Forumist #12 Experience by The Forumist

The

Forumist

issue 12

Experience

DR. MARTENS STOCKHOLM KATARINA BANGATA 15

Experience Issue 12 As we approach the halfway mark of 2017, we are taking a step back and acknowledging the diversity of expression as it exists around us. Everyone’s way of living in this complex world is different, influenced by our upbringings and distinct collections of memories, as well as the subconscious ways we perceive what’s going on around us. So it’s time to celebrate the lifestyles that bring us together and set us apart — our experiences. Experience is not an easy word to define. It can refer to years of practice, to spontaneous moments in time, or even to just the way you interact with the space you find yourself in. But in today’s fast-moving environment, what we consider to be tools of communication have become focused on creating interactive experiences, whether in real life or the development of our online world. Technology is no longer about fulfilling functionality — we are living in a world focused on communication and desire, one of narratives centred around immersive, sensory and intimate experiences that stand out and are worth remembering. This issue is devoted to our interpretation of experience. Our aim was to reveal experiences found in the unique and diverse. We hope it gives you inspiration over the summer months. COVER Photography: Alexander Neumann. Styling: Angel Macias. Hair: Christian Zevallos. Make-up: Ximena de Romaña. Model: Sofia Fanego at Silent. Jacket and trousers: Gahee Lim

Editor-in-Chief Pejman Biroun Vand

Web Development Manager Gustav Bagge

Contributing Designer Daniel Björkman (Sthlm)

Creative Direction See Studio

Beauty Editor Céline Exbrayat (Paris)

Fashion Co-ordinator Emma Thorstrand

Paris Editor Sophie Faucillion

Marketing Managers Sigrid Hadenius Magnus Rindberg

Berlin Editors Veronika Dorosheva Ole Siebrecht

Contributing Fashion Editors Angel Macias (NYC) Tiphaine Menon (Paris) Adam Pettersson (Stockholm) Gabriela Pintado Terroba (Berlin) Maroussia Sampsidis (Paris) Sophia Schwan (Berlin) Mine Uludag (Berlin)

Online & Production Manager Eimi Tagore-Erwin

Music Editor Filip Lindström (Sthlm)

Managing Editor Lisa Liljenberg

Art Editor Ashik Zaman (Sthlm)

Contributing Editors Camila-Catalina Fernandez (Sthlm) Abbie R Phillips (London)

Contributing Photographers Olivia Fremineau (Paris) Harling & Darsell (Berlin) Alric Ljunghager (Bergen) Alexander Neumann (NYC) Lars Norgaard (London) Manuel Obadia-Wills (Paris) Daniel Roché (Berlin) Luis Alberto Rodriguez (Berlin) Dan Sjölund (Sthlm) John Strandh (Sthlm) Max vom Hofe (Berlin) Cornelia Wahlberg (Sthlm) Martin Wichardt (Sthlm)

Printing MittMedia Advertising ad@theforumist.com © 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without permission from the publisher. The views expressed in the magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily shared by the magazine

The Forumist AB Sveavägen 98 113 50 Stockholm SWEDEN info@theforumist.com theforumist.com facebook.com/theforumist instagram.com/theforumist

Contributing Illustrator Jess Quinn (Brighton)

don’t hold

back

Everyone has their own approach to the new season, whether with bold patterns or textures. Surrounded by the big city, discover what makes your style pop. Experiment with details inspired by everything from neon lights and lollipops to the beat from your neighbour’s house party. In Paris, attitude is everything, so why tone it down? Photography by Olivia Fremineau Styling by Tiphaine Menon

above LEFT: Dress by Sportmax, vintage earring stylist’s own. above right: Top by Sportmax, trousers by Drome, brooch by Bonnie Bunny opposite page: Dress by Lacoste, vintage top stylist’s own, belt by Véronique Leroy

TOP: Brooch by Bonnie Bunny. Above left: Dress by Opening Ceremony, earrings by Moutton Collet opposite page: Jacket by Sadak, shirt by & Other Stories, sunglasses by Fendi Hair: Yumiko Hikage. Make-up: Elodie Barrat. Model: Abril Shaw at Next

A moment of reflection How can being submerged in the world of an artist alter your perception of self? Shinji Ohmaki’s conceptual art spaces are immersive experiences that blur the lines between time, space and history Words by Eimi Tagore-Erwin Artwork by ShinJi Ohmaki

based on creating work that transforms entire spaces. But it is not just about filling a space – his practice is more about expanding upon the space itself, often highlighting the history of the land and story of people from each location. “When thinking about the movement, flow and shape of the work, inspiration is received from the land and the place,” he says. “I have long believed that the relationship between the space, the body and the very feeling on the skin is extremely important.” Ohmaki’s newest project has a lot to do with history and the experience a city itself goes through over the years. Echoes – Genius Loci is currently installed at the Yokohama Creative City Centre (YCC) through its new Temporary exhibition series. Ohmaki was the first artist selected and is setting the bar quite high for those to come. He has again given a lot of thought to those who will be viewing it – the people of Yokohama, an industrial city just south of Tokyo. “The memories of the olden days are buried beneath the ground of Yokohama in the form of debris,” he says. The space he has constructed seems empty and silent at first, but upon further observation, viewers realise they are surrounded by a huge map of the entire city and are engulfed in its history. Using the nihonga painting technique traditional to his native Japan, Ohmaki stencilled the floor with a white map of the modern city, mixed with traditional decorative shapes and patterns. The space is framed on both sides by glowing red windows featuring scenes from three sombre moments in history that redefined the landscape of the city in dramatic ways. These times of intense destruction and reconstruction, he says, “have had a tremendous impact on the present”. Ohmaki used the exhibition space at YCC to showcase the histories of Yokohama, submerging his audiences in the experience of the city itself. “Within this work is a cycle – light that comes from darkness and light that also returns to darkness,” Ohmaki explains. “By linking the entire scene with the smaller detail, the artwork becomes a trip through time, space and memory.” As an installation artist, Ohmaki knows better than most that, with each new creation, comes a period of destruction. With every temporary installation, his work is taken down, deconstructed and then reconstructed elsewhere. But this cyclical nature of his practice has become part of the experience itself and doesn’t discourage him. “My work expresses the value of collapse and creation that occurs through simple existence,” he says. “It is not always good for the world to become so uniform through globalisation. As uniformity of the world progresses, I would like to create more awareness about the specific characteristics of different regions and areas. Especially in my work Echoes – Infinity, I am aware of rediscovering the identity of the land and the way of the world.” shinjiohmaki.net

