Realise issue 20 by The Forumist

The

Forumist

issue 20

Realise

UPPTÄCK LIVET MED HELT ELEKTRISKA MINI. CHARGED WITH PASSION. Nu är den äntligen här. Njut av en tyst kraftfull körupplevelse i kombination med MINIs ikoniska design och karakteristiska gokartkänsla. MINI Cooper SE är kaxig, men ändå charmig, vilket gör den till det perfekta valet för okonventionella förare. Du får en bil som är laddad med ett driv som fortsätter ta dig framåt. Med snabbladdare tar det 35 minuter att ladda batteriet till 80%. Välj mellan tre olika utrustningsnivåer och en rad enskilda tillval för att sätta din personliga prägel på din helt elektriska MINI. Det är helt enkelt allt du älskar med MINI och lite till.

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#ChargedWithPassion

MINI Cooper SE. Effekt: 184 hk. Elförbrukning kWh/100 km WLTP: 16,8–14,8 . Räckvidd: WLTP 216–234 km. Miljöklass: EU6d-temp. Alltid med MINI Service Inclusive i 3 år/4 000 mil. Månadskostnaderna för privatleasing är inkl. moms samt avser 36 månaders löptid och varierar beroende på körsträcka. Företagsleasing anges exkl. moms, beräknas på 25% särskild leasingavgift, 50% restskuld och 36 månaders avtalstid. Förmånsvärdet är beräknat nett baserat på 50% marginalskatt och baserat på 2020 års priser. Uppläggnings- och administrationsavgift tillkommer med f.n. 595 kr resp. 55 kr. Skatt och avgifter från Transportstyrelsen tillkommer. Den beräknade månadskostnaden är baserade på att BMW Financial Services Scandinavia AB erhåller miljöbonus enligt gällande regler.

Realise Issue 20 These are difficult times. Far beyond our everyday lives, the next surfing trip or yet another diet to follow, it’s about the foundations of existence stretching their roots all the way back to the caveman. It’s about survival. We need to use this time to reconsider things, to redirect and refine the essentials of our evolution, our theoretically impossible experience on this planet and our existence that we refer to as ‘Life’. After the dark clouds of the first stages of this global event have dispersed, what is becoming apparent is our fundamental capacity and need to stay alive. The main question remains of how will all of this collective near-death experience affect our perspectives and patterns. Will it translate into a particularly human survival technique of learning by our mistakes, or will it end up just being another apocalyptic experience simply fading away? Raise it up, put that bit of extra glitter onto it and make it shine; it’s your destiny and you are the boss. MAKE A CHANGE. Do we need to be reminded that in just a couple of months of reduced pollution the waters in China and Venice have changed from brown to clear blue and graced with visits from dolphins? We must not forget to continue our watch over the trends in the decline of our environment and to ensure the right of future generations to see a blue waterfall. It’s time to Realise the essence of life and the goals to come, to bring life back to this planet by innovative thoughts, beauty and love. Cover Photograph: Jean Toir. Styling: Stella Evans. Hair: Nevada Raffaele. Make-up: Jo Franco. Model: Mong Chi Cho. Nails: Eichi Matsunaga. Fashion: Top by Maryam Nassir Zadeh

Editor-in-Chief Pejman Biroun Vand (Stockholm) Creative Direction See Studio (London) Fashion Co-ordinator Karolina Brock (New York) Beauty Editor Céline Exbrayat (Paris) Paris Editor Mari David

London Editor Fernando Torres

Web developer Gustav Bagge (Stockholm)

John Scarisbrick (Stockholm) Beata Cervin (Stockholm)

Art Editor Ted Hammerin (Tallinn)

Contributing Fashion Editors Coline Peyrot (Paris) Victoire Seveno (Paris) Ester Boije (Stockholm) Stella Evans (New York)

Contributing Editors Tor Bergman (Stockholm) Roxanne Nielsen (Copenhagen) Sofia-Li Molin (Stockholm) Filip Lindström (Stockholm) Jonatan Södergren (Stockholm) Emil Viksell (Stockholm) Austin Maloney (Stockholm)

Sub-editor Andrew Lindesay (London) Sustainability Editor Charles Westerberg (Stockholm) Content Editor Mokthar Khalifa Ester Boije

Contributing Photographers Bloom Paris (Paris) Yuji Watanabe (Paris) Nick Thompson (London) Joakim Rolandsson (Stockholm) Gulli Már (Reykjavik) Jean Toir (New York)

© 2020. 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.

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Colour My World

Chameleon-like, our styles and moods are our colour, ever-changing in its reflection of the world as we experience it Photography by BLOOM PARIS Styling by COLINE PEYROT Make-up by CÃ©line Exbrayat this PAGE, ABOVE LEFT: ALL MAKE-UP BY KRYOLAN. TURTLENECK BY ISABEL MARANT, LEATHER JACKET BY LOUIS VUITTON AND EARRINGS BY MY DAUGHTER IS BETTER THAN YOURS ABOVE RIGHT: ALL MAKE-UP BY KRYOLAN. EARRINGS BY MY DAUGHTER IS BETTER THAN YOURS opposite page: ALL MAKE-UP BY KRYOLAN, GLITTER AND RHINESTONES BY SWAROVSKI. TULLE BODYSUIT BY SCHIAPARELLI, POLO SHIRT BY LACOSTE AND EARRINGS BY MY DAUGHTER IS BETTER THAN YOURS

opposite page: ALL MAKE-UP BY KRYOLAN. BODYSUIT BY BALMAIN, LEATHER JACKET BY DIDIT HEDIPRASETYO and EARRINGS BY MY DAUGHTER IS BETTER THAN YOURS THIS PAGE, TOP LEFT: ALL MAKE-UP BY KRYOLAN. TOP BY Y/PROJECT, LEATHER JACKET BY LITKOVSKAYA AND EARRINGS BY MY DAUGHTER IS BETTER THAN YOURS TOP RIGHT: ALL MAKE-UP BY KRYOLAN. TURTLENECK BY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, SHIRT BY VÉRONIQUE LEROY AND EARRINGS BY MY DAUGHTER IS BETTER THAN YOURS ABOVE: ALL MAKE-UP BY KRYOLAN. HAIR: NICOLAS PHILIPPON MODEL: DARIA KOT AT THE CLAW MODELS LIGHT ASSISTANT: LÉO D’ORIANO POST-PRODUCTION: JRM STUDIO

Self-

Discovery

In a retrofuturist world, where can you find yourself? The past or the future or here and now? Photography by YUJI WATANABE Styling by VICTOIRE SEVENO at KAPTIVE AGENCY THIS PAGE, ABOVE: SKIRT AND SHOES BY ALEXANDRE VAUTHIER OPPOSITE PAGE: NECKLACE BY TANT Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;AVENIR

THIS PAGE top: CORSET TOP BY CHRISTIAN DIOR, TROUSERS BY VÉRONIQUE LEROY, SHOES BY LITKOVSKAYA AND NECKLACE BY TANT D’AVENIR above left: DRESS BY DICE KAYEK, SHOES BY ALEXANDRE VAUTHIER AND EARRING BY ACNE STUDIOS above right: DRESS BY ZIMMERMANN, NODE BY MAISON KIMHEKIM AND NECKLACE BY CHRISTIAN DIOR OPPOSITE PAGE: DRESS BY CAROLINA HERRERA, SHORTS BY ANDREA CREWS AND SHOES BY MAISON ERNEST

THIS PAGE, TOP LEFT: LONG SHIRT BY MAZARINE, SKIRT BY DAWEI, SHOES BY TIBI AND HAT BY VICTORIA/TOMAS TOP RIGHT: SHIRT AND BELT FROM VERONIQUE LEROY, PANTS BY KOCHÉ AND SHOES BY NODALETO ABOVE: DRESS BY ALEXANDRE VAUTHIER OPPOSITE PAGE: DRESS AND GLOVES BY KOCHÉ HAIR: HEITAI MAKE-UP: AKARI SUGINO MODEL: MAEVA MARSHALL AT OUI MANAGEMENT PHOTO ASSISTANT: EDWARD RIVERA STYLIST ASSISTANT: ELOISE RONCONE

