveal the natural characteristics of the wood. The distinct mark making from their mastered technique glides through the surface, resulting in an exquisitely tangible form. Each considered piece celebrates the natural beauty of the material.

JAI You’re both from Fine Art backgrounds. To what extent does this artistic background inform your creativity now?

ies in the last few years, and offered the opportunity to make more personal pieces which don't necessarily have to be functional but purely allow us to express our creativity. We are very lucky to have this opportunity. Living in the UK has made us see more value in different heritages. When we are living in our own birth place, we don't think we appreciate as much as we do now about something that used be next to us.

JAI You were introduced to Urushi lacquering in 2018, which is a technique you use today. What is Urushi and what quality does it add to your work?

T/M Urushi is the tapped sap of a tree. There are different methods to use, but the method we use most is fuki urushi. We like this method because it is possible to see the grain through the finish. Urushi is a natural finish which makes the wood waterproof and adds strength. We took a short course in 2018, which provided us with a perfect platform of knowledge to begin to incorporate this technique into our work, but there is still so much to learn and we are experimenting with different techniques.

JAI How do you source materials and what are you looking for?

@takahashimcgil

T/M We aren't too sure if our Fine Art background directly affects our work. We enjoy creating things. We have been making functional objects since we started working with wood. We are very lucky to have been approached by some galler-

T/M We pretty much only use local woods nowadays, and we get that wherever we can. We have been lucky with the new head gardener at Cockington, where our studio is located, who has offered us a wonderful variety of woods that have come down. This variety allows us to celebrate the imperfections of the material. We do this by using a knot, live edge, or hole of

wood instead of removing or avoiding certain parts, which some people might do to create a uniform and clean look. We see it as a special identity and characteristics of the wood, and love to show off its own beauty.

JAI How does your work make you feel?

T/M We have many methods we utilise to complete our work. We sometimes think when we complete work it might be too fussy or complicated, despite it looking as we want. I think this is normal for anyone creating anything. As you know, we like to celebrate the special characters in wood, how the green wood naturally changes shape, many hand carved patterns, and urushi finish. Many people think our work is very minimal and simplified, we are very happy for it to be seen that way although there is great complexity to each piece.

There are multiple points throughout our creative processes where we are very happy to call work complete, going beyond this point can be a gamble. We always feel a sense of risk, but we trust our process and believe it pays off most of the time. Creating and then seeing the finalised piece is incredibly uplifting, we are proud to be able to do this and make pieces we fully believe in.

WOODWORKERS MARK MCGILVRAY AND KAORI TAKAHASHI-MCGILVRAY

TS Let’s start with the release of painless this year. How was the album received?

NY I think it was received well. I am not sure if there is a right or wrong step forwards, it is all down to choice and what you want to do at the time. What was interesting to me was seeing how people reacted to the first record in comparison to the second record. I was constantly asked what I was going to do - this time I am not a newcomer so things are a little bit daunting. When you start, you don't know what to be afraid of, but with a second album, you know the demands and feel the pressure a little more. That said, I don’t make music for good reviews or anything like that, it is for me ultimately.

For the second record, I was in a weird lockdown headspace. I hadn’t really written properly the year before, maybe two songs and an EP of tracks the year before. I wasn't in a creative headspace, but I just wanted to make music. Will Archer and I started sending each other ideas, and pretty quickly songs just started flowing. We started and finished the record in about four months, which could be seen as a little rushed, but the concentration levels were so high. Half way through putting it all together, we kind of realised we had a second album. I have managed to narrow-down and streamline the process, make things a little more focused whilst being unfocused for its own reasons. Now, I am excited about making another record.

which helped and didn’t help. I put a lot of pressure on myself, so I don’t feel outside pressure, but it is useful to help push you towards creating something, a lot of creatives are like that. I get really caught up in deadlines.

It is really nice to talk about these things. I wasn’t talking about this all to start with, I just took it for granted my ability to write and perform - I didn’t think it would be as difficult (laughs).

TS How significant has collaboration been for you?

NY I used to write by myself a lot, I never bothered writing with other people - I was never welcome to that idea as I felt I had

NILÜFER YANYA

INTERVIEW BY THOMAS SUMNER PHOTOGRAPHY MOLLY DANIEL

It is just a journey that I am on. It is really amazing that people engage, comment, and have opinions. That can be helpful and unhelpful at the same time, it is all part of the process.

TS What has the journey looked like from developing your first album to your second album?

NY It is completely different. For the first album, I had already been releasing music before it was put together. I had been touring a lot, playing loads, and meeting people. I signed to my label before putting a first album together, I didn’t have a plan, I just wrote songs, tried things out, and at the end, we had an album - albeit a little messy (laughs). I was eager to just do it. For me, the fear of not doing something outweighs the fear of it not being perfect. I don’t want to worry about how good it is, although I think about that a lot.

TS With the process being both focused and unfocused at once, that could be seen as a little more experimental perhaps?

NY The writing process itself doesn't need focus, just time and energy. When I say unfocused, I mean not having a plan to a helpful extent, and then building from there. If you have a structure you wish to follow, you can set it out and make it happen, rather than just constantly going with the flow. That said, seeing what happens opens interesting possibilities. Plus, I try to find what I want to happen, and pursue that.

TS Have you been allowed the time to see these projects out?