The Japanese artist Shinji Ohmaki works to challenge the paradigms of the art world through his spatial practice. He not only constructs his conceptual installations inside traditional exhibition spaces, but also as permanent open-air sculpture and even in collaboration with the fashion world. Stepping into the ethereal spaces he creates, we are forced to jump straight into the abstract complexities of this ambitious artist’s mind. The Forumist spoke with him to find out how he integrates the presence of an audience into his art spaces. “In making my work, it is very important to imagine how the audience will move and how the context will change their experience of the work.” We asked Ohmaki to open up about Liminal Air Space-Time, his compelling installation that has been exhibited around Japan and in Europe. It’s an ongoing project, in which he uses light and wind to float sheets of silky fabric in the air. Each time it’s constructed, a fresh group of spectators is encouraged to reflect on time and space. “As even a single, simple piece of cloth moves, the boundaries that divide time and space are also changing,” Ohmaki says. The Liminal series is tastefully minimal, executed through an arrangement of hidden fans that suspend and warp these airborne sheets of cloudlike fabric. The airflow stirs the cloth in waves, creating shimmering movements similar to those of cascading, flowing and evaporating water. “Watching this movement, you begin to notice disparities in what you felt was expected, at least according to gravity as we know it. Time speeds up – or it becomes overwhelmingly slow.” By entering into the same space as the delicately tessellating shape, audiences may feel like the shape is defying gravity, a feeling that spreads to their own bodies. They become sharply

aware of their own consciousness, the weight of their own bodies’ physicality and the speed of their own bodies’ movement in relation to the silk. “For me, it’s very important for the audience to experience the work,” says Ohmaki. “Having the spectators themselves be within the scenery of the piece is such an important element of the artwork. Instead of only thinking about materials, I want to create paradoxes in the space around them. Of course, material is also important, but I believe that human consciousness is a force that can transform space.” Ohmaki has installed the Liminal series in three museums in Japan, in Singapore and in the Hermès storefront in Paris, and it also recently existed as a 33m-long installation for the runway exhibition of Louis Vuitton’s AW16 menswear collection in Paris. “No matter where it is, the basic concept will not change. However, the message of the piece changes with the characteristics and histories of each location that are joined to the work,” says Ohmaki. “It is a work that allows physical and sensory deviations to be experienced in this world by transforming what is standard in everyday life – in this case, it’s gravity.” Ohmaki experiments with new mediums for each new project, searching for the perfect balance in texture, reflectiveness, weight and fluidity: “I am looking for materials that change constantly, such as physical texture or phenomena caused by light. I am also interested in using traditional Japanese craft techniques and doing constant research to combine it with new concepts.” Ohmaki originally trained as a sculptor. He studied at the Tokyo University of the Arts, where he is now a professor himself. He has evolved from making static art objects to a successful art practice

top and centre: Echoes Infinity – Moment and Eternity (2016); Toyohashi Arts Theatre, Aichi, Japan; photographs by Ito Tetsuo; 2016 Aichi Triennale Organising Committee. above: Memorial Rebirth (2015); Adachi Shijo, Tokyo; photograph by Matsuo Ujin. left: Liminal Air – Core (2010); Takamatsu Port, Kagawa, Setouchi Triennale; photograph by Ito Tetsuo. far left, from top: Echoes Infinity – Genius Loci (2017); YCC, Yokohama, Japan; photograph by Kato Ken. Gravity and Grace (2016); Toyohashi Arts Theatre, Aichi, Japan; photograph by Ito Tetsuo; 2016 Aichi Triennale Organising Committee

Art, Music & Tailoring 07

Fresh

ANGLES Bend but don’t break — stay current with what’s around you, but add a throwback perspective with new androgynous cuts Photography by Daniel Roché Styling by Mine Uludag

this page: coat by gucci opposite page, clockwise from far left: T-shirt and trousers by Galliano. Dress by Joseph. Jeans by Kings of Indigo

opposite page, clockwise from top left: Coat by Gucci, dress by AF Vandevorst. Dress by Marc Jacobs. JAcket by Isabel Marant, from matchesfashion.com, sweater by Raf Simons. Coat by Joseph, t-shirt by Gucci, trousers by Adidas

this page, clockwise from above left: Dress by Gucci, glove by Chanel, underwear by Prada. Dress by Dior, gloves by Chanel. Dress by HermĂ¨s opposite page: Jacket by Isabel Marant, from matchesfashon. com, sweater by Raf Simons boots (throughout) by balenciaga Hair and make-up: Helena Narra at Liganord using Balmain Haircare and YSL Beauty Model: Freddy at Core

Bloom Set the mood for the way you experience the world. Add a colourful edge to a soft, feminine look to lead you through the city. See where your make-up takes you. Be sensual, be playful. Reimagine pretty, floralinspired hues and take inspiration from the summer breeze as it tousles your hair Photography by Manuel Obadia-Wills Make-up by CĂŠline Exbrayat using MAC Styling by Maroussia Sampsidis

this page, from top: Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Gel, Mineralize Foundation in NC20, Eye Kohl in Minted, Lip Pencil (on hands) in Redd, Magenta, Heroine and Cyber World. All by MAC Dress by VĂŠronique Leroy Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Gel, Mineralize Foundation in NC20, Cream Colour Base in Virgin Isle, Lip Pencil (on eyes) in Redd and Heroine. All by MAC opposite page: Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Gel, Mineralize Foundation in NC20, Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in Fashion Legacy. All by MAC

this page, from top: Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Gel, Mineralize Foundation in NC20, Cream Colour Base in Nude, Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in He Said, She Said, Lipstick/James Kaliardos in Bloodstone, Cremesheen and Amplified. All by MAC Dress by Marc Jacobs, earring stylist’s own Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Gel, Mineralize Foundation in NC20, Crème Shadow palette in Glamorize Me. All by MAC opposite page: Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Gel, Mineralize Foundation in NC20, Cream Colour Base in Pink Shock, Pigment in Blonde’s Gold. All by MAC Dress by Drome Hair: Massanori Yahiro Model: Jeanne Cremers at Oui Studio: Studio Lux

Connected to the moment

stressful one. There are songs that I’ve written in one night. Others where it’s taken me six months or more to get it right. Trying to condense so many ideas, lyrics and directions into one small song can be a total mindfuck, but I love it.” How do you create an experience with your performance and music for your audience? “For me it is very important to be connected to the moment. I feel I really have to connect my core to that present moment and really root myself into the ground and space around me. When I’m performing, I like to imagine that I’m sucking up millions of invisible energies through the centre of the earth. They run up through my feet and out through my voice and movement. I feel like that’s partly why my voice is so big and colourful on stage. Because I’m not just performing as one being, but connecting myself to the universe and something that is more timeless and endless and selfless.”

Musician Mikey Woodbridge strikes — with his flashy style, he catches your attention within seconds

Words by Ole Siebrecht Photography by Harling & Darsell Styling by Gabriela Pintado Terroba

In these times of music-streaming services, do you think people are missing the real experience when they consume everything on their mobile devices? “We are just moving forward with the times and discovering new ways to experience and discover music. It’s a good thing. There is no wrong or right way to have a real music experience.” We loved your performance at Berlin Alternative Fashion Week. You managed to bring music and fashion together by creating an awesome atmosphere and you left the audience almost breathless. Is this your goal as an artist – to spread emotions through your performance? “That was a collaborative performance for the designer Chaz Aracil together with dancers Benjamin Milan and Gianna Gi from London. Myself and Jon Dark, from the band Evvol, made the music together. It was something special. I like to make an audience feel something, yes – or get them experiencing something they weren’t expecting.” Does Berlin have an impact on your work? “Yes. The city can be magic for inspiration and ideas. There is no shortage of new experiences and connections. But it can also get repetitive if you don’t challenge yourself to seek new ones. It also has its dark sides, too, and sometimes I find it hard to channel the motivation into nursing my ideas and creating new work. Finding your own balance that works is the key. I’ve been in Berlin now for just over two years and I feel like I’m only just finding my feet and balancing everything that’s happening.”