Taking hold of her soul The career of BRIT Award-winning singer Ella Eyre has accelerated rapidly since her series of hugely successful singles and her 2015 album ‘Feline’. But, like all experienced artists, she has already discovered the rewards of a good mindset and what it takes to keep her creativity in the long term Words by Jonatan Södergren Photography by NICK THOMPSON Styling by FERNANDO TORRES Realisation literally means the act of becoming fully aware of something as a fact. For Ella Eyre, the 26-year-old British pop sensation with a BRIT Award and a double platinum number-one single under her belt, who earlier this year returned with her new single, ‘New Me’, the greatest moments of realisation have always been when she is performing live. “There is nothing like hearing an audience singing your words back to you,” she says. “To witness and know you have inspired any form of emotion in other people with your music is the greatest reward.” In order to stay creative in her everyday life, five years since the release of her critically acclaimed debut album Feline, which took her around the world on a mission to find herself both as a solo artist and as a person, she has now found a routine: she enjoys waking up early and being physically active in the mornings. “Exercise is a really effective way for me to channel any pressure or frustration and leave with a sense of accomplishment,” she continues. “So I have learnt over the years that the more time I give to myself before anything or anyone else, the more present and engaged I am with what I need to do. If I leave the house in a fluster about something I haven’t resolved, I will often carry that feeling with me all day.” In terms of inspiration, she believes that most of her writing deals with significant moments in her life. She points out that she thinks the music tends to have a mood directly linked to what she was feeling at the time. For instance, her first album was written during and after quite a bitter break up. “I think you can tell how much younger and angrier I was back then,” she says. “As a fan and a listener myself, I look for music that comes from a personal place, so it is important for me to do the same as an artist.” However, as a child she never thought being an artist was possible. She did not know anyone in or anything about the music industry. It was not until she was 16 and studying musical theatre that she came to the realisation, for the first time, that she did not want to be on stage as a character, performing songs she could not relate to. “I wanted to be myself, write my own stories and perform them in my own style. I think it is normal for anyone to have doubts and insecurities about the longevity of their career but I know I could not or would not do anything else.” In the wake of her father’s sudden passing in 2017, she experimented with sounds in the US, found healing and limitless inspiration in her father’s homeland, Jamaica, and returned to London full of confidence and a hard drive bursting with hits. “So many!” she bursts out when asked if there have been any specifically memorable moments of realisation in terms of song ideas that she could feel was actually taking shape. “But one of my favourites was a song

I wrote in Jamaica, called ‘Rain in Heaven’. I was hosting a writing camp out there and we kept referring to where we were as heaven and on one of the days it rained constantly. I posted a video on my Instagram saying ‘It even rains in heaven’ and from that came the song. It is about thinking you were in the perfect relationship and realising that even something so perfect can go so wrong. It’s not released yet but it’s quite possibly my favourite song I have ever written.” She elaborates that the specific moments of realisation in terms of her songwriting tend to be different for every song. “Sometimes you have a good feeling from the start, and that level of confidence allows the song to write itself. Or when you are laying down the vocals and you start to hear it coming together properly. Sometimes the moment of realisation is not until weeks later when you listen again with fresh ears. Sometimes I have a tendency to self-sabotage the creative process, so often I haven’t realised the potential of a song until I’ve taken myself away from it.” One of the greatest lessons she has learnt as a songwriter is that her mindset can be the maker or breaker of her own ideas. “Songwriting can be like therapy and I know I use it all the time to release tension,” she reflects. “But sometimes I would put too much pressure on myself to squeeze creativity out of what I was feeling which just encouraged more frustration. So now I just write things down whenever they come to me, with no structure or rhythm and come back to them when I have a clearer, more open mind.” The only thing that has occupied Ella’s mind recently is the coronavirus. “Social media in isolation is a whole new level of intense and with Covid-19 globally confining us within the walls of our own homes, it is so hard to think of anything else when there is very little to distract us from it,” she says. “I have very quickly learnt to avoid it for most of the day because I want to be productive, but it is extremely hard to enforce that, being locked away in the most comfortable space I know.” As Ella has grown and matured as an artist, so too have her ambitions. Hits are great but she is now more interested in a long, stable career than she is about hitting the number one spot. Already an industry veteran and a much-loved star, her future in the pop pantheon seems secure. So is there finally anything creative left that she still wants to realise? The answer is yes. She says there will always be more to creatively realise and she thinks that is a good thing. Otherwise she would have no idea what her next album will be about! THIS PAGE: EARRINGS STYLIST’S OWN, BLAZER AND SHIRT BY ACNE STUDIOS OPPOSITE PAGE: DRESS BY EDIT, SUNGLASSES BY J.LINDEBERG, EARRINGS AND NECKLACE BY ROULEAU LONDON

ellaeyre.com; @ellaeyre

THIS PAGE: SET BY ROULEAU LONDON, GLOVES VINTAGE FROM HUMANA SWEDEN AND EARRINGS STYLISTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OWN OPPOSITE PAGE: TOP BY IDA KLAMBORN, SUIT AND GLOVES BY MULBERRY, SHOES BY NIKE AND EARRINGS BY TOPSHOP

THIS PAGE: TOP AND TROUSERS BY STINE GOYA, DENIM BRA AND WAIST BELT BY WEEKDAY, SNEAKERS BY NIKE AND EARRINGS STYLIST’S OWN OPPOSITE PAGE: DRESS BY ACNE STUDIOS, MAXI DRESS AND BOOTS BY I LOVE SEASONS AND EARRINGS STYLIST’S OWN PRODUCTION: ALEXANDRA GEORGETTE OLEY MAKE-UP: KRISTINA THEODORIS USING TRISH McEVOY HAIR: ALISHA DOBSON HAIR ASSISTANT: POPPY HUGHES STYLIST ASSISTANTS: LENA MISTRY & ONDREA WALKER TALENT: ELLA EYRE

Face Value Classic ideas of beauty have been transformed in the digital era, and in the hands and imagination of 3D-digital artist Ines Alpha, this has been taken to the extreme. With her blend of make-up and technology, she is transforming our notions of what beauty can be Words by Roxanne Nielsen Artwork by INES ALPHA

The idea of beauty, and how we perceive it, is continually evolving. Thanks to certain means such as technology, people are now able to define beauty standards in a totally new way. Phones allow people to have a greater control of their image and what was perhaps considered beautiful centuries ago, or even decades ago, is quickly dissolving into a more inclusive and inventive realm. The greatest painters in history have represented beauty in a way that, although restricted, is perhaps familiar to us, but these standards are changing. Artists around the globe are reconsidering this conventional way of viewing beauty and realising an entirely new beauty trend. One of those artists is 3D-make-up artist extraordinaire, Ines Alpha, a digital artist whose postmodern hybrid of make-up and technology is taking the idea of beauty to the next level. Ines Alpha began her career working as an art director from 2009 to 2017 in an advertising company that specialised in cosmetics and luxury. During this time she started to experiment with 3D software and to “wonder how 3D elements would look like on a human face, accidentally creating my vision of what would be the future of beauty”. She quickly became freelance, continuing to work on beauty, self-image and face transformation, which led her to be at the forefront of the “three-dimensional digital make-up revolution”. “Working in an advertising company taught me how to present my work, how to make it accessible to everyone and to help people project things that are going to be made in the future” she explains. “But what I am trying to do with 3D make-up,” she continues, “is to push the boundaries of beauty and to have more freedom with my aesthetic, by

working on digitalised bodies. It can sound abstract, especially as it presents limitations in terms of using it in the real world, but nowadays people are spending most of their time online and that is their reality. It’s all very digital and it’s all very real. I have always been interested in the idea of creating an augmented reality and 3D make-up is essentially limitless.” Alpha uses creative ways of mixing beauty with existing digital tools, bringing her inventive ideas into reality and as a result, she has realised a completely new kind of make-up: e-make-up. Can she say what e-make-up, or 3D make-up, is exactly? “It’s simple. It’s make-up but in 3D. You could describe it as elements you add onto your face to transform it, using 3D software. With 3D you can do anything you want,” she explains. “You can create your own reality, play with shapes and textures that simply don’t exist in the IRL world. Using all these new digital tools to experiment with make-up, face-tracking for example, came very naturally to me. The way I see it, make-up is about transforming your face, whether you use foundation, powders, pigments, objects, plastic surgery, filters or 3D software.” Alpha clearly follows her own rules and has managed to create a particular universe that is inspiring and distinctive. “I think my universe is dream-like because I like to make things that don’t exist in the real world. I like to make versions of reality that are fantastical, and with 3D you can defy the laws of gravity and physics. It’s also super-exciting to imagine that the universe I create could potentially exist in another dimension. And maybe even in the near future as well.” By developing e-make-up and creating a distinctive style, Alpha has attracted all kinds of artists and has collaborated with a variety of musicians, models and brands. She created the visuals for Charli XCX’s latest EP Charli, made 3D make-up augmented reality masks for Nike’s Air Max Plus TN 20th anniversary and worked with Selfridges on The New Order campaign, interpreting some of their top beauty products in 3D. Other names include Bimba Y Lola, Panteros666 (a frequent collaborator) and @madroni_redclock (“she has her own style, transforms her face into a work of art. Her art could be the make-up of the near future.”). Even the virtual Instagram character Lil Miquela, an AI influencer who has a following of two million people, describes Alpha’s