NY It was hard for me to do that the first time round, I wasn’t entirely focused myself. This time around, I did have a deadline which I was working towards,

something to prove. I wanted it to all be my music, and I didn’t want to feel as though I was relying on anyone else. I have let go of this now, as sometimes writing is a real challenge, but also, you have to be open to it as collaborative music can bring some sounds that you never would have expected. Ultimately, if I could write by myself, and I didn’t need those things, then I would, but that is the end point. Maybe I’ll be a musical recluse (laughs).

TS You have done a fair bit of travelling this year, how has that been?

NY I found it hard in 2019, as much as I enjoyed it, a lot of it comes down to never having a long term plan as opportunities present themselves that you can’t say no to. I do miss home, being present, but I have had to follow these opportunities. Being a little more grown-up about it now, knowing there is an endpoint, being

strict on giving myself breaks, I am better equipped to be able to tour now (laughs)! Travelling isn’t luxurious, you’re just running around! I do try to make time to enjoy being where I am and detach myself from the tour process just to enjoy the journey a little. Well, that is always the goal!

Being from a multicultural background, it makes you feel more of a global citizen in a way. London has this, but people are a little stand-offish. Travelling has opened my mind to new people, different ways of living. I want to live in other places, touring has hammered that one home for me. I haven’t had a chance to move outside of the London bubble, so I want to take that chance as often as it comes.

TS Is there something or someone that is going to remind you of the past 12 months?

NY I was saying this with my friends, but we are trying to hold onto all the ‘this is what it's about’ moments. I played in New York, I had the best time on stage which isn’t a feeling I always get, but this show was perfect. It was one of those achievement moments, it always makes me happy. After that night, everyone started getting Covid, which never helps, but it was a beautiful night.

There are probably other moments that mean more, but I just can’t put it into words. I got to see my family again in Tur-

key, which was really nice - I haven’t seen them in a few years! We had a show there, so I got to go out there a few days early. I had gotten used to seeing them, and had definitely taken that for granted. Being able to be back in Turkey performing, and seeing my family, it is amazing.

TS If you had to travel abroad right now, where would you go?

NY Turkey, I am learning Turkish and I want to explore as much as I can there. That said, I am going to Barbados in a few weeks which is just crazy, I can’t believe it has taken me this long to go. My mum and I are going, and I will take a guitar, but the plan is to chill. My aunty may come, she has been doing a lot of research into the slave trade too - not a bad place to be at this time of year in the UK.

TS Is there something you haven’t done this year that you miss doing?

NY Swimming. I used to go all the time, I love it. I haven’t done it anywhere near as much as I would like. The one I go to is indoor, but I love swimming in the sea. My aunt lives in Cornwall, so when I was visiting her in January, we were in the sea which was so cold. It makes me feel very cleansed - so good for me.

@niluferyanyaaaaaa

VERONICA RYAN 2022 WINNER

Veronica Ryan claims first prize for her poetic and subtle Along a Spectrum exhibition.

The Turner Prize returned to Tate Liverpool for the second time in the last fifteen years this award has been touring. We were kindly invited for a special preview of all the artists' work, as well as getting a first hand account from curators and critics alike. Interestingly, all four shortlisted finalists: Veronica Ryan, Heather Phillipson, Sin Kai Wan, and Ingrid Pollard, have created work that in some sense deal with the fractures within contemporary culture, specifically exploring climate, race, gender, and the self.

Winning on the night was Veronica Ryan OBE, a Montserrat-born British sculptor who has been breaking the manacles of British modernism. Ryan’s Turner Prize winning work, Along a Spectrum, was made during an extended residency at Spike Island in Bristol. The works in Along a Spectrum, housed in a custard-colour space in Tate Liverpool, makes enquiries into perception and spectrums of pathologies, personal narratives, history, as well as the wider psychological implications of the Covid pandemic. Works produced for the exhibition included forms cast in clay and bronze; sewn, tea - stained and dyed fabrics; and bright neon crocheted fishing line pouches filled with a variety of seeds, fruit stones and skins.

Having overcome two-decades worth of invisibility, Ryan has risen to the top of British contemporary art, her subtlety in communicating through contemporary sculpture was enough for the judges to award her as the victor. Ryan took to the stage shouting “Power! Visibility!” when her name was read aloud, adorning her father’s hat as she claimed the prize. A milestone for Ryan who looks far from likely to reduce her creative output. This victory places her as one of Britain’s most important contemporary artists.

WORDS

GIOVANNI ATTARD

Executive Head Chef Giovanni Attard creates the Sicilian-inspired menus at Norma, which bring together the fresh and varied flavours of southern Italy and northern Africa. We caught up with Giovanni after what has been another excellent year for the west London restaurant…

JAI MCINTOSH

IMAGE COURTESY OF NORMA

JAI You’re from the Maltese island of Gozo, situated between Sicily and northern Africa. To what extent has your upbringing on the island inspired our culinary philosophy?

GA My childhood has got everything to do with who I am today as a person and as a chef. I am inspired a lot by my childhood memories, especially the food that I grew up eating and cooking. I used to sit for hours watching my grandma and mum cook and prepare ravioli - that was my favourite. I grew up on a farm as my dad is a farmer, so we always had our own fresh produce. This had a massive impact, and I learned a lot at a very young age. It’s always great to go back and visit, and reconnect with my routes.

JAI That said, you have travelled across the globe improving your skills. What lessons have you learned from your travels and how have they impacted your cooking?