The Australian-born musician Mikey Woodbridge lives in Berlin. When he’s performing his songs, the audience gets completely drawn in. His fragile yet strong, confident voice makes the lyrics come to life in the audience’s imagination, creating images and fascination in their minds. The Forumist found out exactly how Woodbridge creates his own experience. When and why did you start doing music? “I don’t think there is an actual point in your life where you decide to start doing music or anything where you creatively express yourself. It’s either in you from the beginning and you just do it. Or you don’t.”

In Scare U Away/Erotica, you sing “Gender was yesterday.” What does gender mean to you? “In my music, I’m trying to break gender down and the way humans are taught to think of gender as just a man or a woman. That song is about seducing a man who is attracted to me but doesn’t understand his attraction to me. So gender doesn’t mean anything to me, but rather I’m trying to challenge the way humans are taught to see it. Helping people understand multi-gendered or non-gendered creatures and beings is more important.”

Why did you choose music as the medium to express yourself ? “I don’t think music is just one medium. It is limitless. It is creating a soundscape and listening experience. Song concepts and lyrics, poetry, instrumentation, voice, sound frequencies, to movement and dance. Creating music is like painting a picture with so many paths and mediums to choose from. Then performing it and being able to manipulate the sound and performance in so many ways every single time. I like the feeling of not knowing what I’ll do next.”

What inspires your style? “The thought of being the embodiment of freedom.” What was the most memorable experience you ever created on stage? “The last show I did here in Berlin with my good friend Oozing Gloop at Spektrum. It was called Blue Tears, Brown Temples. It was also the first time I let the audience see a different part of me, a comedy side and sense of humour where I let different guards within myself down. So I was being vulnerable in my music, which is dark, serious and full of emotions, but then also channelling this comedic presence, presenting the show and having this humorous chemistry with my friend on stage. It was like feeling many different layers of gratification, because there were so many performance elements that we were putting into a show for the first time.”

Is Mikey Woodbridge your real name or your artist name? If so, is there a story behind it? “Yes, that’s my real name. But MIKEY. is my artist name. I like writing it like that, with a point, because I think one word can tell a whole story. Whether you know the story or not, I like that it encourages the use of one’s imagination and the sense of wonder.” Your lyrics are very emotional and seem intimate. Are there personal experiences behind them? “Yes, writing songs is a very personal journey and even self-discovery therapy for me. I like what I learn about myself and the world through writing songs. It’s how I make sense of what’s going on around me. Sometimes I write such personal, vulnerable lyrics, I even feel embarrassed to perform the song, but I’ve learnt that the feeling is a good one, because I know an audience is going to connect with that personal experience and vulnerability more than anything.”

I think there are a lot of people who look up to you because you seem to be so confident in yourself. Do you have a motto? Or a message? “Don’t look up to me. Focus on doing you and doing the best you.”

What inspires your music? “Life. Moments. The unknown. Mystery.” What do you experience when you’re listening to/ making music? “It’s a journey of trial and error when writing a song. It can be a really thrilling process, but also sometimes a

this page, clockwise from top left: Blouse by Maks. Dress by Litichevskaya, shoes mikey’s own. top by Assembled Half. opposite page: Top and trousers by Litichevskaya Hair and make-up: Katja Maassen at Liganord

What’s next? “I’m working on my first offical EP. Finally. It will come with videos and a whole series of visual elements. It’s a slow process, but it’s coming.” soundcloud.com/mikeywoodbridge

Enter the wild Feel its infinite energy. Immerse yourself in nature’s elements and you’ll start living on the edge — both of your seat and civilisation itself Words by Eimi Tagore-Erwin Photography by Alric Ljunghager, John Strandh and Martin Wichardt Thanks to Peak Performance

Few people have the drive to keep up with nature’s forces, but these three passionate photographers have an instinct for capturing the mood and intensity of the outdoors. Their collaboration for the upcoming Peak Performance cruise collection creates a surreal glimpse of the untamed landscape that surrounds our cities, channelling a rawness only achieved through living on the edge. Their photos come to life as clothing becomes the new canvas. The Forumist had the rare chance to speak with the men behind these images, catching them while they were on the road, to discover what motivates their dynamic lifestyles. 22

Alric Ljunghager He may be based in Bergen, Norway, but Alric Ljunghager is hardly ever at home. His photography keeps him on the move, and this fast-paced lifestyle inspires his photos. “The chaos outside has so many perfections, so your imagination turns into pure observation,” he says. “Nature comes up with beautiful ideas that you would never have thought of yourself.” Although he has been taking photographs for as long as he can remember, this is his first year working with Peak Performance. “Giving responsibility to a photographer is a brave thing to do,” he says. He didn’t expect to see his photos on the streets in this new format and is excited to see the final design, saying that he thinks running with the unanticipated is necessary “for the extraordinary to happen”. Ljunghager used to be in front of the camera more than he was behind it. His story changed when he broke his neck a few years ago. Incredibly, such a serious accident didn’t stop him from moving forward: his deep love for skiing and the culture that comes with it has kept his resolve strong. He learnt quickly that photography allows him to experience the culture of the outdoors in a stronger way. “Turns out that I love it more than skiing itself,” he says. Transitioning into his life as photographer means he is travelling to new locations all the time. “My clothes are always in a bag,” he says, “but I always gain new perspectives, and coming home with that new knowledge becomes part of the exploration.” Ljunghager believes his travels wake up his brain, because he is always introducing new visual and sensory situations into his routine. Immersing himself for weeks on end in -25C environments for 12 hours a day is an unimaginable experience for most, but he embraces this environment. “The brain can’t really comprehend the environmental changes. They get so intense and real. It feels like teleportation.” His powerful and scenic photographs are often a result of snap judgments and intuition. “It’s so beautiful, and it’s here and now,” Ljunghager says. “The less control, the better – then I can really observe and just appreciate the moment.” alric.se

this page and opposite page, from top: photographs by Alric Ljunghager. opposite page, far left: Alric Ljunghager, portrait by Sakarias Majander

John Strandh It’s a special love for the midnight sun, freezing waters and the chilly Nordic landscape that drives John Strandh’s photography. He was brought up in the north of Sweden, where he decided to dedicate his life to ice sports before he realised how much he loved photography. He is now both a photographer and cinematographer and his work in both fields reflects his genuine love and respect for nature. The outdoors is the most common setting for his stories and he often returns to the north. “Shooting in the wild is where I come to life,” he says. “The fact that we humans have almost lost all connection with the natural world is my strongest drive. Though we know we need nature to survive, we tend to forget.” For Strandh, timing and location are the most important things. His 10 years of shooting in the wild has taught him that he just can’t afford to be limited by external factors such as gear and clothes – he’s learnt how to be prepared to contend with nature’s fluid ways. “Usually, the conditions are extreme in terms of weather and temperature, so I try to make sure I am ready for any kind of scenario. It’s key not to be limited by external factors, because time and patience are everything,” he says. Strandh has recently been filming a television series in northern Sweden and also keeping up his longtime, nature-focused collaborations with the artist Ionnalee. “I like to capture moments that should – and could – be a part of a normal person’s life.” He has travelled around the world for shoots, but doesn’t tire of spending time in the Nordic winter. “There are many dimensions to it,” he says. “But you need to spend a lot of time in the outdoors to see the difference.” Talking about the new Peak Performance cruise collection, he says: “Mixing different ways of expression is always interesting.” He has made films with them in the past, but is really excited about the upcoming collection. Having his photographs brought to life on people’s bodies is a new way to connect with them. “Our work has the minimalistic, timeless and functional in common,” he says. “I want to draw people’s attention to the simplistic and natural, and inspire them to experience nature first-hand rather than only through social media.” johnstrandh.com

above, from top, and opposite page: all photographs by Alric Ljunghager. above left and left: photographs by john Strandh. below left and and far left: all photographs by martin wichardt