creations as “the kind of thing a robot might wear to the Met Gala in the year 3052”. “I love to collaborate,” Alpha informs me. “To me, there is nothing better in the world than finding the right artistic connection, uniting different skills, styles and backgrounds. I’m not that keen on working by myself. That’s why I began asking around to see if any artists that I like would be interested in wearing some of my 3D make-up.” For Alpha, make-up is a way of expressing yourself, having fun and playing around. “I draw inspiration from the people I collaborate with and try to fit their personalities in as much as I can. I analyse them, look for colours, shape, personality traits... I am definitely into make-up that reveals personality” Any dream collaborators? “I would love to work with Björk. That would be a life achievement.” Lucky for us, Ines Alpha has also made her work accessible to the public by creating Instagram and Snapchat AR filters, so that “everyone can try them”. She wants people to express themselves and have fun with her designs. “It’s just crazy to see how people can play and tell stories with your creations. I see things I would have never even thought of ! I am super happy to be able to democratise my art through different social media platforms and one day I hope that 3D make-up will become a casual look we can see on the streets.” Alpha’s work has undoubtedly opened doors in terms of how we see and experience make-up but it also has a very clear aim: to collectively rise above beauty standards. “They need to evolve,” she urges. “Because we need to live in a world where everyone can feel beautiful.” inesmarzat.com; @ines.alpha

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP LEFT: STILL LIFE FROM 3D MAKE-UP COLLABORATION WITH @LOKIDOLOR (2018) TOP MIDDLE: STILL LIFE FROM 3D BODY MAKE-UP (2020) TOP RIGHT: STILL LIFE FROM 3D MAKE-UP COLLABORATION WITH @ISSHEHUNGRY (2019) BELOW LEFT: STILL LIFE FROM 3D MAKE-UP COLLABORATION WITH @NANA_YOUNGGRONGKIM (2018) BELOW RIGHT: STILL LIFE FROM 3D MAKE-UP COLLABORATION WITH @KAYA_KOZO (2019) THIS PAGE: STILL LIFE FROM 3D MAKE-UP COLLABORATION WITH @rubyrubygloom (2018)

Inside Looking Out Words by Filip Lindström Photography by JOAKIM ROLANDSSON Styling by ESTER BOIJE Special thanks to WHYRED

In an upside-down world, the misfits wear the crowns, the meek have finally conquered what is rightfully theirs and the air is breathable once and for all. Esther and HOLY, two Stockholm musical thermometers, share their views of the world as it is and as it will hopefully be

THIS PAGE, from top: TRENCHCOAT And TROUSERS BY WHYRED AND SHOES VINTAGE FROM #INSPOSTHLM; BLOUSE BY WHYRED AND RING VINTAGE FROM #INSPOSTHLM. OPPOSITE PAGE: DRESS BY WHYRED

Esther is the mystical pop creature playing what looks like, from a rock’n’roll point of view, an oversized xylophone, making music resembling a starry night sky from beyond a giant’s eye. A while back, all the kool cids of Sweden’s capital all of a sudden wondered, “Who is Esther, and where did she come from?” since she seemingly emerged from nowhere and gave us underground but nevertheless mainstream-friendly hits such as ‘Follow Me Home’ and the possible future Christmas classic ‘As the Right Bell Sounds’, the latter recorded with avant-garde pop sensation GRANT. HOLY, on the other hand, is nowadays seen as something of an indie veteran when putting his three full-length albums into the equation. Hannes Ferm, the individual unsubtly hiding behind this stage name, lets his alien-ish features and mannerisms take their toll completely on his latest effort, the LP Ryder, and his role as misfit king of the unruly, pained masses of Stockholm and beyond is undeniable. Who better to talk to in this interview than two definitive definers of these times in Stockholm’s ever-changing musical landscape when the topic is the realisation of hope within hopelessness?

Esther “I find it hard to describe in what way isolation affects my music. I have noticed how some creative thresholds have become easier to step over, while others have become more difficult to pass.” These words are the response to our question about how isolation – something all of us have been forced to confront recently – resonates with the music that vibraphonist, singer and songwriter Esther Lennstrand makes. Indeed the thresholds of this communal life we lead have altered themselves and for the listener the solemn notes that Esther gently invokes from not only her beautiful sounding vibraphone but also various exotic synthesizers speaks the same language as the tongue we all fluently master in this time – the lonely, the eager and distanced dialect of a jargon we never thought we would ever use. Esther’s music celebrated isolation, knowingly or otherwise, long before there was even talk of staying the fuck at home. When asked about what she will take with her from these strange months, Esther replies, “I’ve decided, during this time, to learn how to use new synthesizers. Hopefully I’ll be able to take advantage of this new knowledge in future creations”. But re-thinking her answer to the question, Esther gives The Forumist a more diffuse response: “To be less concrete, I think I would say that what I will bring with me is the realisation of my appreciation for meeting different people – maybe I will be a bit more open after all this has ended.” Talking of a recent live stream she participated in, Esther comments on the massively popular alternative to a face-to-face music experience that has surfaced in our days of cultural poverty: “It became something that brought people together when things felt at their darkest. It felt very special, but it was strange to play for people who were not present in the room. It was difficult to remember that there was actually an audience watching.”

This PAGE, from TOP: SHIRT and TROUSERS BY WHYRED AND SUNGLASSES STYLIST’S OWN; SET BY WHYRED, SHOES AND RING VINTAGE FROM #INSPOSTHLM Opposite PAGE, from top: BLAZER and TROUSERS BY WHYRED, RING VINTAGE FROM #INSPOSTHLM PHOTO ASSISTANT: ADRIAN WALLÉR ZANDÉN HAIR AND MAKE-UP: CATHERINE LEHTONEN TALENT: ESTHER & HOLY

Holy “I believe almost all creators of music and art see isolation as a necessity,” Hannes Ferm says, on the subject of how the socially solicited solitude has affected HOLY and its creations, and thus swiftly disarms any doubt as to whether art and artists will survive this global crisis or not, with the delicate phrases presented in his answer. Many have feared and more have suffered, but we have learned the truth in that we artists are cockroaches, and we can survive nuclear blasts of any possible magnitude. “The lyrics on Ryder revolved very much around post-apocalyptic themes,” Hannes says, which is understandable when admiring the dystopian cover of the album. During the past few months of cultural lockdown, Hannes has recorded and produced several other bands, and sees it as a beneficial learning process. Many things can come from a complete change of scenery, and in this extreme case, hopefully the positive alterations of our reality will outlive the negative. In many ways, Esther and Hannes together form the perfect role model in this time, this hour of need. To realise what we are facing, the harsh but realistic integrity of Hannes is acquired, but also the eager vision of Esther.