GA I have travelled a lot for work, and for pleasure as well. This involved trying many different cuisines, and being introduced to a variety of new ingredients - it’s always intriguing to me. My first experience abroad was working in Brussels. I did my first internship there and it was a year long. This was the beginning of discovering a culinary world that is so rich. Along the way I have been to all over Europe, Dubai, and Thailand. I think one lesson that stuck with me is to try everything and have respect for food and the differences in the culinary world. That’s the beauty of it really.

JAI Which ingredients do you consider key/core ingredients for your cooking style?

GA Tomatoes, garlic, onion, salt, sugar, vinegar and chilli. I could go on but I think they’re a good few that are core to me.

JAI Norma is considered a leading example of exemplary vegetarian and vegan food. As a chef adept to working with meat and fish, what challenges does vegetarian cooking present?

GA It always comes down to the way you look at vegetarian and vegan food, especially vegan food. I look at it as a great challenge and I keep in mind that I can always create something as delicious as I do if I am using meat or fish. I try to take inspiration from dishes that are non-vegetarian and vegan and to replace them with other ingredients, and most of the time the results are as good, if not better.

JAI That said, Norma’s roots are deeply Scicilian. Which dishes currently served at Norma do you think best represent the restaurant?

GA At Norma we have a few actually. Pasta alla Norma is very Sicilian, and part of the inspiration behind the restaurant’s name. Our Aubergine parmigiana is one of our most popular dishes, and it represents a restaurant with its richness. Caponata with agrodolce is an all-time favourite and it has been on the menu right from the beginning.

Table 1

Server: Jai

QUICK FIRE

1 Favourite comfort meal

A good Sunday roast

2 Underrated vegetable White sweet potato

3 Favourite cocktail Negroni

4 Least favourite food

Anything spicy

Chk 34

Dec09’22 12:02PM

JAI What can you tell us about Etna?

GA Etna is our intimate private dining room, named after one of the world’s most active volcanoes located in Catania. We have one large table that can seat 12-14 guests. We serve mainly feasting menus where everything is served family-style – perfect for sharing. Etna is all about having a great time around the dinner table where you feast the night away with a lot of food and wine! These menus change seasonally, and it includes a selection of antipasti, a huge bowl of pasta, large joints of slow-cooked meat, grilled fish, parmigiana and after all this, a great selection of desserts. It’s a feast I can assure you. We have just introduced a new menu called Journey Around Sicily, which includes loads of Sicilian classics from different regions. You get a chef in the room with you to explain the history and stories about everything on the menu, and at the end we have an interactive cannoli-making masterclass.

JAI As we close out 2022, what does 2023 hold for you and for Norma?

GA Norma is always growing and developing - we have been since we opened, even with restaurant closures during the pandemic. The restaurant is an experience, and we aim to be consistent in delivering great food, and friendly, warm service. We want to continue to deliver this. Everyone is welcome at Norma, and we hope that those people will return again and again.

@giovannattard @norma_ldn

Nestled within the Lancashire landscape, a stone's throw from Liverpool and Manchester, the Moor Hall estate is home to not one but two Michelin starred restaurants. Sat in the private dining room of the two star restaurant, Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms, we asked Chef Patron, Mark Birchall to reflect on his year, his path to Moor Hall and whether you should eat the cheese rind.

INTERVIEW BY THOMAS SUMNER

MARK BIRCHALL

TS So first off, how has 2022 been for you? Have there been any highlights along the way?

MB Well, The Barn got a star, which is amazing for those guys. Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms got classed as World Class in The Good Food Guide, which was really, really nice. We were one of three, which is incredible. And receiving the AA Chef’s Chef award, which was especially nice, because it was voted for by peers. I definitely wasn’t expecting that. You know, when you have people like Paul Ainsworth, Clare Smyth and Hélène Darroze, people who, in my opinion, are a bit more well known. So I definitely wasn’t expecting it at all.

I spent the day judging at the Academy of Culinary Arts. I got there about 30 minutes before the awards started and didn’t even think about it really. So that was nice.

TS Can you introduce us, in your words, to the Moor Hall estate?

MB Yeah, so we’re in West Lancashire surrounded by farmland, close to Liverpool and even closer to Ormskirk. For me, the surroundings are amazing because we’re neighboured mostly by fields full of food. We’re on 6 acres with a lovely lake and a nice garden, where we grow lots of food. Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms is a two Michelin star and The Barn is a one Michelin star. In the Barn, we have the dairy and the butchery. Maybe one day we’ll have a bakery in there as well.

TS Take us back to the beginning then, how did you get into the kitchen?

MB When I was young, around 14 or 15, cooking was just becoming popular on the television. You had the likes of Gary Rhodes who had his own program; you had Ready Steady Cook with good chefs on there like James Martin, Brian Turner

and Nick Nairn. That caught my eye and made me want to do a work placement at a local hotel. There was a really good sous chef there called Dave Dugdale and he taught me about ingredients. That was only a week so that made me want to go to college and do cooking. I’d pull out my mum’s cookbooks and make random things like pumpkin pie. I had no idea how to do it but I’d just figure it out. I did my college placement back at the same hotel and Dave was still there and told me about The Walnut Tree in Abergavenny where he did his placement. So I left college and worked there.

That was a really interesting place to work. It was a small team of 7 chefs and we made really interesting food. I worked with an Italian Chef called Franco Taurushio who was one of the first to introduce Italian food into the UK back in the 60s. We used to cook on the stove and there wasn’t an actual pass so you’d chuck the pans to the back of the stove, get a plate out of the box and dress on the stove. Front of house would just come along and whip the plates away. The food was amazing. In the Summer you’d have people eating on the bonnets of their cars if they couldn’t get a table.