Martin Wichardt “I think I’m too restless and too curious to limit myself to do one thing only,” says Martin Wichardt on why he doesn’t define himself as a nature photographer or limit himself to any category. While he also enjoys shooting in the studio, he prefers taking his camera out into the wild. “I shoot a mixture of lifestyle and sports to document stories and portraits. A lot of what I do is based outside, often with nature as the setting.” After starting off skateboarding and snowboarding, Wichardt was drawn into photography by the culture and lifestyle that naturally comes with outdoor sports. Bringing his camera into those environments wasn’t a far reach for him. “It just feels natural,” he says. “They’re both very visual and expressive [activities]. It’s all about individual style and emotions.” He bought his first camera when he was 19, several years before he studied photography at Kulturama in Stockholm, graduating in 2011. “From there, it’s been pretty much just on,” he says. “Basically, it comes from being a kid, flipping through magazines, wanting to access this amazing world – wanting to create powerful images like the ones I saw.” He has been collaborating with Peak Performance for two years, but the upcoming collection is something entirely new. “Hopefully, it will put a smile on someone’s face, make them dream about distant places or long for the winter.” This project holds special meaning for him because he shot the scene on his first trip to the Alps, when he first decided to get into photographing skiing. The resulting image represents the moment he really decided to go for it. “We worked hard for six days straight and were out on the mountain, shooting in all kinds of weather – it was on this trip that it all started,” he says. “It’s exciting and honourable that people are going to walk around wearing this moment on their bodies.” The love of outdoor culture is a great part of his drive, but Wichardt says the real drive behind his photos is his curiosity and constant search for interesting lighting. “The unpredictability and lack of complete control is fascinating,” he says. “Ambient light, with all its shapes and variations, is everchanging in its nature. It varies in colour, temperature, intensity and direction. This is what inspires me, catches my eye and makes me press the trigger.” martinwichardt.se

For the upcoming collaboration, fashion becomes the backdrop for photography as these windows into the wild enter our homes and streets. The photographers’ images are taken out of traditional viewing spaces and transferred onto clothing as a real-life gallery – an original platform that combines the outdoors, fashion and self-expression. This new format is a way to fuse nature with identity, to share the love for an outdoor lifestyle and to bring it with you into any environment.

Peak Performance’s cruise collection is out in September. Stay tuned to see the entire collection on TheForumist.com. Featuring the work of talented nature photographers Alric Ljunghager, John Strandh and Martin Wichardt, this new line is redefining tradition as we know it 25

let it

happen While the sun is high, allow it to embrace your skin. Surround yourself with the warm scents of dust and sand in high-fashion Peru, bringing constant adventure to new places around the world Photography by Alexander Neumann Styling by Angel Macias OPPOSITE PAGE: Top by Mook Attakanwong, jeans by Acne

this page: Waistcoat by Nihl opposite page: Shorts by Queenie Cao

Dress by Edun, trousers by Dries Van Noten

this page: Top by Acne opposite page: Dress by Acne Hair: Christian Zevallos Make-up: Ximena de RomaĂąa Model: Sofia Fanego at Silent Photographerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assistant: Maria Paz Production: Ricky Chaves Special thanks to: La ciudadela del arquitecto Enrique Leguia, Pachacamac, PeRU

forbidden

fruit Welcome the unknown into your life with layers of combinations, curious textures and unexpected flavours straight from Berlin Photography by Max vom Hofe Styling by Sophia Schwan OPPOSITE PAGE: Dress by Topshop Unique, shirt by Dion Lee, shirt sleeve by Ottolinger

this page: Dress by Ă eron, trousers by Ottolinger, earring by & Other Stories, stockings by Kunert opposite page: Trousers by Julia Seemann, bra by Malaikaraiss, stockings (on arms) by Kunert, shoes by Miu Miu

This page: Coat by Simone Rocha, earring by & Other Stories, bra by Love Stories, red tights by Hudson, transparent tights by Kunert, trainers by Ganni opposite page: Dress by Rejina Pyo, gloves by Prada, stockings (on arms) by Kunert

this page: Top by Ottolinger, trousers by Beaufille, tights by Kunert, shoes by Miu Miu opposite page: Coat by Rejina Pyo, bra by Prada, gloves by Balenciaga, tights by Kunert, shoes by Miu Miu Hair: Eva Dieckhoff at Bigoudi Model: Ana Saraiva at M+P set design: Studio Jun

Hide and seek

you have to be very aware of what it is you are contributing. There are so many images out there. When I look at the images of old masters like Avedon, I see complete commitment. I am interested in timelessness and the transient nature of photography at the same time. This work doesn’t come from following the latest trends. It’s about having an idea, learning the best way to execute this idea, repeat it and chip away the unnecessary parts until it feels whole and true to you. It is a lifetime work and it’s never over. The process of getting there is important and must be treasured.”

Luis Alberto Rodriguez, a self-taught photographer, on life-changing experiences Words by Veronika Dorosheva Photography by Luis Alberto Rodriguez

What’s next? “I want to continue working on my ideas and developing my signature work further. I have also started working on a personal series, which is going to take some time, because I am also making clothes for this project. “And this one is more like a dream, but I would love to travel to the African continent and collaborate with people who work with local artisanal materials. I would also like to start showing my work in galleries.”

An NYC-born artist with Dominican roots, Luis Alberto Rodriguez was a professional dancer for 15 years prior to becoming a photographer. He has now been photographing for two and a half years and was this year’s winner of the Public and American Vintage prizes at the 32nd International Festival of Fashion and Photography, which took place in Hyères, in the south of France, at the end of April. Rodriguez’s work combines references from the very different disciplines of dance, fashion and sculpture, and in a unique way. The covered human bodies in his photographs are still, yet they radiate the energy of a moving body. Although the bodies look like sculptures, they don’t feel cold and frozen, but alive and full of energy. In Rodriguez’s images, the movement and energy that should be impalpable due to their nature suddenly becomes solid and tangible. As we cannot see the faces and other details, such as what the models are wearing underneath the covers, we are not distracted by this additional information and are forced to see the movement as a whole. These living sculptures prompt us to ask questions about the identity of the hidden bodies and they are a paradox on their own: the bodies are there and we can see them, but they are covered and thus remain a mystery that boosts our imagination.