While seeing the positivity in it, Hannes has another angle on the popular (by demand) phenomenon of live streaming than Esther does. “The more of it I see now, the more palpable it is for me that it does not work as a substitute for live music,” Hannes – who took part in a Forumist live stream in December 2019 and will, just like Esther, be seen in The Forumist’s stream from Hotel At Six in May this year – says, continuing his thoughts: “I see it as something different, and I think live streaming has more potential as something new, rather than thinking it will fill some kind of void.” This interview reminds us of the void that such a world-turning episode such as this brings. What needs to be realised is simple: the world we leave behind now is not worth looking back to; the world we look forward to now is actually worth hoping for. On 22 May this year, both Esther and HOLY will take part in the live stream celebration of The Forumist’s twentieth issue at Hotel At Six – where the two acts will be both performing and interviewed live. @estherlennstrand; pnkslm.com/holy

Liquid Assets The oceans are critical to our survival on this planet and for too long we have been over-exploiting their resources such as fish. From Iceland to Kenya, however, high-tech innovation and imagination are changing current economic thinking with new and sustainable methods of fishing Words by Charles Westerberg Photography by GULLI MÁR

From the Save the Whales campaign of the 1970s to Greta Thunberg today, the environmental movement has gained serious traction around the world, and more people than ever are aware of the implications that human activities have on our planet. At the same time, global CO₂ levels are still rising, and as societies develop and the demand for goods and services increase, it is now imperative that the ways we produce and consume are sustainable. The world, as we know it, has been shaped by linear economics, meaning that resources are harvested, processed, used, and then thrown away. This generates an enormous amount of waste and creates a never-ending need for the extraction of new materials. In a circular economy, resources are instead recycled or reused, and as a result, little or no waste is produced. Creating products from materials that otherwise would be discarded is a great way to increase profits and put less strain on our natural resources. This way of thinking can be adopted in all industries that are dependent on raw materials. Examples include Nordic Comfort Products, a Norwegian company that makes furniture from old fish nets and lines obtained from local fish farms, and Berlin-based company Kaffeeform that makes coffee mugs from old coffee grounds. Of course, nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something. Creating new modes of production requires holistic objectives and synergy between a wide array of industries and manufacturers. Establishing connections and pathways for companies to work together is essential to achieve this. Thor Sigfusson is an Icelandic entrepreneur and founder of Sjavar Klasinn, or Iceland Ocean Cluster (IOC). Sigfusson originates from a long line of

seafarers and fishers and was born on the Vestman Islands, a group of small islands south of Iceland. Productive fishing grounds surround the archipelago and fishing is as much of a lifestyle as it is a job. Iceland is one of the largest fishing nations in the world and fishing contribute a significant amount to both their GDP and export revenue. While pursuing his PhD, Sigfusson studied how entrepreneurs used their networks and previous experiences to expand abroad. “Of course, for Icelandic innovators, living in a community of 350 thousand people, expanding abroad is not only an option, it is a necessity,” he explains. Sigfusson noticed that actors from the seafood industry usually did not utilise their networks to the same extent as those from other sectors. Furthermore, the fisheries sector produces a great deal of waste and globally; only about 50% of the landed fish goes to

use. Less desirable parts of the fish, such as the skin, bones, and organs usually end up back in the sea. Sigfusson realised the hidden potential, and in 2011, the IOC was created. The idea was to help connect fishery workers with tech entrepreneurs and businesses to provide innovative solutions to the seafood industry and maximise by-product utilisation. The goal is to reach a 100% utilisation, effectively eliminating any waste generation. Some of the products that are made through the IOC include lamps crafted from cod leather, a cold medicine made from enzymes found in cod intestines, capsules filled with omega oils from cod liver, and tablets with collagen extracted from fish skin. Fishing by-product also includes discarded gear, with old sails, buoys and nets salvaged and turned into items such as bags, pillows and lights. Sigfusson explains that the most substantial benefit

originating from the IOC is that it inspires people to be bold and to be better. “[Moving forward] We want to see the movement strengthen. The world is throwing away 10 million tonnes of perfectly good fish protein, and we want to change that. Just by using that protein instead of beef protein, we could save at least 120 tonnes of carbon dioxide.” Icelandic fisheries are 90% MSC certified, meaning they are sustainable according to the Marine Stewardship Council. But any type of extraction – certified or not – has implications. Even though a predominantly seafood-rich diet has a lower carbon footprint than other animal diets, vegetarian or vegan diets are more environmentally friendly options. Global overfishing is occurring at an alarming rate, and studies show that up to 90% of all large fish species have been fished to the point of extinction over the past 100 years. Nonetheless, using all parts of the fish is better than tossing half of it overboard. The cluster model as realised by Sigfusson and his colleagues is easily adapted to other locations, and the IOC has already helped start four clusters in the US, with others planned in Europe and South America. From a socioeconomic standpoint, creating sustainable livelihoods for fishing communities through value addition and by-product utilisation has tons of benefits. Many of the most marginalised peoples in the world depend on fishing for money and food, and it is in these environments where innovative thinking can have the most significant positive impact on people’s lives. Furthermore, these jobs are great opportunities for women to enter the seafood industry, an industry predominantly occupied by men. In Kenya, the inland Nile Perch fisheries are of high economic value, but a large portion of the fish ends up as waste and is discarded. Kenyan company Victorian Foods saw the possibility and started VF.Leather, a company that creates leather from Nile Perch skin. The leather is a sturdy and sustainable alternative to exotic leathers such as snake and alligator, and more than 90% of their processors are women from local communities. Kenyan designers are now using their products in clothing, belts, bags and other accessories. During the 2018 Sustainable Blue Economy Conference in Nairobi, local designers showcased their work with designs made entirely from fish leather and other materials harvested from the ocean. Innovation exists everywhere – even in remote fishing villages – and harnessing this innovation will be vital in solving some of the biggest challenges facing the world at the moment. Of course, this does not only apply to the West, but also to anywhere else in the world. Switching to a sustainable mindset is challenging and will require extensive work and effort from governments, businesses, and civil society. Nevertheless, the potential benefits far surpass any growing pains, and as the saying goes: “One person’s fish intestines is another person’s business interest”. sjavarklasinn.is; victorian-foods.com THIS PAGE, TOP: DUNLOP RUBBER BOOTS AND ICELAND OCEAN CLUSTER COLLAGEN TABLETS; and ICELAND OCEAN CLUSTER’s headquarters in reykjavik. MIDDLE: ICELAND OCEAN CLUSTER KARP BAG. bottom, from left: Nile Perch caught in Lake Nasser, Egypt, Photo Ashley Halls; Cod fishing in the atlantic, Photo by Jeffrey L. Rotman/Corbis; fishing vessel docked at reykjavik. OPPOSITE page: ICELAND OCEAN CLUSTER COD-LEATHER LAMP

The shapes of things to come

You can be more than human but still yourself, if you want. You can be a changed person Photography by JEAN TOIR

Styling by STELLA EVANS

THIS PAGE: TOP BY MARYAM NASSIR ZADEH OPPOSITE PAGE: BODYSUIT AND LEG WARMERS BY QUEENZY GAO, TIGHTS AND SHOES STYLISTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OWN

THIS PAGE, TOP LEFT: JACKET AND TROUSERS BY NATALIE VLADIMIROFF TOP RIGHT: TOP BY MARYAM NASSIR ZADEH ABOVE LEFT: BRA AND SHORTS BY HUALEI YU ABOVE RIGHT: TOP AND SHORTS BY MARYAM NASSIR ZADEH OPPOSITE PAGE: TOP BY QUEENZY GAO, TROUSERS STYLISTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OWN AND SHOES BY NATALIE VLADIMIROFF

THIS PAGE, ABOVE: BRA BY HUALEI YU OPPOSITE PAGE: BRA BY HUALEI YU, TROUSERS BY NATALIE VLADIMIROFF AND SHOES BY MARYAM NASSIR ZADEH HAIR: NEVADA RAFFAELE MAKE-UP: JO FRANCO MODEL: MONG CHI CHIO AT SYSTEM AGENCY NAILS: EICHI MATSUNAGA PHOTO ASSISTANT: SASHA KASIUHA STYLIST ASSISTANT: JEREMY COX NAIL ASSISTANT: TOMOYA NAKAGAWA

Taking it all in Stockholm is famous as a creative hotspot that exports music all over the world, but if you dig into what young Stockholmers themselves listen to, you’ll find that the answer for a lot of them is one of the country’s brightest pop artists, Lorentz. The Forumist catches up with him as he releases his latest album into a strange and frustrating world Words by Austin Maloney Photography by JOHN SCARISBRICK

After starting off his musical life in the duo Lorentz & Sakarias with his brother, Lorentz kicked off a solo career with his albums Kärlekslåtar and Lycka till. Both showed his skills at stitching together elements of several different genres into a unique and innovative sound. With the release of his third album, Krig och fred, come high expectations that he will reach the same heights. Krig och fred comes three years after Lycka till, with the album coming together through Lorentz’s usual working process. “I don’t know if it has been difficult or easy to do this album [in relation to the earlier records]. I’ve never thought of the album in those terms”, he says. “Music is something I do when in harmony, and everything is done intuitively. Then, of course there are a lot of man hours behind every little decision when those small notes have been sung. And then, when getting those small last things done, it gets tidied up”. One of the notable things about the new record is that Lorentz has taken over sole production duties this time. He says this allowed him to better shape the sound the way he wants it, and think through the music in a deeper way on the record. “It has for sure.