TS Any other milestones along the way, during your career?

MB So I left there and went to Northcote. Kind of felt like I wanted to come back to Lancashire. So I spent five years working for Nigel Howarth, which was really good. The Walnut Tree really taught me how to season well, then Northcote taught me how to cook meat and fish properly. Again, I had a good time there - Nigel was in the kitchen a lot, every service pretty much. It was a tough kitchen but it was really, really interesting.

TS What would you say makes a good kitchen?

INTERVIEW BY THOMAS SUMNER

MB I think when kitchens are busy they’re always at their best. Generally, if you have a dip off, those are always the tougher services as it’s always about finding the right pressure point in terms of performance level. Northcote and The Walnut Tree were busy places and we were surrounded by good people who wanted to achieve the same thing. It created that really nice team spirit which meant every plate of food you served you were proud knowing that it was the best you could do. You’re just right on that knife edge, which can obviously tip quite easy (laughs).

TS Where did you go after Northcote? Was there a stepping stone from there to Moor Hall?

MB I left Northcote. I took a position as a head chef somewhere, which was a bit of a mistake. I did it for around 12 months. It was a nice place but I was probably a bit too young.

So I left there and went to L'Enclume up in the Lakes, which was an amazing 9 years. I saw the place grow like you would not believe. The produce wasn’t so localised at L’Enclume but we saw the development of the farm, which was an amazing experience.

TS What were the initial aims and directives for Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms and The Barn?

MB The goal has always been to create that world class destination. Will we ever get there? In my mind, no, because I think once you feel like you are there, you start going backwards. We just want to keep pushing forwards. We wanted it to be a place that people in the local area could love and be proud of. That was one of the big things for us.

The Barn’s a little bit different. It’s slightly higher volume. It’s a la carte, with really good quality produce treated a little simpler. We just wanted a really good neighbourhood restaurant. But over the last 5 years, it’s steadily gotten better and better. The star for The Barn is probably more of a reward for their hard work rather than a badge on my sleeve, if you will. It’s a really nice reward for the team but it’s also something for the guests to be proud of.

TS How does the relationship between yourself and the team at The Barn work?

MB We work really well together even though it’s a separate team with separate

kitchens. At the moment we have sika deer on, part of that deer will be used in The Barn and part of it will be used in Moor Hall. The same if we have lobster on, the claws might go there and the tails will stay here. It’s great for them, as we’re all using the same quality produce and it’s a good working relationship. You know, why wouldn’t it be?

I’ve always wanted The Barn to be its own destination in its own right. I don’t want it to be a second restaurant onsite. It should be as good as Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms but it should just be a different option. It’s not about them and us; it’s one team.

TS You said then about using the different parts of the animal to create dishes at both restaurants, It’s obviously quite widely spoken about now, with the sustainability aspect. Has that always been important throughout your career?

MB Yeah, that's why we have gardens to grow produce so we can get really good quality food and so we can use it all. We collect from different farms around the area so we can get the best quality. If we’re using sika deers, we’re going to use all the animal. We’re not just going to bang half in a sauce or we’re not just going to buy the saddles so someone else can use the other parts or mince it into burgers or something like that. We want to showcase all of it. The animal’s been shot in the wild so you should use it all. It’s killed to order, as gruesome as it sounds. We use sustainable wild fish and always buy it whole so we can use everything. It’s about getting that balance between protein and plant based as well. It’s not a protein heavy menu, there’s a lot of plant based products as well.

TS Was that approach what led to the green star?

MB Yeah, it’s more about responsibility than sustainability. It’s about finding that realistic balance and doing everything you can. Whether you’re sowing a meadow, putting bees on there or selling jars of their honey with a little packet of wildflower seeds so when you buy that honey you can plant the seeds in your garden to grow flowers and encourage some more bees. It’s about trying to create that responsible angle with everything you do.

TS You’ve mentioned a number of chefs today that you respect from your time in kitchens past. Are there any individuals you look up to outside of your industry?

MB For me, it’s about the team and the teamwork. Liverpool FC have won a lot of trophies recently. It’s just about teamwork, isn’t it? You might have a few outstanding individuals but it’s a whole team effort. Players like Jordan Henderson, for example, have a bit of a rough time but he does a lot for the team. I admire teams like that who are brought together. At Anfield, Jurgen Klopp really just knitted the team together and did a lot behind the scenes so I admire that.

TS What developments have you got coming up next year onsite?

MB We’ve just had planning permission approved to build 7 more rooms. They’re going to be lodges dotted around the site; two either side of the lake, then five nestled towards the back. They’ll be somewhere between a Scandi and a Japanese style, self contained luxury rooms…with hot tubs. Hopefully we’ll have those online,

mid-to-late Summer next year. They will be lovely; they’re going to be amazing.

TS And you’re producing your own cheese?

MB Yeah, we launched a cheese for Christmas that’s been produced with Martin Gott from St James’ Dairy. It uses organic shorthorn milk from Strickley farm in Cumbia and washed in verbena and elderberry gin to give it that really nice orange coloured sticky rind. Then early next year, we’ll start making some hard cheeses to go in the cellar but we’ll make that here in the dairy.