luisalbertorodriguez.com; Instagram: @luisalbertorodriguezstudio

How did you get into photography? “It all started during a trip to China, with me taking pictures of women’s shoes, cropping them just by the ankles. The idea was that, by just photographing the shoes, I could tell the story of who each woman was. I could dream up a character. I even started a Tumblr blog. My idea was to do the same thing in NYC, Barcelona, Berlin and other cities in Europe, but when I moved to Europe I quickly realised that it wasn’t working because everyone looked kind of the same and you couldn’t tell whether the picture was

taken in Berlin or Paris or elsewhere. A friend of mine, a stylist from NYC, persuaded me to get into photography seriously. I started taking pictures of my family and friends and people on the street. From that moment, my life started to shift. I started meeting people who worked in photography and fashion. I made the decision to quit my dancing job. I bought a camera and dedicated myself to photography. “I am not looking at my photographs as fashion photography. It’s not my interest. I am looking at clothes not as fashion pieces but rather as the raw

material to work with. When I work with clothes I always ask myself how could I expand them. I am trying to look at the photographs as movements, but they don’t necessarily have to show a movement. Photographs are often considered as something static, as a way to capture and seize the moment. I am trying to think about the images as energy. I am asking myself questions such as, ‘Where is the body going?’ and, ‘Where is it coming from?’ “I think a lot about what I am doing and what I am saying with my work. I think that, as an artist,

The Finnish experience Finland is a mix of many, yet always an original. A true superpower in serious music and design, it’s unknown territory for foodies, but that is about to change. And as in the arts, there is always something genuine to be found up here: a true Finnish food experience. It’s the perfect destination to Eat Pilsner Words by tor bergman Special thanks to Pilsner Urquell From the composer Sibelius to the artist Tom of Finland, the Finns have always managed to stand out. Even in warfare, their brave fighting to keep Stalin out has given the country a special standing in the history books. Later, it was through designers such as Alvar Aalto that Finland established itself as a powerful force in modern expression. It’s a country renowned for its originality and proud natives. This transformation from a rather poor country on the outskirts of Europe to one of the most progressive in the world was made possible through the paper industries. It was an industry that produced an awful, smoky odour that couldn’t be ignored when the ships arrived from all over the world. “What is that awful smell?” a young sailor wondered. “The smell of money,” was the famous answer. That horrid fog from the chimneys created great wealth and built the foundation of modern Finland, and maybe there is something deeply profound within the Finns and their adoration of smoke. They love to be surrounded by it, sweating together in cramped cottages, enjoying a beer. And they love to smoke anything they can eat. “When we were asked to create a dish for Eat Pilsner, it was obvious we wanted to do something that really felt Finnish. And for us, that was to smoke some ingredients the traditional way – in a cottage. Or as we call it, mökki,” says Antti Lappalainen of Fisken på Disken in Helsinki – the first restaurant in Finland to be chosen to spread the message of beer gastronomy. Finnish cuisine has come a long way since the country was a rural province of Sweden and later Russia. As with other Nordic countries, this was not a place of plenty. Everything had to be used up thoughtfully. “For

us Finns, simplicity is important,” says Lappalainen. “Nothing should be used if it’s not really needed. Just as in our design tradition. Less is… enough.” Like many other countries, Finland has had to dispel some prejudices regarding its food culture. Just over a decade ago, the French President Jacques Chirac claimed, “After Finland, [Britain] is the country with the worst food.” But just as in the British Isles, the restaurant culture in Finland has gone through a reformation. Helsinki and other Finnish cities are now regarded by many as the next destination for anyone who has become hooked on Nordic cuisine. Somehow, gastronomy in Finland has preserved its own unique traditions better than others. “In many ways, we have kept our ways up here,” says Lappalainen. “You have to remember that we have a very homogeneous population and therefore fewer imported food cultures than other Nordic countries. We hardly have any immigration. But naturally we have learnt from our history, being at the crossroad of so many different food traditions. And we’re curious people. We like to travel!” 44

Featuring a natural and historic culture clash between the Arctic Circle, Russia, the Baltic Sea, the Finnish lake district and a huge continental influence among the old bourgeoisie, Finland’s food scene is already one of the most schizophrenic in Europe. Yes, they love their bear meat, carrot à la porkkanalaatikko and that beloved mustard they always brag about, but Finns also love oysters and rare wild game. And now new restaurants combining all these traditions in a new way are popping up like forest chanterelles. They are combining the new with the old. Purifying the traditions. And one of the traditions in Finland is actually using beer in cooking. “Cooking with beer is something we’ve been doing for ages in Finland,” Lappalainen continues. “I use it frequently in my reindeer stew and in my mustard. But as we’re a seafood restaurant, we decided to cook one of the classics in beer gastronomy – mussels – but in our Finnish way.” Very far removed from Belgian moules, this dish combines typically Finnish ingredients such as radishes, dill and buckwheat. The mussels, an example of Swedish interaction through the centuries, are poached in butter and pilsner – everything with a distinctive smoked undertone. As we said, the Finns are seriously obsessed with smoke. What else could you expect from the homeland of the sauna? Up there, they do things their way. From top: Finsch Landschap ENO Herajärvi, No 734 Ståhlberg, Helsinki (1898), photograph by IK Inha; © Tiina Törmänen; Sunset at Lake Tuusula (1902 ) by Pekka Halonen. Left: Fisken på Disken, helsinki. Far left: marimekko’s famous print Unikko, © Marimekko

Eat Pilsner is an invitation for restaurants all over Europe to create new dishes using Pilsner Urquell – the original pilsner – as a key ingredient. Mökki Mussels Urquell was created by Fisken på Disken, Helsinki; fisken.fi

The young Swedish artists AmberValent and Alton shape the experience of their music through their live performances and the self-assured stage personas they’ve created. Enter new universes formed from inspiration sprung out of persistent work Words by FILIP LINDström Photography by Dan Sjölund Styling by Pejman Biroun Vand Special thanks to Whyred

AmberValent The Swedish singer, producer and club promoter AmberValent describes her own musical past with the underground hip-hop duo ANAYE (formed with MayDar) as highly energetic, with a punk-rock drive that came from them just doing without thinking. The focus was on sparkling live experiences and on the intense work ethic that the two of them shared. Now that AmberValent has broken through as a solo act, her focus has shifted. The ethic and energy might still be present, but AmberValent’s live shows are purposely not as explosive as ANAYE’s. “I try to create an exhilarated feeling,” she says about how she wants to shape the experience of her music in a live setting. “Even though my music is not that peppy, I still want to show how happy I am that I get to share the moment with those who are there. My songs are more atmospheric, dreamy and even a bit melancholic. For me, the live experience is celebrating together instead of being sucked into my world through headphones in loneliness.” She mostly prefers to experience music through film and video, to get a big picture of the expression. “The dream is to make a visual album one day. And a feature film. And anime!” A performer’s stage persona can be inspired by how others behave when performing and AmberValent lists fellow Swedish act Gnucci – with whom she is touring at the moment – as an inspiration. “I love a show with emphasis on live production, visuals, outfits, moves and being pulled into another universe. That’s also what I love about the drag queen/club kid culture, the idea of creating a persona who is the biggest, most flashy, most showy version of yourself. I constantly practise [inhabiting] the enormous ego that is needed to own a stage.” The most important thing for AmberValent when it comes to other artists is energy and openness. Included in the creation of a supermodel-of-the-world type, stage-owning, self-confident side of oneself might be the use of fashion. “That is extremely important to me. It might come from my interest in