The process was very intimate on every level. Not just what kind of sounds to pick, but the whole process. What to say. What to do. My music got clearer and more purposeful.” What’s changed in terms of sound in the record is up to the listener to decide. According to Lorentz, the past doesn’t come into his mind when making new music (“I don’t really do too much backtracking anymore. It’s been a while since I listened to my old music”). But you might say what makes the new songs stand out is their focus. The songs on Krig och fred feel a little cleaner and sharper, leading to moments with the stark emotional clarity of Velocet collaboration ‘Du vill inte missa det här’, and its striking line “vem kan bryr sig om en färglös värld” (“who could care about a colourless world”). “[It’s] more focussed especially”, is Lorentz’s take. “More effective.” Following Kärlekslåtar and Lycka till, Krig och fred lands as the final chapter of a trilogy of albums, and marks a clear point in the first phase of his career. Taken together, the three records can almost be said to tell the story of those years in his life, both successes and struggles. The title, which translates as ‘War and Peace’, is a nod to both sides of his path and the

experiences and adventures he’s had up to this point. “Krig och fred pretty much sums up this album and everything, up to this point, pretty well, [though] I don’t know about [being more] grown up. Maybe more childish, if anything. It has been war and peace for sure, though”. As the album comes out, another obstacle has emerged in the form of the coronavirus, which makes playing impossible live for now, a serious downer for Lorentz, as the energy of his songs really brings them to life when he’s on stage. “I really, really want to play this album live”, he says. “That feeling came to me for the first time like yesterday. It hit me that I can’t do that right now. I visualised it for the first time, playing these new songs live. I guess that’s why I felt it. Before it was only a fact, but now it got real. But what to do? Getting the album out there is a big thing for me.” And now with Krig och fred out, Lorentz is ready to move onto his next creative chapter. “I’m going to take what I’ve learned with this one into the future”, he says. “I think [Krig och fred] is an end and a beginning all together.” itslorentz.com; @itslorentz

THIS PAGE, TOP LEFT: COAT BY ANTONIA PIHL TOP MIDDLE: SET BY ERIK OLSSON TOP RIGHT: T-SHIRT BY DIEMONDE, SHIRT AND TROUSERS BY EYTYS above LEFT: SHIRT BY ERIK OLSSON above RIGHT: SHIRT BY GÖRAN SUNDBERG, SHORTS AND HAT BY ERIK OLSSON OPPOSITE PAGE: TROUSERS BY ERIK OLSSON, JACKET AND SHIRT BY LEVI’S Styling: PEJMAN BIROUN VAND HAIR & MAKE-UP: CATHERINE LEHTONEN TALENT: LORENTZ

Do You

RealiSe?

In the middle of a pandemic, the designers in The Forumist’s Talent Challenge ‘Realise’ are giving shape to their dreams against the odds, with colours, cuts and materials that say everything about a world that will, eventually, move into the future Words by Sofia-Li Molin Photography by JOHN SCARISBRICK Styling by KAROLINA BROCK By the final two weeks of fashion month the whole world had changed. Covid-19 had already rapidly spread across the globe and the fashion weeks became clusters where the virus could easily target people well known for their cheek kissing, sweaty parties and overcrowded shows. As the virus had its heyday in Milan most of us carried on with our businesses. Soon people started making statements of concern and one day after another fashion calendar events closed, but at the time the fear was as naïve as the logo masks that appeared on the front row. Jump forward two months and we are still trying to deal with the new order and imagining the impact the virus will have on all our futures, our communities and creative industries, and the day-to-day life of fashion. We turned to the up-and-coming designers that are part of The Forumist’s Talent Challenge ‘Realise’ to hear about their entries in the competition, how they have been coping and if they believe there will be any independent fashion after the coronavirus. Undoubtedly, smaller brands and independent designers are economically suffering a lot in the wake of the coronavirus. They are the creatives who already have chosen a rocky path, often juggling uncertain jobs between working on their own collections and now facing unemployment, stores closing and retailers cancelling their orders at the last minute. It really does seem like a challenge to stay envisioned and keeping the brand alive. Since its launch in 2014, The Forumist has highlighted emerging creativity and acted as a platform for novel expressions. With the fashion talent initiative Realise, eleven selected brands will get a chance to produce a capsule collection with Pre O’Porter and all of them will get the exclusive opportunity to produce a conceptual The Forumist sweater, with their brand hallmark, which will be available on theforumist.com. The 11 designers are all at different points in establishing their brands. Some have had several years in the industry but most of them could be defined as being at the beginning of their breakthrough journeys – a beginning that the crisis can either put to an end or make help them flourish. For the Danish designer Oliver Opperman, who works in London, the latter rings the most true: “the lack of conversations and impressions have definitely given me some muchneeded headspace.” He continues, “I think designers never really know what it is that makes your stuff your stuff, at least that’s a conversation I often have with my friends. But at this point in isolated lockdown, it all becomes quite concrete. I feel I have the headspace to go back to my original inspiration and create a language. So with this challenge it was nice to make it very concrete, like this drape on a classic sweater that’s kind of my signature. I like things to be recognisable, I want a sweater to look like a sweater, but then I take away about 20% from the reality and add my twist.” Oliver moved his design studio to Copenhagen just in time for lockdown, but not everyone was that fortunate. Johannes Leijonborg and Adele Gillardeau of the eponymous brand Johannes Adele didn’t catch the last flight back home to southern France and have since lodged in a cabin in the woods on the outskirts of Borås in Sweden. “It’s a pity, really, that we didn’t make it. We miss our cat, and our castle atelier is always equipped for quarantine mode,” they say. For Realise they designed two sweaters, a zip bomber sweater and a cropped top with their signature loose sleeves. “We have several high-waisted trouser styles to go with them, and we can hardly wait to see those looks together.”

this PAGE: TOP AND JEANS BY JOHANNES ADELE AND SHOES BY ACNE STUDIOS Opposite PAGE: FULL LOOK BY OLIVER OPPERMANN

The chaotic circumstances also forced designer Hanna Kisch to make a quick decision. “When the alarms about the coronavirus became too loud, I felt we had to leave Stockholm immediately, it was almost like in a sci-fi movie. I strongly felt I had to say goodbye to the animals at a friend’s farm, so we went there and have stayed there since then. All my production had closed in a matter of days anyway and I had to leave my day job. So I brought my atelier to the farm where I’m still working on some projects, but also now and then helping out, repairing horse blankets and such like for the farm. It’s actually quite fulfilling.” As for her projects, Kisch has recently collaborated with the thrift store Myrorna to create the capsule collection Myrorna Upgrade by Hanna Kisch, which includes blazers with power silhouettes, leather pants, blouses, chaps and corsets. “You can easily wear it when out and about with your future ration coupons.” Count me in, replicant Kisch. Another talent whose creations come to life in the melting pot of garment quintessence is Linn Sohl, whose chosen method is collaging different garments. She explains how something new can be achieved when doing this: “It’s about the meeting of disparate materials, scales, styles, colours and patterns. There is no wrong way to do a collage.” Unfortunately for all our emerging designers is the fact that such talent can only go so far to pay the rent. Talent incubators are a rare find in Sweden, due to culture politics and private investors who would rather fund art than be part of building a fashion legacy. Jennifer Jönsson Lundedal is fed up with the scant attention she and other designers receive. “I truly hope that the industry and everyone it involves will open their eyes and wallets and start paying creative people for their creative work. Hopefully, up-and-coming designers will find new ways and platforms to get their businesses space and growth. I hope people dare to stay creative.” Jennifer is indeed a creative kind. For the challenge, her starting point was a very basic staple piece out of which she “created a puzzle patchwork that can puzzle a T-shirt when worn on the body. And when on a hanger it’s just beautiful materials mixed together in patches,” she explains. “To me this is the timeless garment, the silhouette is everyday – the artwork makes it unique!” The focus on decoration is also very visible in the collections by Tove Berner-Wik, who stitches by hand most of the garments herself. Making a commercial design fit for factory production was a challenge. “I specialise in decorations, but not just those that add something pretty to a garment,” she says. “Usually I make everything by hand, so yes, how to make these in a factory was really a challenge I had to solve.” Whenever I see Daniela Persichetti’s designs I imagine a young girl gang of inbetweeners, impressionable but never meek, wearing their heart on their sleeve. “My idea for the sweater sprang from the study of a behavioural trend among the young that is gaining ground, namely the use of cannabis. There are a lot of tees out there paying tribute to legalisation and smoking as something cool, and I felt strongly that someone should stand up for those other girls that don’t fit in, the Shy Violet and the Wild Rose. So I began sketching flowers and it became the concept