The rooms and the cheeses are the two big projects for the next year. We just want to enhance what we do. We make all the charcuterie onsite so cheese is the next thing. We’re in a 16th century building, so they would have had meat hanging up in the cellar. It’s about bringing those traditions back. It also goes back to that sustainability aspect too and being as responsible as possible. Can we make cheese and use that whey in a dish on the menu? Can we produce this charcuterie instead of finding it somewhere else? Can we buy the whole pig and maybe roast the loins on a Sunday lunch and make salami out of the shoulders and press the legs and cure those? It’s about having a traditional aspect to what we offer in a modern world.

TS Do you eat the rind on cheese?

MB Yes, always. Unless it’s dipped in wax (laughs). You find that stronger flavour comes through in the rind.

moorhall.com

EXTRA BITE

Getting inside the mind behind a two Michelin Star kitchen

How do you develop new ideas for the menu?

MB The provenance menu is called that for a reason because we spend a lot of time sourcing the products. It’s a mixture of new dishes and Moor Hall classics. The classics will constantly be refined and improved. The other dishes may be some that have come back on the menu from the previous year which will also have been refined. So we’ll refine as much as possible and then we’ll do some new dishes in between.

How do we develop those? It’s a case of talking through them and then we’ll try them out. We don’t have a separate development kitchen. I’ve never felt the need for that. For me, the best ideas come to me when I’m just in the service and working with the products; cooking, touching and tasting things. As you’re eating things, different ideas tend to just come into your head. The guys get really annoyed with me because we’ll be really

busy in the kitchen and I’ll say, “Why don’t we do this?”, and then they have to run off and write it down.

Before a dish goes on the menu, we spend time trying it and tasting it multiple times. It’s not just about a plate of food, it’s also about how it gets delivered to the table.

How do you nurture curiosity to keep coming up with those ideas, both within yourself and with the team?

MB It's difficult. Winter is the most difficult time because there's less fresh produce about. That might be a bit unfair because Summer is my favourite time of year but it is all about the produce. We might grow something new; we might see a part of a vegetable which we don’t normally use; or we might find a new supplier. It’s

about wanting to find new producers and working with new farmers and growing new things. That’s what keeps us doing new dishes and what keeps things fresh. It’s not really about techniques, although we do use a lot of different techniques to cook, whether that's barbecuing or using a rotary evaporator. It’s about starting

with the produce and seeing how you can enhance that in the best way. Sometimes you don’t have to do anything with that perfect piece of produce but it’s about how you marry up some different combinations or flavours just to make that produce sing.

How do you retain consistency when it comes to that point of execution and putting everything together?

MB Consistency is about making sure the people around you understand how you want to deliver something and trying to guide them the best way you can in a fairly pressurized environment. The other thing is probably checking everything throughout the day. Every dish is checked before

it’s left the kitchen; nothing goes out without either myself or one of the senior team seeing it. That’s how it’s been from day one.

It’s nothing crazy, there’s no secret formula. You have to trust people to do

@markbirchall

something and give them the confidence to be able to do it. They have to understand it too. If they don’t fully understand it, they’re not going to be able to do it properly and if they get it wrong, they lose confidence and it’s a snowball effect.

In 2004 Morgan Spurlock released ‘Super Size Me’, a film documenting the adverse effects on his mental and physical being from consuming food solely produced by McDonald’s for 30 days. The film not only depicts this but highlights the damaging influence fast-food corporations have over American society and the ensuing unhealthy lifestyles they promote. The core message, a low-standard and immoral broken US food industry exists with little being done to change it. I remember thinking (or believing), to quote the Pet Shop Boys, “It Couldn’t Happen Here”. The images of the US being a place of extremes burnt into my mind, Hollywood fad diets coupled with excess consumption, enormous portion sizes and over-indulging.

Be that as it may, my rose-tinted view of Britain bearing few similarities to the US was just that, rose-tinted. Today, with adult obesity rates rising year on year and a post-Brexit UK-US trade deal proposing repeals in fundamental EU animal welfare laws, a foreboding future may lay ahead for the UK food industry. The extreme ends of the US loom larger over the UK than ever before, a British public being pulled in opposing directions.

Taking Covid-19 and the cost-of-living crisis out of the equation, the UK fast-food industry has continued to thrive. Statista estimates a 9% growth from 2021 to 2022 alone, with the UK accounting for £20 billion. This hardly paints the picture of resentment towards the lifestyles of our American cousins which I assumed; but how far gone are we? Do we have the vision of fast food being a healthy option,

or do we resort to fast food purely from convenience or a lack of ability to resist? Many point to a lack of nutritional education available leading to poor lifestyle choices being made. I feel this potential knowledge gap has gone a long way in recent years to being bridged. From government interventions, immeasurable social media food trends and a general upward trend towards wellbeing, it might be easier than ever to seek out education on the subject. Although just this individual's opinion. So, is fast food simply a more favourable option?

In stark contrast to this view of the UK, The British Nutrition Foundation claims the opposite is happening. With over a third of the public now choosing healthier options regularly and half of us now undertaking routine exercise. If people know that exercise and healthy eating is key to our wellbeing, then presumably the issue lies solely with the conflict of the individual. There is often a need vs want argument, a good vs evil debate. Of course, everything is fine in moderation, but with fast food being the value it is, we can’t be sure we are the moderates anymore.