This is

film and video, this creating of a world that the ‘experiencer’ can leap into and live in. I am inspired by people like Prince, Betty Davis and David Bowie in how unapologetic their expression was and that they dared to experiment. I love what Jean-Paul Gaultier did in The Fifth Element – there were so many iconic looks and scenes in that film. “I don’t have a specific person who inspires me right now. Because of the internet, I get inspiration from all the corners of the world, which is cool, since it hasn’t always been a certainty that anything other than the western world has been brought forward in the media. Now everyone can represent themselves using their own conditions.” Indeed, social media has given the world a chance to speak up and be noticed, though the west is still most heavily represented. Artists as well as private individuals can shape the perception of themselves – whether this is a good or bad change is up to each of us to decide. AmberValent’s interest in fashion and make-up started early, and she mentions Whyred as one of her favourite stores when she was younger. She loves Scandinavian design and says that her outfit when she is serving up “business-executive realness” includes a Whyred mesh top. Her style has changed over the years, but the consistent energy in her fashion sense is a love for vintage and the deconstruction of garments. “My favourite thing is to raid my relatives’ wardrobes for pieces of gold,” she says. In a postmodern world, that’s how fashion and other kinds of culture move forward: through seeing and living with days past. By cutting and pasting things to make them fit for today, we make something that can be viewed as new. AmberValent’s musical taste can easily be compared with her liking of deconstructed vintage clothing, since she lists hardstyle music as a favourite nest, as well as funk forefathers Parliament-Funkadelic. All the musical styles she enjoys influence her work: “I look forward to what it can evolve into and to what my lyrics will sound like once I’ve matured.” Her music can be experienced in Swedish and English, sometimes in the same song. It means her work can be perceived in different ways, depending on where in the world she sings them. “My ‘Swenglish’ songs definitely work best [in Sweden], but I play a lot abroad and then it’s nice to have a repertoire in English, too. I really love when songs are bilingual, because multi-culturalism is so sexy.” AmberValent’s new single 4U, featuring Yemi and produced by AmberValent, is out this month

This page: left, ALTON wears SAINT CAMO Jacket, ART DMC T-Shirt. above, SAINT CAMO Jacket, MARIO II Shirt, ART STRIPE T-Shirt, hell Jeans opposite page: top, ambervalent wears JANNIKE TWILL Jacket, FERRY STARS Scarf. main and far left, DOGMAN W BLEACHED BLUE jacket, VONYA EMBROIDERED SMILE T-Shirt, WAITS CAMO Trousers all by WHYRED

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Alton What is experience really? When it comes to music, the term can mean two things: the musical experience a person gathers from practising and living through music, or the experience of a piece of music that hits us right in the heart and floors us without warning. We’ve all got our own favourite stories to tell about that special concert that we will never forget. Music is often one of the first art forms we cling to when we are young, the first thing we identify ourselves with completely. It’s something we can fully commit to, no matter our age or earlier experience of it, because the effect of an amazing tune is fundamental, almost primal. No other thing holds such power, because music is the middleman between all cultural expressions. That means if you are experienced in music – or if you just enjoy the experience of music – the leap to fashion, photography, painting, writing or anything else is not that large. Music is always present in the world of culture, wherever you go. The Swedish rapper and producer Alton is 18 and has already gathered the experience needed to make interesting tracks as a solo artist signed to Cosmos Music. According to Cosmos, the reason for his signing a year ago was that he is a multi-talent who has mastered production and melodies, as well as a keen singer and rapper who delivers a great live show. On that topic, Alton talks about the kind of experience he wants to communicate through his live performances: “I mostly hope that people can leave pleased with what they got to see, that they feel like I was present.” Being present is important to him – it is something he wants to be but also something he seeks in others. When he goes to another artist’s performance, he is looking for the same thing that he tries to deliver. “Stage presence and that it feels like they care. That we as an audience can sense how much of an effort the artist is putting in to the music and that we can see they are making an effort to show us how much it means to them. “I don’t know anyone who has influenced the way my live sets look today, but when my catalogue has been broadened and when I can maybe play bigger stages, I want to give people the same experience that This page: right, alton wears SAINT CAMO Jacket, ART DMC T-Shirt. Below, MURRY LIGHTWEIGHT WASH Sweatshirt, ART OIL DYE T-Shirt, YOUNG WILLOW Trousers, REED sunGlasses, COADY Backpack opposite page: main, AMBERVALENT WEARS JANNIKE TWILL Jacket, ELAY Dress, FERRY STARS Scarf. far right, from top, GALLAGHER W Jacket, MILLS SQUARE T-Shirt; SUN STAR T-Shirt, WAITS CAMO Shorts, showpiece Shoes, COADY Backpack all by WHYRED Grooming: Angelica Beckman at Mikas LOOKS

I’ve gotten when I’ve seen Kraftwerk, Missy Elliott and Prince. I’m not comparing myself to them, rather I would like to have the same effect on people as they’ve had during their live shows.” Alton grew up in a musical home, with a DJ father who let his son listen to music from the entire world. “I think the wide range has contributed most to the sound and the music I strive to create,” says Alton about his father’s influence in him making music from a very young age. “I was encouraged and what I take with me from that is something my father said – ‘Inspiration is not something that you can sit around and wait for if you want music as your profession. You have to work constantly and eventually get an idea.’ He still says that, so sometimes I can tweak a kick drum for two hours.” Alton’s story reminds me of Yo-Yo Ma, the cellist who rose to fame as a small boy and has fought not only to keep his interest in music intact, but also evolve it. I wonder if Alton has struck the same rock, finding it hard to stay interested in something he has done for a long time. “I didn’t make any music between the ages of 12 and 13, and I started for real when I was 15. So, yes, I have come across that, but I think it can be good to gain some perspective on what it is you want to do.” There is a slight difference between making music and being an artist, merely the act of stepping forward as a person available for worship. Alton has been creating for the better part of his life, becoming a performer in the public eye later on. Is he comfortable with developing himself as an artist? “I think so, but you don’t know what can happen. I might wake up one day wanting to work quietly, but for now I want people to listen and connect what they hear to me, since I put so much into my lyrics.” The way Alton describes his curiosity for fashion is also a beautiful description of his love for and dedication to music, summing him up as an artist: “I have a great interest in clothes and I don’t connect that to my music more than that I try to be as honest to myself as I can in both categories.” facebook.com/altonnnotla Whyred supports the experience of music, the people creating the experiences and the people experiencing them. Music and fashion are forever connected as one of the most powerful experiences there is

What lies beneath?

mission to “support the use of cybernetics as part of the body and begin to introduce the diverse possibility for artistic practices that utilise extended sensory capabilities”. Harbisson is perhaps most famous for his “eyeborg”, a permanently implanted antenna that allows him to overcome his colour-blindness and hear the light frequencies of the colour spectrum, including invisible colours such as infrared and ultraviolet. Ribas is known for her performance piece Waiting for Earthquakes. Using a sensor in her elbow, she interprets seismic events through dance. Both of these artists and their curious works have given audiences insight into the abilities of cybernetic enhancements on the lived experience of individuals and the boundaries of human perception, both enhanced and not. Last year, Ribas, Harbisson and other cyborg enthusiasts founded the company Cyborg Nest, and earlier this year, an implant for personal use became available for purchase through them. The North Sense is a semi-permanent implant, attached to the body using dermal anchors (small titanium bars that rest just under the skin) that, when fitted, vibrates when the wearer is facing magnetic north. The 6.5cm2 silicon-coated enhancement is available for $425 (about 3,700kr/€380). It is removable, but sold on the idea that, through constant use, the implant will “gradually enhance your memories, thoughts and the way you experience the world”. A more accessible form of enhancement is achieved through implanting magnets into your hands. Placing a small magnet into the tip of the ring finger of the non-dominant hand (perhaps because if something goes wrong, this finger is considered the least important) is a quick way for upgraders to alter their sensory experiences. This magnetic implantation is a procedure that has, in recent years, been covered by