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Fuck Weed.” Social commentary has been an important part of the fashion toolbox since the sixties as well as the concerned critique of its own system. A slowed-down pace of production is one of the benefits the crisis could have on our future. “Maybe the outcome of all this will be a stronger need for artistic expression,” reflects designer Göran Sundberg. He explains further: “I suspect we will have less patience, time and space for the routinely designed products the fashion market was so overblown with. But on the whole, I just think we will forget quickly and get on with our lives.” His brand UN explores garments of timelessness that hold site-specific functionality, like an apron in the kitchen or a raincoat in the summer house. “Pieces anyone can wear and share, pieces that resist time and accumulation. I have sort of a tagline: one garment, one layer, one size, all genders. It is my way of having fun at work, ha ha.” Antonia Pihl, behind the brand PIHL, has often experienced being the only woman in her dedication to male dominated sports like skiing, skateboarding and surfing, a practice that is part of the core brand’s DNA. “I wish to manifest the adrenaline and the raw power of skiing, but also the marvellous and sublime, and infuse this in my fashion.” Linus Leonardsson creates fashion for “gender-nonconforming aesthetic revolutionaries who like to be seen”. Creating a fashion universe centred on glamour must surely be difficult in these times, especially since Linus has his studio in London. Stockholm-based designer Ada Swärd has created a stay-athome-routine she keeps strict. “I wake up early, make breakfast and sit in the morning sun to meditate and reflect on my day ahead. I dress up as if I was going to work and take time to do my make-up. Dressing up for staying in might sound odd, but the process has been beneficial for my geist, a belief that this state will pass.” Ada further believes more escapist expressions will be in demand as an effect of the stay-in. Linus seems to have a similar scenario in mind when describing the background for the challenge entry: “A topic close to my heart is nightlife and how people become elevated versions of themselves when dressing up to go out. For this piece, I wanted to focus on the relationship between activewear and rave-culture. Hence the scenery is an industrial rave-party with a pastel-coloured sunrise emerging outside, and dancing club kidz, who are celebrating life.” In hindsight many fatalists will argue that we had little or no self-control and already had reached peak consumption a long time before lockdown. To sustain a society strong enough to handle a crisis of this measure we need to continue to support creative initiatives and those who are the most vulnerable. We can purchase their unsold stock, place orders, interact with them on social media and make plans for all tomorrow’s woke rave-parties.

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The Realise collection will be available through theforumist.com and has been produced in partnership with pre-o-porter.com Sofia-Li Molin is the Creative Director of Swedish Fashion Council and runs the incubator Swedish Fashion Talents that takes emerging brands from being up-and-coming to receiving international recognition. 41

THIS PAGE, TOP LEFT: TOP BY ADAM SWÄRD TOP RIGHT: DRESS AND PANTS BY ANTONIA PIHL AND SHOES BY EYTYS ABOVE LEFT: VEST AND TROUSERS BY DANIELA PERSICHETTI AND SHOES BY ACNE STUDIOS ABOVE RIGHT: FULL LOOK BY GÖRAN SUNDBERG OPPOSITE PAGE: FULL LOOK BY JENNIFER JÖNSSON LUNDEDAL

HAIR: CATHERINE LEHTONEN MODELS, IN ORDER: FANNY C AT MIKAS, FLORAND AT NICHE MANAGEMENT, SAP AT MIKAS, AMELIA AT NICHE MANAGEMENT, HANNA KISCH, ADAM SWÃ&#x201E;RD, THEA B AT MIKAS, FLORIAN ALEXANDER AT LE MANAGEMENT

Pandemic

Realisations “It’s all gonna change”, sang the lo-fi-emperor Casiotone For the Painfully Alone back in 2003. We have to realise that change is both needed and inevitable. Either in order to prevent future pandemics or due to the galloping climate change. Business as usual cannot be usual anymore. We are all in the midst of realising that we need a new way of living. Well, some of us at least, and maybe today’s social situation is a taste of what the future might bring. The coronavirus has been a blow to more or less all businesses all over the world. But for the music business, largely depending on live shows, the blow has been sudden, unforeseen and enormous. We gathered a gang of artists, both battle-scarred and newcomers, each on their own location, to find out what this exceptional situation has meant for them?

Enjoy the adventure The South Africa-born and Sweden-raised artist, Nea (Linnea Södahl), is far from a newcomer to the music business. She has written songs for the likes of Zara Larsson, Tove Styrke, and Axwell. The last of these collaborations earned Nea a nomination for Composer of the Year at the Swedish Grammy Awards. The step into the limelight wasn’t an obvious choice for the well-renowned songwriter. “The trigger to actually take the step was when my dear friends and colleagues, Petter Eriksson and Linn Wexell at the label Milkshake, asked me if they could sign me. The butterflies that filled up my tummy in that conversation simply wouldn’t let me go – so I guess that says something about personal realisation.” For those who know their bangers from around the turn of the millennium, the melody in the chorus of the widely streamed debut single will be instantly recognisable. “I wrote ‘Some Say’ with friends in Berlin and the whole idea actually started out as a joke where one of the guys was humming the old 90s hit ‘Blue (Da Ba Dee)’ by Eiffel 65.” Since then, ‘Some Say’ has become one of the most Shazamed songs in Europe, while in the meantime Nea’s debut EP is up for release in June. “It’s so crazy! Honestly, it’s really hard to take in how well it’s been received throughout Europe. I try to just catch the momentum – which is a bit hard in these times, I was supposed to be on a radio promo tour right now, but that obviously got cancelled due to the coronavirus – enjoy the adventure and work hard to see how far we can take it!”

The coronavirus pandemic across the world is taking a toll on musicians who need to connect with their audiences. The Forumist meets several leading Swedish singers to find out they are coping with the lockdown Photography by BEATA CERVIN at ACNE Styling and Art Direction by FERNANDO TORRES Words by EMIL VIKSELL THIS PAGE: LEATHER COAT BY HUMANA SWEDEN AND HARNESS BY ANTONIA PIHL OPPOSITE PAGE, inset: JACKET BY ERIK OLSSON, TROUSERS BY EYTYS, VEST AND SHIRT BY ACNE STUDIOS main: VEST BY DIEMONDE, SHIRT AND TROUSERS BY GÖRAN SUNDBERG

Time for self-reflection The acclaimed twin-brother duo Bennett released their debut LP Och du heter? (And Your Name Is?) in the beginning of May. A vibrant album filled with diverse music genres and features from the crème de la crème of Swedish hip-hop. The second single released from the album was ‘Flyger Högt’ (‘Flying High’). “What I like about that song in particular is that the melodies and rap blend so nice together,” says Sammy Bennett. We always strive to be more versatile in our songs and I feel like ‘Flyger Högt’ has a lot of different flavours to it.” Johnny reflects on the pandemic and the current social situation: “I think you first have to figure out how to minimize the financial blow this whole situation will have on you and your family. When you got that figured out, there’s actually a lot of time for self-reflection while the world’s on pause. Just have fun, educate yourself and pick up new ways to create. This quarantine lifestyle feels like bonus time in a weird way, and I just try to treat it as such.”