All being said, there has been an unignorable rise in plant-based and vegan diets. A diet deemed unequivocally healthier by many. The stigma of veganism being the lifestyle choice of the chakra reading, Woodstock attending hippy has all but gone out the window. A tirade of clean living and planet-conscious marketing campaigns has

brought this culture into the British psyche. This is a good thing for many reasons, vegan diets often contain low amounts of fat and higher levels of fresh fruit and vegetables. Perfect for the health-conscious generation. I don’t think you’d have to delve too deeply into social media to find the levels of appeal and affirmation in this. However, there is an element of a bandwagon being jumped on and health experts claiming ultra-processed vegan alternatives may in fact be detrimental to a healthy diet. Fast-food chains have also been quick to identify this trend, with Deliveroo claiming a 163% rise in requests for vegan alternatives.

There seems to be no end to the complexity and difficulty in truly understanding what is honestly good for us, without a degree in nutrition - which I can safely assume most of us do not have. Experts claim 42 million people in the UK will be overweight by 2040, but somehow over half of us have taken up exercise more frequently and a third of us are making regular healthier food choices. This feels difficult to comprehend and further clouds the situation. To be clear, I am confused.

Bombardments of messages to increase activity and healthy eating are fighting against the advertising and rhetoric of corporate juggernauts leaving the UK public in a dichotomy, on a precipice and with a choice to make. Only time will tell which way we’ll fall. No one is perfect and verging on no one can say they stick to their new year’s resolutions but maybe it is now harder than ever.

KABSA SPICE LOBSTER, WHEY, & ROSES

WORDS BY JOHN JAVIER PHOTOGRAPHY THE TENT (AT THE END OF THE UNIVERSE)

LOBSTER, WHEY, KABSA SPICE AND ROSES

This recipe comes from one of my favourite dishes that we serve at The Tent (at the End of the Universe). We make our own labneh at the restaurant for our tzatziki and every time we make it, we are left with an excessive amount of whey. I felt like I needed to incorporate it into our menu somehow and this dish was the end result. We emulsify the whey with butter and cream and then season it with a spice mix called kabsa. Traditionally, kabsa spice mix is used in an Arabic rice dish but in this instance, we season the whey emulsion with it. We serve the lobster with a pink radicchio salad and roasted sunchokes but in a more casual setting, it would feel just as right with a big bowl of fries.

INGREDIENTS

Whey: 3kg Yogurt

Lobster: 2 Live lobsters

2kg Ice

Kabsa Spice Mix:

20g black peppercorns

40g coriander seeds

20g cumin seeds

20g fennel seeds

8g cloves

16 pods black cardamom

16 pods green cardamom

2 dried black limes

24g cinnamon powder

5g ground white pepper

8g paprika

2g ground ginger

2g turmeric powder

Kabsa Sauce:

1 white onion – peeled and diced

6 cloves garlic – peeled and sliced

250g unsalted butter

500g whey

500g double cream

1 tablespoon kabsa spice mix

Salt

METHOD

WHEY

Place the yogurt into a large wire strainer and leave it in the fridge over a metal bowl overnight. The yellow liquid that will have collected in the bottom of the bowl the next day is called whey. Reserve the yogurt solids in the strainer for another use and set aside the whey.

LOBSTER PREPARATION

Submerge the lobsters in ice water for 15 minutes to put them to sleep. Bring a pot of water to the boil.

Place the lobsters into the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes and 30 seconds and then shock them in ice water.

Remove the claws and knuckles from the body and take the meat out. Cut the lobster in half lengthways and stuff the claw and knuckle meat back into the head.

KABSA SPICE MIX

Preheat your oven to 200c then roast the dried black limes for 5 minutes. Combine everything else that isn’t already a powder into a pan and toast. Add all of the toasted spices, black limes and powders into a blender and blend until it all becomes a powder.

KABSA SAUCE

Cook the onions and garlic over low heat until caramelised. Add the butter, whey, double cream, and kabsa spice mix. Heat the mixture until just warm.

Pour the warm mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Make sure to start the blender on low and increase the speed gradually so you don’t burn yourself, as starting immediately at a high velocity can cause the sauce to explode out of the blender. Season to taste with salt. Allow the sauce to cool in the fridge.

TO SERVE

Preheat the oven to 200c. Place the lobster halves on a metal tray with the meat exposed side up. Spoon the kabsa sauce over the meat and roast in the oven for 7 minutes.

Once cooked, remove lobsters from the oven and place onto plates. Sprinkle dried rose petals sparingly as they are extremely strong in flavour. Ideally, you want 1-2 petals with each bite. Place dressed lobsters onto plates and serve.

@johnjavier

"This recipe comes from one of my favourite dishes that we serve at The Tent (at the End of the Universe)... We serve the lobster with a pink radicchio salad and roasted sunchokes but in a more casual setting, it would feel just as right with a big bowl of fries."

COLUMN

LOOK UP

WORDS

LOUIS BENEVENTI

Wandering out of the Argyll Street entrance of Oxford Circus is a regular occurrence for me. Usually, I’m on the way to sample London’s best coffee at Bar Italia on Frith Street, a haunt which three generations of my family have stepped into, and today is no different.

However, I was waiting for a friend on the corner, and was mindlessly scrolling through Instagram before I saw someone write an interesting post on their story:

“What happened to the awkward stage? It used to be Toddler - Teen - Cut off All Your Hair and Experiment with the Volume on your Favourite Album - Young Adult - Struggling Adult - Adult.