Magnetic implants and body enhancements are changing the way we experience the world. But will these modifications truly make us more cyborg or are we becoming more occultist? Words by Abbie R Phillips Illustrations by jess quinn

Earlier this year, a Swedish biohacking group, Biohax International, announced a groundbreaking collaboration with SJ trains. Together, they hope to offer passengers access to rail services through a small microchip implanted under the skin. A sweeping gesture of your hand against a ticket machine would grant you passage. All you need to do is succumb to the pull of technological enhancement and begin your ascent into becoming cyborg. With a seemingly endless array of biohacking resources emerging around the world (collectives, conferences, workshops, websites, forums), the implications for the future of medicine and the improvement of the lives of the disabled are being widely discussed among academics and journalists. But there is something else here that needs to be explored. What does biohacking, or becoming a cyborg, actually mean for our day-to-day life experiences? Beyond medical advancement, beyond convenience and even beyond simple improvement? Science-fiction author Arthur C Clarke famously said: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Within obscure occult practices around the globe, individuals perceive and interact with a spirit world and channel those energies into reality. Are these invisible magnetic fields or data signals emanating from our technological devices a new form of spiritual awakening? The signals from our devices are hiding among us, influencing our choices. Has our detachment from the actual inner workings of technology created a new kind of occultism? In becoming more cyborg, perhaps we are enabling ourselves to seek out and interact with this spirit world of signals, waves, pulses and frequencies. Biohackers, or grinders, apply the hacker ethics of sharing, openness, decentralisation, free access and world improvement to themselves, altering their bodies with DIY or open-source cybernetic devices. In 2010, the Cyborg Foundation was founded by cyborg artists Neil Harbisson and Moon Ribas with a

far left: Neil Harbisson; photograph by Lars Norgaard. centre: An X-ray of microchip implants, Chip My Life; courtesy of news.com.au. right, from top: The North Sense; courtesy of Cyborg Nest

many media channels. Though summed up by implant enthusiast and blogger Dann Berg, the experience appears to be shared by many: “It has unlocked an entirely new world for me, one that I can touch and interact with in a very real way.” These are but a few examples of the types of technology, haptic enhancements and modifications that are emerging from the biohacking scene. What these types of modifications seem to share is their ability to “unlock” a hidden world, an experience that is perhaps missing from our current technological interactions, and one that is compounded by our removal from the workings of technology. The North Sense and magnetic implants appear to change our state of consciousness, creating embodied experiences of the mediated world around us – possibly upgrading our lives. Or maybe making us more occultist. For further information on biohacking and events, visit chipster.nu

stars, no matter how small the stage was. If we hadn’t had that attitude, I don’t think we would have reached where we are today.” And what about “Thank you, Coachella!”? Was that spontaneous? “I might have told Groovy Nickz to say that, because I didn’t dare do it myself.” That proclamation and Dolores Haze themselves are iconic to me, but how do they define an icon? “It’s someone who has made a mark on your childhood and who has inspired you for a long time. We all think Avril Lavigne is an icon. Music and fashion are sort of the same, so the definition of an icon doesn’t differ between the art forms.” Dolores Haze is a band that is easily connected to fashion. They have fronted numerous fashion campaigns, among them the Dr. Martens tour Stand for Something. The campaign’s aim was to support and celebrate people who see the shoes as a medium for self-expression and it resulted in Dolores Haze releasing an EP. Music and fashion is, as we all know, a match made in heaven, and the match between Dolores Haze and punk-rock fashion is an even better one. Brands using bands is efficient – and fascinating to me – as each helps the other while the two cultural forms combine in a new art piece. Dolores Haze have a few things they look for in such a relationship, says Groovy Fuck. “It has to feel natural and we have to be able to stand for the brand. And it has to feel fun!” Respect and love for fashion is crucial, as well as an understanding of its bond with music. “We like that music is an art form that fits well when mixed with other forms – poetry, art, film. Fashion is very good for enhancing and clarifying messages and emotions in music. Stage outfits and clothes in videos or press photos need to be thought through, and there is room for artistic creativity.” In 2015, the band proved that the Haze is forever, releasing a full-length album that continues to echo far and wide. Because of their charmingly cocky belief in their own greatness, much attention has been brought to Groovy Nickz, Groovy Fuck (who once convinced a reporter that “Fuck” was the name given to her at birth), guitarist Lucky Lollo and drummer Foxy Sagz. When asked if she thinks the attention given to the band members as people has been greater than that given to their music, Groovy Fuck replies: “Maybe sometimes. Especially when people who don’t like us focus more on us as individuals than on our music because we are not like we should be or because we talk too loud and too much.” Together, as a band,

Feel the power Dolores Haze is the most unapologetically selfconfident band to appear on the Swedish music scene in a long time, and it’s more refreshing than ever to have them around Words by Filip Lindström Photography by Cornelia Wahlberg Styling by Adam Pettersson Special thanks to Dr. Martens

I vividly remember the first time I saw Dolores Haze. It was at a “battle of the bands” four or five years ago, in a desolate Stockholm suburb called Farsta. As so often with this kind of event, the line-up consisted of dull and laughable acts, except for one band who oozed attitude and self-confidence. Despite their young age, they acted as if they had already conquered the universe a thousand times over. With their “couldn’t care less” look in their eyes while they ripped their songs to pieces, it was clear they were destined to go much further than playing in front of a handful of people in Farsta Centrum. This band was, of course, Dolores Haze and my premonition came true. Since then, they have exploded not only onto the music scene but also into the fashion world. When it was revealed in that competition that the band had got through to the next step, its vocalist/bass player Groovy Nickz made a statement I’ve never forgotten: “Thank you, Coachella!” Guitarist Groovy Fuck remembers the early days of the band: “A year ago, it felt embarrassing to think about it, but now it just feels nice that something that might seem petty now was so big for us then. We thought we were world

Dolores Haze is stronger than ever. “On stage or together, you are a part of something.” With their neo-punk music and glamorous DIY aesthetic, Dolores Haze are now the darlings of music and fashion magazines. In the images, they still have that same look in their eyes that I saw on stage a few years ago. What I loved about them then was that they weren’t afraid to believe in themselves and show the world their hubris. I ask what they think of the experience of hubris in our society today. “I can’t answer that, but it is tiresome that men’s hubris is still more accepted than women’s. We love people, especially young girls, who dare to take space and do what they love doing, and if hubris is needed to do that, then why not? Without hubris, we wouldn’t be here, talking about ourselves in a magazine.” And what might someone who has listened to Dolores Haze’s records have missed if they haven’t witnessed one of the band’s live shows? “All fans of Dolores should come to our gigs. Otherwise you will miss everything! Our songs become a completely different experience when they are played live. Plus, you will miss Nicki’s iconic outfits.”