If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad… …then Muhammad must go to the mountain. Perhaps unsurprisingly, quarantine-style festivals have already become a thing. Daniela Rathana has sung backing vocals for artists like Zara Larsson, Seinabo Sey and Kent. She released her debut EP Halva vägen fri (which roughly translates as Halfway Free) in late January and has already headlined a ‘quarantine festival’. “I’ve sung on stage countless times, but not fronting the show as the main artist, so that was a weird experience, since just weeks before I had my first ever gig with ‘my own’ crowd. Performing without any vibe or interaction from a live audience in a room was definitely a new experience. Now I really understand how important it is with the exchange between the audience and the band. I also felt quite guilty to be honest, because I was on a stage, living my life, while people are suffering, dealing with the pandemic. I had to remind myself of how important it is with music in these times and that my mission is to entertain.” The singer Janice has been in the studio since the beginning of the year, working on her sophomore album together with Fibes, Oh Fibes!-singer and solo artist Christian Olsson. “Gigs and other projects have been cancelled which has affected my economy. I had also gotten into a flow in the studio that came to a halt for a couple of weeks, which made me feel down and stressed. I didn’t feel any inspiration after two weeks of voluntary quarantine. Now I’m working two days a week in the studio and I’m slowly getting back to the flow.” Janice releases her new song ‘Rain Brings Out the Sun’ in late May this year.

this page: TOP BY WEEKDAY AND SKIRT BY LISELOTTE BRAMSTÃ&#x2026;NG opposite: VEST BY ACNE STUDIOS, TOP AND JACKET BY EYTYS

this page: FULL LOOK BY HUMANA SWEDEN AND EARRINGS STYLIST’S OWN opposite page: FULL LOOK BY HUMANA SWEDEN AND EARRING STYLIST’S OWN MAKEUP: ELVIRA BRANDT AND LOVISA LUNNERBORG HAIR: ANNE ANKERVIK STYLIST ASSISTANT: VIXON BERISAJ TALENT: NEA, REBECCA & FIONA, JANICE, DANIELA RATHANA, AND BENNETT

To entertain is also something Fiona FitzPatrick, of the duo Rebecca & Fiona, wants to continue to do. “I really hope we will age with dignity musically and personally,” she says, “So we can keep entertaining.” It’s almost ten years ago since the duo had their breakthrough with the debut single ‘Luminary Ones’ and their own docudrama on Swedish Television. Fiona is optimistic, despite the pandemic. “I think the power of interests is very strong and in focus now. Hopefully you can indulge in your interests. We can make so much music without interruption, like meetings, which we hate. The perfect day is a great breakfast and Swedish Radio P1, to make music in bed, and then get out into the Swedish spring. Spring in Sweden is an incredible luxury.” @neasongs; @bennett.vv; @danielarathana; @janice.this; @rebeccafiona

Charged with passion We are choosing new ways of working and living. It’s all to do with space and versatility and finding new solutions, which is something that has always been the essence of the MINI. Now the MINI Electric is being launched and it embodies everything that has made this compact car a true urban legend Words by TOR BERGMAN Special thanks to Mini

It’s not easy to think of a car that better signifies the swinging sixties than the MINI – cool, sexy and ingenious – everything except macho, in fact – driving towards a new era down Carnaby Street. No ambitious movie director could avoid such an icon of that transformational time. The MINI exemplified the electricity in the culture all around the world at that time and became a fashionable symbol for a new generation, driven by a passion to make this planet a better place. It is telling that from its early days the MINI was used in rally driving, a field in which economical design is essential, and, more importantly, where having the courage to think differently was paramount. Today the realization of the MINI Electric is everything this game-changing car has been, but more so than ever before. Combining inventiveness and ingenuity, the MINI has always steered away from convention. The clever use of space and a humancentric design still empowers everything the designers and makers of the MINI do, and now it has been taken to a whole new electrifying level. Even though a powerful new element – pure electric mobility – has been introduced, driving a MINI, with its thrilling handling, has always been an electric experience, something that was apparent right from the beginning. Crises have always been engines for innovation throughout history, and it was just such a thing that sparked the need to create the first MINI. The Suez Crisis in 1956, leading to severe cutbacks to the oil supply, prompted the British Motor Corporation to assign automotive engineer and constructor Sir Alec Issigonis to design a compact, fuel-efficient car with space for four adults. Issigonis could have thought like

everyone else, but if he had, his creation would probably have been forgotten by now. Instead, he increased the track width as far as he could and mounted the engine transversely, ensuring maximum space, amongst other things, and also adding superb handling. The car was launched in 1959 and soon became a hit and entered the pantheon of British popular culture. Issigonis began to collaborate with John Cooper who, with his father, designed and constructed racing cars that were known for their speed and straightforward mechanics. Cooper’s innovative approach to the problems he encountered in building cars would have a significant impact on motorsport. He took Issigonis’s design and added a more powerful engine and stronger brakes, resulting in the MINI Cooper 997, which eventually won the Monte Carlo rally three times.

MINI Electric was Lisbon, with a spectacular light installation as a part of the campaign to launch the all-electric MINI Cooper SE around the world. Searchlights were installed at charging stations across the city illuminating the sky above the city, demonstrating the progress Lisbon, the Green Capital of Europe for 2020, had made in expanding the public charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Now everyone could see for themselves that charging a MINI was not a problem: there were clearly plenty of stations all around this lovely old port town. In the 1960s, the classic MINI provided the answer to a particular need at that time – the ability to get around an ever more crowded city at a price that most people could afford. The MINI was not only a manageable size on busy streets but also reminded owners of the joys of driving even a small car. The concept of the MINI has gone on to influence urban car design ever since. As with the original car, so today, a major challenge of urban living is finding a desirable as well as affordable living space. ‘MINI living’ is an initiative that, since 2016, has promoted the idea of ‘Creative Use of Space’, to transfer what the MINI car could do for driving in the modern urban environment to living there by creating architectural visions of the future at exhibitions throughout the world. Today a global change in how we manage our way of living is apparent. We use co-offices and even live together in co-living spaces. Creative use of space has never been more in focus. The electrification of fossil fuel-based engines out there is no longer an ideal, but a fact. It is a journey that has been in motion for more than 60 years: MINI is that cool compact thing,

Today, the quest for efficiency in ways other than racing has become a general need in public life, and this compact car again offers the most convincing answer to one of the greatest challenges of our car design for today’s needs – the creation of maximum interior space and efficiency on a minimal footprint and with proven sustainability, all with great style and comfort. Looking back, it can be seen that the MINI’s journey towards a cost- and space-efficient tomorrow has been a consistent one, always at the leading edge of car design by implementing new ways of thinking and a willingness to push the boundaries of what a modern car is capable of. The new MINI Electric is truly distinctive, with a look and feel that suggests an independent and not-too-serious spirit, making it the epitome of a city car. One city that was briefly taken over recently by

driving smoothly towards a realisation of a more astute and stylish way of life. Now more electric than ever, it is a shining example that true ingenuity often arises out of troubled time. MINI is pushing urban life in a new and positive direction. mini.co.uk; @miniuk this page and opposite: the new all-electric mini cooper se with decorative yellow livery, From top: THE new MINI ELECTRIC AT THE LISBON LIGHT SHOW PRESENTATION, 2020; TIMO MÄKINEN AND PAUL EASTER IN a MINI COOPER S competing in THE MONTE CARLO RALLY, 1965; PAUL McCARTNEY WITH HIS MINI, 1967; and the new mini electric in red. images COURTESY OF MINI.