Now it goes Toddler - Successful Person with their own bank account, beautiful hair and a homeowner.

Asking for a friend…”

I glanced at this, flicked, and looked up. Staring at me was the wilting facade of what was Topshop. The letters removed, but the shadows of them remaining like there had been a selective nuclear strike, painting the walls with the nuclear fallout of insolvency. The windows boarded up with colourful and festive drawings, so London’s main shopping drag could cover up the giant, and now defunct footprint. Like trying to “polish a turd,” similar to the early 10’s y-front-esque Topman t-shirts. It was the flagship store of a $500 million business, that had become the face of what was now a British Christmas during a recession on Oxford Street.

But it did get me thinking. Looking at my childhood with a tinge of nostalgia, but also seeing that history was slowly repeating itself. Being a kid and nicking a jelly snake from Woolworths (It wasn’t me officer, I swear) doesn’t look so innocent now, and all of us should feel guilty for the fall of one of the sentinels of the British high street. But then the guilt dissipates, and I remember giving the said high street giant my hard earned pocket money before picking up my first albums, with Busted Live being taken off of the shelf by Little Louis, who was also cool enough to pick up Pop Princess 2.

I think back to whacking the CD on in the car and hearing my dad say “it all sounds the same,” and

tucking into a handy little case full of Callipo Shots. The morning after, seeing the news on with buzzwords “recession, bankruptcy, Woolworths and Northern Rock” flashing across the screen as I tucked into my Weetabix before trading my Man of The Match Ronaldo Match Attax with my mates, and clearly doing a better job with trading than the fellas on Wall Street.

Now, come back to me here. As much as you might be vibing to the Ordinary Boys and Charlotte Church, it’s 2022, we’re back looking at Topshop, and slowly, I notice a pattern emerging, and history repeating itself. Everything sounds the same to me now, a high street giant has disappeared, and HSBC is closing 114 branches as I type this, stood on a corner with my headphones in, and see people wandering past doing the same thing. Some are getting their phones out to take pictures for their feeds displaying the life they want people to see, through filter-tinted glasses, and TikTok dancing.

This might read like Black Mirror, or 1984, and that’s because we’re going that way. I give it six months before either the Purge or Squid Game takes place and in the middle of it, someone is getting their phone out to take a selfie with a TikTokker who’s nabbed some new Air Forces from JD.

We all use social media. I’m guilty of it and so are you. I’m hardly one to preach, but after working in social media for nearly a decade, I quite enjoy putting my phone down and looking up. On a night out, even when the phones are out, you’ll find me swinging my hips to Sugababes without insecurity. Life is too short, and I learnt this the hard way. As everyone feels the need to showcase the best of their lives, I won’t tell you not to do that. Get those treasured memories, but still enjoy your time with your friends and check in because as things are crumbling around us, and we’re experiencing it for our generation now, at least be able to create some cool memories with your mates and dance to Barbie Girl as the flames around us ravage online and on the high street. Show them that we’re all still on the same journey, but it’s just adapted to new challenges for a new generation.

Bottom line is, just be there for your pals as it’s tough out there, even if they don’t want to show it on their socials.

COLUMN

CROPPED CLOSET CONSIDERATIONS

WORDS

ROHIN JOHAL

Whether you think they are a flash-inthe-pan phenomena within contemporary clothing or a historic classic in menswear fashion, the crop top has, in my eyes, made its way back into the mainstream. I have found myself buying more this year than most other items. This could be down to a combination of factors such as the cyclical nature of fashion and the emerging market of unisex clothing, itself a social media sensation. With celebrity endorsement from the likes of Playboi Carti, the wearing of a crop tops have encouraged an androgynous aesthetic switch.

Originally crop tops would have been worn by bodybuilders, cutting the bottom of their shirts off to get around the gym etiquette of not always being shirtless, yet it wasn’t until the emergence of Punk, a movement in which music, film, and art unified around new ideals spearheaded by the Sex Pistols and fuelled by the narrative of Trainspotting, when crop tops found their way back. Coincidentally Trainspotting was the original inspiration for me wearing crop tops in the first place. However, crop tops were quickly incorporated into the womenswear space encouraging menswear to find other sartorial avenues. The overbearance of toxic masculinity and what it means to be a ‘man’ has had a detrimental effect on menswear and the social spaces men occupy. To be a man shouldn’t be about wearing a jeans-and-t-shirt combo or a suit, it should be about having the confidence to express yourself.

Over the years we have seen a shift in the menswear space, ‘femininity’ is being encouraged. We need only look at A$AP Rocky’s Vogue Magazine cover shoot with the New York native adorning a beautiful collection of womenswear. Additionally, it’s becoming commonplace for men to paint their nails and wear pearls, this a comforting victory for those able to overcome the constraints of archaic masculinity.

In recent years, we have witnessed the likes of Kid Cudi and Harry Styles being berated by some critics for wearing dresses despite campaigns for greater inclusivity, although this is nothing new, and if it wasn’t for the black LGBTQ+ communities in the 1980s breaking the mould, we would never be able to have the freedoms we have today. Much like the punk scene, which encouraged a total sense of individualism fuelled by anti-establishment rhetoric, the pioneering actions of the black LGBTQ+ community within the world of fashion in the 1980s encouraged the wearing of a crop top as a symbol of gender symbiosis & euphoria. These icons are only now being celebrated, better late than never.