this page: Foxy Sagz wears pascal stud boots by dr. martens opposite page, clockwise from far left: Lucky Lollo wears pascal stud boots; second from left, foxy sagz wears sinclair boots; groovy fuck wears sinclair boots and foxy sagz wears pascal stud boots; lucky lollo wears adrian loafers. all by dr. martens Hair: Sherin at Adamsky Make-up: Elva Albin at Adamsky special thanks to: Dr. Martens Store, Katarina Bangatan 15, Stockholm

Holy spirit

choices, many of them courageous and tormented. Different experiences and elements fitted in between each other in an inseparable and coherent way that led me to be what I am.” Your sixth perfume, Io non ho mani che mi accarezzino il volto, will be released this year, created as a tribute to the late photographer Mario Giacomelli. How did you come up with the idea? “I met Mario Giacomelli when I was very young and working at a printing shop in Senigallia – he would often bring in stuff he couldn’t print himself. The name of the fragrance reveals a fascinating story – in 1961 Giacomelli met a group of young students from the Senigallia episcopal seminary. With the permission of the church administration he started taking pictures of the students relaxing after the long hours of study and prayer. He developed images of the [trainee] priests playing football, walking in the snow in their capes, having pillow fights. “One Sunday, Giacomelli took some cigars and photographed the students smoking. He was accused of creating chaos in a place where discipline needed to reign, and they withdrew his permission to photograph. Don Enzo Formigoni, the seminary’s rector and a friend and supporter of Giacomelli, was removed from his office. Giacomelli originally titled the series Pretini, Young Priests, then he decided to choose a strophe from a poem by David Maria Turoldo, ‘Io non ho mani che mi accarezzino il volto’ – there are no hands to caress my face – binding those images to a precise concept, to a difficult choice. “The bottle is in a metallic paint similar to one of Giacomelli’s ever-present cameras. The lid is covered with a double metallic fabric. The draping alludes to the ‘dance’ of the young priests’ dresses and the fabric is to evoke Giacomelli’s bag, which always smelt of tobacco. The picture on the bottle is to remind one of Don Enzo Formigoni, the rector who lost his job at the seminary because of those shots, shots that today are famous all over the world.”

Imagine wearing the scent of sacredness. A heavy, sacral and ethereal scent that feels opulent and spiritual at the same time Words by Camila-Catalina Fernandez Imagine a scent that feels not only like a fragrance but also a deep-rooted experience with a multitude of layers. Such are the perfumes created by the designer, multitalented artist and perfumier Filippo Sorcinelli. He is the creative force behind UNUM, an Italian fragrance brand whose perfumes draw inspiration from sacredness, spirituality, art and beauty. The story behind UNUM is unique: in 2001, Sorcinelli created LAVS, an atelier that designs and makes sacred garments, including for Popes Benedict XVI and Francis. From this, Sorcinelli created a fragrance to be sprayed onto the clothes before they get shipped to the Vatican. That is when the idea of UNUM was born, an artistic perfume series filled with mind-exploring fragrances and aesthetic olfactory journeys. Sorcinelli is a photographer, he plays the organ, he designs and paints and is a highly conceptual thinker who experiences the world through beauty, art and aesthetic dimensions. Needless to say, interviewing someone like him is like diving headfirst into a pool of poetic formulations, complex threads and visionary discourses. We talked to him about his creative endeavours, what it means to be an artist today and how he works with his unique experience fragrances. A lot of references in your UNUM perfumes are directly related to the Catholic church. Is the church and its unique culture something you’ve always had in your life? “I was born in a small village in Mondolfo, Italy. Everybody knows that Europe feeds itself with its own history, roots that are deeply tied to the Catholic church – my life is part of this world. It is therefore easy for me to go deep into this ‘matter’, which is a rare collection of culture, spirituality, art and the cult of beauty. I grew up this way. “When I was five, I would accompany my mother when she cleaned the Mondolfo church. Walking between the columns, I smelled incense for the first time. I entered the sacristy and I saw the sacred vestments. After finding an old key I climbed up to the organ and laid my hands on it. This is my background, my education, my artistic and human preparation and the nourishment for my music – until the day I started to work for the Santa Sede, the Pope and the Catholic church.” How did the idea for LAVS come about? “It was born out of a call from a friend telling me about his decision to become a priest. I told him, ‘Don’t buy anything!’ I asked my aunt who ran a little tailoring shop with my sister, did some research into style and fabrics, something helped by my years of study at the Istituto d’Arte di Fano, and my first creation was made.” Was it a natural transition to go from making sacred vestments to perfumes? “It was very natural, because each handmade item from the atelier is carefully shipped in customised boxes. A detail was missing at the time, a detail that lets the customer live a sensorial experience and adds more beauty – the perfume.” What was your inspiration behind these scents? “UNUM was born thanks to the idea of a fragrance dedicated to the liturgical vestments. From there, mysticism, music, my own feelings, my love for gothic art and photography – these have become UNUM. In other words, the unique story of a life made by

You are often referred to as a renaissance man and a true artist in every sense of the word. Why do you think that people tend to see you as this multilayered and high-conceptual philosopher? “Why not? Of course I haven’t chosen to be one, but I think that every step, every vicissitude and also my personal aptitude have nourished me with all forms of art. In me, art produces a thought metamorphosis that becomes matter, sound, sculptures. One is an artist not just by virtue of ability and culture but also of a gift. The person who has something to say through art but is never happy about the accomplished work is an artist. I translate into matter what my interior space and my authentic impulses produce. The matter and its transformation is today my humus and they make me communicate to others a world and a way to live. It is immediate, alive, true, free and coherent and I want to talk about it in the same way I’m living it.”

TOP: THE UNUM RANGE. ABOVE AND BELOW: FILIPPO SORCINELLI. IMAGES courtesy of Filippo Sorcinelli

Where do you find inspiration? “The nature of things, the winning of curiosity versus mediocrity becomes my imagination, my visions. Every intuition becomes revealing music, a gesture that goes to the bottom of things, towards thought labyrinths, in the dangers of distressed hours, among the ghosts of soul solicitations. Inspiration is a dramatic vibration that gets involved in all the senses. Life and art are tied by a casual flow that neutralises the fears. Improvisation is like entering into the substance itself, with that pure freedom where the more intimate images are settled. No formal strategies, just a spontaneous and always-new wind that links me with the nature. I welcome it with astonishment, solitude and an innocent shaking, following the internal impulse to get involved with beauty.” What are your next creative projects? “There are many, but never too many. With my staff, I realised it’s time to talk to everybody about a whole universe, not just a discipline. A new tessera is coming – SAUF haute couture, an exclusive collection of tailor-made garments, completely handmade, almost unrepeatable, I would say – conceived from a segment of precious fabric, shaped in a single gesture. The intention is to neutralise the body and its image in order to reach its core. A preview will be presented at the Pitti Immagine, Florence, in June, followed by an installation in January, in complete harmony with UNUM, SAUF Bijoux and SAUF Fragrances, which are UNUM’s little sister. In September I will launch NEBBIA, a new series of fragrances dedicated to this interesting atmospheric phenomenon that has fascinated me, moved me and embraced me forever.” filipposorcinelli.com