Douglas anasagasti of schweppes at work (top centre and above left), and the tools and ingredients needed by the professional mixologist (courtesy schweppes), with an 1857 illustration of chemistry instruments

Getting lost in his own world The work of Swedish artist Joakim Ojanen may have once been tinged with melancholy but now, with his drawings and sculptures in wood and ceramic, it is a riot of playfulness, fantasy and colour. His is the parallel universe of his surreal imagination – let The Forumist take you there Words by TED HAMMERIN Artwork by JOAKIM OJANEN

With inspiration from childhood comic strips, his youth as a graffiti artist and with a fascination for fanzines, Stockholm-based artist Joakim Ojanen has created a unique place for himself in the art world. Driven by the desire to give life to something the world has never seen, he has realised his own universe. Ojanen recently returned to Sweden from his first ever solo exhibition in Asia at contemporary art gallery AISHONANZUKA in Hong Kong. In just a few years, he has gained widespread international recognition for his quirky, life-affirming art. With an educational background from the illustration and graphic design programme at Konstfack art school in Stockholm, Ojanen’s art career really took off after he discovered the potential of ceramics. What started as a search for a hobby soon came to be the most significant part of his artistic expression, offering a new dimension to his already unique characters. Today, Ojanen’s work is an organic flow between a range of different media. Whether looking at a ceramic sculpture, a drawing or an oil painting, the viewer soon gets the feel of the endearing yet outrageous characters that he gives life to. If the early work of Ojanen have been described as melancholic, the Asian solo debut in early 2020, titled ‘A day in the woods’, was an explosion of colours and a playfulness with shapes constantly challenging the viewers imagination. The exhibition displays a side of his artistic mind perhaps more oblique than ever before, but without losing the desolate expression his characters have become famous for. “The last exhibition is a little bit more twisted than the art I did two years ago that was more melancholic in its expression,” Ojanen says. “This is not a strategy but something that has developed subconsciously. I have found something that I like and elaborated on it. That’s how it mostly happens when my artistic expression changes. I rarely work with different themes for exhibitions. My work is intertwined and in constant motion, it changes a little bit all the time. I really see my artistic expression as one single piece of art, with the things that I create belonging together.” In the same way, every glimpse of Ojanen’s art is a new adventure for the observer, just as every day in

way of describing the library of elements that I have in my head. Things reoccur, sometimes whole characters, but mostly it’s small details that change places and, in that way, gives life to new characters. My artwork is intuitive, and I do not have any specific background story for what I create. Maybe it sounds a little bit hollow, but I believe in the force of the actual creation process. If I create something that comes from what we could call nowhere and it feels genuine, I think that there lies a true value in that alone. The fact that it is possible to create something that is completely unique and that no one in the history of the world has ever seen before is quite staggering and cool.” As the world currently is at a standstill due to the coronavirus pandemic, the parallel universe of Ojanen’s art lives on. The fact that the art could take influence from these extraordinary times is a possibility that Ojanen embraces. After all, the art is very much a reflection of the reality he lives in. “It’s probably not something that I would choose consciously, but in the end my art is somewhat a mirror of myself. Looking back at my art a few years from now, I might notice how much, or if it affected me. It’s always hard to reflect on your art when you are in the middle of it. Right now, I am in the very beginning of creating the art for my next solo exhibition at Richard Heller Gallery, Santa Monica, in September. I am working on new paintings, drawings and sculptures and I am very excited to see how it turns out.” joakimojanen.com; @joakimojanen THIS PAGE, TOP, from LEFT: JOAKIM OJANEN, photo BY FRIDA VEGA SALOMONSSON; ‘I’M GONNA SAVE THIS MOMENT AND PICK THIS UP AGAIN IN FEBRUARY’ (2020). MIDDLE: ‘MIXED CERAMIC SCULPTURES’ (2019). BELOW, from LEFT: ‘I’M NOT SURE ABOUT THIS HAT I LIKE IT A LOT BUT IT’S SO BIG’ (2020); ‘WE GOT THIS! I GOT YOUR BACK, YOU GOT MINE. IT’S US AGAINST THE WORLD’ (2020); ‘THIS IS THE DANCE THAT FREEZES TIME AND I WANNA DANCE IT WITH YOU’ (2020). OPPOSITE PAGE: ‘OH THIS ONE I WANNA KEEP, I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS, SO HAPPY, SO CHARMING!’ (2019)

the studio is a potential new approach for Joakim. The feelings he brings into the studio are an indication of what is about to be created. “I often return to the fact that my artwork is intuitive. It can be rather driven by my mood and reflect my energy at the time when the art is created,” Ojanen says. He elaborates further on the actual creation process: “It’s a bit different depending on the media I work with. With drawings and ceramic sculptures, it really starts with a vague idea that develops into a complete drawing or sculpture. One shape leads to the next shape and my challenge is to create a unity that works for the completed art piece.” Something that reoccurs when Ojanen speaks about his own art is the description of his artistic output as a unified whole. The endearingly gloomy, tragicomic, dreamy and surreal characters are all part of the same universe, one that Joakim has been working on for years and which he describes as close to our own but more honest; a place without time where people can show their true feelings without hiding behind a façade. “The ‘Universe’ that is my art is actually not thought out or deliberate. It’s more like a different

Let’s face the music and dance In times of trouble – and we are surely in one of those times at the moment – there is an answer to the gloom we all might be feeling, and that’s the cocktail. From a spritz to a Manhattan to a Shirley Temple, cocktail is the embodiment of style and sophistication, not to mention technical skill, and the perfect solution to brightening up yet another evening at home Words by TOR BERGMAN SPECIAL THANKS TO SCHWEPPES

It is in times of trouble that we need enchanting amusements more than ever. In times of isolation and boredom, every possibility to lift the spirit must be fulfilled. Forget the common pilsner on the sofa, watching a game – there are no games to be seen! This is the moment in history to explore the wonderful world of cocktails together with Schweppes. A cocktail carnival live streamed from Hotel At Six for the launch of this issue. The iconic songwriter Cole Porter knew how to enjoy himself, even though he lived through two world wars, the Spanish flu and a riding accident that almost killed him and left him disabled. He, if anyone, knew how to stir up a cocktail, whether it was in Venice where he lived for years, or back in New York where he stayed at the Waldorf Towers hotel for nearly 30 years. He truly experienced some good times in his life, but also some tough times, so his motto in life was always to enhance any possibility for enjoyment. The line in one of his contemporary Irving Berlin’s major hits is more vibrant than ever in times like these: “There may be trouble ahead / but while there’s moonlight and music and love and romance / Let’s face the music and dance”.

It is not coincident that the history of the cocktail often coincides with times of trouble. During the great depression, cocktail culture boomed around the world. Films from the thirties did all their best to glamorise the ‘cocktail era’, an epithet they preferred to focus on. On the silver screen, the cocktail evolved from a universal symbol of dissoluteness into one of class and civility. Every new film had to be presented with a signature drink if possible. This was the time when the cocktail became mainstream and found its place into the heart of American and European culture. And why not – we all need to relax when the bank account is diminishing and hordes of unemployed people are standing in line. If we can not visit our usual bar and are sitting in our apartments around the clock instead, then let’s make the home into our favorite bar! 54

This is the time for versatility. Make your flat into an efficient office during the day and a cocktail saloon at night. Discipline has never been more important than now and rather than indulge in having a beer or a glass of wine whenever you’re feeling bored, you should challenge yourself to reach a higher plateau of satisfaction. Now is the time to dress up for dinner, not walk about in your pyjamas all day. Tux or evening dress is not at all over the top – in fact, it is recommended. I once came across an old gentleman who lived in splendid solitude next to a dried-out quarry in northern Nigeria, who every evening put on his tuxedo for dinner. Otherwise, he explained, ”I would lose it all.”.

If you are lucky enough to share your life with someone or if you’re living alone, it doesn’t really matter: do you best to make every meal into a true delight. And before your after-dinner Netflix premiere, do not forget to serve the cocktail of the evening. It is the effort that counts. To take time. Put love into every detail. Make it into a holy ceremony. One new every day. One for each mood. One for every new challenge tomorrow. We have had the great minds at Schweppes put together the ultimate cocktails for these times. Specially adapted to match perfectly with your chosen evening activity, be that sharing time with friends online, listening to your favourite music or just relaxing with a magazine. To make this celebration into a true cocktail feast we have decided to live stream a cocktail-making class from hotel At Sixt in Stockholm. It is in times like these we need the cocktail more than ever. With or without alcohol! Schweppes.eu THIS PAGE, TOP LEFT: STILL OF A GIN AND TONIC BY SCHWEPPES TOP RIGHT: STILL OF DRINK MIXING BY SCHWEPPES MIDDLE: PICTURE OF MAN DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION SOURCE ONLINE BELOW FAR LEFT: PICTURE OF THE CHRYSLER BUILDING SOURCE ONLINE BELOW LEFT: STILL OF DRINK MIXING BY SCHWEPPES BELOW RIGHT: STILL OF DRINK MIXING BY SCHWEPPES BELOW FAR RIGHT: PICTURE FROM A PARTY AFTER THE LIFT OF THE PROHIBITION, USA 1920’S SOURCE ONLINE BOTTOM: PICTURE OF A CLASSIC THEMED BAR SOURCE ONLINE

EXPERTS IN MIXING SINCE 1783

TONIC & TOUCH OF LIME

TONIC & HIBISCUS

TONIC & PINK PEPPER