As gender barriers continue to collapse in contemporary fashion, the re-emergence of the crop top has paved the way for greater originality, both in the streets and on the runway. The blending of men's and women's fashion will allow for greater aesthetic and textured creativity, the barrier-breaking essence of what fashion is about.

COLUMN

NEW YEAR'S REVELATIONS

WORDS

This time of year tends to have a messy feel to it. As we skid - quite literally as of late - through the last days of December, things begin to blur. It’s the time of year that’s all about racing towards an ending, tying up loose ends. Everything becomes ‘see you next year’, and ‘see you in the new year’.

It’s almost as if we’re waiting for the year to be over, like anything will really change once the clock strikes midnight. Everyone wants a fresh start. Obviously, it’s no more than symbolism - nothing really changes when the clock ticks over. But we do. We throw out our old calendars - well, we do if we remember to do it in time, and aren’t hastily scrambling to bin them when we suddenly notice it’s January 19th. We buy planners, running gear, gym memberships. We enrol ourselves in classes, on diets, open savings accounts. We want to be good, we need to be better.

It’s rare in life that anything has this sense of finality. Of course, there are occasions. Leaving school, quitting a job, ending a relationship. Change happens every day. But it’s not often that all these changes leave a door closed. You can go back into education, you could return to a job, return to an ex lover. You can never go back to last year.

Needless to say, it all tends to fall apart over the coming days and weeks, and even the best of us might only make it

months in. This isn’t a bad thing. Failure to improve is still improvement. I think it says a lot about us that we all try to be better. Even if we don’t succeed, we try. The concept of ‘new year’s resolutions’ and ‘new year, new me’ might be a tricky one to navigate, and it might hold a lot of problems within it (are you doing these things for yourself or for someone else? Are they healthy and realistic goals?), but at its core I find it admirable how many of us want to change for the better.

New Year’s also has the unfortunate curse of falling mid winter. If the seasons worked in a way that was tidier, perhaps March would be January. I’m not explaining myself here, there’s just a simple logic. Spring is for new beginnings. Winter is for endings, and holing up in your room to hide away from the cold. My birthday is also in Spring, so you know, I may be a little biased.

However, every year it comes around again, right when we’re all at our coldest (Southern Hemisphere exempted, of course) and almost most vulnerable to wanting - to needing - a new beginning. The year feels stale at this point in time, a skin we want to shed off. There’s always something bittersweet about a new year, about saying goodbye forever to the old year, never to return. But there’s something hopeful, too. Next year I will be good. Next year I will be better.

COLUMN

NOTES BEFORE CLIFF DIVING

WORDS

BETH BENNETT

This column began as a Twitter thread. I left it in my drafts because it felt far too personal to put out into the digital world but, I suppose, I’ve always found a sanctuary in printed words. Do with that what you will.

When I was younger — as in, when I hadn’t been coerced into the erotic depravity of philosophical thought — I decided to have a dream.

I’ve always relied on stories to understand how the world works. When I was a child, one time, after my parents put me to bed, I crawled out and climbed up to my bookshelf, eager to carry on the story. Of course, my dexterity was lacking and the books, along with my tiny self, came tumbling down in a haunting (my mother’s word) bang. It came as no surprise, then, when I optioned for a career as a writer. Sure, I’ve been assuaged into video production, photography. But writing? That’s me. Because stories made everything make sense to me, so if I needed to make sense of myself, where else could I turn?

Cajoled by enthusiastic teachers and a penchant for emulating the rhythmic hypnosis of American nihilism, I grew comfortable with the page. Enough so, I found that I could excavate different parts of myself and put them there. I hadn’t un-

derstood the freedom of sharing emotions until then. Each piece, it becomes some form of self-acting autopsy, plucking the tendons and ligaments of my own personal identity in an attempt to understand the mechanics of myself. I reflect. I criticise. I understand.

Such is why, after a lengthy drawl of context, I’m able to finally explain the point of this whole thing. How I’m feeling right now. What this year has felt like for me. Where am I going next? Now, I’m not flashing a green light and this isn’t metaphor; rather, here’s what I can say:

Almost.

Is this the great consequence of aspiration? A sense of unease that trickles in and sits, like acid, in the base of your stomach as soon as you grow close to achieving your dream? Each step forward, as you stand on the precipice of actuality, grows heavy with uncertainty. You meet people that can help you, that can bring you up, and after every interaction you’re left with blind panic at the edge of that cliff because what if—what if—what if——

And it’s exciting, this almost time, because it’s what you can tell people about in ten years, what you’ll remember as humble beginnings, and what reinforces in you

that this is what you want. Yet the insecurity? The weighted steps? Hours of existence that battle against each other as you doubt every move you make? Almost. That is this year for me.

And it feels strange, to supply this without the haze of fiction to present it for me. I struggle, as anyone who knows me will happily agree, to reveal what I’m really feeling. Whether this is because I’m so aware of the transient nature of feeling, of the unequivocal fluidity of it all, and I’d hate to state anything so inconsistent with definitiveness; or because such openness would be exposing those open wounds to the cold bite of possible humiliation. I don’t know. I don’t know much right now, to be honest. What I do know? Almosts are fucking exhausting, but they’re so necessary.

In lieu of a conclusion then, because I feel as though I’ve shared too much, I’d like to leave you with a sentiment from one of my favourite lines of fiction ever written. Before that, however, please do enjoy frivolity, embrace uncertainty, and come back next year if you’re so inclined. But for now, here’s F.Scott:

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

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